Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Golden camp.

The atmosphere of the meeting was somewhat solemn.

Wanyan Zongwang led nearly 60,000 people south, and together with the troops recruited and surrendered along the way, the total force was close to 70,000.

Losing three or four thousand doesn't seem to be a big deal.

However, the Jurchen clan's population is scarce, and even counting the various tribes in the Northeast who surrendered early, the number of tens of thousands of elite soldiers is already the limit.

This attack on the Song Dynasty has a strong political nature, and it is a good opportunity to reorganize the internal affairs and attract more ethnic groups to join the Meng'an Muke system.

For example, in the Bohai region, the Bohai Bamengan was compiled.

In addition, various tribes of the Xi people have been married to the Khitan for a long time, and the two parties are really deeply involved. This time going south, a large number of Xi people were taken away, and the fighting at the front was still secondary. Wu Qimai took the opportunity to digest the Xi clan's power in the rear.

During the two attacks of the Jin Kingdom on the Song Dynasty, the household registrations of Xi people and Bohai people were reduced by half, reducing them to the level of the early Liao Dynasty.

After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Xi people were collectively moved to the Song Dynasty, and the Xi people disappeared from Chinese history books.

Wanyan Zongwang only had three thousand Hezha Mengan under his command, and about ten thousand elite Jin soldiers. The rest were all Han, Xi, and Khitan soldiers.

Many of these non-Jurchen soldiers have different aspirations. Some have been organized into Meng'an, and some are still part of the issued militia. Once the Jurchen soldiers lose too much, the morale of soldiers of all ethnic groups will be unstable. Although they will not rebel immediately, they will 100% choose to paddle when fighting.

The people attending the meeting today were all Jurchen nobles, and even Liu Yanzong, the commander-in-chief of the Han army, was not qualified to attend.

Everyone spoke openly. Wanyan Talan was the first to speak, saying to Wanyan Zongwang: "I know that the second prince is dissatisfied with me, and I am also dissatisfied with the second prince. But in the next battle, we must unite. The Jurchen people can no longer have a big enemy." of damage.”

Wanyan Talan's political base is actually the Han and Khitan people. Even he said this, which is enough to prove that the top brass of the Jin Kingdom are wary of all ethnic groups.

Wanyan Zongwang nodded in agreement, and then said: "According to the cavalry who fled back, the fifth prince was trapped in a tight siege before Guo Yaoshi changed sides. The strength of the Zhu thieves should not be underestimated. Anyway, the food nearby has been almost taken. From now on, only Send light cavalry from all tribes out for reconnaissance, and don’t send out elite soldiers casually.”

"Should we withdraw our troops temporarily?" Wanyan Digunai suddenly asked.

Wanyan Liang's Jurchen name is also Wanyan Digunai.

But the Digunai in front of him was a fierce general who had been following Aguda for a long time. His Chinese name was Wanyan Zhong.

His behavior was indeed very loyal. In the second year after Wu Qimai succeeded to the throne, Digunai took the initiative to move out of the original tribal residence and paid full field tax in the new tribal residence, which was equivalent to completely surrendering to the new emperor militarily and economically. .

Wanyan Zongbi asked: "Why did the old general say this? It was just a small defeat. Are we afraid of the red thieves?"

Digunai said: "Although our army sent cavalry to cover the battlefield, it was mainly to allow Han soldiers to go to the countryside to collect food. The Zhu Thief's camp is backed by the county seat and blocked by a river. Until now, we still haven't figured out where the Zhu Thief is coming. How many soldiers have been mobilized? Even if our entire army is dispatched, the Zhu Thieves can retreat into Xianping County."

Digunai looked at the generals: "The Kingdom of Jin is becoming more and more powerful now, and it is less and less fearful. In the early years, I followed Taizu in the battles. Although I was not afraid of death and fought bravely, I always fought with fear. They are very cautious, because if they lose the battle, they will lose everything. What now? From Yanjing to the Yellow River, they dare not even take the food road. If they don't have enough food and grass, they dare to go hundreds of miles south. We don't know how many soldiers the Zhu thieves have. If he retreats into Xianping City, it will be even more difficult for us to break through. And we can’t take down the huge Kaifeng City, so what on earth are we doing here?”

