Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 587 Clear Understanding of Enemy and Allies, Turning to Offense

Liu Huai returned to the east of Lüliang Town with his two generals, and after finding Guan Chongyan, he immediately distributed the letter and ordered, "Send a message to Zhang Baiyu, telling him to observe the situation quietly in Xiapi. Give him this letter; he has the authority in the area and will naturally know what to do!"

“Cao Dache, you take men and personally deliver this letter to my father, and report to him what we have seen, heard and speculated about along the way. It is very likely that we will have to fight a big battle with the Jin bandits in Dongping Prefecture. I need command of the entire Shandong army, and I need my father to go to Yidu Prefecture to support me.”

"Here!"

"Order!"

After the military envoys left, Liu Huai then said to Guan Chongyan, "A big battle is about to break out. Are you afraid?"

Guan Chongyan remained expressionless and shook his head upon hearing this: "I am a soldier, I make my living by fighting, what is there to fear? It's just that my original plan to allow the people to recuperate for a few years and restore their strength is now completely out of the question."

After hearing this, Liu Huai could only sigh: "Plans can't keep up with changes. It's bad enough that the Jin invaders have launched an attack, but our own forces also have to cause trouble. It's really..."

At this point, Liu Huai was speechless.

Geng Jing's strategic plan can be described as completely lacking in coordination, unclear in purpose, and unable to distinguish between friend and foe.

They must have been so bored as to attack Daming Prefecture at this time.

However, Liu Huai still had to suppress his disgust and clean up the mess left by the Taiping Army.

If Heshilie Liangbi were to annihilate the Taiping Army, not only would the Shandong rebels suffer heavy losses, but if the Jin army were to take advantage of the situation and attack Yidu Prefecture, which was heavily fortified by the Jingnan army, things would become very serious.

"Shall we go back to Linyi?" Guan Chongyan asked.

Liu Huai shook his head and looked at the thirty-odd Flying Tiger Knights: "It's too late. I need to go to Yidu Prefecture immediately to gather troops and attack Jinan!"

The Flying Tiger riders were all in high spirits and immediately responded loudly. Led by Liu Huai, they set off immediately, galloping north along the path.

Not to mention Liu Huai's eagerness to return to Yidu Prefecture.

In Pengcheng, Xuzhou, Heshi Lieliangbi had already donned his armor, his bright red cloak billowing behind him, making him appear like a god descending to earth. Coupled with his imposing and powerful personal guards, he was truly awe-inspiring and extraordinary. So much so that every soldier who passed by would subconsciously glance at him, and then lower his head, not daring to look directly at him, as a sign of submission.

However, the generals surrounding Heshi Lieliangbi all seemed rather bored.

To show off a large army is a common way to boost morale, and they've seen it all before.

Watching Xiao Qi, carrying the banner of divine might, cross the Yellow River northward on the pontoon bridge, Tu Danzhen finally spoke up in the silence: "Left Prime Minister, is this your so-called plan? To leave 20,000 troops sitting idly in Pengcheng, thus delaying the battle?"

He Shi Lie Liangbi maintained his calm and composed smile: "How can you accuse me like this? So-called schemes are similar to traps. Does A-Zhen think that traps shouldn't be set just because the prey didn't step into them?"

Tu Danzhen snorted: "But now we haven't caught any rabbits, and instead we've startled the roe deer. Not only will we go hungry, but some big worm might also realize what's happening and swallow us whole!"

Heshi Lieliangbi finally turned around and looked at Tudanzhen: "Azhen, why do you think I wasn't trying to scare Huang Zhang into another trap I had already dug?"

Upon hearing this, Tu Danzhen did not show the bewildered expression of Zhang Fei in the play when faced with Zhuge Liang's strategy. Instead, he directly flung his sleeves and said, "I did not come here to listen to the Left Prime Minister's witty remarks. If you want me to lead my clan's troops into battle, you must give me an explanation."

Heshi Lieliangbi sighed and said, "It's not that I want to use witty banter, but the situation is so chaotic that we have to deal with each move as it comes. Whether the Song state is cowardly or cautious, I have already given up Pizhou, but they still haven't fallen for it. So, there is only one place for our army to go next."

"Flatten Dongping Prefecture and crush the Taiping Army!"

At this point, Heshi Lieliangbi looked at Tudanzhen, who was already somewhat impatient, and said, "Left Supervisor, I know what you mean. I can also promise you that this time, you will accompany me north to meet the enemy. Regardless of victory or defeat, you can lead your clan's troops back to Liaoyang Prefecture safely, and I will not stop you."

Upon hearing the promise, Tudanzhen's expression softened slightly. He was about to say a few more polite words when Heshilie Liangbi said in a deep voice, "But in this battle, you and the Tudan tribe's soldiers must obey my military orders to suppress the Shenwei Army and the Wu'an Army, and you must fight to the death. If you dare to disobey military orders, don't blame me for dealing with you on the battlefield."

Tu Danzhen was amused, and squinted at He Shilie Liangbi, her meaning quite clear.

I'd like to see how you, a bachelor, intend to deal with me.

Heshi Lieliangbi, with his sleeves tucked in, turned to look at the pontoon bridge over the Yellow River and said slowly, "Tudan Shensi is old enough to take charge on his own now."

Tu Danzhen felt a chill run down his spine and glared fiercely at He Shilie Liangbi.

Tudan Shensi was the second son of Tudan Zhen, and he and the eldest son Tudan Tuobu were incompatible.

Moreover, unlike his eldest son, his second son is extreme in temperament. If he gains power, he will definitely cause unrest in the family. In that case, his eldest son might be killed!

