The Song army was defeated at the front and collapsed at the first blow. This was probably not just a matter of command errors.

"Where is Li Gang?" Zhao Huan hurried to Wende Hall.

"Your Majesty, Li Gang is waiting in the Wende Hall."

"Go!"

At this moment, Li Gang in Wende Hall was pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan, rubbing his hands.

Zhao Huan ran over and shook the memorial in his hand: "Li Gang, what's going on?"

"Your Highness Li Gang pays homage to the emperor..."

"No, no, let's talk business." Zhao Huan sat down hurriedly.

Li Gang's face was heavy with worry. "Your Majesty, I have just received urgent news from the front. Our army has suffered a crushing defeat. I had intended to submit my report to Your Majesty at court tomorrow morning, but the situation is urgent. I have entered the palace tonight."

"Li Gang, you did the right thing. From now on, whenever there is any urgent military information, you can go directly to the palace to make a request. Tell me, the memorial said that Wanyan Zonghan's army first broke Shuozhou, then captured Daizhou, and later Zhongshan surrendered, and is now besieging Taiyuan. Why did the memorial come so slowly?" Zhao Huan was secretly horrified. The Jin soldiers were so fast. Are the armies of our Song Dynasty all idiots?

Li Gang wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "Your Majesty, it's a long journey to Taiyuan. It took several days for the news to reach Bianjing. I'm afraid now..."

Zhao Huan was even more alarmed: "I'm afraid Taiyuan can't be defended either, right?"

"I am terrified."

Zhao Huan was in a state of confusion and sighed. He deeply felt the helplessness and desolation of a king who had lost his country: "Li Gang, why is my Song army so vulnerable?"

"Your Majesty, our army has not been on the battlefield for a long time. The bureaucrats are severely exploiting us, and the soldiers' morale is low. We are really unable to fight." It seems that Li Gang is very clear about the weaknesses of the Song army.

Zhao Huan rubbed his temples, his mind clear. No one wants to give up power once it's acquired. Zhao Ji abdicated because he couldn't clean up this mess. He had no choice but to hand it over to himself. But the Jin army was gaining strength, and the Song Dynasty was already in ruins. He feared he was powerless to reverse the situation.

"Li Gang, I asked you to go to Shanxi to find a man named Yue Fei. Did you find him?"

Li Gang shook his head: "Shanxi is already in chaos at this moment, and I am incompetent."

Too many lice won't itch, Zhao Huan had to stay calm. He looked at Li Gang and said, "I don't care about Taiyuan anymore. I want to ask you, can the imperial guards in the capital resist the Jin soldiers? Tell me the truth."

Li Gang sighed, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards have complex interests with many ministers. They're seriously exploiting the government without paying the salaries. I checked the roster. It lists 270,000 Imperial Guards, but the actual number is only over 30,000."

"What?" Zhao Huan was shocked. "So the imperial court is providing food and wages for 270,000 imperial guards, but the actual number of troops is only 30,000?"

Li Gang nodded, and Zhao Huan was furious: "Who has the audacity to falsely report such a huge number of heads?"

"this……"

"Speak!" Zhao Huan slammed the table angrily.

Li Gang bowed and said, "Yes, it's the Emperor."

Zhao Huan had long suspected that no matter how bold the officials were, they would not dare to falsely report the number of imperial troops of more than 30,000 to 270,000.

"It was Cai Jing. He advised the retired emperor that now that the world was at peace, the number of imperial guards should be reduced. The number was reduced, but the court's annual food and salary figures were still inflated based on the pre-cut figures. Part of the inflated money was squandered by Cai Jing, and part was given to the retired emperor..."

"What is the purpose of the emperor doing this?" Zhao Huan asked.

"Your Majesty, if the palace's expenses are too high, it will cause dissatisfaction among the ministers, and some ministers will write letters of impeachment. So Cai Jing came up with this idea to use the fictitious money for palace use."

Zhao Huan gnashed his teeth in hatred: "These traitors are weak and incompetent in front of the outside world. But they are very familiar with me and can think of anything. Cao Dongsheng!"

Cao Dongsheng stood aside and bowed: "I am here."

"Issue an order that Cai Jing's entire family be exiled to the border and their property confiscated!"

"As you wish."

Zhao Huan checked the annual revenue reports from the Ministry of Revenue and found the treasury relatively full. He hadn't intended to confiscate the property of these traitors. He had hoped that the six thieves' crimes wouldn't harm their families, and he wouldn't resort to the genocide of their entire clan. Now, it seemed that confiscating their property wouldn't appease their hatred.

"Li Gang, can these 30,000 people withstand the siege of the Jin people?" Zhao Huan asked again.

"Your Majesty, it is impossible to stop it. However, I have a plan."

Zhao Huan looked at him and said, "Recruit the people of Bianjing to fill the imperial guards. Defend the city and wait for reinforcements. Is that what you mean?"

Li Gang looked up at Zhao Huan in surprise. This emperor was so amazing that he could actually guess his plan. "Your Majesty is wise. We can also spread rumors in the capital, saying that the Jin thieves will massacre the people after they break into the city. Then we can close the city gates tightly, and only allow people to enter but not leave. This way, the military and civilians will unite to defend the capital."

Zhao Huan pondered for a moment and said, "Well, let's do this. Tomorrow morning, envoys from the Jin people will arrive. They want us to advocate peace. What do you think, my dear?"

Li Gang's face showed a resolute look: "Your Majesty, the Jin people are untrustworthy. They are like ungrateful wolves that can never be fed. I believe that we must not cede territory or pay compensation again."

Zhao Huan smiled and said, "Lord Li, what you said is exactly what I want. From today on, I will not give the Jin people a single ounce of silver. If they want to fight, we will fight them all!"

Zhao Huan looked up at the sky outside the window and sighed: "Three years, even if I am given another three years of breathing time, I can drive these Jin thieves back to Changbai Mountain to eat dirt."

Li Gang was delighted. This emperor seemed frivolous on the surface, but in fact he had great foresight in handling affairs and was a wise ruler.

Zhao Huan saw a smile on Li Gang's face and asked, "Why are you so happy, my dear Li?"

So Li Gang said: "Your Majesty has the demeanor of a wise ruler."

Zhao Huan also smiled and said: "A wise ruler, alas, I can't be a wise ruler. You ministers are lucky if you don't call me a foolish ruler behind my back."

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