The weather had cooled down, and Datong of the Jin Kingdom welcomed a brightly lit night.
Half of the leaves had fallen, and the withered grass had died early. Winter in the Northern Land was coming. But the coldness in the air did not cool down the bustling temperature of Datong. Even though the city's security had been tighter these days, it did not reduce the number of lights. Carriages hung with flags and lanterns drove on the streets of the city. Occasionally, they passed by soldiers in line. When the curtains swung open, they revealed noble and proud faces. Veterans who had been through hundreds of battles sat at the front of the carriage, waving their horsewhips high. Meat eaters gathered in the shops that were still lit up, chatting and laughing merrily.
The affairs of the country were in the worship and military. A new round of Southern Expedition had begun. After the departure of 300,000 troops in the east, Datong became the focus of the Jin Kingdom's nobles. Lines of interest were intertwined here. After conquering the world on horseback, some of the nobles of the Jin Kingdom sent their children to new battlefields, hoping to gain more fame. Some of the nobles and children of the Jin Kingdom had their eyes on the ways to profit from the war: the countless slaves in the future, the rich fiefdoms in the south, the various treasures brought back by the soldiers from the Wu Dynasty, or the loopholes that could be exploited by the mobilization of the army and the huge logistics operation.
Compared to the Wu dynasty's 200 years of erosion, the emerging Jin Kingdom Empire showed a different atmosphere when faced with huge interests: Zong Fu and Zong Bi chose to conquer the entire NMAU to gain the power to deter Wanyan Zonghan. But apart from that, more than ten years of prosperity and enjoyment still showed its power. After the poor suddenly became rich, they used the dividends from the war to enjoy all the good things in the world. However, such enjoyment might not be able to last forever. After more than ten years, when the benefits that the nobles could enjoy began to fall, the people who had experienced the peak might not be willing to return to poverty.
Not to mention poverty, even a little regression was not something people were willing to accept.
The old nobles who had once conquered the world on horseback, if they wanted to gain benefits again, their methods would be simple and crude: providing military supplies at a high price, substituting shoddy goods, using connections to transfer military supplies, and then selling them to the market … Greed always stimulated people's imagination to the maximum.
The nobles kept flocking to Datong, and the attacks on this matter had become more intense in the Datong area. In the past few days, even the sons of the two dukes had been arrested and severely injured by Zong Han with a whip. It seemed to indicate that the old generation of the hardline faction had cleaned up the decadent atmosphere of the younger generation of the Jurchen people. Under the personal supervision of Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin, the yamen of the Datong Prefecture acted fiercely. In the past few days, they had dealt with many children of influential families. After capturing and torturing these children, they were then thrown into the army of the Southern Punitive Expedition.
However, such strictness did not stop the nobles from moving about in Datong Prefecture one after another. In fact, due to the young people being conscripted into the army, some old nobles and even their wives came to the city to plead for leniency through their connections, causing the situation inside and outside the city to become even more chaotic.
However, this chaos was about to come to an end.
"… The reason why a big tree will wither and die is often because it is infested with worms. The world is in turmoil, and the affairs of the state are often like this." On this bustling night, in the attic of the Chen Palace, Wanyan Xiyin was looking out at the night sky and talking to two young men who were already quite tall beside him. These were his and Chen Wenjun's two sons, the eldest, Wanyan Dezhong, and the second, Wanyan Youyi. As one of the most scholarly families in the Jurchen noble circle, Xiyin's two children did not disappoint his expectations. Wanyan Dezhong was tall and well-versed in both literature and martial arts. Wanyan Youyi was thin and weak, but he was very knowledgeable in literature. Although he was not as brilliant as his father, he could be considered outstanding among the younger generation.
He was about to go to war. As he chatted with his two sons, Chen Wenjun came out of her room with tea for the three people closest to her in the world. Although Xiyin's family was strict, he was not the kind of father who put on airs when he interacted with his children. Therefore, even before he left, he was very easy-going.
"All these years, I often feel that the world changes too quickly. Since the late Emperor rose up, he swept the world as if there was nothing in the world and laid down this foundation. In less than twenty years, our Great Jin is still strong, but it is not invincible. If you look carefully, our Great Jin is losing its sharpness, and our opponents are becoming more ferocious. A few years ago, the Black Flag was wreaking havoc, and that was the first example. The saying of investigating things has led to the rise of firearms, which is even more noteworthy. Zuoqiu has a saying, be prepared for danger in times of peace. This time, we may be able to conquer the world before the firearms change, but it should be the last time I follow the army. "
After fighting in the north and south for a lifetime, Wanyan Xiyin's face had gradually aged, and half of his hair had turned white. When he spoke like this, his sensible son would naturally say that he was full of vigor. Xiyin waved his hand and smiled, "My body is not bad, but it is no longer flattering. Since you are going to the battlefield, you should be prepared to die. Since you are the sons of the Goddess of Grains, you should start to take charge. I have some instructions for you … There is no need to say much, and there is no need to talk about auspiciousness or inauspiciousness … Our Jurchen thrives in the land of white mountains and black waters. When your fathers were young, they did not have food or clothing, and they ate raw meat and drank blood. Ever since Emperor Aguda rose up, they have fought for many years, and defeated countless enemies! Destroy Liao! Conquer the Central Plains! Until today, your father is a noble, and you have lived a luxurious life since you were young … It was exchanged with blood. "
"Until now, what I will remember the most is not the pavilions in front of me, nor the luxurious life in front of me. Today, the Jurchen has conquered the world. Wherever you go, you will see those arrogant and domineering people. The Jurchen that I remember was not like this. Until today, what I remember is more of the dead … Friends that I grew up with, but I do not know when they died. Brothers in the war, but they died fighting and fell to the ground. No one took care of their bodies, and when I turned back, I could not find them … Dezhong, Youyi, the days that you are living today are paved with corpses and blood. Not only the blood of the Jurchen, but also the blood of the Liao people and the Han people. You have to remember this. "
When he mentioned the Han people, he stretched out his hand and held Chen Wenjun's hand.
"Now, the world is about to be settled. In the last expedition, your father's generation will sweep the world and give this rich and populous world to you as a pawn on the corpses. You do not need to fight anymore, what do you have to learn? You have to learn to stop it from bleeding. Don't let the Jurchen's blood flow. To stop the Jurchen from bleeding, it is better for the Han and Liao people not to bleed, because if you let them bleed, they will not let you live well. This is … your homework. "
In the attic, Wanyan Xiyin paused. "Also, it is the corruption of the human heart. When the days are good, people become bad …"
His words lingered in the attic for quite a while. The lights of the city outside lit up the night sky. By the time he finished his exhortations, it was already quite late. The two children bade farewell and left. Xi Yin held his wife's hand and remained silent for a long time.
"You … don't feel good, do you?" After a while, it was Xi Yin who spoke.
Chen Wenjun lowered her head slightly and did not speak.
"I am the Jurchen." Xi Yin said, "This life will not change. You are a Han, there is no other way. The Jurchen wants to live well. Heh … no one wants to live badly. All these years, I have thought about it. After fighting for so long, there must be an end. This end is either the Jurchen is defeated, Big Gold is gone, and I will bring you to a place where there is no one else to live. Or, the world that should be conquered is finished, and there will be peace. Now, it seems that the latter is more likely. "
"You are not living well, bear with it. After this war, the only thing I have to do is to let the Han people live better. Let the Jurchen, Liao people, Han people … integrate as soon as possible. Perhaps I will not see it in this lifetime, but I will do my best. The world has its ups and downs. The Han people are living too well, and are destined to fall for a period of time. There is no other way … "
Chen Wenjun did not speak.
Tears fell.
…
On the same night, in the same city, Mandu Daru galloped anxiously on the streets of Datong.
"Quick! Quick … "
As he shouted, he was still waving his whip with all his might. The cavalry behind him also chased with all their might. The horses' hooves thundered like a torrent through the streets.
After a while, the cavalry arrived at the entrance of a mansion in the east of the city at the fastest speed. They sealed the front and back of the mansion and broke in.
There was a commotion in the mansion. Some guards came up to stop them, but they were all chopped to the ground by Mandu Dalu's saber. He barged through the corridors and the frightened servants, and went straight into the courtyard. When he saw a middle-aged man, he shouted, "Master Jiang, you've been exposed. Surrender …"
The official with the surname Jiang had a high position in the Jurchen court. He was a high-ranking official under Shi Liai and held an important position in the logistics system. When Mandu Daru came in, the man was already sweating profusely. His face was pale and he was holding a sword. Before he could rush to the front, the man turned his hand and stabbed the blade into his stomach.
"You deserve to die!" Mandu Daru rushed over. The man's stomach was already pierced by the sword. He gritted his teeth and hugged the man to stabilize the wound. "The Goddess of Grains has given me full authority to handle this matter. Do you think you can just die! Tell me who's behind this! Tell me a name, or I'll make your whole family suffer a fate worse than death. I mean what I say … "
Mandu Daru was first summoned back to Datong to find the murderer of Zong Han. Later on, he was involved in the rebellion of the Han slaves. When the army was gathered and the logistics operation was completed, he got involved again. Over the past few months, Mandu Daru had cracked quite a few cases in Datong. In the end, among the clues uncovered this time, the biggest case had been uncovered. Some Jurchen nobles had colluded with logistics officials to embezzle and transport airforce resources and fill their own pockets. This official with the surname Jiang was a key figure in this.
