Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Winter of the eighth year of Jianwu.

The imperial court divided the newly incorporated Song territory into the Nine Provinces into the entirety of Ji Province, and small parts of Bing Province and Qing Province. From then on, the land of Qi was peaceful and tranquil, except for a few border areas that were quite noisy.

In the eastern border region with Goryeo, troop movements were frequent. The Jurchen army, led by Wanyan Zonghan, was stationed in Baozhou. Yulin Guard E Quanzhong was ordered to lead troops eastward to Xuanzhou. Various counties in Youzhou, including Liaodong, Lelang, and Xuantu, dispatched troops ranging from five hundred to one thousand men to the two locations to await orders.

In the central Liaoxi, Youbeiping, Shangbeiping, and northern Jizhou, no more troops were mobilized. Instead, officials and military commanders at all levels were transferred south. Many Han Chinese from the north who had originally surrendered were escorted by the army into the new counties of Jizhou.

At the same time, the imperial court added special examinations to select capable officials, intending to fill vacancies.

In the heart of Yanjing, Generals Dong Ping, Hu Yanzhuo, and Pang Wanchun led 5,000 elite infantry and cavalry to escort Wu Qing, Hu Sanniang, and their four daughters, along with the princes and princesses, southward. Some also left to reward the western army.

Lu Bu wouldn't be able to return for the New Year and planned to spend it in Hejian Prefecture. So the four women traveled south to meet him and spend the New Year together in southern Ji Province.

west.

Upon entering Zhen Ding Prefecture, Shi Wengong and Mi Sheng replaced the four generals Wang Bolong, Zhao Li, Dong Xian, and Jing Chao. At the same time, they ordered the four men to lead troops west to Taiyuan Prefecture to aid Du Xue's army. Meanwhile, Shi Wengong and Mi Sheng, along with Wanyan Loushi and others in Xing Prefecture to the south, stopped to rest, waiting for the weather to warm up before marching south again to seize more territory.

The one still taking taxis in these places is naturally Du Xue, who is in Taiyuan Prefecture.

Since his troops were blocked at Taiyuan, Du Xue did not stubbornly insist on fighting against the city walls of Taiyuan. Instead, he sent troops to sweep through the surrounding prefectures and counties. He also ordered Yuan Lang and Wang Jun to capture Wenshui, Xidugu, Qixian, Taigu, Mengxian and other places. He also sent troops to Longde Prefecture to take over the military and prefecture ceded by Zhao Song.

The Song army led by Fan Kui, Shi Shen, and Gao Feng attempted to relieve Taiyuan, but were defeated by Yuan Lang and Wang Jun.

Taiyuan Prefecture was now isolated, completely surrounded and cut off from any outside assistance. Zhang Xiaochun and Wang Bing, lacking troops and supplies, could only struggle to hold on, praying that the imperial court would one day send reinforcements.

Late winter.

Emperor Zhao Huan, the young emperor in Bianliang, finally made up his mind to rescue the Hebei and Hedong regions. He first ordered Prince Kang Zhao Gou, Geng Nanzhong and others to leave Tokyo and go to Xiangzhou in Hebei West to recruit brave warriors to resist the invasion of Qi troops.

On one hand, he ordered Li Gang to take charge of the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture to stabilize the rising grain prices and the panicked people in Bianliang; on the other hand, he prepared to fight his father.

At that time, Chen Dong, a student of the Imperial Academy, withdrew from the south from the Qi army and volunteered to kill the six traitors for more than a month. While Zhao Huan was delighted that someone had offered him the sword, he gradually put pressure on the retired emperor from the outside, finally making Zhao Ji relent and first demote Zhu Mian and send him back to his hometown.

The entire government and the public were jubilant.

A cold wind blew through the palace, lifting a thin veil of white snow from the eaves.

Li Gang hurriedly entered the palace with military intelligence in hand, stepped into the warm pavilion, and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, Taiyuan Prefecture is currently under heavy siege by the Qi army. Please send troops to relieve the siege."

After speaking, he presented the military intelligence in his hand. The eunuch standing beside him dared not neglect it and quickly stepped forward to take it, carefully placing it on the dragon table.

Zhao Huan was overjoyed at having forced his father to succeed, and he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes. He glanced at the unopened military report and said without hesitation, "Approved. I wonder if Prime Minister Li has a suitable candidate?"

