Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 304 The Crown Prince Can Ascend the Emperor's Throne!

The emperor stood on a small platform, his gaze sweeping left and right before finally settling on Tong Guan, who had just climbed in, stood still, and bowed in greeting.

After Tong Guan finished his greetings, he stood up and looked around. It wasn't just the emperor who was looking at him; everyone's eyes were on him. Helpless, he was the only one who could answer: "Your Majesty, the military intelligence is true. Daming Prefecture has indeed fallen, and the Jurchens have reached the banks of the Yellow River!"

Everyone had obviously received the news from various sources, which is why they rushed here so quickly. However, they couldn't help but feel a bit of hope, thinking that the matter might be a rumor or a misrepresentation...

But after Tong Guan answered in person, the entire audience gasped in surprise.

For a moment, I wasn't panicked, but this sudden, unexpected shock was hard to accept...

The emperor, however, demanded, "How can you be so sure this is true?"

The emperor clearly still didn't quite believe it... Xu was even more incredulous.

Tong Guan sighed, "Alas... Your Majesty, how could an official document from Puyang be forged? The soldiers who came to deliver the message all witnessed it with their own eyes... It's impossible to fake it. Tan Zhen will probably be in the capital soon..."

The emperor was momentarily stunned and somewhat dumbfounded!

But then someone asked, "Prime Minister, what should we do at this moment? Should we immediately send troops to meet the enemy? Or should we strengthen the city's defenses? Prime Minister, please quickly suggest a solution..."

"Yes, what should be done?" The emperor immediately regained his composure, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, "What is the Prime Minister's response?"

Although the emperor asked this question, he actually knew the current situation. If the 200,000 elite troops in the capital region were to be defeated, how could the remaining 60,000 to 70,000 troops in the capital possibly win?

What are the solutions?

Tong Guan looked around at the crowd. Knowing he needed to reassure them, he slowly said, "At this moment, we must not send troops to fight. We should first move all the troops stationed outside the city to the city and strengthen the city's defenses. All the government offices and officials within the city should also be gathered together, and the personnel under the Imperial City Guard should also be prepared for battle. In this way, defending the city is the priority!"

As Tong Guan continued speaking, everyone in the room frowned. What kind of response was this?
Clearly, what everyone wanted to hear from Tong Guan was not these things, but a real solution to the problem—a solution that would allow them to go back and rest easy.

At this moment, Tong Guan clearly lacked the solution that everyone needed.

As everyone frowned, their expressions changed drastically, and panic began to show.

The emperor looked even more anxious...

Tong Guan immediately continued, "Many days ago, I transferred elite soldiers from the Northwest to Tokyo to form the Victory Army. At this moment, more than 5,000 men have arrived, all of whom are the elite of the army. This army is capable of fighting and can be relied upon!"

"How much?" This was the emperor's urgent question.

“Five thousand…” Tong Guan replied.

"Two hundred thousand men have been utterly defeated, what use are five thousand? Grand Chancellor, we must devise another brilliant plan!" the Emperor said urgently.

Tong Guan looked up at the emperor, knowing that at this moment, the emperor had placed all his hopes on him.

He then slowly continued, “The city of Tokyo has been expanded several times. The outer moat has always been wide enough for large ships to sail through. The city walls are tall and thick, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack. The inner city walls are even higher and more impregnable. As long as the people and soldiers of Tokyo work together, even if the Jurchens really cross the river, the city of Tokyo will remain as stable as Mount Tai!”

Such words are naturally correct and undeniably true, but whether the things described can be done is a matter of opinion.

The usually elegant and aloof emperor frowned slightly: "That's not what I meant. The Grand Councilor has a brilliant plan! A brilliant plan!"

We need a brilliant plan!
Where did Tong Guan get his brilliant plan? He couldn't possibly just wave his hand and conjure soldiers from beans, amassing a million troops in Bianjing in a single day, could he?

Tong Guan frowned deeply. Apart from what he had just said, he was now helpless in the face of the situation.

Tong Guan fell silent for a moment.

