Chapter 479
I, the Emperor, am willing to surrender to the Great Yu.
Military reports from Beiliang frequently reached Sheng'an, mostly good news.
However, the situation on the battlefield was not so clear in the imperial court. The outcome was simply a matter of what Song Shi'an said.
All they knew was that Ji Yuan crossed the river, conquered Shuofeng, and that King Wei Yixing of Jiangling died on the battlefield.
Therefore, people in Sheng'an are not optimistic about this war.
Even though news of Ji Yuan's complete annihilation of the enemy had spread, impeachments continued to pour in from all over the country, with only one demand—to end the war.
The emperor was under immense pressure. As a puppet, he tried his best to demonstrate his value, but under these circumstances, someone wanted to put him in a very difficult position, forcing him to recall Song Shi'an in the name of the emperor.
The same applies to the cabinet.
As the central figures of the realm, they naturally became the targets of attack when Song Shi'an was absent.
The most common criticism is that they used the pretext of the Northern Expedition to plunder the entire country, whether it be noble families or ordinary people.
The reason is perfectly valid: how could war be so expensive?
Torture, immense torment.
The emperor couldn't sleep day and night, just waiting for the military reports.
He didn't want any more good news; he just wanted one certainty: when the war would end.
Finally, the urgent message arrived.
"Your Majesty, a report from the young Grand Secretary is urgent!"
A cavalryman arrived at the palace, panting, and knelt on one knee, presenting the offering with both hands.
The emperor quickly got up, went over to pick up the military report, and hurriedly opened it.
The contents of the military report caused his expression to shift from anxiety to sudden astonishment, and then to absorption. He read the entire report, then read it again, and finally accepted the fact.
A long-lost look of ecstatic joy appeared on his face.
Tears of emotion welled up in their eyes.
He didn't say anything, but walked straight out of the palace.
The eunuch beside him dared not interrupt and hurriedly followed, until he reached the palace gate, when he finally couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, where shall we go?"
"The Mausoleum of the Late Emperor".
The emperor gave this answer without hesitation and handed the military report to the eunuch, saying, "Send it to the Grand Secretariat so that the Grand Secretaries can discuss government affairs. Also, announce this matter to all prefectures, counties, and townships throughout the country."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The eunuch hurriedly went to carry out the order.
This emperor, however, did not share this joy with any living person. He went alone to the mausoleum of the late emperor, knelt before the memorial tablet, and kowtowed several times with tears in his eyes.
"Father, Ji Yuan is dead."
When this emperor achieved great success in his life, he chose to confide in his deceased father.
“Song Shi’an, he really did it.”
“Yi Xun really died in battle. He was very brave and lived up to the name of the Wei family.”
“I believe that Wusheng is more suitable to be emperor than I am, and I will abdicate the throne to him.”
"But rest assured, this world still belongs to the Wei family. The reign of our Great Yu will last for ten thousand years."
The emperor spoke at length to his father, until his voice became hoarse.
He released all the pent-up frustration and grievances he had felt over the past few days.
As a useless child, all he wanted was to simply report good news to his strict father:
"Father, did you see it all?"
.........
cabinet.
It took the three elders a long time to calm down.
Sitting in their armchairs, the old men couldn't hide the smiles on their faces.
"Congratulations, congratulations." Ouyang Ke bowed slightly to Song Jing once again to express his congratulations, saying these two words countless times.
“This is a great victory for His Majesty, a great victory for Great Yu,” Song Jing replied. “We are all happy, truly happy.”
"It is a great victory for the common people." Gu Yixin has always been against war, so he was genuinely happy to see the war come to an end.
"Shall we put aside the happy occasion and discuss state affairs first?" Song Jing asked.
The three of them refocused and began to do the final finishing touches.
"First, announce it to the world." Song Jing said to Gu Yixin, "Grand Secretary Gu, the world has suffered too much because of this war, and it needs such good news. So I hope that the Ministry of Rites will spread the news of Ji Yuan's death, the annihilation of the main force of the Qi army, and the pacification of the Qi territory within half a year to all prefectures, counties, and townships."
Even if you don't win, you have to announce a huge victory. So if you win, you definitely have to spread the word and let the whole world know.
If the propaganda department doesn't exert its efforts at this time, it's tantamount to betraying the cause.
Gu Yixin nodded, offering no objection.
"Secondly, 300,000 shi of grain." Song Jing was quite generous when he approached Ouyang Ke this time. "Prime Minister Ke, I hope you can deliver it to Beiliang before winter arrives."
“In the past, I would have resigned,” Ouyang Ke said. “But now, a mere 300,000 shi of grain is nothing to me.”
After he finished speaking, the other two elders laughed.
Why is it so precious to offer help in times of need?
Because I'm afraid you won't buy any more coal.
Why is adding flowers to brocade worthless?
Because you already have brocade.
Investing in something with uncertain returns is called speculation. Investing in something with certain returns is called investing.
Dayu Unified ETF.
