Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 748 The Battle for Jizhou
Yelü Zonglin said, “Don’t worry, Prince Consort. If the troops from Jizhou hadn’t been transferred to Tanzhou, my brothers and I would have had no more than 10,000 soldiers, most of whom were conscripted herders. How could we have suffered such heavy losses at the hands of the Liang army?”

“If you lend me five thousand elite soldiers, I am willing to leave the city and avenge my brothers.”

Upon hearing this, Taizhen Xuqing asked, "How strong is the Song reinforcement force?"

"According to the soldiers who escaped, the newcomers were all well-armored, highly motivated, and strong soldiers. Their firearms were also very powerful. The leader, a barbarian, was skilled at throwing stones and could hit his target every time."

"Judging by their attire, although these soldiers are flying the Liang flag, their armor, weapons, and flags are exactly the same as those of the Song soldiers. Although the southern barbarians have won a temporary victory,"

Li Ji said, “Sir, the four Yelü brothers are skilled in both swordsmanship and horsemanship, and everyone in the army knows this. Now they have been ambushed by the Liang army, and three of the four brothers have been killed. Our elite troops have come to their aid, which is a good opportunity to avenge the Yelü brothers.”

"However, we are outnumbered and outgunned. Just in case, we should ask the Junior Commander and the Deputy Commander to send troops to our aid. We should conscript able-bodied men to guard the city and not allow the Liang Kingdom to cross the line."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zonglin rebuked, "Li Ji, I am not afraid of the Liang army, so what do you have to fear? Prince Consort, if you give me two thousand elite cavalry, I am willing to go out of the city to challenge you to battle. If I am defeated, I will bring you my head."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji glared angrily at Yelü Zonglin.

Tai Zhen Xu Qing quickly said, "Young general, please don't be angry. Two thousand elite cavalrymen will be assigned to your command. General Li Ji is doing this for the sake of the stability of Jizhou."

"If the young general insists on going into battle, I will stand guard for him."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zonglin said to Taizhen Xuqing, "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. My father entrusted my four brothers with guarding Jizhou, but now I am the only one left alive. If I do not avenge this, how can I face my father?"

The next day, Zhang Qing led his troops to the city of Jizhou.

On the city wall, Taizhen Xuqing, Yelü Zonglin, and Li Ji were all greatly alarmed when they saw this.

Only after seeing it with my own eyes did I realize how well-organized the Liang army was.

Embroidered flags fluttered with horns, and gongs rang out amidst painted bugles. Banners blazed like fire, and spears and halberds stood in dense array.

Three-pronged fork, five-pronged fork, gleaming autumn frost; steel-tipped spear, reed-leaf spear, falling auspicious snow.

Flags fluttered with embroidered ribbons amidst the crimson clouds, spears gleamed with green and purple flames, and horses' hooves clashed back and forth in a chaotic throng.

Barbarians blocked the road, strong bows and crossbows led the way, cannons followed the chariots, and halberds and spears followed behind.

The general on saddle is like a fierce tiger from the Southern Mountains, everyone is eager to fight and compete; the horse beneath is like a blue dragon from the Northern Sea, riding with the courage to charge and fight. Indeed, the spears and swords flow like a rushing river, and the men and horses move with the speed of the wind.

The soldiers were all selected from the best of the best, who were tall, strong, slender, broad-shouldered, and capable of climbing mountains and swimming.

When the army arrived, seeing that the city walls were well-defended, Zhang Qing ordered the army to slowly retreat three miles and set up camp.

Looking at the troops below the city, Li Ji clicked his tongue and said, "Do you know how Yutian County could have lost? This army is no less powerful than the Imperial Guard."

When Yelü Zonglin saw this, he was deeply moved.

The next day, Zhang Qing challenged him to a duel.

A soldier who had previously escaped from Yutian County saw this and said to Yelü Zonglin, "Young General, this is the southern barbarian who uses stones."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji said to Yelü Zonglin, "Young General, the Liang army is currently at its peak. Let's avoid them for a while. It won't be too late to fight them when their morale has waned."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zonglin assumed that Li Ji was mocking him and angrily retorted, "You are a descendant of Han Chinese, but even if you have lived on the grasslands for generations, you are still a coward. When have the brave men of Liao ever been afraid of the southern barbarians?"

Li Ji tried to persuade Yelü Zonglin again, but Yelü Zonglin simply wouldn't listen.

