Chapter 376: Response to Change

The autumn cicadas were still chirping.

Upon hearing the inquiry from the eldest prince, Wanyan Woben, Qin Gui shivered but did not reply directly. Instead, he first swept his gaze across the assembled crowd.

Now, this was the Yanjing Secretariat. Everyone sitting cross-legged here for meetings had been a political habit during the few years the young monarch had been on the throne. Although the monarch was now seventeen, having come of age for over a year, and his political influence was gradually strengthening, he still couldn't hold a candle to the three princes.

Moreover, the Great Jin state had its own old system of tribal democracy, so no one had any objections to this meeting format, which represented the highest political authority of the Great Jin.

Over in the Zhao Song of the south, didn't they also have some kind of Secret Pavilion? So much so that even if the Zhao Emperor didn't return for a year, it didn't hold things up.

It was said they had learned this from the Great Jin.

Today, aside from the monarch Wanyan Hela, who was routinely absent, the Prince of Jin, who led the Secretariat as Chief Minister—that is, the third prince, Wanyan Eliduo—had also taken some key central officials to Zhending Prefecture to remotely control the situation. Thus, only a handful of people were attending this meeting here:

The Grand Preceptor, Prince of Liao, who led the Council of State and Military Affairs—that is, the eldest prince, Wanyan Woben;

The Prince of Wei, who led the Bureau of Military Affairs as its Director—that is, the fourth prince, Wanyan Wushu;

The Vice Chief Minister of the Secretariat, the actual driving force behind Sinicization reforms, and the de facto manager of the Great Jin's political affairs, Wanyan Xiyin;

The Hanlin Academician and Imperial Drafter, who actually represented the seventeen-year-old monarch and was himself the leader of the Yan-Yun Han Chinese, Han Fang;

The Secretariat Director, concurrently Vice Minister of Revenue, and Wanyan Xiyin's actual deputy, who had transferred from the Qi state, Hong Ya;

The Bureau of Military Affairs Director, concurrently Minister of Rites, Wulinda Zanmo;

The Left Deputy Commander of the Yanjing New Army, Wanhu Wulinda Taiyu;

In addition, there were four others: Wanyan Talan, Wanyan Wuye, Wanyan Yinshuke, and Wanyan Pujianu. These were a mix of new and old faces.

Among these four, the "Scholar" Wanyan Wuye, who was not yet forty, was a new face, but his rise was expected. He had been the monarch's Jurchen tutor, was the monarch's confidant, a close member of the imperial clan (Talan's younger brother), a pioneer of Sinicization, and was considered by outsiders to be Wanyan Xiyin's successor... Now that the monarch had come of age, it was only natural for this new Minister of Works to have a seat at the table.

However, the return of the three old-timers—Wanyan Pujianu, Wanyan Talan, and Wanyan Yinshuke—to the periphery of core power was not solely because the young monarch wanted to use their abilities to counter his three uncles. Rather, the entire ruling group was forced into it by the overall situation and circumstances. The reason was simple: at the beginning of this year, right after the New Year, a late spring cold snap had directly sent the former monarch, Wuqimai, who was lying paralyzed on the kang, to meet his maker, the founding emperor Wanyan Aguda.

Wuqimai was not the same as his son. This man was the second monarch after the founding. As early as the Aguda era, he had been a pillar of the state, stabilizing the rear for Aguda. Later, during his reign, he completed the early invasion of Song, causing the Jingkang Incident, seizing the Two Rivers region for Jin to serve as its heartland. At the same time, he partially centralized state power during his tenure and pacified and integrated the various tribal forces outside the Pass.

Although the political situation spiraled out of control in his later years, that was not due to any fault of his own in war. On his way back from Yanjing to his political stronghold, a gust of wind struck him down with paralysis. Who could be blamed for that?

There really was no way around it. Loushi had made it very clear during his visit to the Secretariat back then. Their group of "old-timers" from the founding era, from Aguda on down, had universally suffered enough hardship in childhood, and in their youth and middle age, they mostly fought desperately on the battlefield. Dying at any moment was just that helpless.

The continuous passing of the founding-era famous princes and generals was an objective fact.

In short, Wuqimai's political achievements were undeniable, and he had no moral failings. Even when Wanyan Wushu staged a coup, the three brothers dared not deny him. Instead, they blamed that political loss of control on Nianhan. Later, when they wanted to eradicate Wuqimai's direct-line faction, they had to resort to entrapment and didn't dare touch Wuqimai himself.

Therefore, Wuqimai's death immediately triggered severe political turmoil.

Specifically, the old forces outside the Pass, who were already deeply dissatisfied with the relocation of the capital and the heavy reliance on Han Chinese, immediately lost their tolerance. Using this matter, they launched a non-violent non-cooperation movement outside the Pass... some simply resorted to violent non-cooperation... They insinuated that the old monarch had died because his son had been harmed by treacherous villains, leading to grief and anger.

Under these circumstances, Yanjing had to face pressure from the south. Moreover, the state was investing heavily in creating ten Yanjing New Army Wanhu units, which were designed to be half composed of tribes from outside the Pass and half of Yan-Yun Han Chinese. So, there was no way to fall out with those outside the Pass at this time.

