Chapter 15 Mountains in Jin

The Jin Kingdom was mountainous. The Tianduan Mountains in the north of the Jin Kingdom were known as the most continuous mountain range in the entire Orient. News of妖兽 (yao shou, demonic beasts) appearing from time to time spread, but these yao shou were, at best, similar to the Pixiu beasts raised by the Yan Kingdom's royal family, and were even inferior in many respects. They were only good for novelty. Therefore, when the Jin Kingdom's merchants traveled around the world, the most outstanding goods they could offer were all kinds of strange yao shou.

Back then, when the great scholar Yao Zizhan of the Qian Kingdom was young, he traveled to the Jin Kingdom, intending to use the magnificent and rugged Tianduan Mountains to brew the poetry in his belly. As a result, he was accidentally captured by a wild tribe in the mountains. If he hadn't happened to encounter a Jin Kingdom army clearing out the wild people nearby and rescued him, the great scholar of the Qian Kingdom might have withered before he could fully bloom.

The Tianduan Mountains were one. In the west of the Jin Kingdom, the area bordering the Yan Kingdom, there was also a mountain range, which the Jin people called Zhemashan (折马山, Horse-Breaking Mountain) and the Yan people called Matishan (马蹄山, Horseshoe Mountain).

This mountain range continued all the way to the southwest of the Jin Kingdom. It could be said that the Jin Kingdom was more like a wrapped egg, and the only opening, the area of ​​open plain, bordered the Chu Kingdom.

In fact, long ago, the Jin and Chu Kingdoms did not border each other. The Chu Kingdom was located in the southeastern region of the entire Oriental continent, originating from the Daze (大泽, Great Marsh). The Chu Emperor even claimed that his family was of the Golden Phoenix bloodline, born from the depths of the Daze. However, for hundreds of years, the Chu people's expansion had never stopped, constantly destroying the surrounding small countries. Finally, they successfully bordered the Jin Kingdom, and the two sides would occasionally break out into wars involving tens of thousands of troops.

In the southwest direction of the Jin Kingdom, taking advantage of the terrain of the Matishan mountain range, a Nanmenguan (南门关, South Gate Pass) was built.

Outside the Nanmenguan, there were many small countries, which were located between the three great powers of Jin, Chu, and Qian. The three great powers deliberately maintained the existence of these small countries as a buffer zone.

Therefore, although the Nanmenguan looked extremely magnificent, the last time a real war broke out here was decades ago. That time, a coup broke out in a small country, the powerful usurped the throne, and the ruler fled to the Jin Kingdom. The pursuers chased to the Nanmenguan and were repelled by the Jin Kingdom's garrison.

However, due to the interference of the Qian and Chu Kingdoms, the Jin Kingdom ultimately did not send troops to help this ruler restore his country, but simply granted him the title of Duke Anle (安乐公, of Peace and Happiness) and kept him.

Some said that at that time, the power of the three major clans in the Jin Kingdom had become very large. For this reason, there was even a rumor circulating: "The ruler of a country should be the virtuous."

Therefore, they believed that since a monarch could not defend his throne and country, it was because his fate had been exhausted, which was the natural law of heavenly operation.

The meaning of this was clear to anyone with discerning eyes.

At this time,

Under the Nanmenguan, a huge merchant caravan was undergoing inspection. This caravan consisted of seven or eight hundred people.

Three people stood on the city wall.

One was wearing armor, who was the garrison commander of the Nanmenguan; an old man in Confucian robes, who was the Vice Minister of Revenue of the Jin Kingdom. However, the Jin Kingdom's court only retained a shell. What this Vice Minister of Revenue did was to do business for the royal family, and he had been leading a team to and from here for more than ten years;

Behind the old man stood a black-faced servant.

"I say, to the west, our Jin Kingdom is at war with the Yan Kingdom, and to the southwest, the Yan people are still fighting with the Qian people. Where is such a large caravan of yours going?"

"Naturally, to the Qian Kingdom," the leader said with a smile.

"To the Qian Kingdom? Going to the Qian Kingdom at this time?"

"The Qian people are rich. Most of my cart is filled with herbs from the Tianduan Mountains. It just so happens that I can sell them for a good price over there."

"Aren't you afraid of running into the Yan people in the Qian Kingdom? When they see that you are Jin merchants, they will directly rob you, and you may not even be able to save your lives."

"As the saying goes, wealth comes from danger."

"It seems that His Majesty is so short of money?"

The garrison commander of the Nanmenguan joked.

In his words, there was no respect for the Jin Emperor.

