You have truly caused me great suffering!

The soldiers in the Marshal's Mansion were still celebrating the great victory at the Ji River.

Chen Shao stood up and said, "Guo Yaoshi is about to be destroyed. The most important thing in attacking him is to be quick and not give the Jin Kingdom a chance to intervene."

"The king is wise."

Those below were all amazed by the power and effectiveness of the cannons, but Chen Shao remained calm.

He thought about it carefully, said a few words to his guards, and then went into the inner room.

A short while later, Zhong Shidao, Li Tangchen, Liu Jizu, and Zhang Kejian entered the inner room.

Chen Shao extended his hand and said, "Sit down."

Because he was always easygoing, no one felt any pressure when facing Chen Shao.

After everyone was seated, Chen Shao said, "Now that Goryeo has opened its gates and has our troops stationed there, as far as I know, Goryeo is on the verge of a coup."

“The powerful minister Lee Ja-gyeom has the idea of ​​assassinating the king and seizing the throne. The king of Goryeo is seventeen years old and also wants to eliminate the powerful minister.”

"Both sides have turned to me for help, hoping to obtain assistance from the stationed troops. What do you all think?"

The four men exchanged glances, all somewhat puzzled. Li Tangchen said, "Since ancient times, the rulers and their subjects, fathers and sons, have never been incompetent or tyrannical. Li Ziqian has no extraordinary achievements either. Now that he is about to commit such a rebellious act, how can we tolerate him?"

“That’s right, it’s against all reason,” Zhong Shidao echoed.

Zhang Kejian nodded and said, "If we help Li Ziqian destroy the King of Goryeo, it would be illegitimate and improper. Even if he can give us more benefits in the short term, we should not be greedy for such a small gain."

"Our great nation, which values ​​loyalty and filial piety, should punish the wicked and treacherous, trace back to the source, and set an example for the barbarians of the world."

"That's very well said."

Seeing the four people's unusual agreement, Chen Shao fell into deep thought. He had always felt that he deeply loved Chinese culture, but now it seemed that he had been corrupted by Western pirate culture.

If we act like Great Britain, sowing discord from within and without, pursuing only our own interests and completely abandoning the morality of the Central Plains, what difference would we have from bandits?
The way to govern the world should be a mixture of benevolent rule and hegemonic power.

I am the Celestial Empire, and all things are governed by me. Wherever the sun and moon shine, and wherever rivers flow, all is my land.

The confidence behind this statement comes from the principles and virtues that I possess.

Since I hold this position, I have the responsibilities that come with it and a moral bottom line.

Otherwise, the difference between the Chinese and the barbarians would truly be merely a matter of geographical location.

If you want to go out into the world, you must export your morality and the philosophy of your nation to educate and enlighten people everywhere.

The key to success is to make others both fear and respect you.

It just so happens that the culture and morality of the Central Plains are superior to those of other places.

Under the rules you set, everyone has the means and right to survive, instead of simply plundering the world.

Otherwise, even a powerful nation like Great Britain, which plundered the entire world, only dominated for a few hundred years.

Then they were scorned by the whole world, their reputation was completely ruined, and everyone knew that the Anglo-Saxons were a bandit race, despicable and inferior.

If you can't command respect, even the strongest military force won't last.

Because that would only leave behind tyranny, and not the 'royal way' unique to the Central Plains.

Chen Shao then recalled why he had been able to succeed so smoothly since he completed his training: it was because he always insisted on having a 'just cause' for his training.

Instead of becoming reckless and acting arbitrarily after gaining a numerical advantage.

If that were the case, he would be nothing more than Dong Zhuo at best, and more than half of his own men wouldn't come to join him now.

Only a group of ambitious, ruthless, and opportunistic individuals remained, gathering around him.

Moreover, if you promote pirate logic overseas, the people you cultivate overseas will turn against the Central Plains.

“What you all say is invaluable advice,” Chen Shao said with a smile. “I’ve had this idea for a long time, and I was just testing you out.”

Having resolved his inner turmoil, Chen Shao felt as if he had made some progress, and he now had a clearer understanding of how to think about problems, especially those overseas.

He looked down at the four people below and, recalling their matter-of-fact expressions, Chen Shao thought to himself that his ancestors were indeed quite charming.

It must be admitted that, on the whole, the people of virtue and ambition in ancient times were of higher quality than people in modern times.

Because in later generations, the Western culture of banditry once dominated the mainstream, which seriously polluted universal morality.

