Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 753 Caught Between Adversity and Retreat
Yelü Zonglin left the city and quietly approached Zhang Qing's camp. Zhang Qing had already received the news and prepared his camp for the Liao army's raid.

Unexpectedly, when Yelü Zonglin reached the East Gate, the rear group became the front group, and he immediately turned around and returned to the city through the North Gate.

When the Liao army did not arrive, Zhang Qing immediately dispatched scouts.

Having learned that Liao troops had entered the city, Zhang Qing looked around and asked, "What are the Liao army doing?"

Liu Guangshi said, "Perhaps they knew that our camp was prepared, so they returned to the city."

At dawn, Zhang Qing sent out a large scout team, and they finally discovered that in addition to the hoofprints around the city outside the north gate, there were also traces of a large group of people heading north.

After some discussion, Liu Guangshi said, "Commander, could it be that the Liao army has abandoned the city?"

Zhang Qing listened and said, "General Gao Ang, fire the cannons immediately and see how the city walls react. Master Guanghui and Master Deng Yuanjue, you two be prepared. Once you have ascertained the strength of the Liao army in the city, you must join forces to attack. If we can take Jizhou City today, we will meet with the King in Youzhou tomorrow."

Su Ding said, "Commander, since a large force went north last night, why didn't we pursue them? Even if we can't catch up with them, we should at least get the people left in the city to leave."

Zhang Qing nodded immediately upon hearing this, "That's right, those left behind will definitely try to hold us back. General Su, you lead three thousand cavalry to circle the city and pursue the Liao army, but you don't need to actually chase them. If the troops in the city come out, ambush them. I will attack the city with cannons and muskets."

The plan was decided, and everyone made their own preparations.

Su Ding led his troops in pursuit around the city, firing cannons at high volume.

Standing atop the tower, Zhang Qing watched as the Liao army on the city wall scattered and fled in disarray amidst the artillery bombardment. Compared to the previous few days, these men had clearly never been on the city wall.

Zhang Qing shouted loudly, and the sound of crocodiles echoed. Guang Hui and Deng Yuanjue, who had been preparing for a long time, immediately led their troops, pushing their weapons towards the city wall.

Upon seeing this, the Liao soldiers on the city wall scattered in panic.

Guanghui and Deng Yuanjue took the lead, climbing the ladder and rushing to the top of the city wall.

Guanghui led his troops to move mud and stones from the city gate, while Deng Yuanjue led his troops to storm into the city.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Qing said to Liu Guangshi, "General Liu, lead your troops to the north of the city and cooperate with General Su Ding to scatter the troops that are lingering in the city."

Liu Guangshi obeyed the order and led his troops away.

Deng Yuanjue entered the city without any resistance on the streets. He seized the city's government offices and treasury along the way, learned of Yelü Zonglin's residence, and led his troops there to attack.

But everyone in the mansion was wearing mourning clothes. Yelü Zonglin had led his troops into battle the night before, and died shortly after returning to the city, vomiting blood.

Deng Yuanjue sent troops to guard Yelü Zonglin's residence and informed Zhang Qing outside the city of the situation inside the city.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qing left Gao Ang to guard the stronghold, while Zhang Qing climbed into the city.

Zhang Qing sent men to pursue Su Ding while simultaneously posting notices to reassure the people and collect the Liao army's weapons, armor, and warhorses scattered throughout the city.

Meanwhile, Wuyan Yanshou and Taizhen Xuqing led over ten thousand troops and fled the city at breakneck speed.

After a day's march, the army encountered the Qiong Yao Nayan, who was heading south.

When the two Liao armies met, Wuyan Yanshou looked at the Liao soldiers with their families and ordered Qiong Yaonayan to come and see him.

"Qiong Yao Na Yan, what's going on?"

When Qiong Yao Na Yan saw Wu Yan Yan Shou, he was shocked and said, "Young Commander, the Liang Kingdom's western army has nearly 100,000 troops. The disparity in strength is too great. The Deputy Commander and I were defeated. I fled back to Youzhou. Seeing that the troops in Youzhou were insufficient to withstand the Liang army, I took my family and headed south to join the Young Commander."

