I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 417 Zhao Yu: I can finally unify the two Yuan regions.

...

Originally, Zhao Yu wanted to fight a typical, non-dramatic battle with Wanyan Aguda.

The battles were not based on meticulously planned strategies, but rather were forced into battle due to circumstances or sudden changes in the situation. Furthermore, there were no dramatic events such as cunning schemes, surprise attacks, or betrayals during the battles; the outcome was determined primarily by a direct confrontation of strength between the two sides on the main battlefield.

Unexpectedly, due to Wanyan Aguda's lack of cooperation, and because Zhao Yu and his ministers were unwilling to prolong the war until the following spring and feared unforeseen complications, the war ultimately did not go as Zhao Yu wished and instead turned into a surprise attack.

……

On the seventh day of the tenth month of the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign, the sky was clear and blue.

The decisive battle between the Song and Jin dynasties—no, the decisive battle between the Central Plains and the grasslands—has officially begun.

Thanks to Yue Fei and Liu Qi's sneak attack last night, the Jin army's vanguard has been routed and forced to retreat.

At the same time, Han Shizhong and Wu Jie each led 30,000 cavalry, with 3,000 Jingse soldiers leading the charge, to attack the Jin army's "village village". Led by the laborers, they charged into the left and right flanks of the Jin army, disrupting their formation.

The two sides engaged in fierce close-quarters combat.

The left wing of the Jin army was guarded by Wanyan Chang.

Wanyan Chang's Jin army was very strong, and Wanyan Chang himself was a famous general of the Jin state. He took the lead and led his soldiers in battle.

The key point is that Wanyan Chang's troops had three thousand iron-clad cavalry.

These Iron Pagodas were also heavily armored cavalry, meaning that both the riders and their horses were covered in thick armor, giving them extremely strong protective capabilities. No matter how you cut them with swords, stab them with spears, or shoot them with arrows, it would be difficult to harm them in the slightest.

Moreover, the Jin Dynasty's Iron Pagoda selected only the tallest warriors among the Jurchens; anyone shorter than 1.9 meters simply couldn't be chosen. The warhorses ridden by the Iron Pagoda were the finest horses from the grasslands, any one of which could travel three to five hundred li a day.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Jin Dynasty's Iron Pagoda was almost equivalent to the Song Dynasty's Jingse Army, the Liao Dynasty's Iron Forest Army, and the Western Xia's Iron Falcons.

However, the Jingse Army of the Great Song Dynasty wore the best cold-forged armor of the time—wart armor.

According to historical records: "The method of forging armor is to start with a very thick armor, without fire, and forge it cold until it is two-thirds thicker than the original thickness. At the end, leave a small section, about the size of a chopstick tip, unforged, which is used to test the thickness before forging, just like leaving a soil mound when dredging a river. This is called 'wart armor'. If you shoot it from fifty paces away with a strong crossbow, it will not penetrate."

In other words, compared to the armor of the Jin Dynasty, the wart armor achieved better protection with one-third the thickness and weight of regular armor.

This is definitely a huge advantage.

However, this advantage is not so easily demonstrated at the beginning of a battle between armored cavalry.

This resulted in the Iron Pagoda Cavalry of Wanyan Chang's army blocking the Jing Sai Army of Han Shizhong's army, and the two heavily armored cavalry forces engaged in a bloody battle on the battlefield.

As the sun shone brightly, two torrents of steel clashed violently. The heavily armored cavalry of the Song Dynasty advanced like a wall, their armor gleaming like silver; the Jin Dynasty's Iron Pagoda, clad in black armor, covered the field, their hooves thundering across the ground, the crashing of their heavy armor shattering the heavens.

Spears thrust forward like a forest, the crisp sound of blades slicing through armor rose and fell, and sparks flew in bursts across the dense formation.

Jingse Army used its formation to maneuver and weave back and forth, while the Ironclad Cavalry relied on its heavy armor to withstand the onslaught. The formations intertwined and crushed each other, with the muffled thuds of men and horses colliding and the sound of armor plates shattering intertwined.

In the clash of steel, countless drops of sweat seeped from the gaps in the armor, pooling into streams that dripped down the manes of the warhorses, spreading large wet patches on the yellow earth and mixing with the rising dust to form mud.

