boyutpedia Chapter 70 Guo Jing, Famous Throughout the Capital
Chapter 70 Guo Jing, Famous Throughout the Capital
"Take over your military command for now. Your brilliance is making many people uneasy."
"The Han people of the Central Plains have been oppressed for too long. Too many people want to use the anger of the Han people to realize their own ambitions in your name."
"The trouble Hua Zheng caused today is just a sign of what's to come."
"I need to get Guo Jing into the central government as soon as possible to appease the hearts of my foreign subjects throughout the dynasty."
Yang Kang said helplessly.
"Alright, whatever you say. Anyway, I've had my fill of fun after this battle."
Yang Miaozhen smiled indifferently.
She only needed to make sure that her husband didn't have any complaints about her; other people's opinions were insignificant to her.
As for military power, as one of the two core figures in establishing the Great Qian Dynasty, her military power, like Yang Kang's, primarily stemmed from her terrifying martial arts skills and prestige, and secondarily from the authority granted by the system.
The so-called reduction of military power is nothing more than a nominal matter.
If she wanted, she could leave the palace and enter the military camp at any time, and immediately regain control of the army.
By the winter of the first year of the Qianwu reign, the Mongols in the north were no longer a threat.
Yang Miaozhen's bloody methods, while having some drawbacks in the long run, are remarkable in the short term—it's already a miracle that they don't wet their pants at the mere mention of the name of a Daqian soldier, let alone harass the borders of Daqian.
At the same time, the Western Xia territory, which had been almost reduced to wasteland after being massacred by the Mongols, had been conquered by Zhang Rou's army.
After the first year of the Qianwu era, the only remaining enemy facing the Qian Dynasty was the Song Dynasty to the south.
Even before the fall of the Song Dynasty, the capital city of Yanjing was already abuzz with excitement for the commander-in-chief of this war.
On the very day Guo Jing agreed to go to the capital, Yang Kang had already spread the prepared story of Guo Jing's deeds.
Soon, the story of a former high-ranking Mongol prince who abandoned his glorious title and left alone with his mother because he was dissatisfied with Genghis Khan's indiscriminate killing spread throughout the streets and alleys.
These deeds, reminiscent of those of a renowned scholar from the Spring and Autumn Period, immediately earned the admiration of the students in the capital.
Countless people began to look forward to seeing the charisma of this contemporary hero.
In October, Guo Jing arrived in Yanjing. Yang Kang personally led his officials to greet him twenty miles outside the city. The level of hospitality he received was almost comparable to that of the Empress's great victory that day.
All the officials were filled with admiration, and countless people in the streets and alleys craned their necks to see what kind of demeanor Guo Jing possessed that earned him such a high level of respect from the emperor.
When Suoluhe Tieni, Huazheng, Möngke and the others saw that Guo Jing was treated with such courtesy upon entering the capital, they felt greatly relieved.
Those foreign soldiers who didn't know much about Guo Jing secretly breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the emperor treating someone who had once held a high position in Mongolia in this way.
Although Guo Jing was mentally prepared, he was still somewhat shocked by Yang Kang's courteous treatment.
Yang Kang extended his hand and invited Guo Jing to board his carriage.
The officials were immediately in an uproar upon seeing this, secretly filled with envy.
"To repay the emperor's kindness on the golden platform, I would gladly die for him, like a jade dragon." Such a profound bond between ruler and subject is almost the ultimate, and no one can remain unmoved by it.
"Jing'er deserves such a favor."
Among the assembled officials, Qiu Chuji stood by the roadside and observed, nodding and smiling.
Inside the carriage, Guo Jing looked at Yang Kang with a complicated expression.
He has read more books recently, and his understanding of this matter is now far greater than it was when he was in the desert.
Yang Kang treated him with such great respect, so he naturally understood that Yang Kang had something important to entrust to him.
"Guo Jing is nothing but a reckless fool, why does His Majesty treat him with such divine favor?"
Guo Jing said with a complicated expression.
"You are no brute; you are the last hope of the Mongols."
"The Empress and I killed two Mongol Khans in succession, and the people of the steppe still hate us."
"Hua Zheng would rather commit suicide than be my wife again."
"Moreover, I have made those people from the grasslands worship me as their master."
"If you don't come soon, I don't know how I'm going to handle this."
Yang Kang grabbed Guo Jing's hand and laughed heartily.
"Did Hua Zheng commit suicide?"
