Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 342 The Song army fled! The Song army fled!

Behind Yue Fei stood a series of youthful faces, the oldest barely twenty, the youngest only seventeen...

Among them were mostly battalion commanders and captains. The fact that a captain was seventeen years old shows both the extent of Su Wu's merits in the army and the speed at which Su Wu expanded his army.

He was recruited from a respectable family in Jingdong at the age of sixteen, and became the leader of a hundred men at the age of seventeen.

Beneath their youthful faces, there was not a trace of panic; their gazes were unwavering...

Yue Fei looked at the crowd and said, "We are all the youngest and strongest in the army. Since ancient times, heroes have emerged from among the young. Huo Qubing was only about our age when he defeated the Xiongnu. This time, it is our time to make our mark!"

Just by looking left and right, they immediately started making a commotion.

"Let's go into battle and kill!"

"It is because His Majesty values ​​us. In this battle, we should fight without hesitation. As long as we achieve merit, His Majesty will grant us whatever we desire..."

"Since we followed the King into battle, have we ever backed down in a single fight? Killing anyone is as simple as stabbing them with our spears!"

"Kill, kill, kill!"

"Let's go kill them!"

Yue Fei, however, pressed his arm down and said, "No rush, the battle is tomorrow, there's no need to rush today!"

However, some people asked Yue Fei, "General Yue, I will fight to the death and not retreat. You must not hesitate or look back when the time comes!"

The man spoke with an air of pride.

Perhaps it was also because he had some distrust of Yue Fei.

Another person chimed in: "General Yue, we all know that you are deeply trusted by the King, but most of us brothers have never fought alongside you before. Let me be frank, don't do anything that could harm us. We all want to make our own contributions, so don't get in our way!"

Arrogant and fierce soldiers—this is the most straightforward description.

Especially these young people, who are at an age where they are fearless and defy everyone, if Yue Fei wants to win them over, he'll have to really show them something this time...

Yue Fei had practiced martial arts since childhood and had also mingled in the rough and tumble world, so he wasn't angry. He just laughed heartily and said, "You all just watch and see. Don't let me get any leverage over you. When it comes to war, I can be ruthless and kill without hesitation!"

They were really going all out. Yue Fei knew that this battle was going to be tough, so he had to hold his breath and fight with all his might!
The crowd was also indignant, and some even said, "Let's just wait and see!"

"Alright, we'll see!" Yue Fei accepted without further ado, flicked the reins, spurred his horse, and rode a few steps to the very front of the group.

The crowd tilted their heads and glared, clearly dissatisfied and resentful, even pointing their noses at each other...

Night comes, night goes.

South of Wugu Mountain, the defiant words of these young men were no longer heard, and the army slowly headed east.

The scouts had already chosen the spot, and the troops slowly came to a halt, tightened their ranks, and formed ranks on the left and right.

With banners in front, let them flutter first.

Su Wu stood atop a high mound, gazing at the opposite side, where the people had arrived...

It's quite far, about two or three miles away.

It was still a flat grassland sandwiched between two low hills, facing each other like this.

The Song army numbered just over 40,000, while the Jin army numbered as many as 60,000 to 70,000.

Both sides, left, center, and right, were extremely clear. The central army was naturally a forest of armored soldiers, while the left and right sides were lined with light cavalry.

It was just past noon, the sun was high in the sky, and it was a bit hot, but not scorching.

Su Wu studied the enemy's formation, glancing left and right several times, and occasionally bowing down to pat his mount's neck, soothing the restless heart of the Snow-Treading Black Steed.

A hilly area stretched as far as the eye could see, with the Jurchen banners flying high, and a mournful scream echoing from the sky…

Looking up, I saw either a vulture or an eagle circling overhead, their numbers unknown...

These creatures on the grasslands seem to sense that humans are about to kill each other, and after it's over, there will be a feast!
Su Wu finally spoke: "Lu Da will lead 1,000 heavy cavalry to the left flank as the vanguard, Han Shizhong will lead 1,000 heavy cavalry to the right flank as the vanguard, and I will be in the center!"

Lu Da then suggested, "Brother, how about... I stay at home and lead the army?"

There is a tactical plan in place. In this battle, the flanks are the key. The goal is to quickly defeat the various steppe tribes on the flanks of the Jin army, and then surround and attack the Jurchens.

