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

Chapter 959 Yong Su's Prudent Management of Internal Affairs

The next day, as Liang Su conveyed the news that Liu Huai was about to declare himself emperor, the atmosphere in Yanjing City immediately changed.

Groups of old turtles carrying stone tablets appeared in several large rivers outside the city, and were seen by hundreds or even thousands of people.

In the Yanshan and Taihang Mountains, herds of strange beasts also appeared. Common creatures like white deer were nothing compared to the legendary creatures from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, such as the Qilin, Phoenix, and Bai Ze.

As for man-made items such as strange stones falling from the sky, the Hetu Luoshu, and a stone man with one eye, they became commonplace within a day.

Although no one has urged him to take the lead yet, it is foreseeable that this is only because no one dares to speak out over the real high-level officials. If this continues, some opportunists will eventually jump out.

Amidst a somewhat restless atmosphere, Liu Huai issued several orders in succession.

First, we must comprehensively criticize the internal affairs of the Jin Dynasty, one of which is that the Jin Dynasty divided the prefectures and counties too into smaller units in order to settle the Meng'an and Mouke households.

Take Mozhou for example. It's not much bigger than a county in Shandong, yet it still has a prefecture-level staff, which is just a bunch of redundant officials who do nothing.

This problem not only exists extensively in the newly liberated areas of Youyan, Hebei, and Shanxi, but is also very serious in Shandong and the Central Plains.

Therefore, merging administrative districts is an urgent matter!
Fortunately, Hebei, Youyan, Shanxi, and Liaodong are now newly incorporated areas. The officials whose positions were vacated due to the merger of administrative regions will not be dismissed. They can be transferred to local positions to continue serving as officials. Moreover, officials who voluntarily come to the newly incorporated areas will receive preferential treatment in terms of promotion.

This order instantly swayed the news that Liu Huai was about to declare himself emperor.

There was no way around it. While it was important for his own Han king to become emperor, his own future also concerned his descendants. How could he not care?
Those who were originally Jin officials would have to be re-examined before they could continue to be employed.

The second order was much more straightforward.

First is Wei.

Liu Huai ordered Wanyan Mouyan, who had fled all the way to the banks of the Yellow River, to be executed on the spot as a sacrifice to Shao Yun, the general who had been executed by his father, Wanyan Loushi. Afterwards, his head was used as a sacrifice to the soldiers and civilians who died when Shanzhou fell that day. A temple was built with Li Yanxian as the main deity, and he was posthumously named the City God of Shanzhou.

Although Shanzhou has not yet been recovered, we must first announce it to the world and make a great show of force.

Empress Dowager was a benefactor.

Liu Huai ordered Gao Anren, Wanyan Yungong, Wanyan Fushou, Tudan Kening and others to surrender, and made it clear to them that this was their last chance. If they wasted it, their fate would be the same as that of Wanyan Mouyan!
These remnants of the Dongjin regime are also living a miserable life.

On that day, Gao Anren and Wanyan Yungong did not even return to Yanjing, but rushed directly into the Yanshan Mountains, intending to escape to the grasslands beyond the Great Wall.

However, the Khitans blocked the roads in the Yanshan Mountains, so Gao Anren could only continue to retreat to the Yanshan Mountains and defend himself.

They were already lacking food and clothing, and with the cold winter winds blowing, many died or were injured in just a few days.

Wanyan Fushou lived up to his reputation as Wanyan Yong's chosen lucky general. Despite the Han army's fierce offensive that day, he managed to break through the encirclement and even cross the Yuguan Pass to reach the outside of the pass.

However, Wanyan Fushou's good luck came to an end.

The area outside the Great Wall is not a safe place either.

Because the Eastern Jin had transferred all its troops from Liaodong to Hebei for the decisive battle, the area outside the pass was extremely vulnerable. He Zizheng and Zheng Fasan made rapid advances, using both diplomatic and military means to sweep through Liaodong like a whirlwind.

With the massive defeat of the Jin army in Hebei, Liaodong could no longer hold out, and large-scale surrenders began.

He Zizheng simply led a group of ragtag soldiers to capture Liaoyang Prefecture, the capital of the Jin Dynasty.