Wanyan Talan said: "You only care about fighting and nothing else? Soldiers from all ethnic groups were mobilized south to follow us to attack the Song Dynasty. If we withdraw after one or two small defeats, what will the soldiers from all ethnic groups think of the Jurchen warriors? ? They left their hometown and delayed production, but did not get much food from the Song Dynasty. Do they hold resentment in their hearts? When they hold resentment in their hearts and feel that the Jurchen warriors are nothing more than this, will there be anyone who returns to their hometown? Rebellion?"

Digunai said: "Whoever dares to rebel will just send troops to suppress it."

Digunai suppressed many rebellions in the Jin Kingdom!

"In the past, our territory was very small, and if there was a rebellion, we would be able to suppress it quickly," Wanyan Talan said. "But now the territory has become several times larger. Today there is a rebellion, and tomorrow there is a rebellion. Even if we can suppress it, it will take a lot of time." How much food, grass and population? I am the supervisor of the Eastern Route Army, and soldiers of all ethnic groups are also in the Eastern Route Army. The order given to me by His Majesty the Emperor is to unify the soldiers of all ethnic groups through war and make them truly become Jin people. It is not superficial submission, but We sincerely become Jin people. Therefore, we must fight and win the war."

Wanyan Zongwang also said: "Hebei was so poor that the monarchs and ministers of the Song Dynasty exploited them. Several state and county towns were conquered along the way, and the government warehouses were all empty. If you want loot, you have to rob rich households. But in a county town, How much wealth can the rich have? If we rob a few more cities, the rich in other places will know about it and will definitely recruit militiamen to defend the city desperately. How can we have so many troops to consume? We can only stay in Kaifeng to scare the kings and ministers of the Song Dynasty. Only by letting them cede territory and pay compensation can we get the most benefits with the least casualties!"

Digunai said: "But now there is a red thief disrupting the situation. If we don't defeat this person, how can we scare the kings and ministers of Song Dynasty?"

Wanyan Zongbi said: "Go and rob Chenliu. It's very close and it's a big city. If you can scare Chenliu's generals into surrender, you can make a huge profit, and you can also give an explanation to the various officers and soldiers."

Digunai whispered to himself: "I don't know where the bird slave (Wanyan Zonghan) was beaten."

The eastern and western armies of the Jin Kingdom have long been cut off from contact, and they are completely fighting each other.

Wanyan Zonghan is still blocked in Taiyuan, and he cannot defeat him even with all his strength.

Although Wang Zhen and his son had already taken refuge with Ju Ming, the general in charge of Taiyuan was temporarily replaced by Yang Weizhong. Zhang Xiaochun, the Xuanfu envoy to Hedong and the prefect of Taiyuan, is now not a traitor and a gold-investor, but a civil servant who dares to fight in the streets with the Jin people.

(In history, Zhang Xiaochun most likely never surrendered the money. He was imprisoned by Wanyan Zonghan for four years. No matter how he tried to persuade him to surrender, he threw him to the puppet emperor Liu Yu and announced his betrayal. Moreover, he was forced to serve as a puppet emperor for one year. Prime Minister Zhang Xiaochun took the initiative to resign.)

Both civil and military personnel decided to defend Taiyuan. They were all elite Western Route Army troops of the Jin Kingdom. They could only be blinded when facing the fortified city of Taiyuan.

On the contrary, the Zhe family army who was ordered to rescue was severely defeated by the siege and reinforcements. Zhe Keqiu retreated to Fuzhou and did not dare to come out.

Wanyan Zonghan failed to attack Taiyuan for a long time, and lost news of the East Route Army. At this time, he took the main force to Hebei, leaving Yin Shuke behind to continue the siege of Taiyuan.

The Eastern Route Army ignored the grain road, and Wanyan Zonghan was going to help wipe the rear and capture Dingzhou and Baozhou that were blocked there.