Therefore, the two flanks were actually much safer, and everyone already had a direct understanding of the fighting capabilities of the various tribes on the grasslands.

The central army was in great danger of having to withstand the Jurchen cavalry's repeated attacks.

But Su Wu shook his head: "I will be in the center of the army. You must quickly defeat the enemy on both flanks! This banner must be placed in the center of the army; it is the heart and soul of the formation!"

"Brother, if the banner doesn't move, go to the left flank, and I'll protect it and keep it from falling!" Lu Da urged again.

Su Wu shook his head again: "If I leave the central army, countless people will recognize me and my horse. I cannot go!"

“Brother…” Lu Da also knew how brutal the war before him would be.

Su Wu waved his hand gently, turned his head, looked around, and said, "This is the last time, the last time I will fight on the front line like this! From now on, it's up to you, but this time, I will do it again!"

These words inexplicably filled everyone with a sense of sorrow.

Lu Da felt it the most; for a moment, he felt a lump in his throat, though he couldn't quite explain why...

Su Wu waved his hand and said, "Go quickly! The Jurchens are also in Bulie. Don't delay!"

"Understood!" Lu Da bowed and rode off.

Han Shizhong nodded without saying a word and left.

Su Wu looked around, his brows furrowing slowly. He was actually very nervous, as if everything in his life was going to happen in this one moment.

He turned around and shouted, "Arrange the drums!"

The enormous cowhide drum had actually been prepared long ago...

Su Wu turned around, looked around, and said in one sentence: "This time, Liang Hongyu will beat the drum!"

Liang Hongyu was right at the front of the battle line. Upon hearing this, she immediately replied, "Your Majesty, this humble general will charge into battle. As for beating the drum, someone else can be chosen!"

Su Wu, however, spoke seriously: "You men charge into battle, you beat the drum! We all want to hear you beat the drum! If you beat the drum well, we will have even more strength to charge into battle!"

It's not that Su Wu wanted to discriminate against Liang Hongyu at this moment, but rather that he felt that having a Han woman drumming and cheering was a kind of romance.

Su Wu didn't know why he felt this way at that moment, but he felt that Liang Hongyu was beating the drum there, and Su Wu had a lot more courage!
Xu Ye asked, "Why do men go to war?" The answer, in private, is to rise above others, achieve great deeds, and gain wealth and honor…

It's also true that some people are driven by selfish motives; they are simply a group of people constantly striving for resources, for reproduction, and for a better life!
Su Wu's words became serious, and Liang Hongyu had no choice but to remain silent.

Then Liu Zhengyan spoke up: "Captain Liang, could you beat the drum a little louder?"

"I know!" Liang Hongyu snapped, though she was truly displeased.

As soon as Liang Hongyu walked up to a row of drums and picked up the drumsticks, she felt her hands were full of strength.

Looking at the row of men beating drums, their muscles bulging, they were waiting for orders!
But who is leading the troops on the other side? It is Wanyan Zonghan.

Wanyan Zonghan was making arrangements on both sides, but he kept looking north. He knew that this would be a tough battle, and that Su Wu of the Song Dynasty was a skilled warrior.

He was looking forward to one thing: that Wanyan Xiyin would charge in from the north, penetrate the enemy lines, and secure victory.

To the north, at the foot of Wugu Mountain, Wanyan Xiyin was also anxious. After crossing the mountain, he headed south, with countless scouts coming and going, and he knew that the Song army was coming to block him.

He was also trapped at the foot of the mountain.

This is unavoidable... If we really try to go around it, it will take several days to get entangled, and if it does get entangled for several days, the outcome of the situation in the south will be hard to predict.

We'll set up our forces and fight quickly to resolve the situation.

Wanyan Xiyin was not too worried about the 18,000 Song cavalry; he knew that the Song people were also good at fighting.

But were there no skilled warriors among the Khitans of yesteryear? And were not all Khitan cavalrymen easily defeated?

So what?

They have fought countless battles to the death, but have they ever truly been defeated?

He glanced at the opposing battle formation, which was quite meticulous, but the character "岳" on the banner was...?

Who is Yue?

During this period, not to mention anything else, the Jurchens had already collected all the names, personality traits, and even hometowns and childhood experiences of the generals under Su Wu's command.

