At the beginning of the third month of the lunar calendar in the eleventh year of Wu Jianshuo's reign, Wanyan Zongfu's Eastern Army, after two months of low-intensity warfare and siege preparations, gathered the nearby Han Army and launched a general attack on Jiangning. A portion of the Han Army was recalled, and a large number of them crossed the river. By the end of the third month, the total number of soldiers gathered for the attack reached 500,000.
The Wulie Battalion, Han Shizhong's Subduing Sea Branch, and the nearby Jianghuai Army also gathered in Jiangning. During this period of time, the scale of the war continued to expand, attracting everyone's attention in the spring of the new year.
At the beginning of the war, there was a small interlude that broke out just before the swords and spears met blood. This interlude could be traced back to January of this year.
Following the Chinese army's order to eradicate the traitors, the struggle over which side to choose became more intense. Calls for the execution of the traitors in society grew louder and louder, and some of those who were wavering no longer thought about it. But as the situation became more intense, the Jurchen lobbyists also increased their activities in private, even taking the initiative to arrange some "tragedies" to urge those who were wavering in the army to quickly make a decision.
An official surnamed Hou, who was in charge of the Surveillance Department in Jiangning, was instigated to defect in this way. During the war, the Surveillance Department was responsible for monitoring underground movements and preventing the enemy from digging tunnels into the city. This official, Hou Yuntong, wasn't an extremely evil person, but his father and brother had long been in contact with the Jurchen side. With the help of the Jurchen forces, he had amassed a large amount of wealth, farmed land, and raised slaves for several years. Under such circumstances, the Jurchen abducted his son and daughter, then used the evidence of his adultery with the Jurchen and the lives of his children to threaten him, forcing him to cooperate with the Jurchen digging operation.
In February, Han Shizhong's side confirmed this matter twice. The first news came from a mysterious person. Of course, it was confirmed several years later that the person who warned the Wu dynasty was the person in charge of Jiangning, Puyang Yi. His deputy was called Liu Jing, who had been the advisor of the Jiangning prefecture for several years. The second news came from Hou Yuntong's surrender in the middle of February.
Surrendering under such circumstances almost guaranteed the death of his children, and perhaps the consequences wouldn't be too good. But in the years of war, this kind of thing wasn't the only one.
Between the second and fourth months of that year, the Wu Dynasty and the Hua Xia Army had attempted to rescue Hou Yuntong's children several times, but they had all failed. His children died on the third of the fourth month, and his family had all been killed before that. On the seventh of the fourth month, after finding the chopped corpses of his children outside Jiangning City, Hou Yuntong hanged himself in a field. In this chaotic tide where millions of people had died, his encounter was only recorded because of his location. To him, it was mostly meaningless.
In this chaotic tide where millions died, of of of the Dynasty of the Dynasty, of the Jiangning Dynasty, was. By the middle of the second month, the military forces in the vicinity had already begun to gather in Jiangning. On the 28th, the Jurchen side used the underground tunnels as bait to launch an attack on the city. Han Shizhong also chose the army and the navy to launch a surprise attack on the only crossing of the river that the Eastern Army was garrisoned at that time, Ma Wenyuan. Almost with an attitude of sparing no expense, he wanted to replace the Jurchen navy on the Yangtze River.
In the past, Wu Shu was trapped in Huangtiandang for more than forty days because the northerners didn't know how to use the navy. Later, Wu Shu urged the Han army near the canal to develop the navy. During this period, the Jin army was supervising, and a large number of technicians and money were invested. In last year's battle on the Yangtze River, although the Wu dynasty had the upper hand, it wasn't a decisive victory. At the end of the year, Wu Shu took advantage of the Yangtze River's dry water and used boats as pontoon bridges to cross it. Finally, they opened up a road near Jiangning.
Now the Wu navy was near Jiangning's West Mawen Academy, maintaining the road from north to south, but it was also the Wu dynasty's biggest weakness. Because of this, Han Shizhong beat them at their own game. While the Wu Zhenren thought their plan was working, he launched a surprise attack.
What was more dramatic was that Han Shizhong's actions were also detected by the Wu Zhenren. Faced with the prepared Wu dynasty army, they had no choice but to retreat. Both sides stabbed at each other at the end of February, and in March, they were still fighting on the battlefield.
The battle on the battlefield was like smoke covering up many things. No one knew how many undercurrents were surging in private. By the third month, the situation in Lin 'an had become even more chaotic. Outside of Lin' an, Wu Shu's troops had burned and destroyed everything around Lin 'an. There were even a few counties that had been burnt to the ground. Fifty miles north of Qiantang River, apart from the troops that had come to rescue the Emperor, everything had been reduced to ruins. Sometimes, Wu Shu would deliberately send out his cavalry to harass the city's defences. When a huge pillar of smoke rose outside the city, half of Lin' an could be seen clearly.
Rumors spread in private. The seemingly calm Lin 'an was like a boiling iron pot. Of course, this boiling heat could only be felt by the middle and upper class people in Lin' an.
In the middle of March, in a courtyard on the side of Lin 'an, the ornamental mountains and rivers had the color of spring. Weeping willows had sprouted and ducks were swimming in the water. It was afternoon, and the sun shone on the side of the courtyard. Qin Hui and a graceful old man were walking in the garden.
"North of the Lonely Mountain Temple, west of the Jia Pavilion, the water level is low. A few early orioles are fighting for the warm trees, which family's new swallow pecks the spring mud … The spring scenery in Lin 'an is the worst this year. Last month's spring was cold, and I thought that the flowers and trees would freeze to death … But even so, they still grew. All living beings are struggling to survive, and they are so tenacious.
Walking to a tree, the old man patted the trunk and said these words. Qin Hui, who was beside him, put his hands behind his back and said with a smile, "What Master Mei said is very philosophical."
The old man called Master Mei smiled and said, "Brother Mei has been very busy recently."
"Fighting on the front line is really busy. I usually run errands, but it's just a trivial matter." Qin Hui smiled and spread out his hands. "Since Master Mei invited me, I came immediately."
"I'm meeting an important official of the court, and at this critical moment, it's not right for a muddle-headed person like me to invite you. But at this time, I have some doubts in my heart, and I want to consult Brother Mei, so I took the liberty to ask … "
"Ah, let's not talk about the decades of friendship between Master Mei and me. With Master Mei's talent, it's not difficult for you to become an official. The officials in the court have been waiting for Master Mei to come out of retirement for a long time. Now that Master Mei mentioned this, I want to …"
"Forget about this matter." The old man smiled and waved his hand. Then, a complicated expression flashed across his face. "All these years, the court has been controlled by ignorant people. I'm already old, and I can't compete with them. But Brother Mei has been up and down in recent years, which makes me sigh. After His Majesty is unhappy with the officials, the one who can still be summoned to the palace to ask for advice is Brother Mei. "
"Alas." Qin Hui sighed. "His Majesty … is just anxious."
"What do you think of the current situation, Brother Mei?"
"If we can survive, our Wu Dynasty will be able to live a few years of peace."
"What if we can't survive?" The old man looked at him.
Qin Hui looked back. "What does Master Mei mean?"
The old man spread his hands, and then the two of them walked forward. "The situation in the capital is so chaotic that it's hard to avoid talking about this in private. The people's hearts are in chaos. This is a sign. You and I have known each other for many years, so I won't avoid you. In my opinion, in the battle in Jiangnan, I'm afraid we don't even have a fifty-fifty chance of winning. At most, we have thirty-seven, and the Jurchen have seventy. When the time comes, how will the Wu Dynasty be? His Majesty will always summon you to ask for advice. It's impossible that you haven't talked about it. "
The old man went straight to the point. Qin Hui walked with his hands behind his back. He was silent for a moment. "The people in the capital are in chaos, and it's also because of the Jurchen's spies. On the other side … Master Mei, since the middle of February, there have been rumors in Lin 'an. They say that the Jin Emperor Wu Qimai's illness has worsened and he doesn't have much time left. Maybe our Wu Dynasty will be able to hold on."
