The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 339 The Northern Expedition Fails, the Lin'an Coup

As the smoke from the Eastern Front gradually dissipated, the riverbanks and valleys were littered with corpses and broken weapons.

The Northern Frontier Army rested here for a day, and it wasn't until the evening of the second day that Gao Zhongyi presented the compiled battle report to Li Xiao: "Grand Protector, in this battle our army killed more than 11,000 Jin soldiers and captured more than 25,000, including 17 Jin generals..."

"Our army suffered more than 4,300 casualties, including 2,100 killed in action and 2,200 seriously wounded."

Li Xiao took the battle report and looked at the casualty figures on it, his face full of solemnity.

"With only 30,000 elite Jin troops, our army suffered more than 4,000 casualties..."

"The fighting power of this Jin army is indeed well-deserved."

He looked up at the pile of Jin army corpses in the distance, his tone grave: "This is still in the open field, and our army has the advantage in numbers, with cavalry and firearms supporting us."

"If it were a siege, facing the complex environment of urban warfare, the casualty ratio of our army would probably be an unprecedented one to one in order to deal with such elite troops."

This is the first time since the establishment of the Northern Frontier Army that it has suffered such a high casualty rate, with some centurions even being crippled.

In this world, perhaps only the elite troops of the Jin army possess such formidable fighting power and willpower.

However, after the fierce battle, the surviving soldiers of the Northern Frontier were undoubtedly the elite.

Each of them was capable of serving as a shihu (a military officer), or even a duwei (a military officer) or baihu (a military officer).

The skinny monkey beside him nodded in agreement: "Yes, Great Protector, the Jin army's elite individual combat strength and tactical coordination are almost on par with our Six Garrisons."

"Fortunately, the Jin Kingdom does not have many such elite troops."

Wanyan Gang's forces numbered approximately 20,000, with around 30,000 each near the Jiehao defense line and in Zhongdu, and over 40,000 on the Central Plains battlefield. All in all, the total number was no more than a few hundred thousand.

The remaining hundreds of thousands of Jin troops were mostly militia temporarily recruited, and their combat effectiveness was slightly inferior to that of the militia in the northern border region.

……

Just as the results of the battles on the eastern front were being tallied, the battle outside Qingyang City was raging fiercely.

The Jin army surged towards the city walls like a tidal wave, with ladders covering the walls and soldiers climbing over the corpses of their comrades.

The Northern Frontier Army on the city walls put up a fierce resistance with rolling stones, hot oil, cannons, and crossbows, resulting in extremely heavy casualties on both sides.

Lin Dazhuang, leaning on his iron crutch, stood at the highest point of the city wall, his sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed on the Jin army outside the city.

One of his legs was useless. Although it did not affect his command of cavalry battles, he relied entirely on an iron crutch to walk on ordinary days.

On one occasion, Li Xiao called him "Iron-Crutch General," and this nickname spread from there.

He was covered in blood, but showed no signs of fatigue. Instead, he shouted loudly at the northern soldiers on the city wall.

"Keep your spirits up, don't embarrass us men from the northern frontier."

"The Jurchens are a bunch of weak sheep; they won't last long."

"The Grand Protector has led the main force around to the rear of the Golden Dogs. It won't be long before we annihilate this group of Golden Dogs here."

As he shouted, he walked past the soldiers on his crutch. Whenever this happened, the exhausted soldiers would instantly straighten their backs and their fighting spirit would be rekindled in their eyes.

A young soldier was grazed on the arm by an arrow from the Jin army. He was still wearing the tattered armor of the captured Xia army, which showed that he was not a soldier of the Six Garrisons, but a militia member of Lingzhou.

Seeing Lin Dazhuang approaching, he immediately gritted his teeth, raised his shield, and roared at the Jin army below the city: "You scoundrels! Come on! I'm not afraid of you!"

Lin Dazhuang patted him on the shoulder and said in a loud voice, "Good lad, this is a true man of the Northern Frontier."

"Once we win the war, I'll treat you to some strong liquor."

