Chapter 1, Jia Sidao

"Shut up!" Jia Sidao, trembling with anger, feared that the shouts of Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen would provoke a response from the entire army, and quickly shouted, "Negotiations are a matter of great importance to the state and military; what do you understand? All of you, shut up! If you continue to shout recklessly, I will not spare you!" However, Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen were not intimidated by Jia Sidao's threats and continued to struggle and shout, resolutely demanding that he reject negotiations and launch a counterattack. The soldiers of the Song army lined up on both sides began to stir, ready to join Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen at any moment. Jia Sidao, both angry and fearful, shouted again, "Quickly take them away, arrest these two who spread wicked words and confuse the army's morale! Beat them! Hit them hard!"

Hmph, a bunch of useless fools! Ahema secretly laughs at Jia Sidao, but Jia Sidao also thinks that Kublai Khan and Ahema are fools, because Jia Sidao's decision to negotiate peace with Kublai Khan was made without the knowledge of the Southern Song Emperor, Song Lizong—he never intended to abide by it. As long as Kublai Khan leads his army back north, Jia Sidao will be hailed as a great hero resisting the invasion of the Mongol Tatars, with a bright future of promotion and wealth awaiting him. Moreover, Jia Sidao need not worry about the matter being exposed; he has long mastered the art of deceiving superiors while keeping subordinates in the dark. Furthermore, Kublai Khan's return is aimed at seizing the throne, and whether he can come back is another matter. As for taking the opportunity to counterattack the Mongol army—war is a perilous affair where one can easily lose their head.

Yuan Jie exerted great effort to suppress the wailing of the Song soldiers. Just as he was about to send someone to investigate where the Mongolian envoy had arrived, he suddenly noticed that the general he despised, Ling Zhen, had left his position and stood next to another general he disliked, Wu Longqi. Both were glaring at him with expressions of resentment. Yuan Jie, infuriated, shouted: "Ling Zhen, why are you not standing in your own position? Do you know what punishment you will face for a general not standing in front of his own troops during formation?"

One person had left their post without permission, while another was whispering to him, even saying that he wanted to meet the benefactor directly. I was just about to enforce military discipline on them when Yuan Jie quickly replied with a smile. Jia Sidao also laughed, saying, "There are several hundred people in my army, and each one wants to see me. How can I still act as the military commander?" After saying this, Jia Sidao waved his hand, "Punish them, punish them severely!"

No one could answer his question, and another soldier, with tears streaming down his face, choked out, "Not only do we have to sign the treaty, but we also have to cede the land north of the Yangtze River to the Mongolian Tartars, and we must pay the Tartars an annual tribute of 200,000 taels of silver, 200,000 rolls of silk..." At this point, the soldier could no longer hold back his sobs and burst into tears, his cries spreading like an infectious disease. His comrades initially wept softly, then soon broke into loud wails, and within moments, the cries of anguish filled the ranks.

The autumn wind howled, the banners fluttered, the camp resembled a forest, and weapons were as numerous as the sea. The soldiers stood in formation, their imposing presence reaching towards the heavens. Yet, amidst this solemn and grave atmosphere, the soldiers lining both sides of the formation mostly wore gloomy expressions, their hands gripping swords and axes trembling slightly, veins bulging. Many soldiers were already in tears, their lips chewed to the point of bleeding, with drops falling from their chins onto the grayish-yellow earth.

"If you do not agree, then our Fourth Prince will flatten Lin'an City!" Ahema stood up abruptly, slamming the table, causing the dishes and wine to spill everywhere. Just moments ago, Ahema had a proud expression, but now his thick beard bristled with anger, his copper-ringed eyes wide open, as he pointed at the pale-faced Jia Sidao and shouted, "I ask you once more, do you agree or not? Our lord's army of 200,000 is stationed at Qingshi Cliff, watching you like a white eagle on the grasslands watches over its lambs. If you dare to utter even half a 'no', our lord's iron cavalry will first flatten Huanggang!" He pointed at the pale-faced Jia Sidao and shouted again, "I ask you once more, do you agree or not? Our lord's army of 200,000 is stationed at Qingshi Cliff, watching you like a white eagle on the grasslands watches over its lambs. If you dare to utter even half a 'no', our lord's iron cavalry will first flatten Huanggang! We will exterminate everyone here! Then we will flatten Lin'an! We will turn all of Jiangnan into our Mongolian pasture!"