Two heavily armed and elite troops charged back and forth, intertwining and separating like a torrent. Each clash sent up clouds of armor fragments and billowing sweat, unfolding a brutal and bloody scene across the open field...

At the same time, Wu Jie's troops also broke into the right flank of the Jin army.

The commander of the Jin army's right wing was Jin Wuzhu.

Jin Wuzhu also chose to use the Iron Pagoda to resist Wu Jie's Jingse Army.

The battle between the two heavily armored cavalry units was no less intense than the fighting between the two heavily armored cavalry units on the left.

Within Jin Wuzhu's Iron Pagoda formation, the swinging maces created gusts of foul wind, and the heavy armor, covered in three layers of cowhide, gleamed a dark red in the sunlight, resembling congealed blood scabs. Wu Jie's Jingse Army, on the other hand, wielded long-handled heavy axes.

The commander of Wu Jie's Jingse Army was none other than Yang Yizhong, a great general of the Song Dynasty.

Silver armor blotted out the sun, black armor stretched to the sky, and two torrents of heavily armored cavalry clashed violently on the open field.

The armor of the Song Dynasty's Jingse Army gleamed coldly, and the vanguard riders all wielded giant axes, their blades reflecting the sun like frost. The Jin Dynasty's Iron Pagoda soldiers were clad in heavy armor, their long-handled maces and lances forming a forest, their horses' hooves shaking the earth and sending dust and sand flying everywhere.

In the instant of the clash, the muffled thud of the giant axe cleaving through the heavy armor intertwined with the crisp sound of the mace striking the wart armor, and the roar of the colliding steel shook the heavens.

The Jingse Army's giant axes were designed to attack the gaps in the Ironclad Cavalry's armor and the joints of their warhorses. When the axe blades fell, they would either embed themselves into the armor or shatter the protective gear. The Ironclad Cavalry, on the other hand, relied on their heavy armor to withstand the attacks. They thrust and swept their long weapons, but they could not break through the toughness of the armor. In fact, the heavy weapons made it difficult for them to defend in time.

Two torrents of steel charged back and forth, their giant axes swirling and scattering fragments of black armor.

Sweat seeped from the gaps in their armor, mingling with splattered blood and dripping onto the frozen ground, leaving large wet patches. Each clash was a contest of steel and strength, the agility of the giant axes breaking through the clumsiness of the heavy armor, unfolding a brutal scene of iron and blood on the open field.

The core weapons of the Song Dynasty's Jingse Army were long-handled giant axes and cavalry-specific lances, supplemented by swords and other secondary weapons, which were tailored to the tactical needs of breaking through heavy cavalry.

The long-handled giant axe is the core armor-piercing weapon. Its thick and sharp blade is designed to attack gaps in enemy heavy armor and the joints of warhorses, compensating for its lack of piercing power with its chopping force. There are also cavalry lances such as the double-hooked lance and the ring lance, which can be used for both thrusting and hooking, and are suitable for charging operations.

In addition, the soldiers of the Jingse Army of the Great Song Dynasty were equipped with short weapons such as longswords and scimitars for close-quarters combat and finishing off enemies; some soldiers carried bows and arrows, which could be used for long-range restraint before a charge.

The combination of the giant axe and the cavalry lance is effective in penetrating armor, as it targets the Ironclad Cavalry's weakness of strong armor protection but poor mobility. However, compared to the Ironclad Cavalry's long-handled mace, the giant axe's swinging rhythm is slightly slower, requiring formation and speed to unleash its power.

Therefore, for a time, the Jingse Army and the Tiefutu fought to a standstill. In the midst of the battle, severed limbs and blood splattered everywhere. The Jingse Army and Tiefutu soldiers rolled around in the midst of the battle, only to be trampled into mincemeat by the following cavalry...

The two sides were not only facing off against armored cavalry.

In fact, the most intense fighting was between the central forces.

Because Yue Fei and Liu Qi created an opening in the Jin army's central camp, the Song army decisively shifted its main attack focus to that camp.

Wanyan Zongfu and Wanyan Loushi personally commanded the central Jin army, but they could not withstand the Song army's attacks and were forced to retreat step by step. Wanyan Zongfu, who led from the front, was even surrounded.

Wanyan Zongfu was a fierce general in the Jin army. He was a bold and courageous man who personally led the attack in every battle.

