Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 294 To hell with guilt or blame!

Yelü Yudu reacted immediately, his steps slightly halting. His trusted guards continued to fight forward, but he looked up and left and right, observing the Jurchen cavalry on either side.

see it?

Yelü Yudu shouted excitedly, "The Song people are not good at fighting! The Song people are not good at fighting!"

The sound was extremely loud, but it was unclear how far it could travel, but he kept shouting.

Looking up again, it was indeed a face-to-face encounter, a real battle. The Song army was already retreating, while Yelü Yu saw his troops advancing step by step!
Not far ahead, the fear on the Song man's face was crystal clear!
A tiger among sheep—that's exactly what happens!
Yelü Yudu was even a little anxious, and he ran forward again, shouting, "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill again!"

Why the rush? He feared that the Song people's decline was too slight and the Jurchen cavalry on both sides couldn't see it clearly. He still had to charge forward and kill, so that Wanyan Zongwang could see it clearly.

However, Wanyan Zongwang had already foreseen the enemy's strength in this charge. He was somewhat incredulous and blurted out, "Wuzhu, come and see, is this a feigned retreat by the Song people?"

Wanyan Zongbi stood nearby, and upon hearing the question, he looked around, unsure himself. Logically speaking… he had seen the Song army several times before…

So what are you looking at when you go around looking around?
They were watching the Song army's backup plan. If they were going to feign defeat, they would definitely lure the enemy into pursuit, so they would certainly have to prepare a backup plan, which meant having an ambush...

However, on this vast North China Plain, everything is clearly visible from any high vantage point. Wanyan Zongbi couldn't quite understand why they didn't have any backup plans!

Besides, even with some uneven terrain, there's still room for several people to hide when they're arrayed on such a vast plain...

Could it be that they dug some kind of horse trap?

That doesn't exist either. The cavalry has already passed through this place countless times. Even if there were large-scale horse traps, let alone whether the Song people would have had time to dig them, even if they did, they couldn't possibly hide them...

A few horse traps would be of little significance in a battle of this scale...

Wanyan Zongbi was also bewildered. He looked around several times, convinced that the Song people had no tricks up their sleeves. Then he looked at the battlefield, where 20,000 to 30,000 Jin soldiers charged in, driving the Song army into a retreat. Some Song soldiers were even turning and running away instead of going forward to meet the enemy...

This……

Wanyan Zongbi looked at his elder brother Wanyan Zongwang. His second brother should be able to understand the situation!

The second brother, Zongwang, naturally understood, but he was momentarily stunned and asked, "Wuzhu, didn't you always say how elite the Song army was?"

Wanyan Zongbi nodded: "Yes!"

"Then how should we interpret this moment?" Wanyan Zongwang asked again.

"Then...then..." Wanyan Zongbi went to look at the battlefield again. What was he looking at?
Seeing the Song army begin to panic, perhaps only for a moment, perhaps not even a moment, when they engaged in battle head-on, the Song army was retreating in full force and had already fallen into chaos.

Looking into the distance, the Song army behind them seemed restless. And on the high Song army's command platform, although nothing was clearly visible, it was clear that the people who had been sitting there had suddenly stood up and moved to the front edge of the platform...

"Then...shall we charge in?" These were the words Wanyan Zongbi uttered after looking at the situation several times.

Wanyan Zongwang looked around several times, extremely cautious, but still couldn't figure it out. He frowned deeply, gritted his teeth, and said, "We've come here to fight to the death! No matter what, we must charge forward. Our scouts have come and gone countless times; if there was anything unusual, they would have noticed it long ago. Charge!"

Wanyan Zongbi nodded, tightened the reins, looked back at his own knight, took a deep breath, and looked at his elder brother.

The elder brother still gritted his teeth, but he felt that something was not right. However, the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released. He could not really retreat. They had come to fight to the death, so let's do it!

"Follow me!" Wanyan Zongwang shouted, and took the lead.

In an instant, the heavens and earth trembled, and a thunderous roar filled the air. Countless horses, hundreds of thousands of legs, were trampling on the vast land of the North China Plain. Underfoot was not a road, but an endless expanse of fields!

