Died of old age, and you tell me this is a life simulation?

At this moment, he suddenly turned back to see the various actions of the rebel army.

Even some people from the imperial examination families who shouted that the literati and the emperor should rule the world together had to admit that the rebel army acted in an orderly manner. Although the public trials were harsh, they really ensured that only the guilty were killed and punished, and the innocent would not be wrongly accused.

Moreover, many people worry that the outcome of being killed by the rebels is actually unlikely to happen.

Because no matter how outrageous the aristocratic family is, it is unlikely that all of its members are villains. It is better to say that there are still many true gentlemen in the family that has passed down poetry and literature.

Not to mention, although the power of the aristocratic families is great, the family power is concentrated at the top and in the direct bloodline. Although the people below are complicated, it is not certain how much benefit they can get. Sometimes there will be situations where people with close blood ties have very different status and wealth. Except for some inheritance of poetry and books in their family, they are no different from ordinary people.

The rebels will not classify them all together, but will carefully identify them based on their specific circumstances. As long as they do not cause trouble behind the scenes, large-scale implicating and collective suppression will not occur.

In this way, many aristocratic families actually only had their land confiscated, and those who actively cooperated could retain the remaining wealth, while the vassals below would also be separated and their fields divided.

Although the former suffered heavy losses, even bruises, it was far from the disaster they had imagined, and their wives, children and the elderly were all saved; the latter was even more unbelievable, because as long as they themselves had not done anything wrong, not only would they not suffer much loss, but they would be given land, and their situation would inexplicably be much better than before.

Not to mention, within the rebel army system, there is a clear path to advancement, both civil and military, which greatly attracts many knowledgeable people and those who accept their fate.

Right now, the Song Dynasty is in danger of collapse and is on the verge of national destruction!

The righteous army at this time was no longer a so-called mob or rebel army, but a super potential stock that could overthrow the Song Dynasty and replace it and become the new dynasty. Well, it can't even be called a potential stock. In the eyes of many people, it was already a regime!

Given this situation, no matter what happens, the rebel army will at least capture most of the territory of the Song Dynasty! If we don't take advantage of this early stage of development, when the power dynamics between the old and new eras are swirling and everything is being redrawn, to join the rebel army and seize a position, then when will we?!

In this way, the first wave of large-scale surrender of aristocratic families, landlords, and powerful forces appeared!

Moreover, they all kept a very humble attitude, as if they were fully cooperating with the rebel army's policies and were extremely respectful!

It is better to say that it is not easy to persist until now.

In the past, if a force really emerged to control all of Jiangnan and capture the capital of Jiangning, they would have regarded it as a separatist force. If it were not for the political inclinations of the rebels, many aristocratic families would have placed their bets in advance, rather than waiting until the rebels swept across the north and south and then making a decision.

This was certainly because the rebel army's attack speed was so terrifying that they could not react in time. Another reason was that the rebel army was too strong and its policies were too harsh.

Asking for flowers

If it were a situation like the Song Dynasty, where both the rich and powerful families were friendly to each other, would they be so averse to it?

I've already placed my bets quickly!

Unfortunately, due to a wrong judgment, many aristocratic families paid the price in blood.

Fortunately, under the rule of the rebel army, there is no practice of indiscriminately punishing people, and military discipline is extremely strict. Unless the entire clan really resists fiercely, they will not be exterminated.

This also eased the extremely nervous mood of many people, and made them feel that the rebel army had great prospects, which led to greater enthusiasm.

Compared with the attitudes of the aristocratic families, landlords and powerful people, the common people in various places are much simpler and more plain-minded.

After seeing the various policies of the rebel army, the people did not necessarily come to support them, but at least they were excited and encouraged, and naturally accepted the rebel army's governance.

And as time passed, the benefits of being under the rule of the rebel army gradually became apparent. After the land was distributed, everyone was basically confused and was so happy that they didn't know what to do. After the school policy was promulgated, they were even more enthusiastic and sent their children and teenagers there, full of anticipation and joy.

The situation in the Song Dynasty was changing too drastically. Not only the people of the Song Dynasty were paying attention, but the surrounding countries were also paying close attention. However, they were far away. Although the rebels no longer blocked the news, in such a vast territory, the army was divided into six groups to attack in all directions, and new barracks were set up between the states and prefectures. It was like a layered military fortress. It was not much easier for spies to pass on the actual intelligence than before, but even more difficult.

Therefore, although the various countries now know that the rebel army has occupied the entire Jiangnan area and the army has attacked from six directions, affecting the surrounding key areas, the specific situation and the details are relatively vague. However, even so, under such turbulent circumstances, some things can still be seen, and the top leaders of the various countries are becoming more and more wary.

No matter what the current situation is within the territory of the Song Dynasty, this rebel army cannot be underestimated in any way as it has caused such chaos in the Southern Song Dynasty!

The Song Dynasty court was extremely shocked and terrified by the drastic deterioration of the situation!

(ps: Asking for custom orders, full orders, flowers, evaluations, monthly tickets, comments, and support~)

Chapter 481 Zhao Ji: Is the Song Dynasty...going to perish?

The so-called Emperor Daojun Zhao Ji learned about a lot of military intelligence that was coming in like snowflakes from all over the place. He was so shocked that he fainted on the ground and fell seriously ill.

The court was shocked.

Many ministers seemed to have felt a great sense of crisis. The Song Dynasty was on the verge of collapse!

Bianjing City, deep in the imperial palace.

Zhao Ji was lying on his bed, his face pale and his expression dazed, his usual elegance and grace gone. Seeing several high-ranking officials and ministers approaching, he opened his mouth and said in a hoarse, trembling voice, "In just one month, how could the situation have deteriorated to this point? My Lords, is the Great Song... doomed?"

Several ministers came here, firstly to learn about Emperor Zhao's condition. With the current political situation, if he really fell ill, it would be adding insult to injury. Secondly, they came for the matter of the rebel army. Ever since Emperor Zhao learned that the rebel army had swept across the south and crossed the Yangtze River, and had become very powerful along the coast, he seemed to have lost all his energy and spirit and was completely decadent. He even stopped issuing the orders that had repeatedly urged the army to march south, and ignored various government affairs. Of course, since the emperor was ill, they could understand, but it was inevitable that it would shake people's hearts if it continued like this for several days. People were already in turmoil, so they might as well make things worse. For this reason, they had to come in person, first to visit, and second to persuade him.

"Your Majesty, although the situation has worsened, there is by no means no room for maneuver. The Song Dynasty still exists! I implore you to stay focused and not neglect government affairs. Everything from top to bottom depends on your management and maintenance."

Zhao Ji's eyes trembled slightly after hearing this, but his expression remained dazed and lost, as if muttering to himself: "But the southern part of the Song Dynasty has been completely lost. The enemy army has even crossed the natural barrier of the Yangtze River. All the prefectures and cities along the coast have fallen, and Huaixi has almost fallen! The situation has deteriorated to this point. The Song Dynasty..."

Is there any hope?!

It’s no wonder that Zhao Ji thought of the worst.

When he first learned about the Jiangnan riot, he was furious, but he didn't take it too seriously at that time. He simply felt that it was a disgrace to him that such a large riot suddenly occurred in the Song Dynasty, which was once as prosperous as it was under his rule, so he was angry and embarrassed.

But he felt that it didn't matter, so he just sent a large army south to suppress it.

But a month later, before the army could even finish its preparations for the march, the tragic news arrived: the entire Second Route of Jiangnan had been captured. He was horrified, appalled, and even panicked!

But even so, he still did not think that this rebellion could not be quelled. Even if he angrily said to his ministers that if they delayed any further, the rebels would come to Bian Jing to capture him alive, it was just a momentary angry remark. He still had some confidence that he could quell this rebellion.

At least arrangements have been made.

But now...

Another month passed, and the previously planned strategies of suppression and appeasement had not yet been implemented, and the imperial army had not yet arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, but the rebel army was advancing like a hurricane!

Not only did it sweep across the south, it also crossed the Yangtze River, and its influence and territory expanded rapidly!

The connection between the Song Dynasty and the south was completely severed.

This has become half of the country. Seeing that the rebel army is so powerful, if this continues, in another month, two months, or three months, will we really be destroyed?

He is going to become the king of a fallen country! ?

The words he said in anger had now become like a curse. Would he really be chased into Bianjing by the rebel army and captured alive?

Thinking of this, Zhao Ji felt a chill in his heart, and was filled with great fear, and at the same time, he was distraught.

How could the ancestral legacy fall into such a state when it came into his hands? Everything was obviously fine before...

