I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 416 Abandoning Firearms and Using Cold Weapons
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Upon learning that the Song Dynasty had already begun relocating the people of Jin's capital, Wanyan Aguda outwardly appeared furious, cursing Zhao Yu as a coward who dared not fight against their Jin Dynasty in winter. In reality, however, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

No one knew better than Wanyan Aguda that even if they dragged the decisive battle into winter, it was uncertain whether they could defeat the Song army.

This is mainly because, during these years of war, a large number of the core population of the Jin Dynasty, namely the Jurchen youths and men, have been killed or wounded. The Jin Dynasty is still standing because it is being held up by the Jurchen old and weak.

In other words, the elderly and children among the Jurchens have now gone to the battlefield, and even the women of the Jurchens have taken up the work of laborers.

In other words, the Jin dynasty, especially its core Jurchen people, had been decimated by the Song army and was left with only a last breath.

What's more troublesome is that among the millions of people in the Jin Dynasty, the Han, Khitan, and Bohai people outnumbered the Jurchens in both population size and number of able-bodied men.

These peoples, who were originally conquered by the Jurchens, harbored much resentment towards Jurchen rule, but they temporarily refrained from expressing their discontent due to the Jurchens' military intimidation.

Now that the Jurchens are weak, their discontent is surely brewing like an undercurrent, ready to erupt at any moment.

The key point is that the Han people have a long-standing culture and a resilient character, and they also have the powerful external support of the Song Dynasty. How could they be willing to be ruled by the Jurchens forever?

The Khitans once established the powerful Liao Dynasty. Although the Liao Dynasty has now perished, the pride and fighting spirit in the hearts of the Khitans remain. How could they not want to restore their country?

The Bohai people have their own culture and traditions, and they once established the Great Bohai Kingdom. How could they be willing to be constantly ridden by the Jurchens?
Furthermore, even though those grassland tribes are now allies of the Jin Dynasty, they have always prioritized their own interests.

On the grasslands, the law of the jungle prevails, and loyalty is nonexistent among them. Their so-called alliances are merely based on the military intimidation of the Jin Dynasty.

When the Jin Dynasty was powerful, the Jin people would only raid for food and people when they were desperate to survive, and they still had to be careful and watch the Jin Dynasty's attitude.

If they were to discover the weakness of the Jin Dynasty, those grassland tribes would surely swarm in like wolves drawn by the scent of blood, frantically attacking this fertile land in the northeast.

The black soil of Northeast China is exceptionally fertile, and sowing seeds anywhere can yield a full granary. This is an irresistible temptation for the grassland tribes who rely on the weather for their livelihood and suffer from the barrenness of the grasslands year after year.

Tigers, leopards, and bears in the forest can provide valuable furs.

Not to mention the countless fish hidden in the ever-flowing rivers, and the gold, silver, and copper mines that may be buried underground.

These resources are far more abundant than the sparse pastures and scattered water sources on the grasslands, enough to drive any grassland tribe crazy.

By then, these steppe tribes would no longer be content with petty raids. They would unite, form a massive cavalry force, cross the border, and launch a fierce attack on the heartland of the Jin Dynasty. They wanted more than just food and people; they wanted to seize this fertile land, turn it into their pastures and granaries, and replace the Jurchens as the new masters of the Northeast.

After all, on the grasslands, the law of the jungle is ingrained in their very being. The Jin Kingdom, having lost its strength, was nothing more than a piece of meat about to be devoured in their eyes. Who would let such a good opportunity pass them by?
And this is precisely what Wanyan Aguda is most worried about.

With the Song army pressing in from the outside and the undercurrent of discontent among the conquered peoples from within, coupled with the opportunistic looting by the nomadic tribes, if the Song army were to truly engage in a decisive battle with the Jin army, even if it were to take place in winter, the Jin dynasty, a ship already riddled with holes, would likely be completely capsized in this decisive battle.

Even if the Jin dynasty were to defeat the Song dynasty in the decisive battle this winter, it remains to be seen whether they could cope with the challenges posed by various ethnic groups within the Jin dynasty or the invasions by tribes from the grasslands.