In the end, just as the Zhao Emperor had to appease the "southeastern opposition party," the Great Jin also chose to appease the tribes outside the Pass... every country has its own national conditions... First, they acknowledged Wuqimai's political achievements, granting him the temple name of Great Jin Taizong Emperor, and the posthumous title of Emperor Tiyuan Yingyun Shide Zhaogong Zhehui Rensheng Wenlie.

It is worth mentioning that this posthumous title was thought up by Qin Huizhi himself.

Second, they secretly abandoned the ban on smuggling luxury goods to Goryeo, while generously rewarding the chieftains of the tribes outside the Pass.

Finally, with no other choice, they reinstated these old-school figures who might not necessarily represent the interests of the tribes outside the Pass but could gain their recognition.

Of course, although Wanyan Yinshuke nominally became the Grand Commander of the Yanjing New Army, the army was actually divided into left and right wings, led by Wanyan Talan and Wulinda Taiyu respectively. It would be remarkable if he could command his own few thousand old troops.

Wanyan Pujianu became Vice Chief Minister of the Secretariat, but he was essentially a figurehead. With Wanyan Xiyin there, how could this old fellow get a word in on government affairs?

The only one worth mentioning was Wanyan Talan. This man had previously sat on the fence, speculating multiple times. Coupled with the current situation, and the fact that he was ultimately a close member of the imperial clan—especially since the Yanjing New Army's old guard still included Wanyan Huonü, who had no political future—this gave him an opportunity. So this time, he had genuinely returned to the core of central power.

Of course, the Yanjing New Army was entirely composed of new recruits. Huonü couldn't advance further, but that didn't mean he was easy to control. Talan, who had long lost his military claws, would probably need time to establish his influence in the new army.

Therefore, even after returning to the center of power, Talan had become much more docile, following the lead of the three princes in everything and never overstepping his bounds.

Last but not least, among those present, there was inevitably the Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, who effectively served as the political and strategic deputy to the several princes, participating in all aspects of Jin state affairs: Qin Hui, styled Huizhi.

All together, there were exactly twelve people at this moment.

Returning to the present, the cicadas still chirped. Qin Huizhi looked around at the crowd, his mind processing a round of information in an instant. He paused only briefly before speaking solemnly to the eldest prince, Wanyan Woben:

"Your Highness, Prince of Liao, do you wish to ask whether the things in the Song gazette are true or false, or do you wish to ask whether the Song people will actually cross the river?"

"I want to ask both." Wanyan Woben, who had cultivated an imposing manner, urged him directly from his cushion. "I want to know the truth or falsehood, and I want to know about crossing the river... Tell me the truth or falsehood first, then about crossing the river."

Qin Hui nodded and responded calmly: "If that is the case, let Your Highnesses and all my colleagues know that, in my humble opinion, even the Zhao Song Emperor himself probably cannot clearly say whether the information in the gazette is true or false."

Of the remaining eleven, except for Wanyan Xiyin, who remained expressionless as if he had already realized this, the other ten were all startled before falling into thought.

"When the matter is laid out plainly, it is actually extremely simple." Qin Hui glanced at Wanyan Xiyin, and seeing that the other seemed disdainful of such explanatory work, he continued. "That is, documents are documents, and reality is reality... Whether it is the Great Song or the Great Jin, there are the Secretariat, the Bureau of Military Affairs, the Censorate, the Six Ministries, the Nine Chief Ministers, the Five Directorates, as well as Academicians, Drafters, Secretaries, and various Military Commands, Control Commands, Imperial City Commands, and so on. For thousands of years, the systems have been like this. There is always someone to manage the myriad affairs of the world... For example, back in the Renzong reign of Zhao Song, there was a Commissioner of the Three Departments who oversaw financial strategy. The annual accounts of the Imperial Army could be detailed down to a single coin, written into memorials and recorded. But were the military expenditures of the Renzong reign truly that precise and clear?"

The remaining ten people also fully understood.

Wanyan Talan immediately shook his head and sneered: "I said so! How could the Great Song Dynasty be so capable? That Zhao Emperor went south of the river to conduct his imperial tour, returning only after a year. Yet as soon as he came back to the Central Plains, traveling from Nanjing to Dongjing in just half a month, he could manage the state's internal and foreign affairs, logistics, and military supplies so perfectly? It turns out it was just documents. And with documents, with so many government offices and officials, as long as they report according to the rules, there will always be an explanation."

"Even so, it cannot be taken lightly." Wanyan Xiyin finally interjected, but he was seriously warning those present. "Let me ask you all: is having documents better, or not having them? Is being detailed down to a single coin better, or being so rough that a hundred strings of cash can be rounded up? With systems, officials, and documents, you can follow the clues when something goes wrong, and you can mobilize things without a second thought when you want to get things done. But without documents, that Zhao Song Emperor wouldn't even know how to bluff us in his gazette!"

Xiyin was so serious that Talan immediately looked embarrassed. The others, feeling as if Xiyin was lecturing everyone like children, were also somewhat displeased, but no one showed it.

