Xianxia version of Water Margin

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If Wanyan Zonggan had been allowed to choose, he would have wanted to do as in history, using the power of Jin Wushu and others who supported his father and son to kill the Jin nobles who controlled the government, such as Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Zongjun, and Wanyan Chang, so as to monopolize the military and political power of the Jin Dynasty.

However, things are unpredictable. The iron hoof of the Yuan Empire has quietly approached and may break out of the Liaoxi Corridor and enter the heartland of the Jin Dynasty at any time.

Jin Wushu, who inherited Wanyan Zonghan's troops and territory, was barely able to stand up to Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Zongjun, Wanyan Chang and other deeply rooted royal and clan members of the Jin Dynasty.

However, the "central army" controlled by Wanyan Zongpan was the absolute power to control the center of the Jin Dynasty, which made Wanyan Zonggan's plan seem far away and could not quench thirst.

It can be said that Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Tan, father and son, fell into deep hesitation and struggle, not knowing whether they should continue to fight with Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Zongjun, Wanyan Chang and other members of the Jin royal family and clan who controlled the government?

At the same time, Wanyan Zongpan's heart was also full of contradictions and unwillingness!

He tried his best and finally took the highest power of the Jin Dynasty into his hands.

But he never expected that when he was most proud, Jin Wushu quietly took over Wanyan Zonghan's huge military force and power in the name of Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Tan.

All this was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Wanyan Zongpan.

Wanyan Zongpan knew that Wanyan Zonghan's troops were the most elite force of the Jin Dynasty and the existence he feared the most.

In order to completely eliminate this threat, Wanyan Zongpan even gave up the throne and supported Wanyan Tan to become a puppet emperor in the hands of these people.

Now, even if Wanyan Zongpan had done everything he could, he still ended up in a tie with Wanyan Zonggan.

Jin Wushu was the fourth son of Wanyan Aguda, and people called him the Fourth Prince.

-- Wanyan Zonggan was Wanyan Aguda's illegitimate son, and according to the rules of the Jurchens, he was not included in the ranking. Therefore, Wanyan Zongjun was the legitimate prince of the Jin Dynasty, Wanyan Zongwang was the second prince, Wanyan Zongfu was the third prince, and Jin Wushu was the fourth prince.

He enjoyed a high prestige in the Jin army for his extraordinary combat power, extraordinary courage and outstanding military talent.

He followed Wanyan Aguda to practice riding and shooting, study military tactics, and fight in the south and the north since he was a child.

When the Jin Dynasty was first established, it fought frequently with the Liao Dynasty. Jin Wushu's brothers Wanyan Zongjun, Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zongfu, etc. were all outstanding in the army and were brave and good at fighting. His family was full of talented generals, and the martial spirit of the Jurchens prevailed, which had a profound impact on Jin Wushu.

When Wanyan Aguda launched the second anti-Liao frenzy, Jin Wushu put on his armor for the first time and followed his uncle Wanyan Xie on the journey. Liaozhongjing trembled under their iron hooves.

Jin Wushu showed his edge in the first battle, and his bravery made the Jin army look at him sideways.

Later, Jin Wushu rose under the command of Wanyan Zongwang, served as the marching commander of the Eastern Army, and led his troops directly to the Goryeo capital of Kaijing, forcing Goryeo King Wang Kai and the powerful minister Li Ziqian to surrender, and the prestige of the Jin Kingdom spread far and wide.

Later, Wanyan Zongwang was captured alive by the Yuan army, and his power and territory were inherited by Wanyan Zongfu.

Jin Wushu followed Wanyan Zongfu again to quell the rebellion on the grassland and conquer the four directions.

As time passed, Jin Wushu made great achievements in battle, shed his immaturity, entered the peak of his career as a military general, and had an outstanding prestige among the Jin people.

Such a Jin Wushu, taking over Wanyan Zonghan's troops, is one of the few results that the arrogant and brave generals under Wanyan Zonghan can accept.

Now, Jin Wushu has become the strongest military man in the Jin Dynasty. For a while, even Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Zongjun, and Wanyan Chang, who are powerful in the Jin Dynasty, dare not touch Jin Wushu, just like they did not dare to provoke Wanyan Zonghan at the beginning.