"Huizhi, don't lie to me. The news was spread by the Black Flag. Perhaps the Princess's Mansion is happy to see it happen. It's hard to say whether it's credible or not … but the news released by the Jurchen may not be false."
"Master Mei, the people's hearts are like this. What's the difference between true and false? If you think it's true, then it's true. If you think it's false, then it's false. That demon in the southwest is good at attacking people's hearts. If everyone can be deceived and hold on for a few months, maybe the Jurchen will really collapse without a fight. That would be a good thing."
Birds flew over the courtyard. Ducks paddled across the pond and quacked away. Walking in the sunlight, the two of them smiled without batting an eyelid. The old man sighed. "… I was just about to talk about the demon in the heart. Brother Huizhi, you are old friends with the southwest. Can you really let go of this matter? Based on your previous proposal to attack the southwest first and then resist the Jurchen, the southwest will not let you go. "
"The affairs of the imperial court are the affairs of the imperial court. Personal grievances are personal grievances." Qin Hui turned his head. "Is Master Mei speaking for the Jurchen?"
"Not really." The old man's expression was the same as usual. "This old man is old and can throw away my bones and burn them. However, there are still some incompetent children and grandchildren in my family. There are some things that I would like to ask brother Huizhi about. This is a little selfish. I hope brother Huizhi can understand."
As he said this, he cupped his hands and said, "Let's not talk about the surrender of the gold. If the overall situation is really bad, I would like to know where to retreat. The Jurchen has said that if they want to negotiate peace, the imperial court will cut off the land thousands of miles west of Xiangfan to facilitate the attack of the southwest. This proposal may not be false. If things do not work out, it can be a way out. But His Majesty's heart now depends on brother Huizhi's advice. To tell you the truth, brother Huizhi, my second son died at the hands of the Black Flag bandits during the battle of Little Cang River. If this is true, I would be happy to see it. "
At this point, the old man's face was full of sincerity. Qin Hui hesitated for a long time, then finally said, "… the Jurchen have the ambition of wolves. How can we trust them, Master Mei?"
That day, Qin Hui did not reveal any more of his intentions or ideas until he left the mansion. He had always been a person who kept his mouth shut. There were many things that he had already decided on, but he naturally would not say them. In fact, ever since Zhou Yong had sought him out for advice, many people had come to visit him every day. He had quietly observed the changes in the hearts of the people in the capital.
Ever since the Wu dynasty moved south, Qin Hui had gradually risen to the top of the Wu dynasty's officialdom. However, he had also experienced several ups and downs. In particular, during the expedition to the southwest two years ago, he had almost lost the Emperor's favor. In the officialdom, Zhao Ding and the others had taken advantage of the situation to attack him. Even clowns like Long Qifei had tried to step on him. That was the most dangerous period of his life. Fortunately, the extreme Emperor's trust in him had deepened, and he had gradually regained his reputation.
However, Qin Hui did not feel happy about this. In the current situation of his country, as an official, he felt as if there was a frying pan under him.
In terms of ambition, Qin Hui naturally wanted to be a capable official who could single-handedly turn the world upside down. He had once admired Qin Siyuan, but he had also warned him about Qin Siyuan's reckless and reckless style. Back in the capital, when Qin Siyuan was still in power, he had repeatedly warned him that many things could affect the whole situation. He had no choice but to take things slowly, but Qin Siyuan had not listened. Later, when he died, Qin Hui sighed in his heart. But in the end, it proved that he understood the world clearly.
If it were not for the rules of the world, he would not have killed such an outstanding disciple as Luo Jinyan.
However, when Qin Siyuan fell from power, he had stayed out of it, which had brought some negative effects. After Prince Kang succeeded the throne, his son and daughter worked hard. With the support of their father, Zhou Pei and Zhou Junwu did a lot of important things. They had the support of the Jiangning faction and were deeply influenced by Qin Siyuan. After they took up the heavy responsibility, although they did not rehabilitate Qin Siyuan, most of the important officials were disciples of the Qin faction. Qin Hui and Qin Siyuan had a close relationship, but because he had stayed out of it, Zhou Pei and Junwu did not deliberately get close to him. Even if Qin Hui wanted to take the initiative to get close to him, Zhou Pei did not act too close to him.
