Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 522: A Wrong Path in the World
After taking off his clothes and keeping them carefully, Yang Shen said goodbye to everyone and rode back to Jiankang at full speed.

People of Yang Yizhong's status not only had a mansion in Lin'an, but also a house in Jiankang, but it was slightly smaller.

It happened that Hu Ziyaban was not on duty today, but was resting at home. After returning home, Yang Dian went to the main hall to meet his father without even washing off the smell of alcohol on his body.

Yang Yizhong was not wearing armor at this time, but was wearing a coarse linen suit. He was looking at the document in his hand and drawing with a brush.

Seeing his second son quickly enter and bow, Yang Yizhong just raised his eyelids and snorted coldly: "My son is so old, but he is still so impulsive."

Yang Neng just laughed twice, and then without any rebuttal, he explained in detail what happened today.

Yang Yizhong placed the book in his hand on his knees, leaned back in his chair, squinted his eyes, seemed to be in deep thought, and seemed to have fallen asleep again.

After Yang Neng finished speaking, he just stood quietly by the side, waiting for his father's judgment.

Although the pro-war and pro-War factions in the court were fighting each other fiercely, if we talk about Yang Yizhong's political spectrum, he did not belong to either faction.

Yang Yi Zhong was born into a family of generals and often led his troops into battle to fight against the Jin army. Although he was relatively weak and was often defeated by the Jin army, he was still brave. At least he would not retreat when he heard that the Jin army was coming.

In the early stage of Wanyan Liang's invasion of the south, Yang Yi Zhong did not sell out his country and seek peace without any bottom line like Tang Situi and his group. Instead, he was determined to prepare for war, so that he was impeached by his subordinates. Zhao Gou suspected that he was seeking fame and fortune and temporarily deprived him of his military power.

However, after Wanyan Liang officially invaded the south, Zhao Gou felt that Yang Yi Zhong was indeed his confidant who cared about him, so he gave him military power and let him lead his troops to garrison in Jingkou.

Moreover, by this time, Yang Yizhong had already vaguely reached some political consensus with Zhang Jun, and seemed to want to push Zhang Jun to the position of commander-in-chief of Lianghuai.

If we look at it from this perspective, Yang Yizhong is a true advocate of war.

However, Yang Yizhong was once a good friend of Yue Fei, but he used their past friendship to trick Yue Fei into the Dali Temple and was one of the people who plotted to murder Yue Fei.

When Qin Hui was in power, he also depended on Qin Hui and became a general of the Southern Song Dynasty who lived in suffocation and comfort.

From this point of view, he is clearly a peace advocate.

Like schizophrenia.

However, Yang Yizhong's behavior is actually easy to explain.

Because he is an undoubted member of the imperial party.

During the Jingkang period, when Zhao Gou was still Prince Kang and the Marshal's Office had not yet been established, Yang Yi Zhong was Zhao Gou's confidant, guarding Zhao Gou's tent day and night and never leaving for a moment.

With this relationship, as long as Yang Yi Zhong stands firmly with Zhao Gou, he will definitely have a bright future.

This was indeed the case. When Zhao Gou wanted to train the imperial guards, Yang Yizhong led the army to fight.

When Zhao Gou wanted to negotiate peace, Yang Yizhong framed the general for him;
Zhao Gou wanted to save his life, so Yang Yi Zhong organized troops and defense for him.

It can be said that Yang Yi Zhong was Zhao Gou's true confidant. His every move and every word were to help Zhao Gou share his worries.

This is also the reason why Yang Yi Zhong became an evergreen in the political arena. He did not do it for his country and the world, but only for Zhao Gou. He would do anything, whether good or bad. Therefore, as long as Zhao Gou did not fall, Yang Yi Zhong would never fall.

"Ji Lang, what do you think?"

After a long silence, Yang Yizhong asked in a deep voice.

