Chapter 86
Chapter 86
[Li Erfeng Becomes Wanyan Gou – 6]
Li Shimin suppressed the urge to throw the handkerchief into a furnace. Frowning, he questioned Cao Xun, who had personally experienced the Jingkang Incident, about the full course of events.
Li Shimin: “…”
He no longer wanted to curse. Truly.
The emperors: “…”
None had imagined such marvels could exist. They conceded defeat!
Zong Ze and Li Gang listened. Beneath their grief and indignation lay the serenity of men who had seen everything.
Cao Xun tearfully recounted the loyal martyrs of the disaster. “When the Jin besieged Dongjing, the city still held seventy thousand soldiers. Right Vice Director He Li memorialized the throne, begging to defend it. Unfortunately, the two emperors placed complete faith in Guo Jing’s Daoist magic and refused. After the city fell, He Li accompanied them north. Overcome by grief and anger, he starved himself to death at thirty-nine…”
“During the fighting outside Dongjing, Grand Academician Zhang Shuye of the Dragon Diagram Hall and his sons Bofen and Zhongxiong fought for days without rest. After the city fell, they continued despite grave wounds. When the Jin took the emperors north, Zhang Shuye accompanied them. Upon reaching Baigou and crossing the old Song-Jin border, he wept without cease and hanged himself that day at sixty-three…”
“After Dongjing fell, Fan Qiong, the patrol commander of the capital walls, betrayed the state and escorted the emperors to the Jin camp. Minister of Revenue Mei Zhili argued unsuccessfully. Returning home, he told his mother, ‘When the ruler is humiliated, the subject dies. Now my sovereign suffers this disgrace. What face have I to live?’ His mother replied, ‘Loyalty and filial duty cannot both be fulfilled. You received great grace from the state and should repay it loyally. Do not worry about your elderly parents.’ Mei Zhili entrusted them to his brothers, conspired with capital generals to raid the enemy camp and rescue the emperors, and risked death negotiating with the Jin, explaining that Dongjing’s people had no gold or silver left. A eunuch seeking private revenge secretly informed the Jin, and Mei Zhili and the related officials were killed. He was forty-eight…”
“Vice Minister of Personnel Li Ruoshui accompanied the emperors to the Jin camp and denounced Wanyan Zonghan’s broken promises. Wanyan Zonghan admired his loyalty and offered high office and wealth, saying submission today would bring riches tomorrow. Li Ruoshui firmly refused. Zonghan said his parents were elderly and, if he yielded, he might see them again. Li Ruoshui replied, ‘A loyal subject serves his ruler and no longer considers his family.’ He continued cursing. Zonghan ordered his tongue cut out. Unable to curse, Li Ruoshui glared and pointed, so they gouged out his eyes and severed his hands. He died at only thirty-five!”
Cao Xun collapsed and sobbed uncontrollably. Li Gang and Zong Ze wept, while palace attendants bowed their heads and cried.
Though Li Shimin belonged to another dynasty, compassion and respect heated his eyes. Yet the thought that Emperors Qinzong and Huizong had watched such loyal ministers die horribly beside them without being moved, then clung to life, traveled north, worshiped Jin ancestors, and accepted sons becoming slaves and daughters prostitutes-could such creatures even be called human, much less rulers?
What a tragedy that these righteous men had died for such a state and sovereigns!
Only soft sobbing filled the hall. After a long while, Li Shimin asked, “How are the two emperors, the Retired Empress, and my imperial sisters and relatives? Are they healthy?”
Cao Xun answered with fresh blood and tears. “The two emperors suffered grave humiliation and were scolded like slaves. Princesses Jiade, Rongde, Ande, and Maode were forcibly taken as Jin concubines. Princesses Baofu, Renfu, and Xianfu and two princes’ consorts were tortured to death. The remaining palace women, princesses, and imperial clanswomen were all enslaved in the Laundry Bureau…”
Unable to continue, his voice turned hoarse and tears soaked his robe. The hall’s sobbing grew louder.
And this was only a tiny fraction of the humiliation of Jingkang.
Though Li Shimin had not experienced it and was no descendant of the Zhao imperial clan, fire filled his chest. Bearing such hatred for state and family, how could the two emperors cling to life, and how could Wanyan Gou comfortably retreat to Yangzhou?
