Chapter 303

…

Since Yelu Yanxi ignored Yelu Chun’s advice and insisted on leaving Yanjing, Yelu Chun lost contact with Yelu Yanxi.

When the emperor of a nation vanishes without a trace, no one knows where he has gone—this is an absurdity unparalleled in history, rare across all ages and lands.

Yet at this critical moment, with war still raging, Liao generals such as Xiao Xiamai of the Xi Wangfu , Chancellor Xiao Degong, Grand Sacrificial Officer Yelu Dili Gu, and Inspector of Guizhou Xiao Heshangnu were still leading Liao troops in battle against the Jin Army.

At this very perilous time, the Liao emperor had vanished, and the Liao resistance against the Jin had lost all unified command.

It seemed the Liao defensive lines would soon be utterly shattered, and the Liao state would face annihilation.

Yelu Chun could neither sit nor sleep; he dispatched numerous spies to scour the land for Yelu Yanxi’s whereabouts, hoping to find him and restore order.

At this time, many rumors circulated about Yelu Yanxi: some claimed he had been captured by the Jin Army, others said he had died at Yuanyang Lake, and still others claimed he had been invited by Zhao Yu to seek refuge in the Zhao Song realm.

As the highest-ranking Liao official in Yanjing and a descendant of the Liao imperial house, Yelu Chun deeply worried about the future and fate of the Liao state.

Faced with the chaos before him, Yelu Chun longed to act—but he felt utterly powerless.

The once-mighty Liao Empire, which had dominated the grasslands, now teetered on the brink of collapse.

That night, Yelu Chun drank alone in his mansion, feeling that only wine could numb his pain and dilute his boundless sorrow.

Zhang Lin came to visit Yelu Chun and, seeing his dejected state, urged: “Wine is a poison that cuts through the intestines; drink too much and it harms the body. At this critical juncture, Your Highness must protect your health.”

Zhang Lin had once served as Chancellor of the Southern Court and later as commander of the Shenzhou garrison, but after losing Shenzhou to the enemy, he was condemned by court officials and fell into despair. Before leaving Yanjing, Yelu Yanxi had assigned Zhang Lin to assist Yelu Chun in defending Yanjing.

Yelu Chun sighed deeply: “I never imagined that our Liao Empire’s two-century legacy would be destroyed in an instant. What face do we, these incompetent descendants, have to show to our ancestors? We shame our forefathers, we shame heaven, we shame the people!”

Zhang Lin said: “Waiting like this is no solution. In Yanjing, no one outranks you in lineage, prestige, or office. You must take the initiative and summon the ministers to deliberate—perhaps a way to save the state will emerge.”

Not only Yelu Chun and Zhang Lin were furious and helpless at Yelu Yanxi’s inexplicable disappearance at this critical moment; nearly all Liao people in Yan territory had lost faith in him, believing the Liao state was truly doomed. They said: “Our Liao Empire has not yet fallen, yet the emperor has vanished—this is utterly absurd! If things continue like this, how can our fate endure?”

Many Liao nobles in Yan territory feared that the Jin would break through the defenses, sack Yanjing, and massacre and plunder its people; they wished to proclaim Yelu Chun emperor and rally behind him to hold the passes and defend themselves.

Yet, without historical figures like Li Chuwen, Xiao Gan, and Yelu Dashi to support him, this faction seeking to crown Yelu Chun was weak.

Meanwhile, another political faction led by Zhang Lin, while alarmed by Liao’s dire situation, refused to betray Yelu Yanxi and become a traitor to the Liao state

The two sides argued endlessly, unable to convince each other, and Yelu Chun thus failed to ascend the throne and establish the Northern Liao as he had in history after Yelu Yanxi vanished.

Of course, this was also because Zhao Yu and his ministers acted swiftly, leaving Yelu Chun no time to proclaim himself emperor.

That day, Yelu Chun received news from Liangxiang: the Song envoys Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo had arrived, bringing word that Yelu Yanxi was currently seeking political asylum in the Zhao Song realm.

Upon hearing the news, the Liangxiang county official promptly dispatched a Han official as escort, arranged for Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo’s party to lodge at the relay station, and sent messengers to contact Yelu Chun immediately.

Learning that Yelu Yanxi had fled to the Zhao Song realm, Yelu Chun and his followers were stunned—they could not fathom how Yelu Yanxi could be in Zhao Song.

Before this, countless advisors had urged Yelu Yanxi to send envoys to Zhao Yu for aid to relieve Liao’s dire emergency, but each time Yelu Yanxi flew into a rage, declaring that no one understood as he did—that seeking aid from Zhao Yu was like driving away a wolf only to invite a tiger through the back door, and that Zhao Yu’s ambitions were a hundred times more dangerous than Wanyan Aguda’s and utterly untrustworthy.

In short, from Yelu Yanxi’s attitude, it was clear he would rather die than seek help from Zhao Yu.

Yet now, the Zhao Song realm had sent envoys claiming that Yelu Yanxi was seeking political asylum within their borders.

It sounded suspicious in every way.

Yelu Chun and his followers deeply doubted whether Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo’s claims were true.

After a brief discussion, Yelu Chun and his group unanimously agreed that regardless of truth or falsehood, they must first bring Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo’s party to Yanjing—after all, they carried the title of “Song envoys.”

Yelu Chun swiftly dispatched a Han official as escort to Zhuozhou to welcome Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo’s party.

Outside Yanjing’s city walls, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo’s party were warmly received by Xiao Ao, the Four Regions Commissioner, and Zhang Jue, the Minister of Rites. They served as host envoys and accompanied Ma Kuo’s party to Jinggou Temple, where they lodged.

From this reception, it was clear that Yelu Chun took the Song envoys’ visit seriously.

This was chiefly because Yelu Chun knew well that if the Zhao Song realm chose to strike at this moment, Liao could not withstand its attempt to reclaim the Five States of Yan, Pingzhou, Luanzhou, Yingsanzhou, and the passes under their control, including Juyong Pass—so at all costs, Zhao Song must be stabilized; it must not be allowed to exploit Liao’s weakness, nor to ally with the Jin and partition Liao together.

The next day, Commander of the Palace Guards Yao Meng and Chief Secretary of the Privy Council Xiao Kui came to Jinggou Temple to host a banquet for Ma Kuo.

During the banquet.

Xiao Kui asked: “Why has His Majesty of our realm ended up in your country?”

Zhao Liangsi replied: “Our Emperor learned that after your realm lost Dongjing, you subsequently lost Shangjing and Zhongjing, and feared the Jurchens would advance to seize Yanjing and threaten our Great Song—so he invited your Emperor to our realm to discuss an alliance against the Jurchens.”

Hearing this, Xiao Kui was overjoyed and hurriedly asked: “Is this true?!”

Zhao Liangsi said: “When two great states negotiate matters of state, how could one speak recklessly?”

Yao Meng asked: “Do you have His Majesty’s imperial edict?”

Ma Kuo smiled: “If His Majesty of your realm had issued an edict, would he entrust it to our Song envoys to carry? I expect within two or three days, His Majesty will send his own decree. Myself and Ambassador Zhao have come primarily to declare that our Great Song seeks an alliance with your Great Liao. Very soon, our Emperor will lead a million troops northward to reinforce you. Hold on a few more days—the reinforcements are coming.”

Upon hearing that Zhao Yu would personally lead a million troops to reinforce Liao, Yao Meng and Xiao Kui were ecstatic.

If the Zhao Song realm truly sent a million troops to reinforce Liao, not only could they repel the Jin attacks, but they could even help Liao recover its lost territories without question.

Yet Yao Meng and Xiao Kui, well-versed in Han culture, had heard the story of “borrowing a road to conquer Guo”—and wondered whether Zhao Song was exploiting Liao’s weakness, using the pretext of aiding Liao against the Jin to seize the Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures, which Zhao Song’s emperors had long desired to reclaim.

It was not that Yao Meng and Xiao Kui suspected the worst of gentlemen; rather, all Liao people in Yan had long feared this very thing, and all believed Zhao Song would not miss this divine opportunity to reclaim the Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures.

Crucially, if Zhao Song did not seize this chance to reclaim the Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures, once Liao fell to the Jin and the Jin occupied the Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures, Zhao Song’s northern frontier would never know peace again. The Jurchens were not the Liao, who had been sinicized for centuries—dealing with them was like making a pact with a tiger.