Li Gang was stunned for a moment, his bellyful of words of persuasion blocked. However, the emperor's agreement was a great thing, so he quickly nodded: "Xijun Zhong Shizhong and Yao Gu are brave and good at fighting, and can be good reinforcements."

Zhao Huan pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Only two? I'm not comfortable with that."

Li Gang thought for a moment and said, "Zhang Xiaochun's son, Zhang Hao, is in Fenzhou. He is well-versed in military strategy, and Fenzhou has a relatively complete military force. Moreover, his father is besieged in Taiyuan Prefecture, making him an excellent candidate for rescue."

"As Prime Minister Li says..." Zhao Huan nodded, then hesitated before speaking, "But I've heard that marching in winter is difficult. I wonder if Prime Minister Li is confident that the three generals can handle it?"

It's like this again...

Li Gang smiled bitterly to himself, but remained calm on the surface: "Your Majesty, of the three, Zhong Shizhong and Yao Gu are veteran generals in the army. Although Zhang Hao is not as good as the other two, he is still a rare talent. Moreover, Taiyuan City is in dire straits, and we cannot afford to worry about the hardships of winter now."

Zhao Huan nodded slowly upon hearing this: "In that case, order the three to set off immediately. However, they must report back to the army from time to time so that the court can know the situation at the front."

Li Gang thought for a moment, nodded in agreement, and then bowed and left.

Three days later, the "Zhong" banner left Bianliang, crossed the Yellow River to Changzhi, first recaptured Longde Prefecture from a small number of Qi troops, and then marched north, recovering many lost territories.

Yao Gu of the Western Army and Zhong Shizhong left one after the other, and he also took the same route. However, the two agreed that when entering Taiyuan Prefecture, the former would detour through Shouyang and attack from the west, while he would go north from Pantuo to cooperate with the former.

Meanwhile, a military order was delivered to Fenzhou on several fast horses, arranging a time with Zhang Hao so that the three armies could support each other and work together to relieve the siege of Taiyuan.

……

Hedong Road.

The sun hid behind the clouds, and thick clouds filled the sky with the wind. The gloomy weather affected people's mood. The army of 10,000 men marched across the plains. After a short rest, wave after wave of Song soldiers got up and continued marching, preparing to go to the battlefield.

Facing the Qi army, the battle at Bianliang made them clear about the enemy's level. Even though the Western Route Army did not have the Qi emperor in charge, they were still somewhat uneasy. However, the previous victory in recovering lost territory boosted morale and restored some confidence to the Song soldiers.

As cavalrymen on their warhorses galloped past, many eyes followed them, and whispers arose in the army, the tension and excitement palpable in their words.

"General, the Qi army is stationed near Dingxiang. There are many pastures there designated by the Qi army, and I saw many soldiers grazing their livestock. There are not many troops left to defend Taiyuan."

"Good news!" Zhong Shizhong's spirits lifted. "Quickly send the message back, and also inform Yao Gu and Zhang Hao, and tell them to march up here as soon as possible."

Seeing the scout nod and gallop away, he waved his hand from horseback and gave orders: "Order the entire army to rush to Shouyang immediately. We will wait and see after we have captured it."

The cold wind blew across his face, causing his gray beard to flutter to one side. The army's cavalry sped past, their speed suddenly increasing.

The gloomy sky persisted for several days, and the wind howled across the vast plains.

On the road to Bianliang, urgent military reports made everyone give way, and they ran all the way to Bianliang without stopping.

In the Privy Council, several officials studied the geomantic map for a long time. After a while, a man named Xu Han raised his head and said, "It's freezing cold today. The Qi army must be hesitating about whether to continue attacking Taiyuan."

According to battle reports relayed back along the way, the State of Qi may have already abandoned the area south of Taiyuan.

He paused for a moment, then stood up and said, "The Qi emperor's retreat is in preparation for next year's attack. Now the Western Route Army must be affected by this and is preparing to withdraw. Write to Zhong Shizhong and urge him to quickly recover Taiyuan!"

In the twelfth month, Zhong Shizhong led his troops to recapture Shouyang, defeating 500 Qi soldiers and 1,500 local soldiers in the city, with only a small number escaping.

He then dispatched scouts to travel back and forth between Shouyang and Taiyuan, constantly gathering intelligence from that area, while simultaneously ordering his troops to rest and regroup as soon as possible.

However, this period of peace did not last long. Orders to attack kept coming from the rear. Zhong Shizhong replied that he was waiting for the right opportunity. However, soon a messenger arrived on horseback, along with a reprimand from the imperial court.

