met free Chapter 32 Wanyan Gang Cries in Shandong
Chapter 32 Wanyan Gang Cries in Shandong
After leaving Xiangyang, Yang Kang and his party traveled day and night, arriving in Yidu Prefecture, Shandong, the headquarters of the World Society, seven days later.
Before the city gate, on a high platform, Yang Miaozhen, holding an iron spear and disguised as Yang Kang, sat high on the platform, quietly waiting for Yang Kang's return.
The sun was high in the sky, and at midday, the official road in Shandong was sparsely populated.
The war had nearly wiped out the number of refugees, forcing the World Society to tighten its control over them.
Yang Miaozhen, disguised as Yang Kang, was expressionless and cold, gazing into the distance like the sea.
Suddenly, a flicker of emotion flashed in her eyes as a group of people and horses in the distance stirred up a cloud of dust.
The one who came was Yang Kang, who had led his people back.
The Golden Crow had already recognized its master's aura. Carrying Yang Kang and the heavy sword, its three-hundred-pound body accelerated once more, moving as swiftly as the wind, and arrived at the foot of the high platform in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kang reined in his horse and raised his head.
Yang Miaozhen, standing tall with a cold gaze, couldn't help but reveal a slight smile.
Before Yang Miaozhen could speak, Er raised his spear and leaped off the platform. The spear transformed into a blue dragon, soaring straight into the sky and striking Yang Kang like a thunderbolt.
A smile appeared on Yang Kang's lips. Between man and horse, Wuzhui raised its head slightly, and Yang Kang immediately sprang off from the horse's back.
In mid-air, like two dragons shining brightly, the two spears collided, sparks flying.
Sparks flew as the two spears clashed, and then they quickly intertwined, causing the two figures to plummet from mid-air.
The next moment, the two landed on the high platform and exchanged blows more than twenty times in an instant.
To outsiders, it looked like the two were fighting for their lives.
To a skilled martial artist, the two appeared to be sparring.
Only Mu Nianci's eyes changed again, filled with sorrow.
She knew that this was a unique way for Yang Kang and Yang Miaozhen to get along; the two of them were expressing their longing for each other after being separated for many days through the art of spear fighting.
After another ten moves, the two spears, which held no murderous intent, finally fell to the ground, landing on the soil beside the high platform.
Yang Miaozhen suddenly tore off the human skin mask from her face, revealing her beautiful yet heroic face.
"I thought the leader's trip south was only to find the 'Military Manual of Yue Fei,' but how come he ended up with five or six women while searching for military books?"
"I had no idea that Sister Nianci had such deep feelings for the gang leader. You two are nominally siblings."
Yang Miaozhen looked at Yang Kang with a smile, her words carrying a clear hint of teasing, though there was no jealousy in them.
"The queen of the founding emperor will not prevent his king from taking more women, but the founding emperor must also give his queen enough respect."
"No other woman has the chance to get into my bed without your permission."
"And I will not be intimate with a second woman until you and I give birth to my true heir."
Yang Kang smiled and stepped forward to embrace Yang Miaozhen.
"The gang leader has become much more candid since his return."
Yang Miaozhen did not resist Yang Kang's embrace, but she still couldn't help but twist the soft flesh of his waist in his arms.
Yang Kang felt a slight sting, but he just smiled and didn't say anything.
This was the first time Yang Kang had ever seen such girlish behavior in Yang Miaozhen, and he was immediately captivated.
However, the two did not indulge in tenderness and affection. After a short while, they descended from the high platform separately, mounted their horses, and, with the help of the prepared troops, hurriedly rode towards Yidu Prefecture.
Inside the government office, Yelü Chucai, Wanyan Chenheshang, Zhang Rou, Yang An'er, Liu Jizu, Li Quan, and others had been waiting for a long time.
Shi Tianze, who was Yang Kang's personal bodyguard at the time, followed closely behind.
Mu Nianci and the others were not qualified to appear in the high-level meeting of the World Society. She could only take Ouyang Ke's four maids back to the World Society's medicine farm to begin preparing to study the breeding of the Bodhi snake.
"Greetings, Boss!"
Upon seeing Yang Kang return, everyone quickly rose to greet him.
"How is the situation in Zhongdu lately?"
Yang Kang entered the inner hall and immediately sat down. Pointing to the sand table on the table, he began to study the situation.
"Just yesterday, news came from Zhongdu that Husha Hu had installed Wanyan Xun as the new emperor. The new emperor has only been on the throne for three days, Your Highness..."
Yelü Chucai said this, paused slightly, and then changed his words.
"Wanyan Honglie then joined forces with Zhuhu Gaoqi to set up a trap and kill Hushahu. The new emperor Wanyan Xun has restored Wanyan Honglie's official position and appointed him as the Privy Councilor, giving him full control of the military and political power of Zhongdu."
Yelü Chucai gave a serious report on the latest developments in the situation in Zhongdu.
"Wanyan Xun, another of my great-uncles. Why does the Jin Dynasty always choose such senile old men as emperors?"
