vstars Chapter 210 The Song-Jin War in Dongping Prefecture
Chapter 210 The Song-Jin War in Dongping Prefecture
Just as Li Zhen was vigorously promoting infrastructure construction in his territory, striving to create a prosperous scene, COFCO Oil, responsible for overseas trade, quietly entered a precarious situation. Cui Dake, who had long been involved in border trade and secretly colluded with the Jin Dynasty, secretly took his beloved daughter Cui Yingying and, under the cover of night, quietly surrendered to the Jin Dynasty, transforming himself into the Jin Dynasty's appointed royal trade envoy.
This sudden turn of events, like a bolt from the blue, not only shook the entire Li Group but also cast a shadow over Li Zhen's ambitions. Cui Dake's betrayal was not merely a moral depravity but also a significant loss to his own interests, foreshadowing an even more complex and volatile upheaval that was about to unfold.
Upon hearing the news, Li Zhen immediately went to visit Yue Ying, fearing that his straightforward brother might be thinking of doing something rash.
In fact, Yue Ying and Cui Yingying had a daughter two years after their marriage. Perhaps due to differences in family upbringing, their relationship remained very cold. On one hand, Yue Ying was busy training soldiers and fighting abroad, while Cui Yingying was in charge of various accounting matters at COFCO Oil. Over time, their feelings for each other faded.
In reality, it's impossible for a couple's relationship to remain as passionate as it was during their courtship. Once they get married and have children, they have to consider the mundane details of daily life, such as food, groceries, and household chores. Over time, their love transforms into a special kind of familial affection.
The moment Yue Ying caught a glimpse of Li Zhen stepping across the threshold, his body trembled violently. He then knelt down without hesitation, his voice trembling with self-reproach: "Great Chief, it was I, Yue Ying, who was blind and mistook wolves for friends. Those father and daughter are ungrateful wretches, causing you such a great loss. It is truly my dereliction of duty."
Was the loss significant? Absolutely. Almost all of COFCO Oil's twenty-six branches in the northern Jin Kingdom, along with countless grain supplies, were surrendered to the Jin people by Cui Dake. However, this wasn't the most crucial factor. Since Cui Yingying had been in charge of COFCO Oil's accounting for the past two years, she had thoroughly understood COFCO Oil's operating model and development patterns, and she had also gained control over its customer base.
Li Zhen gently reached out and helped Yue Ying up, a warm smile playing on his lips: "These are just trivial matters. Looking back, we were poor and destitute, and we persevered through thick and thin, didn't we? People with such ill intentions will eventually reap what they sow. Right now, although they have caused some setbacks to our trade, it is far less serious than you think."
Then Li Zhen glanced at the child in Yue Peng's arms and asked, "What should we do with this child?"
Yue Peng slowly said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Chief. Now there's only Yue Ying left, and he can't take good care of this child. My brother and I just discussed it and decided to let the child stay at my house. Anyway, my wife has nothing to do all day, and my son is about the same age as this child, so it'll be good for them to keep each other company."
Li Zhen gently patted Yue Ying's broad shoulder, a warm smile playing on his lips, and said, "Hey, don't look so downcast, like the sky has fallen. It's just about a girl, it's no big deal. I'll have my wife find you someone even better, I guarantee you'll be amazed."
As he stepped into his quiet study, the scoundrel quietly approached.
"My lord, Cui Dake's swift action this time, coupled with his long-planned scheme, has forced us to urgently withdraw most of our forces. This is a detailed list of the supplies lost this time; please take a look."
Looking at the supplies on the bill, it would be a lie to say that Li Zhen didn't feel heartache. He couldn't show it in front of the Yue brothers, for fear that they would feel too guilty.
After reviewing the accounts, Li Zhen gritted his teeth and made a decision: "Withdraw all of our COFCO Oil stores from outside. Doing business in this chaotic world is not safe. Now that our territory has expanded so much, let's develop within our own territory."
Li Zhen is different now than when he first transmigrated. He has a very large gold reserve, and he also has a machine for manufacturing copper coins. He can easily manufacture coins from both the Jin and Song dynasties.
With the suppression of the internal rebellion within the Jin state, the Jin army began to cross the Yellow River and advance south, engaging in battle with the Southern Song army near Dongping Prefecture. Both sides committed nearly 500,000 troops, plunging the entire Dongping Prefecture into a protracted war.
In this battle, the Jin army used a large number of firearms against the Song army, while the Song army did not back down, deploying their newly acquired fire lances and rockets. According to the course of history, these advanced firearms should not have appeared; perhaps Li Zhen's time travel altered the course of history.
While the Jin army was locked in fierce fighting with the Southern Song forces and had no time to spare, the remnants of the Northern Song dynasty quietly ignited a northward offensive in Lizhou West Road. Like a sharp sword, it appeared out of nowhere, heading straight for the heart of the Jin territory and capturing the important Jin stronghold of Lintao Prefecture in one fell swoop. This sudden turn of events enraged the Jin emperor, Wanyan Liang, whose face turned ashen. However, his army was deeply embroiled in a stalemate with the Southern Song and could not spare any resources. He could only grit his teeth and helplessly watch this counterattack from the north.
Along Fengxiang Road and Qingyuan Road, Jin generals swiftly mobilized their cavalry, setting up defenses to guard against the unexpected arrival of the Northern Song army. Meanwhile, troops from Tibet and Western Xia also quietly arrayed themselves along the border, their gazes like those of hungry wolves on the grasslands—greedy and cunning—closely fixed on the rich Central Plains, waiting for their chance to strike.
On this land of ever-changing winds, every gust of wind seemed to carry the message of war, and every cloud seemed to foreshadow future turmoil. In the hearts of the Jin generals, there was both trepidation about the impending battle and determination to defend their territory; while on the border between Tibet and Western Xia, there was a different kind of silent tension, with the armies of both countries like bowstrings ready to be drawn, waiting only for the order to shoot arrows into the alluring heart of the Central Plains.
Commanding the Jin army in Dongping Prefecture was Wanyan Xu, the sixth prince of the Jin Dynasty. He was very confident in taking back the lost territory in Shandong. It should be noted that the more than 200,000 Jin soldiers under his command were all elite troops from Taizhou in the Northeast, and most of them were cavalry.
After suffering successive defeats in open battle, the Southern Song army began to retreat to Dongping Prefecture, holding the city walls and rarely launching offensive attacks. The Southern Song army, including its scattered troops in various places, numbered more than 300,000 soldiers. Although most of them were infantry, they were equipped with a considerable number of firearms this time.
The Jin army suffered greatly during their attack on Dongping Prefecture. Large rockets rained down from the city walls and exploded right beside them. Or, Jin soldiers about to scale the walls were sprayed directly in the face by Song soldiers wielding fire lances; the scorching gunpowder instantly propelled them back down.