Not only that, Wanyan Zongpan had to find a way to win over Jin Wushu, hoping that Jin Wushu would stand on his side.

It can be said that with the rise of Jin Wushu, the situation in the Jin Dynasty has quietly changed.

Let's put it this way, although Wanyan Zongpan was powerful for a while, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed when facing the challenge of the newly rising Jin Wushu.

That is, the combination of Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Zongfu and Jin Wushu has made Wanyan Zongpan feel unprecedented pressure and crisis.

What's more troublesome for him is that the invasion of the Yuan Empire is like adding insult to injury, making his already complicated situation even more difficult.

At this critical moment, Wanyan Tan, who was pushed to the throne by Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zongfu and other relatives and nobles, also fell into a dilemma.

Although he was the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, he had long been sidelined by Wanyan Zongpan and Wanyan Zonggan.

Facing the threat of the Yuan Empire and the complex political struggles in the country, he felt unprecedented helplessness and confusion.

However, as the king of a country, he knew that he could not sit and wait for death.

After a deep talk with Wanyan Zonggan, he decided to summon the ministers of the Jin Dynasty to the Chuigong Hall to discuss state affairs.

At this moment, the Jin Dynasty was at the cusp of change. The Bogile system had become history, and the three-province system quietly appeared.

Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Tan built the ancestral temple, the land and grain, sacrifices, honorific titles, posthumous names, court attendance, car clothing, ceremonial guards and official prohibition systems, and formulated a thorough and detailed etiquette system, hoping to use this complex and solemn etiquette system to demonstrate the supreme dignity of imperial power.

However, this grand blueprint encountered numerous obstacles from within the court, especially from the royal and clan forces of the Jin Dynasty, such as Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zongjun, and Wanyan Chang, who opposed the three-province system. They were like huge rocks, blocking the torrent of change.

Therefore, the court of the Jin Dynasty still retained a relatively simple style, that is, the monarch and his subjects did not pay much attention to etiquette, and the boundaries between the superiors and the inferiors were not very strict.

The monarch and his subjects were not particular about details, and the distinction between the superiors and the inferiors was slightly blurred. Although this situation was friendly, it also posed a subtle challenge to the absoluteness of the imperial power.

And all this was exactly what Wanyan Zongpan and others were happy to see. They held the power tightly and acted recklessly in the Chuigong Hall.

When the high-level officials of the Jin Dynasty gathered together, scenes of disrespect were quietly staged.

Many royal and clan members of the Jin Dynasty, and even some nobles of the Jin Dynasty, all relied on their seniority and turned a blind eye to the young Wanyan Tan. What's more, Wanyan Zongpan and Wanyan Zongjun, who arbitrarily set up seats on the left side of Wanyan Tan, intended to compete with the emperor Wanyan Tan.

This made the atmosphere tense for a while.

Faced with this scene, although Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Tan were unwilling to do so, they could only endure it. They knew that if they angered those powerful officials who held the power of life and death, the consequences would be disastrous.

The ruthlessness of the Jin people, whether externally or internally, made people shudder.

Especially the recent brutal purge of Wanyan Zonghan's confidants, which made the father and son feel lingering fear.

So, Wanyan Tan, who was only sixteen years old, suppressed his anger and acted according to the plan, and slowly said: "The Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty took advantage of my young age and ascended the throne, and dared to raise troops to attack. I have ordered the right deputy marshal to lead the troops to defend the king. What good strategies do you have to help me resist the enemy?"

When Wanyan Zongpan learned that Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Tan had not discussed it with him, the prime minister, and urgently summoned Jin Wushu to return to the court to defend the king, his face instantly became gloomy.

In Wanyan Zongpan's view, this was not only a contempt for his personal authority, but also made Wanyan Zongpan deeply worried!

Wanyan Zongpan was very afraid of the move of Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Tan, father and son. They were supposed to resist the invasion of the Yuan army, but in fact they wanted to take this opportunity to attack him, that is, to make him follow the footsteps of Wanyan Zonghan.

Wanyan Zongpan, who was furious, was about to explode, but he saw the prime minister Wanyan Zongjun, the sixth son of Wanyan Aguda, shaking his head gently at him, and signaling him to stay calm with his eyes.

