I don't know who cut out these fine leaves, the spring breeze in February is like a pair of scissors.
In early February, with the end of large-scale wars, greenery swept across the mountains and plains to the two river regions south of Yanshan Mountain, and the spring of the tenth year of Jianyan also arrived in full force.
Taking advantage of this greenery, the Sixth Prince of the Jin Dynasty, who had not been summoned by Emperor Zhao for the second time, led the Datong Governor Oluguan and the Privy Council Chief Secretary Hong Ya, who led the Ministry of War, and arrived in Anle County, Dingzhou, under the escort of the Eastern Mongolian Khan Hebule.
However, after all this, Anle had already been occupied by the Song army. So, the two of them took a short break, asked for some supplies from the Song army in the city, and then rode the Mongolian horses given by Hebule to the northeast again, and arrived at Dingzhou in the evening of that day.
The capital of Dingzhou is more than 100 miles away from Zhending, and there are three rivers of moderate size in between. It is quite awkward to say that the distance is neither close nor far.
Of course, Eluguan and Hong Ya did not expect to live here for long, even though this was a provincial capital... Their plan was simple. They would rest for a night, and tomorrow morning, while the city was still under the jurisdiction of the Jin Kingdom, they would try to collect some defeated soldiers, supplies, and livestock, and then take the local officials in the city who were willing to leave and continue to retreat.
In fact, due to the distance, Dingzhou, which had learned the news of the defeat at the front, had been in a state of panic for a long time, and the Dingzhou governor (according to the Jin Dynasty system, the governor was the governor of the state) Mao Shuo had also promised to go north with them the next day.
But on the next day, which was the morning of the tenth day of February, when they had only finished half of their breakfast, Eluguan and Hong Ya were surprised to find that they seemed to be still a little slow in their actions.
"Mao Zhongquan (Mao Shuo's courtesy name), what do you mean?" After a sigh, Hong Ya, holding a hot oil pancake at the dining table in the back hall, asked coldly, which puzzled Eluguan who was drinking noodle soup.
"I don't have any other intentions. I just want to ask the Sixth Prince and Mr. Hong...if they can eat faster?" Mao Shuo, who was sitting across the table, laughed dryly and tried to answer. "Leave earlier?"
"Is that all you mean?" Hong Ya sneered.
"Minister Hong, you're overthinking." Before Mao Shuo could continue, Erluguan, who had just drunk a mouthful of noodle soup, started to disagree. "Mao Cishi was a general in the Song Dynasty during the Jingkang period, and then served in Liu Yu's Qi State as your subordinate, and then served in his own country as a governor of a state. This status is bound to be unacceptable to the Song people, so he is so anxious... Actually, Mao Cishi, don't worry, the Zhao emperor still values ​​​​respect. As long as we don't resist, even if the Song army arrives in front of the city, at most they will not allow us to take away the livestock and property in the city."
Mao Shuo laughed dryly again, but did not respond.
"Sixth Prince underestimated Governor Mao!" Hong Ya waited patiently for Erluguan to finish speaking, then took a bite of the oil cake, and continued to look at the person opposite him coldly. "Mao Zhongquan, tell me the truth, did the Song people say something or send some message, so you changed your mind and didn't leave? Otherwise, why didn't you drink a sip of your own soup, but just sat there and urged us to eat and leave quickly?"
Eluguan was finally stunned.
Mao Shuo sighed slightly, and finally became serious: "The Sixth Prince is of noble status, and Hong Xianggong is my former boss. I don't want to hide it... Just this morning, Song cavalry arrived at the city and delivered three imperial decrees."
"Who the hell are you? Do you need the Zhao Song government to send three special decrees to persuade you to surrender?" Hong Ya became more and more angry. "I have communicated with the Sixth Prince twice and I have never seen a special decree!"
"Please wait a moment, both of you." Mao Shuo stood up immediately after hearing that.
"I have something to say." Hong Ya quickly pinched the oil cake and scolded sternly. "The two of us came here with the terms of the peace agreement between Emperor Zhao and Yanjing, not to escape. If you try to be smart, you will only make Emperor Zhao dislike you for nothing!"
Once bitten by a snake, one will be afraid of ropes for ten years. E'erluguan was also nervous for a while.
"Mr. Hong, you're overthinking!" Mao Shuo turned back helplessly and stamped his feet. "I'll go get the three decrees for you two!"
Hong Ya and Eluguan had lost interest in eating and could only sit there and look at each other.
After a moment, Mao Shuo came back, bringing with him the three pieces of paper with black words on them... Hong Ya only took a glance and saw the big seal on them, and then he understood in his heart that there was no doubt that this was indeed the will of the Zhao Song government, but it was obvious that the will in the form of a notice could not be directed at an individual.
