You have truly caused me great suffering!

Two months have passed since the Jin army mobilized in the northern deserts to launch a counterattack.

To date, the front line has not been able to advance an inch.

They were even forced to retreat behind their defensive lines, no longer daring to launch an attack.

The so-called southward advance could not break through the defenses of the Great Jing, and they could not seize anything. The various barbarian tribes in the northern deserts had long harbored rebellious intentions.

Many deserted the front lines without authorization and returned to the northern desert.

A few years ago, the mixed Hu tribes in the northern desert would have their legs broken and be trampled to death by Jurchen knights simply because they were not good at fighting.

Now they are completely unable to control them, or rather, powerless to control them.

Although the Tartars could still crush the various nomadic tribes, they no longer had the energy to intimidate the steppes.

The savings accumulated from destroying the Liao Dynasty, along with the military provisions and goods given to them by Tong Guan when he redeemed Yanjing, were their last assets.

Once all of these resources are exhausted, how can we confront the Great Jing? We will probably have no choice but to retreat to the north and rely on the weather and terrain to avoid the Northern Expedition and survive.

This is worse than killing them.

If even Guo Yaoshi was unwilling to give up power and become a wealthy man, how much more so would these Jurchen generals who had overthrown the Liao Dynasty and enjoyed the glory of ultimate victory?

Unfortunately, their time had already passed. At their peak, they were dealt a severe blow, leaving them with virtually no chance of a comeback.

For example, even though he was facing not the Dingnan Army at its peak, but the Hebei troops trained by Yue Fei, Zong Han still could not break through even half a step.

The roads near Tanzhou were barely enough for cavalry to maneuver and fight, but it was still extremely difficult to launch a strong attack on the military camp's defenses along the mountain valley roads.

It was difficult for Yue Fei to launch an offensive, but it was also not easy for the Tartars to move south.

Because he built many fortifications here, so that they could support and assist each other.

Only if the defending troops collapse or become disorganized and lose their will to fight for other reasons can the camp be easily breached.

This was something that would have easily happened when the Jurchens faced enemies in the past, but it is now almost impossible.

Yue Fei's Hebei troops, harboring deep hatred, were inherently irreconcilable enemies with the Tartars.

Hebei is a region rich in high-quality soldiers, and its martial spirit has been strong for thousands of years. However, it has become somewhat weak in recent years due to the suppression of the Song Dynasty.

Furthermore, the immense temptation of military merit they now face, coupled with the southward retreat of the Dingnan Army, has given them this opportunity.

They had already accomplished their mission, and even the lowest-ranking soldiers were now going to fertile lands to share the lands of the wealthy gentry and officials.

From then on, they settled in these most prosperous places in the Central Plains, becoming the foundation of the Great Jing Dynasty.

Chen Shao's arrangements for the soldiers of Dingnan Army undoubtedly served as another powerful remedy, making the soldiers on the front lines even more eager for merit.

At this time, after successfully holding off the first wave of attacks from the Jurchen Tartars, Yue Fei had begun planning a counterattack and submitted several memorials outlining his plan for a northern expedition.

Chen Shao consulted with Han Shizhong, Jin Ling, Zhong Shidao, and others to devise a grand strategy of launching a two-pronged attack on the Northern Expedition.

And they began sending food and supplies to the front lines.

Liaodong temporarily implemented the fort and village system, with Qu Duan appointing the village chiefs and fort lords. Three hundred yellow edicts were issued in one go (yellow edicts were official documents used in the Song Dynasty to appoint officials without rank or temporary personnel).

Qu Duan was instructed to compile a list of military achievements at the front-line command headquarters and submit a recommended list for review and arrangement by the Privy Council.

It can be said that before the Liaodong Northern Expedition even began, the rewards had already been stuffed into the military camps.

Who wouldn't be envious?

After arriving in Liaodong, I realized that it was not a harsh and cold place, especially the vast plains.

The reason why the two armies launched a simultaneous attack was mainly because Qu Duan and Yue Fei's respective battle lines were too far apart.

Actually, there was another route, which was Li Xiaozhong's army in Yunnei, and it was even further away.

Li Xiaozhong was a prince and commanded troops in the field, giving him considerable autonomy.

If he attacks from within the clouds, he could launch a surprise attack on the capital, posing a great threat.

From the perspective of the overall war situation, the Jin Kingdom is already in a dead end. If they cannot break through Tanzhou, they have no hope of turning the tide.

Because you cannot go south, you cannot bring the various nomadic tribes from the northern deserts to plunder the Central Plains and Yan region. Those people from the northern deserts have no means of survival, so they are bound to rob you.

Since they can't plunder the Central Plains, they can only plunder your Great Jin.

How many troops do you have to defend against Youyan, Yunnei, Liaodong, and even the northern deserts?
In the past, the Central Plains dynasties could not completely destroy the north because the cost of attacking was too high.

To put it bluntly, they simply couldn't afford to fight, especially the Northern Expedition, which involved searching for the enemy in the vast desert and costing tens of thousands of taels of gold every day.