Boldly! Yuan Jie cracked the whip with a resounding snap and roared: "What are you two? As the commander-in-chief, Lord Jia holds a position of great honor. How can he easily meet with you two insignificant junior generals? Drag Wu Longqi down as well, and give him a thorough beating of forty military sticks!"

"Prime Minister! I have urgent matters to report!" In the distance, Wu Long shouted loudly, "Prime Minister, we cannot negotiate! The Great Khan of the Mongol Tatars has already died at the foot of Diaoyu City, and Kublai Khan's army is about to retreat north. Why should we not take this opportunity to counterattack? Why do we still need to negotiate with them?" Ling Zhen also struggled and shouted hoarsely, "Prime Minister, let us counterattack! We are willing to be the vanguard, swearing to fight to the death against the Tatars, to avenge General Zhang Sheng! Why do we still need to negotiate with them?" Ling Zhen also struggled and shouted hoarsely, "Prime Minister, let us counterattack! We are willing to be the vanguard, swearing to fight to the death against the Tatars, to avenge General Zhang Sheng! To avenge our brothers who died in Ezhou!"

At the command, more than twenty fierce bodyguards charged out from Yuan Jie’s personal guard, viciously pouncing on Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi, pinning their shoulders down. At that moment, the main tent of the Song army suddenly stirred, and Jia Sidao, the commander of the reinforcements from the Southern Song to Ezhou and the Right Chancellor of the Southern Song, emerged surrounded by a group of civil and military officials. Yuan Jie, at this point, could no longer concern himself with the displeasing Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen, and hurriedly left them behind to approach Jia Sidao. He humbly knelt on one knee and flattered, "Chancellor, why have you come out? The wind is strong outside; please be careful not to catch a chill."

This... this... Ah He Ma crossed his legs and swayed as he considered Jia Si Dao's proposal. Jia Si Dao quickly waved to his personal guards, and four of them immediately presented four wooden boxes that had been prepared in advance. They knelt before Ah He Ma, holding the boxes above their heads. Jia Si Dao stepped forward and opened each one, revealing the boxes filled to the brim with jewels and gold. He smiled obsequiously at Ah He Ma and said, "General Ah He Ma, this is just a small token, and I hope you will not find it lacking."

"Prime Minister Jia, our prince has already agreed to your terms for peace talks." After a few rounds of drinks, Ah He Ma shifted the conversation to the main topic and stated directly: "As long as your Song barbarians pay tribute of 200,000 taels of silver and 200,000 bolts of silk to our prince each year, our prince can withdraw his troops. However, you must deliver this year's tribute to our prince's army within three days. Do you understand this?"

What other conditions does the prince have?" Jia Sidao did not seem to care much about Kublai Khan's demands—he probably only wanted dozens of beautiful women, which Jia Sidao could still provide. Ahema crossed his legs and said nonchalantly: "Our prince has stated that the Mongols and the Song Dynasty can negotiate on anything, but our Mongolian army cannot completely withdraw across the Yangtze River. We must leave a contingent stationed in Huhuangzhou, waiting for General Wulianghetai's troops from Yunnan to join the garrison in Huhuangzhou before we can all withdraw across the Yangtze River.

Boom! Boom! Boom! At the third quarter of the hour of Wei, three cannon shots echoed through the sky. The Mongolian envoy Ahama, accompanied by Song Jing, the deputy of the Privy Council sent by Jia Sidao to seek peace, arrived punctually at the Song army's main camp. Finally, Jia Sidao himself, who had long awaited the peace envoy, personally welcomed Ahama at the entrance of the camp, treating him with a level of respect and warmth that surpassed that shown to his own father, Jia She. Along the way, he even ordered the soldiers of the Song army to pay their respects to Ahama, the executioner stained with the blood of Han people, exemplifying the proper etiquette of hospitality for all to see

Note 2: The position of the Commander-in-Chief in the Southern Song army is equivalent to that of a modern army corps commander

This... then let it be, raising so much silver silk within three days is quite difficult. The Fourth Prince, Renming Yingrui, should understand the predicament of Chancellor Jia. I will do my best to negotiate in front of the Fourth Prince; you just need to deliver the first part within three days. Ahema finally relented, seemingly calculating for a long time before agreeing to Jia Sidao's request. However, Ahema was almost laughing out loud inside. Kublai received a secret letter from his wife, informing him that his younger brother, Ariq Böke, was about to be proclaimed khan in Mongolia. Kublai was eager to return north to compete for the khanate with his brother. Currently, he was most afraid of the war with the Song army becoming stalemated. Whether he could capture Ezhou was one matter; Kublai's main force of 200,000 troops would be trapped in the south. Even if Kublai advanced north, he would lack confidence when speaking in front of Ariq Böke. But encountering Jia Sidao, this incompetent chancellor, was quite fortunate; not only did he not take the opportunity to counterattack, but he also voluntarily offered silver silk. How could Kublai possibly refuse?

