You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

As night faded, a pale light began to appear on the eastern horizon, but it was still some time before dawn.

The Song army camp was brightly lit and the noise had not yet subsided, but it had already shifted from the shouts of battle to the busy hustle and bustle of victory.

The central command tent was illuminated by countless torches, making it as bright as day. The stench of blood was somewhat dispersed by the night wind, replaced by a spirited and scorching atmosphere.

Lu Zuo had removed his black cloak, which was slightly dusty, and was now dressed in a black outfit that allowed him to move around easily. He sat behind the desk.

He remained calm, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop as he listened to his generals report one by one.

"His Majesty!"

Han Shizhong stepped forward first, his armor still stained with wet blood, but his face glowed with excitement, and his voice boomed: "In this battle, our army's ambush was successful, and we utterly defeated the Jin invaders' night raid!"

"According to the preliminary count by each battalion, more than 12,000 Jin soldiers were killed in battle, more than 17,000 were captured, some lightly and some seriously wounded, and more than 4,000 intact warhorses, as well as countless weapons, armor, and flags, were seized!"

He paused, his eyes gleaming, and continued, "The Jin army's commander-in-chief, Wanyan Gouying, has been captured alive by His Majesty and is currently under strict guard."

"More than forty of his officers, including his lieutenants and strategists, were either killed or captured!"

"This Jin army force was completely annihilated!"

That felt great! That really felt great!

Han Shizhong was thrilled. Since the beginning of the war against the Jin, when had he ever fought such a vigorous and well-planned annihilation battle?

His Majesty's astonishing martial arts skills...

He glanced at the composed Lu Zuo at the head of the table, his sense of awe deepening.

Yue Fei then reported, his tone more composed than Han Shizhong's, but his slightly faster speech and bright eyes also revealed his inner turmoil: "Your Majesty, the preliminary statistics of our army's casualties have also been compiled."

"More than 1,300 soldiers were killed in action, more than 500 were seriously wounded, and about 2,000 were slightly wounded."

"Casualties mainly occurred in the initial engagement, where the Jin army fought desperately and bravely."

"Fortunately, His Majesty had made prior arrangements, and our army held an absolute initiative, so the losses were far less than expected."

"The bodies of the fallen soldiers have been collected, and the seriously wounded have been properly treated with 'garlic extract.' The military doctor said that most of them should be able to save their lives."

Yue Fei, who was always proud and arrogant, was now truly convinced of the emperor's authority and even felt a sense of "it is a blessing for a military man to be able to follow such a monarch".

Guo Xiaotian, even more straightforward, laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the tent: "Your Majesty! You didn't see how cowardly that Jin dog commander looked when he was captured!"

"And those bastards in black, they look intimidating, but they're as fragile as paper in your hands!"

"The brothers saw it clearly, and their morale is practically sky-high!"

"Everyone says that fighting alongside His Majesty is incredibly inspiring!"

He waved his arms, his excitement evident.

Although Yang Tiexin didn't speak, he nodded steadily, but his clenched fists and slightly trembling lips revealed his inner excitement.

My sworn brother is right, His Majesty is truly a divine being.

With a single palm strike, he shattered the city walls; with a leap, he captured the general…

What virtue or ability do I, Yang Tiexin, possess to serve under such a monarch and participate in such a war to recover lost territories?

He thought of Niujia Village and the occupied north, and his blood boiled with righteous indignation.

Lu Zuo listened quietly, his face showing little pride, but he nodded slightly: "You all worked hard, and the soldiers fought bravely, which is why we have this victory."

"The fallen soldiers will be generously compensated and their merits will be remembered."

"The prisoners should be kept under good guard and carefully screened; they may prove useful."

"Wanyan Gouying, do not let him die yet. I still have a use for him."

His gaze swept over the generals in the tent, and his tone turned somber: "Indeed, this is nothing more than a minor ailment."

"The main force of the Jin invaders has not been damaged, and Dading Prefecture remains strong. The real battle is yet to come."

