Chapter 175: Soldiers at the Gates, King Against King

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Facing Xiao Sese's attempt to persuade Yelu Yanxi to actively consult with ministers on defending against the Zhao Song dynasty's attack, Yelu Yanxi chose to firmly refuse to see Xiao Sese.

Soon, the people Xiao Sese had planted beside Yelu Yanxi learned that Xiao Fengxian was urging Yelu Yanxi to hand over Xiao Sese—the "chief culprit"—to Zhao Yu, so Zhao Yu could exact revenge and vent his anger, in exchange for peace talks between Liao and Song.

What left Xiao Sese utterly disappointed and heartbroken was that Yelu Yanxi did not immediately execute Xiao Fengxian, the treacherous minister who slandered loyal officials and even seemed to have cuckolded him; instead, Yelu Yanxi was swayed by Xiao Fengxian's words and finally uttered only an ambiguous: "The time has not yet come—how can we disrupt our own ranks?"

Then, Yelu Yanxi and Xiao Fengxian went off to drink and revel, completely forgetting the dire situation facing Liao.

Later, Xiao Sese, prioritizing the greater good, carried her swollen belly to seek Yelu Yanxi several more times.

But Yelu Yanxi refused to see her each time.

Not only Xiao Sese—any loyal minister who came to see Yelu Yanxi was likewise turned away; he chose to be an ostrich.

Even more chilling and despairing for Xiao Sese and Liao's loyal officials was that Yelu Yanxi was plotting to hunt at Yuanyang Lake.

Seeing Liao's state deteriorating daily, internal chaos mounting, and the powerful external enemy Zhao Song advancing, Yelu Yanxi refused to seek revival, rejected advice, covered up faults, alienated loyal ministers, indulged in luxury, drowned in wine, women, and hunting, and ignored state affairs. Moved by Liao's internal and external crises, Xiao Sese composed a song to admonish him:

"Do not lament the dark dust on the frontier, do not fear the southern threat from hardship; better to block the path of treachery and choose virtuous ministers. Truly, sleep on brushwood and taste gall, stir brave warriors to sacrifice themselves; you may cleanse the northern deserts by morning and rest upon Yan Cloud by night!"

Upon hearing from Xiao Fengxian that Xiao Sese had written poetry cursing him, Yelu Yanxi's impression of her worsened further; the former warmth and respect he held for her vanished like mist scattered by winter winds. A nameless rage surged in him—he felt Xiao Sese was not only ungrateful but dared to interfere in state affairs with a woman's narrow view, an act of gross disrespect.

Yelu Yanxi was foolish and tyrannical: not only did he ignore Xiao Sese's advice, he also harbored resentment and intended to punish her.

Yet, first, Xiao Sese's family held great power and excelled at binding alliances through marriage with other major Khitan clans: Xiao Sese was the second among her sisters; her elder sister's husband was Khitan noble Yelu Tage, and her younger sister married Liao's Deputy Commander-in-Chief Yelu Yudu.

Second, Xiao Sese enjoyed an excellent reputation among ministers, especially since Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige—both sisters of the corrupt minister Xiao Fengxian—paid little attention to Yelu Yanxi, and Xiao Shigu's health was poor and he too neglected Yelu Yanxi.

Third, Yelu Yanxi had only ascended the throne less than two years ago and had achieved nothing, leaving his imperial position still unstable.

This made Yelu Yanxi hesitant to act against Xiao Sese.

Not only did he dare not act against Xiao Sese—he now depended on her to secure his throne.

Moreover, Xiao Sese had already borne Yelu Yanxi a son and was now pregnant again.

So Yelu Yanxi decided to temporarily overlook Xiao Sese.

In truth, many simply failed to understand Yelu Yanxi—his preparations to hunt at Yuanyang Lake alone revealed his true inclination.

That was: Yelu Yanxi intended to flee the Yanjing capital to avoid Zhao Yu's advance.

Yet those holding real power in Liao never advised him toward this direction.

Of course, some among them understood Yelu Yanxi's intent but did not wish him to choose flight.

For instance, Xiao Sese.

In Xiao Sese's view, if Yelu Yanxi fled at this critical moment, Liao might collapse entirely.

Only Xiao Fengxian not only understood Yelu Yanxi's intent but strongly supported his initial retreat to Yuanyang Lake, followed by gradual planning.

Under these circumstances, could Yelu Yanxi possibly not favor Xiao Fengxian?

Yet, the Xiao Fengxian of now was not yet the Xiao Fengxian who would later dominate Liao's final years.

Not only Xiao Fengxian—even Yelu Yanxi was not yet the established Emperor Tianzuo of Liao's final years.

At this time, Liao still had loyal ministers and capable generals: for example, Commander-in-Chief Yelu Heluwan, and senior officials Yelu Dabeinu, Xiao Chaci, Wu Yong, Ma Renwang, Chai Yi, among others.

These men did not want Yelu Yanxi to flee; some wished to fight outside the city, others to defend it, all aiming to save the collapsing state and stem the raging flood.

Among them, Yelu Heluwan was the most troublesome.