"I won't read it, and you don't have to read it either. Just tell me what it means!" Hong Ya was a little depressed for a moment, but he stood up and poured a bowl of noodle soup for himself and Erluguan from the big basin in the middle of the table. "See what decree made you change your mind."
After taking a sip, Mao Shuo said bluntly:
"The three decrees were drafted the day before yesterday, which was the eighth day of the first lunar month. They were just delivered this morning... They are all about farming matters."
"Farming?"
"That's right." Mao Shuo said with emotion, referring to the notice in front of him. "The first decree requires all the local military officials in the five routes south of Yanshan, namely, Hedong Road, Hebei East Road, Hebei West Road, Datong Road, and Yanshan Road, to fulfill their duties, guide and appease the people, and supervise the spring ploughing, regardless of whether they are appointed by Jin or Song."
Eluguan and Hong Ya looked at each other, and immediately became a little bored, and both were speechless.
"The second decree." Mao Shuo paused, observed the expressions of the two people opposite him, and continued. "It is slightly related to military affairs, but the main focus is still on farming. It means that if there are large tracts of farmland abandoned due to previous military operations, or farmland left behind by the Jin nobles after they fled, they should be reported early and cultivated as roughly as possible, and not wasted. If there is really no way, Zhending will send the accompanying civilians, auxiliary soldiers, and some captives to come and cultivate the land as roughly as possible, and try to maintain the farming as much as possible."
Hong Ya remained speechless, but Erluguan couldn't help but chuckle, "After all, Emperor Zhao is a benevolent and forgiving emperor."
Mao Shuo ignored him and continued to talk about the third decree: "This third decree is both military and political, but it still starts with farming... It means that Emperor Zhao will select many things from the imperial court for consultation, and will recruit a large number of military scholars from the army, either in groups of three or five, and will go to the surrounding military states to inspect the spring plowing under the escort of a small force..."
"Brilliant! Not only the pattern is brilliant, but also the means are brilliant!" Before he finished speaking, Hong Ya raised his voice and then sighed in a low voice. "It's really brilliant! No wonder you, Mao Zhongquan, changed your mind this morning... I just don't know if it was the writing of Lord Zhao himself, or if that Lu Xianggong has been a little better these days and made the arrangements."
"What's the difference? Isn't my husband also employed by the government?" Mao Shuo shook his head slightly, then nodded slightly. "But no matter what, it can be called brilliant."
Of course it’s brilliant! Even Eluguan nodded.
The vision is high, so there is no need to say more… Others didn’t know about the great victory at Huolu, but it had been seven or eight days, so how could Dingzhou, which was a hundred miles away, not know about it? How could the three people present not know about it? And when the great victory came, the official did not rush in for glory and success, nor did he slaughter the captives to show off his power. Instead, he focused on the farming work that was forced by the season, and did everything around farming. It really showed that he had a vision and could distinguish the primary from the secondary.
Apart from that, the means used are actually very clever.
For example, as a local official of the Jin Dynasty, you can always do it, and you should do it, whether you accept it or not. No one will say that you are wrong to appease the people, restore order, and pay attention to spring plowing.
However, there is a hint of foreshadowing and psychological suggestion.
Therefore, the second decree gave some people who already wanted to surrender the opportunity to go with the flow.
The third decree is even more interesting. The so-called inspection of spring ploughing, of course, refers to the inspection, supervision and examination of spring ploughing matters, but since it is an inspection, there must be judgment, and since it is a judgment, there must be pros and cons.
Putting aside other things, let’s go back to the Hebei local officials appointed by the Jin Dynasty. How should they face the inspection teams sent by the Zhao Song officials?
First of all, should we open the city gate to let the Song State inspection team in?
If it is not opened, there is no problem, that is the military’s business; but if it is opened, won’t the most important psychological threshold be passed?
Next, one thing to say is that he performed very poorly, which is also normal. A new emperor appoints new ministers. This is a replacement of two countries. So what if he leaves office peacefully?
But what does it mean if the spring farming work is really rated as excellent?
I can't say that I followed Emperor Zhao's orders to appease the people and supervise spring ploughing, and I did a great job, and the imperial envoy of Song State praised me for it. But then he turned around and said I was a traitor of the enemy country and killed me with one stroke, right?
In most cases, they will take advantage of the situation to stay in office or transfer to another position.
So, how about working hard and giving it a try?
Of course, this is not the end yet. The spring plowing is over, and the working group stays in one place. Can they take over and clean up the property and land that were previously allocated to Meng'an, Mouke, and Puliyan by the Jin Kingdom?
Can we further fulfill Emperor Zhao’s pre-war promise after the spring plowing?
Mao Shuo and others were not aware of these events that happened later, but just the previous considerations, just the political attitudes contained in the three edicts, and just that little bit of political manipulation were enough to shake the hearts of many local officials of the Jin Dynasty.
