After Wang Bolong's death, the Jin army was shaken and demoralized, and they even wanted to avoid fighting. Therefore, before Gao Qingyi came to see Wuzhu, the high-level military meeting at noon had already discussed a variety of issues from a military perspective.
For example, those who support the heavy march to the south are not only those who suggest attacking Tokyo, some also suggest rushing thousands of miles to attack Shanluo, cutting off the logistics of the Zhao official family in Hedong or something like that... Of course, compared to the former which is intuitive and simple, the latter is a bit confusing, because not to mention that half of Hedong's logistics are in Guanzhong and half in Shanluo, nor what impact a thousand-mile raid against Shanluo will have on its own logistics. If that is the case, what if the Song army in Hedong, which controls the Chenguan Pass and has a large number of cavalry, simply abandons Taiyuan and returns to encircle the Jin army?
All I can say is that these troops were sent south, and fortunately no one said that the entire army was going to attack Jinan.
Of course, sending heavy troops south, whether to attack Tokyo or directly to Shaanxi and Luo to cut off the Song army's logistics in the Hedong direction, means seeking victory in the south, which is essentially a gamble.
The bet is on the ability of mobile warfare, which will test the logistics supply of the Jin army itself; the bet is on whether the weather will give face to the Jin Dynasty, because once the ice period is over, the Song army navy hidden in the camp under the Yuan city will swarm out control the Yellow River with absolute advantage; the bet is on the determination of Yue Fei and the Zhao Song officials, because as of now, Yue Fei may have stored a large amount of military supplies in his camp, and the Hedong direction simply has two supply directions at the same time. Whether the so-called Wei-Jiao-Zhao strategy can be successful depends mostly on whether the two supreme commanders will be shaken by the situation.
In addition, how many troops to send south and how many to leave behind to monitor Yue Fei has now become a difficult problem.
Just as there is a faction heading south, there is naturally a faction heading north. There are also two opinions on the issue of heading north. One is to suggest retreating to the area around Zhending Prefecture and Hejian Prefecture, building a defense line on the spot, blocking Jingxing or something; the other is to go back to rescue Taiyuan, and while the Song army in Hedong has to force its way through the Queshu Valley, gather heavy troops in Taiyuan and fight a decisive battle with the Song army.
Going north here is a bit like giving up everything. Going to Zhending is almost equivalent to giving up Yuancheng and Taiyuan. And a decisive battle with the Song army in Taiyuan is also a trap. If you go to Taiyuan, your troops will be maximized, but the Song army will have more troops in Hedong, right? And what if Yue Fei quickly breaks through Yuancheng and catches up from behind?
As for staying here, it seems that it is still a solution. Many people do hope to reorganize the attack, but isn't it that the offensive has been frustrated and the morale of the army has been shaken? So we have to restore the morale of the army first.
However, these plans are only discussing military affairs and analyzing the pros and cons from a military perspective. Moreover, they are only military considerations for short-term actions in the next phase, which is somewhat short-sighted.
In this regard, Wanyan Wushu, who was in charge, was keenly aware that these plans were superficial disputes, even though he was almost suffocated by Wang Bolun. These things alone were not enough for him, the ruling prince who controlled everything on the front line, to make a decision.
So, Gao Qingyi appeared.
Gao Qingyi's personal purpose was undoubtedly to persuade Wanyan Wushu to continue trying to rescue Yuancheng.
But this did not prevent him from laying out the logic of things for Wushu... Specifically, this person came here, on the one hand, to remind Wanyan Wushu that he had to consider political accounts while calculating military accounts, and he had to consider people's hearts and regional ethnic politics; on the other hand, it was to warn Wanyan Wushu from a military perspective that the situation was already very bad, and if a decisive battle was to take place, he had to stretch the Song army's supply lines as much as possible and shorten his own logistics lines as much as possible, and he had to let the Yanyun new army participate in the war.
In a word, you can gamble, but if you want to gamble, you must change your mindset, unite all the forces that can be united, and then put all your strength together in one go in the place where you are most suitable!