He was the second son of Emperor Xingzong Yelu Zongzhen, the younger brother of Emperor Daozong Yelu Hongji, and his mother was Empress Renyi Xiao Dali; now he held the title of Imperial Uncle and concurrently served as Tiyin, commanding all Liao military forces.

How could Yelu Yanxi dare to "defy" such a man?

Not to mention Yelu Heluwan—even his son Yelu Chun held extremely high status and prestige in Liao.

—Once, after Emperor Hongji's son, Crown Prince Zhao Huai, was executed for treason, Hongji had considered naming the capable and respected Yelu Chun as heir—but later abandoned the idea, allowing Yelu Yanxi to become emperor.

With Yelu Heluwan and others restraining him, Yelu Yanxi at this stage truly dared not act rashly or even mention fleeing.

Yet, ordering troops to sortie and fight the Song army again—Yelu Yanxi, already terrified by the Song forces, lacked such courage, especially since Liao's reinforcements had not yet arrived.

In truth, not only Yelu Yanxi but even Yelu Heluwan and others were uncertain about the true strength of the formidable Song army.

Thus, Liao lost much time due to the lack of consensus between ruler and ministers.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yu issued an edict: leave five thousand troops under Qiu Yu and Zhai Xing to garrison Yizhou; leave five thousand troops under Chen Gou and Zhai Jin to garrison Zhuozhou.

Zhao Yu issued another imperial decree:

First, grant special amnesty to newly recovered prefectures and counties. Special amnesty meant pardoning criminals in a specific region or regions; except for those who defied imperial orders or plotted rebellion, all other criminals—regardless of crime severity—were to be pardoned and immediately released; each prefecture and county was to assign them roles according to talent, ensuring each found their proper place.

Second, abolish all oppressive taxes and levies; for the poor and starving, distribute state grain for relief, preventing the people from becoming displaced.

Third, select and promote virtuous talent: for all newly recovered prefectures and counties, identify and appoint talented individuals hidden among the common folk, those recommended by their communities but never tested, those punished for loyalty and integrity or excluded by powerful elites, and officials who erred but were not corrupt.

The former Department Magistrate of Yizhou, Li Chuwen, and his family refused to remain in Yizhou; Zhao Yu relocated their clan to Dongjing Bianliang and granted them a mansion there.

Li Chuwen, Li Cheneng, and Li Kui were all retained by Zhao Yu alongside Zhao Liangsi.

Zhao Liangsi, Li Chuwen, and Li Cheneng understood the situation in Yanjing well.

Thus, when Zhao Yu convened another meeting in Xiongzhou to discuss advancing on Yanjing, he included them.

At the meeting, Zhao Liangsi volunteered to Zhao Yu and others: "Yanjing's city consists of outer city, inner city, and imperial palace; it has eight gates: east—Yingchun and Andong; west—Xianxi and Qingjin; south—Danfeng and Kaiyang; north—Tongtian and Gongchen. The streets within are crisscrossed, with two main thoroughfares running east-west and north-south. The city is divided into twenty-six wards, each enclosed by walls and gates."

Zhong Pu asked: "Where is the imperial palace?"

Li Cheneng answered quickly: "The imperial palace lies in the southwest corner; it is small, but its walls are solid and each side has gates."

Zhong Pu asked again: "How high are the walls?"

Zhao Liangsi replied: "The walls are three zhang high and one and a half zhang wide—extremely sturdy, easy to defend, hard to breach."

Sun Lu asked: "How many people live inside?"

Zhao Liangsi and Li Cheneng could not answer this question.

Then Li Chuwen replied: "At least three hundred thousand. They live in clan clusters; the groups are complex, with Han Chinese forming the majority, but the strongest forces are the Khitan and Xi."

Zhong Pu asked: "How many troops?"

Li Chuwen recited like counting household items: "Within the city are forty to fifty thousand Imperial Guard troops, Palace Guard cavalry, and Iron Forest Army. Outside the city are one hundred and four thousand troops of the Four Armies; over one hundred thousand more are scattered at places like Juyong Pass. Additionally, Liao's reinforcements will arrive in Yanjing in succession."

The Imperial Guard Army was the central elite force of the Liao Dynasty, similar to Zhao Yu's Divine Mechanism Army, composed of elite troops selected from across all ethnic groups of the empire, serving as the Liao Dynasty's strategic mobile force. Its core consisted of the "Pishi Army" established by Emperor Taizong of Liao and the "Shushan Army" formed by Empress Shulü, who selected the finest troops from both Khitan and Han soldiers. At its peak, the Pishi Army numbered about thirty thousand; the Shushan Army numbered about twenty thousand.

The Palace Guard Cavalry was a private imperial guard force belonging to the Emperor and Empress, also known as the Ordu Army or Palace Division Army. It was a vital military force for protecting the Emperor and upholding imperial authority. Its duties included serving as personal guards for the Emperor and imperial consorts during peacetime, accompanying them on travels, guarding their tombs after their deaths, and being summoned for campaigns during wartime. Over the entire Liao period, thirteen Palace Guard Cavalry units were established, totaling one hundred and one thousand troops, averaging more than ten thousand per reign.

