Chapter 169: The Nation Shattered, Mountains and Rivers Remain

The nation shattered, mountains and rivers remain; in the city in spring, grass and trees grow deep.

It is said that in the deep spring of the third year of the Jianyan era, as the Jin army withdrew, the fourth large-scale war between Song and Jin officially came to an end, but the war's devastation and various lingering problems posed a great headache for both sides.

Among these, not to mention how the Jin army was suppressing the righteous armies in Hebei, or how the upper echelons were in turmoil, even on the Great Song side, there were endless disturbances.

First and foremost, how to restore production and order in the Henan region, how to handle the tangled mess of civil and military affairs in Guanzhong, how to deal with the many warlord forces in the Jingdong region, and then how to pacify the rebellion in the southeast... every matter seemed urgent and fundamental.

And among these, almost every matter inevitably involved important personnel issues, economic issues, and military issues, making them unavoidably difficult to handle.

But what could be said?

Sometimes things could be looked at from the opposite side; these matters were right in front of them, no matter how difficult, didn't they have to grit their teeth and press on?

In fact, relying on the barely acceptable victory in the war, plus in the second month, when His Majesty Zhao had slightly reorganized the troops at Heyin, it allowed the Great Song central government, which had just returned to the old capital of Dongjing to stabilize, to have at least a starting point...

That is, using the military as a guiding principle to unfold matters from there.

For the present:

Han Shizhong's Left Army of the Imperial Camp suffered the heaviest losses in this battle, so the court ordered him to return to Huaixi first to rest and reorganize, while also being responsible for public security in the hinterlands of Henan and Jingxi; once his troops recovered, other matters would be discussed.

Zhang Jun's Right Army of the Imperial Camp returned to Xuzhou to contain the Jingdong region, which had effectively surrendered to Jin and formed separatist regimes.

Although Li Yanxian had received the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Central Army of the Imperial Camp, his defense zone was too critical, so he also returned early... Clearly, this title of Commander-in-Chief of the Central Army might not be entirely genuine... However, even so, the Western Capital Luoyang was this time formally assigned to his defense; the righteous armies of the Western Capital and Ruzhou area, led by the Zhai brothers and Niu Gao, were reorganized and placed under his command; while Lu Qing, the former Infantry Commander of the Three Yamen who had long been stationed in the Western Capital, formally stepped down from the Three Yamen this time, was promoted to Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Camp, and left the Western Capital area.

The Eight-Character Army certainly found it hard to return to Hebei, and since Wang Yan clearly stated he was unwilling to serve under his former subordinate Yue Fei, he was appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Central Army of the Imperial Camp, alongside Wang De, and stationed in Zhengzhou and the western side of Kaifeng.

Another Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Camp, Wang De, was additionally appointed as Defense Commissioner of Kaifeng's Four Walls, formally stationed around Dongjing.

As for the vast Vanguard Army of the Imperial Camp, formed by merging the former Jinzhou Pacification Commissioner's office with the Dongjing Marshal's office, theoretically it should have been under the unified command of Yue Fei as Commander-in-Chief, but in reality, it was split in two: one part followed the new Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Camp, Lu Qing, to Jinzhou and Nanjing, joining Zhang Jun to contain the various bandits in Jingdong; the other part followed Yue Fei himself southward to suppress the rebellion in the southeast.

Actually, logically speaking, Yue Fei had been in Jinzhou for a long time and was familiar with the geography and people of Jingdong—for example, Zhang Rong of Liangshanpo certainly knew him—so sending him to join Zhang Jun in a pincer attack on the Jingdong warlords would have been most suitable... But there was really no choice; everything had to be prioritized by urgency and importance.

According to the discussions between His Majesty and the chief ministers, the wealthy southeast region was the foundation for the Great Song's military funding, and the rebellion absolutely could not be allowed to spread further. Relatively speaking, Jingdong had been in complete chaos since the beginning of last year, and it would probably be difficult to swallow the entire warlord-ridden Jingdong region, which also had Jin support, in the short term.

