Chapter 1 Ulin Da

"Ulin Da, how dare you bring such conditions back to Yanjing?!"

Having changed horses five times, Ulin Da Zanmo only spent a little over two days to cross the three-hundred-li journey to reach Yanjing. In the Shangshu Tai hall, filled with Jin Dynasty dignitaries, after he exhausted all his strength to finish speaking about the new conditions and time limit added by a certain official, he was immediately met with an imperious roar.

The one who roared at him was an old member of the imperial clan, Wanyan Talun, who was designated by Zhao Guan Jia to be a co-ruling prince with the Sixth Prince, Elu Guan.

Or rather, it was precisely because he was Wanyan Talun that he had to bite the bullet and let out that roar.

However, after Talun roared, everyone remained silent, and no one echoed him. Ulin Da Zanmo was too exhausted to bother with it.

"Shangshu Ulin Da, take a rest." After a long while, the eldest prince, Wanyan Wuben, who was designated to die, broke the awkward silence with a dark face. "You've had a long journey."

"Yes."

The exhausted Ulin Da Zanmo forced himself to salute, turned back to his seat, and collapsed into it. Immediately, attendants, at the signal of another ruling prince, Wushu, served him tea and paobing (a type of flatbread soaked in soup), which Ulin Da ate without any restraint, right there in his seat.

"Uncle, take a rest too." Wanyan Wuben, seeing Ulin Da Zanmo sit down, turned to the already embarrassed Wanyan Talun. "No one here suspects you..."

Talun could only hide his face and return to his seat.

However, this small scene did nothing to alleviate the overall situation. Everyone sat down and began to carefully consider the conditions of the Zhao Song Guan Jia, but they were truly powerless.

"We definitely can't agree."

In the silence, Wanyan Xiyin suddenly spoke. At this time, he was the only one who could put aside his personal concerns and discuss the matter fairly. "Why are we seeking peace? Isn't it to preserve something? The heads of the ruling prince, the core clan's descendants, and the army generals are to be cut off and sent to the enemy country, and the ruler is to call the enemy emperor 'Father'... Even if there is still a Jin Dynasty, it will be another country... What peace are we seeking?"

"This official thinks that Chancellor Xiyin's words are excellent."

The Privy Councilor, Qin Hui, also suddenly interjected. "Now that we've reached this point, we might as well speak more clearly... What is the situation of the Great Jin Dynasty? It is Taizu, Taizong, all the princes, and the successive rulers, with the imperial Wanyan clan at the head, and the Jurchen people as the main body of the army, forming a core... Then, the Han people of Yanyun, us southern Han people, the Bohai people, the Goryeo people, and the surrendered Khitan and Xi people, everyone revolves around the Wanyan clan and the Jurchen nation, either above or below, either supporting or relying, each fulfilling their duties, forming a whole, which led to the previous vast empire... In the end, it's not that negotiations are impossible, but we must first clarify, whose Great Jin Dynasty is this?! Isn't it the Great Jin Dynasty of the Wanyan clan and the Jurchen nation?!"

Hearing this, everyone present nodded... After all, the reasoning was clear. Everyone, whether civilian or military, Han or Xi, knew it in their hearts, but they had to admit that the two chancellors had analyzed it clearly and directly.

Whose Great Jin Dynasty was it? Wasn't it the Wanyan family's and the Jurchen people's? Now, of the three leaders of the Wanyan family, two were to die, and a ruler who had just come of age was to become a son. The main surviving generals of the Jurchen people were also to die. Then this Great Jin Dynasty was no different from being destroyed.

"This official said before that the Zhao Guan Jia probably had no sincerity in seeking peace." Hong Ya glanced at the silent Sixth Prince, Elu Guan, and continued to speak. "It's just a strategy to sow discord... There's no need to go again."

Everyone agreed even more.

"What you all say is true, but if we don't seek peace, where is the way out?" But at this moment, Wushu, who had been sentenced to death from afar more than forty days ago, suddenly spoke in a low voice, causing the noisy hall to immediately quiet down. "The foundation of the country, the foundation of the country, Wanyan and Jurchen are of course the foundation of the country, but Wanyan is divided into the Wanyan clan and the Wanyan tribe, and Jurchen also has Jurchen armies and Jurchen people... I am a defeated general, a sinner who lost the foundation of the country in one battle, and I shouldn't say much, and I don't want to say much... Today, I only have one sentence: if the country needs my life, it can be taken away at any time, without any hesitation."

Saying this, Wushu struggled to get up and bowed slightly to the young ruler, who had not said a word, and was his own nephew. Then, without communicating with anyone else, he limped out of the Shangshu Tai hall, which had witnessed the peak of his power.

The vast majority of people remained silent and quiet from beginning to end, and the young ruler, who was eighteen years old this year, once thought of getting up to express something, but in the end, he remained silent.

Everyone just watched Wei Wang (Prince of Wei) walk out of the hall alone.

This was not to say that everyone was cold-blooded. On the contrary, the most cold-blooded person was undoubtedly Wushu himself... Because when everyone was still deceiving themselves and others due to their respective positions, this Wei Wang directly exposed everyone's bottom line.

With Wushu gone, everyone was dejected, unsure of how to make a decision. They could only agree to make a final decision early the next morning and then disperse.

And after everyone left, Hong Ya naturally went to see Qin Hui... At this time, Yanjing City had become a city on a powder keg, and the fuse had been lit... Nothing could be considered anymore.

"What are you thinking?"

Entering the Qin residence, they went to the backyard one after another. As soon as they entered the room, Hong Ya was somewhat exasperated. "Today, in the hall, you were intimidating others on behalf of the eldest prince and the others... Now that things have come to this, it's better to be a long-term chancellor in a vassal state than to go back, right?! We are, after all, surrendered people. After going back, if we offend someone, even a county magistrate can deal with us!"

"Of course, I know this!"

Qin Hui suddenly turned around, also clearly somewhat emotionally out of control. "But can't you see? That Guan Jia is really just toying with Yanjing. The Jin Dynasty is likely to perish! Our so-called long-term chancellorship is just a title... He's really just sowing discord!"

Hong Ya understood this principle at this time, and for a moment, he had no response. The two of them just sat in the room, feeling dejected.

However, the two of them knew very well that sitting idly by was tantamount to waiting for death. They had to discuss a result.

"We have to sort things out." After a long while, Hong Ya spoke first. "Brother Hui Zhi, leaving aside others, the southern surrendered people here in Yanjing are all grasshoppers on the same rope. You and I share both fortune and misfortune. At this time, we must work together to find a way out... Otherwise, the result will be a shipwreck with everyone dying!"

Having said this, before the other party could speak, Hong Ya spoke again, "First of all, as you said, Guan Jia appears to be lax on the surface, but in reality, he is taking both internal and external measures, determined to destroy the Jin Dynasty... Even if there is a future, it will be equivalent to creating a newly established country in the borderlands... Therefore, we must jump off this sinking ship as soon as possible!"

"But where to jump to?" Qin Hui seemed to be refuting, but in fact, he was quickly thinking along with the other party's thoughts. "Zhao Guan Jia won't accept us... Outside this ship, Goryeo, Mongolia, and Khitan are all Zhao Guan Jia's ships!"

"If there is no big ship, then we must look for a small boat, a small boat tied to this ship." Hong Ya replied. "Let's take it one step at a time."

"That is to say, we must find a force in Yanjing City that can protect itself at this time, and then see if Guan Jia will allow this big ship to be re-established in the borderlands, considering the balance of power there." Qin Hui immediately translated. "And get back on the ship..."

Having said this, the two looked at each other, feeling slightly relieved.

"Is the Yanyun clan feasible?" Hong Ya slapped the table, step by step. "At this time, the Yanyun clan has the strongest troops in Yanjing City, and around..."

"No." Qin Hui shook his head in response. "Yanjing is a place that Guan Jia wants to settle, and he values it especially. He even waited forty or fifty days for this, allowing the Mongolians and Goryeo people to take the rear route, forcing this place to collapse and leave on its own, just to take this city without a fight... And the Yanyun clan's foundation is all in Yanyun, how can they get on this ship?"

