You have truly caused me great suffering!

"Have those Western barbarians gone mad?"

Wanyan Xiyin leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

Looking down at the troops, who were still relentlessly attacking the city, the various cannon fires filled people with fear.

Even stone cannons are very dangerous.

Wanyan Xiyin vaguely felt that something was wrong, but she didn't have time to investigate in detail because the attacks below continued unabated.

The unease in his heart was amplified, making him restless all day long.

To be fair, Wanyan Xiyin did a good job guarding Wuhui Ridge.

He traveled daily to every fortress and village, selecting targets for attack, forging defensive equipment, and ordering Liao craftsmen to expedite the production of various weapons.

Han Shizhong tried various methods and dug several tunnels, but Wanyan Xiyin sent people to lie in wait and listen carefully, keeping a close watch on the situation.

He made no mistakes while defending the city, but he had a common problem among the Jurchens: he didn't treat the auxiliary troops as human beings.

The southern barbarian tribes they despised had only one small squad defected to the enemy, and they delivered a fatal blow simply by discovering a small path.

A group of miscellaneous barbarians who couldn't even get food in the Jurchen camp were rewarded with a set of armor and weapons for their meritorious service in pointing out the way. They were officially incorporated into the Yinzhou army and lived and ate with everyone else.

These miscellaneous barbarians were stunned at the time, and it took them several days to come to their senses and understand their situation.

The advantage of establishing a new army is that it is not dominated by many powerful and influential military families.

But if you have the ability and a lucky life, you can make it big.

Occasionally, meritorious service would be rewarded accordingly, and everyone would strive for advancement.

Therefore, the army is full of these spirited and vigorous young generals, all of whom are determined to make a name for themselves.

Zhu Lingling was stationed at Zijingling. He knew he couldn't keep it a secret for long, so he could only use this time to mobilize as many troops as possible.

Every passing moment was like a knife being stabbed into Wanyan Xiyin, but he was completely unaware of it, as he was dealing with Han Shizhong's frenzied attacks.

Han Shizhong is also good at teamwork; these past few days, they've been taking turns raiding the strongholds, working day and night.

He was also very anxious, but overall he was able to remain patient.

Jia Guhai led dozens of warriors from his tribe, galloping past Jiazi Fortress at Wuhui Ridge.

Like the other troops, this group of Jurchen soldiers from the Dingnan Army also moved back and forth within the range of the crossbows firing from the city wall.

It occasionally emitted all sorts of strange noises and shouts, which intimidated the guards on the city wall.

Because they were also Jurchens, they shared a common language, making their verbal attacks extremely effective.

Jiaguhai was a member of the Jiagu tribe of the Jurchen people, one of the core tribes of the Jurchen people. They lived in the Hailang River (a tributary of the Mudanjiang River) basin, made their living by iron smelting, and had a long-standing hostile relationship with the Wanyan tribe.

They fought the Wanyan tribe for over two hundred years, but were eventually completely defeated and became slaves of the Wanyan tribe.

In the Jurchen camp, their status was even lower than that of the Liao auxiliary soldiers. They were converted into Han Chinese by Wanyan Balisu and sold to Chen Shao.

Later, in Yunnei, a special Jurchen battalion was formed. It was small in number, but everyone there had a deep-seated hatred for the Wanyan tribe.

Every time these people appeared, the Jurchen warriors of the fortress would start cursing, and the two sides would exchange a long string of words that no one else could understand.

In terms of the number of fortresses and strongholds, the construction of auxiliary cities, and the rationality of the battle line, the Wuhui Ridge defense line is naturally no match for Daming Prefecture.

However, its advantage lies in its favorable terrain, with rugged mountains and rivers, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The rammed earth walls were not covered with bricks, and many of the crenellations had collapsed. Only wooden pillars and signs could be erected next to them to provide cover for the defenders on the walls. The moat was not wide, and some of the depths were only knee-deep, but it was enough.

If you want to climb up, you have to bend over, and you might even have to use your hands and feet. It's even more difficult if you're carrying a weapon.

You might be able to climb faster if you lose your weapon, but what's the point of getting up there?

In the era of cold weapons, such a defensive line was practically an insurmountable barrier.

This explains why neither the Liao nor the Song dynasties paid much attention to border defense, especially the Liao dynasty, which did not undertake any maintenance or construction in the vicinity.

Otherwise, it will be even more difficult to overcome.

The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun were known as the northern bulwark, and there was a reason for that.

Even when the Ming Dynasty was in complete chaos, foreign tribes from beyond the Great Wall still couldn't get in. In the end, the Tartars were only allowed in after their own people surrendered.

Han Shizhong looked at the Jurchen and Jurchen troops who were challenging him and nodded secretly. Their feint attack was effective and resulted in few casualties.