Indeed, although the Jin Kingdom was called the Jin Kingdom, and although the Jin Kingdom had an emperor, the military and political power of the Jin Kingdom had long fallen into the hands of the three major clans for many years.

These three major clans all had fiefdoms and troops. Strictly speaking, they were more like the three major vassals within the Jin Kingdom. Sometimes, the Jin Emperor's edicts could not even leave the capital, and he was more like a mascot being worshiped there.

After Zheng Fan initially understood the current situation of the Jin Kingdom, he said that the Jin Emperor was not similar to the Zhou royal family during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods?

The fact was indeed the case. The reason why the three major clans retained the existence of the Jin Emperor was nothing more than the overall stability of the Jin Kingdom. After all, the Yan Kingdom in the west was eyeing them covetously, and the Chu Kingdom in the southeast would occasionally break out into conflicts.

At the same time, it was also because the three major clans themselves felt that the time had not yet come to truly separate.

However, from the court to the common people, the Jin Kingdom had long formed the consciousness of the three major clans. They no longer took the emperor on their heads seriously.

Perhaps only the people of the Jin Kingdom in the capital and the royal family's personal army were still loyal to the Jin Emperor, so that the Jin Emperor would not look so completely like a puppet.

"Isn't that so? Fighting with the Yan Kingdom has cut off the trade route from the west. The Qian Kingdom is also at war, and the Qian Kingdom's caravans can't come in either.

The salaries of so many princes and nobles in the capital could not be paid out last month after these two trade routes were cut off."

"Our Majesty must be having a hard time, right?" the general teased.

"Of course. His Majesty is planning to rebuild the ancestral temple. It's already halfway done, but the money for the rest has been cut off, which is worrying His Majesty."

Every year, the three major clans would symbolically submit a sum of money from their fiefdoms to the Jin Emperor, but this money was pitifully small. Relying on the taxes from the capital area was completely useless. The royal family and many nobles inherited from earlier years were relying on the court's salaries to live their lives, but the court simply couldn't collect taxes from the local areas.

Therefore, the Jin Kingdom's royal family had to do their own business and organize caravans many years ago. The three major clans also turned a blind eye to this. After all, as long as the Jin Kingdom's royal family existed for one day, it had to maintain its dignity. Otherwise, it would lose their own face and become a laughing stock for other countries.

"My lord."

At this time, a black-faced young man walked over, carrying a bag in his hand, and handed it to the garrison commander.

The garrison commander frowned slightly at first, but after opening the bag and seeing the jewelry and jade inside, he smiled.

It seemed that the royal family was really having a hard time and had to rely on pawning these old objects to live. Although there wasn't much, the things that came out of the palace were all priceless.

He was a family general of the Wenren family, ordered to guard the Nanmenguan. Right now, the Wenren family and the Helian family had joined forces and were fighting with the Yan people in the west. The Yan people were really capable of fighting, but it was estimated that they wouldn't be able to hold on for long. The foundation of the two families had been mobilized, and the two sides had a combined force of nearly 600,000 troops.

Moreover, if the Yan people's iron cavalry was the best in the world, then the second best was the Jin people. Although the Jin Kingdom was mostly mountainous, it also had many plains and was not short of horse-raising land. Moreover, the wild people in the Tianduan Mountains and the extremely cold land further north in the Tianduan Mountains seemed to have very poor living conditions, but there were also many wild tribes. The Jin Kingdom often conquered them to obtain warhorses for replenishment, and even captured some wild people to form wild cavalry.

Of course, the wild people of the Jin Kingdom and the barbarians in the desert west of the Yan Kingdom were naturally incomparable.

"General, there will be another thank you when we come back this time. Right now, we are really tight on money."

The Vice Minister of Revenue, holding court, said cautiously with a flattering expression.

The garrison commander nodded and didn't want to make things too difficult for them. Instead, he waved to the soldiers on the city wall, signaling them to let them pass.

The city gate was opened, and the caravan began to move forward.

The garrison commander then pointed to the black-faced young man beside the Vice Minister of Revenue and smiled:

"He's really black. Has he been so black since he was a child?"

The black-faced youth nodded, with a shy smile on his face.

"Tsk tsk..."

The garrison commander clicked his tongue with some regret.

If this person wasn't so black, he would look quite handsome, and he could have opened his mouth to take him.

The love of men was very popular in the Jin Kingdom.

Each country had its own habits.

The Qian people loved to take medicinal powder, the Jin people were addicted to male love,

Only the Yan people were the most barbaric. It seemed that they had no other hobbies besides fighting.

"Replying to the general, I've been this black since I was a child."

