The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 341: Panic grips the capital; the Golden Emperor is furious and demands peace talks.
Zhongdu was bustling with traffic and people.

On the official road paved with loess and gravel, merchants, porters, and horse-drawn carriages came and went in an endless stream.

Taverns, teahouses, and silk shops stood side by side, their shouts, laughter, and the sounds of horses' hooves and wheels mingling together to create a lively scene of everyday life.

Just then, a large caravan slowly approached the west gate.

Each carriage carried a white flag with a prominent "Fan" character on it, indicating that it belonged to the Fan Family Trading Company of Datong Prefecture.

Fan Zhongxin rode a chestnut horse at the head of the caravan.

He wore a brocade robe, with a piece of mutton-fat jade hanging from his waist, and a shrewd smile typical of merchants on his face.

In recent years, the Fan family has grown rapidly through smuggling trade with northern Xinjiang.

From its humble beginnings as a small shop to becoming one of the largest trading companies in Datong Prefecture, its value has increased dozens of times in just a few years, and it has even expanded its business to Zhongdu, the capital of the Jin Dynasty.

"The tinderboxes, glass cups, soap blocks, and rouge brought from the northern desert will surely fetch a good price in Zhongdu."

Fan Zhongxin thought to himself, "Once we exchange the grain and return to Datong, even if the profits aren't as high as before, we can still make a fortune."

Business is not as easy as it used to be these days.

War and natural disasters in various regions caused the price of grain in the Jin Dynasty to rise continuously.

The land reclamation efforts in northern Mongolia have begun to show results, with food supply gradually stabilizing and prices falling considerably.

With prices rising in the country of origin and falling in the dumping grounds, Fan's family, as a middleman, has seen their profits in the grain trade significantly squeezed.

Fortunately, the northern frontier had many goods that were scarce in the Central Plains. Tinderboxes were durable and portable, glass cups were crystal clear, and soap and rouge were favorites of noblewomen.

These items, once transported to Zhongdu, are often snapped up as soon as they hit the shelves.

Northern Xinjiang also needs silk, tea, grain, and other goods. When these items are transported to the northern desert, their prices can increase several times over.

It was through these two types of reselling that the Fan family's business grew bigger and bigger.

What Fan Zhongxin didn't know was that after the Battle of Guanzhong, the Northern Frontier Army opened up the border with the Song Dynasty.

Tea and silk from Sichuan would no longer need to go through Jin Dynasty merchants; they could be transported directly from Guanzhong to the northern desert via the Yellow River, at which point the prices of these goods would drop significantly.

His smuggling trade, on which he made his living, would soon be impacted.

When the convoy arrived at the city gate, a gatekeeper led several soldiers forward to inspect it.

Fan Zhongxin quickly dismounted, a smile spreading across his face, and secretly slipped a silver ingot into the city gate officer's hand: "You've worked hard, sir. This is just a small token of my appreciation."

The city gate guard had dealt with Fan Zhongxin several times before and knew that the Fan family was quite powerful in Datong Prefecture, and that their backers also had considerable influence in the capital.

He weighed the silver in his hand, smiled, and waved to the soldiers: "Routine inspection, check what goods are on the cart."

The soldiers inspected the carriage and found that it indeed contained tinderboxes, glass cups, soap bars, and other goods, with no contraband. They quickly reported, "Sir, these are all normal goods."

The city gate guard nodded and smiled at Fan Zhongxin, "Manager Fan, go in. Next time you have good goods, remember to think of us brothers first."

"Definitely, definitely!" Fan Zhongxin quickly agreed and directed the convoy to prepare to enter the city.

Just as the first carriage was about to enter the city gate, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from afar, accompanied by a cloud of dust.

"Gee, gee, gee~"

"Drive~"

"Get out of the way, everyone get out of the way."

A knight galloped up, three red command flags stuck in his back, shouting loudly: "Urgent report from Guanzhong! Urgent report from Guanzhong! All irrelevant people, get out of the way!"

The city gate guard's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly shouted to the convoy, "Quick! Move the carriages to the side of the road!"

"The carriages inside the city gate should hurry up and make way for the messenger."

