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

Chapter 895 A true man understands death.

The flames of war resembled the setting sun, and the blood stained the ground like splashed ink.

At dawn, the great battle that had taken place north of Dasanguan and beneath Shangyuan had ended.

The result was as expected, and there was no reversal.

Under the swift attack of the Jin army's 4,000 elite troops, the Song army, already in a state of panic, had no chance of winning and collapsed in less than an hour.

The Song army fled in disarray along the Chencang Road. Unable to discern directions in the darkness, many soldiers fell into the Qingjiang River and drowned on the spot for no apparent reason.

The Jin army had not expected such a great victory, and it was clear that they had no plan in place, which caused them to be somewhat flustered.

In order to avoid large-scale non-combat casualties due to losing their way at night after a great victory, Wanyan Liang quickly ordered his troops to regroup and clear the battlefield.

As the morning sun shone, General Wanyan Lucheng personally came to inspect the battle results, only to find that on a small hill near the foot of the mountain, there were still several Song soldiers holding out.

"What are you all good for? So many of you and you can't even take down a few Song soldiers!"

"Reporting to the general, we ran out of arrows last night and are exhausted. We would like to rest for a while, have some food and water, and then continue our attack."

The Jin army officer in charge was also somewhat helpless. However, after a long march and the battle the previous night, he was sore all over and really didn't want to lose his life for a hasty and reckless advance.

Wanyan Lucheng nodded: "That's one way to put it. You rest for a while. I have plenty of arrows. I'll handle it myself."

After saying this, Wanyan Lucheng led more than ten personal guards to the foot of that small hill.

Looking up, he understood why even the elite Jin army was having trouble.

The hill wasn't very high or very big, but it was extremely steep. Moreover, it seemed to be near a road, with trees cut down and tree stumps, weeds, and shrubs all around. Climbing it while wearing heavy armor would be far too difficult for anyone.

As long as a few armored soldiers hold their ground on the hill, it will be a situation where one man can hold off ten thousand.

Wanyan Lucheng frowned deeply: "What are Aliban and the others doing? They could just set fire to this place from all sides. Why bother sending armored soldiers to attack?"

One of the soldiers who followed shook his head and said, "General, there seems to be a great Song person up there. If we burn it, we won't be able to see his face properly, and that would be a waste."

Wanyan Lucheng immediately understood and was moved.

"You few, surround them from all sides and fire immediately! The rest of you, charge with me!"

As he spoke, Wanyan Lucheng drew his sword and charged forward first.

This wasn't recklessness on his part, but rather a deep understanding that after last night's chaotic battle, the Jin army, as the victors, were exhausted and out of arrows. He wondered how much more disheveled the Song army, as the defeated, would be.

Under these circumstances, how much combat power could the Song army maintain?

As Wanyan Lucheng had predicted, things turned out just as he had expected.

During his arduous climb, his helmet and shoulder armor suffered several heavy blows, but a counterattack from below the hill quickly overwhelmed the Song soldiers, allowing Wanyan Lucheng to successfully reach the summit.

After slashing down two Song soldiers who were still able to move, Wanyan Lucheng's gaze swept past the ordinary soldiers who had been killed or wounded, and landed on an old man leaning against the side of a big tree.

The old man had white hair and beard, but his robe was magnificent. Although he appeared somewhat weak due to an arrow wound in his shoulder, he still looked imposing.

Wanyan Lucheng, carrying a knife, slowly stepped forward: "Who are you?"

The old man coughed a few times before covering the arrow wound on his shoulder and saying calmly, "I am Wu Lin. Take me to see the patron."

Wanyan Lucheng never expected that such a great achievement would fall on his head. He immediately led his personal guards to carry Wu Lin down the mountain and bring him to Wanyan Liang.

Wanyan Liang had not expected such a victory. As if stunned, he sat silently by the open-air campfire, holding a bowl of wheat porridge in his hand.

Wu Lin clutched the arrow wound on his shoulder, feeling weak all over, but he still managed to stand up, looking Wanyan Liang up and down, remaining silent as well.

"Insolence! Kneel down!" Seeing this, Wanyan Lucheng struck Wu Lin's knees with the back of his sword, trying to force him to kneel before Wanyan Liang.

However, even though Wu Lin was extremely weak, after taking this heavy blow, he only staggered a few times before standing up again.

Enraged by this, Wanyan Lucheng turned his sword and slashed Wu Lin's calf with the blade.

This time, Wu Lin finally couldn't hold on any longer, but he still didn't kneel down. He just slumped to the ground, still staring intently at Wanyan Liang.

"Lucheng, stop!"

Wanyan Liang, holding a bowl of wheat porridge, finally spoke, then looked at the old man and asked, "Who are you?"

Wu Lin let the blood flow from his leg, his voice not trembling at all: "I am Wu Lin. I was the one who defeated Wuzhu at Heshangyuan with my brother Wu Jie, and I was the one who defeated Salihe at Xianren Pass. In the past four years, I have been the one who conquered half of Guanzhong."

After a long silence, Wanyan Liang continued, "Wu Lin, I have heard of your name, but what I don't understand is, given the favor the Song emperor has shown to your Wu family, you should have died for your country. Why have you come to see me?"

Wu Lin's breathing was somewhat rapid, as if he was forcibly enduring something, but he still said calmly, "If I die in the chaos of battle, the world will think that I deserted the battlefield and failed the country."

