Moma Liangshan

Chapter 345 The Merit of Destroying a Nation, Who Will Claim It?

Upon hearing this, the guard looked troubled and said, "Your Majesty, the weapons fill dozens of large baskets. It may be difficult to fit them all into the tent!" Wanyan Aguda frowned, stood up abruptly, and walked to the door. A group of civil and military generals immediately followed him out. Seeing the silence of the crowd, Wanyan Zonggan cautiously said, "These weapons add up to at least a thousand pieces. I'm afraid that Song magistrate is far more powerful than we imagine!" Wanyan Aguda walked past the crates of weapons, his expression shifting between admiration and ruthlessness. After a long while, he said, "No matter how fine the weapons or how sturdy the armor, on a coward, they are nothing but scrap metal. The reason the warriors of the Great Jin Dynasty are so invincible is because of their fearless courage." Wanyan Wuqimai, even more warlike than Wanyan Aguda, immediately echoed, "Your Majesty is absolutely right! The Liao army's superior armor and weapons ultimately fell into our hands, didn't they? In my opinion, after conquering Shangjing, we should press on and raze the Central Plains and Jiangnan to the ground!"

The destruction of the Liao Dynasty was the established national policy of the Jurchens, but whether to attack the Song Dynasty remained a major point of contention among the Jurchen leadership. If Wanyan Wugumai had not ascended the throne, the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty might not have been so swift. Wanyan Aguda did not continue the discussion following Wanyan Wugumai's words, but instead said, "The war to destroy the Liao Dynasty has reached its most critical juncture. Whether the Great Jin Dynasty can dominate the north depends on this one battle. As founding heroes, you must not be overly ambitious."

Sitting in the second seat, Wanyan Wuqimai silently watched his elder brother, sighing inwardly, "Is my brother truly getting old? Even the Liao Kingdom couldn't withstand the Jurchen army, let alone the weak Song Kingdom! The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun are the shield of the Central Plains; recovering them has always been the long-cherished wish of successive Song emperors. If they weren't weak, why would they remain inactive? Since the Song is inferior to the Liao, why not seize the opportunity after destroying Liao and capture Bianjing in one fell swoop?" However, given the current situation, Wanyan Wuqimai didn't directly state his thoughts, only saying, "Two hundred thousand troops are gathered here, consuming countless amounts of food and provisions daily. In my opinion, our army should fight a swift and decisive battle!" Wanyan Aguda, without revealing his thoughts, asked, "Are our army's provisions running low?" Wanyan Sagai, as the Minister of State Affairs, in charge of civil administration, was most familiar with the Jin Kingdom's current financial situation and replied, "Our army's provisions can last for three months!"

Wanyan Aguda nodded slightly and said, "Although the Liao Kingdom is on its last legs, the hundreds of thousands of troops within the city are not just for show, not to mention the two hundred thousand tribal troops eyeing us from a hundred miles away. I would love to win this quickly, but with the entire nation at war, we can only proceed cautiously and slowly." Wanyan Gao, though of lower rank than Wanyan Sagai, was the second in line to the throne, and said, "Our provisions can last three months, so we only have two months left." Wanyan Xibushi, always cautious, did not agree with a swift victory, saying, "Our army's provisions are limited, and so are the Liao army's. Besides, there are at least one hundred thousand civilians in Shangjing." Wanyan Aguda was delighted to see Wanyan Xibushi's support and said, "Since Shangjing is even more short of food, why should our army worry unnecessarily?" Wanyan Xibushi then added, "This old minister is willing to return to Huanglong Prefecture to collect another month's worth of rations for the army." Wanyan Aguda laughed and said, "That would be best!"

Wanyan Wuqimai did not stop there, saying, "Four months later, winter will arrive, and frost and snow will fall heavily. Our 200,000-strong army could be wiped out in the ice and snow at any time." Wanyan Aguda's face was very pale, and he remained silent for a long time. Seeing this, Wanyan Zonggan said, "The reason why the 200,000 Khitan tribal troops are hesitant to advance is simply because they have seen through the Liao Dynasty's inability to save it and are unwilling to prolong the life of this dying dynasty. Even if this expedition cannot conquer Shangjing, it will greatly weaken the Liao Dynasty's palace army. In my opinion, as long as the Liao Dynasty's palace army is less than 50,000 strong, the 200,000 tribal troops will definitely be eager to move. At that time, Shangjing, this tough nut to crack, will surely fall without a fight!"

Wanyan Zonggan's words greatly pleased Wanyan Aguda, who said, "Emperor Tianzuo, at his wit's end, regards a mere Song county magistrate as his savior. Our Great Jin Dynasty is rising like the sun; why resort to underhanded tactics? A fair and square battle will suffice!" However, no one could have foreseen that Wanyan Wugumai was secretly delighted. Wanyan Aguda had spent his life on the battlefield, not only unifying the various Jurchen tribes but also routing the century-old Khitan dynasty. Yet, even the strongest man is subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death. The imperial physicians had already deduced that this could only be his last personal campaign; otherwise, his life would be in danger. Wanyan Wugumai, seemingly rough and rugged, was meticulous in his planning. He personally received every imperial physician who treated Wanyan Aguda, promising them high-ranking positions and generous rewards. Moreover, Wanyan Wugumai only inquired about Wanyan Aguda's condition, never proposing any malicious plans. Therefore, in the eyes of those imperial physicians, this future emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty was merely concerned for his elder brother.

In any mature dynasty, succession is from father to son, not from brother to brother. Wanyan Aguda hoped his son would inherit the throne after his death, and Wanyan Wugumai similarly hoped to abolish the old practice of brother-to-brother succession after his ascension. Of the seven major forces of the Jin dynasty, four were controlled by Wanyan Aguda's sons. However, each of Wanyan Aguda's four sons had their own agenda, because there could only be one emperor, but four brothers. As for the powerful members of the Wanyan clan, they were staunch supporters of the brother-to-brother succession system, because only by preserving this system could they avoid being gradually marginalized.

Every major reform requires a firm hand, often involving iron and blood. For a newly established nation, whoever lays the foundation for its final territory is its true founder. Only in this way can absolute authority be used to completely suppress opposition and establish a new system. The destruction of the Liao Dynasty was only a matter of time, so Wanyan Wugumai hoped this historic moment would fall upon him, not Wanyan Aguda. Historically, after Wanyan Wugumai ascended the throne, he immediately planned a southward campaign against the Song Dynasty, undoubtedly using the achievement of territorial expansion to consolidate his power. Therefore, for Wanyan Wugumai, delaying the destruction of the Liao Dynasty was sufficient to achieve his goal. Finally, he slowly said, "Your subject agrees with Zonggan's view!" Wanyan Aguda sneered inwardly, saying, "The battle plan remains unchanged. All ministers must continue to do their utmost and fulfill their duties!" Upon hearing this, everyone rose and repeatedly agreed.