Chapter 709 - 15: A Game of Wits, Gu Jin Breaks the Deadlock

The development of the situation did not surprise Gu Jin.

Wang Yingchen was indeed a capable person.

Likewise, he also knew the talents of Gu Jin and Zhao Kuangyin. Even though Gu Jin had done everything he could, including requests for battle from those under Wang Yingchen’s command as well as the generals from Liao, Wang Yingchen still managed to hold all these people back.

This is the terrifying aspect of Wang Yingchen.

However, not everyone is like Wang Yingchen, Gu Jin, or Zhao Kuangyin.

As time passed, Liu Jiyuan finally couldn’t hold back any longer!

In reality, he had no choice.

Liao’s deployment this time was to constantly extract everything from Northern Han, with the entire country bearing the burden of Liao’s elite forces.

This was a weight Northern Han could not bear.

Adding to this, Liu Jiyuan was originally a very brutal person; it was impossible for him to watch Liu Jiwen, this false emperor, live on.

This represented the legitimacy of the royal family.

He could not fully align himself with Liao.

Naturally, he would seize every opportunity to fight for his own interests.

Under such circumstances,

he launched his soldiers without any warning.

.....

——The situation abruptly changed.

Facing the harassing Bei Han troops, Gu Jin had long been prepared. He immediately led his elites and directly broke through the Bei Han Army, which was fighting with Liu Jiwen.

With a thunderous momentum, he left more than half of Liu Jiyuan’s elite forces here.

The attack was even fiercer than before.

Dealing with someone like Wang Yingchen is not an easy task.

Gu Jin had long realized this and had always kept it in mind in everything he did.

Just as this battle concluded,

he immediately took command of the Song Army and stationed them in Taiyuan.

Then he ordered the Forbidden Army led by Zhao Kuangyin to slowly retreat to the rear.

He did not know whether Wang Yingchen would fall for the trap, but he had done everything he could.

Stabilize the morale by using the victory in small skirmishes and the Gu Clan’s reputation.

Then use a major victory to intimidate the enemy.

Let the central army slowly withdraw.

Moreover, Zhao Kuangyin had never shown himself from beginning to end.

All these factors led even the knowledgeable generals to waver in their thoughts.

Your Majesty... is he really dead?

Gu Jin also did not know if Wang Yingchen would fall for it, but in any case, for Great Song, this battle had already been worthwhile.

Taiyuan City fell.

The northern gateway had been completely opened.

In the current world situation, whoever occupies Taiyuan can be said to hold the initiative.

Even if Wang Yingchen still didn’t fall for it.

He could use this opportunity to send Zhao Kuangyin back to Kaifeng.

Dragging it on like this had no meaning.

Shangjing Linhuang Mansion, Chancellor’s mansion.

All the movements of the Song Army were sent over immediately.

Wang Yingchen gazed at one urgent report after another, his expression grave.

"The Song Army... actually retreated?"

His tone was complex, as if even now, he still found it hard to believe the situation before him.

And the strategists under his command mostly showed dissatisfaction.

After all, no one is not greedy for meritorious service—especially in the Great Liao, where the system is established on the Legalist school’s farming and warfare, military accomplishments are critically important and related to one’s future.

Although Wang Yingchen held a high position and wielded significant power in Liao, it appeared he had become an obstacle on the path to meritorious service for everyone.

Even his close associates could not help but have dissenting thoughts, they just dared not voice them.

"Chancellor," a young scholar finally couldn’t hold back and spoke as he saw Wang Yingchen hesitating again, "the general trend is clear now, Zhao Kuangyin is undoubtedly doomed."

"Why not take this opportunity—"

Before he finished speaking, Wang Yingchen raised his hand to interrupt: "No!"

"You all underestimate Gu Clan, and even more so, the Song Monarch!"

"We must not attack rashly."

"Maintain the current situation, and in a few more years, my Great Liao... shall unify the world!"

His attitude was still very resolute.

Upon hearing, the close associates naturally bowed their heads silently, hiding all the dissatisfaction in their eyes.

....

Time swiftly passed.

The current situation was as such: if Liao could spy on the movements of the Song Army, then naturally the Song Army could also perceive the changes in the Liao court.

Gu Jin was the first to capture the undercurrents in the Liao court.

This change suddenly made him aware of a new opportunity—

Since Wang Yingchen refused to fall for the trap,

then take the initiative, forcing him to act.

The court has never been a game for one person alone, even those illustrious members of the Gu Clan from the past—except for a few prominent ones—could still not have absolute say in the court.

In fact, he even had to admit that Wang Yingchen’s idea was indeed correct.

In this era still based on agriculture, relying on Liao’s vast territory and thoroughly implementing the Legalist school’s system of farming and warfare could indeed strengthen the army and enrich the nation, doubling national power within a few years.

But he was ultimately too young.

This is precisely the pitfall often encountered by Scholars of the Legalist School—

Overly trusting in the ways of "law, technique, and power," staunchly believing in harsh laws and power, yet overlooking the complexity of human relationships and intertwined interests.

Just as Shang Yang established laws and Qin was strengthened, it also sowed seeds of resentment;

Han Fei’s discourse on the might of the monarch, yet he could not escape his own predicament.

In Wang Yingchen’s eyes, he only saw laws and the power of the monarch, disregarding old clan rights, court balance, and the variables hidden in human emotions and urgencies—

And this is exactly the point where Gu Jin could leverage to break the impasse.

In fact, Gu Jin didn’t even need to ponder how to strike; before long, someone had already sent a secret letter wanting to ally with the Gu Clan to get rid of Wang Yingchen together.