In the middle of the seventh month of the tenth year of Wu Jianshuo, banners fluttered along the mountain range to the south of Jin.
Yanhu Pass, northwest of Jin Ning prefecture. A small half of the newly built pass had already been engulfed in a sea of fire. On the southern city wall that had already been breached, groups of soldiers swarmed into the city. Under the forest of banners, the flames flickered against the pale faces of the soldiers.
In the city that had already been breached, the fighting continued fiercely. Yu Yulin led his troops to help the fortifications in the city and refused to retreat. Catapults and heavy crossbows were fired in the direction of the breach. Yu Yulin, wrapped in bandages, stood at the highest point of the city and directed the battle. The flames caused the burning atmosphere to rise into the sky.
Ever since the city wall was breached, the battle had already lasted for a day and a night. The stubborn resistance within the city showed no signs of stopping, so much so that the soldiers outside the pass no longer had the same drive as before. But no matter what, the large attacking army that had the upper hand continued to push their troops into the pass. In the mountains to the east of Yanhu Pass, the silhouettes of soldiers waiting to advance were densely packed.
Since Tian Shi was assassinated on the 22nd of the first month, at the end of the second month and the beginning of the third month, the pro-Jin faction led by Liao Yiren had essentially divided up the Jin. In the fifth month, Weisheng broke into the city. Under Lou Shuwan's resolute order, the entire city was burned to the ground. At this time, the Western Army led by Wanyan Zonghan and Xi Yin chose to directly head south. They appointed the Liao family as the leader to lead the extermination of the anti-Jin forces in Jin.
Lou Shuwan and the others abandoned Weisheng and retreated to the mountains to the west and south, relying on the increasingly rugged terrain and passes to defend. The pro-Jin faction that had just defected to the Jin mobilized a large number of troops and pushed in this direction. On the 8th of the seventh month, after being trapped for more than a month, Yanhu Pass was torn open by the enemy due to a group of soldiers defecting to their side.
To the west of Yanhu Pass, the people who were unwilling to surrender were still densely packed into the mountains under Lou Shuwan and the others' jurisdiction. To the southeast of Yanhu Pass, Wang Juyun, who was leading the Wisdom King's Army to try to rescue them, was blocked by General Chen Longzhou, who led more than fifty thousand soldiers of the pro-Jin faction.
The setting sun was like blood. Amidst the rugged mountain terrain, You Hongzhuo brandished his blade and fought. His face was sinister, and his body was covered in blood. A terrifying wound extended from his shoulder down. In this mountain, the twelve Woodland people who had accepted the mission were escorting the scouts to Yanhu Pass. They wanted to report to Yu Yulin that An Xifu had led a small group of soldiers to take a detour. However, they were discovered by the scouts of the surrendered Jin army on the way. After a round of fighting, only five people, including You Hongzhuo, were left.
You Hongzhuo let out a loud roar and rushed forward, following the momentum of the spear into the range of the opponent's spear shadows, his long saber slashing out. His opponent dodged, and the body of the spear pushed away You Hongzhuo's desperate attack. Then, he retracted his spear and stabbed forward. The injured and exhausted You Hongzhuo's body swayed a little. He saw the tip of the spear in front of him, but it was already too late to dodge. At this moment, a figure came from the side. The spear broke into pieces in the air. A huge figure grabbed the broken tip of the spear in the air and casually stabbed the spear wielder's neck as he moved forward.
"… This is the Wang family's spear of Yannan. It is agile but lacks inner strength. It is suitable for fighting in battle. However, if your inner strength is deep and your attainments are higher than his, there is nothing to fear … Cannon and hammer, the best fighter now is Chen Fan from the south. In the hands of these two, it is a disgrace to martial arts. Idiotic moves … This saber wielder originally learned the form of a tiger. It has an empty stance and no momentum. Look at the tiger in my hand …"
You Hongzhuo's figure staggered. The figure had already walked into the crowd. His pace did not seem fast, but as the sound spread, the figure punched and kicked. His sleeves fluttered and the wind was like thunder. The figures of the scouts in front of him seemed to have encountered the situation of flying in the battlefield. In an instant, they were sent flying left and right. Later, he struck out with the Tiger Form Fist. The roar of a fierce tiger could be faintly heard in the air. The figures in front of him spilled blood into the sky, as if they had exploded.
Such deep inner strength and attainments in martial arts that had reached perfection. You Hongzhuo had only vaguely seen it in the Zhao couple back then, and the Eight-Armed Dragon King who was by the female minister's side. At this time, his injuries were too severe, and his vision was already wavering. Before the arrival of this master, both sides had already engaged in a fierce battle. There were now eleven or twelve people on the opposite side, but in a short while, only one person with a spear was left. The huge figure waved his hand behind him, and a child who had previously been hiding under a tree was summoned over.
"… I have said before that when using a spear in the forest, an inch of length is an inch of strength. What should we do against him? Ping 'an, take out your knife. Today, he is yours … "
The child at the back was short and seemed to be no more than five or six years old. At this time, You Hongzhuo naturally could not remember the child he had saved in Zezhou. The child named Ping 'an was trembling, and under his master's command, he took out his dagger, but did not dare to move forward.
The person in front of him just laughed, "Ping 'an, what did I say? In Jianghu, chivalry comes first. Now that the world is in turmoil, these traitors have sided with the Jin people and bullied the Han people. Death cannot wipe out their crimes. Think about the scenes that I have shown you these days. Think about those damned Jin soldiers you have seen these days. Think about those children who are the same age as you! Do not be afraid! They deserve to die! They deserve to die! They may be a few years older than you, and they are taller, but their necks are also soft! Today, I will hold the line for you. Go and see their blood … "
As he spoke, he grabbed the child's clothes and threw him out. The child's body tumbled in the air, screaming. The last scout in front of him could not help but stab him with his spear. On the other side, the huge figure who was highly skilled in martial arts waved his sleeves, and the child's body fell onto the body of the spear. With a few clangs, the child's figure was knocked to the ground. The man with the spear fell to the ground, but he got up again. He reached out to touch his neck, and blood spurted out, falling on the face of the child who was trying to get up. The spear-wielder's throat had been slit by the dagger.
"Hahahaha, good …" You Hongzhuo heard a deep laugh beside his ear, and the setting sun spread like blood. "Ping 'an! Good! From today onwards, you are a real man, and you will not be inferior to anyone … "
The atmosphere of the chaotic world had changed, and even the scene in front of him would not be strange anymore. The pervasive smoke rose to the sky, and people were fighting and struggling under the sky.
In the Liangshan Marsh, a small boat passed through the reeds. The people on the boat held their breath as they saw the bodies floating on the water in front of them. As they walked along the bodies, the sounds of fighting gradually became clearer. Then, they killed their way out of the reeds and converged on the battlefield in the open water ahead.
Cannons were like thunder, arrows were flying, and soldiers were fighting everywhere on the boat, on the water, and under the water. On a large official boat, the gunpowder was ignited, and the huge explosion was accompanied by flames gushing out of the cabin. The boat sank to the bottom of the water with smoke.
Southwest, Chengdu Plain. The flood situation in the summer had eased. After completing the task of fighting the flood and defending the achievements of the Huaxia Army in the first year of expansion, the Huaxia Fifth Army returned to the rhythm of training and preparation for war. Small-scale conscription had also been carried out in an orderly manner. In theory, once this year's autumn harvest was completed, the Huaxia Army in the southwest could enter a new round of expansion.
Zhang Village, the core of the Huaxia Army, the General Staff Headquarters, had already entered a tense state as early as June. On one hand, they were receiving information from the outside world and studying the various weaknesses of the Jurchen army. On the other hand, they were calculating and predicting the development of the war based on previous information. In fact, considering the inevitable war in the future, all kinds of targeted war preparations had to be submitted and communicated with the logistics department.
Information on the situation of the eastern and western routes was transmitted every day and summarized in Zhang Village. There was always an hour every day for everyone to gather and analyze and discuss in groups. After that, all kinds of tasks would be assigned to each person. For example, they would analyze the war thinking and habits of the high-ranking Jurchen generals such as Zong Han, Xi Yin, Zong Fu, and Zong Bi according to the confirmed situation of the battle. Then, based on the psychological analysis of each of them, they would establish a rough logical framework to analyze the next decision they might make.
Although it seemed like an armchair strategist, it was quite accurate in predicting the behavior of some simple-minded generals.
In the last few days, the most praiseworthy thing in the General Staff Headquarters was Yue Fei's tactical movements on the western route. He had been operating in Xiangyang for a long time, and with the arrival of the Jurchen Zhenrens, he was the first to besiege Dengzhou and then attack the reinforcements.
The Jurchen general Ali Scue had been guarding Bianliang, and through plundering in the Central Plains, he had gathered tens of thousands of heavy cavalry. For a period of time, the Jin were keen on developing the Iron Buddhas. It was only when the use of wooden cannons and gunpowder became more and more powerful, and when the iron cannons were invented that Xi Yin realized the limitations of the heavy cavalry and gradually stopped. However, a large number of armored heavy cavalry was still a force that could not be ignored on the battlefield. Ali Scue had taken over part of the Jin Kingdom's Iron Buddhas and later replenished them in the Central Plains, expanding the Iron Buddhas to nearly ten thousand. When he saw Yue Fei attack Dengzhou this time, he rushed over with a roar.
Yue Fei's Beiwei Army was twenty miles north of Dengzhou and completed the selection and deployment of the battlefield in a very short period of time. After the two sides engaged in close combat, both sides began to fight fiercely. Yue Fei cleverly built several lines of defense with iron cannons, while Ali Scue attempted to use his heavy cavalry to destroy the enemy's cannons. After successively overthrowing two lines of defense of the Beiwei Army, he entered a large-scale siege of iron cannons and encountered fierce attacks.
In this tragic battle, both sides suffered a lot. Thousands of Beiwei Army were killed and injured, and more than a hundred iron cannons were destroyed. Ali Scue's side had tasted the sweetness in the beginning, but was unable to extricate themselves. Nearly a thousand of the heavy cavalry that had invested in the battle were lost on the spot, and more than three thousand horses lost their combat power due to serious injuries. More than two thousand infantrymen were killed. When Ali Scue retreated in shock, the Beiwei Army retreated and defeated the Xinye Army that came to reinforce Dengzhou, beheading nearly three thousand soldiers and completing a head-on attack before Xi Yin's arrival.
When Xi Yin arrived at Nanyang, the Beiwei Army calmly returned to Xiangyang. Xi Yin, who was furious, immediately dismissed Ali Scue from his position and demoted him to the vanguard. After that, the army reorganized and no longer attacked, which was considered as a recognition of the combat power of the Beiwei Army under Yue Fei's command.
As for Yangzhou, Wu Shu had been bombarding the city indiscriminately for a few days. From the rear, Zong Fu's army pressed forward and confronted Fu Dingkang's army of a hundred thousand. The vanguard had already begun to fight, and the fierce battle in the direction of Gaoyou had not stopped. Currently, most of the participating troops were in place, but it would still take a few days to discuss the results of the battle.
On the eleventh day of the seventh month, everyone in the General Staff Headquarters gathered for a meeting. A small staff officer named Peng Yueyun submitted a tactical inference that Han Shizhong might have begun to play dirty tricks. Everyone discussed this tactic, and Ning Yi also came over. After a short discussion, new intelligence was sent in. Ning Yi read the first report and smiled as he passed it to the others.
"Maybe it's right. It seems that Han Shizhong might really abandon Yangzhou in the future to lure Zong Bi. If we keep the people and lose the land, both the people and the land will survive. If we keep the land and lose the people, both the people and the land will be lost. This is a report on the evacuation of the refugees from Jiangnan. It seems that the Crown Prince's side has already made the mental preparations to abandon every place north of the Yangtze River. The chosen place for the final battle is south of the Yangtze River … Of course, to plan this well, it will definitely take time. Let's wait and see when Han Shizhong will abandon Yangzhou … Hmm … "
As Ning Yi spoke, he read the second report. At this time, he frowned slightly, a complicated smile on his face. Everyone looked over. Ning Yi was silent for a moment, then handed the report to everyone. There was a conflicted expression on his face.
"How did this kind of thing happen …"
When everyone read the report, they first frowned, then came to a realization, and then became excited. Then, their expressions became complicated as they looked at each other.
"This is …"
"Our side's move … this is too ruthless …"
"Do we have to eat more tonight?"
"The Enlightened Lady is going crazy. Is this good or bad …"
"Uh, everyone, let's talk, this news … Will we get it first, or will the Eastern and Western armies of the Jurchen Nation know first …"
"… Do they know that it was us who did it?"
"Hahaha … I don't know why, but I suddenly don't want to have anything to do with this matter. Why don't we first release a statement saying that this matter has nothing to do with us?"
"I think it makes sense. Should we release a statement of disassociation before the Enlightened Lady goes crazy?" While everyone was discussing, Ning Yi glanced at them. "This way, it seems more realistic, hahahaha …"
As he said this, he couldn't help but laugh.
Please report the news of the Yunzhong tragedy.
On the fifth day of the seventh month, a group of anti-Jin bandits entered Yunzhong, intending to plunder the residence of the great scholar, Qi Yan. After capturing the Qi clan, they would retreat. However, they made a mistake. First, the Qi clan's servants stubbornly resisted, slightly disrupting the bandits' pace. Then, Shi Liai's eldest grandson, Shi Yuanji, was strangely involved in the incident and died after his throat was slit.
Shi Liai was one of the most famous Han people in the north. When the Jin conquered Liao, he was an official in Liao. At that time, the Wu dynasty summoned him several times, but he felt that the Wu dynasty was rotten and couldn't refuse. Moreover, he sternly warned his entire family not to become officials.
Later, when the Jin unified the country, Shi Liai defected to the Jin and was put in an important position. Today, he was the head of the Han officials under Zong Han and even the entire Jurchen imperial court. He was conferred the title of Duke and was in charge of the Bureau of Military Affairs. After Zong Han's southern expedition, he was in charge of all the affairs of the Yunzhong residence, big or small.
In terms of actual authority, even if several Jurchen dukes or even princes were added together, they still wouldn't be able to compare to the current Shi Liai. That night, when other Jurchen nobles were involved in the Qi Family's affairs, it probably wouldn't be too big of a deal. However, the first to die was Shi Liai's eldest grandson.
Not long after Shi Yuanji disappeared in the evening, the Shi Family already sensed that something was wrong. Afterwards, the entire Yunzhong residence was under martial law. The bandits that entered the Qi Family had nowhere to go. Faced with Shi Liai's eldest grandson's corpse, they began a series of crazy actions.
That night, the several hundred bandits that entered the city ran about and fought within Yunzhong residence, setting fire everywhere in a frenzy to survive. It was currently the dry autumn season, so for some reason, some places were stocked with kerosene. That night, strong winds blew, causing the flames within Yunzhong residence to spread, burning countless houses. There were actually several thousand people who lost their lives in this chaos and fire. Meanwhile, in the process of the bandits' survival, more than ten Jurchen nobles who were taken as hostages also lost their lives one after another, their deaths tragic.
Meanwhile, in this great chaos, the Black Flag Army's spies even took advantage of the situation to enter the large courtyard that was almost affected by the flames, carrying out a round of destruction.
Time returned to the evening of the fifth day of the seventh month.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