"This humble general will obey the Prime Minister's orders!" Tu Danzhen said through gritted teeth, bowing deeply. He knew this threat was extremely weak, but it must have received Wanyan Yong's approval.

Wanyan Yong may not have known about the mess in Tudanzhen's household. In this emperor's view, wasn't it only natural to give important positions to the sons of ministers? This gave Heshilie Liangbi an opportunity to exploit. Tudanzhen couldn't refuse, and he couldn't very well say that his second son was a tyrannical person and unfit for important tasks, could he? This allowed Heshilie Liangbi to take advantage of the situation.

Seeing Tu Danzhen lower her head, He Shi Lie Liangbi showed no joy whatsoever; instead, he became increasingly agitated.

This Jin dynasty's dual Left Chancellor's main talent lay in governance. Despite his constant control over the military, he was more like a troubleshooter. He was a brick in the feudal system, moved wherever needed.

However, in Heshilie Liangbi's view, the current problems of the Jin Dynasty cannot be solved by winning one or two battles. Deep reforms are needed for the country to have any hope of lasting another hundred years.

However, the Han heroes have already seized the opportunity to rise up in droves. If they do not weather this fatal wave, let alone a hundred-year reign, the Great Jin Dynasty may very well perish within the next two years.

Thinking of this, Heshi Lieliangbi felt a wave of weariness.

Even if the Song Dynasty is defeated and Shandong is recovered, how can the situation of two emperors coexisting in the Jin Dynasty be resolved?
Between the two emperors, Wanyan Liang and Wanyan Yong, which one was able to abdicate peacefully?
Who knows, there might even be another earth-shattering civil war at the end.

In this inevitable great battle, which side will he stand on?

Gazing at the Yellow River, Heshilie Liangbi was so lost in thought that he remained silent amidst the surrounding Jin Dynasty officials.

"After I lead my troops away, the military affairs of this place will be under the responsibility of General Guo Anguo." After a long while, Heshilie Liangbi continued, "General Guo, General Pucha, please come closer."

Guo Anguo and Pu Chashijie dared not be negligent and stepped forward to listen to the Prime Minister's instructions.

Heshi Lieliangbi fell silent again, and after a long while he said, "I know what you two are thinking. It's nothing more than the uncertainty of the future, and now that I've placed you in Xuzhou, you're feeling somewhat apprehensive."

Pucha Shijie remained silent, but Guo Anguo shook his head with a bitter smile: "What the Left Prime Minister said is true. We...we really don't know what to do."

Heshi Lieliangbi did not issue any specific military orders. In fact, for an officer of the rank of commander-in-chief, it was natural to remain in a low-key manner when a high-ranking figure like the Left Chancellor was in front of him.

But once there is no one to govern them, they become too autonomous.

Ten thousand regular soldiers, where can't they go?
The saying goes, "The emperor is far away and the sky is high." If the emperor is far away, there is nothing to fear, let alone the Left Chancellor.

Therefore, Heshi Lieliangbi simply issued a military order to prepare for war and bandits, and allowed the two men to do whatever they wanted.

On the other hand, the two were indeed confused.

As a very large army in the Jin army's order of battle, the Wujie Army served as Wanyan Liang's personal guard for a long time before the Heza Meng'an was reorganized. Among its officers were many loyalists of Wanyan Liang, and even if they were not, they gained great benefits from the Jin state's policy of prioritizing the military.

The two leaders, Guo Anguo and Pucha Shijie, were respectively the son of Guo Yaoshi, a notorious traitor who had served three masters. Without Wanyan Liang's exceptional promotion, his whole family would still be eating crabs in Cangzhou prison. The other was a former bodyguard of Wanyan Liang, one of his most trusted confidants.

In general, it would be very difficult for Wu Jiejun to betray Wanyan Liang.

From this perspective, their return to Bianliang was indeed a good choice.

However, both generals were well aware of the current situation of the Jin state, and it was absolutely true that it was beset by internal and external troubles and its precarious state was like a pile of eggs.

From this perspective, if one wants to serve one's lord, shouldn't one relieve the worries of one's lord and father and make contributions on the frontier?

Moreover, Heshi Lieliangbi's order was also to have Wujie Army hold Xuzhou, which meant that the two fierce generals could only stay in Xuzhou and could not move.
Seeing the two men's demeanor, Heshi Lieliangbi smiled and said, "Don't look at me like that. Now that I'm leading a large army to Dongping Prefecture, the defense of the south is entrusted to you two. I know what you're afraid of, but I only have one thing to tell you."

"You and I are important ministers of the state, bearing heavy responsibilities for the nation and its people. We should prioritize the affairs of the country above all else." Amidst the astonished or skeptical gazes of the surrounding ministers, Heshi Lieliangbi slowly uttered a series of grand and dignified words: "As long as you two can uphold this principle, even if things become difficult later, there will be room for recovery. But if you are half-hearted and hesitant, not only will the country collapse, but your futures will also be shrouded in uncertainty. I hope you two will take heed."

After saying this, Heshi Lieliangbi turned around and tried to leave.

Pucha Shijie, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up to stop him: "Left Prime Minister, this humble general still wishes to request a military order. If the situation becomes unpredictable, what should this humble general do?"

Heshi Lieliangbi stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "You will naturally understand when the time comes."

Upon hearing this, Tu Danzhen grew impatient again and turned to leave.

Has this guy become a Buddhist? He's been going on and on with this endless koan today! So long-winded!

(End of this chapter)