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

Chapter 950 A Thousand Miles of Clouds and Moon (A Long Chapter of 10,000 Words)
Beneath the walls of Yanjing, the Han army stood in formation.

Armored soldiers stood like a forest, armored cavalry like rain; the light reflected from their armor was enough to disperse the clouds in the sky, and the cold glint of their weapons was enough to cleave the biting north wind.

Liu Huai stopped his horse on a high ground outside the south gate of Yanjing City and looked up at the sky.

Amid the resounding drumbeats, he was slightly lost in thought.

Perhaps due to the excessive energy he had expended these past few days, Liu Huai was still unable to concentrate even after entering the battlefield.

For some reason, gazing at the wide and tall city walls of Yanjing, Liu Huai was filled with many thoughts.

The knowledge he had before his time travel and the experiences he had afterward constantly washed over his mind, to the point that this Han king became somewhat lost on the battlefield.

"Yanjing City..."

Looking at the Jin soldiers on the city wall, even though they were miles away, Liu Huai felt as if he could see the fear on their faces.

"Yanjing... Marquis of Yan... no, it should be Marquis of Yan. Was he in such a panic during the siege by the Shanrong?"

In a daze, Liu Huai seemed to be separated from that Marquis of Yan by more than a thousand years, and they made eye contact.

Then, the middle-aged man, who looked exhausted, withdrew his gaze and continued to travel north as ordered by the Zhou emperor.

After crossing great rivers and traversing forests and wilderness, we finally arrived at this blessed land where mountains stretch endlessly and rivers meet.

It was also a place where the Zhou emperor's arrows could not reach.

Following the Zhou rites, the middle-aged man led his subordinates in offering sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and their ancestors, sharing the sacrificial offerings. He then placed the fattest piece of meat at the feet of the Zhou emperor.

Sharp spears were wrapped with flags, and fences were erected to defend against wild beasts and savages.

This was the original Yan state.

As the middle-aged man grew old, his descendants took over the bows and arrows, swords and spears, and the wooden plows and rammed earth.

They built city walls with rammed earth, expanded their territory with swords and spears, cultivated the land with wooden plows, and educated the savages with the rites of Zhou.

Generation after generation, life goes on.

The rainforests on the Great Plains severed communication between the State of Yan and the Zhou Dynasty. Gradually, the Zhou Dynasty and the various Xia states became legends passed down orally.

Later, the Shanrong arrived.

The state of Yan was teetering on the brink of collapse under the siege of the Shanrong.

Standing atop the city wall of Yanjing, Duke Zhuang of Yan glanced at Liu Huai through the same dark eyes as his ancestors, then turned his gaze eastward.

On the vast sea, ships gathered in great numbers, and the Qi-character flags stood like a forest, fluttering in the wind.

Duke Huan of Qi and Guan Zhong stood on the bow of the ship, holding the bamboo slips of Yan's plea for help. With a sliver of hope, they crossed the sea to come and provide assistance.

For the State of Yan, the Zhou emperor was a legend, but for the various Xia states, the State of Yan, isolated from the rainforest and barbarians for hundreds of years, was also a legend.

War chariots crisscrossed the area, and the mountain barbarians were routed.

On the battlefield, Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Zhuang of Yan observed the proper etiquette for feudal lords and made an agreement to respect the king and repel the barbarians.

For the first time, the borders of the various Xia states were definitively defined.

Time flies by like sand in the wind, and the monarchs and heroes of the Spring and Autumn Period are frozen in history.

However, Yanjing still stands.

The general, wielding a large bow, who could shoot tigers into rocks, fought fiercely with the Xiongnu here.

Riding a white horse, the chief clerk, bearing the banner of Gongsun, fought against the Xianbei people here.

Then, chaos ensued. The warhorses of the Hu people swept into the Central Plains, trampling the lands of Yan and Zhao and destroying city after city.

The city of Yanjing was reduced to ruins, but it was rebuilt. No matter how many times the Hu people came, order was restored and Han etiquette was restored. Like a battle-hardened warrior, it guarded the frontier of civilization.

The drums of war from Yuyang shook the earth, shattering the "Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe" dance.

The obese tyrant launched a rebellion, and his loyal ministers were executed by dismemberment at Tumen Pass.

When Yan Zhenqing wrote "Draft of a Eulogy for My Nephew", did he ever think of this city?

When Du Fu wrote "Suddenly news came from beyond the sword gate that Jibei had been recovered," did he ever think of this place?

With the clanging of iron hooves, they trampled across the land, and this land has never been calm and peaceful since then.

Liu Huai sighed slightly and looked back, only to see Yue Fei and Han Shizhong standing in the distance, while Wu Lin and Liu Qi were closer, but still blurry and their faces were not clearly visible.

Soon, the figures of Zhang Xiaoyi, Geng Jing, Shi Jun, and others appeared one by one. Finally, Wei Sheng also appeared under the Wei banner erected beside Liu Huai, stroking his beard which resembled Guan Yu's magnificent beard, looking at Liu Huai with a smile and saying nothing.

"Expel the Tartars! Restore China!"

"Expel the Tartars! Restore China!"

Behind Yue Fei, countless people shouted and advanced. A vast, crimson banner, seemingly capable of blotting out the sun, appeared from the horizon.

The flag only had one character: 'Ming'.

Under the red flag, Zhu Yuanzhang, Xu Da, Li Shanchang, Chang Yuchun, Li Wenzhong, and many others whom Liu Huai knew or did not know arrived at the city.

