First Northern Expedition

When Han Shizhong just arrived near Huaiyang City, he saw a group of people and horses appearing not far away. They were coming towards them in a black mass. Bright flags were fluttering in the wind under the blue sky. The flags were embroidered with large black characters "Qi". The colorful flags rustled in the strong wind. The horses' hooves made a loud rumbling sound as they rushed towards them with an unstoppable momentum. The dust raised by their hooves surged like a tide, which was daunting.

Han Shizhong said in his heart: Not good.

The cavalry of the pseudo-Qi coalition quickly surrounded them.

Hu Yantong asked in confusion, "General, how did the Jin know our battle plan? We were surrounded by the enemy the moment we arrived in Huaiyang."

Han Shizhong cursed, "Who knows why? Tell them to prepare to meet the enemy."

Hu Yantong rode his horse to the rear of the troops and shouted, "Brothers, we are now surrounded by the army of the pseudo-Qi dog emperor. Come with me and help the general break out."

For a moment, the sound of killing was deafening. The soldiers of the Song Dynasty and the pseudo-Qi army fought each other. On the battlefield where cold light and blood mist were intertwined, the sharp sound of iron clashing tore through the north wind.

Han Shizhong, who was surrounded, remained calm. He calmly commanded the soldiers outside the encirclement to hold shields and cover the soldiers behind them. Then he let Huyan Tong, the sharpest sword in the vanguard, lead the army to break through the weak point on the enemy's right wing.

Huyan Tong was about to break out when he met the Jin general Yehe Beile. After fighting with Yehe for more than ten rounds, Yehe soon felt exhausted and fell into a disadvantage. Yehe did not expect that there would be such a brave man among the Song army generals.

While Ye He was catching his breath, Hu Yantong swung his sword and cut off Ye He's horse hoof. Ye He then rolled off the horse and was stabbed by Hu Yantong, and blood splattered on the spot.

After dealing with Yehe, Huyan Tong took the lead and fought his way out of the encirclement.

Seeing this, Han Shizhong led his soldiers to break out of the encirclement.

In a blink of an eye, the battle situation suddenly changed. Han Shizhong, who broke out of the siege, did not lead his troops to retreat. Instead, he led tens of thousands of people to encircle the pseudo-Qi coalition forces. The pseudo-Qi coalition forces were defeated and retreated to Huaiyang City, where they held their ground and refused to come out.

Han Shizhong led his troops to attack for six consecutive days, but the city was fortified and his limited forces made it impossible to defeat the Qi coalition forces, which outnumbered him several times. He had no choice but to send a pigeon letter to Liu Guangshi and Zhang Jun, who were stationed near Huaiyang City, for help.

After reading Han Shizhong's letter, Liu Guangshi and Zhang Jun gave surprisingly similar responses, both using the excuse of other military orders as an excuse not to send troops to support.

Han Shizhong tore up the letter and said angrily, "Zhang Junzhi is ambitious but incompetent. He can't see the situation clearly, and Liu Guangshi is just a coward. How can we fight this war?"

Hu Yantong asked, "General, why didn't you send Yue Fei to rescue us?"

Han Shizhong sighed and said, "Yue Fei's mother passed away, and he was a filial son. I'm afraid it will take several months for him to come."

"General, why don't we retreat first? If the Jin army's reinforcements arrive, won't we be in danger?"

As they were talking, a soldier came hurriedly to report: "General, it's not good, the Jin reinforcements are coming."

"Why so fast!" Han Shizhong asked in surprise.

"General, the person who came is Wanyan Zongbi and Liu Yu's nephew Liu Ni. What should we do?"

"There is only one way now, to lure the enemy out of the city. Go and tell them that Han Xianggong is here."

Hu Yantong clasped his fists and said, "I obey your orders."

When Liu Yu heard that they had surrounded the Southern Song general Han Shizhong, he couldn't help but say excitedly: "This is a godsend opportunity. This thorn in my side will be removed today."

The two sides faced each other outside Huaiyang City. Liu Yu sent two generals to lead the charge, while Han Shizhong rode his horse to meet the enemy head-on.

He drew his sword, the tip of the sword flashed with a cold light, and it cut through the sky and stabbed towards a general. The sword was so fast that the person being stabbed didn't even see clearly, but only felt a chill on his back. The long sword came with a cold light, and he subconsciously dodged in a hurry, but he was still half a beat too slow. His right arm was stabbed by the opponent, and the severe pain made him drop the long sword in his hand to the ground. Han Shizhong swung another sword, hitting the man in the abdomen. The man fell off his horse on the spot and died on the ground.