"When have I ever hesitated to advance against the enemy?"

An angry voice rang out in Shouyang City, and a piece of paper bearing the imperial order was crumpled up and slammed to the ground: "Zhong Shizhong joined the army at a young age and fought on the battlefield for decades, participating in hundreds of battles, large and small!"

The general, his face flushed, glared at the Privy Council messenger who had delivered the order: "How can you, in your old age, pin such a grave crime on my head! Yao Gu and Zhang Hao's troops haven't arrived yet. If only my army goes, and we run into the Qi army, wouldn't we be risking our lives to pay the price!"

The messenger glanced at him, his face unmoved: "I am merely delivering the orders from the Privy Council. The Qi army is about to retreat, and I hope General Zhong will quickly send troops to relieve the siege of Taiyuan."

giggle-

Clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked slightly, Zhong Shizhong spoke slowly and deliberately: "Please inform the ministers in the court that this humble general will do his utmost to relieve the siege of Taiyuan. If I fail, death is the only option!"

The messenger didn't take it seriously, simply bowed slightly, and turned to leave.

Several of his generals approached and asked, "General Zhong, the situation is unclear. Are we really going to send troops?"

Zhong Shizhong's eyes were bloodshot, his expression filled with grief and indignation: "The court already suspects me of being a cowardly coward. The letter just now said that if we continue to stagnate, we will all be taken back to Bianliang for trial. How can I endure such humiliation!" The generals in the hall looked at each other in dismay. His subordinate Huang You spoke up: "How can the court issue such a chaotic order? Isn't it treating the lives of our soldiers like a child's game?"

“Go and prepare…” Zhong Shizhong was silent for a moment, then, after catching his breath, he said, “Send a message to Yao Gu and Zhang Hao, telling them to quickly divide their forces and advance.”

The messenger rushed out.

The cold wind whipped up large swaths of snow, and the dark clouds grew thicker as the sun moved westward. Although the sky was still bright, it gave people a sense of oppression.

The army, lightly equipped, left Shouyang. The vanguard soldiers, their breath steaming in the air, ran as they went. The foot soldiers, unlike their usual nimble pace, were all silent and held their breath as they carried their weapons across the rolling hills and forests.

"……Something is wrong here."

Looking around, Huang You saw rolling hills stretching into the distance. His face was grave. "Someone, quickly report to Commander Zhong that this place is suitable for enemy ambush. It would be best to choose another route."

The messenger hurried to the central army. Zhong Shizhong listened to the message and looked at the infantry and cavalry soldiers running around him. He was silent for a moment and then said, "Order Huang You to continue advancing."

He paused for a moment, then explained to the messenger, "The court is pressing us hard right now, and we are not carrying any supplies. Our priority should be to get through this area as quickly as possible. The Qi army only has a small number of troops outside Taiyuan City, so he doesn't need to worry too much."

The messenger clasped his hands in a fist salute and left.

……

It is located 20 li northwest of Shouyang.

From a distance, everything on the hill looked normal. The bare forest was covered in white snow, and occasionally a white shadow would flash by and disappear behind a thick tree, making one think that their eyes were playing tricks on them.

Beneath the thick clouds, in the dim, withered forest, there were many figures, all dressed in white embroidered shirts and white cloaks, blending seamlessly into the surrounding snowy landscape.

Du Xue stood tall and straight like a pine tree, holding his eighteen-foot spear under the tree. The imperial warhorse beside him would occasionally flick its tail and nuzzle its head under his armpit, enjoying the caress of its master's large hand.

In the silent forest, a figure approached, and Du Xue turned his gaze toward the person.

"Commander Du, we have spotted Song troops. They appear to be from Zhong Shizhong's army. They are fully armed and have no baggage."

"Understood. Send a message to General Sun An to prepare for the attack."

After saying this, Du Xue turned to look behind him and said, "Minister Shi's calculations were accurate; Zhong Shizhong has indeed sent troops."

Behind them, the huddled figures raised their heads, revealing Shi Gugong's face. His lips trembled as he bowed to Du Xue, saying, "Where... am I right? It's just, uh..." He shivered, "I only know what those people in the court are thinking. With things going smoothly in the south and Taiyuan City so close, it would be strange if they could keep their tempers in check... Achoo!"

Rubbing his nose, the Vice Minister of War made a bitter face.

Most likely... no, it's because he caught a cold.

