Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 570 Jin Kingdom Will Not Attack Song Dynasty? (Please subscribe!)

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At the beginning of November in the sixth year of Xuanhe, Tong Guan sent someone to invite Ma Kuo, the Minister of Integrity and Defense of Baozhou, to come to Taiyuan. Let's go to Yunzhong to meet Wanyan Zonghan together, and discuss about going back to Yundi.

Tong Guan admired Ma Kuo very much, and believed that Ma Kuo was the most suitable candidate for negotiating with the Jinren.

After Ma Kuo received Tong Guan's order, he set off immediately.

In just one day, Ma Kuo came to Taiyuan.

Tong Guan heard that Ma Kuo had been to Yanjing not long ago, so he asked Ma Kuo about the situation in Yanjing.

Ma Kuo then made a detailed report to Tong Guan on the issue of Yanjing, and focused on talking about "the benefits and disadvantages of granting land to the Ever Victorious Army".

Tong Guandao: "The old man has always been worried that the Changsheng Army will become a disaster for the Song Dynasty in the future, and is planning to reduce the Changsheng Army. I don't know what you want Zi Chong to do?"

Ma Kuo replied: "The lower officials also know that the Changsheng Army will be a disaster in the future, but now Jurchen dare not raise troops to spy on Yan because of concern for the Changsheng Army. A little bit of worry, if that happens, the Jurchens will have no fear of my Great Song Dynasty, the land of Yan may be in danger, and the Ever Victorious Army may mutiny or surrender to the Jurchens."

Tong Guan is actually very clear about this, he asked: "What can I do for you?"

Ma Kuo replied without much thought: "Now the Ever Victorious Army only has more than 3 soldiers capable of fighting. If the Taishi can select 10 elite horses from Shaanxi, Hedong, and Hebei, they will be divided into three divisions. Then choose a good general to command, one stationed in Yanshan, and Guo Yaoshi's battalion against each other; one stationed in Guangsheng Army or Zhongshan Mansion; , if you are afraid of retreating, then, even if the Jin people have malicious intentions, how dare they come so easily?"

Tong Guan shook his head and said: "Although your idea is good, but the current situation of the country is difficult, and it is really impossible to raise so many elite horses."

Ma Kuo also knew that since the two defeats of Zhong Shidao and Liu Yanqing, the Song Dynasty did not have many available soldiers, and it had to guard against the intrusion of the old enemy Xixia. It is indeed difficult for Tong Guan to raise [-] elites. After seeing it, he said with emotion: "The country's downfall all came from Yanqing's escape. At that time, I rekindled my teacher's way and raised many incidents of Western soldiers, but I didn't miss the country's important affairs so much!"

Tong Guan remained silent.

Tong Guan was very reluctant to bring up those two defeats again.

First of all, no matter how you evade it, in name, he led the two defeats.

Second, he does have some responsibilities.

Let's talk about Liu Yanqing's escape first.

At that time, Liu Yanqing had asked Tong Guan for instructions before withdrawing troops, but Tong Guan's answer was ambiguous, so Liu Yanqing could decide based on the facts.

After Liu Yanqing was arrested and imprisoned, when he was interrogated, he took out a letter signed by Tong Guan and Cai You, which allowed him to make his own decision, to defend himself, so the interrogation ended, and Liu Yanqing Finally acquitted.

Later, when the imperial court discussed Liu Yanqing's loss of teacher and humiliation to the country, they all thought that it was necessary to do something wrong, so they demoted Liu Yanqing to the deputy governor of Yunzhou.

As for Zhong Shidao's defeat, Tong Guan knew very well, if it wasn't for the long-standing conflict between him and Zhong Shidao, and the sincere cooperation between the two, perhaps the following things would not have happened.

Tong Guan was really optimistic about Ma Kuo, otherwise, just because Ma Kuo mentioned Zhong Shidao and Liu Yanqing in front of Tong Guan, and criticized one and praised the other, Ma Kuo's official career would probably be over.

A few days later, Tong Guan issued an order to Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong to "go to Yunzhong and return to Yundi with the Jurchens".

Before leaving, Tong Guan specially summoned Li Zongzhen, Xin Qizong, Xin Yongzong, Sun Wo, Yao Youzhong, Du Changlan and more than a dozen staff and generals of Xuanfu Division to hold a banquet to see Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong off.