"Lord Ahama, then we shall settle this matter. Someone, quickly bring paper and pen; let us sign the peace treaty today." Seeing Ahama nod, Jia Sidao hurriedly instructed his servants to prepare the paper and pen, eager to finalize the treaty while the iron was hot. However, Ahama waved his hand and shook his head, saying, "Do not rush; our prince has one more condition."

The Fourth Prince's army is stationed in Huhuangzhou? Jia Sidao was taken aback; Huhuangzhou serves as a barrier for Ezhou. It was lost due to Yuan Jie, that incompetent, which led to Ezhou being besieged. If the Mongolian army is allowed to remain stationed in Huhuangzhou, south of the Yangtze River, it would be tantamount to handing over the natural defense of the Yangtze River to the Mongolian army. In the future, if the Mongolian army wishes to invade the Southern Song again, the Song army would be unable to defend even the Yangtze River. Jia Sidao understood this reasoning. After much contemplation, he could only brace himself and say: "Your Excellency, please understand, the treaty stipulates governance divided by the river, and the Fourth Prince's army must withdraw across the Yangtze River. This point has been emphasized repeatedly. Allowing the Fourth Prince's army to be stationed in Huhuangzhou for an extended period... is simply unacceptable."

"That's good. I was worried that Kublai Khan would refuse to negotiate peace with our Song Dynasty, which is why the envoy has been delayed in arriving." Jia Sidao breathed a sigh of relief, finally putting down the anxiety that had been lodged in his throat. At this moment, Jia Sidao also noticed Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen, who had been captured by Yuan Xie's personal guards, and pointed at the two, asking: "What is going on with them? What did they do wrong? Why are they being tied up?"

"What are you crying about? What are you crying about?" General Yuan Jie rushed over upon hearing the cries. This former Vice Minister of Jiangnan was timid as a mouse in the face of the Mongolian army, yet before the Song soldiers, he was like a tiger descending the mountain. He raised his riding whip and indiscriminately lashed at the weeping Song soldiers, scolding them as he struck, "What are you crying about? Did your father die or your mother? What is there to cry about? Stand up straight, all of you! The envoys from the Mongolian Empire will be here soon. If we lose face for our Great Song, I will skin you alive!"

Hold on! The valiant Ling Zhen, known for his bravery, shouted loudly, scaring away the soldiers of Yuan Jie who were rushing forward. Ling Zhen then cupped his fists in salute to Yuan Jie and said: "Commander, before the execution, I, along with General Wu Longqi, would like to request an audience with the Right Chancellor, Lord Jia Sidao, to discuss some matters. After that, we will ask for your punishment, Commander." Wu Longqi also cupped his fists and said: "Commander, please inform the Right Chancellor that we only wish to speak with them for a while, and afterward, we are willing to accept any punishment."

"Why should we sign a peace treaty?" An ordinary soldier could no longer suppress the anger in his heart and, with tears in his eyes, questioned: "Since we entered the city with General Gao Da on September 17, it has been more than three months, over one hundred days, and we have fought dozens of battles without taking a single step back! Now that the Mongol Khan Mengge has been killed by General Wang Jian in Sichuan, the Mongol army is about to withdraw. If we do not take the opportunity to counterattack, why should we still sign a peace treaty? What we are doing, does it honor General Zhang Sheng, who died for his country? Does it honor the more than thirteen thousand brothers who died in Ezhou?"