If possible, Qin Hui would have preferred to get close to Crown Prince Jun Wu. Jun Wu's indomitable character reminded Qin Hui of Luo Jinyan. If he had taught Luo Jinyan better, the two of them would have had a better communication, and perhaps the result would have been different. But Jun Wu did not like him. He took Qin Hui's earnest and kind words as the same as those of other pedantic scholars. Later on, the little prince often stayed in Jiangning. Qin Hui wanted to have more contact with him, but he did not have the opportunity. He could only sigh.
The little prince was different from Luo Jinyan. His identity and status gave him the capital to move forward, but at some point, he would fall.
He understood this, just as he had understood Qin Siyuan's ending from the beginning. The problems of the Wu dynasty were deep and complicated. It was like a patient who was terminally ill. The little prince had a fiery heart. He only needed to work hard and stimulate his potential. Normal people could do this, but the patient would die. If not for this reason, he would not have killed Luo Jinyan back then.
Time and fate. After all, he had missed the opportunity. The crown prince could have become a virtuous emperor, but now he was not as good as His Majesty, who knew his own limits.
As for Lady Mei, the princess's mansion, and the people under the black flag who were desperately releasing all kinds of news in the city to inspire people … Although the fighting was fierce, people could only see the small space in front of them. If Ning Rentu in the southwest was here, he might be able to understand what he was thinking. At least in the north, not far away, the Goddess of Valleys, who was secretly manipulating everything, could see everything clearly.
He could only close his eyes and wait quietly for what should happen. When that time came, he would grasp the authority in his hands, and maybe he could fight for a chance of survival for the Wu dynasty.
Even if it was impossible …
For many days, this was the most common saying in private flashed through his mind. Even if it was impossible, at least he was in an invincible position … Such an answer flashed through his mind, but then he swept this inappropriate answer away from his mind.
With a soft sigh, Qin Hui lifted the curtain of the carriage and watched the carriage drive past the city where all living things flourished. The spring scenery of Lin 'an was picturesque. But it was almost dusk.
*****
There was rain in April. The riders on the horses were wearing black straw raincoats. They galloped through the undulating low mountain ridges. In the distance, they could see unplowed fields, deserted villages, and human corpses lying on the roadside. Crows with disheveled feathers raised their heads from the corpses and looked ominously at the riders.
In previous years, the land of Jiangnan would have been a lush green expanse.
The horses passed through this ridge and went forward. Gradually, the outline of the military camp came into view. Another patrol team came over. Both sides reported their names in the Goddess's language. The patrol team stopped and watched the more than 300 riders enter the military camp.
The riders were all kinds of strange people. They looked fierce and there were many injured. The leader, Wanyan Qingjue, looked pale. His injured left hand was wrapped in a bandage and hung on his neck.
The military camp was divided into layers and camps in good order. When they reached the middle section, there was a relatively lively camp. Here, supplies were distributed, and female slaves were kept. There were also some Goddess's soldiers who exchanged the treasures they had plundered in the south. It was a place of bliss for soldiers. Wanyan Qingjue waved his hand to stop the horses. Then he smiled and told the others that there was no need to follow. The injured could go to the medical center to treat their injuries. The others could take his token and enjoy themselves.
The Goddess had crossed the Yangtze River this time. She did not come to capture slaves, so she killed more people and captured fewer people to keep them. But the women of Jiangnan were gentle and beautiful. Some of them were of good quality and would still be captured and kept in the military. The soldiers had sex in their leisure time. Such places in the military camp were mostly patronized by officers and were in short supply. But Wanyan Qingjue's subordinates had a high status. With the token of the young prince, they could enjoy all kinds of things first. At that moment, everyone praised the young prince's benevolence and righteousness and dispersed with laughter.
Wanyan Qingjue walked inside. The summer rain gradually stopped. He entered the large tent in the center and first cupped his hands in greeting. Wanyan Xi Yin, who was comparing a few reports to the map on the table, raised his head and glanced at him. He did not say anything about his arm injury.