Chen Shao immediately wrote a secret letter and had it sent to the caravan, which was then given to Guo Hao, who was stationed in Kaesong, Goryeo.

He was tasked with assisting King Gae of Goryeo.

Nowadays, it only takes one day and one night to travel from Laizhou to Goryeo, which is very convenient.

Having resolved his major concern, Chen Shao smiled and said, "Today's banquet is to celebrate the soldiers on the front lines!"

The four people inside laughed together. The king was hosting a banquet, and the main theme was frugality.

But attending the conference isn't just about eating and drinking.

In previous dynasties, many officials attended banquets simply to eat meat and drink wine. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, high-ranking officials were quite extravagant and corrupt, and they liked to take some Wushi San (a type of drug). They could even drag beautiful maids to "spread the drug" at the banquet.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, song and dance became popular, especially in the Tang dynasty, where the Hu Xuan dance and Hu Ji dances became must-do activities for high-ranking officials and nobles.

However, in the Song Dynasty, productivity had reached a certain level, and resources were much more abundant than in the Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin Dynasties. Most officials did not lack food and drink.

Banquets for high-ranking officials and nobles gradually shifted from "luxury" to "secularization," placing greater emphasis on the refined tastes and emotional exchanges of literati.

At banquets for officials, the items that usually appear are elegant ones.

Chen Shao's banquet was quite different from the traditional banquets of the Song Dynasty, becoming more pragmatic.

It's like recalling past hardships to appreciate present happiness.
Liu Jizu's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said:

"If Your Majesty wishes to hold a banquet, it does not have to be for civil and military officials. You may invite the gentry, celebrities, and wealthy merchants in Taiyuan."

"Participants can spontaneously donate money or goods to reward the meritorious soldiers on the front lines and to provide relief for the wounded and injured."

If you say it's voluntary, but you don't give me anything this time, I'll never invite you again.

Chen Shao smiled and said, "That's settled then. Li Gong and Liu Gong, you are more familiar with the people of Taiyuan, so you can send out invitations in the name of the Prince's Mansion."

Li Tangchen had an idea and said, "The number of participants should be limited to ten or fewer."

“Absolutely, absolutely,” Liu Jizu echoed with a smile.

With more slots available, the value of a place diminishes. The Hedong region has never lacked wealthy people throughout history; plenty of people are willing to pay for prestige.

A strange thought suddenly came to Chen Shao's mind. He used to hope that he would have a son so that he could give birth to a child for the country; now he was serving the country by drinking with the emperor.
-
Chen Shao was drinking with guests.

Gubeikou.

The Jin Kingdom has received news of the attack on Guo Yaoshi.

Wanyan Zonghan was stationed in Beian Prefecture. By this time, he had recovered some of his strength, and seven military officers had gathered in his tent.

Zong Han, who once held the rank of Marshal of the Western Route Army and commanded countless elite soldiers and generals, now had a much smaller entourage.

However, those who followed him were all extremely loyal.

Upon seeing the battle report, Zong Han immediately said, "Guo Yaoshi cannot be defeated. If he is defeated, the 100,000 iron cavalry of the Western Barbarians will launch a northern expedition."

"Let's send someone to Zongwang immediately, go directly to Zongbi and tell him to send troops to Yanshan for reinforcement, while we go to the top of Gubeikou."

After Zonghan finished speaking, a personal guard lifted the tent flap and went out to relay the order.

However, the atmosphere inside the tent was somewhat strange. After a while, his son, Wanyan Xiebao, said, "Father, Zong Bi is very arrogant now. How can he listen to your orders?"

Zonghan's eyes turned cold, but after a moment, he felt that his son made sense.

"If he doesn't listen, our Jurchen people will be in danger!"

Zonghan was filled with remorse. How powerful he had once been in the Jin Kingdom! Even the current emperor had been dragged down and given twenty lashes by him.

However, after several defeats, he completely lost this power.

Lou Shi and Yin Shuke's deaths were tantamount to breaking their own arms; from then on, no one would take them seriously anymore.

Wanyan Xiyin, his former trusted confidant, no longer obeys his orders and only listens to Wanyan Wuqimai.

Zongbi was ambitious and wanted to inherit Zongwang's power.

If Zongwang were healthy, with his knowledge, he would definitely be able to reach an agreement with me.

Unfortunately, he was bedridden for many years, and his ability to control his subordinates gradually diminished.

At this moment, Pu Liyan entered from outside, bowed, and said, "Zonghan, the emperor has sent someone to deliver an order."

