vrcanaries Chapter 447 The End of Emperor Huizong
Chapter 447 The End of Emperor Huizong
"Besides the internal problems of the Southern Song Dynasty and Emperor Xiaozong's micromanagement, the Jin Dynasty was brought to power by Emperor Shizong Wanyan Yong, and under his rule, the Jin Dynasty reached its zenith."
"For example, during the Longxing Northern Expedition, Wu Lin assembled tens of thousands of troops, preparing to fight against the Jin army under Yu Deshun. However, unexpectedly, Emperor Xiaozong recalled the troops at this time."
"As a result, Wu Lin retreated, and Emperor Xiaozong issued another edict telling him to handle the situation himself. However, due to the lag in communication in ancient times, the news arrived too late, leading to Wu Lin's army being attacked by the Jin people."
Wu Lin: Once I retire, I retire for life!
"Even Emperor Xiaozong was like this, so even the Kai Xi Northern Expedition during the reign of Emperor Ningzong of Song ended in failure."
"It can be said that the Northern Expeditions during Zhao Gou's reign were the best in the entire Southern Song Dynasty, as the generals were in their prime and the anti-Jin sentiment among the people was at its highest."
"Zhao Gou's issuance of this gold medal had an impact not only on the Shaoxing period, but also on the later Southern Song Dynasty."
"If he could let Yue Fei and others launch a northern expedition and counterattack, even if Yue Fei were old twenty years later, wouldn't Yue Yun and the others still be in their prime?"
"Therefore, a choice, especially an emperor's choice, can influence the course of history!"
General Judy, the Conqueror of the North: Who could have imagined the Song Dynasty would turn out like this? I'm not saying this to be mean, but the Zhao family was too cowardly! What's so scary about the Jurchens?!
A minor official in the Qin Dynasty said: "If he hadn't issued the gold medal and hadn't conspired with Qin Hui to murder Yue Fei, things wouldn't have turned out this way... What's the use of regretting it now?"
Huo Guang of the Han Dynasty: It seems that the opportunity has passed and cannot be recovered. The rise of the Mongols is only a matter of time.
A romantic scholar from the Tang Dynasty: I never imagined that later generations would be so simple and brutal. That young man who carried the iron plate immediately calmed down!
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People in the Song Dynasty, upon hearing this, will think of the dramatic changes that occurred in the Song Dynasty in just a few decades, from the ascension of Emperor Huizong to the abdication of Emperor Gaozong!
Sigh, I suddenly feel a pang of sadness. I wonder if the future will change!
Just then, Lin Ke continued, "By the way, let me tell you about the fate of Emperor Qinzong. At that time, Emperors Huizong and Qinzong, along with their harem women, ministers, and members of the imperial family, totaling more than three thousand people, set off from Bianjing to head north."
"When they arrived at the Jin people's side, they held a ceremony to present captives. Emperors Huizong and Qinzong, along with their consorts and members of the imperial family, performed the sheep-leading ceremony at the Jin Taizu Temple." (From Baidu Encyclopedia)
"What is the sheep-leading ceremony? It requires the captives to be naked from the waist up. Not only that, the captives are covered with sheepskins and have ropes tied around their necks, and are led like sheep. This also means that they are like sheep to be slaughtered."
Lin Ke's words were like a bolt from the blue that struck the Song Dynasty, and then instantly resounded in people's ears.
The imperial family members all represented the dignity of the Song Dynasty, yet now they were being humiliated and trampled underfoot by the Jurchens in the form of a sheep-leading ceremony!
At this moment, the emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty were so angry that they were about to explode. They could hardly imagine that such a humiliation had happened in their Song Dynasty. This was unprecedented in history!
Emperors of the Song Dynasty, including Zhao Kuangyin, then realized why the Jingkang Incident was such a source of intense hatred and resentment for later generations!
If members of the Zhao clan are treated this way, how many civilians would be injured or killed?
That bastard Zhao Gou actually acted as if nothing had happened. Even if he didn't mention welcoming the two emperors back, he should have launched a northern expedition to reclaim the lost territories!
Thinking of this, the emperors in the Zhao family almost wished they could do those things for Zhao Gou!
He deserves to die! How dare he enjoy himself, building pavilions and planting exotic flowers and plants!
To hell with emphasizing civil affairs over military matters, let's get the military moving!