Even if he lived in one corner, why later obstruct Yue Fei from recovering lost territory and recall him with twelve gold plaques?
In original history, what three restrictions had Wanyan Gou imposed when reluctantly permitting Yue Fei to resist the Jin?
He was permitted only to “recover Xiangyang Prefecture and the six commanderies of Tang, Deng, Sui, Ying, and Xinyang”!
If the enemy “fled beyond the boundary, there was no need for distant pursuit”!
He was “not to exaggerate the situation or make excessive claims, such as ‘leading troops on a northern expedition’ or ‘recovering Bianjing,’ lest the Jin be provoked”!
Anyone ignorant of the truth might think the Jin were the Great Song’s supreme benefactors and reborn parents. The Song would rather tolerate every humiliation than harm a hair upon the Jin!
The Great Song emperor Wanyan Gou had not earned his name for nothing!
Li Shimin drew a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and sneered. “The barbarians are beasts. They fear strength and do not cherish virtue. Is this my ministers’ first day knowing that? The two emperors are in enemy hands, while princesses, palace women, and relatives suffer humiliation because the Jin consider our Great Song too weak to retaliate. Crying is useless. Cursing is useless. Only marching north to fight is useful!”
He immediately ordered a court conference, summoned the officials, and had Cao Xun recount the fall of the city and the loyal martyrs’ deeds. Finally, he passed Huizong’s bloodstained robe among them.
Weeping, Li Shimin said, “Though the Retired Emperor remains in the enemy camp, he worries for the state, sacrifices himself for the country, and longs for the royal army to march north without considering him. As both his son and Son of Heaven, responsible for ancestral temple and state, how dare I disobey? By my command, we depart tomorrow for Dongjing. The Empress Dowager, Empress, and Crown Prince will accompany me. Any official who displays cowardice or evasion will be executed without pardon!”
The emperor’s household was worth far more than those of his ministers. If he dared take his mother, wife, and children back to Dongjing, why should they fear?
Moral coercion was hardly invented by later generations.
Using Huizong’s bloodstained robe as a favorable wind, Li Shimin led everyone north the next day. Cao Xun memorialized him, requesting troops to rescue the two emperors. Li Shimin agreed repeatedly but ignored the matter.
Why rescue those bastards and cause trouble for himself?
Even if he could rescue them, he would not.
Bringing those two beasts back was simple. What of everyone else?
Were the two sources of disaster to return while innocent women remained suffering beneath Jin fury, living like neither humans nor ghosts?
Nothing in the world worked so conveniently.
Authority had never rested upon eloquence, but swords and spears. It had to be fought for.
Until force compelled the Jin to submit, words were useless.
Fast horses required less than a day from Nanjing, Yingtian Prefecture, to Dongjing. Even with the slower Empress Dowager, Empress, and official women, two days were ample.
The Great Song had four capitals named Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern. Their names overlapped with later geography, but all lay within Henan. Dongjing was the capital Bianjing, also Kaifeng Prefecture. Xijing was Luoyang. Nanjing, Yingtian Prefecture, was Shangqiu in Henan, while Beijing, Daming Prefecture, was Daming in Henan.
Before departing, Li Shimin sent veteran Zong Ze ahead as Defender of Dongjing.
The Jin still camped north of the Yellow River, and their drums sounded day and night. Repeatedly plundered, Dongjing lay in ruins. Civilians and soldiers lived chaotically together, bandits flourished, and public order had collapsed. Nothing remained of its former prosperity.
Zong Ze enforced law strictly, executed criminals to establish authority, directed subordinates to help rebuild collapsed homes and bury exposed corpses, and contacted neighboring prefectures to restore transport and trade. Prices stabilized, and order quickly returned.
In the sixth month of the first Jianyan year, Wanyan Zongwang died. The Jin appointed Wanyan Zongfu Right Deputy Marshal in his place and stationed him at the Yellow River, ready to move south.
Hearing that Zong Ze had been appointed Defender of Dongjing, organized defenses, and revived the city, Wanyan Zongfu grew worried.
