The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 536 The vicissitudes of life
Wanyan Zongxian slapped his head hard, unable to think of a solution.

Actually, you can't blame him, let alone a military police captain who hasn't fought much.

Even renowned generals like Talan and Jin Wuzhu were helpless against firearms-equipped troops.

Although Wanyan Zongxian did not want to fight a defensive battle, the heavy snow made it impossible for the Jin army to leave the city. In the end, he could only stay in Yanjing and wait for the Song army to surround him.

Several days later, hundreds of thousands of Song soldiers joined forces outside the city of Yanjing.

This also means that almost the entire Hebei region had been captured by the Song army, leaving only Yanjing, an isolated island on land.

Wanyan Zongxian lay on the city wall, looking at the vast expanse of Song army flags proudly flying in the wind and rain outside, his face full of frustration: "Why? Why is this happening? In just a few short years, the great situation of my Jin Kingdom has turned into this?"

"Now that things have come to this, there's no escape, only death."

Wanyan Zongxian was prepared to die in battle.

Unexpectedly, a handsome young man stepped out from the Song army ranks outside the city, followed by hundreds of taunters who relayed his words in unison: "My name is Yue Wenxuan, representing the Song Dynasty, and I have a few words to say to Wanyan Zongxian..."

Wanyan Zongxian was greatly surprised: "I'm going to die here anyway, what else do you want to say?"

“Death is not necessarily the case!” Yue Wenxuan laughed. “Although the people of your Jin Kingdom are ruthless and kill without blinking an eye, we Song people are not like that. We are taught the teachings of Confucius and Mencius from childhood, and we believe that Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life and that all people within the four seas are brothers. We have never adopted a policy of exterminating foreign tribes... Whether it is the Nanman in the southwest, the Yue in the southeast, the Qiang in the northwest, or the Yi (Miao and Zhuang) in Guangdong and Guangxi... the Central Plains dynasties have never exterminated them.”

Wanyan Zongxian was a little confused. What was the reason for saying this at this juncture?

But an old man appeared behind Wanyan Zongxian and nodded: "He was not lying. The Han people never exterminate other ethnic groups."

Wanyan Zongxian turned his head and saw that it was Wanyan Xiyin who was speaking.

Wanyan Xiyin is 60 years old this year. He is one of the few "cultured people" in the Jin Dynasty. His original name was Gushen. He was a founding hero of the Jin Dynasty and one of the creators of the Jurchen script. He is currently the Left Chancellor of the Jin Dynasty.

The fact that someone could create a writing system for a nation shows that they were very knowledgeable.

Wanyan Zongxian dared not be negligent in front of the old man and quickly bowed deeply: "When did the Prime Minister arrive?"

Wanyan Xiyin: "A few days ago, I received news that the Song army was launching a strong attack despite the heavy snow, so I set off from the capital and arrived just in time."

The hundreds of trolls outside the city continued to relay Yue Wenxuan's words: "I am saying all this only to tell you Jurchens one thing: although you have seriously hurt the feelings of us Han people, I will only hold a few war criminals accountable. I can forgive the majority of Jurchens, especially those ordinary people who have not shed blood on their hands."

Wanyan Zongxian: "!!!"

Yue Wenxuan: "If you surrender the city, you will be spared death. Our army promises to treat the prisoners and surrendered soldiers well and not to kill the people in the city."

Wanyan Zongxian: "You're lying. As soon as I open the city gates, you will massacre the city for three days, leaving rivers of blood."

Wanyan Xiyin sighed deeply: "The Han people have a different style from us. They won't easily go back on their promises made in front of so many people on and off the city walls."

Wanyan Zongxian: "Huh?"

Yue Wenxuan continued, "Wanyan Zongxian, isn't the man standing next to you Wanyan Xiyin, the Left Chancellor of the Jin Dynasty? Tsk tsk, shouldn't you be in Shangjing? How come you've come to Yanjing?"

Wanyan Xiyin had no choice but to have hundreds of his men shout in unison, "I have come here only to avert war... I represent the Emperor of Jin to discuss peace with the Song Dynasty." "Peace?" The Song soldiers and generals below the city almost all burst into laughter.

Especially the former Southern Song generals, led by Yue Fei and Han Shizhong, burst into tears of laughter in an instant. How much of those tears were tears of joy and how much were tears of emotion is unknown.

Yue Fei couldn't help but murmur, "This kind of peace negotiation feels so familiar."

Han Shizhong: "Yes, back when the Jin Dynasty invaded the south and reached Jiangnan, the late emperor sent people to negotiate peace. How similar is this situation to now."

The two looked at each other, both feeling as if the world had changed beyond recognition.

Wanyan Xiyin said: "Our country can cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to the Great Song Dynasty. From now on, the two countries will become father and son countries. Of course, the Great Song Dynasty will be the father and our Jin Dynasty will be the son. I hope that the two countries will establish a good relationship forever and never fight each other again."

Upon hearing this, the former Southern Song soldiers shed even more tears.

The terms were actually excellent; all the generals present thought it was a good deal, and even Yue Fei and Han Shizhong thought it was acceptable.

Everyone thought Yue Wenxuan would agree, but to their surprise, Yue Wenxuan shook his head and laughed, "Don't be silly! The Jin Kingdom is doomed, haven't you realized that yet?"

Wanyan Xiyin: "!"

Yue Wenxuan: "The problem of the northern ethnic minorities is a problem that has plagued the Central Plains dynasties for thousands of years. If it is not completely resolved, the Central Plains will never be at peace. Therefore, I must completely resolve your problems. Not only your problems, but I must also completely resolve the threats posed by the grasslands, deserts, and plateaus, and all ethnic minorities. They must all be appeased..."

His words moved both the troops on and below the city walls.

The Jin people were terrified.

The people of Song were impressed by his grand ambition.

Wanyan Xiyin's white beard trembled slightly: "My Jin Kingdom has already humbled itself so much, yet you still insist on destroying our country... Too... Too... Our country will fight to the last man."

“I said to smooth things over, not to flatten them.”

Yue Wenxuan said, “Take my words back to your Jin emperor. The Jin Kingdom must be incorporated into our Great Song. But I can guarantee that the Jurchens and Han people will enjoy equal status, without any distinction between superior and inferior. Similarly, I will also guarantee that the Bohai people, Tieli people, Khitan people and other ethnic minorities will enjoy equal status with the Han people. In addition, our Great Song can also add two seats for the Jin Kingdom in the Regent's Hall, so that the Jin people can also participate in the national decision-making of our Great Song.”

Everyone: "!"

Wanyan Xiyin sighed: "Understood, I will relay these words to the Emperor."

Yue Wenxuan: "When relaying this, make it clear to him that this is the treatment he can only receive by surrendering. If he surrenders obediently, he will have two seats in the Gu Ming Hall. If he refuses to surrender and insists on waiting for me to attack, then he will not have any seats at all."

After saying that, Yue Wenxuan added, "Although the Northeast is cold, it can't stop my advance. No matter how thick the snow is, I can still march."

Wanyan Xiyin was at a loss for words and could only let out a long sigh.

Half an hour later, Wanyan Xiyin and Wanyan Zongxian led the Yan army garrison and surrendered Yanjing without firing a single arrow.

The two men led the demoralized Jin army back to Shangjing. More than a hundred years later, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun returned to the embrace of the Central Plains dynasty.

(End of this chapter)