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Chapter 1546 Jia Village Sacrifices to Governor Lu

The 22nd day of the intercalary eleventh month, at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM).

A horse team of several hundred riders arrived at Jia Village, twenty miles south of Julu County.

When the cavalry was about fifty paces away from Jia Village, they suddenly dispersed in all directions, forming groups of ten riders and spreading out to surround Jia Village.

More than thirty riders did not stop, but instead rode straight into the ruins of Jia Village.

They were the generals of the Yongyi Army, led by Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, including He Biao, Zhang Guangda, Hu Zichen, Lin Fangping, Xiang Jinbao, Wang Tieren, Gou Changsheng, and others. They were all participants in the Battle of Julu and naturally had to come along.

In addition, there were several generals including Wei Zhice, Li Jiyu, and Yuan Shizhong, as well as deputy generals such as Xu Jinyong, Chen De, and Zhu Zhicang. Of course, there were also Liu Chengzhu, Hu Yiwen, Guo Jinyi, Qin Sheng, Yuan Fucheng, and the five Sun family uncles and nephews who had just joined the staff.

They came with Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, to pay tribute to Lu Xiang-sheng, the former Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong, as well as the soldiers from Xuanfu and Shanxi who died in battle at Jiazhuang.

Although Wei Zhice did not participate in the Battle of Jiazhuang, his hometown of Huolu was almost captured by the enemy. The Sun family uncle and nephew were in the same situation as Wei Zhice, and were saved by Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng.

Li Jiyu, Yuan Shizhong, Liu Chengzhu, Hu Yiwen, and others were brought by Yongning Bo specifically to give them an education.

Of course, Wang Pu, the general of Datong, and Li Fuming, the general of Shanxi, also followed Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning. The two of them were quite special, especially Wang Pu. Back then, he retreated in the face of battle and returned to Datong to help, thus failing to participate in the Battle of Jiazhuang. He had been expressing great regret recently.

Li Fuming clung tightly to the leg of Marquis Yongning, Zhang Cheng, following him step by step, almost like Zhang Cheng's subordinate general.

Also invited by Earl Zhang Cheng of Yongning were Ge Ruzhi, the military commander of Xuandu Yangbiao, Pi Zhongyao, the guerrilla commander of Xuanzhen Fubiao, and Jiang Jianxun, the military commander of Datong Fubiao, to come and pay tribute to Governor Lu together.

Only Jiang Xiang, the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of Datong, was not invited by Zhang Cheng because he was too far away and Zhang Cheng was afraid of delaying military affairs.

Lin Dengyou, the deputy commander of Xuanzhen, and Xiong Tingrui, the assistant commander, were still serving under Zhao Guangbian, the governor of Jizhou, so they were naturally unable to come along.

To outsiders, the ruins of Jiazhuang may only reveal desolation; even seasoned warriors can only see the marks left by war.

However, those who personally experienced that fierce battle, such as Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng, He Biao, Zhang Guangda, Hu Zichen, Lin Fangping, Xiang Jinbao, Wang Tieren, and Gou Changsheng, can see many memories in it.

Looking at the arrow marks and knife and axe cuts on the broken walls before them, they fell silent. Images of their former comrades gradually surfaced in their minds, and they seemed to hear their past roars and shouts...

Soon, the group arrived at the place where the Earl of Yongning was stationed in the Right Wing Battalion of Xuanfu Garrison. Looking at everything before them, at the place where their brothers had sacrificed their lives, at the place where their own uncle had died for his country...

Marquis Yongning, Zhang Cheng, fell silent!

After a moment, he said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Let's set up the offering."

The guards immediately filed forward, first clearing a flat area with shovels, then building a small platform, and finally placing all the items they were carrying on the platform.

Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng led his entourage of civil and military officials to kneel down in unison and kowtow in worship. He then reported in a hoarse voice the results of his battle against the Jurchens last year and vowed to ensure that the Jurchens who invaded this year would not return!
Every time Zhang Cheng uttered a word, a biting north wind would howl up, as if responding to his words, as if the martyrs buried here had heard Yongning's words.