You have to know that everyone wants to make progress.
In short, if the three edicts were implemented, the spring ploughing issue would be remedied to the greatest extent. Apart from the spring ploughing, even the surrendered people would have a way out, thus avoiding a large number of punishments and reducing social unrest. It can also be regarded as an orderly step to transform military achievements into political achievements.
All I can say is that Hebei has indeed changed after the Battle of Huolu, but it was not as rough and direct as one might imagine.
"So, Shi Mao is worried that we leave too late, and the work team comes in right after us, which might cause trouble?" The Sixth Prince Eluguan was not stupid, but he just didn't react as quickly as Hong Ya, and he didn't have as many thoughts as her.
"That's exactly what I meant." Mao Shuo replied with a bit of embarrassment, but then shook his head slightly. "Besides that, I also want to advise my old friend... Mr. Hong?"
Hong Ya sighed in Eluguan's realization, and kept silent for a while with his head down, apparently feeling touched that Mao Shuo had not forgotten their old friendship.
But after a moment, he shook his head slightly, which made Eluguan feel slightly relieved.
Of course, what Eluguan didn't know was that Hong Ya's expression was just perfunctory, and there was no ripple in his heart at the moment... This is not to say that Hong Ya was only thinking about fame and fortune, and had never thought about staying in the Song Dynasty and settling down. He had thought so a long time ago, otherwise he would not have facilitated the surrender of Zhending... But didn't Emperor Zhao want him ?
Especially after he returned to Zhending for the second time but was not summoned, this man who was almost an expert in guessing people's minds had a definite guess about the official's intentions... No matter if he really wanted to facilitate peace talks on those conditions, or it was a typical tactic of sowing discord, the official didn't want to see Hong Ya in front of him.
As I followed Eluguan back north, I was certainly excited about the possible best outcome, but more than that, I felt helpless.
Back to the present, Dingzhou Governor Mao Shuo was moved by the obscure and conditional amnesty decree from the Zhao Song government... This man was a recognized capable official, and believed that he could manage Dingzhou properly, so he chose to stay in Dingzhou and return to the Song Dynasty... At the same time, no matter how emotional Eluguan and Hong Ya were, they could only hurriedly set off after breakfast as if they were expelled.
This time, the two men did not waste their time on the road. They set off lightly and galloped for a whole day, passing through Wangdu and Beiping counties along the way, and passing through the cities without entering them. They did not stop until they arrived at the Jintaidun camp outside the east gate of Baosai City (now Baoding), the capital of Baozhou.
Jintaidun is a famous permanent post station and military station. It originated from the war in which Emperor Taizong of Song Dynasty launched a northern expedition against the Liao Dynasty and tried to seize Yanyun. Later, it became a famous standing military camp during the confrontation between Song and Liao. Now it has naturally become an important transit station for the Jin Kingdom to move south from Yanjing to Hejian and Zhending.
Eluguan and Hong Ya had come here from the beginning - according to their thinking, there should not only be a small-scale garrison here, but Elubu and Jiaguwulibu would also have to pass through here on their way back to the north. The previously separated defeated troops and local officials and generals who fled from the south like them should also leave traces here.
Facts have proved that what Eluguan and Hong Ya thought was absolutely right, even too right.
"Sixth Prince...Minister Hong...I'm so glad you're both safe and sound."
The master servant came out of the camp and bowed respectfully. "The King of Wei, General Yelu and General Hesheli are all in the camp. His Royal Highness the King of Wei is waiting for you two."
Eluguan and Hong Ya looked at each other, and both of them looked pale.
This is not to say that there is anything wrong with Wushu and these two appearing here. Considering the distance and position, since Wushu has found a way to survive, he should be here.
But then again, didn't Emperor Zhao say 'We must kill Wushu before we can make peace'? And there was also the matter of directly surrendering the city. All these things and those words could not be concealed, especially since Tai Shi Nu was here.
Therefore, the two of them could not help but feel anxious.
But since Tai Shi Nu has come to guard the gate to wait for them, they can't escape at all.
Therefore, the two of them could only suppress their uneasiness and follow Tai Shi Nu into Jintaidun's camp.
Sure enough, the camp was in a miserable state, with defeated soldiers and wounded soldiers everywhere. Fortunately, it was probably Yelu Mawu or Hesheli Taiyu who controlled the situation. Although the original garrison was in a panic, it did not lose control.
Without further ado, the two of them came to a bright and spacious military dormitory in the midst of the misery, and then saw Wanyan Wushu lying alone on a large couch. Although the face of the ruling prince of the Jin Dynasty was relatively clean, his face was pale and his body posture was strange... The reason was obvious at a glance, the fourth prince's left leg and right arm were obviously injured.