As he spoke, he sent two more cavalrymen forward, one in front and one behind, to clear the way and ensure that the messenger could deliver the battle report to the Privy Council as quickly as possible.

Fan Zhongxin quickly directed the convoy to retreat to the side of the road, watching the messenger gallop past, the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves splashing all over him.

He didn't bother wiping it off, his mind filled with surprise and doubt: "Guanzhong? How could there be an urgent report from 800 li away?"

The Jin Dynasty is currently facing a predicament of fighting on three fronts: war in the Central Plains against the Song Dynasty, and repeated harassment of its northern defense line by northern cavalry.

Meanwhile, Guanzhong was engulfed in war. After destroying the Xia Kingdom, the Northern Frontier Army brazenly marched south into Guanzhong, inflicting heavy losses on the Jin army.

He had previously heard in Datong Prefecture that the imperial court had dispatched a large army from the Central Plains to support Guanzhong, claiming that it would soon be able to recover the lost territory and drive the northern frontier army back to the Hetao region.

But looking at the messenger's anxious manner, he hardly seemed like someone who had won a battle.
"Could it be... that the army in Guanzhong has failed again?" A bold guess popped into Fan Zhongxin's mind.

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Soon after, a chilling piece of news quietly spread.

"The Guanzhong campaign has failed! The 100,000-strong army has been almost completely wiped out."

The once bustling marketplace was instantly plunged into an uproar.

"The 100,000-strong army in Guanzhong is gone just like that."

"General Wanyan Gang led his remaining troops back to Chang'an, and it is said that he lost Jingyang and Xianyang as well."

Those around gasped in shock.

"How is this possible? Didn't the imperial court just send 30,000 reinforcements? With the previous troops, how could they have suffered such a crushing defeat?"

Some people looked puzzled, clearly unwilling to believe the news.

“Who says otherwise! But my brother, who works in the Ministry of War, said that the news came from the Privy Council, so it can’t be wrong.”

Another man whispered, "The Northern Frontier Army is too powerful. It is said that they ambushed our reinforcements in the Ziwu Ridge area and surrounded them. Even General Jiagushaning was killed in battle."

"It's over, it's over, Guanzhong is definitely going to be lost now."

"It's not just Guanzhong; there are also many cavalry raiding in the northern frontier, such as Jiehao."

"Why does it feel like there are Northern Frontier Army troops everywhere? The territory of Northern Frontier is even larger than that of the Great Jin Kingdom?"

"That's right! I heard it's very big."

"Alas, if the Northern Frontier Army continues its southward advance, won't our Zhongdu be in danger?"

Some people began to worry, their faces filled with panic: "We heard that they were very capable in the northern deserts and the western regions, but we didn't expect that they couldn't even stop our Jin's elite troops."

Anxiety and panic spread throughout the city, and the once bustling streets seemed to be shrouded in shadow.

Fan Zhongxin was sitting in the "Qingfeng Tea House" in the south of the city. He had just unloaded his goods and wanted to have a cup of tea to rest, but he was attracted by the chatter of the tea drinkers around him.

When he heard that "the 100,000-strong army in Guanzhong was almost completely wiped out," the teacup in his hand suddenly stopped, and the scalding tea splashed onto his hand, but he was completely unaware, his eyes filled with shock.

Although he had guessed that Guanzhong might be defeated, he did not expect the defeat to be so complete.

In a daze, Fan Zhongxin recalled events from many years ago.

At that time, he was a desperate shopkeeper who, in order to make a living, risked embarking on the Silk Road and venturing into the Western Regions.

It was in the Western Regions that he first heard the name "Northern Frontier" and witnessed firsthand the terror of the Northern Frontier cavalry.

It was a powerful force that rose rapidly in the Western Regions. It not only conquered cities and seized territories, but also defeated the powerful kingdom of Gaochang in the Western Regions, causing its capital to fall and ultimately forcing it to submit.

"It's laughable that I thought the Northern Frontier's influence only extended to the Western Regions," Fan Zhongxin muttered to himself, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

But who could have imagined that the expansion of northern Xinjiang would be so astonishing in recent years?

From the Hexi Corridor to Longxi, from the Hetao region to the northern desert, and now to the Xia Kingdom, and even in Guanzhong, they annihilated the Jin army several times.

This force, once known only in the Western Regions, has now grown into a powerful entity capable of rivaling the Great Jin Dynasty.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind: Will the Northern Frontier take over the Central Plains and seize the Mandate of Heaven?

This is not an impossible thing. Before them were the Xianbei and after them were the Jurchens, both of whom rose from the grasslands and defeated the regimes in the Central Plains with overwhelming force, and then conquered the world.

If these barbarians can do it, wouldn't the people of the northern frontier, who have Han Chinese blood, have even greater hope?
"The business with the people of Northern Xinjiang must not be cut off; in fact, it should be expanded even further," Fan Zhongxin thought to himself.

The Northern Frontier is currently thriving, and even the Great Jin has suffered repeated defeats. If they can cling to the "big tree" of the Northern Frontier, it might be the opportunity for the Fan family to soar to new heights.

Previously, through smuggling trade with the Northern Frontier, the Fan family had grown from a small shop into a major merchant house in Datong Prefecture. If they were to bet on the Northern Frontier, their future would be limitless once the Northern Frontier came to control the Central Plains.

Inside the Daqing Hall of the Imperial City, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was almost suffocating.

On the gilded throne, Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, Wanyan Jing, had a livid face. His brows, which had relaxed after the great defeat of the Song army in the Central Plains, were now tightly furrowed, and his eyes were full of anger.

Just half an hour ago, an urgent report of the defeat in Guanzhong was presented to the emperor. The news that the 100,000-strong army had been almost completely wiped out was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing all his joy.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Wanyan Jing slammed his hand on the imperial desk, the sound like thunder, which startled the assembled officials in the hall.

"I just sent 30,000 reinforcements to Guanzhong, which, together with Wanyan Gang's original forces, makes a total of 100,000 troops. How could we have suffered such a crushing defeat?"

"The Jingyang and Xianyang territories we just acquired have been given back to the barbarians of the northern frontier. Tell me, why is that?"

The Minister of War knelt on the ground, trembling all over, his voice shaking: "Your Majesty, please calm down... According to General Wanyan Gang's report..."

"The Northern Frontier Army is exceptionally cunning. First, they used Qingyang as bait to tie down our main force. Then, they secretly mobilized the elite troops of the two towns to launch a surprise attack on the Eastern Route Army, resulting in the annihilation of General Jiagushaning's entire army."

"Afterwards, they harassed our army day and night with their main cavalry force, and launched a general attack when our army was exhausted. Although the soldiers fought desperately, they were ultimately no match for them..."

"Outmatched?"

Wanyan Jing laughed in fury: "My Great Jin's 100,000 elite troops are no match for a mere tens of thousands of barbarians from the northern frontier?"

"Back when we destroyed the Liao and Song dynasties, our Jin dynasty could sweep across the world with just tens of thousands of troops. Now, with an army of 100,000, we can't even stop the Northern Frontier Army?"

The Privy Councilor immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the most urgent task now is to stabilize the situation in Guanzhong."

"General Wanyan Kuang has led 30,000 troops to Huazhou and can temporarily defend the south bank of the Wei River."

"General Wanyan Gang is stationed in Chang'an with his remaining troops. Qin Prefecture, due to its strategic location, is still in our hands."

"Although Guanzhong has lost most of its territory, we still have several cities left, including Chang'an, Weinan, Huazhou, Baoji, and Qinzhou. Although we only have 30% of the farmland left in Guanzhong, we can still barely support our military needs."

Listening to the Privy Councilor's report on the current situation in Guanzhong, Wanyan Jing's expression did not soften at all. He said coldly, "Support military supplies?"

"With 100,000 troops gone, only 50,000 remnants remain. How can we hold out? If the Northern Frontier Army continues its southward advance, can these cities be defended?"

The courtiers in the hall were completely silent. The confidence that had been ignited by the victory in the Central Plains had long been shattered by the news of the defeat in Guanzhong.

