Chapter 8, Current Situation

As for those servants who used to find amusement in teasing him, now they would not dare to provoke Gao Huaiyuan even if it meant death. The fate of Li's servant is vividly etched in memory, having been beaten to near death by Gao Jian's orders and then thrown onto the street, becoming a cripple who begs for a living. His end can be described as tragically miserable. No one among the servants dares to provoke Gao Huaiyuan any longer.

In his previous life, Gao Huaiyuan had some understanding of history, but he was not a historian. Regarding many matters of the Southern Song Dynasty, he only knew a little on the surface. After his rebirth, the foolish boy had been muddled and left with no useful knowledge in his mind. Therefore, to comprehend the current situation, he had to start from scratch. A few days ago, he could not learn much from Liu'er alone, and within the Gao residence, he had no one to converse with. Thus, he could only wander the streets every day, engaging in conversations with unfamiliar people to gain insights into the current circumstances.

After a few days, he began to understand various matters of this time. The current emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty is Emperor Ningzong Zhao Kuo, and the eighth year of the Jiaqing era should roughly correspond to the year 1213. However, he did not have the ability to pinpoint the exact year.

Although Gao Jian agreed to let him go out for leisure and allowed a servant to accompany him, Gao Huaiyuan was never willing to take any servants with him when he went out. Moreover, very few of these servants were willing to accompany him, so essentially, after his first outing, he would leave home alone. This way, he could walk freely and go wherever he pleased.

He patted his pockets; aside from this and the clothes from the library, Gao Jian had not given him any money to spend. It could be said that he was dressed well but had empty pockets. Gao Huaiyuan could only shake his head and give a wry smile before turning to walk towards the Gao residence

With the fall of the Jin Dynasty, the good days of the Southern Song Dynasty were completely over. The Mongol army would soon march south, plunging the Southern Song into a state of turmoil, leaving no day of peace to be had again

Upon thinking of this, Gao Huaiyuan let out a sigh, lamenting that he truly was born at the wrong time! In this lifetime, it seems difficult to live a peaceful and stable life! It is likely that in his old age, he may still have to face a blade from the Mongols!

Moreover, he also heard that in the fourth year of Jiading, Genghis Khan led his troops to attack the Jin Dynasty, while the Western Xia adopted a more mixed approach, choosing to ally with the Mongolian army. They aimed to take advantage of the Jin Dynasty's weakness, just as they had done when dealing with the Northern Song, and thus dispatched a large army to attack the Jin from the flanks. As a result, Western Xia and the Jin Dynasty found themselves in an irreconcilable situation, facing not only the fierce Mongolian army but also having to remain vigilant against each other's forces. The shortsightedness of both sides hastened their own demise. Although neither Western Xia nor the Jin Dynasty had yet been destroyed by the Mongols, that day would not be far off!

At this time, it was also the peak of Genghis Khan's power, and the Jin and Western Xia kingdoms in the north of the Southern Song were likely to face turmoil soon. He did not remember clearly which year the Jin and Western Xia were specifically destroyed by the Mongols, but he knew that these two kingdoms could hardly last much longer

Gao Huaiyuan was well aware of the reasons behind this, which is why he found solace in hetushu.com, becoming increasingly disinclined to engage with the Gao family. He regarded the items given to him by Gao Jian with disdain, selecting only a few casual garments from the clothing sent by the servants. As for silk shirts and similar attire, he had no interest in wearing them. With nothing pressing to do, Gao Huaiyuan spent his days indulging in meals and wandering around, taking in the scenery of Shaoxing while keeping abreast of the current situation.

After the incident of severely beating the wicked servant, Gao Huaiyuan became the focus of discussion among the people in the residence. He also began to attract the attention of his father, Gao Jian, and his status in the household significantly improved. Although he still resided in the same small courtyard, the quality of his life saw considerable enhancement. Gao Jian ordered the renovation of the small courtyard for both him and Liu'er, replacing the dilapidated furniture in the house and providing Gao Huaiyuan with some new clothing. Even Liu'er no longer had to wear the tattered clothes she used to wear.

While walking, he suddenly heard the cries of a child ahead. Assuming it was nothing serious, Gao Huaiyuan casually walked over, intending to see what was happening. After turning a street corner, he came upon several boys, roughly his age, surrounding a slightly younger boy, beating him with fists and kicks. The younger boy was knocked to the ground, crying out loudly.

After a period of organization and understanding, Gao Huaiyuan has also verified these matters in recent days. A few years ago, the Mongolian army invaded the Western Xia, and the Western Xia suffered greatly at the hands of the Mongols, seeking assistance from the Jin Dynasty. However, the Jin's Emperor Wenshao refused to send troops to aid the Western Xia, adopting a stance of observation. Consequently, the people of Western Xia harbored resentment towards the Jin Dynasty

Although the Southern Song Dynasty was filled with songs and dances, there were still some discussions among the people regarding the military conflicts involving the Mongol and Jin armies in the north. The common folk of the Southern Song expressed great excitement when this matter was brought up. They believed that the Jin Dynasty, which had once bullied the Great Song to the utmost, was now facing its own misfortunes, viewing this as a form of retribution. The enmity between the Song and Jin dynasties could be described as a deep-seated feud; the Northern Song was destroyed at the hands of the Jin, and the humiliation of the Jingkang Incident remains a source of shame for the Song people even to this day. Therefore, upon hearing that the Mongols were defeating the Jin forces decisively, it was only natural for them to revel in this turn of events.