When he found this clue, he was already noticed by the people behind the scenes. They immediately came to arrest him. However, it seemed that someone else had already arrived. This Sir Jiang knew that he was doomed. He hesitated for a long time and finally stabbed himself. Mandu Daru threatened him loudly and tried his best to wake him up. Sir Jiang was in a trance and started to vomit blood. However, he finally raised his hand and pointed at a place.
"What! What! Speak clearly! Speak! "Man Dudalu slapped him once, then slapped him again.
However, he finally stopped breathing.
"What … What!" Mandu Daru stood up and turned around. He looked at the direction that Sir Jiang was pointing at. After a while, he was stunned.
There was a black tablecloth among the pile of tables and chairs.
"Black Flag …" Mandu Daru understood. "Clown …"
In the past few months, Mandu Daru had solved many cases and had dealt with this name before. Later on, during the rebellion of the Han slaves, this Black Flag spy took the opportunity to steal a name register from the Goddess of Grains' residence. It caused a commotion in the entire West Capital. It was said that the name register was not passed down and many people were involved. The Goddess of Grains had personally fought with him. With this name register, some of the Southerners who were wavering had made their stand clear. At the same time, the spy had exposed more Southerners who were loyal to the Jin Dynasty. In a sense, the Goddess of Grains was at a disadvantage in this fight.
Mandu Daru wanted to capture the spy but after a period of time, the spy had disappeared and he was in charge of other matters. Among the clues this time, there was a vague mention of a Han who acted as the go-between. It seemed to be that clown. However, Mandudaru wasn't sure previously. When he broke through the fog today and understood the situation, he was able to confirm the other party's identity from Lord Jiang's outstretched hand.
The man with the surname Jiang was already dead. Many people would be able to escape because of this. However, even those who had surfaced now had caused a deficit of nearly 30,000 dans of food. If all of them were to be uprooted, there would be more.
"I will definitely capture you …"
Mandu Daru stood up and slashed the table in front of him. He had wanted to capture this Black Flag member who was nicknamed the clown the moment he returned to Datong. However, time and time again, perhaps it was because he did not pay enough attention to him or because he was busy with other matters, the spy would disappear from his sight. It was also like this that he found himself in a difficult situation. However, he still had more things to do at the moment.
The army of the West Road was going to depart tomorrow.
Tonight, many more people were going to die …
…
Ten li to the south of Datong City, the West Road's main camp. Endless torches and tents filled the entire field of vision, stretching out endlessly.
The convoy of heavy supplies was still busy and gathering throughout the night. It had not stopped since a long time ago, and it seemed like it would continue operating forever.
Two figures climbed up a hill in the darkness and looked at the suffocating scene from afar. The huge war machine was already in operation and was about to crush the south.
"The one with the surname Jiang has been targeted for a long time. He might have been exposed …"
"It's okay. The benefits have been distributed … Tell me …"
"Hmm?"
"Tell me, what do you think we're doing? Do we have any use?"
"Everyone should do a little. Teacher said that there might not be any results even if we do it, but there won't be any if we don't do it. "
Lu Mingfang and Tang Minjie stood in the darkness, watching everything. After a while, Lu Mingfang looked at Tang Minjie, who had a deep look in his eyes, and patted his shoulder. Tang Minjie suddenly turned his head and heard Lu Mingfang say, "You are too tense."
"Am I?"
"What happened here … is not something that you and I can finish." He smiled. "I heard the news that the battle has started in the east. Zhu Biao left Zengtou City and Wang Shanyue went to the Daming Residence. Later on, they defeated Li Xizhi's 200,000 troops on the bank of the Yellow River … Wang Shanyue seems to be planning to defend the Daming Residence …"
Although they were separated by thousands of li, the military intelligence coming from the south was not slow. Lu Mingfang had his channels and knew the information passed by the Jurchen army. He whispered about the situation thousands of li away. Tang Minjie closed his eyes and quietly felt the waves of the entire world surging, quietly experiencing everything that was about to happen next.
On the 19th of the eighth month of the ninth year of Jianshuo, the Jurchen West Road Army swore an oath at Datong City. Under the leadership of General Wanyan Zonghan, they began their fourth journey to the south.
To the south of Yanmen Pass, the forces led by Wang Juyun, Tian Shi, Yu Yulin, Lou Shuwan and the others had already set up their defenses and were ready for battle. In Datong City, Xi Yin waved goodbye to Chen Wenjun and the two children. "We will bring this world back to the Jurchen."
In the south, after a round of cursing in the throne room and rejecting the ministers' plan to mobilize a large number of troops to attack the four provinces of Sichuan, Zhou Junwu rushed to the frontline in the north. He said to the ministers, "If I can't defeat the Jurchen, I won't come back."
On the north bank of the Yellow River, Wang Shanyue said, "I will defend the Daming Residence and turn it into another Taiyuan."
That night, looking at the Jurchen army that was ready to go, Tang Minjie wiped his mouth and nose, turned around and walked in the direction of Datong. "I have to do something … I have to do something …"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