Therefore, when he learned that the Song Dynasty had chosen to relocate its people, which meant that it had temporarily abandoned the decisive battle with the Jin Dynasty and given him some breathing room, Wanyan Aguda finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.

At least for now, he doesn't have to face the desperate situation of being attacked from both sides, and he still has time to appease his internal forces and to contend with the various tribes of the grasslands, barely managing to get through this most dangerous winter.

It was under these circumstances that, when faced with the Song army's retreat, Wanyan Aguda kept the Jin army in check, telling them not to make any rash moves and to just watch the Song army retreat obediently.

Furthermore, the main force of the Song army did not move at all; the first to evacuate were only the civilians of Jin Shangjing. It can be said that the Song army withdrew in an orderly manner, without any signs of panic.

The Jin army could only obediently watch the Song army retreat.

The sixth day of the tenth month in the twentieth year of Hongwu.

The night was as dark as ink, suffocating everyone. The world was eerily quiet, with only the occasional silver streak flashing across the sky, tearing jagged rifts into the dark clouds, foreshadowing an impending torrential downpour.

Late at night, in the Song army's camp, Yue Fei and Liu Qi, the vanguard commanders of the front army, stood side by side. They were not wearing the cotton armor commonly worn by the Song army, but rather the best leather armor captured from the Jin capital. The five thousand daredevils in front of them were also not wearing cotton armor, but were also wearing the best leather armor captured from the Jin capital.

This is mainly because cotton quilts absorb water and become heavy and stiff when they get wet, losing their protective properties and potentially causing soldiers to catch a cold. Some cotton armors have their surface fabric simply treated with tung oil, wax, etc., which can prevent a small amount of rain splashes, but cannot withstand prolonged rain or soaking. Their protective power will drop sharply after getting wet.

Although all the soldiers drank strong liquor to ward off the cold, one can imagine how much suffering they would endure if they were attacked by autumn rain in this late autumn season.

However, precisely because of this, the Jin people could not have imagined that the Song army would launch a night attack on their camp under such difficult conditions.

The wind picked up, and large raindrops began to fall, pattering against the tent and effectively masking the sound of a night raid.

"Commander, the rain has started; this is the perfect opportunity to strike!" Niu Gao reported in a low voice, his eyes filled with urgency.

Upon hearing this, Yue Fei, in a booming voice, addressed the daredevils: "If we win this battle, our Great Song Dynasty will have the potential to unify the grasslands, becoming as powerful as the Han and Tang dynasties, bringing widespread benefits and immense achievements, lasting for ten thousand generations, and bestowing blessings upon all corners of the land. Furthermore, there are five other benefits:"
Firstly, the iron cavalry of the grasslands has always been a major threat to the border regions, with continuous campaigns throughout the ages, causing hardship to the people and depletion of resources. If our Great Song Dynasty were unified, beacon fires would cease, weapons and armor would be stored away, and there would be no alarms at the passes. The border people would be spared the suffering of displacement, farming and sericulture would continue, markets would remain peaceful, and the whole country would enjoy the blessings of recuperation.

Secondly, the grasslands are rich in livestock, while the Central Plains are abundant in agriculture and sericulture. If our Great Song Dynasty were unified and the borders were opened, merchants and travelers would flock to the region. Felt, fine horses, and leather would be transported to the south, while millet, cloth, and utensils would be transported to the north. With goods flowing freely, the economy would flourish, the people would prosper, the national treasury would be abundant, and both the public and private sectors would benefit.

Thirdly, with the Han and non-Han peoples living together, their customs and traditions were mutually understood, their written languages ​​gradually became the same, and their education was unified. They abandoned prejudices and eliminated regional divisions, their hearts were united, their ethnic groups were close, the concept of "all under heaven are one family" was deeply rooted, the foundation of national unity was forever solidified, and there was no longer any fear of division.

Fourth, the grasslands are vast, stretching for thousands of miles. Incorporating them into the territory would result in a large and resource-rich land. Externally, it could defend against foreign invasions, internally ensure the well-being of the people, spread the nation's prestige far and wide, and enhance the prosperity of China.

Fifthly, in the past, the conquest of the grasslands cost enormous sums of money, resulting in the deaths of able-bodied men and causing unbearable hardship for the people. If our Great Song were to unify the country, we could cease the conquests, reduce the burden of supply transport, decrease taxes and corvée labor, allow the people to recuperate, increase the population, strengthen the nation, and achieve a state of peace and prosperity.

The benefits of unification lie in securing internal stability and repelling external threats, enriching the nation and benefiting the people, consolidating the foundation of the people, and ensuring the dynasty's lasting rule. This is the universal justice of heaven and earth and the great principle of the nation. Therefore, all the sage kings throughout history have regarded unifying the world and pacifying the four directions as their primary task.

This battle is crucial to His Majesty's ability to lead our Great Song Dynasty to unification; we must fight with all our might.

The five thousand daredevils in front of Yue Fei responded in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles, their weapons gleaming coldly in the lamplight.

At the same time, Liu Qi was also giving a pre-battle mobilization speech. He said loudly, "In the past, the barbarian cavalry repeatedly marched south to raid our lands, treating our Great Song Dynasty like fish and meat, and our people like weeds. Wherever they passed, houses were reduced to ruins, and white bones were exposed in the wilderness. For a thousand miles, not a rooster crowed! This hatred and resentment are engraved in our bones and blood, and are etched in our hearts. Today is the day to avenge them!"

Moreover, those people wear their hair in braids and their robes fastened on the left, abandoning etiquette and defying the way of Heaven, causing chaos in China for a long time; we wear our hair in braids and our robes fastened on the right, inheriting the traditions of Yao and Shun and upholding the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, and we should punish the wicked and the traitors for the sake of the world and the common people!
His Majesty is wise and diligent, striving to restore the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties and to unite the Han and non-Han peoples and bring the world under one rule. How can we not do our utmost to assist him? If you fight to the death today, your achievements will be inscribed on bronze vessels and your names will be recorded in history! Your parents, wives, and children will receive the rewards of the court; your villages and clans will be honored by your deeds!
Those who retreat are not sons of the Great Song Dynasty; they will be abandoned by heaven and earth and cursed by history. Those who fight to the death will be loyal souls, forever worshipped by the people!

Upon entering the Jin camp, anyone with a queue (braid) will be executed on the spot. It is not that I am fond of killing, but rather that I must eradicate evil completely and leave no future trouble! Slaying one barbarian bandit saves the lives of the people in the region; capturing one enemy camp secures an inch of territory!
This battle was not merely about breaking through a camp and beheading several generals; it was the prelude to the Song Dynasty's expansion of territory and unification of the world!
Let the Jurchens know the might of the Song Dynasty's sons, and let the world see the hope of a unified China!
Today we fight to the death, and tomorrow, on the day of our victory, we will drink celebratory wine together and bask in the spring of peace!

Kill! Kill! Kill!

After mobilizing the troops, Yue Fei and Liu Qi each led 5,000 men, trudging through the muddy roads and stealthily making their way towards the Jin camp in the pouring rain.

The rain soaked through their armor, chilling them to the bone, but it could not extinguish the fury in the hearts of the Song army's daredevils.

The only sounds were the patter of rain and heavy breathing, which blended into a chilling torrent in the dark night.

After Yue Fei and Liu Qi set off, Han Shizhong and Wu Jie, handpicked by Zhao Yu, each led 30,000 elite cavalrymen and lined up in the Song camp.

Once they succeed in capturing the enemy's position, they will provide full support.

Thirty thousand iron cavalrymen spread out silently, like a giant net, quietly waiting for their prey to fall into it.

As night deepened, the rain intensified.

Yue Fei and Liu Qi led their suicide squad and quietly reached the edge of the Jin camp. The deer antlers and trenches outside the camp were faintly visible in the light of the lightning. Inside the camp, the lights were sparse, and most of the Jin soldiers were already asleep. Only a few sentries were huddled under their tents to avoid the rain, drowsy.

