The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 336 The Battle of the Tripod Vessels, the Wei River Breaching its Banks

In the main hall of Zhongdu, after the Jin emperor and his ministers finished discussing the military situation, the Privy Councilor Wanyan Xiang took out another report.

"Your Majesty! News has come from the Chang'an Garrison that the Northern Frontier Army has apparently unearthed a bronze cauldron at the bottom of the Wei River east of Xianyang City. They claim it is one of the nine cauldrons of Yu the Great that have been lost for thousands of years, the Yongzhou Cauldron."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Jing's expression immediately changed: "Utter nonsense!"

"Shameless!"

“A thousand years ago, the bronze artifact was buried in the Wei River and was eroded by the river and silt every day. Even if such an object really existed, it should have rusted into a pile of broken copper and iron long ago. How could it still be identified as the Yongzhou Ding?”

Wanyan Xiang hurriedly stepped forward, handed the report to the eunuch, and presented it to Wanyan Jing, his tone equally indignant: "Your Majesty, please investigate."

"In order to create momentum, the barbarians of the northern frontier even fabricated lies, saying that this cauldron was cast by Yu the Great using copper from Shou Mountain, and was a gift from the immortals, which can ensure its immortality for ten thousand years."

"Its reappearance in the world today is clear proof that 'the Mandate of Heaven has returned to the northern frontier'."

"Shoushan Copper? A divine artifact?"

Wanyan Jing grabbed the military report, quickly scanned a few lines, and then angrily threw it on the ground, the armrest of the dragon throne creaking under his grip.

"These barbarians from the northern frontier are actually using such clumsy tricks to fool the people."

"Does everyone in the world think they're fools?"

Upon seeing this, His Highness's ministers erupted in uproar, and a chorus of curses filled the air:

"That's utter nonsense. The story of Yu the Great casting the tripod is mostly a legend. Where did this Shoushan copper come from that can last for ten thousand years?"

"The Northern Frontier Army resorts to these underhanded tactics when they can't win; they've utterly disgraced themselves!"

"That's right. Our Great Jin has occupied the Central Plains for so many years, and we've never seen any Nine Tripods. They dug them up as soon as they arrived in Guanzhong. It's obviously a fake."

Curses rang out continuously in the main hall, all shocked by the shamelessness of the people from the Northern Frontier.

Soon, an elderly minister with white hair and beard slowly stepped forward and said in a heavy tone, "Your Majesty, although we know that the Yongzhou tripod was forged by the Northern Frontier Army, the people do not know!"

"Since ancient times, the common people have been incredibly foolish. How could they distinguish between truth and falsehood? They have always been superstitious about destiny and auspicious omens."

"When the people of Guanzhong hear about this, they will probably really think that the northern frontier is the will of Heaven. At that time, the hearts of the people will turn against us, which will be even more detrimental to our Great Jin's defense of Chang'an."

These words only fueled Wanyan Jing's anger.

Leaning back on the dragon throne with a livid face, how could he not know this principle?
The Jin dynasty was able to rule the Central Plains not only through military suppression, but also by using the concept of "divine mandate" to consolidate popular support, so they naturally understood the advantages and disadvantages.

Now that the Northern Frontier Army has taken the lead in using the "Yongzhou Cauldron" to create momentum, if this rumor is allowed to spread, the people of Guanzhong may indeed lean towards the Northern Frontier.

The Minister of Rites stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we must immediately announce this to the world and expose the lies of the people of the Northern Frontier."

"The copper from Shoushan is just ordinary copper ore; how could it possibly be immortal?"

"Then send people to Guanzhong to spread the news that the cauldron was buried in the Wei River by the Northern Frontier Army in advance and was deliberately dug out to deceive people, so that the people would know the truth of its forgery."

"This plan is good, but it may not be effective."

Another minister shook his head and retorted: "The people are mostly ignorant. Once they have a preconceived notion of auspicious omens, it is extremely difficult to change their minds."

"Moreover, Guanzhong is now mostly occupied by people from the northern frontier, making it extremely difficult for our people to spread information in depth."

The Minister of Revenue, after a moment of contemplation, said, "Your Majesty, since the Northern Frontier can use the Nine Tripods to create momentum, why can't we?"

“Our Great Jin Dynasty occupies the rightful land of the Central Plains, so naturally we can also ‘find’ a Nine Tripods.”

Wanyan Jing was slightly taken aback, then nodded silently: "Although this method is somewhat deceptive, it is a last resort."

"The barbarians of the northern frontier broke the rules first, and they can use the Nine Tripods to fool the people. Why can't our Great Jin do the same?"