It is obvious that although Wanyan Wushu escaped alive, he definitely went through a lot of hardships.
“Fourth brother!”
After all, they are brothers. When they first met, even though Eluguan was extremely nervous before, he couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat when he saw his brother in such a miserable state. He then stepped forward and grabbed the other's movable left hand on the edge of the couch, and burst into tears.
When Wuzhu saw Erluguan coming in, he should have cried with his brother, but for some reason, he just let the other party hold his hand and cry. After a while, he even propped up his leg that was hit by the wooden board and sneered: "Why are you so sad, Sixth Brother? The overall situation is at hand, and the victory or defeat has been decided. The fact that we brothers can meet again is already the blessing of our father's spirit in heaven. If we just cry, it will only make people laugh."
At this point, Wuzhu paused for a moment and continued, "To borrow a phrase from Cao Mengde, if you cry day and night, can you make Cangzhou Zhao Jiu die?"
Hearing this, Eluguan tried to keep quiet, but then he couldn't help but ask with tears in his eyes, "Fourth brother, I heard that the Song army sent tens of thousands of cavalry to pursue you but failed. Yue Fei and Zhang Rong also seem to have arrived in Hejian. How did you escape from the situation when you were trapped from both sides?"
"What can I say?" Wuzhu shook his head, but he still felt sad and explained. "I fled all the way and was caught up by the Song army's light cavalry in front of the Qinshui River. I lost 30% of my troops. I heard that Wulinda Taiyu was also captured by the river..."
"Then we managed to cross the river, and found that Liu Qi had taken Gaocheng first. We were caught off guard and lost many soldiers..."
"I had no choice but to go east. When I crossed the river in Gucheng, I saw Zhang Rong's navy, and then I had to continue east..."
"When we arrived at Shulu, we ran into the defeated army fleeing from the east. Then we realized that Tian Shizhong had led his army to attack us from the east... My leg was broken by a horse at that time, so I started to think wildly that we had been defeated in Huolu and Shulu was a dead end. Was it God's will that I be 'bound' there? But the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't accept my fate, so I prepared to commit suicide, preferring death to being 'bound'... But Ma Wu persuaded me to go to the riverside in the north to try again."
At this point, Wuzhu smiled bitterly again: "I realized then that the word 'Shu' in 'Shulu' did not apply to the Song people, but to Ma Wu. When we arrived at the river, he did not dare to find a shallow ford, and there was only one horse. He had no choice but to tie me to the horse's back, and then the two of us floated across the river together... After crossing the river, we met Hesheli Taiyu who escaped from the Song army captives. Then I learned that the Song army suddenly issued an order the day before, saying that Emperor Zhao was angry and ordered the pursuing army not to pursue the generals without authorization, and only to kill and injure the soldiers. Therefore, the patrol on the river was changed to blocking at various shallows, and the soldiers on the road only pursued large groups of people... In this way, my life, 30% is God's will, 40% is Ma Wu, and the remaining 30% is given by Emperor Zhao."
After hearing this narration, Eluguan sighed deeply.
It can be imagined that although his fourth brother said it so lightly, he has been struggling on the brink of life and death every day for the past seven or eight days. In comparison, his most dangerous time, that is, the night when he encountered Hebule, was not necessarily as serious as his fourth brother's most relaxed time.
After all, his life as the Sixth Prince was safe throughout the whole process.
While Eluguan was sighing, Hong Ya, who was standing at the doorstep with his hands crossed, frowned slightly... He thought of Emperor Zhao who kept saying that he would "kill Wuzhu", but actually showed leniency in the south of Hutuo River, where Wuzhu was most likely to be captured. Although the general principles were correct, there always seemed to be a hint of mockery in the peace terms.
Of course, now is not the time to think about this.
"The King of Wei is blessed by heaven, but it makes me look a little cowardly." After seeing the two brothers talking for a few words and calming down, Hong Ya hurried forward and said something nonsense. "To be honest with the King of Wei, I was in Zhending that day to persuade the Sixth Prince to surrender. I really failed the King of Wei's trust..."
"Of course I know." Wushu couldn't help but sigh. "The Grand Master told me, but it's not Minister Hong's fault... I can imagine what it was like when the Zhao Song officials carried tens of thousands of corpses and wounded soldiers over there. It's really impossible to defend... As for wanting to negotiate peace after surrendering, it's not your own decision. After all, we did mention this matter in the camp that day."
Hearing this, Erluguan also turned pale and quickly stood up to wipe his tears: "Regarding the peace talks, I wonder if Fourth Brother knows the specific terms? I said on the spot that the Zhao Song government was a bit too harsh."
"What do you think, Minister Hong?" Wuzhu ignored his sixth brother and looked at Hong Ya.
"I don't think this is harsh." Hong Ya stepped forward and looked at Wuzhu sternly. "It's the Zhao Song government that has bad intentions..."
