Chapter 136: New Year Era: Hongwu!!!

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After Zheng Xiansu gave Zhao Yu a legitimate eldest daughter, Zhao Wan Xuan, Wang Yisu and Guo Ting each bore Zhao Yu a son, becoming his fifth and sixth sons.

Several days later, the former Shangyi female official Yang Shi gave birth to Zhao Yu's second daughter.

——Yang Shi had shared the bed with Zhao Yu shortly after Zheng Xiansu became pregnant, alongside Neishi Qian Shi and Shangqin Sun Shi; only Yang Shi succeeded in conceiving.

Thus, in Jianzhong Year One, Zhao Yu had eight children: six sons and two daughters.

In addition to these eight born children, Zhang Nan, Ye Shi Yun, Ma Xiao Jiao, Li Qingzhao, Chao Min, Han Yu, Zhao Mai, Cai Xuan, Wei Zhi, Xu Qing, as well as Cao Shi and Xu Shi in Zhang Chun's palace, and Zhou Shi in Cai Xuan's palace, were all pregnant with Zhao Yu's children.

Notably, perhaps because Li Lin's body fat rate had recovered, or because Zhang Chun had truly outlasted probability, or because their sincerity had moved even stone and metal, Li Lin and Zhang Chun finally conceived Zhao Yu's child just before Zheng Xiansu fully recovered her health.

Shortly after, at the end of Jianzhong Year One, Zheng Xiansu—whom Zhao Yu had focused on—became pregnant again.

In terms of expanding his lineage, Zhao Yu's achievements were remarkable; at this stage, he matched even Zhao Ji of history.

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After capturing Huangzhou, Wang Hou and others transported all Xihé Road supplies to Huangzhou, while Wang Hou, Wang Shan, Gao Yongnian, Zhong Pu, Accompanying Tong Guan, and other generals divided their troops into more than ten routes to pacify the tribes between Zongge City and Qingtangcheng, exterminating chieftains who refused to submit to the Zhao Song dynasty.

The Song generals strictly followed the imperial edict: any chieftain who did not voluntarily surrender to Zhao Song and accept its policies of emancipating slaves and land reform would be exterminated in full.

The emancipation of slaves policy required no elaboration: nobles and chieftains in Qingtang were forbidden from keeping slaves; all slaves were to be freed unconditionally.

What was Zhao Song's land reform policy in Qingtang?

Simple.

All land in Qingtang was to be surrendered to Zhao Song, then redistributed by the court to Qingtang's commoners and slaves, as well as one million Han migrants relocated from disaster-stricken Hebei.

Correct.

To permanently secure Qingtang—destined to become the main battlefield of the Song-Xia war—and eliminate all future concerns, Zhao Yu and his ministers decided to utterly eradicate all nobles and chieftains in Qingtang.

To this end, Zhao Yu and his ministers even willingly pushed these fence-sitters toward Qingtang Tubo.

What Zhao Song wanted, and only wanted, was the largest demographic in Qingtang: the commoners and slaves—and to encourage them to rise against the nobles and chieftains who had oppressed them for generations.

Notably, to fully occupy Qingtang, Zhao Yu and his ministers dispatched one thousand grassroots officials to establish a tight organizational structure ensuring absolute control under Zhao Song.

Additionally, upon Zhang Chun's proposal, Zhao Yu officially named this war the "Liberation of Qingtang War."

Thus, the war's nature changed: it was no longer Zhao Song invading Qingtang Tubo, but Zhao Song liberating Qingtang's slaves and commoners from the oppression and exploitation of Qingtang's nobles and chieftains.

As a result, Qingtang's vast commoners and slaves enthusiastically rallied to Zhao Song; their long-suppressed rage and yearning for freedom were fully ignited. The chains and servitude of old became battle cries echoing across every inch of Qingtang.

Consequently, wherever Wang Hou and others went, Qingtang commoners and slaves slaughtered their local nobles and chieftains to show allegiance, declaring their willingness to submit to Zhao Song and accept its grace.

For those stubborn, unyielding Qingtang nobles and chieftains who refused to surrender and clung to their slaves and land, the Song army showed no mercy. Beneath iron hooves, every rebellious force was uprooted; their slaves were freed, their lands, wealth, and women seized, their male family members executed, heads rolling, rivers of blood.

After six months of cleansing and consolidation, all Qingtang regions except those near Shanzhou City and Guo Zhou City had been fully occupied by Zhao Song.

