Song Xiu

Chapter 128 The lake water between heaven and earth turned red
On November 20, neither side continued the major battle in Dongting Lake.

It wasn't that the Song army feared the giant ships; rather, it was that the Wuping army was avoiding battle.

Scouts discovered that the Wuping army's water fortress was tightly closed, and there were constant noises coming from inside. It was unknown what Zhou Xingfeng was planning.

In the following days, the Wuping army continued its policy of avoiding battle, which sparked much discussion among the Song army.

The unusual behavior of Wu Pingjun also made Zhao Dexiu suspicious of Liang Yansi:

"What do you think Zhou Xing is planning?"

As time went on, Zhao Dexiu gathered more military intelligence about Hengzhou.

Some time ago, Zhou Xingfeng dispatched several thousand elite troops south to Hengzhou.

This action clearly demonstrates that Zhou Xingfeng harbored fear and was wary of the Southern Han army.

Logically, with the threat of the Southern Han army, Zhou Xingfeng should be eager to engage in battle.

Liang Yansi had long been in charge of the navy and knew many naval tactics.

But this time, Liang Yansi couldn't fathom Zhou Xingfeng's thoughts:

Seeing that he could not obtain any useful information from Liang Yansi, Zhao Dexiu could only send out a large number of scouts to continue to explore outside the Wuping Army's water fortress.

During the truce between the two sides, the wind direction on Dongting Lake is quietly changing.

The alternating northeast and northwest winds left the Song army, who were not good swimmers, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

When November 28th arrived, the Song army scouts finally brought back new information.

"The enemy's naval fortress is wide open!"

This means that today, the Wuping army is no longer holed up in the water fortress.

Upon hearing this intelligence, Zhao Dexiu ordered the entire army to assemble.

The warships were fast, and around noon, tens of thousands of Song soldiers, led by Zhao Dexiu, arrived once again on the lake outside Junshan.

After several days of rest and recuperation, the Song army's morale was even higher.

As tens of thousands of Song soldiers lined up in formation on the lake, a muffled bugle call sounded from the distant lake.

The Wuping army's fleet slowly sailed out from under the thick, dark clouds.

As usual, the Wuping army's fleet was still mainly composed of large ships.

Having already witnessed the massive warships of the Wuping army, the Song soldiers thought they would not be amazed again, until the scene before their eyes gradually became clear.

First came numerous warships, then a large number of giant ships appeared, and before long, the distant lake seemed to be filled with these behemoths.

Hundreds of giant ships, as if being pulled together by an invisible hand, were linked end to end.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that the hundreds of giant ships are connected by thick iron chains.

The already imposing giant ships now appeared as one, and even strong gusts of wind blowing across the lake could not budge the tightly packed formation of the ships.

In addition, the decks of each giant ship were connected as if on flat ground.

Countless Wuping soldiers moved calmly on the giant ships, archers lined up on the sides, spearmen were ready to fire, and banners formed a new sea of ​​clouds above the continuous ship decks.

What kind of fleet is this?

It's as if Zhou Xingfeng simply moved the entire Yuezhou city onto the lake!
With warships leading the way and massive ships with iron chains providing cover, the Song army was taken aback by Zhou Xingfeng's grand scheme as they watched the Wuping army fleet slowly approach.

No wonder the Wuping army has remained inactive for several days.

It turns out that Zhou Xingfeng was planning this.

Upon seeing the steel city in the distance, Liang Yansi, aboard the flagship, exclaimed in surprise:
"Zhou Xingfeng wants to recreate the Battle of Baijiangkou from the Former Tang Dynasty!"

When the Tang army launched its eastern expedition, in order to counter the combined forces of Japan and Baekje, the Tang general Liu Rengui adopted the tactic of "linking warships together".

The Tang army linked hundreds of warships together to form a stable combat platform, making full use of the warships' superior position to defeat the allied forces of Japan and Baekje.

