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Chapter 167 Sending Envoys to Negotiate Peace
Chapter 167 Sending Envoys to Negotiate Peace
Little did Zhao Kuo know that, in recent days, the Eastern Depot, relying on the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, had become far more powerful than before.
The Evil-Repelling Sword Manual is the fastest way to learn, and in just a few months, it can train hundreds of top martial artists who, in terms of individual combat strength, far surpass ordinary palace guards.
With prior preparation, Yang Cishan's old subordinates were suppressed as soon as they made a move, without even making a ripple.
"Capture Huang Yaoshi, seize him first!" Zhao Kuo, desperate as a dog, gave the order in a stern voice, wanting to use Huang Yaoshi as a bargaining chip.
Upon hearing this, several soldiers brandished their swords and rushed towards Huang Yaoshi.
Huang Yaoshi sneered and moved slightly.
Everyone felt a blur before their eyes, and several muffled groans rang out in succession. The soldiers who rushed forward instantly fell to the ground, each with a red mark between their eyebrows, and died instantly.
The might of the Eastern Heretic was fully revealed.
Huang Yaoshi moved swiftly and then flew to the throne, standing beside Zhao Kuo and Yang Guizhi.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please stop this nonsense."
The two of them froze, unable to utter a word.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
The officials in the hall were dumbfounded. No one had expected that Minister Huang, who usually only dealt with trivial matters, would have such high martial arts skills.
Huang Yaoshi stood with his hands behind his back beside the throne, looking at the officials below: "Anyone else who wants to join the rebellion can step forward."
""
The officials were silent as cicadas in winter, and no one dared to make a move.
Now that things have come to this, who can't see that the Emperor Emeritus's palace coup was part of someone else's scheme from the very beginning?
Huang Yaoshi was well prepared, and the Empress personally intervened to quell the rebellion, so there was no sense of haste.
Qian Xiangzu stood in the line of civil officials, his body went limp, and he slumped to the ground, his face full of bitter smiles.
Actually, he had a vague feeling that something was wrong before he even took action.
But with the arrow already on the bowstring, he had no choice but to take a gamble, imprisoning Lei Xiaoyou and launching a rebellion.
In retrospect, he lost his gamble, and lost everything.
Lin Chaoying walked slowly forward and stood beside the throne, her gaze sweeping over the assembled officials.
Although she was not wearing empress's robes, her imposing presence was so overwhelming that no one in the court dared to raise their head.
"The Emperor Emeritus was kidnapped by bandits and nearly killed, but fortunately, Minister Huang intervened in time to save him."
Lin Chaoying's voice was not loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the hall: "From this day forward, the Emperor Emeritus will continue to reside in the Shou Kang Palace. The Yang family has plotted rebellion and will be punished according to the law. All officials and officers involved in the rebellion will be handed over to the Eastern Depot for thorough investigation, and there will be no leniency."
"The battle at the front is of utmost importance. All other officials must perform their duties diligently and not slack off. Anyone who dares to take advantage of the situation to cause trouble will be punished as an accomplice to treason."
"The sage is wise!"
All the officials bowed in unison, and no one dared to raise any objection.
A long-brewing palace coup was thus quietly quelled.
When news of the Lin'an Palace Coup reached the front lines, Zhao Yu was standing at the bow of a naval warship.
The Sishui River was wide open, and hundreds of cargo ships lined up end to end, carrying soldiers and provisions downstream to the north.
The Song infantry on both sides of the river marched in formation, their banners stretching for dozens of miles, their armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
After reading the whole story, Zhao Yu chuckled and casually tossed the letter aside.
"A clown jumping around like a tree trunk."
He had already laid out a backup plan in Lin'an. With Lin Chaoying in charge of the central palace, Huang Yaoshi assisting in the administration of the court, and hundreds of Eastern Depot agents who practiced the Evil-Slaying Sword Manual, Zhao Kuo's old subordinates from the Palace Guard could not cause any trouble.
This experience has actually made things clear to everyone in the world.
For his own power, Zhao Kuo did not hesitate to launch a palace coup at the most critical juncture of the Northern Expedition, disregarding the soldiers on the front lines and the overall situation of the country.
After this incident, the hearts of the people in the court and the public completely turned to Zhao Yu, and his throne became even more secure than before.