Upon hearing this, Zong Han stood up and said, "Let him in!"

As a gust of cold wind blew in from outside, the emperor's envoy also entered. Upon seeing him, Zonghan said, "Zongchao, what brings you here?"

Wanyan Zongchao was Aguda's seventh son and was enfeoffed as the Prince of Feng. He was the son of Aguda's principal wife, but he had never been on the battlefield and was therefore not respected by the Jurchens.

"His Majesty summoned me to deliver the order." Wanyan Zongchao lacked a certain imposing presence when facing Zonghan.

Although he was of noble lineage, Zonghan held great power for many years and was ruthless and intimidating. The young Zongchao was no match for him.

What are the orders?

Even after falling to this state, Zonghan remained arrogant.

Zong Chao said, "His Majesty has issued an edict appointing Xie Ye as Grand Marshal, in command of all armies, both inside and outside the capital, with all units under his command. Wanyan Ang will be the vanguard, heading from Zezhou to relieve Pingzhou. You are to guard Gubeikou, and Zong Bi will go to Yanshan."

Zonghan chuckled and said, "I am willing to obey orders to guard Gubeikou, but Zongbi may not be willing to go to Yanshan."

Xie also held a high position, being the brother of Wanyan Aguda, sharing the same father and mother. Moreover, he had always served as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, overseeing the overall situation, a position that Zonghan had no objection to.

Moreover, his arrangements were similar to what he had thought, but he didn't know if he could command the ambitious but incompetent Zong Bi.

With the military order in hand, Wanyan Zonghan no longer hesitated and directly ordered the army to head to Gubeikou in front of Zongchao in his tent.

The reason he was assigned to guard Gubeikou was because Gubeikou was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and Zonghan's forces were already few in number.

The only option was to send the well-equipped Zong Bi to Yanshan to fight against Zhu Lingling's Dingnan Army.
-
Gubeikou, Zongbi's military camp. Inside the felt tents, lamplight flickered, shadows moved about, and the sounds of arguing never ceased.

The messenger was Zongbi's cousin, Wanyan Chala, who was extremely anxious and urged Zongbi to obey the order.

"Xie Ye has always been the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Back then, Zong Han and Zong Wang each led the eastern and western armies, and they all obeyed his orders. How dare you disobey him?"

No matter how much he pleaded and talked until his saliva dried, Wanyan Zongbi, sitting cross-legged at his desk with his cheeks puffed out, remained unmoved.

He's already been broken down by that guy on the other side named Yue Fei.

Especially when Zong Bi learned that it was this very person who had stopped him in Cizhou with five hundred men, causing him to lose face.

With both old and new grudges combined, and just when the fight was about to begin, he was told to go to Yanshan by himself.

I'm not going!
In any case, unless we capture that southern barbarian named Yue Fei and slice him into pieces to feed to the eagles, we won't be able to get the army to leave this place.

Just as they were arguing, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from outside.

Zong Bi looked up suspiciously, "You brought troops with you?"

Could it be that Wu Qimai is trying to seize his troops?

This annoyed Zong Bi; if that were the case, he would rebel first.

However, his own men were not to be trifled with, so how could they have been allowed to reach his tent so easily?

Zong Bi snorted coldly, drew his sword, and lifted the curtain.

"I'd like to see who it is, Second Brother?"

Zong Bi was completely dumbfounded when he saw Zong Wang suddenly appear before him. Not long ago, you were sickly and weak.

Zongwang glared at him, ignored him, and went straight into the main tent.

The military officers in the tent, seeing Zong Wang's vigorous stride, were somewhat intimidated and knelt down to pay their respects.

Zongwang had commanded the Eastern Route Army for so long that his status in the Jin Dynasty was second only to the old emperor.

Even the new emperor, Wanyan Wuqimai, dared not claim to have a firm grip on him.

Zongwang sat down in his chair and said loudly, "The Western barbarians have made a comeback. The chance for revenge has come. I will take you to Yanshan and fight them again."

Wanyan Zongwang's gaze was indifferent; he simply waited there quietly, uttering no further words.

Among the Jurchen generals, many exchanged glances.

They could both understand each other's meaning.

Zongwang has returned, and he is still so healthy, which means that his illness has long been cured.

Zongwang led everyone in many battles over the years and only suffered one defeat, which is something Zongbi could not match.

Let's listen to him. Let's lead our Jurchen troops and fight the Western Barbarians to the death. We can't let them win every time!
We must fight with all our might, even if it means dying on the front lines, so that Zongwang won't think we're cowards who fear death!

At this moment, Wanyan Zongbi stood awkwardly to the side, feeling extremely conflicted.

How did my second brother suddenly get better?
Could it be that the sorcery of the Southern quacks, who stick needles into people's bodies and make them eat grass roots and tree bark, is really more powerful than that of the great shaman?

These days, he completely regarded himself as the marshal of the Eastern Route Army, never expecting that his second brother would recover again.
Zongwang was assigning tasks, but he didn't hear a word he said.

Fortunately, Zongwang ignored him completely and did not assign him any tasks.

The good news is that he doesn't have to work anymore and can rest well; the bad news is that his men have all been sent out by Zongwang and added to other Meng'an Mouke, which means they are no longer under his command.

When Zongwang stood up, he realized what was happening and chuckled awkwardly as he stepped forward, saying, "Second Brother, I'm so happy you're better!"

Zongwang glanced at him sideways, then turned and left.
-
Torches, held high, wind and coil like dragons along the mountain paths of Gubeikou.

Thousands of Jurchen troops were crammed between the narrow mountain roads, preparing to march eastward overnight.

Heading east from Gubeikou, you'll basically be walking along the Great Wall. The mountain paths here are so slow that even large armies can only pass through slowly.

It was said that it was nighttime, and it took a long time to move forward even a short distance.

In the darkness of night, all that could be heard were impatient shouts from people and neighing from horses.

Many of the female warriors simply sat by the roadside, back to back, and took a nap.

A Jurchen muke sat on a rock, coldly watching the congested road in front of him, and kept raising a sheepskin water bag to pour water into it.

The aroma of wine filled the night air; it was clearly a fine wine that had been plundered from the southerners. People used to drink it freely, but now there's not much left in stock.

The Jurchen Eastern Route Army attacked wealthy areas, even reaching the vicinity of the capital, where they looted for half a month.

It was during those two weeks that Zhao Huan was terrified, while the Tartars looted everything they could and killed many people with gusto.

Before the second southward expedition, Zonghan led his baggage train south, while the Eastern Route Army left the baggage train behind, intending to sustain the war effort through combat.

As a result, the Western Route Army, which had been looting for more than a decade, had its loot taken back once in Yunnei and once in Hebei. In contrast, the Eastern Route Army remained well-off.

This is also why Zonghan lost the support of the people so quickly.

The Western Route Army is now a mere shell of its former self, with only Zong Han as a lone marshal and seven or eight of his own men remaining.

Upon smelling the aroma of the wine, the Jurchen warriors around them swallowed hard, their Adam's apples bobbing.

But seeing that Mouke looked unwell, no one dared to step forward and ask for a couple of bites.

One of his trusted men, Puliyan, rushed back from the front and came before the man. He whispered, "The boys are getting a little lazy. Should we urge them on? It's the middle of the night, and they've only covered this little distance. If we manage to reach Yanshan by then, we might not even be able to plunder anything of value. Wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

Namu sneered, "Still trying to rob? Didn't you hear? This time we're going to provide support. I can't be bothered to urge them on. Let the men catch their breath. They've been stuck at Gubeikou for so long, their food is almost gone, why should they give up Gubeikou!"

"Zongwang never thinks of us when it comes to any benefits! He spent a year building the village, and all the good fortifications were given to Zonghan."

This Mouk also harbored resentment, likely due to some bloodline connection to the enemy. His words were unrestrained, and he grew increasingly angry as he spoke.

“I think Zongwang’s illness this time is because he’s so sick that he’s forgotten all about our Eastern Route Army. What kind of person is Zonghan? He used to fight with us over everything. Now that he’s in trouble, we should just kill him. Why are we protecting him?”

Mouke took another sip, and just as he was getting into the conversation, a commotion came from behind him. Then he saw the firelight flickering and several riders galloping towards him.

Huru on horseback, and his personal guards behind him, are truly skilled riders; they can ride horses even here.

Upon encountering Mouke perched atop the rock, he shouted from his horse, "Zongwang has ordered a full-speed march! What are you doing here? If you delay military operations, Zongwang will have enough heads to chop off yours."

Namu Ke immediately jumped up, looking like he was about to start cursing, but was held back tightly by Puliyan beside him.

Puliyan was clearly terrified, pressing his head tightly against his ear, "Zongwang, these are Zongwang's personal guards, are you out of your mind!"

Zongwang had just recovered from a serious illness, and his trusted subordinates were both surprised and delighted, even though these days had not been long.

