sovbooks Chapter 81 The Big and Little Zhou
Chapter 81 The Big and Little Zhou
Jiangning Prefecture, which faces Yangzhou across the river, was the imperial palace of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
The Chengxin Hall in the Imperial Palace is filled with the fragrance of ink, mixed with a faint scent of ambergris, creating a refined and pleasant atmosphere.
Li Jing stood before the desk, his wolf-hair brush hovering in mid-air, his gaze lingering on the newly written manuscript, a hint of self-satisfaction unconsciously playing on his lips.
"My son, what do you think of this line of mine, 'Fine rain awakens my dreams of the distant frontier, a cold jade flute plays throughout the small pavilion'?"
During the Later Zhou Dynasty, Emperor Shizong of Zhou and Zhao Kuangyin personally led an expedition to Huainan, defeating the main force of the Tang army and seizing fourteen prefectures north of the Yangtze River in one fell swoop. From then on, the Southern Tang Dynasty was severely weakened.
In order to protect himself, Li Jing had no choice but to relinquish his imperial title, change it to "King of the State," and submit to the Later Zhou dynasty, paying tribute to them.
After that, he devoted himself to poetry and entrusted all state affairs to Crown Prince Li Congjia, no longer interfering in them.
Li Congjia, the crown prince of Southern Tang, standing beside him, did not respond rashly. Instead, he bent down to carefully read the manuscript, his eyes gradually filled with admiration and respect. He then raised his head and said:
"Father's words are poignant and beautiful, every word a gem; I am truly far inferior to them."
Hearing the praise, Li Jing's smile widened. Just as he was about to discuss poetry further, a palace attendant's urgent voice came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, Chancellor Han requests an audience."
"Han Xizai?" Li Jing frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashing across his face. He waved his hand and said, "Let him in!"
A moment later, Han Xizai, dressed in a scarlet official robe, strode into the hall, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, a secret report from Yangzhou!"
"Li Chongjin again?"
Li Jing put down his wolf-hair brush, slowly sat back in his rosewood chair, picked up his teacup, took a leisurely sip, and said in a calm tone, "What? Does he still want me to send troops to help him?"
"Didn't I already say? Zhao Kuangyin is not someone to be trifled with. Back in Liuhe, he had only two thousand soldiers, yet he dared to confront our dynasty's fifty thousand troops!"
"How could Li Chongjin possibly be a match for such a person?"
When the topic of that crushing defeat came up, a hint of barely concealed apprehension flashed in Li Jing's eyes.
That time, if his brother's donkey hadn't run so fast, he probably wouldn't have made it back...
With this in mind, Li Jing reaffirmed his resolve and declared unequivocally, "From now on, all letters from Li Chongjin shall be burned!"
"Your Majesty, this matter is probably not as simple as you think." Han Xizai hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "The commander of the Song army that led the troops to suppress the rebellion this time is not Zhao Kuangyin."
"If it's not Zhao Kuangyin? Then who could it be? Shi Shouxin? Murong Yanzhao?" Li Jing sneered, "Whoever it is, they are not easy to deal with. Why should Jiangnan wade into this mess and invite trouble upon themselves?"
"Your Majesty, the commander-in-chief of the Song army this time is Zhao Dezhao, the eldest son of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty."
As soon as Han Xizai finished speaking, Chengxin Hall fell silent.
After a long while, Li Jing finally came to his senses, his eyes filled with astonishment and doubt. He stood up and asked, "Is what you say true? Zhao Kuangyin actually let a ten-year-old child lead the army into battle?"
"Absolutely true." Han Xizai nodded. "Scouts report that the commander-in-chief of the Song army's expedition to Jianghuai is this very child."
To be honest, when he first received the message, he also thought it was fake news.
But after repeated confirmation from multiple scouts and Li Chongjin's envoy, Han Xizai realized that their Tang Dynasty's opportunity seemed to have truly arrived.
Thinking of this, Han Xizai couldn't help but step forward, cup his hands, and earnestly remonstrate:
"Your Majesty, the Song army has underestimated us; this is a golden opportunity!"
"The Song dynasty was illegitimate in its acquisition of power. To the north, the Khitan and Taiyuan were eyeing it covetously, and to the west, the Shu region was occupied by the pseudo-Han regime. Now that Li Chongjin has raised the banner of rebellion, the whole world is watching this battle."
