You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 147 The Scholar's Wrath, He Resists the Jin in the Prefecture
Youyan was the Nanjing Prefecture, Pingzhou, as designated by the Jin Dynasty.

As a former city of Nanjing Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty did not return it to the Northern Song Dynasty, but instead chose to have Zhang Jue, a surrendered general of the Liao Dynasty, garrison it.

They established their own Nanjing Prefecture in the Jin Dynasty.

Zhang Jue passed the imperial examination at a young age and served in the Liao Dynasty, eventually rising to the position of Deputy Military Commissioner of Liaoxing Army.

When the Jin army attacked Liao, he saw that Liao had no hope, so he surrendered to Wanyan Zonghan and was appointed as the military governor of Linhai and the prefect of Pingzhou.

The surrounding area is full of fortified villages and strongholds, which are basically dependent on Pingzhou for their existence, and can provide Pingzhou City with enough early warning time.

In addition, Pingzhou City itself was well-managed in its defenses.

Needless to say, the city's defensive works have been repaired and the moat is wide and deep.

Even if it wasn't during a battle, there were no barricades or ramparts outside the trenches, but there were still fortifications to protect the area in front of the city gates and prevent the enemy from rushing straight to the city walls.

The city walls were well-equipped with defenses, and there were always patrolling soldiers on duty.

With such city defenses, even tens of thousands of enemies without sophisticated siege equipment could not take it down.

Inside a mansion in Pingzhou, Zhang Jue was drinking alone, while his generals below him all had their heads down and looked resentful.

There were about a hundred armored soldiers on guard in the outer courtyard, and seventeen or eighteen men were crammed into a guardhouse, so crowded that it was difficult to turn around.

"Brother, are we just going to watch them act so recklessly?!" Zhang Dungu slammed his fist on the table and shouted.

Zhang Jue looked up at his younger brother, and everyone then noticed that Zhang Shuai's eyes were bloodshot.

"Brother." Zhang Dungu felt a surge of anxiety and stood up, regretting his earlier words.

The Jurchens sent a bird-like strategist today to deliver an imperial edict, ordering Zhang Jue to send troops to attack Xiao Gan.

In the Jurchen tribe, he was merely a lowly strategist with a little over a hundred Jurchen soldiers under his command.

However, upon arriving in Pingzhou, he acted with impunity, beating Zhang Jue's men half to death as soon as he entered the city, blaming Zhang Jue for not personally greeting him.

When Zhang Jue arrived, he was spat on from his horse and then went into the city, demanding beautiful women to serve him.

Zhang Jue gritted his teeth and, filled with resentment, sent several prostitutes to him, only to have them all killed. He then led his men into the home of a minor official and humiliated the man's female relatives.

This minor official was a relative of Zhang Jue. He himself was originally from Pingzhou, and now he had completely lost face in front of his fellow villagers.

Those beasts are still at the minor official's house, fast asleep after getting drunk.

Zhang Jue's chief strategist, Li Anbi, a former official of the Liao Dynasty's Privy Council, stood up and said in a low voice, "General Zhang, if you want to take action, don't hesitate. The Jurchen army is currently in the east and has no time to look west, while Wanyan Aguda is seriously ill. If you want to swallow your anger, don't get angry and try to appease this envoy."

Zhang Jue glanced at him and said, "What does Brother Li think?"

Li Anbi thought for a moment and said, "The Jurchens are so barbaric and rude. If we continue to submit to them in the future, I'm afraid today's events will be repeated again and again."

Zhang Zhongsi, the military commander of Pingzhou, slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and said, "Commander Zhang, let's begin!"

The other subordinates also stood up one after another, almost all of them supporting him.

Zhang Jue smashed his wine cup and said, "The Jurchen Tartars are cruel and ruthless. How can we, the fine men of the land, be humiliated by them! My mind is made up; I will rebel against the Jin and surrender to the Song!"

