The weather has cooled down, and Datong in the Kingdom of Jin ushered in the brightly lit night.
Nearly half of the leaves have fallen, and the grass has fallen early. Winter in the North is coming soon. But the coldness in the temperature has not lowered the bustling temperature of Datong. Even in these days, the city's security has become more and more strict day by day.
The atmosphere did not reduce the number of lights. Carriages with flags and lanterns were driving on the streets of the city, occasionally passing by soldiers in formation. When the curtains of the carriages opened, what was revealed were pictures containing
Noble and proud faces. Veterans who have experienced many battles are sitting in the front of the carriage, waving their whips high. In the shops with lights on, carnivores gather here, chatting and laughing.
The major affairs of the country lie in the sacrifice and military affairs. A new round of southern expedition has begun. After the 300,000-strong army set off from the east, Datong, Xijing, has become the focus of attention of the nobles of the Jin Kingdom. Lines of interest are intertwined here, and since Ma
After taking over the world on their backs, some of the nobles of the Jin Kingdom sent their children to new battlefields in order to regain their fame, while some of the nobles of the Jin Kingdom had their children eyeing the profit opportunities that came from the war: there will be countless ways to do so in the future.
The exhausted slaves, the wealthy fiefdom in the south, the various treasures brought back by the soldiers from the Wu Dynasty, or the loopholes in the huge logistics operation that could be exploited due to the mobilization of the army.
Compared with the two hundred years of corrosion experienced by the Wu Dynasty, the emerging Jin Empire showed a different attitude when faced with huge interests: Zongfu and Zongbi chose to conquer the entire Nanwu to gain the strength to intimidate Wanyan Zonghan
.But apart from this, more than ten years of prosperity and enjoyment still show its due power. The poor suddenly become rich and enjoy all the beauty in the world with the dividends of the war, but this kind of enjoyment may not last forever.
, after a cycle of more than ten years, when the benefits that the nobles can enjoy begin to decline, people who have experienced the peak may not be willing to return to poverty again.
Not to mention poverty, even a slight setback is probably something people are not willing to accept.
The old nobles who once conquered the world on horseback must use simple and crude methods to obtain profits: providing military supplies at high prices, passing them off as good quality, taking advantage of their connections to take away the military supplies, and then reselling them into the market for circulation...
Greed can always stimulate people's imagination to the greatest extent.
Nobles continue to flock to Datong, and the attack on these things has become fierce in Datong. In the past few days, even the sons of two princes were arrested and were killed by Zong Han.
Being seriously injured with a whip in person seems to mean that the hard-line older generation has reached the peak of cleaning up the corrupt atmosphere of the younger generation of Jurchens. Under the personal supervision of Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin, the actions of the Datong Mansion Yamen
In the past few days, many powerful people have been dealt with. After arresting and punishing these powerful people, they were then thrown into the army of the Southern Expedition, serving as slaves in lieu of punishment.
But such severity did not stop the nobles from continuing their activities in Datong Mansion. Even because young people were thrown into the army, some old nobles and even their wives came to the city to seek connections and intercede, which also changed the situation inside and outside the city.
, becoming even more confused.
But this chaos is coming to an end.
"... A big tree dies, often because it is infested with borers. The world is in turmoil, and state affairs are often like this." On this bustling night, in the attic of Prince Chen's Mansion, Wanyan Xiyin was looking down at the night outside.
Talking to the two tall young men beside him, they are his and Chen Wenjun's two sons, the eldest son Wanyan Dezhong, and the second son Wanyan Youyi. As the most bookish family in the Jurchen aristocratic circle, Xi Yin
His two children did not live up to his expectations. Wanyan Dezhong was tall and well-equipped in both civil and military affairs. Although Wanyan Youyi was thin and frail, he had experience in civil affairs. Even though he could not compare with his father's brilliance and magnificence, he was unrestrained.
Among the younger generation, he can be regarded as an outstanding leader.
He was about to go on an expedition, and when he was talking to his two sons, Chen Wenjun brought tea from the room to the three people who were the closest to her in the world. Although Xiyin's family tradition was strict, she didn't necessarily get along with her children in that way.
A father who puts on airs, so even the instructions he gave before leaving seemed extremely easy-going.
"Over the years, my father has often felt that things in the world have changed too fast. Since the late emperor's rebellion, he has swept the world like nothing and laid this foundation. However, in the past twenty years, I, Dajin, are still strong, but I am no longer invincible. Take a closer look.
, my Dajin spirit is losing, and the opponents are becoming fierce. The black flag was rampant a few years ago, which is a precedent. The theory of investigating things has caused the rise of firearms, which has to be paid attention to. Zuoqiu has a saying, be prepared for danger in times of peace, and think carefully.
Be prepared. This southern expedition may be able to determine the world before the changes in firearms, but it should also be my father's last military expedition."
Wanyan Xiyin has been fighting in the south and north, and has been a soldier all his life. At this time, Wanyan Xiyin's face is getting older, and half of his hair is gray. When he talks like this, his sensible son naturally says that he has the spirit of a dragon and a horse. Xiyin waves his hand and smiles.