"If he can have the Yongzhou Cauldron, then I can find the Jizhou Cauldron."

"As long as we can stabilize public sentiment and defend Guanzhong, what harm is there in taking a few drastic measures?"

Immediately, Wanyan Jing ordered: "Immediately order the Hanlin Academy to draft a document denouncing the Northern Frontier Army's crime of forging the Yongzhou Ding and deceiving the world."

“Send envoys to various prefectures and counties in Guanzhong to contact the gentry who are still loyal to the Jin Dynasty and ask them to secretly explain the truth to the people.”

"As for the matter of replicating the Nine Tripods, order the Ministry of Works to begin preparations immediately, as quickly as possible."

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the ministers replied in unison.

In this era of superstition and belief in destiny, a "battle for the cauldrons" might have a greater impact on the world's situation than battles on the battlefield.

……

In July, the weather in Guanzhong changes as quickly as a child's temper.

Yesterday the sky was clear and blue, but today it's covered in dark clouds.

Wearing an oilcloth raincoat, Li Xiao led his personal guards, trudging through the muddy roads, to inspect various parts of the military camp.

"Be careful, everyone. Wrap the waterproof tarpaulin two more times, and press the edges firmly. We absolutely cannot let the gunpowder get damp," Li Xiao shouted.

They walked to the soldiers' barracks, lifted the corner of the tent flap, and found that although it was a bit crowded inside, it was relatively dry. The soldiers were warming themselves around a charcoal brazier, drying their damp clothes.

Li Xiao chatted with these low-ranking soldiers about daily life in the barracks, combat situations, and whether generals had withheld merits.

Finally, he added, "Drinking raw water is strictly prohibited. Rainwater and river water must be boiled before use."

"Dysentery and epidemics are most likely to break out during the rainy season. Anyone who dares to be careless will be dealt with by military law."

One of the households nodded quickly: "Don't worry, Grand Protector, we remember!"

"There is enough coal and coke delivered from Helan Mountain, and the charcoal fire has never stopped burning. There is enough for cooking and heating."

Li Xiao nodded upon hearing this. The nobles and landowners of Western Xia were currently being held captive in the Helan Mountains, where they were working day and night to mine coal and smelt it, ensuring that the Northern Frontier Army had no worries about heating and cooking during the rainy season, thus avoiding the trouble of damp wood being difficult to ignite.

After inspecting the military camp, Li Xiao's raincoat was soaked through. When he returned to the golden tent, he saw Wu Lizhen, the military advisor of Xuande Division, and Zhang Shitou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, already waiting in the tent.

Both men looked solemn, and upon seeing him enter, they quickly rose and bowed.

"The rain in July really comes down without warning."

Li Xiao took off the raincoat, handed the damp clothes to his personal guards to dry, sat on the tiger-skin chair, and rubbed his temples.

With a tone full of helplessness, he said, "Yesterday it was so clear that you could see Chang'an City on the other side of the Wei River, but today it's like this."

"If the cannons get damp, let alone attacking a city, you can't even test fire them."

"The Wei River is swollen, and we have to wait for the rain to stop before we can cross it to attack Chang'an."

"The most troublesome thing is this damp weather. If the soldiers get sick, our combat effectiveness will be reduced by half."

He paused, his gaze turning gravely to the south bank of the Wei River: "Attack Chang'an now, things are even more complicated."

Zhang Shitou stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Great Protector, there is more bad news."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard has learned that 30,000 elite Jin troops have arrived at Tongguan, only 300 li away from Chang'an. Under normal weather conditions, they will be able to reach the outskirts of Chang'an in less than eight days."

Now, a torrential rain has fallen, making the roads muddy and the supplies difficult to move, delaying the journey by half. It is estimated that the journey will take fifteen days to reach Chang'an.

However, the Northern Xinjiang Army's operations also had to be suspended due to the heavy rain.

Therefore, time is fair to both sides.

"These Song soldiers are useless," Li Xiao couldn't help but curse.

"I thought they could hold out in the Central Plains for a few more months, but I didn't expect the Jin army to be able to spare the time to support Guanzhong so quickly."

Li Xiao had long known that the Song army would be defeated. This was not something that Han Tuozhou alone could save. The Song state was riddled with deep-seated problems, and the court was full of pro-peace factions who were dragging their feet. Defeat was inevitable.

Unexpectedly, they couldn't even delay the Jin army's forces.

Silence fell over the tent for a moment.

Zhang Shitou and Wu Lizhen both knew that these 30,000 Jin soldiers were far superior to the militia in Xianyang City; they were elite infantry and cavalry who had fought against the Song army for many years.

