Wanyan Ang said arrogantly, "Our Great Jin Emperor has said that this campaign has cost us a fortune. Therefore, he demands five million taels of gold, fifty million taels of silver, ten thousand horses and cattle, and one million bolts of silk. The Great Song must cede the three towns of Taiyuan, Zhongshan, and Hejian, and take the prince and prime minister as hostages before we will agree to peace."
"Boom!" The ministers were in an uproar. The Jin people were asking for so much, even if they mobilized the entire country, they couldn't come up with so much.
Li Bangyan said tremblingly: "Your Excellency, our Great Song Dynasty cannot afford such a large amount of gold and silver. I wonder if Your Excellency could ask for less?"
Wanyan Ang looked up at the sky, his eyes cold. "Hasn't your Song Dynasty always boasted of its vast territory and abundant resources? How come you can't even come up with a little gold and silver?"
Bai Shizhong also hurried over and said, "Your Excellency, please forgive me. Our Great Song Dynasty truly cannot afford such a large amount of gold and silver. Could you please report to the Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty and discuss whether we can discuss the annual tribute of two taels of silver?"
"Hmph, my Lord has said that if you are short of one ounce of silver, we will definitely capture Bianjing. And then we will definitely plunder your capital."
The ministers looked at each other in fear. This Jin Man was truly a greedy wolf that could never be satisfied.
Zhao Huan was furious: "I have already said that I will not give you even a tael of silver. Tell the financier that if he wants to fight, I will fight!"
"Report! Urgent news from the border!" A deacon eunuch ran in in a panic.
Cao Dongsheng hurried down to take the urgent report and presented it to Zhao Huan.
Zhao Huan took the urgent report, opened it, and his face changed drastically. He gritted his teeth and said nothing.
Wanyan Ang laughed heartily. "Well, Emperor Song, we, the Great Jin, have conquered Huazhou, and are only three days' journey from the capital. Do you still wish to resist?"
Everyone was shocked when they heard this. Huazhou was very close to the capital, and the Jin soldiers would arrive in the blink of an eye.
Wanyan Ang laughed out loud when he saw everyone's frightened expressions.
Zhao Huan was secretly terrified. The Jin army was advancing rapidly. "Our Great Song has been defeated time and again, unable to even secure a minor victory. What a shoddy army!" If he insisted on fighting now, the outcome would be uncertain. If they offered a huge compensation and women as a gift, he would absolutely not agree.
Li Gang stepped forward and said, "The Great Song Dynasty can increase the annual tribute by 300 to 500 taels, the military reward by 300 to 500 taels, and the gold by 10,000 taels. This is the bottom line of the Great Song Dynasty."
Zhao Huan felt a little relieved; Li Gang's words were exactly what he wanted. He could actually ask for peace, as long as the Jin didn't go too far. He could agree to give them a small amount of gold and silver, which would give him time to breathe. In just three years, he could transform this fragile Song army into an invincible iron force.
Unexpectedly, Wanyan Ang flew into a rage: "Are you sending away beggars? The conditions of the Great Jin Emperor must be fulfilled, or we will meet on the battlefield. I am afraid that in a few days, it will not be you old ministers in this Purple Palace, but our Great Jin cavalry!"
The ministers below started to use their unique skill - wiping sweat. Zhao Huan thought that everyone should be given a towel.
Zhao Huan stood up and said calmly, "Go back and tell your master. From this day forward, the Song Dynasty will not cede territory, marry women, pay indemnities, submit to vassalage, or pay tribute. The emperor abandons his country, and the king flees thousands of miles."
The ministers buzzed with emotion, and Zhao Huan suddenly realized his mistake. He had just tried to act pretentious like in a TV drama, but he had said it wrong.