: "My father is naturally in good health, but I can no longer boast about it. Since you are going to the battlefield, you should be determined to die. Since you are the sons of the God of Grain, you have to start to take on your own responsibility again. I have some instructions for you to leave to you...
...There is no need to say more, and there is no need to talk about good or bad luck...My daughter is really born in the land of white mountains and black waters. Your fathers, when they were young, had no food and clothing, lived on their hair and drank their blood. Since then, they have followed Emperor Aguda and fought for many years, defeating countless enemies.
! Destroy the Liao Kingdom! Devour the Central Plains! Up to now, your father is a prince, and the fine clothes and food you have had since childhood... were bought with blood."
"When I have reached this point, the most memorable thing for my father is not the pavilions and pavilions in front of me, and the fine clothes and food. Nowadays, the Jurchens are sweeping the world. Wherever you go, you see those people who are domineering and arrogant. For
The Jurchens that my father remembered were not like this. To this day, what my father remembers are more of dead people... The friends who grew up together died at some unknown time, and the brothers who were fighting were beaten to death.
He fell to the ground, and no one took care of his body. When he turned around, he couldn't find it... De Zhong, You Yi, the days you live today are padded with corpses and blood. Not only the blood of Jurchens,
There is also the blood of Liao people and Han people, you must remember it."
When he talked about the Han people, he stretched out his hand and took Chen Wenjun's hand.
"Now the world is about to be decided. In the last expedition, your fathers will wipe out the world and give you this rich world on their corpses. You may not need to fight again. What do you have to learn? You have to learn,
Let it stop bleeding. Don't let the Jurchens bleed. If you want the Jurchens to stop bleeding, the Han and Liao people had better not bleed, because if you let them bleed, they will also make it difficult for you.
This is...your homework."
In the attic, Wanyan Xiyin paused: "Also, this is the corruption of people's hearts. When life is good, people become bad..."
His words continued in the attic for a long time. The lights of the city outside were dim. By the time he finished these instructions, it was already getting late. The two children said goodbye and left, and Xiyin took his wife.
The hand was silent for a long time.
"Are you... feeling bad?" After a while, Xiyin spoke again.
Chen Wenjun lowered his head slightly and said nothing.
"I am a Jurchen." Xi Yin said, "I can't change this life. You are a Han, so there is nothing I can do about it. If the Jurchens want to live well, huh... I don't want to live a bad life. Think about it over the years.
Go, the fight for so long must have an end. For this end, either the Jurchens are defeated and Dajin is gone. I will take you to a place where there is no one else to live, or the world that needs to be fought is over, so we can
Sit down. Now it seems that the latter one is more likely."
"If you don't live well, you have to endure it. After this battle is over, the only thing I have to do is to make the Han people live better. Let the Jurchens, Liao people, and Han people... integrate as soon as possible. Maybe we will see it in this life.
Not yet, but I will definitely try my best as a husband. The general trend of the world has its ups and downs. The Han people are living a good life, so they are destined to fall for a while. There is no way..."
Chen Wenjun said nothing.
Tears fell.
…
On the same night, in the same city, Mandu Daru galloped anxiously through the streets of Datong with his horse flying.
"Quick! Quick -"
With this shout in his mouth, he was still waving his whip vigorously, and the cavalry behind him was also chasing with all its strength. The roar of the horse's hooves was like a torrent flowing through the streets and alleys.
After a while, the team rushed to the door of a large house in the east of the city as quickly as possible, blocked the front and rear, and broke in through the door.
There was a sound of panic in the mansion, and some guards came to stop them. Mandu Daru slashed them to the ground one by one. He broke through the corridor and the frightened servants, drove straight in, and reached the courtyard inside, where he saw a middle-aged man.
When he was a man, he just shouted loudly: "Mr. Jiang, your matter has been exposed - you can be arrested without any help..."
The official surnamed Jiang had a high status in the Jurchen court. He was a senior member of Shi Liai's staff. He held an important position in the logistics system for mobilizing grain and grass this time. Upon hearing this, when Mandu Daru came in, the other party was already
He was sweating profusely, his face was pale, and he was holding a steel knife. Before he could rush to the person, the person turned back and thrust the blade into his stomach.
"You deserve to be killed!" Mandu Daru rushed over. The opponent was already in the state of having a steel knife pierced through his abdomen. He gritted his teeth and hugged the opponent fiercely to stabilize the wound. "Master Gushen ordered me to handle this matter with my full authority. Do you think you will die?"
Just tell me who is behind the scenes! Tell me a name - otherwise I will put your whole family to death, and I will do what I say -"
Mandu Daru was first recalled to Datong in order to find out the murderer of Zong Han. Later, he participated in the Hannu rebellion. When the army gathered and logistics was implemented, he intervened in these matters again. Over the past few months
, Mandu Daru solved many cases in Datong. After all, among the clues uncovered this time, the case was the biggest. Some Jurchen nobles and logistics officials embezzled and transported air force materials to enrich their own pockets. This official named Jiang
is a key figure among them.
When he found this clue, he had already been noticed by the people behind him, and he hurriedly came to arrest him, but it seemed that someone had already arrived one step ahead. Mr. Jiang knew that he was unlucky, so he hesitated for a long time, and finally stabbed himself.
