The Jin Subcontractor
“The Mongols are using Jin to keep Song in check. They've already taken all of northern China they can anyway. As long as Jin keeps its head down on its own, the Mongols have no reason to push too hard.”
Song had already made up its mind from the start. Just look at how they were migrating to Goryeo—that said it all. If Jin self-destructed fighting Song, the Mongols could target the west without lifting a finger.
Of course, after stripping Jin bare for so long, it might look like the Mongols were giving up too easily.
“The Mongols making that choice? Leaving alive a nation they tried so hard to kill?”
“It won't matter since we'll make them fight Song anyway, right?”
No issues at all. That was the whole point.
Of course, how long Jin could survive was another question. Unlike Western Xia, Jin had no option to defy the Mongols. Song would surely try to reclaim all of North Song's territory now. Jin had lost too much. Even with time, everything inside was in short supply. A pitiful end for such a great power, crumbling so pathetically.
“But it's good for us too. I wasn't sure how to handle Song.”
“Do you think Jin will beat Song, miss?”
“Those with nowhere to go fight with gritted teeth. Most Jurchens have joined us, but plenty migrated to northern China. They'll fight better than the Han Chinese at least.”
They'd Han-ified, sure, but after battling the Mongol army alongside them, they'd hold their own against Song. And Song had plenty to lose. In original history, Jin had attacked Song even while fighting the Mongols, replenishing lost lands and resources from South Song. Desperate resource grabs, like Imperial Japan expanding fronts—though at least Japan wasn't on the brink of collapse back then. Ultimately, Jin couldn't shake its old instincts.
Bonus: Mongols were fierce, but Song was just a tributary they'd mocked. Jin had racked up grudges. At least three I knew of.
First, the Treaty of Gangneung humiliated Song terribly. Then King Hairong attacked while scorning them. And constant raids after. Even when Mongols hit and Jin was desperate, they still struck Song. From Song's view—reduced to tribute after Gangneung—Jin deserved extermination. Stack one.
Why did Mongols hate Jin so much? Like Goryeo raiding Manchuria to subdue Jurchens, Jin periodically massacred Mongol men. Genghis pushed back because King Hairong brutally killed Ambaghai Khan of the Kamaq Mongols. Stack two for Mongol grudge.
Third? Goryeo. Jin was insolent from our view too. We'd gotten along superficially, but Jurchens—always our vassals—dared found a kingdom and demand tribute. We'd bowed because they were strong, but never sincerely. Tribute was lip service only. To Goryeo, Jin shattered our Haedong worldview. Before Jin, Jurchens groveled; after, they demanded submission. It crushed our emperor-nation pride. Mild compared to Mongol or Song suffering, but national pride shattered. Myocheong's ravings about building our own empire to make Jin surrender showed our feelings.
“Shouldn't we help them?”
“If Jin falls immediately, that's trouble, but...”
Even if Jin lost, reclaiming all North Song meant war with Mongols eventually. Jin's land seemed small now, but would Mongols let Song swallow what they'd beaten down? In history, when Jin collapsed and Song grabbed northern China, furious Mongols started the Song-Mongol war—and eventually destroyed Song. So they'd fight anyway.
“What if Jin falls and Mongols attack us with that momentum?”
“They know attacking us hurts them more. Better to try elsewhere first.”
Goryeo was strong, but couldn't match Song's resources or manpower. That juicy fruit of South Song's riches—why poke the thorny Goryeo? I didn't think so. Manchurian Jurchens backed Goryeo now. They wouldn't bleed for Jin against Mongols or Song. Goryeo had power but no obligation to aid Jin out of "righteousness," unlike with South Song.
I'd love to push to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan Yun, but that meant clashing hard with Mongols. No need to waste strength now.
“If Jin falls, it won't be great for us either.”
“I don't think Jin will collapse that fast. No duty to help, but they have enough military to counterattack Mongols now.”