Their combat power is in no way inferior to that of the Northern Frontier Army. If they were to join forces with the Jin army in Chang'an, the difficulty for the Northern Frontier Army to attack Chang'an would increase several times over.

"We cannot let the State of Song collapse like this."

Li Xiao tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his eyes hardening: "The State of Song can be defeated, but it cannot fall."

The Song state must continue to contain the Jin forces in the Central Plains; otherwise, if the Jin state were to launch a full-scale attack on Guanzhong, the Northern Frontier Army would have no choice but to retreat to Lingzhou.

The direct cause of the failure of the Northern Expedition in history was the repeated defeats of the Song army on the battlefield. The fundamental reason was that after Han Tuozhou was killed, the pro-peace faction Shi Miyuan took power and negotiated peace with the Jin Dynasty, which completely destroyed the possibility of the Northern Expedition.

"Han Tuozhou cannot die," Li Xiao murmured.

If a peace advocate like Shi Miyuan came to power and the Song and Jin dynasties made peace, the Jin dynasty would have no more concerns about the south and would definitely send more troops to Guanzhong.

"What does the Grand Protector mean...?" Zhang Shitou was confused. How could Han Tuozhou be dead?

However, considering Li Xiao's previous precise operations, Zhang Shitou felt that Li Xiao could see the future and had long regarded Li Xiao as a god.

If the Grand Protector says Han Tuozhou is in danger, then he must be.

"Immediately send someone to the State of Song to contact Han Tuozhou."

Li Xiao ordered, "Tell him that if he doesn't want the Northern Expedition to fail, he should take care of himself first and not lose his life."

"Your subordinate obeys." Zhang Shitou bowed and accepted the order.

Then, Li Xiao came to the Guanzhong map and looked at the mark of Tongguan, which was at the tail of the Yellow River's "几" shape.

It is the junction of the Wei River and the Yellow River. The Yellow River flows eastward from here, and it is also the gateway to Guanzhong. The terrain is dangerous and strategic.

If the Northern Frontier Army takes Guanzhong, they must take Tongguan no matter what.

Looking at the location of Tongguan, Li Xiao pondered for a moment, then slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them: "Summon Yang Shoujing."

Shortly after, Yang Shoujing, dressed in his soaking wet armor, handed his sword to the guard outside the door and entered the tent: "Grand Protector."

With his back to him, Li Xiao said in a deep voice, "Select a group of soldiers who are good at swimming and trustworthy, and send them to Huazhou..."

After listening to Li Xiao's instructions, Yang Shoujing remained expressionless and nodded emphatically, saying, "This subordinate obeys." He then turned and left the golden tent, leading his men to Huazhou to carry out the mission.

Li Xiao turned to Wu Lizhen: "How's the publicity for the Yongzhou Cauldron going? What's the reaction from the soldiers and the people of Guanzhong?"

Wu Lizhen quickly stepped forward and handed over a document: "Grand Protector, the results are better than expected."

"The soldiers in the army all say that the Yongzhou Cauldron is clear evidence that the Mandate of Heaven has been given to the northern frontier. Although we are now facing obstacles due to the rainy season, it is also a test from Heaven for us. Our morale is even higher."

"Many people in Guanzhong say that we have come from the heavens, and they are not so afraid of our Northern Frontier Army anymore."

"Moreover, our people told the people that they could get land in Lingzhou, and many people were tempted."

Li Xiao took the document, quickly scanned a few lines, and his tense expression eased slightly: "Good, we can't lose the hearts and morale of the people."

"Continue to spread the word so that the people of Guanzhong know that our Northern Frontier Army is not only good at fighting, but also destined by heaven. If they follow our Northern Frontier Army, they can get land and make money, and they can eat their fill every day."

Propaganda is just a means; what truly convinces the people is tangible benefits.

Although the people believed in fate, they believed even more in their own stomachs. Whoever could feed them, they would follow.

Therefore, Li Xiao instructed the people of Xuande Division to inform the people of Guanzhong about the policies of the northern frontier as much as possible.

“Go to the northern frontier to distribute land, and only pay 40% rent and tax.”

This slogan must be deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people of Guanzhong.

In Lingzhou to the north, land redistribution is underway. Once you go to Lingzhou, each household can rent several dozen acres of farmland from the Grand Protectorate, and you only need to pay 40% of the rent as tax.

But the prerequisite is that you have to go to Lingzhou.

Because Guanzhong, which originally belonged to the Jin Dynasty, is still in a war-torn area.

It was impossible to implement the public land system in northern Xinjiang.

They still collected taxes according to the old system of the Jin Dynasty.

