Chapter 59 I Shall Reset This Board

Zhang Shuye hurriedly followed behind the Emperor.

He had not expected the Emperor to brave the heavy rain to greet the incoming forces, and he was quite moved by the gesture.

"Your Majesty, please slow down."

Catching up with Zhao Ning’s stride, Zhang Shuye said, "Your Majesty, it is still uncertain whether the Jurchen bandits have truly retreated in full. For you to leave the city now is highly improper."

"Do not worry, let us go to the ramparts and see for ourselves first!"

Instead of taking a carriage, Zhao Ning wore a coir raincoat, rode a horse, and led the imperial guards all the way out of the Xuanwu Gate (the northern gate of the imperial palace), arriving at the Jinglong Gate a moment later.

Outside lay Jinglong Gate Avenue. Heavy rain was pouring down, and there were few people on the streets.

Citizens in the houses on either side looked over with curiosity upon seeing a troop emerge.

The Wuzhang River, which crossed the capital from east to west, lay just ahead. It was one of the four major canal transport routes of the Great Song Dynasty.

At this moment, the willow trees along the banks of the Wuzhang River danced gracefully in the wind and rain, green grass blanketed both shores, and someone was still sleeping inside a boat on the river.

Zhao Ning galloped all the way, accompanied only by the sound of raindrops hitting the ground and the croaking of frogs.

Zhao Ning was already beginning to slowly adapt to this new identity.

To be an emperor, especially an emperor in a chaotic era, required a different approach.

He could never play the game the way previous emperors had.

After all, the times had changed, and the rules of the game must change too.

When he reached the northern New Zaoke Gate (the northern main gate of Bianjing), Zhao Ning saw the soldiers on the city gate standing guard. Everyone stood straight and dedicatedly performed their duty.

"Your Majesty..." The accompanying personnel were about to shout "His Majesty has arrived," but Zhao Ning stopped them.

After dismounting, he walked up to the ramparts.

At that very moment, a troop was rushing toward them, led by Zhang Zhongxiong's scouts.

Seeing that it was his son who had returned, Zhang Shuye immediately asked, "Mengping, what did you discover?"

Zhang Zhongxiong was just about to tell the guards on the ramparts to open the gates when, hearing his father's voice, he looked up and saw numerous figures standing atop the city wall.

"Reporting to Lord Zhang, the Jurchen bandits have retreated!"

"Are you certain?"

"My men have searched a radius of two hundred miles, and the Jurchen bandits have already crossed the Yellow River!"

As soon as these words left his mouth, the people on the ramparts could not help bursting into cheers.

Zhao Ning did not stop them; after all, after months of siege, the Jurchen bandits had finally retreated, and cheering was only human nature.

He quickly descended the ramparts and commanded, "Open the city gates! Quickly!"

The soldiers were somewhat unaccustomed to this and stood frozen for a moment.

Zhang Shuye hurriedly urged, "Open the city gates at once, hurry!"

Only then did the soldiers clumsily begin to open the gates, their hands trembling as they did so.

Once the gates swung open, Zhao Ning led his men charging out.

"Where is the loyalist army?"

"Reported to be encamped twenty miles to the northwest."

Zhao Ning and his men rode at lightning speed.

This was the first time he had ventured outside the city of Bianjing since crossing over into this world.

The rain grew heavier, as if threatening to submerge the entire world, but Zhao Ning's excitement only intensified.

Riding past the grove of trees ahead, they quickly arrived at the location of the southern loyalist army.

"Report! Magistrate Chen, a troop is heading toward us."

Chen Gui was tending to the injuries of the wounded when he heard the news, immediately putting him on high alert, and the others grew vigilant as well.

"Didn't they say the Jurchen bandits had retreated?"

Pondering for a moment, Chen Gui said, "It might be people from the imperial court. Let's go."

The soldiers of the loyalist army flooded forward, some wielding sabers, while others clutched iron clubs and hoes.

After Zhang Shuye sent men forward to communicate, they learned it was indeed people from the imperial court.

"It's the Emperor! It's the Emperor who has come!"

The crowd began to shout.

"It's the Emperor!"

Chen Gui and the others soon heard the cries, and they were utterly astonished.

The crowd cleared a path, and Chen Gui immediately stepped forward. "Your subject Chen Gui pays homage to Your Majesty!"

Zhao Ning grasped Chen Gui's hand and said, "My lord, you have finally arrived!"