"Correct." Qin Hui then slowly took over. "Moreover, although that Zhao Song Emperor's words in the gazette were intended to scare us and encourage his own side, they are not necessarily false words meant purely to bluff and deceive... I am merely saying that there is no way for us to verify such matters, and the Zhao Song Emperor cannot possibly be as thoroughly knowledgeable about state affairs and military matters as he claims in his gazette. Let no one take the specific contents seriously."

Upon hearing this, most nodded and sighed. Even Hong Ya, after sizing up Qin Huizhi with great interest, immediately nodded repeatedly, appearing thoughtful.

In essence, there were basically no fools in this Yanjing Secretariat. Even a figurehead like Wanyan Pujianu had led troops during the Taizu era and had once served as Nianhan's deputy, only to be later replaced by Xiyin.

Moreover, the analysis by Qin Hui and Wanyan Xiyin was very straightforward, and the reasoning was simple, nothing hard to understand.

That was just how it was... What else could it be?

You see, in this day and age, it was very difficult to have those idealized, fanatical professional spies. It wasn't that there were no corresponding patriots, nor that people couldn't be sent out for corresponding activities. Rather, the conditions of transportation and information transmission made such operations extremely inefficient and largely meaningless.

In fact, since ancient times, the concept of "spying" was more often a concurrent duty... For example, small-unit armed reconnaissance and raiding forces. Their going out to reconnoiter and raid was, of course, a classic example of "using spies."

Another example was envoys between states. They would go to a place to probe the other side's political attitude, reconnoiter the geography along the way, and observe military deployments. This was also a perfectly natural act of espionage.

Another example was high-ranking civil officials and military commanders with speculative power, or even tribes qualified to be fence-sitters, or third-party states vacillating between two sides. In specific periods, they would choose to transmit certain information, or even switch sides on the spot... These were all standard acts of espionage.

As for the very few who were physically in the Cao camp but their hearts were with the Han, they could mostly only act like Fa Zheng and Zhang Song, or become Geng Ji and Jin Yi. But even Fa Zheng and Zhang Song needed Liu Yuzhou to enter Shu before they could play their role. They required a corresponding military and political atmosphere... And now, with the Song and Jin states confronting each other along the Yellow River, their political capitals separated by a thousand li, this had essentially suppressed purely dedicated espionage activities to a very low level.

Zheng Yinian had certainly received standard espionage tasks before leaving, but as soon as he returned, he became a loyal minister of the Zhao Emperor. This included Gao Qingyi, who followed him and did nothing before honestly returning. His brother, Zheng Xiunian, had even registered with the Imperial City Command before coming from the south. He was now a high official of the Great Jin. Another registered person, Hong Ya, was sitting right here in this Secretariat. But were they really spies?

They were merely seeds planted, waiting for the right circumstances to germinate.

Returning to the current stalemate between Song and Jin... Low-intensity military reconnaissance along the front lines had certainly not stopped, and small-scale infiltration definitely occurred. But as long as the Northern Expedition hadn't suddenly begun, the vast majority of military intelligence along the river was essentially useless... because it would quickly become outdated.

The so-called "major events cannot be hidden, minor events are worthless."

As for wanting to obtain high-level political intelligence from the enemy's heartland, over in Great Song even the Taihang Righteous Army was hard to count on; one might as well hope for the Koreans to be more straightforward. And over here in Great Jin, it was even more pathetic—they might as well just read the other side's gazette.

But now even the gazette couldn't be trusted, because the Zhao Song ruler on the other side had clearly seen that the gazette had built up credibility and propaganda power, so he had started using it to fool people.

In fact, this fooling might not be entirely aimed at the Jurchens; it might also be aimed at the Song people themselves.

When the common folk in the south saw such detailed military deployments, the arraying of several hundred thousand troops, military reserves of tens of millions of strings of cash... including whether that "less than full armor rate" was self-exposure of weakness or bragging—it was hard to say.

Of course, having said that, the men in the Secretariat still hadn't solved the most immediate problem.

"Then let's move past that matter." Wanyan Woben watched as Qin Gui had fudged his way past one question, feeling somewhat displeased in his heart, and indeed pressed on. "Minister Qin, just tell us: will Zhao Song cross the river and march north this time or not?"

Qin Gui fell silent again for a moment, then answered bluntly with one word: "Yes."

In the great hall of the Secretariat, autumn cicadas chirped without pause. Everyone below Wanyan Woben fell silent in unison, except for Wanyan Wushu alone, whose expression did not change.

"How do you figure?" After a long while, Han Fang on the side could no longer hold back. "Minister Qin just said that the contents of that gazette were a mix of truth and falsehood, didn't you?"

"What's mixed between truth and falsehood is the content, but regardless of truth or falsehood, it shows that this Zhao ruler has put on a posture both internally and externally... Why did he do all those things? Wasn't it to intimidate you and me? Wasn't it to boost his own morale?"

"Since it's intimidation..."