In an instant, the collapse of the heavens subsided, the earth cracks returned to silence, and Youyan, which had been ravaged by the Hu winds for hundreds of years, finally regained a moment of peace.

However, this land, which has suffered so much, can never truly find peace.

The descendants of the Jurchens have returned, but this time they are dragging the entire Chinese nation down with them.

Those foreign powers that were once far away seemed to have arrived at our doorstep overnight.

After experiencing more than two hundred years of loss, the Chinese people had no choice but to dispel their confusion and rediscover the path to national salvation.

Life and blood became the most basic currency; information about blocked roads was purchased with sacrifices as the bargaining chip.

This ancient people, like a giant dragon bound by chains, constantly struggled against heaven and earth, finally tearing open the gloomy sky.

Red flags formed a sea, and countless people rejoiced and jumped for joy in the city.

In the blink of an eye, Liu Huai saw skyscrapers and factory buildings springing up from the ground in the city, and the wide streets bustling with traffic.

A thousand years in the future, another Liu Huai with a buzz cut climbs atop the ancient city wall, his gaze piercing through time, silently meeting that of Liu Huai, now clad in armor and commanding a vast army.

"The past is as long as a thousand years ago."

Liu Huai muttered to himself.

With this exclamation, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Liu Huai in the dim light.

Marquis Yan Ke, leaning on a cane; Guan Zhong, still at sea; Li Guang, wielding a large bow; Gongsun Zan, perched high on a white horse…

Those Chinese and savages.

Those loyal ministers and generals, feudal lords and kings, treacherous officials and usurpers, and ordinary people.

Those noble ones, and those base ones.

those people……

They all turned to look at Liu Huai, who was now standing at the crossroads of history.

Liu Huai, however, looked at Wei Sheng beside him.

Wei Sheng said nothing, only nodded with a smile.

The next moment, these figures that emerged from the long river of history vanished like dust blown away by the wind.

Subsequently, the Han soldiers, who had been shrouded in the veil of time, also revealed their figures.

Tens of thousands of soldiers, without uttering a word, gazed expectantly at the high ground where Liu Huai stood after preparing for the general offensive.

Liu Huai felt he should say something.

The north winds that have swept across the land for a thousand years surged within his chest, carrying with them the blood of heroes and righteous men throughout Chinese history, bursting forth from his heart and coursing through his limbs and bones.

The next moment, Liu Huai picked up the Li Quan Spear, raised it high, and shouted out two words.

"Destroy the gold!"

The close advisors and personal guards surrounding Liu Huai were momentarily stunned into silence.

In the past, we always talked about resisting the Jin, so why do we now talk about destroying the Jin?
However, when these people looked at the majestic Yanjing city in front of them, they suddenly realized something.

Why not destroy the Jin dynasty?

Now that our army has arrived at the gates of Yanjing, how can we not annihilate the Jin dynasty?!

"Destroy the Jin!" Liang Su shouted first, raising his arm in victory.

"Destroy the Jin!" Bi Zaiyu and Yao Pingdeng's personal guards also raised their weapons and cheered loudly.

The sound spread like ocean waves, and the Han soldiers were all excited upon hearing it, shouting loudly at the same time.

"Destroy the gold!"

At first, the sounds were just a jumble of noise, but after a while, the roars gradually became unified, and it seemed as if only one sound remained in the world.

"Destroy the gold!"

Liu Huai stretched out his hand, clenched his fist, and pointed forward: "Beat the drums! Advance!"

……

Yu Yunwen arrived at the palace gate, stepped down from the carriage, and frowned at the gatekeeper, asking, "Is that the sound of drums?"

The Palace Guard officer listened intently for a moment, then smiled and said, "Reporting to Lord Yu, this is not the sound of drums from the palace, but from the Imperial City Guard."

A few days ago, they launched a large-scale operation to capture spies, but they caught none. Inspector Long was furious and set up a reward platform, offering a hundred taels of gold to anyone who could provide clues about the spies.

However, Supervisor Long miscalculated. These past few days, only ruffians and scoundrels have come knocking on his door, and there are absolutely no clues..."

Yu Yunwen nodded slowly, but then asked, "What's your name? Why have I never seen you before?"

The commander of the Palace Guard immediately straightened his posture and said, "My name is Jin Sanyi. I was originally the head of the Golden Spear Squad of the Palace Guard. I was recently promoted to a full-fledged general due to my merits."

We were all guarding the East Palace before, and we just changed shifts today.

Yu Yunwen nodded slowly again.

He wasn't a real powerful minister and had no intention of controlling the Imperial Guards; it was just a casual question.

"His Majesty has decreed that today's continuous rain should not trouble you, Minister Yu, to come to the palace. However, there are indeed important matters to discuss. Please, Minister Yu, take a sedan chair to avoid the wind and rain."

As soon as Kim Sam-ik finished speaking, Yu Yunwen shook his head and said, "I still have to abide by my duty as a subject. I am not old and incompetent."

After saying that, Yu Yunwen took a paper umbrella and walked quickly into the palace.

Kim Sam-ik had no choice but to have someone carry a palanquin behind him and also assigned a team of guards to clear the way at the front.

Yu Yunwen paused slightly, feeling something was off.

He had been to the palace more than once or twice. The Song Dynasty's prime minister had a rule that he would stay at the side gate of the palace during critical moments, but he had never seen such a grand procession before.

But then I thought about it again. Kim Sam-ik had just been transferred here, and given the tense situation, it was only natural that he wanted to be more careful.

With these thoughts in mind, Yu Yunwen continued to walk slowly towards the Hall of Diligent Governance, holding his oil-paper umbrella.

They had only gone halfway when another eunuch came to report: "Lord Yu, His Majesty has moved to Chongzheng Hall."

Chongzheng Hall was the place where the Song Dynasty held grand court assemblies and ceremonies, making it a very solemn place.

Normally, Zhao Shen would receive various ministers and officials either in the Chuigong Hall or in the Qinzheng Hall in the inner palace. Why is the location being changed now?
However, Yu Yunwen still didn't think much of it.

Since whether it's moving the capital or sending him to Nanyang to lead the Northern Expedition, these are momentous events, and if the Emperor wants to be serious, then so be it.

Yu Yunwen walked slowly into Chongzheng Hall, braving the light drizzle.

Because it had been cloudy recently and there were no lanterns, the spacious Chongzheng Hall was somewhat dark. When Yu Yunwen looked up, he saw Zhao Shen sitting on the dragon throne, his face pale in the shadows.

Several eunuchs stood on the side of the main hall, their figures like ghosts.

Yu Yunwen finally felt a sense of alarm. He turned his head slightly and saw that the guards who had cleared the way had already taken the opportunity to stand on both sides of the hall, blocking the way.

Yu Yunwen, however, remained calm and continued to walk slowly forward. He came to Zhao Shen's side, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Zhao Shen's voice was dry: "Prime Minister Yu..."

Yu Yunwen straightened his back and looked into Zhao Shen's eyes: "Your Majesty, I am the Prime Minister, and Your Majesty should have nothing to hide."

Zhao Shen's eyes darted around, and he held his forehead as if enduring a sharp pain in his head. After a long while, he slowly said, "Prime Minister Yu, how about we postpone the relocation of the capital and the northern expedition for now?"

Yu Yunwen's ears twitched.

He heard the sound of the leaves rubbing together.

"Your Majesty, we cannot stop." Yu Yunwen said loudly, "This concerns the struggle for legitimacy of the empire. If we stop the relocation of the capital, who in the world will still believe that Your Majesty has the ambition to launch a northern expedition?"
But if we stop the Northern Expedition, wouldn't we be handing over the legitimacy and the hearts of the people in the north to them?

Zhao Shen was speechless.

However, at that moment, an old and high-pitched voice came from behind the screen behind Zhao Shen: "According to Prime Minister Yu, are the hearts of the people and the legitimacy of the Central Plains all things that I have lost?"

The sound of armored soldiers suddenly rang out, and the side door of Chongzheng Hall opened wide, revealing dozens of armored soldiers. The leader was none other than Yang Yizhong, whose hair and beard were completely white.

The eunuch stepped forward and moved the screen aside.

It was only then that Yu Yunwen realized that the screen behind the dragon throne was blocking out such a large space.

There was also a chair there, and Zhao Gou sat comfortably on it, dressed in a scarlet robe, coldly watching Yu Yunwen from the shadows.

"Greetings to the Retired Emperor."

Yu Yunwen remained neither humble nor arrogant, but simply bowed again: "Why is the Emperor Emeritus not enjoying his retirement in the Deshou Palace, but instead interfering in court affairs in the Chongzheng Hall?!"

Zhao Gou sneered, "This empire originally belonged to me..."

Yu Yunwen raised his voice: "The retired emperor has already abdicated, and his title has been established. From ancient times to the present, there has never been a retired emperor interfering in politics. Could it be that Emperor Gaozu of Han, after sweeping away the world with his three-foot sword, handed over the government to Liu Taigong?"

Yu Yunwen spoke with righteous indignation, while looking around at the armored soldiers: "You people, dressed in armor, come to threaten the current emperor. Aren't you afraid of having your entire family executed?"

Upon hearing Yu Yunwen's words, the armored soldiers indeed looked at each other in bewilderment, some of them wavering.

Before they came, no one said they would be involved in this level of power struggle! If these small fry fall in, won't they be torn to pieces?
Upon seeing this, Yu Yunwen immediately looked at Zhao Shen.

The saying goes, "Within ten steps, a man can rival a nation."

These armored soldiers may not realize that at this moment, the most powerful person in this hall is no longer Zhao Gou or Zhao Shen, nor Yu Yunwen and Yang Yizhong, but these lowly soldiers wielding weapons.

As long as Emperor Zhao Shen and the current Left Chancellor Yu Yunwen speak at the same time and make some promises, some things can be settled.

However, at this crucial moment, Zhao Shen actually looked away and covered his forehead with his hand.

The opportunity was fleeting, and Yang Yizhong immediately shouted, "Silence!"

"Have you all forgotten the previous military orders? Officials will be promoted three ranks, and all military officers will be promoted to the rank of Martial Virtue Grand Master, with a reward of a thousand gold pieces! Their wives and children will be granted titles and privileges! Although you are acting on behalf of the Emperor Emeritus to restore order, it is by the will of Heaven. What is there to hesitate about?!"

The ordinary soldiers who were initially wavering quickly regained their resolve, and a hint of ruthlessness appeared in their eyes.

Yu Yunwen's heart sank. He glanced at Yang Yizhong, then stared straight at Zhao Gou.

still have a chance.