These more than a dozen people lined up around Tong Guan, drinking wine from gold cups, drinking one by one.

Tong Guan took the initiative to say: "All the handsome ministers in front of the mountain are not good talents, and now they have problems. If you can go back to the mountain, it is not a trivial matter to choose a handsome minister. Tell me, who is suitable to be the handsome minister behind the mountain?"

Li Zongzhen and others counted all the military officials from the six roads in Shaanxi and the military officials in the east and the north.

Tong Guan shook his head and said: "This generation can be a border commander in a peaceful land. The back of the mountain is bordered by Xixia in the west, Tatar in the north, and supported by Yan in the south. Therefore, you must be proficient in both civil and military affairs, wise and brave with honesty, and know all countries. Human beings can be of great use.”

Speaking of this, Tong Guan looked at Ma Kuo and said, "The old man thought that it was my horse who made the announcement."

No one expected that Tong Guan wanted to recommend Ma Kuo as the commander-in-chief of Yundi, including Ma Kuo himself.

To be honest, Ma Kuo was very excited to see that Tong Guan wanted him to lead the army to guard Yunzhong, and he was also very grateful to Tong Guan.

Tong Guan glanced at Ma Kuo, and asked, "If You Zi charged you to guard Yunzhong, how about using military horses?"

Ma Kuo thought for a while and said, "We should use thirty thousand."

Tong Guan said: "The country is struggling now, can it be less?"

Ma Kuo said: "It can't be less than [-], [-] are stationed in Yunzhong Prefecture, and [-] are stationed at each pass."

Tong Guan said with a smile: "300 is much easier to manage. You should pay [-] per year for the army. If there are talents you recommend, I will obey them one by one."

Ma Kuo said: "Kuo will live up to the expectations of the Grand Master!"

……

At the end of November, Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong came to Yunzhong.

Unfortunately, Wanyan Zonghan was not in Yunzhong - he had gone back to Shangjing.

Wanyan Xiyin, acting as marshal, sent Gao Qingyi to argue with Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong.

Gao Qingyi said: "The commander-in-chief is not here, so I dare not talk about the ownership of Yundi. Moreover, your court has taken in the officials of the former Liao Kingdom and the rich people of Yandi. In my opinion, even if the commander-in-chief returns, he will not return your land behind the mountain."

Ma Kuo argued: "It was Zhang Jue's crime that the officials of the former Liao Kingdom and the rich people of Yan land fled back to Yanjing. This court has beheaded Zhang Jue's head and sent it to Yanjing. The rest of the households are mostly hidden in valleys. Those who saw them were sent back one after another. Those who did not see them have been dispatched." People go to capture, not to accept and defect. Your court once said that Tan Zhen has done a lot of uncomfortable things. Our court has already reprimanded Tan Zhen, and then appointed Tong Taishi to make good friends with your country. I hope that your country will return to our Song Dynasty soon. The land behind the mountain makes the living beings of the two worlds stable."

Gao Qingyi said: "If you want the land behind the mountain, first send back the old officials of the Liao Kingdom and the wealthy households in Yandi, and then discuss the return of Yundi, otherwise don't talk about it."

Ma Kuo, Xin Xingzong, and Gao Qingyi spent until the first ten days of December, but there was still no progress.

Ma Kuo discussed with Xin Xingzong and decided to return to Taiyuan first.

After the two returned to Taiyuan, Tong Guan asked, "What did you two see after entering the country?"

Ma Kuo said: "The Jurchens are now training the Han'er township soldiers, and have increased the number of guards in Feihu and Lingqiu. Talking to them, they pointed out Zhang Jue several times, and asked the former officials of the Liao Kingdom and the wealthy households in Yandi , I feel very bad, I am afraid that they will occupy the cloud land for a long time and will not return it, and even invade my land in the east of the river, I hope the grand master will make preparations early and strengthen the national defense."

After hearing this, Tong Guan didn't make a statement.

Tong Guan always believed that it is unlikely that the Kingdom of Jin would send troops to attack the Song Dynasty at this time, because the Kingdom of Jin was just established, the country was not stable, and there was no economic support. The country has not yet captured Emperor Tianzuo, and there is a strong neighbor, Shuipo Liangshan, so it is extremely unwise to go south to fight the Song Dynasty now, and it may wipe out the great situation that the Kingdom of Jin has built so hard live.

……

(End of this chapter)