"Being black is not bad either." The garrison commander couldn't help but reach out and lift the black-faced youth's chin, saying, "I heard that His Majesty's face is also quite black. Years ago, this general also went to the capital with the family head to attend the Empress Dowager's birthday. The Empress Dowager looked young, like a pretty widow;

Tsk tsk, but our Majesty, I only saw him a few times from a distance, and only saw charcoal, hahaha."

The black-faced youth laughed along.

When the black-faced youth smiled, it felt like his eyebrows and eyes were open. For a moment, it actually made the garrison commander lick his somewhat dry lips.

He asked:

"What's your surname?"

"Replying to the general, my surname is Yu."

"Yu?"

Yu was the surname of the Jin Kingdom's royal family, which was also the national surname.

However, this surname only made the garrison commander even more heated. Right now, the Jin Emperor himself was having a hard time, let alone other members of the royal family. They were really worthless. It was already very common for Yu-surnamed women to marry merchant families. As long as they had a little wealth, they would all want to marry a Yu-surnamed woman, thinking that they could also get a taste of the royal aura.

"You're surnamed Yu, what's your name?"

"Yu Ciming."

"Yu Ciming?" The garrison commander blinked and muttered to himself, "Why does that sound so familiar?"

At this time, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who had been bowing and scraping, opened his mouth and said:

"General, our Majesty also has this name."

"Oh, yes, it's actually the same as our Majesty's..."

The garrison commander's face suddenly changed.

At this moment,

The black-faced youth, who had been having his chin lifted, raised his hand, which was holding a hidden crossbow, and at the same time, pulled the trigger.

This kind of hidden crossbow was too small and suitable for concealment, but it was not suitable for use on the battlefield. 江湖 (jianghu, martial world) people used it more often, but in a nearly face-to-face situation, even if the garrison commander was an eighth-rank martial artist, he was directly shot in the face by the crossbow bolt.

The poison on the crossbow bolt took effect immediately, and the garrison commander fell to the ground, his body quickly paralyzed.

The black-faced youth took out a dagger, squatted down, and directly cut into the garrison commander's neck.

Pretty widow?

Pretty widow!!!

At the same time, the people in the caravan took out knives and guns from the cargo boxes and directly slashed at the guarding soldiers. The Nanmenguan garrison was caught off guard.

In the north, a team of cavalry had already rushed over, using the road opened by the former and directly charged in.

This was the Jin Kingdom's royal family's personal army. There were not many of them, but they were loyal to the Jin Emperor and were the only army that the Jin Emperor could directly call upon in the Jin Kingdom at present.

The sounds of fighting quickly subsided. Faced with this kind of stabbing-style sudden attack, the Nanmenguan garrison was unable to resist at all. After being slashed and killed for the most part, the remaining ones quickly abandoned their weapons and surrendered.

And at this time,

The black-faced youth said to the Vice Minister of Revenue beside him:

"Xu Aiqing (徐爱卿, beloved minister), help me change my clothes."

The Vice Minister of Revenue took half a step back,

"This subject obeys the order."

After a short while,

The black-faced youth, who was originally wearing coarse linen clothes, changed into a dragon robe. The surrounding armored soldiers of the personal army all knelt down:

"Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live, long live!"

Yu Ciming took a deep breath, with a look of guilt on his face,

He said:

"朕 (zhen, I, the emperor) am not a good emperor."

Yu Ciming looked around,

Slowly said:

"朕 am very gratified that you are still here with 朕, willing to help 朕. 朕 am self-aware and am not a wise ruler with great talent, but 朕 will try my best to allow you and 朕 to live well together, to protect your families, and if possible, 朕 am willing to give you a better future."

Beside him, the Vice Minister of Revenue could not help but shed tears upon hearing these words.

Just at this moment,

In the southwest direction of the Nanmenguan, a dark shadow appeared. Standing on the city tower and looking over, it gave people a terrifying sense of oppression!

Yu Ciming said to Xu Qianhe beside him:

"Xu Aiqing, do you think, did 朕 do wrong?"

"Your Majesty, this subject is only loyal to Your Majesty."

Yu Ciming nodded, with a sneer on the corner of his mouth, and said:

"朕, as the Emperor of the Jin Kingdom, as a member of the Yu clan, should not have done such a rebellious thing, but 朕 know, and 朕 understand, that the Situ family had long planned to divide the Jin Kingdom into three, but it was abandoned due to the opposition of the Helian and Wenren families.

Because the Situ family controls the eastern part of my great Jin, while the Helian and Wenren families are divided in the west. If they separate at this time, it is obvious that these two families will suffer too much, so they will try their best to maintain this situation.

