Chapter 7: The Illness of Song

In that year, when the Liao army was at the brink of Chanyuan, why did Emperor Zhenzong of Song personally lead the expedition, and despite the continuous victories in beheading Liao generals, still sign the infamous treaty of surrender that has been criticized by future generations?

The child emperor Shi Jingtang sold the Yanyun territory to the Khitan (at the time Shi Jingtang acknowledged his adoptive father, the Liao state was still called Khitan), and the northern borders of the Great Song, spanning a thousand miles, were also defenseless, thus they could only fill the gaps with manpower, further exacerbating the expenditure on military affairs

... ...

Fortunately, it has had the most gentle and benevolent ruler since the Han and Tang dynasties. The entire Zhao family are kind-hearted individuals, and the relaxed social environment allowed the culture and economy of that time to reach an unprecedented height

How should we ultimately save the Song Dynasty from peril?

It is precisely because it is winter, and the Yellow River may freeze at any moment, that Emperor Zhenzong of Song could no longer afford to delay, and even the greatest warrior of the Song Dynasty, Kou Zhun, dared not postpone any further

The Song Dynasty's suppression of land annexation was the most lenient among all dynasties, which is why the issue of land annexation during the Song Dynasty was also the most severe. A large amount of land flowed into the hands of the privileged class, resulting in a gradual decline in agricultural tax revenue.

Tang Yi shook his head and smiled, "The current dynasty employs both the imperial examination and hereditary privilege to select officials. Due to the turmoil at the end of the Tang dynasty, the founding emperor, fearing a return to the old ways, established a system where civil officials could balance military generals. Concerned about the potential loss of imperial authority, he also used the scholar-officials to check the power of the emperor, while officials were assigned roles, powers, and salaries in a tripartite manner. This pervasive system of checks and balances has led to an excess of officials that are difficult to eliminate and unclear delineation of powers. Consequently, there are few who actually work in the court, while many merely observe, making it inevitable that policies are hard to implement, and frequent changes in decrees have become the norm."

It was not until nightfall that the old man suddenly woke up with a start, slapping his thigh vigorously

Is it wrong

Merely thinking of those words, yet forgetting the person who spoke them. Though the words are astonishing, they are still not as significant as the person! Do not forget, that Tang Dalang is only fourteen years old. If one can comprehend the world at the age of fourteen, what will the future hold?

I have come to chat with you," the old man said with a playful smile. "Since you, young man, stated yesterday that the path of reform is unattainable, I would like to ask you, where exactly does the problem of the Song Dynasty lie?

The old man insisted, "Answer me first, then you may drink later"

Seeing the elderly man staring at him without blinking, Tang Yi did not rush to answer the old man. Instead, he called for Ma Bo to slice a plate of braised meat, served some pickles and cold dishes, and then poured a full glass of fine wine for the old man

For an entire day, the elderly man kept repeating these few phrases, causing the whole family to be filled with anxiety, thinking that the old man had fallen under some kind of spell

Alright

Hehe... you are overthinking it

Yesterday, I disrupted the elder's appetite, today I will accompany the elder for a few drinks again

Tang Yi replied: "This is because the revenue from commercial taxes has increased, offsetting the shortfall in agricultural taxes. Moreover, some farmers who lost their land became dependent on the landlord class, while others transitioned into industry and commerce, further alleviating class conflicts"

To seek survival in differences, to address matters rather than individuals, this is the mark of a gentleman. Moreover, what the young master said yesterday was not mere folly; he perceives things even more clearly than I, this old man!

Are you in a hurry

In such an international environment, the Song Dynasty had no choice but to station a large military presence at the borders and in the capital.

Then you, this is ... ...

Some may feel that Tang Yi has exaggerated, but isn't there still the Yellow River's natural barrier

In later generations, many scholars and literary youths criticized the Song Dynasty for its weakness, lamenting that despite maintaining a large military, it was still so easily bullied. However, this perspective is not objective

Because it is completely naked

In the south, there are the various tribes of Jiaozhi, with constant border troubles; in the north, there are the Khitan wolf clan, eyeing us with predatory intent. Even Li Yuanhao was able to establish the Western Xia state with a group of Tangut bandits, occasionally stirring up trouble in the northwest, compounded by a completely exposed capital, Kaifeng

The second issue is a historical legacy problem, which has resulted in the current predicament

During the reign of Emperor Ren of the Northern Song Dynasty, the standing army numbered over 1.2 million, with the majority stationed in the capital for defense and along the border with Liao. Such a massive military force would burden even the wealthiest of nations.

The old man reached out to stop Tang Yi, saying, "There is no need to trouble yourself; I am not here to eat."

The elderly gentleman has overpraised me... Tang Yi smiled shyly, hurriedly circled around the counter, and led the old man to a seat in the store. The old man, not holding grudges and with a broad mind, made Tang Yi admire him even more

In fact, Tang Yi really did think inappropriately

Do not be deceived by the fact that Kaifeng, the capital of the Song Dynasty, appears to be deep inland and far from border troubles; in reality, it is one of the most foolish capitals in the thousands of years of Chinese civilization

Oh..." the old man expressed with a hint of doubt. "Why don't you tell me what the problem is? What difficulties are you facing?"