Be careful not to bet in the wrong direction, or even bet separately.
With this idea in mind, Wuzhu, who was originally confused, finally regained his clarity of mind and made a quick decision... The logic was very simple, and it was basically in line with Gao Qingyi's intention... In order to ensure that the Yanyun New Army, which was still in preparation and gathering, could be pressed forward when necessary, and in order to ensure that the decisive battle could be launched in a place that was conducive to logistical supplies, the location must be in the north. For this reason, the plan to go south would be rejected.
While the plan to go south was abandoned, in order to maintain the morale of the army, they could not just leave and return to the rear. The best plan at the moment seemed to be to continue to boost the morale of the army and continue to try to attack Yue Fei.
And to be honest, the loss of a million households is certainly shocking, but to throw the army into disarray and change the original strategy just because of it is even more of a move that would invite chaos.
After making up his mind, Wuzhu invited Gao Qingyi to be his direct interpreter, and discussed with Balisu. After the two sides exchanged opinions, Balisu obviously recognized Wuzhu's judgment... In fact, Balisu himself also hoped to continue to maintain his strategic plan, rather than completely change his course just because of a failure.
This was already evident from the fact that he insisted on attacking that day and that he prioritized calming the military's morale today.
Now that the two have reached an agreement, the next step is to stimulate and restore the morale of the troops.
First, Balisu, as the marshal, ordered the opening of military supply stocks, including those in the surrounding counties, and rewarded the lower-level soldiers generously.
Immediately, King Wushu of Wei personally stepped forward and overruled all the opposition, promoting some Haner supplementary soldiers who had performed well in previous battles to marching Meng'an and Mouke, and many officers who were originally Meng'an and Mouke directly obtained the hereditary Mouke status. The marching silver medals were issued on the spot, the hereditary documents were written on the spot, and then sent to Yanjing in front of everyone.
The morale of the army was surprisingly boosted and gradually recovered.
Of course, these things alone are destined to take three or four days, and after that, it seems that the attack will have to be reorganized and even the troops will need to be recruited again.
In a daze, no one cared that it was already the second half of the twelfth lunar month and the end of the year could be counted on fingers.
From the perspective of the Song people, the next year was the tenth year of Jianyan, but from the perspective of the Jin people, it was the sixth year of Huangtong... However, no one knew whether it would be Jianyan or Huangtong in the two rivers next year.
Time goes back to the day when Gao Qingyi persuaded King Wushu of Wei with his sharp tongue. Just when the Jin army was still in a panic over the death of Wang Bolun in battle, on the Hedong side, Niu Gao's troops under Li Yanxian took the lead in capturing the northern gate of Yangliang.
This time is actually four or five days later than the worst case scenario that Balisu had expected.
In other words, the Song army in Hedong did not perform any miracles, nor did they perform any sloppy operations. Instead, they steadily opened up the Queshu Valley at an ordinary speed that was within everyone's expectations... It took about forty days in total.
The process was unremarkable.
From the Jin army's side, they implemented the arrangements made before Bali left. In addition to defending Yangliang South Gate, North Gate, and Lingshi City in the middle, they also set up camps at many dangerous points along the valley, resisting layer by layer. Once they were frustrated, they retreated without hesitation, only seeking to delay, not to fight to the death.
For the Song army, the whole process was a saturation attack mode.
There were artillery carriages. Emperor Zhao personally issued an order to have Mei Li, a direct scholar, build a batch of small, lightweight artillery carriages with standardized parts. Then they were equipped with wheels and used animal power for traction. Starting from Yangliang South Pass, these artillery carriages were constantly worn out and replenished to ensure that they would always be useful.
At the same time, in response to the Han army's surrender, the rebels who were familiar with the terrain crossed the small trails and launched a surprise attack from behind. They also launched night attacks, fire attacks, and violent attacks by the frontal troops. The Poxi army also used camels to climb high and launch small crossbows. All the necessary tactics were used.
