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

Chapter 980 Hasty Deployment Leads to Discouragement of Morale (Part 2)
No matter how grief-stricken or hesitant Li Xianzong may be, time will not stop.

In those few short days, he finally made a decision and personally led the Huaidong army to Chuzhou.

There's nothing I can do, there's really nothing I can do.

Broadly speaking, loyalty to the Song Dynasty was the foundation of Li Xianzong's character; he could never abandon it, nor could he refuse an imperial edict issued by the emperor through his chief ministers.

As for whether the emperor and the prime minister were legitimate, that was not something a military man like him should consider.

On a smaller scale, Li Xianzong was the one who was in charge of military affairs in the Huai River region before, and his old subordinates were spread throughout the army.

Zhao Gou was worried that Li Xianzong would disobey orders, which is why he promoted Shao Hongyuan to a higher position. This does not mean that the Lianghuai army has been completely purged.

There's not enough time.

Now, Shao Hongyuan is leading the Huaixi army northward with the imperial edict and tiger tally, which is a standard case of changing generals on the eve of battle. If Li Xianzong had not accompanied the army, it could have led to even more serious consequences.

Regardless, on November 30th, 50,000 regular troops of the Song Dynasty, along with 60,000 hastily conscripted laborers, swore an oath in Chuzhou to launch a northern expedition. They then built a pontoon bridge, crossed the Huai River, and invaded Shandong.

"Lord Yu was indeed a man of profound wisdom and foresight. Alas, what a pity."

Since Li Xianzong joined the Northern Expedition, Shao Hongyuan has been in a state of great excitement, as if an unparalleled achievement is just around the corner.

Seeing Li Xianzong's somber expression, Shao Hongyuan didn't care and continued to speak eloquently: "When did you think Prime Minister Yu make his move against Fei Huzi? For example, these pontoon bridges and ferries that were prepared long ago. Li Taiwei was in charge of military affairs in the Huai River region. Didn't Prime Minister Yu give him any prior notice?"

Li Xianzong remained silent for a long while before nodding: "Of course I know, but they only informed me. Prime Minister Yu ordered preparations immediately after the Battle of Chaoxian. The reason the Northern Expedition was so swift was because these supplies were already prepared. As for these soldiers..."

Li Xianzong turned his head and looked at the soldiers crossing the river on the pontoon bridge, and sighed: "In the end, it is just the legacy of Minister Yu."

Yu Xiangong's invasion of Luoyang and attack on Jin was a well-planned operation. Lu Xiangong led his troops out of Guanzhong to draw away the main force of the Western Jin, while the Lianghuai army was assembled in advance to respond to any changes.

Meanwhile, Lord Yu was to lead the main force of Xiangfan northward, and after capturing Luoyang, they would not stop and would enter the Jin territory.

While the main force of the Eastern Jin was engaged in battle with Liu Dalang, they seized Taiyuan in one fell swoop, using their superior position to suppress Hebei and prevent Liu Dalang from making any rash moves.

Li Xianzong turned his head and looked directly into Shao Hongyuan's eyes: "But if Liu Dalang disregards past relationships and tears off the mask, and fights with the Song Dynasty for the Jin territory."

Then Prime Minister Yu would switch from offense to defense on the spot, using the strategic location and fresh troops to wear down Liu Dalang's exhausted army and tie down the main force of the Han army.

At the same time, our army was about to march out of the Huai River region and swiftly conquer Henan and Shandong. But now…

In the cold wind, Li Xianzong quickly lost the desire to speak and could only sigh repeatedly on horseback.

Shao Hongyuan's eyes widened as he listened to Yu Yunwen's entire plan.

Whether Yu Yunwen's strategic vision can ultimately be realized is another matter, but such a plan, which uses the vast land as a chessboard, tens of thousands of troops as pieces, and takes into account all forces, sounds very reliable.

It's much more reliable than trying to take advantage of a tiger's momentary lapse in attention and give it a good whack.

Thinking of this, Shao Hongyuan said somewhat angrily, "Grand Commandant Li, why didn't you tell me?"

