The seventh year of Xuanhe in the Northern Song Dynasty.
On December 23rd, at the hour of Mao, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
In Tokyo Bianliang, the Daqing Hall of the Bianjing Palace was already brightly lit.
Song Huizong sat upright on the dragon throne with a haggard face. He hadn't had a good sleep for a long time. As soon as he closed his eyes, he saw the scene of swords and axes attacking him. He was very panicked.
Two months earlier, the Jin army had divided into two routes, one east and one west, to attack the Song. The eastern route, led by Wanyan Zongwang, entered Yanshan from Pingzhou (present-day Qinhuangdao and Tangshan), and successively captured Jizhou and Tanzhou, with their cavalry heading straight for Youzhou.
Wanyan Zongmou and Guo Yaoshi's ever-victorious army met at Baihe. The two sides fought for three days, and the Jin army retreated thirty miles.
Zong Wang sent people to persuade them to surrender, promising high positions and generous salaries. However, Guo Yaoshi, the bastard, ignored the emperor's grace and surrendered to the Jin Kingdom with 100,000 victorious soldiers. He also volunteered to be the vanguard and lead the attack on the Song Dynasty.
The slave of three surnames, the damn pharmacist Dongxiguo's "bringing money into the group" was a heavy stab in the chest of the "mother-in-law" Song Dynasty.
The Jin Kingdom suddenly had an additional 100,000 puppet troops, and there were also several Song traitors headed by Guo Yaoshi and Zhang Linghui who were familiar with the Song Dynasty's military affairs, which made it even more powerful.
The Song Dynasty's northern barrier, Yanshan Prefecture, fell directly, and the eastern wing of the defense line in the rear was caught off guard by the Jin army, suffering heavy losses. Apart from the Yellow River defense line, there was no other line of defense left, and Bianliang faced the Jin army directly.
This is the first knife, betrayal!
Song Huizong was frightened and quickly summoned his ministers to discuss countermeasures. Cai Jing, Bai Shizhong, Zhang Bangchang, Zhu Zhen, Tong Guan and others all advocated ceding land and seeking peace.
Song Huizong sent Li Ye, the Imperial Secretary, to the Jin camp to seek peace. However, Wanyan Zongmou ignored him and only asked his guards to take Li Ye to watch the Jin army's siege of the city. Li Ye was frightened by the momentum of the Jin army and almost collapsed to the ground.
Li Ye returned to Bianliang and reported to Song Huizong that the Jin army was like tigers, their horses were like dragons, they could climb mountains like monkeys and dive into water like rapids, their momentum was like Mount Tai, and the Song Dynasty was like a pile of eggs.
Li Ye, the "Six Likes Official" who boosted others' ambitions and destroyed his own prestige, quietly stabbed the "motherland" of the Song Dynasty in the back.
When the soldiers and civilians of Bianliang heard the news, they lost all their will to fight. The Jin army was described as a heavenly army and generals. They couldn't win anyway, so they might as well give up and wait for the country to be destroyed!
For a time, the country was in turmoil, people's hearts were divided, and a peasant uprising broke out in Shandong. The Song Dynasty was on the verge of collapse.
This is the second knife, panic!
At this time, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Yuwen Xuzhong gave Song Huizong an idea - to issue a self-criticism edict.
Now that peace talks have failed, the only option is bloody battle. Under the current circumstances, the military and civilians of Bianliang are reluctant to resist the Jin, eager to become Jin subjects under a new dynasty. Having no sense of belonging to the Song Dynasty is a serious problem.
Since ancient times, there have been ministers who can survive by surrendering, and there have been common people who can survive by surrendering, but has there ever been an emperor who can survive by surrendering?
Your Majesty, you must make a statement, admit your mistakes, and then demonstrate your sincerity in resisting the Jin by offering some benefits to the military and civilians. Abolish the Xicheng Office and return the public land to the people. Reduce palace expenses and official salaries. Abolish the Yingfeng Bureau, the Xingxing Bureau, the quarry, the Duchachang, and so on. Use the funds for military pay, some for food and weapons, and some for rewards for soldiers and militia who kill the enemy.
A reward silver exchange office was set up outside the Bian Jing Palace. No matter who came, one Jin army head could be exchanged for twenty taels of silver, and the money was paid on the spot.
In addition, a group of eloquent political commissars were secretly selected to spread the news of the Jin army's brutal murders and abductions of wives and daughters in the city of Bianliang, in order to arouse the determination of the military and civilians to unite against the enemy and defend their country.
