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

Chapter 864 Returning South to Yandang to Report to My Husband

Hou Anyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief when he held the heads of Dalitai and Wanyan Xiang in his hands.

The next moment, a wave of weakness from blood loss and exhaustion washed over Hou Anyuan, making him feel dizzy. But he knew that now was not the time to rest.

"It's done! Tell Liu Ba to take advantage of the chaos and get out now, and meet up at the Huanghe ferry crossing as previously agreed! Hurry!"

After saying this, Hou Anyuan grabbed a few braids, tied the head to his belt, and called for the Han army to leave the chaotic battlefield and head south of the city along the area where the fire had not yet spread.

A moment later, Liu Ba also received Hou Anyuan's message and immediately sounded the horn signaling a retreat, leading his troops in a similar retreat.

However, just after leaving the battle and returning to the place where they had fought, right next to a low wall, Liu Ba saw Cao Zhuowo, who had just been his mortal enemy.

Cao Zhuowo clutched a large wound on his abdomen, remaining silent as he watched Liu Ba quietly in the firelight.

Seeing this, Liu Ba hesitated for a moment, then sighed and came to Cao Zhuowo's side: "Old Cao, we still have a familial bond, do you have anything else to say?"

Cao Zhuowo shook his head slightly, and as soon as he opened his mouth, black blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

After coughing up all the blood and froth from his trachea, Cao Zhuowo reached out his blood-stained hand, grasped Liu Ba's arm, and pleaded, "Please... save the Khitan... save the Khitan tribe... please?"

Liu Ba sighed again, then nodded with difficulty.

Cao Zhuowo seemed to be holding on by a thread, waiting for Liu Ba to make his promise, before he could no longer hold on, bowed his head, and died.

Liu Ba shook his head slightly and reached into Cao Zhuwo's ​​arms to take out the token and seal.

Even though he knew that every second counted, he still lost his composure and burst into tears after Liu Ba turned around.

He turned around again and punched Cao Zhuowo hard on the shoulder with his fist: "Old Cao, why the hell are you so stubborn!"

Even so, Liu Ba still understood Cao Zhuowo's predicament.

As a Khitan, he was deeply indebted to Wanyan Yong. Later, due to the excessive exploitation by the Jin state, he joined the Khitan uprising army. However, before his great cause could be accomplished, his own superior killed the leader of the Khitan uprising army.

Any normal person would face immense moral dilemmas at this point.

Did you not see how, during the Battle of Daming Prefecture, the old monk Yelü and Yelü Kuoli charged forward while cursing the traitors, causing those battle-hardened Khitan generals to flee in disarray?
Humans have a sense of shame.

However, Cao Zhuo'an's ordeal was not over.

After the Battle of Damingfu, he, as an ordinary man, took command of the various Khitan tribes in an attempt to solve the problems that Yelü Saba and Yelü Wowo could not solve.

He had to find a way to survive for the Khitan tribe and repay Wanyan Yong's great kindness. Being caught in the middle was like a green bean being squeezed in a millstone. How could he not be crushed to pieces?
Why is it so difficult to live a decent life?

This must be what they call a chaotic world!
With extremely complicated feelings, Liu Ba led his troops to the stables that had been prepared in advance in the south of the city. After meeting up with Hou Anyuan halfway, the group took advantage of the chaos to push down the low wall surrounding Heishuipu and ran south.

As dawn broke, Hou Anyuan and Liu Bafang stopped on a high ground by the Huanghe River and gazed at the burning Heishuipu for a long time. Hou Anyuan then said, "Old Liu, Wanyan Xiang told me on his deathbed that he had handed over the state letter to the Mongols the day before yesterday. I don't know if it's true or not."

Liu Ba wasn't surprised to hear this, because there had been too many unexpected situations during this trip to Linhuang Prefecture, and he had gotten used to it: "Whether it's true or false, the Prince of Han should know immediately."

“Ah Yuan, our men have suffered some casualties in this great battle. Take these two heads back and report.”

Hou Anyuan, feeling the pain all over his body, could only sigh and nod: "Aren't you going back?"

Liu Ba shook his head and took out the seal and token of the Six Courts Military Governor from his pocket: "Cao Zhuowo is dead. At this time, the Khitan tribes are without a leader. I am going to assist the Yelü Chen family and also to see if that fellow has any other ideas."

Hou Anyuan fell silent again.

However, Liu Ba laughed and said, "Don't make that face. This time, the King of Han has given us two tasks: one is to prevent the Jin and Mongol tribes from forming an alliance, and the other is to win over the Khitan tribes to oppose the Jin."

It's fair to say we're only halfway done now, and since I have the chance, I'm not going to slink back in disgrace.

After thinking for a moment, Hou Anyuan finally nodded and said, "Old Liu, be careful in everything you do, and prioritize your life."

If this can truly incite the Khitan tribes to rebel against the Jin, then there's no need for further war. Just lead them directly to the Yanshan Mountains. The Prince of Han doesn't expect the Khitans to destroy the Jin; he only wants to tie down some of their forces.

Liu Ba nodded haphazardly: "Of course I know about this. I won't fight a losing battle with an egg."

The Yanshan Mountains are crisscrossed with ravines, and there is also a lot of arable land, which allowed the Khitan tribes to hold out for two years.

