As the sun was about to set, the town of Duxi on the north bank of the Yangtze River lit up.
Banners were now erected in the originally quaint limestone mansion. Jurchen generals and Iron Buddhas elites were entering and exiting the town. On the outskirts of the town, a continuous line of military camps extended to the mountains in the north and the banks of the Great River in the south.
The leadership of the Jurchen Eastern Army, who had triumphantly returned to the north, was now stationed at the north bank. Amidst the daily celebrations and clamor, they waited for the millions of Han slaves captured to cross the river. It was only in the last few days that the lively atmosphere cooled down.
With regards to the intelligence reports from the southwest, the high-ranking officers led by Zong Fu and Zong Bi were currently reviewing and deducing the situation again and again, adjusting their understanding as the information was perfected. Separated by more than three thousand li, the victorious Eastern Army generals could not comprehend the news.
Even though the armies of the East and West, as well as the 'imperial court' of the East and West, had always been in direct or indirect confrontation, the Eastern Army generals could not help but feel sad when they heard that Zong Han and the others had suffered a huge setback in the southwest. What was even stronger than this feeling was the confusion and uneasiness of something that they could not grasp or understand in the southwest.
Even though they were in opposition to each other, and there would occasionally be conflicts of various sizes, and they would occasionally mock and ridicule each other, but the generals of the Eastern Army had an idea of the strength of Zong Han, Xi Yin and the others. Even the arrogant Wu Shu, who was outwardly strong but inwardly weak in front of Xi Yin, had always acknowledged the strength of Zong Han, Xi Yin and the others. At most, he felt that they were not inferior.
Wanyan Xibao's thirty thousand men had been defeated by Ning Yi's seven thousand men. The entire army had been captured and Xibao had been killed in front of Zong Han. The victors three thousand li away found it hard to imagine the witchcraft Ning Yi had used. Even though the reports had described the new firearms of the Hua Xia army, in front of Zong Fu, Zong Bi and the others, they didn't believe that there was any invincible firearm in this world.
Of course, there was the possibility of new firearms. At the same time, Wanyan Xibao's inappropriate response and the Inner Demon Ning Yi's cunning tricks had led to the total annihilation of the 30,000 soldiers. This was also due to the inappropriate deployment of Zong Han and Xi Yin – this was the most reasonable analysis.
With Zong Han and Xi Yin holding the fort, the West Army of the Jurchens was indeed a team that had once dominated the world. But on the east side, apart from Zong Fu and Zong Bi who were in charge of the army as princes, their seniority was inferior to veteran generals like Zong Han and Xi Yin. Under their command were mostly veteran generals who had followed the Jurchen War God Wanyan Zongwang into battle. In the past, the recognition and respect they had for Zong Han and Xi Yin was one thing, but if they were to be defeated, the people here would not think that they would be defeated if they were to face the same situation.
"… The total annihilation of Yan Qiao's army was due to King Bao Shan's reckless advance!"
In the past few days, many people had analyzed the situation of the battle thousands of miles away. Many people's eyes were sharp and sharp.
"… In the battle of the guest army, Wanyan Xiebao chose to charge forward with the entire army against the cunning and sinister Inner Demon. Thirty thousand men and horses gave up the geographical advantage to cross the river. He knew that Ning Yi was moving his troops slowly to lure them into the trap, but he relied on the strength of his troops and met them head-on. He arrogantly chose the battlefield that Ning Yi had carefully chosen, thinking that he could win by outnumbering Ning Yi. Does he think that Ning Yi is a fool … "
"… In terms of dealing with firearms, there was a lot of previous experience. He chose to advance on rainy days or use light cavalry to bypass and break the formation. I did not see King Bao Shan making such arrangements. He only has himself to blame for this defeat … "
"… The defeat of thirty thousand men in front of Ning Yi is indeed a major event that shakes the morale of the army. But can we not fight because of this? Look at what is written in the report! Boasting! I will only say one thing — if the firearms in Ning Yi's hands really have the power to destroy heaven and earth, he can just guard the mountain pass behind the Sword Garret and kill people. If such firearms are really in my hands, the Jin Kingdom will be nothing. Next year, we will attack Yunzhong Prefecture … "
"I think … the second half of this year will be enough to level Yunzhong …"
"The journey is long and tiring. I have such a destructive weapon, but I still have to go on such a long journey. I have to enjoy the scenery along the way … Maybe next year. Maybe we will surrender before they arrive …"
The generals were either ridiculing or angry about the intelligence from the southwest, but the real things brewing behind the news were hidden under the public opinion.
Undercurrents were brewing under the seemingly ordinary surface of the water.
Through the window of the waterside pavilion, Wanyan Zongbi was watching the gradually darkening surface of the Yangtze River from afar. Huge ships were still traversing the river not far away. The scantily clad women of the Wu dynasty who had been forced to sing and dance had been sent away. His elder brother Zong Fu sat at the dining table in silence.
"… The news that has come these past two days, I still … find it hard to believe. Bao Shan was killed in front of the army, and Marshal Zong Han … actually turned around and fled. Fourth Brother, this is not his personality. When have you ever seen such a stubborn person? He is … a hero like Eldest Brother. "
Zong Bi looked outside. "… He's old."
"… When I saw him before, I didn't notice this. I originally thought that in the war of the southwest, he had already made up his mind to fight to the death … "
"He's old," Zong Bi repeated. "He's old, so he seeks stability. If it was just a small setback, I think he would have bravely advanced, but he encountered an opponent of equal strength. Ning Yi defeated Bao Shan and killed him in front of him. After his son died, Zong Han instead felt … that our Jurchen has encountered a true great enemy. He thought that he was a brave man who wanted to cut his losses and return north with his strength intact … Imperial Brother, this is why he's old. "
"That's true." Zong Fu thought about it and nodded. "When Imperial Father rose up, no matter how powerful the enemy was, he would just charge forward. And Eldest Brother … in the early years, they did not encounter any sure-win situation. Stubbornly fighting for their entire lives, it's possible that they would think this way when they're old … Sigh, I originally thought that the Goddess of Grains would persuade him, but this time …"
"So what if he's the Goddess of Grains!" Zong Bi turned around, his eyes filled with resentment. "I gave him thirty thousand cavalry, but he didn't bring them back. Let's see how I deal with him!"
In Zong Fu's heart, Zong Han and Xi Yin still had some power, so he did not respond to the word "deal". Zong Bi thought for a moment and said, "Imperial Brother, there have been more and more civil officials in the court these few years. I wonder if you've heard of some noise."
"Don't civil officials want to be on good terms with the Goddess of Grains and Sir Shi …"
"Xi Yin admires Han studies, but Han studies don't necessarily like him." Zong Bi laughed coldly. "We, the Jin Dynasty, have conquered the world on horseback, but we may not be able to rule the world on horseback. To rule the world, we need to cultivate the art of governing. In the past, people said that Xi Yin had a profound knowledge of Han, but that was because he was the only one among the brothers and uncles who had read more books. However, after the Jin Dynasty conquered the world, all the officials came to surrender. Xi Yin … Hmph, he's just the one who is the best at fighting among those who know Han studies! "
"…" Zong Fu listened and nodded his head.
"What do you mean when you say that you can conquer the world on horseback, but you can't rule the world on horseback? Our Great Jin's old tricks are slowly becoming outdated. Zhe Han, Xi Yin, and you and my brothers … have been fighting and killing all these years. We have more and more soldiers, and our weapons are getting better and better. However, we have taken longer to deal with the Wu Dynasty than the Kingdom of Liao. Why? "He paused." Zong Han and Xi Yin's tricks are slowly becoming outdated … "
Zong Bi frowned.
"In the past, my advisors have told me about this. We don't need to care about the Western Imperial Court. Old things will melt like snow sooner or later. Even in this journey to the South, you and I should have noticed the ferocious stance of Zong Han and Xi Yin. They said that they wanted to conquer the world with a single battle, but in fact, did they not realize that the world is too big, if we were to rely on force and slaughter, we would not be able to conquer it. Zong Han and Xi Yin are afraid. "
Zong Fu also frowned. "But fighting and killing still require courage."
"It does require courage, but it's very different from before." Zong Bi said, "When you and I were young, we were still playing in the snow in the mountains. The people around us were all Jurchen men who had nothing at home and had to endure hunger in the winter. At that time, we just had to wave our hands and go out to fight. That's why we, the Jurchen people, have a reputation of being invincible. But after fighting for decades, when the Liao was conquered, we all have our own families and things to worry about. When it's time to fight, we can wave our arms and fight. Naturally, there are fewer people who fight with their lives on the line. "
Zong Bi laughed coldly. "Zong Han, Xi Yin and the others see this as a disaster for the Jurchen people. They think that if we lose courage, the Jin Dynasty will be in danger. But these are all human nature. When we come to this step, it's like this. How can we go against it? They think that without the courage to fight with their lives, they have nothing left. But I don't think so. How did the Liao and the Wu dynasty survive for hundreds of years? "
"You can immediately conquer the world, but you can't immediately rule the world. This is the truth! We, the Jin people, are not as reckless as twenty years ago. But the courage on the battlefield can only be displayed by those who are reckless. On the battlefield, there are military laws, incentives, and training. When the country is big, there is also … the merit of education. The warriors who are willing to fight for the Jin Dynasty, it depends on how we find a way and how we train them. "
"Zong Han and Xi Yin only know how to move forward. They are old, and when they meet a strong enemy, they can't take it anymore. They think that they have met the Jin Dynasty's mortal enemy. But the rumors outside these few days were right. If Bao Shan had not been so foolhardy and had given Ning Yi the advantage of favorable timing and favorable terrain, Ning Yi would not have been able to fight so smoothly! Even if he changed the location slightly and didn't have to rely on a lonely bridge, 30,000 people could still escape! "
"… Imperial Brother, I've only thought about this now. In the past, when I thought about it, I didn't want to admit it." Zong Bi said, "But look at the results of these years. Lou Shi was defeated by Black Flag, Ci Bu was defeated by Black Flag, Silver Technique was defeated by Black Flag, Zong Han suffered a crushing defeat in the southwest, and even his son was killed … These generals under Zong Han in the past were each more powerful than the other. But the more powerful they were, the more they believed that their previous tactics were correct."
"Relying on their courage and courage to move forward, they defeated the Liao people and the Wu dynasty. But when faced with an opponent like Ning Yi, who combines strength and gentleness, they were defeated one after another. Actually, I feel that in the end, the world is changing, but they are unwilling to change. Slowly, they have reached the end of the road. Twenty years ago, they waved their hands and said to charge forward, and everyone went forward with their lives. Twenty years later, they are still waving their hands and saying to charge forward, and there is nothing they can do if there are fewer people fighting for their lives. "
In the past, his temperament was arrogant, but after saying all this, he held his hands behind his back and his tone was rather calm. The room was rather lonely, and the two brothers were silent. After a while, Zong Fu sighed, "These few days, I've also heard others talk about it in private, and it seems to make some sense … However, Fourth Brother, we're separated by over three thousand li after all, so it's hard to be so sure about the reason behind it."
"I am only guessing in my heart." Zong Bi smiled. "Perhaps there are other reasons, but that is not certain. Alas, we are too far away, and the setback in the southwest is beyond our reach. Many matters can only be discussed when we return. No matter what, we have fortunately not failed in our mission on this journey. When the time comes, we will see how Zong Han and Xi Yin explain this matter to us and His Majesty. "
At this point, Zong Fu couldn't help but smile, and then he shook his head. "Eat."
In reality, when it came to the matter on Zong Han's side, although Zong Fu and Zong Bi appeared anxious on the surface, and the high-ranking military officers were also discussing and deducing the situation of the battle, and the celebration of victory had come to a halt. But in private, the mood of celebration did not stop. They only called the women into their rooms to have fun, and did not gather in public to celebrate.
The two brothers exchanged ideas and sat down to drink and have fun. It was now the night of the fourteenth of the third month, and the night had swallowed up the light of the sky. In the distance, the lights of the Yangtze River spread out, and every ship carried the fruits of their victory. But in the middle of the night, a small messenger boat quickly sailed towards Du Xi. Someone had woken up Zong Bi from his sleep.
South of the Yangtze River, there was chaos.
A revolutionary army under the name of Black Flag had infiltrated the Han army camp on the outskirts of Zhenjiang and killed a Han general called Niu Tusong, causing chaos. The nearby craftsmen's camp with nearly twenty thousand captives was opened, and the Han slaves fled in all directions under the cover of the night.
"Black Flag?" After hearing this name, Zong Bi was still slightly stunned.
After the Female Zhenren wreaked havoc in Jiangnan, the families of the common people everywhere were broken and killed. There were many revolutionary armies under the name of resisting the Jin, but there was almost no one who dared to make a move against the Jin, and because they were organized and could still succeed. In the past month, there were people gathering refugees in Jiangnan under the name of Black Flag. Of course, Zong Bi was well aware of this, but today the other party actually came to save people, and even caused trouble …
… Could this Black Flag be real?
After a moment, he became angry at his momentary hesitation, "Pass the order to raise the tent! Since there are still people who don't want to live, I will fulfill their wish — "
By the early hours of the morning, the order to annihilate the bandit army and the fugitives had already reached the south of the Yangtze River. The Jin army that had not yet crossed the river moved again on the land south of Zhenjiang.
In the middle of the third month, the news that He Wen had led the Chinese revolutionary army into the Female Zhenren camp and rescued nearly eight thousand captured Han people spread in Jiangnan. Because of this, the Female Zhenren launched a new round of slaughter. And the name of the Party of Justice, accompanied by the raging blades and blood, soon entered the people's vision.
At the same time, a real tragic feast of blood and fire was blossoming in the mountains in the southwest. Just as our vision was cast in all directions, the fierce fighting and collision did not stop for a moment on this mountain road that stretched for hundreds of miles.
In order to fight for the fate of the rise of the Jin Dynasty, and to wipe out the last hidden danger of the Jin Dynasty, the army led by Wanyan Zonghan had brazenly killed their way into the mountains in the past few months. At this moment, they were fighting for the same thing, along this narrow and winding mountain road to kill their way out. When they entered, they were fierce and impassioned. When they retreated, they were still like wild beasts, but in some ways, there was even more blood, and in some ways, even moving people.
No matter what kind of frivolous evaluation people from thousands of miles away, what was happening in the southwest mountains at this moment could indeed be called a struggle between the strongest of this era.
"… Meow, meow, meow."
At the moment when she received the entertainment article from Lin 'an, the fire of "Dijiang" streaked across the night sky. Beside her, Hongti turned her head and looked at Ning Yi, who raised the letter and made a strange sound.
"Huh?" she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Are you kidding me … Cruel, cunning, crazy, tyrannical … How can I be like this?"
Not far away, the fire exploded in the mountain road under the night sky, raging and burning.
"… Bastard, slander me …"
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