The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 272 The Madman of the Northern Frontier, I Will Tear Him to Pieces!
The scorching summer sun baked the imperial city of Zhongdu, making the city walls scorching hot and leaving people listless from the heat.

But in order to survive, these cattle and horses of the Jin Kingdom had no choice but to continue working under the scorching sun.

Because most of the Central Plains was barren land, in many places there wasn't even a single tree to provide shade.

In contrast to the unbearable heat in the city, the emperor's palace exuded a refreshing chill.

In the corner of the main hall, there were several large bronze basins filled with ice blocks brought from the ice cellar. Water droplets condensed on the outer walls of the basins, which were covered with damp cloths and dripped down, forming small puddles on the gold brick floor.

Wanyan Jing lay naked on the bench, looking at Li Shi'er, who was playing the zither beside him, with a slightly doting gaze.

She wore a moon-white gauze dress with a light red gauze overlay, which clung to her exquisite figure. Her slender waist was so delicate that it could be encircled with one hand. As she walked, the hem of the dress swayed lightly, revealing half of her white, smooth legs.

Wanyan Jing was extremely excited upon seeing it.

Although Li Shi'er was already over twenty years old, her eyes and brows exuded a mature charm, and her gaze seemed to ripple with the gentle flow of spring water, captivating Wanyan Jing's soul.

After finishing the piece, Li Shi'er put the pipa aside and winked at Wanyan Jing: "Your Majesty, did I play this piece well?"

Wanyan Jing smiled and waved. When she came closer, he grabbed her hand that was playing the pipa, rubbing his thumb back and forth on her fingertips, and said in a deep, tender voice, "It sounds beautiful."

"The music played by my beloved concubine's hands is more intoxicating than the finest wine."

After saying that, amidst Li Shi'er's exclamations and laughter, Wanyan Jing pulled her into his arms. Her slender body seemed boneless, arousing Wanyan Jing's lust.

Just then, a young eunuch suddenly shouted from outside: "Your Majesty! The Grand Councilor requests an audience, saying he has urgent military intelligence!"

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Jing immediately stopped what he was doing, his face showing displeasure.

My good deed was interrupted, and I felt very agitated.

But he was not a foolish ruler, and he naturally knew that the Privy Councilor's request for an audience at this time must mean that something big had happened.

Li Shi'er, who was standing next to him, also got up quickly. Without bothering to straighten her disheveled clothes, she deftly helped Wanyan Jing put on his casual clothes and said softly, "Your Majesty's favor towards me makes me happy."

"But matters of national importance cannot be delayed."

He then curtsied and turned to retreat behind the screen.

Li Shi'er was able to enjoy exclusive favor in the harem despite being a Han woman, and even her two brothers were able to rise to high positions because of this.

Such favor is not based on beauty and looks, but more importantly on her sense of propriety and knowing when to advance and retreat.

Wanyan Jing nodded slightly: "My beloved concubine, please go."

Once Li Shi'er went behind the screen, the languor in Wanyan Jing's eyes vanished, replaced by the majesty cultivated from years of holding a high position.

"Xuan!"

With this order given, Privy Councilor Wanyan Zonghao strode into the hall, followed by a young eunuch carrying a wooden box.

He was about the same age as Xin Qiji, in his sixties, with gray hair and beard, but still full of energy.

"Your subject, Wanyan Zonghao, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Feeling the slight coolness emanating from the palace, Wanyan Zonghao's inner turmoil finally subsided somewhat, but the shock brought to him by the war against Western Xia was far from over.

I was extremely nervous and uneasy throughout the journey, and my forehead was already covered in sweat.

It was not only hot, but also astonishing.

"The weather is hot; Duke Rong, be careful of heatstroke."

"Someone, add ice to the Duke of Rong's plate."

Wanyan Jing sat at the head of the table and said with a concerned expression.

In the third year of Cheng'an (1198), Wanyan Zonghao led his troops to invade the grasslands in the north. He first forced the Guangjila tribe to surrender, and then successively defeated the Hedixin tribe, the Shanzhikun tribe, and the Posuhuo tribe, beheading more than a thousand people and seizing countless cattle, sheep, carts, and felt tents.

