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

Chapter 677 One man can be worth 100,000 soldiers?

Some people have summarized the patterns of power struggles in China.

One of the most important methods is to notify someone to attend a meeting or dinner, and then suddenly attack and kill them during the meeting.

The deaths of figures like He Jin and Erzhu Rong proved the feasibility of this method.

Even knowing the potential dangers, Zhang Zhongyan couldn't object.

Because this fellow is indeed hiding something, if he doesn't attend the military council, it's very likely to arouse Tudan Hexi's suspicion.

More importantly, Zhang Zhongyan had only just made contact with Wu Lin and had not yet begun to mobilize and coordinate. If he were to start an uprising hastily, he would have no choice but to lead his trusted confidants to the Song state.

With all sorts of random thoughts in mind, Zhang Zhongyan, accompanied by his personal guards and the military envoy, traveled north along the Longyou mountain road. Braving the June heat, they arrived in Yuanzhou in just three days.

"Zhang Jiedu, please wait a moment while I go and inform him."

Outside the camp, the Jurchen envoy spoke politely, then spurred his horse forward and shouted loudly towards the camp's watchtower.

After exchanging a few words with the officer guarding the gate, the gate suddenly swung open, and a young general rode out on horseback: "Commander Zhang, please follow me."

Seeing that the Jurchen officer with a braid was a complete stranger, Zhang Zhongyan became even more hesitant, pulled on the reins, and stopped.

Seeing this, the young officer did not urge them on, but simply waited where he was.

"Young general, these personal guards of mine..."

"You can bring them all in. Surely such a large military camp has a place to eat for dozens of people? There will be arrangements once you're inside."

After being silenced, Zhang Zhongyan finally made up his mind. He figured he might as well face the consequences, so he couldn't care less.

Seeing Zhang Zhongyan's confident and magnanimous demeanor, the young officer smiled slightly and led the way.

As Zhang Zhongyan spurred his horse forward, he surveyed the camps along the way, carefully assessing the fighting strength of the other armies and wondering if they had suffered heavy losses after several battles with Wu Lin.

It wasn't until they reached the entrance of the command tent that Zhang Zhongyan realized he had been too impolite for not asking the young officer's name.

"I have yet to ask the young general's name."

The young officer grinned and said, "My name is Wanyan Wangxiang. I am the top general of the Weisheng Army and the Prefect of Guide. My father is the Minister of War and the Grand Councilor, the Duke of Yuanyi."

Zhang Zhongyan's heart skipped a beat.

He had only heard of Wanyan Wangxiang before, but Wanyan Yuanyi was a very famous person. Even among the central officials, this minister, who was of Khitan origin but was granted the surname Wanyan, was considered an outstanding figure.

This is the essence of being both a general and a prime minister.

But wasn't the Weisheng Army led by Wanyan Yuanyi completely wiped out in Huaixi?

How come there's suddenly a new "Number One General of the Weisheng Army"?
And what are you doing in Kansai?
Could it be...

There was no time to think further; the commander's tent was already in front of them. Zhang Zhongyan called out names and entered, and the first person he saw was Tu Danhexi.

But Zhang Zhongyan was immediately surprised to find that Tu Danhexi was not sitting in the first seat, but in the first seat on the left.

Zhang Zhongyan reflexively looked at the first person on the right side of the main seat. Although it had been a long time, he still recognized him. This person was none other than Wanyan Yuanyi, the current Chancellor and Minister of War.

The identity of the person sitting in the first seat is already obvious.

Zhang Zhongyan glanced at it only once before kneeling and kowtowing: "Your subject Zhang Zhongyan greets Your Majesty!"

Wanyan Liang sat in the head seat and said with a smile, "Minister Zhang, please rise. Are you surprised to see me?"

Zhang Zhongyan didn't stand on ceremony. He quickly stood up and honestly replied, "Your Majesty, I am naturally somewhat surprised, because I am in Fengxiang Prefecture and also a native of Guanzhong. I am well-informed, but I have not heard of any large army passing by."

However, the world belongs to Your Majesty, and all land under heaven belongs to the emperor. Your Majesty can naturally go wherever you wish, and we, as your subjects, should not interfere excessively.

Wanyan Liang pointed at Zhang Zhongyan and laughed out loud at Tudan Hexi: "Hexi, look at Zhang Qing's words. He has a problem with me traveling incognito."

Tu Danhe chuckled twice in agreement.

Zhang Zhongyan cupped his hands and said, "I wouldn't dare."

Wanyan Liang raised an eyebrow: "Oh? It's not that you don't have them, but that you dare not have them?"

Zhang Zhongyan remained silent, which was an implicit agreement.

Seeing Zhang Zhongyan's expression, Wanyan Liang was not annoyed, but instead looked at Tudan Hexi and asked, "Hexi, is that what you think too?"

After a moment of silence, Tu Danhexi said with a complicated expression, "His Majesty has been here for several days, but I have not yet been able to have a heart-to-heart talk with him... His Majesty's actions are indeed somewhat risky."

This time, Wanyan Liang only brought one hundred armored cavalrymen. He did not notify the officials along the way, nor did he notify Tudan Hexi, the highest military and political official in Shaanxi. He went directly to the Yuanzhou camp and summoned all the marching Meng'an to distribute rewards, reward merits, and promote them to higher ranks.

It has a feeling similar to Emperor Gaozu seizing Han Xin's army.

However, firstly, Wanyan Liang was not Emperor Gaozu, and secondly, Tudan Hexi did not want to become Han Xin. Therefore, although Wanyan Liang and Tudan Hexi, the ruler and his minister, appeared to get along well on the surface these past few days, undercurrents were already surging beneath the surface.

