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

Chapter 952 The Political Tide Collapses

The key to political struggle lies in making more friends and fewer enemies.

This leads to another proverb.

Those who follow the right path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little.

In this world, whether it's a warrior willing to sacrifice everything for their ideals or a born villain with a cunning mind who only wants to do bad things, they are all a minority.

The vast majority of people are still just living their lives.

If you want to win them over, the most basic thing is to be morally justified.

The principle of having a legitimate reason for attacking is exactly this.

To have a legitimate reason for fighting, the first thing to do is to confidently and righteously proclaim your own moral principles.

Just like Liu Huai, the superior of the three Jinyiwei present, on the second day of the Northern Expedition, he shouted out his political program and even embroidered the sixteen characters on the flag to announce it to the world.

Now that the State of Song has declared Liu Huai a traitor and has settled the matter by having his prime minister beaten to death, there is no turning back.

The two sides are very likely to start a major battle very soon.

Therefore, the sooner the Han army refutes this, the better.

People are always prejudiced. Once everyone in Jiangnan has read the imperial edict, it will be a hundred times more difficult to refute it.

Luo Huaiyan looked at the token in his hand, his expression shifting between light and dark as he calculated the gains and losses.

However, after hesitating for a moment, he suddenly laughed frankly and said, "I was really confused. I was always thinking about gains and losses and forgot my duty as a subject."

Upon hearing that Liu Huai was involved in this matter, Su Kuan quickly asked, "What do you mean?"

Luo Huaiyan earnestly said, "Although the King of Han and Prime Minister Yu belong to two different sides and are both enemies and friends, they are ultimately comrades who are determined to restore the Han dynasty and once fought side by side."

When the King of Han entered Bianliang, he specially ordered the making of a large banner with the character "Yu" on it, and after the battle, he sent it to Nanyang, which shows the deep friendship and shared ideals between the two.

Luo Huaiyan stood up, his eyes hardening: "In this situation, it would be one thing if I were powerless, but if we clearly have the ability yet cannot even retrieve Lord Yu's body or protect his family, wouldn't that make future generations suspect that the King of Han is a hypocritical and deceitful man?"

Cheng Tianpeng and Su Kuan's breathing immediately became somewhat heavy.

Just as Luo Huaiyan had said before, all three of them had received great kindness from Liu Huai. In fact, it could be said that without Liu Huai, these three would likely have turned to dust by now.

Therefore, both Cheng Tianpeng and Su Kuan would risk their lives to protect the reputation of the Prince of Han.

Luo Huaiyan's one sentence had a more effective mobilization effect than saying a hundred sentences about having a legitimate reason for attacking.

"Young master, we are willing to die for the King of Han!" Su Kuan was the first to declare: "Tell me what you wish to do?"

Luo Huaiyan glanced at the sky: "Don't rush, there's still one night left."

Night fell outside the window, and the wind and snow gradually intensified.

At the gate of the Yu residence, Hu Quan, the Vice Minister of War, stood in the wind and snow, confronting the soldiers outside.

The leading general looked embarrassed: "Minister Hu, I am only acting under orders. I hope you can do me a favor."

Although Hu Quan was over sixty years old, he was still in good health and had a tall and straight figure. Upon hearing this, he shouted, "One prime minister has already died today, so what if another vice minister dies! If you have the guts, just step over me!"

The Song general was in an even more difficult position, but he still stubbornly insisted, "I am acting under orders!"

Hu Quan pointed to the gloomy sky and said, "I too am acting in accordance with the will of Heaven!"

After a brief standoff, the Song generals, not daring to offend a top scholar-official, could only send their trusted confidants to report the matter while pleading with Hu Quan for mercy: "If Vice Minister Hu truly has something to say, he can report it to the Emperor or seek out Prince Yang. Why make things difficult for a lowly person like me?!"

Who was Hu Quan?
When Qin Hui wielded immense power and was determined to pursue peace, he dared to submit a memorial on the spot, requesting the execution of Qin Hui and other pro-peace faction members to appease the world.

This memorial was so famous that it was not only circulated in Jiangnan, but even the Jin Dynasty wanted to buy it.

Qin Hui naturally hated him to the core and wanted to force Hu Quan to his death in the same way he dealt with Zhao Ding.

However, Hu Quan's influence was so great that both the pro-war and pro-peace factions, and even Qin Hui's henchmen like Gou Longruyuan, had to step in to vouch for him, leaving Qin Hui with no choice but to swallow his anger.

Of course, Hu Quan was inevitably dismissed from his post and was not reinstated until after Qin Hui's death.

Such a tough guy, a mere commander, is nothing short of wishful thinking to expect to suppress him using the names of Zhao Gou and Yang Yizhong!

Hu Quan's hair and beard bristled: "Even Yang Yizhong wouldn't dare say such things in front of me. Who gave you the guts?!"

"I am right here. If you want to be loyal to your duty, fine, but first take your weapons and kill me!"

The Song generals were utterly helpless.

Is it really possible to kill a high-ranking official without an order?

Wouldn't that be considered a rebellion?

Even if they didn't directly take action, even if this old man fell down on the steps and bumped into something, or if he caught typhoid fever in the freezing weather, the Song army generals would be in deep trouble.

Therefore, this unfortunate Song general could only wait for orders in place.

However, so much had happened that day that Yang Yizhong had no time to deal with Hu Quan, that old angry young man, and the scene became tense for a moment. As the snowflakes fell heavily, the gates of the Yu residence slowly opened.

Madam Yu, along with her son and grandson, dressed entirely in white linen and mourning attire, slowly walked out from the main gate.

