[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-232":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Shao Song",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1558398,2024,"Chapter 232","shao-song-chapter-232",232,"\u003Cp>\"Let's set that aside for now.\" After shooting down the crow, Zhao Jiu finally put away his bow and took a handkerchief from Wu Imperial Consort, who was in military dress, then smoothly turned to business. \"The three circuits west of the pass, plus the original troops here in Chang'an—do you have a clear sense of the fighting strength of these four forces?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant can only venture an opinion.\" Yang Yizhong replied earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xihe Circuit is the best, Xingyuan Prefecture (Hanzhong) next, Jingzhao after that, and Qinfeng Circuit the worst.\" Yang Yizhong answered without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xihe Circuit borders Qingtang and has a higher proportion of cavalry. Since the Jingkang Incident, not only has it not suffered losses from fighting the Jin army, but it has repeatedly defeated the Western Xia. I know this circuit's troops are in the best condition,\" Zhao Jiu said seriously while wiping his sweat. \"Jingzhao hastily assembled militia that are almost unusable—I know that too. But why is Qinfeng Circuit inferior to Xingyuan Prefecture? Isn't Xingyuan Prefecture Hanzhong, part of Shu? How can that place compare to proper Guanzhong troops? Besides, Qinfeng Circuit has always been second only to Jingzhao, a foundation of the Guanzhong region.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant believes it is due to the Wang Xie rebellion,\" Yang Yizhong replied earnestly. \"After the Jingkang Incident, Qinfeng Circuit was used to station Wang Xie, and this man Wang Xie is truly a national calamity. His troops had lax discipline, fled at the first rumor, and were nearly useless... After Transport Commissioner Zhang (Zhang Jun) dealt with Wang Xie, Grand Councilor Yuwen issued orders to transfer Zhao Zhe from Transport Commissioner Zhang's fiscal office to serve as Military Supervisor—barely half a year ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu finished wiping his sweat, nodded to signal Wu Imperial Consort to return, then turned as if to speak but let out a sigh instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason Qu Duan had survived, and Wang Shu—theoretically the perfect victim—had been unable to topple Qu Duan in Dongjing to vent his own grievances, was largely due to another man among the so-called 'old three' in Guanzhong at the time: Wang Xie... Looking back now, this man was nothing but a Liu Guangshi or Fan Qiong type, even worse than those two. Liu Guangshi could at least use his family prestige to win over subordinates, and Fan Qiong had the courage to fight the Jin in the early days—what did Wang Xie have?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this man's existence perfectly highlighted Qu Duan's ability and his merit in maintaining northern Shaanxi. It also meant that Wang Shu, who had used Wang Xie to counter Qu Duan, even though he had returned to become a powerful Minister with real authority, could never hold his head high in Dongjing—that place that 'only cared about anti-Jin utility'—whenever old accounts were brought up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Zhao Jiu could no longer bear it and signaled Yuwen Xuzhong, Zhang Jun, and Hu Yin to dispose of Wang Xie, nailing him as a 'traitor who harmed the nation,' the situation between Wang Shu and Qu Duan became even more of a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But setting aside these old grudges, the current problem was that at this critical moment, the entire nation had to pay the price for the series of internal struggles among these three men—taking the risk to release Qu Duan was one thing, letting Wu Jie suffer defeat after defeat was another, and accepting a Qinfeng Circuit with collapsed fighting strength was yet another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, was there any other choice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do these circuits' troops compare to the Imperial Guard?\" Watching Wu Yu turn into another courtyard, the Emperor finally asked this question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And although Yang Yizhong had long anticipated this question and had a prepared answer, for some reason his words became cautious: \"In terms of military appearance, equipment, discipline, and full-strength combat troops, they are all inferior to the Imperial Guard. Only Xihe Circuit has more warhorses, newly acquired...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong spoke from behind, and Zhao Jiu, listening as he walked, had already stepped onto the corridor and greeted the waiting Academician Xiao Lin, preparing to go to the rear hall to see Yuwen Xuzhong and the others. But hearing the speech suddenly stop behind him, the Song Emperor was startled, then turned to look at the man behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply put, Yang Yizhong had said many things that were 'inferior,' all easily verifiable as 'inferior,' but he never reached a conclusion—he never said they were 'inferior' in fighting strength or gave a final, summarizing 'inferior.