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

Chapter 944 Capturing the Banners Shatters the Enemy's Courage

It was quite unexpected that the Jin army could hold out for so long.

Faced with such a large-scale surprise attack, the Mongols could not be relied upon at all, and therefore could only depend on the Jin Dynasty's regular army.

When the troops gathered by Wanyan Guying were wiped out, it meant that the Jin army's Huolu camp was completely without resistance and could only be slaughtered by the Han army.

If the Jin army had managed to get 10,000 or 20,000 elite cavalry from Zhengding City to Huolu at that time, they might have had a chance to turn the tide.

However, the main force of the Han army led by He Boqiu was not to be underestimated. If you split your troops, I will split mine. At worst, we can fight each other while we are on our way. The Han army may not even need to win. We just need to drag it out until the outcome of the Battle of Huolu is decided.

From this perspective, Wanyan Zhang's death was truly not unjust.

Who told him to run into the high-spirited Taiping Army and be chased and killed by Li Tieqiang and his troops?
However, these are all minor details.

As the defeated Jin-Mongol allied forces fled westward, an even greater disaster befell them.

Huolu is located at Jingxing Pass, which is the exit from the Taihang Mountains to the Hebei Plain. Therefore, Huolu's terrain is like a trumpet, gradually narrowing from east to west.

The Wuzhai Mountain and Lianhua Mountain ranges, two extensions of the Taihang Mountains, embraced Huolu like outstretched arms, one to the south and one to the north. With the Han army blocking their path to the east, the routed troops could only flee westward.

However, the Taihang Eight Passes are mountain roads, and even though they are easier to travel than ordinary mountain roads, they are still far from being able to accommodate tens of thousands of defeated soldiers.

Moreover, there's the Tumen Pass in the middle.

Although the commander of Tumen Pass could not withstand the pressure when the first wave of Jin troops arrived and opened the city gates and fled first, the Jingxing Pass was completely blocked after the arrival of the main force of the fleeing troops, and quickly turned into a huge stampede that stretched for several miles.

The large-scale surrender finally began when the Taiping River, which flows out along the Taihang Mountains, was blocked by the corpses of men and horses.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Everyone, get to the back!"

The rear army led by Wang Xiongyi, serving as the general reserve force, had not participated in much of the battle from beginning to end. Now that they had been given the mission to pursue the enemy, they dared not stop for a moment.

However, this major obstacle at Jingxing Pass is not so easily solved.
Wang Xiongyi could only gaze at the continuous Taihang Mountains and sigh repeatedly.

Seeing this, the three elite cavalry units, Flying Tiger, White Horse, and Liao Cavalry, were also helpless.

If even infantry couldn't get through, cavalry would be even less likely to succeed.

After consulting with Liu Huai, the three commanders each dispatched a portion of their troops, bringing with them captured flags and drums to report their achievements.

"It's good that you're back. How many troops did each of you bring?"

"Two thousand Flying Tiger cavalry."

"The White Horse Army has 1,500 riders."

"One thousand Liao cavalrymen."

“That’s enough. Time is of the essence, so let’s not rush to record the credits for now.” Liu Huai stood up, adjusting his belt, and then took out a token from his pocket and handed it to Liang Su: “I’ll leave the Chinese character banner here. I’ll leave the rest of this matter to you, Mr. Liang.”

Liang Su accepted the token and loudly agreed.

With the battle of Huolu over, the next step is to treat the wounded and clean up the battlefield, which doesn't require much military capability.

However, Liang Su still asked with some concern, "King Han, if we go to the Zhen Ding battlefield, should we recall the Tianping Army?"

“No, changing military orders repeatedly is a major taboo in the army.” Liu Huai mounted his horse and whistled to Bi Zaiyu, who had just returned: “Moreover, there are many prisoners here, and we need a well-organized army to hold them off.”

"Mr. Liang, I won't say any more. If we delay any longer, the Jin thieves will escape."