When Song Huizong heard that what Yuwen Xuzhong said made sense, he promoted Yuwen Xuzhong to the position of Grand Secretary of the Zizhi Palace, giving him full responsibility for this matter.
In his edict of confession of guilt, Yuwen Xu Zhong enumerated the ten major sins of Song Huizong, including being close to villains, alienating wise ministers, imposing heavy taxes, and being extravagant and corrupt... He was sincere and heartfelt, and scolded Song Huizong harshly.
As a result, the edict of repentance was issued, but the effect was not obvious, and the military and civilians did not buy into Song Huizong's account.
Why? Even the life-saving straw is useless!
This time, it was Song Huizong who cried wolf and his minions, the Six Thieves of the Northern Song Dynasty, who stabbed the sharpest knife into the heart of the Song Dynasty with their own hands.
During the more than 20 years of Song Huizong's reign, he was quick to admit mistakes but even quicker to make them. Institutions abolished today were reinstated a few days later, policies abolished today were implemented a few days later, and promised rewards were not honored. Instead, he issued a redemption voucher and told people to collect 100 taels before returning. It was truly a Song Dynasty version of Pinduoduo's cash red envelopes...
In the end, the "Edict of Confession of Sins" that should have been a life-saving straw became a piece of waste paper with zero use value due to Song Huizong's fickleness and low integrity.
This is the third knife, stubborn disease!
The edict of repentance was useless, and Song Huizong's only option was a strategic retreat.
There is naturally a difference between a strategic retreat and an escape. A prestigious and military-savvy person must be left in Bianliang to preside over the overall anti-Jin situation.
As the leader of the army at the time, Tong Guan should have taken on this important task. However, due to the influence of Song Huizong's self-criticism edict, public sentiment was in turmoil, and Tong Guan's prestige was seriously insufficient.
For the first time, Song Huizong reflected on himself and wondered why the whole court of civil and military officials was filled with useless people. When the critical moment came, none of them was useful.
Song Huizong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. At this time, someone submitted a memorial to Song Huizong that touched his heart.
The general content of the memorial is: Why doesn’t Your Majesty abdicate?
The Jin army attacked the Song Dynasty under the pretext of punishing the criminals and pacifying the people. Now that Your Majesty has voluntarily abdicated, the Jin army has no excuse and cannot stand its moral ground.
A new emperor brings a new atmosphere. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always been frugal and has never been involved in corruption with Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Zhu Zhen, Bai Shizhong, Zhang Bangchang and others. He enjoys prestige among the people and is qualified to take on this important task.
My father, Li Kui, was instrumental in resisting the Western Xia and rose to the rank of Pacifier of the Southwest Jinglu. Though Gang may not be particularly talented, he comes from a military family, having been raised in the barracks and possessing a basic understanding of military affairs. He vows to be a vanguard in the fight against the Jin, refusing to return until the Jin retreat.
The person who submitted the memorial was Li Gang, Shaoqing of the Taichang Temple!
It was ridiculous that such a capable person was assigned to place candles and wipe the table during a national sacrifice. Song Huizong immediately promoted Li Gang to the position of Defense Commissioner of the Four Walls of the Capital, and began to take charge of anti-Jin affairs.
It's good to abdicate. After working for more than 20 years, it's time to retire.
Unexpectedly, when Crown Prince Zhao Huan heard that Song Huizong was going to abdicate the throne to him, he was so scared that he collapsed to the ground.
Dad, you are so disloyal! The Jin army is coming, if you want to escape, take me with you, I don’t want to be the emperor.
Song Huizong was furious. "I raise a son for a thousand days, but only use him for a moment. Why did I make you the crown prince? Wasn't it just so that one day you could take the blame for me? You're not going to be the emperor? Aren't you betraying your father?"
The prince, who had always been well-behaved and obedient, stabbed Song Huizong in the back at this critical moment and hit his head against a palace pillar and fainted.
Prince Zhao Huan, who "would rather die than surrender", resolutely slashed the last knife between Da Song's legs.
I also want to be a good father, but I have no choice.
Hurry and summon the imperial physician! When the crown prince wakes up, persuade him earnestly. Regardless of whether he understands the situation or not, he must ascend the throne at Daqing Hall at noon on the 23rd, even if he has to be tied up.
This is the fourth knife, unique!
Bei Song had four tetanus blades stuck in his body. Who else could save him except gods?
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