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

Chapter 866 A Manifesto as a Knife, Pen and Ink Piercing the Heart
After everyone had left, Liu Huai began to scribble and draw haphazardly on the table.

That intelligence message just came from Lin'an.

The content is simple and clear.

Rumors in Lin'an have already spread that there is a King of Han in the Central Plains.

This was actually within Liu Huai's expectations.

Given that he was referred to as the King of Han throughout the north, keeping it a secret was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Especially now that Henan has been pacified, merchants from both sides are exchanging goods frequently. Whenever a merchant from the north expresses gratitude for the King of Han's kindness, the people of Jiangnan will know that a King of Han has emerged in the north.

This is obviously an open secret.

But the key lies in the second half.

When the students of the Imperial Academy of Song heard this news, they thought that Liu Huai had declared himself king without authorization.

The students of the Imperial Academy have always been the most dynamic political group. How could they tolerate such a rebellious act? In September, they began to contact each other and prepare to confront the emperor.

It was obvious that they wanted to bring this matter to the imperial court for a serious discussion and break down the veil between the Song and Han armies.

However, Liu Huai understood that no political upheaval could arise out of thin air; it must be the result of collusion between someone.

Especially the large-scale Fuque.

Although several decades have passed since Chen Dong was beaten to death, the practice of the Zhao Song emperors taking action against students of the Imperial Academy has been preserved.

It's true that the students of the Imperial Academy are politically energetic, but they are not fools. They won't do anything that only involves risks and no benefits.

Besides, this is no longer the era after the Jingkang Incident when China was on the verge of collapse and everyone had to risk their lives. Liu Huai is not declaring himself emperor, so there's no need for him to cause such a stir.

Therefore, Liu Huai made a very simple judgment.

It is highly likely that someone is taking advantage of Yu Yunwen's inability to control the court and the public while he is stationed in an outer region, hoping to cause trouble.

As to Liu Huai, it didn't matter whether the troublemakers were the peace faction, the infighting within the war faction, or the interference of that old eunuch Zhao Gou.

As the saying goes, "the whip is too far to reach," meaning he couldn't and wouldn't be able to control what was happening in the small court in Jiangnan.

All Liu Huai could do was act decisively to accomplish what Yu Yunwen wanted to do, thereby helping him to suppress the Song court.

There is nothing we can do about this.

Currently, the main force of the Han army is dealing with Hebei and Jin, leaving the Central Plains vulnerable. It would be too dangerous to fight on two fronts.

Although Yu Yunwen was shrewd and often made things difficult for the Han army, he was, after all, a mature politician who prioritized the interests of the Song state, and his behavior was predictable.

If Yu Yunwen were to be dismissed as prime minister, not only would a pro-peace faction be promoted, but even if someone like Zhang Jun were to emerge, and the enemy were to make any move against them, Liu Huai would have an even bigger headache.

Now that the decision has been made, the rest is much easier to handle.

Liu Huai ordered the regular troops of the Flying Tiger Army, the Tianxiong Army, and the Dongping Army to begin assembling.

At the same time, he ordered Li Tong to prepare troops in Henan. He did not need the Chenzhou army to be the main force; as long as they could hold back the Jin army, it would be a great achievement.

In addition, Liu Huai was also busy with diplomacy, sending official and private documents to Yu Yunwen, who was in Nanyang.

The official documents were naturally full of grand and empty rhetoric, with phrases like "the campaign against the enemy has not been successful and the friendship between the people has not been fulfilled," "the Han and the traitors cannot coexist," and "the imperial cause cannot be confined to a corner of the country," all delivered in a wholesale manner. They also guaranteed at the end that they would definitely send troops to fight the Jin traitors to the death.

Under the command of Prime Minister Yu, we will surely be able to defeat Xi Jin and his gang of scoundrels in one fell swoop.

This official document reassured Cheng Min, Wu Gong, and others, while it thrilled Chen Min, Zhao Zun, and others.

Thanks to Liu Huai's consistently good political reputation, no one doubted that he would break his promise after making a grand announcement to the world in the form of an official document.

As for the private message Liu Huai sent to Yu Yunwen, it was full of pleasantries.

Liu Huai questioned Yu Yunwen about whether he was no longer able to control the court, whether the Song state was about to attack Shandong, and whether the Han people should first have a civil war before deciding who would destroy the Jin state.
Yu Yunwen then highly praised Liu Huai's bravery, fearlessness, and noble character in an official document, saying that every soldier in the Han army was a hero, and even recited a sentimental poem as a gift to Liu Huai.

However, the private messages that came back were equally rude, almost full of insults, questioning whether Liu Huai had any common sense. Politicians who are far from the political core are prone to losing political power, so how could he, a prime minister, be an exception?

Don't you know how Fusu died?
Besides, this mess was caused by you. If you had been able to uphold your duties as a subject, you wouldn't have had any ammunition to attack you.
As for Bianliang, come or not, it's up to you.

Although there will be tremendous trouble after the Song Dynasty takes over, we will see how Li Tong manages to hold onto Chenzhou and other places amidst the three-pronged attack from Bianliang, Xiangfan, and Huainan.

Despite exchanging insults, both sides tacitly launched a military operation against Bianliang. What can we do but make do?

Liu Huai's political offensive against Bianliang didn't stop there; he even wrote a complete proclamation, proclaiming the righteousness of the war to the world.