Li Anbi nodded and said, "In that case, I am willing to go to Bianjing to present the maps and registers of Ping, Ying, and Luan prefectures!"

"it is good!"

Zhang Dungu excitedly drew his knife, walked into the courtyard, and helped up the kneeling middle-aged official. "Uncle Li, you've watched us brothers grow up since we were little, how could we sit idly by! Our elder brother has made up his mind, we'll go avenge you right now!"

The minor official suddenly raised his head, kowtowed several times, and then stood up.

He had been kneeling for so long that he almost lost his footing. "I'll pay you back with my life sooner or later!"

Zhang Jue ordered the city gates to be sealed off, and no one was allowed to leave.

Then he personally led his troops to the Li family's residence. The Jurchen soldiers in the courtyard were still drunk, and there were some bloodstains on the ground.

Not far away, a naked corpse was being arranged in a very unpleasant position in the yard.

Zhang Jue led his troops in, and several Jurchen soldiers who were still relatively sober hurriedly got up and looked for weapons.

But after getting drunk, they were so weak and numb that they were chopped into pieces by a group of Pingzhou soldiers, and that was still not enough to satisfy their anger.

Zhang Jue kicked the head of the Jurchen man Mouke open and ordered all the fortresses and villages to strengthen their defenses and send out scouts.

The Liao and Yan regions, having suffered greatly at the hands of the Jurchens, had long since reached their breaking point.

When news of Zhang Jue's uprising spread, many people around him began to respond.

First is Xiao Gan, who has now ascended the throne and proclaimed himself Emperor of the Great Xi Kingdom.

Because the Jurchens were really not good people, and their killings were excessive, the former Liao officials, Han Chinese gentry in Yan and Yun, and local military generals around them were all like Zhang Jue.

Now that someone has taken the lead, people from all over the country have responded. Gao Dang from Jingzhou and Zhao Renyan from Luanzhou directly recognized Zhang Jue as their leader and announced their allegiance.

Zhang Jue led 50,000 troops to Runzhou to defend against the Jurchen invasion from the south.
-
In Bianliang City, things have become increasingly quiet these days.

It was as if they had hit rock bottom and bounced back. After the blow that Tong Guan had dealt them, the once flamboyant and impetuous Bianliang calmed down.

Gao Qiu diligently trained his troops, Cai Jing governed the country with utmost care, and even Emperor Huizong, after sensing the danger, restrained his temper and would occasionally take out his secret treasury for Gao Qiu and Cai Jing to use.

The civil officials of Bianliang held fewer banquets and were more diligent and proactive when it came time to clock in.

Ultimately, they just enjoy factional strife; no one doesn't love the Song Dynasty.

The Song Dynasty treated its scholar-officials too well. What will happen to everyone if the Song Dynasty is overthrown?
Just then, another problem arose in the riverbed.

From the time of the campaign against Liaodong onwards, the imperial court devoted all its resources to the series of battles. The only funds available for river management were allocated to Bianliang itself and the upstream waterways, in case the upstream breaches caused flooding in Bianliang.

As for the lower reaches of the Yellow River, it's fine to stop for a few years.

The imperial court is now even less interested in this matter; it is simply waiting for the local counties to send official documents should the downstream breach occur.

As for whether to provide relief and when to carry out relief and river repair work, they are still hesitant.

In this inexplicably gloomy atmosphere, the days passed one after another. Those in Bianliang who were involved in this matter felt suffocated by the oppressive atmosphere.

Just then, Li Anbi, one of Zhang Jue's subordinates, arrived in Bianliang, bringing maps and records of Ping, Ying, and Luan prefectures, and announced that he had abandoned the Jin dynasty and returned to the Song dynasty.

On that day, in the Tongting Hall, Zhao Ji showed a joyful expression.

However, they did not agree on the spot, but chose not to make a fuss. Zhao Ji, Wang Fu and others summoned Li Anbi at Genyue.

Having witnessed the prosperity of Bianliang and seen the new army of the capital garrison, Li Anbi felt even more confident about the city.