Thanks to the large influx of immigrants into northern Xinjiang, the land in various parts of northern Xinjiang has been developed.

However, most of the newly reclaimed land is saline-alkali land, which is not suitable for growing wheat and millet. Therefore, soybeans and sorghum will be planted in the first three years to improve the saline-alkali soil.

Soybeans can be pressed for oil and made into tofu, serving as a substitute for meat to supplement the nutrients the human body needs.

Sorghum has a poor taste, so when there is no shortage of food, people in northern Xinjiang use sorghum to brew wine.

This led to the creation of one of the most affordable liquors in northern Xinjiang: Shaodaozi.

It was very popular among ordinary people and soldiers.

Meanwhile, outside the city, Wanyan Gang's face grew increasingly grim as he watched Qingyang remain unconquered.

He personally beat the drum to cheer them on, but the Northern Frontier Army on the city wall remained stubborn. The corpses of the Jin soldiers piled up like mountains below the city, but they were still unable to break through the Northern Frontier Army's defenses.

Just as the sun was about to set and Wanyan Gang was preparing to sound the retreat and fight again the next day, a scout galloped up from behind and nearly fell as he dismounted.

"General, General, something terrible has happened!"

The scout's voice was filled with panic: "The Eastern Route Army... the Eastern Route Army is in grave danger!"

"General Jiagushaning is under siege by the main forces of the First and Second Garrisons in the Northern Frontier and is about to collapse."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Gang was struck dumb, and the drumstick in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

"what?"

He suddenly looked up at the golden sun and moon battle flag fluttering atop Qingyang City, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

"The main force of the First Division? Isn't Li Xiao in Qingyang City?"

The next second, he immediately realized, "Damn it, we've fallen for their trap."

"This...this is a decoy!"

He immediately realized that the golden sun and moon battle flags in Qingyang City were fake; only a portion of the troops in the city were elites from the First Town, while the rest were militia.

Li Xiao was not in the city at all. Instead, he led the main force of the First Division across the Ziwu Ridge from the Yanchuan River Valley and infiltrated into the eastern front battlefield.

Li Xiao's strategic goal was neither to defend Qingyang City to the death, nor to bypass Wanyan Gang's supply lines by going around to the rear.

It was for the Eastern Route Army of Jiagushaning from the very beginning.

"Damn~"

Wanyan Gang was so angry that he trembled all over and kicked over the drum stand next to him.

"That scoundrel Li Xiao actually used Qingyang as bait to lure my main force to stay here while he went to launch a surprise attack on the Eastern Route Army."

The surrounding generals were also in an uproar: "How could that villain Li Xiao be so vicious?"

"The main forces of the two northern border armies have all gone to Sanhe Town? We need to send troops to support them immediately!"

"Don't worry, General Jiagu has 40,000 troops under his command, 30,000 of whom are elite soldiers who followed him from the Central Plains battlefield. They will definitely be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

"We can't be careless. General Jia Gu's troops are elite, but aren't the Northern Frontier Army also elite?"

"The First and Second Garrisons of the Northern Frontier are all Li Xiao's old forces, the old camps of the Northern Frontier."

"General, we must go to support Sanhe Town immediately. The Eastern Route Army cannot be allowed to fail, otherwise we will become an isolated force in Guanzhong."

Wanyan Gang took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and immediately ordered: "Wanyan Duolong, I hereby order you to lead 10,000 cavalrymen to set off early tomorrow morning to reinforce the eastern army as quickly as possible."

"We must protect Jiagushaning and the 40,000 troops!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" A burly general immediately accepted the order and turned to gather his soldiers.

The Jin army fought fiercely under the walls of Qingyang for a day, and as night fell, they could only set off the next day.

But on the morning of the second day, just as Wanyan Duolong was preparing to lead his army out to war, another scout rode a fast horse to the camp.

His face was deathly pale. He came to the main tent and knelt down in terror before Wanyan Gang, saying, "General, the Eastern Route Army... the entire Eastern Route Army has been wiped out."