Not for reclaiming territory, but elite troops left to rampage. Rumor had it Jin's Chonghyo Army matched Goryeo's Byeolcho Army in prowess—Jin’s strongest force. With ace generals Wan An Jin-hwa-sang and Wan An Hap-dal as twin pillars, they wouldn't fall to Song while those two lived.
Song finally resolved to conquer Jin. Mongols had battered them, Goryeo took Liaodong, masses fled to Goryeo—they judged Jin barely breathing. Pretext perfect: reclaim North Song lands.
Song appointed the Qiao brothers—Qiao Fang and Qiao Gui—as Pacification Commissioners to oversee military and local order, and Meng Gong as Supreme Commander of the Jin conquest army.
“How many years since the humiliation of Gangneung! Jin's horde, broken by fierce steppe Mongols, offers the perfect chance to avenge our past shame and restore Song's old lands. Supreme Commander, lead the army north against the Mongols; Qiao brothers, support from behind!”
By Emperor Lizong's decree, Meng Gong marched north.
“Damn Song bastards! Seeing our Great Jin weakened, they dare raise their heads!”
Emperor Aizong of Jin raged. No choice. Song invaded; Mongols demanded tribute from Song spoils or perish. Not just defend—raid south and repay. Mongols watched the Sixteen Prefectures like hawks. With the Mongol front settled, Aizong threw all forces south.
He named Wan An Hap-dal Chancellor and Supreme Marshal, overall commander against Song; Wan An Jin-hwa-sang—Jin's lone spear against Mongols—Right Deputy Marshal leading Chonghyo Army as right wing; and Mushen—solid record holding Mongols—as Left Deputy Marshal for left wing.
Meng Gong's initial invasion reached near Kaifeng but stalled against Wan An Jin-hwa-sang's Chonghyo Army and Mushen's local forces. Then Wan An Hap-dal counterattacked, staking Jin's fate.
Jin repelled Song ace Meng Gong's attack. Inevitable. Even crumbling Jin had armies forged in Mongol hellfire. Song's assaults were child's play. Not just game theory—history showed Song lacked conquest power over Jin; Jin could raid despite parity.
Mongols flayed them, but now it was plunder, not occupation. Different story.
“Just as you predicted, Commander.”
In the Yousu Office, Kim Gyeongson marveled at events unfolding exactly.
“You could've predicted this too, General Kim Gyeongson.”
“Jin has Mongol-surviving elites; Song's a great power but effete, they say. Seeing it happen is still amazing.”
Not all great powers equal. Song—over 80 million, cultural giant—was pathetically weak. Soul-stripped by Mongols, nearly lost at Yasui.
“Merchants with passes trading through Mongol lands say Mongols demand Song plunder from Jin to let them live.”
In short, subcontractor. Jin plunders Song, hands to Mongols for trade—with us or the west. Unlike before, Jin would raid Song relentlessly to survive.
“To survive, Jin will repel Song and push south instead.”
“Does Jin have the power to attack Song?”
If just power? Yes.
“Occupation? Maybe not. But plunder? Plenty possible. Surround key Yangtze hub Yangyang, scorch surrounding granaries—Song's momentum breaks. They might offer tribute to halt.”
Focus on the key: not conquest, plunder. Jin couldn't occupy, but pure raiding changed everything.
“Tribute's annual anyway—won't satisfy Mongols' immediate loot demands?”
Right. Mongols won't wait: “Tribute from Song takes time.” They want Jin weakening Song via bites. Steady tribute insufficient; must subcontract pure plunder.
“If Jin reaches Yangyang, past Song recovery lines, and Jin cavalry hits prosperous trade hub Yangzhou?”
Block canals, raid caravans—ample loot for Mongols. Plus, huge gold/silver from Yangzhou without sieging, for no-attack promise.
“So, pure plunder lets Jin extort vast sums from Yangzhou without assault.”
“Exactly. Jin's suffered much from Song war, lost population/land to Mongols—no conquest capacity left.”
Thus, Jin wouldn't go south of Yangtze.