This whole affair was Wanyan Xiyin's idea. Wanyan Xiyin was a true scholar among the Jurchens, and he had done extensive research. He had even made many guesses: would Lu Da come? Wu Song? Or perhaps Liu Zhengyan…

Who is Yue?
Wanyan Xiyin frowned. He really didn't know that such a complete intelligence report didn't include information about this person.

Wanyan Xiyin suddenly stopped in a hurry, raised his hand and called out to Gao Qingyi. Among the Jurchen armies, only Wanyan Xiyin's troops had the most Han Chinese.

Wanyan Xiyin spoke up: "Go and ask him just one question: where is this Yue, this nobody from?"

This may also be a psychological tactic, and it's also Wanyan Xiyin's way of figuring out who this Yue really is.

Gao Qingyi rode away. This man was no ordinary person. He was originally from Liao, but later surrendered to Jin. He surrendered very early and almost started his career alongside the Jin people. He was deeply trusted by Wanyan Zonghan.

He didn't bring anyone with him, just the two of them, riding away at full speed.

It was fine for him to come alone. He quickly arrived under the banner and stood before Yue Fei. He asked, "My commander asks, whose nameless family is the one who carries the Yue banner?"

These words drew angry stares from the crowd, but Yue Fei truly replied, "It is I, Yue Fei!"

Gao Qingyi glanced at Yue Fei and laughed, "Haha... so he's just a greenhorn, what a joke! Well then, let's go, see you on the battlefield!"

With that, Gao Qingyi turned and left!

Behind Yue Fei, another commotion was about to erupt, but Yue Fei raised his hand to suppress it and spoke first: "We are all young, we are all wet behind the ears, we are all unknown people, isn't this the perfect day to establish our authority and make a name for ourselves?"

Sure enough, at those words, everyone behind him immediately began adjusting their horses and weapons. Gao Qingyi quickly returned and, upon reaching Wanyan Xiyin, said, "The opposing generals are all young, not one of them is not young, and the commander-in-chief Yue Fei is also extremely young..."

Wanyan Xiyin immediately asked again, "Are they all truly young? Not a single one is mature?"

Gao Qingyi nodded!
Wanyan Xiyin took a deep breath and remained silent, but he thought to himself that this battle might be difficult.

But he had no time to think further, for the drums on the other side of the table suddenly roared, as if they couldn't wait any longer.

Ten thousand horses galloped up, and the earth trembled uncontrollably!
Wanyan Xiyin immediately looked around and saw that the ranks on both sides were in perfect order. He shouted, "Beat the drums! Beat the drums!"

Dong dong dong dong dong…

The grassland seemed to be completely filled with this dull sound, both urgent and fast!
Unlike Su Wu, Yue Fei didn't need any bodyguards to protect him. He simply led the way, shouting, "Watch me!"

With just one word, the people behind him rushed forward, as if to say, "Look at me too!"

Who can be a coward?

What Jurchen, Khitan, and Wugudilie? Even if the Heavenly King himself came, we'd still poke a few holes in him this time.

The Jurchens also rose up, and their horses galloped in a single line!
The eagles in the sky can see it, the steel torrent is about to collide!

The formation on one side was extremely orderly, with the entire line stretched out in a straight line, almost perfectly straight, and tightly packed together, creating a truly beautiful sight.

On one side, after running several hundred steps, the formation was no longer so orderly, with some in front and some behind, but it couldn't be described as scattered.

In this comparison, the Song cavalry was still a step behind!
The Jurchens numbered over 10,000, while the Song cavalry numbered 18,00
Covering the mountains and fields, densely packed.

Closer, closer, closer! Sharpen your spears, they're coming!
Once the moment truly arrives, there will be no room for any other thoughts or distractions in my mind!

Yue Fei possessed immense strength, and with that overwhelming force, he sent a rider flying from his horse. The armor-piercing spike collided with the iron armor, making a hissing sound, which was incredibly frustrating.

There were no more words. Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill them all!

The Jurchen cavalryman, a veteran of many years of fierce fighting, struck with his spear, instantly turning the youthful face before him into a ferocious expression, and then fell to the ground in a daze...

