Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 187 The Southern Dynasty Shaken

The news of the Xing army's approach to the Yangtze River was like the most raging tidal wave, instantly shattering all the barriers of restraint, wishful thinking, and procrastination in Jiangnan. It was no longer a border skirmish, no longer a distant battle report, but the real, imminent threat of war! The Xing royal flag fluttering on the north bank seemed to carry the biting wind and snow and the stench of blood from the north, projecting itself directly into the hearts of every noble and commoner in Jiangnan through the vast expanse of misty waters.

The first place to fall into complete chaos was naturally Jiankang City.

The capital of the Southern Dynasty, which had barely managed to regain some order from the internal strife following the sudden death of Governor Wang, was once again plunged into turmoil. In the streets and alleys, in teahouses and taverns, and even in the deepest courtyards, people whispered among themselves, their faces filled with anxiety, and all the topics of conversation revolved around two words—"Star Army."

"Have you heard? Star King Chen Xing's army has reached the other side of the river! Puqikou! It's only a few hundred miles by water from Jiankang!"

"More than that! In the Battle of Wulin, General Zhu Huan's 20,000 troops were wiped out in an instant, washed away completely by the flood! King Liu Kun also retreated to Jiangling and dared not show his face again!"

"Wasn't the allied forces supposed to number 200,000? How... how could they have been defeated so quickly?"

"Two hundred thousand? They're all up to no good! It seems we've fallen for the Star Army's divisive tactics and are now in disarray ourselves! Alas, with the enemy at our gates, what are we to do?"

Panic spread like wildfire. Rice prices soared three times a day in the city, and necessities like salt and cloth were being hoarded. Many wealthy families secretly packed their valuables, preparing to flee further south to Kuaiji, Wujun, or even Lingnan should the situation turn against them. At the docks, ships bound for the heart of Jiangnan were in high demand and short supply. A pessimistic mood, as if the dynasty was about to collapse and its end was imminent, hung over the once-glorious city of Luoyang.

Inside the palace, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed to drip water.

The young emperor, Xiao Gang, was by nature weak and had been gradually sidelined by powerful ministers, noble families, and eunuchs in recent years, making him a mere puppet. Now, sitting on the cold throne, listening to the heated arguments of his civil and military officials below, he felt dizzy and his hands and feet turned icy cold.

"Your Majesty! The Xingjun army is fierce and brave, having defeated the combined forces of Xiliang and Jingzhou. Now they are stationed north of the Yangtze River, their ambition surely lies in conquering the south! At this critical moment of life and death, we must quickly summon troops from all over the land to come to the aid of the emperor! Order Gu Yong's navy to blockade the river with all its might, and order Liu Kun of Jiangling to regroup and contain the enemy's rear! Furthermore, issue an edict to all loyal and righteous men of the land to join us in this national crisis! Our Southern Dynasty is protected by the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, and its people are rich and prosperous. As long as we are of one mind, we may not be unable to keep the enemy at bay!" The speaker was an old general with white hair, a distant relative of the Xiao Liang imperial family, known for his loyalty, integrity, and uprightness, and a staunch advocate of war.

"Serve the Emperor? What can we use to serve the Emperor?" Another Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, dressed in purple robes and with a prosperous appearance, sneered in rebuttal. "Liu Kun has just suffered a defeat, his army is less than ten thousand strong, trapped in an isolated city, barely able to defend itself, let alone contain him. Gu Yong's navy? Hmph, his land forces are weak, and the people of Xiakou are restless. It's a miracle he can hold the water fortress! As for the armies of the world... Jingzhou is already crippled, Yizhou is watching and waiting, Lingnan is defending itself, and the various families in Jiangdong..." He glanced at the officials from powerful families in Jiangdong in the hall, implying, "I'm afraid they all have their own plans, don't they? What else can the court mobilize besides the few imperial guards in Jiankang? Are we going to rely on hastily recruited commoners to resist the ferocious army of the Star Army?"

These words struck a nerve. The military system of the Southern Dynasties was corrupt, with most of the elite troops in the hands of local warlords and powerful clans' private armies, leaving the central court with a limited number of troops directly under its control.

"So, according to Minister Li's opinion, are we just going to sit here and wait to die, handing over our ancestral heritage and the beauty of Jiangnan to the barbarians in the north?!" The old general glared angrily.

"Barbarians?" Minister Li scoffed. "Although Chen Xing is a northerner, judging from his governance, laws, education, and the use of Han officials, he is far superior to ordinary barbarians. His momentum is unstoppable. To resist him head-on is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, only causing devastation and ruin to the people of Jiangnan! The only solution now is... the only solution is to send envoys north to negotiate peace temporarily, offering them money and even... to become a vassal and pay tribute, in exchange for a respite before making further plans!"

"Peace talks? Submission of sovereignty and payment of tribute?!" The pro-war faction was in uproar, angrily denouncing it as "traitorous loss of sovereignty and national humiliation" and "a cowardly attempt to seek peace."

"If we don't negotiate peace, are we going to wait until the Star Army's warships sail into the Qinhuai River?" The peace faction retorted without backing down, "The defeat at Wulin is a stark warning! Do we really want to wait until Jiankang falls and everything is destroyed?"

The two sides argued fiercely, spittle flying, quoting classical texts, and attacking each other, yet neither could offer any practical strategy to repel the other. Xiao Gang, seated on the dragon throne, was pale. He tried to speak several times, but his voice was barely audible, quickly drowned out by the cacophony of the argument. He looked helplessly at the head eunuch and several seemingly neutral prime ministers standing beside him, only to find their eyes darting around, clearly each with their own agendas, none willing to step forward and take responsibility for this immense burden.

The court meeting ended in discord, with no resolutions reached. The arguments in the court quickly spread outside the palace in various embellished versions, further exacerbating the public's panic and sense of the court's incompetence.

Jiangdong, Wu County, Gu Family Manor.

Gu Yong did not attend the doomed court assembly in Jiankang. He claimed to be ill at home, but in reality, he was holding urgent secret meetings with representatives of several powerful clans, including the Lu, Zhang, and Zhu families. The atmosphere there was even more pragmatic and ruthless than in the Jiankang court.

"We can't count on the imperial court," Lu Jun sighed, shaking his head. "All this arguing is just empty talk between the war and peace factions. If we really fight, where will the money, provisions, and soldiers come from? How much can each family contribute? Who will be the commander? What if we lose? If we win... how will the spoils be distributed?" His series of questions silenced everyone present. Even when they were united in the Northern Expedition, they were each driven by self-interest. Now, facing imminent disaster, who would be willing to empty their coffers to protect that weakened court and a empire that might not even belong to them?

"Peace negotiations... perhaps that's a way out," Zhang Wen said slowly. "But how should we negotiate? In what capacity should we negotiate? Should we represent the imperial court, or the various families of Jiangdong? What does Chen Xing want? Money? Land? Or... his loyalty?"

Gu Yong's gaze was deep, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table: "Chen Xing's ambitions are far from small. Money and land may temporarily slow his military advance, but they are by no means a long-term solution. Judging from his use of Jia Wen and Su Xiaoxiao, his ambition lies in the world, and he wants to establish a unified new dynasty. If we only seek to live a life of ease with wealth, I'm afraid..." He paused, his voice lower, "...I'm afraid we will ultimately be swallowed up and digested."

"Then what is your opinion, Master Gu?" the Zhu family representative asked anxiously. Zhu Huan's fate was unknown, and the Zhu family had suffered heavy losses. They were now extremely anxious.

Gu Yong did not answer directly, but said, "The most urgent task is to stabilize Xiakou and preserve our navy, which is our only bargaining chip against the north. At the same time, we need to immediately send someone to secretly cross the river and make contact with the Xing Army... at least to find out Chen Xing's bottom line. As for the court, let them argue and try to negotiate peace. We... need to prepare for both scenarios."

Everyone understood. The so-called "two-pronged approach" was nothing more than a vacillation and weighing of the options between war and surrender. Faced with the survival of their families, the so-called loyalty to the emperor and patriotism seemed somewhat pale and distant.

In the vast countryside of Jiangnan, countless ordinary people may not understand the grand principles of the imperial court or the scheming among powerful clans, but they express their fear through the simplest of actions: in villages near the Yangtze River, people began to migrate inland with their elderly and children; the incense at temples and Taoist monasteries suddenly became more abundant, as people prayed to the gods to protect their homes from the flames of war; and in some places, small groups of defeated soldiers or local ruffians took advantage of the chaos to loot, adding to the chaotic scene.

The Southern Dynasties, a regime that once witnessed the southward migration of Chinese culture and its flourishing civilization, revealed its fatal flaws—a long-ailing, weakened giant—under the immense pressure of the Xing army approaching the Yangtze River. These flaws manifested not only as fear of external enemies but also as a profound and all-encompassing outpouring of self-doubt and powerlessness.