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

Chapter 251: The Conquest of the Central Plains, Zhao Kuangyin's Death (Part 1)

The overall strength of the Song army was superior to that of the Liao army.

There are many factors involved.

This was not only due to the slight changes brought about by the Gu family, but also due to the high morale of the Song army, which had been built up by years of continuous victories.

certainly--

The most crucial reason is that the Liao Dynasty had just recovered from chaos.

Yelü Jing, a notorious tyrant in the original history, has become even more tyrannical in modern times.

The Liao army's advantage in terrain has always been the one that has affected the Song army!

And now, this problem has finally been solved!

—The situation has changed drastically!
In fact, only in the current situation can a commander's abilities be fully demonstrated.

Gu Jin was not a top-notch commander.

At least in the eyes of Gu Yi, who has seen far too many extraordinary people, Gu Jin, whether in terms of attributes or performance, is unlikely to become a top talent.

However, he had been preparing for this for far too long!

He had made thorough preparations.

I've considered all the possibilities.

It can be said that from the moment the Liao army charged out from various key locations, these people had already fallen into his ambush!

That's what makes him so terrifying!
Faced with the Liao army attacking from all directions, Gu Jin did not launch an attack immediately.

certainly--

He did not choose to abandon the cities and retreat directly as usual, but instead used Taiyuan as the center and began to fight the Liao army in several surrounding small cities, but he never showed his full strength!
That's right, it's still a trap!

The Liao Dynasty's most elite force was its cavalry.

This is a consistent characteristic of these foreigners!

On the other hand, although the Song army's cavalry was not bad, Gu Jin was unwilling to pay too high a price!
He must take advantage of Taiyuan's terrain!
This is also a form of psychological warfare.

In any other period of time, these Liao generals would never have taken such a risk.

But things are different now!

They need to prove Wang Yingchen wrong!
In any case, they must do everything they can to drive the Song army out of Taiyuan completely. Only in this way can they prove that they are right and establish their position in the court in the future.

This is Gu Shizi's judgment of people's hearts!

This is also the sharpest weapon in Gu Jin's hands this time!

July of the eighth year of the Kaibao era.

The Liao army was the first to capture Xinzhou, and the Song army suffered a crushing defeat and fled all the way to Taiyuan.

When the news spread, the entire land of Kyushu was shaken!
This was a major defeat for Zhao Kuangyin's prestige since he became emperor and established the Song Dynasty!
This is also the first time in a thousand years that the Gu family has suffered a setback!

This instantly reignited the greed of the Liao soldiers, and the various forces launched their attacks with incredible speed, even showing signs of competition among themselves!

And in that same month—

The Liao army captured Daizhou again.

Countless troops raided and plundered their way towards Taiyuan from all directions.

In this process, countless people have also been creating hype and spreading exaggerated claims about the victory to the world!

And the impact of this is also considerable.

The Gu family was far too glorious.

A family that has existed for a full thousand years is truly too dazzling in the entire history of China.

This is especially true for ordinary people at the bottom of society.

The Gu family was practically like a deity.

Even though the people of Kyushu today cannot directly feel the kindness of the Gu family, they are still greatly influenced by the legends about the Gu family.

When these people heard the news, it was as if their beliefs had collapsed.

Many aristocratic families, like ordinary people, would think of the same question.

"Is the Gu family's invincible reputation destined to perish here?"

but.
Despite the enemy's attempts to seduce him, Gu Jin remained steadfast in his plan, suppressing the soldiers' desire to fight and allowing the Liao army to continue its advance towards Taiyuan!

Mid-August of the eighth year of the Kaibao era.

Lanzhou has been captured again.

Since then——

All routes for the Liao army to advance south and attack Taiyuan have been opened up, and the troops from all sides have gathered together and are marching towards Taiyuan City along three fronts!
They traveled from Xinzhou through Shiling Pass into the Taiyuan Basin.

This was also one of the main battlegrounds between the Song and Liao dynasties in the original historical records.

One route goes from Lanzhou through Tianmen Pass to Taiyuan.

In addition, it also included a detachment of troops.

Head west from Jingxing Pass.

This route is extremely treacherous, and the terrain on all sides is unsuitable for the Liao army to fight. In the past, they would never have deployed troops here.

But everything went exactly as Gu Jin had predicted.

Tempted by enormous profits and prestige.

These people have lost their minds.

They were unwilling to give up any opportunity, and even if they couldn't personally conquer Taiyuan, they still wanted to participate and get some credit.

In just a few months, the situation was completely reversed.

The Song army switched from offense to defense.

Throughout the entire territory of Northern Han, the stalemate between the two sides instantly turned into a one-sided trend.

But even now, things have come to this.

Gu Jin, however, remained in no hurry.

