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

Chapter 779 All the Cloud Dragons and Wind Tigers Have Been Returned

The Han army had a blind trust in Liu Huai, believing that following him would enable them to overcome all difficulties and defeat all enemies.

This unmaterialistic mindset manifests in the military as high morale and a strong fighting spirit.

Morale is something invisible and intangible, and it sounds like metaphysics, but it does exist. In an army with high morale, it is not uncommon for dozens of people to chase and kill thousands.

Ultimately, people are the fundamental factor that determines everything. When thousands of people feel that something is doable and worthwhile, and are willing to put in hard work, sweat, and even their lives for it, then the matter is likely to be on track.

The saying "When everyone is of one mind, even Mount Tai can be shaken" perfectly illustrates this point.

The Han army's trust in Liu Huai was based on military victories. As long as he won and brought benefits to everyone, they would risk their lives to fight him next time.

This is also the reason why the loyal army trusted Wei Sheng.

Conversely, a person who has suffered a defeat, no matter how illustrious their previous reputation, will cause the morale of the army to waver and doubts to arise among the ranks.

Why would the Shandong bandits attack the city at this time?

After receiving the military report, Heshilie Zhining rode swiftly to the east of the city, lay hidden behind sacks of earth and miscellaneous items, and looked out of the city with surprise and inquiries.

However, the Jin generals beside him were also speechless and unable to give a reply.

After days of artillery battles, the buildings on the city walls, along with the parapets, had been almost completely destroyed. For the Jin army, the disastrous artillery defeat meant they had lost all ability to retaliate and were left in a passive and defensive position.

Of course, the Jin army wasn't stupid either. They quickly abandoned building defenses on the city walls with rammed earth and instead used more convenient sandbags to defend against flying mud balls and cannonballs.

This is why the Jin army was able to continue to hold their ground on the city walls.

The reason for He Shilie Zhining's surprise was quite simple. As a veteran of the battlefield, he had an innate sense of battlefield awareness. Before a major battle, he would often have a sudden urge or a feeling that something was wrong with the battlefield atmosphere.

This is not metaphysics, but rather the work of the subconscious mind.

He Shi Liezhining might not immediately notice the rising mist during cooking, the disappearance of insect and bird chirps, or the sudden appearance of scouts and riders, but he would clearly sense the strange atmosphere.

However, today, not only Heshilie Zhining, but all the Jin generals did not feel the atmosphere of an impending great battle. It was as if someone suddenly issued a military order, causing tens of thousands of soldiers who were leisurely just a moment ago to put on their armor and go into battle to end their lives.

This is absolutely absurd.

I know your Han army doesn't have the bad habit of demanding rewards before battle, but don't you even do a general mobilization before the battle?
Wanyan Shoudao also rode over at full speed. After finding Heshilie Zhining, he looked with him at the Han army gradually emerging from the camp and forming ranks. Then he looked at the Goose Cart Well, which had already been pushed out of the camp, and his breathing became heavy.

"It seems today is the day. Zhi Ning, do you have anything to say?"

He Shilie Zhining shook his head and said, "There is no such thing as a saying. It is nothing more than fighting, defending, fleeing, surrendering, or dying. Now we have been defeated and have retreated to Yuancheng to hold on. However, the artillery battle has turned out like this. Now it is a situation where we can escape if we can, and we will die if we cannot escape."

Wanyan Shoudao nodded repeatedly.

As the Left Deputy Marshal of the Marshal's Office, Heshilie Zhining naturally had no option to surrender. As the grandson of Wanyan Xiyin, Wanyan Shoudao's future was tied to the fate of the nation, and naturally, his end would also be tied to the fate of the nation.

"In that case, Marshal, let's break through! North or west is fine, as long as we can preserve these 20,000 elite cavalry, the outcome of the battle in the future is still uncertain!"

Wanyan Shoudao urged him vehemently, "Zhining, you must not hesitate any longer. You must preserve your life."

Upon hearing this, the unshaven Heshilie Zhining looked into Wanyan Shoudao's eyes and slowly nodded after a moment.

After being besieged in Yuancheng, Heshilie Zhining conducted a comprehensive review of all his previous decisions and found that there were two main reasons for the current situation.

One reason is that they didn't gamble everything on the battlefield that day, sending all their armored cavalry out in the hopes of either a great victory or a great defeat.