However, with Chen Shao's reforms and a few more years of recuperation, with ample financial resources, there is an opportunity to completely resolve the northern border troubles.

In particular, advancements in coal washing and coking have enabled Liaodong to have heating facilities, allowing people to live and thrive there for an extended period, given the abundance of coal and iron ore deposits in the region.

At that time, we will use the Dingnan Army's skills in guarding your home to build a fortified village right to your doorstep.

Just wait and enjoy your good fortune.

Productivity determines everything.
-
Even though Yue Fei's heavily fortified military camps weren't particularly sophisticated in their defensive tactics, their unwavering fighting spirit, coupled with the Tartars' lack of experience in attacking military camps, made them as solid as a rock.

Having once stopped the arrogant Wanyan Zonghan in Zhen Ding Prefecture, Yue Fei now felt even more at ease facing his old rival.

Whether it's backed by the Song Dynasty or the Jing Dynasty, a difference of just one word makes all the difference.

Fighting for the Great Jing Dynasty was, if not the most comfortable thing for a warrior throughout history, then it was close.

Transporting supplies and ensuring food security was originally a major responsibility of the generals, but now they no longer need to worry about it.

Caravans would regularly deliver supplies to you using packhorses, boats, and even camels.

Yue Fei used battles as training grounds to quickly train the Hebei troops.

Several years ago, Han Shizhong wrote to Chen Shao several times, saying frankly that this young man named Yue Fei was quite impressive in training troops, and that Chen Shao should be wary of him.

This also illustrates, from one perspective, the growth of Yue Fei's troops.

They are no longer the weak force that crumbled at the slightest touch of the Jin soldiers.

In terms of military training alone, there were very few people in the world who could compare to Yue Fei.

Yue Fei himself was well aware that his troops were now very strong.

The army was well-organized, with a sufficient number of cavalry, excellent equipment, and had fought many bloody battles, and was extremely vigorous.

He commanded two armies. One was composed of Hebei warriors who had fought in the chaos for several years. To be honest, because of their relatively new background, they were not as good as the elite troops of the Dingnan Army.

However, with unified command, most of the generals harbored deep-seated hatred and were extremely eager for revenge.

The other group was the Youyan army, which had also been ravaged by the Jurchen Tartars, the Song army, and the Ever Victorious Army. Now, they could only yearn for military merit to regain their footing in Dajing.

Inside the central military headquarters on the outskirts of Tanzhou, Yue Fei mounted his warhorse and arrived at the city walls.

As he watched the cartloads of supplies arrive in Tanzhou City, his gaze gradually hardened.

He turned to Zhang Xian beside him and said, "Please report to His Majesty that the soldiers of Tanzhou are all eager to serve the country, the opportunity for a northern expedition has arrived, and our troops are willing to be the vanguard to strike at the heart of the enemy!"

Zhang Xian nodded. He also felt that the time for a northern expedition had come. Putting aside everything else, the supplies stored in Tanzhou alone were enough to tempt them. With such resources, what was there to fear about a northern expedition?

Yue Fei looked at the long convoy and breathed a sigh of relief.

He was truly grateful for the Emperor's trust in him.

Even the most loyal ministers of the Song Dynasty had no reason to be dissatisfied with Chen Shao, because the Song emperor himself had abdicated the throne to Chen Shao.

Moreover, I have never heard of any coercion or intimidation.

The last emperor of the previous dynasty always told everyone how benevolent and kind the Great Jing Emperor was, how he was an unparalleled wise ruler, and how he was a rare virtuous sage.

The fact that the last emperor, Zhao Huan, spent 30 million strings of cash to repair the river is excellent evidence of this.

Which puppet, who is being sidelined and manipulated, could come up with 30 million strings of cash a year before the abdication?

Therefore, Emperor Dajing's founding of the dynasty was perfectly legitimate.

At least that's what Yue Fei thought.
-
In the garrison camp of Kaesong Port.

Guo Hao flipped through the official gazette with some boredom.

These past few days, the naval drills at Kaesong Port have been causing him considerable anxiety, as war is about to break out in Liaodong.

As a meritorious general of the Dingnan Army, he commanded a thousand cavalrymen to guard Bianliang, a truly impressive feat.

Now, however, he can only stay in this small, foreign country.

A few days ago, I received news from Commander Qu's camp that a northern expedition was about to begin, and the destruction of the Jin dynasty was very likely to happen in this battle.

What a pity, what a pity!

"My lord, there is an imperial edict from Jinling."

At this moment, a personal guard entered from outside the tent, cupped his hands in greeting, and said...

"Bring it!"

Guo Hao said, "Give it to me," but he had already strode forward and snatched it away.

As he unfolded it, his eyes grew brighter and brighter. He carefully put the edict away and then twisted his wristband.

"Sound the drum to gather the generals, and come to the tent to discuss matters!"

At this time, along the border between Liaodong and Goryeo, there were also 5,000 cavalrymen marching towards Kaesong.

How weak was the Jin Dynasty?
When it came time to fight it, troops were being redeployed from all fronts.
For a small tribe of tens of thousands of people, winning in one fell swoop is fine, but losing means utter ruin.