Helpless, Wanyan Fushou wanted to continue north to Shangjing Huining Prefecture, but due to the blocked roads, he had no choice but to become an outlaw in the frozen Liaoze.

As for Tudankening, he fared even worse.

He had originally been trying to delay the Han army's advance in Hebei, but the Han army's sieges and captures were so swift that he hadn't even had a chance to demonstrate his abilities before Wanyan Yong lost his head.

The remaining soldiers gathered around Tudankenin were even more disheartened, and their numbers dwindled.

Now, Tudan Kening has fled to the saline-alkali land in eastern Hebei and is barely surviving, which is not much different from becoming an outlaw.

As for Wanyan Yongdao, who occupied Xuande Prefecture and Datong Prefecture in northern Shanxi, Liu Huai simply sent him a letter, telling him not to be ungrateful and to surrender immediately, lest he end up like his father, Wanyan Yong.

Under the dual offensive of politics and military force, Wanyan Yungong, the original crown prince of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was the first to give in and chose to surrender at Yanshan.

This was unavoidable. As a prince living in peace, it was not only difficult for him to face the cruelty of life, but just watching the loyal ministers and filial sons who had protected him all the way die of cold and hunger in the Yanshan Mountains in winter was enough to break him.

Even if it were just to save these people's lives, Wanyan Yungong felt he should lay down his weapons and surrender.

Gao Anren was gripped by immense fear.

According to the original plan, Wen Dunqizhi was supposed to escort the Crown Prince, while Gao Anren was supposed to die with the country.

But now, Wen Dunqizhi has died a swift and decisive death for his country, while Gao Anren has to surrender to Liu Huai, carrying the burden of family and national hatred. It is truly a cruel twist of fate.

At this moment, Gao Anren truly wanted to slit his own throat and end it all, but if he died, who could protect Wanyan Yungong?

However, Gao Anren no longer needed to hesitate.

After receiving Liu Huai's ultimatum, the Jin army withdrew from the mountain stronghold, but before they had gone ten miles, they were captured by the Khitans.

Liu Kuo and the Yelü Chen family never expected that such a great achievement would fall to them. Overjoyed, they immediately bound Wanyan Yungong and Gao Anren and rushed to Yanjing.

Well, now it can't be considered an uprising or a surrender; it can only be considered a capture. "It should at least be considered a surrender."

In Yanjing, after having a cordial meeting with Liu Kuo and others and offering his condolences to the Khitan people, Liu Huai turned his attention to Wanyan Yungong: "Liu Kuo and the others can certainly be credited with their merits, but you cannot be considered true prisoners of war. After all, you were captured after leaving the stronghold, so there should be a procedure for surrendering."

This means not to execute him on the spot.

Wanyan Yungong was at a loss, while Gao Anren, standing to the side, immediately kowtowed: "General... Your subject thanks the Prince of Han for his great kindness!"

"Get up and talk."

Liu Huai looked at Wanyan Yungong, sizing up the young man who was only in his early twenties.

By the time of Wanyan Yungong, the Jurchen nobles had almost completely assimilated into Han culture. They didn't even shave their heads, only braiding their hair during important occasions like grand court assemblies. On ordinary days, they simply wore the same hairstyle as ordinary Han people.

Wanyan Yungong himself was rather thin. After his ordeal in Yanshan, he was pale as if he had caught a cold. Dressed in simple clothes, he looked just like Ning Caichen, whose yang energy had just been drained by Nie Xiaoqian.

"Wanyan Yungong".

"In the……"

"My conflict with your father is not a personal feud, but a struggle between ethnic groups, a fight that forced us to risk our lives. In the end, I have won and he has lost, so from now on there will be no more Jurchens, and no more Wanyan clan. Do you understand?"

Although Wanyan Liang was still causing trouble in Guanzhong at this time, it did not stop Liu Huai from defining himself as the victor.

Of course, this argument would have to be acknowledged even in historical records, because the Jurchens had already lost Liaodong, their ancestral homeland, and Hebei and Youyan, their fundamental territory; Guanzhong was merely a peripheral area.

"Your subject... Your subject understands. From now on, I will be a Han Chinese, and my name will be Yan Yungong."