Therefore, it was only natural to focus efforts on the southeast first.

As for why Yue Fei was sent to suppress the rebellion?

Of course, it was because his troops had the best discipline. If they had sent Zhang Jun, who was originally the closest, he would probably have been worse than letting the rebels hole up in Jiangning Prefecture!

Thus, this awkward military arrangement came about, driven entirely by His Majesty Zhao's insistence.

Of course, these were all emergency measures, just patching holes wherever they appeared. Where wasn't there awkwardness? And who knew when new troubles or crises would arise?

"What happened?"

Inside Dongjing city, north of the Bian River, beside the Xiangguo Temple, in a place that had once been a bustling area of the inner city and was now slightly recovering, someone stuck their head out of a tavern window, able to see horsemen galloping back and forth on the Imperial Street from afar. "Which group is this today? And all coming from the south?"

"Who knows..." At the table littered with cups and dishes, Fan Zongyin, a Secretariat Drafter, answered with a wry smile. "The former Great Song Dongjing is now the northern gateway of the country. Since it's the northern gateway, news naturally comes from the south. Brother Taifa (Li Guang), why bother about it?"

The joke wasn't funny. In fact, after Fan Zongyin spoke, the few people at the table, including Minister of Revenue Lin Qi, Imperial Censor Li Guang, and Hanlin Academician Li Ruopu, could only force bitter smiles.

"Unfortunately, I have no acquaintances in the Privy Council..." The most seasoned Lin Qi stroked his beard and spoke first after his bitter smile. "Otherwise, I might know if it's military intelligence about the southeast rebellion. We're just worrying unnecessarily."

"When I was in Nanyang before, I did befriend Moqi Yuanzhong..." Li Guang, who had turned back from the window, replied with some difficulty. "But after his service accompanying the imperial carriage, he became self-important. At Heyin, he started acting frivolously, and after arriving in Dongjing, he repeatedly sought connections with the imperial clan and relatives by marriage, not at all like a scholar. So I cut ties with him."

"He considers himself a close minister," Lin Qi responded. "It's not easy to casually judge his character. But cutting ties is fine; I was just being nosy..."

"Liu Ziyu is a descendant of a famous minister and has always been upright. If you want to find someone in the Privy Council, why not contact him?" Fan Zongyin said thoughtfully.

"Liu Ziyu might not come..." Li Guang knew the other was implying that behind Liu Ziyu stood a high official from Bashu who was a confidant of His Majesty, so he shook his head.

"That's not what I meant." Lin Qi continued stroking his beard and shaking his head. "I mean, in the current situation, knowing or not knowing the military intelligence, having acquaintances in the Privy Council or not, is already irrelevant."

"Correct." Li Guang also came to his senses. "In the current situation, only the chief ministers directly stepping forward would be effective."

At this point, everyone at the table looked at the youngest, Fan Zongyin.

Fan Zongyin finally shook his head seriously: "To be honest with you all, I did go to ask yesterday. Lord Xu is probably willing to speak for Lord Li Xiang. I didn't even go to Lord Wang Xiang. As for Lord Lu Xiang of the Capital Secretariat..."

"What did Lord Lu say?" Lin Qi couldn't help but become serious.

"Lord Lu said that such matters are not for the chief ministers to decide; it depends on His Majesty's will and the attitudes of the two lords themselves..." Fan Zongyin replied solemnly.

"That actually makes sense." After a brief silence in the tavern, Lin Qi sighed. "We're just busybodies, but we have to be busy."

Everyone fell into deep gloom.

To explain, these few had gathered amidst their busy schedules over a recent storm in Dongjing... You see, after the military personnel arrangements were roughly settled, the status of the chief ministers became the top priority. And as everyone expected, Lü Yihao, having overtaken Wang Boyan with his merit of defending Nanyang and persuading His Majesty to lead the campaign personally, advanced to become Privy Councilor. As soon as he returned to Dongjing, he became the formal Grand Councilor of the Western Administration.

