The light of the sword is like the moon reflecting on Kyushu

Chapter 2109 Seeing Death as Homecoming
On the city wall of Jinyang, Liu Miezhou looked into the distance, his hands behind his back, and said leisurely, "Winter has arrived, but the Song army's supplies have all been cut off. They can't hold out for more than a few days!"

Yang Ye, who was standing beside him, said, "Your Majesty, I wish to press our advantage and give them a big surprise tonight!"

"You plan to launch a night raid on the Song camp?"

"Yes!"

"No need to take risks! We have the advantage now, we just need to fight a war of attrition with them! We can wear them down in a few more days, there's no need to sacrifice the lives of our soldiers!"

"Yes!"

"Not only should you not launch an attack, but even if they attack you, do not engage them! Even if they insult your ancestors for eighteen generations under the city walls, ignore them and never fight. Let them wear you down! Focus your energy on their supply lines. Communicate more with Yelü Xiezhen of the Khitan cavalry to ensure that the grain transport routes are completely blocked!"

Yang Ye immediately replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty! Your humble servant will not engage in a prolonged battle with the main force of the Song army; we will focus all our efforts on blocking the grain transport routes!"

He thought to himself: The emperor is indeed powerful! In these few times, the Han army and the Liao army cooperated to take advantage of the mobility of the Liao cavalry to kill the Song army's grain transport troops, causing heavy losses!

With people killed and grain looted, life has become increasingly difficult for Zhao Guangyi's main force stationed at Erlong Mountain! Three meals a day have now become one meal a day! It's estimated that before long, it will become one meal every few days!
The Song army on Erlong Mountain is now exhausted, and to make matters worse, winter is approaching, but their winter clothes and shoes have not yet been delivered!
If it were the coldest time of winter, even if the Song soldiers were in excellent physical condition, how many days could they last? They might fall asleep one night and never wake up the next day, becoming ice sculptures forever!
Compared to Liu's calm and collected approach in destroying Zhou, Zhao Guangyi was like an ant on a hot pan!

Although he outwardly feigned composure, the thought of the Song army being cut off from supplies for several days filled him with panic! An army marches on its stomach! Without supplies, how can one fight a battle? If the supply problem isn't resolved, the army's morale will likely plummet!
Inside Zhao Guangyi's tent, the stove fire glowed red. Lin Yongpeng said, "Your Majesty, this time I will personally go to receive the grain supplies!" According to a secret report, the latest batch of grain supplies was about to arrive, and Lin Yongpeng had decided to personally go to receive it!

Zhao Guangyi's expression was grave. After a long silence, he finally said in a hoarse voice, "Alright, be careful! If anything happens to you, I... I'm afraid I'll die here!" The generals surrounding him immediately exclaimed, "Why does Your Majesty say such a thing?"

"We will fight to the death to protect His Majesty!"

"His Majesty is blessed with boundless good fortune!"

Zhao Guangyi forced himself to remain calm. Lin Yongpeng was now the most capable general in the Song army, and sending him to receive the supplies was a last resort!

On flat, open ground, once the Liao army's heavily armored cavalry appeared, the Song army would be lambs to the slaughter!
Cui Yanjin, Li Hanqiong, Cao Han, and Liu Yu are all equally matched; no matter who goes into battle, they won't win! Grand Marshal Pan Mei is still bedridden; if Lin Yongpeng isn't sent, the supplies will definitely be intercepted! But can sending Lin Yongpeng really bring back the supplies?

The Liao cavalry were well-rested and ready, while the Song soldiers responsible for transporting the grain were exhausted from their journey, working day and night, and naturally, they were not eating or sleeping well! Their physical strength was already greatly depleted, and they were also at a disadvantage in terms of numbers, with fewer than two thousand soldiers transporting the grain this time!
And the Song army sent to Erlong Mountain to provide support couldn't be too many!
Sending too many people would make it easy for the Han-Liao allied forces to take the opportunity to encircle and annihilate them!