Under the Song Dynasty's system, it was impossible for an emperor emeritus and a general to command the bureaucracy. Starting with the scribes in the Secretariat, countless people would resist the chaotic orders.

unless……

Shi Hao stepped out from behind the armored soldiers, pointed at Yu Yunwen, and shouted: "Yu Binfu, you are truly an unfaithful and unfilial person! If it weren't for your instigation, how could the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus have become so estranged?! You are to blame for this irreparable situation!"

Yu Yunwen sighed inwardly.

That makes perfect sense.

Shi Hao also held the title of Vice Chancellor, making him a member of the Chancellor's staff. By siding with Zhao Gou and even taking the lead in this matter, the palace and the government were essentially united, and procedural obstacles had been completely eliminated.

Now that things had come to this, Yu Yunwen was quite frank, and said directly to Shi Hao, "You are the Emperor's chief chef, why would you betray the Emperor?!"

Shi Hao sneered, "I am doing this to correct the mistakes of the emperor for the sake of the Song Dynasty. You are sowing discord within the imperial family and placing the emperor in a position of filial impiety. This is truly..."

Seeing that Shi Hao was still spouting these obvious nonsense, Yu Yunwen impatiently waved his sleeve and said, "Stop! Shi Hao! What kind of loyal and upright person are you pretending to be? Don't think that I don't know what you're thinking! You're just resentful because you lost the position of Right Chancellor!"

Shi Hao originally did not want to argue with Yu Yunwen, but such a big event had occurred today, which would definitely be recorded in history. There were not only important figures present, but also dozens of armored soldiers and many court officials. If he did not refute them now, he would be wrong in the history books of later generations.

“Yu Binfu, wasn’t it you, you villain, who slandered me back then…”

Yu Yunwen's eyes widened, glaring angrily: "Do you think I would risk the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers in Xichuan to slander you?"

Shi Hao immediately shut up.

Seeing that Shi Hao was at a disadvantage, Zhao Gou did not care: "Yu Yunwen, you have not yet answered my question. Have you lost the hearts of the people and the legitimacy of the Central Plains?"

Yu Yunwen looked at Zhao Shen again and saw that he had covered his forehead with his hand. He couldn't help but sigh: "Your Majesty, why have you brought this humiliation upon yourself again?"

"I brought this humiliation upon myself?!"

Yu Yunwen's face showed a mocking expression: "I knew there was some space behind the throne screen, but I didn't expect that this area could accommodate another throne. However, Your Majesty, do you know why I knew there was such an empty space behind the screen?"

Zhao Gou's face turned ashen: "Shut up!"

Yu Yunwen, however, continued loudly, "It's because the Jin traitors sent an envoy, that bastard Gao Jingshan, to this Chongzheng Hall, where he berated the Emperor Emeritus, and the civil and military officials in the hall wanted to kill him..."

"Shut up! Shut up!" Zhao Gou slammed his hand on the armrest of his throne. "Make him shut up!"

Yang Yizhong rushed forward, trying to pin Yu Yunwen down.

However, Yu Yunwen spoke quickly and urgently: "But the Emperor Emeritus was scolded by this barbarian who came alone, and wept bitterly, then went behind the screen... uh..."

The armored soldiers pressed Yu Yunwen to the ground, causing him to cry out in pain. However, the next moment he continued to sneer: "If it weren't for the current emperor's diligent efforts and determination to launch a northern expedition, the retired emperor might still be hiding his face behind a screen!"

Just as Zhao Gou was about to order Yang Yizhong to gag Yu Yunwen, he heard someone loudly proclaim from a corner of the hall: "Your Majesty! This humble subject does not understand why a treacherous and disloyal scoundrel like Yu Yunwen would attain a high position in the Song Dynasty court."

Why did Your Majesty merely restrain him instead of immediately punishing him?

Yu Yunwen struggled to lift his head, and when he saw a middle-aged man with a full braid emerge from the shadows, he finally chuckled: "Jurchen, Jurchen... Hahahaha. How laughable that my Great Song Emperor Emeritus would make peace with the Jurchens, who killed his father and brother, for a mere bit of power! How ridiculous! Who are you? Were you sent by Wanyan Yong or Wanyan Liang?"

The middle-aged Jurchen woman sneered, then took a few steps forward, put her hands behind her back, and said, "I am Yila Dao, the Vice Minister of State Affairs of the Great Jin Dynasty. I have come to communicate with the Great Song Dynasty on the orders of my lord. What is this rebellious Liang? How dare he be compared to my lord?"

Yu Yunwen sneered again: "Wanyan Yong actually still has the mind to send people to sow discord between the emperor and his ministers of the Great Song Dynasty. Does he know that Liu Dalang's knife has already been cleaved down! Who knows, Wanyan Yong's head may already be Fei Huzi's chamber pot!"

Shi Hao finally calmed himself down, seized the opportunity, and pointed his halberd at Yu Yunwen, angrily cursing, "Liu the Traitor is now so uncontrollable because of your indulgence! He not only wants to overthrow the Great Jin Dynasty, but also wants to sweep across Jiangnan! If the Great Song Dynasty follows your methods, it will be on the verge of collapse in just two or three years! Do you still dare to say that you are innocent?!"

When Liu Huai was mentioned, whether it was Zhao Gou, Shi Hao and other members of the Song state, or Yila Dao, they all had indignant expressions, showing a kind of shared hatred for the enemy.