"If our Great Tang can join forces with Li Chongjin and decisively defeat the main force of the Song army, the Song Dynasty will be like a tiger with broken teeth, and all the surrounding countries will surely rise up to attack it, plunging the Central Plains into chaos!"
"In this world, apart from the Song and Liao dynasties, only our Great Tang is the most powerful. If we win this battle, we can not only wipe away our past humiliation, but also seize the opportunity to conquer the Central Plains and restore the prestige of our Great Tang!"
"Your Majesty! Please reconsider!"
As soon as Han Xizai finished speaking, both Li Jing and his son Li Congjia fell into deep thought.
After a long while, Li Jing extended his hand: "Give it to me."
Han Xizai's face lit up with joy, and he quickly presented Li Chongjin's secret letter.
Li Jing opened the secret letter sent by Li Chongjin, read it carefully word by word, and then slowly closed his eyes, pondering it in his heart.
The oppressive power of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, the valor of Zhao Kuangyin, the crushing defeat in the Six Wars, the humiliation of being forced to relinquish his imperial title...
Those past events that he had deliberately forgotten all came flooding back to him at this moment.
As the ruler of a nation, he could only refer to himself as "I, the Lonely One," not "I, the Emperor"; he watched helplessly as his homeland north of the Yangtze River was seized, yet he could only swallow his anger...
What a humiliation this must be for the Li family of the imperial clan!
Now, an opportunity to redeem oneself seems to be right in front of us.
Conquer the Central Plains... Conquer the Central Plains!
Li Jing murmured to himself, then suddenly opened his eyes. All the sorrow and languor of the past vanished from his gaze, replaced by a long-lost fervor. He seemed to have regained the spirited exuberance of his early days on the throne, and suddenly roared:
"Han Xizai, convey...my decree!"
The single word "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I, the Emperor") fully expressed his discontent and ambition!
Han Xizai's expression brightened, and he immediately prostrated himself on the ground, loudly replying, "Your subject obeys the decree!"
Li Jing slowly rose, his gaze sharp, and ordered in a deep voice: "Issue Lin Renzhao, the military governor of Runzhou, as the commander-in-chief of the expedition, to command 50,000 troops on both the eastern and western routes of Jiangnan, stationed in Jiangning, ready to cross the river and rush to the aid of Yangzhou at any time!"
"Is appointed Zheng Yanhua, the military governor of Zhenhai, as the commander-in-chief of both naval and land forces, to lead 50,000 naval troops to the Yangtze River. Once the Song army is defeated, they shall immediately sail up the river and march straight for Kaifeng!"
"I hereby order Zhu Lingyun, Commander of the Divine Guard Army, to lead 50,000 naval troops to garrison Jingkou (east of Jiangning Prefecture) to guard against a potential invasion by Wu and Yue!"
With his deployment complete, Li Jing, brimming with pride, declared loudly:
"This battle is the time for our Great Tang Dynasty to once again rise to prominence throughout the world!"
"Long live the Emperor!!" Han Xizai looked at the spirited emperor, tears welling in his eyes, and prostrated himself on the ground, shouting the praises.
After so many years, His Majesty has finally regained his fighting spirit!
The Great Tang Dynasty is about to rise up!
"Father!"
Li Congjia could not hide his excitement, and his usually gentle eyes were now filled with passion.
Since he ascended to the position of Crown Prince, his father had repeatedly warned him not to provoke the Central Plains...
Having heard these words many times, he, like his father, was filled with fear of the Central Plains and dared not have the slightest thought of resistance.
But today, seeing his father regain his imperial aura, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride!
This is his father!
This is the true emperor of the Tang Dynasty!
As the crown prince, how could he remain indifferent?
Thinking of this, he was overcome with passion and immediately knelt down to plead for his life:
"This is a battle that will allow the Tang Dynasty to rise again and establish its destiny! Zhao Dezhao, a mere ten-year-old child, dares to lead troops into battle; I, your son, also wish to meet him!"
"Your subject requests permission to personally accompany the army on the expedition to boost morale!"
"Okay!" Li Jing said with satisfaction, and immediately agreed.
Over the years, Li Congjia has been in charge of all state affairs. He has long been the de facto backbone of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Li Jing felt extremely at ease entrusting him with assisting Lin Renzhao.
Moreover, this time, he has dispatched the entire main force of the Tang Dynasty, totaling 150,000 troops, while the Song army has only 50,000, plus the ten-year-old eldest prince as the commander-in-chief.
Li Jing really couldn't believe it.
What can I possibly lose this battle with?
……
Upon leaving Chengxintang, Li Congjia could not contain his excitement and headed straight for the East Palace.
As soon as he entered the East Palace courtyard, he heard the clear and melodious sound of a zither coming from inside, mixed with a woman's silvery laughter, which made Li Congjia involuntarily show a gentle smile.
He quietly entered the inner courtyard, where he saw his Crown Princess Zhou Ehuang sitting gracefully playing the zither by the flower trellis under the eaves.
Today, Zhou Ehuang is dressed in a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her black hair is tied up with a single mutton-fat jade hairpin, her skin is as smooth as jade, her eyebrows and eyes are curved like distant mountains shrouded in mist, and she exudes a gentle and noble air in her gaze.
As she raised her hand to pluck the strings, the silver bracelet on her wrist jingled softly, blending with the music, creating a scene as beautiful as a traditional Chinese ink painting of a lady.
For a moment, Li Congjia was so captivated by the sight that he unconsciously murmured:
"A wisp of cloud, a shuttle of jade. A light robe of thin silk, a gentle frown on her brows..."
"It's my brother, the Crown Prince!"
Beside the zither table, a girl of about ten years old was tilting her head to listen to the zither. When she heard that familiar sound, her eyes lit up, and she stood up excitedly, staring intently at Li Congjia.
She was Zhou Ehuang's younger sister, Zhou Nüying.
Little Ying wore a pink and white jacket and had her hair in two buns. Her eyebrows and eyes resembled her older sister's by seven points, but she had more of a childlike charm and liveliness. Her skin was as white as snow and her eyes were like autumn water. Although she was still young, she was already a complete beauty.
Zhou Ehuang slowly rose, curtsied, and said in a gentle voice, "Your Highness has returned."
Li Congjia helped Zhou Ehuang up, then patted Zhou Nüying's head, his face still flushed with excitement, and said with a smile:
"I have something important to tell you..."
He immediately recounted everything that had just happened in the court to the two women, and then raised his head and said:
"My father has decided to send troops to assist Li Chongjin in attacking the Song army, and I have volunteered to join the army on the expedition."
Zhou Nuying's eyes lit up, and she looked at him with admiration, her little hand clutching his sleeve, her eyes filled with affection for him.
"Your Highness is truly remarkable! Not only is your poetry unparalleled in Jiangnan, but you also possess military strategy and tactics. You are truly a first-rate man!"
Zhou Ehuang frowned instantly, her eyes filled with worry. She reached out and took Li Congjia's hand, her voice filled with concern:
"Your Highness, the battlefield is dangerous, and swords have no eyes. How can you, with your precious health, go to the front lines? It would be better to stay in Jiangning and coordinate from the center."
"If even a ten-year-old child like Zhao Dezhao dares to invade, what do I have to fear!" Li Congjia shook his head.
This battle is crucial. If we win, seven-tenths of the Song imperial guards will be lost, and the Tang Dynasty will be able to take the Central Plains directly, and may even be able to restore the old Tang Dynasty's glory!
If he could personally lead the army, the morale of the troops would be high, naturally increasing the chances of victory.
Besides, who says that personally leading an expedition necessarily means going to the battlefield?
Seeing Li Congjia's resolute expression, Zhou Ehuang bit her lip and said again:
"If Your Highness insists on going, I am willing to go with you so that I can take care of your daily life in the army and stay by your side."
Li Congjia was slightly taken aback, a hint of hesitation flashing through his mind.
The battlefield is arduous, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for his delicate Crown Princess if she had to go with him.
But then I thought, this expedition is a long journey and the military life is monotonous. If Ehuang were to accompany me, we could enjoy tea, compose poems, play the zither, and discuss music in our spare time, which would add a touch of elegance.
He immediately smiled and nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll take you with me."
Seeing this, Zhou Nüying's eyes darted around, and she immediately tugged at Zhou Ehuang's skirt, swaying it coquettishly as she said:
"Sister, I want to go too!"
"I also want to go with you and see what it's like for the army to set off!"
Zhou Ehuang immediately shook her head and said softly, "Nüying, be good. The battlefield is dangerous. You are still young. Staying in the Eastern Palace is the safest place for you."
"No!" Zhou Nuying pouted, then looked at Li Congjia, stretched out her delicate little hand, hooked her fingers around Li Congjia's, and gently shook them, her eyes full of pleading:
"Brother Crown Prince, please..."