Meanwhile, the Song Dynasty officials clenched their fists, and the military generals couldn't wait to go into battle and fight the Jurchens for hundreds of rounds!
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Back to the live stream
"Aside from the sheep-leading ceremony, the most tormented were the empresses, concubines, princesses, and others. Some of them couldn't bear the humiliation and chose to end their own lives!"
"However, all of this should not have happened. Before Kaifeng was besieged, those opportunities were in the hands of your Song Dynasty rulers and ministers. It was your repeated infighting, chaotic command, cowardice, and weakness that caused this!"
"But why is it that these women suffer the most, while the common people do the same?!"
Lin Ke's question left the Song Dynasty emperors silent; they had no way to answer, nor did they have the face to.
Because God gave us more than one chance to avoid such a tragic ending.
There was even a chance to bring them back, but Zhao Gou was so engrossed in pleasure that he didn't think of them at all. Even his parents and daughters, he didn't want to save them!
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The live stream then resumed after a pause:
"Actually, the journey of Emperors Huizong and Qinzong and others to the north and then to Wuguo City was not pleasant, but it was much better than that of the suffering people."
"For example, when Zhao Huan and others crossed Taihe Ridge, they were tied to their horses. They not only suffered from the hardships of the journey, but also had to endure the insults of the Jurchens from time to time."
"So much so that when Emperor Huizong and Emperor Huan met in Yanjing, they embraced and wept bitterly. Perhaps the two emperors, Huizong and Qinzong, had resolved their differences and regretted not heeding Zhong Shidao's advice, but it was too late to undo the damage."
"However, in order to have leverage in negotiations with the Southern Song Dynasty, even though Emperors Huizong and Qinzong and others met with Emperor Taizong of Jin, their destination was still not there."
"When Emperor Taizu of Song destroyed the Southern Tang, he enfeoffed Li Yu as the Marquis of Disobedience. Now, Emperors Huizong and Qinzong are in a similar situation, being enfeoffed by the Jin people as the Duke of Incompetence and the Marquis of Double Incompetence. Perhaps history is just like that."
"Soon after, Emperors Huizong and Qinzong were banished to a desolate and remote town called Wuguo City. Although it was not as good as before, their lives were no longer filled with hardship and they could live a decent life."
"During his years in Wuguo City, Zhao Ji picked up calligraphy and painting again, and drank and composed poems with Zhao Huan. Perhaps he found some solace in this. Not long after, Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, passed away and remained in a foreign land forever."
"It is said that after his death, his body was burned by the Jurchens to make lamp oil. Zhao Huan was devastated by this. If he had known this would happen, why did these two men have to grovel before the Jurchens and beg for peace at all costs? Could things have gotten any worse than this?!"
"You are the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, how can you tolerate such humiliation?!"
All the emperors of the Song Dynasty: !!!
Zhu Bajie of the Ming Dynasty: ...How tragic! ...I figured I was going to die sooner or later anyway, so rather than die in such humiliation, I might as well have fought against the Jurchens from the beginning!
Liu Zhuzhu, the Great Han: The ruler of a country, to end up like this? But he deserved it. I told you, what was there to be afraid of? Falling into the hands of barbarians, what good could he possibly do?
First Emperor: ...I have long said that seeking peace to survive is of no use at all. Only by strengthening ourselves and building a strong army can we survive!
A bystander in the Ming Dynasty commented: "Now it's truly a case of death extinguishing all light, how tragic... but it's somewhat self-inflicted!"
Du Ruhui of the Tang Dynasty: His death was too tragic... Even if he had fled, it would have been better than being captured and ending up like this!
……
What Lin Ke said really shocked Zhao Kuangyin and the others; it was an outcome they couldn't even begin to imagine!
Thinking of this, they could not hide their grief. Emperor Huizong of Song, no matter how hateful he was, was still a descendant of their Zhao family!
It was an utter disgrace! Even so, they were already seething with hatred, but Zhao Gou actually endured it!
They even wrote a letter to the Jurchens to surrender, and what kind of king were they, calling themselves their subjects! They lowered the dignity of the Song Dynasty again and again!
People from other timelines realized the lesson of the Song Dynasty: a dynasty can lose everything, but it cannot lose its integrity!
Moreover, military strength is essential; otherwise, we will end up like the Song Dynasty, where others will ride roughshod over us!
……