A child, raised for over a decade from birth to adulthood, growing strong and healthy, dies in an instant, mingling with the horseshoes, mud, and grass.
Before dying, there wasn't even time to wail. Instinctively, he tried to get up, to avoid being trampled by the horses' hooves. He just drifted off into a stupor and lost consciousness...

Like blades of grass in the wind, when the wind blows from the left, it moves to the right; when the wind blows from the right, it moves to the left...

The soul has vanished, but the body still suffers!
The vulture is crying out; bloodshed is its favorite...

It's a pity these humans still haven't left...

After a while, Yue Fei was so angry he almost ground his teeth to powder. He turned around and looked to his left and right, and was utterly horrified to see that countless people had fallen from their horses...

Hurry up and gather your troops... But looking ahead, the Jurchens have already gathered and turned back!
Or rather, the Jurchens would go for a while and almost never disperse!
He was horrified. Yue Fei was horrified. He had fought for cavalry many times, but he had never seen anything like it!
"Let's go! Let's go! We can't wait!" Yue Fei shouted, his face contorted with rage, adding, "We'll gather as we run!"

Yue Fei was the first to ride a fast horse!

They're all following! Whether they gather together or not is another matter; as long as they're still on horseback, everyone's following.

There were no fancy tricks, no battles between generals, and nobody knew anyone else; everyone just charged forward.

We have to find a way, we have to find a way to close the gap!
They charged again and again, charging within the ranks, unable to see anything but the Jurchen cavalrymen before them.

He didn't know the time or how far away it was, but as soon as the light appeared ahead, he set out into battle. Yue Fei called out to his men, "Follow me! Follow me!"

They just kept running forward, without turning back.

Looking left and right, I couldn't count them all; I didn't know how many were dead or injured.

They just kept running forward without looking back.

In previous training sessions, Yue Fei would have turned around long ago, but he would still keep his stance straight and continue forward.

Someone behind him shouted, "Yue Fei, are you trying to run away? So many brothers have been lost, you should fight them to the death!"

Yue Fei's face contorted with rage. He turned and cursed, "You damned bastards, shut up and follow me! I, Yue Fei, will die here today, and so will you! We'll all die together!"

Why did they have to run so far? The familiar methods they used to use couldn't keep the formation together, so they had to run a little further to get the formation together again. The Jurchens really turned around too quickly!

Once Yue Fei hurled his insults, there was no more noise!

Wanyan Xiyin had already ridden his horse around the field and returned, but seeing the Song army in front of him gone far away, he was puzzled and ran away after only two battles.
Gao Qingyi was overjoyed: "The Song army has fled! The Song army has fled!"

These words immediately boosted the morale of both the left and right armies.

Wanyan Xiyin looked around, his brows furrowing. Within his sight, countless Jurchen soldiers had fallen from their horses...

How could we not feel heartbroken? Every Jurchen warrior who is lost is a tragedy! And they are truly difficult to replace!
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Wanyan Xiyin shouted as he gave chase, his legs slapping against the belly of his mount.

Keep chasing, and as you chase, you can see in the distance that the Song army suddenly began to turn and circle the field.

Wanyan Xiyin was also surprised. Only now did he realize that the young general named Yue Fei on the other side was truly exceptional in his ability to adapt to the situation and was making up for the Song army's weaknesses.

"Let's fight again!" Wanyan Xiyin shouted through gritted teeth.

Gao Qingyi was surprised and cursed, "These little brats are really fearless! We must kill them all today!"

He's back! Yue Fei is back! Let's fight again!

As the two armies charged again, Yue Fei, clenching his teeth, muttered, "It seems I'm really going to die here today!"

After muttering to himself, Yue Fei stood up from his stirrups, raised his spear, and shouted with all his might, "Just you wait and see!"

"Kill!" Some young soldiers stood up from their stirrups, raised their guns, and shouted!

They all rose up together, one by one, the young men stood up and shouted, their blood rushing to their heads!

"I'm going to die with my eggs facing the sky!"

"I'll die today!"

"Kill, kill, kill!"

Enter the battle, and let's go again!
Before Yue Fei was nothing but a forest of armored figures; he couldn't lift his head, nor could he look at anyone else...

When setting out, first run far away, then circle the field, and then turn back.

Come again!

Yue Fei didn't care who was dead or alive. His eyes were bloodshot, his face was flushed, he was breathing heavily, and the veins in his neck looked like they were about to burst. He roared, "Go! Go! Go! Just watch me!"