"That's right." Hong Ya then affirmed. "Even if Guan Jia's intention to deal with the Liu, Zuo, and Han families is obvious today, they can't easily abandon their family assets. At most, Han Fang and Liu Zuo and other brothers will take a few people with the ruler north..."

"Not necessarily." Qin Hui suddenly interjected. "Since that Guan Jia's malice is obvious, and Liu Yanzong's youngest son died in Zhengding, Han Fang is single-mindedly trying to become his imperial teacher and famous minister. But the remaining two Liu brothers and three Zuo brothers are all young, maybe they will pull the ruler together, not allowing the ruler to retreat, and tie Yanjing to a chaotic situation..."

Hong Ya sneered slightly: "Maybe so, but it's not that I look down on them, but when it comes to a life-and-death situation, and they directly start fighting, although these people are numerous, they may not be a match for those few veteran generals..."

At this point, Hong Ya paused slightly: "Speaking of which, Guan Jia made a mistake. The third of the Liu brothers died in Zhengding long ago."

"Perhaps it's a mistake, but it's not necessarily a mistake, but deliberately to anger the Liu brothers." Qin Hui shook his head slightly from the side. "Anyway, the Yanyun clan is not reliable... Are those generals who have retreated reliable?"

"I think they are temporarily reliable." Hong Ya sighed. "These are veteran generals. Although they have fewer troops in their hands, they are, after all, veterans who have escaped back. And everyone has their own guards. Even except for Yelu Ma Wu, the other four have foundations in the borderlands. Even if they are on Guan Jia's list, why not borrow the boat and kick them away in the borderlands?"

Qin Hui nodded: "Let's write this down first... What about the Eldest Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Sixth Prince? Is there anywhere to settle down?"

"Looking at the Fourth Prince's appearance today, he has lost his ambition. Although the Sixth Prince's position is closest to us, he seems to have been frightened by Guan Jia in Zhengding and is single-mindedly seeking peace, but he himself is just a good-for-nothing. At this critical moment, he is of no great use. On the other hand, the Eldest Prince is the ruler's adoptive father, the eldest son of Taizu, and this time he has also escaped back with a thousand Hezha Meng'an, so he is the most in name and reality..." Hong Ya stopped halfway through his words.

"What again?" Qin Hui was puzzled for a moment.

"Guan Jia has miscalculated again." Hong Ya was a little dumbfounded for a moment. "Not only did he make a mistake with the Liu brothers, but Wanhu (commander of ten thousand households)... It seems that he also made a mistake with Wanhu... Obviously, five Wanhu escaped back, but Guan Jia only wants four lives!"

"Did he name them?" Qin Hui was also stunned, and then quickly asked.

"He did." Hong Ya recalled the words of Ulin Da Zanmo in the Shangshu Tai hall just now. "Ma Wu, Elu Bu, Pucha Huzhan, Jiagu Wulibu..."

"He is missing Heshi Lie Taiyu!" Qin Hui suddenly became a little distraught. "Is this deliberate? The Heshi Lie tribe is a large Jurchen tribe that is on par with the Pusan tribe, second only to the Wanyan tribe... And Pusan Beilu and his sons are all dead, but Heshi Lie Taiyu and his sons are all alive; the Pusan tribe is in Posu Road, next to Goryeo, and is almost doomed, but the Heshi Lie tribe's foundation is in the north of Huanglong Prefecture, around Shangjing... Has this Guan Jia calculated to this extent?!"

"Maybe he just forgot." Hong Ya tried to persuade, but he himself became suspicious. "Heshi Lie Taiyu is not a veteran general, but like Pusan Beilu, he was transferred from the rear two years ago, and he has not fought with that Guan Jia as much as the other four..."

"Heshi Lie Taiyu... the Heshi Lie tribe..." Qin Hui said as he stood up, walked around the room with his hands clasped, and then suddenly stopped. "Hong Shilang!"

"What?" Hong Ya also gasped for breath.