Tong Guan's silence was incredibly powerful in the hall, like a thunderclap, leaving everyone present dizzy and disoriented.

"What should we do?"

"The Grand Chancellor has always been knowledgeable in military affairs and skilled in warfare. Even the Grand Chancellor is helpless. What about us..."

"Ugh……"

"How could our great Song Dynasty, with its eight thousand miles of land, tens of thousands of people, and a million soldiers in armor, have come to this? How could it have come to this?"

"Is it a fault of war? Or a fault of humanity?"

"Tan Zhen's crime, Tan Zhen's crime!"

For a time, the imperial court was in complete chaos.

There were still people who hadn't arrived yet, including Grand Tutor Cai, who was over seventy years old and couldn't arrive quickly. It wasn't until this moment that he appeared in the square outside the Chuigong Hall. He tried to walk quickly, but he was still too old and frail to move fast.

The emperor raised his hand and waved it to the left and right: "Go and help the Grand Tutor!"

Several eunuchs rushed out to the square to help the old Grand Tutor.

Finally, Cai Jing arrived, his face full of wrinkles, yet still showing a degree of composure.

After walking to the front of the crowd and paying homage to the emperor, Cai Jing stopped and turned to ask Tong Guan, "What is your strategy for dealing with this?"

These words made everyone's hearts tighten.

Everyone was waiting for Cai Jing to arrive and offer his insightful opinions, but they were also asking the Grand Chancellor what his countermeasures were.

The Grand Chancellor is completely at a loss!
Tong Guan sighed, "Let's unite as one and defend the city!"

Cai Jing then asked, "Can it be protected?"

Tong Guan was speechless for a moment. How could he know whether he could protect her or not?
However, Tong Guan was not without his own thoughts. If asked this question, Tong Guan's true feelings would likely be hard to conceal...

But I can't say it right now...

Tong Guan still replied, "As long as the army and the people are of one mind, with a million soldiers and civilians at our side, the Jurchens cannot be attacked!"

Cai Jing's expression changed immediately, and most of his previous composure vanished. He looked up at the emperor, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "Your Majesty..."

The emperor's legs went weak, and he slumped into his chair, his eyes wide with shock. He exclaimed, "I never imagined that the Jurchens would dare to advance so unimpeded!"

Who would have thought of that?

Even the Jurchens themselves didn't expect this!

The imperial court was in an uproar once again.

This is saying: "Tan Zhen deserves to die a thousand cuts!"

That person also said, "The Jurchens have betrayed their alliance and launched a sneak attack, taking advantage of our vulnerability. They are despicable, utterly despicable!"

Some people were also shouting, "Your Majesty!"

What can we do if we call for His Majesty?
His Majesty stared blankly up at the sky, looking to the left, then slowly turning his head to look to the right...

Suddenly feeling dizzy and lightheaded, the emperor's vision went black, and he collapsed and fainted on the spot.

Liang Shicheng immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Many officials rushed forward to surround them...

When life throws you up and down, with overwhelming shocks, dramatic emotional shifts, or even things you simply can't accept, your brain can genuinely feel dizzy – this is a protective mechanism.

The Grand Tutor also climbed up the small platform and personally reached out to check. Thankfully, it was just a fainting spell, not a fatal accident...

The Grand Tutor spoke up: "Disperse, disperse. Everyone return to your offices, perform your duties, and await orders from the imperial court!"

The crowd didn't stand on ceremony and quickly dispersed.

The Grand Tutor then said, "Quickly summon the imperial physician and carry His Majesty to the back!"

The numerous eunuchs were all scrambling around in a flurry of activity!
The emperor was carried to the back couch and laid down. Before the imperial physician arrived, the emperor had already slowly woken up, looked around, and suddenly felt a surge of joy...

Oh, so what happened just now was probably a dream. I was in the imperial court just now, but it turns out I wasn't in the imperial court at all, and there were no civil or military officials, only the Grand Tutor and the Chancellor.

The emperor murmured, "What's wrong with me lately? Perhaps it's because I'm worried. I just dreamt that Daming Prefecture was destroyed by the Jurchens... Sigh..."