Liu Huai nodded: "You also need to understand the value of Han Chinese identity. Even though you are now completely Sinicized, I still need to make some political gestures. Otherwise, you would have to go to the quarry to break stones for three years before you can obtain Han Chinese identity."

Don't think it's cruel. When you Jurchen Meng'an Mouke people used the Han people as gambling chips, did you ever imagine this day would come?

Yan Yungong's face became even more pale.

Liu Huai was too lazy to show off in front of this naive young man, so he directly stated his conditions: "I'll give you two choices now."

First, I'll bestow upon you the title of Duke, and build you a grand mansion in Yanjing. From then on, you'll be confined to Yanjing city—a kind of semi-restricted confinement.

Yan Yungong knew that this was already a great privilege for the crown prince of a fallen kingdom. At least he could still be a proper duke, and Yanjing was a prosperous city, much better than going to a place like Wuguo City.

It should be noted that Emperor Tianzuo was shot dead in public just one year after surrendering to the Jin Dynasty. What more could Yan Yungong ask for than such an end?

"Secondly, live like an ordinary person. I will give you some money and let you find a place to live a good life. You can run businesses such as agriculture, industry, and commerce. However, your family will not be allowed to take the imperial examinations for three generations."

But if a Jurchen truly desires to restore their kingdom and pushes you forward, I will show no mercy, whether you acted voluntarily or not!

Yan Yungong was still hesitating, but Gao Anren had already made the decision for him: "The second one, the Prince of Han, we choose the second one, thank the Prince of Han for his mercy!"

The second option is clearly much better; aside from losing the title, the most important thing is that it grants freedom.

But Yan Yungong was worried that this was a trap set by Liu Huai, and that after he made this choice, two axemen would rush in and chop him up.

"Tai... Erlang, the King of Han has always been upright and honest, and he always keeps his word. Do not hesitate, agree quickly."

Urged on by Gao Anren, Yan Yungong also knelt down and thanked Heaven for its grace.

Liu Huai asked the two to stand up and continued, "Besides that, your son Wanyan Xun is also doing well. He is three years old this year. I heard that his mother's surname is Liu and that she is a Han Chinese?"

Yan Yungong nodded hastily: "That's right."

Liu Huai said calmly, "That's good. I have already adopted him as my godson and renamed him Yan Xun. He will be sent to Madam's side after spring. You two should not see each other again."

Yan Yungong felt a pang of pain in his heart. Just as he was about to say something, Gao Anren pulled him forcefully.

For a crown prince of a fallen kingdom, having no sons at all was the best possible outcome. Gao Anren even prayed that Yan Xun would not die young or become useless, otherwise Liu Huai would definitely take away Yan Yungong's other sons.

This wasn't because Liu Huai wanted the Jurchens to feel his fatherly love, but because there were standard procedures for dealing with the former territories of foreign tribes after the fall of a kingdom.

For example, after the Tang Dynasty destroyed Goguryeo, Wu Zetian arranged for her cousin Wu Weiliang to marry his daughter to Gojang, the last king of Goguryeo. Gojang gave birth to Go Deok-mu, who was raised in the palace and grew up alongside the princes, enjoying the treatment of royalty.

Later, when some people in Goguryeo wanted to restore their kingdom, the Tang Dynasty directly sent Gao Dewu to Goguryeo as the Governor-General of Andong.

The remnants of Goguryeo were initially very happy, thinking that the Tang Dynasty had made a foolish move, and wanted to directly support Go Deokmu, who had legitimate Goguryeo blood, as king.

However, Gao Dewu directly launched a bloody suppression in Goguryeo, declaring that he was personally raised by the Emperor and Empress and was a noble Tang person, a prince of the Great Tang.

Who do you Goguryeo people think you are? How dare you defile my bloodline?
Liu Huai's adoption of Yan Xun is most likely a backup plan.

If Liaodong can be successfully assimilated, then Yan Xun's future will be that of a high-ranking official in the court. But if there are Jurchens who are still unwilling to accept this and want to restore the Jin Dynasty in twenty or thirty years, then Yan Xun will be the best candidate to be the governor of Liaodong!
Even though Yan Yungong was reluctant, he could only accept his fate. Then, at Gao Anren's prompting, he left with profuse thanks.

With the formal surrender of the Jin crown prince, some things finally began to accelerate.

(End of this chapter)