After the ceremony, Wang Pu, the general of Datong, stepped forward and quietly asked, "General, did Governor Lu die here in the past?"

He thought Zhang Cheng was paying homage to Lu Xiang-sheng, the former Governor-General of Xuan-Da, which was why he asked the question.

"No." "Then...this..."

Zhang Cheng simply looked at the ruins of Jia Village not far away and said calmly, "This is where I once guarded the slaves, and also where my uncle sacrificed his life for the country."

"General Zhang Yan is truly awe-inspiring. I, Wang Pu, must pay my respects to him again."

Wang Pu proved himself to be flexible and adaptable. He immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly towards the altar, constantly reminiscing about his friendship with Zhang Yan, revealing his true feelings.

Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng stayed here for a while longer before leading the group toward the north entrance of the village. They continued walking forward after leaving Jia Village until they reached the banks of the Hao River.

He stood motionless and silent by the Hao River, facing the cold north wind, like a stone statue.

Seeing him like this, none of the others dared to disturb him. They could only follow behind the Earl of Yongning, standing on the bank of the Hao River, enduring the biting cold wind.

"This place... is where Governor Lu died for his country!"

The voice of Marquis Yongning, Zhang Cheng, was not loud and was somewhat hoarse, but to the people behind him, it sounded like a thunderous roar, shaking the hearts of everyone.

After Zhang Cheng finished speaking, he knelt down on the cold riverbank with a "plop" and kowtowed repeatedly, once, twice, and three times, before stopping.

Everyone followed his example, kneeling on both knees and bowing three times.

…………

The day after Yongningbo went to Jia Village in Julu to pay respects to his uncles Zhang Yan and Lu Xiangshan, which was the 23rd day of the intercalary eleventh month.

The Jurchen cavalry, who had previously conquered Bazhou, Fucheng, and Jingzhou, passed by the east side of Qinghe County. Instead of attacking Qinghe, they marched straight south to Linqing to join forces with Abatai.

On the 24th, Ye Chen's Jurchen cavalry, which had attacked Hejian Prefecture, actually crossed the Qinghe River. Their vanguard approached Zhangge Village, which was located at the border of Guangzong and Weixian. However, they found that the two counties were heavily fortified and difficult to capture, so they all headed south from there to Linqing to join Abatai.

The 25th day of the intercalary eleventh month.

Abatai commanded the Jurchen army gathered in Linqing, dividing them into five routes to plunder the surrounding areas.

One force advanced towards Guantao, directly threatening Guangping and Daming, the two prefectures of Jinan; another force advanced towards Dongchang and Jining, directly threatening Yanzhou, the prefectural capital; another force advanced towards Shenxian, directly targeting Puzhou; another force advanced towards Gaotang, Pingyuan, and Jinan, directly threatening Qingzhou and Denglai; and another force advanced towards Wuding, with the intention of reaching northern Shandong.

…………

Faced with the new situation of the enemy splitting up their forces to plunder, the Earl of Yongning also made some arrangements.

Yanzhou Prefecture is located on the Grand Canal and has always been heavily protected. If it were captured by the enemy, the canal transport would be completely cut off, and even if Linqing were recovered, it would be of no use.

Therefore, after learning of the Jurchen rebels' strategy of dividing their forces, the Earl of Yongning immediately issued an order to Luo Rucai of Daming Prefecture, instructing him to lead his entire force to relocate to the territory of Yanzhou Prefecture and deploy defenses along the Grand Canal, focusing on protecting Anping Town, Shawan, Anshan Town, Anmin Town, Liangshanji and other places along the river.

Relying on the water system of Anshan Lake and Liangshan Marsh, they blocked and restrained the Jurchens, preventing them from launching a full-scale southward attack on Dongping Prefecture and Jining Prefecture.