Upon hearing this, the Grand Tutor lowered his head, the Chancellor lowered his head, and Liang Shicheng, who was standing to the side, also lowered his head.

Seeing the men bowing their heads, the emperor felt a surge of anxiety and blurted out, "What's wrong? What happened? What's going on?"

Whether it was a dream or not, how could the emperor not be able to tell? He simply asked again, "Is Daming Prefecture truly destroyed?"

No one spoke... The Grand Chancellor sighed...

The Grand Chancellor sighed, and there was no need to say more.

The emperor clutched his chest, uttering, "I...I..."

The Grand Chancellor immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"

The emperor grabbed Tong Guan's hand again and raised his head: "Prime Minister, what should we do?"

Tong Guan couldn't answer, or rather, it wasn't easy for him to answer.

Cai Jing, standing nearby, also asked, "Prime Minister, please speak frankly: at this very moment, is Tokyo in danger? Is the Emperor in danger? Is the nation in danger?"

Tong Guan nodded and said, "Alas... Who could have imagined that in just a few days, an army of 200,000 would be like nothing? Once the Jurchens cross the river, the army will reach Tokyo. How can the troops in Tokyo resist the Jurchens? If Su Wu does not return, where will the troops be able to fight against the Jurchen wolves?"

Tong Guan finally said these words, even though he was actually quite flustered inside!
Putting aside whether he was afraid of death or not, just ask yourself, if the Jurchens really stormed into Tokyo and captured and tied up Tong Guan, what a humiliation that would be.

I dare not even imagine what would happen if the emperor were captured and bound... the history books would be filled with tales of the recapture of Yan and Yun, and the title of Prince of Guangyang...

Wouldn't that make them a laughing stock for all time?
Cai Jing, standing to the side, had already risen and paced back and forth. After only two or three steps, he turned and said, “We must leave, we must leave, Your Majesty must leave! The Jurchens have taken advantage of our weakness to invade. It’s not that our Song army is no match for them, but Your Majesty is of paramount importance to the nation and cannot take risks. Your Majesty must leave, avoid their sharp edge, and wait for the armies from all over the land to arrive at the capital. Then we will surely achieve a great victory over the Jurchens. In this way, it will be just like…”

Cai Jing thought for a moment, and after much deliberation, he immediately said, "Just like Emperor Gaozu of Han was trapped in the siege of Baideng, or Emperor Taizong of Tang made a treaty outside Chang'an! We should leave, we should leave..."

Tong Guan, who was listening nearby, nodded in agreement: "Grand Tutor's words make sense, and agreeing to this is indeed a brilliant plan!"

The Emperor then said, "Emperor Gaozu of Han was trapped at Baideng, and thus... his campaign was unsuccessful. Emperor Taizong of Tang never abandoned his capital and fled... If I were to leave like this, wouldn't... wouldn't..."

The emperor still cared to some extent, especially about the Zhao family's reputation...

The Zhao family, having gained power, already had a somewhat shameful history. Now, faced with this situation, how could they not think about saving face?

Cai Jing said urgently, "In this way, with the Crown Prince... um... the Crown Prince is a kind and honest man, let the Crown Prince temporarily oversee state affairs. In the future, all the troops from all over the country will come to the aid of the emperor, and we will win a great victory over the tiger-wolf Jurchens. The hearts of the people will naturally be at peace!" "Such a brilliant plan!" Tong Guan just nodded. He really wanted to leave, but he was afraid that the emperor would not want to go.

Others might have a sliver of hope, but in matters of war, Tong Guan felt absolutely no such hope, let alone talk of unity between the army and the people…

Tong Guan himself didn't believe it at all.

The only thing he truly believed in was the army in the Northwest, Su Wu's troops. Only with their arrival could the matter be resolved; without their arrival, there was no hope for the army and people of the capital region...

No matter what, the state must not be lost; no matter what, whether it is the emperor or Tong Guan, they must not fall into the hands of barbarians.