"General Jiagushaning committed suicide for his country, and the 40,000-strong army... is all gone!"

"what?"

Wanyan Gang's vision went black, and he almost fell to the ground, but fortunately, the general beside him caught him in time.

His face was ashen, his lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

The surrounding generals were in an uproar, with one exclaiming, "The entire...the entire army wiped out? How could it be so fast?"

"The fighting power of the Northern Frontier Army is so formidable?"

"No way, absolutely impossible."

"General Jiagu's troops are the elite of our Great Jin, who routed the Song army. General Jiagu is also a veteran general of our Great Jin. How could he have suffered such a crushing defeat?"

"It's true, General," the scout said in a panic.

"The soldiers who escaped confessed that the town of Sanhe was littered with the corpses of our Jin soldiers; it was a truly horrific sight."

All the generals were pale and extremely solemn: "It's over... The Eastern Route Army is gone, and our rear will probably be cut off by the Northern Frontier Army as well."

Wanyan Gang held onto the chair and it took him a while to regain his balance.

He gazed at the distant walls of Qingyang, his eyes filled with despair.

The annihilation of the Eastern Route Army meant that, apart from the Qinzhou Army which was guarding the Fourth Garrison in the northern frontier, the Jin army in Guanzhong was left with less than 60,000 men under his command.

Without the restraint of Jiagushaning's army, the main force of the Northern Frontier Army led by Li Xiao could detour to the western front at any time and cut off his retreat.

"We can't stay here any longer."

With a ferocious expression, Wanyan Gang immediately ordered, "Have Wanyan Duolong's reinforcements turn around and retreat with the main army."

"Abandon the attack on Qingyang and retreat to Chang'an as quickly as possible!"

"General! Qingyang is about to fall. Wouldn't it be a pity to retreat now?" a general asked, puzzled.

"What's a pity?"

Wanyan Gang roared, "If we don't leave now, we won't even be able to get back to Chang'an!"

"As long as we have the green hills, we'll have a chance to make a comeback. As long as we return to Chang'an, we'll still have a chance to make a comeback."

Wanyan Gang clenched his fist tightly, his tone resolute: "Qingyang is a poisoned pancake. It seems like we're about to conquer it, but it's actually Li Xiao's trap."

“If we stay here and wait for the main force of the Northern Frontier Army to arrive, we will definitely be caught in an inside attack and wiped out.”

Although the generals were unwilling, they knew the situation was critical and had no choice but to obey orders.

The Jin army began a hasty retreat, and the soldiers who were preparing to launch a fierce attack on the city walls returned to their posts and fled towards Chang'an.

Seeing the Jin army retreat, Lin Dazhuang on the city wall understood that the war on the eastern front was over and that the main force led by Li Xiao and Li Dongjiang had defeated the Jin army.

He burst into laughter: "The Golden Dog has escaped, and the Grand Protector's plan has succeeded."

"Brothers, we won."

The soldiers of the Northern Frontier Army cheered, their weary faces finally breaking into victorious smiles. The smoke of battle beneath Qingyang gradually dissipated, and from this moment on, the tide of war in Guanzhong completely turned in favor of the Northern Frontier Army.

……

Meanwhile, reports of defeats on the Central Plains battlefield were drifting like snowflakes to Lin'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty.

The central army originally planned to march from Huainan and directly attack Kaifeng of the Jin Kingdom, but it was ambushed by the main force of the Jin army in Tangzhou.

The Jin army used its cavalry advantage to outflank the Song army and cut off their supply lines before launching a fierce frontal attack. The Song army was thrown into chaos, and soldiers abandoned their weapons and fled.

In this battle, the Song army suffered tens of thousands of casualties, and countless others fled or were captured, with their organization almost completely destroyed.

Although the Eastern Route Army was the main force of the Song army, its situation was even more miserable.

Originally intending to march north from Yangzhou to form a pincer movement with the central army, they underestimated the strength of the Jin army's defenses.

