You have truly caused me great suffering!

The Jin envoy has arrived.

As envoys of a nation, they did not go to Bianliang, but instead came to Taiyuan.
What Chen Shao found somewhat interesting was that this was not sent by the brothers Wanyan Zongwang and Wanyan Zonghan, but by the Jin emperor Wanyan Wugumai.

Things suddenly became unpredictable. Although Chen Shao didn't know his purpose, he was happy to chat with him.

It can't be that only you, Wanyan Zongwang, can contact the Song emperor to ask for money and land, but I can't talk to your Jin emperor.
Taiyuan Prefecture.

Chen Shao, accompanied by a group of officials, was waiting inside the hall, which temporarily served as his Prince Dai's Palace.

In the past, Taiyuan, or Jinyang, did indeed have several royal palaces.

Later, the two brothers from the Zhao family, unable to conquer the city, finally lost their temper after a difficult battle and captured Jinyang.

The systemic and complete destruction of Jinyang.

First, the city was burned. After the Song army captured Jinyang, Zhao Guangyi ordered "all torches to be lit, and palaces, temples, and houses were all destroyed in a single day," turning the ancient city, which had been cultivated for thousands of years, into ashes.
Then, the ruins were flooded. To prevent the ruins of Jinyang from becoming a stronghold for the resistance forces, Zhao Guangyi, the God of Chariots, ordered people to divert the Fen River and the Jin River into the ruins of Jinyang. He "blocked the Fen River and the Jinci River and poured them into Jinyang," causing the ancient city ruins to be completely submerged and beyond repair.

Finally, Zhao Guangyi devised a plan to cut off the dragon's horns and nail down the dragon vein: He believed that Jinyang's "imperial aura" originated from its terrain, so he summoned tens of thousands of people to level the top of Xizhou Mountain, calling it "pulling out the dragon's horns"; he also built "nail-shaped" streets on the ruins, intending to "nail down the dragon vein" and completely cut off the possibility of Jinyang "producing another emperor".

There's no way around it, this place really does have some dragon energy.

The area east of the river, especially near Taiyuan, is characterized by its rugged and precipitous mountains and rivers.

If you demolish a city, can't others rebuild it? But your Bianliang has no mountains or fortresses, so can you just build mountains out of there?

The cultural heritage remains unbroken, the mountains and rivers are not yet leveled, and now, a new force is rising on this land.

This power is very pragmatic; they don't build extravagant palaces, yet no one in the world can underestimate them.

The Jin envoys naturally wouldn't look up to the Southerners just because of the palace.

Otherwise, they should have worshipped Emperor Huizong the most.

Wanyan Wuqimai was still living in a tent in Huining Prefecture.

Although it is a very luxurious tent.

The Jin envoy arrived yesterday, but it was late then, so the meeting was scheduled for this morning.

A short while later, someone brought in an envoy.

The Jin envoys who came here were not as arrogant and domineering as those who went to Bianliang; instead, they were very courteous.

After the two sides had finished their informal greeting, the Jin envoy loudly proclaimed:
"Our Emperor Wuqimai would like to ask the Prince of Dai why you are hostile to the Jin Dynasty. We had no enmity with you, and we even traded very amicably in Yunnei."

Zhang Xiaochun chimed in, "Our Prince Dai has always been a subject of the Song Dynasty. It's only natural that we should join the war against Song. What's wrong with that?"

Chen Shao nodded slightly.

The envoy from the Jin Kingdom was from Bohai. He spoke Mandarin very clearly, but with a strong Liaodong accent.

"What His Highness the Prince of Dai inherited was the territory and people of Western Xia. Isn't it hypocritical for him to claim that he is a subject of the Song Dynasty?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Li Tangchen said with a smile, "Your Highness rose from the Shengjie Army of Fuyan Road in the Great Song Dynasty. Because of your bravery in the battle against Western Xia, you climbed the city wall at night in Fokou Valley, beheaded two people, and cut the city's protective felt. You then became an official. Everyone knows this. It can be seen that Your Highness is a meritorious official of the Great Song Dynasty in destroying Xia, rather than inheriting the power of Western Xia."