The Song Dynasty has lost all face this time, but as long as a strong army comes to the aid of the emperor and defeats the Jurchens, it will regain all its dignity...

Is this true?
Tong Guan simply nodded, convinced that this was exactly the point!

The Grand Tutor and the Chancellor were talking back and forth when the Emperor, who was lying down, suddenly looked up, but his head fell back onto the pillow. Tears streamed down his fair face as he stared intently at the patterns on the ceiling...

"Su Wu, when will Su Wu arrive?" the emperor suddenly asked, as if he had just thought of him.

Tong Guan frowned and replied, "I'll grant you one month, or twenty days..."

It's all guesswork, because recent correspondence has stopped!

"Alas..." the emperor sighed.

"Where are we going..." The emperor's lips parted slightly, his voice barely audible.

"Zhenjiang, let's go to Zhenjiang to pray for blessings first..." Cai Jing answered very quickly. How could Cai Jing not be anxious? He couldn't wait to leave.

If the emperor makes a move, everyone will have a legitimate reason to follow suit. If the emperor doesn't move, how can the people make a move? If they do, they will inevitably face charges and infamy in the future. Only if the emperor makes a move first will everyone be happy!
"The Emperor, the Emperor..." Zhao Ji muttered, dazed and confused, tears streaming down his face. How could things have come to this?

Before, it was a time of great power and influence, but how did it turn around and end up in such a state?

The emperor, weak and listless, said again: "How can Tokyo be without an emperor? If Tokyo were without an emperor, how could the Zhao family still gain the trust of the world..."

Cai Jing's heart tightened upon hearing this. Was the emperor not leaving?
Tong Guan was also in a hurry. What should he do if they didn't leave?
The two exchanged a glance, not one of tacit understanding, but one of helplessness, and they were also thinking about how to persuade the emperor.

But then came the Emperor's words: "Bring me paper and pen..."

As he spoke, the emperor slowly sat up, and Liang Shicheng hurriedly went to fetch it. Turning his head back, he saw that the tray was fully prepared with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The emperor took up his pen, and all eyes turned to him.

Just look at the few fine characters in the slender gold script on the paper: "The Crown Prince can ascend the throne!"
How could Cai Jing and Tong Guan not feel a sense of relief?
Oh my, that really startled me. I thought this emperor was truly determined to die...

As soon as the ink was finished, the emperor spoke: "Go, carry me away, just wait for the armies of the world to come to the aid of the king, and we will achieve a great victory over the Jurchens, a great victory over the Jurchens! Go..."

The emperor waved his hand repeatedly, fearing he might be too slow!
Liang Shicheng rushed over to help, and indeed supported the emperor as he walked out, still shouting, "Prepare the carriage! Prepare the carriage!"

The emperor turned his head and said, "Prime Minister, bring the elite troops of the Victorious Army at once! Protect me, protect me..."

"Your Majesty... I will go and do it right away!" Tong Guan bowed respectfully, then strode off, surpassing the Emperor.

The Grand Tutor was old and frail, but his steps were quick. If he didn't hurry, his fast horse would arrive in no time if he crossed the river.

Not to mention that the emperor was already leaving the capital, how many of the officials who had just left the court went back to their offices?
Most people were rushing home. Putting everything else aside, they had to be quick, take plenty of money, and get their families south out of the city first...

As for whether to leave or not, those with some self-control can wait, while those without willpower get on the bus and leave the city with their families!
All that's needed is to hear the news that the Emperor has left the palace. Needless to say, the Emperor is leaving, so what are we waiting for? We must hurry and follow.

In no time, Bianjing City descended into chaos, turning into a complete mess.

Cattle and horses gallop, carriages are stuck in traffic, there is pushing, shoving, cursing, and even fighting; the wealthy and powerful walk by, while ordinary people scramble to get ahead...

Inside the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Zhao Huan was also weeping bitterly. The eunuch who was to announce his ascension to the throne had already arrived, and Geng Nanzhong, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince's Palace, was also by his side.

Why was Zhao Huan willing to ascend the throne?

