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

Chapter 995 If Heaven Had Feelings, Heaven Would Grow Old

The Song army entered a phase of total collapse early the next morning.

Strangely enough, even after the Battle of Lüliang, the Song army remained in a state of disarray, but after a good night's rest and two hearty meals, they completely collapsed.

Of course, upon closer examination, it is not entirely without a solution. At the very least, morale has collapsed to a certain extent, and it is only natural that this defeated army, which has been forcibly held together by Li Xianzong's prestige, will eventually disintegrate.

The fact that he immediately began to run away as soon as he had a sliver of strength was simply too cruel.

The first to flee were the laborers.

These poor people, who were forcibly conscripted from their homes in the winter, were the most terrified. They knew nothing of Han laws or court coups.

The laborers only knew that those generals with great titles and extremely capable young men had been routed and fled in panic after only one day of fighting. If they hadn't fled, they would likely have faced the enemy's slaughter.

Even if you don't die, don't even think about going home again.

With this in mind, the laborers, in twos and threes, carried their grain and, taking advantage of the early light of day when they could barely see the road, quietly escaped from the camp and ran south along the official road.

The Song army was also in a state of panic, so at first no one took charge, which directly led to more and more laborers joining in and scattering and fleeing.

At this stage, even if the Song army generals wanted to manage it, they couldn't.

How do you say that?

Farmers are the most cunning; they appear honest but are the most adept at lying.

But this peasant-like cunning was ultimately forced out of him by the ways of the world.

As part of this world, Li Xianzong could only sigh and say, "Let them go. Isn't this what we discussed yesterday?"

After the army finished eating, they immediately set off, each unit trying to maintain its organizational structure, as it would be extremely difficult to regroup after it had scattered.

At this final military council, all the generals remained silent, giving Li Xianzong a few strange looks before nodding in agreement and turning to leave.

"Xiao Hou, you should go too."

Li Xianzong, holding his spear, said to his last trusted general, "If you can return to Lin'an safely, please tell the Emperor that I, Li Xianzong, have ultimately lived up to the Emperor's expectations."

Hou Gaolang remained silent for a long time, until the camp became increasingly chaotic, before sincerely asking, "Grand Commandant, which official should we report to?"

Li Xianzong was taken aback, but shook his head and chuckled: "Whatever."

Hou Gaolang lowered his head and remained silent for a moment before saying sincerely, "Grand Commandant, do you know that with the Emperor Emeritus's cold-heartedness, even if you manage to return safely, you will certainly not have a good ending?"

"Oh?"

"It's just a lesson from the past. If the Emperor Emeritus wants to make peace with Fei Hu Zi, then the Grand Commandant will surely be unjustly killed like Yue Peng Ju."

If Fei Hu Zi does not wish to negotiate peace, then the Grand Commandant will be humiliated and demoted like Liu Jiedu, and may even be accused of causing the loss of an army and disgracing the country.

Li Xianzong nodded, and his words became earnest: "Therefore, I must die here; otherwise, I cannot preserve my honor."

Hou Gaolang nodded in response: "Then let this humble general also meet the enemy here, so that I may also repay the kindness of my lord!"

Standing solemnly behind Li Xianzong, Zhang Qi, a general from the Li family's guards, was slightly moved upon hearing this, and his eyes seemed to flicker.

After Hou Gaolang finished speaking, he did not wait for Li Xianzong's response and rode directly to his headquarters.

Just as Li Xianzong was about to call Hou Gaolang back, his attention was drawn to the others.

As the sun rises, its red rays spread across the river, and on the shimmering waves, a fleet of ships slowly sails from upstream, as if marching on flames.

At the same time, smoke and dust gradually rose from the horizon on the distant land.

Li Xianzong took a deep breath, letting the cold winter wind sting his lungs before calming his racing heartbeat.

The Han army finally arrived.

"Old Dan did a great job, excellent! He deserves the most credit for this victory!"

Under the banner of the Green Rhinoceros, Xin Qiji praised the military messenger who came to deliver the news, saying, "The people of Suqian are truly loyal subjects of the Han Dynasty! I should report this to the Emperor to reward the Suqian garrison for their loyalty and righteousness!"

The military envoy who came to report the military situation was Shan Ding's cousin, named Shan Rong. At this moment, the expression on his face was even more unpleasant than crying: "Grand Commander, don't joke. How dare we claim the greatest merit with our meager contributions? Grand Commander's divine might is unparalleled, and his name will be recorded in history after one battle. How can we compare?"

Yesterday's raid on the Song army camp by Dan Ding was not without its gains; at least several low-ranking Song officers were captured for interrogation in an attempt to find out why the Song army had been defeated so quickly.

The result naturally surprised and delighted Shan Ding.

However, after the initial surprise, the officials of Suqian were plunged into deep fear.

This isn't a concern that Xin Qiji will unleash a massacre on Suqian, but rather that when a battle of epic proportions is clearly unfolding before one's eyes, anyone with a modicum of military skill will feel immense pressure from the same ecological niche.

The saying, "When Xiang Yu defeated Qin, all the feudal lords who were about to enter the gate of his camp crawled forward on their knees, none daring to look up at him," illustrates this principle.

But now Xin Qiji has casually declared that Shan Rong deserves the greatest credit for this battle. How could Shan Rong not be both surprised and frightened?

Xin Qiji replied solemnly, "What I said is the truth. Our army fought a very dangerous battle that day. If it weren't for Lao Dan dividing the enemy's forces in Suqian, I might have died on the battlefield."

Despite being drenched in sweat in the cold winter wind, Shan Rong's mind raced, trying to skip over this crucial topic.

If it is confirmed that Shan Ding made the greatest contribution, then what about the Flying Tiger Armored Cavalry?
Didn't you see Chen Wenben glancing over with a cold smile?!

Dan Rong was quick-witted and found a topic to discuss in no time: "Grand Commander, has the King of Han really declared himself emperor?"

Xin Qiji indeed shifted his attention to this, nodding repeatedly: "That's natural. The King of Han ascended the throne in Yanjing on the first day of the twelfth month, and now he should be called the Son of Heaven."

Shan Rong hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Xin Qiji didn't have many reservations and said directly, "I know it's a bit rushed, but there's nothing I can do about it. The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun have been separated from the Han dynasty for a hundred years. If we don't declare ourselves emperors immediately, our rule will be illegitimate. Besides, there's this mess with the Song state."

Shan Rong shook his head repeatedly: "I dare not speak ill of the Emperor, but... uh, but isn't our victory a bit late, and we won't be able to receive the Emperor's reward?"

Xin Qiji was both amused and exasperated: "I was just saying you were clever, how come you've made such a fool of yourself? The emperor ascended the throne in a hurry, so it's impossible for him to list all the rewards beforehand. I reckon that when the good news reaches Yanjing, it will be just in time for the grand ceremony after the ascension."

Dan Rong's heart skipped a beat, and then he became somewhat impatient: "Then I will return to the city immediately and inform my brother of this news!"

"No need," Xin Qiji waved his hand. "Old Dan isn't a fool. Seeing our army facing the enemy, he'll definitely make some moves. Just watch."

With that, Xin Qiji whistled and led more than two thousand cavalrymen toward the Song army camp.

It is said that Shandong has had a tradition of raising horses since the Song Dynasty. After the Han army took control of Shandong during its northern expedition and wiped out the Meng'an and Mouke households, it further encouraged the people to raise horses, and polo clubs sprang up everywhere.

Therefore, after Xin Qiji regained control of Xiapi, many good families and young men from the Five Mausoleums who had not yet realized the situation seized this last opportunity and joined the army with their own horses, provisions, and weapons.

After careful selection, Xin Qiji kept over a thousand light cavalrymen who were incorporated into the Flying Tiger Army, becoming an important supplement to the armored cavalry.

Even if their actual combat strength wasn't high, it was enough to intimidate the defeated army.

And indeed, when the two thousand-plus cavalrymen dispersed, their momentum was overwhelming. The Song army, already on edge, couldn't discern the exact number of cavalrymen in their haste.

Those Song soldiers who were already planning to retreat immediately broke up their camp, and many officers simply led the way in fleeing.

The more than four thousand soldiers gathered by Li Xianzong's prestige were somewhat restless, but they still managed to maintain the situation in the camp.

Hou Gaolang gazed at the approaching blue rhinoceros banner, then turned to look at the cheering defenders atop Suqian city walls. After a moment's hesitation, he ordered his deputy to maintain order, while he himself rode alone towards the Flying Tiger Army. The Flying Tiger cavalry were elite troops, and it was impossible for Hou Gaolang to reach Xin Qiji directly. Three armored riders quickly intercepted him, exchanged a few words, disarmed him, and escorted him to Xin Qiji.

"This humble general, Hou Gaolang, Commander of the Left Army of the Huaixi Army, pays his respects to the Grand Commander!"

Hou Gaolang showed no arrogance, but dismounted and bowed to Xin Qiji.

Xin Qiji reined in his horse: "I've heard of you; you're Li Xianzong's trusted and beloved general. What, does Grand Commandant Li want to surrender?"

Hou Gaolang took out a seal from his pocket, showed it to Xin Qiji, and said loudly, "That's exactly right."

Xin Qiji was slightly taken aback, and his legs involuntarily tightened, causing his warhorse to neigh loudly. However, he quickly suppressed the horse's agitation, and after accepting the seal handed over by his personal guard, he slowly nodded: "It is indeed the seal of the Deputy Envoy of the Pacification Commissioner. However, I still don't understand why Li Xianzong, who is one of the most outstanding generals in the Song Dynasty at this time, would surrender."

Dan Rong, who was listening intently, secretly scoffed. The way these words were made made it seem as if this Grand Commander, who liked to intimidate people, didn't want to recruit any rebels.

Hou Gaolang's words remained sincere: "With a foolish emperor and treacherous ministers usurping the throne within, and a noble cause and prestige inviting us from without, I dare not refuse to surrender!"

Dan Rong grimaced even more.

General Hou simply glossed over the Song army's crushing defeat, as if the Song army had truly been moved by morality and had surrendered with courtesy.

Xin Qiji was taken aback again: "If that's the case, why didn't Grand Commandant Li come, but you did?"

Hou Gaolang said even more earnestly, "Just as the Grand Commandant just said, my Grand Commandant is a renowned general with a long history and a sense of shame. How can he be easily allowed to surrender? There must be a plan."

Xin Qiji waved for Chen Wenben to continue leading the cavalry forward to press on, while simultaneously ordering Zong Xiong to quickly bring the Pizhou garrison troops closer. Only then did he helplessly say to Hou Gaolang, "Then tell me, what are your plans?"

Hou Gaolang's eyes flickered slightly: "My family, the Grand Commandant, are all in Lin'an. Therefore, even if they come to join us, they will not be able to take up an official post. They might have to fake their death and change their names to succeed."

Xin Qiji scoffed, "Why would the Han Dynasty want to recruit Grand Commandant Li? Just to support a lazy old man who eats for free?"

Hou Gaolang paused for a moment at the mention of the dynastic name 'Great Han', then gritted his teeth and replied, "My Grand Commandant longs to return to Guanzhong day and night. He has influence there and could become the King of Han..."

Xin Qiji solemnly corrected: "He is the emperor."

Hou Gaolang was lost in thought for a longer time before slowly nodding: "Yes...it is to manage Guanzhong for the Han emperor."

Xin Qiji thought for a moment and said, "This is getting interesting. Continue."

"Also, we must not massacre the Song Dynasty soldiers."

Xin Qiji shook his head again: "What constitutes 'excessive'? According to our military laws, some people must be killed. If we kill a few hundred people, is that too many? If not, what about a thousand?"

Hou Gaolang gritted his teeth and said, "Then I urge the Grand Commander to strictly abide by the law, otherwise... otherwise someone will surely take this to court before the Emperor!"

Xin Qiji scoffed, "It's even more interesting that you dare to threaten me in the name of the emperor. Go on."

"Once things have calmed down, we beg Your Majesty to find a way to bring back the families of us surrendered generals."

Xin Qiji nodded first, then shook his head: "It's not that complicated. Our army will be able to cross the Yangtze River soon. Then you can reunite however you want."

"Moreover, I can also make a guarantee on behalf of the Emperor that you will be treated equally. As long as you do your best, there will be no obstacles in your official careers." Xin Qiji said solemnly, "In the Han court, even Jin defectors have a place to stand, and Jurchens and Khitans hold high positions, let alone fellow Han people."

Hou Gaolang finally nodded, then took off his helmet and threw it aside. After bowing deeply, he said loudly, "Then this general will now have his men lay down their weapons. I hope the Grand Commander will keep them in check and not cause any harm to the people."

After uttering a perfectly correct but ultimately meaningless statement, Hou Gaolang mounted his horse and returned to his own camp.

At this point, Li Xianzong, who was in the very center of the camp, also realized that something was wrong.

This is also nonsense. As a veteran general who has fought many battles, if Li Xianzong could not understand what was happening when he saw the flags of the vanguard falling and the soldiers were in turmoil, he deserved to have his eyes gouged out and thrown into the Yellow River.

Li Xianzong touched his waist pouch, confirming some things, then turned to Zhang Qi and sighed, "Why did it have to come to this?"

The only person capable of stealing Li Xianzong's seal without him noticing was Zhang Qi.

After all, Zhang Qi had once been a servant of the Li family and even served as a bodyguard for Li Xianzong's father, Li Yongqi. In other words, Zhang Qi was essentially an assistant sent by Li Yongqi to Li Xianzong's side, and the two even addressed each other as brothers after fleeing to the Song Kingdom.

Zhang Qi burst into tears: "Afu, the old general and the old lady passed away early, and you are the only son left in the Li family... When the old general sent me to your side, he told me to take good care of you and never let you lose your life."

Li Xianzong shook his head repeatedly: "But if you do that, you'll kill my good-for-nothing sons..."

Zhang Qi wiped away his tears: "No, no, Xiao Hou has already spoken with Governor Xin. He will fake his death and that will be enough to get by. Once things have calmed down, the Prince of Han will find a way to send all our families back."

Li Xianzong's gaze was complicated: "Besides you and Xiao Hou, who else is there?"

"The generals of Lianghuai who attended the military council yesterday have almost all lost their will and have resentment towards the court. They also feel that if they return to Lianghuai, they might be accused of losing the army and disgracing the country, so they might as well surrender."

Li Xianzong turned his head and looked south, only to see that the troops that had just left the camp had indeed stopped and lowered their banners.

Just then, Hou Gaolang returned from the front lines and came before Li Xianzong. He dismounted, knelt down, and kowtowed: "Grand Commandant, the Great Han has been established, and the King of Han has become the Emperor. The Song Dynasty is in chaos, with its rulers and ministers killing each other, and treacherous officials in power. It has lost the Mandate of Heaven. Grand Commandant, surrender."

Hou Gaolang did not lower his voice. This bombshell news quickly caused the surrounding generals to gasp in astonishment, but the noise soon stopped.

Everyone turned to look at Li Xianzong.

Hou Gaolang, however, remained silent, continuing his kowtow, and said, "If the Grand Commandant is worried about becoming an enemy of the Song Dynasty, he can go to Hedong and lead his army back to his hometown in Guanzhong. With the north and south of the empire unified and the wars quelled, wouldn't that be a hundred times better than remaining in the Song Dynasty's partial peace?!"

"This humble general is not afraid of death! It's just that I cannot stand by and watch the Grand Commandant die such an absurd death!"

Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, Li Xianzong could only roar to the sky. Just as he was about to draw a short sword from his arm armor, Zhang Qi, who rushed forward, pressed him down.

"Afu! We've fought this hard for the Song Dynasty, that's enough! Enough to be recorded in history! Do you really want your whole family to die?!"

By the end, Zhang Qi's voice was trembling with emotion, almost breaking down in tears.

Li Xianzong struggled for a moment before feeling utterly powerless: "Then let's surrender."

Everyone was relieved.

Zhang Qi took the dagger from Li Xianzong's body and let out a long sigh: "Young Master, you should go to the front and command the troops. Even if you surrender, you can't...Young Master? Young Master?"

Looking at Hou Gaolang kneeling on the ground, motionless in a kowtow posture, Zhang Qi felt inexplicably panicked.

Li Xianzong was only slightly taken aback before he immediately realized what was happening. He hurriedly dismounted and ran to Hou Gaolang's side, wanting to help him up.

However, with a forceful pull of his arm, Hou Gaolang lost his balance and fell to the ground, exposing his front.

A sharp knife was stuck in Hou Gaolang's chest, and he had been dead for some time.

Li Xianzong slumped to the ground, with only one thought in his mind.

Just as Hou Gaolang said, he was indeed not a coward who feared death; everything he did was for his benefactor.

But he did force his commander to surrender, so how can he prove his true intentions?

The only option was to cut open his chest and show it to Li Xianzong.

"Young Master...Young Master...It's more than that?" Even after the crushing defeat, Li Xianzong, who had maintained a certain composure, finally broke down in tears, eventually collapsing to the ground and wailing.

At this point, the Lianghuai army was almost completely wiped out, except for a few soldiers who escaped back to Huaidong.

After the Battle of Chaoxian, the Huaihe River defense line built by Yu Yunwen with all his might completely collapsed. There were no proper troops left on the Huaihe River East and Huaihe River West routes, and the northern gate of Lin'an, the capital of the Song Dynasty, was suddenly opened.

(End of this chapter)