An old minister hesitated before speaking, “Your Majesty, in my opinion, it would be better to negotiate peace with the Northern Frontier for the time being.” “Even an army of 100,000 men is no match for the Northern Frontier army. Now that our forces are insufficient, if we continue to fight, we may be completely annihilated, and the entire Guanzhong region will fall.”

"It would be better to first negotiate a truce with the Northern Frontier, and then, when our Great Jin has recovered its strength and our troops are well-equipped and our supplies are plentiful, we can launch another westward expedition to avenge today's humiliation."

"Peace?"

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Jing was instantly displeased, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Since entering the pass, our Great Jin has destroyed the Liao and Song dynasties and intimidated the grasslands. Apart from suffering a few losses at the hands of Yue Fei and others, when has our Great Jin ever taken the initiative to negotiate peace with others?"

"Now that we've been decimated by the barbarians of the northern frontier, and we're even forced to sue for peace, what will become of the Great Jin's reputation?"

"But Your Majesty, the situation in the Central Plains is not optimistic either!"

The Privy Councilor hurriedly said, "Although the Song Dynasty was defeated in the Central Plains, it has been reluctant to negotiate peace and continues to resist along the Yangtze River."

"If we continue to send troops from the Central Plains to support Guanzhong, the Central Plains will be left with a weak military force. The Song state may take the opportunity to launch a counterattack. At that time, the Central Plains will be in danger, and Guanzhong will also be lost. Our Great Jin will be attacked from both sides."

Immediately afterwards, other ministers reported on the country's predicament: a rebellion had broken out in Shandong, and due to natural disasters and war, people were displaced. Some people, under the pretext of responding to the Song army's northern expedition, rose up in rebellion.

Harvests were poor in various regions, grain prices soared, and the national treasury was empty, making it unable to support a large-scale war.

The trench defense line in northern Mongolia still requires a large number of troops to be stationed there to block surprise attacks from the northern cavalry...

All the realities were staring them in the face—the Jin dynasty could no longer continue its campaigns.

Wanyan Jing sat on the throne, looking down at the silent ministers with their heads bowed, his heart filled with resentment and helplessness.

How could he not want to continue his conquest of the northern frontier and wash away the shame of defeat?

However, the domestic predicament, the shortage of troops, and the threat from the Central Plains made it impossible for him to continue.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly: "Very well... Issue my decree, agreeing to peace talks with the Northern Frontier."

The officials in the hall breathed a sigh of relief, but dared not show it.

The Privy Councilor hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, how should the candidates and conditions for peace talks be determined?"

After some discussion, Wanyan Jing decided: "Let Prince Wei serve as the chief envoy."

Wanyan Yongji was Wanyan Jing's uncle and was granted the title of Prince Wei.

Wanyan Jing was always wary of his uncles and brothers, but he trusted Prince Wei, Wanyan Yongji, the only one he felt relatively at ease with.

Because Wanyan Yongji was the least capable, he posed the least threat to the throne.

After confirming the candidate, Wanyan Jing said in a deep voice, "As for the conditions, my Great Jin can recognize the rule of the Northern Frontier over the original territory of the Xia Kingdom, but the Northern Frontier Army must withdraw from Guanzhong."

"The two countries still regard the original border between Jin and Xia as the boundary, are brother countries, and live in peace."

Upon hearing this, the officials in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment.

One of the ministers cautiously said, "Your Majesty, the Northern Frontier Army currently holds the upper hand and is unlikely to accept such conditions."

If the Northern Frontier Army withdraws from Guanzhong, wouldn't this battle have been fought in vain?
Given the Northern Frontier Army's modus operandi, even if they agree to peace talks, they will certainly make exorbitant demands for more benefits.

Wanyan Jing was well aware of this. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "I understand."

“The people of the northern frontier will certainly not easily return Weibei.”

“They are not nomadic herders who would leave after looting. They have Han Chinese ideas of rule in their bones and value the land very much.”

"This peace talks may not be easy, but we must demonstrate the tough stance of our Great Jin and safeguard our Great Jin's territory and interests."

The ministers nodded in agreement. They understood that the Northern Frontier Army's occupation of Weibei would allow them to control the grain-producing areas of the Guanzhong Plain and serve as a springboard for southward and eastward expansion, and they would never give it up easily.

Wanyan Jing was also mentally prepared for the comparison.

"In that case, we can only 'replace the west with the south'."

Wanyan Jing suddenly opened his eyes, a ruthless glint in them: "If the Northern Frontier Army insists on not returning Weibei, then we will use Song territory to compensate for the losses of my Great Jin."

"The Song capital has already been driven back to the Yangtze River by the iron cavalry of my Great Jin. I have also allowed them to negotiate peace. All they need to do is send Han Tuozhou's head to Zhongdu, and Lin'an can be saved."

"But I never expected them to be so ungrateful."

He then ordered the Privy Councilor: "Issue my decree, ordering Pusan ​​Kui's army to continue attacking the Song state, and make sure they send Han Tuozhou's head and cede the land north of the Yangtze River."

"If the Song state refuses, then we will attack Lin'an and let them taste the humiliation of Jingkang once again."

The Privy Councilor bowed and accepted the order. The oppressive atmosphere in the Daqing Hall caused by the northern frontier seemed to be slightly relieved by this tough decree against the Song Dynasty.

When facing the northern frontier, the Jin dynasty's rulers and ministers became somewhat hesitant, but when it came to the Song dynasty, they launched a powerful attack without hesitation.

We must let those southern barbarians of the Song Dynasty know the might of the Great Jin.

……

Just as the Jin court was debating peace talks, another piece of news that shocked the Jin Kingdom came from Sichuan.

Previously, Wu Xi, the King of Shu who had surrendered to the Jin dynasty, was killed by his generals Yang Juyuan and Li Haoyi, who led a righteous army to raid his residence and kill him because of his perverse and brutal rule.

With Wu Xi dead, the Sichuan army that had surrendered to the Jin dynasty was leaderless and was quickly recovered by the Song army. The Sichuan region, which had been occupied for several months, returned to the hands of the Song dynasty.

When the news reached Lin'an, Han Tuozhou was greatly encouraged. He immediately mobilized troops to garrison Sichuan, appeased the local gentry, and continued to strengthen his control over Sichuan.

This also strengthened his resolve to unite with the northern border regions and jointly resist the Jin dynasty.

Not long after, a Song Dynasty delegation secretly set off from Lin'an, passing through the newly recovered Sichuan region, avoiding the Jin army's defenses in Guanzhong, detouring through Longxi, and heading towards Guanzhong.

The head of the delegation was Su Shidan, a confidant of Han Tuozhou, and the purpose of the trip was to meet with Li Xiao, the Grand Protector of the Northern Frontier.

Seeking a deeper alliance with the Northern Frontier, and leveraging its strength to alleviate the pressure on the Song Dynasty in the Central Plains.

On this day, the delegation arrived at Fuqiang City, on the northwestern border of Hezhou. This small city was once a border town between the Jin and Song dynasties, and to its east lay Qinzhou, an important town in Guanzhong.

Today, Fuqiang City is controlled by the Northern Frontier Army and has become a forward base for the Northern Frontier Army's attack on Qin Prefecture.

On the city wall, the yellow flag of the Northern Frontier Army fluttered in the wind.

The delegation, escorted by a group of Song cavalry, was discovered by a patrol of northern frontier cavalry before it even reached Fuqiang City.

This cavalry unit was also tasked with welcoming the delegation.

They were all dressed in yellow cloth armor with white trim, the armor gleaming blood-red in the sunlight. They wore swords at their waists, rode tall horses, and held long spears. Their imposing presence made Su Shidan secretly admire them: "The power of the Northern Frontier Army is indeed well-deserved."

Subsequently, escorted by the Northern Frontier cavalry, the delegation entered the Northern Frontier military camp outside Fuqiang City.

Inside the main tent, a burly, resolute-faced general was already waiting. He was none other than Luo Meng, the deputy commander of the Fourth Garrison of the Northern Frontier and the General of Gansu.

Su Shidan had already learned from the intelligence of the Imperial City Guard that Luo Meng was not only an important general in the Northern Frontier, but also Li Xiao's brother-in-law, a man of noble status, so he dared not be negligent in the slightest.

