son-in-law

Chapter 1312 The Peaks of the World (Part 1)

During the Yellow River's flood season, the rainy season is prolonged, making news transmission difficult. By the time more news arrived from the north, corroborating each other, it was already the eighth or ninth day of June. The two Liangshan armies were making preparations, and news of the upheavals in Guanzhong and Jin had also reached them.

The rebel army suffered a crushing defeat in the northwest, and Guanzhong fell in an instant. The female prime minister reorganized her army at Weisheng and inflicted a crushing defeat on Zou Xu, who was isolated deep in enemy territory, but she still couldn't hold him back. Following Ma Ling's uprising, and with Zou Xu's escape, two more powerful clans in Jin rose in rebellion. Amidst the female prime minister's pursuit and interception, Zou Xu led Ma Ling's army northward, making the appearance of a desperate attack on Taiyuan, and then feigning an attack before heading towards Yanmen Pass.

No matter how exhilarating the return of the female prime minister was in Weisheng City, from a distance, what everyone saw was Zou Xu's ruthless slash that had ripped away most of Jin Di's lifeblood. If he could escape Jin Di's pursuit and blockade afterward, everyone would consider his move in the summer of the third year of Zhenxing a brilliant strategy. As for the minor flaw of not being able to kill the female prime minister to complete the mission, it would be nothing more than a harmless little accident.

Messengers from the army crossed the Yellow River, relaying the message from the north to the southwest and southeast. They awaited the final decision from the central command in the south.

Only two years had passed since the last great war. The Jurchens, due to the disastrous defeat of their western army, lost substantial control over vast swathes of land in the Central Plains. Following this, the death of Wuqimai and the ascension of Wanyan Dan led most to believe that the world would have three to five years to recover. Little did they know that in this unexpected turn of events, a catastrophe that could sweep across the land was about to strike…

Jin Dynasty, Zhongdu Yanjing.

At the military camps south of the city, troops from all directions were gradually gathering, and the army transporting provisions and supplies was also arriving in large numbers from all directions outside Yanjing.

Upon arriving at their destination, the first thing the various nobles leading the army did was to go to the Grand Marshal's Mansion at the southern end of the city to pay their respects to Jin Wuzhu.

At this time, those gathered under the command of Jin Wuzhu's Grand Marshal's Office included veteran generals such as Wanyan Salihe, Wanyan Shuliesu, Wanyan Tuhesu, and Wanyan Seli, as well as battlefield nobles such as Tabuye, Han Chang, and Liqiong who had surrendered from various tribes. They were all puzzled by this sudden, large-scale but somewhat hasty southern expedition, but after a little consideration, they could understand it.

The Jin Dynasty's first three southern expeditions, with their sweeping and indiscriminate search of mountains and seas, aimed to gradually destroy the Wu Dynasty. Although they did not achieve complete success, they forced the Wu Dynasty court to retreat to the area south of the Yangtze River. As for the area north of the Yangtze River—especially the large area north of the Yellow River—the Jin Dynasty essentially achieved de facto rule under the name of Liu Yu's small court. Although various resistance forces, such as those in Jin and Shandong, were still active, they still provided the Jin Dynasty with a large amount of gold, silver, and Han slaves every year.

The fourth southern expedition, which was launched more than three years ago, was large in scale and ambitious. The court had already made plans to abolish Liu Yu's regime and formally annex the area north of the Yangtze River, while the Jin Dynasty was determined to destroy the Wu Dynasty south of the Yangtze River.

Everything was going smoothly at first. Although the Eastern Route Army had experienced the fierce Battle of Damingfu, it had not encountered much resistance after crossing the Yellow River. When they reached Lin'an, Zhou Yong fled to the sea as usual. Although Yue Fei and other armies put up a strong resistance, it did not change the fact that the Wu Dynasty had basically collapsed.

As for the western army, the God of Grain's strategy easily slew Tian Shi, and then they marched straight to the southwest—but the southwest was the real problem.

