Chapter 883 81: The Tenfold Sinner, Gu Hui the Deposed Emperor

The passage of time, the years like a shuttle.

The situation of the entire world changes continuously with the passage of time.

——Wanyan Digü naturally agreed to Zhao Gou's request at the first moment. In fact, for Wanyan Digü, choosing to suspend the offensive back then already showed his intention.

In his eyes, Zhao Gou was not a threat.

On the contrary——

He preferred having such an emperor as a foil. As long as he remained in power, the entire Great Song would show no signs of improvement, that was certain.

This time was no exception.

Zhao Gou not only came to seek peace but was even willing to offer annual tributes, which was an unexpected joy.

Why would he refuse?

To incite Zhao Gou to quickly take action against Gu Hui, Wanyan Digü even provided him with plenty of grain, which indeed was beyond Zhao Gou's expectations.

This only served to make Zhao Gou even more arrogant.

...

The eleventh year of Shaoxing, April.

——The situation changed again!

Zhao Gou almost immediately initiated various actions against Gu Hui.

First of all, it was defamation!

Gu Hui's reputation was indeed useful, even in the current situation, the name of Gu could still bring him much aid.

In the Chuigong Hall, a "Proclamation to Suppress Rebellion" meticulously crafted by the Hanlin Academy and stamped with the emperor's Jade Seal was solemnly read. This proclamation was not an ordinary military letter, but a total accusation incorporating all imaginable slanders by the Zhao Song court against Gu Hui.

The proclamation opened with "Celestial Mandate" and "the Three Bonds and Five Relationships" as banners, loudly accusing Gu Hui: "You, born of the Gu Clan, have enjoyed the kindness of the state for generations, yet you do not think of repayment, but harbor the heart of a nocturnal bird, and act as a tyrant's dog!"

Then, it listed the "Ten Major Crimes" of Gu Hui, each one intended to consign him to eternal damnation:

"Firstly, disrespecting lord and father, presuming to claim dignity! Publicly trying the prime minister at Yingtian Prefecture, where does this place the emperor's authority? This is the chief evil of heinous treason!"

"Secondly, destroying the Three Bonds and Five Relationships, corrupting ethics! Wantonly killing scholars and gentry, indulging the lower classes, reversing the hierarchy, destroying human relations, etiquette collapsing and music corrupt!"

"Thirdly, colluding with foreign enemies, inviting wolves into the house! Secretly communicating with Jin invaders, wanting to tear apart Huaxia's territory, truly a traitor to the nation!"

"Fourthly, spreading demonic words, poisoning all beings! Spreading the heresy of 'people are greater, monarchs lesser', 'the law does not bow to the nobility', confusing the ignorant, shaking the national foundation!"

"Fifthly, embezzling state funds, oppressing the people! Under the guise of equal land distribution, tax reduction, committing robbery and plundering, making life unbearable in the Northern Border!"

"The sixth..."

The proclamation exaggerated the slander to the utmost, depicting Gu Hui as an eternal sinner embodying disloyalty, unfilialness, unkindness, and irreverence, colluding with foreign enemies, and causing chaos in the world. Between the lines was filled with fear and hatred for all the new policies Gu Hui advocated.

This absolutely took everyone by surprise.

After all, Gu Hui bore the surname Gu.

The central court portraying the Gu Clan's offspring as utterly beyond redemption had never happened before in history.

However, those at court and Zhao Gou were evidently aware of this.

In the proclamation, they deliberately highlighted the relationship between Gu Hui and the Julu Gu Clan, using various statements to sever the ties between the two.

In a nutshell, it was against Gu Hui, not against the Gu Clan!

News spread, and the world was shocked!

In an instant, in the public opinion arena controlled by Zhao Gou's court, the name Gu Hui was utterly equated with "national traitor", "rebellious bandit", and "demon".

Scholars and literati across Jiangnan zealously attacked, composing poems and essays, denouncing Gu Hui for "destroying human relations", comparing him to the likes of historical figures Wang Mang and Dong Zhuo.

Zhao Gou, seated high in the temple, listened to the echoing voices of "shared hatred of the enemy" from various places, reading the fervent writings condemning Gu Hui, his hollow confidence swelling evermore.

He seemed to see himself standing on the moral high ground, about to send an "army of righteousness" to suppress a "universal forsaken" rebel.

"The people's will can be used, righteousness is with me!" Zhao Gou confidently declared to the ministers, "Order all armies, where the proclamation reaches, there is the direction of the Royal Army's spearhead! Northern Expedition, suppress the rebellion!"

The war orders were issued from the Chuigong Hall.

——In late April of the eleventh year of Shaoxing.

Against the backdrop of reaching a secret agreement with Jin, temporarily securing peace on the northern border, the Zhao Song court could focus its strength, directing its military might towards its greatest internal threat——the forces of Gu Hui and Yue Fei entrenched in Hebei, Daming Prefecture, and even parts of eastern Shandong.

The specific military strategy, resolved by the Secretariat, was quickly promulgated:

"Appoint, Zhang Jun, the Jianghuai Military Commissioner, as the commander of the Northern Expedition, overall in charge!

Lead the main force of eighty thousand elite soldiers, along with fifty thousand stationed in the Two Huai areas, to immediately rally in Yingtian Prefecture and march north. The main forces to advance along the old route of Bian River, through Caozhou State, Pu Yang, with their military might aiming straight at the rebellious stronghold of Daming Prefecture!"

"This is the Central Route Army, shouldering the main attack responsibility, aiming to conquer this critical point in Hebei, shaking the foundation of the rebels!"

"Appoint, Yang Yizhong, the commander of the palace guard, as the Left-wing Commander!

Lead thirty thousand of the palace guards elite, and gather the water and land forces of Huai West, advancing north from Bozhou along the Guo River, operating around Weinan and Huazhou regions, sweeping the southern bank of the Yellow River, severing potential contacts between the rebels and Henan remnants, and seizing the opportunity to cross the river to threaten the rebels' flank!"

"Appoint, Liu Qi, the commander of Pengri and Tianwu troops, as the Right-wing Commander!

Lead forty thousand of the Capital Region's Forbidden Army and reinforcements from Jing Lake, advancing north from Chen Prefecture and Cai Prefecture, targeting directly the Yingchang Prefecture controlled by the rebels! This is the critical point of the eastern line, must be recaptured, and then advance towards Jinan Prefecture and Dongping Prefecture** to form a pincer attack with the Central Route Army!"**