Yu Yunwen became even more furious: "If it weren't for you villains who repeatedly sabotage and frame loyal officials, Liu Dalang would still be a loyal minister and general of the Song Dynasty."

"Your Majesty the Retired Emperor! Do you dare say that you weren't involved in Liu Bao's plot to murder Wei Sheng?! Didn't Your Majesty secretly order the sabotage of the Huai Army's northern expedition to seize power?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shen finally lowered his hand slowly. He first looked at Yu Yunwen, who was being pressed to the ground, and then turned to look at Zhao Gou.

A glimmer of hope finally rose in Yu Yunwen's heart.

As long as Zhao Shen can still stand firmly with Yu Yunwen, there is still room to salvage the situation.

In fact, even at this point, Yu Yunwen continued to curse and berate Zhao Gou, Shi Hao, and Yila Dao, all in an attempt to arouse Zhao Shen's determination to resist.

Zhao Shen had been the emperor for four or five years, so he still had some subordinates.

Moreover, even when the retired emperor and the prime minister joined forces, they still lacked a sense of righteousness in front of the real emperor and the current prime minister.

As long as the government can rise up, as long as the government...

"Father." The next moment, Zhao Shen finally spoke with difficulty, but his words made Yu Yunwen's blood run cold: "Father, I will not move the capital, nor will I launch a northern expedition. How about demoting Prime Minister Yu to a commoner and exiling him to Lingnan?"

Yu Yunwen let out a long sigh that sounded like a roar: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! You should not be weak at this time."

Zhao Gou looked at his obedient son with satisfaction, feeling that it was worthwhile to have chosen the most cowardly among so many candidates.

Zhao Gou initially thought he had misjudged Zhao Shen when he saw that Zhao Shen was planning a northern expedition and moving the capital again, believing that the young man was very good at lying low. But now it seems that he is still the same weak and incompetent Zhao Shen.

Zhao Shen continued the fine tradition of the Song Dynasty: the quality of the emperor depends entirely on the quality of the prime minister!

"Summon all the ministers and hold a grand court assembly!"

"Yes, sir!" Yang Yizhong's iron-willed expression finally softened, and after giving a loud reply, he led several armored soldiers into the wind and rain.

The drizzle was fine and the wind was biting cold...

……

The same cold wind is ultimately more biting in the north.

Upon seeing the signal to attack the city, Li Xiu, the commander of the East Sea Navy, gazed at the towering city walls of Yanjing and couldn't help but recall that morning several years ago.

At that time, Li Xiu was just a mountain king who occupied the mountains after the uprising failed.

That morning, he heard that a strange group of soldiers claiming to be the Northern Expeditionary Army had arrived in Dayi Town.

Back then... Brother Xiao Yi was still around... Li Xiu turned her head and looked at the large banner embroidered with the waves of the East China Sea and the words "Li" and "Zhang" written on it. Her nose tingled slightly: "Brother Xiao Yi, let's go."

Having said that, Li Xiu drew his spear and pointed it at the city gate: "Attack!"

Artillerymen pushed cannons, engineers carried gunpowder packs, and advanced swiftly under the cover of heavily armored soldiers and archers.

The booming sound of gunpowder explosions echoed throughout Yanjing City, followed by shouts of battle that resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

……

In the imperial palace of Yanjing, a grand abdication ceremony is being held.

The last loyal ministers and filial sons of Dongjin, both civil and military officials, stood solemnly in the main hall, fully armed and ready for battle.

However, the person to whom Wanyan Yong abdicated was not Crown Prince Wanyan Yungong, but General Wanyan Fushou.

Wanyan Fushou was naturally flustered and firmly declined the throne. However, Wanyan Yong held Wanyan Fushou's hands and said sincerely in front of everyone, "The reason I passed the throne to you is not to push you out to be preyed upon by the traitor Liu."

Moreover, I am the Emperor of the Great Jin. Even if I abdicate, do you think that traitor Liu would let me go? I am not as foolish as Zhao Ji. It's just..."

Wanyan Yong patted his belly, sighed, and said, "I am a peaceful emperor, with little skill in archery and horsemanship, and it is inconvenient for me to ride a horse. You are agile and have military strategy. If you can escape and avoid disaster, so that the dynasty will not be cut off, you will have done your part for the Great Jin Dynasty."

Whether from fear or excitement, Wanyan Fushou burst into tears, unable to stop them: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, I will definitely go to find the Crown Prince..."

Wanyan Yong gripped Wanyan Fushou's hands tightly: "Fushou, I... I will not act as a subject of the emperor today, but as a father, I will let Hu Tuwa live on as just another ordinary person."

Under normal circumstances, Wanyan Fushou would probably have grumbled inwardly, but now that Wanyan Yongdu has abdicated the throne, what can he say?

"Yes... Your Majesty... I..."

Amidst Wanyan Fushou's uncontrollable sobs, Wanyan Yong removed his crown and personally placed it on Wanyan Fushou's head.

Afterwards, Wanyan Yong retreated to the position of the assembled officials, and led the Jin officials in paying homage to Wanyan Fushou, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

Wanyan Fushou hurriedly helped Wanyan Yong up, still weeping, "Your Majesty, please hide in the city for a while. I...I will take the Imperial Guard and go out to fight..."

Wanyan Yong laughed and said, "Fushou, in this way, wouldn't I still be using you as a shield? Do you think I'm the same kind of person as Zhao Shen and Zhao Gou?"