Seeing this, another general rode his horse straight over and stabbed Han Shizhong in the head with his spear. Han Shizhong dodged and reached out to grab the spear and snatched it away. The man was shocked, not expecting that Han Shizhong was so strong. He reacted on the spot and immediately turned his horse around, ready to ride away. Before he could escape a few steps, he was hit in the back by the spear and died with blood spurting out of his body.

After losing two of their most important generals, Liu Yu and Wanyan Zongbi, frightened by Han Shizhong's bravery, were forced to remain inactive. Han Shizhong, isolated and helpless, dared not take any further risks and, with his entire army and the Huaiyang civilians who had voluntarily returned to the Southern Song, crossed the river and returned to his base in Chuzhou.

The Song army's originally radical plan for a northern expedition became somewhat conservative. Zhang Jun ordered his generals: "First, try to surrender yourself to lure out the enemy's forces, and then seize the opportunity to attack them."

After Han Shizhong's eastern army withdrew, the Qi and Jin armies seized the opportunity to advance south again. In August of the same year, Yue Fei led his troops north from the west, making rapid progress. In just over a month, he recovered most of the lost territory in the six counties of Xiangyang, including Xiangyang, Dengzhou, and Tangzhou.

Yue Fei hadn't anticipated the success of this expedition, which resulted in a string of resounding victories. He hadn't brought enough food and fodder with him, so he submitted a petition to Zhao Gou requesting more. Zhao Gou, upon receiving the petition, discussed the matter with his ministers, but no one stepped forward to provide food and fodder for the soldiers on the front lines. Furthermore, Qin Hui advised Zhao Gou, "With Yue Fei alone, the Northern Expedition's success is uncertain. Years of fighting have burdened the people. It would be better to recall Yue Fei and proceed with the Northern Expedition at a more gradual pace."

Zhao Gou thought what he said made sense, so he ordered Yue Fei to stop the Northern Expedition. After receiving the imperial edict, Yue Fei was forced to retreat to his starting point, Ezhou.

The Southern Song's first Northern Expedition ended abruptly, lost due to Liu Guangshi's cowardice and Zhang Jun's shortsightedness. Zhao Gou, however, turned a blind eye to this. It was precisely because of the selective blindness of the Song Dynasty's central government that even the most capable and ambitious generals were constrained by the emperor and the central government's civil servants on the one hand, and dragged down by their cowardly teammates on the other. With this double yoke against the enemy, how could they not be defeated?

When Liang Hongyu heard that Zhao Gou had abandoned the Northern Expedition and recalled Yue Fei, she went to question him, "Your Majesty, Yue Fei has been reporting victories repeatedly. Now is the time to pursue our victories. Why are you recalling him? Didn't you promise me that you would lead the Northern Expedition?"

Zhao Gou looked at Concubine Xuan, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, and couldn't help but frown and asked, "Who let Concubine Xuan in?"

The guard eunuch was about to reply, but Liang Hongyu spoke first, "It's none of his business. It was I who forced my way in."

Zhao Gou heard this and said to the young eunuch, "You go down first."

The young eunuch obeyed the order and retreated outside the hall.

Liang Hongyu continued, "Qin Hui's escape from the Jin camp back to Lin'an is fraught with doubt. To get from Chuzhou to Hangzhou, he had to cross the then-central eastern battlefield and the Yangtze River, a tightly blocked route at the time. He claims to have killed the Jin soldiers who were watching him, then seized their ships and sailed back. Your Majesty, do you believe him? Not to mention how a weak scholar could have killed the fierce Jin soldiers, but when he fled south, he was able to return safely with his family amidst the chaotic battle. Doesn't Your Majesty suspect he was a spy sent by the Jin? How can you believe his words?"

Zhao Gou fell silent after hearing this. He knew what Liang Hongyu was saying, but Qin Hui was his only bargaining chip with the Jin army's high command. If the two countries could sign a ceasefire, it would depend entirely on Qin Hui alone. Qin Hui, for example, posed no threat to him compared to military commanders like Yue Fei and Han Shizhong. Furthermore, these generals were growing increasingly powerful, completely disregarding him as the emperor. The ancestral motto was still fresh in his mind: "Suppress the military with civil officials; do not allow military commanders to rise to power." Since the Jingkang period, the power of the generals had grown tremendously. Emperor Taizu had once offered his military power with a toast. If this continued, and the generals' power continued to grow, he wouldn't even have a chance to raise his glass. Yue Fei was arrogant and conceited. If he was allowed to lead his troops unchecked, what would happen even if the Northern Expedition succeeded? What if he turned against the emperor and usurped the throne? If the Song Dynasty was destroyed in his hands, how would he face his ancestors? He would use Qin Hui to deal with these generals in the future, but how could Liang Hongyu understand his thoughts?

