nashuaworldcup Chapter 329 Countdown
Chapter 329 Countdown
"After resolving Li Gang's problem, Zhao Huan breathed a huge sigh of relief. As for Zhong Shidao, that's simple!"
"Since they're going to be generals, then send them to the front lines under Li Gang to guard the border. As for me, Huanhuan, I don't want to give them any soldiers! They're capable enough; they can't possibly be stumped!!!"
"And after the imperial court drove out the pro-war faction, everything was peaceful and quiet. No one urged them, and no one came up to them and spouted nonsense about fighting or defending the country!"
"They think life is just too good to be true, but they're a bit idle and always want to find something to do!"
"Generally speaking, a dynasty that has just escaped a crisis in its capital should have learned from its past mistakes, but the Song Dynasty was different from other dynasties. Its main stance was 'I was wrong, but I just won't change!'"
"Therefore, this group of people were completely unaware of the Jurchens' plan to invade the south a second time, and instead of resting and recuperating and strengthening the border defenses, they engaged in infighting."
"Factional strife was a long-standing problem in the Song Dynasty. It was fortunate that Emperor Qinzong's reign was short-lived, and it wasn't as bad as before. At most, the Song court simply stopped fighting, leading to another wave of political chaos!"
"For example, Yang Shi, whom I mentioned before, was implicated. People like him were affected because some of their remarks were considered too extreme, and were just old and new clichés."
"Some people, like Wu Min, who had previously expressed opposition to Zhao Huan's radical advocacy for war, were also purged. The political infighting during this period made the already messy situation even more chaotic!"
"At this time, the opportunists in the court who had been watching from the sidelines found their place, promptly bought their tickets, and rose to power, becoming a new batch of prime ministers, such as Tang Ke and Geng Nanzhong."
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty: Speechless.jpg
Zhu Baba of the Ming Dynasty: Ah, was factional strife an inevitable part of the Song Dynasty, or was it something that had to be done?
Cheng Yaojin of the Tang Dynasty: The actions of these people in the Song court are truly eye-opening...
A Qin official: The Jurchens outside don't care anymore! They're about to be attacked, but that's nothing compared to factional strife!
……
Lin Ke thought to herself, if she had been in the first year of the Jingkang era, wouldn't she have been driven to her death by anger every day? No! She would be on the verge of dying of anger right now!!!
Immediately, Lin Ke remembered something and took out an old exam countdown display from home.
Then the system changed the font to: "...days...seconds remaining until the Jingkang Incident of the Great Song Dynasty", and also attached a picture of the two emperors being dragged north.
999 System: ? ????… We've projected so many copies, do you really think they'll change it?!
Suddenly, such a countdown appeared in various time periods of the Song Dynasty.
During the reign of Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty.
When Zhao Kuangyin opened his eyes, he saw a countdown timer in mid-air. What was this thing?!
He had only closed his eyes to rest for a short while, so how did he get a report that there was such a thing in the sky over the Song Dynasty: the countdown to the Jingkang Incident was on! ? ?
Why does he still feel a sense of urgency even though we're so far apart?
Sigh...we still need to put addressing the problems plaguing the Song Dynasty on the agenda!
Zhao the Big Black Fatty Kuangyin: What are you waiting for! Get up and get to work!!!
……
The first year of the Jingkang era.
At this moment, the ministers from both sides were arguing fiercely in the court. They were saying that the other side was bad, and their spittle was about to fly in each other's faces.
The fence-sitter watching from the sidelines: "Let's argue! Let's argue! After we've argued, we can take over!"
Other pro-war officials: ╮(﹀_﹀”)╭
Just then, a palace attendant rushed in to report that a countdown had appeared in the sky above the Song Dynasty!
Emperor Qinzong and his ministers disregarded everything else and immediately went to see what this strange thing was!
As it turned out, they realized that the Jingkang Incident was only a few dozen days away. What did this mean?!
Their hearts skipped a beat; it seemed the Jurchens had only been in Kaifeng for a few dozen days!
Immediately, the group looked at each other in bewilderment, having been interrupted and no longer knowing where their argument had gone!
The Northern Song Dynasty was about to fall; was it really a good thing for them to fight like this?
However, old habits die hard, and another thought arose in their minds at the same time.
The Northern Song Dynasty is gone, but there's still the Southern Song Dynasty!
Meanwhile, the rest of the Song Dynasty felt an immense weight in their hearts. Was the Northern Song Dynasty really going to perish like this?
It makes sense when you think about it. Since the beginning of their dealings with the Jurchens, the Song court made countless diplomatic and military mistakes. Just that alone makes it difficult to recover.
It is truly lamentable that the soldiers and civilians lost their lives due to the inaction of the Song court…
……
Back to the live broadcast room.
Lin Ke didn't expect them to see how the timer could be changed, but at least they could feel a sense of urgency!
Anyway, before her exams, the teacher loved to use this thing to count down, which annoyed and made her nervous!