But once this campaign against Yan is successful, and the Helian and Wenren families take some territory from the Yan Kingdom, then the division of the three families will naturally become a foregone conclusion.

朕, this emperor, will naturally be deposed;

If they are particular about it, they will let 朕 cede the throne to the three families, offering sacrifices to the heavens and earth above, and informing the ancestors below, and the world should be occupied by the virtuous;

Then they will raise 朕's lineage, nominally to support 朕 well, but then 朕 will die for no apparent reason, and 朕's descendants will also die for no apparent reason, and within three generations, they will definitely be extinct.

If they are not particular about it, they will send a chaotic army to falsely claim that wild people directly slaughtered the imperial palace. It doesn't matter whether the people of the world believe it or not, they are nothing more than seeking a cover-up in history."

"Your Majesty." Xu Qianhe sobbed again.

"Xu Aiqing, the Yan people are right in front of us. Tell me, will姬润豪 (Ji Runhao) keep his promise? 朕 do not seek or expect to rule the great Jin, 朕 only seek a fiefdom that can protect you, protect them, and protect the ancestral sacrifices and blood food."

Xu Qianhe took a long breath and said:

"Your Majesty, eight hundred years ago, during the Xia Dynasty, the ancestors of the Ji family were granted a fiefdom in the bitter and cold land of the northwest, and were ordered by the Emperor of Xia to defend the east against the barbarians.

Now, the Xia Dynasty has been destroyed for six hundred years, but the Ji family has still not allowed the barbarians to pass the border of Yan. Even when the Qian people launched a northern expedition a hundred years ago, the Ji family only sent 30,000 cavalry back to aid them, and their main force was still fighting the barbarians in the desert.

Among the current countries and many royal families, in terms of keeping promises, no one can match the Ji family!"

"Actually, Xu Aiqing, 朕 understand what you said, but it's just that this ancestral foundation has been opened by 朕 and given to outsiders. 朕, this emperor, am really a bit absurd."

"Your Majesty, my great Jin has been without a ruler or ministers for too many years."

"Yes, yes, where have my Yu-surnamed emperors looked like emperors for several generations!"

Saying that,

The Jin Emperor seemed to have adjusted his mentality, because the Yan people's army had already advanced to the city.

"Xu Aiqing, you said, how useless must those Qian people be? This Yan people's army has already detoured from his Qian Kingdom to here, and his Qian people clearly have a million troops in the three borders, but there is still no movement at all?

朕 was still thinking before, if the Yan people couldn't come, then 朕 wouldn't have to weigh the choices and endure the torment, but now, 朕 suddenly feel that this destiny, this damn destiny, seems to really be favoring the Yan people."

Xu Qianhe knew that the Jin Emperor was finding a reasonable excuse for his choice. The Yan people were destined by heaven, and he was following the will of heaven, which was the best excuse.

"Your Majesty, let us follow the will of heaven."

The Jin Emperor sighed and waved his hand,

He said:

"Forget it, forget it, let's just do it this way, pass the order, open the city gate, 朕 will personally go out of the city to welcome the Yan people."

………

"Wu Jing, will you kneel later?"

The Marquis of Zhenbei, sitting on the Pixiu, looked at the Nanmenguan in front and couldn't help but ask Tian Wujing.

"His Majesty promised the Jin Emperor to protect his fiefdom and imperial title. He is the emperor now, and he will be the emperor in the future."

"Alas, not good, not good."

"Although the opening of the Nanmenguan means that the back of the 600,000 troops of the Jin Kingdom attacking my great Yan on the west side is already open to us, this battle can be said to be won or lost.

But if he is willing to cooperate well, it will save a lot of trouble in governing and merging these Jin lands in the future, and our soldiers will be able to die less."

"I like to hear that. To let the soldiers under me suffer less damage, I am willing to lick his boots."

Tian Wujing shook his head and said nothing more.

The Marquis of Jingnan was strict, while the Marquis of Zhenbei was carefree and bold. It could be said that the two people's personalities were two extremes.

The city gate of the Nanmenguan was opened, and a group of people walked out, with the leader wearing a dragon robe, which was very eye-catching.

The army advanced to the front,

The Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Jingnan got off their mounts together and walked forward. Behind them were the main forces of the Zhenbei Army and the Jingnan Army.

However,

Just as the two Marquises were about to kneel down and salute the Jin Emperor,

The Jin Emperor Yu Ciming suddenly took the initiative to kneel down to the two Marquises,

He said sincerely:

"The ruler of the lower country, Yu Ciming, pays respects to the two Marquises!"