However, he spat, his mouth feeling bitter and dry, wondering when there would be any news from the other side of Wuhui Ridge.

He actually knew that the longer it dragged on, the more advantageous it would be.

But with the dawn of victory just around the corner, how could one not be anxious?

Seventeen or eighteen long ladders lay askew beneath the Jiazi Fortress of Wuhui Ridge, burned to the point that only charred wood remained, still emitting wisps of smoke.

At this moment, several riders galloped over and dismounted in front of Han Shizhong's personal guards with smooth and effortless movements.

"Report!"

"Speak quickly!" Han Shizhong's eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly.

"General Jin has sent a military report requesting Commander Han to launch a general offensive at 9:00 PM on June 3rd!"

"Great! Great!" Han Shizhong laughed heartily. The people around him were puzzled, but seeing how happy Han Shizhong was, they knew that something big must be about to happen.

Han Shizhong looked up and saw that Wuhui Ridge still stood proudly before his tens of thousands of troops, cold, solemn, and unapproachable.

It seems that no mortal will ever be able to cross this place.

Han Shizhong's eyes seemed to see through this majestic pass and gaze towards Youyan behind it.

Youyan!

This monumental achievement, I, Han Wu, have arrived!
-
Wanyan Xiyin selected his vanguard to fight on Wuhui Ridge, in order to support Jiazi Fort.

This time, he ordered the Ever Victorious Army to go, specifically naming Zhen Wuchen as the vanguard.

Zhen Wuchen did not want to go. This time, another attack would only result in the loss of a hundred or so lives!

There were no signs of the Jiazi Fort being breached.

And why didn't you send your own Jurchen elite troops to charge into battle?
During this period of fighting, on Wuhui Ridge, apart from the Jurchen soldiers, all the troops of other tribes suffered heavy losses.

Every time they launched their offensive, many lives were lost, but the Jurchens didn't even blink.

There were even Jurchen Tartars who, watching the various Hu, Khitan, and Han people fighting bloody battles outside, laughed and joked on the stockade walls.

Wanyan Xiyin glanced at Zhen Wuchen, who refused to leave, and then coldly looked at Guo Yaoshi standing beside him, who was standing ramrod straight.

His tall and slender frame meant that Wanyan Xiyin, who was as thin as a millstone, had to look up to see his expression. Every time Xiyin looked up, he felt a strange resentment.

I wish I could cut off a piece of the eldest son's leg.

And that damned eldest son of the Han family always stands ramrod straight.

"Big brother!"

Guo Yaoshi nodded slightly. Zhen Wuchen stamped his foot, sighed, turned around, picked up his weapon, and mustered his troops to prepare for battle.

"Your subordinate seems a bit resentful," Xi Yin sneered.

"Let's observe this battle," said Guo Yaoshi calmly.

This sight infuriated Xi Yin even more.

But at this moment, he also knew that he had to rely on Guo Yaoshi's ever-victorious army, otherwise his forces would not be enough.

Those barbarian rabble are not worth mourning; they only think of slaughtering and plundering, and after they have their fill, they will return to their homeland in the north.

So Xi Yin used them as consumables.

However, he also knew that the Ever Victorious Army could not be treated this way, as these Han people were extremely vengeful.

If you exploit them too much, they'll turn around and rebel. Everyone knows that Guo Yaoshi has already betrayed his master four times.

Zhen Wuchen only followed the wrong master and had a bad reputation, but in fact, his bravery was among the best in the world.

The reason why the Ever Victorious Army was so formidable, and why Guo Yaoshi not only didn't weaken in places like Youyan, but actually grew stronger, was precisely because of their fighting prowess. Otherwise, who would be willing to take in someone like Guo Yaoshi who constantly shifted his allegiance? Xiao Gan wanted to kill him back then, but Yelü Chun, considering their strong fighting capabilities, gritted his teeth and spared him.

After Zhen Wuchen went into battle, those mixed barbarian tribes retreated.

Under Wanyan Xiyin's mighty tower, the three hundred defeated Hu tribesmen all knelt on the ground.

Two Jurchen warriors drew their swords and nocked their bows. From the three hundred defeated soldiers kneeling down, they randomly selected thirty men and stuffed them all into sacks. Then they ordered the mixed Hu (non-Han) men to mount their horses, and thousands of riders galloped forward, trampling the randomly selected mixed Hu men into a bloody pulp!
In the midst of a defeated army, who lived and who died was entirely a matter of luck in the face of the ruthless Jurchen generals.

As the Tatars trembled as they mounted their horses and marched toward their kin, each one felt as if they were still trapped in a nightmare.

Although following these Jurchens south to fight, they could do whatever they wanted on Khitan land and plunder wealth and people they had never seen before, the Jurchens were so cruel that they didn't know how long the six or seven thousand strong men gathered from the dozens of tribes in southern Mongolia could withstand the onslaught!
At this time, they naturally lacked the courage to resist the Jurchens.