In October of Jianzhong Year One, Wang Hou and others, sensing no further obstacles, finally began organizing a full-scale offensive.

Yet even then, Wang Hou and others spent two more months stationing troops in Huangzhou, Lanzhou, and elsewhere, preparing to guard against Xia forces exploiting the chaos.

Only in December did the unshakable Wang Hou, feeling all preparations complete, mobilize Accompanying Tong Guan, Gao Yongnian, Wang Shan, Zhong Pu, Zhang Jie, Wang Heng, and Zhao Long from Huangzhou to attack Shanzhou.

To proceed cautiously, Wang Hou still divided his army into three columns, advancing alternately along the northern and southern routes of Zong River, always alert for Tubo attacks.

On the ninth day of the twelfth month, the Song army assembled near Zonggao City.

Xisheshuosa likewise led his final Tubo army to offer what resistance he could.

The Tubo army claimed to number sixty thousand.

But everyone knew this figure was wildly exaggerated.

In truth, the Tubo army numbered roughly fifty to sixty thousand—all Tubo nobles and chieftains unwilling to be exterminated by Zhao Song.

This was an absolute resistance force opposed to Zhao Song.

Xisheshuosa, the last prince of Qingtang Tubo, though elevated amid crisis, had displayed greater courage than earlier princes like Xiazhen and Longza; even at this final moment, he still stood firm to resist the Song army.

As for the Song army:

At the war's outset, Wang Hou, per court orders, issued a kill order: all Tubo nobles and chieftains and their families who refused immediate surrender were to be executed without mercy.

Wang Hou also specifically told the non-Han troops in the Song army: if the Song lost this battle, the land granted to them and their families by the court might be seized by Qingtang's nobles and chieftains.

Most of the non-Han troops in the Song army were former slaves, a few were commoners; all had benefited from Zhao Song's recovery of Qingtang Tubo—how could they let this cooked duck fly away?

Thus, the non-Han troops in the Song army erupted with fierce combat spirit, vowing to slaughter every Qingtang noble and chieftain.

Though Wang Hou was cautious and deliberate, always acting after careful planning, whenever facing fierce battle, he never shrank back.

The Sun Zi Bingfa's phrases—"attack like fire, stand still like a mountain, remain hidden as darkness, move like thunder"—perfectly described Wang Hou as a commander.

As per custom, the elite among elites—the Divine Mechanism Right Army—would lead the vanguard.

After prolonged stalemate between the Song and Tubo armies, it was the Tubo army that launched the first general assault.

Young Xisheshuosa personally led dozens of elite guards up the northern high ground, confirmed Wang Hou's position—the Song center—and immediately ordered a full-scale assault on the Song center.

But the Song center was the Divine Mechanism Right Army—a force beyond its era.

The Divine Mechanism Right Army repelled wave after wave of Tubo attacks with tiger-crouching cannons and divine-arm bows, whose range surpassed arrows.

A few brave Tubo soldiers who charged to the Song front were blown apart, scattered, and thrown from their mounts by thunder bombs.

Meanwhile, Wang Hou had already dispatched over a thousand cavalry under General Zhao Long to circle around the hill and strike the Tubo army from behind.

Under this pincer attack, the Tubo army's first assault collapsed.

Upon hearing the war drums from the center, Gao Yongnian and Wang Shan launched their attacks according to prearranged plans.

The Tubo army could not withstand Gao Yongnian and Wang Shan's advance and retreated slightly.

Soon after, General Zhang Jie, under Wang Hou's orders, led cavalry across the river and, while Xisheshuosa was absent, launched a surprise raid on the Tubo army's central command tent, seizing Xisheshuosa's yellow canopy and standard, shattering Tubo morale.

Just as the Song army's situation turned overwhelmingly favorable, a violent wind surged from the southeast.

The sandstorm swept directly toward the Tubo army.

Thus, the Tubo army lost heaven's timing, earth's advantage, and human unity—and collapsed completely.

The two armies fought from the hour of Chen to the hour of Wu.

In this battle, the Song army pursued and cut down enemies for over thirty li, beheaded more than ten thousand, and captured over ten thousand prisoners, ultimately achieving a great victory.

Xisheshuosa originally intended to flee to Zongge City to rest, but was caught up by the Song general Zhong Pu.

Zhong Pu seized the moment and shot Xisheshuosa off his horse with a single arrow; then Song soldiers rushed forward and captured him alive.