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was very interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is appointed to oversee the Imperial City Bureau and should only speak of what he sees before him,\" Yang Yizhong said, bowing earnestly when he saw the Emperor stop to look at him. \"But your servant is also the Commander of the Imperial Guard, and military affairs are a rare area where I can express my humble opinions...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then speak directly—why be so cautious?\" Zhao Jiu stood with his hands behind his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because your servant is also a native of Guanzhong, with vested interests...\" Yang Yizhong replied earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you mean that although the troops of the Guanzhong circuits have suffered two sweeps by Wanyan Loushi and one internal rebellion, and have only been settled and reorganized with supplies from Ba and Shu for a year, they still have merits, and might even be no less than the Imperial Guard in battle?\" Zhao Jiu frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What reason?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, defending their homeland, the soldiers fight bravely; second, fighting on home ground, they are adapted to the terrain and climate,\" Yang Yizhong said even more earnestly. \"So your servant believes that on specific battlefields, the Western Army may not be inferior to the Imperial Guard... Of course, many troops in the Imperial Guard were originally from the Western Army, so that's incomparable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu thought for a moment, slowly nodded, then turned to follow Academician Xiao Lin to the rear hall. But after two steps, he stopped again and turned back: \"Have your grandfather's remains been found?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong was momentarily stunned, then shook his head sadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu said no more and finally walked quickly into the rear hall. By then, Yuwen Xuzhong, Zhang Jun, Liu Ziyu, the three Grand Coordinators, as well as messengers from Hu Yin, Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, Luoyang, Dongjing, and even Yue Fei, Zhang Rong, Lü Qing, Zhang Jun, and others, were all gathered there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not a coincidence but a routine briefing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Zhao Jiu left, when he reinstated court ministers as army supervisors for each force, he had privately issued an edict: regardless of distance, all military matters—commanders, rear-guard officials, and councilors—were to report here daily. Reports from Guanzhong were sent directly, while those from east of the pass took the small road along the Southern Luo River... A daily report had almost become standard practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Zhao Jiu, dressed in cotton tight-sleeved clothes, entered the hall, sat down directly under the lamp, and without speaking to Yuwen Xuzhong and the others, first took the daily reports from the messengers himself, opened them, and read them. Only after reading all the reports and sending the messengers to rest did he begin discussing the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Jin army in Hedong has gathered like hedgehogs. Jin banners are everywhere in Hezhong Prefecture. Baishui City has also fallen. The Jin army may soon launch a major southward offensive. Han Shizhong is under too much pressure and hopes Li Yanxian will not withdraw the troops from Pinglu on the north bank of the Yellow River, to delay as much as possible.\" Zhao Jiu's expression was calm as usual, and as he spoke, he casually handed several reports to Liu Yan beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter then distributed them to Yuwen Xuzhong and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wonder what Grand Commandant Li has to say?\" Zhang Jun, who had received a daily report, spoke hastily without even looking at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Li Yanxian's report didn't mention this,\" Zhao Jiu replied calmly. \"He only abruptly requested official rank and family favors for Shao Yun, the defender of Pinglu...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then that means he agreed,\" Yuwen Xuzhong sighed, holding the daily report in his hand. \"Although Pinglu City might not necessarily fall, and even if it does, they might escape back or enter the Zhongtiao Mountains to the north, with over a hundred thousand Jin troops gathered in Hedong, like Mount Tai pressing down, how easy can it be?