Chapter 52: A Volatile Situation?

Wanyan Zongwang was not opposed to Shi Li'ai's tactics.

Shi Li'ai's "city-locking method" was a brilliant strategy.

He simply disagreed with Wanyan Zonghan's grand strategy.

What was Wanyan Zonghan's strategy?

He was a staunch advocate for the complete destruction of the Song Dynasty!

Following this large-scale siege, the situation was already evolving precisely along the lines predicted in the Emperor's treatise, *On the Early Stage of the Song-Jin War*.

In fact, most people in the room were acutely aware of this, yet they all tacitly refrained from mentioning the Emperor's article.

Marshal Wanyan Zonghan said, "This Marshal agrees with Prime Minister Shi's view. Does anyone else have anything to add?"

The others remained silent until Wanyan Shemu chimed in, "Locking down the cities is great! Lock them all down, and I'll go plunder the rest!"

No one paid him any attention. Everyone knew he had a volatile temper, and nobody wanted to provoke this butcher for no reason.

Zonghan glanced at Wanyan Zongwang and asked, "Zongwang, do you have anything to say?"

Wanyan Zongwang replied, "If we lock down the cities, it becomes a contest of whose food supplies will last longer. We have now penetrated deep into the heartland of the Song territory. There are still remnants of the Song army to our north, and other regions have already begun scorched-earth tactics, clearing the fields and hoarding supplies. How much grain do our forces actually have left?"

Wanyan Xiyin, who was in charge of the army's logistics, answered, "Our army originally had three months' worth of rations left, but due to the heavy casualties in today's battle, if we ration carefully, we can stretch it to nearly four months."

"Does that mean our food will be completely exhausted by April of this year?"

Wanyan Xiyin replied, "On paper, yes, but we can gather grain from the surrounding towns and villages."

Liu Yanzong interjected, "Within a radius of hundreds of li, how much more can we possibly collect?"

Wanyan Xiyin said, "Conservatively estimating, we can still gather two more months' worth of grain."

Wanyan Shemu horned in—just cutting into the conversation, nothing else...

Wanyan Shemu shouted, "Those cunning Han civilians have hidden all their grain! Marshal, give me three thousand men, and I'll go raze those places along the way, slaughtering everyone who hid food!"

Liu Yanzong immediately objected, "No! If we slaughter Han civilians on a large scale, even more people in Hebei and Hedong will rise up against us."

Wanyan Shemu retorted, "We are at war right now, and war is about seizing food! What do you civil officials know about this?"

"Shemu, do not show disrespect to Minister Liu," Wanyan Zongwang said coldly. Wanyan Shemu shrank his head back.

Liu Yanzong continued, "Right now, numerous Song military forces and civilians are gathering in Hebei and Hedong to resist us. If we carry out widespread massacres at this juncture, it will only drive more Han people to join their ranks, which would be disastrous for us."

Although Wanyan Zonghan was brutal and bellicose, he understood these basic principles.

More importantly, the Han civilians were almost out of grain themselves.

Over the past two years of continuous warfare in Hebei and Hedong, thousands of miles had been left barren, and many crop fields lay abandoned. Even if they tried to forcibly plunder the area in such freezing weather, they wouldn't be able to gather much.

Furthermore, the Jin Dynasty had inherited almost all the legacy of the Liao Dynasty. The Liao was not a typical nomadic pastoral state; it was a nation that combined feudalism and nomadism.

Naturally, the Jin Dynasty was the same.

Within its borders were various nomadic tribes alongside the walled cities of the Han people. Animal husbandry, agriculture, iron smelting, and other industries were well developed, and it had inherited the bureaucratic system of the Liao.

The Jin Dynasty had fought its wars too quickly in recent years, expanding its territory at a pace far exceeding the growth of its bureaucratic machinery. As a result, it was unable to effectively digest the lands it had swallowed.

Feudalization was currently the political consensus on the general direction for the Jin Dynasty.

Since they were pursuing feudalization, they inevitably had to rely on the Han people. Therefore, while the Jin had engaged in mass slaughter of Han people in the early stages, they had since reduced the practice.

They had restrained themselves, at least to some degree.

There were clear political considerations behind this.