"What if that Guan Jia really did it on purpose?" Qin Hui asked back in a frenzy. "This makes sense... It's like deliberately mentioning the dead third son of the Liu family to anger the Yanyun clan and ruin the Yanjing situation. At this time, deliberately leaving a Heshi Lie tribe with a way out and strength, so that the Jurchen people can disrupt themselves, is also ruining the Yanjing situation... Can't it be done? Moreover, have you ever thought that if this is the case, then Guan Jia anticipating our reaction is even more common... Is he hinting that we should help Heshi Lie Taiyu?"

"Is it a bit bizarre?" Hong Ya was flustered.

"This is not a question of whether it is bizarre or not. First, it is better to believe it than not to believe it." Qin Hui said seriously. "Second, even if it is a mistake, what will Heshi Lie Taiyu think? Isn't this a great flaw and opportunity?"

"What opportunity?" Hong Ya clasped his hands and pulled a face at the same time.

"The troops are all lost, and people are panicking; the army is pressing down on the border, and Yanyun cannot be defended; the Mongolians are coming out of Zhongjing Road, and the Goryeo people are coming out of Tokyo Road, and the rear route will be cut off... Zhao Guan Jia is now forcing us like this, and Yanjing will soon be in chaos!" Qin Hui approached the other party and said in a low voice. "No matter what the Yanyun clan is thinking, they definitely don't want to let the ruler leave, but the border troops are not willing to wait at all, and just want to go back... We don't have to wait until early tomorrow morning, there will be chaos tonight!"

"Prime Minister Qin, say something that this official doesn't know." Hong Ya raised his head and stared at the other party's pale face, facing him coldly.

"If we can merge with Heshi Lie Taiyu, can we take advantage of the chaos to achieve great things with a small force... Can we take advantage of the chaos to make the peace talks a reality?" Qin Hui said in a particularly gentle tone.

"How to make it a reality?" Hong Ya, covered in sweat, seemed to be seeing the other party for the first time. "Do you know what you mean by this? This is not the same as fooling a useless Sixth Prince in Zhengding City that day... The various forces are intertwined, and each family is a hero... The two of us are just two weak scholars!"

"Of course, I know the situation." Qin Hui was panting, but at this time. "As for how to make it a reality..."

At this point, even Qin Hui was a little flustered and hesitant... As the other party said, this was not fooling a Sixth Prince in Zhengding City surrounded by corpses and wounded soldiers.

"How can it be made a reality?!"

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded outside the house, startling the two of them into a panic, almost as if they had been caught in adultery. But soon, the two of them relaxed, because the person who came was Qin Hui's wife, Wang, and Wang's cousin, Zheng Xiunian.

And the one who spoke was actually Wang.

Wang walked into the room with her head held high, glanced coldly at her husband and Hong Ya, and then turned to look at her timid cousin. She was so angry that she simply took out a dagger from her sleeve, then took a piece of cake from a plate on the table at random, and then slashed it open with a knife. Then she threw down the dagger, held two pieces of cake, and turned to face Qin Hui:

"How can it be made a reality? Just make it a reality like this! Seeing that there will be great chaos within a day, not to mention wealth, even our lives will not be guaranteed. Why are you still hesitating here... What is that like?!"

Qin Hui didn't dare to say anything for a moment.

And Wang took the cake again and looked at Hong Ya: "Hong Shilang, my Sanlang (third son) is originally a waste. Meeting him is my fault from birth, but how can even Hong Shilang be so ridiculous today?"

Hong Ya had been frightened for a while, and now he was being confronted by Wang. He was finally angry, so he got up and brushed his sleeves and said: "Madam Wang! If I weren't as ridiculous as your Sanlang, how could we have become surrendered people together, and ended up in today's situation together?!"

And at this time, after closing his eyes for a moment, facing his wife's urging, Qin Hui suddenly gritted his teeth and made a decision: "In any case, let's try to test Heshi Lie Taiyu! Don't say anything to death... If not, let's go look for Elu Bu and the others."

Hong Ya wanted to speak but stopped, after all, he couldn't object.

ps: Thanks to the classmate Han Yu Yi Nong for another cute, thanks to the silver alliance of waiting people... I am very grateful.