On the other side, the Jurchen 50,000 cavalrymen also moved, splitting into two groups and charging into the enemy lines!
Across the distance, on the platform, Tan Zhen stood at the edge, gazing up. Lost in thought, he uttered, "It wasn't like this before, was it?"

This wasn't the first time he'd held the reins; there were times when things went smoothly, and times when they didn't, but he'd never seen anything like this before…

In such chaos, the chaos was so intense that it crumbled at the slightest touch. A hundred thousand soldiers arrayed in battle actually collapsed at the first contact!
The riders on both sides came with earth-shaking force, like the Yellow River bursting its banks, with overwhelming momentum!

How could Tan Zhen not be stunned? The roar of hundreds of thousands of horse legs alone was enough to make one's head spin.

Looking at the enemy formations on either side, who had vowed yesterday to maintain a tight formation and delay the enemy cavalry, how could Tan Zhen still believe them? To believe them again would truly mean Tan Zhen had lost his mind.

Besides, what's the point of stalling the enemy cavalry in this kind of battle?

He knew there was a possibility of defeat, he knew he might not be able to win, otherwise why would he have set up camp here?
He wasn't a pushover anymore; he was prepared. If he truly couldn't win the battle, he could retreat back into the stronghold, regain his footing, and then start a standoff again to devise a new plan...

After all, it's not far from Hebei, only a hundred li or so, and not far from Beijing, only a few hundred li, nor from Hedong. We can also deploy more troops here...

but……

Tan Zhen finally realized what was happening. He didn't just stand there dumbfounded. He shouted, "Form ranks! Form ranks on both sides! Quickly, send fast horses to form ranks on both sides and return to the camp! Return to the camp!"

Tan Zhen, being an expert in military strategy, knew that the only way to avoid a large-scale rout at this moment was to gather all troops into the camp...

They also knew that if such a large-scale collapse occurred and the situation were to end in disaster, the consequences would be unimaginable and the sins would be enormous.

Little did Tan Zhen know that the 200,000 troops in Hebei were destined for a calamity, a calamity that was meant for the Liao people. The 200,000-strong army was chased and hacked down by Yelü Dashi's few thousand cavalry, leaving Song soldiers with corpses piled up head to tail for two hundred miles, a truly gruesome sight.

But these were soldiers from Hebei. They had escaped that calamity, but unexpectedly, they would face this one.

The cavalry were dispatched to the left and right, not to fight the Jurchens, but to regroup. In the blink of an eye, the Jurchen cavalry arrived from three miles away.

Once the Jurchen cavalry re-enters the battle, chaos will ensue. How can a battle formation of over 100,000 men possibly maintain its formation?

They were running faster and more chaotically than 100,000 wild boars. The Hebei army hadn't seen a real war in a hundred years. For a hundred years, generation after generation had treated soldiers like servants and slaves. The soldiers had long since become the lowest class in society...

Yet they still have to die on this battlefield, worse than pigs and dogs.

Often, suffering is just suffering! It's unbearable, endless, and how many of these sufferings can end in happiness?
Faced with such a powerful force, how much power can a person from the very bottom of society resist?
A tragedy is unfolding. Fifty thousand Jurchens have entered the fray. Human lives are as worthless as grass; clump after clump of grass collapse with a single swipe of the sickle.

Even the Jurchen cavalry, weaving in and out, blocked the way back to the camp for countless people...

Like a flock of sheep being driven away, the Jurchens drove them this way and they went that way, and the Jurchens drove them that way and they went that way. How many of them could truly choose the path they wanted to retreat to?
Moreover, how safe was that camp in the eyes of the many Song soldiers?
On the platform, Tan Zhen was truly dumbfounded. Xu Tongguan and Su Wu would laugh at his so-called seasoned warriors, and many others would laugh at him...

But he was stronger than the vast majority of people in the Song Dynasty, and even stronger than everyone in the capital city except for Tong Guan. He had actually fought several battles, and it wasn't fake. He already knew how to operate an army. This was the first time he had truly put it into practice, and he didn't make any fatal mistakes...

Strategically and tactically, there's nothing!

But he was completely stunned by the defeat.

Many soldiers nearby were already shouting, "Lord Tan, hurry up and go!"

"It will be too late if we don't leave now!"

"My lord, let's mount our horse!"

Tan Zhen stared blankly at the people shouting around him, seemingly lost in thought, not knowing what had gone wrong...

go?
The scene was chaotic and a complete defeat. Tan Zhen was somewhat dazed. His men called out to him several times, but to no avail. They then carried Tan Zhen away.

There were no enemy troops in the rear camp yet, but the local soldiers, auxiliary troops, and laborers all opened the gates and fled south...

Nobody came here to die, everyone came here to make money. We've made this money before, we're just making it again... Who knew it would turn out like this?

It had already exploded. The 100,000-strong army had already been thrown into chaos, scattered and fleeing in all directions.

Yelü Yudu was in pursuit, as were Wanyan Zongbi and others, and the cavalry on both sides were also in pursuit.

On the contrary, Wanyan Zongwang stopped his horse and looked around in a daze, feeling as if he were in a dream.

Historically, it should have been Yelü Dashi, like a dream, leading a few thousand cavalrymen, carrying the sorrow of a destroyed country and the determination to die, who would have won a battle so decisively that people were in a daze.

Now, much time has been delayed, and Wanyan Zongwang stands on this land, looking completely dazed.

They even wondered how such an army could exist in the world. In the past, when fighting against the Liao, although the Liao people suffered defeat after defeat, the distance from Huanglongfu to Dadingfu, a distance of 1,400 li, took several years to traverse.

Among them, the victories and defeats, the hardships, and all sorts of dangers and perilous situations are as numerous as hairs on a cow.

Where is it truly an unstoppable force that sweeps away everything in its path?
Looking at the Song army before them, a force of 200,000 men, with countless armored soldiers, they were routed at the first touch!
How could Wanyan Zongwang possibly believe it?

But then it happened right before our eyes. We were still thinking about whether the Song people were feigning defeat, or what clever strategies or tricks they had up their sleeves.

No, none at all. They were utterly defeated and fled across the mountains and plains.

Since we have won, we should pursue them. All the generals and commanders are seasoned veterans who do not need military orders. They all know how to fight. We should use our remaining strength to pursue the fleeing enemy. Pursuit and encirclement are the most lethal methods in war. Face-to-face confrontation is never the way to go.

Keep chasing!

They pursued them, and on the flat North China Plain, the Jurchen hooves trod for the first time. They had never even seen this kind of terrain before. It wasn't that they had never seen a plain before, but rather that they had never seen a plain that had been so thoroughly tamed by humans.

At this time, the plains outside the pass were covered with grass taller than a person, overgrown with thorns, and so many mosquitoes in summer and autumn that they could carry a person away...

The plains before us are so well-maintained.

Just let the horse gallop; it's easier than the grasslands.

The road was littered with corpses, lying everywhere.

Without rest or sleep, without food or drink, they simply rode southwards. This forced march was commonplace for the Jurchens, continuing even through the night...

When you look up again, you see a river. The river has risen a bit in spring, but there are also calmer sections. Just cross the river.

Then, before us lay a large city, Xiongzhou!
Many Jurchen cavalrymen were circling the city of Xiongzhou when they began to dismount, rest, eat some dry rations, and drink water for their horses.

In Xiongzhou City, Tan Zhen stood atop the city wall, seemingly still somewhat dazed.

But a question lingered in my mind: what should I do?
What should we do now?
Wanyan Zongwang slowly arrived at the city. As he looked at the city of Xiongzhou, a question lingered in his mind.

what to do? Now how to do?
Should we... first send an envoy into the city to have a talk? And then we can discuss...

Wanyan Zongwang acted immediately, sending his envoys to shout out to the city. In no time, the envoys were brought into the city.

Inside the Xiongzhou government office, Tan Zhen's imposing presence had long since faded, and he no longer possessed that imposing and extraordinary aura. Upon seeing the Jin envoy, he even bowed respectfully.

The Jin envoy then spoke up: "Jin and Song were originally allies with a prior alliance. The Song people broke their promise, which led to this bloody war. This matter arose because of Zhang Jue. The Song people were cunning and deceitful. Today, my prince has come to ask, where is Zhang Jue?"