"Pass down the order to continue north." Zhao Yu's voice carried on the wind across the deck. "In this battle, I will reclaim all the lost territories of Shandong."
"Look!"
'
The generals behind him echoed in unison, their voices drowning out the roar of the water.
The Song army had just won a victory in Zaoyang, and their morale was high. At this moment, everyone was determined to recover their lost territory, and their advance was unstoppable.
The war is progressing exceptionally smoothly.
After Wanyan Kuang's defeat, the Jin army was left with few troops in Shandong, and the morale of the garrison troops in various prefectures and counties was already low.
Whenever the two armies faced off, before they had even finished lining up their ranks, Zhao Yu would sneak out of the camp under the cover of night, break into the Jin army's territory alone, and kill the commander-in-chief.
The patrol posts in ordinary military camps are practically useless.
One Meng'an dies today, another Mouke perishes tomorrow; in just over a month, seven or eight out of ten of the Jin army's mid-level generals in Shandong have been lost.
Later, the Jin army units dared not reveal the names of their commanders, fearing they would become targets of Zhao Yu's reprimands.
However, this led to increasing chaos in the command system, poor communication of military orders, and each unit fighting independently, making them no match for the Song army.
Wang Chongyang led the western army to capture Caozhou and Jizhou in succession. Qiu Qianren's vanguard was unstoppable. In addition, the Shandong Red Turban Army and other righteous armies contacted by Hong Qi responded one after another. The people along the way welcomed the king's army with food and drink.
Within a few months, most of the prefectures and counties in Shandong had been liberated.
The Song army's advance reached the banks of the Yellow River, and looking into the distance, the ancient capital of Kaifeng was already close at hand.
News also came from the western front that the Western Xia, seeing that the main force of the Jin Dynasty was tied up in Shandong, took the opportunity to send troops to harass various prefectures in Guanzhong.
The Jin army was caught in a dilemma, unable to attend to both ends, and its forces were stretched thin, causing them immense suffering.
On this day, in Dongping Prefecture, Shandong.
Located on the western route of Shandong, this place connects the north and south canals, and can be seen from Kaifeng to the west and control Hebei to the north. It has always been a strategic location fought over by military strategists.
The main hall of the government office was converted into a temporary temporary residence, with the walls covered with the latest military intelligence maps, and military reports from all over the country being delivered in a continuous stream.
As Zhao Yu was discussing the defense strategy along the Yellow River with his generals, a personal guard rushed in to report that an envoy from the Jin Kingdom had arrived outside the city and requested an audience with His Majesty.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu chuckled and said, "It seems the Jurchens can't hold out any longer and have come to sue for peace."
""
"Your Majesty is a man of divine martial prowess, a master strategist!" Qiu Qianren said with a beaming smile. "This Northern Expedition has forced the Jin to kneel and grovel, sending envoys to sue for peace. Since the southward migration, when has our Great Song Dynasty ever enjoyed such glory? In my humble opinion, we need not pay them any heed. We should march westward, capture Kaifeng, and reclaim our old capital!"
The generals below echoed his sentiments, all eager to fight, their morale soaring.
Zhao Yu waved his hand: "Let's meet him first and then talk. Summon him in."
Before long, the Golden Envoy slowly walked into the main hall.
The visitor was Wanyan Congyi, a member of the Jin imperial family and a cousin of the current Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, who held the official position of Minister of Rites.
He already knew that the previous two envoys had died at the hands of Zhao Yu, and he came here with the intention of dying, so he appeared neither humble nor arrogant.
"Wanyan Congyi, envoy of the Great Jin Kingdom and Minister of Rites, greets His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty." Wanyan Congyi bowed respectfully, displaying impeccable manners.
"A member of the Wanyan clan." Zhao Yu leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. "You've got some nerve. The two previous envoys who came to my Great Song Dynasty didn't return alive. As a member of the imperial family, aren't you afraid I'll execute you?"
""
Wanyan Congyi remained unmoved: "This foreign subject has come on the orders of the King, for the sake of the millions of people in both countries. If we can achieve peace between the North and the South, what is there to fear even in death?"
"He does have some backbone, though."
""
Zhao Yu raised an eyebrow. "Speak, what does the Jin emperor want to say to you?"