Actually, she only thought of going together because she saw Li Congjia had gone.
Looking at her innocent and carefree appearance, Li Congjia couldn't help but soften his heart. After thinking for a moment, he smiled and said:
"It's alright. The army is accompanying us this time, and the defenses are very tight. Bringing Nüying along won't cause any problems. It'll be a good opportunity for her to broaden her horizons."
"Brother Crown Prince, you're the best!"
Zhou Nuying immediately beamed with joy, threw herself into Li Congjia's arms, cheered, and even raised her chin at her sister in a provocative manner.
Zhou Ehuang smiled helplessly: "You... just spoil her."
Inside the Eastern Palace, though the music had ceased, the air was filled with warmth and affection.
……
The Bian River roared, carrying the chill of late autumn, as it lapped against the edge of the Song army camp outside Yangzhou.
At this moment, a somber and anxious atmosphere pervaded the city of Yangzhou.
Shi Shouxin has been besieging Yangzhou with his vanguard army of 30,000 for nearly ten days, but has yet to be able to breach the walls of this important town in the Jianghuai region.
Inside the general's tent, the flickering candlelight reflected the weariness and frustration on the faces of the generals.
Shi Shouxin, his hand on the sword at his waist, pointed to the city map on the table and said in a heavy tone, "Yangzhou has high walls and a deep river. Our army has been attacking fiercely for days, losing nearly a thousand soldiers, yet we have made little progress. Do any of you have a good plan?"
Li Chuyun stood to the side, shaking his head repeatedly.
What's even more troublesome is that the city has ample food supplies, and Li Chongjin's 40,000 elite troops are holding their ground and refusing to come out, clearly intending to wear down the Song army.
If this drags on, morale will only continue to decline.
The situation was unfavorable, and the generals under his command also looked troubled: "Vice Commander, how about we postpone the attack and wait for His Highness to lead his army to arrive before making any further plans?"
Some impatiently said, "This stalemate isn't working. We should concentrate all our elite forces and launch another desperate attack!"
Arguments rose and fell, but no feasible solution could be found.
Shi Shouxin waved his hand, silencing the commotion inside the tent, and said in a deep voice, "We must not act rashly. His Highness is about to arrive; we must hold our ground and wait for the commander to arrive before making any decisions."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a hurried report came from outside the tent:
"His Highness has arrived!"
Upon hearing this, the generals immediately composed themselves and rose to form ranks.
The tent flap was lifted, and Zhao Dezhao, dressed in silver armor, stood tall and straight. Although he was only ten years old, he had a dignified air about him. Behind him were Cao Bin and Li Jilong, who was dressed in light armor, as they slowly walked into the tent.
"Your Highness, we humble servants pay our respects!"
The generals bowed in unison, their voices loud and clear, yet they could not hide the worry in their eyes.
"Please, everyone, no need for formalities."
Zhao Dezhao raised his hand to signal, walked straight to the table, his gaze falling on the map of Yangzhou. He got straight to the point: "I already knew on the way here that our army has been besieging Yangzhou for many days and has been unable to take it. General Shi, tell me about the situation."
Shi Shouxin stepped forward and reported on the battle situation, casualties, and predicament of the past few days, his tone tinged with self-reproach: "Your Highness, this humble general is incompetent and failed to breach the city sooner. Please punish me!"
"What crime have you committed?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao did not reprimand him, but simply said:
"Yangzhou is an important town in the Jianghuai region. Li Chongjin has been managing it for many years, so it is understandable that he is holding out. You all need not blame yourselves. The most urgent task is to find a way to break through the city as soon as possible."
The tent erupted in noise again, with the generals offering various opinions, but none of them could come up with a viable solution.
Some suggested digging tunnels into the city, while others advocated diverting water from the Bian River to flood the city, but both proposals were rejected.
Everyone knows what His Highness wants.
Yangzhou was captured in a single day!
In other words, by the time His Highness arrived at the gates of Yangzhou, they only had 12 hours left!
How easy is it to capture Yangzhou within twelve hours?
Just as everyone was at a loss, a scout suddenly rushed into the tent, kneeling down in a panic to report:
"Your Highness! The puppet Tang dynasty has assembled 50,000 troops on the opposite bank of the Yangtze River and deployed 50,000 naval forces on the river, seemingly intending to rush to the aid of Yangzhou!"
"What?!"
This news struck like a thunderbolt, causing the faces of the generals in the tent to change drastically.