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

Chapter 728 How could one possibly understand the opportunity to unite troops?

"Achoo! Achoo!" Zhang Baiyu, who was being talked about by the two veterans, sneezed twice. The hot wind blowing in his face instantly smeared his handsome face with saliva.

Zhang Baiyu wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe, but instead of cleaning it, he ended up mixing saliva, sweat, and dust all over his face.

With his face covered in graffiti, Zhang Baiyu looked up at the sun, which was gradually gaining strength, and said helplessly, "Why haven't the Jin bandits arrived yet?! Are they going to wait here to give birth?"

No one answered him.

At this moment, Zhang Baiyu remembered that his deputy general Liang Pan had already led his troops to intercept the Jin army that was attacking from the rear.

If I had known that the Jin army was so resolute, I wouldn't have needed Liang Pan to lead the troops to attack; I would have handled things myself.

They might have already been beheaded and returned.

Zhang Baiyu thought to himself.

Of course, even if Liang Pan wasn't around, there would still be plenty of people around Zhang Baiyu who wanted to join in the fun.

One of the guards shouted, "Fourth Prince, I think the Jurchen bandits are afraid of your reputation, that's why they dare not come."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Baiyu shook his head and laughed, "If we dare not come, do you think we dare to leave? We are so close. If the Jin traitors turn around and retreat, I dare to organize my troops and chase after them. At that time, whether they have eight thousand or ten thousand cavalry, they will be chased and crushed by me."

Retreat, especially a retreat in the face of battle, and even more so for cavalry, is extremely difficult; a single misstep can lead to the complete rout of the army.

If any Jin generals weren't idiots, even if they were to retreat, they would have engaged in a fierce battle with the Han cavalry to prevent the Han army from pursuing them.

Zhang Baiyu continued, "But we dare not come, nor dare we leave. Are we just going to wait here like this?! The sun is getting stronger and stronger, and there isn't even a tree around. I can hold out, but can the Jin bandits hold out?"

Many of the Jurchen cavalry came from Liaodong, so it's understandable that they couldn't adapt to the climate immediately.

It was still morning, and the sun had only been up for a short time, but it was already quite hot. If they were to be exposed to the sun all afternoon and then fight in the afternoon, the Han cavalry would certainly suffer, and the Jurchen cavalry would be lucky to be able to perform even three-tenths of their usual skills.

The guard smacked his lips, agreeing with his master's words, and immediately said, "But this is too uncomfortable! Should we take the initiative to challenge him?!"

Zhang Baiyu was tempted, but after looking at the central army, he shook his head helplessly: "The eldest son entrusted me with the elite armored cavalry to protect the right flank of the entire army. Moreover, the central army seems to be somewhat vulnerable at the moment. It would be exhilarating for us to charge out, but what if something happens to the central army?"

The guard, however, said nonchalantly, "That's the Commander-in-Chief, who can defeat him?"

Before Zhang Baiyu could speak, a seasoned guard, unable to bear it any longer, slapped him: "Shi Da, you scoundrel! The eldest son is the emperor's father. How can the emperor's father be allowed to take risks?! No matter how capable your father is, would you sit idly by and watch your own father be in danger?"

The words may be rough, but the reasoning is sound. The experienced guard had already explained the political risks, so Zhang Baiyu didn't repeat them. Instead, amidst Shi Da's smirk, he said, "Shi Da, there's another crucial point: if the central army is thrown into chaos, then the vanguard might be in danger."

If someone were to detach troops to reinforce the central army, and the Jin invaders seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, the entire formation could collapse. It must be understood that the vanguard now numbers approximately 30,000 troops; we cannot afford to be careless.”

Shi Da nodded repeatedly, but also looked somewhat dejected: "Fourth Master, does that mean we can only continue to wait?"

Hearing this, Zhang Baiyu felt helpless and anxious, his eyes constantly glancing towards the front lines of the battlefield.

The battle there had turned into a bloody mess, with countless comrades fighting and countless friends in the army being separated forever. Zhang Baiyu still had more than two thousand elite cavalry under his command, but he was not allowed to participate in the battle. How could he remain calm?
After thinking for a moment, Zhang Baiyu gritted his teeth and said, "Anyway, we have to make the Jin bandits take the initiative to attack. It doesn't matter whether they come eagerly or are lured here by us."

"Shi Bin, Shi Dalang, do you have the guts?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Bin excitedly brandished his spear twice: "Fourth Master, what you say is unreasonable! Do you not know my abilities and character, Shi Da? I will charge into the enemy army alone right now!"

After saying that, the man made a move to leave.

"Come back!" Zhang Baiyu scolded sternly, "Impulsive and reckless, what kind of person are you?!"

"I'll give you a hundred riders to challenge the generals in front of the Jin bandits. If they dare to fight, kill them all! If they don't dare, you can curse their ancestors to the eighteenth generation. The guy over there is called Wuyanchala, so make sure to curse him."

"If they become enraged and send a large army to pursue you, then lure them here!"

Shi Bin, bold yet meticulous, immediately understood Zhang Baiyu's meaning. He mustered a whole unit of armored cavalry and charged through the chaotic battlefield toward the Jin army.

Standing on horseback, Zhang Baiyu watched Shi Bin get further and further away, and his heart couldn't help but feel uneasy.

However, Shi Bin did not go far. After reaching the center line between the two armies, he turned back with his troops, even faster than before.

Zhang Baiyu was momentarily stunned.

However, his curiosity didn't last long. Suddenly, the dust in the distant sky intensified, and the thunderous sound of horses' hooves also rang out.

The Jin cavalry are finally about to move.

As a huge weight was lifted from Zhang Baiyu's heart, he immediately ordered the entire army to form ranks, and the sounds of drums and horns immediately began.

The Han cavalry, who had been resting and recuperating for some time, rose, led their horses into formation, checked their equipment, and stretched their limbs, ready to mount at any moment. Zhang Baiyu's judgment was correct; Wuyan Chala truly couldn't hold back any longer.

After that document was passed from Tudan Hailuo to Wuyan Chala through Heshilie Zhining, all the senior generals had the same thought in their minds.

If things go wrong, there will be no way out!
The military report was very vague, only saying that the Han army had a weapon that could summon heavenly thunder, and they conquered cities and fortresses as if they were in an empty land.

The camps that Wanyan Mouyan had set up behind him, especially the military fortifications on both sides of the Majia River, were as fragile as paper and could not hold out against the Han army ships for more than a quarter of an hour.

The Jin generals immediately recognized that Liu Dalang had once again come up with some tricks with firearms.

Of course, the military report on the other side also said that there were more than a hundred Han warships attacking from the Majia River, which was obviously nonsense.

The Majia River is only so wide, yet over a hundred ships have blocked its course.

The key point is that no matter how many Han soldiers there are, as long as they travel along the Majia River, all the pontoon bridges prepared in advance will be destroyed.

The Majia River is indeed not wide, and one can easily cross it by using the Fuma Ferry.

Even if we harden our hearts and send back several thousand regular troops to launch rockets around the Han ships, I don't believe we can't get rid of them.

But as I said before, any tactical maneuver is risky when facing a formidable enemy force of equal strength.

Let alone a narrow river twenty paces wide, even a small ditch could cause many battle-hardened soldiers to lose their lives in a panic.

The news hasn't spread yet. If the defeated soldiers were to arrive on the battlefield and realize that their retreat had been cut off, then all would be lost.

Thinking of this, Wuyanchala felt a surge of hatred.

Why did such useful things as gunpowder and firearms first appear in Shandong?
If the Jin dynasty possessed several such powerful weapons, they could have dispatched small groups of troops to flank the Han army's fortified positions in Bozhou.

If you cut off my escape route, I'll cut off yours.

If everyone's escape routes are cut off, it's as if no one's escape routes are cut off, and the battlefield remains evenly matched.

However, at this point, Tudan Hailuo had no other ideas.

Since we're running out of fighting opportunities, we should take advantage of the army's still-high morale and go all out!
Looking at the situation on the left wing from afar, He Shi Lie Zhi Ning and Tu Dan Hai Luo, who had been hesitant, became determined.

Since retreating means death, and being cut off from our retreat also means death, is it better to wait for death and die for our country?
Just as Heshilie Zhining was about to give the order, Wanyan Mouyan rushed over from the rear army, grabbed Heshilie Zhining's sleeve, and said anxiously, "Marshal, are you going to send out troops for a decisive battle now?"

He Shilie Zhining nodded in agreement: "General Mou Yan also clearly saw the military report just now. The Shandong bandits are trying to cut off our retreat. I'm worried that if we don't go into battle now, we won't even have a chance for a final stand."

Wanyan Mouyan took a deep breath. After all, he was a mature and prudent man. Taking advantage of the fact that the military order had not yet been issued, he immediately advised, "Marshal, now is not the time to go all out. How can we gamble everything? Even if the Majia River is cut off, our army can still retreat to Hejian Prefecture. We can then regroup and fight again. But if we use this trump card, it will be fine if we win, but if we lose, we will not even be able to defend Hejian Prefecture!"

Heshilie Zhining stared intently at Wanyan Mouyan and said, word by word, "General Mouyan, according to you, our army has actually been defeated? We should have abandoned Daming Prefecture and gone to protect Hejian Prefecture?"

Wanyan Mouyan shook his head repeatedly: "Zhining, it's not that I'm cowardly, but the overall battlefield strategy was decided during the military council. How can it be changed hastily because of some changes in the military situation? It's not like we're facing a large army attacking from both sides."

"Zhining's actions, while not exactly a matter of being cautious about one's own life when undertaking great tasks, also demonstrate a willingness to risk one's life for petty gains."

The last sentence was rather harsh, but Heshilie Zhining was not angry. Instead, he sighed deeply and said, "General Mouyan, you have misunderstood me greatly. This is not about petty gains, nor is it solely my thought..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he heard horns and drums sounding from the cavalry formations on both flanks. Wanyan Mouyan hurriedly looked over and saw that the cavalry of Wuyan Chala and Tudan Hailuo had both been roused and had launched their attack with a roar, like the thunder of summer.

Wanyan Mouyan was somewhat dazed, but after seeing Heshilie Zhining's slightly bitter face, he suddenly realized what was happening.

He Shilie Zhining pointed to the infantry formation in front of him, which was engaged in a fierce battle, and continued, "The Shandong bandits are getting stronger every day. Now, my regular infantry, with superior numbers, cannot even break through a few small formations. What will happen in two years?"
I originally thought the Shandong bandits had mastered gunpowder to an unparalleled degree, and that my Great Jin, having also developed gunpowder, could match them. But who would have thought that Liu the bandit had other gunpowder weapons?

Heshilie Zhining earnestly said to Wanyan Mouyan, who was already in a daze, "General Mouyan, do you still remember what Prime Minister Liangbi said before? The Han people outnumber the Jurchens by hundreds of times, yet Liu Bei can easily win the hearts of millions of Han people."

"Now, our Great Jin is no match for the Shandong bandits in terms of military strength, firearms, and manpower reserves."

"You may think that today is a stalemate, but this may be the time in the next ten years when my Great Jin Dynasty will have the greatest advantage over Liu Bei."

"We still have a chance to fight to the death, which is truly a blessing from heaven and the protection of the founding heroes. How can we wait until ten years later, when Liu Dalang leads an army of 200,000 men, all armed with gunpowder weapons, to launch a northern expedition?"

“Both Wuyanchala and Tudanhailuo knew about this, and they couldn’t contain themselves just now. How could I stop them?”

He Shilie Zhining spoke with utmost sincerity, showing none of the confidence or arrogance one would expect from a marshal.

Wanyan Mouyan, who had always been at odds with him, fell silent for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying solemnly, "Since that's the case, then send all the troops in. I will lead 10,000 infantrymen from the rear guard to join the battle immediately!"

He Shilie Zhining said with satisfaction, "With General Mouyan's assistance, our great undertaking will surely succeed!"

(End of this chapter)