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At the end of December, the Jin army on the east road captured Xinde Prefecture City.

Wanyan Zongwang and other Jin generals climbed the city tower and ordered the residents to be pacified.

In fact, at the beginning of the city breaking, Wanyan Zongwang and other Jin generals had quietly issued secret orders, clearly demarcating the scope of robbery for each division.

The final result was that the Jurchens plundered countless areas, while the Han'er, Khitan and other tribes plundered only some property.

The greedy and bloodthirsty robber nature of the Jurchens is undoubtedly exposed.

The army led by Guo Yaoshi has been outside the city of Xinde Prefecture and has not entered the city to rob, so he has never killed a single person.

Someone asked Guo about the reason, and Guo Yaoshi said, "We have never been evil in our country and have returned to the court."

Someone actually believed the nonsense that Guo Yaoshi said and wanted to associate Guo Yaoshi with the Jin soldiers to protect Song.

It is absolutely not unfair to say that what Yaoshi Guo is saying is a nonsense.

It can be said that if there were no Yaoshi Guo, the Jin army on the East Road would not have advanced again.

Zhao Ji's abdication to Zhao Huan was something that Wanyan Zongwang and others did not expect. In addition, the two prefectures of Hejian and Zhongshan were not broken and the rear was in danger. Wanyan Zongwang and others discussed whether they would retreat to the army and return to the army?

At this time, Guo Yaoshi suggested: "The Southern Dynasties may not be prepared." Then Guo Yaoshi further encouraged Wanyan Zongwang and others to say: "The wealth of Bian Jing and the affairs of the palace are not comparable to Yanshan. Now the prince's army is very fast, so he can take advantage of this momentum of breaking bamboo and rushing to the river. The soldiers will be brave and can return without fighting. If you hear that you are prepared, you will shine your troops in Hebei and look at the Southern Dynasties to show your national prestige, and it is not too late to return."

Wanyan Zongwang was persuaded by Pharmacist Guo, and finally adopted Pharmacist Guo's suggestion and decided to continue to invade the south.

Wanyan Zongwang sent Guo Yaoshi as the vanguard, but only gave Guo Yaoshi one thousand cavalry.

Pharmacist Guo repeatedly asked to add some troops to him.

Wanyan Zongwangcai added another thousand cavalry to Guo Yaoshi.

Obviously, the Jin people did not believe in Guo Yaoshi, a person who had repeatedly rebelled.

Yaoshi Guo also knew that his reputation was completely bad, but he was not willing to end his career, so he tried his best to show himself.

Guo Yaoshi personally led two thousand light cavalry from Xinde Mansion and galloped south. Not long after, he arrived on the edge of the Yellow River...

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The first year of Jingkang, the first day of the first lunar month.

Zhao Ji formally proposed to Song Qinzong Zhao Huan that he wanted to go to Mengcheng, Bozhou to burn incense and worship Zhuang Zhou before the Zhengyuan Festival, and pray that Daozu Laozhuang would bless the country and the people to be prosperous and safe.

At this time, the military and national power was still in the hands of Zhao Ji, how dare Zhao Huan refuse to agree?

The Grand Historian calculated through divination and suggested that Zhao Ji choose to start his journey at the fourth day of the first lunar month.

But on the evening of the third day of the first lunar month, Zhao Ji heard that the Jin soldiers had crossed the Yellow River. He felt that the situation was urgent, so he waited until the fourth day of the first lunar month, when the two drums were leaked at night (that is, between 9:00 and 11:00 in the evening), Zhao Ji quietly left Longde Palace, drove out eastward until Tongjinmen, and went down the river to take a boat.

At this time, there were only Cai You and several entourages beside Zhao Ji.

Tongjin Gate is a land city gate, and on the south side is the East Water Gate of Bianhe River.

The Bian River is the most important water transportation main road in Tokyo. It enters the city from the west water gate of the outer city, flows into the inner city water gate, crosses the Zhouqiao and Xiangguoji Bridge in front of the palace, then flows out of the inner city water gate, and then passes through the east water gate of the outer city, and flows out of the city and towards the southeast.

Zhao Ji and others hurriedly boarded the ship and left the city overnight along the Bian River.

The water flows in the night, and the boats walk on the water.

It was the cold winter season, and the water level of the Bian River was shallow, so the ship speed was slightly slower.

Zhao Ji felt that this was too slow, so he abandoned the boat and went ashore and took a carriage (i.e., a sedan chair).

But after sitting for a while, Zhao Ji felt that the carriage was not as fast as the boat, so he returned to the river bank and obtained a boat carrying bricks and tiles to take it.

Because he left too quickly, the attendants had not even had time to prepare food.

After this bumpy and fatigue, Zhao Ji began to feel hungry.

Cai You hurriedly sent an eunuch to look for food on the boat.

Later, the eunuchs got a cake with the boatman, and Zhao Ji and others shared it and ate it.

Overnight, Zhao Ji and the others fled for hundreds of miles and arrived in Nandu at dawn (i.e. Yingtian Prefecture, which is later Shangqiu, Henan).

At this point, Zhao Ji breathed a little relieved.

After dawn, it is the fourth day of the first lunar month.

The Supreme Empress, the Grand Prince and the Prince and the Emperor also left Bianliang City according to the plan they had formulated before and went to chase Zhao Ji.

Zhao Huan ordered the governor of Pingliang Army and Fan Ne, the envoy of Zhongtai Palace, to command the entourage of Shengjie Army.

