Chapter 390. Supreme Capital, Linhuang Prefecture
By the time Emperor Tianzuo returned to the Supreme Capital, only a small number of imperial guards remained around him.
The army of seven hundred thousand had vanished, and even the tribal forces that remained had been disbanded at Changchun Prefecture.
There was no strength left for another battle.
No.
More frightening than the war itself was the possibility of rebellion.
He would have had reason to worry even after a victory.
Instead, he had been defeated.
He feared rebellion might spread like wildfire.
He ignored the remonstrations warning him not to disband the tribal forces.
As long as those armies remained gathered, he could not safely return to the Supreme Capital.
Fortunately, the rebellion was suppressed.
Emperor Tianzuo had Yelü Zhangnu dismembered into five parts and sent the remains to the Five Capitals.
But after executing those who had participated in the uprising, there were scarcely any soldiers left to send back into battle.
On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, Emperor Tianzuo appointed Xiao Temo as Xingjun Dubushu, Commander-in-Chief of the Campaign Army, and ordered him to recruit Han soldiers in the Yu and Yun regions.
It was around this time that the troops later called the Yuan Army—the "Resentful Army"—were raised.
Yuan Army (怨軍): Han Chinese troops recruited in the late Liao period from the Yu, Yun, and other areas of the Yanyun region. Many were forcibly conscripted or mobilized amid deep resentment, which was why the character yuan (怨), meaning resentment or grievance, was used in their name. As the Liao court lost its ability to mobilize Khitan and Balhae forces in Liaodong, it began scraping together manpower from the Han-populated southern territories for use against the Jurchens.
Then came the news that the Eastern Capital had fallen.
The reports did not arrive in proper order.
Depending on the distance, the condition of the roads, and which relay stations were still functioning, earlier and later events reached the capital all mixed together.
The relay system had already weakened, and many of the stations that remained had been destroyed.
Only after Xiao Baoxian, the Regent of Liaoyang, arrived in person and made his report did the overall picture begin to emerge.
At first, the Eastern Capital was said to have fallen to the Jurchens.
Soon afterward came another report saying it had actually been a Balhae uprising.
The next day came word that the core of the rebellion consisted of the same Balhae troops who had attacked the left wing at Hubodagang.
They had entered the war before the Goryeo forces and disrupted the Liao left wing.
Their influence had grown because of that achievement.
Now there were even signs that they intended to establish a state centered on Liaoyang.
Yelü Yanxi asked Xiao Baoxian,
"You said he was one of your subordinate commanders?"
Xiao Baoxian bowed deeply.
"Yes, Your Majesty. He is Go Youngchang, a descendant of the Balhae nobility and former commander of the Balhae Brave Cavalry of the Eastern Capital, Liaoyang."
Yelü Yanxi snorted.
"Hmph. He intends to found a country?"
"It has been their dream for generations. Over the past two hundred years, they have risen several times, and every attempt has failed. They tried again only last year."
The emperor's expression darkened.
"Last year was close enough to frighten us. They raised their rebellion almost at our doorstep."
Xiao Baoxian spoke cautiously.
"They have little foundation beyond their own people. They will find it difficult to endure for long. For now, Your Majesty should focus more closely on Jin."
Yelü Yanxi narrowed his eyes.
"And Song?"
"They do not yet fully understand the changes taking place here."
The emperor wanted to believe that.
Song had to remain ignorant of what was happening in the north.
Only then could Liao continue receiving the annual tribute payments.
The state was already in desperate condition.
If even that revenue stopped, Liao would lose one of the few remaining sources of strength with which to recover.
But would men who knew nothing truly declare war and send an army?
Yelü Yanxi knew better.
There had to be some kind of cooperation between Song and Jin.
Without a scheme to throw Liao's rear into confusion, why would Song have chosen this particular moment to declare war?
The emperor looked at Xiao Baoxian.
"You have a tendency to see matters in the most favorable light."
Xiao Baoxian lowered his head.
"Song is large in territory but weak in strength. I do not believe Your Majesty needs to worry excessively."
Yelü Yanxi's gaze turned cold.
"The Regent of the Eastern Capital also viewed his situation too favorably. Is that not why the Eastern Capital was lost?"
Xiao Baoxian's face stiffened.
"Your Majesty, they merely took advantage of the momentum of victory—"
"Enough."
The emperor's voice cut through the hall.
The air in the great chamber froze.
Yelü Yanxi spoke again.
"The Eastern Capital can be retaken."
Xiao Baoxian bowed until his forehead nearly touched the floor.
"Your Majesty's grace is boundless."
The emperor fell into thought for a moment, then gave an order.
"Summon Yelü Chun."
"Loyalty."
When the snow that had fallen for several days finally paused, Yelü Chun prostrated himself before the throne.
"May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."
He had come to the Supreme Capital because of Yelü Zhangnu's rebellion and had not yet returned to the Northern Capital.
The emperor regarded highly the fact that Yelü Chun had refused to join the uprising.
When the flames of rebellion had spread in every direction, Yelü Chun had never leaned toward the rebels.
Yelü Yanxi said,
"I am always grateful for your service."
Yelü Chun bowed his head.
"I have never forgotten Your Majesty's sacred virtue, not even for a moment."
"I summoned you today because I wish to hear about the situation in Yanjing."
"I shall answer with complete sincerity."
Yelü Yanxi's gaze deepened.
"The Song bastards have declared war. You know that, do you not?"
Yelü Chun answered immediately.