With various means, and relying on its military advantage, the Song army took turns to fight day and night. In the end, they followed the Fen River all the way north, steadily opened up the Queshu Valley, broke through two passes, and captured Lingshi City.
Of course, Emperor Zhao was not just slacking off during these forty days... He and his husband Lu Yihao, who was accompanying the army, were stationed in Xiangling and Linfen respectively, across the Fen River. They still needed to appease the people, set up logistics stations, and participate in decision-making on respective affairs in the rear and on the front lines, and they were very busy.
"What pattern is woven on this carpet?"
At noon that day, at the same time that Niu Gao entered the northern gate of Yangliang, at the foot of Mount Gushan, in the narrow and cramped lobby of the Xiangling County Government, Emperor Zhao suddenly raised an interesting question in public.
The official had spoken, so naturally the people below had to respond, so they all hurriedly circled around the luxurious and overly large red Persian carpet on the floor of the hall, trying to make out something.
Soon, the lion and antelope facing each other on the top of the carpet were immediately distinguished. Of the four plants below, the roses, roses and palm trees, which are native to northern China and the Central Plains, were of course quickly identified.
However, as for the remaining two plants with distinct characteristics, which are also a flower and a tree, no one dares to draw a conclusion.
"Your Majesty." The well-read scholar Fan Zongyin bowed. "This tree looks very much like a lacquer tree, but the fruit it has is really puzzling..."
Zhao Jiu immediately looked at the direct scholar Mei Li.
Mei Li did not dare to neglect the matter and immediately bowed his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I really do not recognize this tree, but I have some guesses about the nuts in the basket under the tree... If my guess is correct, this should be a kind of lacquer tree nut that is a specialty of Persia, called pistachio. It is clear, oily and crispy inside, and it is fragrant when chewed. It is a specialty of Persia... But this thing is easily affected by moisture, and once it is affected by moisture, it will easily become moldy. Therefore, it is only occasionally seen in the southeast port, and it is not sold as a commodity. Moreover, it is said that this tree likes the sun very much and is only produced in the mountains of Persia. Once transplanted, there will be no such fruit."
"If that's the case, then the oranges in the south of the Huai River are not as good as the tangerines in the north of the Huai River." Fan Zongyin sighed. "There are similar relatives among the lacquer trees, but it is the Pistacia chinensis... The bitterness of Pistacia chinensis is well known throughout the world, but it unexpectedly turns into the fragrant pistachio in Persia."
Zhao Jiu nodded slowly. Of course he knew what it was... pistachio. However, pistachio was actually from the same genus as Pistacia chinensis, both being a type of lacquer tree. This was truly an eye-opener for him.
"What about this last flower?"
After nodding, Zhao Jiu continued to sit in front of the carpet and ask questions.
"This may just be a common purple-red flower in Persia..." Fan Zongyin chuckled. "Flowers are so common. There are tens of millions of flowers in the world. It is not necessary to distinguish them clearly."
After these words were spoken, Mei Li, who was about to explain, found it difficult to speak.
"This is Persian safflower." Zhao Jiu finally sat there and spoke helplessly. "It is one of the most famous specialties of Persia, purple flowers and red columns... The most valuable is the red column, which is not only a holy medicine for gynecology, but also a top spice and a good thing for health preservation... So even though the flower color is white and purple, it is called safflower. The best safflower can be exchanged for the same weight of gold."
Fan Zongyin was embarrassed for a moment.
Fortunately, Zhao Jiu ignored him and looked directly at a person beside the carpet in the hall: "Xiao Qing, Dashilin Ya has already invaded the Karakhanid Khanate and seized 3,000 miles of land, reaching Hezhong. Now that he is giving me a gift, it is impossible for him to only send Persian carpets and not Persian safflowers, right?"
The man immediately bowed respectfully, then raised his head and smiled, speaking in a Hebei dialect: "Your Majesty, you are joking. Since foreign officials have presented special products from Persia and Hezhong to you, how can I not present Persian safflower?"
As he spoke, the Western Liao official, who was obviously of Xi ethnic origin, picked and chose from the pile of gifts behind him, then took out a box and said respectfully: "To let the emperor know, my king sent troops last year, and in the first half of this year, he conquered the Karakhanid Khanate, ceded its north and annexed its south, and slightly opened up the Yellow River. The most precious tributes received this year are nothing more than three kinds, namely 84 catties of Persian safflower, 13 boxes of green jade, and 24 Persian carpets. My king did not dare to be tyrannical at all, and the tributes to the emperor were all top-quality, and he took half of them. He also gave all the green jade to the emperor as a token of respect... This box is exactly one catty."
As he spoke, the man carefully handed the wooden box in his hand to a eunuch, who turned out to be Shao Chengzhang, one of the three escorts of the Eunuch Department.
Shao Chengzhang took it and opened it in public in the hall. Sure enough, he saw a whole box of dried Persian safflower pistils, which were crystal red and had a spicy fragrance. He couldn't help but marvel at it.
Zhao Jiu laughed. "When the envoy returns, you can tell your Dashilin Ya that I appreciate his sincerity and know what he wants, but those things can never be bought with any treasures... On the other hand, as long as the two countries are in harmony and civilization is unified, the road to the west will be unobstructed, and silk will naturally go west to exchange for these treasures. Why should he search for them from all over the world? Of course, if Dashilin Ya sends more seeds and Persian skills next time, I will also be happy to see it happen."
The messenger was slightly moved, but it was not appropriate to directly talk about the formal topic when the gift was half delivered, so he immediately put down his hands, smiled, and agreed repeatedly.
Zhao Jiu didn't care and simply made the distribution: "How about this, twelve Persian carpets, the largest one will be sent to Zhang Jun of Qingzhou, then one to Lu Haowen, the Prime Minister of Tokyo, one to Han Shizhong, the Prince of Han, one to Lu Yihao, the Prime Minister of Fencheng across the Fen River, and the remaining eight will be placed in Wende Hall, Jiying Hall, Secret Pavilion, Public Pavilion, Capital Province, Privy Council... uh, one each to the Imperial College and the Military Academy."
The guard Shao Chengzhang was standing by and quickly took the box of red flowers and said yes.
"As for the 42 boxes of Persian safflower..." Zhao Jiu looked at the safflower in Shao Chengzhang's arms, thinking. "One box for each of the three queen mothers, the imperial concubine, and the virtuous concubine in the palace, one box for each of the ministers and generals, five boxes for each of the secret cabinet and the public cabinet, and five boxes for the ministers who are here to serve the emperor. The remaining boxes will be given to Wu Guozhang, who will sell them on his behalf to raise military funds." At this point, Zhao Jiu couldn't help but look at Fan Zongyin on the side, but couldn't help laughing. "This box is awarded to Mr. Fan... Although knowledge is far away, it should be learned even in Persia. There is nothing to be ashamed of. When it comes to knowledge, just try your best to learn it."
If he had given the reward directly, it would have been humiliating. But after he had said the last sentence, Fan Zongyin did not want to take it to heart and solemnly said yes in public. And when he really took the whole box of red flowers from the serious Shao Chengzhang, many people in the hall envied him. Smelling the strange and spicy fragrance, they felt that this was not a bad thing after all.
After the Persian safflower, the envoy showed the green jade. Sure enough, the unique color attracted a lot of admiration.
In fact, there is no need to say much about carpets, and both Persian safflower and emerald are truly godsends to mankind, because mankind’s pursuit of spices and medicines, and pursuit of gems, are basically rooted in the five most basic senses of mankind... The former is olfactory and physiological needs, and the latter is visual and aesthetic needs.
Before the Industrial Revolution, their value was unquestionable and they were destined to be hard currency and luxury goods. But now in China, on the Hedong front, they are even more scarce and valuable.