Erluguan was stunned for a moment, while Wuzhu became serious and asked seriously, "What's your evil intention?"
"I think the so-called harshness is nothing more than a strategy of destroying the Jin Dynasty and then encircling three sides and leaving one side vulnerable." Hong Ya said frankly, with conviction. "In the final analysis, the Song people don't want to negotiate peace at all, and they still want to fight to the death. This peace clause is of course harsh at the moment, but when they have finished their reorganization, they will force us into a desperate situation, and then they can use this peace clause to shake our determination to fight to the death."
"That's right." Wushu thought for a moment and nodded heavily, but after a moment he sneered again. "Is that all?"
"There is also a strategy of alienation, but this one is too obvious." Hong Ya spread his hands, still speaking frankly. "'We must kill Wushu before we can achieve peace'... But in reality, how can we kill the Fourth Prince? Who will kill the Fourth Prince? It's just that they expect that after the Battle of Huolu, the Fourth Prince's prestige will be greatly reduced. If the Central Government wants to make an effort, it can only rely on the Yanyun clan and the tribes outside the Great Wall to make us suspicious of each other."
"Well said!" Wuzhu raised his head and lay down, sighing. "Well said! Hit the nail on the head! Hit the nail on the head! But this is an open conspiracy! It's an open conspiracy!"
Erluguan still nodded, but Hong Ya could not help but continue to ask: "King Wei, please tell me the truth, how many people have escaped along the Hutuo River!"
Wuzhu said nothing.
Hong Ya frowned slightly and was about to say something else, but unexpectedly a sour and foul smell suddenly came from behind him. Turning back, he found that someone had broken in from outside, and Tai Shi Nu did not stop him at all. Looking again, he found that the person was actually Wanhu Pucha Huzhan... He saw that the man was in a dishevel, wearing a short dress, with both legs and arms covered in reddish-brown mud, and his beard and hair were also full of dirt, but he was holding two pieces of white paper notices, which was really embarrassing and ridiculous.
But no matter what, it is always good to see another Wanhu alive... Because as Hong Ya and Wuzhu said, Emperor Zhao's strategy of sowing discord is clearly an open conspiracy. At this time, if there is a senior general who survives Huolu, it can strengthen the unity of the central government and the tribes outside the Great Wall, strengthen the central power, and then deter other small tribes and the Yanyun clan.
However, before he could say more, Pucha Huzhan collapsed on the ground, and then panted and said to Wuzhu on the couch: "The King of Wei... Wulin Datai wants that guy dead."
Wuzhu glanced at the person who came, and then he was relieved and not in a hurry: "Huzhan, isn't it normal for anyone to die in this situation?"
"But too many people have died." Pucha Huzhan held up the two notices in his hands, speaking excitedly and even choking with sobs.
Hong Ya originally thought that the other party was holding the imperial edicts that he had seen in Dingzhou. When he heard something wrong, he went forward and snatched it away. He just glanced at it and shook his head repeatedly, then handed the notice to the Sixth Prince in front of the couch.
Pucha Huzhan had already been chattering on the ground: "I escaped from Raoyang. I didn't dare to go to Hejian Prefecture. I just kept going around Suning Village to cross the river and then go to Gaoyang... I know the commander of Gaoyang. He was a surrendered general I accepted when I fought in Hedong... But when I got to the city, not only did he refuse to accept me, but he threw down two notices and told me to go on my own... I can't read, so I asked someone to read them in front of the door all the way here, and then I found out that thirteen Wanhu had died?!"
Wuzhu was slightly stunned, then he stretched his neck to look at his sixth brother who was holding the notice.
Erluguan instinctively wanted to hand it over, but after he stretched out his hand, he realized that his brother was in no condition to read it. He was helpless for a moment, so he took the initiative to speak: "Brother... it is the will of the Song people to establish their authority. They passed on the news of the capture and sent the head to all directions, hoping to take back the surrendered states and counties without bloodshed."
"Read the list and numbers." Wushu collapsed again. "Don't be shy, just read it!"
Erluguan had no choice but to unfold the document and look at it seriously: "The document was issued on the ninth day of the second month, which was yesterday. It was signed by Zhao Jiu of Cangzhou. It is considered an imperial edict... It says... It says... The Marshal of the Jin Kingdom led the Taiyuan Army Commander and Wanhu Wanyan Balisu, and the Longde Prefecture Army Commander Wanhu Wanyan Bendu, Wanhu Wanyan Tuhesu, Wanhu Ximao Ali, Wanhu Wanyan Huonu, Wanhu Pushan Beilu, Wanhu Wulinda Taiyu, Wanhu Wanyan Salihe, Wanhu Wendun Sizhong, Wanhu Renjiashao He, Wanhu Wanyan Zhehe, Wanhu Da Pusuyue, and Yanjing Hezhameng'an Dutong Wanyan Poshu, a total of thirteen people... In addition... Huolu killed 48 silver-plated marching Meng'an in battle and captured 32 people; killed 537 bronze-plated marching Mouke in battle and captured 323 people; killed 429 iron-plated Puliyan in battle and captured 221 people... A total of 1,703 people... Among them, those with heads will be displayed to the public with their marching cards, and those without heads and those who were captured will be displayed with their marching cards instead. "
Wuzhu was not angry at all, and even sneered: "Not as much as I thought! And the Song people didn't kill the prisoners?"