The Jin people have long held a misconception: they believed that the only reason they couldn't defeat the Song army was because the Song army possessed advanced firearms; otherwise, the Song army would certainly not have been a match for the Jin army.

It was precisely because of this that the Jin people never imagined that the Song army would dare to raid their camp on a rainy night when firearms could not be used.

Therefore, the Jin camp is almost completely undefended tonight.

This allowed Yue Fei and Liu Qi to easily reach the edge of the Jin camp.

"rush!"

With a low shout, Yue Fei charged into the Jin camp. His spear, Li Quan, moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, thrusting straight at a sentry.

Before the sentry could react, he had already been killed by Yue Fei.

Upon seeing this, the Jin soldier beside him was about to shout when Yue Fei flicked his spear and killed him as well.

Subsequently, Yue Fei took the lead and was the first to charge into the Jin camp.

At the same time, Liu Qi led his 5,000-strong suicide squad into another Jin camp.

After the Song army's suicide squad stormed into the Jin camp, they killed any Jin soldiers with braids on their heads they encountered without any mercy.

The suicide squad members were like tigers descending the mountain, taking advantage of the rain and the cover of night to kill anyone they saw.

At this time, the Jin camp was pitch black, with only the occasional flashes of lightning in the sky providing some light to make people visible.

Whenever the lightning flashed, the suicide squad would descend like divine soldiers, fighting bravely. The sounds of clashing swords and spears, and the screams of the Jin soldiers echoed throughout the camp. When the lightning went out and darkness returned, the soldiers would immediately lie down and hold their breath, hiding in the shadows of the tents or behind corpses, motionless.

The Jin soldiers awoke with a start, only to see countless Song soldiers wielding their swords and attacking in a flash of lightning. Just as they were about to retaliate, everything went dark again, and they could not even see the shadows of their enemies.

In their panic, they couldn't distinguish east from west, or friend from foe.

Suicide squad members could distinguish friend from foe by blowing a "thu".

Before setting off, Liu Qi specially asked someone to cut bamboo into short sections, hollow out the inside, and make it into a sound-making toy used by children in the city. This toy resembled a whistle but had no sharp sound.

The deep, rhythmic shouts echoed through the rainy night. Upon hearing the sound, the Song army's daredevils assembled, coordinating their attacks to either encircle and annihilate small groups of Jin soldiers or set fire to their camps.

The sounds of gunfire, rain, fighting, and the crackling of burning tents mingled together, leaving the Jin soldiers bewildered and terrified.

Many Jin soldiers mistook their comrades for Song soldiers in the darkness and began to attack them with their swords. In an instant, the Jin camp was in chaos, with soldiers killing each other.

Yue Fei and Liu Qi led the Song army's daredevil squad in a fierce battle, and no one could stop them. They wielded spears and swords, killing so many Jin soldiers that their bodies lay strewn across the fields and blood flowed like rivers. The rain washed away the blood, forming dark red streams in the camp.

The battle raged from late at night until dawn, when the rain gradually subsided and the east began to lighten with the first light of day.

As the morning light pierced through the gloom and shone upon the Jin camp, one could see corpses piled up like mountains, weapons and armor scattered all over the ground, and many surviving Jin soldiers had long lost their will to fight and were fleeing in disarray toward the north.

At this time, Han Shizhong and Wu Jie each led 30,000 cavalrymen to attack. They used the Jingse Army as their vanguard to attack the "village villages" in the Jin camp.

The so-called "village village" refers to the camp where the grain transport laborers lived.

These camps were mostly located near the Jin army's fortifications, and were hastily constructed with carts, making their defenses extremely weak.

The Jin army did not expect "Xiangmin Xiaozhai" to resist the Song army's attack.

However, after the village was captured by the Jin army, the panicked laborers fled to the Jin army camp, disrupting the Jin army's formation. This was something the Jin army had not anticipated.

The Song army followed the fleeing laborers, successfully crossed the Jin army's crossbow firing range, and rushed straight to the Jin army camp.

Thus, the Song and Jin forces engaged in fierce close-quarters combat...

……

(End of this chapter)