Having transmigrated to the eve of the Jingkang Incident and been locked within the city for months, he could finally step outside today.

The talents of the Great Song Dynasty were finally starting to arrive one after another.

For a mere county magistrate like Chen Gui to organize loyalist forces from the south and rush to the rescue was truly an exemplary feat.

It was much like the Jisi Incident in the late Ming Dynasty, when the Chongzhen Emperor issued a decree calling for loyalist forces, and the great magistrate Lu Xiangsheng organized troops to march on the capital to aid the sovereign.

"Your subject is late in coming to save Your Majesty!" Chen Gui had never imagined that the Emperor would brave the heavy rain to personally come out of the city and greet them.

Nor had anyone else expected the Emperor to arrive in such torrential rain.

The news spread through the crowd, deeply inspiring everyone.

"No, no, no, my lord has done exceedingly well.朕 (Zhen) is exceedingly pleased!"

The rain?

No matter how heavy the rain, what of it!

Instead of immediately dragging Chen Gui back into the city, Zhao Ning personally visited this loyalist army.

Why did he personally visit this loyalist army?

Because of popular support!

To travel thousands of miles to the capital to aid the sovereign, these men were prime raw material for the new army!

The imperial court urgently needed to establish a new army.

Because once the weather turned cold toward the end of the year, the Jurchen army would inevitably launch another large-scale invasion southward.

If he could rapidly whip together a new army, Zhao Ning would gladly stand out in the rain for three days and three nights.

"Lads, you have all worked hard!"

Amidst the rain, the Emperor called out loudly. As he walked, his gaze swept over every single face.

"You are fine men, and Zhen has finally longed for your arrival!"

These were very plain words. Most of these men were farmers, and speaking high-sounding classical prose to them would be completely useless.

Clearly, everyone was deeply stirred.

Above all, money would surely be distributed.

After offering his condolences, Zhao Ning led Chen Gui all the way into Bianjing.

At this moment, mounted soldiers galloped through the streets of Bianjing, shouting at the top of their lungs: "The Jurchen bandits have retreated!"

"The Jurchen bandits have retreated!"

To the people of Bianjing, these words were like sweet dew after a long drought.

People poked their heads out one after another.

"The Jurchen bandits have retreated!"

"The Jurchen bandits have really retreated!"

"The Emperor was right, the Jurchen bandits really left this month!"

The news of the Jurchen army's retreat spread rapidly throughout Bianjing.

Countless people poured into the streets to cheer.

Not a single person cared about the heavy rain.

Clearly, Zhao Ning's prestige in Tokyo had reached an all-time high.

Meanwhile, at the Prince of Yun's residence, the steward outside ran in breathlessly and shouted, "Your Highness, the Jurchen army has retreated!"

Zhao Zhao was thunderstruck. "Retreated?"

"Retreated! The whole city is talking about it!"

With a blank expression, Zhao Zhao slumped into his seat like a deflated ball and muttered to himself, "The Emperor actually guessed right."

And at Tang Ke's residence:

"Lord Tang! Lord Tang!"

"Why this panic?"

"The Jurchen army has retreated!"

Tang Ke jerked to his feet, shock written across his face. "Really?"

"The whole city is buzzing with the news!"

The news spread not only among the common folk but also swiftly reached the officialdom of Tokyo, the nobility, and the imperial family.

Everyone rejoiced.

Upon hearing the news, Zhu Lian hurried to the Wende Hall to find Zhao Ning and celebrate with him.

However, upon arrival, she was informed that the Emperor was inside discussing affairs of state with his ministers.

Zhu Lian understood then: while the entire city was rejoicing, her husband was not rejoicing.

Because the Great Song was currently a messy state of affairs, and countless matters awaited his handling.

In truth, at this very moment, the person under the heaviest pressure in the entire city was Zhao Ning.

As a time-traveler, he knew that the Jurchen army would soon launch a second offensive.

He could not afford to rest for even a single moment.

Right now, he was inside the Wende Hall with Zhang Shuye, Chen Gui, Zhao Ding, and others, discussing the next steps.

Things had to be set in motion immediately.

Of course, Zhao Ning had also sent someone to summon a specific individual to the capital.

The post of Military Commissioner was being kept for him.

Zong Ze?

No, no, Zong Ze had a more important assignment arranged for later.

Then who on earth could it be?

It was Zhang Jun, the man adept at losing battles!