"Order all battalions to rest and recuperate properly, strengthen vigilance, and be wary of Jin Gou Gou's desperate act."

"Han Qing, Yue Qing, the units that participated in the battle last night can be given priority for rest and replenishment."

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

The generals responded in unison, their voices filled with confidence.

A clean and decisive victory, including the capture of the enemy general, had an immeasurable boost to the morale of the entire army.

At this moment, even facing the approaching main force of the Jin army, which might still have the advantage in numbers, the generals in the tent were not too afraid, but rather filled with a fighting spirit eager to try.

......

In stark contrast to the fervent atmosphere in the Song army camp, the city of Dading, thirty miles away, was shrouded in a suffocating and chilling panic.

In the Grand Marshal's Mansion, in a side hall for meetings, the candlelight flickered dimly as the lamp oil was running low, casting menacing, unsettling shadows on the walls.

The air was so still it seemed you could wring water out of it, and a strong sense of anxiety and a lingering fear permeated every corner.

Left Deputy Marshal Jia Gu Qingchen looked ashen-faced and paced hurriedly in the hall with his hands behind his back. His heavy official boots pounded on the blue brick floor with a dull and disordered "tap, tap," each step seeming to pound on the hearts of the other Jin generals in the hall.

He had already expressed his disapproval of a hasty night attack yesterday, feeling that the Song army was too quiet and that Han Shizhong and Yue Fei were not easy opponents.

Now... the worst premonition has come true.

"Thirty thousand elite troops! A full thirty thousand elite troops! And Pucha Ali's ten thousand infantrymen!"

"How...how is it possible that not a single one has returned?"

"Not even a single stragglers escaped?!"

A man with a full beard, Meng An, spoke in a trembling voice, his eyes wide, seemingly unable to accept this fact.

His unit had not participated in the night raid, and now, in addition to lingering fear, they also felt a sense of dread, as if they were witnessing the death of a fellow rabbit.

"Escaped back?"

Another general, who came from a military background, said in a hoarse voice, his eyes sunken, clearly having also been up all night, "The four gates are tightly closed, the drawbridge is high in the air, and the defenders on the city walls can see everything clearly!"

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"The sounds of battle from the Song army camp were deafening until midnight, and only gradually subsided as dawn approached."

"Then……"

"Then all that was left were Song's cavalry swaggering around in the distance outside the city. There weren't even any organized defeated soldiers, not even a few who managed to escape!"

Everyone knows what this means.

Not just defeated, but completely annihilated!

It's even possible that...

They were deliberately lured into a trap and made to fleece!

"Where is General Gouying? Where is Pucha Ali? They..." someone asked, clinging to the last glimmer of hope.

Jia Gu Qingchen suddenly stopped, turned around, his facial muscles twitching, and squeezed out the words through clenched teeth: "Just now, the Song army sent an arrow to shoot a letter... which was suspended on the shaft of the arrow."

"It is said...it is said that Wanyan Gouying has been captured alive and killed in battle by Pucha Ali."

"The 30,000-strong army that attacked last night has been completely annihilated."

"hiss--!"

A collective gasp filled the hall. Despite prior speculation, the official confirmation was still a huge shock. Wanyan Gouying, the Marshal's trusted and beloved general, renowned for his bravery, had been captured alive?

Was Emperor Zhao Gou of the Song Dynasty really a man with three heads and six arms?

"And..." Kiyotomi Kagaya's voice was even drier, with a hint of disbelief and shock, "The letter also said that the dozens of 'guest advisors' that our army sent to meet them... were also wiped out, with none escaping."

"Guest Master" was their euphemism for those masters of Tantric Buddhism. Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Many of the generals present had witnessed or heard of the abilities of those "guest advisors." They were so cunning and ruthless that even dozens of elite soldiers could hardly get close to them.

They were actually... wiped out as well?

"That Zhao Gou... could he really be a sorcerer? Possessing sorcery?"

A younger general, his voice trembling, spoke of a fear that many dared not utter.

