NCCnovel Chapter 209 Jin Kingdom Acquiesces to Li Zhen's Expansion
Chapter 209 Jin Kingdom Acquiesces to Li Zhen's Expansion
Outside the city, the majestic camp of Prince Xianping stood tall, its interior flickering with candlelight that illuminated the resolute faces of countless Jin generals. Some stood, some sat, but all cast awe-inspiring glances at the lofty figure above them—Prince Xianping, Wanyan Huzhi.
He sat upright in his command seat, dignified and composed, as if he were the soul and core of the entire Jin camp, leading these generals who resisted Wanyan Liang to plot the overall situation of the world.
Prince Xianping gently raised his crystal-clear wine cup, a gentle smile playing on his lips, and addressed the assembled heroes: "My lords, look at this ancient city of Zhongdu. It is now surrounded by our ironclad army, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye. I imagine the city's provisions are dwindling, like a candle flickering in the wind, teetering on the brink of collapse. If we grit our teeth and give it our all, this vast land of the Jin Kingdom will soon be ours. When that day comes, when I ascend the throne, I will reward those who have contributed. I will remember your great assistance today and will certainly live up to your expectations, turning every drop of sweat into unparalleled glory and rich rewards."
The Jin generals immediately stood up and shouted "Long live the King!" to the King of Xianping, which made him extremely happy.
While Prince Xianping and his Jin generals were feasting and exchanging toasts, in the distant northeastern frontier, Wanyan Zonghu, the military commander of Taizhou under the Northeastern Route Pacification Commission, was leading his mighty army of 160,000 men, marching in a grand procession towards Dading Prefecture. Upon hearing of the siege of Zhongdu by Prince Xianping, he resolutely withdrew from the heavy defenses of the northeastern line, vowing to defend the emperor. He secretly pondered: if the Jin emperor were to fall, how would the vast northeastern territory survive?
Not only the Jin cavalry in the northeast, but also in Datong and Taiyuan in the south, the Jin army resolutely marched northward. Along the way, although there were roadblocks set up by rebel forces sworn to serve the Prince of Xianping, they could not stop their determination to advance. The Jin soldiers forged ahead, determined to overcome all obstacles and reach the walls of Zhongdu in the shortest possible time. This journey was both a test of will and an extreme pursuit of speed.
After a long six-day wait, reinforcements from the northeast finally appeared on the outskirts of Zhongdu. Ignoring the dust and exhaustion on his soldiers' faces, Wanyan Zonghu resolutely led his troops straight towards the rebel camp, launching a fierce offensive.
These Jin soldiers from the Northeast were all battle-hardened elites, honed through years of fighting against the Mongol army. Every muscle and every drop of sweat on their bodies bore witness to countless life-or-death battles on the battlefield. In comparison, the troops under Prince Xianping were undoubtedly second-rate and could hardly compare.
At this moment, within the city of Zhongdu, more than 30,000 defenders remained steadfast in their positions, unyielding and resolute. After informing his father of his intentions, Wanyan Ping resolutely led his 3,000 elite musketeers out of the city, breaking through like a raging fire, and joined forces with the reinforcements rushing from the northeast, together weaving a magnificent tapestry of resistance against the enemy.
The battle raged for three days and three nights. The area outside Zhongdu was littered with the corpses of Jin soldiers and warhorses, and the overwhelming stench of blood attracted countless crows to peck at them.
Finally, surrounded by over ten thousand elite troops, Prince Xianping slowly retreated towards Jinzhou, his departing figure revealing an indomitable resolve. The scattered Jin soldiers either fled in panic or scattered in all directions, like autumn leaves swept away by the wind, their former might gone. After nearly two months of heavy siege, Zhongdu finally broke free of its shackles and ushered in a long-awaited respite.
Wanyan Liang personally went out of the city to welcome Wanyan Zonghu, the commander of the Northeast: "Hahaha... Imperial Uncle, thank you for coming to our rescue. If it weren't for your personal arrival, I would have been in grave danger."
Wanyan Zonghu reacted swiftly, leaping off his horse and kneeling with his head bowed. His voice was sincere and humble: "This old minister failed to protect Your Majesty and arrived a step too late. I beg Your Majesty to be magnanimous and not blame this old minister for his delay."
Witnessing this scene, Wanyan Liang felt a surge of warmth in his heart and was secretly delighted. He knew that his uncle had not become arrogant because of his military power; his loyalty was as clear as a mirror, and he was truly willing to lend him a helping hand.
Wanyan Liang gently helped up the elderly Wanyan Zonghu, his eyes full of tenderness: "Uncle, why do you have to do this? We are blood relatives, why be so formal? Come, your nephew has prepared a grand feast in the palace to celebrate our joint efforts in dispelling the shadow of those traitors."
Before he could finish speaking, a guard rushed in, bringing exhilarating news—reinforcements from Taiyuan and Datong had arrived. This news was like timely rain, instantly extinguishing the remaining embers of worry in Wanyan Liang's heart. From this point on, even those stubbornly resisting rebels were nothing more than fallen leaves in the autumn wind, unable to stir up any more trouble.
After the crisis in Zhongdu was resolved, the Jin court finally returned to normal order. At the same time, news came back that Li Zhen had occupied Handan and that the Southern Song army had invaded Shandong.
Wanyan Liang asked, "Ping'er, you recommended Li Zhen, so what do you think should be done about this?"
After pondering for a long time, Wanyan Ping said, "Reporting to Father, as far as I know, Li Zhen was retaliating because our Zhongdu City was besieged and attacked by the armies controlled by those powerful families. As I have said, Li Zhen is a man of exceptional talent. Since he wants to manage the local area, then let's just hand over Handan to him. Anyway, it's all our Great Jin territory, and he is an official appointed by our Great Jin."
After thinking for a while, Wanyan Liang agreed with Wanyan Ping's statement. He then said to Wanyan Xu beside him, "Sixth brother, last time it was your elder brother who conquered Shandong. This time, your father has discovered that you have a great talent for leading troops. Prepare yourselves in the next few days and lead the army south to pacify the lost territory in Shandong. Since Zhao Gou of the Southern Song Dynasty is not behaving himself, let's teach him a lesson. If all else fails, we can take Lin'an City directly."
Although Wanyan Ping discussed these words with the two princes in the inner palace, Li Zhen learned of the conversation the next day through a carrier pigeon.
He told the scoundrels, "Stop external expansion, order all troops to strictly defend their respective territories, and continue to expand the army."
Li Zhen's territory has grown increasingly larger, and although the population has increased significantly, his land holdings have also expanded considerably. Through a series of land reform policies, Li Zhen's domain has now achieved self-sufficiency, and he no longer needs to supplement it with grain from his spatial storage.
Li Zhen knew that the Jin emperor was recovering his strength, and that once they had enough troops, they would cause him trouble. Li Zhen wasn't afraid; he knew that day would come sooner or later. Rather than hiding, it was better to find ways to expand his power.