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

Chapter 735 Report: The Tuyuhun Has Been Captured Alive

To be fair, the Jin army is only at a disadvantage now, but it is not certain that it will be defeated.

A slightly more cunning solution would be to use the cavalry advantage to harass the Han army, wait for them to tire out, and then engage in a decisive battle.

A more forceful approach would have been for Heshilie Zhining to personally lead the charge under the marshal's banner. According to the Jin dynasty's military law of executing those who had been in charge of a single battle, theoretically, if Heshilie Zhining dared to fight to the death, the Jin army would follow suit.

In reality, neither of these approaches is very likely.

The Han army also had elite cavalry, though their numbers were no more than ten thousand, they were brave and fierce, and their combat power was formidable.

Although the Jin cavalry was numerous, they also suffered heavy losses. It goes without saying how many of the two elite cavalry units that bypassed the battlefield and launched a surprise attack on the Han army's central camp could escape. The Khitan light cavalry, having suffered a defeat, would certainly flee back to Linhuang Prefecture in a flash.

At that time, the Han army only needs to use cavalry to entangle the enemy and then use infantry to attack, and the Jin cavalry will be gradually devoured.

As for Heshi Liezhi Ning personally leading his armored cavalry in a fierce charge, that was also not feasible.

However, the key point is that he couldn't possibly have any room for maneuver when he took Dongjin's most elite cavalry and went all in.

Not everyone is as gambler-like as Wanyan Liang. As the Left Deputy Marshal of the Jin Dynasty, Heshilie Zhining was able to consider the overall situation.

As the Han army and the Jin army's infantry formations came into contact, the Jin army was forced to retreat continuously, with many places collapsing and their flanks being surrounded by the Han army's infantry. Finally, Heshilie Zhining gave up and led his more than 6,000 armored cavalrymen to retreat.

As soon as he moved, the Khitan light cavalry followed and moved north. Although the ordinary Jin soldiers did not know what was happening behind them, they would always hesitate when they saw the dust rising.

"What is the Marshal doing?!" Liu E was in the center of the infantry formation. The flag had been raised again, but it was a smaller version of the 'Liu' flag that he had taken from his nephew.

Wanyan Mouyan glanced back and then said calmly, "This must be because the Marshal has found an opportunity to open up space for his charge. Commander Liu, don't worry about the Marshal now. Dealing with the Shandong bandits is the priority."

Liu E nodded with difficulty.

Because Wanyan Mouyan was at his central command at the time, Liu E never considered the possibility that Heshilie Zhining would retreat.

The Left Deputy Marshal can't possibly sell out the Right Deputy Marshal, can he? What would that look like?

However, despite their understanding, as the Han army advanced steadily like a high wall pressing in from the front, the Jin infantry could not resist at all, and more and more areas collapsed.

At first, the generals were able to maintain some control, but later, the Han Chinese officers also lost hope, and some even led the way in deserting.

After giving another morale-boosting speech on the battlefield, Liu E returned to the central army. Disregarding rank and hierarchy, he grabbed Wanyan Mouyan and shouted, "Where is the Marshal? Why hasn't the Marshal come to attack the Shandong bandits?! If he doesn't come soon, the infantry will collapse! And then the cavalry…"

At this point, Liu E looked at Wanyan Mouyan's ambiguous smile, paused, and finally said in a daze, "Marshal... that scoundrel Heshilie Zhining has already escaped, hasn't he? He betrayed all of us Youyan Han people and ran away with his cavalry, hasn't he?!"

Wanyan Mouyan remained silent with a smile.

But actually, Wanyan Mouyan didn't need to answer anymore. Liu E didn't want an explanation; he just wanted to convince himself.

If He Shilie and Zhi Ning can run, why can't I?!
As for the young men of Youyan?

With her father dead and her mother remarried, everyone should look after themselves!

After cursing a couple of times, Liu E turned and fled north with his personal guards.

Wanyan Mouyan first looked at Liu E's back with a mocking smile, then sighed, put on the helmet that his elder brother Wanyan Huonu had once worn, drew the sword that his father Wanyan Loushi had once carried, and roared: "Sons of the Great Jin, follow me to kill the traitors!"

Wanyan Mouyan's personal guards were initially somewhat fearful, but seeing Wanyan Mouyan personally stepping forward, they mustered their courage and led some of the central army troops to meet the Han army's main formation head-on.

"Young General, what should we do?" Bi Zaiyu, standing on the edge of the battlefield, was also caught in a dilemma.

However, when questioned by his guards, Bi Zaiyu gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it, let's take it one step at a time. Now that we're here, how can we turn back? Charge with me!"

The guards immediately perked up.

Two hundred armored cavalrymen were not a decisive force on this kind of battlefield, so Bi Zaiyu did not foolishly charge into the Jin army's infantry formation. Instead, he chose to bypass the flanks and, after defeating one or two groups of cavalry, began to harass the Jin army from behind.

However, after only a few rounds of fighting, firing a few arrows, and capturing a few prisoners, Bi Zaiyu saw a cavalry force rush out from the center of the Jin army's infantry formation and flee north.

That's not all. The key point is that the Jin army seemed to have seen something extraordinary along the way, which caused them to shout in terror and rush northwards.

Bi Zaiyu only needed a moment to think before realizing that this person must be a high-ranking general of the Jin Kingdom, and he immediately became excited.

The title of Duke of the Founding State was merely a promise made by Liu Huai; military merit ultimately had to be earned through one's own hard work.

This could very well be the stepping stone to advancement!

"Come with me!"

Bi Zaiyu still had nearly two hundred armored cavalry under his command at this time. He quickly changed direction and chased after them to the north.