The other option was to retreat to Daming Prefecture. On the day before the Han army caught up, he only thought about gathering his troops and taking a short rest, rather than fleeing quickly.

It's impossible to say whether something is right or wrong in this kind of situation.

With the Han army's momentum that day, could more than 10,000 cavalry really shake them?
Moreover, if Daming Prefecture is abandoned and the Han army pursues and kills them, can these 20,000 cavalrymen really escape alive?
Without Daming Prefecture as a strategic foothold in Hebei, will the Han army march all the way to Hejian Prefecture?
Will Dongjin really have a chance to organize another batch of troops to form a second line of defense?
It's all uncertain.

Whether He Shilie Zhining's choice was right or wrong, and even the actions of everyone involved in this war, may only be clearly explained in historical records.

Of course, all these thoughts only flashed through He Shilie Zhining's mind once before he nodded and said, "Yuancheng can no longer be defended. Tell the men to prepare for retreat according to the pre-arranged plan!"

The order was quickly issued, and the Jin knights, whose morale had been completely worn down, rallied slightly and quickly regrouped.

At this moment, the Han Chinese soldiers and a small number of Khitan soldiers defending the city were unaware that they had been abandoned. They continued to hold their ground on the city walls, but their morale was already somewhat unstable. They were only able to muster the courage to draw their bows and nock arrows on the city walls after the artillery battle had stopped.

Soon, Han archers stepped forward and, under the cover of light soldiers carrying large shields, hurled arrows at the city wall.

As the saying goes, it is easy to be brave behind a strong wall. Even if the morale of the Yuancheng defenders was low, they would not be so easily defeated when they were on high ground. They immediately launched a counterattack.

Amidst the flying arrows from the southeast and west walls of Yuancheng, a Han Chinese military officer peered down and discovered black smoke billowing from below the walls, sending a chill down his spine.

"Tunnel! Tunnel destroys the city!" This Han Chinese officer was clearly literate, speaking in a refined manner. However, even though the surrounding Han Chinese soldiers didn't understand what "destroys the city" meant, they knew what "tunnel" meant and scattered in all directions.

This choice is absolutely correct.

In those days, the tactic of destroying a city involved digging tunnels all the way to the city wall, supporting them with wooden supports. Once the attacking troops withdrew from the tunnels, a fire would be set to burn the supporting wooden supports, causing the tunnels to collapse and the city wall to fall down as well.

He Shilie Zhining was not unaware that someone was digging tunnels. In fact, where there is attack, there is defense. By burying the lower half of the large urn in the ground, they could hear the sounds coming from below the city and then respond in various ways.

However, Heshilie Zhining understood that the Han army was digging tunnels to blow up the city walls. But the city walls wouldn't completely disappear after being blown up; they would still serve as an obstacle, and the Han army wouldn't be able to cross the ruins left by the collapsed city walls for the time being.

If the Han army is not allowed to attack the city walls, and then they attack the city gates, wouldn't that just block the Jin army's way out?
……

Dan Ding, who was in Qixian County, made the same peeking gesture as the Han army officer.

"What are these Jin thieves up to? Should we go out of the city and wipe them out?"

Faced with his confidant's questions, Shan Ding simply frowned and shook his head: "I just received word that the camp has been held, and Lord Wei has led the main force back to the camp. We have a 80% chance of winning this battle. We only have this many troops, so we can't afford any unforeseen complications. As long as we hold Qixian, it will be a great achievement."

His trusted confidant nodded in agreement.

In the chaos of last night's battle, several hundred Jin soldiers, whether by swimming or by finding a ferry upstream, crossed the Huan River in an attempt to seize the city.

However, the Qixian garrison discovered the situation in time, and after the Jin army left behind several corpses, they were driven back.

At this moment, the defenders on the city wall discovered that the hundreds of Jin soldiers had not retreated. Instead, they rode around the city on horseback, occasionally approaching and firing a couple of arrows. Or, when the defenders were not paying attention, they would come to the base of the city wall and dig a few shovelfuls of soil. All their behavior was as if they were suffering from hysteria, making them unpredictable.

Dan Ding was also somewhat surprised by this situation. He thought that the Jin army was looking for a loophole in the city wall and wanted to use grappling hooks or ladders to climb the city. So he ordered his troops to guard the city strictly and not to slack off.

However, Shan Ding still felt that the Jin army's actions were somewhat strange and was not at ease. So he simply sent his confidant across the pontoon bridge at the water gate to report to Wei Sheng on the south bank of the Huan River and request military orders.