Yang Dan lowered his head and thought for a moment: "I think Mr. Zhang is a little whimsical. After all, you are the commander-in-chief of the Palace Front Division. How can you frequently negotiate with foreign generals, even if the Shandong generals can be of great help.

No, it’s more like they can accomplish things together, so they can’t be mixed together.”

Yang Yizhong nodded: "Erlang has improved a bit. At least he doesn't jump at anything right away. But there's still one thing he missed."

Yang Neng bowed again and said, "I, as a child, cannot be as thoughtful as you."

Yang Yizhong pulled a smile from the corner of his mouth. "It's not about being thorough, but there are some things you don't understand. I absolutely cannot be the envoy of Jingxiang and Jianghuai."

Yang Neng was not surprised: "Is it because the court officials objected?"

Yang Yizhong was silent for a moment, as if hesitating whether to tell Yang Neng clearly.

After a moment, he said, "It's not just that the court officials are against it, but the emperor has no intention of appointing anyone to this position."

"The Jingxiang and Jianghuai envoys have the power to mobilize all the troops in Jingxiang, Lianghuai, and the Yangtze River. Cheng Min, Wu Gong, Zhang Zigai, Li Xianzhong, Liu Bao, and Shao Hongyuan are all under the command of the envoys.

Even with the title of envoy, it would be impossible to command all the generals when the time comes for a battle, and there would definitely be many chaos. However, the title and the ability cannot be delegated to others. The government will not hand over such a position to others, even if it is nominally possible.

Yang Neng nodded repeatedly, but he was still a little confused: "Why did the emperor want to punish my father?"

Yang Yizhong waved his hands and said with a smile: "What kind of thing is this? It's just a small storm. The big and small eyes that day..."

Having said that, Yang Yizhong fell silent again.

This time the silence lasted longer. After about a quarter of an hour, Yang Yizhong finally said, "The emperor wants to use this position to stir up some waves and also wants to see some people and things clearly. For example, that fellow Zhang Jun..."

As he spoke, Yang Yizhong sneered, "If he hadn't been sent to Lianghuai to recruit soldiers, how could we have known that this fellow was still such a fool with high expectations but poor skills?"

Yang Dan stood there, pondering for a moment, before finally speaking hesitantly: "Since the court is not planning to appoint envoys to Jingxiang and Jianghuai, does that mean the court is not planning to continue the war with the Jin Kingdom?"

If there is no powerful person to coordinate the planning and divide several states into war zones under unified command, it will be difficult to launch an offensive.

Yang Yizhong shook his head again: "Erlang, that's not the case. The Jin thieves' breaking of the agreement and invading the south is too shameless. The government and the people will no longer trust them. Therefore, those who advocate fighting or defending will be promoted.

Only after the Northern Expedition failed would those who advocated peace be re-employed. In any case, they would fight first and then discuss other matters.

Therefore, although there will not be envoys to Jingxiang and Jianghuai, there will definitely be an envoy to Jianghuai. This person may be me, Zhang Jun, or Yu Yunwen.

Yang Neng listened intently: "Sir, who will become the Jianghuai Envoy?"

Yang Yizhong shook his head. "This is a matter of the emperor's dictate. I cannot overstep my bounds. However, I think I have the least chance, as I must also protect the emperor. Although Yu Yunwen has the potential to be the greatest general of the Song Dynasty, he still has little experience. The most likely candidate is Zhang Jun."

Yang Dan was slightly stunned. "Mr. Zhang? Didn't you just say that Mr. Zhang is a fool with high expectations but poor skills?"

Yang Yizhong looked deeply at his second son and said, "It is precisely because Zhang Jun is incapable of accomplishing anything that the Emperor has appointed him to lead the Northern Expedition. Don't forget who the Emperor's trusted confidants are..."

Yang Yizhong's words were very obscure, while Yang Neng, on the other hand, was sweating profusely in the gentle spring breeze.

I just said that only if the Northern Expedition suffered a major defeat could the peace advocates return to the political stage. But who were the leaders of the peace advocates?
Of course it’s Zhao Gou’s!

