The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 338 Chase

On the sixteenth day of the first month of the fourth year of the Shaosheng era of the Song Dynasty, the war between the Song and Liao dynasties broke out in full force.

Fighting has broken out in multiple locations along the two borders east of Hebei, with battles of varying sizes and intense fighting.

Zhao Ti received an imperial edict from Zhao Xu, instructing him to safeguard the Northwest and prevent the Liao army from invading it, which would be considered a great achievement.

On January 28th, news came from Wulahai that the Liao army had not crossed this section of the Yellow River and was advancing northward along the river, seemingly intending to bypass it from the upper reaches.

Upon hearing the news, Zhao Ti turned back to Wulahai from Miechuan. Just one day later, the Liao army's iron cavalry rushed in from the north and launched a fierce attack on Wulahai.

Wulahai was not a formidable city. At this moment, the weather was beginning to warm up. The Liao army set up siege ladders on all four sides, making feigned attacks on three places, while focusing their attack on the western direction of the city.

Zhao Ti personally supervised the battle from the city wall, while Zhou Tong asked from behind, puzzled, "Your Majesty, the Liao army is fighting on several fronts. There are hundreds of thousands of troops in Hebei alone, and also in Hedong. There were over 100,000 in Miechuan before, and now there are probably 80,000 or 90,000 under the city. Where did so many troops come from?"

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment and said, "At the beginning of the Khitan Dynasty, the whole nation was a soldier. Although it is no longer as powerful as it was then, its population has long since expanded infinitely. It is not difficult to mobilize 1.7 to 1.8 million troops. If we do our best, we may be able to gather 2 million troops."

"Two million?" Wei Hanchen gasped. "So many people. I doubt any dynasty in history has ever been able to muster so many soldiers."

Zhao Ti said calmly, "The Liao army is not composed of Khitans. It is mixed with Bohai, Tatars, Jurchens and Han soldiers. They often act independently and are difficult to coordinate with each other. They are not easy to manage, so they are not really a threat."

Zhou Tong said, "Our Song Dynasty has a large army; if we include all the local troops, it probably exceeds one million."

Zhao Ti shook his head: "The total number of imperial guards in all areas is at most close to 800,000, but only 500,000 or 600,000 can be mobilized for battle. If we add the local militia and garrison troops, it would barely reach a million, but the local militia and garrison troops have almost no combat power and are used for fortification, logistics and construction, so they are not easy to include. Unlike the Liao army, which consists of soldiers who can fight."

Wei Han said in a deep voice, "If the Khitan really raised an army of two million, how could they possibly afford to supply their provisions? Even if the Liao is currently wealthy, it will still be difficult to sustain this for long, won't it?"

Zhao Ti pondered and said, "Light cavalry is as swift as the wind. If we really raise so many troops, it will just be following the old ways, using war to sustain war, burning, killing, and looting. If we cross the border, it will be a huge war disaster."

Both men paled upon hearing this, and Wei Han said solemnly, "Your Highness, this..."

Zhao Ti shook his head slightly: "The Emperor will not allow the Khitans to cross the border. He may even personally lead the expedition and oversee the situation in Hebei and Hedong."

"You're even going to lead the army in person?" Wei Han asked, taken aback.

"The emperor guards the nation's gates, and the monarch dies for the state; this is the principle," Zhao Ti said coldly.

Zhou Tong and Wei Hanchen exchanged a glance, both showing shock on their faces.

Zhao Ti said, "I am in charge of guarding the Northwest, and naturally I have this in mind. However, I do not want to focus on defense. Only offense is the best defense."

Zhou Tong said, "The king's intention is..."

Zhao Ti gazed at the fierce fighting and the flashing swords and arrows on the city wall ahead, and said calmly, "Once we defeat this Liao army, Liao will surely temporarily abandon its attack on the Northwest. After all, fighting on multiple fronts is something that military strategists avoid. At that time, we can consider taking another step forward."

Wei Han asked in a deep voice, "Take one step forward?"