"I don't think they killed him." Erluguan explained helplessly. "The captives will probably be sold to the Khitans. Before they are sold, they will have to do hard labor such as farming and road construction... The second decree also said that Li Qiong, the deputy commander of the imperial army, will be the commander-in-chief to escort more than 60,000 captives and march south along the route from Damingfu to Zhendingfu. Along the way, they will cooperate in spring ploughing and replanting to make up for the emptiness left by the withdrawal of the signing troops."
Wushu was completely silent.
Eluguan felt a little embarrassed as he had realized that the 60,000 captives mentioned in the announcement issued yesterday were most likely just the soldiers and horses captured by the Song army in Huolu and Zhending, including more than 50,000 in Huolu. The extra 7,000 or 8,000 were exactly the 10,000 that he had handed over after he chose to surrender.
But even so, it might be enough, because the Jin Kingdom had several military divisions and several tens of thousands of households south of Yanshan Mountain, and it was a well-known fact. Now these two edicts were issued together with the previous edicts on spring plowing matters, which completely revealed the results of the Battle of Huolu.
And with the momentum of the battle that could cause mountains to collapse and collapse, once it was displayed, it would naturally be decided by the emperor's order, and it would sweep across the two rivers in an instant.
No wonder Pucha Huzhan was also driven here by his old friends.
All I can say is that things are really going to change in Hebei.
Apart from that, what the notice did not mention for the time being is that the 40,000 to 50,000 defeated Jin soldiers who escaped in that battle were being pursued by the Song army in the south of Hutuo River. Just by looking at the miserable state of Wuzhu and others, one can guess that even if they had no horses to return north, seven or eight out of ten of them would have died.
So after this battle, how many living forces did the Jin army have left out of its original 200,000 households? How many elite warriors were there?
After returning to Yanjing, what kind of commotion will those chieftains outside the Great Wall who control the remaining new troops, the old generals who have been abandoned by the central government, and the Yanyun clans make?
No wonder the official had to resort to such a shallow strategy of sowing discord. It can only be said that when good luck comes, heaven and earth are on your side, but when bad luck comes, heroes are helpless... This is truly a conspiracy that makes people feel powerless.
When he thought of this, Eluguan, who had settled his accounts, was almost depressed to the extreme.
Hong Ya, on the other hand, was still thoughtful, as if this smart man had not yet figured out this simple account.
Turning back to the present, when the news that at least 1,700 Jin officers were killed or captured was confirmed through the notice, the entire room fell silent. Almost everyone, including Wuzhu who had previously shouted that there was no need to be taboo, fell into silence.
This was a huge blow. The Battle of Huolu basically broke the backbone of the entire Jin Dynasty, and then it cut off their bones and flesh. No one wanted to think about the future of the Jin Dynasty.
The atmosphere of dejection, along with the stench from Pucha Huzhan's body, spread everywhere.
The silence was broken by yet another newcomer, Yelu Mawu, who arrived hurriedly. When everyone in the room saw the whole stack of new proclamations in the hands of the Khitan general, almost everyone trembled in their hearts.
"General Yelu, what is this?" Even Hong Ya needed to take a deep breath before asking carefully.
"The documents sent from Zhending... are all imperial decrees for conferring titles and rewards." Yelu Ma Wu remained calm. "The Emperor of Zhao Song was lavishly conferring titles and rewards on his meritorious officials. They were all written in some incomprehensible bookish language... There were a lot of titles of nobility alone."
"That doesn't matter." Hong Ya was relieved and waved his hand. "It's just a means of showing off your power. There's no need to read it specifically for the King of Wei."
“How can I not read it?”
Wuzhu, who was lying there, suddenly spoke out with all his might, as if he was roaring. "The enemy's heroes are our bandits! Their achievements were all made with the blood and sweat of our soldiers! If you don't read, how can you mourn the blood and sweat of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in this battle?! Read it! Read it out loud! Don't miss a single word!"
Everyone was shocked and silent. Yelu Ma Wu had no choice but to stuff the pile of imperial edicts and notices to Hong Ya.
There were some words he really didn't recognize.