Yelü Zonglin gathered his troops, ordered the city gates to be opened, and led his army out to fight his way out.

Li Ji had no choice but to order the city walls to be defended while sending someone to the government office to report to the imperial son-in-law, Taizhen Xuqing.

Yelü Zonglin deployed his troops and shouted as he entered the battle, "You southern barbarians, you killed my brothers, today you will pay with your life!"

Having said that, he spurred his horse and charged towards Zhang Qing.

Zhang Qing secretly took a pebble and, ten paces away, shouted, "Take this!" Yelü Zonglin dodged quickly, the pebble grazing his helmet.

Zhang Qing thrust his spear straight at Yelü Zonglin, who mustered his remaining courage and drew his sword to fight Zhang Qing.

The two generals fought for more than ten rounds. On the city wall, the imperial son-in-law, Taizhen Xuqing, saw this and ordered the gong to be sounded.

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zonglin fiercely slashed out with his sword. Zhang Qing shouted loudly, his spear trembling as he blocked Yelü Zonglin's incoming sword. He then turned his horse around, took a stone, and threw it at Yelü Zonglin's back as he was about to return to his formation.

The pebble struck Yelü Zonglin in the back, causing him to stumble and nearly fall off his horse.

With a flick of his spear, Zhang Qing summoned Su Ding (Double Swords), Gong Wang (Flower-Necked Tiger), and Ding Desun (Arrow-Struck Tiger), leading their cavalry in a charge.

Seeing Yelü Zonglin defeated, the Liao army below the city lost their will to fight and hurriedly retreated towards the city gate.

The Liao army above, under the command of Taizhen Xuqing, was firing wildly at the city below.

More than a hundred Liang soldiers were also shot down.

The gongs sounded to signal a retreat, and the troops returned to their camp, beating victory drums.

In Jizhou City, Yelü Zonglin had just returned to the city when he coughed up blood and fell off his horse.

Tai Zhen Xu Qing immediately sent someone to invite a doctor for treatment.

However, Yelü Zonglin's internal organs were shaken by a blunt instrument, and coupled with the effects of the four filters, his qi and blood were attacked from the heart. He needed several months of recuperation.

Upon hearing this, Taizhen Xuqing instructed the physician to prescribe medicine and allowed Yelü Zonglin to recuperate in his residence.

Summoning Li Ji to the government office, Taizhen Xuqing rebuked him, saying, "Li Ji, you are also an expert in military affairs. Last night, I persuaded Yelü Zonglin to stay. Why did you go out of the city to fight again today?"

Li Ji said, "Prince Consort, the young general wants to go into battle. I have repeatedly advised him against it, but he will not listen. What can I do?"

Taizhen Xuqing frowned and ordered Li Ji to go up the city wall to defend it.

The trusted lieutenant whispered in Taizhen Xuqing's ear, "Prince Consort, is this fellow harboring inappropriate thoughts because the war is going badly?"

Taizhen Xuqing rebuked, "Don't talk nonsense."

After a moment's thought, Taizhen Xuqing said, "Select five hundred Liao soldiers as supervisors to go up to the city and oversee the battle."

Li Ji didn't think much of Tai Zhen Xu Qing's arrangement when he saw it.

Historically, when the Han army went into battle, there were often Liao people supervising the troops.

The next day, Zhang Qing's army was mobilized again, and Gao Ang began to deploy the artillery.

Upon seeing this, Li Ji on the city wall ordered the catapults on the wall to prepare, so that the Liang army could launch a counterattack once they entered range.

Seeing the Liang army deploying cannons below the city, Li Ji's brow twitched. At this distance, the catapults couldn't reach them at all, leaving them only able to passively take hits.

With a loud bang, an iron ball flew over the city wall and into the city. A house below the city was hit, and half of its roof was blown off.

Li Ji was horrified. If the cannons were this powerful, how could the city be defended?

He immediately sent someone to inform Taizhen Xuqing, who was patrolling the city.

Upon hearing this, Taizhen Xuqing immediately spurred his horse to the south of the city.

The booming sounds continued as the Liang Kingdom's [Divine Machine Battalion] artillery began to fire.

A barrage of cannonballs rained down on the city walls. Soldiers could be seen being hit by cannon fire from time to time; many had their limbs broken, and some were unlucky enough to be hit in the head and die on the spot.

(End of this chapter)