Liu Huai's battlefield instincts were quite sharp.

Just as the Jin army in Huolu was surrendering en masse, Tudan Kening had already realized that something was wrong.

However, what he was thinking was not that Huolu had been completely defeated, but rather that the sheer number of Han troops coming to meet him gave him a different idea.

Is this a strategy of besieging a point to lure reinforcements?

Was the Han army's main objective not to capture Huolu, but to lure the Jin army out of Zhending City, so as to achieve the goal of annihilating them in the field?
Tu Dankening couldn't help but think about it.

The Han troops that came to fight near Zhen Ding City this time included the Loyal and Righteous Army, the Dongping Army, the Wucheng Army, the Chenzhou Army, and half of the Tianping Army.

These troops totaled 70,000 regular soldiers, all of whom were elite troops capable of fighting in open battle.

Although both sides engaged in a hasty battle, the Han army advanced and retreated with great skill, and the various branches of the army cooperated closely. Coupled with a numerical advantage of twice that of the Han army, they defeated the Jin army in a single encounter.

If it weren't for the large number of cavalry in the Jin army, who constantly invaded and harassed the flanks of the Han army, they might not have been able to hold out by now.

Could it be that the Han army only used a detachment to capture Lu, while keeping its main force in Zhen Ding City?

However, this leads to another problem.

After being defeated by a small number of Han troops, were Wanyan Guying and the two Mongol Khans really that useless?
Amidst the deafening sounds of battle, Tudankening was caught in a state of confusion and bewilderment.

However, the Eastern Jindu Marshal quickly regained his senses and immediately returned to the rear, finding Wanyan Yong: "Your Majesty, a decision must be made now."

Wanyan Yong opened his eyes wide and looked at the battlefield where the fierce battle was taking place: "Decision? Decision about what?" Tudan Kening glanced at his close ministers and gritted his teeth and said: "This humble general is worried that delay will lead to unforeseen changes. Whether to advance or retreat, a decision should be made."

"If we advance, then I will personally lead the armored cavalry as the vanguard, with Your Majesty following behind. We will concentrate all our troops and charge forward from the front."

Wanyan Fushou immediately flew into a rage: "Tudan Kening! What madness are you going through?! Are you trying to bury the very foundation of the Great Jin Dynasty?"

Tudan Kening's face was contorted with rage as he roared, "Yes! That's exactly what I mean! If it works, it works. If it doesn't, at least we'll have some face when we meet the founding emperor in the afterlife! What's the point of waiting here to die?"

"Waiting to die..."

"We're just waiting to die!" Tudan Kening pointed at the Han army's gradually forming formation: "That was an encounter battle, and it was our best opportunity. The Han army relies on its infantry and armored soldiers. If we can't defeat them before their formation is complete, tell me, how are we supposed to fight this battle?"

Wanyan Fushou was somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this, but still managed to retort.

Wanyan Yong stopped the two from arguing and said to Tudan Kening in a serious tone, "I want to hear what the Grand Marshal has to say."

Tudankening: "If we are to retreat, now is the best opportunity. The entire army should retreat back to Zhen Ding City to preserve our strength."

Wanyan Yong nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Wanyan Fushou also lost the desire to speak.

Even if we return it, what else can we do?
They were simply relying on their remaining troops to negotiate politically with Liu Huai.

After losing the 100,000-strong allied army at Huolu Camp, how could Dongjin possibly preserve its national destiny under the Han army's offensive?
Wanyan Yong was caught in a dilemma.

Gao Anren, the commander of the Palace Guard, could no longer contain himself and loudly advised, "Your Majesty, let's fight! When that Flying Tiger occupied several prefectures in Shandong, he also killed envoys to establish his authority and was absolutely unwilling to negotiate. How could he possibly be willing to negotiate now?"

"At that time, even the most noble of the Jin dynasty will have to make a pilgrimage to the Five Kingdoms City. Is such humiliation something a gentleman can endure?"