But ever since Zong Bi came to power, he kept promoting his cronies. How could others not have complaints?

Especially for Zongwang's direct subordinates, the military resources are limited, so promoting them would mean suppressing oneself.

But who told Zongwang to be so useless? He had to fall ill at this crucial moment, even though he was young and strong.

Your father, the old emperor Aguda, only started his rebellion at the age of forty-six. How come you're going to die at the age of thirty-six?
Fortunately, the Southerners' medical skills were reliable, and he actually recovered. Even Hulu, who came to deliver the order to the military governor, turned his life around.

The order was delivered with great confidence, but Zong Bi's confidants, who could have held the pass of Gubeikou with one man, were now struggling and wandering in the mountain road, were all filled with anger!

Puliyan ultimately failed to hold onto the people. Relying on his close blood ties with Zongwang and Zongbi, Mouke immediately pointed at the cavalrymen and began to curse them, spewing out Jurchen profanities and even adding Khitan words.

The Jurchens were slaves of the Khitans, and they were cursed by the Khitans for generations. Therefore, the most offensive curses in their minds were mostly in the Khitan language.

No matter how hard Puliyan tried, he couldn't hold him back.

However, Wanyan Zongwang was known for his strict military discipline in the Jurchen Eastern Route Army. Although he was not cruel to his subordinates, if you disobeyed his orders, you would surely die.

The guards he sent to deliver the order were just like him.

Hearing that Mouke had finished cursing, Hulu sneered: "Zongwang gave the order personally. If you don't want to listen, then go ahead and drink your fill here! Anyway, Zongwang said that he wants to see you in Yanshan before sunset in two days! If you're quick, you can rest in Yanshan for a while before going to Pingzhou to fight the Western Barbarians!"

After saying this, Hulu spurred his horse and rode away without uttering another word or arguing with him.

Namuk glared at their departing figures with hatred, his lips moving incessantly, as if he hadn't had enough of cursing them yet.

Napuliyan looked at him, wiped away a cold sweat, and seemed to have escaped a disaster. He asked, "What should we do?"

Mou Ke angrily took off his leather hat and threw it heavily on the ground: "Let's go! What else can we do? If anyone disobeys orders, Zong Bi will just give them a beating, but Zong Wang really knows how to kill!"

Although Mouke had cursed loudly while drunk, he was now somewhat frightened as the cool breeze blew on him.

After walking a few steps, he quickened his pace and shouted, "Everyone, get running!"
-
"This Pharmacist Guo is as stupid as a pig or an ox, yet his ambitions are higher than the sky."

Qu Duan looked down at the few hundred soldiers scattered on the ground at the foot of Tieshan Mountain, who seemed to be waiting for their fate.

Judging from this, it's clear that this isn't the first time they've surrendered, and it's very likely that this is more than the second time.

Judging from the affiliation of this place, their history should be that they first surrendered to the Liao Dynasty, then to Zhang Jue, then to the Jin Dynasty again, then to Guo Yaoshi, and now to Qu Duan.

Qu Duan couldn't help but spit out, "So ignorant of military affairs, yet you dare to attempt to establish a separatist regime!"

Laotieshan is located at the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula. It is a spur of the Qianshan Mountains, surrounded by the sea on three sides, and is the highest peak in Lushunkou.

It gets its name from the black color of its rocks, which resemble iron. During the Han Dynasty, it was called "Wushi Mountain" and during the Liao Dynasty, it was renamed "Tieshan" (Iron Mountain).

In such a place, you didn't send a large army to garrison it to defend the sea route, but instead abandoned these surrendered Liao soldiers to guard it for you.

Would these people risk their lives for you, Pharmacist Guo?

When the army landed, they surrendered without resistance.

Qu Duan was a well-fed man who didn't know the hunger of a starving man.

Guo Yaoshi, a trusted confidant of the Ever Victorious Army, had a total of more than 20,000 men, yet he had to guard against Zhu Lingling's 50,000-strong army.

Moreover, you have already deployed 50,000 troops at Jihe, 50,000 at Datong, and 30,000 at Tanzhou. Who knew you had so many more troops?

Pharmacist Guo suffered because of his lack of knowledge and experience.

They've only seen how pathetic the Song Dynasty was, how humiliating it was in Yanshan Prefecture, but they're unaware of its immense potential.
Standing on Tieshan Mountain and looking north, Qu Duan felt a surge of exhilaration, his heart filled with boundless pride.

My turn has finally come! (End of Chapter)