Hong Ya had no choice but to pick up the notices, take a few deep breaths, and slowly read them out:
"One said:
During the Jingkang and Jianyan periods, the safety of the country was at stake. A brave, wise, loyal and righteous man like Han Shizhong was appointed as a general, which was a gift from heaven to help me restore the country. When the Jin army invaded the Huai River in the south, only Shizhong dared to speak up and fight. He drove Wuzhu away from Xiacai, defeated Talan at Changsha, killed Lou Shi at Yaoshan, and destroyed the mountains and rivers at Huolu. He led the army in every battle, risking his life and being unparalleled in the world. He was the backbone of the country and the courage of my waist.
He was specially promoted to the title of King of Qin, and was granted the title of Marshal, and he still served as Grand Tutor. "
After reading it all in one breath, it is nothing more than that Han Shizhong was promoted to the title of King of Qin, appointed as Marshal, and Grand Tutor, holding the highest position among the Three Dukes, and his achievements were unmatched by any military official.
In the house where Wuzhu lived, no one spoke a word, whether lying, sitting, standing or leaning.
What's so strange about this?
After a brief pause , Hong Ya flipped open one page, then another:
"Second,
Since ancient times, there have been many great generals, such as Han, Zhou, Wei, and Huo in the Han Dynasty, Li, Xu, Su, and Xue in the Tang Dynasty. However, it is rare to find a general like Yue Fei who is both civil and military, and who is both benevolent and wise. Yue Fei was not only a military commander, but also a benevolent general. He enforced strict military orders to prevent plunder, used soft words to comfort the peasants, cultivated humility to socialize, practiced literary words to make peace with others, held fair opinions in court discussions, and avoided treacherous people to associate with gentlemen.
Therefore, after Duke Zhou, the only prime minister who achieved military success was Zhuge Wuhou. The only commander who sought to gain reputation was Ji Fu (a famous general in the Zhou Dynasty), but Yue Fei, who was loyal to his country, deserved this reputation.
In reward for his outstanding contributions in Jingxiang, Qi, Xixia, Daming, and Hejian, he was specially promoted to the title of King of Wei, granted the title of Marshal, and appointed as Grand Tutor. "
There was still silence in the hall, but Wuzhu finally showed a reaction. He turned his head slightly, looked at the sword leaning against his bed, and then closed his eyes again.
"Third, whenever a building is about to collapse, there must be support pillars; whenever mud and sand fall, there must be something to stop it."
Hong Ya opened the third notice, and after reading only the first two sentences, he knew who it was talking about. "When the world was about to fall, and the area north of the Huai River was no longer under the Han Dynasty, Li Yanxian rose up in Shaanxi and Luoyang, like a pillar standing in the middle of the river. With his own strength, he almost split the Jin army into two forces, so that the court still had a river and was connected to the Central Plains and Guanxi.
For ten years he stood tall and majestic, his contributions were immeasurable and his loyalty was beyond words.
He was specially promoted to the title of King of Jin, granted the title of Marshal, and given the title of Grand Protector. "
The atmosphere in the dormitory had subtly changed, but Hong Ya was too lazy to pay attention. He just flipped open another piece of paper and continued reading. This time, before he opened his mouth, everyone knew whose it was:
"Fourth:
Since ancient times, it is easy to find famous generals, but difficult to find generals. Wu Jie is a man of extraordinary talent and courage. He is loyal and brave, and has made great achievements. He is famous in Guanlong. He gave the enemy an opportunity to sink Guo, and he led the army to the power of power and love. Recently, he was promoted to the commander of Guanxi Jingyuan, and he protected all the generals. In the Battle of Yaoshan, he made outstanding achievements. In the Battle of Huolu, he commanded the army with confidence, subdued the chieftains, and defeated all the evil people.
How can I strengthen my power to restore the country without strategies and courage?
He was specially promoted to the title of King of Han, appointed Marshal, and made Junior Instructor. "
After reading it again, no one spoke. Hong Ya paused for a moment, and finally could only continue reading by himself:
"The fifth day:
Since the Jianyan period, Zhang Jun, my confidant, was the first to take command of troops and he made many military achievements.
In Xiacai, he was alone in the north, unable to be shaken, and he also asked for battle, which can be said to be loyal and brave. Later, as he was older, he could advance and retreat freely, and he recommended Yang Yizhong, Tian Shizhong, and Zhang Zigai to continue their meritorious service, which can be said to be virtuous.
He also said, "I will never forget the agreement we made on the Huai River, so I will specially promote him to the title of King of Qi and make him the Minister of Defense."
"Sixth day:
In the past, the country was in turmoil, the upper and lower levels were out of order, the officials abandoned their land and fled, the soldiers were terrified, Zhang Rong rose from the grass roots, gathered righteous men to protect the peace of the area, and united the common people to become a hero who had fought many battles. The victory at Shoutou Beach stabilized the morale of the army, and the boats were driven across Bian to consolidate the foundation of the country.