Wanyan Fushou was stunned on the spot, and the Jin officials, after their initial shock and confusion, also became solemn.

Wanyan Yong took off the seals tied to his waist and tied them to Wanyan Fushou's waist: "Fushou, you should break out from the east gate. I will personally lead the troops, with the Golden Guard banner, to the south to meet the Han traitors and attract Liu's attention."

"His Majesty……"

"No need for further words." Wanyan Yong sighed, "If my Great Jin Dynasty truly still has a future, then I should bless you so that you can escape the encirclement."

But if my Great Jin is truly destined to perish in this battle, it is only right that I leave behind a legacy of bravery and valor, so that I may be able to meet the Great Ancestor.

Wanyan Yong put on his golden helmet and loudly ordered the Jin civil and military officials: "The fact that you have followed me to this point is enough to prove your loyalty and righteousness!"

Those who are willing to follow me to confront the traitor Liu, go out of the south gate of the palace;
Those who are willing to break through with Fu Shou should exit through the east gate of the palace.

No one should laugh at anyone else. Cheng Ying and Chu Jiu faced life and death, departure and stay—neither was easy for them!

After speaking, Wanyan Yong drew his sword, stroked the tassel, and pointed south: "Follow me to attack!"

"Here!"

The Jin officials all responded with a resounding "yes," and then launched their final assault along their chosen paths.

Of course, many people remained in the palace, bewildered, while others fled the ranks as soon as they left the palace and hid in civilian houses.

But none of that matters anymore. Just as Wanyan Yong just said, being able to be so loyal to the Jin Dynasty is enough.

Whether it's breaking through, fighting back, or even surrendering, every choice is difficult.

Yelü Wowo held up a shield, guarding Wanyan Yong's side. However, he was indeed too fat, and after only a few steps, he was already panting heavily.

Seeing this, Wanyan Yong felt a pang of pity: "Brother, there are many Khitans among Liu's bandits, including some of your old subordinates. There will always be a way out for you."

This is a matter between the Han Chinese and the Jurchens; why do you need to get involved?

Yelü Wowo, carrying a large shield, laughed as he breathed heavily, "Brother, I swore an oath before the blue ox and white horse, and before my ancestors, that I would work with you wholeheartedly, sharing both fortune and misfortune. From this day forward, you are my lord, and I am your henchman. If you do not betray me, I will not betray you! If I ever break my promise, may heaven and earth condemn me, and may gods and men punish me!"
Now is the time to face death together, how can I back down?

Wanyan Yong burst into laughter, turning around to look: "Now that the Great Jin is in peril, there are still my virtuous brothers who are willing to die with me, and so many Great Jin soldiers who are willing to live and die with me, all loyal to the Great Jin. What more could I ask for?!"

Just then, the vanguard of the Han army also rushed into the city. They did not accept surrenders along the way, but instead advanced at breakneck speed.

When the leader saw this disorganized group of soldiers from afar, he was initially startled, but after recognizing their flags, he was overjoyed.

"The Golden Banner! It's Wanyan Yong! Wanyan Yong has come out of the palace!"

"Blow the horn! Send a message! Tell General Li to come quickly! This great achievement should rightfully belong to our East Sea Navy!"

"Kill!"

"Destroy the gold!"

"Destroy the gold!"

Amidst the turmoil, the man, having roughly arranged the more than two hundred armored soldiers he had stopped, charged northward with unstoppable momentum.

"Destroy the Jin Kingdom!"

"Kill all the Han traitors!" Wanyan Yong raised his longsword and shouted, "Form ranks!"

Long spears and large shields stood side by side, making the wide Imperial Street seem narrow at this moment.

The Han soldiers in their golden armor advanced relentlessly, their large shields clashing violently together, their spears thrusting out and retracting, drawing sprays of blood.

Although the Han army was in high spirits, the vanguard was too small and was quickly pushed back.

However, as Li Xiu arrived with his main force, the Jin army, which was ultimately exhausted and repeatedly defeated, gradually fell into a state of decline.

Moreover, the Golden Banner representing the Eastern Jin Emperor was so attractive that other Han armies also dispatched troops to surround and kill him.

The cold wind is biting, but my blood is boiling.

……

"It's a bit too cold... This wind and this rain are both a bit too cold."

Yu Yunwen was tightly bound and held at the entrance of the main hall, allowing the Song Dynasty officials participating in the grand court assembly to observe him.

Some exclaimed in surprise, some were terrified, some were grieving, some were shocked, and others even showed signs of schadenfreude.

But most people turned pale and were filled with fear when they saw Yu Yunwen's demeanor.

Yu Yunwen didn't care about any of that. He simply straightened his body with difficulty, leaned against the palace door, looked at the drizzle outside, and felt the cold wind blowing into the palace.

"It's going to snow..."

"I entrusted the affairs of state to the Crown Prince, hoping to enjoy my retirement, but in less than five years, the country has reached this point where it is on the verge of collapse..."

"Alas, I have no choice but to return and restore this land..."

"The guilty minister Yu Yunwen was unable to assist the emperor above, nor could he pacify the people below..."

Yu Yunwen simply looked up at the sky outside the palace gate, listening only intermittently.

Some of the arguments even escalated to the point of drawing weapons, but for Yu Yunwen, none of it mattered anymore.

Zhao Gou used the "Black Tiger Claws Out the Heart" technique to force Zhao Shen to give up resistance, and at the same time captured Yu Yunwen, which meant that he had completely taken control of the palace.