She and he were not of the same mind, so he sighed in vain and said, "My beloved, didn't I tell you before that after years of war, the treasury is empty and the court is no longer able to provide food and fodder to support the Northern Expedition?"

Liang Hongyu asked, "Is it because the national treasury is empty or is there some other reason?"

"I don't understand. What are you afraid of? Han Shizhong and Yue Fei are both devoted to their country. They are definitely not like Miao and Liu who stole the country. Are these generals more terrifying to you than the Jin people?"

Zhao Gou was shocked upon hearing this. She, a mere woman, had seen through his thoughts. But couldn't he be afraid? The army was in the hands of these generals. If they rebelled, he could do nothing; he would be a lamb to the slaughter. Since taking this position, he had been unable to sleep at night, treading on thin ice. Even minor figures like Miao and Liu dared to turn their swords against him, coveting his throne. What about those who commanded large armies like Yue Fei and Han Shizhong? This position could completely change anyone, turning them into someone else.

After a moment's silence, Zhao Gou said, "I have made up my mind. You may return first. As for my beloved concubine, is there nothing else we can say to each other?"

Zhao Gou said in an extremely desolate and sad voice: "Indeed, in the eyes of my beloved concubine, I am now a useless person."

"Your servant..." Liang Hongyu didn't know what to say at this moment. Whatever she said seemed like quibbling, so it was better not to say anything. She had to retreat.

Seeing her leaving back, he suddenly felt so heartbroken that he could hardly breathe, as if thousands of sharp blades pierced his heart. His unspeakable illness was revealed by him. There was no possibility between him and Liang Hongyu anymore. That was an insurmountable barrier between them.

After Liang Hongyu served him in the emperor's bedroom that day, Zhao Gou went to Concubine Pan's bedroom again.

The emperor was coming to her chamber. Concubine Pan suspected she had misheard. She repeatedly asked her personal maid, "Are you sure the emperor is coming here tonight?"

The maid nodded, "Your Highness, Eunuch Rong has sent a message that you are to sleep with him tonight."

"Quick, prepare some bath water for me and put some rose petals in the tub."

After taking a bath, Concubine Pan dressed up carefully. Looking at her charming face in the mirror, she happily ordered people to prepare a midnight snack and waited for the emperor to come.

When Zhao Gou saw Concubine Pan, he looked her up and down and said, "I haven't seen you for a long time, my beloved concubine. You have become even more charming and beautiful."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Pan was delighted. She put one hand on Zhao Gou's shoulder, leaned her whole body into his arms, and said coquettishly, "My lord, you haven't come to my place for a long time. Don't you miss me?"

Zhao Gou picked up Concubine Pan horizontally, walked to the bed, put her on the bed, and gently caressed her body. Her body gradually responded and she moaned as if a long drought had finally come to an end. The action lasted for a long time, but Zhao Gou did not seem to go any further.

Zhao Gou gradually increased the intensity of his caressing, continuing the stroking and kissing movements, but his expression became increasingly anxious, with beads of sweat oozing from his head and neck. Concubine Pan felt a little pain, and she said in a coquettish voice, "My Lord, be gentle."

Perhaps because he was nervous, he couldn't use his abilities in front of his beloved woman. Today, he wanted to regain his lost abilities from Concubine Pan. He tried again and again, but failed again and again. In his anxiety and panic, his behavior became more and more frantic and violent. After the last ineffective attempt, Zhao Gou stood up out of control, frantically grabbing everything he could get his hands on and tearing and smashing it.

Princess Pan got up in horror and put on her coat. As she watched Zhao Gou's behavior gradually lose control, she realized that there was something wrong with his body.

After Zhao Gou smashed everything, he left without looking back.

The things on the round table were scattered all over the floor, leaving only a mess. After calming herself down, she ordered people to clean up the place.

Seeing her distraught appearance, the maid stepped forward and asked, "Madam, what happened? Why did the emperor leave in the middle of the night?"

After she asked this question, the pain in Concubine Pan's heart was turned upside down again, revealing her humiliation. She angrily slapped the maid and said, "Get out of here!"

After the maids hurriedly retreated, Concubine Pan finally burst into tears. It turned out that the person she'd been thinking about wasn't here to see her. It turned out that he'd been away from Concubine Xuan for all this time not because he was tired of her, but because he'd lost his function and couldn't face her. Then, what was she to the Emperor? Was she just a tool for him to test his own function? She'd been with the Emperor for years, bearing children, but wasn't worth the few months Liang Hongyu had spent with him?

Concubine Pan curled up even tighter in her bed, a long-suppressed emotion finally unbearable. Hot tears finally streamed down her cheeks, landing on the pillow. She wept silently for a long time. Her hatred for Liang Hongyu was as unending as these tears.