She just kept crying, clinging to the pillar and sobbing, calling out to heaven and earth, "Father, Father..."

Suddenly, Zhao Huan also fainted from crying beside a pillar. The eunuchs had no choice but to carry Zhao Huan to the main hall to ascend the throne...

There were no enthronement ceremonies, no grand hall for offering sacrifices to Heaven, no ancestral temple sacrifices; he simply changed into yellow robes, sat on a high platform, and became the Son of Heaven.

Within the capital, many people remained. Bai Shizhong, Li Bangyan, and others were naturally unable to leave. Perhaps it wasn't that they didn't want to leave, but now they were part of the imperial court, and the Secretariat and Chancellery were theirs.

The new emperor ascended the throne, reclining on the dragon throne, his face ashen as he looked at the people in the hall, and said, "Now, what should we do?"

Bai Shizhong immediately spoke up: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid this capital city cannot be defended. Your Majesty, perhaps we should seek refuge..."

"Where should we go to hide?" the new emperor asked.

How could Li Bangyan not speak up? “Your Majesty… the Emperor Emeritus intends for an emperor to reside in the capital. Yingtian Prefecture is also a capital, the Nanjing of our Great Song Dynasty. We can go to Yingtian Prefecture to take refuge for now. It is fine for the emperor to reside in Nanjing instead of Tokyo. We can discuss the rest later…”

Just then, a eunuch came from outside the door to report: "Your Majesty, Li Gang is paying his respects outside the Left Gate."

Li Gang knew him personally; he had previously served as an imperial censor in the palace.

"Why is this person still here to pay his respects if he hasn't left?" The new emperor blurted out instinctively, then realized, "That's right, this person hasn't left after all, and has actually come to pay his respects." The emperor raised his hand and said, "Let him in!"

The eunuch rushed off, and Li Gang also rushed over, immediately kneeling in the main hall and exclaiming, "Your Majesty, you must not abandon the city and flee!"

Zhao Huan's expression changed: "Father has already left the city, and countless people have followed him. Why can't I leave?"

Li Gang then said, “Your Majesty, which city in the world is as fortified as the capital? Moreover, the ancestral temples, the altars of the state, the officials, and the people are all here. How can we abandon them? The best course of action today is to reorganize the army, unite the people, defend the capital, and await the arrival of the army to come to the aid of the emperor.”

Li Gang's words are not false. Even if people can leave, the Zhao family's ancestral temple is still there, and the ancestral tablets of all generations are still there. If these things are gone, where will the Zhao family be?
Heaven is watching, where is the Zhao family? What protection can our ancestors offer?
What's with all this talk about the orthodoxy of Chinese civilization? What about lasting for thousands of generations?
The only question is: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fled Chang'an during the An Lushan Rebellion. What became of the dynasty after that? What became of the empire after that? And the various regional military governors, after that, was it still truly the Tang Dynasty?

And of the more than one million people in Bianjing, how many can actually leave? Those at the bottom of society, if they lose their jobs today and go out of the city, they will starve to death on the road tomorrow. How can they possibly leave?
How could Zhao Huan not understand?

Why would that "disastrous father" allow him to temporarily ascend the throne?

Zhao Huan knew that if he fled the city, the Zhao family's status would be lost. Once the Jurchens rampaged through the land, chaos might ensue, and the world would be thrown into turmoil. As the saying goes, "When Qin loses its throne, the whole world will vie for it."

This has been true in every dynasty!
That's the kind of father he is, and what about his son...?

Zhao Huan glanced at Li Gang and asked only one question: "Who can lead troops to resist the enemy?"

Li Gang immediately said, "Your Majesty, I could have fled the city, but I am not afraid of death. If Your Majesty does not mind my humble abilities, I am willing to die a hundred times on the city wall! I am willing to live and die with the nation!"

Seeing Li Gang's resolute expression and clear voice, Zhao Huan was momentarily calmed down. Whether to leave or not, perhaps this matter could be postponed...

After all, the Jurchens hadn't arrived yet; they were still on the other side of the river...