Lin Ke: (?w?)…
"Moreover, to put it bluntly, they didn't even see Zhang Xiaochun's face, or even reach the city gate, before being defeated by the Jin army. It's clear that the main force here was the Zhong family army led by Zhong Shizhong."
"It's a pity that Zhong Shidao had already told Emperor Qinzong of Song that the Song army was not good at field battles."
"And during the first Battle of Kaifeng, it was said that we should press our advantage and attack them when they crossed the Yellow River, but Zhao Huan was cowardly and afraid, so he demoted him and took away his command seal."
"If he knew that his younger brother had been tricked to death by them, I wonder what he would think. He was old and frail, yet he still wanted to serve his country. It was just a pity that he had been stuck with that coward Zhao Huan."
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty: ????_????…
Judy, the Grand General Who Conquers the North: A member of the Zhong family, who fought for the Northern Song Dynasty for generations, but little did they know that they would be betrayed and killed by Emperor Qinzong and his ministers!
Li Erfeng of the Tang Dynasty: If it's bad luck to encounter a terrible emperor, then the most terrible thing is actually this system!
Cheng Yaojin of the Tang Dynasty: What bad luck! The system is flawed! Our allies aren't coming! And the court is pressuring us! Otherwise, why would someone with battle experience be so reckless?!
A bystander in the Ming Dynasty: There's another intelligence error. Alas, Taiyuan City was already on the verge of collapse, and in the end, none of the three routes could save it!
A Han Dynasty official: This is outrageous! They lost just like that?! Have these guys ever won anything before?!
……
People from other timelines would be furious at the Song court's actions of directing the front lines from the rear!
Can those who only know theory and no practice please refrain from giving orders to those who have actually fought in battles?
And has the Song Dynasty ever won?! Losing a few times is one thing, but losing every single match and then suppressing military generals!!
Isn't it because of the people in the Song court?
The Song Dynasty almost always became their first enemy, and instead of blaming the Jurchens as their foreign adversary, they felt it was because they were too incompetent and loved to show off their shrewd tactics!
People in Wanchaozhong: ╮(﹀_﹀”)╭ Blame them!!!
The first year of Jingkang in the Northern Song Dynasty
Zhong Shidao and Zhong Shizhong are not yet ready to save Taiyuan, but right now the two old men are feeling extremely disheartened!
They did not regret serving the Northern Song Dynasty, even dying on the battlefield, but their sacrifices could not be in vain. In the end, the Northern Song Dynasty still perished!
They exchanged a glance and sighed deeply. If Emperor Zhezong were still alive, how could the Northern Song Dynasty have fallen to such a state?
At the same time, they were also very clear that these military officers depended entirely on how the emperor used them!
……
The live broadcast continues.
"When news of the deaths of the three teams reached Tokyo, everyone was shocked."
"At the same time, we are extremely saddened. Our commander has died in battle, and we have expended a great deal of troops to save Taiyuan, only to not even reach the city gates!"
"But who can be blamed for this? Emperor Qinzong of Song comforted Zhong Shizhong and his family army who died in battle, posthumously bestowing upon Zhong Shizhong some honors."
"But everyone is well aware that Zhong Shizhong's rash strategy is related to the repeated urging from Xu Han of the Privy Council, or rather, the imperial court."
"However, these people won't engage in internal strife or reflect on their own actions. The only one to blame is why Master Zhong failed to defeat the Jin people!!!"
"Earlier, Emperor Qinzong of Song did not realize that once Taiyuan was lost, the Northern Song Dynasty would be very, very close to its demise."
"After all, that place has always been extremely difficult to conquer, and it has produced many great figures. It's just a pity that the order given by Emperor Taizong a hundred years ago has now struck right at the heart of the Song Dynasty."
"In addition, the organization of this rescue operation was extremely chaotic! If they had listened to the advice of professional strategists, unified command, and done a good job in logistics, we wouldn't be in such a passive position now!"
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty: ...
The optimist Su Dongpo: One wrong step leads to another!
A certain romantic scholar from the Tang Dynasty: Perhaps the Northern Song Dynasty's approach provided the answer for the later Ming Dynasty—how to avoid the wrong options when the capital was besieged!
Zhu Bajie of the Ming Dynasty: ...
A Han Dynasty scholar-official: No!? Do these people really want to go to the Jurchen lands?? Why are they so unenthusiastic!
Zhu Zhanji of the Ming Dynasty: The late Northern Song Dynasty was a complete mess!
An official from the Sui Dynasty: ...It must be the only dynasty that could achieve all this!
……
"Let's look at Taiyuan again. Although the Song court's rescue plan failed, the Jin people still withdrew to the north, leaving only a portion of them to fight the Taiyuan army and civilians to the death."
"But sometimes what we fear most is having a terrible teammate like Song Ting."
"On the surface, there are crises lurking everywhere, yet you still want to harass your capable military and civil officials. Are you leaving behind some cowardly fools just to accompany you to the north to see the sights???"
"So this time, Emperor Qinzong of Song turned his attention to Li Gang and Zhong Shidao, those two troublesome fellows!"
"As mentioned earlier, the Song court failed to win many battles and instead suffered heavy losses."
"Li Gang and Zhong Shidao were proponents of war, but Zhao Huan thought, 'I've used them, so why aren't they working? Can you two do it?'"
"As emperor, Zhao Huan wasn't very capable, but he still had the right temperament. For example, when it came to being suspicious of people, he was still suspicious!"
"However, when faced with those sycophantic ministers, he's just like his father; he doesn't see through them at all, and instead regards them as his most trusted advisors!!!"
"So in Zhao Huan's view, the absence of Li Gang and Zhong Shidao would not have any negative impact. Not only are these two always chattering away, but they are also people admired by those unruly commoners. He finds them annoying!"
"And why did Zhao Huan keep switching between advocating war and seeking peace? A large part of the reason was to facilitate his rule. He was a coward, yet he still wanted to go to war with the Jin people!"
"Stop joking! Zhao Huan, who knows absolutely nothing about military affairs, already made a fuss about Li Gang being forced to reinstate him during that Taixue Movement!"
"As for Zhong Shidao, his misfortune might lie in the fact that he was not only a pro-war military officer, but also aligned himself with Li Gang, frequently offering advice to Emperor Qinzong, although most of his suggestions were rejected!"
Judy, the General Who Conquers the North: It's a pity that Zhong Shidao, an old man in his seventies, is still worried about the country and its people!
A bystander from the Ming Dynasty commented: If I remember correctly, it hasn't been more than a few months since the Jingkang Incident. I really want to ask Emperor Qinzong if he was happy or surprised!
A spoiled young master from the Tang Dynasty: You're going to study abroad in the north, huh! Back then, nobody gave him any advice, and he's just happy about this!!!
Emperor Zhao Zhen, hailed as the greatest benevolent ruler of all time: He wouldn't shed a tear until he saw the coffin! I wonder who he took after!!!
Emperor Shenzong of Song, Zhao Xu: ?_?…
……
In another timeline, Zhao Huan was furious. How dare these comments speak of him like that?!
Zhao Huan's inner monologue: What audacity! ˋ_ˊ
He's the emperor, what could he possibly have done wrong! Why don't those people ask themselves why they're so disgusted by Li Gang's many actions, especially the forced reinstatement?
What courtier could do such a thing! Li Gang and Zhong Shidao, with their cunning, insisted on portraying Zhao Huan as a tyrant!
……
Lin Ke, who was live-streaming on the other side, had no idea that Zhao Huan had such a shameless rant in his heart!
It is truly difficult to predict that an emperor would disregard the impending collapse of his empire in a time of crisis!
Then she sighed, "However, having learned from the experience of the Imperial Academy Movement, Zhao Huan dared not arbitrarily punish Li Gang and Zhong Shidao."
"But it cannot be denied that the pro-war officials have been marginalized in the court to the point of having no voice."
"Therefore, Emperor Qinzong's trusted ministers, such as the Grand Secretary Geng Nanzhong and the Left Censor Chen Gongfu, stepped forward to devise strategies for Zhao Huan to deal with Li Gang!"
"For example, they impeached him for allegedly forcing the emperor to abdicate and rebelling. In fact, six of the ten charges against him in the later stages were related to Emperor Huizong of Song. We all know that this had a very bad relationship between the father and son."
"Once this point is involved, Emperor Qinzong and his ministers will become suspicious of Li Gang again. It will be difficult for Li Gang not to be demoted, especially since he himself is aware of the behavior of these people. This is a reckoning!"
"Therefore, Zhao Huan's punishments for Li Gang were mostly demotions. He was first demoted to the position of Pacification Commissioner of Hedong and Hebei, and then repeatedly demoted until finally being directly removed from the central government of the Song Dynasty."
"But we also know that the situation here is very bad. Li Gang has neither money nor connections, how can he manage it!"
"Moreover, although he was given this title, which sounds like he had a lot of power, in reality, the court imposed many restrictions on him, and he could do very little."
"So, Li Gang painstakingly cobbled together a force of about ten thousand men. As for the rest, there was no other way; after all, he couldn't just do nothing in his new position, could he?"
A bystander from the Ming Dynasty commented: "If you want to suppress someone, just say so. Don't do this and give people this task!!"
A farming expert from the Ming Dynasty: Isn't this like discarding a used tool after it's been used?! They insisted on holding the other party responsible for the defense during the war!
A minor official from the Qin Dynasty: I see now, the Song Dynasty was gradually giving away its own lifeline!
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty: This bastard, he should empty his brain!
Du Ruhui of the Tang Dynasty: It sounds outrageous, but it's true; it's utterly foolish!
……