Chapter 309

…

The recovery of Yanjing was indeed a great and joyous achievement.

But it is not yet time to celebrate.

Recall that historically, Zhao Ji also recovered Yanjing and its prefectures and counties, even reclaiming Juyong Pass, Gubeikou, and Songting Pass.

Yet the year after recovering Yanjing, the Jin forces used the Northern Song’s sheltering of the Liao general Zhang Jue as pretext to tear up the alliance and march south. At that time, the Northern Song court had already drained its treasury paying for Yanjing’s redemption; the people groaned under oppressive taxes and levies; the Song army had grown lax and decayed amid the hollow pomp of territorial recovery celebrations. Once regarded as a defensive barrier, Yanjing—its fortifications crumbling and garrisons empty—became a springboard for the Jin’s southern advance.

The Jin army then split into two columns and advanced directly toward Dong

Under Zhao Huan’s misguided rule, the Northern Song dynasty vacillated between war and peace; Zhao Huan then detained the imperial family and royal clans within Bianliang, directly leading to the Jingkang Humiliation—Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan were captured and taken north, thousands of imperial consorts, royal relatives, and ministers became prisoners, gold and treasures were looted clean, and the Northern Song dynasty, which had endured nearly two centuries, collapsed.

Thus, though Zhao Yu had reclaimed Yanjing, he felt no relief—only heavier burdens. He knew well that reclaiming Yanjing was merely the first step of a ten-thousand-li march; the true trials and challenges had only just begun.

“Zhao Ji’s precedent is right before me. If I do not learn from it, the recovery of Yanjing may prove but a fleeting bloom, vanishing into thin air. No—if mishandled, reclaiming Yanjing might even prove more harmful than beneficial.”

Precisely because he understood this, after reclaiming Yanjing, Zhao Yu ordered Xiao Puxiannu and Xiao Sese to issue edicts ceding the Five States of Yan, Pingluan, Yingsanzhou, Juyong Pass, Gubeikou, Songting Pass, Yuguan, and the Liaoxi Corridor, while appointing high-ranking Liao officials as envoys to accompany Song troops in taking possession of these territories.

Preparations made, Zhao Yu commanded Liu Fa and Li Miao to lead the Northern Auxiliary Army to take over Tanzhou, Jingzhou, Gubeikou, and Songting Pass—including Nan’an Kou; ordered He Guan and Xu Huiyan to lead the Western Auxiliary Army to join forces with the Western Army in assaulting Juyong Pass, determined to capture it; ordered Zhong Shidao and Qiu Yu to lead the Eastern Auxiliary Army to seize Shunzhou and Jizhou, while preparing to reinforce the Northern Auxiliary Army and the Tiger Guard; ordered Song Jiang and Wu Yong to lead the Tiger Guard to seize Pingluan Yingsanzhou, Yuguan, and the Liaoxi Corridor.

Zhao Yu instructed all commanders and supervisors: first, seek peaceful resolution; if political means fail, act decisively—never succumb to feminine mercy.

…

For this imperial campaign, Zhao Yu brought along his older sons.

His eldest son, Zhao Yan, born to Shen Fuling.

His second son, Zhao Xiu, born to Wang Chuchu.

His third son, Zhao Da, born to Guo Wei.

His fourth son, Zhao Di, born to Ma Xiao Jiao—his first son with her.

His fifth son, Zhao Kai, born to Wang Yisu—his first son with her.

His sixth son, Zhao Wei, born to Guo Ting—his first son with her.

His seventh son, Zhao Jin, born to Zhang Nan—his first son with her.

His eighth son, Zhao Ji, born to Li Qingzhao—his first son with her.

His ninth son, Zhao Cun, born to Ye Shi Yun—his first son with her.

His tenth son, Zhao Li, born to Han Yu—his first son with her.

His eleventh son, Zhao Mian, born to Cai Xuan—his first son with her.

His twelfth son, Zhao Jian, born to Lady Zhou.

His thirteenth son, Zhao Qing, born to Li Lin—his first son with her.

His fourteenth son, Zhao Tang, born to Zhang Chun—his first son with her.

In truth, Zhao Yu was fortunate: all his first fourteen sons had reached adulthood.

In this era, that was no small feat.

Of course, this owed much to Ye Shi Yun’s “Ye Shi Yun Medical Canon,” and to Zhao Yu’s insistence—following Li Lin’s advice—that his sons train in martial arts to strengthen their bodies.

Yet even so, infant mortality could not be entirely avoided.

Zhao Yu’s fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth sons all died in infancy.

In one winter, Zhao Yu lost seven sons within a few months.

As for daughters, even more had perished in infancy over the years.

Because of this, Zhao Yu ceased numbering his sons—lest each loss force him to renumber them, and lest each renumbering stir painful memories.

Moreover, his sons were simply too numerous; numbering them was too cumbersome.

Thus, Zhao Yu’s sons were numbered only up to the fourteenth; beyond that, he stopped assigning numbers entirely, leaving them to determine their own order by age and birth order.

Now, Zhao Yu’s older sons—the eldest, Zhao Yan, was already fifteen; dozens were fourteen; and many more were thirteen.

With the aim of training his sons, Zhao Yu took along all who wished to join the military.

Yet he did not keep them by his side; instead, he dispersed them anonymously into various armies, starting as common soldiers.

Notably, some of Zhao Yu’s sons had chosen to study at the Military Academy upon leaving the palace—Zhao Yan, Zhao Xiu, Zhao Da, Zhao Di, Zhao Wei, Zhao Jin, Zhao Qing—all had mastered advanced military skills and already possessed anonymous military experience; sending them to begin as common soldiers would be a waste. Thus, most had already risen to junior officers—either as commanders or low-rank army supervisors.

Zhao Di, for his exceptional performance during his training at the Military Academy and his “internship” in the Divine Machinery Army, was appointed acting commander of the Divine Machinery Battalion after being transferred to the Western Auxiliary Army.

He Guan and Xu Huiyan knew Zhao Di was a prince, his mother the greatest inventor of the Zhao Song dynasty—Ma Xiao Jiao—and that Zhao Di was a true expert in firearms.