The Jin envoy stopped pursuing the matter, as it was merely an opening act. With the war already at this stage, investigating who struck first was utterly meaningless.

“Our Jin Kingdom and the Prince of Dai have no animosity. Moreover, Wanyan Balisu was once sworn brothers with Your Highness, but now he is trapped in the southwest. If Your Highness cherishes our past friendship, please do not prevent him from returning east.”

“Our Emperor Wuqimai does not wish to see the two armies fighting each other and the Song people benefiting. If Your Highness is willing, our Emperor is willing to mediate and persuade Your Highness to cease hostilities with Zonghan and Zongwang.”

Chen Shao knew perfectly well that what he said was not a smokescreen.

Wanyan Wugumai was already at a disadvantage in the struggle against the Jin Dynasty, and he was unwilling to see Zonghan and Zongwang continue to expand their power.

Once they occupy the land of the Song Dynasty and possess endless food, wealth, and population, they become even more difficult to control.

He had no choice but to accept both invasions of the Song Dynasty in the south. Leaders of military groups like Zonghan's, once they occupied vast territories, were simply impossible to control.

Yue Fei's loyalty was far greater than Zong Han's, and he needed the Song Dynasty's supplies even more, so Zhao Gou still dared not let his northern expedition be too successful.

Moreover, Wu Qimai was a very small and insignificant figure.

At this time, the situation of the two Jurchen armies was not as good as it seemed; they might be stopped at any time.
Once the Dingnan Army breaches Wuhui Ridge, these two armies will suffer heavy losses, if not death.

For Wu Qimai, this was indeed an opportunity.
Chen Shao was silent for a moment, then said, "After you go back, tell Wu Qimai that peace talks are possible, but I will only negotiate with the Emperor of the Great Jin. As for Zonghan and Zongwang, they led troops to invade the border without cause and slaughtered the people."

"If the Great Jin Kingdom can execute these two traitors and return Youyan, I will strongly urge the Emperor to restore the maritime alliance, just like the old Song-Liao agreement, where neither side would invade the other."

"The world is big enough to accommodate two powerful nations, Jin and Song."

The Jin envoy looked grim, but he noticed that the civil and military officials of the Dingnan Army in the hall all seemed to be watching a show.

They clearly don't want a ceasefire; they want to fight.

At this point, saying anything would be pointless.

Wu Qimai may have some infighting with the military clique, but he would never sacrifice the interests of the Jurchen people.

He was not Zhao Gou; he was the emperor of the Jin Dynasty who had followed Aguda in raising an army and fought for more than a decade.

Chen Shao suddenly added, "By the way, Wanyan Balisu is my brother. As long as he doesn't attack first, we won't touch him."

This escape was truly unfortunate; Chen Shao's army launched a surprise attack on Yunnei from Nuanquan Peak, their invasion as fierce as fire and as swift as the wind.

He simply took a nap, and when he woke up, he was forever separated from the Jurchen western army.

Now located on the outskirts of Heishui Town, near the Mongolian grasslands, they live a life of decadence while also living in constant fear.

As the Jin envoy withdrew with a grim expression, everyone in the hall wore expressions of excitement.

The Jurchen Tartars were also afraid.

This is everyone's shared thought.

Because they didn't have much intelligence about the Jurchens, unlike Chen Shao.

The Jurchen Tartars, especially Wanyan Wugumai, were not necessarily afraid.

This was just one of his tactics.

Although the Jurchens were fierce, they knew how to exert pressure. Before and even during each battle, they would send envoys to persuade the Jurchens to surrender and negotiate peace.

However, this also served as a reminder to Chen Shao that the Jurchen Tartars themselves were not a monolithic entity, so how could the other ethnic groups under his rule be loyal to the Jin Dynasty?

What's needed most right now is good news from the front lines, especially from Wuhuiling.
Zhu Lingling never lets anyone down at crucial moments.

But this time, his physical condition held him back.

He fell ill while rushing to the rear of Wuhuiling.

For something this important, he should have had his men continue the advance, and he himself could have even retreated.

As long as the person you find has a certain level of ability, that's fine.

But Zhu Lingling was worried and unwilling to give up, so he forced himself to cross the jungle.