With Shi Hao cooperating with him and Yang Yizhong regaining control of the Palace Guard, they had done everything perfectly, both in terms of principle and procedure.

Perhaps, for Yu Yunwen, there was never any hope of turning things around.

Whether it was this coup or the fate of the Song Dynasty, perhaps there was no hope of reversal from the very beginning.

The hope that Yu Yunwen saw was nothing but an unattainable illusion.

At this moment, Yu Yunwen abandoned all thought and quietly enjoyed the long-lost peace.

"The disgraced official Yu Yunwen has committed thirty-six major crimes and seventy-two minor crimes..."

"Firstly: to sow discord within the imperial family..."

……

"Tenth: Colluding with foreign officials to plot a rebellion..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yunwen's eyes finally moved. He turned around in disbelief, staring intently at Zhao Gou, and then looked at Zhao Shen.

Seeing that the two men and the assembled officials remained unmoved, he finally spoke loudly: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! My crimes will be judged fairly, but you must not mention Liu Dalang! You must not!"

"Shut up!"

"For the sake of the Song Dynasty! Absolutely..."

"quiet!"

Yu Yunwen's shouts quickly faded away as the armored soldiers stuffed a rag into his mouth, leaving only muffled sounds.

A moment later, as if realizing that it was doing something futile, it even stopped making whimpering noises.

"...The wicked minister Yu Yunwen has committed heinous crimes that deserve no punishment, and should be flogged to death in court!"

After the eunuch finished reading the last sentence, the courtiers in the hall were in an uproar.

Chen Junqing, who had been completely at a loss, immediately gritted his teeth and spoke up. He first bowed deeply to the stunned Zhao Shen, and then stared straight at Zhao Gou: "Your Majesty, why go to such lengths? Where in the Song Dynasty is there a rule to execute a prime minister in court?!"

Zhao Gou simply said coldly, "Then it will be here today."

Shi Hao immediately stepped forward and said to Chen Junqing, "If this traitor is not punished, this action will be meaningless!"

Chen Junqing immediately trembled all over.

He understood what Shi Hao meant.

If Yu Yunwen had not been branded as a treacherous minister plotting rebellion, then Zhao Gou's massive power grab would not have been a restoration of order, but a coup d'état.

Therefore, Yu Yunwen must die, and he must be executed before his former students, officials, and the Grand Commandant who accompanied him on the Northern Expedition receive the news!

Chen Junqing pointed at Shi Hao: "You, you, you... the instigator, will you have no descendants?!"

However, Chen Junqing's angry curses could not stop the execution from beginning. Yu Yunwen was carried to the entrance of the main hall and then tied to two benches placed side by side.

Yu Yunwen did not beg for mercy, but simply raised his head with difficulty and looked at the gloomy sky.

The sky is clear, the sky is clear... The sky has always been covered with dark clouds.

"It's going to snow..."

……

"Is it going to snow?"

Liu Huai has now completely settled down outside Yanjing City.

After all, it wasn't a tough battle to be fought, and he didn't need to compete with his subordinates for credit. So, he simply laid out paper on the table, ready to write poetry.

Of course, Liu Huai's poetry skills were not much different from those of the "Perfect Old Man," which was only "one, two, three, or four pieces." Therefore, he made up his mind to engage in shameless plagiarism.

With a sheet of fine Xuan paper laid out, Liu Huai wrote the title of the poem with swift and elegant strokes.

To the tune of "Po Zhen Zi" – A poem composed on the fifteenth day of the tenth month to commemorate the recapture of Yan and Yun, in honor of the two ministers, Yu and Lu.

……

Amidst the horrified gazes of the Song court officials, the armored soldier raised his thick, goose-egg-sized spear and slammed it down hard on Yu Yunwen's back with a dull thud.

Yu Yunwen seemed oblivious, still straining to look up at the sky.

In a daze, he seemed to return to the days when he was studying in Sichuan...

The shock upon hearing of the Jingkang Incident...

The joy of knowing the vastness of the world...

Seeing the jubilation of Shaoxing during the Northern Expedition...

The grief upon learning of the Song army's return...

and also……

And there's Caishiji... Chaoxian...

The defeated generals, standing by the Yangtze River, mustered their courage and charged towards the Jin army under the blood-red moonlight.

An old general with white hair and beard looked back at his hometown, which he could never return to, on the river.

The best of the younger generation were torn to pieces on the battlefield amidst a stampede of horses.

The shouts of battle gradually faded into the distance...

puff

puff

The sound of the cane striking the ground continued incessantly.

Yu Yunwen's consciousness gradually blurred. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but because a piece of rag was stuffed into his mouth, he ultimately had nothing to say.

……

In my drunken stupor, I pick up a lamp to examine my sword; in my dreams, I hear the bugles echoing through the

……

Northern Sichuan, Dashan Pass.

Lu You seemed to sense something and looked southeast, then threw the warm wine in his hand on the ground: "I can't wait any longer! Zhang Zhen, you're the vanguard! Go and test the mettle of the Jurchen traitors!"

The other generals wanted to volunteer for battle, but Lu You stopped them, saying, "There are plenty of battles to fight! What's the rush?!"

……

Eight hundred miles of roasted meat are distributed among the troops, and fifty strings of music resound beyond the Great Wall.

……

"What do you mean you can't break through?! The Jin invaders' army of over 100,000 was defeated, and now the Jin ruler only has so few people. You're saying they can't break through?!"

