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

Chapter 910 It would have been better to fight to the death that day

The reason why Bi Zaiyu dared not respond was quite simple.

He wouldn't dare to make a name for himself by stepping on Liu Huai and Zhang Baiyu.

The fact that he could detect things that the two veteran generals hadn't noticed wasn't simply because he had an extremely keen military sense.

Instead, although Liu Huai and Zhang Baiyu had experienced many dangers and even fought various superhuman battles and death-defying battles, they had always been in a rising regime. No matter what they did, they were always high-spirited and ambitious, and could not understand the despair of a demoralized military and political group.

Although Bi Zaiyu was still young, he experienced the entire southern campaign of Wanyan Liang along with his father, Bi Jin.

At that time, so many famous generals and commanders of the Song Dynasty in the Huai River region were crushed to dust, and many elite troops were so terrified that they fled at the mere sight of the Jin army.

For example, Dai Gao and Zhang Zhen, who are now shining brightly in Huaibei and northern Sichuan, were driven across the Yangtze River by the vanguard of the Jin army.

In other words, Bi Zaiyu was aware of the mentality of a defeated army.

During the second siege of Bianliang in the Jingkang era, the Jin army also only beat drums on the Yellow River before the Song army completely collapsed.

We are all human beings, there is no distinction between high and low. The Song army suffered such a crushing defeat back then, does that mean the Jin army today are all steel warriors with iron will?

After learning the whole story, Liu Huai felt a bit amused and exasperated, but his face remained expressionless. He simply said to Wanyan Faping calmly, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Wanyan Faping nodded emphatically, then kowtowed again: "Yes, please, Your Majesty, immediately go to Zhongmu County. There are 30,000 households of Meng'an Mouke there, and they are in a state of panic. Once Your Majesty arrives, you can immediately subdue them."

Liu Huai's gaze sharpened: "Do you think I shouldn't pursue Pu Sanzhongyi?"

Wanyan Faping sensed the coldness in Liu Huai's words and his heart tightened, but he still forced himself to say, "That's exactly right."

"King Han, I... the Jin army collapsed last night. Those who can catch up with the enemy, even if it takes a day or two, will be caught without horses; while those who have horses have already fled to Zhengzhou, so there's no point in chasing them."

The 30,000 Meng'an and Mouke households in Zhongmu County were gathered together, and they must be in a state of extreme panic. If the Prince of Han arrived late, they would scatter and flee, making it extremely difficult to gather them back together.

Liu Huai turned to look at the Flying Tiger Army cavalry crossing the river, then narrowed his eyes: "Wanyan Faping, do you think it's possible that Pusan ​​Zhongyi is currently leading several thousand elite troops hidden in Zhongmu County, waiting for me to arrive in person with an arrogant army, and then Pusan ​​Zhongyi will suddenly attack and behead me?"

After hearing this, Wanyan Faping was stunned for a long time before kowtowing again, his voice already trembling with sobs: "Your Majesty, please don't joke. How can one not use troops to fight a grand battle, but instead let his own ten thousand elite soldiers collapse on their own, as bait to take such a risk?"

"Your Majesty! I do have selfish motives, but not for myself, but for those 30,000 Meng'an and Mouke households. Your Majesty is the most benevolent person in the world, and you will surely do your best to settle them. Otherwise, how could we dare to abandon our fathers, brothers, and children and scatter and flee?"

Now I'm afraid that there might be one or two fools who incite them to do stupid things. With so many elderly and weak people gathered together, even a small disturbance could lead to a human tragedy.

"King Han! Please, I beg you, save those people!"

As Wanyan Faping finished speaking, he kowtowed repeatedly, and soon his forehead was covered in blood and flesh.

It must be said that Liu Huai's political credibility was excellent, and his consistent fairness towards the Jurchens was well rewarded.

Take the current situation, for example.

If the Han army had continued to carry out ethnic massacres, Pusan ​​Zhongyi might very well have raised an army of mourners to fight the Han army to the death.

Given that the Jurchens, from the commanders of ten thousand households to the ordinary soldiers, all knew about the Han army's policies, it's not surprising that they couldn't work together.

Wanyan Faping had no doubt that Liu Huai would give the Jurchens a way out. The reason he came to plead was even because he was worried that if Liu Huai arrived too late, he would not be able to win over the Jurchen people.

Of course, Liu Huai did not believe Wanyan Faping's one-sided story. Scouts quickly set off to conduct armed reconnaissance along the outer perimeter of the Jin army's Xingyang defense line.

At the same time, military orders were relayed to the rear, and the main force of the Han infantry accelerated their southward advance. Zhang Qing was no longer to defend Yanjin, and everyone was to come to Zhongmu County together.

Liu Huai did not wait in place any longer. After nearly four thousand main cavalry crossed the river, they marched south in a grand procession.

The cavalry's speed on the plains was astonishing. Just past noon, Liu Huai could already see the town of Zhongmu in the distance, as well as the huge camp outside the town.

"Wanyan Faping, go find someone you can talk to and have him bring the roster to see me here." After setting up the ceremonial guard on a small hill, Liu Huai calmly gave the order: "I know that the Meng'an Mouke households are all military households, and these things are hereditary in the hands of the Meng'an. I will wait for them overnight, and set noon tomorrow as the deadline. If they do not come, then I will enforce military law."

As he spoke, Liu Huai simply sat down on the stool and made a gesture to shoo people away.

Wanyan Faping dared not delay and immediately borrowed a horse, heading down the hillside.

However, as soon as he stepped down the hillside, Wanyan Faping felt a chill on his scalp and touched it, finding it damp to the touch.