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu did not respond, and the others in the hall mostly remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, some things were clear to everyone but should not necessarily be spoken aloud, especially in this situation—with a great battle imminent, life and death were taken lightly. To dwell on sentiment would only harm morale... Record it, keep it in your heart, and only when you survive can you have the right to mourn and repay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, for Zhao Jiu, rewards were best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Yuwen Xuzhong saying this, there was no help for it. This man had always been a romantic at heart. His early response to the call to come to the temporary capital was mostly because he had served as an envoy during the Jingkang Incident and felt guilty toward the nation and the emperor... Given his sentimental nature, he was not really a qualified envoy-councilor. But his seniority and status were undeniable—he had already been a Grand Academician of the Zizheng Hall leading the Privy Council when the Jin invaded, and he had the merit of rushing to the temporary capital. So it was hard to fault his past appointments or his current words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grand Coordinator Hu says... Wu Jie won a small victory at Fangzhou City?\" The matter of Anlu passed like that, and after a moment of silence, Liu Ziyu, Deputy Director of the Privy Council, quickly noticed something odd in the daily report he held. \"The dispatch date is the day before yesterday, and the news of the small victory is from three days ago. When did Baishui City fall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yesterday.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jun glanced at Han Shizhong's daily report and quickly gave the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this was the trouble with warfare—a thousand threads, all with different dates, needing to be collated after being gathered. This was also one reason Zhao Jiu had to share intelligence to a certain extent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Baishui City is some distance from Fangzhou City. The Jin vanguard's advance isn't as fast as a messenger,\" Liu Ziyu blurted out upon hearing this, pointing out the problem. \"If Fangzhou City was still winning a small victory three days ago, and Baishui City fell yesterday, it can only mean that Wanyan Loushi divided his forces and marched south before Fangzhou City fell... That's a bit unreasonable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ziyu, what do you mean?\" Zhang Jun was immediately alert, then spoke seriously. \"Although Hu Mingzhong is a bit pedantic, he would never lie!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Western Army ruffians would, and Wu Jie is a true product of the Western Army, honed there for nearly twenty years,\" Liu Ziyu said impassively, first glancing at Zhang Jun, then at the Liu brothers diagonally opposite him, showing no mercy. \"In my view, Wu Jie long knew he was doomed to lose and Fangzhou was doomed to fall. Perhaps Fangzhou had already fallen three days ago... But after a string of defeats, he was promoted to Grand Coordinator by His Majesty, which must have unsettled him. So to cover up, he might have first falsely reported a victory, then described a fierce defense, and finally claimed a forced withdrawal—it's possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The summer night was sweltering, but Zhao Jiu kept both hands tucked into his hot sleeves, lost in thought throughout, neither speaking nor showing any expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the others, their reactions varied... Yuwen Xuzhong and Zhang Jun each sighed. Zhao Zhe, promoted by Yuwen Xuzhong and essentially Zhang Jun's man, ignored the comment. Liu Qi wanted to defend Wu Jie but was stopped by his elder brother Liu Xi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, at least eighty percent of the people in this rear hall of the Grand Guardian’s mansion agreed with Liu Ziyu’s words and judgment, because such behavior from Western Army ruffians was all too common... These bastards had even killed civilians to claim credit for kills. As for leaving others to die, fighting over merit and fame—that was routine. So false reporting of military merit, just deliberately misstating a date by a day or two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They really had killed civilians to claim credit. Wang Shunchen, the man Li Gang had promoted who triggered the southeastern mutiny, had been demoted ten ranks for that very crime back then. It was only because his daughter married well later that he shot back up to Military Governor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, to put it bluntly, if it weren't for the Jin pressing down so hard that everyone could barely breathe, if there ever came a day of peace, Zhao Jiu would be ashamed as a time-traveler if he didn't thoroughly reorganize the Western Army and the former bandit-like volunteer forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again, wasn't the Jin army currently pressing everyone so hard they couldn't breathe? Weren't all the atrocities, all the infighting, all the collusion and stupidity, pitiful and laughable in