Once the Khitan tribes left Linhuang Prefecture, the Mongols would almost immediately be able to border the Jin Dynasty. At that time, even if there were any transactions between the two sides, they would have to exert some effort to guard against each other.

For the Khitan tribe, it all boils down to one sentence.

Everything will be alright as long as the Han army launches an attack.

After exchanging a few words of advice, the two parted ways, one heading south and the other north.

After Liu Ba went to find the Yelü Chen family and handed over the seal, he successfully took control of the Khitan tribe in Linhuang Prefecture. On the other hand, Hou Anyuan's journey back south was extremely difficult.

This time, the Han army had no caravans to conceal their presence; the dozens of young and strong knights in armor and armed with weapons gathered together were simply too conspicuous.

Therefore, Hou Anyuan dared not return south via the route he came from in Jin, but instead took the Yanshan Trail, and only found his accomplices in Dingzhou according to the pre-arranged plan.

Even with locals providing cover, Hou Anyuan and his men were recognized by Jin scouts when they reached the ferry crossing near the Hutuo River, and Jin soldiers quickly surrounded them. Hou Anyuan had no choice but to lead his cavalry in a desperate escape.

The Han army fought and retreated until they finally found the Han warships that had come to meet them on the Hutuo River.

The navy, of course, did not hesitate. After approaching the shore, they fired several rounds of cannon fire, and the Jin army immediately retreated.

Hou Anyuan's wounds had not yet healed, and this time he had personally braved the enemy's arrows and fought fiercely, which made his injuries even more serious. He fainted after being taken to the warship.

"These are...these are two heads, Wanyan Xiang's and Dalitai's. They are to be given...given to the King of Han..."

In his sleep, Hou Anyuan murmured to himself, as if he had returned to the battle at Heishuipu that day, and the roars and shouts of the Mongols and Jurchens still seemed to echo in his ears.

Take the head back.

Countless Jin cavalrymen pursued him, but he had only one thought in his mind.

Take the head back.

Blood almost froze in the cold wind, weapons turned as cold as ice, and warhorses panted heavily, seemingly about to collapse at any moment.

Hou Anyuan closed his eyes and heard only the roar of battle cries, which surged in like a tide and then disappeared like a tide, leaving only the crackling sound of burning firewood.

Hou Anyuan opened his eyes, looked at the ceiling, and after a moment realized that he had returned to the garrison and should be recuperating in the hospital.

"you're awake?"

A gentle female voice came from the side, making even the fearless Hou Anyuan tremble, and he wanted to turn his head to look.

"Don't move."

A pair of hands pressed down on his forehead: "You have more than thirty wounds all over your body, the most serious one being on your neck, which is only half an inch away from the main vein. If the wound were to reopen, I might not have the skill to stitch it up for you."

Hou Anyuan's mouth was dry, but he still smiled and said, "Physician Xu... I'm fine now."

Xu Erya gently patted Hou Anyuan's forehead and sat back down at her desk: "Whether it's alright or not is not up to you to decide."

Hou Anyuan's quick wit was completely useless at this moment, and he could only stammer, "Yes...yes."

At this point, Hou Anyuan stared at the roof, his mind racing with thoughts.

Hurry up and think of a topic!

To rush a thousand miles to Linhuang Prefecture... that won't do.

The scenery and sights of the grasslands... that won't do either.

Two enemy heads have been severed... No, no, no, this won't do...

Head.

Hou Anyuan instantly became alert, and then tried to get up, but Xu Erya pressed him down again.

"Physician Xu, the two heads I brought back are meant to be given to the Prince of Han... Could they have fallen into the water while crossing it?"

Xu Erya shook her head repeatedly: "Those are all your treasures. You wouldn't let go even after you fainted, and you finally tore open the bag to take them out. They're already rotten. Commander Shen has already taken them and presented them to the King of Han. Don't worry, you'll get your share of the credit."

You can't just wrap it in lime anymore; for long-term preservation, you'll need to soak it in saltpeter solution. Luckily it's winter; if it were summer, after a month, it might have rotted to the bone.

Hou Anyuan nodded repeatedly: "I've learned a lot."

The two men spoke such wild and inappropriate words, but since one was a warrior and the other a physician, no one found it strange.

After a moment of silence, Xu Erya chuckled softly, "Remember last time in Yanzhou? It was the same. You were lying in bed, and I was treating you. Yes, you were the one who rescued me from the water and saved those medical notes."

Hou Anyuan nodded slightly, his thoughts drifting back to a few years ago.

"Back then, you thought that Bi Dalang had feelings for me and had some complaints about him."

Hou Anyuan's expression froze instantly, and he became somewhat flustered: "I... this... of course not... it's all, sigh, it's all my brother talking nonsense."

Xu Erya chuckled softly, then her tone became serious: "Haven't I been thanking you properly all this time?"

Hou Anyuan's breathing became rapid, but he still dared not move: "Why should I thank you for serving the country?"

As soon as he said it, Hou Anyuan wanted to slap himself twice.

Why pretend to be a hero at a time like this, spouting grand pronouncements? Have you been surrounded by men for too long and your brain has turned to wood?
However, the next moment, Xu Erya's face appeared in Hou Anyuan's field of vision, and she asked with a half-smile and a hint of anger, "Is it really only for the country and not for me?"

Looking at that smile, Hou Anyuan felt the pain all over his body lessen by a third, but he could only keep grinning foolishly.

(End of this chapter)