But after Yan Zongwang held a meeting, he sent light cavalry from various tribes to conduct reconnaissance patrols, and then led the main force of the Jin army to attack Chenliu. They suffered a defeat at Ju Ming's place, so they had to find another place to make up for their losses. The nearest Chen Liu was a good target.

When the Jin army arrived at Chenliu City, they found that the place was well prepared and they had to attack the city with great effort if they wanted to enter the city.

A wealthy man captured from outside Tokyo was sent to shout outside the city: "Don't shoot arrows. I am from the Song Dynasty. I live in the west of Tokyo. I was forced to come here to persuade you to surrender! Which official is the guard? If you offer If the city surrenders, the Jin people say they will give you a heavy reward."

"Archery!"

At the command, more than a dozen arrows were fired, and the rich man fell to death on the spot.

The magistrate of Chenliuxian County ran away early, and the person currently in charge of guarding the city is Chen Yuyi, the wine tax official.

He used to be an official in Tokyo. Because Ge Shengzhong offended the eunuch Li Yan, he was implicated and was demoted to Chenliu. Originally, he could be reinstated when the new emperor ascended the throne, but Ge Shengzhong turned to Ju Ming and was appointed prefect of Yingchang.

As the eastern and southern suburbs of Tokyo were plundered by the Jin, a large number of country gentry fled to Chenliu, bringing news of the Jin's brutality.

The high-ranking officials were so frightened that they all fled, and Chen Yuyi, the wine tax collector, had no choice but to step in.

He asked the wealthy households in the city and the escaped gentry to contribute money and food to recruit militiamen. Not only the people in the city were organized, but many archers from the surrounding countryside also came to join the army to defend their hometown (Kaifeng Prefecture had a large number of civilian archers after Wang Anshi's reform. Although Song Huizong canceled the archery club in the past few years in order to save money, These archers are still alive).

"Mr. Chen, if the Jin soldiers attack by force, we will not be able to defend it," said an archer and deserter from the Xiang army named Xue Guan. "The imperial court is useless. I heard that Marshal Zhu is nearby, so we must send people to break out." Please rescue Marshal Zhu!"

Chen Yuyi muttered: "That's a thief after all."

Xue Guan said: "Didn't Mr. Chen read the "Essay on Pursuing the Gold"? I have only read the book for a few years, but I can still understand the article. Marshal Zhu said that there is a difference between the subjugation of a country and the subjugation of the world. Subjugation of a country is just a change of dynasty, and it is still us. The summer of China is coming. But if the world is to be destroyed, the beasts and cannibals will lead the people to become slaves of the barbarians. Marshal Zhu said that every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. I, a common man, have come to join the army not to protect the country of Song Dynasty, but to protect China. The world!"

A wealthy businessman named Lu Zhiqi next to him also said: "It's like this. As long as we block the Jin soldiers, who cares who comes to save us? Even if Marshal Zhu is a thief, he is still a thief of the Han family, and he is a thief of the Jin Kingdom." It’s different. Rather than fall into the hands of the Jinren, Chen Liu might as well give it to Marshal Zhu!"

"That's the truth," said a squire from the suburbs of Tokyo who escaped. "Marshal Zhu has an excellent reputation in Tokyo, and I believe he is a benevolent and righteous man. I am afraid of being robbed by other thieves, but I can trust Marshal Zhu, and Mr. Chen still trusts him." Send someone to ask for help!”

Everyone spoke one after another, wanting to ask Ju Ming to send troops to rescue him.

Chen Yuyi was caught in the middle and could not go his own way. He could only express his position: "When the red thieves come, I will go back to my hometown. Mr. Xue Zhuang, you have been in the army, so you will lead people to ask for reinforcements."

Everyone was overjoyed and felt that there was hope. As long as they stayed for a few days, Marshal Zhu would definitely come to rescue them.

Chen Yuyi looked at the golden soldiers outside the city, and then looked in the direction of Tokyo, wondering what was going on in this world.

His good friend and bole Ge Shengzhong gave up his official position and went to join the Zhu bandits. The common people in front of them are also looking forward to Zhu Thief's rescue.

On the contrary, no one in the court believed it!