"The sources of grain, money, and supplies must all be clearly defined," Song Jing said. "After we destroy the Qi state, there will be many things to do and many things we can do. Who should step forward and who should step aside? We need to be extremely careful about this, as it concerns the very foundation of the Great Yu."
“Then let’s get straight to the point.” Ouyang Ke no longer concealed his intentions and said directly, “The center of the world is in Sheng’an, in Sizhou. The Sizhou gentry stepping forward can be considered a return to order.”
The meaning is quite obvious.
Yangzhou and Yizhou still need to be pressured further.
The military power in Qinzhou should be recovered.
Of course, this is not intended to make life even harder for the people in those areas.
It's time to take advantage of this new beginning and reshuffle the deck once again.
After nodding in agreement with Ouyang Ke's statement, Song Jing then decided, "After Beiliang destroyed Ji Yuan, the next step is to reclaim Wuwei and Tongmen. According to Shi An, these should be achieved soon. Next spring, he will launch a northern expedition. We should prepare for both possibilities. If Qi resists stubbornly, we will continue to supply civilians and soldiers through war. If Qi is willing to surrender, we will directly send officials to occupy and pacify the region."
“The list of civil officials needs to be finalized as soon as possible,” Ouyang Ke said. “The reorganization of the prefectures and counties of Qi also needs to be prepared in advance.”
“Then we should divide the State of Qi into several more states, which will also help prevent these states from rebelling,” Gu Yixin said.
However, Ouyang Ke had a different idea.
This is yet another extremely sensitive topic.
Therefore, after careful consideration, he spoke:
"Gentlemen, we must also take into account the relationship between His Majesty and the King of Qin."
Song Jing held up three fingers: "This is the third important matter."
And so, the news of the victory over Ji Yuan spread throughout the country.
From the imperial court to the fields, everyone knew that the emperor of Qi had died at the hands of the army of Dayu.
Wherever the news spread, the people shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
The collection of grain also became much easier.
However, some of the 'power transactions' that have emerged have become unstoppable.
Such drawbacks are understandable; no one can achieve perfection.
For ordinary people at this stage, what they care about most is when peace will arrive.
Everything is for the sake of peace.
The same applies to the State of Qi.
When the weak attack the strong, even the strong find it difficult and painful, let alone the weak.
Xiang Ping, leading his cavalry, easily routed the 30,000 newly recruited soldiers who had come to reinforce them, killing 8,000 and capturing 20,000. After Ji Yuan's death, the garrison commander of Wuwei City retreated back into the city and refused to fight again.
Therefore, they were quickly surrounded by Xiang Ping and Wei Le's army.
Because of ample provisions, sufficient troops, and the fact that winter was less than a month away, the Qi army here did not collapse after the death of their ruler.
Of course, calls for surrender were growing louder and louder within their ranks.
However, due to Ji Yuan's personal charisma, his loyal followers have always been fighting against the surrender faction.
Soldiers must have integrity!
Just then, Wei Le, dressed in mourning clothes, supported Ji Yuan's coffin and requested to enter the city. This gave the surrender faction an endorsement and the loyalists a way out. Civil and military officials wept together in Ji Yuan's mourning hall.
And so Wuwei returned to normal.
After witnessing the change of allegiance in Wuwei, the garrison at Tongmen Pass also requested the new ruler of Qi to withdraw his troops.
Before winter even arrived, the last army in Dayu territory emptied Tongmen Pass, burned down all the barracks, and returned to their desolate Qi state.
Abandoning a city voluntarily is neither foolish nor cowardly; on the contrary, it is an attitude.
Although our Qi state is poor and suffering, and can no longer effectively control those territories, we will not compromise. We will begin to retreat to the border to defend our homeland.
At Tongmen Pass, now a ruin, Song Shi'an and Wei Wusheng, both clad in fur coats, stood atop the city wall, overlooking the northern lands.
“If Tongmen Pass were still in their hands, it could serve as a hub for better negotiations with Qi,” Song Shi’an said. “Now, even a single mission to Qi is a huge undertaking, and it’s truly a difficult situation.”
"Is Qi really going to fight to the death?" Wei Wusheng asked.
“Yes, but not quite,” Song Shi’an said.
"What does that mean?" Wei Wusheng asked curiously, puzzled.
“A scholar said he wanted to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), so he worked hard today. But tomorrow, he felt that it was better not to take the Juren exam at all,” Song Shi’an said.
Wei Wusheng was amused and said, "I heard that the new emperor of Qi is a fierce man, just like his father. Now that his father is dead, it is only natural that he wants to take the last of Qi territory with him and die with a million jade pieces."
But at this moment, his fighting spirit soared.
Things might be different after this winter.
“I have already sent many scholars to meet with the leaders of the powerful families in Qi,” Song Shi’an said. “Let the new emperor follow his lead; let’s work on other people.”
"Speaking of which, it seems that the internal affairs of Yan have also become chaotic," Wei Wusheng said. "After Kang Yi returned to the country, he was placed under house arrest by Kang Xun. Kang Yi's son, who is also your adopted son, attached himself to his maternal uncle's family, refused to obey Kang Xun's summons, and even rebuked his uncle for placing his elder brother under house arrest, saying it was against the will of the late king. The youthful spirit he has shown in these past few months has made many of the noble families of Northern Yan admire him."