Under the rule of a country like the Song Dynasty, wouldn't it be a hundred times better than submitting to the Jurchen Tartars?

In Li Anbi's eyes, Genyue was almost like a paradise on earth.

He waited anxiously in a pavilion for an audience with the Emperor of the Song Dynasty.

Before long, a palace maid who looked like a fairy came to summon him to an audience.

Li Anbi dared not raise his head and followed behind her to a palace.

Inside the palace, Zhao Ji sat upright. Li Anbi glanced at him and immediately felt that this was the true emperor!
They're like gods.

Returning to the Song Dynasty this time was absolutely the right choice!

Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji) himself was not so optimistic. Every ambitious emperor, even if he knew nothing about military affairs, had a beautiful wish to expand his territory.

The captured Hu chieftain was made to perform a dance before the steps;

His generals, having achieved the feat of sealing the wolf's lair and inscribing their achievements on stone;

The four barbarian tribes came to pay homage, the five barbarian tribes submitted, and all nations paid tribute.
It was precisely because of this that Emperor Huizong of Song, after losing interest in the prosperous and peaceful state of affairs touted by his officials within the Song Dynasty, immediately thought of transferring the Western Army north to launch a northern expedition against Yan and Yun after being advised by Tong Guan.

In this respect, he was indeed quite bold; none of the previous monarchs had dared to do so.

Unfortunately, the campaign against Liao became Zhao Ji's nightmare from the very beginning.

The news from the front lines was increasingly embarrassing, eventually becoming utterly shameful, with repeated defeats and frequent annihilation of troops.

Those who didn't know better would think that the Liao Dynasty was at its peak. This battle completely shattered the facade of the Song Dynasty's strength, exposing its weakness.

The commanders and generals sent out were in complete disarray, with the army advancing two steps and retreating one, and there was never any real news of victory.

In addition, with the treasury's reserves being spent at a constant rate, Zhao Ji had long forgotten his initial enthusiasm and now only felt that he had taken on a troublesome task.

Therefore, even though Zhang Jue of Pingzhou has come to submit with a large area of ​​land, Zhao Ji is still very hesitant.

If we don't accept it, wouldn't it be a waste to give away such a large territory for nothing?

If we accept it, we fear that the Jurchens will use it as a pretext to launch a punitive expedition against our invading border.

Li Anbi was unaware of his concerns. Seeing Zhao Ji's dignified and radiant demeanor, he began to fawn over him without restraint.

Just like Zhao Liangsi back then.

As they talked, Zhao Ji got excited and felt that he was indeed extraordinary and should be the ruler of the world, and that it was only right to take back Pinglu.

That place was originally the homeland of China.

Wang Fu, seeing this, also added fuel to the fire, trying to persuade Zhao Ji.

So, in a moment of impulsiveness, Zhao Ji immediately agreed, telling them to rest assured that he would issue an edict to have the troops of Yanshan Prefecture support them, forming a mutually reinforcing alliance.

Li Anbi was overjoyed and immediately kowtowed to thank the emperor for his grace, because what he said was so pleasing that Zhao Ji ordered that he be given one hundred taels of gold.
-
In mid-June, when Chen Shao learned of the news from Pingzhou, he was discussing the appointment and removal of officials in Hexi with Wei Li. He clicked his tongue and said, "Zhang Jue, a mere scholar, I never expected him to have such spirit!"

"The lands of Youyan and Pinglu have always been home to many generous and tragic heroes. Their courage in raising an army when the Jin Dynasty was at its zenith is truly extraordinary!"

Chen Shao walked to the map, glanced at it, and pointed to it, saying, "If Tan Zhen of Yanshan Prefecture, Xiao Gan of Jianke Mountain, and Zhang Jue could work together more effectively and take advantage of the terrain, they might be able to stop the Jurchens."

At this time, the Jurchen army was hunting Yelü Yanxi in Yunnei. This brother not only refused to surrender, but also frequently launched counterattacks.