Zhao Ti nodded: "Since the Liao army is heavily engaged in battle in the east, we might as well try to outflank them from the rear."

The grasslands are vast, and the territory of the Liao Kingdom is enormous, stretching not only to the north and south but also to the east and west. If troops were to be sent to the grasslands to attack the northwestern Liao territory, and the march was swift, it would be difficult to detect them.

Moreover, there are actually not many cities in the northwestern border region of Liao. There are only two or three large cities. Most of them are tribes. Above Miechuan Military Command is the Northern Zubu tribe, then the Damili tribe, and further north is the Meiliji tribe.

The Liao Dynasty's Northwest Route Pacification Commissioner's reserve city, Qadun, was located between the Damili tribe and the Northern Zubu tribe.

There is also a large city called Woldu in this area. Woldu was the residence of the Zubu King and the location of the Liao Emperor's palace. When the Khitan established the country, the Liao Emperor often moved his camp here, issued decrees, and inspected the grasslands.

However, since the world has been at peace for over a hundred years, the chaos has ended, and there have been few wars, the Liao emperors have rarely come to this northwestern region. After about sixty years, no Liao emperor has moved his camp here to inspect the borders.

The distance between Khatun City and Woldu City is not far, only about 100 li. This area is considered the center of northwestern Liaoning, but it is not prosperous. Since the Liao emperor stopped coming, it has been a vast and desolate place with cattle and sheep grazing on the grassland.

Further west are the Yegu tribe and the Nianbage tribe. The Nianbage tribe has already passed above the Uyghurs and extended to the area above the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate, with part of it bordering the northernmost part of the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate.

When Zhao Ti mentioned "flanking the Liao Kingdom's rear," he did not mean crossing the grasslands eastward towards the Liao Kingdom's western capital, Lujing Road, but rather heading northwest towards the cities of Qatun and Woldu.

The population of this section of the grassland is much sparser than that of the east. Although there are tribes, apart from a few large settlements, there are scattered small villages and tents along the water and grass.

Even in the major tribes, there were no cities; at most, they were enclosed by earthen walls, or mostly by primitive wooden fences that stretched out in a continuous line.

Therefore, if the army advances swiftly, it will be heading straight for the area around Khatun.

Zhao Ti said, "Although the northwest of Liao has not been prosperous in recent years, it has accumulated a lot of wealth. The amount of warhorses, armor, furs, gold and silver, and grain is probably countless. If you can take it, take it; if you can't take it, then take it for yourself."

Zhou Tong understood Zhao Ti's meaning. He had previously gone to the shamanistic temple with Zhao Ti. At this moment, he asked, "Does Your Majesty intend to go north to the Khatun?"

Zhao Ti nodded, put his hands behind his back, and took a few steps toward the city wall. A feathered arrow flew over, and Zhou Tong and Wei Hanchen hurriedly stepped in front of him and knocked it down.

The Liao army launched a fierce attack, but Wulahai was well prepared. They used rolling logs, stones, bricks, and ash bottles to continuously smash the city walls, making it difficult for the Liao army to climb even though Wulahai's city walls were not very tall.

The Liao dynasty lacked ballistae, a powerful weapon for breaching city walls, and only had catapults, which were far inferior to the artillery of the Song dynasty.

The Song Dynasty's artillery carts not only carried more weight and launched projectiles farther, but also had extremely high accuracy. The soldiers who operated the artillery carts, like those who operated the crossbow carts, had to train extensively, focusing on strength and accuracy.

In the western mountains of Tokyo, there was a flying cannon camp, which was full of artillerymen who were in charge of heavy catapults. In the Song Dynasty, the catapult was called "pao," not "cannon." Cannons only appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty.

In addition to large artillery vehicles, the Privy Council had a department that specialized in the research of artillery. Since the founding of the dynasty, it has developed various artillery weapons, just like crossbows, as well as some small artillery vehicles and even shoulder-mounted artillery machines. All of these are recorded in the "Wujing Zongyao" compiled during the reign of Emperor Renzong.

Moreover, stones and other materials are scarce in the grasslands. Unless they are accumulated in advance, like those collected in Wulahai City, many of the cannon stones used by Yao Shimin to attack the Liao army camp and the Song army to attack Miechuan were brought from Wulahai. There are not many materials available locally, and it is difficult to collect enough stones.

Therefore, the Liao army's catapults were vastly inferior to those of the Song army, and unlike the Song, they did not manufacture mud bombs to replace stones. As a result, they posed little threat to Wulahai's city defenses, and a direct assault using siege ladders would be insufficient to capture the city. As the sun set, the Liao army withdrew like a tide, and Zhao Ti returned to his military headquarters, subsequently summoning his generals for a council meeting.

At this moment, the army in Wulahai City numbered over 50,000. Not all of the troops that attacked Miechuan were brought back; some remained there to garrison the city.

The generals then volunteered to fight, wanting to break out of the city, since the Liao army was not much larger than the ones inside the city, and they still had the strength to fight.

Zhao Ti shook his head: "There is no rush. As the saying goes, one should strike while the iron is hot, but the second will be weaker and the third will be exhausted. Since the Liao army is attacking regardless of losses, let them be for a few days. After a few days, when they see that the siege is ineffective, their morale will naturally decline. It will not be too late to fight then."

The generals pondered upon hearing this, and Yao Shimin said, "Your Highness is absolutely right. The Liao army is almost entirely composed of cavalry, and unlike decades ago, they have no experience in siege warfare. They will not last long. When they are exhausted, we will launch a counterattack and surely achieve a great victory."

Zhao Ti nodded, and for the next few days they continued to defend the city with strict vigilance. Shield stakes were added in front of the battlements, and soldiers hid behind them and used the longest halberd in the army to stab downwards. The halberd had a two-foot-long head, a two-and-a-half-foot-long shaft, and a six-inch-long halberd at the end.

This gun was mainly used for defending cities. Soldiers could mount it on the city walls and attack enemy troops climbing the walls without even having to look out. It could also be used to destroy enemy siege equipment, such as ladders.

The Liao army suffered heavy losses and could not gain any advantage over the city walls. By the fifth day, they had reduced their attack by half, and on the sixth day, after a show of force, they withdrew their troops.

By the seventh day, the troops were observing the situation. Several Liao generals could be seen whispering to each other in front of the lines, discussing something, but they had given up on continuing the attack.

On the eighth day, the Liao army still made no move. The Song army attacked from the three cities in the east, west, and north, and a fierce close-quarters battle ensued. The Liao army was slightly outmatched and retreated to their camp to defend it.

That night, around midnight or early morning, the Liao army secretly broke camp and retreated northward.

The soldiers on the walls of Wulahai City discovered the anomaly and hurriedly reported it. Zhao Ti held a court session that very night and issued a series of orders, sending out a large army to pursue and kill them.

As dawn broke, they had already torn apart the Liao army's rear guard and followed closely behind, eventually reaching the grasslands.

Although the Liao army consisted entirely of cavalry, they still had horse-drawn carts and supplies. Unlike in the summer, their tents could not be abandoned, otherwise they would have no way to rest.

As a result, they were unable to escape quickly and had to fight while running, which not only slowed them down but also caused them to suffer heavy losses.

The Song army was divided into five routes of varying sizes, with Zhe Yanzhi leading one route on the left wing.

The force being pursued on the left flank was not the main Liao army in the center, but rather the Liao army on the flank protecting the main force, as well as some scattered soldiers and cavalry.

Zhe Yanzhi was eager to make a name for himself. Although he only had a few thousand soldiers with him, the number of troops at the front was not much larger. So he bravely advanced, sounding the horns several times and firing a barrage of arrows.

This immediately startled the Liao army ahead, causing them to break away from the main force and flee in a direction slightly northwest.