He continued to use various methods to make the enemy believe that the Song army was in complete chaos, and continued to lure them into risky advances, using the terrain near Taiyuan to constantly divide the enemy forces.

Gu Jin took into account all the terrain features, including mountains and rivers.

Similarly, he was using this method to force Yelü Xian to kill Wang Yingchen.

He had already received the message from the Liao Kingdom.

This was also his last attempt.

Wang Yingchen is definitely a variable.

This person brought together the great achievements of prominent schools of thought such as Confucianism, Legalism, and Huang-Lao philosophy, governing the country by law and governing the people with Confucianism, Huang-Lao philosophy, and other schools of thought.

If this person could be eliminated, it would be beneficial to the Song Dynasty.

It was absolutely no less than a great victory.

Because at this point, the only country in the entire world capable of challenging the Song Dynasty is the Liao Dynasty.

If Wang Yingchen can be eliminated, the blow to the Liao Kingdom will be far greater than ever before!

The Prime Minister's Residence, Linhuang Prefecture, Shangjing.

Unlike the bustling scene of the past, from that day onwards, the entire Prime Minister's residence seemed to have become a forbidden place that no one in the Liao Dynasty dared to approach, and no one came to visit Wang Yingchen anymore.

He has touched the interests of too many people, so naturally no allies will speak up for him.

Wang Yingchen, however, showed no sign of urgency. He simply sat quietly in his residence reading all day, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was on the verge of life and death.

However, on this day, the tranquility of the Prime Minister's residence was finally broken.

A horse-drawn carriage slowly pulled up in front of the gate.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the guards at the gate immediately lowered their heads, held their breath, and dared not utter a sound.

Yelü Xian walked straight into the mansion, followed closely by several eunuchs carrying a box of memorials.

"have a look."

Upon meeting, before Wang Yingchen could even offer his greetings, Yelü Xian waved his hand, ordering his men to pile all the memorials in front of him, and said in a calm tone, "Tell me, should I kill you or not?"

Wang Yingchen's eyes flickered slightly. Although he had already guessed the contents of the memorials, he still respectfully took a few and examined them carefully.

A moment later, he rose and knelt down, calmly replying, "Your Majesty need not kill me."

"If we win this battle, I will gladly die to atone for my sins."

His voice was calm, and even when discussing life and death, there was no fear in his eyes, as if he still firmly believed in his assessment of the situation.

"Urgent report from Kaifeng—"

Yelü Xian didn't say much, but took out a secret letter from his bosom and threw it at Wang Yingchen: "The Song Dynasty court is already preparing for national mourning!"

This time, Wang Yingchen's expression finally changed slightly.

He picked up the secret letter and read it carefully. After a long silence, he spoke again: "Even if the Song emperor really dies, this war will still be a plan for the Song Dynasty!" Wang Yingchen's tone remained very firm.

It even seems a bit stubborn.

Seeing this, Yelü Xian could no longer suppress his anger and rebuked, "Do you really think that you can atone for your sins with your own life?"

Wang Yingchen remained unmoved, still kneeling before Yelü Xian.

Yelü Xian grew increasingly angry.

Although he understood Wang Yingchen's talent, given the current situation, it seemed that Wang Yingchen had indeed delayed the Liao Kingdom's war opportunity.

He couldn't figure it out at all for the time being.

"you!!"

He instinctively shouted a rebuke.

But before he could speak, Wang Yingchen finally made a move, bowing respectfully to Yelü Xian once more before slowly saying, "Your Majesty!"

"Your subject knows that this is a strategic opportunity for our Liao Kingdom."

"But it is also a risk."

"Our Liao Kingdom has just emerged from a great upheaval. I have gained Your Majesty's trust and have tried my best to restore order to the court, but the chaos remains unresolved."

"If we lose this battle, our Liao Kingdom will be wiped out."

Wang Yingchen's tone was very serious.

He was aware of Liu Jiyuan's actions, but he never interfered.

This is Wang Yingchen's ruthlessness.

Zhao Kuangyin used himself as bait, and Gu Jin turned his attention to him. But Zhao Kuangyin was also using himself as bait, hoping to use Gu Jin to purge the remaining corrupt officials in the court.

He was not of the Gu clan, and Yelü Xian was not the founding emperor.

In addition, there was the existing political structure of the Liao Dynasty.

Wang Yingchen wanted to completely wipe out all the remaining remnants of the Liao Kingdom, and the only way to do so was to rely on the help of others.

Although this move was very risky, it was well worth it for Wang Yingchen.

He had great confidence in his ability to assess the situation!

This was of great help to him in governing the Liao Kingdom.

Wang Yingchen was deeply influenced by the Gu family.

He never focused on short-term gains, but rather on a long-term perspective!
Upon hearing this, Yelü Xian immediately understood the meaning behind his words, and his expression changed once again.

Looking at Wang Yingchen in front of him.