For this military achievement, he was granted the title of Duke of Rong by Wanyan Jing and appointed as the Privy Councilor, enjoying unparalleled honor and becoming a key minister in the Jin Dynasty.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Wanyan Zonghao said.

Before he could even speak, Wanyan Jing looked at the wooden box being carried by the eunuch behind him.

Curious, he asked, "Duke Rong, what's in the box?"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Wanyan Zonghao immediately revealed a face full of anger and grief. He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, word by word, "Your Majesty, this is the head of the Prince of Pingling."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Jing's voice involuntarily rose: "What?"

His eyes widened, and a look of shock and anger instantly appeared on his originally dignified face.

Li Shi'er, who was behind the screen, was also shocked. Her pretty face turned pale instantly, and she subconsciously covered her mouth and gasped.

The air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly. Wanyan Jing's pupils contracted sharply, and he abruptly stood up, shouting incredulously, "The Prince of Pingling is dead?"

"Explain clearly, what exactly happened?"

“The Prince of Pingling is clearly an important minister who was sent by me to the northern frontier.”

"Who dares to kill him?"

Wanyan Jing stood in the hall, roaring angrily.

The Prince of Pingling is Wanyan Yongxi, who was dispatched by Wanyan Jing last winter as an envoy to the northern frontier, hoping to subjugate it. (See Chapter 236)
Although no news came for a long time, Wanyan Jing only thought it was because the journey was long and communication was difficult, but he never expected that he had been killed.

Who is so bold?
Seeing Wanyan Jing on the verge of exploding, Wanyan Zonghao said in a hoarse voice, "He is from the Northern Frontier."

"And they also attached a letter."

After saying this, Wanyan Zonghao took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to the eunuch next to him.

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Jing's eyes blazed with fury. He clenched his fist and slammed it heavily on the table, shouting, "The people of the Northern Frontier are utterly shameless!"

"When two countries are at war, envoys shall not be killed."

"How dare they disregard the rules and kill our Great Jin royal family envoy? Do they really think that our Great Jin cannot do anything to them?"

Wanyan Jing roared in anger and threw the glass cup beside him heavily to the ground.

Then, he snatched the letter presented by the eunuch, opened it, and was so angry that he trembled all over.

"The Jurchen barbarian chieftain knows: You are nothing but raw, bloodthirsty creatures from the forests of the Northeast. You have only managed to seize the divine weapon by chance, and you are so ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth that you dare to ask my northern frontier to submit to you?"

"Insanity!"

"Our 300,000 iron cavalry from the northern frontier roamed the grasslands, invincible. Their scimitars drank the blood of 100,000 elite soldiers of the Xia Kingdom, and their arrows pierced the city walls of the Hehuang Valley."

"Wherever they went, city walls were destroyed, and not a single chicken or dog was spared!"
"If you know what's good for you, you should quickly bind yourself and surrender!"

"Otherwise, I will personally lead 300,000 iron cavalry into the pass, sweep across the Central Plains, and flatten Zhongdu!"

"I'll hang you, you barbarian chieftain, from the city wall, so the world can see the ugly face of this Jin dog bandit chieftain. Then I'll abduct the empress and all the women of the royal family, and let my sons taste them a thousand times over!"

"The Jingkang Incident happened no more than a century ago. Will the instigators have no descendants?"

"The scimitars of my northern warriors are already thirsting for blood, waiting only to drink the blood of the Jurchen barbarians!"

"The evil you committed in the Central Plains back then will now be repaid a thousandfold!"

At the end of the letter, there was also Li Xiao's handwritten signature: Li Xiao, Grand Protector of the Northern Frontier!

Wanyan Jing held the letter, and his head exploded.

He gripped the letter tightly, his arms trembling slightly, bloodshot veins gradually appearing in his eyes, and the veins on his neck bulging like coiled green snakes.

"Reverse! Reverse!"

He suddenly roared, his voice tearing through the hall, and ripped the letter in his hand to shreds.

Li Shi'er, who was behind the screen, was startled by the sudden roar. She covered her mouth in fear and secretly looked out with her beautiful eyes.

I'm just curious what exactly was written in the letter that made His Majesty so furious.

Even more so, a loud "clang" resounded from inside the hall the next second.