"Jade comes in pieces." Zhao Jiu was even more delighted when he saw thirteen boxes of emeralds. He immediately looked around and smiled. "This makes it easier to divide... Take the best carved pieces and give one to each of the Queen Mother, the Imperial Concubine, the Virtuous Concubine, the Prime Minister, and the General. For the rest, give one to each of the Secret Council members, one to each of the Commanding Officers, and one to each of the close ministers in the hall today, including the messengers and guards, who have worked hard. Take the rest and display them in the camp outside and on the other side of the river. Tell the army that I will use these treasures as rewards for the first landing in Taiyuan."
Having said that, the official finally stood up, walked around the carpet, and personally took out two Persian turquoises. He threw one into the box in Fan Zongyin's arms, and held the other in his hand to play with it.
Then, Yang Yizhong, Ren Baozhong, Mei Li and many other close civil and military officials came forward in order of rank, and each took a stone and put it in their sleeves.
However, when it was the envoy's turn, the envoy named Xiao hesitated for a moment, then bowed and saluted Emperor Zhao solemnly, and was not in a hurry to take the gem.
Zhao Jiu understood, but was not vague: "I know what Dashilin Ya means. What he wants is people, right? Khitans, Xi people, and even Han people, he wants them all. Those who want to surrender, those who are defeated and captured, or even those who are exiled for crimes, he doesn't care, right?"
The envoy remembered the king's instructions and knew that he had traveled thousands of miles just for these crucial words. He did not dare to neglect them at all and immediately responded solemnly: "Your Majesty, this is exactly what my king meant!"
"That's right." Zhao Jiu was no longer vague. "Human beings are priceless. It's not impossible to have people, but we shouldn't expect to exchange them for these treasures. Instead, we need Liao to abide by the Golden River Alliance and follow the principle of unity of civilization between the two countries."
The messenger hurriedly said, "Let the emperor know that we are thousands of miles away and my ruler has no time to send additional troops to help. But I have already told General Yelu in Yinshan to obey the emperor's orders."
"We both know the Yinshan matter very well." Zhao Jiu shook his head. "Even without your will, Yelu Yudu would not have disobeyed my will... The alliance I mentioned is within Liao!"
"I am very frightened. Please give me clear instructions, Your Majesty." The messenger became more serious.
"Since Liao has conquered Karakhan and has taken over most of the Western Regions, its foundation has been established. Although it is not a country of ten thousand miles, it is a country of several thousand miles with fifty thousand soldiers... But since the country was established, has the imperial examination been implemented? Has an official language been set? Do you have the purpose of transporting books on this trip? Have you sorted out and maintained the East-West Avenue? Have you established laws and issued an order to declare the national order?" Zhao Jiu looked at him seriously. "Logically speaking, I am fighting a war at this time, and I should not say too much about things thousands of miles away. But firstly, the transportation between the two countries is inconvenient, and it is not easy for you to come here. Some things are better said while the situation is good. Secondly, Dashilin Ya and I are close friends. As long as I say it, he will naturally understand what I mean. Some things can only be done while he is here... To put it bluntly, if I lose here and he falls ill there, some things will be in vain."
"Your Majesty, you are joking." The Xiao envoy thought for a moment and then responded with a serious expression. "My ruler is thousands of miles away. He has heard that your Majesty is going to the north and has made up his mind. He said that the situation of Song and Jin has already reversed. Your Majesty's ten years of achievements are no less than Gou Jian's. The Jin Dynasty has been fighting for twenty years and has long been exhausted and dull... This time, the victory or defeat depends on the country, not the army, on the people, not the soldiers, and on the situation, not the battle... Your Majesty will definitely win! It is precisely because of this that the foreign ministers have come to visit your Majesty in a hurry, regardless of the haste of the incident."
"We still have to fight." Zhao Jiu shook his head. "If we fight well, we can save several years of effort. If we don't fight well, we may have to start all over again for another ten years... How can it be so easy?"
The envoy nodded without arguing. After a slight pause, he continued, "If that's the case, as long as our Liao did those things in the Western Regions, would Your Majesty send Khitan prisoners of war to our country?"
"If Liao can do that, I will certainly send people there." Zhao Jiu responded calmly. "Because if they do that, Liao will be willing to become a branch of China. As the emperor, I have the obligation to stabilize the foundation of Liao. I have no choice but to do so."