The Iron Forest Army was a heavy cavalry unit established by the Liao Dynasty, modeled after the Song Dynasty's Jing Sai Army and the Western Xia's Iron Hawks. Because the Liao controlled vast northern grasslands, it could carefully select superior cavalry and warhorses, giving its troops higher quality than the Song's Jing Sai Army, though slightly inferior to the Western Xia's Iron Hawks. At its peak, the Iron Forest Army numbered around ten thousand, becoming the elite among Liao's elite forces, earning distinguished battle records on both the Song-Liao front and in Liao's campaigns against the steppe and Liaodong.

But all this was the Liao Dynasty's peak strength; now most of these forces existed only in name. Didn't Li Chuwen say that even combined, these elite armies numbered no more than four or fifty thousand troops?

Zhao Yu and his ministers were also aware of this.

Zhong Pu asked: "What are the Four Armies?"

Li Chuwen replied: "The Four Armies refer to a force composed of soldiers from the four ethnic groups—Khitan, Xi, Bohai, and Han—forming the Liao Dynasty's current elite army, directly commanded by the Grand Marshal of the Liao Army, Yelu Hulüwa. It is a formidable force that previously suppressed rebellions in the northwest."

Zhao Liangsi reminded Zhao Yu and his ministers: "The Tribal Armies are organized by tribe, composed of Khitan and allied Xi, Bohai, Shiwei, Jurchens, and other peoples. They are crucial regional forces for garrisoning and border defense, and possess considerable combat strength."

This was truly troublesome.

In truth, the city of Yanjing alone was not hard to take; the difficulty lay in the fact that all passes in Yan territory remained under Liao control, and the Liao still had vast reinforcements.

Crucially, most Liao people were nomadic tribes. Though many had been sinicized, many Hu Ren still retained nomadic habits—they could mount and fight at once, making them hard to eradicate completely.

The most typical examples were the Jurchens, who in history would become the most formidable fighting force of this era, and the Mongols, who would emerge over a century later.

That is, for the Song Dynasty to launch a war of annihilation against the Liao, it was not enough to win a few battles. It would require the full strength of the nation, years of sustained warfare, sound strategy, and above all, the complete collapse of the Liao.

Zhao Yu and his ministers held a very clear understanding of this.

Now that enemy conditions were clear, Zhao Yu must make the decision: how to fight the coming battles.

For this,

One minister proposed: since their mission was merely to hold back the Liao army and the strategic objective had largely been achieved, they should halt here, fortify the defenses of Yizhou and Zhuozhou as the new frontline, maintain stalemate with the Liao army, and buy time for Zhang Jie's forces to recover Western Xia.

Another minister argued that Yizhou and Zhuozhou were flat plains; their incomplete defenses could not stop Liao cavalry. Setting a frontline here would leave the Song army passive. They believed that even in stalemate, the battle line must be pushed to the Lugou River, defending from behind the river.

Another minister argued that the Lugou River was only thirty li from Yanjing. If the battle line were pushed to the Lugou River, it would be better to advance directly to the city walls, inflicting maximum psychological pressure on Yelu Yanxi and his court, deterring them from interfering with the Song's recovery of Western Xia.

Even more radical ministers, seeing the Liao army's weak combat power, argued that since they had already reached this point and captured two of the seven states of Yan, and since Emperor Yelu Yanxi was incompetent and the Liao Dynasty was now utterly weak, they should push harder to reclaim Yan territory—the land lost by the Han people for over two hundred years. Some even hoped to reclaim not only Yan Yun Sixteen Prefectures but also Ping, Luan, and Ying Sanzhou in one stroke.

In fact, many supported this final position.

Not all of them were ministers blinded by victory; some cool-headed ministers presented Zhao Yu with clear points one through four, arguing this was the heavenly-given opportunity for the Song Dynasty to reclaim Yan Yun Sixteen Prefectures.

Zhao Yu had also discussed this matter with Zhang Chun and Li Lin.

To Zhao Yu's surprise, Zhang Chun and Li Lin gave him entirely different advice.

Zhang Chun advised Zhao Yu to firmly uphold the strategy of first recovering Western Xia, not to be blinded by current successes and rashly trigger a two-front war. If that happened, the Song Dynasty's great advantages might vanish, possibly plunging it into passivity and missing the heavenly-given chance for unification.

Li Lin's advice, however, was to concentrate forces and crush the Liao army completely, reclaim Yan territory, even Yan Yun Sixteen Prefectures, then seize Ping, Luan, and Ying Sanzhou. She believed the Song army had the strength to do so.

Since Zhang Chun and Li Lin could not agree, it was no surprise that the Song ministers were divided.

Unsurprisingly, Zhao Yu's ministers all had different opinions, and each argument sounded reasonable.

In the end, Zhao Yu alone must make this difficult decision.

Zhao Yu would never evade problems or decisions like Yelu Yanxi. After careful consideration, he issued an edict: the army shall advance forward, clear all obstacles along the way, and aim to reach the gates of Yanjing.

"I shall meet Yelu Yanxi in person!"

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(End of Chapter)