The meeting room of Funing Palace.
The three men, who were a little full from eating, stood below with their bellies bulging as they listened to Zhao Huan talk about his third strategy for saving the country.
The delicacies bestowed by His Majesty are a favor and an honor, and must be eaten up without any compromise. It is definitely not for the purpose of deducting salary if there is any leftover.
"My third strategy is to divide our forces!"
"The Jin Kingdom is coming with such force, not only aiming to destroy the Song Dynasty, but also the Zhao clan. Wanyan Zongwang's army is marching south, probably with the intention of capturing Tokyo and capturing the Emperor and me."
"The Emperor is now determined to go to Jiangnan. You all know this, but what's the point of going there? If I can't defend Tokyo, even if the Emperor flees to the ends of the earth, the Song Dynasty will be doomed to extinction. At most, it will linger for a few more years."
"It may sound a bit unkind of a son or a father, but I want the retired emperor to take the crown prince and some of the royal bloodline to Luoyang, the Western Capital. This way, both the eastern and western routes can allocate some troops to attack Luoyang. The pressure on Taiyuan and Tokyo will also be reduced, and the overall situation will be easier to revitalize."
"I have considered this as well. Luoyang is bordered by Mount Song to the east, Funiu Mountains to the south, the Qinling Mountains to the west, and Taihang Mountains to the north. Furthermore, it has the natural barrier of the Yellow River. The city has been built over the years and is impregnable. It is almost impossible for the Jin soldiers to capture Luoyang, and the probability of an accident is very small."
"From a strategic perspective, Luoyang is the key to heaven and earth, the throat of the Nine Provinces. It controls Hulao Pass in the east, Hangu Pass in the west, connects to Youyan in the north, and has Yique in the south. It can attack when advancing and defend when retreating."
"In the worst-case scenario, if Tokyo fails to hold, the Song Dynasty will at least have a way out. The hundreds of thousands of troops nationwide who are supporting the emperor won't be left in a state of panic, not knowing where to go."
Zhao Huan spoke out his third strategy in one breath, and then waited quietly for several people to give suggestions.
Zong Ze looked at Zhao Huan with a complicated expression. The strategy of dividing the troops was not at all like what His Majesty said, that he was not a son or a father. On the contrary, the strategy of dividing the troops was to leave hope to the retired emperor and the crown prince.
After all, Tokyo is still the most dangerous place.
If the retired emperor still wanted to take some responsibility for the Song Dynasty, he should go to Luoyang and actively prepare for war. What's more, Your Majesty is even going to send the crown prince there in order to reassure the retired emperor.
"His Majesty!"
Zong Ze fought back the tears, knelt on the ground, and said with a sob, "This plan is feasible, but it will be a disservice to Your Majesty."
Only then did Zong Ze realize that what His Majesty said when he ascended the throne in Daqing Hall, "If foreign enemies invade and the country is humiliated, I will be the general," was a plan for the worst. Jiangnan has never been the rear, Luoyang is.
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
"Since this plan is feasible, then we need your advice next."
Zhao Huan's eyes suddenly became extremely sharp, and he said in a stern tone: "When the emperor goes to Luoyang, the conservatives and the peace-seeking faction must not be allowed to participate."
"There are 315 influential officials in the court, but only 23 are staunch advocates of war. Most of them are tasked with defending Tokyo. If Your Majesty can trust me, I am willing to personally escort the Emperor and the Crown Prince to Luoyang."
"I am willing to go with you!"
"I will try my best to recruit a few more people and send them to Luoyang together."
Li Gang cannot leave. He is now the direct person in charge of defending Tokyo and can only do his best.
"Of course I trust you, but you are still too few. It is impossible for the two capitals of Dongjing and Xijing to rely on just these twenty or so. Are there any talented people who have been marginalized in the court? Local officials with good character and strong abilities would also be suitable. Please make a list and send it to me as soon as possible."
"Your Majesty is wise, and there are indeed many such officials."
"This matter must be kept secret. You can write it here! Grand Secretary, didn't you say that my poem "Farewell to Liang Hongyu" was very powerful? I will write another poem to encourage you."
Miscellaneous Poems on Jingkang and Anti-Jin
Why don’t men leave Tokyo and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun?
Loyal bones are buried everywhere in the green mountains, so why should we return home wrapped in horsehide?
On December 27th, Zong Ze, Li Gang, Yuwen Xu and other soldiers who led the fight against the Jin army were sent to Funing Palace.
Zhao Huan.
"Loyal bones are buried everywhere in the green mountains, so why should I return home wrapped in horsehide? I believe that as long as I can serve my country, even if I die, it is a worthy death. Why should I worry about what will happen after my death?"
"Your Majesty is very courageous. The Jin army is about to attack the city, but you don't care at all. Your eyes are still on the more distant Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun."
"Your Majesty said, 'Let me encourage you. Throughout the dynasties, countless people have strived to gain fame during their lifetime and after their death, but Your Majesty does not care about yourself at all. This is something only a saint can do!"
In short, just one word, good!
There's no point in flattering me, I'm just a porter.
Thanks to Gong Zizhen!
…………………………………………
"Your Majesty, this is the preliminary list we have drawn up. Their character and ability are guaranteed. Please make your decision, Your Majesty."
Zhao Huan took the list and complained in his heart, "It's so cruel to bury so many people. I've barely heard of many of their names."
Imperial College student: Chen Dong. Right Censor: Cui Yan. Assistant Censor: Sun Di. Supervisory Censor: Hu Shunzhi. Chief Censor: Chen Guoting. Taiyuan Envoy: Wang Bing. Kaifeng Prefecture: Nie Chang. Left Censor: Qin Hui. ...
Zhao Huan looked at them one by one and soon found an unexpected name - Qin Hui.
"Who? Qin Hui?"
"Why is this guy on the list?"
Zhao Huan was in turmoil. This was a treacherous minister!
"This Qin Hui? What do you think?"
"Your Majesty, Qin Hui was also a proponent of war. In the fifth year of the Xuanhe reign, the Song and Jin dynasties clashed fiercely over the Zhang Jue Incident. Qin Hui submitted a memorial, arguing that it would be inappropriate to show cowardice against the invading Jin army, lest it weaken their own forces. He proposed four military proposals: summon all officials for detailed discussions, strengthen defenses, relocate the Jin envoys outside the city, and, at most, cede territory along the Yanshan Mountains. Unfortunately, the Emperor Emeritus ignored him."
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