Wanyan Xiyin said, "Minister Liu makes a valid point. Marshal, leave the matter of military rations to me. There should still be some supplies left in Luoyang and Zhengzhou, which we can have transferred here."

"Very well, handle this matter. You must procure more grain—even if it's only enough for another month. This Marshal is going to starve that dog of an emperor out and see how long he can hold on!"

With that, Wanyan Zonghan raised his cup and drained the wine in one gulp. "Once we capture Bianjing, all the treasures and women in Bianjing will be ours!"

The others raised their cups and cheered, "Brilliant, Marshal!"

Wanyan Zongwang said nothing. He had no intention of dissuading Wanyan Zonghan.

Just like being a vice president, if you realize the CEO's strategy is wrong, you don't go out of your way to warn him.

Not only do you not warn him, but you actually hope he charges full speed ahead down the wrong path.

Suddenly, Shi Li'ai spoke up again, "Marshal, there is one more matter I wish to discuss."

"Please speak freely, Prime Minister Shi."

"Here, in Cizhou and Xiangzhou, I hear that quite a few Song troops are gathering. Prince Kang, Zhao Gou, whom we let go this year, has established the Hebei Military Marshal's Office in Xiangzhou and issued a decree calling for loyalist reinforcements to save the dynasty."

"Zhao Gou?" Wanyan Zonghan said in surprise. "I remember that name—a prince of the Zhao-Song house, and the only real man among them!"

If Wanyan Jiumei were to hear Wanyan Zonghan utter these words, how would he react?

One must remember that, in orthodox history, after Wanyan Jiumei became the emperor of the Southern Song, he shamelessly wrote a nauseating, groveling letter of absolute subservience to the Jin Emperor Wanyan Wuqimai and Marshal Wanyan Zonghan.

The only real man?

One can only say of the imperial Zhao family...

Shi Li'ai continued, "I am concerned that large numbers of Song troops and civilians will gather and cut off our retreat route back north. While our army naturally does not fear them in open-field combat, we have been on a distant expedition for a long time. If we encounter hostile Song forces and civilians while marching back north, it will be disadvantageous to us."

Shi Li'ai's worries were by no means groundless.

In fact, in military operations, retreating is far more difficult than advancing.

During an advance, troops are mobilized to charge together, and their morale is in a state of high excitement.

However, during a retreat, everyone's thoughts are focused on hurrying home, leaving little inclination to fight.

If the Song army were to gather in large numbers to the north at this moment, it would cause a massive headache for the Jin forces.

"Then what brilliant plan do you have?"

Shi Li'ai stroked his beard and smiled. "We can spread false rumors claiming that the dog emperor has already agreed to peace negotiations with us, so that they will stay put and hold their positions."

"Excellent!" Wanyan Zonghan laughed heartily upon hearing this. "A marvelous plan!"

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, Daming Prefecture.

Zhao Gou was actively mustering his forces. By now, the loyalist reinforcement army that had arrived at Daming Prefecture already numbered one hundred thousand, with even more troops converging on the location.

"Marshal! Grand Marshal!" Zhang Jun rushed in suddenly, his emotions quite stirred. "Grand Marshal, news has arrived from the capital region!"

"What news?" Zhao Gou immediately perked up.

"His Majesty has already reached a peace agreement with the Jin people!"

Wang Boyan said, "Grand Marshal, since peace has been negotiated, it would be best for us to hold our positions and remain still for now."

Zhao Gou fell into deep thought. He picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.

After finishing his tea, he paced back and forth across the room.

It seemed as though he pondered for a long time before finally saying, "Hold our positions for now."

Hebei, Cizhou.

"Deputy Marshal Zong!" Military Commissioner Chen Cui hurried inside, shouting, "Deputy Marshal Zong!"

Zong Ze was in the middle of changing his clothes and asked, "What is it?"

"News has come from the south!"

Zong Ze was startled, asking anxiously, "Well? What is the current situation in the capital?"

"It is said that His Majesty has already negotiated peace with the Jin people!"

"Peace negotiated?"

Zong Ze froze for a moment, then declared, "This is either the Emperor acting in utter folly, or a crafty scheme by the Jin! Quickly muster the army! This Marshal is going to war with the Jin!"