Unfortunately, no country has such a wise leader emerge. Instead of uniting under such dangerous circumstances, the three kingdoms not only failed to collaborate but also dispersed their energies by waging wars against neighboring nations. Not only did they engage in brutal conflicts that resulted in heavy casualties, but they also squandered vast amounts of military and financial resources. When the Mongol army decided to annihilate them, it was too late for each of them to regret, and ultimately, they all became victims of the Mongols.

Not to mention that Gao Huaiyuan had to eat the leftovers of others, overall he had begun to attain some status as the third son of the Gao family. However, Gao Huaiyuan felt no gratitude towards Gao Jian for these efforts. In his view, these were things that rightfully belonged to him, merely delayed in coming. He understood very well that one must rely on their own strength to speak for themselves. If he continued to be foolish, then Gao Jian would still not regard him with even a glance.

Based on the analysis of materials I have occasionally seen in the past, the leaders of the Song, Jin, and Western Xia states were increasingly confused regarding the Mongolian situation, with none of them possessing a clear understanding. If the leaders of these three countries had been insightful individuals, a coalition among the three states, or even a partnership between two of them, could have effectively resisted the Mongolian forces. In such a scenario, it would not have been easy for the Mongols to conquer any one of these countries.

Initially, they were puzzled as to how a boy of around twelve or thirteen years, Gao Huaiyuan, could knock out a sturdy servant under the Li family. Later, they secretly learned from the servant who had been thrown out of the Gao residence that despite his youth, Gao Huaiyuan possessed an extraordinary amount of strength. With a single punch, he sent the servant flying, followed by a series of blows that left the adult with no ability to fight back. Consequently, the servants in the residence regarded Gao Huaiyuan as a monster, and during their idle moments, they not only avoided provoking him but also kept their distance as if fearing for their safety.

However, when he looks down at his own physique, Gao Huaiyuan finds himself at a loss. Although he is mature in thought, his body is that of a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy. Moreover, due to his position at home, it is difficult for him to accomplish anything.

Thus, Gao Huaiyuan engaged in deep contemplation, finally organizing a rough outline of the historical memories in his mind. It is currently the reign of Emperor Ningzong of the Song Dynasty, which means that the powerful minister in the court today should be the historically renowned prime minister, Shi Miyuan

Walking on the streets of Shaoxing, Gao Huaiyuan was filled with emotions. To revisit Shaoxing in this era was something he had never even imagined. In his past life, as Huang Tao, he had been here once, and now returning to Shaoxing brought a completely different feeling.

Shaoxing Prefecture has been known as a land of fish and rice since ancient times. Before the Northern Song Dynasty, it was referred to as Yuezhou. When the Northern Song was destroyed by the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Gaozong, fleeing south from the pursuit of Jin Wuzhu, once took refuge here, treating Yuezhou as a temporary capital. The following year, it was renamed Shaoxing Prefecture, thus giving Shaoxing its name

Although Shaoxing cannot be considered a major city like the Southern Song capital of Hangzhou, its scenery is exceptionally beautiful. The city was established early, with a network of rivers crisscrossing through it, presenting a quintessential view of a Jiangnan water town. Additionally, the local wine industry is well-developed, and the numerous small bridges in the city have earned it the reputation of being the "Venice of the East." Despite wandering around for several days, Gao Huaiyuan had not explored every part of the city. Therefore, he chose a path he had not taken before, heading back to the Gao residence while also taking the opportunity to see places he had not yet visited. After all, having been reborn, it is better to see as much as possible. Moreover, he could use this time to contemplate what he should do in the future.

Emperor Ningzong of Song was not considered a wise ruler; he previously allowed the treacherous minister Han Tuozhou to monopolize power and supported Han's northern expedition. However, Han Tuozhou recklessly launched the northern campaign without adequate preparation in the Southern Song, resulting in a devastating defeat at the hands of the Jin army, which not only drained the national strength of the Southern Song but also nearly led to the loss of all its elite troops

The other so-called relatives within the Gao family still do not associate with Gao Huaiyuan, and the reasons are quite simple. Firstly, Gao Huaiyuan comes from a poor background; regardless of whether he is foolish or not now, he is still merely the illegitimate child of a maid, and there is no need to engage with him. Secondly, due to Gao Huaiyuan being struck by lightning this time, many people consider him to be an ominous person, viewing him as a monster, and thus they are unwilling to approach him, merely regarding him as insignificant.

This event dealt a significant blow to the Southern Song Dynasty. It was precisely during this time that Emperor Ning became disheartened. Furthermore, Han Tuozhou was ambushed and killed by hidden troops colluding with the current powerful minister, Shi Miyuan, and was beheaded, with his head sent to the Jin Dynasty as a gift. It can be said that the Southern Song has completely lost the courage to look north and is resolutely determined to seek refuge and security in the Jiangnan region