Not long ago, the Jin army attacked the camp where he was hiding. Yelü Yanxi abandoned the camp and fled north, which led to the capture of Commander-in-Chief Ma Ge by the Jin army.

However, he immediately issued a proclamation to Tiande, Yunnei, Shuo, Wu, Ying, Wei and other prefectures, calling on all the righteous men, soldiers and powerful clans of Liao to launch a counterattack together in July.

Furthermore, he sent someone to contact Chen Shao, asking him to join forces and agreeing that if the matter succeeded, he would help Chen Shao replace the Song Dynasty.

Chen Shao remained polite and, after revising his letter, saved it.

And he sent someone to take some supplies back with him.

Because Yelü Yanxi had actually fled to the border of Dingnan Army, and some of his troops were even in Chen Shao's territory.

The Dingnan Army on the other side of Black Mountain held their ground tightly and dared not leave their camp.

They were terrified that the flames of war would inadvertently spread to them.

After all, the commander-in-chief did not order them to participate in the battle.

Just as Chen Shao and Wei Li were analyzing the situation in Pingzhou, Zhao He rushed over to report.

"Master, Madam Zhe is about to give birth."

Upon hearing this, Wei Li jumped to his feet, much more excited than when he first heard about Zhang Jue's uprising.

"General, go and take a look quickly."

Chen Shao gave him an annoyed look, then led his personal guards, including Da Hu and Zhao He, straight to the inner courtyard.

Upon reaching the inner courtyard gate, the guards stopped, and Chen Shao went in alone.

The courtyard was crowded with maids and nannies, all busy running around. Chen Shao sat to the side, waiting patiently.

The old saying that women with wide hips are good at conceiving is somewhat true. Before she was pregnant, although Ms. Zhe had a slender waist, her pelvis was relatively wide. She gave birth to her first child in her twenties, which was the perfect time.

Sure enough, a short while later, someone came to deliver the good news, saying that it was a congratulatory message to the commander and that the mother and daughter were safe and sound.

Chen Shao seemed lost in thought; even before seeing the child, he was still weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Realizing that such things were beyond his control, he felt somewhat relieved and hurriedly went inside.

Lady Zhe lay exhausted on the couch, her hair still wet.

The material conditions of the military governor's mansion are not as good as those of the Song Dynasty imperial court, but they are about the same.

Moreover, the people around him are all reliable and can provide protection and care for the Zhe family. Sometimes, what people need is just such basic things.

No matter how pampered a woman is in normal times, she will be just as disheveled and make a mess when giving birth. In the face of birth, aging, sickness and death, there is not much difference in a person's status.

Chen Shao was in the room, looking at the newborn baby, and had an indescribable feeling.

He suddenly found himself with a relative, even though he understood the reasoning behind it all. But seeing it firsthand still felt a bit magical to him.

Those thoughts from just now have long been forgotten.

He didn't dare pick up the swaddled baby, but instead lowered his head to carefully examine the child. The baby's eyes were closed, and he had stopped crying; he seemed very well-behaved.

Chen Shao said, "Look at her, how cute she is. She'll definitely be as beautiful as you when she grows up."

Despite being exhausted, Zhe still managed to say, "Give her a name."

"How about we name her Chen Xing'er?"

Chen Shao recalled the dream Zhe Shi had under the apricot tree that day.

Zhe smiled, which caused some pain in her lower body, and she immediately broke out in a sweat.

"My childhood name was Asuo."

Does it mean living to be a hundred years old?

Chen Shao smiled and said, "That's right. As long as she lives to be a hundred, we'll take care of the rest."

"Moreover, nicknames should be chosen from humble and unrefined characters, as it is said that this makes the child easier to raise. Too precious a name is not good."

Zhe said weakly, "That's a saying, and Xing'er sounds quite nice too."

When the news of Chen Shao's birth of his daughter spread, several people from the inner quarters came to visit him.