Moreover, historically, the Wanyan Zongfu lineage emerged as the ultimate victor in the internal power struggles of the Jin Dynasty—Wanyan Zongfu's son, Wanyan Yong, eventually defeated Emperor Hailing, Wanyan Liang, and became the fifth emperor of the Jin Dynasty, a very accomplished emperor.

However, this is only in history.

In this lifetime, Wanyan Zongfu's concubines had already entered Zhao Yu's harem, including Empress Zhenyi Li Hongyuan, the birth mother of Wanyan Yong in history.

Incidentally, Li Hongyuan had already given birth to a son for Zhao Yu, and at Zhang Chun's suggestion, Zhao Yu named the son Zhao Yong.

Han Chang was a Han Chinese from Liaodong, born into a family of Liao generals. His father, Han Qinghe, was a Liao commander. After surrendering to the Jin dynasty with his father, Han Chang was granted the title of commander of a thousand households and became a very famous and valiant general in the Jin army, renowned for his archery skills. It is said that the bow he used was extremely powerful, and the arrows he shot could be driven into iron.

After Liu Qi faced Wanyan Zongfu, he defeated Wanyan Zongfu in succession.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Wanyan Zongfu broke through the encirclement and reorganized the Jin army to fight again. However, no matter how hard Wanyan Zongfu urged his troops to fight, his forces were forced back by Liu Qi's Song army, and their formation was broken.

Looking solely at the war between Liu Qi and Wanyan Zongfu, the situation was extremely unfavorable for the Jin army.

During their direct confrontation, Liu Qi even shot an arrow into Han Chang's eye.

Liu Qi came from a military family; he was the son of Liu Zhongwu, the military governor of Luchuan. He was handsome, skilled in archery, and had a booming voice. As a young man, he followed his father Liu Zhongwu on campaigns. Once, a water vat at the camp gate was full of water. Liu Qi shot an arrow into the vat, and when he pulled out the arrow, water gushed out. Liu Qi then shot another arrow and plugged the hole with it. People were amazed by his superb archery skills.

In the early battles against the Western Xia, Liu Qi won many victories, which greatly instilled fear in the Western Xia army and people. When Western Xia children cried, their mothers would threaten them with "Liu Qi, the Protector-General, is coming!"

Even when facing Han Chang, a fierce general of the Jin Dynasty, in a head-on hand-to-hand battle, Liu Qi held his own against him, even though he had been leading his troops in a fierce battle against the Jin army all night.

Of course, this was also because Wang Yan, a fierce general of the Song army who came to reinforce Liu Qi, was also very brave. He led 30,000 troops to meet Liu Qi and his 5,000 daredevils. After they joined forces, they killed the Jin army.

However, it must be said that Han Chang lived up to his reputation as a fierce general. After being wounded, he pulled out the arrow that had shot into his eye, grabbed some soil to cover the bloody wound, and fought bravely on horseback. He finally managed to break through the encirclement and escape with Wanyan Zongfu.

The battle between Yue Fei and Wanyan Loushi was an even fiercer one.

Wanyan Loushi was known as "the greatest general of the Jin Dynasty".

Historically, he was the general with the most outstanding military achievements and the widest range of battles in the founding of the Jin Dynasty. He was a core main force in the key battles of defeating Liao and destroying Song. He also captured Emperor Tianzuo of Liao, Yelü Yanxi, forced the surrender of Song general Zhe Keqiu, and defeated the 200,000-strong Western Army led by Fan Zhixu with 3,000 cavalry, thus laying a solid foundation for the Jin Dynasty's territory.

Moreover, he was not only good at fighting tough battles, but also good at commanding troops and managing people. He guarded Xijing, Shaanxi and other places for many years, stabilizing the front line and appeasing the surrendered troops. He was the "battle achievement benchmark" of the Jin Dynasty from its rise to its peak. No other general could match this dual achievement of "founding the country and stabilizing the borders".

It can be said that Wanyan Loushi was the only core general among the Jin generals who was involved in the entire process of "destroying Liao + destroying Song + (defeating Western Xia) + stabilizing the borders". He was responsible for both "breaking the state" and "stabilizing the territory". He had the highest participation in tough battles and key battles and had no obvious defeats. This is something that other famous generals of the Jin Dynasty could hardly match.

In this battle against Yue Fei, if Yue Fei and Liu Qi hadn't successfully launched a surprise attack on the Jin army's vanguard during a torrential rain, Wanyan Loushi might not have been able to suffer such a series of defeats.