Upon hearing this, all the nobles of the Jin Kingdom around them turned their heads.

Gao Anren went directly to Wanyan Yong's horse and knelt down: "Your Majesty! Just as the Grand Marshal said, now is the best and last chance. We must not hesitate!"

Wanyan Fushou looked around and, seeing that no one spoke, could only bite the bullet and say, "We all understand General Gao's meaning, but..."

Wanyan Yong interrupted Wanyan Fushou again: "There's no 'just'! Kening! Just as you said, launch a counterattack immediately. You will be the vanguard, and I will follow up! I want to see if Heaven still favors the Great Jin!"

"As ordered!"

Tudankening immediately perked up.

"Gao Anren!" Wanyan Yong's face twisted in a ferocious grin: "Go tell Wendun Qizhi to attack the Han traitors' formation right now! I want him to disrupt the loyal and righteous army on the other side before the Grand Marshal attacks!"

After Gao Anren loudly agreed, he mounted his horse, raised a yellow flag, and arrived at the forefront of the battle formation at top speed.

The battle between the 6,000 loyal and filial soldiers and the Han army has reached a fever pitch. As a new army that Wanyan Yong focused on training after he ascended the throne, the loyal and filial army is not like the other regular Jin army, which is mainly composed of Jurchen cavalry. Instead, it is mainly composed of Han infantry and armored soldiers.

This type of troop might suffer minor losses when facing swift cavalry, but when fighting against Han infantry, it can stabilize the line and resist the Han army's attack with an immovable, mountain-like stance.

"Old Gao, what brings you here? Do you have any military orders?!"

Gao Anren hesitated to look Wen Dunqizhi in the eye: "Qizhi, His Majesty has ordered the Loyal and Filial Army to attack and disrupt the enemy's formation."

Wen Dunqi was taken aback, then pointed to the battle line stretching for more than ten miles: "My Loyal and Filial Army only has six thousand men. Has His Majesty asked me to cause chaos in any area?"

Gao Anren pointed forward: "The loyal and righteous army is on the front!"

Wen Dunqizhi composed himself and slowly nodded: "Does Marshal Du intend to defeat the enemy from here? Forgive my bluntness..."

“It’s not the Grand Marshal,” Gao Anren immediately interjected. “It’s His Majesty. His Majesty intends to have the Grand Marshal as the vanguard, personally leading the charge to defeat the Han army.”

Wen Dunqi was stunned again, but this time the stunned period was much shorter. Realizing what was about to happen, he cupped his hands and said loudly, "This humble general obeys! I hope Commander Gao will inform His Majesty that I will do my duty faithfully!"

Gao Anren nodded haphazardly and was about to turn his horse around when he saw Wen Dunqizhi staring in the southwest direction, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open, literally dumbfounded.

Gao Anren followed Wen Dunqi's gaze and saw a cavalry unit carrying dozens of flags appear on the battlefield, patrolling back and forth in front of the Jin army.

Unsurprisingly, the flags bearing the character "Liu" and the Flying Tiger were at the forefront, signifying that the supreme leader of the Han army had personally arrived.

What truly terrified and terrified the two Jin generals were the flags that were subsequently hung upside down.

These flags come in a variety of styles, including those embroidered with "Taiyuan Garrison Command" and "Left Deputy Marshal," as well as several five-colored sun-holding flags representing the top generals of the Jin Dynasty, and even a large yak-cow banner representing the Mongol Khan.

In addition, there were nearly a hundred smaller flags, including the gyrfalcon flag representing the swiftness of the march and the magpie flag representing the strategy of the march—it was impossible to count them all at once.

On each flagpole hung a varying number of human heads.

The only thing the Jin army could be sure of was that the owners of these flags might really be in trouble.

The Jin army was shaken, and its previously stable formation began to crumble.

(End of this chapter)