Wanyan Zongpan thought about it for a while and understood the deep meaning of Wanyan Zongjun.

The iron hoof of the Yuan Empire has arrived, and the return of Jin Wushu is an inevitable trend. Forcible obstruction will only backfire.

What's more, Jin Shangjing Huining Mansion is under their firm control. Even if Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Tan take some action, it will be difficult to shake their foundation.

And if it really comes to that, with the "Central Army" in their hands, it is not difficult to eliminate them directly with thundering means.

Wanyan Zongpan knew that Wanyan Zongjun's meaning made sense, but it was not easy for him to swallow this bad breath.

Wanyan Zongpan's eyes turned, and a plan came to his mind. He said calmly: "It is useless to summon Wuzhu back to Beijing at this time. It is best to order him to lead the army to Panjin for assistance immediately."

Wanyan Zonggan heard this, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he retorted: "Panjin is in danger, Wuzhu can't quench the thirst of the near water, but the left deputy marshal Dalai is close at hand, so he can go to rescue quickly."

Wanyan Zongpan's move actually hides a mystery.

Since Wanyan Zongpan deposed Wanyan Zonghan and his cronies and took over the power of the Jin Dynasty, he has begun to make plans and handed over Wanyan Zongjun's troops and Dongjing Road to Wanyan Chang, intending to train his own capable generals.

Now, Wanyan Chang has nearly 300,000 troops and manages the two important places of Dongjing and Nanjing. He is listed as the military pillar of the Jin Dynasty together with Jin Wushu.

Panjin is the place where Wanyan Zongfu has worked hard, but because of Wanyan Chang's obstruction, it is difficult to intervene in the power struggle in the center of the Jin Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, this move has now become a hindrance to Wanyan Zongpan.

If Wanyan Chang is sent to Panjin, it will be tantamount to weakening his power to check and balance Jin Wushu.

Wanyan Zongpan was unwilling in his heart. He said in a deep voice: "The offensive of the Yuan Dynasty this time is strange, and there may be a trick. The east route may be a feint, but the real target is the west route or the middle route. If the middle route is in danger, the Yuan army will go out from Gubeikou and Songtingguan, and then transfer the Dalai Lama to the east. Isn't it the Yuan Dynasty's plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain? Dading Prefecture and even the capital will be in danger!"

Wanyan Zongpan's words, although somewhat specious, are not completely groundless.

The Jin Dynasty established the Left Marshal's Office to prevent the Yuan Dynasty army from leaving Yanjing.

Therefore, Wanyan Zongpan rejected Wanyan Chang's proposal to go to Panjin on the grounds of defending the Yuan Dynasty army. Although Wanyan Zonggan and his son were unwilling, they had no choice.

In the end, both sides had to take a step back and send the middle force to reinforce.

At the same time, the Jin Dynasty's top leaders took quick action to deal with the invasion of the Yuan Empire.

They sent envoys to Panjin and Yuan Dadu respectively, asking why the Yuan Empire had betrayed the peace treaty and launched a war.

At the same time, the Jin court urgently mobilized the Northeast Road Recruiting Office and several tribes that surrendered to the Jin Kingdom, such as the Tatars, Hedixin, Shanzhikun, and Guangjila, to jointly resist the invasion of the Central Plains people against their grassland people.

In addition, the Jin Kingdom actively contacted the Western Xia and other grassland tribes to expose Jiang Hongfei's ambitions.

The Jin people asserted that Jiang Hongfei wanted to emulate Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang and intended to conquer the entire grassland.

The Jin people warned the Western Xia and other grassland forces that if they could not work together to stop the invasion of the Yuan Empire, the tribes would also be doomed to be destroyed, and the Yuan Empire would definitely unify the grassland.

Therefore, the Jin people sincerely invited all parties to send troops together, form an alliance, and jointly fight against the threat of the Yuan Empire.

At this critical moment, although the Jin Dynasty's top leaders had many internal conflicts, they had to temporarily put aside their personal grudges and unite to resist foreign aggression under the pressure of foreign enemies.