"Zhang Jue?" Tan Zhen was thinking hard. He was quick-witted and said in one sentence, "Zhang Jue has already been arrested in Yanjing. I just received the news. He fled to Yanjing and resisted arrest. Now he... he is dead!"

Jin Shi was stunned upon hearing this. What happened? How could he just die like that?
Then… Jin Shi also started thinking: “I want to see the person alive or dead. If this matter is not resolved, how can my Great Jin stand in the future?”

Tan Zhen immediately nodded: "Of course, of course. I'll just send a letter to Yanjing and have the people in the city send Zhang Jue's body here!"

“Hmm…” Jin Shi was a little surprised.

Tan Zhen then asked, "It was all a misunderstanding. Why are allied nations turning against each other like this? It's just Zhang Jue. We'll give him to you. Military matters should be discussed and resolved amicably!"

At this moment, Tan Zhen could only think of ways to make amends. He still had the emperor and other officials above him, and he also needed to take charge of the Privy Council. He would make amends as much as he could at the moment. As for fighting, that was absolutely out of the question. He couldn't afford to fight any more.

"Uh...then I'll go out of the city to inform His Highness!" The envoy bowed and turned to leave.

Outside the city, after hearing the report slowly, Wanyan Zongwang stopped frowning. This war to establish the nation had been a great victory. After this battle, the Great Jin Kingdom would be firmly established.

The immediate issue needs to be addressed, but it's no longer a major problem.

Wanyan Zongwang sighed, "I never expected the Song people to have such a character; it's truly unexpected!"

Wanyan Zongbi was also still in shock and hadn't recovered yet: "Yes, this war... as for the current matter, brother, shall we wait for him to send that Zhang Jue?"

Wanyan Zongwang nodded: "The Song people are no longer able to fight, so that's fine. Since we've already come this far, just leave a force here to besiege the city, and the rest of our troops can scour all the prefectures and counties in Yan and Yun. After this battle, our Great Jin will have plenty of manpower and supplies, and all kinds of internal affairs can be resolved. Let the Song people send Zhang Jue here first!"

Wanyan Zongbi nodded, but then suddenly asked, "And then what?"

after?

Wanyan Zongwang was also somewhat bewildered; the situation before him was so promising…

Wanyan Zongwang asked, "Those 200,000 soldiers at the front, were they transferred north from Hebei by the Song people, were they?"

He knew it was true, but he wanted to ask again to be absolutely certain.

Wanyan Zongbi nodded: "Yes!"

“Beyond this city of Xiongzhou lies Hebei!” Wanyan Zongwang said this, but he was actually talking to himself.

Some things are very big, and Wanyan Zongwang hesitated.

Thinking that this was an internal matter of the Jin state, should they report it to their superiors or act on their own?
Secondly, if we act on our own initiative, Song is much richer than Liao, and Hebei is much richer than Yanyun. Now, is Hebei already militarily depleted?
"Summon Yelü Yudu!" Wanyan Zongwang waved his hand.

Yelü Yudu was overjoyed at his great achievement. He came to see Wanyan Zongwang, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, what I said before was true, wasn't it? The Song people have never been good at fighting; they collapse as soon as they are attacked!"

"Yes, that's true. You have rendered great service this time. I will personally report your merits to His Majesty later." Wanyan Zongwang nodded.

Yelü Yudu quickly bowed again: "I thank Your Highness for your kindness in promoting me."

“Nothing much, it’s what you deserve. Just wait until the spoils are tallied, and there will be rewards for you and your troops.” Wanyan Zongwang’s words were true, and he continued, “Let me ask you a few questions!”

"Your Highness, please ask. I will answer everything I know!" How could Yelü Yudu not do his best?

"Tell me more about the Song army..." Wanyan Zongwang asked.

"Your Highness, the Song army consists mainly of troops from Hebei and Hedong, the Northwest, and then the capital region. In the last two years, I've also heard of the Jingdong army, but that's about it. The Hebei army has already suffered a crushing defeat, and the Hedong army is probably no better. The Northwest army may be somewhat skilled in battle, but the capital region army hasn't known what battle formations are for over a hundred years, so they're probably no better. As for the Jingdong army of the last two years, I don't really know much about them; I've only heard some words about them, and I've just heard that they're skilled in battle."

