Li Shimin did not bother hiding the approval in his eyes. Even Li Jing, who was usually restrained, looked quietly satisfied as he stroked his beard, the corners of his lips lifting in a rare smile.
"Though the Song court and its ministers are divided at heart, the Jin are no less guilty of arrogance. They see the Song as weak and easy to bully, and because of that, they have grown careless."
In the end, Li Shimin set aside his own thoughts for the moment and gestured toward the glowing screen, clearly deciding that the results would speak louder than any further discussion.
"Enough talking. Just watch."
Then, as if releasing long held frustration, he added,
"I have been stifled for far too long. It is about time we enjoy a great victory and finally lift our spirits."
Inside the hall at Bianliang, Zhao Kuangyin's hands were trembling so badly that even he could not ignore it. The humiliation and anger pressed down on him until his chest felt tight.
"If no one objects, if no ministers block it, are we truly going to kneel and bow to those barbarian officials. At that point, what difference is there between us and slaves."
Back when Zhao Gou had repeatedly submitted memorials begging for peace during the mountain and sea searches, and the Jin general had refused, Zhao Kuangyin had actually felt a twisted sense of relief. At least then, even in weakness, some dignity had been preserved.
Now he finally understood.
They had simply been waiting for this moment.
Zhao Pu quickly had another Grand Preceptor chair moved over so the emperor could sit properly before his anger and agitation overwhelmed him completely.
After sitting down, Zhao Kuangyin cursed several more times, his voice rough. Then, to Zhao Pu's shock, his eyes reddened and tears actually fell.
"Your Majesty, why push yourself to this point. If you truly cannot accept it, this minister will go find the Prince of Jin."
The ruthless edge in Zhao Pu's expression made his true meaning impossible to misunderstand. This was not a polite suggestion. It was a dangerous one.
Zhao Kuangyin understood it just as clearly. He shook his head, rejecting the unspoken proposal, and instead let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Zeping and I must endure. If ritual propriety collapses and our descendants turn out like this, you and I may as well smash our heads against these imperial pillars. At least then, we will not have to suffer the anger of such unworthy descendants."
Zhao Pu fell silent. He could only stand there and watch as the emperor continued to ramble about the tragedy of the Song being split between north and south, his voice filled with bitterness and helplessness.
In the end, all those tangled thoughts collapsed into just two quiet sighs.
"Ah, Hebei."
"Ah, You and Zhuo."
Liu Han understood Zhao Pu's meaning as well, and instead of feeling relieved, he felt a chill run through him.
Today, he had learned far too many secrets.
He did not have the eunuchs' ability to memorize and record at lightning speed.
Nor did he have Grand Chancellor Zhao's political weight and steadiness when it came to bearing the fate of Great Song.
No matter how he thought about it, if he was not silenced, it felt as if there were not many good endings waiting for him.
[Lightscreen]
[May 1140. Jin general Wuzhu split his forces into two routes. One army he personally led south, while the other moved to attack Shaanxi.
Zhao Gou, likely having already understood Wuzhu's attitude during the earlier mountain and sea searches, and carrying both old hatred and new humiliation, was finally forced to loosen his grip and delegate real authority to the generals.
At the beginning of June, in a single day, Zhao Gou promoted Yue Fei, Han Shizhong, and Zhang Jun to Supreme Commanders. They were concurrently appointed as Pacification and Campaign Commanders over Henan, Hebei, and other circuits. At the same time, they were elevated to Junior Guardian, Grand Guardian, and Junior Preceptor. The great army was fully mobilized.
For Yue Fei, this expedition carried extraordinary meaning. It was not only the first large scale northern expedition of the Yue Family Army, but also the result of ten full years of training, finally aimed at the Jin invaders.
The speed at which the battlefield situation changed shocked everyone.
On the western front, although Wu Jie had died of illness a year earlier, his veteran troops remained. They fought the Jin in Guanzhong and blocked their advance completely, leaving the Jin unable to move even a single step forward.
On the eastern front, Han Shizhong took command. After ordering Wang Sheng to seize Haizhou, Han Shizhong did not rack up massive kills, but he successfully pinned down the eastern Jin forces and prevented them from breaking through.
On the central front, Liu Qi guarded Henan. After retreating to Shunchang Prefecture, he used the scorching summer heat and the advantages of the city defenses to stall for half a month, holding firm until Yue Fei joined the battlefield.