"How is it?"
"Teacher, there are some results."
Wanyan Qingjue said and took out two letters from his bosom. He came over and handed them to Xi Yin. Xi Yin opened them and read them quietly. Then he put them away. He looked at the map on the table and his lips moved slightly. He was calculating the things that needed to be calculated in his mind. The tent was silent for almost a quarter of an hour. Wanyan Qingjue stood at the side and did not dare to make a sound.
"What's wrong with your hand?" After a long time, Xi Yin finally asked.
"I encountered a group of people from the Black Flag near Changning. Someone ambushed me and I fell off a horse. It's no big deal now," Wanyan Qingjue answered simply. He naturally understood his teacher's personality. Although he was known for his literary name, in reality, Xi Yin's character in the military was iron-blooded. He was not interested in hearing about a small injury like a broken arm.
As for the conflict near Changning, it was really not a big deal. The group of people he had encountered, which he suspected to be Black Flag, were actually not very well-trained. After the two sides clashed, they left on their own. Wanyan Qingjue had wanted to chase after them, but who knew that he would be shot in the melee. A flintlock bullet came from somewhere and brushed past his thigh, causing his warhorse to flip to the ground. As a result, Wanyan Qingjue broke an arm.
Xi Yin nodded with his hands behind his back to show that he understood.
"You came back at the right time. The rain has stopped. Come out with me for a walk."
Wanyan Qingjue cupped his hands and followed. As they walked out of the big tent, a bright ray of light shone in the early summer sky that had just stopped drizzling. The old man walked forward, "Zong Fu attacked Jiangning and has already caught the attention of the people of the Wu dynasty. The little prince of the Wu dynasty wants to keep an eye on me, but he was defeated twice. He doesn't have much strength left, but he has eaten almost all the food in the surroundings. He is now on guard against us coming south from Changzhou and eating the people … In the direction of Lin 'an, the people are anxious and there are many who are wavering. But if we want to make them lose their courage, we still lack the most important link …"
Xi Yin seemed to be talking to himself. His tone was indifferent but he was not confused. Wanyan Qingjue listened closely and finally said, "Teacher, you have a plan in mind?"
Xi Yin shook his head and did not look at him, "The recent events reminded me of the world twenty to thirty years ago. We followed the former emperor and the marshal to rise up and fought with the hundreds of thousands of elite troops of the Liao. At that time, we only pressed forward with indomitable will. The undefeatable reputation of the Jurchen people was fought out at that time. For the next ten to twenty years, it was only in recent years that we always talked about people's hearts, about persuading people to surrender, spreading rumors, giving and receiving in private, confusing people … "
A group of soldiers passed by and saluted the leader. Xi Yin waved his hand, his gaze complicated and solemn, "Qingjue, I have told you about the Wu dynasty."
Wanyan Qingjue said, "Teacher has said a lot."
"That year …" Xi Yin recalled the events of that year, "That year, we had just risen up and often heard that there was a big country in the south. The people were rich and the land was plentiful. The people followed the teachings and were all humble and courteous. Confucianism was profound and beneficial to the world. I studied Sinology since I was young and everyone around me was in awe. When the envoy sent by the Wu dynasty was willing to form an alliance with us to fight against the Liao people, the former emperor and I were overjoyed. Who knew … when we saw the many problems of the Wu dynasty, we began to have doubts in our hearts … the doubts gradually turned into sneers and then gradually, it became disdain. When we took over the sixteen prefectures of Yan Yun, they were weak but they repeatedly played tricks. The imperial court fought against each other but they all thought that their schemes were unparalleled. Later on, Zhang Jue who joined them was killed by us. Medicine Master Guo was an outstanding person but after joining the Wu dynasty, he was finally disheartened. When the former emperor was on his deathbed, he said that the war against the Liao was over and that he could take over the Wu dynasty. It was a matter of course … "
"Qingjue." Xi Yin walked along the path of the military camp to the small hillside, "Now, it is our turn to play tricks and schemes. Tell me, is this smart? Or is it too weak … "
"… I'll take it as weakness." Wanyan Qingjue replied, "However, as you said before, if the Jin Kingdom wants to grow, it cannot use force to suppress everything. Our Great Jin Kingdom has been ruling the country with force for twenty years. I'm afraid that one day, it will only collapse faster."