"Commander Shan has done a great job. I'll be guarding the camp here and inflicting casualties on the Jin invaders. As long as he holds the city intact, that will be a tremendous achievement. After I've finished killing the Jin invaders, the entire army will retreat back to Qixian County via the pontoon bridge. At that time, Qixian will be completely safe!"

Wei Sheng was also somewhat surprised by the Jin army's movements, but he still maintained the demeanor of a great general and tried to bring the originally distorted strategy back on track.

Lu You, who was standing nearby, simply nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

He couldn't help but glance back at Qixian County, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

What are those hundreds of gold cavalrymen up to?
Before Lu You could figure it out, he heard horns blaring outside the camp, followed by the sound of drums, and then the rumble of horses' hooves approaching.

After a night of rest, the Jin cavalry attacked again.

Lu You looked up at the sun, which was gradually rising and growing larger, and felt the slightly slippery and damp air. He couldn't help but feel a little eager to try out this battle.

The Jin army feared this kind of sweltering heat the most. If the Jin army could be exhausted, and the loyal army could then launch a counterattack, wouldn't it be possible to annihilate the main force of the Jin cavalry here, just like Wu Jie did at Heshangyuan?

If that were truly the case, Henan would be pacified directly, and the ancient capital of Bianliang would not be impossible to restore!

Under the banner of the Jin army's commander, some people also thought of this matter and became somewhat panicked.

In order to ensure Heshi Lieliangbi's authority in the army, although Pusan ​​Zhongyi dispatched the main force of cavalry, there were no generals of the rank of commander-in-chief, governor, or military governor. The highest rank was only a military commander.

A mere marching warrior and hereditary strategist was no match for Heshilie Liangbi, the chieftain of the Heshilie tribe and a legitimate prime minister.

After discussing among themselves, the senior general named Shi Dunzhong cautiously approached Heshi Lieliangbi and bowed, saying, "My lord, the men have endured a long march and a day and night of fierce fighting. They are exhausted. Could we rest for half a day? In any case, the Shandong bandits' camp is not going to disappear."

Heshi Lieliangbi looked up at the sun in the sky, glanced at Shi Dunzhong, and then said, "Was this how Wu Zhe spoke to you before you came? Here you are, trying to bargain with me?"

Shi Dunzhong was already somewhat agitated due to the damp heat, and upon hearing this, he became even more dizzy. He blurted out, "This humble general is a subordinate of the Grand Marshal, not a subordinate of Lord Liangbi."

Heshi Lieliangbi finally turned his gaze and stared intently at Shi Dunzhong.

As soon as Shi Dunzhong uttered his words, he realized he had made a mistake. Under Heshi Lieliangbi's intense gaze, he broke out in a cold sweat. Seeing this, Heshi Lieliangbi could only sigh slightly: "Today, I will not discuss the overall situation of the world with you, but only the immediate interests."

Our army has come on a long march, catching the Shandong bandits completely off guard. Now is the time to lay the foundation for victory..."

At this point, Shi Dunzhong felt a strange unease.

With the Loyal Army in such a state, how could they be caught off guard?

However, he did not dare to interrupt Heshi Lieliangbi's words. He only heard the other party continue to say: "If we let the Shandong bandits catch their breath and we withdraw, they will chase after us. Do you want them to go to Xia Cai to fight?"
"I can simply leave and return to Youyan and Liaodong, continuing my life as a wealthy and powerful official. Your Meng'an is near Bianliang; when the Shandong bandits attack, you'll see if the Wei and Liu bandits will spare you!"

After explaining the pros and cons in a few words, Heshi Lieliangbi remained silent, while Shi Dunzhong appeared to be on the verge of collapse.

Although there were few Meng'an-Muke households in southern Henan during this era, there were still many Meng'an-Muke households in northern Henan, specifically around the wealthy Bianliang.

These Meng'an Mouke households migrated here gradually, some having settled here during the period of the puppet Qi regime and operating in the Central Plains for over thirty years, leaving them nowhere to escape to.

"This humble general...this humble general will personally lead the troops to attack now!" At this point, Shi Dunzhong was worried that Heshi Lieliangbi would abandon his post, so he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Please sit down, Prime Minister Liangbi, and watch this humble general defeat the enemy!"

Heshi Lieliangbi nodded slightly, but after glancing at the sun, he turned his gaze to Qixian County on the opposite bank of the Huan River, waiting for the loud bang.