Wanyan Jing abruptly overturned the table, his writing brush and memorials flying everywhere. With bloodshot eyes, he paced back and forth in the hall: "What Grand Protector Li Xiao? He's nothing but an arrogant brute!"

"Three hundred thousand iron cavalry to raze Zhongdu? Very well, let him come!"

"I want to see whether the swords of his northern frontier are faster, or the arrows of my Great Jin are sharper!"

Wanyan Jing had never been so angry as he was today. Stepping on the mess on the ground, he drew a long sword from the shelf next to him and began to slash angrily at the pillars in the hall.

"How dare you call me a 'Golden Dog'? You've infuriated me!"

"I will tear him to pieces! Tear him to pieces!"

"Guards! Guards!" Wanyan Jing gripped his longsword, his face contorted with rage, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the attendants in the hall.

"Issue an imperial edict, deliver an imperial edict to me."

"I will assemble an army of 500,000 to march into the north and raze the northern frontier to the ground, and I will cut the madman who wrote the letter into a thousand pieces."

Upon hearing this, the servants dared not easily agree.

Stunned and at a loss.

Half a million troops were not the limit of the Jin Dynasty's war capacity, but mobilizing such a large army for a long expedition was not a decision that could be made lightly.

Even the emperor wouldn't do it.

But when faced with the enraged Wanyan Jing, only Wanyan Zonghao was qualified to offer advice.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger and listen to what this old minister has to say."

But before he could finish speaking, Wanyan Jing grabbed him by the collar.

He roared, "Didn't you read the letter that traitor wrote? They want to hang me! They want to take the women of the imperial family..."

Wanyan Zonghao dared not struggle and pleaded in a bitter voice, "Your Majesty, this is just a provocation from the barbarians of the Northern Frontier."

"Your Majesty must not listen to his wild words, and you must not get angry and harm your health."

As he spoke, Wanyan Zonghao took out a report from his bosom and presented it with both hands, saying, "Your Majesty, this is a battle report that just came from the Xia Kingdom."

"Also arriving was the head of the Prince of Pingling, and a letter from the King of Xia." Li Chunyou's letter to Wanyan Jing would be delivered to Wanyan Jing through the Jin Dynasty's diplomatic mission (the Jin Dynasty's diplomatic institution).

The report in Wanyan Zonghao's hands was a compilation of intelligence gathered by Jin spies in Western Xia.

It is more detailed and more authentic and credible than the official documents of the Xia Kingdom.

As for Wanyan Yongxi's head, it was obtained after the Northern Frontier Army withdrew to the Hexi Corridor, when the Western Xia army sent scouts into Zhuoluo City.

By then, the city was deserted. The people inside and outside the city had either been killed, taken away, or fled into the mountains.

Only on the table in the main hall of the Commander's Mansion was there a wooden box containing Wanyan Yongxi's head, and the letter that Li Xiao had written to Wanyan Jing.

The provocation tactic was indeed successful, infuriating Wanyan Jing to the point of madness.

At this moment, not wanting to see any of that nonsense about Western Xia intelligence, he coldly shouted, "Speak!"

Wanyan Zonghao's Adam's apple bobbed twice, and his aged fingers trembled slightly as he held the yellowed memorial. The letter rustled in the cold air of the hall.

Although he had seen it countless times before, he was still extremely shocked and incredulous when he saw it again.

"In the early years of the third year of the Taihe reign, the Northern Frontier Army marched south from the grasslands and plundered the Hexi Corridor."

His voice seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his throat, carrying a sense of vicissitude and shock, like sand and gravel.

In March, the Northern Frontier Army successively captured Heishui, Dunhuang, Suzhou, and Ganzhou.

"The commander of Blackwater City committed suicide, and the flames soared into the sky for three days and nights without being extinguished. The people fled to the city of Ganzhou, where they were intercepted and killed by the northern cavalry in the Gobi Desert, and their corpses piled up like sand dunes."

Hearing these cold words, Li Shi'er behind the screen unconsciously took a half step back, covered her mouth tightly, and her pretty face was full of shock.

Confined within the palace walls, she had never witnessed such bloody warfare before, and her heart was violently shaken, feeling that the barbarians of the northern frontier were incredibly cruel.

Slaughtering ordinary people is worse than being an animal.