He turned around and coughed, "Listen up, envoys of the Jin Dynasty! I, Emperor Zhao Huan of the Great Song Dynasty, am here today to issue an imperial decree to the world, in honor of our ancestors' teachings. From the moment I, Zhao Huan, ascend the throne, the Great Song Dynasty will not cede territory, marry off princesses, pay indemnities, submit to no vassalage, or pay tribute. The emperor guards the borders, and the king dies for the country. Even if I die in battle in this Purple Palace, I will show you the backbone of the Great Song Dynasty! Come, show me away!"
"Your Majesty!" The ministers below knelt on the ground. It seemed that many people were moved.
Wanyan Ang hadn't expected the emperor to be so courageous, and he was horrified. He admired heroes and despised cowards. He immediately showed deep respect for Zhao Huan and clasped his fists, saying, "Goodbye!"
After Wanyan Ang and others finished speaking, they left the Purple Palace with their followers under the guidance of the eunuchs.
Zhao Huan looked at the kneeling ministers and said, "Order me to announce what I have just said to the world."
"Long live our emperor, long live him, long live his." No minister dared to mention peace talks anymore. The pro-war faction currently had the upper hand.
"You are all the late emperor's trusted ministers. Can you please tell me why our Song soldiers were so weak that the Jin invaders pointed at our corpses and said, 'This is an army made of sand.'"
The ministers prostrated themselves on the ground: "Your Majesty, we are guilty."
"Li Gang!"
"I am here."
"Come, prepare the carriage. I am going to the city gate to comfort the soldiers. All of you ministers should come with me."
In the outer city of Kaifeng, Bianjing, Zhao Huan's dragon sedan chair, carrying civil and military officials, marched towards the city gate. People in the city stopped to kneel and shout "Long live the king".
Li Huan, commander of the infantry, had heard the news early and was waiting at the city gate with the generals defending the city.
"Long live our emperor. Long live the emperor." Everyone, generals and common people, knelt on the ground.
"Stand up!" Zhao Huan was delighted. If the Jin army hadn't attacked, the emperor would have been living a carefree life.
"I, General Li Huan, the Infantry Commander, respectfully welcome Your Majesty!"
Zhao Huan looked up. Li Huan was about forty years old and had gained weight. He looked like a pampered lord, not a general commanding the imperial guards.
Zhao Huan: "Li Huan, take me to the city wall to observe."
"Well... Your Majesty, the north wind is blowing fiercely on the city wall. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Zhao Huan waved his hand and said, "It's okay." Then he climbed up the steps of the city wall.
The soldiers on the city walls rejoiced when they heard that the emperor had come in person. Many of the imperial guards had only ever known the imperial city and had never seen the emperor in person.
Zhao Huan was very unhappy because the soldiers kept kneeling wherever he went. He had no choice but to order Cao Dongsheng beside him: "Dongsheng, make them all stand up, everyone stand up."
"The emperor has issued an order. Soldiers defending the city have worked hard. Everyone please stand up. No need to be polite!" Cao Dongsheng shouted loudly.
Zhao Huan walked on the city wall, accompanied by Cao Dongsheng and Zhan Yunpeng, and behind him were a group of civil and military ministers.
"Call Li Gang over."
"I am here."
When Zhao Huan turned around, Li Gang was behind him.
"Li Gang, look at these soldiers. Their weapons are so old and worn out. Some of the spear tips are even rusted."
Li Gang sighed and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards have not fought since the time of Emperor Taizu. Their long absence from battle has led to their disorganization. I have already beheaded the officer in charge of the weapons department. These weapons are difficult to repair, so we will have to make do with them."
"Li Gang, if we use this rusty iron spear against the Jin thieves, do you think we can win?"
"I am guilty."
"I am not here to ask for your advice or to accuse you of a crime. What I want is a solution. What is this?" Zhao Huan suddenly became interested in a pile of black things.
Li Gang hurriedly introduced: "This is a 'thunderbolt cannon' produced by the gunpowder kiln workshop in the capital. It's used to defend the city. The iron can is filled with powder and ignited with fire. When the cannon is fired, the sound is like thunder and can be heard a hundred miles away. The fire covers an area of more than half an acre, and the fire can penetrate even iron armor."
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