"What?" Upon hearing this, Qiong Yaonayan nearly fell off his horse.

Qiong Yao Nayan said, "It can't be..." Tai Zhen Xu Qing said, "The Liang army's firearms are sharp, and their attack on [Jizhou] is very urgent. We are returning to [Youzhou] to defend it. What should we do now?"

Wuyan Yanshou, panting heavily, said, "The city has been lost, and we don't have much food left. How can we hold out?"

Tai Zhen Xu Qing gritted his teeth and said to Qiong Yao Na Yan, "When you left the city, had the Liang army entered Youzhou?"

"No, that's not true. When I left the city, there were only Liang scouts outside Youzhou; the main force of troops hadn't arrived yet. However, Liang has a large cavalry force, and once the scouts find out that the troops have left the city, they will surely rush to occupy Youzhou."

“Young Commander, the only way forward now is to return to Jizhou. Perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope there,” Taizhen Xuqing said upon hearing this.

As the three were talking, chaos erupted among the troops to the north, with Liao soldiers shouting, "The Liang army is attacking..."

Upon hearing this, Wuyan Yanshou dared not delay. He took his personal guards and turned to flee south.

Upon seeing this, the troops swarmed south.

The Liang cavalry, which set out from Youzhou in pursuit, drove the Liao cavalry, capturing the lagging wagons and their entourage from time to time.

After leading his troops for an hour, Wuyan Yanshou saw that his soldiers were scattered sparsely along the official road for more than ten miles. He reined in his horse and said to Taizhen Xuqing, who was following beside him, "Prince Consort, the soldiers are exhausted. I'm afraid that even if we enter Jizhou City, we won't be able to hold it."

Tai Zhen Xu Qing looked around and saw that there were less than a thousand soldiers who could keep up. He said, "Little Commander, we can only hope that Yelü Zonglin is still stalling. We can mobilize the able-bodied men in the city. If we can hold out for a few days, we will still have a chance to take revenge after the one-month deadline."

Qiong Yaonayan also said, "Little Commander, as long as we have one city in our hands, you can return. We are not afraid that we cannot recapture the city and avenge our grievances."

Upon hearing this, Wuyan Yanshou rallied his spirits and continued south on horseback.

Zhang Qing had finished pacifying the people and left Liu Guangshi and Gao Ang to guard the city. Zhang Qing, along with Su Ding, Gong Wang, and Ding Desun, gathered the cavalry and pursued the Liao army in the direction of their retreat.

Guanghui and Deng Yuanjue followed later.

Wuyan Yanshou ran for another ten miles or so, and then he saw a troop of cavalry slowly approaching him from the opposite direction.

Judging from the armor of the cavalry, they were clearly from the Liang Kingdom.

Wu Yanshou cried out in alarm, "The city of Jizhou has been lost!"

Tai Zhen Xu Qing and Qiong Yao Na Yan also saw the Liang Kingdom's cavalry three or four miles away. The two of them quickly reined in their warhorses, and the three of them looked at each other in bewilderment.

Wuyan Yanshou said, "This is Heaven's will to destroy me."

Having said that, he said to Taizhen Xuqing and Qiongyao Nayan, "Now we have nowhere to go, neither to heaven nor to earth. Let's just have a good fight and not lose our Khitan spirit."

Tai Zhen Xu Qing and Qiong Yao Na Yan also said, "The young commander is right."

After saying this, the two men mustered their troops, gathered over a thousand soldiers, and charged towards Zhang Qing's side.

Zhang Qing saw the Liao army return early in the morning. At first, he thought it was reinforcements from Youzhou, but when they got closer, he saw that the soldiers were disheveled and their weapons were incomplete. They were clearly a defeated army, not reinforcements.

Seeing the Liao army regrouping, Zhang Qing also ordered his troops to form ranks, slow their horses, and approach the cavalry.

When they were two arrow-lengths apart, both armies simultaneously increased their speed.

Before the battle even began, Gong Wang and Ding Desun were already on horseback, launching their throwing forks and spears. The soldiers behind them also threw their javelins.

(End of this chapter)