In reality, the transmission of information was very difficult in those days, and most of it was done through hearsay.

The people spread the rumor, and when it reached Xingqing Prefecture, it became known that the Northern Frontier Army had massacred the people of the entire Hexi Corridor.

But how true are these reports?
Therefore, the Jin spies only selected reliable information to report.

However, the information that followed came from the Western Xia government, making it highly credible.

"In April, the Northern Frontier Army fought a decisive battle against the main force of the Xia Kingdom at Yanzhi Mountain."

Wanyan Zonghao's tone grew increasingly solemn: "The Xia army's 80,000 elite troops formed a chariot formation, but the Northern Frontier army used sulfur oil to burn the antler-shaped barricades. Under the volley of arrows, the Xia army's formation was like boiling water poured on snow."

"Weiming Shi'an, Yeli Duowen, and dozens of other Xia generals died in battle, and 80,000 elite troops were wiped out. After the battle, the foot of Yanzhi Mountain was covered in blood..."

The intelligence from the Western Xia court was not very accurate, and they did not know the principle of the cannons, so they could only assume that it was the power of sulfur and oil.

In May, the northern border troops marched out of the Hexi Corridor and plundered seventeen cities in Hexi.

"The grain and provisions of Yuanchuan Granary were all seized by the Northern Frontier Army. Zhuoluo City and Xining Prefecture fell. Wherever the Northern Frontier cavalry passed, cities were reduced to ruins, and the people were all enslaved..."

The hall was deathly silent. Apart from the dripping sound of melting ice, only Wanyan Zonghao's cold words echoed through the hall, and everyone's expression was filled with horror.

Wanyan Jing stood straight in front of the dragon throne, staring intently at Wanyan Zonghao's figure, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

The anger caused by Li Xiao's humiliating letter had long since vanished, replaced by endless shock.

His eyes narrowed sharply, his hand gripped the longsword tightly, and he muttered to himself, "How is this possible?"

"impossible!"

His heart was filled with disbelief, and he shook his head excitedly, saying, "Xia has tens of thousands of elite troops in Hexi, plus 50,000 elite soldiers from Xingqing Prefecture, making a total of over 100,000 people in the Hexi Corridor."

"And how could the fortified walls and high ramparts of the cities in Hexi be so easily breached?"

"Eighty thousand men were wiped out in one battle by the barbarians of the northern frontier. Those were eighty thousand elite soldiers!"

"Even if there were 80,000 pigs, the people of northern Xinjiang couldn't possibly catch them all if they were placed in the Hexi Corridor."

Are the people of Xia Kingdom even dumber than pigs?

Wanyan Jing's face turned ashen, and he was filled with rage.

Normally, upon hearing the news that Western Xia had lost 80,000 troops, he would have been so happy that he couldn't sleep.

Then he immediately dispatched a large army to the west and destroyed the Xia state.

But at this moment, he was not happy at all, and was even very angry.

It turns out that what that madman in the northern border said in his letter was true.

The scimitars of the Northern Frontier have truly drunk the blood of 100,000 elite soldiers of the Xia Kingdom, and their arrows have pierced through the city walls of the Hehuang Valley.

The entire Hexi Corridor has probably already fallen into the hands of the northern frontier.

This filled Wanyan Jing with a profound sense of horror.

Is the fighting power of the Northern Frontier Army really that terrifying?
If the Jin army were to confront them, would they have a chance of victory?
Originally, he only regarded the Northern Frontier as a dog, leading it on a leash to tear apart the Liao Kingdom.

When the time was right, the Jin Dynasty sent out its entire army to conquer the Western Regions, expanding its territory to thousands of miles to the west.

But Wanyan Jing never expected that the northern frontier was not a helpless animal, but a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Now, the Northern Frontier has occupied the Hexi Corridor, swallowed up a large portion of the Xia Kingdom's population, and its strength has been further enhanced.

This made Wanyan Jing feel deeply threatened, and he was in a state of turmoil. He could only pace back and forth in the hall, his face grim and uncertain.

During this process, Wanyan Zonghao continued, "The letter from the Xia Kingdom has been delivered to the Import and Export Department."

"As far as I know, that should be a letter from the King of Xia requesting assistance."