Even Liang Yansi, an expert in naval warfare, was shocked by this scene, let alone the other Song generals.

As the "steel city" drew ever closer, the sense of oppression felt by many Song generals grew stronger.

At this moment, there was only one person in the entire army who looked at the Wuping Army's chained iron formation with a bright and piercing gaze.

That person was Zhao Dexiu.

"You want to treat me like a Japanese soldier?"

Let’s wait and see!
Having already devised a plan, Zhao Dexiu temporarily heeded Liang Yansi's advice and ordered the retreat.

When the sound of the gong from the Song army reached Zhou Xingfeng's ears, he couldn't help but burst into laughter from the ship's deck:

"A chain of iron links, who can break it?"

Zhou Xingfeng's words were filled with boundless pride.

After retreating back to the water fortress, Zhao Dexiu first ordered most of the generals to return to their camps to reassure the troops.

Admittedly, Zhou Xingfeng's sudden attack with the iron chain had startled the Song army, but with the groundwork laid in the initial battle, as long as the generals properly appease them, the morale of the Song army will not be greatly affected.

Of all the generals, Zhao Dexiu kept Liang Yansi behind.

Zhao Dexiu turned his gaze to Liang Yansi and asked:

"How are the preparations for the fireboats going?"

Zhao Dexiu had previously considered using fire as a weapon, so he ordered Liang Yansi to prepare a large number of boats filled with gunpowder and firewood.

Zhao Dexiu referred to them as "fireboats".

Liang Yansi was still in shock when Zhao Dexiu reminded him of the fireboat.

The king's desire to attack with fire grew stronger and stronger.

Despite his doubts, Liang Yansi quickly replied:
"Your Majesty, everything is ready!"

After hearing Liang Yansi's answer, Zhao Dexiu said:

"Reduce the number of fireboats to about ten."

Upon hearing Zhao Dexiu's words, Liang Yansi was somewhat puzzled:

"There are not enough fireboats, so the fire may not be able to spread."

Although Zhou Xingfeng and his fleet were connected by iron chains, iron chains are not the same as wooden planks.

If Zhou Xingfeng were to adopt the strategy of connecting wooden planks as Liu Rengui did, a small number of fireboats might be sufficient. However, Liang Yansi did not know the thermal conductivity of iron chains.

Liang Yansi was unaware, but Zhao Dexiu was.

The war was urgent, and some things were difficult to explain, Zhao Dexiu said firmly:
"Wait for orders and see what happens tomorrow."

Since the fireboats are linked by iron chains, the priority should be to ensure their maneuverability.

Seeing that Zhao Dexiu had made a decision, Liang Yansi bowed and accepted the order.

After Liang Yansi withdrew, Zhao Dexiu began to seriously consider the tactics for the next day.

Today we retreat temporarily, for the course of our journey has been marked by complacency and a sense of disdain.

We should make good use of it.

Thinking of this, Zhao Dexiu ordered Huyan Zan to summon the Song general who led the eleventh squad.

Time quickly came to the next day.

Upon hearing the scouts' report that the Song army was prepared for battle, Zhou Xingfeng confidently said to Li Guanxiang before leading the fleet out to sea:
"Bravo news will arrive by dusk at the latest!"

Full of confidence, Zhou Xingfeng personally led his mighty fleet out of the water fortress and headed towards yesterday's battlefield.

At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the two armies met on the lake.

Upon their first meeting, Zhou Xingfeng changed his usual attitude and ordered his fleet to launch an attack on the Song army first.

Seeing that Wu Pingjun's continuous fleet had launched the first attack, Zhao Dexiu smiled.

Just as he had predicted last night, Zhou Xingfeng was underestimating the enemy and eager to defeat him.

Upon learning of Zhou Xingfeng's plan, Zhao Dexiu waved his command flag. Under Zhao Dexiu's command, several fleets of the Song army's ships immediately shot out of the formation like arrows.

With the iron chains connecting them, the Wuping army's giant ships moved more and more slowly. The first to engage the Song army were the Wuping army's fighting fleet.

As soon as the two armies clashed, shouts of battle echoed across the lake.

Zhou Xingfeng kept a close eye on the situation on the battlefield. He keenly noticed that the Song army's combat effectiveness had changed considerably compared to the day of the first battle.

Zhou Xingfeng came up with a reasonable explanation for this change:
The Song army was terrified of the sight of their massive ships linked together!
Unstable morale will inevitably affect combat effectiveness.

Realizing this, Zhou Xingfeng, eager to win, waved flags to signal more warships to join the battle.

Seeing Zhou Xingfeng continuously reinforcing his troops, Zhao Dexiu naturally refused to be outdone.

The two armies' warships, under the command of their respective commanders, were soon mostly engaged in the battle.

Seemingly wary of the approaching giant ships, Zhao Dexiu commanded the Song fleet to fight and retreat.

Zhou Xingfeng noticed that the Song army was retreating slightly.

Seeing that the advantage in the battle was gradually being gained by his side, how could Zhou Xingfeng bear to let the Song army fleet "escape"?
Zhou Xingfeng waved his flags repeatedly, signaling the Wuping army's numerous warships to pursue and engage the Song army, giving them no chance to catch their breath.

If this stalemate can be maintained, the Wuping army will be able to win today's battle once the giant ships arrive from the rear.

However, Zhou Xingfeng, eager to win, overlooked one thing.

Originally, the Wuping Army's giant fleet was protected by fighting ships in front.

However, the Wuping army's warships have now been deployed to the battlefield, and due to their continuous pursuit of the Song army, they are getting further and further away from their own giant fleet.

Perhaps it wasn't that Zhou Xingfeng was negligent; from his high position on the flagship, he had a full view of the battlefield.

All of the Song army's warships were also deployed to the battlefield, leaving only the flagship and small boats in the rear.

Could it be that Zhao Dexiu intends to attack his vast fleet of ships by using small boats?

If Zhao Dexiu were to attempt such a feat, he would surely burst into laughter.

Just as Zhou Xingfeng's palms were sweating with excitement, a strong gust of wind blew by, bringing him a bit of coolness.

A northwest wind began to rise over the lake, lifting Zhou Xingfeng's long hair, which obscured the corners of his upturned mouth.

On the Song army's flagship, several miles away, Liang Yansi's voice carried on the wind:

"Your Majesty, it's a northwest wind!"

As a veteran, Liang Yansi had a keen ability to observe changes in the wind direction on the lake.

When Liang Yansi was devising a strategy for Zhao Dexiu, he mentioned that the Song army had an advantage in naval warfare:
It was winter, and the wind direction around Dongting Lake was mostly favorable to the Song army.

Liang Yansi's words prompted Zhao Dexiu to reach out and feel the increasingly strong northwest wind on the lake.

"The will of Heaven has arrived!"

In the strong northwest wind, Zhao Dexiu's cloak was blown straight.

Surrounded by the surging power of destiny, Zhao Dexiu drew his sword from his waist, pointing with his finger at the seemingly insurmountable, boundless fleet formation.

As the longsword drew a cold arc in the air, the next moment, ten ships that had been poised to set sail emerged from the waves.

The narrow-bodied, pointed boats moved through the waves like flying fish, while the Song soldiers inside rowed shirtless, all displaying their determination to die.

The splashing water from the swirling wooden oars was mixed with a strong smell of kerosene.

The cabins of each small boat were filled with firewood soaked in kerosene!

Strong winds whipped up waves that crashed against the giant ship, creating deafening roars. Despite the increasingly turbulent winds, the entire fleet remained unaffected, its interconnected structure making it as stable as a rock.

The massive, chained warships continued to advance slowly, like a formidable city on the water. Soldiers moved about on the decks like ants, unaware that annihilation was already looming in the wind.

Zhou Xingfeng, who was aboard the flagship, was the first to spot several small boats approaching from afar.

