I studied in modern times

Chapter 790: Kaijing

In the second year of Yuanyou in the Song Dynasty and the third year of Da'an in the Liao Dynasty, April Renyin (21).

The Liao ruler, Yelu Hongji, personally came to the outskirts of the Goryeo capital of Kaesong.

The Liao Grand Tutor, the General Manager of the Goryeo Camp, and the Prince of Lelang, Yelu Dilie, led a large number of civil and military officials and went out of the camp thirty miles to welcome them.

Amid the music and ceremony, Yelu Dilie led all the officials to kneel before the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome you and wish you a long and healthy life!"

"…Long live your Majesty!"

Yelu Hongji, wearing military uniform and carrying a sword, rode up to Yelu Dilie, dismounted, and personally helped the loyal old minister up: "Grand Master, please don't be polite!"

Then, he looked Yelu Dilie up and down and sighed, "The Grand Master has aged a bit!"

Yelu Dilie's eyes suddenly filled with tears: "How dare I not die for your majesty?"

To Yelu Dilie and his family, the Liao ruler treated them with only two words: national heroes!

Since the King of Qin (Han Sikuang) onwards, successive generations have been highly valued and regarded as confidants.

The friendship between Yelu Hongji and him can only be described as "open-hearted".

Now, he is appointed as the Jiedushi of his mother city and is granted the title of Prince of Lelang County.

He also promised that in the future he would be able to build his own palace in Goryeo, imitating King Wenzhong.

Therefore, no matter how others view Yelu Hongji, in Yelu Dilie's heart, this is his Emperor Zhaolie!
It is worth giving everything in return!
This can also be considered as the personal charm of Yelu Hongji!

Although he is not good at cooking.

But be willing to give up power!

Whether it was Yelu Chongyuan in the past or Yelu Yixin later, as long as they believed in it, they would choose to believe blindly to the end.

Until Yelu Chongyuan and Yelu Yixin were no longer satisfied with being just vice emperors and wanted to be real emperors.

Now, facing Yelu Dilie, Yelu Hongji still chose to believe blindly.

The power to conquer the entire Goryeo was granted full authority.

Since the war broke out, Yelu Hongji first waited in Nanjing.

When Yelu Dilie captured Pyongyang, he moved his palace from Nanjing to Liaoyang Prefecture in Tokyo.

He also came to Yazik River and held a first fish banquet, trying his best to win over the Jurchen, Bohai and Goryeo scholars, and trying his best to meet all of Yelu Dilie's military needs.

Now, he has personally come to Kaifeng with military supplies as rewards to boost morale and cheer for the upcoming general attack on Kaifeng.

From the beginning to the end, almost no one dared to use Yelu Dilie's troops.

According to historical records, only Emperor Zhaolie and Emperor Houzhu could give their subjects such a level of trust.

"Please allow me to introduce them to Your Majesty..." Yelu Dilie said in a deep voice, then lowered his head and called the two newly surrendered Goryeo scholars and officials to Yelu Hongji.

When the two Korean scholars saw Yelu Hongji, they bowed their heads and said in pure Central Plains rhyme: "The ministers of the Jin family of Gyeongju, Shunzheng..."

"Gyeongju Choi's loyal ministers..."

"I bow my head again to His Majesty the Emperor and wish him a long and healthy life!"

When Yelu Hongji heard the surnames of the two Koreans, he was immediately delighted.

"Kim Aegeon, Choi Aegeon..."

"Please get up quickly!"

As he said that, he took a quick step forward and personally helped the two men up!

It's not just their names that are adorable.

One was called Shunzheng and the other was called Zhongshi, which really touched Yelu Hongji's sore spot.

He hoped that the Koreans would obey the Liao Dynasty, regard him as the orthodox, and be loyal to him.

At the same time, it is also because these two people call themselves the Gyeongju Kim Clan and the Gyeongju Choi Clan, which are the top families in Goryeo!

Yes!

The aristocratic politics that had already become extinct in the Liao Dynasty and the Song Dynasty was always flourishing in Goryeo!
The Choi family in Gyeongju, the Kim family, the Hwangpu family in Hwangju, the Liu family in Jeongju and other prominent families are the Goryeo version of the Five Surnames and Nine Famous Family names!

Among them, Gyeongju Choi and Gyeongju Kim are absolute aristocratic families that have been prosperous since the Silla era!

Among them, the Gyeongju Choi family was a surname chosen by Silla students studying abroad in the Tang Dynasty after returning to Silla - this is a form of climbing.

But the royal families on the peninsula buy into this.

Therefore, during the Silla era, the Cui family was already a prominent scholarly clan on the peninsula, and many prime ministers emerged from them.

During the Goryeo period, scholars with the surname Cui still occupied half of the Goryeo court.

[Cui and Wang, together with Goryeo] Maybe it’s over.

However, Cui's influence in Goryeo is unquestionable.

As for the Jin family?

This is the surname of the Silla royal family!
Ever since the last king of Silla, Kim Bo, surrendered to Wang Geon, the founder of Goryeo, the Wang and Kim surnames have been intermarrying with each other.