A true man should die with honor and clarity. That way, even if he is slandered for a time, there will surely be those who understand him in the future! The Jin soldiers were all moved.

By this time, how could Wanyan Liang not know that he had become a mere foil for Wu Lin in the historical records?
However, loyal ministers and filial sons are respected by all. Faced with such an old man devoted to the country, Wanyan Liang was also somewhat moved. He put down his wheat porridge and said sincerely, "Is it really true that you cannot surrender to me?"

Wu Lin shook his head firmly: "I will not surrender!"

Wanyan Liang sighed, then took the water bag from his guard, found a clean bowl, filled it with water, and said, "There is no wine in the army, so let's use this water to bid farewell to the old general."

Wu Lin shook his head again: "Please forgive me for not accepting foreign favors."

Wanyan Liang was not annoyed: "Sigh... Since that's the case, in Lucheng, behead them to uphold military law and establish their reputation!"

Wanyan Lucheng was already somewhat stunned by the atmosphere around him. Upon hearing the Emperor's military order, he dared not delay and immediately dragged Wu Lin aside, slashing down with his sword and killing him on the spot.

A head fell.

Wu Lin, a veteran general of the Western Army, died at the age of sixty-four at Heshangyuan, the place that made him famous in history.

Wanyan Liang looked at the head being brought up on a tray, drank half of the water in the bowl, and spilled the other half on the ground: "Alas, yet another famous general has been harmed by the Zhao Song emperor."

"What a fine man! In the next life, he shall be mine!"

Wanyan Lucheng hesitated and asked, "Then what about this head?"

"I'll record your merit. Now, send someone to find a suitable place on Monk Plain to sew up his body and bury him. We don't need to seal a grand tomb, but we can't be too perfunctory either. We need to make a wooden stele to tell the surrounding people that this is the tomb of Wu Lin, a great general of the Song Dynasty."

After giving his instructions, Wanyan Liang sat back down by the campfire, picked up the bowl of half-cold wheat porridge, and began to eat it heartily.

Wanyan Lucheng did not leave immediately, but hesitated before asking, "Your Majesty, now that we have won a great victory, should we take advantage of the situation and enter Shu?"

The surrounding Jin generals all tensed up at the same time, and then they all stared intently at Wanyan Liang.

However, after Wanyan Liang finished his wheat porridge in a few bites, he shook his head and said, "Lucheng, as you know, our plan was never aimed at the Song Dynasty from the beginning."

If the Song state hadn't inexplicably withdrawn its troops, giving us an opportunity, this war might never have even started.

Now that Tudan Hexi has made all the preparations, the supplies and provisions are all in the north. If they were all moved to the south, how much time would it take?

"Don't forget, the Song people will definitely have left elite troops in Hanzhong and Bashu. If we're not careful, our army will be trapped in the Shu Road, with no way to escape."

Wanyan Lucheng naturally understood this principle, but he still said dejectedly, "Are we just going to give up this opportunity? Such an opportunity, once lost, will be gone forever."

Wanyan Liang lowered his head and remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Lucheng, do you dare to take a gamble?"

"Your Majesty, I am ready to go through fire and water for you!"

"You don't have to go through fire and water, but there are still some dangers. Just as you said, the opportunity is rare, and I also think it would be a real pity to let go."

The Song army is now like a frightened bird; Dasanguan and Huangniubao might be within their grasp, but if they fight again tomorrow, they'll have to fight to the death to take them.

"I'm giving you a military order now. All four thousand soldiers are yours. You can recruit and accept defectors along the way. You can decide on any position below the rank of general or hereditary Meng'an, and I will acknowledge them all afterward."

I have only one order.

Wanyan Liang held up one finger: "That is to take over Chencang Road!"

Wanyan Lucheng, whose breathing had been somewhat rapid, calmed down upon hearing this.

Even if the four thousand soldiers took advantage of the chaos in the Song army to pursue and kill, it would be impossible for them to recruit and defect along the way and capture Chengdu.

If Wanyan Lucheng had this ability, he would be qualified to enter the Temple of Martial Arts.

However, the Chencang Road is, after all, a road connecting the north and south, hence the saying that the Shu Road is more difficult than ascending to heaven.

They marched south without a care in the world, without worrying about their rear or flanks. Along the way, they had supplies left behind by the Song army. If the Song army really collapsed at the first contact as expected, then Wanyan Lucheng was confident that he could fight his way all the way to Lueyang.

As for whether the Song army would collapse at the first contact, Wanyan Lucheng believed that was beyond doubt.

The elite Song army in Guanzhong has been completely routed, and even Wu Lin was killed on the spot. What fighting force does Sichuan have left?!

Wanyan Lucheng immediately knelt on one knee: "Your subject will definitely seize Chencang Road and present it to Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Liang showed no excitement, but instead became worried: "Lucheng, you must not underestimate the enemy. If things become unfavorable, you must immediately withdraw. Our army has already won a great victory this time, so please do not make any mistakes."

Don't forget, there are still heroes among the Han people.

Wanyan Lucheng nodded repeatedly, saying he would obey, but only he knew how much he actually took in.

Seeing this, Wanyan Liang didn't give any further instructions. He simply took Wanyan Lucheng's hands and shook them firmly before riding away with his personal guards and attendants.

(End of this chapter)