He looked up at the gloomy sky and felt a chill in his heart.

Has this precious spring rain, as rare as oil, actually started falling at this time?

Wanyan Faping dared not delay any longer and immediately rushed into the vast camp, braving the drizzling rain.

The moment the spring rain began to fall, Liu Huai ordered his guards to move the canopy aside. He sat under the banner, allowing the surrounding Han cavalry to see him, as a sign of shared hardship.

This tactic really worked. Some people had originally wanted to persuade the army to enter Zhongmu County to take shelter from the rain, but seeing Liu Huai's attitude, they dared not say anything more, and the military operation proceeded smoothly in the spring rain.

Although Liu Huai gave them a day and a night, the Jurchens, who were already at their wits' end, dared not delay at all. Just as the sun was beginning to set, dozens of Jurchen nobles rode up with Wanyan Faping.

The Han cavalry immediately surrounded them, removing all their weapons and armor before armored soldiers led them down the hillside.

Among the dozens of people, there were men, women, and children, all kneeling in the drizzle. Only one old man followed Wanyan Faping to Liu Huai's side.

Although the drizzle was only light and misty, sitting in it for a long time would leave you completely soaked.

Rainwater streamed down his forehead, across his cheeks, and onto his armor through his short beard, making soft thumping sounds. Liu Huai didn't even wipe it away; he simply looked at the old man before him, leaning on his sword, and spoke.

"I've heard of your name, Tudanli. You were once Wanyan Zonggan's personal guard, haven't you?"

Tudanli's body was much more hunched than before. Upon hearing this, he knelt down and said, "Reporting to the King of Han, it is indeed this old man."

Liu Huai nodded: "Your Mandarin is quite good; I can no longer detect any Liaodong accent. But there's one thing I don't understand. Given your age and background, why didn't you go with Wanyan Zonggan? Why did you come to me to beg for surrender?"

Tudanli raised his head, but showed no anger. He simply stared at Liu Huai, as if he wanted to etch this Han hero who had driven the Jurchens to the brink of despair into his heart.

After a moment, Tudanli continued kneeling in the rain and said, "The King of Han speaks quite frankly."

Liu Huai sneered again: "Being able to speak frankly is a good thing for everyone. Besides, with my current status and power, if I had to speak in riddles when facing you, wouldn't all the battles I've fought over the years have been for nothing?"

Tudanli also laughed: "What the King of Han said makes sense. This old man should have followed the Crown Prince long ago, but now the future of the tribe's sons is uncertain, so I dare not die."

Liu Huai finally raised his hand and wiped the raindrops from his eyebrows: "What uncertain future is there? It's nothing more than being scattered and registered as a unified population. You can keep your hair or have your head shaved, or be beheaded. From now on, we'll all be Han Chinese. Do you really expect to have any other path to take?"

Or do you not believe me?

Tudanli breathed a sigh of relief, cupped his hands and said, "The reputation of the King of Han is renowned throughout the world, how could this old man dare not believe him? However, this matter is of great importance, and we should only hear the King of Han's personal guarantee."

Liu Huai nodded and looked at the dozens of Jurchen nobles kneeling down the mountain: "Thirty thousand households, which is more than one hundred thousand people, I want to register them as commoners, but there will definitely be resistance."

If there's resistance, I'll definitely kill. Among those people down the hill, who do you think will be my allies, and who will be my obstacles?

Liu Huai's words were colder than the biting spring rain, yet Tu Danli understood them immediately.

Since Liu Huai raised the banner of Chinese characters, it means that only Han people count as his own people.

The Meng'an Mouke households, which were not fully Sinicized, were merely Jurchens. If there were any obstacles in the process of registering them as commoners, Liu Huai would not hesitate to raise his sword.

With ruthless methods and a compassionate heart, this King of Han possessed both.

It's hard to say how many people will die in that time.

Tudanli turned around in the drizzle, wiped his eyes, and then pointed to a few people in the distance: "...These people are all obstacles, including my second son. His ambition is too great."

The only people who could be considered helpful were my eldest son and a few others. They were all honest men who could be used by the King of Han.

As for the rest, they are all mediocre, accomplishing nothing but also causing no harm.

Liu Huai nodded, and then ordered his personal guards to drag out all those who might cause trouble according to the list, and deal with them on the spot at the foot of the hillside.

The remaining Jurchen nobles were terrified, whether from fear or from being caught in the rain and freezing cold, the remaining dozens of people were trembling uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Wanyan Faping knelt down in the rain once more.

Liu Huai continued, leaning on his sword, and asked, "Tu Danli, do you have anything else to say?"

Tudanli shook his head: "No, I only wish that the King of Han will pacify the world soon, so that there will be less bloodshed, and that my Jurchen people can live in peace and prosperity under the King of Han's rule."

Liu Huai pulled a sharp dagger from his waist and threw it in front of Tu Danli: "I can agree with the first part, but the second part... there will be no more Jurchens."

Tudanli bent down to pick up the dagger, kowtowed again, walked down the hillside, said a few words loudly to the Jurchen nobles, and then, in full view of everyone, plunged the wrist-cutting dagger into his neck.

As Tudanli fell to the ground, Liu Huai finally stood up from his stool: "Inform Mr. Liang to quickly dispatch his military clerk and advisor here."

Inform Minister Li Tong to come to Bianliang in person to oversee the situation.

I will also select officials from the Imperial Guards to participate in registering these tens of thousands of people as commoners before the spring plowing season!

The military envoy loudly agreed, then picked up the written military order and rode away.

(End of this chapter)