Seeing that Yelü Yudu answered seriously, he knew that this prince was plotting something big.

"Both the Northwest Army and the Jingdong Army are fighting against the Tanguts, which means... that the Song people no longer have any elite troops?" Wanyan Zongwang asked again.

Yelü Yudu nodded repeatedly: "That's certainly true. If I'm wrong, you may take my head!"

Wanyan Zongwang took a deep breath. Some things had come to mind, but after these thoughts arose, he was also somewhat alarmed, even frightened by his own actions…

Yelü Yudu glanced at Wanyan Zongwang, then suddenly whispered tentatively, "Your Highness, the land of Hebei is flat and open, yet its defenses are currently weak, the people are in a state of panic, and the army's morale is completely low. Hebei is a land of fertile fields and abundant resources..."

What kind of talk is this?
Wanyan Zongwang, with a stern expression, slightly raised his hand: "You can go out now..."

Yelü Yudu bowed respectfully: "Your Highness has made a decision!" His Highness naturally had to make a decision, and he glanced at Wanyan Zongbi beside him.

Zong Bi seemed to understand as well, and said, "If we go any further, I'm afraid... our isolated army is too far away. Although Hebei is flat, it has many cities. If we go any further, and the troops from the northwest and eastern capitals arrive, we'll be surrounded from all sides, and it might be difficult for us to return..."

"Then we must act quickly. We need valuables and able-bodied men, nothing else. We also need to send scouts to keep an eye on the Dangxiang in the desert. Once the troops in the northwest and eastern capitals begin to withdraw, we must calculate the time. We don't need territory, just plunder. We can come and go quickly. If we can seize the land in Hebei, our Great Jin will naturally become a rich and powerful country. In future battles, we will no longer have to live in fear!"

Wanyan Zongwang's words clearly indicated that he had made a decision.

"Then should we wait for Zhang Jue?" Wanyan Zongbi asked.

Wanyan Zongwang smiled slightly: "We'll wait for Zhang Jue!"

"Then why wait? Shouldn't we hurry?" Wanyan Zongbi was still young; he also needed to learn and improve.

Wanyan Zongwang succinctly stated, "Waiting for Zhang Jue is far more important than plundering Hebei!"

"Why?" Wanyan Zongbi asked, puzzled.

"This is the way of the people. Everyone in the world knows the whole story of Zhang Jue. Yet, this Zhang Jue was killed by the Song people themselves and handed over to our Great Jin. How can this matter not be important?" Wanyan Zongwang said.

Wanyan Zongbi immediately understood: "If this is the case, then those former Liao people, whether Khitan or Han, will cut off this path from now on. No one will ever think of submitting to the Southern Song again. They will all be peaceful and content to be subjects of my Great Jin!"

"Not only that, but what about those former Liao people who have returned to Song? Aren't their hearts also wavering? This is beneficial to our Great Jin's future plans, and it is a move by the Great Song to lose the hearts of the people. The land of Yan and Yun may truly be occupied and never return to Song! It will also let the world see that the Song people are afraid of our Jurchen Great Jin!"

Wanyan Zongwang became more and more excited as he spoke.

Wanyan Zongbi was even more agitated: "Therefore, we must make the Song people personally kill Zhang Jue and send him here!"

"Then tell me again, should we wait or not?" Wanyan Zongwang asked.

Wanyan Zongbi nodded emphatically: "We should wait! It's only a little over two hundred li from here to Yanjing. If we send a message by fast horse, it should be within a day or two. Two days later, Zhang Jue's head will appear outside Yanjing!"

Wanyan Zongwang suddenly raised his head slightly, closed his eyes briefly, let out a long breath, then lowered his head again and opened his eyes: "I seem to be slowly grasping some of the ways of the Song people... and I seem to be slowly understanding what my father insisted on..."

Why?

“The cunning are cowards! The treacherous are also weaklings. Father, you kept your promises your whole life, that is true courage! That is why you were able to lead us to this point!”

Wanyan Zongwang seemed to have truly understood.

Many things, though seemingly contradictory, are actually interconnected. The decline of the Jurchen people also began with their betrayal, treachery, and injustice...

Let's start with the next emperor after Wanyan Wugumai...

Zong Bi said in one sentence: "Father's adherence to the Song Dynasty is not outdated; he is right."

Wanyan Zongwang nodded: "Have Yelü Yudu prepare for the siege!"

"Hmm!" Wanyan Zongbi turned to make arrangements; Xiongzhou was a place that needed to be attacked.

Things were much simpler than I had imagined.

Within a day and a half, Wang Anzhong received a letter from Tan Zhen in Yanjing City, and learned that the 200,000-strong army had been routed by the Jurchens' 50,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry.

The troops in Hebei were wiped out, and the situation in Yan and Yun was in grave danger.

Tan Zhen's letter was very simple, only mentioning one thing: Zhang Jue sneaked into Yanjing, was arrested, resisted arrest by force, and was killed on the spot.

How could Wang Anzhong not understand?
He was really impatient and showed the letter to Pharmacist Guo.

Guo the Pharmacist quickly said, "You absolutely mustn't do that! Things have come to this point. No matter what, we must save Zhang Jue's life. That's the last bit of humanity we should have."

Wang Anzhong said helplessly, "If we don't do this, how can we... how can Minister Tan and I explain ourselves to the court? How can this Jurchen military affair be stopped?"

Guo the Pharmacist became agitated: "Lord Wang, perhaps you and Lord Tan are unaware of the ferocity of the Jurchens. I know their nature well. Even if Zhang Jue is handed over, this matter will not be so easily stopped!"

"What should we do? The Song and Jin were originally allies, but this incident happened because of Zhang Jue. Since this matter arose because of Zhang Jue, we should use him to stop it. He has caused a lot of harm. Just hand him over, and the Jin people will have no excuse to cause trouble again. If they do cause trouble again, you will be the one who is truly guilty, and we will have something to say to them in Tokyo!"

Wang Anzhong's statement has its own reasons.

At least, as far as he was concerned, Zhang Jue's matter was not his decision, the battle was not his command, and once Zhang Jue was handed over, what the Jurchens wanted was even less his fault.

He will return to Beijing, and there is still room for discussion.

“Master Wang, if we proceed in this way, it will chill people’s hearts. In the future, who will follow Zhang Jue’s example and come to join us?” Guo Yaoshi still wanted to explain. He was a peasant who had come from humble beginnings and might not know much, but he had managed to get to where he was today because he had gathered a group of people willing to follow him.

They can rebel at will, accept amnesty at will, and surrender at will.

He was able to win people over; how could he not understand the way to win people's hearts?

Unexpectedly, Wang Anzhong said, "Our Great Song Dynasty has a vast territory and a population of tens of millions. What use do we have for the land and people of our allies?"

Guo the Pharmacist was also anxious: "Husband, if this happens, the consequences are truly unimaginable!"

Wang Anzhong also became anxious and asked in return, "Then do you dare to go out of the city to fight the Jurchens? Can you defeat the Jurchens now? Minister Tan's 200,000-strong army suffered a crushing defeat. How many soldiers do you have?"

These words completely silenced Guo Yaoshi. Guo Yaoshi's army, at most, numbered only eight thousand, and although it had recently expanded somewhat, it was still only a little over ten thousand.

He had been defeated by the Jurchens in the past and had to flee in terror. Now, how could he dare to fight the Jurchens to the death again?

Besides, these 10,000-plus people were not qualified to fight the Jurchens to the death.

Wang Anzhong asked again, "You are also in this city. Now Yanjing is an isolated city. If you don't hand over Zhang Jue, do you think you can fly away when the city falls?"

Pharmacist Guo completely backed down and could only lower his head and remain silent.

"Bring Zhang Jue here!" Wang Anzhong waved his hand, and someone immediately took care of it.

Zhang Jue arrived a moment later. As soon as he entered, he sensed something was wrong and nervously bowed forward...

Before Zhang Jue could speak, Wang Anzhong interrupted, "You can't blame me. You couldn't defend the city yourself. If you had held it until reinforcements arrived, things wouldn't be like this today..."

Zhang Jue knew something was wrong from the tone of the voice, and knelt down on the ground: "Husband, spare my life! Husband, save me!"

Wang Anzhong shook his head helplessly: "Things have come to this point, it was all your fault, and it will end with you. There's no need to say more. Go now...?"

"Chief Steward Guo, Chief Steward Guo, we were once officials in the same court and have met before, Chief Steward Guo..." Zhang Jue quickly changed to another person to ask.

“Sigh…” Pharmacist Guo shook his head and lowered his head, unable to bear to look any longer.

He was also puzzled. How could such a vast country like the Song Dynasty, with its millions of people, be less principled than the Liao Dynasty?
"Take him out!" Wang Anzhong waved his hand.

The soldiers stepped forward, pulled the man out, and shouted that there were more, but the call stopped after a short while.

"Send them out of the city!" Wang Anzhong continued to instruct.

When Pharmacist Guo went outside to take a look, he saw that the body was decapitated and the scene was gruesome.

Looking back at Minister Wang, he seemed much more relaxed...

Guo Yaoshi immediately said, "Lord Wang, let me personally send his body out of the city, so that I can find out what the Jurchens are saying."

"Yes, very good!" Wang Anzhong nodded and let out a long sigh of relief as he left.

Guo Yaoshi glanced at Wang Anzhong in the room again, then suddenly turned away without looking back. With a wave of his hand, he carried Zhang Jue's corpse and walked away quickly.

Also, let's talk about the Northwest.

Just as a major battle was about to begin, more than 20,000 Tangut cavalrymen emerged from Baojing City and remained within sight of Su Wu's cavalry.

Su Wu was leading a convoy stretching for miles through the wind-blown sand and saline-alkali land, heading towards Lingzhou.

Not many people know the inside story of this escort operation, but there are a few.

Wu Song asked, "Brother, will the Tanguts really come to attack?"

Su Wu slightly lifted the veil covering his face, wiped the dust off his face, looked around, and remained silent, indicating that even he was not sure.

With over 20,000 Tangut cavalry stationed outside, they were actually unable to attack the city. Whenever they formed a battle formation to besiege the city, the Tangut cavalry would inevitably attack the camp from the side or rear.

The tactics must be like this; there is no room for luck.

Cavalry is at a disadvantage and will always be in a passive position in various ways.

“Brother, if the Tanguts don’t come, we’ll probably have to keep besieging them for at least another month or two. If that happens…” Wu Song paused slightly, now able to strategize.

Then he added, "I've also heard that the Jurchens have entered Yan and Yun. I'm afraid we won't be able to besiege the city for even a month or two..."

Su Wu did not answer, but suddenly asked, "Tell me, if the troops in Yan, Yun and Hebei suffer a great defeat, how should we respond?"

"Why aren't you worried that Hedong will also be defeated, brother?" Wu Song asked.

“Hedong, the land of Taiyuan, is guarded by Wang Bing. It will not be defeated easily!” Su Wu was very confident.

"Oh, if there is a defeat in Yanyun and Hebei, the court will naturally require us to return to their aid, and we will rush to their aid immediately! Otherwise, Bianjing will be in danger!" Wu Song really knew this.

Su Wu then asked, "Have you heard the story of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao?"

Wu Song nodded: "Brother, are you saying we shouldn't go to Bianjing to rescue them?"

"Alas... By the time we reach Bianjing from the Northwest, tens of thousands of Jurchen cavalry will be as swift as the wind. I'm afraid it will be too late by then..." Su Wu sighed, his heart heavy with worry.

"Then what should we do?" Wu Song asked.

“Instead of rushing towards Bianjing, we should head straight for Datong and enter Yanyun. This way, we can block the Jurchens’ retreat and save countless people. If we go to Bianjing, who knows how many people will become Jurchen slaves…” Su Wu said.

"Wouldn't that... be another crime?" Wu Song seemed to truly understand; now he also had some knowledge of the imperial court and the emperor.

"Alas..." Su Wu sighed. This was the dilemma in his heart, a very difficult situation.

He knew what it looked like when the imperial edict arrived...

Those panicked words, that stern urging for the rescue of Bianjing—even Su Wu knew that the Jurchen army's first attack on Bianjing was doomed to fail…

And immediately, Emperor Zhao Ji fled to Zhenjiang in the south, hastily placing Crown Prince Zhao Huan on the throne and ordering him to guard Bianjing.

There's nothing more to say about this...

I'm too lazy to even curse...

The wealthy and powerful families of Bianjing suffered greatly, having to desperately raise money to support the Jurchens. The Jurchens demanded an exorbitant price, and the entire city of Bianjing was scrambling to collect funds, to the point that the new emperor even sent people to forcibly raise the money...

The Jurchens, arriving outside Bianjing for the first time, were quite flustered. They kept urging the city to raise money, but after several attempts, they still hadn't collected enough. Upon learning that reinforcements from all over the country were on their way, they hurriedly left.

There is still room for maneuver, and Su Wu can still make one last move.

What was Su Wu going to do?
It goes without saying that Yanyun cannot be lost, and Su Wu must stop the Jurchens from taking the money and people they captured in Bianjing.

But the premise is that the Western Xia must perish. If it doesn't, the Western Xia and the Jurchens will be on the same side, and if they have to fight on two fronts in the future, that would be an unbearable situation.

Once the Tanguts are defeated, the situation will immediately reverse, and the Jurchens will be fighting on two fronts.

We still have to keep going, let's fight the Tanguts!
As for guilt or responsibility, after the final maneuver, who cares about guilt or responsibility!
The Zhao family's reputation will be completely ruined after the emperor abandoned the city and fled, and then the new emperor "robbed" all the high-ranking families in Bianjing. The Zhao family will lose all face in Bianjing!

Su Wu was also anxious. He looked around and saw that the Tanguts were coming!

Unfortunately, the Tanguts haven't arrived yet.

Xiao Heda, who was nearby, was also watching the Song army's supply train, which resembled a dragon.

He was still hesitant. He had come to see for himself several times, but he was still worried that the Song army might be plotting something...

To fight or not to fight? I've been hesitating about this question.

He looked at it several times, and personally inspected the tracks left by the heavy carts of the Song army.

I've calculated it several times: twelve thousand cavalry, three to four thousand heavy cavalry, and eight to nine thousand light cavalry...

More than 15,000 soldiers and over 20,000 auxiliary troops and civilians...

The carriages seemed to be loaded to the brim, with even grains of wheat and rice spilling out onto the road...

To fight or not to fight?
Xiao Heda still hadn't made up his mind.

If we keep following, we'll really be arriving at the Song army's camp in Lingzhou.

Xiao Heda got up and went down to the higher ground. There were horses below. He mounted his horse and galloped back to the distant army.

As they walked, they heard the men around them say, "General Xiao, aren't you going to attack yet?"

Xiao Heda remained silent.

But those around him spoke up even more: "General Xiao, our relatives all died at the hands of the Song people, why aren't we fighting now!"

"Yes, we've been cooped up in the city for so many days, we can't wait any longer. Now that we've come out of the city, aren't we here to fight? If we don't fight, my soldiers are going to riot!"

"We have already suppressed the rebellion several times, and many soldiers are harboring deep-seated hatred. If we turn back now, I'm afraid the camp will truly be thrown into chaos!"

"General, you came from the southern desert. Do you not know how many people the Song cavalry killed there? They were all Han Chinese soldiers under your command. The Song cavalry are right in front of you. Why don't you make a move? With your enemy right in front of you... the soldiers can't hold back any longer. There are only a dozen or so cavalry. If General Xiao doesn't make a move, wouldn't that be cowardice?"

Xiao Heda turned his head to look around, and after a long while, he suddenly said, "Give the order to start the war tomorrow!"

Everyone in the room was extremely excited. How could such a deep-seated hatred not be avenged?

The situation is so dire, becoming increasingly difficult and suffocating. No matter how conflicted we are, we have to do something...

If we don't do anything, the situation will only get worse!
(Brothers, I wrote a bit more today. I'll probably be busy with my child's discharge from the hospital tomorrow and the day after, so I might write less. Thank you all for your continued support, and thank you for your votes and donations. Thank you to Brother Takeda Fat Tiger for the generous donation of 30,000! Thank you everyone!)
(End of this chapter)