the face of the Jin's systematic massacres and systematic enslavement of the people of the Two Rivers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, there was no evidence yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, although he mostly believed it in his heart, reason told Zhao Jiu that he could not make malicious speculations about a general who might still be fighting on the front lines without evidence, nor could he allow civil officials like Yuwen Xuzhong, Zhang Jun, and Liu Ziyu to collectively send an inappropriate signal to the military officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Military affairs are serious. Without evidence, do not slander colleagues,\" Zhao Jiu said after a while, coming back to himself and rare scolding Liu Ziyu. \"But military affairs should also be handled with leniency... Include the fate of Fangzhou City in the calculation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant misspoke.\" Liu Ziyu forced himself to rise and apologize, then quickly returned to the main topic. \"In truth, now that Baishui has fallen, Loushi's intentions are clear. He will either turn southeast from Baishui to Tongzhou, joining the Hedong troops to attack Grand Commandant Han, or turn southwest from Baishui, passing through Pucheng or even Fuping to head south, straight for Jingzhao...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then how should we respond?\" Zhao Jiu's tone was calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant believes we should stick to the original plan: continue to hold the cities firmly and resist layer by layer,\" Liu Ziyu's military strategy was as consistent as ever. \"Of course, Tongzhou, the Wei River, and Chang'an City are three major nodes that should be carefully managed and deployed to preserve troops as much as possible. This way, regardless of temporary victories or defeats, as long as we can hold out until the autumn rains turn the roads to mud, the Jin will collapse logistically and morally, and Guanzhong will naturally be saved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuwen Xuzhong nodded directly. Liu Xi and Zhao Zhe also nodded together. But Zhang Jun and Liu Qi stared at the Emperor under the candlelight without speaking for a moment, clearly waiting for the new and old confidants of the Emperor to hear his stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me ask Yanxiu (Liu Ziyu's courtesy name): if the main Jin army in Hedong cannot cross the river in a short time, and we only consider Loushi, how many troops can he bring south?\" Zhao Jiu suddenly asked a strange question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason he said it was baffling was because the Privy Council had already raised this question many times, and Zhao Jiu, along with many ministers and generals, had also asked it many times before, yet somehow it was being asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forty thousand!\" Liu Ziyu repeated patiently. \"Thirty thousand of them are elite troops under the Meng'an Mouke system, ten thousand are auxiliary troops... but this doesn't include Wanyan Hunü's ten thousand men.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So at most it's fifty thousand... right?\" Zhao Jiu took a deep breath, drawing the attention of many in the room. \"If we want to block all fifty thousand of them at the Baihe River and prevent them from entering the plains, how many troops would we need?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziyu stared blankly at the Emperor above, then stood up and earnestly admonished: \"Your Majesty, this is not the time to take risks. There are over a hundred thousand Jin troops in Hedong. Although there are many Han troops among them, they are still over a hundred thousand Jin troops. Under the pressure of a mountain bearing down, Pinglu will inevitably fall, and the Yellow River will certainly be crossed... Since ancient times, it has never been heard of controlling Hedong without being able to enter Guanzhong!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am merely asking a question,\" Zhao Jiu said, also becoming serious. \"If the Jin troops in Hedong cannot cross the river, and these fifty thousand Jin troops are blocked on the northern plateau and at the river mouth... exactly how many troops would be needed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This question is utterly unreasonable. Your subject is tasked with overseeing the Privy Council's Bureau of Military Geography and should plan for the great affairs of state for Your Majesty. For such a hypothetical matter, I beg to be excused from answering.\" Liu Ziyu bowed deeply, and when he rose, his expression was even more severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter.\" Zhao Jiu nodded, then directly called out Liu Xi's name: \"Minister Liu, you are the Commander-in-Chief of the three armies. You tell me, how many would be needed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At Baihe, one side is hills and plateaus, the other is rivers and marshes.