"Lord Han hasn't understood my meaning... This matter has nothing to do with whether he's intimidating or showing weakness, nor with whether the gazette's content is true or false. The key is that this Zhao ruler, ever since the Huai River campaign in the first year of Jianyan, has never shown the slightest hesitation in his actions!" Qin Gui suddenly raised his voice, startling the Jin nobles in the hall. "At the Huai River, he held the Bagong Mountains and resisted the Fourth Prince—that was to preserve himself! He slipped out of Nanyang, seized the army at Yanling, and defeated the Prince of Lu (Wanyan Talan)—that was to establish a foothold! The decisive battle at Yaoshan, personally welcoming the Prince of Yue (Wanyan Loushi)—that was to contend for fortune! He destroyed Western Xia, made Khitan and Mongolia submit—that was to seize momentum... Step by step, layer by layer, no matter what he thinks in his heart, and we don't know what he thinks, but tell me: when this man faces a crisis, has he ever shown the slightest hesitation?! Has he ever shown the slightest unwillingness to gamble?! Has he ever put on a show of mystery without actually doing anything?!"

The hall fell into dead silence, even the autumn cicadas outside seemed frightened, only Qin Gui's harsh voice continued:

"If you count carefully, it's been three years since the last great war with Western Xia, and a full eight years since this man ascended the throne. If you measure from the start of the Song-Jin war, it's been a full ten years... Gentlemen, even if the contents of the gazette are utterly untrustworthy, in those three years, hasn't he expanded his army and stored grain? Hasn't he finally gone south to pacify the southeast for an entire year? Hasn't he accumulated eight years of effort and stored up ten years of shame, just waiting for a northern expedition? If he's just waiting for a northern expedition, then the question should be why he hasn't come to attack, not why he would come to attack?! I dare ask you all one question: his troops are mustered, his rear is secure, so why on earth hasn't he come to attack?"

Having said this, Qin Hui's expression was stern as he swept his gaze around the room, then delivered his conclusion from his seat: "I am here with only my wife and myself, so I'll stake both our lives on this verdict... Even if this Zhao Song ruler is bluffing with empty threats, it's a bluff for the sake of crossing the river and marching north!"

"If he does come to attack, when will it be?" After a long while, the Fourth Prince, Prince of Wei Wushu, bypassed that question and broke the silence.

"Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps after next spring..." Qin Gui was still unambiguous. "But if nothing major disrupts the situation, it's more likely to be after next spring."

"How do you figure that?" Wushu's expression did not change.

"The gazette may not be trustworthy, but some things cannot be disbelieved... For instance, the decree setting the southern Imperial Army's quota at a full three hundred thousand was only finalized in the first half of this year, so to accomplish anything, it would have to be at least after autumn and early winter. Another example: transporting this year's autumn grain into the granaries during winter will put both the court and the people at ease." Qin Gui answered fluently. "These two matters, Zhao Song cannot conceal, nor do they need to."

"That's true... but why not launch the army in winter, after the quotas are filled and the grain is stored, instead of after spring?" Wanyan Woben, the Prince of Liao, sitting at the head of the table, frowned.

"The main reason is the Yellow River." Before Qin Gui could speak, Wushu on the side directly explained. "The Yellow River has two old courses and four branches that cut deep into Hebei. Great Ming Prefecture is even sandwiched between two old courses. If the Song army wants to launch a full-scale northern expedition, they can't give up their advantage on the water. The Yellow River generally has two dry periods when large ships cannot enter the old channels... One is in high summer, when upstream rainfall is often scarce, but whether it actually dries up depends on luck. The other is naturally deep winter, not only because of water depth but also because of freezing. Besides that, spring plowing starts earlier in the south than in the north, so if they come after spring, they can also exploit a time gap."

Since Wushu had spoken, everyone couldn't help but glance at this Prince of Wei... The implication was obvious: on this matter, this Fourth Prince had long had mature thoughts and views, and they coincided with Qin Gui's without prior agreement.

And if that were the case, it made the people present even more convinced.

In fact, Wanyan Woben, who had no experience campaigning in the south, immediately came to his senses after hearing this, and then made a brief summary:

"So you're saying that Zhao Song's northern expedition is inevitable, but unless some major incident occurs, it's nine out of ten that they'll come after next year's spring plowing? This current wave of gazettes is more about empty intimidation, to keep us running around in response?"

"But we still have to guard against it." Talan once again stated his position, but it was a useless remark. "If a real major loophole appears somewhere, given this southern Zhao ruler's character, he will not hesitate and will cross the river directly..."

Wanyan Woben nodded: "But we can't be over-scheduled either. Everything needs to be balanced. Having the third brother go to Zhending Prefecture is enough to coordinate Taiyuan, Xijing (Datong), Great Ming Prefecture, and Longde Prefecture... The key is that we here in Yanjing must make all preparations. We need to gather grain, assemble troops, convene the tribal leaders, and inventory weapons—none of these can be omitted."

"We need to prepare a roster in advance, ready to mobilize the auxiliary troops at any time... half to supplement the army, half to serve as laborers." Wanyan Xiyin sighed and also offered a suggestion.