"Regarding the matter of gratitude, I have just sent someone to inquire. Lord Song, leading the envoy, has already passed Fankou and is not far from Huanggang," Yuan Jie replied, standing up and bowing respectfully. Yuan Jie indeed held great respect and gratitude towards Jia Sidao, for his oppressive taxation on the common people. On the first day of September, when Kublai Khan's army launched a fierce attack on the eastern barrier of Ezhou, Huhuangzhou, the local populace even took the initiative to provide boats and act as guides for the Mongolian army. Moreover, due to his cowardice in the face of the enemy, he fled the battlefield, resulting in the fall of Huhuangzhou. The commander, Lü Wenxin, was killed, and twenty large ships along with over a thousand small boats were handed over to the Mongolian army, allowing the Mongolian cavalry to approach the city of Ezhou. Yuan Jie truly respected and appreciated Jia Sidao, for despite the oppressive taxation on the common people, on the first day of September, when Kublai Khan's army launched a fierce attack on the eastern barrier of Ezhou, Huhuangzhou, the local populace even took the initiative to provide boats and act as guides for the Mongolian army. Furthermore, due to his cowardice in the face of the enemy, he fled the battlefield, leading to the fall of Huhuangzhou. The commander, Lü Wenxin, was killed, and twenty large ships along with over a thousand small boats were handed over to the Mongolian army, allowing the Mongolian cavalry to approach the city of Ezhou. However, Jia Sidao, who had accepted his bribes, not only did not demote him or execute him, but instead promoted him to a higher position, placing him on the throne of the commander-in-chief. If Yuan Jie were not to express gratitude towards Jia Sidao, it would be utterly ungrateful.

"The general has privately left the ranks, twenty strokes of the military baton!" Ling Zhen raised his head and replied loudly. Yuan Jie sneered, "Very well, as long as you are aware, breaking the law is a crime that warrants a heavier punishment! Come here, drag Ling Zhen away and administer forty strokes of the military baton!"

"So, do you agree or not?" Because Jia Sidao did not respond for a long time, Ahema had no choice but to roar again at Jia Sidao. But at that moment, Ahema suddenly caught a faint smell of urine, and he noticed that a large area around Jia Sidao's crotch was wet. Upon closer inspection, Jia Sidao's eyes had already rolled back, and white foam was gradually seeping from the corners of his mouth... he had actually been scared to the point of fainting by Ahema... But at that moment, Ahema suddenly caught a faint smell of urine, and he noticed that a large area around Jia Sidao's crotch was wet. Upon closer inspection, Jia Sidao's eyes had already rolled back, and white foam was gradually seeping from the corners of his mouth... he had actually been scared to the point of fainting by Ahema...

Upon entering the central military tent, Jia Sidao had already instructed his men to prepare a lavish banquet for Ahhema and his entourage. He invited the proud Ahhema to take the seat of honor and kindly inquired whether Ahhema had a difficult journey and if the food and drink were to his liking. He also asked about the recent conditions and health of the Mongolian Fourth Prince Kublai, fully demonstrating his humble and hospitable character. Ahhema, feeling deserving of all this, naturally accepted Jia Sidao's attentions and conveyed the greetings of Fourth Prince Kublai to Jia Sidao, the Right Chancellor of the Song Dynasty, creating a harmonious atmosphere between host and guest.

"I am anxious." The handsome Jia Sidao sighed and then asked Yuan Jie, "Has Song Jing returned? Have the Mongolian envoys arrived? We agreed to meet at the third quarter of the hour, and it is now the second quarter of the hour. Why is there still no news?"

Note 1: The position of Zhengzhuang in the Southern Song army is comparable to that of a modern battalion commander. The organization of the Song army is quite chaotic and complex; this analogy is merely for the sake of understanding and does not fully correspond to modern military structures.

"Chancellor, we cannot negotiate!" As the anguished cries of Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen gradually faded away, the turmoil among the Song army also began to subside, for the soldiers had realized that their commander was resolutely determined to negotiate. He was prepared to exchange the blood and sweat of the common people of Song for his own wealth and glory, in order to secure a temporary withdrawal of the Mongolian army, even though the Mongolian forces were already on the verge of retreating.

"Three days? The time is too tight." Jia Sidao's face showed difficulty, hesitating to voice his objections. After being glared at coldly by Ah He Ma, Jia Sidao quickly changed his words: "Since it is the Fourth Prince's intention, I will certainly comply. However, due to the urgency of the situation, my army currently has only over 40,000 taels of silver and over 30,000 bolts of silk, and it is truly impossible to gather so much within three days. Could you please explain this to the Fourth Prince on my behalf, allowing me to first send 40,000 taels of silver and 30,000 bolts of silk, with the remainder to be supplemented later?"