"We made the right bet." Song Shi'an was not surprised by the result.
Because there are many underhanded dealings involved.
The internal affairs of Northern Yan were in such a mess that it was all expected.
“No matter what, next spring I will issue an edict to Kang Xun, ordering him to send troops to assist in the battle,” Wei Wusheng said to Song Shi’an. “Whether he obeys or not is his business. But Qi must be taken down no matter what.”
"Your Highness, what are your thoughts on what the Emperor said?" Song Shi'an suddenly asked.
“We will divide the Qi Kingdom into two provinces: the northern one will be Ji Province, and the southern one will be combined with Northern Liang to form Shuo Province, with Ji Province being my fiefdom.” Wei Wusheng smiled faintly and said, “Isn’t this a bit too hasty?”
“Emperor Anshun has merits and has made no mistakes, but a king is a tree, while an emperor is a forest,” Song Shi’an said. “Your Highness, the people behind you will push you forward.”
Even if they served Wei Wusheng, they were at most subjects of the King of Qin. No matter how high their power, they had no official title.
But being a subject of the emperor is a different story.
"Does the person behind me include you?" Wei Wusheng asked Song Shi'an.
“Of course,” Song Shi’an said, “but I won’t push Your Highness around.”
Song Shi'an no longer needs to crown himself.
“I know,” Wei Wusheng said, looking into his eyes, “because you are someone close to me.”
“…” Song Shi’an was stunned for a moment.
“I said that I would share the world with you, and that still stands,” Wei Wusheng said.
"What does Your Highness mean?"
"After unifying the world, Emperor Anshun can rule as the emperor for three years, and then I am willing to inherit the throne."
Wei Wusheng slowly turned his head to look north and said, "I want to give you the land of Qi."
…………
In the Qi court, heated debates raged daily over whether to make peace or surrender.
This infuriated the newly enthroned Emperor Qi.
Isn't peace just a form of surrender?!
However, whenever he proposed war, he would be immediately interrupted by his ministers, who would then change the subject, giving him no chance to discuss war at all.
Nobody takes him seriously anymore.
He knew; he knew everything.
But he was not reconciled.
He was unwilling to be the ruler of a fallen kingdom.
He would rather die and let his son become the ruler of a fallen kingdom than be condemned to the pillory of history!
So he extended an olive branch to Conson.
"Uncle, how is it?!"
After Ji Hong returned from his mission to Northern Yan, he rose from the dragon throne and hurriedly went forward to greet him.
However, there was not a trace of joy on Ji Hong's face.
His purpose in this mission was not to form an alliance with Northern Yan, but rather to address another familiar topic.
Both sides disarmed their border troops, which would allow them to deploy border forces to the southern border.
After this major battle, the Great Yu Dynasty was severely weakened and could no longer launch a war of that scale, but it still had the ability to defend itself.
In this way, the two countries can at least hold out for another five to ten years.
“Kang Xun refused,” Ji Hong said. “He dared not offend Song Shi’an, and besides, his country’s internal affairs were indeed in great turmoil.”
"This coward, even at a time like this, he still has to be wary of me!" Emperor Qi was furious. "If the 30,000 men on the border could be withdrawn, at least we could field an army of 60,000 to defend it to the death."
"Your Majesty, Song Shi'an has captured 100,000 of our soldiers," Ji Hong reminded him. "Next spring, they will return to our land with Song Shi'an's army."
"Is it possible to turn these people against their cause?" Emperor Qi asked very seriously.
"Do you have as much grain as Song Shi'an?" Ji Hong asked.
The emperor shook his head.
"Is your army as formidable as Song Shi'an's?" Ji Hong asked again.
The emperor continued to shake his head.
"Can your prestige be compared to that of Song Shi'an?"
This last problem was the final straw that broke the emperor's back.
If it were your father, then what you're saying might be possible.
But you, such a nobody, why would you expect so many soldiers to risk being killed by Song Shi'an to help you restore the Great Qi?
With his eyes closed, a tear rolled down his cheek. The new emperor finally accepted his fate.
The Qi state court held a court assembly.
Right there in front of the emperor, those people continued arguing about whether to make peace or surrender, completely disregarding him.
Even my own ministers think I'm a joke. Why would I even think of taking the Qi Kingdom with me in death?
The new emperor gave a bitter smile, then said, "Gentlemen, please be quiet."
Everyone shut up.
Because the emperor seemed to have come to a realization.
Therefore, they were looking forward to his speech.
"I am too virtuous and have not bestowed any favors upon the Great Qi. You all respectfully call me Your Majesty only because you care about the late Emperor. I have no face to seek glory for my own selfish desires, which has caused further suffering and death in the land of Qi."
After speaking these words with tears in his eyes, the emperor finally decided, "I am willing to surrender to the Great Yu."
Finally, he said those words.
Without any resistance, all of His Highness's ministers prostrated themselves.
"Your Majesty is wise—" (End of Chapter)