When he learned that the Ming army had landed in Jiangnan and was heading south, Zhao Hao did not react for a while.
After he came to his senses, Zhao Hao was so shocked that he almost lost his balance. The waiter beside him quickly reached out to support Zhao Hao.
After calming down for a moment, Zhao Gou quickly asked.
"How could this happen? Has General Liu been defeated? He is still ill. Could it be that his illness has affected the war? Zhenjiang Prefecture has 40,000 troops and 20,000 forbidden troops sent by the imperial court to support them. A total of 60,000 troops. It’s only been ten days, how could we be defeated?”
The new Privy Councilor Ye Yiwen was also quite surprised by this. He did not expect that less than twenty days after the war started, Liu Qi was defeated, Huainan was lost, and even the Yangtze River defense line was breached.
Liu Qi is known as a famous general and is famous in the army. In the eyes of the court, Liu Qi can persist for a long time.
As a result, they were defeated so quickly and lost the entire Zhenjiang Capital Division.
How is this going?
Zhao Hao was not mentally prepared for Liu Qi's defeat and Jiang Fang's fall.
He was not that worried when the Ming Navy threatened Lin'an City before, because he believed that the Ming Navy could not use more troops to threaten Lin'an City on land.
But the Ming Army Army is different. The Army really has the possibility to threaten Lin'an City!
And in his opinion, the total strength of the Ming army was only tens of thousands. How could the 60,000 Song army led by Liu Qi be defeated so quickly and lose the Yangtze River defense line?
Is the Ming army too good at fighting or the Song army is too useless?
Zhao Xun quickly convened a meeting with the Prime Minister's team and the main generals of the Forbidden Army.
The result of the meeting was to immediately send the Sanya imperial army north to defend the important town of Huzhou to ensure that even in the worst case scenario, the Ming army would not threaten Huzhou.
If the Ming army threatens Huzhou, it can directly threaten Lin'an through Huzhou. By then, Lin'an will have no danger to defend. The Ming army will move down the river and arrive at night. Lin'an is the real danger, and the scene that happened before is the real danger. A real threat.
Zhao Min deeply felt the threat, so he immediately appointed Zhao Mi, the commander-in-chief of the front department, as the commander-in-chief of Huzhou. He led the 30,000-strong imperial army of the three yamen to go north to Huzhou and hold on to Huzhou without any loss.
Sixty-one-year-old Zhao Mi was embarrassed, but he did not dare to disobey the order. He could only accept the request and led 30,000 forbidden troops north to Huzhou to defend.
Zhao Mi just cooperated with the civil servants to get rid of Yang Cunzhong in order to enjoy the addiction of the first soldier in his last moments as an official. But who knew that such a thing happened before the position of the first soldier was popular.
He has no confidence in whether he can hold on to Huzhou.
After Zhao Mi left, Zhao Xun realized that his previous estimate of the battle situation was too optimistic. The Ming army's combat effectiveness far exceeded his imagination, so much so that Liu Qi, the meritorious general in his heart, was defeated.
Now that the Ming army has successfully crossed the river, it will definitely threaten the Jiangnan area. Can Jiangnan, which has not experienced war for a long time, really be able to withstand this huge risk?
Zhao Min was not sure at all.
So he found Shi Hao and told Shi Hao his doubts and uneasiness.
Shi Hao comforted him.
"Although the situation is critical, there may not be no chance to reverse it. The Ming army's expedition will inevitably make logistics difficult. As long as any city can be held by our army, it will be enough to put the Ming army's logistics into trouble. By then, it will be the Great Song Dynasty opportunity."
Zhao Min looked at Shi Hao.
"Teacher, you said that the Song Dynasty is likely to be defeated in this battle. Do you think so now?"
Shi Hao was silent for a while before slowly speaking.
"Your Majesty has only been on the throne for a few days, and it cannot change the situation of poverty and weakness in the Song Dynasty. Your Majesty needs time, and the Song Dynasty also needs time."
Shi Hao said this very tactfully. Although it was tactful, Zhao Hao could also understand the meaning behind his words.
Shi Hao didn't think the Southern Song Dynasty could turn defeat into victory at this time, even if they had just changed emperors.
Perhaps it is precisely because the emperor has just been changed, and there are even super unfavorable factors such as changing coaches on the spot.
However, Zhao Min didn't see it that way.
"Teacher, I don't think that the Song Dynasty will inevitably be defeated and the Ming Dynasty will inevitably win. In the past, I had no power and I couldn't do anything, but it's different now. I have power and I can do what I want to do, teacher. , I hate failure.”
Shi Hao looked at Zhao Xin and slowly shook his head.
"Your Majesty, what you lack is not courage, but time. What I want to say in my heart is to stop here. Make peace with the Ming Dynasty, accept their request, and stop this meaningless war. In this way, can we still Save something.”
Zhao Min stared at Shi Hao for a long time.
"Teacher, do you want me to be a surrendering emperor as soon as I ascend the throne?"
"I don't hope it at all, but the Supreme Emperor's hasty abdication was beyond my expectation. Lao Cheng never expected that the Supreme Emperor would actually..."
"My father is getting old, and there are always things that I, the younger man, need to take on!"
Zhao Hao slapped the table and stood up, his face full of anger: "Some people are afraid of the Ming Dynasty, but I am not afraid. Some people think that the Song Dynasty will definitely be defeated, but I don't think so! I still have soldiers and generals, and I still have food. I still have money and everything I need to fight, so why can’t I strive for victory? Do I have to surrender just after I ascend the throne?”
Shi Hao lowered his head and sighed helplessly after listening to what Zhao Hao had said.
"Your Majesty has made up his mind, I have nothing to say."
"Teacher, I don't mean anything against you, I just don't want to surrender or bear the shame."
Seeing that Shi Hao seemed unhappy, Zhao Hao walked down the steps and walked to Shi Hao and comforted him gently: "Teacher is an important minister of the country. At present, it is limited to qualifications and achievements. I can't give the teacher too high a status, but in my heart , teachers are the real candidates for prime minister."
Shi Hao, who was over 60 years old, was not very excited about the pie drawn by Zhao Hao.
Of course he likes power and high position, so that he can do more things and realize his ideals.
But Shi Hao had already vaguely seen Zhao Min's future.
The future should not have been like this. The future should have been clearer. When an amateur emperor without political baggage came to power, there were too many possibilities and too many futures.
But he never expected that Zhao Gou would not take responsibility to this extent, and that Zhao Gou would be so timid.
You should surrender before abdicating!
You should take the blame and then abdicate!
You should leave your innocence to Zhao Hao and then live your comfortable life!
Why are you leaving?
What are you afraid of! ! !
When Shi Hao learned that Zhao Gou had hurriedly abdicated the throne and handed the throne to Zhao Hao, he almost screamed hysterically at home, banged the table and smashed the benches. At that time, his decades of self-cultivation were completely shattered, and his family was frightened. .
Zhao Gou didn't want to think more about the Song Dynasty until the last moment. He broke his promise until the last moment. For the so-called safety, he was so timid that he ran away before the Ming army even landed. He couldn't even wait for a moment.
Why!
Why are you so timid?
Once you leave, Zhao Xun's political resume will start from an extremely disgraceful moment, which will leave a heavy shadow on his future ruling career!
Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Da Song was harmed by you! ! !
Shi Hao cried bitterly for a long time, and he didn't stop crying even after learning that Zhao Hao had promoted him to the position of political advisor.
It took a while before Shi Hao stopped crying and finally recognized the reality.
Many previous plans may be in vain. He must find a new path of reform under the premise of Zhao Xun's defeat and surrender to change the current poor and weak state of the Song Dynasty.
But now, looking at Zhao Yan who insisted on going his own way and did not want to take the blame, the ominous premonition in Shi Hao's heart became stronger.
The army of the Song Dynasty was in a state of overwhelming defeat. In this case, surrendering voluntarily was the best way to stop losses. If the war continued, in addition to losing troops and generals, more war compensation would have to be paid, which would only make the country more vulnerable. Song was even more traumatized.
However, Zhao Min would never listen to him.
Therefore, Shi Hao only had the last trace of luck left in his heart - could a genius in the Song Dynasty be as good at fighting as Yue Fei could turn the tide?
If you can, all problems will be solved.
However, there is no if in reality.
On April 18, another news came from the north, saying that the 20,000 imperial troops who had gone north to attack the Song army had also been defeated and were in retreat. The Ming army was pursuing it with all its strength. It continued to penetrate deeper and had captured Liyang.