On this day, many court officials heard that Zhao Ji had left the capital and fled from Bianliang City one after another.

Zhao Ji did not stay in Nandu for long. After they bought the mule, they quickly rode on and continued to move south.

On the way, I passed by a village.

Zhao Ji was tired of walking and wanted to take a break. When he saw a family with a bamboo door, he knocked in the door and entered.

There was only one old lady in this family at home, so Zhao Ji had a family conversation with her.

The old lady asked Zhao Ji's surname.

Zhao Ji replied: "The surname is Zhao, who lives in Tokyo, has retired. I recommend the eldest son to be born."

After Zhao Ji rode a horse mule to Fuli (the later generations of Beifuli Ji in Suxian, Anhui), he continued to go south by a large ship.

The boat arrived in Sizhou (northwest of Xuyi, Jiangsu in later generations), Zhao Ji abandoned the boat and landed on the shore, and went to the riverside market to buy fish.

Zhao Ji was good at buying things, so he bargained with the fish seller and finally returned victoriously.

After returning from buying fish, Zhao Ji was quite touched, so he wrote a short poem "Linjiangxian": When you pass through the water and pass through the mountains, you will recite more than a thousand poems. The cold waves of Huai River are heavy and the rain is sparse. The egrets are on the beach, and people sell fish on boats. The ancient temple is quiet and the house is in a quiet house, and stay in a monk's residence late at night. The dream is shocked and sighs. The sorrow is attached to the heart, and I write a reply to the book with tears.

After arriving in Sizhou, Zhao Ji stopped his hurried steps and took a rest.

Sizhou City is located in the lower reaches of the Huai River, which is connected to the Bian River here. It is a key transportation link between north and south, and its strategic position is very important.

At this time, Yu Wen Cuizhong, the deputy envoy of the palace, Tong Guan, Gao Qiu and other ministers all chased after him one after another.

Tong Guan had been appointed as the only one who stayed in Tokyo by Zhao Huan, but when Tong Guan heard that Zhao Ji was in the south, he led the personal soldiers of the Shengjie Army out of the country and chased Zhao Ji, calling it "protective".

Tong Guan was indeed very brave. He dared not to obey Zhao Huan's appointment. This was also one of the ten major crimes that Tong Guan was later convicted and executed, namely: he went to the southeast without waiting for the order; he was sent to stay and refused to accept the order.

There are actually many officials like Tong Guan who left the capital without authorization and went to the southeast.

Not to mention Dagui, the people and officials with lower status, high-ranking officials fled from Shangshu, such as Zhang Quan, Wei Zhongda, He Dagui and other fifty-six people.

So much so that only half of the people attending court were left, and many of the seats were empty.

Cai Jing, Cai You and Song Huan family, more than a thousand people, were in the capital.

And Cai Jing and Cai You's disciples, seven or eight out of ten people abandoned their posts and fled.

Tong Guan and Gao Qiu were both important officials with military power, and they all led their troops to lead Tong Guan led three thousand victories, and Gao Qiu led three thousand imperial guards.

In name, Tong Guan and Gao Qiu came to protect Zhao Ji, and both wanted to protect Zhao Ji across the Huai River and Yangzhou.

In fact, Tong Guan and Gao Qiu both came to follow Zhao Ji to save their lives.

One day, the emperor and the other day, and their butts were unclean, so they had a premonition that if they stayed in Bianliang City, there would be more and more dangers.

Tong Guan arrived in Sizhou one step earlier than Gao Qiu, so Zhao Ji was grabbed by Tong Guan and protected him.

Tong Guan cheated on Zhao Ji's order, ordering Gao Qiu to guard the floating bridge and not to come south.

Gao Qiu was very suspicious of this order and insisted on meeting Zhao Ji.

But Tong Guan just stopped Gao Qiu from seeing him.

The Jin army on the East Road had already arrived at the city of Bianliang on the seventh day of the first lunar month and began to attack the city fiercely.

Upon hearing the news, Zhao Ji quickly set off and left Sizhou and headed for Yangzhou.

At this time, Gao Qiu refused to implement Tong Guan's order and led the imperial guards to follow Zhao Ji south.

Tong Guan was furious and ordered Shengjie Army to kill the Imperial Guards.

Many soldiers of the Imperial Guard were killed by arrows, and more than 100 people fell from the bridge and drowned in the river.

The Shengjie Army is a strong Western Army army, Tong Guan’s personal army, and is also the elite among them. Where is the Imperial Guard’s opponent?

Unable to defeat Tong Guan, Gao Qiu had to order the imperial guards to stop advancing.

Gao Qiu, father and son and brother were both standing by the road waiting, hoping to see Zhao Ji again.

Soon, Zhao Ji came on a carriage.

After Zhao Ji and Gao Qiu met, the king and his ministers looked at each other and cried.

Zhao Ji wanted to say something, but perhaps because Cai You, Yuwen Cuizhong, Tong Guan and other ministers were with him, Zhao Ji finally said nothing.

When people on the road saw this, they all burst into tears.

Gao Qiu then stayed in Sizhou and controlled Huaijin to prevent the Jin army from pursuing.

After Zhao Ji arrived in Yangzhou, he still felt that he was not very safe and insisted on crossing the river to the south.

Local elders strongly advised that the carriage should not cross the river.

But Zhao Ji refused to listen.
To be continued...