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

Chapter 720 Granting You the Founding Duke
Wuyanchala's idea actually makes a lot of sense.

There are no factions in China, but there are all sorts of strange and unusual things. Within every political force, there are factions and conflicts of interest.

Many of them are even mortal enemies in private.

All crows are black, do you really think the Han army is all harmonious?

For example, He Zizheng and Li Gongzuo, who are currently in Liaodong and working together to attack the Jin Dynasty, have a deep-seated and irreconcilable feud between their fathers, He Boqiu and Li Bao.

In such situations, a strong leader is needed to balance interests and reconcile conflicts.

If it weren't for Liu Huai, who used national righteousness to rally people's hearts and political ideals to bridge internal and external differences, thus keeping the hatred within the previous generation, He Zizheng and Li Gongzuo would have stabbed each other in the back long ago.

Similar situations were countless among the 60,000-strong Han army facing the enemy.

Therefore, no matter what, Liu Huai had to personally lead the army and fight on the battlefield.

Conversely, as long as Liu Huai was still in the army, no matter how great the conflicts were between the Han generals, they had to cooperate sincerely and fight side by side.

The Jin army is now facing a similar situation. It is a large army composed of several merged parts, with deep internal contradictions.

However, as long as Wanyan Yong stands here, all these conflicts can be suppressed.

He doesn't even need to personally command the troops; he can simply act as a mascot within the army and support He Shilie Zhining.

Who will dare to be sarcastic or sarcastic then? Who will dare to cause trouble?
But it won't work.

To use an imperfect analogy, Liu Huai was the founding emperor, so it was only natural that he personally rode a horse and took up arms to conquer the world.

However, Wanyan Yong was a ruler who maintained the status quo and carried on the legacy of the past, and was the head of a mature political group.

If they weren't truly desperate, who would dare send him to the battlefield?

Moreover, even if such advice were to be given, it would be up to the current prime ministers such as Heshilie Liangbi to make the decision. Heshilie Zhining's position was too awkward, and it was impossible for him to advise Wanyan Yong to come to a dangerous place.

Time flows like a tide, and it will not stop because of anyone's panic or hesitation.

At the hour of Yin on May 15 (around 3 a.m.), the Han army began to cook. Smoke rose from the nascent Han army camp, and from a distance, it looked like the Dragon King swallowing clouds and spitting out mist, about to bring rain.

This naturally attracted the attention of the Jin army. The light cavalry, who had been fighting for several days, quickly reported the news up the chain of command, and the Jin army camp was in an uproar.

Having reached this point, Liu Huai felt relieved, as if the other shoe had finally dropped, and he even had the inclination to joke with Bi Zaiyu.

"Brother Bi, how are you getting along with Madam Wang?"

Bi Zaiyu had gotten married a few months earlier. According to his merits, he was allocated a mansion in Jinan Prefecture, several shops, hundreds of acres of land, plus some silver given to him privately by Liu Huai. He lived a very comfortable life.

Bi Zaiyu was initially nervous about the upcoming battle, but upon hearing this, he was stunned for a moment, then blushed and said, "Thanks to the young master, my wife was already pregnant before this expedition."

Liu Huai was both amused and exasperated.

"This is your own ability, how can you say you owe it to me? Is this kind of blessing something you can rely on?"

The guards and military staff around him burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Bi Zaiyu's face turned even redder, but Liu Huai couldn't let his trusted general be too embarrassed: "Brother Bi, how does it feel to be a father for the first time?"

Bi Zaiyu remained silent for a moment before solemnly saying while reining in his horse, "It's strange. Young Master, as you know, since I went north, I've been a free spirit, seeking neither merit nor wealth, only to fight the Jin bandits to my heart's content."

But ever since I found out my wife was pregnant, I've always thought that if it's a boy, I should leave him a family fortune so he can have enough to eat and drink; if it's a girl, I should also earn a generous dowry so she can have a grand wedding and hold her head high in her husband's family.

Now, my desire for fame and fortune grows stronger every day. My dear son, do you think I'm becoming somewhat petty and calculating?

In the end, Bi Zaiyu became somewhat uneasy.

Liu Huai laughed a few times before speaking loudly: "What is there to be ashamed of when a real man strives to achieve merit and establish a career to secure a good reputation for his wife and children? If one acts with integrity and seeks fame and fortune openly and honestly, even if one leaves a name in history, one will be praised as a hero and a valiant man. Why would one be criticized?"

Upon hearing this, Bi Zaiyu smiled. The troops at the front had already left the camp, and according to the order, it should be his three hundred cavalrymen's turn. He immediately bowed to Liu Huai and said, "With your words, Young Master, I feel more confident. Young Master, I am going to battle!"

Liu Huai waved with a smile: "Go ahead."

Bi Zaiyu cupped his hands in greeting to several acquaintances around him, then spurred his horse and rode away.

Bi Zaiyu was to lead his three hundred cavalrymen to the right flank of the main army, under Zhang Baiyu's command, to face the Jin cavalry, which outnumbered them several times over.

This is bound to be a tough battle.

However, Bi Zaiyu only took a dozen steps forward before reining in his horse and, in full view of everyone, loudly asked Liu Huai, "Young Master, with my merits, is it possible for me to be ennobled as a marquis in the future when the country is founded?!"

Whether it was the military advisors around Liu Huai, the scribes accompanying the army, or the generals of his personal guards, they were all surprised to hear this, but then they felt it was only natural.

If we can wipe out these 60,000 Jin troops, the entire Hebei region of the Jin state will be impossible to defend.