This army, which had once caused the Jin and the puppet Qi states years of suffering in the Northwest, suddenly displayed a tenacious fighting power several times greater than that of the Northwest when the Jin's strongest western army invaded Sichuan. Subsequently, Ning Yi dispatched a mere 6,000 troops to defeat Xie Bao's nearly 30,000 Yanshan Guards at Wangyuan Bridge. Afterward, he beheaded Xie Bao in front of the military genius Zong Han, and then pursued one after another renowned Jurchen generals as they fled to Jianmen Pass. Along the way, he killed Elili, Dalai, Yuyu, and Balisu, and even killed Zong Han's second son, Sheyema, in front of him. This forced the Jurchen Western Prefecture group, which had originally been a potential contender for the throne, to flee north in panic. This battle report, which seemed to come from hell, even made the Eastern Route Army feel uneasy about its own victory.

After the two armies from the east and west returned north, the plan to depose Liu Yu and formally take over the area north of the Yangtze River could not continue due to the preemptive actions of the Black Flag spies. Faced with strong resistance from all sides, the Jin dynasty was forced to transfer some power to Han Chinese forces like Dai Mengwei, who opposed the southwest. As for actual control over the area north of the Yangtze River—and even north of the Yellow River—it was lost. The Jurchens' gains from more than a decade of conquest were thus wasted.

After returning, and after several twists and turns and political struggles, it was discovered that it was all Xi Yin's fault.

—Although I don’t know exactly how to blame it, this is the current social conclusion.

Last winter, Xi Yin was given poisoned wine and died. After Xi Yin's death, the Western Palace should have been dismantled, and Zong Han should have been further restrained or even executed. However, perhaps due to his magnanimity, or considering that Zong Han had been lobbying various veteran generals after Xi Yin's death, thus reigniting the "southwest threat" theory, or perhaps because he still wanted to counterbalance and deal with Zong Pan, Zong Bi's side temporarily suspended the persecution of the Western Palace this year. Instead, not long ago, they proposed the plan for this southern expedition.

Although it seemed rushed, at least the people in the East Prefecture were willing to cooperate at this moment.

The last southern expedition was extremely costly, and the eastern army returned hastily, reaping some benefits, but not many, and the various nobles didn't actually find them too sweet. However, at the end of last year, a new emperor ascended the throne, and with the suppression of the Western Palace, everyone still gained considerable political power. And this year, Zong Bi has set up his agenda to go south again and distribute benefits based on military merits. In the eyes of those in the court with a long-term vision, the new ruler can be described as having great talent and ambition.

Continuing to suppress the Western Prefecture, tearing Zonghan apart, or dealing with Zongpan in the court and seizing the power left by Wuqimai's faction—while not impossible, would not sound good and would lose the ambition of the first two generations of the Jin Dynasty.

The generals arrived one after another, and their first stop was the Grand Marshal's Mansion to pay their respects. During this visit, Zong Bi explained the purpose of the campaign to them: Conquering the entire Wu Dynasty was not currently a priority, but rather, taking advantage of the summer and autumn seasons to completely quell the two stubborn resistance forces in Shandong and Jin, and to reclaim control over the area north of the Yellow River, would facilitate the Jin Dynasty's future large-scale territorial expansion. This would also allow them to use this opportunity to truly establish themselves in the court under the new emperor.

"This time, Xifu will also be going."

Amidst the melodious sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments at the Marshal's Mansion, Zong Bi expressed his magnanimity and boldness to the crowd.

"Last year's southern expedition failed, and Zonghan and that damned Xiyin, in order to escape, kept complaining to everyone about the dangers of the southwest. Such a cowardly fellow should not be commanding troops again, but His Majesty is magnanimous. He said that this fellow had served by the side of Emperor Taizu when he raised his army, and even if he had no merit, he had still worked hard. In addition, he has always stated that he no longer wants to fight for power and only wants to contribute his remaining energy. Therefore, this time when we go south, he will still be in charge of the western route—this is also to urge you all on!"

"Last time, the Western Prefecture suffered a crushing defeat in the southern campaign, yet you all reaped the benefits. Those who wanted more soldiers received more, those who wanted to drive out captives received their share, and every household had ample armor and weapons, even gunpowder was replenished. On the other hand, after Xi Yin's death, many of the benefits under his name were transferred to you. I know Zong Han is prepared for a final gamble, and that's fine; let him test us. This southern campaign will be a small test. If Shandong is secured, we can proceed to the Yangtze River—but don't embarrass us here—"

People arrived in waves, and audiences were held daily at the Marshal's residence. Wanyan Zongbi was a burly man who enjoyed Wu opera. He kept a group of Han slave women in his residence, who would perform for him. Those members of the imperial clan who had dealt with him for many years would know that several years ago, these women were not allowed to wear clothes. At that time, Zongbi even had them shackled together and would engage in lewd acts when they were aroused. In recent years, as he rose to power and took many Han generals under his command, these women were finally allowed to wear clothes.

As Zong Bi finished speaking amidst the gentle melody, his face hardened, revealing a chilling aura of menace. Everyone knew the gravity of the situation and trembled with fear.

Such a large-scale mobilization naturally required time. As everyone left the Marshal's Mansion, they couldn't help but glance westward during their conversations. Zong Han's experiences in the southwest were difficult to explain, but everyone understood his current predicament. Some hoped he was truly old, while others had witnessed the power of the Western Prefecture and the Mountain Slaughter Guard in their younger days, and wondered what kind of brilliance the old man's all-out effort would unleash this time…

Thinking of the south and everything on their own side, they saw that the new ruler, after ascending the throne, was able to decisively abandon internal strife and focus on the future of the world. A sense of boundless ambition, like a tiger conquering ten thousand miles, stirred within them once more. They recalled the first generation of the Jurchens, who, too, had forged a path to secure the future of the entire world…

……

The wind howled.

The sky was overcast and gloomy.

Zonghan woke up from his sleep, looked at himself in the bronze mirror, and saw that his hair was completely white.

In recent days, the city has been bustling with a somber atmosphere, as many of the veteran soldiers of the Tushan Guard have been mobilized. Even the elderly and the disabled have sent their able-bodied men to Yunzhong Prefecture. The old general wants to claim glory from the world once more and reclaim the foundation for future generations, and the soldiers who have followed him for many years have responded accordingly.

The soldiers would need several more days to assemble. Zonghan summoned his steward and asked him to dye his hair black.

Halfway through the dyeing process, a servant came to report that the living female general had arrived.

"Let him in."

Wanyan Huonü is the eldest son of Lou Shi. He inherited his father's bravery and is now over forty years old. He is also a veteran general in the army. During the last southern expedition, he and Xi Yin and others guarded the rear, so they did not perish in the southwest. Now he is one of the few capable and powerful generals in the Western Army.

"Marshal, the living woman has arrived."

Upon entering the room, the person opposite bowed to Zonghan. Zonghan, who was still dyeing his hair, turned around and glanced at him.

"How many days until your army arrives?"

"There are still two days' journey ahead."

“No need to go to Yunzhong,” Zong Han said, then took out a document and handed it over. “News just came that there is internal strife in Jin. Your eight thousand men should be transferred directly to Yanmen Pass and head south when the opportunity arises. All provisions, supplies, and military equipment have also been sent to Yanmen Pass and are waiting for you to check them.”

“Yes.” The woman took the document listing various supplies, then looked up. “I wonder what this opportunity is… specifically…”

"The female prime minister of Jin sent people north in March to sue for peace and request trade, but in reality, she hoped to take this opportunity to develop Taiyuan. She built some defenses in that abandoned city, which was not a big deal in itself, but since Zong Bi is willing to go south, this woman has no choice but to be happy." Zong Han sighed, "When you find an opportunity, go there and massacre them again."

"Yes."