He remained silent for a long time, and even his body began to tremble.

What's the difference between Wang Yingchen's actions and betraying his own people?
If everything is really as he said, will these people still have a way to survive?

However, Yelü Xian was not entirely unable to understand Wang Yingchen's thoughts.

In doing so, wasn't he also a beneficiary?

Completely abolishing all members of the imperial clan and returning all power to the imperial court—this seems like the perfect opportunity.

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

Yelü Xian's hands clenched and unclenched at the same time, and after a long while, he finally reacted and snorted coldly: "If you win this battle, you can go and die!"

"I will spare your life!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yelü Xian turned around, flicked his sleeves, and left.

Wang Yingchen remained unmoved.

He simply bowed silently in the direction Yelü Xian had left.

Song army camp.

"His Majesty!!!"

"His Majesty!!!"

"."

Shouts rang out continuously.

Dozens of imperial physicians stared pale-faced at Zhao Kuangyin, who lay motionless on the bed, their faces filled with panic.

Seeing that Zhao Kuangyin still made no move.

Finally, someone couldn't help but shout, "Quickly send someone to inform the Grand Tutor, His Majesty... His Majesty..."

Before the old imperial physician could finish speaking, the moment he uttered the words "Grand Tutor," Zhao Kuangyin on the bed suddenly opened his eyes, even sitting up abruptly, and exclaimed, "No!"

—A moment of deathly silence!
The imperial physicians stared wide-eyed at Zhao Kuangyin as he sat up, utterly astonished.

But then they realized what was happening.

This is a final burst of energy before death!
Zhao Kuangyin's pulse was so weak that even they had difficulty discerning whether he had truly died. This alone speaks volumes.

"Huaiyu must not be informed before the great battle is over."

Zhao Kuangyin seemed to be fully aware of his situation, and without any further words, he said directly: "Summon You Chenfeng!"

"quick!!"

He kept waving his hand.

At that moment, all the imperial physicians rushed out.

A moment later, You Chenfeng rushed in and knelt before Zhao Kuangyin without hesitation: "Your Majesty, the court has been properly arranged."

Indeed, it was Zhao Kuangyin's idea to have Kaifeng organize the national mourning.

He already knew about Gu Jin's plan.

I will do everything in my power to help them.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin finally felt relieved. His condition instantly deteriorated, like a candle about to be extinguished. He had no strength left and collapsed.

His pupils began to dilate, and his breathing became increasingly rapid.

"His Majesty!"

You Chenfeng was greatly shocked.

At the same time, all the imperial physicians immediately knelt down.

"I have spent half my life conquering and pacifying various kingdoms, yet in the end, I have failed to unify the land and reclaim my Han homeland."

Zhao Kuangyin's gaze was unfocused, his breath growing weaker, yet he struggled to hold onto his last breath, each word dripping with blood: "Heaven has not granted me my life. I am not reconciled!"

At this moment.

The emperor finally shed all his strength, and tears streamed down his increasingly unfocused eyes.

"This empire is not yet whole, Youyun has not been restored, and the Liaodong invaders still live on. How can I face the founding emperor in the afterlife?"

The "Grand Ancestor" he referred to was naturally Chai Rong.

It differs from the original history.

Zhao Kuangyin's ascension to the throne this time was not a mere formality, but rather a genuine desire to sweep away all obstacles from the world, which is the biggest reason why he has always been different from other emperors.

He still recognizes Chai Rong as the emperor!
Unfortunately, he met the same fate as Chai Rong.

He died before the world was at peace.

Low sobs echoed intermittently in the bedchamber.

Zhao Kuangyin seemed to want to say something more, but his voice was too weak to be heard, and only the repeated "Huaiyu" could be faintly heard.

Finally, with his last ounce of strength, he struggled to look south, as if he wanted to cross mountains and rivers to see Taiyuan one last time.

The next moment, he finally stopped moving.

There was no sound at all.

On the day of Gui Chou in the tenth month of the eighth year of the Kaibao era.

Zhao Kuangyin died during his southern expedition.

The imperial edict stated: Crown Prince Zhao Dezhao is to ascend the throne in Kaifeng, and Grand Tutor Gu Jin is to be given full military and political power. The Northern Expedition must not be halted.

------

"In the winter of the eighth year of the Kaibao era, on the day of Gui Chou in the tenth month, the emperor died in Taiyuan, at the age of fifty."

The emperor reigned for sixteen years, eliminating usurpers and unifying the nine provinces.

He was kind and generous, valued education, was cautious in administering justice, and cared for the people's well-being.

In his later years, he was determined to launch a northern expedition to restore the Han dynasty, but fate was unkind, and he died prematurely. Upon hearing the news, the soldiers and civilians alike wept bitterly.

—From the *History of the Song Dynasty*, Annals of Emperor Taizu.

(End of this chapter)