However, even among formal Grand Councilors, this Lord Lü was different from that Lord Lü.

Lü Yihao, having just become Privy Councilor, immediately began to monopolize power, taking all affairs of the Privy Council into his own hands.

If any official in the Western Administration dared to defy him, he would show his displeasure on the spot, at the lightest docking their pay, at the heaviest expelling them from the Western Administration. As for military personnel matters, anyone who showed disrespect or discourtesy to him would inevitably be punished directly, from Han Shizhong to ordinary commanders of the Imperial Camp Central Army, to various Ministry heads—he never showed a kind face and never held a grudge overnight.

Thus, everyone from top to bottom was terrified, and Wang Boyan, the Vice Privy Councilor, was smoothly sidelined.

But that wasn't all. Because there was a tradition of His Majesty sending notes to the four councilors for deliberation... meaning he acted as a hands-off manager... many major matters were only reported to the Blue Grand Official in the imperial city behind Xuande Tower for the record, and the four councilors would discuss them properly at the site of the former Department of State Affairs, now the Capital Secretariat plus Privy Council, in front of the right side gate of Xuande Tower.

However, ever since becoming Privy Councilor, this Lord Lü Privy Councilor would often, during the four-councilor meetings, directly claim that many matters concerned military affairs and forcibly transfer them to the Privy Council, which naturally meant he would handle them.

Among the four councilors, Lord Wang Privy Councilor was a deputy, naturally inferior; Lord Lu of the Capital Secretariat was the official chief councilor but dared not contend; Xu Jingheng dared to contend but, due to the division between the Eastern and Western Administrations, could not bypass Lü Haowen's authority. Thus, Lü Yihao not only controlled the Privy Council but gradually overpowered the other three councilors, showing a tendency to monopolize power.

That was one thing.

In the past couple of days, with Yue Fei quickly moving south, Lü Yihao suddenly seized the pretext to repeatedly denounce Lord Li Xiang, who was far away in Yangzhou...

To be honest, if the Great Song dynasty didn't have the precedent of one chief minister impeaching another, Lü Yihao would surely have directly impeached Li Gang for harming the state.

But even without direct impeachment, Lü Yihao's almost naked stance caused fear and anxiety throughout the capital.

If this Lord Lü were to replace Lord Li Xiang as the head of all officials, with his authority, who could fare well? Even if he didn't replace Lord Li Xiang but merely toppled him, would his authority be any less?

Therefore, several of Li Gang's confidants in the capital contacted Fan Zongyin, who was well-spoken before Lü Haowen and Xu Jingheng, trying to find a way to appease the situation.

But clearly, the situation was too dire.

Because in the end, it wasn't just about Lü Yihao's overbearing arrogance; the real problem lay solely with His Majesty Zhao and Li Gang.

Li Gang's own military skills were terrible, and being poor at military affairs yet insisting on managing them was practically a cardinal sin in this era. Li Yanxian's example was there, and Zong Zhongwu's contrast was there, yet he repeatedly caused trouble... Commanding tens of thousands of the Rear Army of the Imperial Camp, at the critical moment, he not only failed to assist the front lines but also fell into disarray himself. Being attacked this time was entirely his own fault!

At the same time, what made these confidants of Lord Li Xiang even more fearful was that they suddenly realized, with His Majesty Zhao's great victory over the Jin army and return to the old capital, the former situation of mutual support between His Majesty and the councilor had lost its meaning... By now, who could still doubt His Majesty Zhao's determination to resist Jin and his strength to do so? And where was the need for Lord Li Xiang's rallying power to help His Majesty Zhao establish a court team?

In a word, His Majesty Zhao no longer needed Lord Li Xiang's banner to build his image and seek support; His Majesty's own imperial banner was already effective.

Essentially, this group was worried that His Majesty Zhao would discard the bridge after crossing the river.

"Fan Zhixu is dead." After the scene fell silent for a moment, Fan Zongyin, who had been pondering for a long time, suddenly revealed the news with a hint of bitterness.