"Heaven's justice is just, and China has a principle that justice must be served. People's hearts are on the side of justice, and even a commoner will avenge any wrong."

"Let's skip this part and get to the point."

"Oh, oh, oh... These foolish and rebellious barbarians still rely on the alliance to exploit the resources of the people and satisfy their desires. This is not out of their own free will, but they claim it is only natural."

The surviving members of the nobility are treated like dirt; even blood relatives are devoured like wolves. Adding to this the encroachment from other regions, and the repeated droughts and floods, displacement is ignored, and bandits run rampant.

"roll!"

When Pu Sanzhongyi heard the clerk read out all the words cursing the Jin Dynasty, he felt a surge of anger with nowhere to vent it. After dismissing the clerk, he snatched the proclamation and began to read it carefully.

Wanyan Yuanyi, who was standing to the side, poured a cup of tea for the servant San Zhongyi, then shook his head and sighed, reciting the second half of the proclamation: "The Qi ruler avenged his family, reaching nine generations above; Emperor Tang wiped away the shame, finally avenging the hundred kings."

Moreover, the hatred between my family and my country is so close to the day and night, I grieve day and night, and I have no way to express my tears.

We will strive to achieve great merit, and we will certainly rely on the strength of the masses. Whether we speak of distant matters or immediate ones, who does not have a heart that values ​​righteousness? As a son and as a subject, we should be mindful of our grievances.

May we be inspired to be courageous in our duties, and pay homage to the spirits of those who have passed away, so that the old cause of the Chinese people may be restored to its former glory, and that the grand principles of our nation may remain forever.

The proclamation, issued both domestically and internationally, clearly conveys the emperor's heartfelt sentiments.

"Truly excellent writing. Liu Bei has some capable ministers under his command. This proclamation will most likely be as famous as the 'Proclamation Against Wu Zetian'."

Pu Sanzhongyi threw the proclamation aside and asked somewhat irritably, "Yitenian, did you come back just to anger me to death?"

Wanyan Yuanyi slowly shook his head, then took out a yellow scroll from his bosom: "His Majesty's edict is urgent, so I won't stand on ceremony. Marshal, please read it yourself."

Pu Sanzhongyi received the imperial edict, held it high above his head to show respect, and then eagerly began to read it.

After a moment, he sighed and said, "Your Majesty is indeed still the wise and enlightened emperor."

"Your Majesty is certainly wise."

After Wanyan Yuanyi agreed, she finally had time to look around the house, but suddenly realized that this was the place where Heshi Lie Liangbi used to work, and she was slightly taken aback.

He suddenly remembered that it was in this public building that the two of them last met.

After Wanyan Liang personally executed Empress Dowager Pusan ​​to demonstrate his determination to conquer the Song Dynasty in the south, Wanyan Yuanyi was naturally filled with anxiety.

When he handed over military affairs to Heshilie Liangbi, they discussed for the last time the bandits who were causing such a ruckus in Shandong.

Subsequently, Wanyan Yuanyi followed Wanyan Liang south, while Heshilie Liangbi went north to Liaoyang to guard the area outside the pass.

Looking back now, it seems that those days were the heyday of the Jin Dynasty, and the future appeared infinitely bright.

But looking back now, Wanyan Yuanyi also knows that many things were completely irreversible from that time onward.

Seeing that Wanyan Yuanyi seemed lost in thought, Pusan ​​Zhongyi assumed he was pondering a solution and did not urge him. After a moment, he said, "Move the imperial carriage. His Majesty has agreed to move the capital and entrusted all matters to me. Is there anything else you have to say?"

Wanyan Yuanyi steadied himself and nodded, saying, "Yes, His Majesty said that the Crown Prince will continue to guard Luoyang for another year, and then he will be taken to Guanzhong to witness the great battle. I hope that the Grand Marshal can stabilize Luoyang within a year."

Pu Sanzhongyi was somewhat taken aback, but after a moment he shook his head and smiled bitterly: "What use is it for the Crown Prince to go into battle now? If you ask me, it would be better to mobilize all the troops and fight a major battle in Guanzhong to drive Wu Lin back to Shu."

Only by occupying Hanzhong and then marching north to destroy Western Xia could the situation of the Jin Dynasty be completely stabilized.

Relying solely on Luoyang and Guanzhong is still too dangerous.

Wanyan Yuanyi nodded, then said perfunctorily, "I will jointly submit a memorial with the Grand Marshal to seek His Majesty's support, but for now, we must look at the present situation first."

"Now that the Song state and the traitor Liu are attacking from all sides, will the Grand Marshal be able to successfully relocate the capital?"

Pu Sanzhongyi knew that Wanyan Yuanyi's "smooth sailing" meant more than just moving the army there; it meant relocating a large number of people, households, wealth, and grain. At the same time, it also meant ensuring the stability of Luoyang.

Moreover, all of this had to be accomplished under the watchful eyes of the Song and Han armies, a thought that sends chills down one's spine.

However, Pu Sanzhongyi nodded emphatically and said, "Yes, I hope that Lord Wanyan can go to Luoyang to oversee things for me."

Wanyan Yuanyi immediately stood up, looked around the official residence again, and bowed: "As the Grand Marshal commands, since that's the case, let us, the important officials of the Great Jin, fight to the death!"

(End of this chapter)