"Look here, this is Shangjing Prefecture, this is Xianzhou. If the Jurchens split their forces, one path going through Dading Prefecture, across the Yan Mountains, to Datong Prefecture, and the other path heading south along the Yanxing, Zhuozhou, Baozhou line..."
As Han Zhao spoke, he couldn't help but tremble all over, so terrified was he by his own speculation.
The sixteen prefectures of Yan and Yun were now completely in Jurchen hands. The Song dynasty had given them all they could, yet they hadn't yielded an inch of the land they were meant to cede!
If they were to march south at this moment, the Hedong region might still have Taiyuan to defend, but the situation in Hebei would be truly dire!
All crucial passes were under enemy control. The remaining troops in Hebei were all the defeated remnants of Tong Guan's forces!
If they advanced south now, it was likely that half of Hebei would be lost before a single battle had even begun!
"Uncle, do you also feel that the Jurchens are showing signs of going to war?"
After exhaling a long, shaky breath, Han Mo finally asked in a trembling voice.
"Although there's no concrete evidence, but..."
Han Zhao couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence.
"Uncle, I have to return to Mingzhou tomorrow. I originally wanted to host a welcoming feast for you here, but now I can't afford to. Quanzhou will have to be entrusted to you!"
With a wry smile, Han Mo could no longer afford to hesitate. He stood up again and cupped his hands towards Han Zhao.
"Just go and attend to your business. Things here shouldn't be much of a problem!"
Although his tenure in Ruzhou hadn't been smooth sailing, he had ultimately been the second-in-command there, an inherently awkward position.
Now, here, he was the prefect of a prefecture. Moreover, given his status, anyone who dared to cause trouble for him would clearly be antagonizing Han Mo!
Especially since the previous prefect of Quanzhou had died less than a month ago!
If anyone tried any of their usual underhanded tactics now, wouldn't they be foolishly seeking their own demise?
"Then I'll trouble you, Uncle!"
"We're family, no need for such formalities!"
"There are a few matters in Quanzhou that I need to entrust to you, Uncle. I implore you to give them your utmost attention. If you require any funds or provisions, please do not hesitate to ask. Any shortfall in the treasury can be temporarily borrowed from the Maritime Trade Office by submitting a formal request."
"With your words, the matters ahead will be much easier to handle!"
After hearing Han Mo's words, Han Zhao's mood immediately brightened. In this era, for an official, as long as one was not lacking in funds, achieving results was remarkably simple!
Although the current situation was far from optimistic, at least his position as the prefect of Quanzhou was far better than that of most officials.
After he had briefed Han Zhao on the affairs of Quanzhou and shared a meal with him, Han Mo then had someone escort Han Zhao back to his residence.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Han Mo hurried onto the road back to Mingzhou.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, in the former Shangjing Prefecture of the Liao dynasty, Jin Taizu Wanyan Aguda was also listening to intelligence reports from various sources.
"Father, although we have now destroyed the Liao, we are in dire need of funds everywhere, and grain everywhere. With just a few threatening words, those Song people have produced so much. This shows how rich they are. Rather than let them enjoy that wealth and resources, wouldn't it be cleaner for your son and I to simply take it?"
Before Wanyan Aguda could speak, his second son, Wanyan Zongwang, sitting to his right, spoke without hesitation.
"I have already stated this many times. Those Song people do not seem easy to deal with, and our foundation is still unstable. It might be imprudent to act now..."
Despite Wanyan Zongwang's confident assertion, Wanyan Aguda interrupted him with a frown.
"Eldest Brother, I actually agree with Second Brother."
As soon as he finished speaking, his younger brother, Wanyan Sheng, sitting to his left, suddenly chimed in.
"Oh? Tell me your thoughts!"
Although they were brothers, the moment Wanyan Sheng spoke, Wanyan Aguda knew that his brother had likely already planned everything.
They were born of the same mother, and he knew his brother all too well.
And honestly, despite the Jin empire's current ascendancy, having even conquered the Liao, he himself knew that they were merely a single night away from disintegration.
Previously, the Jurchen people had been oppressed, and everyone had rallied around him. But as they gradually gained control, many hidden intentions began to surface.
Those strong men who used to go without food for days in the mountains to hunt were now demanding female slaves to serve them during meals, and were meticulously scrutinizing the number of spices in each dish.
Even more worrying, several factions had begun to form within the military. One side remained loyal to him, the founding emperor!
The other side, the majority, had chosen to support his brother...
What worried him even more was that his eldest son, Wanyan Zonggan, felt so insignificant compared to his own uncle!
He didn't resemble a Jurchen at all, but rather like those Han people who spent their days studying!
He constantly advised himself to commit fewer atrocities and had openly brought several esteemed Buddhist monks from the Song into his residence!
If he were merely a Jurchen general, perhaps this wouldn't be an issue. But as his eldest son, the future heir to the Jin throne, his actions were truly difficult for Wanyan Aguda to accept...
However, in many situations, even when aware of potential dangers, they were not easy to resolve.
His brother now held immense power and was beyond his control. If he dared to act, this newly established empire would crumble in an instant!
To ensure the continuation of the nascent Jin nation, even he, the emperor, had to feign ignorance and turn a blind eye...
"If Eldest Brother wishes for me to speak, then I shall! Our warriors are currently at the peak of their combat strength. If we stop now and hand over those crucial passes to the Song people, it will be much harder to advance south in the future! Eldest Brother, as you can see, I have stationed my forces and Second Brother's forces separately in these two locations. As soon as Eldest Brother gives the order, I believe we can conquer the entire Song dynasty within two years!"
Wanyan Sheng spoke, tapping twice on the map hanging on the wall with the sword at his waist.
"What did you say?"
After hearing his words, Wanyan Aguda's eyelids twitched visibly, repeatedly...
The unauthorized deployment of troops without his consent, and the involvement of his most trusted second son, was not good news for him!