\" Liu Xi stood up. Unlike Liu Ziyu, he dared not hesitate at all. \"In theory, there is some geographical advantage, but the Jin troops are truly daring in battle. If we truly want to block the enemy in the open field, we must be prepared for field combat. And once a field battle is decided, the plateau can still be used for cavalry charges. Therefore, your subject believes we would need three times the troops to have a chance...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's one hundred and fifty thousand.\" Zhao Jiu frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not that many.\" Liu Xi quickly added. \"One hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty thousand would suffice. Of the fifty thousand, only less than forty thousand are true barbarians. The remaining ten thousand or so troops are either surrendered soldiers from Yan'an Prefecture or troops from the three prefectures beyond the river under the Zhe family. Their combat effectiveness is no different from our troops. Moreover, Your Majesty, don't you have an additional trump card? The Imperial Guard and the elite troops transferred from various Imperial Encampments—how could their combat effectiveness compare to that of my subordinates?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu slowly nodded, then looked at Zhang Jun: \"If we gather such a force, will the logistics be sufficient?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let Your Majesty know, the transport from Shu has not yet ceased, so it will certainly be sufficient...\" Zhang Jun quickly replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\" Liu Ziyu, who had not returned to his seat, was breathing unevenly and could no longer bear it, directly interrupting his friend's words. \"In matters of state and military, do not rely on luck. How could the Jin troops in Hedong possibly fail to cross the river? Do not harbor any thoughts of field battle. The situation now is different from that at Yanling back then! Back then, there was no other way out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Zhao Jiu smiled wryly: \"Since you know the Jin troops in Hedong will inevitably cross the river, Minister Liu, why worry that I would actually do it? Besides, even if the Jin troops in Hedong cannot come to reinforce, according to what Grand Coordinator Liu said, how could we scrape together one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty thousand troops? Han Shizhong must guard the river and cannot move at all. There are only thirty to forty thousand in the central Imperial Encampment. The five routes of the Western Army plus Xingyuan Prefecture barely amount to fifty to sixty thousand. If Fangzhou is lost, that number will decrease further... What do I have to fight a field battle with?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject lost his composure.\" Liu Ziyu took a deep breath and apologized again. \"Your subject was mainly afraid that, seeing the elite troops from Chang'an gathering daily, Your Majesty might feel the blade in hand and the urge to kill arise, forgetting that Loushi is no ordinary Jin general, and the Western Route Army has never feared hard fighting!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu nodded and directly changed the subject: \"Qu Duan has disappeared without a trace. Hu Mingzhong said he passed through Ningzhou, had a brief meeting, and then went directly west and north to Jingyuan to gather troops... Although the main idea is to harass Loushi's flank, we still need to find a messenger to go and clarify the situation as soon as possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This remark seemed appropriate, and Liu Ziyu and the others nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, the Emperor Zhao Jiu no longer mentioned any nonsense about field battles or blocking Loushi. The ruler and his ministers discussed military intelligence for a long time, formulated a plan for Han Shizhong's forces to retreat safely if necessary, and arranged the defense line along the Wei River. As in previous days, it did not end until late at night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meeting ended. The Emperor left first, followed by Yuwen Xuzhong and the others, who also withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Yuwen Xuzhong, who as the half-host here had been 'acting on behalf of' the Emperor to transmit orders for days, was about to leave when he was suddenly called out by Yang Yizhong. Seeing this, the others, not wanting to eavesdrop on the conversation between a Grand Councilor and the Emperor's confidant, quickened their pace to leave... Of course, in reality, Yang Yizhong had only called Yuwen Xuzhong over for a trivial matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The number of daily reports doesn't match?\" Yuwen Xuzhong was momentarily puzzled. \"The messengers gathered and handed them directly to the Emperor. We saw it with our own eyes! Even the messenger from Zhang Boying in Huaidong came. Qu Duan lost contact, and the Emperor specifically inquired about it. How could it not match?