……

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

In Yuancheng, Daming Prefecture, amidst the sounds of gunpowder explosions all around, Heshi Liezhining calmed his warhorse and then signaled the flag bearer to raise the banner high.

Yuancheng was a fortified city and a large city, serving as the core of the ruling power in southern Hebei. As a result, its streets and markets were very spacious. In addition, after a certain degree of militarization, the core area was almost transformed into a large military camp.

Twenty thousand Jin cavalrymen have assembled and are ready to receive orders at any time.

"After leaving the city, stick close to your own general's banner and don't fall behind."

"Even if we scatter, we must find a way to run north. We have many horses, and the Shandong bandits can't catch us."

"As long as we can reach Hejian Prefecture, we'll consider ourselves safe and sound!"

Officers from various units kept relaying messages. Although they started with encouraging words, saying something about fighting the Shandong bandits to the death, by the time they reached the level of Xingjun Mouke and Puliyan, they had almost become tips on how to escape.

This is to be expected. After the Battle of Damingfu, they were trapped in Yuancheng and subjected to artillery fire for more than a month. Every attack they launched was repelled. It would be a miracle if the morale of the Jin army was high.

Not to mention that some of them were Khitan light cavalry with ulterior motives.

Yelü Chenjia gave Xiao Liujin a wink, and the two immediately took advantage of the Khitan knights' cover to go to a corner and whisper among themselves.

"How is the king?"

"It has been made clear that we will absolutely not surrender, and we will live and die with our financial backers."

"Ugh."

Both of them were speechless for a moment before Xiao Liujin finally said, "The Chen family, that scoundrel Cao Zhuwo also said that the Jin master saved my life in Liaoyang and we have to repay him, so let him escort the king away."

"One of us must escape to return to our clan in Linhuang Prefecture to take charge of the situation, while the other must stay behind to find a way to salvage the situation before Liu Dalang's death."

Yelü Chenjia nodded emphatically: "Then who stays and who leaves?"

Xiao Liujin was speechless: "Chen family, don't be confused. Liu Dalang's current troop deployment is clearly aimed at swallowing up the entire Yuancheng. If we try to escape together, we'll be lucky if even one of us manages to get away. We might all be captured together! You shouldn't make any plans in advance."

Yelü Chenjia nodded and chuckled, "That's true."

After conspiring for a moment, the two Khitans were also drawn by the muffled thunder coming from all directions. It sounded like cannons, but not quite that loud. Then, each of them stood on their horses and looked across the courtyard walls in the middle of the city. When they saw the smoke and dust rising from the walls on all four sides, they panicked.

Before the two could exchange words, they heard the bugle call urging them to march, and the Jurchen cavalry in front began to slowly move north.

The Khitan light cavalry, sandwiched between the front and rear, also moved forward.

This was the opportunity that He Shilie Zhining had been waiting for.

Nearly 20,000 armored cavalrymen set out in a grand procession, moving slowly through the four gates. They were likely to be intercepted, and they would have to take advantage of the chaos in the Han army to have a chance to leave the city and form ranks.

Therefore, when the Han army blew down the city walls and tried to enter the city, it was the best time for the Jin army to escape.

As they passed the central Zhuque Avenue intersection, the Khitan cavalry, along with a portion of Han cavalry, totaling more than 4,000 riders, turned towards the west gate, while Wanyan Shoudao led more than 3,000 cavalrymen towards the east gate.

Heshilie Zhining then led the remaining main force of the Jin army, more than 10,000 cavalry, toward the north gate.

Although there is a distinction between the main force and the auxiliary forces, it is really uncertain who will escape. The north, which seems to have the fewest Han troops, is actually a place surrounded on three sides but lacking one, and there is a high possibility that a large force will be lying in ambush.

Sure enough, as the explosive charge detonated, the Han army officially began its siege. Some of the vanguard quickly discovered the unusual movements of the Jin army inside the city and used flag signals to relay the message to the Han army below.

Xin Qiji, stationed in the east of the city, immediately raised his flag in the ranks and ordered all reserve units to intercept the Jin army according to the pre-arranged plan.

You have your calculations, and I have my plans.

The Han army was composed of seasoned veterans with a well-established staff system, who had already considered all possibilities.

It could even be said that the city gate was a weakness left by the Han army for the Jin army.