"When did this happen?" Someone looked up in alarm. "How did he die?"

"Not clear. It should have been shortly after he arrived in Zunyi. Anyway, when I handled the documents, it said the hay depot he was guarding caught fire, so he died in Zunyi." Fan Zongyin answered casually.

"Just that?"

"Perhaps that's it..." Fan Zongyin's tone grew more bitter. "But there are other rumors. Zhai Chong's son, Zhai Biao, recently returned to the imperial presence. According to what he said while drunk with others, he went to Zunyi on business and missed the great battle and the merits."

"His Majesty..." Li Guang found it hard to believe.

"His Majesty cannot be at peace!" Lin Qi was unconcerned. "And even if this were made public, so what? Didn't Du Chong get killed in public too? But then came the great battle at Yiling, and His Majesty returned to the old capital, so everyone dared not speak, didn't they?"

Having said this, Minister Lin paused briefly, then stroked his beard and sighed again: "In truth, this is precisely the fundamental reason why a minister like Duke Li must remain in office. His Majesty is still young and acts fiercely; having a minister to restrain him is always good. But someone like Privy Councilor Lu, though also a fierce minister, only eggs His Majesty on, making him even more extreme, rather than restraining him..."

"Speaking of this, I actually had a conversation with Censor-in-Chief Hu." Fan Zongyin suddenly spoke again.

"Oh?" The others all perked up in unison.

"Censor-in-Chief Hu is a straightforward man. He told me that many of His Majesty's confidants believe this is the time to settle chaos and establish achievements. The ancestral laws and systems may not be reliable, and as subjects, they should follow His Majesty down a new path..." Fan Sheren carefully recounted. "So many people, like Academician Lin and others, even though they know the truth of the matter and dislike Privy Councilor Lu's arrogance, still think Duke Li is holding His Majesty back, which is why they remain silent and voiceless."

"Absurd! How is Duke Li holding His Majesty back?"

"This is precisely the difference in fundamental thinking... Everyone thinks their own view is correct, yet there is conflict. In the past, it would have been the New and Old Party struggles; now, it's much the same." Fan Zongyin continued.

"..."

"That's not my words; it's what Censor-in-Chief Hu said." Fan Sheren quickly explained. "I asked Censor-in-Chief Hu what he himself thought. He said these words and added, 'The road is long and arduous; let us see what the future holds.'"

"Let us see what the future holds?"

"Censor-in-Chief Hu's meaning is that the Jin won't give us the chance for factional strife here. When the time comes, the great cause of resisting Jin will test who is right and who is wrong with success or failure... And as things stand now, it seems His Majesty has the upper hand, while Duke Li has suffered a slight defeat."

"So he has already wavered and won't speak up for Duke Li this time either." Lin Qi sighed. "So what exactly is His Majesty thinking?"

Just as both sides of the Imperial Street were gradually coming to life, in a deserted wasteland to the east of the desolate Yanfu Palace, overgrown grass, scattered rocks, and wild hares, foxes, and rats roamed unpredictably... forming a stark contrast with the Imperial Street a few li away.

That's right, this was precisely the site of the Huashi-Genyue, which the former Emperor, the Daoist Lord, Zhao Ji, had built at the cost of countless lives and national fortune.

However, the reason it became a ruin was not due to the Jin army. In fact, the Jin army never entered the city to engage in widespread destruction and looting. This was caused by Yuansheng, one of the Two Sages during the Jingkang era, who, after ascending the throne, in order to correct the wrongs, disregarded the Jin army at the front and specifically ordered the smashing of all the artificial rockeries to show his irreconcilable stance with his father.

One can only say that these two were truly a perfect match.

"I believe Duke Li cannot be abruptly removed from office."

In the wilderness, spring flowers bloomed and all things grew—it was the mating season. The Emperor Zhao, dressed in casual clothes with his sleeves tied back, shot an arrow and killed a hare that was poking its head out by a well mouth. Then he turned back and sighed: "Not only because he single-handedly reestablished the court and stabilized the Southeast back then, nor just for the stability of the court, but more importantly, someone is still needed to hold the Southeast..."