The Jin army held firm in the city, and when the Song army was unable to capture it after a long siege and their morale was low, they suddenly launched a counterattack. They not only recovered the city they had previously lost, but also pursued the enemy in their victory.

They advanced southwards and have now entered Song territory, their forces pointing directly at Jiankang and Qizhou along the Yangtze River, only a few hundred miles from Lin'an.

Just as the Song army was suffering repeated defeats, the Jin dynasty's official letter arrived at the Lin'an imperial palace.

The official letter was strongly worded, each word like a knife: "The Song court broke its alliance and launched a northern expedition, invading our territory."

"Now that our Great Jin has assembled its troops to march south, if the Song court does not execute Han Tuozhou, the chief culprit in advocating war, and present his head as a sign of sincerity, our army will surely capture Lin'an and turn it into a second Kaifeng."

This official letter was like a thunderbolt, causing a huge uproar in the Southern Song court.

The pro-peace officials, led by Shi Miyuan, were the first to launch an attack, kneeling and weeping in the court: "Your Majesty, I have long said that the Northern Expedition is unwise."

"Our Song Dynasty's military strength is far inferior to that of the Jin Dynasty. Now our army is suffering a crushing defeat, and the Jin army is already approaching the Yangtze River. If we do not obey the Jin Dynasty's demands, Lin'an will be in imminent danger!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Another pro-peace official chimed in, saying, "Han Tuozhou insisted on the northern expedition, disregarding the empty treasury and exhausted soldiers. Now he has caused a great disaster and should atone with his death."

"Only by killing Han Tuozhou can we quell the Jin's anger and protect the people of Lin'an."

The debates in the court were incessant. Emperor Ningzong of Song, who had originally been a staunch supporter of the Northern Expedition, looked increasingly solemn as he saw the reports of defeats on the Central Plains battlefield and the Jin Dynasty's ultimatum. The determination in his eyes gradually wavered.

He remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "Minister Han, the battle situation is critical now. The Jin army is approaching the Yangtze River. Do you have any plans to repel the enemy?"

Han Tuozhou's heart sank upon hearing this.

He knew that the emperor's attitude had changed.

Although he was a powerful minister, the imperial power remained supreme, and he was respected by the gentry. If he were to form a major force with the pro-peace faction, Han Tuozhou would be unable to resist.

He suppressed his anxiety, stepped forward, and called out loudly, "Your Majesty."

"Although the Jin army was powerful, it was already at its last gasp."

"They are engaged in fierce battles with the Northern Frontier Army in Guanzhong, and their main force is tied down. The force that is now heading south is just a detachment."

"As long as our army holds firm on the Yangtze River defense line, recruits militia to support the front line, and contacts the Northern Frontier Army to send troops from Guanzhong to contain the Jin army, the Jin army will retreat without a fight."

"Contact the Northern Frontier Army?"

Shi Miyuan sneered, "Prime Minister Han has probably forgotten that the Northern Frontier Army is far away in Guanzhong, thousands of miles away from our Great Song. As the saying goes, 'distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.' By the time the Northern Frontier Army makes a move, Lin'an will probably have already been captured by the Jin army."

"Moreover, the Northern Frontier Army and the Jin Kingdom are mortal enemies. Even if they send troops, it will be for their own interests. How could they sincerely help our Great Song?"

"Lord Shi, you are mistaken!"

Han Tuozhou retorted, "If the Northern Frontier Army is fighting against the Jin Dynasty, it would also be advantageous for the Song Dynasty to contain the Jin army in the south."

"If we were to execute the Prime Minister now and kneel down to the Jin Dynasty to sue for peace, it would not only bring shame to the Song Dynasty but also become a laughingstock throughout the world. The Jin Dynasty would then certainly take advantage of this situation."

No matter how hard Han Tuozhou argued, the voices of the pro-peace officials grew louder and louder.

There was nothing that could be done; the Song army was simply incompetent, suffering a crushing defeat on the Central Plains battlefield, which directly impacted the political situation at court.