Li Xianzong glanced at the fellow: "When Prime Minister Yu was still alive, it was to keep it a secret. Now, it doesn't matter whether I tell you or not."

Seeing Shao Hongyuan frown, Li Xianzong sneered: "Do you think you can command Cheng Min and Wu Gong just by telling you? Even Prime Minister Yu has to go to the front line in person to succeed!"

Or will you join me in defying the imperial decree? Refuse to send troops to attack Shandong?! Or do you have the ability to conjure soldiers from beans, to cross Luoyang and directly send tens of thousands of troops to Jin to give Liu Dalang a fright?
Since you can't even do it yourself, what's the point of me saying all this to you?

After saying this, Li Xianzong did not linger any longer. He took his family's ceremonial flags and boarded the pontoon bridge, heading north across the river.

This Northern Expedition was truly rushed. If there hadn't been a commander-in-chief who went to the north of the Huai River first, things might have gone wrong.

As night fell and the entire army crossed the river, it was still Li Xianzong who was the first to notice the instability in morale.

"General, I just don't understand. Why launch an attack on Shandong at this time without warning?" In the command tent, Li Ziyuan, a fierce general under Li Xianzong, almost lost his composure: "And with that scoundrel Shao Hongyuan as commander! What kind of achievements can he possibly make?!"

Another fierce general, Hou Gaolang, frowned as well: "Chief Steward, is there really such an imperial edict? Could it be that Shao Hongyuan forged the edict?! Let's just use this as an excuse to kill him!"

Even the most valiant Song soldiers couldn't shake off their thuggish nature; sure enough, after just a few words, some of them wanted to fight each other.

Li Xianzong shook his head with a stern face: "Young Marquis, don't talk nonsense. Do you think I can't tell whether it's a forged imperial edict or not?"

Li Ziyuan immediately stamped his foot: "Then this matter is even more absurd! The Northern Expedition, the Northern Expedition, hey, instead of attacking the Jin invaders, they're attacking their own comrades?! How did Flying Tiger Gentleman become a traitor?! How did Prime Minister Yu become a rebel?! How did the Emperor go mad?!" "How should I know?!" In front of his confidant, Li Xianzong finally lost control of his emotions and roared angrily: "How should I know why things have come to this?! Do you think I'm not anxious or angry?"

On that day, Prime Minister Yu personally guaranteed that I could return to my hometown and bury my family openly and honestly. But now, everything was going very well, and we were just about to make the final decision when Prime Minister Yu suddenly passed away!
You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask?!

Silence fell over the tent for a moment, broken only by heavy breathing.

A moment later, Li Ziyuan's lips moved, showing considerable excitement, even the cleft in his lips turned slightly red: "Steward Li, was Old Dai transferred because of this?"

Li Xianzong closed his eyes, and after a moment he slowly nodded: "Dai Gao was a trusted confidant promoted by Prime Minister Yu in his early years. With the court in such turmoil, it is natural that they will not trust him."

However, you shouldn't worry about his life. According to court custom, officials at the level of chief steward or commander won't be implicated; at most, they'll just be sidelined.

Li Ziyuan pounded his knees: "Although Lao Dai was promoted by Prime Minister Yu, his merits were earned through his own hard work. In every major battle over the years, he was always at the forefront, risking his life."
"How can the army remain calm when it is sidelined simply because of the turmoil in the court?"

Hou Gaolang interjected, "It's not just that the situation can't be calmed; it's that people are in a state of panic."

To put it bluntly, which soldier in the Huai River region doesn't have a blood relationship with Liu Dalang? And which one hasn't been promoted by Minister Yu? Even Old Dai, with his immense contributions, has been dismissed; what can the rest do? Are they all going to be dismissed along with him?

Upon hearing this, Li Xianzong could only sigh, "I can't control it, I can't control these things... I can't even give any guarantees. Do you think the court doesn't suspect me? Otherwise, how come Shao Hongyuan is the Commander-in-Chief, and I am the Deputy Commander-in-Chief?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ziyuan immediately slumped, but after a moment's hesitation, a fierce glint appeared in his eyes: "Grand Commandant, have you heard the news from the north?"