The Liao Empire, which had oppressed them for hundreds of years, collapsed in the face of the Jurchen army.

The Song Dynasty, which has always been said to be the richest and most powerful in the south, was powerless against the Jurchens, except for the Dingnan Army.

The Jurchen army was at its peak of power. The Tatars, who admired strength, had no choice but to continue fighting alongside the Jurchens.

But the seeds of hatred had already been sown.

It's sprouting little by little, and sooner or later it will completely crush the Jurchens. The emergence of the Dingnan Army has accelerated this trend by a considerable amount of time.

Those who witnessed the execution felt a chill run down their spines; they too had been subjected to the same cruelty by the Jin people when they first surrendered.

Later, Guo Yaoshi distinguished himself in the first campaign against the Song Dynasty, thus proving his worth.

The treatment of the Ever-Victorious Army has also been improved.

However, the painful despair they felt when facing the Jurchens remains etched in everyone's hearts.

No one wants to be around evil spirits.

Wanyan Xiyin paid no attention to the punishment of the Tatars; he went up to the high wall and looked down at the battlefield below.

This kind of lousy battle was naturally fought terribly, and was purely a waste of lives.

However, at this moment, Wanyan Xiyin suddenly noticed something: although the opposing troops were shouting loudly, they were becoming less and less focused on attacking the city.

He rode his horse at full gallop, shouting and cursing, his voice echoing through the mountains, but he rarely ventured within range of arrows.

Gunpowder, cannons, stone cannons, catapults—they smashed these things like madmen.

This is exactly the same as it was a few days ago.

Wanyan Xiyin was a veteran general who had fought for ten years, and at this moment, the unease in his heart had reached its peak.

There must be something wrong!

He began to rack his brains, but he couldn't figure out where he had gone wrong, or what the Western barbarians below were doing!
Zhen Wuchen's thousands of cavalry circled the stockade walls repeatedly, ready to attack the Dingnan army that was besieging the city at any moment.

But beneath the city wall, apart from the corpses, there was not a single person in sight, nor a single arrow fired.

With everyone else in their formation, Zhen Wuchen naturally couldn't take the initiative to attack, so both sides just bluffed.

At this moment, the hearts of both coaches seemed to be in their throats.

Han Shizhong was also waiting anxiously. He summoned his generals and recounted the details of today's surprise attack.

Only then did everyone realize that a large army had already circled around to the flank of Wuhui Ridge.

A sense of ecstasy permeated the entire army, with everyone suppressing their excitement and waiting for a pincer attack.

We're finally going to carve through Wuhui Ridge!
A pincer attack from both sides, and they still can't break through? Wuhui Ridge isn't like Shanhaiguan Pass; it's not that treacherous.

The feigned attack by Jia Gu Hai, with several hundred cavalry, kicked up circular clouds of dust that lingered around the city walls for a long time.

It has been almost an hour since we set out in formation at dawn to lure the enemy. The mounts, which were already losing a lot of weight, were starting to have trouble moving, and the riders were hoarse from shouting and their arms were sore from drawing and shooting arrows.

Kaguhai kept looking back, but the order to attack the city never sounded in the Dingnan army formation.

He sighed inwardly, but dared not complain in the slightest. He shouted and continued to urge his horse to circle the city wall, the dust constantly rising and lingering for a long time!
Jia Guhai didn't understand, and Zhen Wuchen didn't move either. He just sat on his horse, watching coldly.

At this moment, both sides sent out their vanguards. Ironically, Han Shizhong had appointed the Jurchen general Jia Guhai as his vanguard, while the Jin dynasty had sent the Han Chinese Zhen Wuchen as their leader.
Finally, amidst everyone's anticipation, the sky gradually darkened.

On one side of Zijing Ridge, Hu Yantong leaned against a sideboard, a straw still dangling from his mouth, humming a little tune.

Beside him, behind rows of horse shields, were rows of Yinzhou soldiers taking a break.

They rested there for a good amount of time and cocked their crossbows early on.

We only brought enough arrows and crossbow bolts for one volley; the rest are left here to be retrieved after the battle.

For the Dingnan Army, supplies were never a problem, especially after Chen Shao occupied Hedong.

The Song army was mostly in a state of utter disarray, but the Song's arms manufacturing system had been operating stably for over a hundred years, regardless of quality or whether the manufactured weapons were actually used.

In this crucial location east of the river, the armory is piled high with weapons.

It is no exaggeration to say that if all the weapons in the Song Dynasty's arsenal had been handed over to the Tatars, the disaster brought by the Mongols would have occurred a hundred years earlier.

Finally, the time came. Hu Yantong spat out the straw from his mouth and lit the fuse.