Of course, this was also because Zhang Xian, Wang Yan and others provided timely support. Otherwise, relying solely on the 5,000-strong suicide squad led by Yue Fei and Liu Qi last night, it would have been impossible to achieve such results.

The Song and Jin armies fought fiercely until the afternoon, when the Jin army committed all of its battlefield reserves in an attempt to stabilize their lines.

At the same time, Wanyan Aguda kept sending people to Khabul and the leaders of a group of grassland tribes to ask for help, hoping that they would fight and help the Jin army defeat the Song army.

Wanyan Aguda even promised Khabul that all the spoils of this battle would belong to the various tribes of the steppe, and that the Great Jin Kingdom would not want anything. In addition, he promised to give 10,000 virgins and 100,000 cattle and sheep to the various tribes of the steppe after the battle.

It would be a lie to say that the bandits of the grasslands, such as Khabul, were not tempted by this offer, after all, Wanyan Aguda had given them far too much.

Kehubule was a powerful and shrewd leader; how could he not have seen that the Song army had not yet exerted its full strength?
Putting everything else aside, the Divine Machine Army, the strongest army in the world, which has never been defeated since its inception, has not yet gone into battle. How can Khabul be worried?

However, on the other hand, if the Song army really defeated the Jin army in this battle, then the Jin state would basically be doomed, and then it would be the turn of these grassland tribes.

Therefore, Khabul could not stand idly by.

On the one hand, they feared the Song army's backup plan, and on the other hand, they were afraid that the Jin army would not be able to hold out. Khabul and a group of grassland tribes were in a dilemma at this time.

The Jingse Army's equipment was indeed superior to that of the Ironclad Cavalry. After a morning of fierce fighting, the Ironclad Cavalry, equipped with heavier armor, began to fall into a disadvantageous position.

The key issue is that the vanguard, which was defeated by Yue Fei and Liu Qi last night, still failed to stabilize the battle line despite the efforts of Jin generals such as Wanyan Zongfu and Wanyan Loushi.

It was clear that the Jin army was about to suffer a complete defeat.

Hebul gritted his teeth: "If the Jurchens are defeated, we will be next. How can we, the eagles of the grasslands, be reduced to domestic fodder and allowed to be raised and slaughtered by the Han people?"

The leaders of the various grassland tribes echoed in agreement:

"What the Great Khan says is absolutely right! The Han people are powerful now, and the Han emperor is ambitious, pointing his sword at our grasslands. If the Jurchens are destroyed, our grassland tribes will surely be trampled underfoot, our pastures will be lost, our cattle and sheep will be seized, and our descendants will be enslaved!"

"The Jurchens have offered us gold, jade, virgins, cattle, and sheep. This is both an enticement and a desperate measure. Their tribe is already on the verge of collapse. If we sit idly by and do not come to their aid, and the Han people are free to spare their attention, how can we, with our bows and horses, possibly withstand their firearms, armor, and sharp weapons?"

"We, the sons and daughters of the grasslands, revere courage and live by battle! How can we allow the Han people to occupy our lands and slaughter us? Today, we will go into battle, which will not only win the promise of the Jurchens but also stop the Song army's advance and preserve the foundation of the grasslands. This is a win-win situation! We are willing to follow the Great Khan to lead the army, break through the Song formation, save the Jurchens, and seize wealth and glory!"

"As the Han people often say, 'If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold,' the Jurchens and our grasslands, though not of the same ethnicity, have joined forces to resist the Song army. If the Jurchens are defeated, we will never have peace! At this moment, we should join forces with the Jurchens to blunt their momentum; this is the only long-term solution!"

Then, all the leaders shouted in unison, "We obey the Great Khan's command! Let us lead our troops and charge into battle, crushing the Song camp!"

Seeing this, Hebule said, "Very well, all of you follow me on this expedition, and we will crush the Song traitors in one battle!!!"

Soon, the grassland tribes split into three groups to reinforce the Jin army.

In addition, two light cavalry units from the grasslands made a large flanking maneuver from the left and right, attempting to attack the main Song army force.

Upon receiving the report, Zhao Yu, Liu Fa, Chen Gou, and others in the central army all breathed a sigh of relief, especially Zhao Yu, who thought to himself, 'I can finally unify the two Yuan regions…'

……

(End of this chapter)