"There's a lot of news from the north. Which one are you referring to?"

"It's about... Liu Dalang's work on compiling history. He wanted to follow the history of the Five Dynasties and compile a history of the Six Dynasties."

Because the north and south were far apart, the transmission of information was not very smooth. Apart from the words used for internal propaganda, only two or three sentences could be quickly and clearly communicated to the Song state.

Liu Huai didn't even bother to spread the news that he was about to become emperor; he simply spread the news of compiling history to Lianghuai and Nanyang during that month.

This might not mean much to ordinary soldiers, but for high-ranking officials in the Song Dynasty who had read some books, it was like a bolt from the blue.

How did the Song Dynasty, which was once the legitimate ruler of the country, become a separatist regime like the Southern Tang Dynasty?
Why can the orthodox tradition only begin with the Tang Dynasty?
What's complicated is that there's simply no way to refute it!

Because the one who personally swept the Song state out of the legitimate order was the current retired emperor who actually controlled the court.

Is what I said false?
The Song Dynasty has already submitted to the Jin Dynasty. If the Song Dynasty is the legitimate dynasty, then what is the Jin Dynasty? Is it the super-legitimate dynasty?
If that were all, it would be fine; the so-called rightful succession is a matter of changing hands, and tomorrow it might be my turn. As long as we can recover the Central Plains and unify the world, then all our previous cowardice and timidity will have been for the sake of enduring hardship and biding our time. The State of Song can be considered to have the ambition of Goujian.

But now Zhao Gou killed Yue Fei first and then Yu Yunwen, which is equivalent to killing anyone who wants to restore the Song Dynasty to its rightful place. It's as if he is determined to establish a separatist regime, which is very frustrating.

"I've certainly heard of it, but what are you trying to say?"

Faced with Li Xianzong's impatient expression, Li Ziyuan lowered his voice and said, "We have a long-standing relationship with Liu Dalang. Now that the country is about to remain in a state of partial peace, and the retired emperor is in such a state, why don't we go and seek refuge with Liu Dalang?"

Li Xianzong's face was ashen: "Do you want me to become an unfaithful and unfilial person?"

Li Ziyuan immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "Grand Commandant, it was precisely because I knew about the old Grand Commandant's matter that I wanted to offer my advice."

As far as loyalty is concerned, we are loyal to the Emperor. The current situation is that the Emperor Emeritus has usurped the throne! Even if we cannot raise an army to support the Emperor, how can we be loyal to him? Wouldn't that make us traitors?!

As for filial piety, I know that Grand Commandant longs to return to his hometown in Guanzhong, but now the Song Dynasty is about to retreat to the south, and the destruction of the Western Jin Dynasty has become a pipe dream. If Liu Dalang were to free up his hands and calmly eliminate Wanyan Liang, how could Grand Commandant return to Guanzhong with dignity...

“Enough…” Li Xianzong closed his eyes and shook his head in anguish.

But Li Ziyuan kept talking: "On the other hand, if we were to pledge allegiance to Liu Dalang and acknowledge him as our lord, we would undoubtedly be granted high-ranking official positions and titles. And if we were to unify the world in the future, we would all be able to enter the Lingyan Pavilion..."

"I said, enough is enough!"

Li Xianzong finally erupted in fury, glaring at Li Ziyuan and saying, "Li Huozi, do you still consider me your lord?!"

Li Ziyuan knelt on the ground, looked up blankly, and after a moment of stunned silence, suddenly burst into tears: "I was only thinking of the Grand Commandant, how could the Grand Commandant... Waaah..."

Hou Gaolang stood to the side, his face also showing sorrow.

Seeing even his trusted confidant in such a state, Li Xianzong was momentarily at a loss: "You...you let me think this over carefully, don't let this get out...let me think this over carefully. You...you must strictly enforce military discipline, and don't do anything that can't be undone."

(End of this chapter)