If you endure it today, when the nation is founded tomorrow, glory will be bestowed upon you, and wealth and honor will extend to your descendants.

As the sky gradually brightened, the rising sun began to show signs of the approaching summer heat, shining on Zijing Ridge.

After crossing Zijing Ridge, you'll reach the north side of Wuhui Ridge.

Zhu Lingling looked at the dense forest behind her. It was fortunate that the Tatars, driven mad by hunger by the Jurchens, had stumbled upon the path while searching for food. Otherwise, who would have known that there was a valley here for marching?

The Jurchens ultimately left behind too many consequences for their viciousness.

Looking at the gradually flattening land, Hu Yantong couldn't help but ask, "Have we... arrived in Youyan?"

An overwhelming sense of ecstasy filled everyone's hearts.

But this also made them cautious, afraid to reveal their emotions too much, lest something else happen.

The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun are always referred to together.

However, Yunnei and Youyan were always separate; they were simply given to the alien race by Shi Jingtang.

In fact, when Shi Jingtang betrayed the country, Youyan was not even his territory.

If we compare Wuhui Ridge to a dam, then Dingnan Army is like the floodwaters rushing against the dam.

Now that they've taken a detour, it's like drilling a small hole in the dam.

A thousand-mile embankment was destroyed by an ant nest.

Dawn had broken, and everyone instinctively gripped their weapons tightly.

The Bauhinia Ridge, bathed in the morning sun, looks like a golden mountain.

Immense wealth and endless military achievements were beckoning to them.

Zhu Lingling gritted her teeth, her smile somewhat ferocious, as if she had suddenly returned to the chieftain of the Qiang tribes of Hengshan.
-
In Bianliang City, Wu Min looked at the battle report from the front, her expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

Within their small group, those who were wholeheartedly devoted to the country were Li Gang and Yuwen Xuzhong.

There were also those who were single-mindedly self-serving, such as Geng Nanzhong, who has now switched sides and achieved his goal.

One who possessed great courage but lacked both knowledge and ability was the eunuch Shao Chengzhang.

However, Wu Min was a true opportunist who spent his entire life speculating and was obsessed with power.

In the original history, this important minister of the Song Dynasty, when the Jurchen broke the alliance and invaded the south, Emperor Huizong Zhao Ji lost his courage and prepared to pass the throne to Zhao Huan, while he himself became the retired emperor and fled to Jinling for safety.

In front of Emperor Huizong, Wu Min feigned loyalty and bravery, saying that he would rather die than obey the imperial edict, and how could His Majesty abandon Bianliang, the capital city?
This posture completely put Zhao Ji in a difficult position.

On the surface, Wu Min appeared loyal and brave, but behind the scenes, he readily recommended Li Gang, who was then highly regarded by the people, without daring to take responsibility himself.

He also used Li Gang's words to suggest that Zhao Ji should pass the throne to the crown prince, just like the story of the Tianbao era in the Tang Dynasty.

Finally, he shamelessly participated in drafting the edict of succession.

Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) offered him the position of Attendant Gentleman of the Palace to assist Emperor Huan. At this time, Wu Min's opportunistic nature was revealed. He refused to take up the post and insisted on accompanying Emperor Huizong on his tour of Jinling to avoid the dangerous and war-torn city of Bianliang.

If Bianliang is saved, he will have the merit of drafting the edict of abdication and supporting Zhao Huan's ascension to the throne. Moreover, Li Gang and others were recommended by him, so it would not be difficult for him to make a comeback from Jinling.

If Bianliang is lost, then if Zhao Ji is reinstated in Jinling, he will have won again, winning the game directly.

His outrageous actions are a classic case of wanting to be a prostitute while also trying to maintain a virtuous image!

It vividly portrays the cutthroat and scheming atmosphere among the civil officials and scholars of the Song Dynasty.

Later, Zhao Huan was unusually clever and refused to allow Zhao Ji to tour Jinling.

For this reason, he did not hesitate to give up the palace and move into Longde Palace himself.

However, this did not prevent Wu Min from being promoted to Junior Chancellor and concurrently serving as the Privy Councilor due to his previous successful opportunism; he remained a high-ranking official.