One of the ministers, growing impatient, interrupted with a frown, "Your Majesty! Why are you so dejected and have you lost your will? Not to mention that most of the northern part of the Song Dynasty is still safe and sound, with half of the country still standing. Although the situation in Huaixi is dire, there is still resistance. And in the south, while the rebel army seems to be sweeping across the land, their actions are brutal and cruel. With the people's hearts divided, how can this last? Furthermore, the rebel army has only been gaining momentum for three months, and yet they've already resorted to aggressive warfare, launching six-pronged attacks. While seemingly powerful, this is actually a recipe for disaster! In my opinion, the rebel army is doomed to failure. Haven't you heard that a rise is sudden, and its fall is just as sudden? Although the rebel army is full of momentum, it shows the signs of being like Jie and Zhou, and their acts of violence are countless! This is truly nothing to be feared!"

"I beg the government to cheer up, rally the people, and rebuild the country!"

After hearing this, Zhao Ji's mood improved a little.

But I still can't muster up confidence...

He forced himself to talk to a few people, then fell back into his old ways, lying down in a daze.

Several court officials had no choice but to withdraw.

But as soon as he left the palace, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"The Song Dynasty is in such a precarious situation. It's time for everyone to unite and overcome the difficulties. But the government is acting like this. It's really... really! Sigh!"

"National affairs are difficult, so stop talking and think about how to quell the rebellion."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent.

They looked at each other and saw the deep worry in each other's eyes.

Even the minister who had just assured Emperor Zhao in the palace that the rebel army was doomed to fail now had a frown on his face and said nothing.

Without him!

The momentum displayed by this rebel army is really too terrifying!

In the past, we never felt such a strong sense of oppression when facing Liao, Jin and Western Xia.

As for how to deal with it, the ministers were at a loss.

They have tried every method they can think of, or rather, they plan to use it.

It's not that the rebels were advancing too fast, but that we didn't have time to use them, which led to the current mess. I really don't know what to do.

"We must continue to employ the strategy of appeasement and pacification. Secondly, we must wait for news of the army heading south. If we can achieve a major victory, even if we can't put down the rebellion, we can at least curb the momentum of the rebels and boost morale." 1.1

Having said this, the old minister suddenly paused, and then his eyes became complicated.

My heart is indeed complicated.

The imperial court had reached such a state that even his subconscious thoughts were only focused on curbing the rebels, with no thought of pacifying them at all. To be honest, he even had serious doubts about whether the imperial army could win. But what else could he do now? This was his only hope.

If that doesn't work...

The only option left was to transfer border troops southward.

But at that time, the country was really in a dangerous situation of decline and destruction.

(ps: Asking for custom orders, full orders, flowers, evaluations, monthly tickets, comments, and support~)

Chapter 482: Deploy troops? Negotiate peace? Cede territory?

"Moving border troops south!? Abandoning border defense?!"

Some of the other ministers found the old minister's words unbelievable and questioned him aloud.

It should be noted that the northern border of the Song Dynasty borders the Liao Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty, and the Western Xia Dynasty, and the defense pressure is enormous. So far, the total number of stationed troops is estimated to be hundreds of thousands, all deployed on the border, stacked up in layers, and scattered in the form of military strongholds.

This frontier army was quite different from the rest of the Song Dynasty. Frequently faced with incursions from northern tribes, they possessed extensive combat experience and were considered the Song Dynasty's elite. In the eyes of some ministers knowledgeable in military affairs, this force was even more elite and combat-ready than the central army.

Although the Central Imperial Guards were an army supported by the entire nation of the Song Dynasty, they were the ones that had been guarding the center of the country and rarely went into battle. Therefore, although their equipment and personal qualities were carefully selected, the combat effectiveness of the army lay in its overall military quality, which inevitably raised doubts.

After all, no matter what, what truly trains an army is the tempering of blood and fire in war. It is difficult to say if one has not experienced the bloodshed on the battlefield or has little combat experience.

In comparison, although the border troops are not as good as the imperial guards in various practical conditions, they often have frictions and confrontations with foreign races, and have to face the large-scale invasion from the north every two or three years. Over the years, they have tempered themselves into battle-hardened soldiers, and their elite level is obvious to all.

Although generally speaking, they are still at a disadvantage when facing the north, but within the Song Dynasty, they are the elite among the elite!

What this old minister said about mobilizing border troops south to quell the rebellion is not without reason.

With the elite border troops, it is really possible, or more likely than the central imperial guards, to win the battle against the rebels.

But having said that, how could the Song Dynasty really mobilize its border troops to the south?

