Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 243 Historical Turning Point: Liu Jiye's Victory over Taiyuan (Part 1)

Time flies by.

The heavy rain continued to fall outside Taiyuan.

All of this seemed like divine retribution, condemning the Song Dynasty for its disrespect for Heaven. It made the already immensely stressed Song army even more difficult to advance, and even the atmosphere within the military camp began to become somewhat oppressive.

Illnesses caused by acclimatization problems combined with harsh weather.

Even though Gu Jin used every means at his disposal, it was still difficult to completely avoid it.

This, in turn, will cause unrest among the troops.

Even so, Zhao Kuangyin ultimately heeded Gu Jin's advice and did not choose to withdraw his troops.

This is precisely what makes him extraordinary as an emperor.

He not only overruled dissenting opinions and suppressed all discontent, but also worked with Gu Jin to stabilize the morale of the soldiers.

The prestige accumulated by the Gu family over a thousand years, combined with Zhao Kuangyin's status as emperor, became the most powerful pillar for maintaining morale at this moment.

—No matter what, we must persevere!

Taking a step back is tantamount to taking ten thousand steps back.

Taiyuan is a tough nut to crack; no matter the cost, the Song Dynasty is determined to conquer it.

This was a shared belief of Zhao Kuangyin and Gu Jin, and no one could shake it.

The news kept spreading.

Although the Song army could not directly attack the city, they were not idle. In addition to relocating all the people around Taiyuan, Gu Jin ordered people to dig ditches and build fortifications, preparing for a protracted war.

This is still psychological warfare.

He did not believe that the internal conflicts within the Northern Han Dynasty would continue indefinitely.

Human ambition has always been uncontrollable.

These members of the imperial family might suddenly stop their northern expedition due to the Song army's actions, but as long as they believe that the Song army cannot advance too far, all their desires will erupt in a short period of time.

Of course, in addition to this, Gu Jin has also sent people to meet the Liao Kingdom's reinforcements.

Actually, he wanted to go in person.

However, this is a crucial moment to stabilize morale.

He was the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty and the head of the Gu family.

Both he and Zhao Kuangyin had to be stationed in the central army to give the soldiers confidence; this was the key.

Meanwhile, in Taiyuan City.

Liu Jiye stood atop the city wall, staring intently at the Song camp in the distance, his gaze growing increasingly solemn.

"Are these Song soldiers really going to fight to the death with our Han Dynasty?"

He murmured something under his breath, his hands clenching into fists involuntarily.

The rain was pouring down.

The impact wasn't limited to the Song army; it also affected the defending troops.

Illness has always been a core problem that feudal dynasties could never overcome.

Even though the development of medicine in Kyushu has far surpassed its original historical pace due to the emergence of the Gu family, it is still impossible to completely solve all of this.

The key is--

Compared to the overwhelming force of the Song army, the Northern Han is indeed far too weak now.

Whether it was Zhao Kuangyin's conquest of Later Shu or the subsequent deployment of the Gu family to conquer two more kingdoms, the prestige of the Song Dynasty had reached an astonishing level.

All of this was constantly affecting the morale of the Northern Han army.

Under these circumstances, the pressure on Liu Jiye can be imagined.

Thinking of the imperial edict urging him to fight that he had received today, he couldn't help but sigh deeply. After observing for a long time, he headed towards the city walls.

Instead of returning to the commander's mansion, he turned and headed towards the barracks where wounded and sick soldiers were recuperating.

Liu Jiye was free-spirited and chivalrous from a young age, a trait he still retains today, which makes him get along extremely well with his soldiers.

This is one of the reasons why he was able to maintain morale among his troops.

However, compared to the Song army, which had the support of Gu's medical skills, the Northern Han army was inadequate in dealing with the wounded and sick, and the number of people who fell ill in the camp far exceeded that of the Song army.

As soon as the tent flap was lifted, a smell of herbs mixed with damp, musty odor wafted out.

As Liu Jiye strode in, the coughing that had been rising and falling suddenly stopped, and several soldiers struggled to get up and salute.

"What's wrong?" Liu Jiye raised an eyebrow, his voice loud but with a hint of deliberate impatience. "Are you all playing the victim in front of this general, plotting to get away with a few more days of leisure?"

Instead of offering any words of comfort, he snorted coldly and swept his gaze over everyone: "Lie down properly, all of you!"

"Anyone who dares to get up and bow while sick will be immediately transferred by this general to guard the city gate."

"Getting rained on and exposed to wind will definitely help you recover faster!"

As he spoke, he walked over to an old soldier who was about to get up, and gently pressed the old man's shoulder back down. The movement was swift and even a little rough, but it stopped the old man from getting up.

Someone inside the tent couldn't help but chuckle, and the tense atmosphere quietly eased.