The process of cavalry pouring out of the city gates and regrouping will inevitably cause chaos, and the movement of thousands of cavalry together will prolong the chaos to the extreme.

This is a fighter jet.

In fact, the first wave of soldiers who made the first ascent were almost all newly recruited heroes from Hebei who were eager to make a name for themselves. The regular troops of the Han army were all kept in reserve, waiting for the Jin army's desperate counterattack.

Wanyan Shoudao rushed out from the east gate, easily defeating a wave of auxiliary soldiers guarding the siege camp. Then, he looked at the ravine in front of him and felt his scalp tingle.

In the past few days, he had observed the situation from the city wall, but because he was looking from a high place, he felt that the defensive position consisting of ditches, wooden fences and deer antlers was nothing. However, when he looked from the ground, it was really like an insurmountable barrier.

But now that a major battle is imminent, what else is there to say?

Wanyan Shoudao could only order the wooden fence to be knocked down or to go around the rugged moat and move outwards.

However, only fifteen or sixteen of the three thousand armored cavalrymen had emerged from the city gate when the sound of drums was heard. Two cavalry units, each no more than two hundred men, carrying Han army flags, marched along the base of the city wall towards the city gate to intercept them.

These two cavalry units were too fast and too fierce, and it was clear that they had planned this in advance. Without even stopping, they directly cut into the waist and abdomen of the Jin army's marching column, wielding heavy weapons such as maces and iron halberds and starting a melee with the Jin army.

In an instant, the Jin army was cut into two separate groups, each unable to support the other.

At the same time, a large banner with the character "Shi" (石, meaning stone) rapidly approached along the ravine. Light Han soldiers, armed with swords, shields, and javelins, advanced nimbly between the ravines and soon began to engage in a melee with the equally scattered and slowed Jin cavalry.

"Wanyan Daqi! This scoundrel is Wanyan Shoudao!" Shi Qilang, as the commander, couldn't shake his habit of leading from the front. He directly handed over the command of the army to his deputy general, Huyan Zhangba, and personally charged to the forefront with his sword and shield. He glared at his one-eyed man and laughed loudly, "You scoundrel, you deserve to die by my hand today!"

At this moment, Wanyan Shoudao's armored cavalry was in complete disarray, but instead of fleeing with his personal guards, he dismounted and, abandoning any attempt to escape the battlefield quickly, silently led his guards toward Shi Qilang.

Since escape is impossible, we might as well try our best to hold off the enemy and give our own troops more chances to escape.

By this time, the Yuancheng garrison finally realized they had been abandoned. Some of them tried to escape, while others rushed to the wealthy area in the west of the city to kill, burn, and rob. Of course, there were also those who naturally tried to rebel.

Most of the first group to rush onto the city walls were heroes from Hebei. They were fellow villagers from the same upstream and downstream section of the Yongji Canal as the Yuancheng garrison. Many of them could even call each other by name. They knew perfectly well who was cunning and who was honest, who was wicked and who was loyal.

After Wenren Ziqi, the commander of the Wulu Army, dealt with a notorious local tyrant on the spot while standing on the city wall, he said to the others, "The Commander-in-Chief is watching from below the city. You are all people who resist the Heavenly Army. The reason why Daming Prefecture is in such a state is all because of your selfishness! Even if the Commander-in-Chief spares you, I will still tear you to pieces in front of the villagers!"

Just as those who had rebelled were panicking, Wenren Ziqi's words softened: "However, Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life... well... even a blind sparrow won't starve. You still have a path to take. As long as you quickly quell the Yuancheng rebellion and hand over Daming Prefecture intact to the Commander-in-Chief, not only can you atone for your sins, but you will also be able to stand up for yourself in front of the villagers!"

Wenren Ziqi's lack of education was on full display, but no one dared to laugh at him. Instead, they all cheered and said, "We are willing to die for the Commander-in-Chief!"

Wenren Ziqi stood tall and proud on the city wall, pointing to the western city where thick smoke was already rising: "You all go and quell the chaos now. Don't say I didn't give you fools a chance! If you dare to escape..."

Wenren Ziqi stretched out his large hand and squeezed it tightly: "We are all fellow villagers. I know all your families and relatives. Some of you have even called me uncle. Don't make me betray my own family for the sake of righteousness!"

The garrison troops of Daming were all startled, then loudly agreed, raised the flags distributed by Wenren Ziqi, and began to move about.

(End of this chapter)