Most of the aristocratic families were opportunists, indifferent to whether they advocated war or peace; they would side with whichever option was more advantageous to them.

All of Han Tuozhou's and Shi Miyuan's actions were actually aimed at gaining more support from the gentry.

The court was rife with arguments, resembling a bustling marketplace.

Emperor Zhao Kuo sat on his throne, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

His will to launch a northern expedition had long since wavered, but the voices of the pro-war faction still held some sway in the court at present.

Han Tuozhou had cultivated his power for many years, and not only did he have many loyal officials under his command, but he had also won over some generals who held military power. Rushing to deal with him might cause turmoil in the court.

Therefore, Emperor Ningzong of Song simply encouraged Han Tuozhou: "Minister Han, the country is in dire straits now. I hope you can do your best to devise a plan and defeat the enemy as soon as possible, so as not to disappoint my expectations."

After saying this, he hastily announced the end of the court session, citing "ill health" as the reason.

Han Tuozhou breathed a sigh of relief, while Shi Miyuan stood in the hall, watching Han Tuozhou's departing figure, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He had already secretly colluded with the Jin envoy.

The Jin state promised that as long as Han Tuozhou was eliminated, it would not only cease hostilities with the Song state, but would also allow the Southern Song to retain the land south of the Huai River.
Shi Miyuan knew that as long as Han Tuozhou remained in power, he would always be subordinate to others and would never have the opportunity to wield real power.

"Hmph, you think you can rely on the northern frontier thousands of miles away? How laughable."

Shi Miyuan thought to himself, "Only I can save the Song Dynasty from its peril. You, Han Tuozhou, are nothing but a sinner who dragged the Song Dynasty into the abyss."

He originally planned to use the pretext of "military defeat leading to national ruin" in court to unite with other forces to take down Han Tuozhou, but now it seems that Han Tuozhou's power base is still solid, and he can only use more radical means.

Three days later, the imperial court held another meeting.

As soon as Han Tuozhou reached the Meridian Gate of the Imperial Palace, two eunuchs dressed in brocade robes hurriedly came forward and bowed, saying, "Prime Minister, Her Majesty the Empress has important matters to discuss with you. Please follow us to the side hall."

Han Tuozhou's face immediately darkened.

Not long ago, a spy from the northern frontier secretly sent him a message, reminding him that "the Jin state is colluding with Shi Miyuan and may use a conspiracy to harm you. Moreover, the Shi family has already formed an alliance with Empress Yang, so you need to be careful of palace intrigues."

This news shocked Han Tuozhou, not because Shi Miyuan would harm him, as he could have imagined that.

Instead, they were shocked that the people of the northern frontier knew about the events in Lin'an and that Shi Miyuan was colluding with the Empress.

Could it be that spies from the northern frontier have already infiltrated the palace?
This thought sent a chill down Han Tuozhou's spine, so he quickly rummaged through his residence, while also taking the warning from the people of the Northern Frontier seriously.

Since those petty men like Shi Miyuan can't defeat me in the court, they'll definitely resort to some underhanded tactics. I just don't know how or when Shi Miyuan will make his move, so I can only be as careful as possible.

As a result, Han Tuozhou bribed and replaced more Imperial Guard generals with his own people.

He was on guard against Shi Miyuan and his gang attacking him on the way to the palace.

Now, when someone came to Empress Yang's palace, he immediately realized that this was a conspiracy.

These people might lead themselves to a secluded corner where a group of Imperial Guards would be waiting.

But as the saying goes, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall. As the powerful prime minister of the Song Dynasty, how could Han Tuozhou easily risk his life?
Lure the fish out of the water, and then take the evidence of Shi Miyuan's collusion with Empress Yang to the emperor to file a complaint.
That would be too sloppy.

Who knows what role the emperor played in this conspiracy?
Han Tuozhou decided to resolve the issue in his own way.

So he said calmly to the two eunuchs, "Since Her Majesty the Empress has important business, I should pay my respects."