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong was taken aback, then smiled wryly as he pinched the few daily reports in his hand: \"Maybe one fell out, or someone took a copy. It doesn't matter. I'll look for it again tomorrow...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Grand Councilor Yuwen smiled again: \"The information has already been cross-checked. As long as it's not from Hu Mingzhong, Grand Commandant Han, or Grand Commandant Li, it doesn't matter even if someone just took a copy and forgot to return it... It won't affect military intelligence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong nodded repeatedly, bowed to the other, and carefully walked out of the back hall clutching the daily reports. As soon as he left the back hall, in the slightly dark corridor of the rear courtyard, he saw the Emperor Zhao Jiu waiting there, along with Liu Yan, who stood with his hand on his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interestingly, Yang Yizhong showed no sign of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Minister Yang, you tell me. If we want to fight a field battle, how many troops would be needed to trap Loushi's fifty thousand men?\" Zhao Jiu said, hands clasped behind his back. \"Tell me the truth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One hundred thousand!\" In the twilight, Yang Yizhong looked up and said seriously. \"Even counting the trump card Your Majesty has prepared here, it would still take one hundred thousand! Otherwise, we cannot trap them... Your Majesty, Loushi's move this time is clearly well-calculated. Even though Transport Commissioner Zhang has done his utmost and brought an extra twenty thousand troops, northern Shaanxi is devastated, and the two Grand Commandants Han and Li are pinned down by Hedong. Our forces are still insufficient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu sighed softly... Didn't he know that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang De and Wang Yan together had forty thousand. The troops gathered here in Jingzhao—from Jingzhao, Xihe, Qinfeng, and Xingyuan Prefecture—amounted to over thirty thousand. By transferring elites from various units along the way, he had assembled a 'collection of elites' numbering five to six thousand. Adding the Imperial Guard, it barely reached eighty thousand. Even if the three routes in northern Shaanxi—Yanfu, Jingyuan, and Huanqing—still had some remnant troops, it still wouldn't reach one hundred thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was just theoretical, on paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Zhao Jiu, who had fought a couple of battles, knew in his heart that if he were truly determined to fight an annihilation battle, he could have Han Shizhong abandon the Jin troops in Hedong just before the battle and exploit a time difference to come to the rescue... But that was too idealistic, truly no different from being a gambler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forgive your subject for speaking bluntly.\" In the silence, Yang Yizhong looked up, his eyes glinting slightly in the darkness. \"Your Majesty, what Director Liu said was truly from the heart, for the public good. Unless Your Majesty has other information...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu nodded: \"Of course I know Liu Ziyu is absolutely right. But today, it wasn't me suddenly having a whim... In Yue Pengju's report, he mentioned that he intends to cross the river into Xiangzhou in the first ten days of next month, link up with Ma Kuo, and pin down the Jin troops in Hedong! Since I have already granted him the authority to act independently, there is no reason to stop him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It might have some effect.\" Yang Yizhong suddenly understood, but quickly shook his head again. \"But Your Majesty, this can only pin them down temporarily. As soon as Hedong and Great Ming Prefecture send troops to attack from both sides, Grand Commandant Yue will be unable to stay north of the river. And how many troops he can actually pin down is also unknown.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know,\" Zhao Jiu replied calmly. \"I just couldn't help myself for a moment...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, Zhao Jiu turned around. The hands clasped behind his back were holding a daily report—it was indeed the one Yang Yizhong hadn't found, and it was indeed Yue Fei's. The Emperor showed no intention of handing the report over to Yang Yizhong to collect together. Instead, clutching the report, he paced away and disappeared into the twilight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong wanted to speak, but in the end, he gave up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to the big shot camelyexs for the sponsorship... the 79th sponsorship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm still alive... Not going to say much... This month, I'll still ensure 150,000 words.\u003C\u002Fp>",4424,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","559dd3abc578fa835df95d491c756abe88d9e0d160d9760f669b894d05ad0bc6","shao-song-chapter-233","shao-song-chapter-231",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]