Zhao Huan straightened his posture slightly and took a deep breath: "My dear minister, you can be appointed as the governor of Dongjing, and I will also grant you the position of vice minister of the Ministry of War. You must deal with this matter quickly!"

Li Gang, suddenly becoming a trusted minister, naturally had to fulfill his duty to the emperor: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, within the city of Dongjing, we should quickly unite the military and civilians, distribute weapons, strengthen our troops, and reorganize the city's defenses. Outside the city, we should also send troops to garrison key points along the Yellow River to prevent the Jurchens from crossing. The Jurchens' crossing will certainly require some time to prepare, but as long as we act quickly and reach the riverbank, we can stop the enemy!"

"Alright, alright, that's settled!" Zhao Huan had no other choice but to do whatever Li Gang said.

"Who should be sent north to garrison key points?" This was the question Bai Shizhong asked.

Li Gang was also helpless. There were still quite a few soldiers in front of him, but there were no one to use. After thinking it over, he said, "Let's go to the Palace Guard to promote them!"

They didn't know who to use for the time being, so they could only choose from the Palace Guard...

But the emperor suddenly spoke up: "No need, just select people from within the palace!"

Who can be chosen from the palace?
It's natural to choose eunuchs!
Why choose a eunuch at this moment? Firstly, it has been customary for eunuchs to supervise the army since ancient times.

Secondly, it is precisely at times like these that eunuchs are needed to supervise the army. Once the military power leaves the capital, it should be taken over by eunuchs!
Afraid!

I fear that one day it will truly be a case of "Qin losing its deer, and the whole world chasing after it." How can military power be placed in the hands of a warrior? If the situation were to deteriorate rapidly, wouldn't that warrior immediately become the one vying for the deer?

Eunuchs didn't have this worry; they wouldn't become one of the many warlords rising up.

Li Gang could only nod in agreement: "Your Majesty, please promote him!"

After thinking it over, Zhao Huan realized that he couldn't trust the younger ones and needed to choose someone older. So he said, "Let Liang Fangping go. He has always been considered... steady and reliable."

Liang Fangping, another palace eunuch who has recently risen to prominence.

Tong Guan, Tan Zhen, Liang Fangping...

Li Gang bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I will attend to this matter immediately!"

"Go, go quickly!" Emperor Zhao Huan waved his hand repeatedly, also impatient, wanting to see how Li Gang could handle the city defense and whether he could achieve the unity of the army and the people.

If it's still a complete mess, then...

If it really does look somewhat promising, then we'll see...

"Your Majesty, Li Gang cannot be trusted. He is merely an imperial censor; how could he possibly know anything about leading troops and fighting battles..." Li Bangyan said hastily, like an ant on a hot pan, wishing he could leave as soon as possible.

Even if we let Li Gang do it here, we should go to Yingtian Prefecture first, ensuring safety first, and then see how Li Gang does it.

It's all a tangled mess, it doesn't matter who does it...

In any case, Li Bangyan didn't think he could handle the situation well, and Bai Shizhong thought so too.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huan simply nodded: "I understand! Let's observe first..."

This single sentence effectively silenced the two men, prompting the emperor to decide to observe the situation further before making a decision.

Li Gang received his official position and didn't wait for any official decree or document. He didn't even know who to ask for it. He just went to take up his post immediately, first exercising his authority in Kaifeng Prefecture, and then running around busily to the Ministry of War, the Privy Council, the Palace Guard, and the Ministry of Revenue...

The new emperor seemed to have calmed down slightly.

The Jurchen army was still in motion, but most of them had not yet gathered at the Yellow River. They were also looking for boats. It was a huge undertaking to cross the river with so many people at once, and preparations had to be made.

The eunuch Liang Fangping also led a contingent of troops to guard the riverbank.

Su Wu arrived in Datong. His vanguard arrived first on horseback, while the main army followed.

Wang Bing also led a fast horse from Taiyuan and met up with Su Wu!
(Guys, it's 5 AM, we're here!)
(End of this chapter)