I, Am a Living Yama; Empress Advises Me to Stay Calm

Although this strategy was undeniably inhumane, its effectiveness could not be denied.
Heichi Changzhi glared at him. “Stop standing around. Quickly find a high-ranking official among the prisoners… We must deliver Prime Minister Yang’s message to the Song Emperor as soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir,” the soldiers responded.
…
“Your Majesty…”
A eunuch in a purple robe hurried over. It was Li Yan, the chief eunuch of the Song Dynasty.
Zhao Ji looked at Li Yan, his expression indifferent. “What is it?”
He looked healthy and well-groomed. Despite the haste of his flight from the capital, he had been little disturbed. His life on the road had remained luxurious, and upon arriving in Lin’an, he had become even more comfortable. Paying no attention to the frontlines, he left all matters to Cai Jing and spent his days writing and painting in the palace.
Li Yan hurriedly spoke. “Chief Censor Wang Fu has been released by the enemy.”
Zhao Ji was taken aback, surprised. “How did Wang Fu get released?”
Li Yan smiled bitterly. “The Great Zhou heard that our Song Dynasty intends to negotiate peace, so they sent Wang Fu to deliver a message and discuss terms with us.”
Zhao Ji’s eyes lit up with joy. “The Great Zhou is willing to negotiate peace?”
Since being forced to move south to Lin’an, Zhao Ji had sought solace in study, writing, and painting to ease his inner turmoil. Though he appeared calm outwardly, inside he was terrified. He feared that one day the Great Zhou would march south and capture him.
Though he had instructed Cai Jing to seek a way to negotiate with the Great Zhou, the enemy had shown no willingness to engage.
Now, unexpectedly, the Great Zhou was willing to negotiate! This was incredibly good news. If the negotiations succeeded, he would no longer live in constant fear.
If he had known this would happen, he would never have provoked the Great Zhou in the first place. He had never expected their ferocity, nor that they would claim half of his empire. Now, he deeply regretted his past actions.
Zhao Ji took a deep breath and said excitedly, “Where is Wang Fu? Bring him to me.”
“Your Majesty,” Wang Fu bowed hastily, tears of excitement streaming down his face.
Zhao Ji looked at Wang Fu, who seemed much older now, with a complex expression. Wang Fu had once been one of his trusted aides, but during their escape from Bianjing, he had been captured by the Great Zhou Army. Now that he had returned alive, Zhao Ji felt a deep internal conflict.
Zhao Ji took a deep breath and spoke seriously.
“Wang Fu, what conditions has the Zhou Dynasty set for a truce?”
Wang Fu quickly recounted everything Heichi Changzhi had instructed him to say.
“What?” Zhao Ji’s face changed, his eyes wide with astonishment. “You want me to issue an edict for the southerners to return to the south and the northerners to return to the north?”
Li Yan, who stood nearby, gasped in shock. This condition seemed very demanding.
Zhao Ji’s expression grew more complex. The Zhou Dynasty wanted them to leave the north in exchange for stability in the south.
To be honest, he was willing. As long as he could live in peace and enjoy his luxurious life, that would be enough for him. As for the north, most of it had already fallen, so it didn’t seem impossible to hand it over to the Great Zhou. But this would undoubtedly hurt the feelings of the northerners.
However, it was all for the good of the country. After all, the Zhou people wouldn’t kill them.
Zhao Ji quickly found a justification for himself and, after a moment of thought, said, “Li Yan, call Cai Jing and the others.”
Li Yan respectfully replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
…
Led by Cai Jing, the Song officials drafted an imperial edict with Emperor Zhao Ji’s approval. Wang Fu then returned to the Great Zhou Camp overnight to inform Heichi Changzhi and the others that the emperor had agreed.
…
The two countries negotiated and signed a treaty. Heichi Changzhi exchanged a promise of non-aggression toward the south for the Song Dynasty’s policy of “Southerners return to the south, northerners return to the north.”
…
The court publicly announced this national policy, causing an uproar.
In the streets:
“Southerners return to the south, northerners return to the north?”
“Ridiculous, ridiculous! We northerners followed the emperor to the south, and now we’re being sent back?”
“That’s right. The north is now occupied by the Zhou army. Does the emperor intend to hand us over to the Zhou?”
“Absurd, absurd! How can there be such a foolish emperor?”
“My wife is from the north, and I am from the south. Does the court want to break up my family?”
Countless citizens were stunned by the announcement. They never expected the emperor, who had retreated to a corner, to issue such a ridiculous edict. A wave of resentment spread across the city.
This policy quickly spread throughout Lin’an, and many citizens of the Song Dynasty fell into despair.
A few days later, the court sent personnel to go door to door, checking household registrations and rounding up northerners to send them back.
In the streets:
The door of a shop was kicked in.
A grim-faced bailiff said coldly, “Your husband is a northerner. Pack your bags and come with us. The court has prepared boats to take you away from Lin’an…”
A woman holding her child looked at the fierce bailiff with fear.
Soon, a timid man was dragged out by several bailiffs.
“Don’t take me! I’m a citizen of the Song Dynasty!” he shouted, struggling.
His wife hastily shouted, “Husband…”
The bailiff kicked the man, knocking him unconscious, and sneered coldly. “Shut up! Northerners, get out!”
The onlookers clenched their fists, their anger almost palpable.
The bailiff noticed the cold stares of the crowd, spat contemptuously, and shouted,
“What are you looking at?”
“Keep staring and I’ll take you all away. Whether you’re a Northerner or not, I decide. If we can’t deal with the Zhou army, we can still deal with you!”
The surrounding citizens immediately turned pale. A feeling of desperation rose in their hearts.
Heaven was condemning the Song Dynasty.
…
This was one of the few remaining cities not yet occupied by the Great Zhou.
At the city wall, a young general stood in blood-stained, battered armor. His features were sharp, and his eyes pierced the distance like a hawk’s.
He looked toward the direction of the Great Zhou Camp, contemplating how to defeat the Zhou army in such a dire situation.
The soldiers standing guard beside him looked at him with admiration.
If it weren’t for General Yue, the north would have been lost long ago. General Yue was the last hope of the northerners.
At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded.