Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 361 I am Yue Fei of Hebei!

Early on the third day, all the tribes set up their cooking pots and prepared meals. After eating about eight-tenths of the food, they lined up in formation.

The bugles were sounding, the drums were beating, and there were people everywhere, with countless footsteps, yet it didn't seem chaotic.

In the distance opposite, the Jin army camp was also bustling with activity: some were putting on their armor, some were gathering their troops, and some were mounting their horses...

Approximately 200,000 people were already busy in a small area.

Su Wu mounted his horse and began to leave the camp. His auxiliary soldiers had already left the camp, and countless wooden planks had been laid across the shallow river, creating simple bridges everywhere.

Footsteps moved about, without a single superfluous word. Their armor gleamed, and an aura of chilling menace emanated from nowhere.

The black-clad Shiwei and Khitan people began to form ranks on the western city wall of Linhuang Prefecture. On the city wall, the Jin army also began preparations: rolling logs and stones, cooking oil and broth on stoves, and bundles of arrows...

Yelü Yudu personally walked to the very front of his camp, looking around, but he still couldn't see everything clearly. He frowned and kept turning back to look...

When Yelü Yudu saw the more than 30,000 Jurchen cavalry begin to leave the camp, he felt a little relieved.

Two hundred thousand people, swords drawn, ready to pounce at any moment.

Su Wu stood at the head of many cavalrymen, waiting for the reports from each army. He could not see the whole scene, nor could he see the preparations in various places.

The organization of such a battle was indeed complex, and no detail could be omitted. Even after waiting and waiting, Su Wu could not issue orders based solely on his own thoughts and assumptions.

As he waited, several riders galloped up. Su Wu initially thought they were messengers coming to deliver orders, but when they arrived, he was surprised to find it was Xuan Zan again...

Xuanzan approached without speaking, knowing that he could not speak of Tokyo's imperial will at such a time when a major battle was imminent.

Su Wu looked at Xuan Zan, smiled slightly, and waved his hand: "Go wait in the camp..."

Xuanzan nodded, turned his horse around, and went into the camp to wait.

Then came another imperial edict ordering Tokyo to cease hostilities and withdraw its troops…

Many soldiers were unaware of this, but the generals around Su Wu could actually guess it.

Su Wu declared, "Gentlemen, this victory is for my name, both before and after my death! We must win!"

When everyone heard this, how could they not feel sorrow?
They shouted, "We are willing to die for the King of Yan!"

Then, he shouted loudly: "I am willing to die for the King of Yan!"

"I am willing to die alongside the King of Yan!"

The sound slowly spread outwards, with countless people shouting, their shouts not very coordinated, yet they reverberated throughout the universe, causing wild beasts to run wildly and flocks of birds to dance in the mountains and rivers.

This has long been an essential phrase in Su Wu's army for every battle. It originated in the Jingdong army and is now used by all the armies!

Here they come... Su Wu looked up slightly, and there they were again, countless circling, were they vultures or eagles? How could these feathered beasts be so clever? How did they know they could have another feast?
"You beast!" Su Wu cursed.

One by one, the soldiers returned with messages indicating which unit was ready.

Once all the news had arrived, Su Wu waved his hand and ordered, "Sound the drums and attack the city!"

As the drums sounded, the people of Shiwei seemed to be working exceptionally hard today, running swiftly despite the rain of arrows.

The Shiwei king, Morgen, personally went to the front to supervise the battle.

Many things have unexpected consequences. Clearly, Morgen and many of the Shiwei nobles knew that if they didn't fight to the death and defeat the Jurchens this time, the consequences in the future would be unimaginable...

The Khitans, of course, fought bravely, for they had suffered far too many national and personal grievances, and far too much oppression and humiliation...

The cycle of dragon slayers becoming dragons themselves is a never-ending story.

In the past, it was the Jurchens who rose up with such overwhelming hatred to fight the Liao to the death, because the Liao people had humiliated the Jurchens too much and could no longer tolerate it.

Now the tables have turned. The Jurchens have gone too far in humiliating the Khitans, and they have reached their limit. Su Wu brought a spark, igniting the flames of revenge throughout the Khitans.

After more than ten days of simple training, the Khitan hunters and herders now had a fierce look in their eyes. There were no siege engines, battering rams, or ladder trucks; just simple long ladders hanging on the city walls, and people were climbing them one after another.

