Hyper-Dimensional Player

Chapter 870 - 91: Great Unity, The Rise of the Fatuous Emperor [End of Volume 4]

Thirty-sixth day of stepping onto the Lingxiao.

The battle of Jingzhou ended, with a disastrous defeat for Northern Song. Zhao Kuangyin was captured, Zhao Guangyi was killed, and the Zhao Song, established just last year through the Chenqiao Rebellion and imperial adornment, instantly became precarious. Originally, this year Zhao Kuangyin had quelled the rebellions of Li Jun, the Military Governor of Zhaoyi, and Li Chongjin, the Military Governor of Huainan, displaying signs of stabilizing his throne.

Yet unexpectedly, a major battle in Jingnan shattered everything, nearly destroying the Northern Song’s elite troops.

In September of the same year, Duncan enacted laws in response to Tang Wuzong Li Yan’s "Huichang Buddhism Dispute" and Later Zhou Shizong Chai Rong’s "Xiande Buddhism Dispute", decreeing that destroyed temples across routes, states, and prefectures cannot be rebuilt while those not destroyed shall be preserved.

The entire Buddhist community in Southern Tang was severely impacted, but the reckoning lasted only one or two months, after which the Buddhist community began to uniformly implement religious management.

In October of the same year, Duncan honored the Three Talismans, unifying the systems of the Zhengyi, Shangqing, and Lingbao Talismans. Thus, Daoist sects completed the Religious Reformation of ’Three Sects into One’, ordering the demolition of temples and Divine Halls related to the Jade Emperor Daoist Monarch, the Supreme Jade Emperor, and the Jade Emperor Grand Emperor within the Central Plains.

It was also the day of the Lower Prime Festival.

The court officially honored Kṣitigarbha as ’Namo Great Vowed Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’, becoming one of Buddhism’s Four Great Bodhisattvas, and designated Mount Jiuhua as the altar.

March 962.

Wu Yue Qian Shu surrendered his land, Qingyuan Army submitted to the Ming.

In June of the same year, Prime Minister Zhao Pu along with Zhao Kuangyin’s second son Zhao Dezhao surrendered, from the Chenqiao Rebellion to the official downfall, Northern Song’s existence in this world lasted little over a year.

Duncan spent less than three years, successively extinguishing Southern Han, Later Shu, Southern Tang, Wu Yue, Northern Song, and pacified Jiaozhi, subjugating forces like the Wuping Army, Qingyuan Army, and Nanping Army, nearly completing the unification war initiated by Northern Song in its early years that lasted over twenty years.

By now, the Southern regions of China were essentially unified. After absorbing the national power of Northern Song, Southern Tang, and Wu Yue, Duncan decisively launched an offensive against Northern Han in August, recapturing Yan Yun and other regions.

Two months later, Jin Yang fell, Northern Han perished.

In the same year, Duncan led three thousand cavalry north of Taiyuan in Dai Prefecture, devastating the Liao reinforcements, killing more than ten generals from Liao, defeated sixty thousand enemies, shocking the world. This was the first in Central Plains history where elite troops won a decisive victory against tens of thousands of nomadic cavalry in direct combat.

At this time, the emperor of Liao was Yelü Jing, a person who disliked women and had no offspring, often indulged in alcohol, slept at dawn, woke at noon, thus neglected his duties for extended periods, known to the people as the "Sleeping King".

Since his ascension, internal instability plagued Liao, and ministers frequently rebelled or fled to the Central Plains.

In June 952, Xiao Meigu attempted rebellion against Liao, fled to Later Zhou, was caught plotting, and killed.

In July of the same year, the Political Affairs Envoy Yelü Louguo and Linya Yelü Dieli rebelled, captured, and executed.

In October 953, Yelü Honggu’s (Yelü Lihu) son Yelü Wan and others revolted, discovered and captured.

In July 960, Political Affairs Envoy Yelü Shouyuan, Grand Protector Chu Abu and others rebelled, failed and executed.

In October of the same year, Yelü Honggu’s son Yelü Xiyin conspired rebellion, failed and caught, implicating Yelü Honggu, who died in prison.

This period was marked by continuous rebellion in Liao.

It’s safe to say that anyone with some strategic gaming experience knew, such a newly established nomadic state with endless rebellions, a slight grasp of opportunity could lead to its downfall. Yet, the Central Plains seemed to have lost their Celestial Destiny, Originally, Later Zhou’s Chai Rong had a chance to reclaim Yan Yun, but he died suddenly from illness on the Northern Expedition.

And though Northern Song had the ability to fight, Zhao Kuangyin was shortsighted, less audacious than Chai Rong, Northern Song’s policy was to tackle easy tasks first and difficult ones later, granting Liao time to develop, allowing Liao to survive its most tumultuous period.

This clearly highlights one’s sense of the bigger picture.

Later Zhou and Northern Song’s territories overlapped almost entirely, Chai Rong focused on Northern expeditions, but died on the journey, while Northern Song busied themselves with skirmishes against Little Kalami, by the time they amassed their strength, Liao had grown gradually powerful, Zhao Guangyi’s Northern Expedition at Gaoliang River cost tens of thousands of Central Plains elites, permanently severing the possibility of a Great Unity of the Central Plains.

Duncan’s campaigns were generally straightforward.

In May 962, commanded by Li Fengji, the Western Route Army annihilated Dingnan, Lu Shanjun captured Xiazhou, reclaiming Xia, Sui, Yin and other prefectures.

In July of the same year.

The Unrestrained Master returned from the Western Regions and brought back a secret message from the Guiyi Army.

The Tang Dynasty had long perished.

Yet in places like Dunhuang, there still existed armed forces, currently led by Guiyi Army Military Governor Cao Yan Gong. After ravaging the lands of Tubo, the Unrestrained Master was pursued by experts from the Vajra sect, ultimately fleeing to areas like Gaochang Uyghurs, rescued by Cao Yan Gong’s underlings in Guazhou Shazhou.

Upon unexpectedly learning of the Unrestrained Master’s acquaintance with Duncan, Cao Yan Gong immediately prepared to lead the Guiyi Army in allegiance to the Central Plains, for without support from a Central Plains dynasty, their life as Han People in the Western Regions grew increasingly difficult.

August 962, Duncan poured national effort into launching a Northern Expedition.

Within the same year, rebellions erupted among various Mongol tribes, numerous tribes on the steppe rose in revolt under the name of Eternal Heaven, as Liao found itself in internal chaos incapable of attending external affairs, Yelü Jing led tens of thousands of troops himself for campaign, but was slain by Duncan in the suburbs of Yanjing, thereafter the Red Army pursued victory, heading straight for Liaodong, vanguard cavalry raced to beneath Mount Changbai.