The land rent of the gentry and powerful was generally 60%, and the unscrupulous ones could even reach 70%.

In addition to the Jin state's regular taxes and other exorbitant levies, the people only received about 20% of the taxes, often resulting in the predicament of "not having enough grain to pay rent and taxes".

Meanwhile, in northern Guanzhong, although the gentry and powerful families had been overthrown, the Northern Frontier Army appointed a group of 'tax officials' in each village, and the people still had to pay taxes and rent to support the army on the front lines of the Northern Frontier.

Although the taxes were lower, they still reached 70%.

If the tax collectors fail to pay their share, they will be in trouble, thus shifting the conflict to the people. The Northern Frontier Army, being in a high position, is naturally easier to manage.

Once the war in Guanzhong is quelled, a group of demobilized military officers will go there to establish a basic management framework and bring Guanzhong under the complete control of the northern frontier.

But for the common people at this time, with 40% on one side and 70% on the other, coupled with the constant warfare in Guanzhong, their lives were not necessarily guaranteed.

On the contrary, the further north one went, the safer it became, so naturally many people were willing to migrate to Lingzhou with their families.

The actions taken by the Northern Frontier in Guanzhong were, in effect, to force people to migrate to Lingzhou to replenish the population that had migrated from Lingzhou to the northern deserts and the Hexi Corridor.

After all, the migration of Han people from the Central Plains to other areas has been a national policy that has remained unchanged in the northern frontier for centuries.

……

The official road outside Tongguan was muddy and impassable.

Thirty thousand Jin infantry and cavalrymen marched with difficulty; the rain soaked their armor and dampened their morale.

"This damn weather, when will it ever end?" A soldier cursed as he pulled his leg out of the mud, his trousers covered in mud.

The person next to him chimed in, "Damn it, we were doing just fine in Luoyang, why did we come all the way to Guanzhong?"

"That's right, there's the Northern Frontier Army in Guanzhong, and we still have the Song Army in the Central Plains!"

"I've heard that the Northern Frontier Army is even more difficult to deal with than the Song Army."

"Of course! The imperial court suffered heavy losses in Guanzhong. I heard that several large armies were wiped out. How can they fight as freely as they did with the Song Dynasty?"

"Chang'an is still several hundred miles away. If we keep walking like this, we'll be soaked to death by the heavy rain before we even have to fight the Northern Frontier Army!"

Complaints rose and fell in the ranks, and more and more soldiers slowed their pace, their faces full of fatigue and dissatisfaction.

The Henan envoy, Jia Gushaning, stood at the front of the column, listening to the complaints behind him. His expression remained unchanged, but he directly beheaded two soldiers who wanted to stop and rest in front of everyone.

He shouted to the crowd, "Anyone who dares to stand still will suffer this fate."

"Chang'an is in grave danger. The Northern Frontier Army has already approached the city. As the elite of the Great Jin, how can we retreat because of the heavy rain?"

"If Chang'an falls and Guanzhong is occupied, our compatriots in Guanzhong will become slaves of the Northern Frontier Army."

The effect of making an example of someone was immediate; the complaints in the ranks disappeared instantly. However, the soldiers' morale remained low. After all, what did it matter to them, the people of Henan, whether the people of Guanzhong were enslaved or not?
That evening, Jia Gushaning convened a meeting of his generals.

“Chang’an is now only left with Wanyan Gang’s Fengxiang Army and the gentry militia. Although the Northern Frontier Army cannot use cannons due to the heavy rain, they may still attack the city at any time. We must get there as soon as possible,” Jia Gushaning said in a deep voice.

A general frowned and said, “Commander, it’s not that the brothers are unwilling to travel, but the heavy rain has been falling for several days. The soldiers are cold and hungry, and many have caught a cold.”

"In my opinion, we should take a break for now and speed up again when the weather improves. Anyway, the Northern Frontier Army's artillery is unusable, so they can't take Chang'an in a short time."

"Yes, Commander!"

Another general chimed in, "We generals are eager to make a name for ourselves, and we don't mind braving the wind and rain, but it's different for the soldiers!"

"A bunch of lazy bums, what do they know about national righteousness? All they know is how to rob money."

In reality, for soldiers, winning a battle means no promotion or wealth; at most, they might receive a small reward. But losing a battle means certain death, so why would they be willing to fight to the death? What is the value of national righteousness?

Jia Gushaning fell silent. He knew the generals were right; the heavy rain had indeed brought morale to rock bottom, and forcing them to continue their journey might trigger a mutiny.

However, the military situation in Chang'an was urgent. If the Northern Frontier Army were to recover, Chang'an would truly be lost.

