Simulates history, but Chongzhen is the Divine Emperor at the beginning

Chapter 229 Northern Expedition to Central Plains!

"What? The Northern Expedition carries risks, so we must be cautious when sending troops?"

Just after Yue Fei announced the order to resume the Northern Expedition to the Xiangyang garrison, another order was issued to the entire army: The Northern Expedition was already extremely risky, and now the Jin people have poisoned and polluted the Central Plains, turning innocent people into ferocious monsters. This makes the risk even higher!

[Thus, although Yue Fei expressed his intention to launch a Northern Expedition, this mobilization could not force everyone to participate. Instead, it was entirely voluntary...]

After all, Marshal Yue wasn't some devil. Knowing that there were no humans left in the north, he still forced everyone to participate in a Northern Expedition that would inevitably result in extremely high casualties. That was clearly inhumane and irresponsible.

"This Northern Expedition is entirely voluntary. If you don't want to go, then don't go. Marshal Yue won't make it difficult for you."

[Listening to the messenger's announcement, your subordinates looked at each other in bewilderment...]

A fearless new recruit said disdainfully, "What's that? Trying to convince a coward to quit?"

"Yeah, yeah, they always say the people of the Central Plains have mutated into monsters, but I don't believe it! Hearing is believing, seeing is believing!"

"Hmph! So what if they mutate into monsters? We are the well-trained Iron Army of the Great Song Dynasty. We can just fire a barrage of powerful crossbows and then form a battle formation to wait. I don't believe those monsters are invulnerable!"

"Besides, we're not all mortals here. We still have Marshal Yue and other gods leading the army. Even if we can't defeat the monsters, Marshal Yue and his men can still defeat them all. All we have to do is join the army and reap the credit..."

[In short, the new recruits were very confident, thinking that there was nothing to fear in the Northern Expedition. Even if the sky fell, there would be tall people to hold it up, and all they had to do was double-click 666...]

The veterans, however, were less optimistic. After all, the Jin invaders' crossings were not uncommon. Even if they hadn't personally seen the transformed Jin, veterans who had been around for a few years had heard of grain patrols being wiped out by the Jin invaders. These incidents always required transcendents to resolve; mortals were basically unable to solve them.

Therefore, the veterans were hesitant: if they wanted to go, the Jin people's reputation was truly terrifying... but if they didn't go, they would appear too cowardly and bring disgrace upon the prestige of the Song Dynasty...

[Besides, a major event like the Northern Expedition is incredibly rare. The last Northern Expedition was nearly two hundred years ago. If we don't seize this opportunity, wouldn't it be a huge waste?]

[Besides this, there is one most important reason: promotion due to military merit!]

As the saying goes, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier. And if you want to become a general from a soldier, it's almost impossible just by accumulating experience. Furthermore, Yue Fei and his former subordinates have always refused to give up their power, making promotions even more difficult for the lower ranks. It's basically one position for one person, and if the predecessor doesn't leave, a soldier can only become a captain at best after a lifetime of hard work...

[Under such a cruel class stratification, if one wants to forcibly achieve a class transition, then the only way to do it is through actual military merit!]

[As long as one's military achievements are high enough, even if they are Yue Fei's old subordinates, they will have to move aside and make way for newcomers!]

[But military merit can only be earned through fighting. If we don't fight, how can we earn military merit? Now that we've finally waited for Marshal Yue to launch another Northern Expedition, those who are interested in advancement will naturally seize the opportunity to earn merit and advance...]

Therefore, even though the veterans knew the Jin people's terror, they couldn't help but hesitate when faced with this rare opportunity to make a contribution: should they risk their lives, or should they prioritize their own lives?

After much deliberation, the attention of both groups inevitably focused on you, the current hottest internet celebrity...

[Gold Medal Lecturer! Yue-style Internet Celebrity! Everyone's Beloved Zhou Dutou! It's time for you to make the decision!]