To show its trust in the Kim family, Goryeo had allowed the Kim family to enjoy a special status in Goryeo since its so-called Taizu Wang Jian, and the title of Gyeongju Governor was hereditary.

Today, all of the Goryeo royal teachers are the grandchildren of Master Jin.

Therefore, in the past three wars between Liao and Goryeo, prominent Goryeo families such as the Choi family of Gyeongju and the Kim family never surrendered.

Now, both the Cui and Jin families began to surrender and kowtowed three times and nine times to him, Yelu Hongji, which made Yelu Hongji extremely happy!

Jin Shunzheng and Cui Zhongshi, seeing that Yelu Hongji was happy, naturally spoke nice words to him without asking for any money.

Yelu Hongji was very pleased with the emperor's words and gave them one pound of brown sugar and fifty pieces of silk cloth each on the spot. He also promoted them to a higher position and granted them a position in the library.

The two of them were even happier and flattered even more enthusiastically.

After Jin Shunzheng and Cui Zhongshi, Yelu Dilie introduced several newly surrendered Goryeo civil and military officials to meet Yelu Hongji.

Yelu Hongji comforted and rewarded them one by one.

When he was surrounded by his ministers and returned to the Liao army camp, Yelu Hongji issued another decree to reward the three armies.

People gave him a bucket of wine and a piece of silk.

Suddenly, there was thunderous applause!
The Goryeo defenders in the capital city of Kaesong could naturally see clearly the cheering in the Liao camp.

Wang Xi, the governor of Kaesong of Goryeo and Duke of Jilin, climbed to the top of the Kaesong city wall and looked at the Liao army camp from afar.

His face fell into silence.

"The leader of the Northern Barbarians is here..." Wang Xi sighed.

"Yes..." Behind him, the Goryeo general Wang Guomao, who was in charge of the defense of Kaijing, looked at the Liao army camp in the distance and said calmly: "The Northern Barbarian Lord is here!"

Wang Xi said in a deep voice: "General, since ancient times, being trapped in an isolated city cannot last long!"

"Now that the Northern Barbarian leader has arrived in person, the morale of the Northern Barbarians has been greatly boosted, while our army's morale has dropped..."

"This can't be done!"

"Can the Grand Commandant lead the army to attack the Northern Tartars' camp at night and undermine their prestige?"

Having said that, Wang Xi looked at Wang Guomao.

Wang Guomao shook his head and said, "Your Highness... the soldiers in the city can still hold on... if we leave the city..."

"I am afraid that the soldiers will be defeated without a fight!"

Wang Xi listened and fell silent.

But he knew it was the truth!
Since the beginning of spring, the Liao army resumed its attack on Kaifeng.

Starting from February, Goryeo cities outside Kaesong were taken down one after another.

Ten days ago, Haizhou, the last city north of Kaifeng and also Kaifeng's most important outer stronghold, fell.

Before that, the Goryeo army was defeated repeatedly by the Liao army in field battles.

By now, they have been defeated more than ten times, with the loss of as many as 20,000 soldiers and generals!
no way!
The Liao army's strong armor and powerful bows, coupled with the fearless charge of the Jurchen volunteers.

Often, the Goryeo soldiers had not yet formed their battle lines.

They had already been outflanked by the Liao cavalry from both wings, or dispersed by the Jurchen heavy infantry from the front.

By now, the Koreans no longer dared to fight the Liao people in the field.

Can only be trapped in an isolated city!

Thinking of this, Wang Xi could not help but ask: "General... decades ago, the Northern Barbarians invaded Goryeo three times..." "Why was it that our imperial soldiers were able to hold their own against the Northern Barbarians in a field battle, or at least escape unscathed..."

"Why is it not working now?"

Wang Guomao looked at Wang Xi and said, "Why does Lord Jilin pretend not to know?"

"You know it in your heart!"

Wang Xi sighed and said, "Yes... I should understand..."

He looked at the mountains and land ahead.

Decades ago, before his grandfather Xianzong ascended the throne, the government was in chaos and the palace was in turmoil.

Internally, the Empress Dowager Huangfu colluded with her adulterer to control the government, causing chaos in the country, and even imprisoned and killed the king. Externally, powerful enemies were lurking, and the country was in turmoil.

but……

At that time, Goryeo was not like it is today, with temples everywhere and monks everywhere.

At that time, the soldiers under the Shibata system all had their own land.

Therefore, they could fight the northern barbarians without fear of death.

Moreover, even if we are defeated, we will fight the Northern Tartars to the end!
What about today?
Since the time of his father Emperor Wenzong, the country's population has gradually increased and people's livelihood has become increasingly difficult.

In order to appease the people and consolidate the rule.

Buddhism gradually became popular in Goryeo, and many temples were built and monks were revered.

As a result, there were more and more temples, but the land of the government soldiers became less and less, and eventually they went bankrupt and had no choice but to serve as slaves.

Relying on slaves to resist the northern barbarians?
It's not that it's impossible, but there is one thing - the Northern Barbarians will still do the same as before, burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of evil everywhere!
However, this time the Northern Barbarians changed their temperament.

Although looting and killing are still inevitable.