Zhe Yanzhi was overjoyed at the sight. He had been wary of the Liao army's main force being numerous and powerful, but now that the flank had shifted away, he had nothing to worry about. He couldn't help but think of the story of sealing the wolf's lair and recalling Huo Qubing's pursuit of the Xiongnu for a thousand miles, which earned him the title of Marquis of Champion. He then had the idea of ​​annihilating the enemy in one fell swoop.

After chasing for another ten miles or so, undulating mountain ranges appeared ahead, and it turned out to be Yinshan Mountain.

The Yinshan Mountains stretch across the north of the Hetao Plain, with a length of over a thousand li in this section, and also include branches such as the Langshan and Daqingshan Mountains.

However, to travel from the area around the Yellow River to the north of the Yin Mountains, it is not necessarily necessary to cross the mountains. Although the Yin Mountains are a natural barrier, there are many passes and valleys between the mountains, such as the Kundulun River Valley, which are all passable and allow large armies to pass smoothly.

However, the place they arrived at was not one of those areas. To continue north, they would have to either cross the mountains or follow the foot of the mountains to a place with a mountain pass.

The Liao army didn't have time to go around, so they went straight up the mountain. The terrain was relatively gentle, and the horses could barely make it.

Zhe Yanzhi led his troops to observe from the foot of the mountain for a few moments, then ordered them to climb the mountain and pursue.

The mountain here has few trees, mostly covered with brambles and thorns. After the harsh winter, almost all of them lie low and flat, so you can see very far and not be ambushed because of poor visibility.

A moment later, they caught up to the mountain, only to find a layer of white fog rising all around. Fog shouldn't exist at this time of year, and Zhe Yanzhi immediately became suspicious.

With no sign of the Liao army in sight, he pondered for a moment, feeling a sense of loss, and ordered a retreat.

Just as the soldiers turned to descend the mountain, a deafening chorus of wolf howls suddenly erupted around them. The sounds were indistinguishable, some near and some far, yet they rose and fell in waves, with an unknown number of howls.

Zhe Yanzhi frowned. Could this Yinshan Mountain be Wolf Mountain? They actually chased us all the way here? Otherwise, where would so many wild wolves come from?

The warhorse was slightly startled, its hooves wobbling. The soldiers shouted to stop it, and some of the soldiers looked surprised.

Zhe Yanzhi shouted, "They're just some wild wolves. No matter how many there are, how can they intimidate the army? Set up your crossbows and arrows. At worst, we can wipe out all the wolf packs in this mountain."

He had barely finished speaking when a voice came from somewhere, cold and sharp, echoing through the mountains.

"How dare you speak such arrogant words in my Langshan! Your Song army is not allowed to leave."

Upon hearing this, Zhe Yanzhi immediately gestured for the troops to gather in one direction, while loudly proclaiming, "You charlatans, dare to come out and show yourselves?"

The voice sneered, "A mere mortal dares to show off on the grasslands and even enter Wolf Mountain. Since you're here, you might as well stay."

At this moment, the fog grew thicker and thicker, and the view was obscured even a few feet away. Zhe Yanzhi felt a chill in his heart and ordered a rapid retreat down the mountain.

They hadn't gone far when they saw wolves darting through the fog. These wolves were more than a size larger than ordinary wolves, moving with lightning speed, and biting anyone they caught.

Because of the fog, it was difficult to shoot arrows and crossbows, so the soldiers could only defend and fight back with swords and spears. However, the wolves were too fast. If they couldn't bite people, they would bite the legs of the horses. The horses were injured and fell down, and then they would go up and tear people apart. In a short time, the losses were heavy.

Zhe Yanzhi hurriedly ordered the troops to form a battle formation and continue their retreat down the mountain. After a long while, they finally reached the bottom of the mountain, but there was no fog outside. Upon checking their troops, they found that they had lost more than 20% to 30% of their strength. Although they had killed a lot of wolves, it was still a losing proposition.

Zhe Yanzhi's face was grim. He looked up at the mountains again, where white mist still lingered. He gritted his teeth and ordered, "Return to the city!"

(End of this chapter)