"And then there are the Mongols and the Koreans." Wulinda Zanmo finally spoke. "We can't reach the Western Mongols anymore. The Khitans hate us to the bone, so no need to think about them. As for the Koreans, the reigning monarch and Chief Councilor Kim Bu-sik over there do have some capability. I think they won't make any rash decisions until the outcome is clear... The biggest variable is still the Eastern Mongol Khan, Khabul."

Because the southern gazette had changed it to "Mongol," even the Jurchens now called them "Mongol."

"Then send another envoy over." Wanyan Woben thought for a moment, pinched his chin, and made a decision. "Show sincerity. Gold, silver, and valuables can all be promised to him. Never mind just the title of King of the Eastern Mongols—even the title of Khan of all Mongols can be promised to him! We can even give him some border tribes and stockades! At critical moments, we have to know what's important!"

At these words, Wushu, Xiyin, Qin Gui, Han Fang, Hong Ya, Talan, Yinshu Ke, Wu Ye, plus the Wulinda brothers, including Pujianu—almost everyone present nodded in unison.

"I think the key to this war is still the new army." Seeing that the atmosphere was gradually settling and his elder brother's opinion had been supported, Wulinda Taiyu also spoke up at the right moment. He was the Right Vice Commander of the Yanjing New Army. "For the new army, the local Han in Yanjing are quite enthusiastic, but the troops from beyond the passes have been slow to arrive... What should be done about that?"

"The Prince of Liao just said that a special assembly of the tribal leaders from beyond the passes is needed." Wanyan Xiyin interjected with a rebuke. "If we're willing to bleed for Khabul, how much more for our own people?"

"Regarding this matter, wouldn't it be better to send someone out through the passes?" Wulinda Zanmo asked before his own brother could say anything more. "That would be faster."

"But who will go?" Xiyin still frowned. "The matter with the tribal leaders beyond the passes is no small thing. It requires a truly ruling prince. Right now, the Prince of Jin (Eriduo) has gone to Zhending Prefecture to deal with the south. If the Song attack suddenly, the Prince of Wei (Wushu) will also have to go south immediately to share command with the Prince of Jin. And His Highness the Prince of Liao must remain in Yanjing to hold things down..."

"What if the Emperor himself makes the trip?" Qin Gui suddenly interrupted Xiyin. "The Emperor is already seventeen. Last year he made an inspection tour beyond the passes and dealt with the rebellion of Puluhu. If the Emperor goes in person, the tribes beyond the passes will surely be overjoyed!"

Xiyin was stunned for a moment, then immediately looked at Wanyan Woben, his expression clearly agreeing with Qin Gui. And Woben was visibly hesitant... because doing this would undoubtedly carry political risks.

But just then, Wanyan Yinshu Ke, who had been silent all along, felt a stir in his heart and couldn't help speaking up: "Since it's for the new army, and the three princes cannot leave the passes for even a moment, why not let me, as Commander of the New Army, escort the Emperor on this trip?"

Wanyan Pujianu, upon hearing this, immediately chimed in: "I am also willing to escort the Emperor out through the passes. Among the tribes beyond the passes, I, Pujianu, still have some face."

Everyone exchanged glances, knowing full well that these two were restless and wanted to curry favor with the Emperor, even hoping to use this opportunity of assembling the new army to make a comeback. But at the same time, everyone had to admit that sending the Emperor out through the passes to unite the Liaodong tribes was the best choice at this moment. Having these two accompany the Emperor out through the passes to get the tribes to send troops to Yanjing in time was also these two contributing their remaining energy for the greater good.

And sure enough, after a brief pause, having exchanged a knowing look with his fourth brother Wushu, the eldest prince finally gritted his teeth and nodded: "Since that's the case, you two must take good care of the Emperor... As for Academician Han, you are needed here in Yanjing to assist, so you cannot accompany the Emperor out through the passes."

Yinshu Ke and Pujianu were secretly delighted in their hearts and immediately bowed in a gesture of obedience. Han Fang hesitated for a moment, then also bowed along with the two before him... He understood Woben's meaning. Once Zhao Song launched its northern expedition, it would be a war of national mobilization. Great Jin not only needed the strength of Liaodong but also the strength of the Han people of Yanyun. And his Han clan was the most influential representative of the Yanyun Han at the highest levels of Jin. Naturally, he could not leave Yanjing lightly at such a time.

Seeing the two princes so candid and the meeting so pragmatic, Wulinda Taiyu, who had been blocked by his elder brother earlier, finally couldn't hold back: "For the new army, it's not just a shortage of troops. The key is that most are new recruits who have never seen battle..."

"How can we let them see battle on such short notice?" Woben, having agreed to many things, finally showed impatience. "Even the newly supplemented troops of the Song Imperial Army haven't seen battle either. Everyone has to shed blood before they can fight."

"What I mean is, can we transfer some veteran troops from the Eastern and Western Routes to swap?" Wulinda Taiyu quickly explained. "For example, transfer two veteran Wanhu units from Taiyuan and Longde, and send two new army Wanhu units out in exchange?"

Talan instinctively wanted to agree but ultimately chose silence, just looking at the two princes and the others present.