The Western Xia was a subordinate of the Jin Dynasty. When it was bullied by the northern border, it naturally sought help from its big brother, the Jin Dynasty, to vent its anger.

Wanyan Jing seemed not to hear him; the Xia Kingdom was nothing more than a dog of the Jin Kingdom.

Wanyan Jing didn't care how many soldiers or how much territory they lost.

He only cared whether the northern border would pose a threat to the Jin Dynasty.

After a moment of contemplation, Wanyan Jing suddenly stopped, raised his head, and said fiercely, "Attack!"

"I will dispatch a large army to conquer the grasslands and wipe out those arrogant barbarians from the northern frontier."

Wanyan Zonghao was not surprised, but his expression remained solemn.

Northern Xinjiang is located in the Western Regions, thousands of miles away from Zhongdu (the capital).

Sending a large army on a long expedition would be very costly.

The preparation of provisions alone was an astronomical figure.

Moreover, the fighting strength of the Northern Frontier Army has already been proven in the Battle of Hexi.

They are extremely powerful, far surpassing even the Xia Kingdom's army.

The elite troops of the Jin army were only slightly stronger than those of the Xia army.

Therefore, to ensure victory in the war, it is necessary to send an army at least twice the size of the Northern Frontier Army.

Hundreds of thousands of infantry and cavalry marching to the grasslands is something that could only be accomplished during the most prosperous periods of a dynasty in history.

Was the Jin Dynasty powerful?
Of course, after the development of five generations of monarchs, the Jin Dynasty reached its peak during the reign of Wanyan Jing.

Then things started to decline.

However, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops for a northern expedition is still not a simple matter.

"Your Majesty, a large army expedition to the Western Regions requires 100,000 elite troops and 300,000 laborers."

"Moreover, the Song Kingdom is also eyeing the south of the Jin Dynasty with covetous intent."

According to intelligence from the Song court, at the beginning of this year, Xin Qiji, the Pacification Commissioner of Zhejiang East Circuit, submitted a memorial to the emperor requesting a northern expedition.

"Although the emperor of Song did not agree, Song officials were frequently transferred during the past six months."

"Some officials who were hostile to our Great Jin were recalled to the court by Han Tuozhou, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty."

"Your Majesty believes this matter is of great importance and must be guarded against."

"If the Song Dynasty truly decides to launch a northern expedition, and our army is also on a distant expedition to the Western Regions, wouldn't we be attacked from both sides and in danger of collapse?" Wanyan Zonghao said in a solemn voice.

Do not doubt the virtue of the officials of the Southern Song Dynasty.

There are far more cartilages than hard bones.

Before this, the court was filled with calls for peace, and the scholar-officials paid no attention to national grievances or the greater good of the nation.

They were all large landowners, owning vast tracts of fertile land, and had no desire to fight.

Isn't it better to just live a peaceful and quiet life?
Therefore, the moment Xin Qiji submitted his petition for a northern expedition, some spineless officials relayed the news to the Jin state.

Initially, the Jin dynasty's rulers and ministers did not take it seriously.

After all, every year a few hotheads would jump out of the Southern Song court, clamoring for a northern expedition. In reality, they were just accumulating political capital for themselves, shouting slogans for a northern expedition, and building up their reputation.

However, as the number of pro-war figures in the Southern Song court increased, the Jin emperor and his ministers had to take it seriously.

Ah-song, are you serious?
"Even if the Song rulers and ministers are not truly committed to the Northern Expedition, if they see our main army on a campaign to the Western Regions and take advantage of the Central Plains being vulnerable, they may well initiate a war."

"When that time comes, our Great Jin will be surrounded by wolves in front and tigers behind. How will we deal with it?"

"Therefore, Your Majesty, I humbly request that you be cautious and think twice before embarking on this expedition."

"Wanyan Zonghao said in a solemn tone, bowing deeply to Wanyan Jing."

At this moment, Wanyan Jing gradually calmed down, but his face was still bluish-purple and looked very unpleasant.

He gritted his teeth and said, "The State of Song? A bunch of weak and incompetent sheep."

“Although sheep are incompetent, with the help of wolves, they can still kill tigers,” Wanyan Zonghao said in a deep voice.

(End of this chapter)