Du Xue chuckled and said, "That's quite remarkable. You should go back and drink some ginger soup to warm yourself up. I will take care of the war."

"Then I'll leave everything to General Du. I'll return to the city and await your good news." Shi Gugong had intended to go with him, but after a sneeze, he felt dizzy. As he walked to his warhorse, he remembered something: "If we defeat Zhong Shizhong, I ask that Commander Du not kill him immediately. Instead, surround him and lure other Song troops to his aid."

Having spent half his life in battle, Du Xue knew exactly what he meant: "I understand, thank you for your help, Vice Minister."

Shi Gugong couldn't stand the cold any longer. He bowed slightly, quickly mounted his horse, and headed back under the protection of several cavalrymen.

Stomping his foot, Du Xue turned and mounted his warhorse: "Let's go, follow me to deliver a crushing blow to the Song army!"

The warhorses neighed, and in the white expanse, the cavalrymen gripped their cold lances, their steps thundering as they marched toward the direction they had been searching, exuding a bloodthirsty aura.

……

Horse hooves and boots thundered across the snow, the swirling snowflakes whipping up and hitting faces in the wind.

"Twenty more miles and we'll reach Taiyuan..."

Mounted on his warhorse, Zhong Shizhong looked up at the sky and murmured something. Tiny snowflakes fell on his face. After decades of military service, he suddenly felt something was wrong and quickly sat up straight, looking around.

A guard looked at him with suspicion.

"No...no! Watch out for an ambush!"

whoosh-

A dark shadow flew across the sky. Zhong Shizhong, who was about to speak, was stunned and instinctively looked in the direction from which the whistling arrow came. In just a moment, the faint sound of a bull horn could be heard in the distance. The snow on the ground trembled slightly, followed by the sound of thunder, which grew louder and louder, like muffled thunder.

"Qi Army—"

The deafening explosion caused a tense expression to appear on the faces of all the soldiers, while in the distance, a white expanse of snow and wind billowed up like a veil.

The warhorse circled uneasily. Zhong Shizhong's eyes suddenly narrowed. In the distance, a vast herd of warhorses, all white, resembled a rolling avalanche.

"Damn it! This is the Qi army retreating!" Zhong Shizhong's eyes widened as he cursed, "I told you we needed to find out the situation first!"

The iron hooves kicked up more ice and snow, and figures clad in white surged out of the snow mist like long dragons, rapidly closing the distance before crashing down upon the panicked troops—

"Kill! Kill!"

Rumbling--

Horse hooves thundered eastward across the plains. The front cavalry roared, ignoring casualties as they crashed into the hastily arranged shields. Several muffled thuds echoed as scalding blood gushed from their mouths, melting the snow beneath their feet.

The soldiers of the central army, caught off guard, were not psychologically prepared. The cavalry did not attack the vanguard but charged directly at their own side. Due to their carelessness, hundreds of men were caught off guard by the high-speed cavalry.

Iron spears, propelled by the speed of the horses, pierced through human bodies and plunged into the crowd, causing flesh and blood to explode and splatter. Corpses were abandoned under the rolling hooves, and the sound of bones shattering continued to echo.

Some tried to stop the fighting, but when the spears pierced through, their bodies became mere decorations on the iron spears, and they were swept away by the spears.

Upon seeing this, the Song soldiers on both sides immediately shouted, "Defensive formation—!" "Quickly set up formation!" and organized their soldiers to defend on the spot.

hum-

Zhong Shidao shot and killed a Qi cavalryman in the distance with an arrow. Looking at the chaos around him, he shouted, "Cover the archers with divine arms and fire! Quickly!"

Screams and the sound of horses' hooves exploded across the wilderness. Hundreds of Song soldiers gathered together, long crossbow bolts were placed in their slots, and the moment the dagger was pressed, the arrows pierced through the bodies, taking away blood and body heat.

A cacophony of screams and the pitiful neighing of warhorses erupted.

Amidst the clashing cavalry, Feng Tai, wielding two golden maces and reveling in the clash, was suddenly struck by a chorus of screams. He abruptly turned and saw dozens of cavalrymen and their horses lying dead on the ground. A chill ran down his spine: "Run! Retreat!"

Someone sounded the horn, and thousands of cavalrymen began to withdraw from the battlefield.

Many Song soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, as the sound of horns could be heard from the direction of the vanguard.

Everyone's expression changed. (End of Chapter)