He pondered for a moment, a ruthless glint in his eyes, and said to the crowd, "I know your difficulties and the thoughts of the soldiers."

"I have made the decision that as long as we defeat the Northern Frontier Army and recapture Xianyang, Qingyang, and other places, I will petition His Majesty to allow you to 'not refrain from using weapons'!"

"Is it not prohibited to use weapons?"

The generals' eyes lit up. This meant that after breaching the city, the soldiers could plunder freely, taking gold, silver, treasures, women, and slaves at will.

Jia Gushaning nodded, his tone enticing: "The Northern Frontier Army plundered many wealthy households in Guanzhong and seized countless amounts of gold and silver."

"If we win, I promise to give half of these spoils to the soldiers. Then everyone will be able to earn merit and get rich. Why would I be afraid that the soldiers won't fight to the death?"

The generals were overjoyed and quickly rose to accept the order: "We will obey your command and will certainly urge the soldiers to reach Chang'an as soon as possible!"

The next morning, the heavy rain stopped, though the sky was still covered with dark clouds.

After learning of the promises of "no ban on fighting" and the distribution of spoils, the morale of the Jin soldiers indeed soared, and their marching speed increased considerably.

But the good weather didn't last long. On the third day, the rain poured down again. The rainy season in Guanzhong is usually rainy, and this rain was even heavier than before, making the official road muddy again.

On the fourth day, the Jin army finally arrived in Huazhou. After replenishing their supplies in the city, Jiagushaning left 1,000 troops to defend the city, while the main force continued to advance towards Chang'an.

Late at night, the heavy rain still hadn't stopped. Jia Gushaning lay in his tent, tossing and turning, feeling a strange unease in his heart.

He rose and summoned his personal guards, asking, "Have the scouts brought back any news? What's the situation with the Northern Frontier Army?"

The guard bowed and said, "Commander, the scouts have not yet brought back any news. They only say that the Northern Frontier Army is still in the Xianyang area and there are no signs of them attacking the city."

Jia Gushaning frowned, his unease growing stronger: "Send the order down to have the scouts expand the search area."

Although launching a night attack in heavy rain is a lose-lose tactic, the Northern Frontier Army is known for its cunning and ruthlessness, so we must be wary of them.

"Yes, sir." The guard quickly accepted the order and left.

Meanwhile, on the south bank of the Wei River, Yang Shoujing was leading more than two hundred soldiers from the northern frontier dressed in civilian clothes, busy in the heavy rain.

These soldiers were carefully selected by him; they were all skilled swimmers. Under the cover of night, they boarded small boats and smuggled themselves to the south bank.

Their only goal was to breach the dike.

The Wei River is the largest tributary of the Yellow River. It flows through the southern part of the Loess Plateau. The water carries a large amount of silt, which is deposited in the lower reaches, forming a section of the river above ground.

Historically, there have been more than two hundred recorded breaches of the dikes, and even in later generations, there have been more than a dozen serious floods.

Li Xiao had this in mind, which is why he decided to use floods to deal with the Jin army.

The rain drowned out the sounds of digging, as the soldiers, shovels in hand, frantically dug at the riverbank.

As dawn approached, the Weihe River embankment was finally breached.

The turbid river water, like a wild horse, widened the gap that was originally only about one meter wide, and the surging floodwaters rushed towards the south bank of the Wei River.

Just then, Jia Gushaning had barely fallen asleep when he was awakened by a loud roar.

He sat up abruptly, muttering to himself in confusion, "What was that sound?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than screams and shouts of soldiers came from outside the tent: "Water! The flood is coming! Run!"

Jia Gushaning felt a pang of anxiety and rushed out of the tent.

The sight before him shocked him: raging floodwaters swept in from the direction of the Wei River, the current so rapid that it could reach above the knees, yet no one could drown.

"Has the Wei River breached its banks?"

Jia Gushaning's expression changed drastically. There was no time to distinguish whether it was a natural disaster or a man-made one; he had to stop the soldiers from panicking.

"Stop it! Everyone stop! Don't run around!" Jia Gushaning shouted.

"The flood won't kill us."

These days are the time of torrential rain, and when Jia Gushaning was choosing a campsite, he first ruled out some low-lying areas to avoid the soldiers waking up in the morning to find themselves soaked in water.

Therefore, the camp was located on relatively high ground. The floodwaters were knee-deep, but no one drowned.

But the most terrifying thing was that the sudden flood triggered panic among the soldiers.

Coupled with the arduous march of the previous days, the soldiers were demoralized. When they were suddenly caught in the flood, they instinctively fled in all directions, showing signs of a mutiny.

(End of this chapter)