Indeed, just like Yinshu Ke a moment ago, everyone knew that Wulinda Taiyu was trying to take the opportunity to expand the strength of the troops under his command, but they also had to admit that from a strategic perspective, doing so would bring more benefits for the possible full-scale war to come.

Therefore, many in the hall were momentarily tempted, and then couldn't help but gradually turn their gazes back to the silent Wanyan Woben. But Woben, who during the founding period had always stayed by Aguda's side and rarely led troops independently, immediately looked at his fourth brother Wushu, causing everyone else to look at Wushu as well.

There was no help for it, truly no help for it. Even if Wushu had lost some face over the Western Xia affair, when it came down to it, in terms of closeness and combat experience, with Eriduo absent, who else could they listen to if not him? Listen to Wanyan Talan?

They would have liked to listen to Wanyan Aguda, Wanyan Wuqimai, Wanyan Zhanhan, Wanyan Wolibu, Wanyan Loushi... But where were these people?

And Wushu, stared at by everyone, also sighed, and after a long while, finally nodded.

To be fair, this Fourth Prince was not hesitating over whether this course of action was feasible, because in his view, as long as it had a positive impact on the outcome of the war, he could accept anyone inserting their private interests along the way... The key was that it helped the overall situation.

The reason he sighed was more that Wulinda Taiyu's words had laid bare a helpless fact: just as the south still had to rely on its marshals and commanders, here in Great Jin, despite all the reforms, they still could not bypass those Wanhu generals and hereditary Meng'an commanders, to the point that even this level of troop deployment had to be carried out at the Wanhu level.

In fact, the very reason they had trained a new Yanjing army was that the reforms of the Eastern and Western Route armies could not get past those generals.

Of course, at this point, saying this was meaningless. The Zhao ruler had already crossed the Yellow River; how could they worry about so much?

The autumn cicadas chirped endlessly outside the hall, and the meeting inside continued... It could only be said that at this moment, although the high-level leadership of Great Jin was visibly thinning, those who could still make decisions were still the remnants from the founding period, and these people had no naive or muddled thoughts about war.

Once they had confirmed that the Zhao Song ruler on the south side was ready to launch a full-scale war at any time, or at the latest within half a year, they immediately made political compromises with each other and passed a series of countermeasures without hesitation, covering everything from domestic affairs to diplomacy, from military supplies to troop levies.

And they implemented them immediately after the meeting.

Compared to the united front in Yanjing, on the south side of the Yellow River, the Zhao Song ruler, whom everyone regarded as a formidable enemy, had not been living as comfortably as one might imagine these days, nor did he show much of the world-dominating dominance that the gazette had projected.

In reality, ever since this Zhao sovereign returned to Dongjing, trouble had been unceasing.

The problem still lay with military preparations and Lu Yihao.

Among them, military preparations need not be mentioned—the south had indeed suffered some losses, and equipping the army was always a troublesome matter. As for Lord Lu, after half a month in Dongjing, he had directly thrown the court into chaos, with eggs broken and chickens flying, utterly incomparable to the north's unity of purpose and resolve to oppose the Zhao sovereign.

On one hand, this lord's temper truly made everyone, high and low, uncomfortable—not only did Zhang Jun suddenly find he could make no decisions on anything, but even the Capital Secretariat was hard-pressed.

On the other hand, those high and low who were uncomfortable naturally refused to accept it—especially since the Zhao sovereign had been away for a year, and upon returning brought Lu Yihao plus a hundred reserve officials—who dared to relax? Moreover, Lu Yihao was not without vulnerabilities... Not to mention anything else, that matter of the Military Governor of Guide—if the sovereign gave it to you, you just took it?

Thus, impeachment memorials flew back and forth, unceasing, only they were not published in the court gazette.

Of course, Lord Lu had never feared such things. Besides, he asked himself whether he had a clear conscience—could he really rebel after accepting that Military Governor post? So, whoever impeached him was naturally a petty man with selfish motives disrupting the court, and that very day they would be given tight shoes to wear.

For high officials he could not give tight shoes to, he would berate and refute them to their faces in front of the Zhao sovereign and the various councilors!

And the Zhao sovereign, on the first day of September, had taken Lu Yihao out to inspect the river defenses—rather than being like Yu the Great passing his home without entering, it was more like fleeing with his head tucked in.

After all, exactly as Lord Qin Hui had judged, Zhao Jiu's Imperial Camp needed time for final preparations, the autumn grain needed to be stored and transported to granaries along the Yellow River, so Wang Yan's military plans had long been clearly arranged—unless a major unexpected event occurred, the formal northern expedition would not launch until spring, when the ice melted and waters rose.

And the current actions and propaganda were indeed meant to intimidate the enemy, as a strategy to exhaust them.

In short, during the post-autumn period, both sides were engaged in large-scale military deployments and preparations. Although small-scale skirmishes occurred everywhere, because the Yellow River had not yet entered its dry season, and the Imperial Camp Navy's existence kept the Song Jun in strategic initiative, no major out-of-control incidents had occurred.