Those who act on behalf of heaven should do so.
He was specially promoted to the title of King of Lu and appointed Junior Tutor. "
"Seventh day:
A single spark can start a prairie fire. When the country was in decline, Ma Kuo was treated well by the Jin people because of his old friendship, but he still abandoned his family and raised an army to fight against the Jin people. For ten years, he went in and out of Taihang Mountain and rode his horse to Hebei Province, working hard day and night. When the Jin Kingdom was prosperous, the bandit army gathered and could not go south to swallow them up. This was the merit of Taihang Mountain. When the royal army went north, the whole country joined forces to form a situation that could not be attacked by the people. This was also the merit of Hebei Province.
He was specially promoted to the title of King of Xing.
There is also Xin Wang Zhao Zhen, who has made great contributions to the cause and was given the title of Dai Wang as a token of honor and favor. "
"Eight:
Wang De's family is loyal and brave, and he is known for his divine power. He has been the chief commander of the imperial court since he was on the Huai River, and he has never failed. For ten years, he has made outstanding contributions. When the battle of the Lu was decided, he was the first to fight, charging into the battle line, and was unstoppable. When he killed Ali in the battle, he broke the great battle line and made great contributions to the revival of the country.
He was specially promoted to the Prince of Longxi, and his title was passed down from generation to generation. "
Not sure if it was an illusion, Hong Ya, feeling a little dry-mouthed, turned the page. Just when he was about to read Qu Duan's next commendation, he didn't know if it was an illusion, but it seemed like someone was sobbing secretly.
However, Wushu had had an attack before, so although it was a little strange, Hong Ya just paused and continued reading:
"Nine:
At the beginning of Jianyan, Lou Shi swept through Guanxi twice. During this crisis, Li Yanxian rose up in Shaanxi and Luoyang, and his contribution was inestimable. Qu Duan protected the people in Guanlong, and he had some achievements, but he was domineering and violated the rules, and there were many inappropriate things, which must be mentioned. However, Zhou Chu eliminated the three evils and reformed himself, and Qu Duan also learned shame and then became brave. He shot Lou Shi in front of the carriage, pacified Xixia in Helan, led the entire army in Chenguan, and fought loyally in Huolu, which can be called righteousness and bravery.
Therefore, he was promoted to the title of Zhenrong County Prince. "
"Tenth day:
In the past, Li Yongqi and Li Shifu returned to the court with loyalty and righteousness, just before the Yao Mountain. At that time, the country was poor and hungry, and the country was on the verge of collapse. The father and son sacrificed their family and died for their country, showing unparalleled loyalty and righteousness, and their extraordinary achievements are rare in ancient and modern times. They restored the Western Xia and won special honors, winning the decisive victory and always leading the way.
Special pursuit..."
“That’s enough!”
At this moment, the sobbing suddenly stopped, and was replaced by another loud shout from Wuzhu.
The sound was so loud that Hong Ya was startled and trembled, and the notice in his hand fell to the ground.
However, after the loud shout, Wuzhu became depressed. He just lay there, covering his face with his left hand which was still able to move, and sobbed again.
After a long time, the man finally cried out in the house, as if crying: "I just don't understand! How could the world turn upside down in just ten years? Ten years of prosperity, ten years of decline, the founding heroes of the Jin Dynasty, all died, while the heroes of the Song Dynasty surrendered one after another... Is it really God's will to protect the Song Dynasty?!"
When these words were spoken, Pucha Huzhan and Eluguan, who were sitting in front of the couch, could no longer bear it and burst into tears.
But the three people standing in front of the door, from Yelu Mawu to Tai Shi Nu and then to Hong Ya, just looked at each other.
But after a while, Yelu Mawu was still upset and refuted: "King of Wei...you should be reasonable. According to reason, the most confusing thing is that Taizu bravely destroyed Liao in ten years, and then Nianhan went south and succeeded in attacking Bianliang? You Jurchens did such a heroic thing, and you are heroes? How can you not understand that the Song people are fighting back now?"
After these words were spoken, Wuzhu still covered his face with his hands, but the room gradually became quiet again.
In mid-February of the tenth year of Jianyan, as numerous imperial edicts were issued from Zhending, the impact of the Battle of Huolu finally spread far and wide. The so-called spring ploughing and reward edicts affected all the counties in Hebei, and the world changed overnight.
As for Wanyan Wushu and a group of fleeing high-ranking officials, they only stayed in Baosai for three to five days, gathered seven or eight thousand defeated soldiers, and did not even wait for Wanyan Wulun. As the troops of Yue Fei, the King of Wei in the Song Dynasty, appeared in their sight, they turned around and fled to Fan Yang behind them.