Guo Jing stared intently at Yang Kang, then anxiously grabbed his hand.
"Don't worry, she's alright."
"Hua Zheng had already thought things through regarding the Daqian's attitude towards Mongolia when she learned of your arrival in the capital."
"It's just that these days, she's angry with me and the Empress, and refuses to speak to me anymore."
Yang Kang smiled helplessly.
Guo Jing looked at Yang Kang with a puzzled expression.
"She wanted to collect Chagatai's remains, but the Empress refused."
Yang Kang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head and smiled bitterly.
Even an extraordinary woman like the Empress is not immune to moments of capriciousness.
"Although the emperor's power is unlimited, she is the empress and enjoys the same power as me."
"Before the expedition, Chagatai had declared that he would humiliate her. You know, she just did what I wanted to do too."
"I've wanted to kill that noisy Chagatai for a long time."
Yang Kang said helplessly.
Guo Jing remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Although I have not spent much time with the Empress, I have observed that she is always mature and experienced in leading troops, and is by no means such a frivolous person. Your Majesty, please do not deceive me with empty words."
Upon hearing this, Yang Kang's smile gradually faded.
"I now have three sons, one of whom is the mother of Princess Huazheng of Mongolia."
"And next, my harem will include Jurchens, Khitans, and even more Han Chinese."
"Just like our Great Qian Dynasty's court and army, they are a hodgepodge."
"Although Crown Prince Yang Qian's position as heir will not be shaken, with Miao Zhen's and my martial arts skills, living to be a hundred years old should not be a problem."
"But the future is still long, and nobody knows what will happen in the future."
Yang Kang sighed.
"If she agrees to Hua Zheng's request, it will be telling the world that there is a concubine in the Emperor of Daqian's harem who can influence the Emperor and Empress's decisions."
"And this concubine also happened to have a son."
"You should be able to understand a mother's decisiveness when she considers the future of her children."
"She may choose to embrace other races with me for the sake of the country's stability, but she will never allow her authority to be challenged."
"Especially, being provoked by Hua Zheng, who also has a son, even though Hua Zheng herself never expected this."
Upon hearing this, Guo Jing fell silent.
He was simply kind-hearted by nature, not naive, and naturally understood the cruelty of such a struggle for succession.
After all, the examples of Ögedei Khan, Tolui, Chagatai Khan, and others in Mongolia are right before our eyes.
"But Hua Zheng's plea has already been made, and with Chagatai's body still lying there, the court's attitude of appeasing the Mongols will likely be criticized."
"I need someone more suitable than Hua Zheng to do things like this."
Yang Kang stared intently at Guo Jing.
"Besides, the war to destroy the Song Dynasty cannot be won without you!"
Upon hearing this, Guo Jing was immediately shocked. Although he had long guessed that Yang Kang would destroy the Song Dynasty, he did not expect that Yang Kang's choice for destroying the Song Dynasty was actually him.
"I don't know what I can do. The Daqian army is full of talented people. Not to mention famous generals like Wanyan Chenheshang and Zhang Rou, even if His Majesty and the Empress personally lead the troops south, the Song Kingdom would be nothing more than a piece of cake."
"Why must you insist on having me?"
Guo Jing asked, puzzled.
"There's no such thing as the emperor and empress having to come in person."
Yang Kang laughed heartily, then looked at Guo Jing with a serious expression.
"Under my command are Han Chinese, Khitans, Mongols, and Jurchens, who are interspersed from the army to the court and even the harem."
"In the imperial court, I need someone to represent the interests of these people and maintain the balance of power, and you are the best candidate."
"You need to have sufficient prestige and status; destroying the Song Dynasty is a necessary step."
Yang Kang said without any hesitation.
"Does an emperor like you even need to consider these things?"
Guo Jing asked, puzzled.
"What kind of emperor am I?"
Yang Kang countered with a question.
Guo Jing fell silent immediately.
He suddenly realized that Yang Kang seemed to be somewhat different from Genghis Khan.
"After conquering the Song Dynasty, how do you plan to treat the Song royal family?"
Guo Jing then asked.
"Those who resist will be killed, those with talent will be employed, and those without talent will be demoted to commoners. That's all."
Yang Kang said decisively.
Guo Jing remained silent for a long time before finally nodding.
November of the first year of the Daqian era, the day Guo Jing entered the capital.
He was appointed as the Deputy Privy Councilor, commanding an army of 200,000 men, and marched south after the spring, heading straight into Song territory.