This scene made Zhou Xingfeng burst into laughter under the fluttering battle flag.

"Only a few boats are sailing," he laughed at Zhao Dexiu, saying it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.

The boats, propelled by the wind, moved at great speed and were unstoppable.

As the small boat drew closer, the many officers on the giant ship also spotted them.

But they did not issue a warning.

In naval battles, the scout ship often appears around the flagship, so what is there to worry about?
Even if they wanted to stop them, how could they possibly do so with that speed?
With the wind propelling the ships, in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, ten Song army boats had already rushed to the giant ship.

"ignition!"

On the lead boat, the junior officer in charge of the troops let out a loud shout.

With a shout from the junior officer, soldiers inside the cabin used tinderboxes to ignite the earthenware pots inside.

After rushing to the bottom of the giant ship, the assassins on the small boats suddenly threw out the earthenware pots. Amid the crisp sound of the rough porcelain shattering, thick kerosene splattered onto the ship's side and iron chains.

The moment the spark touched the flames, a blazing inferno rose half a meter high.

Several smaller boats rammed directly into the hull of the giant ship. The firewood at the bow, carrying a blazing flame, seeped into the gaps in the wooden planks of the hull, and the flames surged wildly upwards along the wood, quickly covering the canvas.

The wind fanned the flames, and the strong wind blew the flames on the giant ship around like rabbits.

Everything happened so fast that Zhou Xingfeng's laughter hadn't even stopped yet.

The towering flames abruptly silenced Zhou Xingfeng's laughter, choking it in his throat.

The next moment, a piercing scream of terror rang out from the flagship:

"Fire! Fire!"

However, the drawbacks of connecting them with iron chains were now becoming increasingly apparent.

Flames spread along the iron chains.

The iron chains originally used for securing the position became the perfect fuse at this moment, and the flames surged along the chain links, soon rushing from the lead ship to the stern ship.

The iron chains blocked all of Wuping's army's escape routes.

Before long, all the giant ships were struggling in the sea of ​​fire.

The ship's hull exploded with a crackling sound like firecrackers, the planks were burned and warped, and the iron chains expanded from the heat, making eerie noises as they clung tightly to the adjacent ship's hull.

Many of the Wuping soldiers on the deck were instantly engulfed in flames, screaming as they jumped into the water.

Some soldiers clung to the broken mast, screaming in agony, before being crushed into the inferno by the collapsing ship's superstructure.

The gloomy sky had long been torn apart by the boundless flames.

Countless broken ship hulls, engulfed in flames, collided with each other in the wind, while splinters of wood and corpses floated and sank in the red water.

The air was filled with the smell of burning and blood.

In less than half an hour, not a single ship remained intact.

One after another, the giant ships plunged into the lake. The once magnificent fleet, which resembled a formidable city, was mostly reduced to a floating sea of ​​fire and wreckage.

The dramatic changes in the rear drew the attention of those on the front lines.

When the Wuping army, which was engaged in fierce fighting, saw the tragic state of their own fleet behind them, their morale collapsed and their formation fell into chaos.

The Song generals, who had received prior instructions, all shouted in unison:
Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who surrender will not be killed!

Amidst the resounding roar, tens of thousands of Wuping soldiers laid down their weapons, knelt on the warships, and cried out in surrender.

As the fire began to spread across the giant ship, Liang Yansi excitedly shouted repeatedly:

"Wuping is dead! Wuping is dead!"

Having commanded the navy for many years, Liang Yansi had never imagined that flames could spread so fiercely and rapidly when the iron chains were connected.

When Liang Yansi looked up again, he discovered that a spectacular sight had appeared on Dongting Lake:
Between heaven and earth, the lake water turned completely red!
The extraordinary scenery before his eyes, coupled with the precedent of the Battle of Funiu Mountain, gave Liang Yansi a different perspective when he looked at Zhao Dexiu:

"A master of fire attack can be called Zhurong!"

(End of this chapter)