After their great victory over the Qingtang Tubo forces, the Song army entered Zongge City on the ninth day of the twelfth month, marched to An'er City on the eleventh, and formally reclaimed Qingtangcheng on the twelfth.

Xisheshuosa's mother, the Qiu Zi Princess, his wife, the Xi Xia Princess, and numerous tribal chieftains from Shanzhou all came out of the city to surrender to the Zhao Song dynasty.

The Zhao Song dynasty finally reclaimed Qingtangcheng once again.

Unlike the previous recapture of Qingtangcheng under Zhao Xu, when all Qingtang nobles and chieftains were simply persuaded to surrender, Zhao Yu issued a clear imperial decree: all Qingtang nobles and chieftains, whether they surrendered or not, would have their household slaves emancipated and their lands confiscated and redistributed; the only difference between surrendering and resisting was that surrendered Qingtang nobles and chieftains would be uniformly relocated to the interior of the Zhao Song dynasty, while those who refused to surrender or had participated in resistance would be exterminated, their families plundered, and all females sent to brothel camps.

After capturing Qingtangcheng, Wang Hou and others immediately sent Xisheshuosa, the Qiu Zi Princess, the Xi Xia Princess, and other captives to the capital to report victory, but did not rush into the next offensive; instead, they advanced steadily, eliminating all forces in the vicinity of Shanzhou that refused to submit to or obey the Zhao Song dynasty.

Only after fully reclaiming Shanzhou and eliminating all threats did the Song army advance south to Baodun Valley to begin their campaign against Guozhou.

On the nineteenth day of the twelfth month, Wang Hou personally led the Song army into Guozhou.

Thus, after a series of steady advances, the Song army captured Guozhou City by the end of the twelfth month.

At this point, the Zhao Song dynasty had completely destroyed the Qingtang Tubo, which had stood for nearly a century.

In this campaign, the Zhao Song dynasty expanded its borders by over three thousand li, executed or relocated nearly three thousand households of Qingtang nobles and chieftains, emancipated nearly one million people, and relocated nearly one million Han civilians.

After Xisheshuosa, the Qiu Zi Princess, the Xi Xia Princess, and other key Qingtang Tubo figures were delivered to the capital, Zhao Yu ordered Xisheshuosa beheaded at the crossroads; the thirty-four-year-old Qiu Zi Princess and the nineteen-year-old Xi Xia Princess were taken into Zhao Yu's harem.

These two women became the first war trophies taken by Zhao Yu.

This also set a precedent, letting Song generals know how to please Zhao Yu…

After the war, merit was rewarded.

Zhao Yu awarded the top merit to Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun, promoted him to Grand Master and Duke of Lu, and granted him a square jade belt.

According to court protocol, only the Emperor could wear a square jade belt; ministers were forbidden from wearing it.

Yet there was one exception.

That exception occurred during the Xining era, when the Zhao Song dynasty reclaimed Xihé; when officials gathered to congratulate, Emperor Shenzong personally removed his own jade belt and presented it to Wang Anshi, ordering him to wear it during the ceremony.

Wang Anshi strongly declined.

But in the end, he did not refuse further; he wore it for one day and returned it to Emperor Shenzong the next day.

Zhao Yu's bestowal of the jade belt upon Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun was modeled after Emperor Shenzong's gift to Wang Anshi, to honor Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun's great merit in reclaiming Qingtang Tubo.

Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun dared not accept the imperial square jade belt and repeatedly refused.

Later, Zhao Yu ordered a special circular jade belt made for Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun, and only then did Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun dare to accept the decree, keeping it enshrined at home.

After deliberation, Zhao Yu and his ministers established the Longyou Protectorate, subordinate to the Xihé Road Pacification and Pacification Commission, to administer the Qingtang region; Shanzhou was renamed Xiningzhou, and Qingtangcheng was renamed Xiningcheng.

The Longyou Protectorate bordered Xi Xia to the north and southeast, Qinghai and Qiu Zi to the south, Lugan to the west, and Xizhou, Hezhou, Lanzhou, Minzhou to the southeast, connecting with Jie and Cheng prefectures.

Zhao Yu took the thirty-four-year-old Qiu Zi Princess into his harem because, from now on, the Zhao Song dynasty and the Qiu Zi kingdom would be neighbors, inevitably engaging in diplomacy and trade; this relationship would facilitate foreign relations.