What should be done? It can only be filled with heavy troops

In the early days of each dynasty, land was evenly distributed among the people, ensuring that everyone had land to cultivate. Therefore, generally speaking, as long as the founding monarch was not excessively tyrannical, a new dynasty would usher in a period of peace and prosperity. However, the most significant issue in an agrarian society is the low resilience of farmers to natural disasters and man-made calamities. A slight downturn in the harvest can lead to the bankruptcy of farmers. The only means of survival becomes the mortgaging or even selling of land. As time goes on, the number of bankrupt farmers increases, and land gradually consolidates from the hands of the majority of farmers into the possession of a few wealthy households, forming a landlord class. Farmers who lose their land can only depend on the landlord class, being forced to accept their exploitation, resulting in even more difficult living conditions.

Tang Yi lived two lives, and a millennium later in Huaxia, the most debated topic is the Song Dynasty. This era represents the pinnacle of Huaxia civilization; it is both fortunate and unfortunate.

Tang Yi helplessly said: "The elder is truly concerned about the nation and the family, which makes me admire you greatly. However, the issues faced by our country, I fear you are much more aware of than I am, so why must you ask me?"

The Ming Dynasty was known for the saying "The Son of Heaven guards the nation's gates, and the monarch dies for the state"

The elder said, "I would like to hear you speak."

"Elder... how is it you?" As soon as Tang Yi saw the person who had arrived, he went out to greet him; it was indeed the scholarly old man from yesterday.

Yesterday, Tang Yi made a stunning remark that left the elderly gentleman bewildered for the entire day, as Tang Yi's emphatic words continued to resonate in his ears

The three of them sat in the shop, staring at each other in silence, waiting for Aunt Liu to return

Unfortunately, this gentle sheep is surrounded by a pack of vicious wolves

The old man nodded quietly, "What about the other question?"

Tang Yi scratched the back of his head and said, "Of course I can. It’s just that my reckless words yesterday angered the old man, and I thought he would never set foot in my little shop again."

The victory rate of the Northern and Southern Song dynasties in foreign wars reached as high as 70%, the highest in all dynasties. However, despite this, the Great Song was ultimately destroyed by the nomadic tribes from the north

Zhu Di established the capital in Beijing, which is close to the northern border. It may seem perilous, but let us not forget that Beijing is protected by Shanhaiguan, the Great Wall, and the Yanshan Mountains. If it were not for Li Zicheng's foolishness that led Wu Sangui to betray the Manchu Qing dynasty, with the limited military strength of Hong Taiji, even with an additional twenty years, he would not have been able to breach the pass.

The Ma couple was preoccupied with whether Aunt Liu's proposal to the Zhang family would be successful, and they were absent-minded the entire morning. Seeing that they were not focused on managing the business, Tang Yi decided to close up early, having only sold five pots before shutting down.

Please have a seat, elder. I will personally go to the kitchen and prepare a few dishes as an apology to you

Why is that

The first issue is land consolidation. Tang Yi no longer pretended and answered seriously. This has been a problem faced by successive dynasties since Qin Yingzheng unified the six states and established the great unified Huaxia regime

The elderly person's inquiry is more about testing one's abilities rather than a matter of loyalty or rivalry

During the Northern Song Dynasty, winter temperatures were much lower than they are today, and the Yellow River would freeze in winter

The Song Dynasty did not suppress commerce, which led to an unprecedented development of industry and commerce, significantly alleviating the hidden dangers brought about by land consolidation

Another significant issue is caused by the geographical location of the capital, Kaifeng. Tang paused for a moment, then continued to speak eloquently.

Such seemingly absurd matters were, in fact, the norm during the early Northern Song Dynasty. Not only in military affairs, where "the soldiers do not know the general, and the general does not know the soldiers," but also in the officialdom, where "power does not correspond to position, and matters do not correspond to power"

Tang Yixin said that it turns out to be a matter of unwillingness to accept defeat, and they have come to argue again

The old man smiled and said, "Why can't it be me?"

If the Liao cavalry wishes to invade the Song, they need only cross the boundary line of the Baigou River, thereby bypassing all cities and defensive lines, and advance directly into the plains to reach the foot of Kaifeng.

Therefore, today after the elder finished handling some trivial matters, he headed straight to Tang Ji to meet with Tang Dalang once again

What exactly is the problem with the Song Dynasty

The international environment during the Song Dynasty was extremely harsh, with no other dynasty facing such complex border issues, nor any other dynasty exposing its capital to a pack of wolves

The hour of Chen has passed, yet Aunt Liu has not returned; instead, another unexpected person has entered Tang's establishment.

From the establishment of the Song Dynasty until the reign of Emperor Shen Zong, the separation of official powers and salaries in the bureaucracy reached an extreme level of chaos

But what about Kaifeng? It is both risky and not risky, both related and unrelated

If the issue with the Liao state is not resolved before winter sets in, once the Yellow River freezes, the Liao army could bypass Chanyuan and reach the gates of Kaifeng directly. If this were to happen, the Southern Song dynasty would likely be recorded in history a hundred years earlier than expected

The old man glanced at Tang Yi and smiled, saying: "However, why has the court's tax revenue not decreased, but instead increased year by year?"

Kaifeng is located in a flat plain, with no natural defenses to guard. If an invasion occurs from the north, once the border is crossed, it leads to an open expanse, allowing troops to advance within a thousand miles to the gates of Dongjing. Therefore, the court has no choice but to maintain a heavy military presence to guard the capital, resulting in the unnecessary expenditure of provisions for hundreds of thousands of imperial troops due to this geographical disadvantage

An official holds a position in the Ministry of War, yet manages affairs of the Ministry of Revenue, while receiving a salary from the Central Secretariat