Liu Jiye looked at the group of people.

A smile appeared on his face at that moment. Ignoring everything else, he sat down quietly to the side and asked loudly, "Has your body recovered at all after taking the medicine today?"

This is something he does every day.

His concern for these people was no less than that for Gu Jin.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Faced with a general like Liu Jiye, even if their health hadn't improved, these men would claim they were cured.

Hearing everyone's answers, Liu Jiye nodded. Only after everyone had finished speaking did he speak again: "The continuous heavy rain must be Heaven's punishment for that tyrannical Song Dynasty."

"Rest assured."

"The Song army won't last long; Liao reinforcements have arrived!"

"Wait until the Song army retreats."

"I will certainly petition His Majesty to request rewards for you!"

This wasn't the first time Liu Jiye had said these things.

But the soldiers still trusted him completely, and their eyes lit up at that moment.

Liu Jiye then chatted with them for a while.

He then got up again and headed out of the tent.

They had just stepped out of the camp.

His relaxed feeling vanished instantly, and his brows furrowed at that moment.

Luring tigers to drive away wolves
Liu Jiye did not know who would win between the Song and Liao dynasties.

He didn't care about any of that.

In fact, he had already submitted a memorial stating that getting too close to the Liao Dynasty was not a good thing. After all, the Liao Dynasty was founded by the Khitans, and compared to the Song Dynasty, which had already acquired the Gu family, they were far inferior.

But Liu Jiyuan wouldn't listen.

But now, all of this is just a case of inviting trouble.

Whether he can survive this ordeal or not.

This is not a good thing for the Han Dynasty.

Even if the Song Dynasty couldn't destroy the Northern Han, the Liao Dynasty would eventually swallow it up.

For him.

He preferred to perish at the hands of the Liao Dynasty rather than at the hands of the Song Dynasty.

Unfortunately, he could only keep these thoughts to himself.

He is unlikely to surrender.

No matter how you look at it, it's difficult for the Northern Han to escape its current predicament, and it must hold Taiyuan!

In the darkness, Gu Yi was also noticing all of this.

If he remembered correctly, Liu Jiye seemed to be the origin of the Yang family generals.

Although in real history.

The Yang family generals were not as legendary as depicted in various folk tales, but they were still extremely loyal and brave.

He truly hadn't expected that a member of the Gu family would encounter this person under such circumstances.

However, he didn't do anything intentionally.

The Yang family generals were indeed extraordinary. At least within the Northern Song Dynasty, their status could be described as transcendent.

But history has changed now, so why should he deliberately interfere with all of this?
Not to mention that in the original history, Liu Jiye surrendered to the Song Dynasty after the fall of the Northern Han Dynasty, but this happened many years later.

What he really cares about now is whether Gu Jin can break through Taiyuan!

The Song army was indeed very strong.

Even though neither Zhao Kuangyin nor Gu Jin personally led the army there.

However, with the main Liao forces absent, the two groups of troops sent by Wang Yingchen were ultimately unable to withstand the Song army's offensive and were defeated one after another.

Of course, it wasn't a complete defeat!
In conclusion—

They were the vanguard that destroyed the Liao Kingdom, and they were the first to occupy the two key locations they were targeting.

This is a tactical game.

However, the Liao Kingdom continued to send troops.

Just as Wang Yingchen said, the Liao Kingdom would never allow Zhao Kuangyin to defeat the Northern Han. At least for now, they were unwilling to directly confront the Song Dynasty.

However, neither Zhao Kuangyin nor Gu Jin cared about these things.

Their only goal is Taiyuan, which lies before them.

Inside the main tent of the Song camp.

"His Majesty."

Gu Jin rushed in, his face beaming with joy: "This humble general has just received news that our men have finally found Liu Jiwen!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin was overjoyed.

He even stood up abruptly, staring intently at Gu Jin: "Really?"

"Not bad!"

Gu Jin nodded and handed over the secret letter.

Zhao Kuangyin took it and immediately burst into laughter: "Truly, Heaven is helping me!"

He was very happy.

Even Gu Jin couldn't help but laugh.

That's right, he still intends to win people's hearts!

It was aimed at the royal family and clan of the Northern Han!

Although the journey to Taiyuan will be paved with blood, it is not about sending soldiers to their deaths for no reason.

With the heavy rain continuing, the Song army had no reason to risk attacking the formidable pass of Taiyuan.

This is the only chance right now!
The issue of the imperial clan in the Northern Han Dynasty was extremely complex, involving not only the imperial clan but also powerful ministers and even the interference of the Liao Dynasty.

There are simply too many loopholes that Gu Jin can exploit.

As for why Liu Jiwen was chosen...

The reason is also quite simple.

—This Liu Jiwen was the grandson of Liu Chong, the founding emperor of the Northern Han Dynasty. He was the purest and most legitimate member of the imperial family. However, he missed the opportunity to become emperor because he was in the Liao Dynasty when the palace was in turmoil.

This includes the current emperor Liu Jiyuan, as well as other members of the imperial clan.

This person is also being targeted very much.

This led to him constantly fleeing along the entire border of the Northern Han Dynasty.

This alone is enough to explain Liu Jiwen's feelings toward the current Northern Han imperial family and even the Liao Kingdom.

Zhao Kuangyin's laughter subsided, and he looked at Gu Jin again, his tone carrying a hint of consideration: "Huaiyu, do you really think this plan can succeed?"

Without hesitation, Gu Jin solemnly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my utmost and live up to your trust."

The emperor and his minister smiled once again.

He didn't say anything.

Yet it seemed as if they already knew what the other was thinking.

Longzhou.

Liu Jiwen has indeed had a tough time lately.

His identity already predetermined this.

In fact, Liu Jiwen originally had a very good chance of becoming emperor, after all, among all the members of the imperial clan, he had the deepest relationship with the Liao Kingdom.

If the Liao Dynasty were willing to support him, it wouldn't be difficult for him to become the emperor of the Northern Han.

But unfortunately—

Wang Yingchen was an extremely rigid person who always put the interests of the Liao state first.

After Liu Jiyuan pledged his allegiance to the Liao Dynasty.

He then completely gave up on Liu Jiwen.

Even if Liu Jiwen had a deeper relationship with the Liao Dynasty, what difference would it make?

Wang Yingchen would not resort to force unless absolutely necessary.

It is precisely because of this.

When the members of the Northern Han imperial family heard about this, it made Liu Jiwen's situation even more difficult.

His bloodline had already sealed his fate.

Without the support of the Liao Kingdom, death awaits him.

At this moment, in a small town on the border between the Northern Han and the Liao Kingdom.

Liu Jiwen stared at the man who claimed to be an envoy of the Gu family, a mocking smile curving his lips: "Are you saying that the Emperor of Song and the head of the Gu family are willing to help me vie for the throne?"

He almost burst out laughing, as if he had heard the funniest joke.

But the other party remained calm and unmoved. Liu Jiwen felt a sudden surge of impatience. With a "clang," he drew his sword from his waist, its cold light pointing directly at the other party. His voice suddenly turned cold: "Hmph!"

"You really think—I wouldn't dare kill you?"

"How dare you try to sow discord against me!"

"What difficulty would it be for Your Majesty to kill me?" As Gu Jin's personal guard who had followed him since childhood, Xie Bo was not afraid of Liu Jiwen's reaction. He met Liu Jiwen's gaze directly and said calmly, "But will killing me save Your Majesty's life?"

Liu Jiwen's expression suddenly changed.

Xie Bo gave him no time to think and continued, speaking clearly: "Your Majesty should know that our Song army is currently besieging Taiyuan."

"Taiyuan has always been a strategic pass, and now the weather is unfavorable to our army."

"Has Your Majesty ever considered—"

"What if our army fails to breach the city this time?"

He paused slightly, then a chilling smile appeared on his face: "At that time, your brother's throne will only be more secure, and the Liao Kingdom will surely abandon you completely."

"At that time, does Your Majesty think you will still have a way out?"

—This one sentence was like a cold arrow piercing Liu Jiwen's heart, striking at the deepest fear in his heart.

He could only save his life with the support of the Liao Dynasty.

"Your Majesty."

Seeing Liu Jiwen remain silent, Xie Bo cupped his hands again, his voice steady and clear: "The reason why our Great Song is marching north is because the Northern Han and the Liao Kingdom have been too close to each other, which has violated a major taboo in the Central Plains."

"But if Your Majesty is willing to join hands with our dynasty..."

He bowed slightly to the south and continued, "Once the great matter is accomplished, His Majesty of our dynasty wishes to forge a brotherhood alliance with Your Majesty, vowing never to invade Han territory and to maintain lasting friendly relations."

"I would rather send troops to act as a shield, to block the Liao army's advance for Your Majesty."

Xie Bo was not a professional lobbyist; his words were completely straightforward, and all his intentions were expressed very directly.

But it is precisely this undisguised frankness that seems particularly powerful at this moment.

Liu Jiwen did not respond immediately, nor did he make any promises.

But the way he slowly sheathed his sword silently revealed the wavering in his heart.

He truly had no other choice.

Let alone the throne, even if it were just to save his life, he would have to take the gamble.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long silence, Liu Jiwen finally raised his head slowly, looking at Xie Bo with a deep gaze, his voice low and solemn: "The Song Emperor and Lord Gu..."

"What exactly do you want me to do?"

(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes at the beginning of the month. I'd be extremely grateful for your support, brothers.)
(End of this chapter)