The city gate of Suqian was shattered with a single palm strike, and now a general has been easily defeated amidst a vast army, and all the Tantric masters have been annihilated...

This goes beyond their understanding of "bravery".

"Shut up! Stop talking nonsense and disrupting our morale!"

Kiyoshi Kagaya shouted to stop him, but his own heart was also in turmoil.

He knew better than these generals how much the imperial court had paid and how high its expectations were for those Tantric "guest ministers," who were regarded as a key force in countering the Song army's "Jianghu heroes" and even beheading the Song emperor.

Now, its debut has been like throwing good money after bad...

"The Marshal has arrived!" came a voice from outside the door.

Everyone in the hall hurriedly composed themselves and bowed in unison.

Then, Wanyan Zongfu, the Grand Marshal of the Jin Army and the commander-in-chief of this decisive battle, strode into the hall with a grim expression.

His eyes were sunken and bloodshot, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night and was under immense pressure.

Although he did not explicitly oppose sending troops last night, he tacitly approved of Gou Ying's risky move. Now that they have suffered a crushing defeat, he, as the commander-in-chief, bears the greatest responsibility.

"You all know?" Wanyan Zongfu's voice was hoarse as he sat down in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the generals like a knife.

No one dared to answer; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"The Song dogs are cunning, and Zhao Gou is ruthless. The failure in this battle is due to Gou Ying's underestimation of the enemy and reckless advance!"

Wanyan Zongfu set the tone, but everyone knew that his words were half an excuse and half a helpless statement.

"However, our main force is still intact, and the city of Dading is high and well-fortified, with ample food supplies."

"Last night's minor setback didn't affect the overall situation!"

He had to keep the troops calm, even though he himself was feeling uneasy.

The loss of 30,000 elite troops, especially the capture of Wanyan Gouying and the annihilation of the Tantric masters, was a devastating blow to morale.

"Zongfu is right!" Jia Gu Qingchen quickly echoed, knowing that he could not afford to lose heart at this moment. "The Song army has won by sheer luck, and they will surely become arrogant."

"Our army should dig deep trenches and build high walls, and defend the city firmly."

"We await reinforcements from various regions, especially..."

"Especially with the main force of the 'Iron Warriors' all gathered, they will fight Song Gou to the death once again!"

"At that time, no matter how brave Zhao Gou may be, he will surely be reduced to ashes before the mighty cavalry and mighty warriors of my Great Jin!"

"right!"

"Hold your ground and await reinforcements!"

"Once the 'Iron Man' arrives, we will avenge this humiliation!"

The generals spoke up one after another, as if they had grasped at a straw, but their voices were somewhat lacking in confidence.

The "Vajra Warrior" was rumored to be incredibly powerful, but the fate of dozens of "guests" last night was like a bucket of ice water poured on everyone's hearts.

Wanyan Zongfu waved his hand to stop the murmurs and said in a deep voice, "From this moment on, all four gates are under martial law. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order!"

"Send out more scouts to keep a close watch on the Song army's movements."

"Check the city's defense equipment one more time!"

"Rolling logs and stones, kerosene and molten metal—make sure there's plenty!"

"I obey your command!"

The generals left one after another, leaving only Wanyan Zongfu and Jia Gu Qingchen in the side hall.

The candlelight crackled and popped, casting flickering light and shadow on the two people's faces.

"Qingchen," Wanyan Zongfu's voice lowered, filled with deep weariness and a hint of barely perceptible anxiety, "tell me the truth, can this city... be defended?"

Jia Gu Qingchen remained silent for a long time, then slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. Instead of answering directly, he said, "Marshal, there is no way out now."

"Even if we can't hold it, we must hold it."

"The fate of the imperial court, His Majesty, and all of us is tied to this city."

"I only hope that... the reinforcements from Zhongjing and Xijing, as well as the masters of Tantric Buddhism, will arrive as soon as possible."

He looked out the window. The sky was already beginning to lighten, but the sky over Dading Prefecture seemed to be shrouded in an invisible haze, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.