At that time, even if Zhao Gou abdicated, he could become the emperor who only enjoyed power but did not have to bear any responsibilities. As long as this group of pro-peace supporters existed, his position would be stable and unshakable.

But for the sake of his own rights, he allows the whole world to suffer disaster. Isn't this a tyrant?
"Sir...sir...this...this this..." Yang Neng was speechless.

Yang Yizhong shook his head and sighed, "The emperor has been very kind to me. Since he wants to do this, I will do it for him regardless of my own life or death. As for my reputation after death, I don't care too much."

Yang Tan suddenly burst into tears. "How will history books view you for what you have done?! And how will the world view our Yang family? Your great-grandfather and grandfather were both loyal warriors who died fighting for our country..."

"That's enough." Yang Yizhong impatiently picked up the teacup and threw it heavily on the ground. "I've made it very clear to you today. I'm not telling you to cry and act like a child. You're going to do great things in the future. If you continue like this, who will take care of the Yang family's assets?!"

Hearing that his father had other plans, Yang Neng wiped his tears and nodded in agreement.

"First, I have agreed to the banquet Zhang Xiaoxiang is planning to hold, inviting officers from the Palace Guards. I should have made some mistakes and left some tails for the emperor and other officials to catch. Otherwise, it would be really difficult to turn down this envoy."

At this point, a sneer appeared on Yang Yizhong's face: "Doesn't Zhao Mi want to take charge of the military power? Let him get close to the Shandong generals."

Zhao Mi was originally the commander of the four wings of the Dragon God Guard, in charge of the Imperial Guard Infantry Division. He was a general in the sequence of Zhao Gou's imperial guards. He was one of the few brave generals in the Palace Front Division who could fight tough battles, and he was also a close confidant of Yang Yi.

But this guy was too greedy for power. The person who impeached Yang Yizhong when he was preparing for the battle against Wanyan Liang was Zhao Mi. This move was actually to squeeze Yang Yizhong out and completely take charge of the Palace Front Department. It was really short-sighted.

In fact, the impeachment letter did work.

Zhao Gou indeed suspected Yang Yi Zhong, and Yang Yi Zhong was also very decisive. After hearing about this, he directly wrote a letter requesting to be dismissed from his post.

Zhao Mi finally got what he wanted and became the commander-in-chief of the palace guards.

But after Wanyan Liang officially tore up the Shaoxing Peace Agreement and began to invade the south, Zhao Mi was dumbfounded.

It turned out that Yang Yizhong was completely right, and I became a mean person who didn't know the big picture.

Taking advantage of Zhao Gou's temper, Zhao Mi quickly asked to be relieved of his position as Palace Commander, and presented Zhao Gou with 16 wine warehouses, 100,000 coins, and 50,000 taels of silver to sponsor military supplies. Only then was he reinstated and continued to serve as the second-in-command under Yang Yi Zhong.

Now that Yang Yizhong has his hands free, if he doesn't find a chance to deal with this guy, wouldn't it make people underestimate him, a bearded yamen official and the Prince of Tongan?

After giving the first order, Yang Yizhong fell silent again, hesitating for nearly a quarter of an hour before he said, "The second thing, Erlang, you've been a playboy all your life, yet you still want to leave a good name in history books. However, with me as your scapegoat, it will be extremely difficult.

You should follow Liu Dalang back to Shandong. Don't make a big fuss. Just follow them back quietly. You can be used for literary work, be a clerk, or even take my prescriptions and be an ordinary doctor. Shandong is short of everything right now, and you can always make a difference if you go there.

I will prepare a great gift for you, so you won’t have to worry about Liu Dalang rejecting you.”

Yang Dan looked up in astonishment: "Sir, do you think that Liu Dalang can really accomplish something great?"