So even though Lin Yongpeng volunteered to go and receive the supplies, no one respected him! Everyone thought he was just acting out of momentary righteous indignation! Because his childhood friend had been killed by the Liao army in the previous battle to seize supplies! He was probably going to avenge his friend! Even if he went in person, he would only kill a few more Liao soldiers, what difference would that make?

Lin Yongpeng naturally knew what the generals were thinking, but he didn't expose them. He simply said, "Your Majesty, I have some knowledge of military strategy. If used properly, it is not impossible to win with fewer troops!"

Knowing that morale was high at this moment and could not be dampened, Zhao Guangyi could only force himself to remain calm and said in a low voice, "Alright! How many troops does Minister Lin plan to bring to provide support?"

Lin Yongpeng replied, "Your Majesty, three hundred elite soldiers are sufficient!"

"What? Three hundred? That's so few? The Liao army always sends out at least twenty thousand cavalry. Aren't you just going to your death?"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this humble general will not confront them head-on! I plan to employ guerrilla tactics! This humble general's objective is not merely to seize grain!"

"Then... what are you going to do?" Zhao Guangyi asked, somewhat puzzled.

Lin Yongpeng said resolutely, "Your Majesty, our objective this time is to assassinate the Liao general Yelü Xiezhen! With our commander-in-chief dead, the Liao army will be leaderless and thrown into chaos! I will then be able to seize victory amidst the chaos!" The generals thought to themselves: General Lin has great ambitions, but reality is reality, not a dream!
Zhao Guangyi frowned as well: "That's an army of 20,000 cavalrymen. How can you possibly reach their commander?"

Lin Yongpeng said, "Your Majesty, the Liao army's iron cavalry is different from ordinary troops. Their generals usually charge at the forefront, making them easy to spot and lock onto. If we bring a few divine crossbows, stand directly in front of their charging ranks, and seize the opportunity, we can shoot and kill the generals!"

Zhao Guangyi was taken aback upon hearing this, then his expression changed: "Standing at the very front of the cavalry formation? You want to die together with the Liao general?"

Lin Yongpeng laughed and said, "Your Majesty, the Divine Arm Bow has a range of one thousand paces. If we shoot arrows from a distance of eight hundred paces, we will have at least seven hundred paces of escape time!"

Zhao Guangyi frowned and said, "The Liao army's warhorses are very fast. Seven hundred paces may not seem like a short distance, but once the cavalry charge is underway, they move with lightning speed. You may not be able to escape easily!"

Lin Yongpeng said with a determined look, "Don't worry, Your Majesty! This time I've brought three hundred skilled archers and horsemen, and they'll definitely come back alive!"

He knew that the emperor was not only worried about Lin Yongpeng's life or death! What the emperor was really worried about was that without Lin Yongpeng in charge, the morale of the Song army would plummet!
Once morale collapses, all sorts of problems will arise!

Even the worst-case scenario of a mutiny is not impossible!

Zhao Guangyi had followed his elder brother in his campaigns for many years. What hadn't he experienced? From the Later Liang Dynasty through the Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou Dynasties, it was commonplace for generals to rebel and declare themselves kings.
His elder brother seized power through the Chenqiao Mutiny! And so did he…

At this moment, do the proud and fierce generals of the Song army have no thoughts of their own? Zhao Guangyi, for one, simply doesn't believe it! Normally, those men are obsequious because he has the upper hand! But now, he can't provide military rations or solve the army's logistical problems. Why should these ruthless, battle-hardened veterans still listen to him? The only thing he can control about them is the visible monthly pay and the invisible rewards for military merit! If he can't even provide three meals a day, what's the use of making grand promises of pay and merit?

How can a single word like "sorrow" possibly describe all this torment?
As Lin Yongpeng led his three hundred elite soldiers away, Zhao Guangyi shouted loudly at Lin Yongpeng's retreating figure, "I await your triumphant return!"

Lin Yongpeng responded from afar, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will return safely!"

This time, he brought five divine crossbows! Each of the five bows was carried by one of five Song soldiers, each possessing superhuman strength! They were elite soldiers carefully selected by Lin Yongpeng! Lin Yongpeng promised the five: "To kill a Liao general is a merit comparable to scaling the city walls and slaying a general; a reward of a thousand gold pieces and the title of Marquis of a Thousand Households!" The five men immediately swore an oath to kill the Liao general to repay the emperor's favor! Of course, they would always remember General Lin's kindness in recognizing their talent!

Lin Yongpeng led three hundred cavalrymen to the southern suburbs first.

This location was ideal for Liao cavalry charges.

It's better suited for directly confronting Liao generals and launching a frontal sniper attack!
Lin Yongpeng addressed the soldiers around him, saying, "An ancient sage once said: The art of sniping has existed since ancient times, and is not a novel skill unique to this age. Sniping involves striking from a distance, which is not merely a display of courage with a single arrow, but rather an extreme display of strategy. Hence, the ancient military strategy states: 'Make alliances with distant enemies and attack nearby ones, and wait in comfort for the enemy to tire themselves out.' The art of sniping perfectly embodies this principle."

Before engaging in sniping, one must first assess the situation. Observe the enemy's shape, situation, and momentum before formulating a plan. Terrain is also crucial for sniping. The ruggedness of mountains and rivers, and the density of vegetation, are all useful tools for sniping. The wise utilize the terrain to conceal themselves and their tracks, leaving the enemy disoriented and bewildered.

All of this was said by that wise man. The wise man used the terrain to conceal himself and his tracks, leaving the enemy disoriented and bewildered. We cannot do that. Here, the view is unobstructed; there is nowhere to hide. Are you afraid?”

A cavalryman laughed, “General Lin, I’ve stormed five city walls, each time narrowly escaping death. Each time I reached the top, I was grateful to be alive. I’ve asked myself before, am I afraid of death? I thought about it, and I’m not! Because I have no more attachments in this world! My parents died early, I never married, and naturally, I have no children! One person is fed, so the whole family isn’t hungry! My life was saved by the founding emperor, and now that the founding emperor is dead… has passed away, my life belongs to the current emperor! If I live, I will continue to repay his kindness! If I die, I will follow the founding emperor! What joy is there in life, and what fear is there in death?”

Lin Yongpeng was stunned!

He never expected that this Song soldier would have such a high level of vision and perspective!
"What's your name?"

“My surname is Di and my given name is Yuan. Di is the Di of barbarians, and Yuan is the Yuan of the Great Qian Yuan, the origin of all things.”

Lin Yongpeng was immediately overjoyed, exclaiming, "Your speech is quite refined; you must come from an extraordinary background!"

Di Yuan smiled bitterly and said, "My late father, Di Tai, was a Hanlin scholar during the reign of Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang Dynasty. He died during the war."

Lin Yongpeng's eyes flashed, "Once this mission is over, I will definitely recommend you to the Emperor!"

Di Yuan was taken aback, but said nothing more, only solemnly clasping his hands in a fist salute. At this moment, silence spoke louder than words; everything was understood without being said!
He didn't have high hopes, but to his surprise, Lin Yongpeng later actually recommended him to Zhao Guangyi, who then promoted and gave him important positions. Due to his outstanding military achievements, he rose through the ranks to become the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi. However, what he didn't expect was that years later, his grandson Di Qing was born, hailed as the reincarnation of the Martial Star, exceptionally brave and inheriting the Di family's fearless and valiant nature!
The surrounding area was covered with withered yellow grass, and the air was filled with the smell of decay and death.

Three hundred Song Dynasty cavalrymen stood in neat formation, silently awaiting the appearance of the beast like prey. Every face was filled with resolute determination, creating an atmosphere of immense tragedy! To willingly enter the fray and become bait required immense courage!

Although General Lin said that everyone could escape unscathed, deep down, no one believed they could leave alive!

Facing a Khitan cavalry force of 20,000 men, these 300 cavalrymen were at a complete disadvantage in terms of both manpower and horse speed! In other words, even if they fired one arrow and ran, they still couldn't outrun their opponents! Because the Khitan's warhorses were real warhorses! Even though they were carrying more weight, they were still faster than their own!
The difference between the two is obvious!
Therefore, they have already accepted that they are the prey!