The Jin did not cultivate literary virtue and believed in survival of the strongest. They respected strength and despised weakness. Thus, Qinzong and Huizong were obedient grandsons in Jin eyes, while Zong Ze was called “Grandfather Zong.”
Wanyan Zongfu feared Zong Ze’s ability and kept his army in place. When he heard the Song emperor had led the Empress Dowager, Empress, Crown Prince, and princess north, he was even more astonished.
The Jin knew exactly what Qinzong and Huizong were like. How was the new emperor so bold? Instead of fleeing south, he dared return to the capital?
Learning that the new ruler had demoted the peace and surrender factions and employed warlike generals, Wanyan Zongfu grew deeply worried. He summoned Princess Yongfu, Zhao Fobao, and asked, “You must have seen Zhao Gou at the Song court. How did he ordinarily behave? What was his temperament?”
Princess Yongfu was only fourteen. She and her sisters had suffered months of abuse since Jingkang. Now she was thin and weak, her cheeks pallid. Jin soldiers shoved her to her knees, and she answered tremblingly, “Ninth Brother is kind and treats his younger siblings well. He particularly likes Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy…”
He liked calligraphy, especially Wang Xizhi?
Why did he sound like his useless father?
What normal man liked that?
Wanyan Zongfu crouched, cruelty gleaming in his eyes. “Princess, if I learn you deceived me, you know what will happen.”
Princess Yongfu shook uncontrollably. “I did not deceive you. Truly…”
Wanyan Zongfu frowned and waved for her removal. After prolonged thought, he sent an envoy to Dongjing to investigate.
The moment the envoy arrived, Zong Ze detained him. At the same time, Li Shimin finally reached Bianjing.
Zong Ze advised, “Your Majesty, Wanyan Zongfu sent this envoy to spy upon us. We cannot allow him to…”
Li Shimin said, “Kill him!”
He looked at Zong Ze strangely and repeated, “I said kill him. There is no need to keep him.”
Zong Ze: “…”
Tears instantly poured down his face.
Was this what working under a normal emperor felt like?
Wah, he could do this!
It was the first time a Jin envoy had been killed.
Shocked and furious, Wanyan Zongfu immediately sent his son-in-law Wanyan Tuhesu across the Yellow River with the vanguard to attack Bianjing.
Li Gang, Zong Ze, Zhang Jun, Zhu Shengfei, and other officials hurried into the palace. Yue Fei followed Zong Ze. The first thing Zong Ze said was, “Your Majesty, the two emperors were taken north, and the Great Song has suffered enough humiliation. We cannot suffer more. Now Wanyan Zongfu has ordered…”
Li Shimin said, “Fight!”
Arms folded, he stared at the military map with shining eyes. “Fight! I will personally lead the campaign!”
Li Gang: “…”
Zong Ze: “…”
The other war-faction officials: “…”
That was not entirely necessary.
That day, the Song army marched to meet Wanyan Tuhesu. The renowned general Zhang Suo personally entered battle, with veteran Zong Ze holding the line behind him. Morale soared; drums thundered and shook Heaven.
Zhang Suo fought Wanyan Tuhesu for dozens of exchanges without advantage to either side. Suddenly, the soldiers behind him opened a path. A young general in a red robe charged forward with a spear, replaced him, and engaged Wanyan Tuhesu.
Zhang Suo instinctively wanted to rebuke the man for acting recklessly. But after reining in and observing, he found the youth exceptionally fierce, with the courage to withstand ten thousand men. In the next instant, Wanyan Tuhesu’s twin sabers were knocked flying, and he fell from his horse and was captured.
Zhang Suo shouted delightedly, “Excellent!”
He moved forward to see the young general’s face, but the man did not pause. With bow and arrows across his back, he urged his horse straight into the enemy formation.
Zhang Suo’s heroic spirit ignited. Laughing, he ordered the army forward. Just as he prepared to charge, he saw the young man he had recently met at Zong Ze’s residence galloping from the rear, drenched in sweat.
Before Zhang Suo could finish asking, Yue Fei raced past him. Li Gang, who had lost one shoe running, stood behind uncertain whether to pursue. Face red, he shouted, “Your Majesty, it is dangerous! Do not go!”