New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

"Then, in your opinion, how should I decide?"

"Naturally, we must head south immediately and not linger for even a moment longer."

Tang Qian's certainty made Zhao Gou ponder for a moment, then he slammed his hand on the table in front of him: "Alright, I will grant your request and break camp immediately. However, your concerns are not without merit. Jiangnan is located on a plain. Although it has natural defenses, if the Jin army launches a large-scale attack on the city, I think it will be difficult for these tens of thousands of imperial guards to resist. Where should I move to for safety?"

"Your Majesty may move the capital to Hangzhou. It is a place where the three rivers and five lakes are connected. It is a place of beautiful scenery and outstanding people. If the capital is built here, it will surely bless our Great Song Dynasty with good weather and abundant harvests and a prosperous nation."

Zhao Gou frowned slightly: "Hangzhou is bordered by the sea to the east, surrounded by mountains to the south, and backed by the Grand Canal to the north. It is indeed a thriving place, but if the Jin army were to invade, it seems that there would be no way to defend it."

Seeing that the time was right, Tang Qian knelt on one knee and bowed to Zhao Gou, saying, "Your humble servant is willing to defend Guangling City to the death, to hold the north for Your Majesty, and to keep the Jin army away from the north bank of the Yangtze River. In this way, the siege of Hangzhou can be lifted."

As long as the Jin army cannot cross the river, Hangzhou will be safe. Zhao Gou thought about it for a moment and immediately beamed with joy.

Since Tang Qian had taken the initiative to offer to be stationed in Yangzhou, what else could he possibly be unhappy about?

"Very well, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. Let's not delay, let's set off immediately."

Being able to travel with the emperor was Tang Qian's very purpose in rushing to Yingtian Prefecture. The journey was long and arduous, and he wouldn't have dared to travel alone without the protection of the imperial army.

The army officially set off early the following morning.

First, a group of people scouted ahead, followed by the new emperor Zhao Gou and his princesses' entourage, heavily guarded by the central army. Close behind were the carriages of the seventh princess of the Great Jin, Yan Xi'er, and the Shunde princess, Zhao Yingluo. The imperial son-in-law, Tang Qian, followed alone in his carriage. Finally, another group of people were responsible for escorting supplies and covering the rear. The procession of tens of thousands of people stretched for miles.

If, faced with such a massive army, some ignorant bandits still dared to cause trouble, Tang Qian felt he shouldn't continue playing this game.

However, halfway through this easy and pleasant journey, Zhao Gou suddenly ordered the army to speed up its march.

On the very day the army set off, Wanyan Xieye's eastern army marched south from Youzhou, having already captured several cities in succession, with its sights set on Yingtianfu.

This was clearly aimed at Zhao Gou. The swiftness of the operation was intended to either capture or kill the new emperor, thus completely extinguishing any hope of the Song Dynasty's revival.

"Liu Hao and Zong Ze are indeed incompetent. Despite having an army of 60,000, they couldn't hold off the Jin army for even a moment, thus failing to buy me even a tiny bit of time to move south."

Whenever he thought that he might become a prisoner of the Jin army if he delayed even a day or two, Zhao Gou couldn't help but want to hold Tang Qian's hand and say, "Brother-in-law, you have saved me again."

Faced with Zhao Gou's slightly exaggerated expression, Tang Qian felt a tightness in his anus and immediately withdrew his hands silently, shrinking his body back to create some distance between himself and the other party.

"It is because His Majesty is blessed with great fortune that he was able to turn misfortune into good fortune."

"Brother-in-law, there's no need to be modest. If it weren't for your brilliant strategy, we would have really been trapped... uh... Anyway, I will definitely reward you handsomely."

Describing himself as a turtle, Zhao Gou could only cover his embarrassment with a light cough.

"With a formidable enemy at hand, protecting Your Majesty's safety is of utmost importance, and this is my duty." Tang Qian cupped his hands towards Zhao Gou, then suddenly turned his eyes and revealed a faint smile, "If Your Majesty could completely entrust the jurisdiction of Guangling City to me, I would do my utmost to ensure that the city is not lost."

Looking at Tang Qian's slightly cunning expression, Zhao Gou vaguely sensed that there might be a trap involved.

By handing over Guangling City entirely to the other party, wouldn't that mean the power of the prefect and the vice-prefect in the city would be completely stripped away, and Guangling would become Tang Qian's private property?

If the city is successfully defended, Tang Qian's prestige in the city will surely rise. If he refuses to relinquish his power and declares himself king, how will he deal with that?

But then Zhao Gou realized he was overthinking things.

With the Jin army hot on their heels, it's uncertain whether they can reach Hangzhou safely. It's laughable that he's still thinking about the aftermath of the war; he should focus on getting through the current crisis first.

"I promise you that after we arrive in Guangling, you will be in full charge of the city's political and military affairs. Guangling is the bridgehead to Hangzhou, and the consequences of its fall would be unimaginable."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, your humble servant will do everything in his power to ensure the city's survival."

In order to shake off the pursuers, the entire army arrived in Xuzhou in just two days. A portion of the army was left to contain the Jin army, while the remaining 40,000 men continued their rapid march south without stopping.

After passing Haizhou City, Yangzhou was already within reach, and news of the new emperor's arrival had already been sent to Guangling City by messengers.

On the seventh day, Zhao Gou's imperial carriage finally entered Guangling City safely. Led by the prefect Shen Yun, the people of the whole city lined the streets to welcome the arrival of the new emperor of the Song Dynasty.

Standing atop the city wall, waving to the crowd, Zhao Gou wore a beaming smile. Once the imperial guards had dispersed the crowds and the city had returned to its usual bustling state, the new emperor stepped into the prefectural government office and gathered all the officials, large and small, for a closed-door meeting.

"The situation is dire. To make a long story short, the Jin army will soon march south. As an important city of the Song Dynasty, Yangzhou will inevitably bear the brunt of the attack. I wonder if any of you ministers have any strategies to repel the enemy?"

The brief opening remarks terrified the officials present, who were all scholars who had passed the imperial examinations. Where did they get any experience in fighting? Faced with the Jin army, which was known for its ruthless and bloodthirsty nature, they were even more helpless.

Seeing the group trembling, Zhao Gou snorted coldly: "I knew it. Entrusting the city's defenses to you is utterly pointless. Where is Tang Qian?"

At the new emperor's shout, Tang Qian, who was waiting outside the hall, strode forward, bowed before Zhao Gou, and said, "Your humble servant is here."

"From this day forward, you shall be in charge of all affairs in Yangzhou. All ministers shall do their utmost to assist you and ensure that no mistakes are made."

Looking at the fair-skinned, beardless young man before them, the officials could hardly believe that the emperor could be so frivolous as to entrust Yangzhou to this callow youth. When Zhao Gou finished speaking, a silent silence ensued.

"What? Do you all have objections to my decision?"

"Your humble servant dares not." In their fear and trepidation, everyone finally came to their senses.

Now that the Jin army is about to invade, they would be more than happy to have someone who is not afraid to die to take over, so why would they have any objections?