In the Kaiping Era of the Song Dynasty, outside the Imperial Palace.
“My Song… has fallen like this?”
Zhao Kuangyin’s eyes widened, his gaze vacant, his face pale, as he muttered to himself.
All the officials present were in a state of deep shock. For a moment, even Zhao Guangyi couldn’t bring himself to help Zhao Kuangyin up.
“Absurd! Utterly absurd! How could my Song fall in such a manner?!”
“Shameful! The Emperor and his concubines have been captured. What’s the difference between this and the Great Jin Dynasty of a hundred years ago?”
After a long silence, Zhao Kuangyin suddenly roared.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he wildly gesticulated and cursed at the air.
The officials present no longer tried to comfort Zhao Kuangyin’s fragile heart.
Why? Because by now, the officials’ hearts had become numb.
In the beginning, even with the political factions, the incompetent rulers and treacherous ministers, and the shackles of the ancestors, none of these were good, but at least there was a glimmer of hope.
These reasons only proved that the Song Dynasty’s military strength was weak, its defenses inadequate, and that it couldn’t defeat the enemy, leading to its demise.
However, when the foreign invasion began, a sense of despair crept into everyone’s hearts. Yet, this hadn’t entirely shattered the hardened resolve of Zhao Kuangyin and his ministers!
It’s true, a foreign invasion, a powerful Jin Dynasty, knowing that the Song Dynasty was weak, it wasn’t unacceptable to be conquered.
What if? What if the enemy’s forces arrived at the city gates, and the Emperor Huizong and his ministers fought desperately, realizing they had no way out, finally the city fell, the king died defending the country, and the Northern Song Dynasty perished?
If that had happened, the people present wouldn’t be as outraged as they are now, and they could still accept it!
But the current situation shattered everyone’s illusions!
Employing the charlatan Guo Jing resulted in the fall of the outer city of Kaifeng, but even so, didn’t Kaifeng still have the inner city and the imperial city?
Yet, at this critical moment, Emperor Qinzong and his ministers simply surrendered, leading the civil and military officials to kneel and prostrate themselves before the Jin forces, tarnishing the honor of the Han dynasty rulers!
Especially the list of captured individuals, it wasn’t a list, it was a slap in the face of every official in the Song Dynasty!
Inept externally, they cowered and sought peace, but internally, they were brutal, wielding the sword to exploit the people. Such a dynasty, how could it not fall?
“Zhao Ji, Zhao Huan, I remember you both. If I ever see you, I will definitely dethrone you!”
Zhao Kuangyin shouted hysterically. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, half-closed, and he stood frozen in place.
Didn’t the golden list mention “you can contact the author for any questions or requests”?
While he didn’t know what “the author” meant, he could guess that it was the one who created this golden list. Since they could make this golden list, they were a representative of Heaven!
If they were a representative of Heaven, they must be an immortal being. If so, why not first request a favor from the immortal and see the future Emperors Huizong and Qinzong?
Thinking of this, Zhao Kuangyin stopped being angry, and instead, he burst into laughter, leaving everyone bewildered.
“Hahaha! Let’s do it this way! Let’s do it this way! Huizong and Qinzong, you little brats, you dared to destroy my Song Dynasty! Let’s see how I ‘cherish’ you!”
Ridiculous, this overwhelming rage that had been pent up in his heart, could he really just let it go?
He had to get even with them!
Zhao Kuangyin was so happy, but the officials were dumbfounded!
What’s wrong with his Majesty? Did he go crazy from the shock, lost his mind?
This won’t do! The future Song Dynasty was already in such a terrible state, but the current Song Dynasty can’t be destabilized!
Thinking of this, Zhao Pu resolutely stepped forward and said firmly:
“Your Majesty, please don’t be distraught. The future Jingkang Incident hasn’t happened yet, but the current Song Dynasty still needs your rule!”
The officials all nodded.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Kuangyin suddenly smiled and said calmly:
“Who said I was angry? I’m not upset!”
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Just watch.”
The officials looked at each other, their eyes wide, but they still maintained their composure and continued to observe…
…
In the Xuanhe Era of the Song Dynasty, at the Genyue Imperial Gardens.
“No! How could I end up in such a situation? No! I cannot let the Jin people capture me!”
After seeing his own fate on the golden list, Zhao Ji was terrified. He didn’t care about the emperor’s dignity anymore and stood up shouting.
The officials also had grim expressions. The list of captured officials included their names!
“Quickly! Someone, prepare the carriage. We need to escape south! We need to escape south!”
Zhao Ji shouted frantically. The officials all looked up, a sneer in their hearts.
As expected of his Majesty. Even facing such humiliation, the first thing that came to mind wasn’t preparing for battle, fighting with all his might, but fleeing south?
The so-called “escape south” was just to abandon Kaifeng and run to Jiangnan?
The officials weren’t fools!
However, before the officials could speak, the “Six Thieves” stepped forward, and Cai Jing bowed and said:
“Your Majesty is wise. The breach of the treaty is now irreversible. The Jin forces are overwhelming. We should head south to Jiangnan first, then when the military strength recovers, we can launch a counteroffensive to reclaim the lost territory!”
The officials were taken aback. Wow, Cai Jing even thought about reclaiming lost territory?
Didn’t this mean tacitly allowing the Jin forces to occupy Kaifeng City?
But the Six Thieves didn’t think so. They had also seen their own fates!
As long as they stayed with Huizong, even if Qinzong ascended the throne, they couldn’t do anything to them. After all, the golden list said that they were killed after Huizong returned to the capital!
Therefore, they had to follow Zhao Ji south!
“Yes, yes, yes! You are right, my dear official. Let’s do that, let’s do that!”
Zhao Ji was already panicking and kept nodding in agreement.
Unexpectedly, Tong Guan stepped forward and frowned:
“Are you really going to abandon Kaifeng, Your Majesty? If we are going south, then who will oversee the city of Kaifeng?”
His words were clear. Kaifeng, the capital, the ancestral homeland, the location of the imperial mausoleums, whoever abandoned it would bear the curse of generations to come!
Even if they did abandon it, what would happen next? Who would control Kaifeng City? Could it be, as the golden list said, that he would abdicate to the crown prince?
Tong Guan was a complex figure among the Six Thieves. Unlike Cai Jing, Zhu Aici, etc., who caused trouble and ruined the country with their extravagance, Tong Guan had served as military and political leader for decades, leading numerous campaigns. He had also achieved great feats, including recovering the lost territory in the northwest, destroying the Tubo, and severely damaging the Western Xia.
Compared to Zhu Aici and other Six Thieves, he still had a bit of conscience. When Zhao Ji wanted to reinstate the extravagant Flower Stone Tax after putting down the Fang La rebellion, Tong Guan said, “The southeast people haven’t even put their pots back on their stoves, are we going to do this again?” This showed his concern for the people.
It could be said that Tong Guan was the only one among the Six Thieves who still had a bit of conscience.
Sure enough, after he spoke, Zhao Ji and the others fell silent.
Just as everyone was at a loss for words, a shout suddenly came from a distance:
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince seeks an audience!”
The officials were taken aback. The preparations for the escape south hadn’t even started yet, but the Crown Prince came here?
Zhao Ji’s face darkened, and he waved his hand:
“Let him in!”
“Yes!”
…
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