The Xihé Road Pacification and Pacification Commission was currently the most critical border region—even more vital than Jingyuan Road and Fuyan Road—and would become the main battlefield of future Song-Xi Xia conflicts; moreover, it was home to a dense mix of ethnic groups and cultures, making it extremely difficult for ordinary officials to govern well.

Thus, Zhao Yu and Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun discussed and decided that only Lu Huiqing, a man of both literary and military talent, ruthless and cunning, possessing the talent of a chancellor, could be entrusted to hold the region securely.

Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun summoned Lu Huiqing and told him that he and Zhao Yu planned to destroy Xi Xia within the next three to five years, hoping Lu Huiqing would take charge of Xihé Road to secure this historic achievement, and promised that after Xi Xia's fall, he would be recalled to resume his role as chancellor.

Lu Huiqing was sixty-eight years old—far from young. Fortunately, Zhao Yu and Zhang Chun knew he had a long lifespan and could easily live another ten years.

To be honest, if a more suitable candidate existed, Zhao Yu would never have sent Lu Huiqing to endure the hardships of the frontier.

Let me put it this way: although Lu Huiqing had risen to vice-chancellor through Wang Anshi's trust, after Wang Anshi's resignation, Lu Huiqing viciously attacked him, even using private letters between them to slander Wang Anshi; after Wang Anshi retired to Jin Ling, he deeply regretted having trusted Lu Huiqing. Thus, whether Seeing Seeing Seeing Zhang Dun, Ceng Bu, or Cai Jing held power afterward, all avoided bringing Lu Huiqing into court due to disdain and fear of his character. But to Zhao Yu, who judged only by ability and not by morality, Lu Huiqing was excellent—far superior to the vast majority of Zhao Song ministers.

This is also why Zhao Yu first appointed Lu Huiqing as chancellor and then approved his appointment to command the most critical Xihé Road.

At least, in Zhao Yu's view, Lu Huiqing was certainly more reliable than Accompanying Tong Guan, who historically governed Xihé Road; given Accompanying Tong Guan's historical record, he was not unusable, but one could never place all bets on him.

Lu Huiqing felt Zhao Yu's favor and was willing to reclaim Xi Xia.

Thus, Lu Huiqing accepted the order without protest.

Subsequently, Zhao Yu appointed Lu Huiqing as Junior Tutor, granted him the authority of an open court equal to the Three Excellencies, and named him Pacification and Pacification Commissioner of Xihé Road; Wang Hou was promoted to fourth-rank Military Commissioner and Acting Governor of Longyou Protectorate; Accompanying Tong Guan, Wang Shan, Zhong Pu, Gao Yongnian, and other generals were all promoted and placed under Lu Huiqing's command…

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On the thirteenth day of the first month of Jianzhong II, Empress Dowager Xiang died at the age of fifty-six.

Before her death, Empress Dowager Xiang requested that Zhao Yu summon Fan Zhongyan's third son, Fan Chunren's younger brother, and conservative minister Fan Chunli, to serve as chancellor, and asked Zhao Yu to treat the pitiful Meng Xiang kindly.

Zhao Yu granted all her requests.

After Empress Dowager Xiang's death, Zhao Yu elevated her brothers Xiang Zongliang and Xiang Zonghui to the rank of open court equal to the Three Excellencies and enfeoffed them as Commandery Princes; moreover, three generations of ancestors from Xiang Minzhong upward were posthumously granted the title of Wang Jue—an extraordinary honor.

Zhao Yu also fulfilled his earlier promise and absorbed all personnel from Empress Dowager Xiang's palace.

At the same time, Zhao Yu took two Xiang women into his harem to ensure the Xiang family's continued wealth and glory.

Having done all this, Zhao Yu had repaid Empress Dowager Xiang for helping him seize the throne.

A month later, Emperor Yelu Hongji of Liao died.

An era ended.

Soon, Emperor Tianzuo, Yelu Yanxi, ascended the throne.

Thus, Song, Liao, and Xi Xia had all completed their succession of rulers.

Zhao Yu and his ministers now formally established the strategy to reclaim Xi Xia.

For this purpose, Zhao Yu decided to change the era name.

Ultimately, upon Zhang Chun's suggestion, Zhao Yu changed the era name to "Hongwu," meaning "Grand Military Might," to proclaim his ambition to expand territory and unify the realm.

A new era had thus begun…

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(End of Chapter)