After hearing this, the envoy no longer had any doubts. He turned around, took out a Persian emerald, and respectfully paid homage to Emperor Zhao, who was sitting on a wooden stool. Then he asked to leave, saying that as a foreign envoy, he had to see the prime minister, so he went to the other side of the Fen River to pay a visit to Prime Minister Lu.
Of course Zhao Jiu had nothing to say, so he simply asked Yang Yi Zhong to escort the envoy to see Lu Yihao, bringing the carpet, Persian red flowers, and jeweled toys.
Just like that, Yang Yi Zhong took the Western Liao envoy and several attendants away, and Mei Li and other scholars hurriedly copied and collected the Liao country's letters and other items. In addition, Shao Chengzhang, the chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hurriedly ordered people to deal with the Persian treasures that filled the hall one by one according to the previous instructions of Emperor Zhao.
As for the other close ministers and attendants, who had received a huge profit for nothing, they were naturally very enthusiastic and hurriedly followed Shao Yaban's orders to assist.
In the afternoon, the emperor followed the emperor's instructions and unpacked the remaining seven or eight boxes of emeralds. He went to the camp outside the city to display and announce the reasons, explaining the emperor's disposal and the reward. This caused a commotion in the huge winter camp outside the city.
However, there is always a lot to do. Not long after the hustle and bustle outside the city started, the cramped lobby of the Linfen government office welcomed a guest from afar, but he was not an uninvited guest.
The man who came was none other than Minamoto no Tameyoshi, the leader of the samurai reinforcements specially sent by Emperor Toba of Japan to express friendship. This man and his itinerary had always been under the control of the Song court.
Besides, the Song Dynasty and Japan were not actually allies, and even the scale of their economic and trade exchanges was very small. The reason why the two sides seemed to be fighting fiercely was mainly because Emperor Zhao ignored the economic laws and privately carried out precious metal trade in order to extort wealth to support military expenses.
This kind of trade is actually harmful to both countries in the long run, because the Song Dynasty is short of all precious metals, especially copper coins as the main currency in circulation, so it is even more inappropriate to use them for trading; and as for Japan, not to mention, the loss of gold is definitely not a good thing.
But the problem is that this transaction was conducted in the form of a direct transaction between the Zhao Song royal family and the Japanese royal family... Zhao Jiu had done too many things to exhaust the resources for military expenses, so he didn't care about this one more thing; and on the Japanese side was the royal family, specifically Emperor Toba, who had just gotten rid of his grandfather's shadow and took power, and his trusted nobles who could bypass other factions of nobles as well as the country and the court, and directly make huge profits through this transaction in order to maintain their own power and luxurious life.
Therefore, the two sides were of the same mind and hit it off right away, especially since Zhao Jiu directly avoided the idea of ​​false titles and did not mention anything about the suzerain country, which reduced unnecessary obstacles to the transaction between the two parties.
Under the two of them, the person who directly operated this matter was Zhang Jun in the Song Dynasty, and in Japan it was Taira Tadamori who controlled the Seto Inland Sea after defeating pirates. He was also the father of Taira Kiyomori who led Minamoto no Tameyoshi into the country, and the leader of the so-called Ise Taira clan, an important Japanese samurai group.
As for Minamoto no Tameyoshi, as the leader of the Kawachi Minamoto clan, a samurai group that was no less powerful than the Ise Taira clan, his visit to provide assistance was not actually a very glorious journey.
In fact, Minamoto Tameyoshi was far inferior to his old rival and peer Taira Tadamori in terms of being an official, doing things, and being a person. Just when Taira Tadamori's official position was rising, his family was accumulating more wealth, and his power was growing, he was in constant trouble... He harbored criminals, excluded his colleagues, and his subordinates were not up to standard... Of course, the most important thing is that a new emperor chooses new ministers. Unlike Taira Tadamori who was favored by the former Emperor Shirakawa and the current Emperor Toba, Minamoto Tameyoshi was able to maintain his dignity when Emperor Shirakawa was in power and got an official position only one year later than Taira Tadamori. But when it came to Emperor Toba, the latter was simply picky about him and despised him to the extreme.