"What does Your Majesty mean?" Behind Emperor Zhao, Hu Yin frowned and spoke. "Before, in Nanyang, the terrain was narrow, and the Southeast and Jingxiang were naturally separated, so it was necessary to assign high officials to hold them. Now that Your Majesty has returned to the old capital, the Central Plains are open, and canal transport has been restored... Why still keep someone in the Southeast to hold it? Aren't you afraid of it becoming too powerful to control?"

"Because Dongjing is unstable." Zhao Jiu answered bluntly. "Although the Jin have suffered a setback, the loss of just over a dozen Meng'an units and twenty to thirty thousand men hasn't shaken their national strength or military foundation. The offensive-defensive dynamic between Song and Jin hasn't changed either; instead, it's only made them take us more seriously... And this year or next, there will surely be another invasion. If the Yellow River can't be defended by then, what about Dongjing?"

Hu Yin was silent for a moment before nodding: "I understand. So we still need the Empress Dowager and Consort Pan to lead the imperial heir in Yangzhou, and Duke Li should remain there as a backup? In that case, Bashu and Huainan also need to be maintained as a counterbalance?"

"Correct." Facing Hu Mingzhong, who was always blunt to an excessive degree, Zhao Jiu drew his bow again and aimed at a new target while speaking frankly... In private conversation, he actually preferred this kind of bluntness. "Actually, back in Nanyang, Lady Pan wrote several times asking to come over... I never agreed..."

Halfway through his words, the Emperor's arrow flew out but missed its target, instead startling a weasel that darted out from behind a pavilion and then disappeared.

"Your Majesty's considerations are far-reaching, putting the overall situation first." Hu Yin thought for a moment and could only say this. "If this is the case, then it is indeed necessary. I was the one who thought too shallowly..."

Zhao Jiu shook his head slightly, unsure whether he was regretting the weasel or thinking of something else.

Just as the Emperor lost interest and prepared to go pick up the hare himself to take back as dinner, a sudden commotion came from behind him.

The attendants Hu Yin, Lin Jingmo, Liu Yan, and Feng Yi all turned around. When they saw Yang Yizhong, Lan Gui, and Lü Yihao walking over in panic, they became even more puzzled... What could make these three lose their composure to such an extent?

"Your Majesty!" When they arrived, Yang Yizhong and Lü Yihao both lost their words. It was Lan Gui who first kowtowed to the ground, tears and mucus streaming down his face. "Your Majesty... the Empress has passed away! The two Ladies are also gone! Three of the five Princesses (during the Jianyan era, imperial daughters had been changed back to Princesses) are also gone! Only two have returned!"

Zhao Jiu was momentarily bewildered. What Empress? What Princesses? Nonsense!

"Your Majesty." Lü Yihao's voice also trembled rarely, his composure lost, his words chaotic. "Your servant... just now, envoys from the Jin arrived in Huazhou, bringing a message on behalf of the Fourth Prince of the Jin Kingdom, and returned two Princesses... It turns out that Empress Xing (Zhao Gou's original wife), the two Ladies, and three of the five Princesses had already passed away on the road during the Jingkang era. The two surviving young Princesses were sent back by the Jin this time, saying that since Your Majesty had such courage, you deserved this response... Your servant deserves ten thousand deaths!"

"Your servants deserve ten thousand deaths." Yang Yizhong and Feng Yi knelt together.

"Your servants deserve ten thousand deaths." Even Hu Yin and Liu Yan, pale-faced, one clasping his hands and the other kneeling, repeated the phrase.

Zhao Jiu, who had turned around and picked up the hare, stood there thinking for a long time before gradually understanding. It seemed that his victory in this battle had earned some respect, and the Jin, as a gesture, had sent back news that the family of the original owner of this body—Zhao Gou's family—had died during the Jingkang incident, along with the two young girls who posed no threat.