September 13, a full thirteen days since the Zhao sovereign had left the capital again, and also over ten days since the Great Jin State's Secretariat meeting... At dawn, within Hebei's Enzhou, on the old course of the Yellow River, a line of elite Jurchen cavalry hurriedly crossed a shallow ford, their horses' hooves splashing countless droplets, drenching these elite Jurchen riders thoroughly.

However, after climbing the eastern bank, no one paid any attention to the water stains on their clothes, pausing not a moment, escorting a middle-aged Jurchen nobleman of about forty with a sallow complexion toward Qinghe City a few li away.

Upon reaching Qinghe City, it was already daylight. The cavalry riders galloped ahead, whipping open the gate soldiers, then surged directly into the city, proceeding straight to the county office, startling the County Magistrate into a panicked welcome. He then personally led yamen runners to Wu Dalang's steamed bun shop in the county, taking all the freshly steamed buns from that family to offer as food for the Jurchen nobleman.

Wu Dalang's steamed buns were famous throughout Hebei—their quality need not be mentioned—but this group, upon seeing so many steaming hot buns, did not linger. Instead, they divided and wrapped the buns, loaded up clean water, and departed hastily.

Only then did the people in the county learn that the visitor was the Great Jin's Prince of Jin, the so-called Third Prince, Grand Marshal Wanyan Eriduo. Because the Zhao sovereign's dragon banner had reached Yanggu opposite Liaocheng, this Grand Marshal dared not be negligent and had immediately ridden from Zhending Prefecture, intending to take up position at Great Ming Prefecture to confront the Zhao sovereign.

Not to mention that this news set the county's people on edge, with endless discussion—even Wu Dalang's family dared not ask for the bun money. Suffice it to say that Wanyan Eriduo had traveled all night, eating buns on horseback for breakfast, galloping without pause, clearly wanting to reach Great Ming Prefecture within the day.

As a result, this abuse of his body finally brought retribution—four large steamed buns washed down with cold water, and Eriduo felt a cramping pain in his abdomen.

At this time, the Third Prince paid it no mind. Eating on horseback, jolting all the way, with cold water—such things were common. Had he not experienced it before? Besides, he was exhausted from the night's travel. Moreover, military intelligence was urgent—how could he rest for such a trifle?

However, after riding another few li, the abdominal cramping continued unabated, gradually concentrating in the lower right abdomen. By this time, Eriduo could no longer endure it and ordered a slight slowdown. But after slowing and riding for a while, many cavalrymen who had also eaten hastily and suffered stomach pain had already recovered, yet the Third Prince still felt heaviness in his abdomen. When he pressed with his hand, the pain was clearly noticeable and unceasing.

At this point, Eriduo finally dared not continue. He immediately informed his attendants, who naturally realized he had fallen acutely ill and panicked... As mentioned before, since Aguda's time, many Jurchen nobles had died in their prime—their constitutions were indeed poor, with too many examples... Moreover, acute illness in those days was terrifying in itself.

Thus, the Jurchen cavalry dared not let Eriduo remain on horseback. Instead, they made a hammock between two horses, escorted their Third Prince to the nearest town, called Ninghua Town, found the largest residence there, burst in, drove the occupants away, and settled him down on the spot.

At the same time, they dispatched three cavalry teams—one to search for a doctor in the town itself, one to head back to Qinghe County for a pharmacy or medical hall, and another to rush directly to Great Ming Prefecture to contact Gao Jingshan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Great Ming Prefecture Field Army.

But in Ninghua Town, these Jurchen cavalry turned the entire street upside down, killed seven or eight people, and still could not find a single doctor. Asking door to door, they were told there had originally been a master of internal medicine, but he had fled across to the other side to serve as a military doctor for the Yue Family Army.

The Jurchen cavalry could kill people, but at this point they were helpless.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince's symptoms grew increasingly pronounced... First, slight sweating and slight fever, then abdominal heaviness, frequent and erratic urination. The leader of the personal guards pressed with his own hands—the left and right sides of the abdomen were clearly different in firmness.

At this point, the Third Prince himself and those among his personal guards with knowledge all had their suspicions—most likely, eating the steamed buns too hastily that morning had triggered an intestinal abscess!

They were also helpless and anxious.

Sure enough, by afternoon, the great Master Xi Men from the Qinghe County pharmacy was seized along with his three resident physicians. The diagnosis was unanimous: intestinal abscess... and very likely an acute, putrid one—the kind caused by violent jolting forcing food into the vermiform appendix.

Understanding what was happening, and with the doctors present, the Third Prince and several attendants relaxed slightly. Then they settled down to take a decoction—specifically, Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction. Anyone with a modicum of medical knowledge knew this; some among the personal guards also knew it, and the Qinghe local officials who had come said the same. The Third Prince, of course, had no objection.

So the personal guards watched as the medicine was measured, personally boiled the Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction, and helped the Third Prince drink one dose. It indeed helped for a while—reportedly, the pain lessened.

By evening, people finally arrived from Great Ming Prefecture. Seeing that the Third Prince, though feverish, had gradually diminishing pain, and that he spoke clearly when addressed, they relaxed somewhat.

