0p0 Chapter 211 The Purpose of Wanyan Xu, the Sixth Prince of the Jin Kingdom
Chapter 211 The Purpose of Wanyan Xu, the Sixth Prince of the Jin Kingdom
Beyond the imposing outline of Dongping Prefecture, at the foot of Baifo Mountain, the Jin army camp stood like an iron wall. Inside, the dim lights illuminated Wanyan Xu's tall figure. He listened intently as the voices of his generals rose and fell, reporting on the progress of the battle over the past few days. After several days of fierce fighting, the Jin army's iron hooves had swept away the vast area surrounding Dongping Prefecture almost completely, like autumn leaves being swept away by the wind. Only a few isolated military camps remained, like tenacious embers, still waging a relentless tug-of-war with the Jin army under the cover of night.
These remaining military strongholds, like occasional ripples in the long river of history, are small yet resilient. They bear witness to the cruelty and indomitable spirit of war, and foreshadow the lingering suspense surrounding the final victory. A cold glint flashed in Wanyan Xu's eyes—a yearning for victory, and respect for the challenger. He knew that the true test often lay hidden in these seemingly insignificant details, and that the glory of the Jin army was forged in such trials.
Among these sites was the Liangshan military stronghold, which became the military camp of the Song Dynasty's government troops after Song Jiang and his followers were granted amnesty following their uprising. The vast marshland formed by the Yellow River's floods made the Liangshan stronghold easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Wanyan Xu nodded slightly and said to the generals, "Everyone, please wait a few more days. Our Jin navy will be here soon. As long as we annihilate the Song navy, the troops inside the city will have nothing to fear."
He then asked, "How are the firearms we deployed performing?"
The commander of the musket battalion stepped forward slowly, his face grave. His voice carried a hint of helplessness and worry: "Reporting to the Marshal, while these new firearms are indeed powerful and effective in actual combat, their limited range is a significant weakness. Recent battles have been frequent, and our army has suffered more than half its casualties. Furthermore, these muskets are prone to exploding during emergency loading, resulting in injuries to many brave soldiers – a truly heartbreaking situation."
Upon hearing this answer, Wanyan Xu smiled with a hint of disdain.
“I always said these strange and unusual techniques are nothing special. On the battlefield, it is still our Jin Dynasty’s iron cavalry that is invincible. You should write a detailed explanation for the Prince of Zhennan and send it back to Zhongdu City so that the Prince of Zhennan can see the effects of the new weapon.”
Regarding his elder brother, Wanyan Xu did not entirely agree with Wanyan Ping's views and military strategies. Admittedly, Wanyan Ping had honed profound leadership skills during his military career, but when it came to strategic planning, Wanyan Xu was confident he possessed equally formidable abilities. He recalled the thrilling defense of Zhongdu, where, to gain the trust and support of the powerful minister Wanyan Liang, Wanyan Xu risked his life to meticulously orchestrate a grand scheme, ultimately cleverly seizing command of the campaign against the Song Dynasty from Wanyan Liang's grasp.
Deep within the resplendent Jin Dynasty palace, Wanyan Xu and Prince Zhennan, Wanyan Ping, though both of royal blood, were not born of the same mother. Wanyan Xu's mother was once a gentle figure in the Khitan tribe of the Liao Dynasty, but fate swept her into the Jin Dynasty, making her an insignificant concubine in the palace. This foreign bloodline, like a subtle mark on his identity, caused the generals in the court to treat him with varying degrees of contempt and alienation.
In the power-hungry and coldly indifferent imperial palace, Wanyan Xu was acutely aware of his predicament. The condescending gazes from above were like the biting winter wind, piercing and chilling. He, the sixth prince, did not succumb to despair or resentment; instead, a flame of ambition ignited within him. To earn his place in this world of war and conquest, to prove that he possessed not only noble blood but also the ability and wisdom to match it, Wanyan Xu embarked on a silent journey of self-discipline and refinement.
He fought countless battles, risking his life at every turn. Each victory was like a shining star added to his resume, its light, though small, steadfastly illuminating his path forward. This was not only a response to external doubts but also a cry from the depths of his heart, a cry against the mundane. Wanyan Xu wrote his own legend through his actions, determined to let the world know that even born a concubine with foreign blood, he could still leave a significant mark on the history of the Jin Dynasty.
As the Jin army swept away the surrounding military camps like autumn leaves in the wind, Zhang Quanliang, the Song general in Dongping Prefecture, was filled with anxiety. He had sent out several urgent letters pleading for help, each word earnest, hoping that the imperial reinforcements would arrive like timely rain. However, as the days passed, he received only silence in response, as if those letters had sunk into the sea and disappeared without a trace.
Zhang Quanliang knew that the situation was urgent. If they continued to struggle like this, he and his more than 300,000 brave soldiers would likely become loyal souls on this land, never to rise again. His heart was torn apart by worry and anxiety, every moment was like torture.
In the heart of Lin'an, deep within the imperial palace, within the Wende Hall, a heated court debate was unfolding. Southern Song officials, some standing, some seated, their voices rising and falling, seemingly threatening to overturn the magnificent hall. The appeasement faction, led by Qin Hui, wielded considerable power. Like a surging tide, they cleverly wove a web of rhetoric, using the urgent plea for aid from frontline general Zhang Quanliang as a pretext, attempting to tightly bind the notoriously ruthless war faction.
Qin Hui and his associates spoke sharply, every word revealing their insistence on peace talks and their fear of war. They used the urgency conveyed in the letter to depict the situation as fraught with crisis, suggesting that only by seeking peace could the nation be preserved. Meanwhile, the pro-war military generals, though outnumbered, were all resolute and unyielding. They spoke passionately, or glared angrily, vehemently advocating for an immediate military campaign to decisively defeat the enemy and defend the territory.
Between the two factions, a fierce debate raged, the air in the hall seeming to grow heavy with tension. Every word carried loyalty to the nation and hopes for the future, yet also reflected the complexities of human nature and the clear divisions of stance within the court. In this contest of wisdom and courage, the Wende Hall became a microcosm of the Southern Song Dynasty's fate; every decision could potentially lead this turbulent dynasty to a drastically different tomorrow.
Qin Hui addressed Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou, who sat on the dragon throne, saying, "Your Majesty, the Jurchens are exceptionally powerful. We seized these cities during their internal strife, but now that the Jurchens have quelled the rebellion, these 200,000 Jurchen troops are likely just an advance force. Your Majesty, you must reconsider. After all, there are still those puppet Song armies causing trouble in our south and west. I believe that the best strategy is to secure internal stability before resisting external aggression."
Upon hearing Qin Hui's words, before Zhao Gou could even speak, a military officer named Zhao Fangping, clad in armor, jumped out.
Zhao Fangping was a member of Zhao Gou's clan. Although they were both members of the royal family, their relationship was quite different. Because he supported Zhao Gou's ascension to the throne, he was appointed as the Grand General of the Palace Guard despite his advanced age.
Zhao Fangping pointed his finger at Qin Hui's nose and cursed, "You traitor! The Jurchens must have had bad intentions in letting you go back then. Now that our soldiers have fought so hard to capture this city, how can we just give it up like this? If you dare to spout any more nonsense, I'll twist your dog's head off!"
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, intending to attack Qin Hui, who was so frightened that he hurriedly ran behind Zhao Gou to hide.