"As soon as I return, I will crush them. Your Majesty need not worry in the slightest."
The emperor slowly tapped the armrest of his throne with his fingertips.
"There is something more important I wish to ask. What gave them the confidence to do this? I suspect they know something of the situation here."
Yelü Chun took a moment to steady his breathing.
"The roads are blocked, so news takes time to travel, but we cannot say that Song knows nothing at all. Their declaration of war and decision to mobilize appear to have been intended to coordinate with Jin. Once I return south, I will teach them a lesson."
"I am not afraid of the Song army."
The emperor's voice grew lower.
"What concerns me is the annual payment. They are quick to read the situation. If they gain even a vague understanding of what is happening in the north, they may attempt to stop the tribute they send us every year. If that happens, we will lose the strength to rise again."
Yelü Chun bowed even lower.
"Your Majesty, Song appears large from the outside, but it is weak within. Their courage to cut off the payments will not last long."
Yelü Yanxi did not answer immediately.
It was probably true that Song was weak.
But the weaker a state was, the more carefully it calculated.
When it saw a strong power begin to stagger, it would be the first to weigh profit and loss.
The emperor said,
"If they have joined hands with Jin, then the matter changes entirely. If Jin strikes us from the front while Song disturbs us from the rear, the course of the war changes completely."
"I will return to Yanjing and close that opening."
"You are the Regent of the Southern Capital. If the man guarding Yanjing wavers, the southern gate opens. You may look down upon Song, but do not look down upon their schemes."
Yelü Chun pressed his forehead to the floor.
"I shall remember Your Majesty's words."
Yelü Yanxi looked beyond the palace walls blanketed in snow.
The rebellion had been suppressed.
Yelü Zhangnu was dead.
Yet the unease within the empire had not disappeared.
Jin was rising in the east.
Song was watching from the south.
The Eastern Capital was shaken.
Yanjing now stood on trial.
The emperor spoke quietly.
"Return. Find out what the Song truly know and why they are moving. War is not fought with swords alone. The moment the annual payments stop, even the lamps of this palace will begin to dim."
Yelü Chun bowed once more.
"Your Majesty's grace is boundless."
When the snow that had fallen for several days finally paused, Yelü Chun prostrated himself before the throne.
"May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."
He had come to the Supreme Capital because of Yelü Zhangnu's rebellion and had not yet returned to the Northern Capital.
The emperor regarded highly the fact that Yelü Chun had refused to join the uprising.
When the flames of rebellion had spread in every direction, Yelü Chun had never leaned toward the rebels.
Yelü Yanxi said,
"I am always grateful for your service."
Yelü Chun bowed his head.
"I have never forgotten Your Majesty's sacred virtue, not even for a moment."
"I summoned you today because I wish to hear about the situation in Yanjing."
"I shall answer with complete sincerity."
Yelü Yanxi's gaze deepened.
"The Song bastards have declared war. You know that, do you not?"
Yelü Chun answered immediately.
"As soon as I return, I will crush them. Your Majesty need not worry in the slightest."
The emperor slowly tapped the armrest of his throne with his fingertips.
"There is something more important I wish to ask. What gave them the confidence to do this? I suspect they know something of the situation here."
Yelü Chun took a moment to steady his breathing.
"The roads are blocked, so news takes time to travel, but we cannot say that Song knows nothing at all. Their declaration of war and decision to mobilize appear to have been intended to coordinate with Jin. Once I return south, I will teach them a lesson."
"I am not afraid of the Song army."
The emperor's voice grew lower.
"What concerns me is the annual payment. They are quick to read the situation. If they gain even a vague understanding of what is happening in the north, they may attempt to stop the tribute they send us every year. If that happens, we will lose the strength to rise again."
Yelü Chun bowed even lower.
"Your Majesty, Song appears large from the outside, but it is weak within. They will not have the nerve to cut off the payments."
Yelü Yanxi did not answer immediately.
It was probably true that Song was weak.
But the weaker a state was, the more carefully it calculated.
When it saw a strong power begin to stagger, it would be the first to weigh profit and loss.
The emperor said,
"If they have joined hands with Jin, then the matter changes entirely. If Jin strikes us from the front while Song disturbs us from the rear, the course of the war changes completely."
"I will return to Yanjing and strengthen the southern defenses. I will keep the Song army from advancing north and cut off any path by which they might coordinate with Jin."
"You are the Regent of the Southern Capital. You are the man responsible for defending Yanjing. If Yanjing wavers, the road opens for the Song army to march north. I know the Song army is weak. But even a weak army can accomplish something dangerous if it moves at the right moment. Do not take lightly their attempt to coordinate with Jin."
Yelü Chun pressed his forehead to the floor.
"I shall remember Your Majesty's words."
Yelü Yanxi looked beyond the palace walls covered in snow.
The rebellion had been suppressed, and Yelü Zhangnu was dead.
Yet the unease within the empire had not disappeared.
Jin was rising in the east.
Song was watching from the south.
The Eastern Capital was shaken.
Yanjing now stood on trial.
The emperor spoke quietly.
"Return. Find out what the Song truly know and why they are moving. War is not fought with swords alone. The moment the annual payments stop, even the lamps of this palace will begin to dim."
Yelü Chun bowed once more.
"Your Majesty's grace is boundless."
The emperor then turned to Xiao Baoxian.
"Investigate the situation in the Eastern Capital, Liaoyang Prefecture, and report back to me."
"Loyalty."