Once mobilized, how much will need to be mobilized?

If only a small number of troops are mobilized, facing the situation of war in the south, it will probably be of little use and the probability of failure is extremely high. However, if a large number of troops are mobilized, the north will inevitably be empty and the gates will be wide open. Once the Liao, Jin, and Western Xia take the opportunity to move south, it will be a disaster for the Song Dynasty!

By then, the north and the south will be shaken, and there will be internal and external troubles. I am afraid that we will perish even faster!

"This is a way to cause chaos! It's absolutely not feasible!" Someone also spoke up and firmly opposed it.

The old minister shook his head slightly. "If the situation is truly dire, we can only choose the lesser of two evils! Mobilizing the border troops south will certainly leave the north empty, but firstly, as long as a certain number of elite troops remain to defend, we may be able to withstand the pressure from the north. Secondly, even if Liao, Jin, and Xixia decide to invade the south, it will take time, so there will be an opening. If all goes well, the border troops can quickly return north. Thirdly, we can negotiate peace and alliance with the north, either through marriage or annual tribute. We can stabilize the northern countries first, so that we can free up our forces to deal with the rebels. As the saying goes, before resisting foreign aggression, we must first stabilize the internal affairs. This is exactly what it means!"

Hearing this, someone sneered, "This is truly the fallacy of someone who doesn't understand military affairs! It's a statement that will bring disaster to the country and its people! Firstly, the military defense in the north is already a forced situation. Moving troops south will only upset the balance. Without sufficient troops, how can we resist? How can we resist?"

Secondly, while a massive northern invasion of the south certainly wouldn't happen overnight, could quelling the rebellion be a quick victory? Who could guarantee victory? Even if they could, one or two victories wouldn't be enough! Rebel forces were rampaging throughout the south, and pacifying them one by one would undoubtedly take a long time! It wouldn't be a quick endeavor, so how could a smooth and swift return north be possible?

"The third point does have some truth to it, but a marriage alliance is a disgrace. How can we marry a princess of our own country to a barbarian? It's completely ridiculous! While annual tributes are not impossible, the current situation is vastly different from before. Due to the rampant rebellion, the imperial court has been cut off from both north and south. Without the support of the prime southern lands, a significant reduction in tax revenue is inevitable! How can we afford annual tributes? How much is enough? Moreover, such a peace treaty would only serve to expose the emptiness and decline of the Song Dynasty to other nations! Even if the peace talks were successful, how could you be sure they wouldn't break the treaty and invade the south? This would not only be futile, but would also incur significant losses and burden the imperial court."

The old minister was refuted repeatedly, but he remained unmoved. His face was still full of worry, and he sighed: "The country is in this state, what can we do?"

After a moment's silence, he added, "Neither this nor that will work. How about we just negotiate peace with the rebels?"

Everyone was silent, with different expressions on their faces.

I thought that what I said before was probably just a prelude to this sentence.

"No! How can the great Song Dynasty negotiate peace with rebels and bandits? If we do this, I'm afraid we will lose the support of the people of the world! The government and the people will be in turmoil!"

If things really come to that, will the court still have any dignity?

By then, let alone what will happen in the south, I'm afraid even the north will be in turmoil.

Once the central authority is reduced to such a level, how much control will it still have over various regions?

After a pause, he continued, "Furthermore, if we negotiate peace, what conditions should the court offer? Given the rebels' current situation, what conditions would make them stop fighting?"

To put it bluntly, the south is now on the verge of a sweeping advance. Is it possible for it to stop?

The old minister glanced at him and thought to himself, if you were truly determined, you wouldn't have said anything like the words after 717. However, there was no need to point it out. After pondering for a moment, he said, "How about ceding territory in exchange for peace?"

Everyone's breathing was silent, and the worry and lament on their faces became even more pronounced.

Unexpectedly, the great Song Dynasty would be reduced to the point of considering peace talks with the rebels. It is inevitable to feel disheartened.

After a long silence, someone broke the silence and directly shook their head in opposition. "Not to mention that this move will completely undermine the authority of the central government, even if we really have to cede territory, which piece should we cede? The rebels now occupy the core areas of the south, including Jiangnan, Liangzhe, Jinghu... Their influence is widespread, and they have also encroached on the Yangtze River and Huainan areas in the north. If we cede more, it will damage the national strength and enrich the rebels. If one side gains while the other loses, how can the Song Dynasty still recover?"