At this point, the Third Prince took another dose of the decoction. The pain seemed to lessen further. He finally perked up and even ordered a reward of some gold for the great Master Xi Men, who had come specially to take his pulse again.

Now, the great Master Xi Men, from a family with deep medical learning, very much wanted to tell these people that the cessation of abdominal pain did not necessarily mean improvement—it might instead mean that pus was forming. If there were a master of surgery, they should prepare to insert a needle... But holding the gold in his hands, and recalling the street full of blood in Ninghua Town that day, how could he dare to speak up?

Besides, in those days, inserting a needle or cutting open was no easy matter!

It was also gambling with one's life!

And once he opened his mouth, if no doctor could be found in haste, it would certainly be him, Master Xi Men, and the three resident physicians who would have to wield the knife and needle... But they were originally pharmacy-based physicians, not skilled in surgery!

Thus, that night, Master Xi Men thought it over and over. He considered himself a fundamentally kind person, who usually walked around ants, and was the sole heir of three generations—he should not stay here to die. So, without consulting the three resident physicians, he shouldered the gold, took advantage of the night and the fact that the attendants had relaxed due to the Third Prince's "improvement," secretly climbed over the wall... Then, thinking that Qinghe County had become awkward due to some baseless rumors from the south and his neighbor, the local strongman Wu Dalang, and that returning might lead to betrayal and disaster, he did not even go home. Instead, carrying the gold, he found a boat on the Yongji Canal and fled northeast, wandering the world from then on.

The next morning, the Third Prince's pain improved further. But when he was about to take another dose of the decoction, he discovered that Master Xi Men had fled. Surprised, he hastily summoned the three resident physicians for a joint pulse diagnosis... At this point, the three physicians exchanged glances—how could they not know the reason? They spoke frankly, saying that the Third Prince's pulse was urgent, his abdomen had hardened, and it seemed the intestinal abscess had suppurated.

They recommended using the knife and needle.

The Jurchens, high and low, were dumbfounded. But Master Xi Men's flight was a fact, and they could not disbelieve it. So they ordered the three to use the knife. The three then said none of them knew how.

How could the Jurchens believe them? They asked several times, and each time the answer was no. So they beheaded all three on the spot.

The result was that by afternoon, the Third Prince's intestinal abscess had hardened like iron, the pain gradually became unbearable. In haste, with no doctor available, he could only take repeated doses of Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction. But after drinking it, there was no relief at all—instead, even defecation became agonizing.

They asked the increasingly gathered local officials and nearby military officers. Those with experience all said that needle and stone therapy was needed... So they searched for a doctor again. But news had already spread, and all the doctors in the vicinity had fled with their families... In the end, with no choice, they found a Khitan doctor in the army and ordered him to insert the needle.

The Khitan doctor was also innocent—he only knew how to perform shamanistic dances and use herbal medicine. But at this point, he was forced to use the needle, or else face death. What could he do? Being wild by nature, he shouted "Green Ox, White Horse!" and then plunged a needle directly into the hard spot on the Third Prince's right abdomen.

The result was that foul, putrid pus and blood immediately flowed out through the flesh. The Third Prince's complexion eased slightly.

Everyone thought the Third Prince was saved. But unexpectedly, that night, His Highness the Prince of Jin first burned with a high fever, then in the latter half of the night began to shiver with chills... Those present, high and low, saw the situation was dire, but aside from boiling Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction, they were utterly powerless.

And when dawn came—the third day since the Third Prince's abscess had erupted—Gao Jingshan personally arrived with fine physicians from Great Ming Prefecture. But they found that the Third Prince's face was flushed from fever, his consciousness was gone, and he was even delirious. Pus and blood still oozed intermittently from his abdomen, the surrounding wound black and red, swollen like a meat bun.

He barely regained consciousness for a moment, but only cried out that he was cold. When they reached out to touch him, his forehead was scorching hot.

Gao Jingshan privately questioned the several fine physicians he had brought from Great Ming Prefecture. After a long silence, being an old-school Battalion Commander, the current head of the Bohai clan, and Commander-in-Chief of the Great Ming Prefecture Field Army—a man who had seen many storms—he remained calm. While thinking of the impending storm, he went directly to write a memorial of apology to Yanjing.

By evening, the memorial was barely finished when the Third Prince had another attack—his teeth chattering, his whole body burning hot, a foul stench filling the air. He tossed and turned all night, but ultimately did not wait for the full moon of September 15 to set before breathing his last in Qinghe County.

He was exactly forty years old.

Poor Third Prince—he had actually lived a few months longer than in history. If his spirit truly had awareness in heaven, he would probably wish he had died half a year earlier along with Wuqimai.

"Who died? Say that again—who died?"

September 18, inside the Imperial Camp's Forward Army Wushan Camp on the south bank of the Yellow River, opposite Liaocheng, facing the son of the Jin-appointed County Magistrate of Liaocheng, who had fled across the river overnight, Zhao Jiu was dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning. Then he suddenly came to his senses. "Do you take me for Cao Mengde?! Are you playing Kan Ze?! Ungrateful wretch—what benefits did your father and you get from the Jurchens?!"

PS: Happy New Year to everyone!