If the Jurchens hadn't oppressed the Khitans so much, and had only vented their hatred on the Khitan nobles, things wouldn't be like this today.

Even the historical figure Saba could not later command a massive rebellion against the Jurchens with a single call...

As the saying goes, revenge only leads to more revenge. This cycle of revenge has lasted for thousands of years on this land. Su Wu thought... there must come an end someday...

This is achievable...

Do it today!
The lives of the Khitan people taken by the rolling logs and stones piled up beneath the city walls, and cries of agony echoed across the fields.

Arrows flew back and forth, both inside and outside the city, and skilled archers shot them, causing blood to splatter everywhere...

Wanyan Zongwang was on the move, leading more than 30,000 Jurchen cavalry, circling in the distance, heading north of the side of Linhuang Prefecture. He was keeping an eye on the Khitan and Shiwei forces attacking the city.

If the city is impregnable, he will not move; but if the city is on the verge of collapse, he will charge forward no matter what, to scatter and disrupt the attacking army...

Wanyan Zongwang's strategic goal was to protect this city and absolutely not allow it to be ensnared by this constraint.

Su Wu naturally had to move as well. More than 40,000 Song cavalry, along with more than 20,000 cavalry from various tribes, were all moving north to confront the Jurchens and prevent them from easily attacking the besieging army.

Yue Fei, however, remained motionless. He had several battalions of elite troops and cavalry, totaling three to four thousand men, and he was waiting for orders.

Lu Da also remained still. He had three or four thousand cavalrymen and was waiting for orders. If Yue Fei was ambushed after entering the camp, he would have to go to his aid, keep Yue Fei's retreat route open, and even clear Yue Fei's retreat route. He could not let Yue Fei be surrounded and must ensure that Yue Fei could retreat safely.

Actually, this is a nice place. The climate is pleasant this season, the mountains and rivers are beautiful, and there are even lush aquatic plants...

The only downside is that, for some reason, there are just too many mosquitoes here... It's incredibly annoying, and the soldiers have been suffering from it for a long time, as have the flatterers...

People were dying, and the siege was incredibly brutal. Su Wu watched, his face expressionless, his heart seemingly hardened to the bone.

Su Wu also knew that there were actually no strong Jurchen troops in Linhuang Prefecture, and that many Jurchen nobles and their vassal servants lived there...

Did the Jurchens really like Huanglongfu? Actually, they didn't. It was extremely cold and harsh. The Jurchens preferred to live in Vietnam, and even more so in increasingly spacious and luxurious places...

The standoff continues, with Jurchen cavalry and Song cavalry.

The battle raged on and off the city walls. The Jurchen nobles had not lost their fighting spirit; they remained as valiant as ever on the battlefield.

For both the Shiwei and Khitan people, climbing up there was extremely difficult.

Human lives were lost, yet the Khitans continued to sacrifice themselves, one after another...

That's about it. In this fierce battle, Wanyan Zongwang has witnessed the ferocity of the Khitans and Shiweis, and he must be worried about the city falling. So he'll have to stay here and keep an eye on things; he won't easily run away...

What we wanted was that moment of hesitation from Wanyan Zongwang, that tiny time difference.

Su Wu raised his hand and said, "Inform Yue Fei to attack Yelü Yudu's camp!"

He ordered his soldiers to ride off at full speed. They had traveled several miles, and after a short while, they could hear the sound of horses' hooves from the south, though the sound was not very loud.

Yue Fei was leaving, and Yelü Yu saw the camp.

Yelü Yudu was positioned at the very front of the camp, right at the gate. The gate was tightly closed, and there were many barricades placed inside and outside the camp, with heavy troops guarding the left and right sides.

Some soldiers shouted, "General, it seems the Song people are coming towards us again, and they're going to attack us again!"

The voice was somewhat flustered, but more so it was filled with helplessness, as if saying: Why are they attacking us again?
Yelü Yudu simply nodded slightly, without issuing any military orders or instructions.

The person next to him said, "General, please go to the back. We'll stay here and guard this place!"

Yelü Yudu remained motionless and silent, merely looking around and towards the city. He wanted to see where Wanyan Zongwang was, but he couldn't see him; his view was obstructed...

"We will certainly fight bravely, Commander, please go to the back..." How could someone who says such things not be a confidant?

However, even this trusted confidant had no idea what Yelü Yudu was planning to do today.

Yelü Yudu only looked ahead to see if the Song cavalry were really there. He needed to be absolutely certain, as they were still far away.

But the horses were incredibly fast, and before long, Yelü Yudu uttered a single command: "Move the barricades aside and open the gate!"

"what?"

"Ok?"

Pairs of astonished eyes turned to Yelü Yudu, as if they had misheard.

What did Yelü Yudu say?
He actually said, "Quickly, this is a plan discussed in the Jurchen's main tent. There's an ambush behind it. Open the door now!"

Everyone was still stunned...

Yelü Yudu is so cautious; even now, he still hasn't revealed everything. It's truly because he's been under the Jurchen's command for so long that he doesn't know who is loyal and who is disloyal...

Yelü Yudu was the first to step forward and move it, saying, "Hurry up, don't let His Highness's grand plan be delayed, move it quickly..."

Only then did someone step forward with a puzzled look on their face to follow Yelü Yudu to move the items.

One person stepped forward, then another stepped forward, and then many people followed suit.

Suddenly, someone asked in confusion, "General, how come I didn't know His Highness had such a plan?"

Yelü Yudu turned around and glanced at it, then said sternly, "This is a military order. Why aren't you coming to move it? This is a secret plot. How dare you know about it?"

As he spoke, Yelü Yudu was already running with a chevaux-de-frise in his arms. He was really anxious, afraid that the Song cavalry would get close before the road was clear.

Everyone helped with the moving, regardless of any conspiracy or military orders. In the end, Yelü Yudu had more confidants around him, so they just followed Yelü Yudu's lead.

But the person who had questioned him earlier suddenly stepped forward, quickly reaching Yelü Yudu in front of him, reaching out to stop him, and asking anxiously, "Why is the General doing this?" Yelü Yudu stopped in his tracks, his eyes sharpening, and he looked the person in front of him up and down. At this moment, how could he not know?

He guessed that there must be someone watching him from the Jurchens, which was why he was so cautious and only acted now, without communicating with anyone beforehand.

This person, who has suddenly appeared at this very moment, must also be a trusted confidant.

If it weren't for today, Yelü Yudu would never have imagined that it would be this person.

The man added, "General, you must not make a mistake, and you must not sacrifice the lives of our brothers!"

Yelü Yudu waited no longer. He drew his sword from his waist, lunged forward, not to slash at the man, but to first knock the heavily armored man to the ground. Then, with his sword in hand, he thrust it directly at the man's face and neck. After three or five stabs, blood spurted out...

Those around him were all stunned, completely baffled as to what was going on...

Yelü Yudu, his face covered in blood, stood up and shouted, "Brothers, open the gate quickly and let the Song people in! This time, we will kill the Jurchens!"

Who to kill?
Everyone was stunned!

As Yelü Yudu moved the barricades again, he shouted, "Brothers, follow me and kill the Jurchens today!"

"Kill the Jurchens??"

"Kill the Jurchens!"

There were also exclamations of surprise from the left and right!

"Kill the Jurchens!" Yelü Yudu cried out, clutching the barricades, his voice filled with heart-wrenching despair.

Finally, someone realized what was happening and excitedly shouted, "Good! Good! Kill the Jurchens! Kill the Jurchens!"

I never imagined that the Jurchens would be killed today!

But... killing a woman is truly wonderful! Countless people have felt their hearts bleed countless times, yet they are powerless to stop it.

Today, although it felt like a thunderbolt or an axe had struck me, it was also incredibly exciting.

"Kill the Jurchens! Kill the Jurchens!"

"Is today really the day to kill the Jurchens?"

Countless people began to surge towards Yelü Yudu. The barricades were being thrown to both sides, and the stockade gate was opened without warning. There were still barricades outside the gate, so hurry up and move them...

The commotion was deafening. Yelü Yudu seemed to be on the verge of tears, repeatedly shouting, "Kill the Jurchens today! Kill the Jurchens today!"

He had to keep shouting, and make those around him shout too. He couldn't give any orders to the generals and soldiers in various places; he had to shout like this so that everyone in the camp would know that they had turned against the Jurchens and were going to kill them!
Outside the stockade, the Song army's horses were galloping on their hooves, but they could not move fast when they got closer. The trenches that had been dug for many days had really stopped the horses' hooves. The Song soldiers dismounted and crawled on their hands and feet.

The barricades outside the village gate had already been cleared away, and Yelü Yudu was shouting, "Make way! Make way!"

Actually, there's no need to shout this. People are smart enough to know what's going on and they'll make way on their own.

When Yue Fei arrived, he saw the wide-open gate of the stockade. Instead of being happy, he was filled with vigilance, but he still rushed into the crowd.

He could also hear the whole camp shouting in the Jurchen language, but he couldn't quite understand it...

With the road cleared, Yue Fei passed through the gate in an instant. Inside the village, people made way for him, and no one came to stop him. The soldiers who came with Yue Fei had only just learned before setting off that the Khitan army was an inside agent and that they should not kill indiscriminately!

Upon seeing this, it was indeed true, and many people were overjoyed, following Yue Fei's footsteps as they continued into the village.

Others rushed over and shouted in Mandarin, "I am Yelü Yudu! I am Yelü Yudu!"

He shouted this to the Song soldiers at the very front, and Yelü Yudu didn't know which one was the military commander, he just kept shouting.

Yue Fei turned around and said, "You lead your troops and follow behind my unit!"

Yelü Yudu said nothing more, stopped walking, and let the Song army lead the charge to attack the other camps.

Three or four thousand men were soon overwhelmed by the Khitans and continued to advance. Yue Fei had seen the Jin army's various camps and their deployments countless times, but he only focused on heading towards the central army.

Behind the Khitans, there were also Jurchens supervising the battle. Faced with such chaos, they were at a loss and could only turn back to report to the central army immediately. The central army was under the command of Wanyan Zonghan.

Hearing the chaotic shouts, Wanyan Zonghan had already come out of the main tent to see what was happening. He saw that the Khitan camp in the distance had exploded, and then he heard someone shouting to report that Yelü Yudu was indeed harboring evil intentions! Go, go, go! Kill the enemy! Kill the enemy!

With a spear in hand and a sturdy horse at his side, Wanyan Zonghan spurred his horse forward. From a high vantage point, he continuously raised his arm and shouted as he went, "Come on, come on! Follow me! Those who retreat will die!"

Jurchens, Khitans, Xi people, Bohai people, Tieli people, Han people, Yujue people... and some other people from the mountains and forests whose origins are unclear...

In an instant, countless footsteps rushed forward...

Yue Fei was still far away. When he encountered anyone who tried to stop or resist him, he simply went and killed them. He had no horses, and most of the horses were outside the moat...

But in foot combat, Yue Fei was even more valiant. His enormous broadsword was like a giant axe, slashing at armor. No matter who was in his path, they were all sent sprawling, blood splattering everywhere...

Several battalions charged forward relentlessly, with no chance of survival. They charged, rammed, smashed, and fought, but swords and spears were useless; only hammers, maces, and great axes mattered…

In reality, there was little resistance in a direct confrontation; the Song army simply kept advancing...

They continued their advance, but suddenly encountered a force of armored soldiers. The Song army's charge abruptly halted as a lone rider, mounted high on a horse, brandished his spear and shouted...

I couldn't understand what this person was shouting, but I knew he was definitely supervising the battle and driving them away.

Yue Fei had his own target. He went straight for the man who was riding a horse and sitting high up. He brandished his weapon and charged into battle with him. In an instant, the mountain would collapse.

Behind him, Yelü Yudu finally let the Song army pass and organized them. He took the lead and ordered his men, "I will go forward to kill the Jurchens. You, you people, set fire to all the other camps, except your own. Burn them all, including the grain and supplies camps! Quickly!"

I can't distinguish them in great detail, so I'll just give a general idea!
For a time, the Khitans' cries remained unchanged: Kill the Jurchens!

Everyone started to get busy with something, unsure of what to do, so they just followed the leader. The commander's banners and flags had already been raised.

Yelü Yudu had not yet encountered any enemies or killed anyone, but his whole body was trembling uncontrollably. He clenched his teeth so hard that blood was coming out of his gums, and his teeth were making a hissing sound. He seemed to be extremely anxious, and his eyes were looking around. Where were the Jurchens?

Not far away was Lu Da. As soon as he saw Yue Fei's army disappear into the Khitan territory, he immediately set off. He didn't need to figure out whether Yue Fei had been ambushed ahead. He just wanted to go and occupy the gate again, making sure the gate wouldn't be closed again.

Once the gate is secured, lead your men forward. If anyone attacks, fight them; if no one stops him, then the plan is set. Just keep chasing after Yue Fei...

Every step was crystal clear. In the pre-battle meeting, no matter how small, Su Wu had gone back and forth countless times to conceive and plan, pondering every detail until there was no room for error...

Commanding a battle is incredibly complex; even the pre-battle planning meetings can take several hours.

Su Wu explained the comings and goings of each person individually, and the numerous generals had to take detailed notes to reinforce their memory in order to prevent mistakes.

Su Wu's command was always the same; this was the essence of commanding large-scale operations. Su Wu became more and more proficient, but also more and more exhausted...

At this point, there is absolutely no fault to be found.

Yue Fei charged forward fiercely. The camps were mostly inhabited by vassal servants, with few Jurchens. They seemed to have gathered in front of him, numbering about three or four thousand, coming from all directions, but without any clear formation.

Yue Fei had already killed countless people, but his gaze remained fixed on the man sitting high on his horse, who was none other than Wanyan Zonghan.

Wanyan Zonghan stopped shouting and yelling, knowing that he had gathered all the people he could, and that his vassals and servants were no longer a threat...

He took one last look at the battlefield from horseback. The Song army was not many, and the Khitan were still behind them. The outcome of the battle depended on this Song army in front of him. As long as the Song army was scattered, those Khitan livestock would be no problem.

Just look at where the most ferocious Song soldiers are at the front. Your gaze will instantly focus on them. How could it not be the incomparably brave Yue Fei?

Wanyan Zonghan also had a target. He dismounted, handed the spear in his hand to a man beside him, and snatched the iron ruler and wolf-tooth club from that man's hand. He then moved forward!
He was going to meet Yue Fei. In this battle, it all came down to one breath, whether it was morale or spirit. If they could hold on to that breath, the outcome would be decided.

"Kill!" Wanyan Zonghan shouted, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. Today, he was determined to turn the tide and redeem himself from the defeat.

After searching through countless things, he finally saw the most valiant vanguard of the Song Dynasty right in front of him!

He wasn't particularly tall, but he was very broad-shouldered.

Wanyan Zonghan stared at the man and went to smash him down with his spiked club.

Just look at the huge broadsword in front of him, a broadsword that can no longer be called a broadsword, which was raised and blocked on the spot.

Wanyan Zonghan was also surprised; this fellow had incredible strength.

Yue Fei was also shocked. He felt a numbness in his hand. When he looked at the man, he saw that he was short but as strong as a barrel and had a fierce look in his eyes.

What a formidable enemy!

In the blink of an eye, the massive broadsword was drawn back and forth in a swift attack.

The spiked club in Wanyan Zonghan's hand, which was taller than him, circled back. A moment later, he was slow to react and hurriedly blocked it. With a loud bang, it seemed to shatter eardrums.

"What should I call you?" Yue Fei asked, but his hands didn't stop moving. He just kept using his broadsword as if it were an iron bar to smash things.

Wanyan Zonghan didn't understand much Chinese, but he understood this sentence and shouted, "Wanyan Zonghan, son of the Prime Minister of the Great Jin Dynasty!"

"I am Yue Fei of Hebei! Today is your death day!" With these words came Yue Fei's heavy and powerful weapon.

As soon as the two men swung their enormous weapons, the clanging sound pierced the eardrums, and sparks flew as metal clashed. No one could get close.

"Excellent, killing you is just right!" Wanyan Zonghan truly knew him; he hadn't known him before, but how could he not know him now? Wanyan Xiyin's defeat was in his hands.

Yue Fei's fame rose rapidly, and now the Jurchens believed that Yue Fei was the number one general under Su Wu!

How could it not be good? Killing Yue Fei in front of everyone would mean victory in the great battle! His name, Wanyan Zonghan, would surely be the first among the Jurchens in the future.

But how could Yue Fei not know Wanyan Zonghan? He was also delighted, thinking that killing him and bringing back his head would be such a great honor.

Both men were clenching their teeth, fighting for their lives!
The fighting on both sides was extremely fierce.

(Brothers, early update today, 6,000 words, gotta rush out for something...)
(End of this chapter)