In Yanjing City, Li Xiu was furious and then led his personal guards forward, pulling up the flag.

The addition of fresh troops made the already precarious Jin army formation even more shaky.

Amidst the fierce hacking and slashing, Li Xiu grinned and roared, "Jin traitors! Our righteous army of the East Sea is not all dead yet! I, Li Xiu, have returned!"

……

Autumn review of troops on the battlefield.

……

Nanyang.

Cheng Min rode on his warhorse, inspecting the Song army camp.

The agreed-upon time with Prime Minister Yu is fast approaching. We will surely be able to recapture Luoyang and shock the world.

……

The horse galloped swiftly like the wind, the bowstring twanged like thunder.

……

Arrows rained down like a tide, and armored soldiers stood like a forest, advancing relentlessly.

As Wanyan Yong watched his uncle Li Shi being swallowed up by the crowd, and as Yelü Wowo's head, helmet and all, was chopped off by a large axe, he looked up at the Golden Banner and roared to the sky: "Is there not a single Jurchen who can cut off my head and spare me from humiliation?"

However, the surging crowd and deafening shouts of battle drowned out even the emperor's life and voice, which were drowned out by the Han army that surged forward like a raging tide.

A moment later, where Wanyan Yong had stood, only a layer of corpses and a golden helmet remained.

……

Having accomplished the affairs of the emperor and the world, he won fame both before and after his death.

……

When Li Xiu reached the banner, he saw the flag bearer, who was clearly dressed as an imperial official, trembling in fear, and he also restrained his murderous intent.

After waving away the flag bearer, Li Xiu used a spear to lift the large flag, climbed onto the roof of a house using both hands and feet, and vigorously waved the flag on the spear.

"Jin is dead!"

"Jin is dead!"

……

Poor thing, my hair has turned white.

……

In the imperial palace of Lin'an City.

Yu Yunwen breathed his last, his gray hair hanging down to the wet ground.

The rain gradually subsided, and snowflakes fell, quickly covering them with a thin layer.

"Your Majesty, the disgraced official Yu Yunwen has been executed..."

Just as Zhao Gou was about to say something, he heard a strange laugh.

The courtiers, already bewildered, were now even more terrified, glancing toward the throne.

Zhao Shen revealed a strange smile, stood up, and danced wildly: "Hehe...haha...Northern Expedition...haha...Northern Expedition..."

As he spoke, Zhao Shen staggered to the center of the main hall, tearing at his crimson robe, laughing and crying at the same time: "Prime Minister Yu, don't fall asleep... We... the Northern Expedition... Hehehe... the Northern Expedition..."

The courtiers were even more terrified.

Right Chancellor Chen Junqing collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.

Shi Hao stared blankly at Zhao Shen for a moment before realizing that this was a golden opportunity.

He immediately stepped forward, bowed deeply to Zhao Gou, and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, His Majesty has suffered from hysteria and is no longer able to attend to state affairs. Now that the world is in turmoil, the country depends on a wise and capable ruler. I hope that Your Majesty can consider the fate of the Song Dynasty and shoulder the heavy responsibility once again!"

Zhao Gou looked at Shi Hao with great interest, and after a long while, he finally nodded slightly.

……

After Liu Huai easily finished writing, or rather, copied, a timeless poem, he instructed a messenger to deliver it to Nanyang and Sichuan, and personally handed it to Yu Yunwen and Lu You.

After hesitating for a moment, he sat back down at his desk, ready to compose another poem for Xin Qiji.

However, Liu Huai's cultural knowledge was not very good to begin with, and the time he traveled to meant that he could not plagiarize the poems of Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi and others. Therefore, he racked his brains for a long time, but still could not come up with a few lines.

Just as Liu Huai had accumulated nearly a stack of waste paper beside him, he heard cheers growing louder and louder in Yanjing City, which seemed to be mixed with other shouts.

A moment later, the shouts grew more and more unified, and the Han soldiers outside the city joined in.

"Jin is dead!"

"Jin is dead!"

Liu Huai picked at his ear and said to Liang Su, who was somewhat agitated beside him, "Are they shouting 'Jin is dead?'"

Liang Su excitedly waved his arms and legs, saying, "Of course, of course, young master, this is an unparalleled achievement! Youzhou has been recovered!"

Liu Huai initially tried to maintain a composed demeanor, but after standing up, he suddenly felt a surge of heroic spirit.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Liu Huai picked up a brush and wrote several large characters on the rice paper.

"You'an, all is well now. I have lived a life without regrets!"

"Quickly deliver this letter to Governor Xin of Xuzhou!" Liu Huai ordered with a stern face, but then immediately broke down in laughter.

"Jin is dead!"

……

On October 15th of the first year of the Hongwu reign of the Han Dynasty, the Han army captured Yanjing City and destroyed the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

On October 15th of the sixth year of the Dading era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the city of Yanjing fell. More than 200 members of the imperial family, nobles, and high-ranking officials, including Wanyan Yong, and more than 6,000 Jin soldiers were killed in battle, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty perished.

On the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the fourth year of the Longxing reign of the Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhao Shen went mad and was unable to attend to state affairs, so he abdicated.

On October 15th of the 36th year of the Shaoxing reign of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Gou launched a coup, had Yu Yunwen beaten to death, and restored his throne.

(Volume 6: A Journey of Ten Thousand Miles Under Clouds and Moon - End)
(End of this chapter)