After searching the mountains and seas for a few years, the Jin Kingdom declined in a carefree atmosphere of enjoyment. When the battle of Little Canghe, the death of Lou Shi and Ci Buxiu woke up the upper echelons of the Jurchen Kingdom. It was not the first time that people like Xi Yin and Zong Han discussed this topic. Xi Yin's sigh was not a question, and Wanyan Qingjue's answer did not seem to enter his ears. The wind after the rain blew on the low hillside. The mountains in Jiangnan were not high. Looking from here, they could see the tents all over the mountains and valleys. The military flags that were stained by the rain were spread among the mountains. Xi Yin looked at all this solemnly.
After a long time, he said, "Have you heard about the situation in Yunzhong?"
Wanyan Qingjue hesitated. "… I heard that someone is secretly spreading rumors that the East and the West … are going to fight?"
"Last year, someone killed Shi Liai's grandson and framed Zong Fu for the incident at Yunzhong Manor. This doesn't make sense. This year, someone is secretly spreading rumors that the Wu dynasty is coming to an end and the East and the West will fight. They are reminding their subordinates to be prepared. If they are not vigilant, the other side is already sharpening their knives. At the end of last year, there were only a few small conflicts. Starting this year, some of the higher-ups are being dragged into the water. "
"Some of Yuan Xi's businesses were cut off by Wanyan Hongxin's men. Shi Dongdang made a move and said that in the future, the East and the West will have to demarcate their businesses. Now that they have reached an agreement, they are being instigated to prepare for war. While this matter was still being discussed, the Xi people and Han people under the two of them had already fought a few times. Once in Yunzhong, Shi Liai was really angry … But these things, as long as people really believe it, he can only run around for his life, unable to suppress it. "
The old man frowned. His tone was calm, but there was already a murderous aura spreading out. Wanyan Qingjue could understand the danger. "Someone is secretly sowing discord …"
Xi Yin's gaze turned to the west. "The Black Flag people have made their move. The person in charge of the North is not simple. These people are using the rumors of Zong Fu beating Shi Liai to start from the lowest level … For this kind of thing, the higher-ups don't dare and won't act rashly. Even if Shi Liai's grandson dies, he won't make a big fuss. But the people below don't know the truth. Seeing that others are preparing, they want to make the first move. When the people below make their move, the people in the middle and the higher-ups are also dragged into the water. For example, Yuan Xi and Shi Dongdang have already started fighting. Who wants to retreat? If Shi Liai intervenes, things will only get worse. Qingjue, you can figure out these methods … "
"… Yes."
Xi Yin walked forward. He breathed in the fresh wind after the rain and then exhaled. His mind was thinking, but the seriousness in his eyes did not weaken at all.
"… Many troops have been transferred away for the battle of Jiangning." He seemed to be talking to himself. "Zong Fu has agreed to my request. He has already asked Arubao to transport all the remaining 'Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers' and the remaining catapults. I have fought several battles here and my supplies have been severely depleted. The people of the Wu dynasty think that I want to attack Changzhou. They want to break through this city to replenish their supplies and go south to Lin 'an. This is naturally a good path. Therefore, the Wu dynasty has stationed 130,000 troops in Changzhou, and the Little Crown Prince has stationed 100,000 troops in Zhenjiang … "
Xi Yin paused and looked at his old palms. "Our army has 50,000 people. The other side has 100,000 troops and 130,000 troops … If it was ten years ago, I would definitely not hesitate like this. Moreover … among these 50,000 people, there are 30,000 Mountain Slaughtering Guards."
Before he finished speaking, Wanyan Qingjue, who was behind him, had already understood what he was talking about. She also understood where the old man's sigh came from. A cool breeze blew gently. Xi Yin's words fell carelessly into the wind.
"In half a month, I, Yin Shuke, and General Arubao will attack Zhenjiang at all costs."
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