The more he chased, the more convinced he became that the fleeing man was no ordinary person. Not only was he fully armored and dressed in a robe, but his warhorse was also magnificent, and although the accompanying knights were panicked, their physiques suggested they were elite warriors. "Gentlemen, the one ahead must be a high-ranking Jin official! Capturing this man is equivalent to killing a hundred people!" Bi Zaiyu shouted loudly as his warhorse galloped forward, not caring whether anyone heard him, and accelerated again, finally catching up with the tail of this cavalry unit.

This cavalry unit was Liu E's personal guard, and theoretically, their combat strength should be considerable.

However, this was a retreat after all, and morale was extremely low. When the knights saw Bi Zaiyu chasing after them recklessly, their first reaction was not to fight back, but to scatter and flee.

One of the cavalrymen, whose horse was injured and could not run fast, saw that Bi Zaiyu's spear was about to pierce him. In his horror, he pointed to the red-robed knight at the front and said, "That's Liu E! The one in the red robe is Liu E!"

Upon hearing this, Bi Zaiyu was indeed overjoyed. He merely tapped the cavalryman's helmet with his spear and let him go. As he spurred his horse to gallop, he shouted, "The one in red is Liu E! Kill Liu E!"

The Han army knights shouted, "The one in the red robe is Liu E!"

"The one in the red robe is Liu E!"

Upon hearing the shouts of battle behind him, Liu E instinctively wanted to have his personal guards put on their robes and become scapegoats.

Seeing that his guards were all fleeing, Liu E immediately thought that Zhao San, who was loyal to him, had already died in his place, so he could only take off his robe and throw it away.

A sharp-eyed Han soldier spotted this scene and shouted, "The one with the white beard is Liu E!"

"The one with the white beard is Liu E!"

At this moment, Liu E felt something strange, but before he could think about it, he swung his sword and cut off his beard.

Bi Zaiyu, quick-witted, spurred his horse forward again and burst into laughter: "That short, stocky fellow is Liu E! Although you are not Cao Mengde today, it is my duty, Ma Mengqi, to capture you alive!"

Hearing the angry roar so close to him, Liu E was furious and stabbed backward with his spear.

Bi Zaiyu was no longer the naive young man he was two years ago. He had grown up and was stronger. He easily parried Liu E's spear and lifted him off his horse. He then casually threw him aside and began fighting with the guards who came to protect their master.

However, in a short while, with the arrival of follow-up troops, this small group of Jin soldiers was completely scattered.

Bi Zaiyu took off his helmet and poked Liu E, who was lying on the ground, with the butt of his gun: "Stop pretending to be a dead dog, get up!"

Liu E lay sprawled on the ground, utterly disheveled, his mouth stuffed with dirt, and he roared incoherently, "My leg is broken! You brat, you're truly rude! Even in front of your Liu Dalang, I..."

Upon hearing this, Bi Zaiyu immediately ordered, "Huang Bai, take a team of men, search this guy first, then escort him back to Brother Xin Wu. He will definitely not let us down."

The knight named Huang Bai nodded in agreement, then asked, "Young general, aren't you going to present the captives?"

Bi Zaiyu, having spent time in the central government, was highly politically aware: "No need. This battle has already been a great victory. Brother Xin Wu has already defeated the Jin invaders' infantry. We don't need these two hundred of us."

However, there's still no news from the Commander-in-Chief. We must go and see him no matter what.

Everyone nodded.

Whether to fight or not is a matter of ability; whether to go or not is a matter of attitude.

Bi Zaiyu then led more than a hundred armored cavalrymen to turn around and bypass the right flank of the Han army's infantry formation, heading east.

The warhorse galloped at full speed, moving with incredible speed when there was no obstruction.

Soon, Bi Zaiyu saw the large banner with the Chinese character "Han" flying high in the distance and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

But just as he was catching his breath, it rose again, for he saw over a hundred Jin cavalrymen galloping towards him.

"Charge!" Bi Zaiyu shouted the order, then took the lead, brandishing his spear and charging straight into the heart of the Jin army's armored cavalry.

The Jin cavalry seemed to have never expected that an elite Han cavalry force would attack from the west, and were caught off guard.

Faced with Bi Zaiyu's spear thrusting towards him, the leading Jin general swung two iron maces and smashed them down.

As their weapons clashed, Bi Zaiyu felt the immense force emanating from the spear and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

The Jin general seemed to be extremely exhausted, and upon being struck, he fell off his horse amidst the gasps of the Jin soldiers.

Bi Zaiyu naturally paid no heed to a fallen man. Like a sharp blade, he cleaved through the Jin army's formation, turned his horse around, and thrust his weapon at the rear of the Jin army.

These hundred-odd armored cavalrymen had already been through a major battle and were exhausted. They were defeated soldiers who had barely managed to find warhorses and escape. However, under the attack of Bi Zaiyu's personal command of the Han cavalry, they suffered thirty or forty casualties and finally could not hold on any longer, scattering and fleeing.

Seeing Bi Zaiyu slowly approaching on horseback, carrying a long spear, the Jin general, who had fallen from his horse, struggled to support himself, spread his hands, and said with a smile, "I am Wuyan Chala, the military governor of Jingnan Army, the General of the Imperial Guard, and the commander of the Iron Mace. Come and kill me, and I will grant you the title of Marquis!"

Normally, Bi Zaiyu would definitely be witty and talk about what the Jingnan Army Military Governor was all about, or say something like, "I can't capture many people."

But at this moment, Bi Zaiyu was stunned for a moment, then looked at the dumbfounded guards around him and said loudly, "I want to see who can doubt that I am not qualified to be the founding duke?!"

(End of this chapter)