"Furthermore... there's a rebellion in Jin." Zong Han casually pointed. "If these troublemakers approach Yanmen Pass, we don't need to attack; we can even give them some leeway... This time, we're going to wipe out Jin. Their enemies will become our friends. In the future, we might even be able to use them as puppets, understand?"

"Understood." The woman nodded, and only after the formal order was given did he stand up. "How is Uncle's health?"

"You can still eat and sleep well, only your hair has turned white." Zong Han smiled, then his sharp gaze turned this way, "After the God of Grain left, the Western Mansion would have been questioned one after another, Gao Qingyi, Han Qixian, and even you and me would have been hard-pressed to escape. But... with this opportunity, do you know the stakes?"

"This humble general... knows."

Zonghan nodded: "If we fight well and brilliantly, we can still establish ourselves in the future. If we lose again this time, we won't have much of a chance... Fortunately, Zongbi is overconfident. He wants to take Shandong and even wants to cross the Yellow River to the south. The Shandong army is the core of the southwest, and its fighting strength is tenacious. It may even have weapons like those at Wangyuan Bridge back then. You must watch them closely and learn from them. If their advance is blocked, we must annihilate Jin in a brilliant manner."

The woman nodded, and after a moment, said, "I'm thinking that Jin and Shandong are both deeply connected with the Black Flag in the southwest. Will they come out when we head south this time?"

As he spoke, the middle-aged general's eyes blazed with suppressed fighting spirit and fury. His father, Lou Shi, had died in the first battle against the Northwest Huaxia Army, and Lou Shi was also responsible for the subsequent massacres in the Northwest. During the fourth southern expedition, Xi Yin knew he had the talent of a commander, but feared he would be controlled by the rage of revenge, so he placed him in the rear. Now, when he spoke of the Southwest, his eyes were filled only with a thirst for war.

Zonghan gazed at him quietly for a moment: "Perhaps not, but who can say for sure?"

He had met Ning Yi on the front lines at Lion Ridge, and everything from that time was still vivid in his mind. Ning Yi had said then, "For more than ten years, tens of millions of lives in the Central Plains, including those at Xiaocang River, have been lost. You will repay them bit by bit, even in the face of utter despair..."

However, even with more information now available, he still couldn't predict Ning Yi's next move.

All I can say is, "You can be fully prepared."

"Yes." The living woman bowed.

Like her father Lou Shi, Wanyan Huonu was a serious soldier who didn't talk much nonsense. But after saying this, she hesitated slightly and then said, "There is one more thing I need to tell my uncle."

"Let's talk."

“Deokjong knew about this incident and asked to join our army to fight on the front lines. I have agreed.”

Zonghan closed his eyes, and after a moment, sighed: "It's not a big deal. The Western Prefecture is now fighting with its back against the wall. Let him go if he wants."

“He also said…” the living woman hesitated, “…that he would give his life to exchange for his mother’s freedom…”

With a loud bang, Zong Han flew into a rage. He grabbed the large bowl containing hair dye next to him and smashed it on the ground with a loud crash, instantly turning half the room black!

"The calamity in the Western Prefecture was all caused by that ignorant Han woman! I respected her father's dying wish and spared her life! If they continue with their rambling and bring such words to my doorstep, I will make sure they see that woman's head immediately—"

Xi Yin was highly respected in the Western Palace. On his deathbed, he entrusted his son to two people: Zong Han and Huo Nu. When the message was delivered, Huo Nu showed no emotion. The two exchanged glances and then took their leave.

Zong Han sat in the room for a moment, lost in thought. While the butler was tidying up the surrounding floor, he said, "Summon Yin Dan to see me."

The servant went out, and after a short while, a young man came in. This young man was considered weak among the Jurchens. He was one of Zonghan's less promising children, named Wanyan Yindan. After Xiebao and Sheyema died, he was chosen by Zonghan and Xiyin because he was relatively fond of the study of things, and they had been keeping him by their side for a year.

Zonghan looked at him for a while and said, "It's time for you to leave."

(End of this chapter)