First, the Liao army's warhorses were all born in the northern grasslands, while the Song army's warhorses were mostly from the Shaanxi-Gansu River bend area. In terms of weather adaptation, the Liao army's warhorses were far superior! They could adapt to both scorching heat and bitter cold! The Song army's warhorses had an extremely low survival rate when they went to the north!

Secondly, regarding the training period, the Liao army allowed their warhorses to roam freely for three years, followed by two years of riding training, until they were ready to fight at five years old; while the Song army's warhorses were kept in enclosures for two years, underwent intensive training for one year, and were forced into service at three years old! The difference between the two is quite evident!
Third, the activity space. Liaoning horses can run at least 50 li a day because of the vast and boundless grasslands of northern Mongolia; while Song horses can only train for a maximum of 20 li a day because of the limited space in the riding arena! This leads to a gap: the explosive power and endurance of Liaoning horses far exceed those of Song horses!

Fourth, in terms of basic nutrition, the Liao horses ate alfalfa every day, and even had meat broth, while the Song horses only ate hay and bran. It's like someone else eating meat every day while you eat grass every day—how can you possibly beat them?
Fifth, the quality of horse trainers differed. Liao army horse trainers were hereditary, mastering and practicing horse training by the age of ten; while Song army horse trainers were mostly former garrison soldiers or even displaced people conscripted. Simply put, in Khitan, horse training was a profession reserved for "hereditary" and "professional" individuals, respected like "teachers" or "medical doctors." In Song, however, it was a lowly, unappreciated job for the "lower class"! The less respected they were, the less they trained the horses properly, creating a vicious cycle. How could the warhorses possibly perform well under such circumstances?
Sixth, the load-bearing capacity of warhorses: Liao horses could carry 280 jin (approximately 140 kg) of heavy armored cavalry plus equipment! Song horses could only carry 180 jin (approximately 50 kg) of light armored cavalry plus equipment! That's a difference of 100 jin (approximately 50 kg)!

Seventh, in terms of maximum speed, a Liao horse can accelerate to 240 feet in ten breaths! A Song horse can only travel 180 feet in ten breaths! The difference is enormous!
Eighth, endurance performance: Liao horses can fight continuously for three days and nights, while Song horses can only fight for one day and night!

Ninth, regarding the casualty ratio between the Song and Liao armies, based on average estimates from past battles, one Liao cavalryman could roughly exchange for the lives of three Song cavalrymen! This is still an overestimation of the Song army's strength!
Many of the Song soldiers present had fought against the Liao army before, and they had long experienced the terror of the Liao heavy cavalry!

Another reason why the Liao army's iron cavalry was so formidable was that even when men died, their formation remained intact!
If a Song cavalryman falls, his body could become a hindrance to his own army. If several more fall, the formation could fall into chaos, ultimately leading to the enemy breaking through.

However, the Liao army did not exhibit this phenomenon. They actually bound their riders tightly to their saddles, so even if a rider died, he would not fall from his horse, and the entire army's formation remained completely unaffected! Even when the cavalrymen were dead, they were still able to continue charging. Isn't that terrifying? This demonstrates the ruthlessness of the Liao cavalry!

Suddenly, the sound of hooves thundered in the distance, and the earth seemed to begin to tremble!
Di Yuan's expression hardened. "The Liao army is here!"

Before the Song army's supplies arrived, the Liao army's heavy cavalry came first!

Lin Yongpeng said, "Archers, prepare!"

The five archer cavalrymen simultaneously raised their divine crossbows.

Smoke and dust billowed ahead, obscuring the sky and the sun!

In the blink of an eye, countless heavily armored cavalrymen charged out from the dust cloud!
The first rider was none other than Yelü Xiezhen!

He spotted a small squad of Song soldiers right in front of him!

"Eliminate them first, then advance five li, and you'll see the Song army's supplies!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

The army is charging forward, unstoppable!