Both sides were secretly trying to win over officers of the rank of "Marching Meng'an" and "Marching Mouke," and made promises to them.

The reasons why Wanyan Liang wanted to control this army are self-evident.

At this moment, Tudan Hexi also had his own ambitions. He didn't want to wait for a higher price, but rather wanted to offer the land directly to Wanyan Yong.

This was not only because Wanyan Liang's support was delayed, making it difficult for Tudan Hexi to maintain his position in Guanzhong, but also because Tudan Hexi's roots were in the old Western Route Army.

He was originally a bodyguard of Wanyan Loushi, and later became a centurion in Wanyan Loushi's personal command of Meng'an. He was very familiar with some of the second-generation members of the Western Route Army.

For example, Wanyan Guying, Wanyan Mouyan, Heshilie Liangbi, Wanyan Shoudao...

Most of these people had already submitted to Wanyan Yong, so they would naturally write letters to persuade Tudan Hexi to join them.

The key issue is that after Wanyan Liang fought a major battle with Wanyan Yong last year, Wanyan Yong is now facing an invasion from the northern Mongol tribes and has not yet had time to send troops.

This led to Tu Danhexi's great hesitation.

If Wanyan Liang were already dead, it would be incredibly smooth for Tudan Hexi to switch allegiance. But now he fears that if he joins Wanyan Yong, Wanyan Liang, that madman, might disregard everything and lead the Hezhamengan to attack Chang'an, cutting off the supply lines of the Jin army's Guanzhong army.

But now Wanyan Liang has come in person, but he only brought one hundred personal guards and one central government official, Wanyan Yuanyi.

If Tudan Hexi had been more ambitious and daring, the story would have unfolded as follows: Tudan Hexi would have easily detained Wanyan Liang, imprisoned him, mocked his carelessness, and then devised a plan to cause Wanyan Liang's death from illness.

Then he informed Wanyan Yong of this good news. From then on, the Jin Dynasty ended its division and once again became a unified force. His disciple Danhexi was the hero who rebuilt the Jin Dynasty.

However, there are no "what ifs".

Wanyan Liang dared to come almost alone because he was certain that Tudan Hexi was a cautious person and wouldn't have the guts.

Wanyan Liang was equally cautious. He arrived in stealth and did not immediately seek out Tudan Hexi. Instead, he quickly found his trusted confidants in the army and promoted them, arranging marriages for them, in order to stabilize them.

By the time Tudan Hexi recovered from his shock, Wanyan Liang had already gathered a group of people, enough to protect his safety.

"Hahaha, Ah Xi." Wanyan Liang laughed a few times: "Didn't you all keep saying that Wu Lin's offensive was fierce and that reinforcements were needed? Why are you acting like this now that I've personally led reinforcements here?"

Tudan Hexi was slightly taken aback, then glanced at Wanyan Wangxiang.

The meaning is obvious.

Do you really expect this little guy to change the entire Kansai war situation with just a hundred riders?

Is this guy some kind of reincarnation of Xiang Yu?
"Axi, stop looking at Wang Xiang." Wanyan Liang pointed to himself and said, "Am I, the emperor, not even worth 100,000 elite soldiers?"

“Uh…” Tudan Hexi could only reply, “Your Majesty alone is naturally capable of commanding an army of 100,000, but Wu Lin has many connections in Guanzhong. Even if something were to happen to Your Majesty, the future of the Great Jin Kingdom would be in jeopardy…”

Although Tudan Hexi spoke kindly, he actually held Wanyan Liang in contempt in his heart.

They could also form an army of 100,000.

If we calculate it that way, then the 130,000 Jin troops that gathered in Chaoxian at that time would have driven the Song people into Chaohu Lake to feed the turtles long ago!
"Won't the future of the Great Jin still rest on Wulu's shoulders?" Wanyan Liang slowly uttered Wanyan Yong's Jurchen name, ignoring the astonished looks of the others: "If I were to die, Wulu would naturally take over the country, but I am not dead yet, am I?"

As he spoke, Wanyan Liang stood up and spread his hands: "Axi, Zhang Qing, how have I treated you on a daily basis?"

Despite Wanyan Liang's seemingly mad purging of the country before his southern campaign, including killing the Empress Dowager, he treated the two main generals of Guanzhong very well.

Even to the point of considering them as confidants.

Tu Danhexi and Zhang Zhongyan did not deny this, and at the same time stood up and cupped their hands, saying: "His Majesty's kindness to us is as heavy as a mountain."

Wanyan Liang nodded, his tone becoming solemn: "Now I am going to defeat Wu Lin for the Great Jin. Are you willing to come with me?"

Given this situation, how could the two of them possibly say they were unwilling?
"I am willing to die for Your Majesty!"

Wanyan Liang waved his hand with a smile: "You don't need to die, you must live. Only by surviving can you defeat the enemy, and only by surviving can you enjoy wealth and honor!"

After expressing his opinion, Tudan Hexi steered the conversation back on track: "Your Majesty, how should we defeat the enemy?"

Wanyan Liang smiled and looked at Zhang Zhongyan: "At this moment, it still falls on Zhang Qing's shoulders."

Zhang Zhongyan immediately felt a chill run down his spine: "Your Majesty, I... I don't have that much ability."

Wanyan Liang laughed upon hearing this: "Zhang Qing, I know you don't have the ability, because the hearts of the people in Guanzhong belong to your elder brother, Zhang Chongwang."

The Prince Chong was Zhang Zhongfu.

"But Zhang Qing, do you have any way to make the people of Guanxi belong to us from now on?"

(End of this chapter)