As a warrior of the North, what else can I do if I can't be trusted by the Emperor?
This time, Emperor Toba simply couldn't stand Minamoto no Tameyoshi anymore and was ready to dismiss him and send him back home. This remark was like exile, giving this man a chance to redeem himself by making meritorious contributions.
And this time, Minamoto no Weiyi came across the sea on a cargo ship loaded with gold and sulfur. At the beginning, he had a mentality of trying everything possible and a little bit of self-abandonment.
However, the richness of Qingzhou, the grandeur of Jinan, the beauty of Tokyo City which remained like heaven on earth even during the war, the magnificent mountains and rivers when crossing Shaanxi and Luoyang, and the huge military force after arriving in Hedong all gave Yuan Weiyi an unprecedented shock.
What shocked him the most was that the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, who controlled and owned all of this, actually led the troops himself and lived in a government office in a county town.
His mentality keeps changing.
Of course, these have nothing to do with Zhao Jiu. He doesn't care about the mentality and stories of the mascot army generals. He is already under a lot of pressure, and he has been busy and tired since crossing the river. It's just that the people have come, so he has to meet them.
"Your Majesty, this man is called Minamoto no Tameyoshi..." There were no fundamental conflicts between the Genji and Heike in those days, but that didn't mean that the 18-year-old Taira no Kiyomori would respect the other party. So although his tone sounded very formal, there was a kind of hidden contempt in his attitude.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I am Minamoto Tameyoshi... the leader of the reinforcements from Japan!" But at this moment, what shocked Taira no Kiyomori and Zhao Jiu was that Minamoto Tameyoshi suddenly kowtowed on the ground, and then interrupted Taira no Kiyomori with a very awkward, but definitely Chinese accent, and took the initiative to introduce himself. "Your Majesty! I am here... by the order of the Emperor of France... to die for your Majesty!"
"Yuan Weiyi, how did you learn Chinese?" Zhao Jiu came back to his senses and asked curiously.
"From Qingzhou... I learned it myself from the people on the boat." Yuan Weiyi, who also had a topknot, bowed his head and explained with difficulty. "The words just now, I asked someone to read them... I memorized them. But I can understand them normally."
"It's rare that you're so thoughtful, Yuan Qing."
Zhao Jiu suddenly realized something, and then forced a stiff smile, and looked around for something, but after a quick glance, he suddenly realized something, and then he just took out a Persian emerald from his arms, walked over, leaned over to hold the other's hand, and stuffed the gem in. "You came from afar, and I should have a reward, but I don't have anything with me, this is a little gift... I hope you work hard to kill the enemy and live up to your reputation as a warrior... Go and take a rest."
Yuan Weiyi didn't dare to look up at all. He just glanced at the gem in his hand, kowtowed repeatedly, and didn't insist on saying anything more.
Zhao Jiu nodded and looked at Taira no Kiyomori, who was also a little dazed. After a while, he came to his senses and hurriedly took Minamoto no Tameyoshi away... According to Taira no Kiyomori's own suggestions and discussions before, these people will be given appropriate armor, and then incorporated into the Imperial Guard reserve, and will have to go into battle when necessary... This is called making the best use of everything, and a few hundred people are also a force.
But that’s not the end.
After Yuan Weiyi left, someone brought another intelligence document. Zhao Jiu just felt tired after reading it - it turned out that Mongolia finally sent troops. However, unlike the Western Mongolian King Huerzahusi who directly led his troops into Yinshan and sent messengers to Wu Jie and Hu Shijiang to express his obedience to the orders, the Eastern Mongolian King Hebule led his troops to the Heishui area north of Yunnei without much expression.
"What do you think?" Zhao Jiu handed the document to Ren Baozhong.