Come again!

Wanyan Xiyin had already arrived and was looking around, observing the battlefield. The center of the battle had shifted several times, and as far as the eye could see, there were endless fields of corpses...

Gao Qingyi stopped shouting. He looked at the young men running towards him and licked his lips, perhaps because his mouth was dry.

Go again!

The horses' hooves were no longer as fast as before, and the sound of their mouths and noses was constant, indicating that they were panting heavily.

Again!

Horses crisscrossed, like afterimages, fleeting moments, and after each moment, someone would inevitably fall from their horse.

The sun was gradually moving westward, but it was still far from the setting sun of dusk, and the earth was covered in blood!
The tender grass has only just begun to grow. This year, this meadow will be exceptionally lush, and when the cattle and sheep come, they will feast for countless days.

As he went out to battle, Yue Fei still chose to flee far away. Upon closer inspection, his abdomen was already covered in blood. No matter how high his martial arts skills were, he could not be invincible in such a battle formation. The spearhead still pierced him, but with quick reflexes, he managed to deflect it with his immense strength.

It didn't pierce through, but a piece of armor leather strap broke apart, and countless armor plates fell off.

The horse stopped galloping, and Yue Fei also stopped running far, starting to circle the field.

The horses on the opposite side slowed down considerably, and the Jurchen people also slowed down.

Even when Wanyan Xiyin's horse paused for a moment, both man and horse needed to catch their breath. Changing horses at that moment was out of the question.

It must not be scattered or disorderly.

Wanyan Xiyin wanted to wait a moment, but the Song army on the other side was about to arrive.

The one leading the group, Yue Fei, seemed to have gone mad, repeatedly saying, "Go, go, go! Everyone, watch me!"

Why isn't the horse running?
And look at the spear tip piercing the horse's rump, drawing blood. Will it run or not?
Since everyone is going to die here today, what does the life of a horse matter?
"Run, run!" Yue Fei urged through gritted teeth, thrusting with the butt of his spear, slapping with his hands, and squeezing his legs together fiercely!

Ma Zi was the best horse, but unfortunately, it was given to a soldier going to his death as his mount.

In the distance, Wanyan Xiyin frowned deeply, looked around, then spurred his horse forward again!

Gao Qingyi felt increasingly parched, as if his throat was on fire. He clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, and then followed suit.
Come again!

As the two armies drew closer, fifty paces, then thirty paces, Gao Qingyi suddenly spotted someone in the crowd opposite him: Yue Fei!

Only he recognized Yue Fei. There were crowds of people ahead, but he hadn't run into him. Now that he had suddenly encountered him, Gao Qingyi deliberately adjusted his horse's hooves. This little brat really wasn't afraid of death!

If he kills this brat, he will win!

Kill him!
Hurry up and go!

The horse's hooves arrived as soon as he spoke, and Yue Fei, his eyes bloodshot, didn't care who the enemy was... he only cared about killing whoever came!
A long spear came straight at him, and Yue Fei also thrust it forward. The two clashed in an instant, passing each other on horseback. Yue Fei was slightly surprised that this enemy, despite being hit by the armor-piercing spear, also possessed great strength and managed to keep his balance and not fall off his horse!

But then he saw that another piece of armor had fallen off Yue Fei's shoulder, and his shoulder was covered in blood again. Yue Fei didn't even look down at it, and just kept killing. So his injuries were not serious. Just now, in the blink of an eye, he had used the butt of his spear to flick the enemy's spearhead. The armor was two layers thick, but it did not penetrate!
But the pain was so intense that Yue Fei's face was unrecognizable. It wasn't his shoulder that hurt; it was his abdomen that was constantly throbbing! His shoulder was still just numb at this point!

However, Gao Qingyi had already lost his spear and was lying on the horse's back. Yue Fei's long armor-piercing spike had opened a large hole in his abdomen. He had to lie down and cover it up. If he covered it tightly, he might still be able to live!

Looking back, the young man was still on horseback, fighting left and right!

Gao Qingyi swallowed hard again, clinging tightly to the horse's back, his mind racing: "Let's go into battle! Let's go into battle quickly..."

(This chapter was tiring to write, and I'm afraid it will get more and more tiring to write the next few chapters...)
(End of this chapter)