Although Yue Fei was both civil and martial, when it came to actual command, he preferred fierce and aggressive tactics. Seeing all three Jin invasion routes checked, he followed a very simple and very ruthless logic.
If the enemy is wounded, press harder.
Without waiting for court reinforcements, Yue Fei launched the Northern Expedition on his own authority.
This was not a reckless decision. It was the result of preparation that had lasted far too long.
From the very first move, he pressed Wuzhu hard, giving him no time to breathe and no room to recover.
First, he sent elite troops deep behind enemy lines to wage guerrilla warfare, link up with loyalist forces, and destroy Jin supply routes.
Second, he dispatched troops into Guo Prefecture to fight alongside local anti Jin militias, strengthening resistance from within.
Finally, Yue Fei personally led the main force forward, advancing head on and seeking decisive battle with the Jin main army.
Rear harassment combined with cooperation between army and civilians.
Yue Fei named this strategy Linking the River Northlands.
The results came quickly.
Wuzhu was not just pressured. He was completely stunned.
Vanguard forces, main armies, and local militias advanced on multiple fronts. Everything moved at once.
In just two months, most of Henan in the Jingxi circuits was recovered.
For Yue Fei, the next step required no hesitation at all.
To fulfill Zong Ze's will in this lifetime, lead our brave men across the Yellow River.
Long before this, through the Linking the River Northlands plan, the Yue Family Army had already established contact with Hebei's loyalist forces. The Hebei militias all accepted Yue Fei's authority and followed General Yue's orders.
Yue Fei gave the order without hesitation.
Cross the Yellow River. Kill the Jin bandits. Seize counties and prefectures.
Militia forces that could not face the Jin head on now had support and momentum. They crossed the river in great numbers, rising together with local Han people to attack Jin officials and soldiers.
Within two months, Hebei's loyalist forces swelled to more than one hundred thousand.
South of Yanshan, Jin authority simply stopped functioning.
Orders did not move. Commands did not carry. Control collapsed.
The spectacle was like Guan Yu flooding the Seven Armies, bandit leaders across the land receiving seals and titles, their prestige shaking all under Heaven.
Even the overall strategic situation was strikingly similar.
On the eastern and western fronts, Han Shizhong and Wu Lin were locked in stalemate with the Jin and could not provide support.
Zhang Jun recovered Suzhou and Bozhou, then hurriedly withdrew and left the battlefield.
Liu Qi stayed in Shunchang, neither advancing nor retreating south, holding position but offering no reinforcement.
In reality, Yue Fei had become an isolated army.
But retreat never once crossed his mind.
After all.
Thirty years of merit turned to dust and soil.
Eight thousand miles beneath clouds and moon.
For this northern expedition, Yue Fei had fought since the age of sixteen.
He had waited far too long.
Now, even if he stood alone, he would still strike straight for Huanglong.]
"A true man should be like this."
Zhang Fei had already smashed the small table earlier, so now, without any hesitation, his palm came down hard on Ma Chao's back.
Ma Chao sucked in a sharp breath, baring his teeth in pain.
Zhuge Liang watched as Ma Chao straightened up, his heroic posture fully activated, and declared loudly.
"My only regret is that I cannot charge Huanglong alongside Lord Yue Wumu, seize the enemy chief, and restore our rivers and mountains."
With that, he slapped Zhang Fei's thigh hard.
A dull thud echoed.
Ma Chao froze for a moment.
Then he grabbed his hand.
Then he started baring his teeth again.
Zhang Fei finally realized what had happened.
"Ah. Just now I was so angry at that spineless Zhao Gou that I went to wrestle with my personal guards. I am wearing leather armor. Mengqi, you alright."
Liu Bei did not even look surprised. He was clearly long used to this kind of chaos. He simply turned to Zhuge Liang.
"This matter of Yue Fei should be recorded and sent to Jingbei. If Second Brother hears that Yue Fei follows his path, he will be very happy."
Perhaps he was thinking of how Yue Fei had grown up hearing stories of the three brothers.
Perhaps he was thinking of Yun Chang's lonely road.
Liu Bei sighed, his expression dimming slightly.
"It is a pity. We were favored by later generations, and Yun Chang was not left to fight alone to restore the Han."
"But Yue Wumu stands more than a hundred years away from Zhao Da."
"Then let us urge and assist Zhao Da, so that All Under Heaven may be unified."
Zhuge Liang laughed openly.
"When the Central Plains are stable and Hebei is at peace, when armor gathers dust and treasured blades rust, how could that not be a blessing."