Mandu Daru threatened loudly and tried his best to wake him up. Mr. Jiang was in a trance and had already begun to vomit blood, but he finally raised his hand, stretched out his finger, and pointed to a place.
"What! What! Speak clearly! Speak!" Mandu Daru waved his hand and slapped him in the face, then waved his hand and slapped him again.
But the other party finally lost his breath.
"What...what!" Mandu Daru stood up and turned around, looking at the direction Master Jiang was pointing. After a moment, he was stunned.
Among the piles of tables and chairs there was a black tablecloth.
"Black Flag..." Mandu Daru understood, "Joker..."
Within a few months, various parties in Mandu Daru solved the case, and they had dealt with this name earlier. Later, when the Han slaves rebelled, this black flag agent took the opportunity to steal a roster from the Ceres Mansion, causing uproar throughout Xijing.
There was a lot of excitement, and it is said that this list was later difficult to spread. I don’t know how many people were involved. Master Gu Shen and others fought with him personally. With this list, some wavering southerners made their stance clear, but the other party also made more people surrender.
Daijin's southerners were exposed in advance. In a sense, it was Lord Gushen who suffered a loss in this battle.
Mandu Daru wanted to catch the other party, but after a period of time, the other party disappeared, and he went to take charge of other things. This time, the clues also vaguely mentioned a Han man who pulled the strings. It seemed to be the clown, but
Mandu Daru was not sure before, but today he broke through the fog and learned about the situation. From Lord Najiang's hand, he confirmed the identity of the other party.
The man surnamed Jiang is dead, and many people will escape because of this, but even if it comes to light now, it will involve Ling Ling Zong Zong's loss of nearly 30,000 shi of food. If they are all pulled out, there will probably be more.
"I must catch you..."
Mandu Daru stood up and split the table in front of him with a knife. He wanted to catch this Black Flag member nicknamed the Clown just after he returned to Datong, but time and time again, either because he didn't pay enough attention, or because he had
He was busy with other things, and the other party disappeared from his sight again and again, which made him feel troubled. But at the moment, he still had more things to do.
The army on the west route will take oath and set off tomorrow.
Tonight, many people are going to die...
…
Ten miles south of Datong City, there is the West Route Army Camp. The stretches of light, fire, and tents fill the entire field of vision and extend endlessly.
The baggage convoy is still busy and gathering all night long - it has never stopped since a long time ago, and it seems that it will continue to operate forever.
Two figures climbed up the hill in the darkness and looked at the suffocating scene from a distance. The huge war machine was already in operation and was about to roll towards the south.
"The one named Jiang has been targeted for a long time and may have been exposed..."
"It doesn't matter, the benefits have been distributed...you said..."
"Um?"
"Tell me, do these things we do have any effect?"
"Everyone should do a little bit. The teacher said that there may not be results if you do it, and there will be no results if you don't do it."
Lu Mingfang and Tang Minjie stood in the darkness, looking at this majestic everything. After a while, Lu Mingfang looked at Tang Minjie, who had a deep look, and patted his shoulder. Tang Minjie suddenly turned his head and heard Lu Mingfang
Fangdao: "You are too tight."
"Have it?"
"The things here... are not something you and I can finish." He smiled, "I heard the news that fighting has begun in the east. Zhu Biao left Zengtou City, Wangshan Yuexia Daming Mansion, and later on the bank of the Yellow River
Defeat Li Xizhi’s 200,000 troops...Wang Shanyue seems to be planning to defend Daming Mansion..."
Although they are thousands of miles apart, the military information coming from the south is not slow. Lu Mingfang has channels, so he can know the information conveyed by the Jurchen army. He whispered about the situation thousands of miles away. Tang Minjie closed his eyes and quietly
Quietly feel the surge of the whole world, quietly experience the horror of everything that will follow.
On August 19, the ninth year of Jianshuo, the Jurchen West Route Army took the oath from Datong, and under the leadership of General Wanyan Zonghan, began its fourth southern expedition.
To the south of Yanmen Pass, the forces headed by Wang Juyun, Tian Shi, Yu Yulin, Lou Shuwan and others have set up defenses and adopted a prepared attitude. Datong, Xiyin said goodbye to Chen Wenjun and the two children: "We will
Bring this world back to the Jurchens."
In the south, there was a burst of abuse in the Jinluan Palace and after rejecting the ministers' plan to deploy heavy troops to attack Sichuan and Si, Zhou Junwu set off and rushed to the front line in the north. He said to the Manchu ministers: "If we can't defeat the Jurchens, I won't come back.
.”
Wang Shanyue on the north bank of the Yellow River: "I will defend Daming Mansion into another Taiyuan."
That night, after looking at the Jurchen army ready to attack, Tang Minjie wiped his mouth and nose, turned around and walked towards Datong: "There must be something to do... there must be something to do..."
After that, the autumn rain continued, and the battles and beacon fires pushed down. The continuous autumn rain fell on every place on the earth. The river rushed, the turbid water roared, accompanied by thunderous sounds, the sounds of killing, and the sounds of resistance, hitting everything.