However, they began to be lenient towards the scholar-official families.

At the same time, the generals of the Northern Tartars were all maintaining military discipline!
The most terrible thing was that the northern barbarians redistributed a large amount of Goryeo official land to those Goryeo farmers who were willing to surrender.

At the same time, the Northern Tartars also transferred a large number of civil servants from their Youyan area to levy taxes following Youyan's tax system.

At this time, the Goryeo farmers discovered that the taxes collected by the Northern Tartars were half less than that of the royal family!
Besides, it doesn’t matter if you can’t afford it.

All we need to do is transport food to the northern barbarians, build roads and cut down trees.

As a result, farmers and scholars in the vast areas north of the Taedong River, especially those north of Pyongyang, surrendered one after another.

No one is willing to risk their lives anymore by fighting with the Northern Barbarians in the mountains and harassing their logistics as they did in the past.

They even became helpers of the Northern Tartars!

Especially after the Northern Tartars gave Helan Dian, which originally belonged to Goryeo, to the Jurchen tribe in Haidong.

The various Jurchen tribes in Haidong moved to their new homes with great joy.

Then they began to expel the Koreans on a large scale.

In just two months, thousands of Koreans in the entire Helan Dian area were driven away.

Their land, property, houses, livestock, and even wives and daughters became those of the Donghai Jurchens.

Korean scholars and peasants in other places were terrified.

They were afraid that if they offended the Liao people, they would give their land to the Jurchens.

So they become more respectful.

Those lowly peasants and shameless scholars just became obedient subjects of the Northern Tartars!

They were no longer willing to fight for the Wang family of Kaijing and the northern barbarians.

Another key reason was that this time the Northern Barbarian leader appeased the leaders of the Bohai nobles and the Jurchen tribes in his country.

These forces, which had helped the Koreans in the past three wars, now turned around and became helpers of the Northern Tartars.

Especially the loyal followers of the Jurchens, who were born as women, would often charge forward fearlessly for rewards.

and so……

Wang Xi said in a deep voice: "Captain, after we defeat the northern barbarians, I want to reorganize Taizu's Shibata system!"

"Rebuild the army and make Goryeo prosperous!"

Wang Guomao lowered his head.

Rebuild Taizu's Shibata system?
Where does the earth come from?
Will Gyeongju Choi and Gyeongju Kim be willing to hand over their land?
If they don't want to, who will force them to pay?

As for the temple land?

Then don’t even think about it!
Goryeo has Buddhism as its state religion!

Nowadays, even the royal family needs to choose a man to become a monk to take charge of the monastic life.

However, Wang Guomao still said beautifully: "If that day comes, I am willing to follow Your Highness!"

Wang Xi nodded, and then he asked another question: "General, have the armor and weapons sent from the Eastern Song Dynasty been distributed a few days ago?"

Wang Guomao replied, "I have informed you of the examples and have distributed them to your Highness's [Special Military Class]!"

The Biewu Class was an elite force established by Wang Xi after he took charge of the defense of Kaijing City.

They were elite soldiers who had experienced many battles and were selected from the Kaifeng garrison and hired Jurchen warriors.

Although their number is only two thousand, they enjoy the best treatment and the best equipment.

Some time ago, a batch of armor and weapons that the monk leader requested from the Song Dynasty arrived in Kaijing.

These things were immediately assigned to the [Special Martial Arts Class] by Wang Xi.

Wang Xi had a tight control over this army.

No one can be mobilized except him.

This is also the reason why Wang Guomao opposed the night attack outside the city - other military units are not going to be dispatched, and you want me to take my servants to die?

joke!

He also needs to keep an elite force for emergencies!

……

Liao army camp.

Yelu Hongji was already a little drunk.

But his spirits were still very high!
The wine glass in his hand was filled with Yuye wine from the Southern Dynasty, and the flow never stopped.

He really loves this burning feeling in the throat!

He was having a great time drinking and feasting with his ministers.

An eunuch came before him, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, the Japanese tribute sent by Xiao Zhaotao has been delivered to the camp. I beg for your Majesty's approval!"

Yelu Hongji immediately stood up and laughed: "Good!"

"Hurry and bring it into the tent. I want to watch it with you all!"

Then, boxes of gold and gems were carried to Yelu Hongji.

There are thirty boxes in total!

All the boxes, open them all.

The bright orange gold, snow-white pearls and gems of various colors dazzled the civil and military officials present, especially those who surrendered from Goryeo. They could not open their eyes, and they kept swallowing their saliva and breathing rapidly.

Yelu Hongji looked at the expressions of these people, and under the influence of drunkenness, he waved his hand and said, "Gentlemen, do you want these treasures?"

Everyone's eyes began to light up!
"Then take Kaijing for me!"

He looked at everyone and said, "I have plenty of money!"

"The Southern Dynasty pays me three million strings of Jiaozi every year!"

"Xiao Budaya is in Japan, and he offers gifts every month!"

"I will reward anyone who can pacify Goryeo for me generously!"

Obviously, this is by design.

Just wait for Yelu Hongji to come here, and the wealth that Xiao Budaya earned in Japan will be delivered on time!

(End of this chapter)