However, he was also trapped in Bianliang, which was a slight miscalculation, because staying in Bianliang was dangerous and he could be captured by the Tartars at any time.

Realizing he was in danger, Wu Min, who had originally been a staunch advocate for war and strongly supported Li Gang, changed his tune once again. He began to advocate for peace talks with the Jurchens, and went further than other peace advocates.

He advocated that all land north of the Yellow River should be ceded to the Jurchens!

This behavior is completely reckless, making it hard to believe that he didn't do it on purpose.

He wanted others to impeach him so he could take the opportunity to leave Bianliang. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why Wu Min, who had spent his whole life hiding in the shadows and plotting, suddenly abandoned his reputation and became the most radical surrenderist.

In the end, he got his wish and was demoted to Fuzhou, thus successfully escaping the Jingkang Incident.

This saved his life! In the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty, he was given important responsibilities by Zhao Gou, who admired him, and died peacefully in office. His descendants lived a life of wealth and luxury.

This is the grandmaster of speculation; he's mastered the ways of officialdom.

This was also the ultimate expression of the shrewd spirit of the Song Dynasty scholar-officials, and the root cause of the weakness of the two Song dynasties.

Wu Min locked herself in her study, had a servant stand guard at the door, and wouldn't allow anyone to disturb her.

He picked up his pen and wrote three characters on the paper in front of him: Shao Huanji
After hesitating for a moment, he gently crossed out the character "佶". Although he intended to take advantage of the Emperor Emeritus, he also secretly made contact.

However, based on the situation in Hebei, Wu Min concluded that Zhao Ji had no future.

Whether the newly trained troops of the Great Song Dynasty were capable of fighting the Dingnan Army became his biggest concern.

He even considered that Chen Shao had no children, and that the Dingnan Army might collapse after his sudden death.

Before placing a bet, you should list all the risks and then make a choice.

After a long while, he slowly picked up his pen and circled the character "绍".

If he were to side with Chen Shao now, he would have no leverage. Leaving aside Cai Jing and Wei Li, Geng Nanzhong alone would not be willing to share his power.

Because the two have very similar roles.

Thinking of this, Wu Min felt that if she wanted to join Chen Shao, she had to first ruin Geng Nanzhong's reputation.

He beat Cai Jing's son in Xiping Prefecture, and it is said that he has not yet recovered.

Perhaps I should pay a visit to Cai Jing.
He picked up his pen and wrote down the names of Cai Jing, Geng Nanzhong, Li Gang, and others on the paper.

Once the idea of ​​joining the Dingnan Army came to mind, it was impossible to suppress, because, given the current situation, the Dingnan Army had the greatest hope and the brightest future.

As for the pledge of loyalty, Wu Min had already thought it through; if he didn't have any, he could create them himself.

Emperor Huizong is currently living a very docile life in Genyue. This is not because he wants to be this way, but because he has no opportunity to retaliate.

In fact, Wu Min knew all too well what kind of person the retired emperor was.

Now that I have made contact with him, I will use the eunuchs in the Inner Palace who are loyal to Zhao Ji, as well as the relatives of Zhao Ji's concubines, to incite him to cause trouble in secret.

Once they're almost ready, you can go report them to the Dingnan Army, and that'll be your pledge of loyalty.

After joining the Dingnan Army, they joined forces with Cai Jing to bring down Geng Nanzhong.

This is especially important.
One of Geng Nanzhong's major roles in the Dingnan Army was that he was originally part of Zhao Huan's old staff in the Donghua Palace and had served as the emperor's tutor for more than ten years.

Whatever the Dingnan Army wants to do, at least at this stage, they need someone who can get close to and influence the government.

If Geng Nanzhong is removed, this gap will fall on our own shoulders, because Wu Min has long been regarded as Zhao Huan's man and has played a role in supporting his ascension to the throne.

Those who protected Emperor Zhao Huan were all die-hards like Li Gang and Yuwen Xuzhong, with strong backing, and would never defect to the Dingnan Army.

Wu Min rolled up all the papers, burned them over a candle, and then blew away the ashes.

The flickering candlelight cast shadows on his face, sometimes bright, sometimes dim. (End of Chapter)