Although Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Zonggan and his son, Wanyan Zongjun and others had their own ulterior motives, they had to work together for the survival of the Jin Dynasty.

They knew that only by uniting together could they win a glimmer of hope in this life-and-death contest.

In short, although the Jin Dynasty's top leaders had irreconcilable conflicts, in the face of the active attack of the Yuan Empire, the Jin Dynasty's top leaders were still prepared to temporarily suppress the disputes and unite to face the outside world first...

After the meeting.

A handsome man dressed in Jin costumes, wearing a black scarf on his head, a Tugu belt on his body, and black leather boots on his feet, walked out of the Chuigong Hall with steady steps, and his dress showed the style of the Jin people.

This person, whether Jurchen, Khitan, or Han people, all nodded politely and responded with the same respect and respect along the way.

This person is actually Yuwen Xuzhong, a hidden man that Jiang Hongfei has been planning for eleven years, and is now deeply rooted in the Jin court.

Yuwen Xuzhong's real name is Yuwen Huangzhong, and he was originally a loyal minister of the Zhao Song Dynasty.

Even when Zhao Song established the Southern Song Dynasty, Yuwen Xuzhong was still working for the Zhao Song Dynasty. Later, Yuwen Xuzhong helped the Southern Song Dynasty to find out information about the Yuan Empire.

What's more, Yuwen Xuzhong once wanted to plan to capture Jiang Hongfei and help the Southern Song Dynasty turn the tide of the war.

Jiang Hongfei had already mastered all this, but he never touched Yuwen Xuzhong.

It was not until Jiang Hongfei destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty and made the Zhao Song Dynasty completely a thing of the past that Jiang Hongfei personally summoned Yuwen Xuzhong and told him all about it.

Jiang Hongfei said that the demise of the Zhao Song Dynasty was a foregone conclusion. If his Great Yuan Empire was destroyed, hundreds of millions of people in the Central Plains would be plunged into dire straits again. Mencius said, "The people are the most important, the country is second, and the monarch is the least important." He hoped that Yuwen Xuzhong could let go of the previous grudges.

Jiang Hongfei also said that he was going to plant a reliable spy in the Jin Kingdom and felt that Yuwen Xuzhong was the most suitable candidate.

Jiang Hongfei was right. The demise of the Zhao Song Dynasty could not be changed. If the Great Yuan Empire fell, only the people would suffer. Moreover, Yuwen Xuzhong admired Jiang Hongfei's tolerance. The key point was that the Great Yuan Empire under Jiang Hongfei's rule did a very good job.

So, Yuwen Xuzhong chose to give up his past insistence, accepted the new name that Jiang Hongfei changed for him, and went north alone to join the Jin Kingdom.

As time went by, Yuwen Xuzhong rose step by step with his talent and wisdom, and became a Hanlin scholar, a master of imperial edicts, and concurrently served as the Minister of Rites. He was also awarded the title of Jinzi Guanglu Dafu for writing the "Monument of Taizu's Virtue and Divine Merit", which was a great honor.

Yuwen Xuzhong was not only proficient in the rules and regulations of the Tang and Song dynasties, but also integrated their essence into the reform of the Jin Dynasty. The new official system, official titles, and titles led by Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Tan were all written by him. Therefore, he was respected as the "National Master" by the Jin people, and was deeply trusted by the royal family, becoming an indispensable think tank for the father and son.

This time, the transfer of Jin Wushu to the king was not discussed with Zong Pan and Zong Jun. It was actually Yuwen Xuzhong's plan, which shows that he has penetrated into the core of the Jin Kingdom and is omnipresent.

Jiang Hongfei's layout many years ago has made the Jin Kingdom have no secrets to hide, and all its movements are under his control.

If Yuwen Xuzhong can help Jiang Hongfei destroy the Jin Kingdom, his name will surely shine in the history of espionage.

However, Yuwen Xuzhong was not satisfied with this, he had a bigger chess game in mind.

When the Yuan Empire was attacking the Jin Dynasty, Yuwen Xuzhong decided to add fuel to the fire and help the Yuan Empire.

Soon, Yuwen Xuzhong found his target, the former Liao general Yelu Yudu, and then followed him slowly...

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