But speaking of which, how could Zhao Gou, knowing full well that his wife and children had been taken, still demand hundreds of laundry women and flee south with all his might? What kind of psychological quality was that?

No wonder Zhao Jiu felt his thoughts were chaotic when he thought about it now.

With this thought, instead of getting angry, Zhao Jiu laughed: "What do you have to die for? That the descendants of Zhao suffer such hardship—isn't it the retribution for some people ignoring the people's livelihood to pursue the Huashi Gang, and then others, ignoring the army pressing at the border, only caring about smashing the Huashi Gang?"

Having said this, he threw down the hare, looked around, sighed, then raised his bow and arrow again and shot forcefully at a moss-covered artificial rockery in front of him.

The arrow flew out and lodged itself in a crevice of the stone.

The men below, who had been about to speak, all fell silent at the sight.

Just then, several more people rushed over in panic. They were the two Chancellors of the Capital Secretariat, Lü Haowen and Xu Jingheng, along with Vice Privy Councilor Wang Boyan.

When Lü, Xu, and Wang arrived, they too were pale-faced like Lü Yihao before them, clasping their hands and bowing, proclaiming themselves worthy of ten thousand deaths.

"I already know." Zhao Jiu, his mood complicated, said helplessly. "It's naturally the Two Sages' own ridiculous incompetence that brought this retribution upon the royal family. What does it have to do with you?"

"Your servant is ashamed..." Lü Haowen looked up, his face flushed. "Regardless of the Two Sages, Duke Li indeed bears responsibility for protection. He has already submitted a memorial along with the news, requesting to be brought to the capital in a prison cart to await punishment."

Zhao Jiu, along with Lü Yihao, Hu Yin, Lin Jingmo, Yang Yizhong, Liu Yan, Lan Gui, and Feng Yi, all frowned.

"What does Duke Li have to do with this?" Hu Yin grew impatient.

"Naturally, it is Duke Li's responsibility." Xu Jingheng stepped forward half a step and answered sternly. "His Majesty entrusted the Empress Dowager and the imperial heir to him. Now that the imperial heir has passed away, as a subject, how can he be absolved of guilt?"

"What are you talking about?" Everyone from Zhao Jiu down was dumbfounded. "Didn't the Jin send envoys to Huazhou?"

"Your Majesty!" Xu Jingheng finally realized his mistake, panicking. "Your servants truly do not know about the Jin envoys in Huazhou. It's just that the rebels in Jiangning, upon hearing that Your Majesty had sent Yue Fei south and that no amnesty would be granted to the ringleaders, knew they were doomed and fought desperately. They gathered their troops and tried to cross the river to Yangzhou to seize the Empress Dowager and the imperial heir. Though they failed, they caused chaos in Yangzhou city. The imperial heir was already ill and suffered a fright, dying two days later... The news reached the Privy Council. Privy Councilor Lü was absent, so they found Vice Privy Councilor Wang, who then came to the Capital Secretariat to find us... Your Majesty... Your servant..."

Zhao Jiu picked up the hare again and stood there expressionless for a long time, not moving. The others, seeing the Emperor so distraught, quickly lowered their heads even further. Only Lü Haowen, Xu Jingheng, and Wang Boyan, filled with doubt and fear, could not restrain themselves.

"Your Majesty, what about Huazhou?" Lü Haowen asked cautiously.

Zhao Jiu did not answer. Instead, he threw down the hare a second time, turned back to the Genyue ruins, and shot another arrow in anger: "Damn those Two Sages! If there's retribution for the Huashi Gang and the Jingkang shame, let it fall on the Zhao family! Why drag others into it? Ruining my situation?! Will they be sent back in the future as bargaining chips to disgust me? Why couldn't you have died earlier?"

The four chancellors and various ministers around were all stunned, but no one dared to refute such treasonous words from the Emperor.

PS: I kowtow and apologize to everyone. Let's count this as two chapters, okay? Let me get a good sleep... to digest what's in my stomach... so I can break my word and get fat.