"However, today's court meeting concerns the war in the Central Plains, so we need to report the military situation to His Majesty first. After the court session, I will personally visit the Empress's palace. I hope you can convey this message to me."

Two eunuchs panicked and stepped forward to pull Han Tuozhou away: "Prime Minister, Her Majesty the Empress says this matter is extremely urgent and cannot be delayed!"

Han Tuozhou had lost patience and gave a wink to someone in the distance.

A squad of imperial guards immediately rushed over and protected Han Tuozhou in the middle. The commander clasped his hands and said, "Prime Minister, it is getting late. It is time for court. If anyone obstructs us, it will be considered an obstruction of court affairs, and this humble general may deal with it according to the law."

The two eunuchs' expressions changed, and they could only reluctantly retreat to the side.

The so-called conspiracy was that they only dared to use the pretext of "the Empress's summons" to lure Han Tuozhou, and they had no ability to mobilize the Imperial Guards to take action in public.

Once the situation escalates, it becomes a "palace coup," and even the emperor and empress cannot protect them.

Inside the council hall, Shi Miyuan's expression changed instantly when he saw Han Tuozhou walk in unharmed, filled with shock and anger.

He didn't expect that Han Tuozhou would see through the trap and enter the palace safely under the protection of the Imperial Guards.

This gave Shi Miyuan a feeling of being out of control, and his face turned frighteningly gloomy.

Emperor Zhao Kuo arrived soon after, glanced at Han Tuozhou, and announced the start of the meeting.

As expected, Shi Miyuan immediately led the pro-peace officials to launch an attack, once again denouncing Han Tuozhou's Northern Expedition as a mistake that harmed the country, and demanding that he be dismissed from office and punished.

This time, however, Han Tuozhou did not argue as usual. Instead, he took out a stack of letters from his sleeve, stepped forward, and presented them to the emperor with both hands: "Your Majesty."

"Shi Miyuan colluded with the Jin state and secretly communicated with the enemy. He revealed the troop deployment and food transport routes of our Song Dynasty's Northern Expedition to the Jin army, which led to our army's successive defeats in Suzhou and Tangzhou."

"These are the evidence, all handwritten letters between Shi Miyuan and the Jin envoy. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

It turned out that Han Tuozhou had already sent people to secretly collect evidence of Shi Miyuan's crimes. The reminder from the secret agent in the northern border made him speed up the investigation and finally found irrefutable evidence of Shi Miyuan's collusion with Jin.

"what?"

"how is this possible?"

"Did Lord Shi collude with the enemy and betray his country?"

The court officials were in an uproar. Whether they were pro-peace or neutral, they all looked at Shi Miyuan with disbelief.

Shi Miyuan's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly stepped forward to stop him: "Your Majesty, this was forged by Han Tuozhou. He wanted to frame this old minister."

"Whether it's a forgery or not, Your Majesty will know at a glance."

Han Tuozhou retorted sharply: "The letter not only bears Shi Miyuan's handwriting and personal seal, but also witnesses who have been imprisoned by me."

"Your Majesty can order someone to examine the handwriting and then interrogate the witnesses. The truth will be revealed in a single question."

Zhao Kuo took the letter, and his expression grew increasingly grim as he read it.

In the letter, Shi Miyuan not only informed the Song army of its deployment in detail, but also promised that "if the Jin state can help me get rid of Han Tuozhou, I will persuade the court to negotiate peace and cede the land north of the Huai River."

Every word and phrase is treasonous and treacherous.

"Shi Miyuan, what else do you have to say!"

Zhao Kuo slammed the letter to the ground, furious.

The surrounding officials instantly erupted in uproar. The previously wavering aristocratic families now sided with Han Tuozhou, accusing Shi Miyuan of colluding with the enemy and harming the country.

Shi Miyuan's face turned ashen, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to utter another word in defense.

The emperor ordered the commander of the Imperial Guards: "Seize Shi Miyuan, throw him into the imperial prison, and keep him under strict guard. Once all his accomplices are identified, they will all be punished!"

(End of this chapter)