The three men still had tear stains on their faces, and upon seeing Hu Quan, they immediately bowed in respect.

Although Hu Quan was an old scholar, he was also a cunning old fox who had been navigating the officialdom for many years. Fearing that Madam Yu would back down and he would lose his reason to intervene, he immediately said loudly, "Madam Yu! The death of Lord Yu is a great injustice to the world. There will be someone to stand up for him. As long as we wait two days, things can still turn around! If you go with them now, you will really not have a good ending!"
Rest assured, as long as I am here, no one will be able to set foot in the Yu residence!

The Song army officer was immediately enraged.

After bowing, Madam Yu asked the Song army officer, "Is His Majesty's decree only to arrest my mother and children?"

The Song army officer nodded.

Madam Yu continued, "The old servants in my household are all hired and have no connection with the Yu family. May they leave first?"

The Song army officer was about to refuse, but seeing that Hu Quan was about to get angry, he could only nod awkwardly.

However, he still gave a signal, instructing his subordinates to carefully examine the appearances of the dozen or so old servants, so that Yu Gongzhu and Yu Gangjian would not escape.

"I am very grateful for Vice Minister Hu's righteous help today, but..." Madam Yu's face turned pale: "When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. My husband's body cannot be recovered, so how can we possibly survive?"

Hu Quan patted the thin layer of snowflakes off his body and immediately said loudly, "Madam Yu, you are mistaken! There are loyal and righteous people in the court, but today's events happened too hastily, and no one had time to react."

"But wait until tomorrow, and everything will eventually turn around."

The youngest, Yu Gangjian, finally couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears: "What's the point of turning back? Can the dead be brought back to life? My poor grandfather devoted his life to the Song Dynasty..."

"Zishao, shut up!"

Yu Gongzhu was much more composed. He knew he couldn't give others a reason to criticize him, and although he was grieving, he still rebuked them, saying, "Don't say anything more."

However, after hearing Yu Gangjian's question, Hu Quan's expression was uncertain, and after a moment he suddenly burst into tears: "I...I don't know why the country has suddenly fallen into such a state. Prime Minister Yu...Prime Minister Yu...It's such a pity, such a pity."

After only a few sobs, Hu Quan could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

Madam Yu and the others also shed tears.

The Song general was immediately at a loss. He looked around at his subordinates, but they all turned away, not daring to meet his gaze.

The Song general cursed him under his breath as a useless piece of trash, but he could only bite the bullet and step forward to comfort Hu Quan: "Minister Hu, you must not harm your health... The affairs of state still need to be handled by Minister Hu, we cannot bear the responsibility!"

There was no other way. Although the Ministry of War in the Southern Song Dynasty did not manage combat and training, the promotion of generals still had to be handled through the Ministry of War. If you offended them, you would suffer the consequences later.

Good results came quickly.

As darkness fell on the streets, yamen runners arrived with lanterns. Surrounded by nearly a hundred officials from Lin'an Prefecture, they proceeded straight to the Longtu Pavilion. Zhou Cong, the prefect of Lin'an, poked his head out of the carriage.

"Old Hu, is it you who's here?"

Zhou Cong strolled leisurely among the Song soldiers, and the Song general felt his scalp tingle, already regretting why he had gotten involved in this mess.

Hu Quan finally managed to stop crying and looked at Zhou Cong, saying, "Zhou Longtu, I thought you wouldn't come."

Zhou Cong, however, flicked his sleeve in the snow and said, "I am just indecisive and suspicious, but I am not a villain like that scoundrel Shi Hao!"

Hu Quan nodded repeatedly.

From a political perspective, Zhou Cong is a staunch conservative.

The civil official who defended Yangzhou with Li Heng when Wanyan Liang invaded the south was this man. However, Zhou Cong had initially retired from Haozhou, so his merits and demerits could only be considered to cancel each other out.

In terms of factions, Zhou Cong belonged to Zhang Jun's faction, and his appointment as the prefect of Lin'an was actually recommended by Zhang Jun.

To put it more bluntly, Yu Yunwen and Zhou Cong are completely incompatible.

Appointing someone who is at odds with the prime minister as the prefect of Lin'an is a testament to the emperor's cunning and his ability to sow discord among dissenting opinions.

However, what Zhao Gou did today has really crossed the line. He beat a prime minister to death and forced the current emperor to abdicate. If Zhou Cong wants to maintain the scholar-official's superior status in the Song Dynasty, he has to stand up and do something.

"Just come and take a look. There will be plenty of trouble in Lin'an Prefecture these next few days." Hu Quan perked up. "You should go back and take charge of the overall situation."

Zhou Cong called for someone to bring over a stove and benches, and sat down right at the entrance of the Yu residence: "Old Hu, it is precisely because the political turmoil that followed is so severe that I must seize this last peaceful night to get some rest."

Hu Quan didn't stand on ceremony. Seeing that the minor official from Lin'an Prefecture had already opened the canopy to shield him from the snow, he immediately sat down by the stove.

The two of them drank tea and admired the snow scene, as if they were going to spend the whole night there.

The Song general was at a loss, neither daring to advance nor retreat. He could only stand in the snow with his hundred or so soldiers, watching the two high-ranking officials drink tea.

However, the officials of Lin'an Prefecture were not so incompetent. They quickly set up tents on the street, brought in stoves and food, so that the Song army could rest for a while.

He stayed up all night, the snowflakes falling thick and fast. Just as dawn broke on the horizon, a minor official rode up on horseback and handed Zhou Cong a piece of paper.

Zhou Cong swayed involuntarily after just one glance.

The first wave of political turmoil has arrived.

(End of this chapter)