Chen Shao was worried that the children would get sick, so he didn't let them go inside; he just stayed with them and talked to them.

Upon hearing the name, Chun Tao suddenly clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.

Li Shishi glared at her, about to hit her.

"Brother-in-law, help!"

Chen Shao doted on Chun Tao the most, so he shielded her behind him and said, "Why did you hit someone for no reason?"

Chun Tao whispered a few words in Chen Shao's ear with a grin, which immediately annoyed Li Shishi.

Chen Shao quickly hugged her and laughed, "I asked you earlier, but you didn't tell me. Who's to blame?"

It turns out that Li Shishi's real name at home was 'Wu Chunxing'.

Chen Shao chuckled and said, "In that case, let's change the name. How about 'Chen Xing'er'?"

"To have such a fortune is truly a blessing!"

Seeing how much he doted on his daughter, Li Shishi couldn't help but feel a little warm-hearted, recalling her own experiences.

Fortunately, Chen Shaochong still had her, and immediately changed the name he had just chosen. The three of them cuddled for a while before the two of them left together.

After Chuntao and Shishi left, the three Zhu sisters arrived hand in hand, each bringing some gifts.

Chen Shao relaxed a lot and accepted their congratulations. He also told them to work hard in the future and try to give him more children.

Whether it was pre-arranged or not, Zhang Yinghan and Zhai Rui arrived together right after they left.

They were still somewhat reserved, speaking in a very formal manner, as if they had hastily thought it out on the way and then memorized it by rote.

Chen Shao smiled and kissed each of them, explaining that he had been very busy lately and hadn't been back much.

Even if they come back, they'll either stay in the Zhe family's courtyard or go to Shishi or Huanhuan's place.

These two concubines are feeling a bit neglected. They haven't been with me for very long, so it's normal for them to feel restrained and nervous.

Huanhuan arrived after they left.

He was quite happy when he came in, but his face turned cold when he saw Chen Shao.

Chen Shao didn't tolerate her and reached out his hand, saying, "Come here!"

"Why are you being so fierce!" Zhong Lingxi walked over menacingly, only to be grabbed and hugged by Chen Shao.

She quite liked being hugged by Chen Shao, but when she felt a tickle on her cheek, she laughed and struggled.

"I'll give it to Ji"

From now on, you'll call me "older sister"!

"Alright, I found her a wet nurse."

"Go in and take a look, talk to her." Chen Shao patted her bottom.

Huanhuan nodded, stepped inside, glanced at the baby in the swaddling clothes, and looked on with curiosity.

Before long, the wet nurse, who had been brought to the inner courtyard, followed Ruizhu in.

At this moment, the nanny had already gone into the inner room with the child, who was still crying. Cui Die went in and took the child out. The wet nurse took the child and skillfully turned her back, pulled open her collar, and began to breastfeed.

Ah Suo really wanted to nurse, and immediately stopped crying.

The wet nurse's surname was Wu. She was from the military governor's mansion. She looked to be in her early twenties, with a slightly plump figure. Her face and neck were tanned, and the backs of her hands were red.

Judging from their appearance, they were just like the first batch of dark-skinned maids that Liu Guanglie had sent. After they arrived, they had all gained weight.

Chen Shao asked from the side, "How old is your child? Is it a boy or a girl?"

The wet nurse, who had been secretly observing Chen Shao, immediately smiled and said upon hearing him speak, "Seven months. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law both say he can eat porridge now."

This group of maids, having arrived early, were generally very outgoing and showed no fear of Chen Shao, displaying a rather friendly demeanor.

Chen Shao said, "Cui Die, have the kitchen send some fish and meat over every day, and also send ten bolts of silk over at the same time."

The wet nurse turned around, holding the nursing baby A-Yu, and said with a look of surprise, "This is too much of a reward!"

Chen Shao immediately turned away and said, "It's alright, we can bring him along later so he can keep Ah Suo company."

(End of this chapter)