At that time, with Shandong, Hebei, and half of the Central Plains in hand, how could we not establish a state and establish our own regime?
This was simply the first time the matter had been brought to light, so everyone was both excited and a little apprehensive.

No one refuted them; instead, they all looked at Liu Huai with hopeful eyes.

Liu Huai, of course, would not disappoint his trusted confidants, and his voice became even louder: "When the time comes, I will grant you the title of Duke of the Founding State!"

Bi Zaiyu was overjoyed to receive such a definite promise, and the others were also greatly encouraged. So, could this be the war to establish the nation?!

Although many of those who followed Liu Huai were idealists, most of them were also dreaming of making a name for themselves, becoming nobles and high-ranking officials, and having a bright future, hoping to secure a position that would benefit their wives and children.

Upon hearing Liu Huai's promise in public, everyone was extremely excited.

The news that Liu Dalang was about to establish a kingdom spread like wildfire, like dandelions in the wind, as the army was mobilized and deployed. By the time the main force was initially formed and the army was advancing, the news had reached the commander-in-chief and even the lowest-ranking officers.

At least at the rank of colonel, the initial nervousness completely disappeared, replaced by a burning passion in their hearts.

In this situation, one can only say that it's a good thing for a political leader to have ambition, as it at least gives his subordinates more hope.

As the army unfolded, Xin Qiji, who was at the forefront, listened to the fresh news brought by the military envoy and couldn't help but turn around to look at the huge 'Han' character banner in the central command post.

As a man well-versed in literature, Xin Qiji's first thought consisted of only three words.

A golden knife!

It really is a Maojin knife!

Is this famous prophecy really going to come true at this very moment?
Of course, as the commander-in-chief of the vanguard, Xin Qiji was only momentarily distracted. Soon, he focused his attention on the battlefield in front of him.

This is no longer the era of the Spring and Autumn Period, when the two commanders would first reminisce, then exchange insults, and finally engage in a duel before fighting.

In fact, the battle had already begun the moment the Han and Jin armies stepped out of their camps almost simultaneously.

Both sides deployed their light cavalry to engage in fierce fighting, each trying to gain control of the entire battlefield.

Strangely, despite the Jin cavalry having an absolute advantage, they were repeatedly defeated by the Han cavalry.

This situation not only shocked the front-line generals on both sides, but also terrified Yelü Wowo, the commander-in-chief of the Jin army's cavalry.

"What did you say?" Yelü Wowo asked anxiously, grabbing General Yelü Chenjia. "How could our army of six thousand elite troops be unable to defeat even three thousand light cavalry?!"

Yelü Chenjia wiped the sweat from his brow and said with a wry smile, "Many of these light cavalrymen speak with a Liaodong accent, and some even... some can even speak Khitan... The young men are naturally hesitant..."

Yelü Wowo loudly interrupted Yelü Chenjia: "I don't care about these things. It's not like we haven't fought with our own people for pastures or fought with the Jurchens. I just don't understand, what are you men hesitating about!"

Yelü Chenjia finally said helplessly, "The Shandong bandits' light cavalry fight differently from us. We win with bows and arrows. They often shoot one arrow and then call the rest of them to charge with spears. Moreover, they wear iron tunics, while our soldiers only wear cloth clothes."

Our cavalry can neither escape, nor defeat them, nor hit them with arrows, so..."

Yelü Wowo was even more furious: "Let my personal guards go with you! I refuse to believe that the Shandong bandits' light cavalry are all reckless! If we can kill a hundred or two in battle, surely we can suppress these mere three thousand men?!"

"They have three thousand, we have six thousand. If we lose, what will the court think of us?!"

Although the Han army's light cavalry were not wearing heavy armor, they still had an iron helmet and an iron tunic.

This equipment was actually similar to that of heavy cavalry in the European linear infantry era; they could even use a long spear to temporarily act as shock cavalry.

But this requires extremely high morale and a high level of training.

And the Han army has neither of these two things in abundance.

Just as Yelü Wowo finished speaking, while he was still entangled with Yelü Chenjia's arm, another Khitan general, Cao Zhuwo, arrived in a disheveled state. His right arm appeared to have been cut by a long sword, and although it had been bandaged, it was still bleeding profusely.

Before Cao Zhuowo even reached him, he shouted loudly, "Duke! I saw... I saw the old monk Yelü! And that scoundrel Yelü Zhaba is also in the army! Duke, make preparations!"

As if to convey this message, Cao Zhuowo, ignoring the continued bleeding from his wounds, turned and returned to the battlefield.

Hearing the shouts of battle coming from all directions and watching the battlefield gradually turn into a chaotic melee, Yelü Wowo was dumbfounded and completely lost his composure.

After a long while, Yelü Wowo finally came to his senses after his arm was shaken vigorously by Yelü Chenjia.

But he remained incapacitated, only muttering to himself, "Old monk... old monk... the military commander of King Saba... my elder brother's... military commander... why is he here?!"

Yelü Chenjia shouted, "Brother! Forget about how these two got here. Are we still going to fight? How should we fight? Do you have a plan, brother?"

Yelü Wowo opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he saw a strange flag suddenly raised a mile ahead.

This is not a military flag in the style of the Han army; rather, it resembles a large banner from the grasslands, decorated with the skulls of cattle and sheep, and securely bound with ropes made of horsehair.

The design on the banner was a blue ox and a white horse.

A tidal wave of shouts of battle came from all directions. At first, they were not very coordinated, but after a moment, the sounds converged.

"Avenge King Saba!"

"Avenge King Saba!"

Yelü Wowo sat blankly on his horse, feeling a chill run through his body.

The stab he delivered to Yelü Saba, the leader of the Khitan uprising, has returned after more than two years.

(End of this chapter)