Chapter 1589: Moving the capital, chaos, and planning
Zhao Guiqian led a large army to attack Lin'an from Nanchang, and they had to either go north along the Yangtze River or cross the mountains and pass Xianxia Pass.

Whether it is the Yangtze River or Xianxia Pass, there are many obstacles.

According to Su Mingzhe's calculations, it would take at least two or three months for Zhao Guiqian to reach Lin'an.

Two or three months later, his own army of hundreds of thousands could be transferred to the south of the Yangtze River to quell the rebellion.

Then, with the momentum of a great victory, it would be much smoother for him to force the Song court to abdicate.

Who could have thought that Zhao Guiqian would break through Xianxia Pass just ten days after he raised his army, thus ruining his plan in one fell swoop.

Facing Su Mingzhe's surprise, Shi Songzhi said with a sad face:
"Your Majesty, Zhao Guiqian is too cunning. He has bribed the commander of Xianxia Pass long ago. Once the 500,000-man army arrives, they will directly break through the pass!"

After hearing this, Su Mingzhe suddenly realized: That's right.

Xianxia Pass is one of the four major passes in China, along with Jianmen Pass, Hangu Pass and Yanmen Pass. It is so steep that one man can block the passage of ten thousand.

Generally, such passes are breached by the enemy from within.

"Since Xianxia Pass has been breached, Lin'an is no longer indefensible..."

Su Mingzhe suddenly thought of something, his eyes sparkled, and after thinking for a moment, he made a request to the two queen dowagers:
"Your Majesty, Zhao Guiqian is very powerful. Why don't we avoid his attack and move the court north?"

"Are you going back to Bianliang?"

Tang Anan had been favored by the man for more than a month, her face was tender and she blinked her clear eyes and said delicately:

"Father, didn't you say before that Bianliang is already a deserted ruin?"

"Your Majesty, when I say move north, I don't mean return to Bianliang, but move north to Dadu!"

Su Mingzhe was about to talk about the pros and cons of moving the capital northward, but unexpectedly, Xie Daoqing, who was holding the little emperor, flatly rejected it:
"no!"

Unlike Tang Anan, who only understood romance, Xie Daoqing read history books.

She knew that there was a white-faced treacherous minister named Cao Cao in history. He abducted the then emperor, the young emperor, to Xu County, and then used the emperor to command the princes and seized the Han Dynasty.

This moment is just like that moment.

Xie Daoqing didn't want to let the little emperor go to Su Mingzhe's territory and repeat the same mistakes.

Seeing this, Su Mingzhe had no choice but to advise:

"Your Majesty, the rebels are now strong and the 500,000-man army is within reach. If we surrender, we can still survive, but Your Majesty, please consider His Majesty!"

Xie Daoqing had made up his mind not to be fooled by sweet words.

However, Su Mingzhe's words were like a steel needle, piercing her courage that had just been mustered.

Yes, she could live and die with Lin'an, but if the little emperor fell into Zhao Guiqian's hands, he would probably die soon.

Thinking of this, Xie Daoqing's original determination to defend the city and wait for the army to come to the king's rescue was suddenly shaken.

When she couldn't make up her mind, she habitually looked aside:
"Sister, what do you think of my father's suggestion?"

"Sister, I think your suggestion is a good one."

Tang Anan only knew that if she and her son went to Dadu, she would be able to stay with Su Mingzhe forever and would no longer have to sleep alone every night like before.

As for other issues, such as Su Mingzhe's plan to usurp the throne, that is still unknown.

How could I ruin the happy day of a happy family reunion just because of something that hasn't even happened?

Bitch!

After hearing Tang Anan's answer, Xie Daoqing suddenly realized that his sister had been "slept" with by Su Mingzhe.

Helplessly, Xie Daoqing could only look at Shi Songzhi:
"What do you think of what the Prime Minister's father has proposed?"

"I second what Your Majesty said!"

Shi Songzhi knew that Xie Daoqing wanted him to speak up and object.

But he didn't dare, nor did he want to.

In Zhao Guiqian's "Exhortation to Punish", it was said that Shi Songzhi was a treacherous minister who had brought disaster to the country.

If Shi Songzhi stayed and was caught by Zhao Guiqian, he would probably be executed by slow slicing.

Therefore, he was a staunch supporter of moving the capital northward, but he was still a little unsure about where to move the capital.

Seeing that everyone in the hall agreed to move north, Xie Daoqing knew that he could not do it alone, so he nodded helplessly:

"Since everyone agrees to move north, let's do it as soon as possible!"

After Zhao Guiqian's 500,000-strong army broke through Xianxia Pass, they were already very close to Lin'an City.

If we don't set out soon, we'll be caught in a trap. Moving the capital should be done sooner rather than later.

Su Mingzhe first sent out his own thousand guards to escort the two empress dowagers, the young emperor, and the concubines of the late emperor Zhao Yun to the north.

Afterwards, he ordered people to transport away all the wealth and grain that could be moved from the Jiangnan area.

If they cannot be moved, they will be distributed to the local people.

In a word, Su Mingzhe wanted to leave an empty Jiangnan for Zhao Guiqian.

……

Ten days later.

Zhao Guiqian led an army of 200,000 to Lin'an, only to find the city gates wide open and the court officials nowhere to be found.

Logically speaking, after conquering the imperial capital, Zhao Guiqian should have rewarded the three armies.

However, all the supplies in the government treasury were taken away by Su Mingzhe.

Zhao Guiqian had no reward to offer, so he had no choice but to order the army to plunder the people on their own.

In just three days.

Zhao Guiqian's 500,000-man army turned the Jiangnan area into a living hell.

……

When Shi Songzhi learned that Zhao Guiqian had allowed his troops to burn, kill and loot in Jiangnan, he was shocked and angry:
"How dare Zhao Guiqian do this?"

"What is there for him to be afraid of?"

Su Mingzhe smiled contemptuously at Jiangnan.

Zhao Guiqian's reckless behavior this time directly pushed the people's hearts to his side.

After returning to Dadu this time, he can start the southern expedition.

When Shi Songzhi heard Su Mingzhe's sneer, he felt a chill in his heart.

This time, the reason why Zhao Guiqian sent his army to wreak havoc in the south of the Yangtze River was because Su Mingzhe had emptied the government treasury.

It can be said that Zhao Guiqian's order was issued under the pressure of Su Mingzhe.

Thinking of this, Shi Songzhi began to feel a sense of fear towards Su Mingzhe:

"According to Su Mingzhe's plan, it won't be long before he ascends the throne and becomes emperor. When that time comes, what should I do?"

Amid Shi Songzhi's anxiety, everyone returned to Dadu after a month-long journey.

……

Su Mingzhe left Dadu in November last year.

Now that I have returned, it is already early April.

Half a year passed and the world changed dramatically.

Most residents in the capital city could sense a strange atmosphere: officials walked with more spirit than usual.

This day.

Inside the capital city, all the civil and military officials arrived early in front of the Yin'an Palace to wait. As Princess Xiaolongnu, the ladies in the harem, and Crown Prince Su Hui appeared, they all headed towards the South Gate together.

Today is the day Su Mingzhe returns.

After some discussion, Liu Bingzhong and others decided to go ten miles outside the city to welcome them.

Near noon.

When Su Mingzhe learned that the welcoming team was only a mile away from him, he asked Concubine Jia and Concubine Yan to put on their clothes and leave his carriage.

Counting from the time he went south and entered Lin'an City, in just over a hundred days, Su Mingzhe had already favored all of the concubines of the late emperor Zhao Yun.

Only the Empress Dowager Xie Daoqing preferred death to obey and was spared.

However, the more reluctant she was, the more interested Su Mingzhe became in her.

Moreover, Su Mingzhe had already thought of a solution.

As soon as he returned to Dadu, he held his son Zhao Chun in his arms and asked her, "You don't want the little emperor to die young, do you?"
I believe that after being threatened like this, Xie Daoqing will definitely lie down obediently for the sake of the Song Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)