【"I?"】

You can't help but feel a pause: You know exactly what they're thinking.

You've longed for this rare military achievement. After all, your reputation has already reached the required level, and you're only one achievement away from a major promotion! If you miss this opportunity, you never know when you'll have another chance to achieve merit in the future!

[However, you are also afraid of those terrifying golden men. After all, you have seen them before. Not only have you seen them with your own eyes, but you have also died at their hands... The terrifying image and power of the golden men have left an indelible impression on you...]

[Between the temptation of profit and the fear of death, you are truly hesitant... At the critical moment, your eyes subconsciously fall on your father-in-law...]

[Father-in-law: Happy! Are you just playing the game?]

[The soldier kicked it to you, and you kicked it back. This is really...] [The Prime Minister sighed inwardly, but still nodded at you seriously: "Just agree, I'll take care of everything!"]

【it is good! 】

You are overjoyed: I've been waiting for this from my father-in-law!

So, you immediately and enthusiastically announce to everyone, "Let's go! Let's all go!"

"As long as we unite as one, we will surely defeat all monsters and demons. Even the mutated and ferocious golden men will only become our military achievements!"

【it is good! 】

Everyone was equally delighted: "We've been waiting for this sentence from the chief!"

Even though no one had complete confidence in the Northern Expedition, the allure of military achievement was real: Why did everyone join the army? Wasn't it to get a promotion, a raise, and reach the pinnacle of life?

[Under such a huge temptation, even the fear of life and death is not enough to stop everyone's desire for progress! ]

[So, with your unanimous approval, all of you, over a hundred people, enthusiastically signed up to join the Northern Expedition Army.]

[No one knows whether this choice is good or bad, and no one knows what the ending will be. Everyone only yearns for future achievements...]

【…】

In the 215th year of Shaoxing, you, as a captain, led over a hundred soldiers under your command to sign up for the Northern Expedition, taking a giant step towards the military achievement you'd always dreamed of!

Not long after, registration closed. The result was: Of the 300,000 troops in Xiangyang, nearly 200,000 were willing to take the risk and follow Marshal Yue on his Northern Expedition to the Central Plains, directly attacking Huanglong!

[Although the remaining nearly 100,000 people did not sign up to fight, they also expressed their willingness to do odd jobs such as transporting food and fodder. Although it is not as solid as military merit, odd jobs can still be considered merit, and the advantage is that they are safer...]

[So, Yue Fei began his final training... After several months of training, the 200,000-strong Northern Expedition Army was finally complete!]

In the 215th year of Shaoxing, Yue Fei waved his hand and said, "Send troops to the Northern Expedition!"

[That year, the 200,000-strong Northern Expeditionary Army was divided into five groups, marching north from Xiangyang across the Han River. Four generals then led over 20,000 troops each towards the Central Plains, clearing the way for the army and transporting food and fodder. Yue Fei personally led his own 100,000-strong army in the Northern Expedition!]

[And you and over a hundred of your men happened to be among Yue Fei's main army. Eager and excited to achieve great things, you set foot on the land north of the Han River...]

This is the first time in your life that you've truly set foot on Jin territory, and it's also the first time anyone has set foot on Jin territory... In the stories passed down by our elders, the Jin Kingdom has long been a land of monsters. They are terrifying and violent, demons that absolutely cannot coexist with humans!

[So, it would be a lie to say I'm not afraid...]

"But what's so wrong with being afraid? Rather than being killed by monsters, you're more afraid of never being able to rise again, until you're crushed by the strict feudal class... No matter how terrifying the monsters are, they're not as terrifying as the Song Dynasty..."

[For Yue Fei, this move was of great significance, as it was the first large-scale northern expedition since the Shaoxing Peace Agreement.]

Two hundred years after the Northern Expedition ended, Yue Fei, overwhelmed with emotion, once again raised that bright banner.

"Northern Expedition to the Central Plains!"

……

(End of this chapter)