Ren Baozhong, who was wearing a bun, took a quick look and said immediately: "Your Majesty, it is not unexpected... Hebule's mentality is actually very simple at this time. It is cold in winter, so he should send his troops south. This war is so big that he has to participate, so he must send troops... But Hebule's territory is in the east, next to the Jin Kingdom. We don't have the power to clamp him down. In addition, the Jin Kingdom has repeatedly sent envoys to bribe him, so he must hesitate and make a decision based on the situation."
Zhao Jiu nodded.
These days, with the increase of intelligence, his understanding of Kublai Khan has changed a little. That is, as a Khan, Kublai did not unify Eastern Mongolia through war, but was a leader elected by the Eastern Mongolian tribes under the coercion of the Jin Dynasty. He was not qualified to be a hero, and many of his actions still needed to take into account the opinions and mentality of the leaders of the Eastern Mongolian tribes.
However, this does not mean that he cannot be indecisive, because after the Jinhe Alliance, the entire Eastern Mongolia was located in the middle position between the two countries' forces.
In other words, it was not necessarily just Kublai Khan who was in two minds, but dozens of tribes in eastern Mongolia who were in two minds.
"Actually." Ren Baozhong glanced at the cramped room and saw that the Mongolian princes were not there, so he whispered to them again. "Your Majesty, I have one more thing to say... Huer Zhahusi should have the same mentality, but his Kerait tribe is in the west, sandwiched between the Khitan and the Song Dynasty, that's all."
Zhao Jiu nodded and said nothing more.
Just like that, Ren Baozhong continued to hold the document and said a few words, but suddenly he found that the official had changed from supporting his forehead with his elbows to resting his head on his arms, with his eyes closed and no words... He didn't know whether he was pretending to doze off or was really asleep.
But no matter what the situation was, Ren Baozhong could only put down the documents carefully, then look around to remind people around him. After the people around him realized what was happening, they also carefully put down their work and left the lobby one by one.
At the same time, do not forget to draw the curtain in front of the hall to provide cover.
And it was in this situation that in the evening, the military report that Niu Gao had broken through the northern gate of Yangliang was delivered here.
This made the guards and ministers guarding the government office hesitate... because according to the rules, someone should have woken up Emperor Zhao at this time, but Yang Yi Zhong had gone to escort the Western Liao envoy to Linfen and had not returned yet, Liu Yan and Shao Chengzhang were arranging those emeralds for the commanders, and the news was not a big deal.
No one wanted to be the bad guy. It was for this reason that Zhao Jiu waited until after sunset when Yang Yizhong returned to see the document.
"Prepare the edict and documents, and notify Tokyo, Chang'an, as well as Minister Liu (Liu Hongdao) in Luoyang, as well as Prime Minister Lu and Prime Minister Yuwen, the two Hu Jinglues, and the ministers Han, Li, Ma, Li, and Wang, and tell them that I will move north. Also tell the camp to cook early. Tomorrow morning, the armies on both sides of the Fen River will set out together and head north with me!" In the candle-lit hall, Zhao Jiu finished reading the documents, looked around, and calmly issued an edict.
"May I ask, sir, where ?"
As the head of the close ministers, Fan Zongyin took the responsibility.
"In the camp ten miles below Taiyuan City." Zhao Jiu responded calmly, then stood up and walked towards the backyard in silence, but turned back halfway. "As for Wu Jie, let him quickly join me... The same goes for Yelu Yudu and Huer Zhahusi, let them get closer to me!"
"His Majesty……"
"Officials."
More than one person opened their mouths instinctively, preparing to say something... You know, the four words "under the city of Taiyuan" were enough to confuse them on the spot, and also enough to make them not know where to start complaining... There were too many complaints and doubts.
"Tell Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, Ma Kuo, and Wu Jie that I will celebrate the New Year under the city of Taiyuan, and they should accompany me then... If Yelu Yudu and Huer Zhahusin can come, it would be best if they can come as well." Emperor Zhao spoke softly, as if he had not woken up yet, then yawned and went back to the backyard.
This time, no one said anything because they had realized that the official was either talking in his sleep or was serious about it; there was no middle ground.
This day is the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.