Chapter 309: Zhao Yu

…

The recovery of Yanjing is indeed a great and cause for celebration.

But it is not yet time to celebrate.

Recall that in history, Zhao Ji once recovered Yanjing and its prefectures and counties, even reclaiming Juyong Pass, Gubeikou, and Song Ting 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 break the alliance and march south. At that time, the Northern Song court had already drained its treasury paying for the purchase of Yanjing; the people groaned under oppressive taxes and levies; the Song army had grown lax and decayed amid the hollow pomp of territorial recovery celebrations. Yanjing, once seen as a defensive barrier, became a springboard for the Jin invasion due to its crumbling fortifications and depleted garrisons.

The Jin army then split into two columns and advanced directly toward Dongjing Bianliang; Zhao Ji hastily abdicated in favor of Zhao Huan.

Under Zhao Huan's incompetent rule, the Northern Song vacillated between war and peace; Zhao Huan detained the entire imperial and clan family within Bianliang, directly leading to the Jingkang Humiliation: Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan were captured and taken north, thousands of imperial consorts, clan members, and ministers became prisoners, gold and treasures were looted clean, and the Northern Song dynasty—two centuries old—collapsed.

Thus, though Zhao Yu recovered Yanjing, he felt no trace of relief; instead, his burden grew heavier. He understood that this recovery was merely the first step of a ten-thousand-li march; the true trials and challenges had only just begun.

"Zhao Ji's precedent lies before us. If I do not take heed, the recovery of Yanjing may prove but a fleeting bloom, vanishing into air—no, if mishandled, recovering Yanjing might well prove more harm than benefit."

Precisely because he understood all this, after recovering Yanjing, Zhao Yu ordered Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese to draft an imperial edict ceding the Five States of Yan, the Sanzhou of Pingluanying, Juyong Pass, Gubeikou, Song Ting Pass, Yugu Pass, and the Liaoxi Corridor, while appointing high-ranking Liao officials as envoys to accompany Song troops in reclaiming these regions.

Preparations made, Zhao Yu commanded Liu Fa and Li Miao to lead the Northern Auxiliary Army to take over Tanzhou, Jingzhou, Gubeikou, and Song Ting Pass, including Nan'ankou; 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, and prepare to reinforce the Northern Auxiliary Army and the Tiger Guard; ordered Song Jiang and Wu Yong to lead the Tiger Guard to seize the Sanzhou of Pingluanying, Yugu Pass, and the Liaoxi Corridor.

Zhao Yu instructed all commanders and supervisors: first use diplomacy; if political means fail to reclaim these regions, act decisively—never show weakness.

…

During this personal 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 Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao, his first son by her.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be frank, Zhao Yu was fortunate: all his first fourteen sons survived to adulthood.

In this era, that was truly uncommon.

Of course, this owed much to Ye Shi Yun's "Ye Shi Yun Medical Canon," and to Zhao Yu's adherence to Li Lin's advice that all his sons train in martial arts to strengthen their bodies.

Yet even so, infant mortality could not be fully prevented.

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, far more had perished over the years.

Precisely because of this, Zhao Yu ceased numbering his sons, to avoid having to renumber each time he lost one, and to spare himself the pain of each reordering.

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

Thus, Zhao Yu's sons were numbered only up to the fourteenth; he stopped there, leaving the rest 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; many more were thirteen.

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

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

Notably, some of Zhao Yu's sons had already chosen to study at the Military Academy upon coming of age—Zhao Yan, Zhao Xiu, Zhao Da, Zhao Di, Zhao Wei, Zhao Jin, Zhao Qing—each had mastered advanced military skills and already possessed anonymous military experience; sending them back to the ranks would be a waste of talent, so most had already risen to junior officers—either as commanders or low-ranking supervisors.

Zhao Di, due to his exceptional performance during his studies 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 an Imperial Prince, that his mother was Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao, the greatest inventor of the Zhao Song dynasty, and that Zhao Di was a true expert in firearms.