Their size means they have no room for trial and error.
-
Emperor Toba's reply caused quite a stir in Nanjing.

People were shocked that in such a powerful empire, someone would dare to sit on equal footing with His Majesty.

Does being separated by the sea give them the right to be so arrogant?
Don't you know that our Great Jing just sent a fleet of tens of thousands of people south?

The court was naturally indignant; people had been suppressing their emotions for too long, and the Song dynasty had somewhat tarnished the dignity of the Celestial Empire.

After all, paying the annual tax on time and in full every year is still a bit too undignified.

Now, the Central Plains are once again strong and well-equipped. The western barbarians and northern invaders are no match for us. We are ready to wipe away our past humiliations and invite all nations to come and offer their congratulations.

And then this troublemaker popped up.

All of this was part of Chen Shao's plan, even Toba's reaction was part of his calculations.

Chen Shao immediately ordered troops to gather at the four ports of Kaesong in preparation for action.

To his slight surprise, the Fujiwara clan had no intention of using this incident to completely defeat Toba and seize power in Japan.

Because they do not trust Chen Shao, nor do they trust the Great Jing Dynasty.

They prefer to use their own methods to gradually undermine the bird's feathers.

This was actually quite troublesome, and Chen Shao had to delay for some time to contact other smaller forces in Japan.

This war must be a fight among them, and the more intense the infighting, the better, with their support.

Inside the Funing Palace, Chen Shao looked at the memorial in his hand, and the three words "Ping Shi" entered his eyes for the first time.

The Ping clan was the most active force in trading with the Central Plains. After the caravans settled in Goryeo, they immediately approached them, requesting to trade with them.

It seems that there were also members of the Taira clan in the delegation that came to visit me last time.

After putting down the memorial, Chen Shao glanced at the map. The small island of Japan was still quite manageable at this point.

The only thing to be wary of is not getting too deeply involved. We need to get the Japanese fighting the Japanese and first disrupt the situation.

We cannot allow our own actions to unite them.

Fujiwara's refusal put Chen Shao in a very passive position.

This also shows that they are not all short-sighted and brainless people.

It is truly remarkable that one can resist such a great temptation and refuse it.

Because Toba might not appreciate it, since they are the people Toba hates the most.

Before Toba abdicated, the empress he appointed when he was emperor was Fujiwara no Shōshi (Taikōmon-in). She was the adopted daughter of Emperor Shirakawa, but she was also Emperor Shirakawa's lover, and this was common knowledge.

She could even be Toba's biological mother, which made Toba extremely disgusted with her, calling her the "evil queen".

This marriage was a political arrangement imposed by Emperor Shirakawa, backed by the Fujiwara clan, which Toba found deeply humiliating.

Toba later favored Fujiwara no Tokuko, who was not a direct descendant of the Fujiwara clan but belonged to a branch of the northern Fujiwara family. Toba then made Fujiwara no Tokuko's son, Emperor Konoe, his heir, bypassing Fujiwara's eldest son, Emperor Sutoku, who was loyally supported by Fujiwara, thus sowing the seeds for the later "Hogen Rebellion".

Toba dealt with the Fujiwara clan in a manner somewhat similar to Chen Shao's. He deliberately promoted opposition figures within the Fujiwara clan (such as Fujiwara no Tadamichi, the son of Fujiwara no Tadamichi, and Fujiwara no Yorinaga, the younger brother of Fujiwara no Tadamichi) to sow discord within the Fujiwara family.

They also deeply understand the truth that fortresses are always breached from within.

They may have learned from this experience and were very wary of Chen Shao's divisive tactics.

Unfortunately, although you can see through my plan, the difference in size and strength between the two sides is simply too great.

I can easily achieve a similar effect by supporting a new nobleman.

If Fujiwara no longer works, there's Taira no Kiyomori; if Taira no Kiyomori fails, there's Minamoto no Yoshitomo.
If you're not going to do it, there are plenty of people who are willing to!
There will always be ambitious people who crave higher positions and will cooperate with me.

On Chen Shao's desk were two stacks of memorials. The one on the left contained reports of wars in various regions, including Japan, the Jin Dynasty, and Vietnam.
The stack on the right contains documents related to national welfare and people's livelihood, including land surveys, progressive tax laws, canal construction, and road repairs in Jiangnan.
The stack on the right is more than three times taller than the one on the left, and each item is quite difficult to handle.

Money, these days everything costs money, and everyone's asking for it. And it's precisely Chen Shao who's pushing for every single one of these things.

He wanted to get things on the right track as quickly as possible in his limited lifespan, which inevitably led to some difficulties.

If you clearly tell him that you have another hundred years or so, then Chen Shao can naturally proceed calmly and steadily.

Things in this world are always urgent; time flies and the world turns. Ten thousand years is too long; seize the day!
Chen Shao placed his hand on the two stacks of memorials, clicked his tongue, and said, "Next year, at the latest next year!"

"Next year, we will begin mining in Japan and dumping silk, tea, and porcelain." (End of Chapter)