Signal fireworks soared into the sky.

The sound echoed throughout Zijing Ridge.

Huyan Tong pulled the spear stuck in the ground, gave a whistle, and countless people mounted their horses.

Everyone lit torches and charged toward Wuhui Ridge.

When Wanyan Xiyin saw the fireworks to his side and behind him, his face turned ugly and his eyes widened.

He suddenly understood the strange behavior of the person opposite him.

It turned out to be a feint attack to cover their accomplices' surprise attack!

The enemy has already gotten behind us. Wuhui Ridge is indeed impregnable, but there are no defenses behind it!

To facilitate the transport of supplies, Wanyan Xiyin even ordered the people of Youyan to repair the roads.

On the Dingnan Army's side, at Han Shizhong's command, all the troops in the various battalions that had been prepared beforehand lined up and marched up the long Wuhuiling defense line.

Li Xiaozhong also made his move. The Xiazhou troops began attacking the Jurchen fortresses and towns within Weizhou, where troops were stationed, to block all Jin reinforcements attempting to approach Wuhuiling.

From all directions, countless soldiers attacked the camp simultaneously.

Wanyan Xiyin cursed, and although he knew the situation was urgent, his fear and anxiety finally disappeared.

No matter how difficult the situation, as long as you understand the other party's intentions, that's enough.

Just as he was about to organize his men for a desperate battle, he suddenly saw groups of people withdrawing in an orderly fashion.

Wanyan Xiyin rubbed his eyes and looked again. A fact that struck him like a thunderbolt was clearly presented before him.

The Ever Victorious Army is withdrawing.

And it doesn't seem like a last-minute decision.

Wanyan Xiyin slapped his palm hard, feeling his blood churning inside his chest.

"Pharmacist Guo!"

He didn't even dare to order an interception, because there weren't many men to begin with.

Once the ever-victorious army was lost, the disparity in troop strength between the two sides reached an astonishing level.

The Dingnan Army should have numbered 100,000!
One hundred thousand!

Wanyan Xiyin's Jurchen troops numbered only four thousand, and of the original fifty thousand mixed Hu troops, there were now twenty or thirty thousand, who had lost all will to fight.

As for the Khitan auxiliary troops, it's good enough that they didn't surrender.

At this moment, Guo Yaoshi, who was in the army, led the entire army in a retreat, his steps unusually light and quick.

Zhen Wuchen, standing to the side, was also overjoyed, directing his troops.

Riding on his warhorse, Guo Yaoshi felt incredibly excited.

The situation I've been longing for is finally about to come true!

let's hit!

Let the Dingnan Army and the Jurchens fight!
He was going to lead the veterans of the Eighth Battalion of the Resentful Army back to Liaodong.

They occupied Youzhou, Pinglu, and Liaodong, possessing vast territories, fertile land, and boundless mineral resources.

There are strategic passes and formidable cities.

He would sit idly by and watch them fight and struggle, waiting for the world to change before leading his troops out of the pass!
If the Jurchens were to lose both of their armies, they could still head north and occupy the once-prosperous Bohai Kingdom.

All the northern tribes that had been suppressed by the Jurchens were brought under their control!

All of these goals are clear, achievable, and have been Guo Yaoshi's long-cherished wish for several years.

Why would someone like him keep changing his mind? It's because he's unwilling to submit to anyone!

However, the Jurchens were too powerful back then, and he was powerless to resist them. This time, he opened up Wuhui Ridge and allowed the Dingnan Army to enter Yan territory.

Based on his observations over the past few days, Dingnan Army's fighting strength is considerable; the Jurchens will be severely injured, if not killed.

This freed him from further fear. After all, the Jurchen were a small tribe. They had always been victorious, which was why they were able to rule over a vast territory with such power.

Once they begin to fail, the myth of invincibility will be shattered, and the vast Jin Kingdom will be torn apart without anyone else's intervention.

All the oppressed and abused races will stand up and resist.

Now, through several defections, he has accumulated enough power. The people of Pinglu are loyal to Zhang Jue and hate the Jurchens to the bone.

Furthermore, the conquered Xi tribe constantly sought revenge for Xiao Gan, and these were all forces opposing the Jurchens.

They were just waiting for someone to take the lead.

His identity was perfectly fitting; he was a Han Chinese from Liaodong! A discarded general of the Liao Dynasty, and a friend of Zhang Jue!
Guo Yaoshi was very confident that he could definitely occupy Liaodong and Pinglu.

Based on this, at the very least, it could be a Western Xia dynasty in the Northeast.

Guo Yaoshi ordered that all the Jurchen treasuries along the way be looted, and that everything that could be taken be taken.

The ever-victorious soldiers were overjoyed and galloped away on their horses. (End of Chapter)