Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law Chapter 435: Jin Xia Invades, Dongyou Kingdom’s Royal Capita

Late February.

Youzhou.

The once crucial border pass has now beco an abandoned pawn by the Court.

Since the Xuanhe Period, the Court began to neglect Youzhou, and later, when chaos broke out in the Northern Land, the Court dispatched the last remaining Border Army in Youzhou to eradicate the Celestial Master Army. Not only did they fail, but the remaining Border Army was nearly annihilated and absorbed by the Celestial Master Army.

The destruction of the Border Army caused the Court to lose control over Youzhou.

Later on, the dostic situation beca increasingly chaotic, and various forces were fighting their own battles, which weakened the power of the Central governnt and left them unable to pay officials’ salaries across the country.

Thus, local officials were working irregularly, leaving governnt offices closed for long periods.

Worse still, seeing the Court unable to govern, so local County Magistrates, without constraint, began to recklessly exploit the people’s wealth, becoming local criminal forces.

Ying City in Youzhou was exactly like this.

This city, a border pass of the Great Song in the north, saw its Border Army destroyed and the Court indifferent, resulting in extre corruption in local governance.

Local officials colluded with gangs to levy protection fees from the people of Ying City, and even the governnt office doubled the taxation on the people under the pretense of the Court’s na.

If they at least offered protection after collecting the protection fees, it might have sufficed.

However, they did not. Instead, the governnt office and gangs were preparing for a massive exploitation of the local people.

Jin Xia had long planned the invasion of the Great Song Dynasty, officially sending troops after spring, dividing into two routes. The Eastern Army of Jin Xia, led by Tie Muer, attacked Youzhou, while the Western Army, led by Wanyan Xiaji, attacked Longyou, with the two armies ultimately converging in Huai State.

Before attacking Ying City, Tie Muer made demands to County Magistrate Peng of Ying City.

As long as County Magistrate Peng paid one hundred thousand each in gold, silver, and silk, and three thousand each of horses, donkeys, and mules, he would spare County Magistrate Peng and his n, and once the Jin Xia Army entered Ying City, County Magistrate Peng could continue to rule.

The border pass was inherently a harsh land, economically poor.

Now, amid chaotic tis, Tie Muer’s conditions were overly harsh.

Yet County Magistrate Peng agreed.

Logically, after committing so many evil deeds in Ying City for years, if County Magistrate Peng sold his estate, he might scrape it together.

But he did not; instead, he first colluded with gangs in Ying City to confiscate the hos of wealthy rchants and soldiers, turning all assets into public funds.

Next, he plundered the citizens of the city.

Still short of the sum, County Magistrate Peng turned against the gang that allied with him to finally gather the sum required by Tie Muer and sent it to Tie Muer’s military tent.

However, in Tie Muer’s military tent at this mont.

A leader below asked Tie Muer, "General, if that County Magistrate Peng really manages to gather all you’ve asked for, will you truly spare him?"

At this mont, Tie Muer was reading military books from the Great Song. Hearing his subordinate’s question, he put down the book and smiled, saying, "Of course not. As the saying goes, war is deceit. I understand that County Magistrate Peng has committed nurous atrocities in Ying City and is extrely stingy.

This ti, when I demanded one hundred thousand each in gold, silver, and silk, he will surely plunder it from the citizens of Ying City. In this way, not only will we spare ourselves the effort of searching the city, but we can also win the hearts of the people of Ying City by executing him publicly."

Since deciding to attack the Great Song, many spies of Jin Xia have infiltrated Ying City, giving Tie Muer a clear understanding of the situation there.

Tie Muer was also a very shrewd person.

The so-called engage in war to support war.

Upon entering Ying City, the army inevitably needed to plunder it once.

But leaving it to the officials of the Great Song, not only saved effort, but they could also get the wealth they were due, without incurring the resentnt of the citizens of Ying City.

It was a win-win-win situation.

After listening to Tie Muer’s explanation, the subordinate leader suddenly realized and laughed, "The General is wise."

At this mont, a soldier below reported that the Song people had arrived with the money.

Hearing this, Tie Muer laughed heartily with excitent, "My fellow soldiers, the ti has co to avenge the humiliation of four hundred years ago; the Great Song has decayed, and we can take its place."

...

The First Year of Yong’an, March 1.

Tie Muer led the army to capture Ying City, and County Magistrate Peng, along with a host of officials and local gang leaders, were all ordered by Tie Muer to be executed in public, and their residences were plundered.

...

Elsewhere.

Dongyou Kingdom.

The King agreed to Wanyan Xiaji’s request for passage.

Wanyan Xiaji also paid the King’s toll as promised for the passage.

But the King did not foresee that, as per the agreed route, Wanyan Xiaji should have led his army south through Ge City, but when passing Ge City, Wanyan Xiaji suddenly changed his route and led his cavalry on a hundred-mile night march to launch a surprise attack on the Royal Capital of Dongyou Kingdom.

The event happened so suddenly, and the attacking forces were so formidable that in less than three days, the Royal Capital fell.

The King was captured.

The King’s concubines, along with the female relatives of the Royal Family and ministers, were all captured by the Jin Xia Army and taken back to Jin Xia.

...

Mid-March.

Yue Ruyan had originally been persuaded by Diwu Fusheng to join forces with King Chong’s army and the forces Chu Ce brought to Longyou, to attack Longyou.

But suddenly, they received news that the Royal Capital of Dongyou Kingdom had been captured by Jin Xia.

In the military tent.

The generals and staff officers of the three forces were all gathered there.

Diwu Fusheng, perplexed, said, "Even though Dongyou Kingdom suffered heavy losses last ti, it didn’t hit its core. How was it so suddenly captured by Jin Xia?"

Diwu Fusheng was extrely bewildered.

Even if Dongyou Kingdom’s strength was completely incomparable to Jin Xia.

Facing a Jin Xia invasion, mobilizing a hundred thousand troops in an ergency was still feasible.

And the Royal Capital was located deep within Dongyou Kingdom.

How was it suddenly captured?

Could it be that the hundred thousand didn’t defend a single city and was directly defeated to the Royal Capital by Jin Xia?

During the last attack on Longyou, they weren’t weak either...

Yue Ruyan furrowed his brow, "Jin Xia has been biding ti for so many years, and three years ago they destroyed Gao Liao; now, suddenly capturing Dongyou Kingdom’s Royal Capital, their aim isn’t Dongyou, but to open the road for the westward advance."

"General Yue, do you an they are coming for us?" Gongsun Yan also beca serious.

Though the Great Song always looked down on Jin Xia and called them barbarians, they never underestimated their strength.

Especially after they destroyed Gao Liao, it was clear to so well-inford people in the Great Song of their true strength.

If Jin Xia was indeed coming for the Great Song.

Then it wouldn’t be as easy to deal with as the Seven Western Rong Countries.

"Gentlen, General Chu Ce, my apologies." Yue Ruyan bowed to Diwu Fusheng and Chu Ce.

"If Jin Xia truly is coming for the Great Song, then Longyou faces great peril. Not only can I not assist you, but perhaps I’ll have to request you two for assistance at that ti."

Having said that, Yue Ruyan looked again at Gongsun Yan.

Hearing this, both Diwu Fusheng and Chu Ce looked grim.

How could this happen so coincidentally?