Upon entering the main tent, he bowed and greeted General Luo: "Song envoy Su Shidan greets General Luo!"

Luo Meng stood up, patted his chest in return, and waved his hand with a smile: "Envoy Su, there's no need for such formalities. Please sit down."

After his personal guards served him tea, Luo Meng began chatting with Su Shidan.

Su Shidan first flattered him, saying, "General Luo guarded Fuqiang and repeatedly defeated the Jin army, his prestige shaking Guanzhong. He is truly admirable."

……

"I have long heard of the formidable fighting power of the Northern Frontier Army in the Song Dynasty. Seeing it today, I can confirm that its reputation is well-deserved."

Hearing Su Shidan's flattering words, Luo Meng smiled faintly and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "The Grand Protector entrusted the western route to me, and I have only done my best."

"Compared to the Grand Protector's dominance in Guanzhong, I am still far inferior."

The topic quickly turned to the war situation. When Su Shidan learned from Luo Meng that the Northern Frontier Army had annihilated 100,000 Jin troops in Guanzhong and was approaching the north bank of the Wei River, besieging Chang'an, he was so shocked that he stood up, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Is what General Luo said true? The Northern Frontier Army has actually achieved such a great victory?"

"This is truly fantastic news."

"With such brave and valiant troops in the Northern Frontier, how can we not destroy the Jin invaders?"

He quickly offered another compliment, his tone now tinged with genuine reverence.

Although he knew that the Northern Frontier Army had won, he did not expect the results to be so brilliant.

Luo Meng smiled faintly at Su Shidan's reaction and slowly asked, "Envoy Song has come from afar and must be tired from your journey. May I ask if you have any important business in Guanzhong?"

Su Shidan composed himself, put away his smile, and said with a serious expression, "To be honest, I have come here on the orders of His Majesty and the Prime Minister to form a brotherhood alliance with the Northern Frontier."

"The Jurchen invaders were wicked and committed heinous crimes against our Great Song Dynasty. The humiliation of Jingkang is still unforgettable."

"They are also pressing closer and closer to the northern frontier, attempting to annex the land there."

……

"Our Great Song Dynasty is willing to form a brotherhood with the northern border forever, and jointly fight against the Jin invaders. We must never allow the Jin invaders to continue to wreak havoc on the world."

These words, though seemingly eloquent, could not conceal the dire situation of the State of Song.

Although the Jin army transferred a significant number of troops from the Central Plains to support Guanzhong, the remaining troops remained fierce.

The Song army suffered repeated defeats in the Central Plains, and the Jin army had approached the Yangtze River, putting Lin'an in imminent danger.

In the Song court, calls for peace negotiations grew louder and louder, even Han Tuozhou could not hold on. The successive defeats on the Central Plains battlefield had left Song without the confidence to continue fighting, leaving them with no choice but to negotiate peace.

However, the Jin state's peace terms for the Song state were extremely harsh. Not only did they demand that the Song state call itself a "nephew state" and cede all the land north of the Yangtze River, but they also insisted on taking Han Tuozhou's head.

The Song state had no room for negotiation when it tried to negotiate with the Jin state alone, so it had no choice but to seek help from the northern frontier.

The intention was to leverage the great victory of the northern frontier in Guanzhong to pressure the Jin state and force it to lower its demands during peace negotiations.

Whether to continue cooperating in the fight against the Jin or to make peace with the Jin, the Song state should not be allowed to bear the losses alone.

Luo Meng was no fool; he had long since learned to assess the situation of the world and was well aware of the current predicament of the State of Song.

He simply nodded and said, "I am already aware of your country's intentions."

"This matter concerns the alliance between the Song Kingdom and the Northern Frontier. I need to report this to the Grand Protector for a decision."

"Envoy Su has had a long and arduous journey. Please rest in the camp first."

Su Shidan quickly stood up and thanked him, "Thank you, General Luo."

"If we can forge a deep alliance between the Song Dynasty and the Northern Frontier to jointly resist the Jin invaders, the Song Dynasty will surely maintain lasting friendship with the Northern Frontier."

(End of this chapter)