Yang Yizhong shook his head. "I'm old and senile. I don't know. I really don't know. Maybe he's the reincarnation of Wu Hou, or maybe he's just Ma Su. The world is in chaos. Even the most powerful people can be crushed to dust. How can I, a mere mortal, see clearly?"
However, since Liu Dalang was the one who instigated and participated in the Chao County War, he can still be called a hero. Although you are still young, it is not a disadvantage for you to follow him."

"Your Highness is already over fifty, no longer in his prime. He will eventually become the Crown Prince. When that time comes, the Crown Prince and Liu Dalang will become a long-term monarch and minister. It will be beneficial for you to stay with Liu Dalang."

Yang Neng had been somewhat tempted, but after hearing about the prince, he shuddered violently all over.

Since ancient times, matters involving the crown prince have always been extremely serious, especially Yang Yi Zhong's position, which involves both guards and confidential matters. If Zhao Gou suspected that he had an affair with the prince, he would rather kill the wrong person than let him go.

"The Crown Prince... The Crown Prince and Liu Dalang?" Yang Tan hesitated for a moment, then asked tremblingly, "These two... these two..."

Yang Yizhong was silent for a while again, but when he thought that his son was going out to explore the world and could no longer be protected under his wings, he couldn't help but sigh again and made his words clearer.

"I control the Imperial City Bureau, so I naturally have some sources of information. Shi Hao is simply stupid. He actually wants to collude with foreign generals on behalf of the Crown Prince at this time. I wonder what he is thinking."

"However, until now, no one else has been informed of this matter. Because the Crown Prince advocates war, he can only rely on those who advocate war. Zhang Jun, a useless person, can no longer be relied upon. If I don't introduce some truly capable people to the Crown Prince, won't the Northern Expedition truly be in vain?"

Yang Neng was extremely confused. He looked up at his father, not knowing what to say.

This is the twist in Yang Yizhong's story.

Of course, he wanted to succeed in the Northern Expedition and return to his hometown.

Apart from anything else, both Yang Yizhong's father and grandfather died in battle against the Jin people. This is a real family feud and national hatred.

But the king he was loyal to was like that, and Yang Yizhong's own abilities were very limited, and he did not have the ability to expand his cause on his own.

Therefore, he could only stand on the side of the pro-war faction and speak up for it when Zhao Gou was threatened by the Jin army.

Yang Yi Zhong could sense Zhao Gou's thoughts, but he had neither the ability nor the courage to interfere. He didn't even dare to say no to Zhao Gou. He could only pretend to be deaf and dumb to strengthen the power of the pro-war faction and the prince.

Seeing Yang Neng's expression, Yang Yizhong sighed deeply again: "Erlang, some things are not black or white, nor are they right or wrong. I am just an average person, it is difficult to..."

As if admitting his incompetence in front of his son was a very difficult thing, Yang Yizhong only said one sentence, then sighed repeatedly, and his expression became gloomy.

After a moment, Yang Yizhong waved his hand and said, "Erlang, go ahead and say goodbye to your wife quickly. You are already forty years old. If you want to be remembered in history, you still have to work harder."

Yang Neng knelt on the ground and kowtowed deeply to Yang Yizhong: "I only hope that my father will take care of his health and live a long and healthy life."

After shouting loudly three times, Yang Dan turned and left.

"Erlang."

When Yang Neng walked to the door, he heard his father's voice behind him.

"This old man... there's no turning back for me. Ever since I tricked that idiot into the Dali Temple in the eleventh year of Shaoxing, there's been no turning back."

"He said to me at the time, 'Tenth Brother, why is it like this?' But I couldn't answer. I could only watch him die."

"For twenty years, I've often wondered whether this path was right or wrong. I'm quite dull and truly don't understand. But the Jin invaders are invading the south again, and I... may have chosen the wrong path.

Erlang, you are still young and there are other ways to go. Go out and take a look."

Yang Dan turned around and kowtowed again, but saw that Yang Yizhong had already turned around and was looking at the blank wall in silence.

(End of this chapter)