"My father... Wanyan Honglie has the ability to persuade Zhuhu Gaoqi, yet he still respects Wanyan Xun as the ruler. It seems that the situation in Zhongdu City is already precarious."
"Given the current strength of Zhongdu's troops, do you all think it's possible for Zhongdu to hold out this time?"
Yang Kang said indifferently.
"After the Battle of Yehuling, the Jin Dynasty lost most of its main force. The remaining elite troops were either dispatched to fight the enemy and suppress key towns, or followed their lord to Shandong to quell the rebellion. At this time, they have all been wiped out or have submitted to our Tianxia Society."
"The late Emperor Wanyan Yongji was a mediocre ruler. Two years have passed since the Battle of Yehuling, and he has only been indulging in singing, dancing, drinking, and merrymaking, showing no intention of reviving the dynasty."
"Scholars of insight in the court, such as Wanyan Gang and Tudan Yi, have all been dismissed, and the training of the new army remains unattended."
"The number of troops available in Zhongdu City that we control now is only slightly less than it was two years ago."
"Of those, probably less than 50% are of usable elite troops."
"In addition, when the Mongols marched south two years ago, they plundered a large number of artisans as slaves and also accepted the surrender of famous scholars such as Guo Baoyu and Ming An."
"Countless capable generals and ambitious men from the Central Plains served under Genghis Khan."
"Given this ebb and flow, I fear the capital is in grave danger."
Yelü Chucai said with a solemn expression.
"Gentlemen, at this critical moment, what should my father and Wanyan Xun decide?"
Yang Kang remained silent upon hearing this, then nodded and looked at everyone before asking.
"In my humble opinion, there is only one way to defend Zhongdu City at this moment."
Wanyan Chenheshang spoke up.
"We must ask our lord for help. Only if Shandong sends troops can Zhongdu have a chance of survival."
Yang Kang raised an eyebrow slightly.
"The news that the emperor obtained the 'Wumu's Legacy' from the Southern Dynasty has been spread throughout Zhongdu by Wanyan Honglie."
"In addition, the emperor's reputation as a hegemon is widespread, and everyone in Zhongdu, from the emperor to the common people, regards the emperor as the only savior of the Jin Dynasty in this era."
Wanyan Chenheshang looked at Yang Kang and said hesitantly.
"I don't mean to say that sending troops to support Zhongdu is a wise thing to do, but I am always worried about the lives of the million residents of Zhongdu."
Zhang Rou scoffed at this, dismissing Wanyan Chenheshang's suggestion to support Zhongdu with a hint of disdain.
"Everyone in Zhongdu sees us as their saviors, so why haven't any of them come to ask for help? Do they expect us to shamelessly and eagerly go to their rescue?"
As a Han general, Zhang Rou suffered constant ostracism from the court, so his thoughts naturally differed from those of Wanyan Chenheshang. He wished that Zhongdu would be captured and the Jurchens would be wiped out.
"It's true that others wouldn't have the guts to ask the gang leader for help, but Wanyan Honglie certainly would."
"I'm afraid the people Wanyan Honglie sent to request reinforcements are already on their way."
Yang Kang suddenly spoke up.
"It's not that he's already on his way; he arrived yesterday, and he's the one who told us about the changes in Zhongdu City."
Yelü Chucai said with his hands folded.
"Who is it?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Kang asked with great interest.
"This man is an old acquaintance of the lord, General Wanyan Gang."
Yelü Chucai paused slightly.
"Wanyan Gang?"
Yang Kang frowned slightly.
"Wanyan Gang is a hero of our time. Now that he's here, why have you only told me now?"
After saying this, Yang Kang was about to get up and go out to greet Wanyan Gang, but he paused and stopped.
"Never mind, let him go back."
"I will not send troops. We cannot save Zhongdu, nor can we save the Jin Kingdom."
"Placing your hopes on me is nothing more than a dying man grasping at a straw."
"The situation in Shandong was hard-won; we cannot waste the lives of our soldiers on such a matter."
Yelü Chucai, standing nearby, offered some advice.
"My lord, rather than rejecting this loyal and righteous man outright and hurting his feelings, let's think carefully about what we can gain in the upcoming changes."
Yang Kang turned around and stood in front of the sand table again, sighing silently.
"If we send troops, even if we manage to repel the Mongols by sheer luck, we will inevitably suffer heavy losses. If Zhongdu turns against us then, we will be attacked from both sides in an instant."
"But if we sit idly by and the Mongols capture Zhongdu and the Jin Dynasty perishes, then the Mongols will become a threat to us, like lips and teeth if one falls."
"I'm afraid that when the time comes, we'll have to face the Mongols alone again."
Upon seeing this, Yelü Chucai quickly stepped forward and respectfully said.
Could the Mongols have destroyed the Jin Dynasty in a single battle?
Yang Kang raised an eyebrow slightly and asked curiously. Since his arrival, both history and the original novel had a different timeline. He couldn't guarantee that the Jin Kingdom could still survive.
"With a powerful enemy outside and Zhongdu having just experienced the Hu Sha Hu Rebellion, the soldiers have no will to fight and the generals have no intention of fighting. It's only a matter of time before Zhongdu falls."
"That's true."
"In my humble opinion, if the Jin Dynasty wishes to preserve its rule, there is probably only one path left."
Yelü Chucai looked at Yang Kang and sighed softly.
That was an outcome he had already guessed, but not the future he, as a traditional Confucian scholar, hoped to see.
"Southward migration".
Yang Kang said indifferently.
"I'm afraid it's not a southward migration, but a southward escape."
"First, Wanyan Gang was sent to Shandong to ask for help with great fanfare, causing a great uproar in the city. Everyone thought that the emperor would definitely send troops to save Zhongdu."
"He used the name of the lord to appease the people of Zhongdu, but he was plotting his escape."
"Doesn't this scene resemble the time when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang falsely claimed he was going to personally lead an expedition, only to flee in panic?"
Zhang Rou scoffed and said without any mercy.
"Wanyan Xun is fleeing south? Abandoning millions of people in Zhongdu to flee south? Would a Jurchen emperor do such a thing?"
Shi Tianze said in astonishment, his instinctive discrimination against the Jurchens causing Wanyan Chenheshang, who was standing nearby, to glare angrily.
Upon seeing this, Shi Tianze immediately realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly lowered his head in embarrassment.
"It is the emperor's duty to govern the people on behalf of Heaven, but unfortunately, no emperor in the world values the lives of the people more than his own."
"I fear that Wanyan Xun has already fled Zhongdu, accompanied by Wanyan Honglie, Zhuhu Gaoqi, and others."
Yelü Chucai said sadly.
"Wanyan Xun, that mediocre talent, couldn't have come up with such a method, and Zhu Hu Gaoqi wouldn't dare to use my reputation to do this."
"So this idea was conceived by Wanyan Honglie, my father, right?"
Surprisingly, Yang Kang wasn't angry; instead, he smiled slightly.
Wanyan Honglie seemed to gradually let go of his obsession with Bao Xiruo and began to show his responsibility as a prince of the Jin Dynasty.
"Gentlemen, if Wanyan Xun and his men flee south, where might they go?"
"If the emperor flees, the capital will surely be in chaos and will be captured by the Mongols within a day or two."
"In this chaotic situation, how should we position ourselves?"
Yang Kang pondered for a moment, then turned to the crowd and continued.
"With the emperor fleeing, there aren't many places to choose from. I suspect they're heading towards Bianliang."
Yelü Chucai cupped his hands and said.
"Genghis Khan was a great ruler. With the Jin dynasty still intact, he wouldn't waste his time on this small region of Shandong."
"Even though our lord nearly killed him on Wild Fox Ridge, that was only the power of one person, insufficient to resolve the overall situation. Our meager achievements are not even worth his attention."
"It is said that Genghis Khan once promised to invite His Majesty to Mongolia with the rank of a ten-thousand-household commander and the honor of a king."
"Perhaps after the fall of Zhongdu, the envoys who come to offer us amnesty and persuade us to surrender to the Mongols will set off."
"Given this situation, there is little we can do besides gathering refugees and trying to reduce the number of people killed by the Mongols."
Yelü Chucai said.
"With the fall of Zhongdu, the task of gathering and resettling the displaced people will be entirely your responsibility, Jinqing."
Yang Kang nodded
"Zhang Rou, Yang An'er, each of you lead your troops to prepare."
Yang Kang looked at everyone.
"Chen Heshang, Zhang Rou, you two lead the men and keep watch on the north."
"Although it is unlikely that the Mongols will attack us, we cannot entrust our lives to the decisions of others."
After that, everyone discussed the details of the arrangements and talked until late at night before finally going to bed.
Yang Miaozhen and Yang Kang wanted to get closer and talk about their separation, but the overall situation was critical and they were both busy with their own affairs.
In addition, the wedding date has already been set, so there is no rush.
However, Wanyan Gang refused to give up and remained kneeling in front of the World Society's gate, constantly weeping and pleading.
His mournful cries moved passersby to tears. Since ancient times, the blood and tears of loyal ministers have been respected by all. No one could remain indifferent to the tragedy of Wanyan Gang.
Even Yang Kang couldn't bear to see this truly loyal and heroic figure disappointed.
At dawn, Yang Kang finally pushed open the door and walked up to Wanyan Gang.
"Young Prince, you've finally come to see me!"
When Wanyan Gang saw Yang Kang appear, he immediately crawled on his hands and knees and kowtowed repeatedly in front of Yang Kang.
"Please, please save the Jin Dynasty! Only you can save the Great Jin!"
Yang Kang bent down to help Wanyan Gang up, and sighed softly:
"It's too late, General."
"I just received an urgent report from Zhongdu that the Emperor, under the escort of my father and Zhu Hu Gaoqi, has fled towards Bianliang."
"At this moment, the city of Zhongdu was in complete chaos, and Genghis Khan's army had already marched out of Juyong Pass."
"There is nothing I can do about this situation."
"Zhongdu is beyond saving..."
It was like a bolt of lightning.
"How...how could this be? How could this happen?"
Upon hearing this, Wanyan Gang immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted.