Video Editor

Guo Rong led 100,000 elite troops of the National Defense Army northward to meet the enemy.

The army marched out of Bianliang, crossed the Yellow River, traversed the Taihang Mountains, and headed north.

Along the way, people from various prefectures and counties lined the streets to welcome them.

The elderly knelt by the roadside and kowtowed; the young stood in the crowd craning their necks to watch; the children chased after the procession, shouting "Long live the Great Zhou!"

As Guo Rong rode his horse and looked at the people, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welled up inside him.

This was his first time truly leading an expedition as a commander-in-chief.

It's not about following behind the Emperor, nor about watching my third brother fight.

He himself led an army of 100,000 to confront the combined forces of the Khitan and the Northern Han.

He wanted to show those people...

The emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not merely sit on the dragon throne.

In December, the army arrived thirty miles south of Youzhou.

Scouts report: The main force of the Khitan, numbering 50,000, is personally commanded by the Liao emperor Yelü Jing and is stationed 20 li north of Youzhou City.

The Northern Han army, numbering 20,000, led by Liu Min, was stationed west of the city.

The two armies positioned themselves in a pincer movement, preparing for a decisive battle.

After listening, Guo Rong remained silent for a moment, then ordered the camp to be set up.

That night, the central command tent was brightly lit.

Guo Rong summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures.

Li Chongjin pointed to the map and said, “Your Majesty, the Khitan cavalry are swift as the wind; we cannot fight them head-on. We must choose a favorable location to force them to dismount and fight on foot.”

Shi Shouxin said, "The terrain south of Youzhou is flat, which is conducive to cavalry charges. Why don't we retreat westward and lure them into the mountains?"

Guo Rong shook his head.

"Withdraw? If we withdraw, what will the people of Youzhou think? What will the soldiers defending the city think?"

He stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the location of Youzhou City.

"Let's fight right here."

"Your Majesty?" Li Chongjin was stunned. "The terrain here is flat. If the Khitan cavalry were to charge..."

“I know,” Guo Rong said, “but it is precisely because the terrain is flat that they came.”

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the generals. "The Khitans are thinking of crushing our main force in one battle, and then marching south. I will give them that opportunity."

"Let them charge."

“Once they rush into the formation, they won’t be able to get out.”

The generals looked at each other, some understanding, others still in a daze.

Shi Shouxin was the first to react.

"Does Your Majesty mean... to use infantry to directly confront cavalry?"

“That’s right,” Guo Rong said. “The National Defense Army’s infantry formations are honed through daily training. No matter how strong the Khitan cavalry are, can they be stronger than the Northern Han’s charge during the Battle of Gaoping?”

The tent was quiet for a moment.

In the Battle of Gaoping, the National Defense Army used infantry formations to withstand the Northern Han cavalry and managed to turn the tide of the battle.

That battle established the reputation of the National Defense Army.

Now it's their turn again.

"Issue my decree," Guo Rong said. "Tomorrow, form ranks to meet the enemy."

The decisive battle began the next morning.

Guo Rong divided his army into three parts: the central army of 50,000, which he personally commanded; the left army of 20,000, which was commanded by Li Chongjin; and the right army of 10,000, which was commanded by Shi Shouxin.

The three armies lined up in battle formation, their banners obscuring the sun.

On the opposite side, the allied forces of the Khitan and Northern Han also made their move.

Yelü Jing stood on the high slope, looking at the Zhou army's formation, and sneered.

"Guo Rong, you little brat, want to fight me on flat ground?"

He waved his hand and ordered, "Cavalry, charge! Rush them!"

The war drums sounded, and the Khitan cavalry roared out.

Ten thousand iron cavalrymen, overwhelming the sky, surged towards Zhou's army's position like a tidal wave.

The earth trembled, and the sound of horses' hooves thundered.

In the midst of Zhou Jun's formation, Guo Rong reined in his horse and stood motionless.

His personal guards were so nervous that their palms were sweating.

"Your Majesty, they're charging in..."

Guo Rong did not turn around.

He simply stared at the approaching cavalry, his gaze eerily calm.

Nearly.

closer.

Five hundred steps.

Three hundred steps.

One hundred steps.

"Fire arrows!"

The archers unleashed a volley of arrows, a rain of arrows that blotted out the sky.

The Khitan cavalrymen fell from their horses one after another, but those behind them continued to charge.

Fifty steps.

Thirty steps.

Ten steps...

boom!
Suddenly, trenches appeared in front of Zhou Jun's army.

Those Khitan cavalrymen at the forefront lost their momentum and fell in, horse and all.

The cavalry behind them were blocked and squeezed together.

"cast!"

The catapults began to unleash their power.

The boulder crashed into the cavalry, sending men and horses sprawling.

"put!"

Another volley of arrows rained down.

The Khitan cavalry's charge was abruptly halted.

Yelü Jing stood on the high slope, his face ashen.

"Charge again! Send another ten thousand men!"

The second wave of cavalry charged forward.

This time, they avoided the trench and went around it from the side.

But Zhou Jun's flank was already prepared.

Li Chongjin led his left wing and charged head-on.

The two armies clashed.

The shouts of battle were deafening, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Guo Rong stood in the center of the army, watching the chaotic battle, his palms sweating.

The Khitan cavalry were simply too powerful, and they felt immense pressure.

But Guo Rong knew that he absolutely could not panic now, after all, he was the backbone of the army.

"Order the Right Army to attack!"

Shi Shouxin led the right wing and attacked from the other side.

Surrounded on three sides, the Khitan cavalry gradually lost their composure.

Yelü Jing finally couldn't sit still any longer.

"Where is Liu Min? Tell him to send troops!"

Liu Min's Northern Han army was already prepared.

But when he looked at the fallen Khitan cavalrymen on the battlefield and at the Zhou soldiers charging fearlessly, he suddenly hesitated.

He was truly terrified after the battle of Gaoping.

In that battle, the Northern Han lost almost all of its elite troops.

These 20,000 people are his last remaining assets.

If the lighting is turned on again...

"Your Majesty," the general beside him asked in a low voice, "shall we advance?"

Liu Min remained silent for a moment.

"hold on."

They waited until it got dark.

On the battlefield, the Khitan cavalry had been divided into several groups, each fighting independently.

The National Defense Army's infantry formations, like iron walls, completely surrounded them.

Unable to break through, the cavalry could only fight desperately.

But after killing one, two more appeared.

Two were killed, and four more came.

Yelü Jing finally couldn't hold on any longer.

"withdraw!"

As the bugle sounded, the Khitan cavalry began to retreat.

We can't evacuate.

Zhou Jun was holding on too tightly; there was no way to shake him off.

Liu Min felt a chill run through her body when she saw this scene.

He dared not wait any longer and led the Northern Han army in a hasty retreat westward.

He left the Khitans on the battlefield, leaving them to bear the siege of the Zhou army alone.

This battle lasted from dawn to dusk, and from dusk to night.

The battlefield was littered with corpses and bloodstains.

The battle ended at dawn.

Of the 50,000-strong Khitan army, more than half were lost.

Yelü Jing led his remaining troops and fled north in panic.

Of the 20,000 men from the Northern Han, half fled and half died.

Liu Min fled back to Taiyuan, where he fell ill and never recovered.

Guo Rong stood on the battlefield, gazing at the corpses lying on the ground, and remained silent for a long time.

A personal guard came to report, "Your Majesty, our army has suffered casualties...20,000."

Twenty thousand.

Of the 100,000 men, 20,000 died in battle, and countless were wounded.

But they won.

They defeated the combined forces of 70,000 Khitan and Northern Han troops.

Guo Rong closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He thought back to the Battle of Gaoping. Did his third brother feel the same way after winning the battle?

he does not know.

But Guo Rong knew that from this day forward, no one would dare to say that the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty had conquered the country with the help of his younger brother.

"Return to the capital," Guo Rong finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Your Majesty, where are we going?"

Bianliang.

The army began to clean up the battlefield and prepare to return south.

Guo Rong stood on the high slope, gazing at the gray sky to the north.

The Khitans retreated.

But they will come again.

Next time, he will personally lead the army to meet the enemy. He will continue until this northern threat is completely defeated.

When the news reached Yangzhou, Su Ning was discussing the upcoming battle with his generals.

After reading the battle report, he remained silent for a long time.

"Your Majesty has won." Su Ning handed the battle report to Zhao Pu.

Zhao Pu's eyes lit up after reading it.

"Your Majesty fought a well-fought battle!"

Suning nodded.

He didn't say much.

But something gently settled down in my heart.

Now that Guo Rong has withstood the pressure from the hostile northern neighbor, it's time for him to clean up the mess on his own.

He looked at Nanjing on the map.

It's time for the Southern Tang dynasty to come to a conclusion.

……

After the fall of the Min Kingdom, Su Ning inquired with Zhao Pu about the specific casualties.

What are the casualties of the 16th Division?

“Less than a thousand,” Zhao Pu quickly replied. “Wang Mingyang is a shrewd strategist. Before attacking the city, he sent people in to incite the people’s hearts, and the city fell into chaos on its own. The actual fighting only took half a day.”

Suning was not surprised.

With such limited military strength and morale, it would be quite an achievement if the Min Kingdom could hold out for even half a day.

"Let them rest for half a month. After half a month, we will attack Southern Chu."

"The Second Division in Southern Chu should be mobilized as well."

Zhao Pu responded and left.

Half a month later, two military orders were issued from Yangzhou.

A message to the 16th Division in Hangzhou: Continue south, heading straight for Southern Chu.

A message to the Second Division in Jiangling: Advance eastward in coordination, launching a pincer attack from both sides.

When Wang Mingyang received the military order, the 16th Division had already completed its rest and reorganization.

The ten thousand soldiers were in high spirits.

"Let's go!" With that, Wang Mingyang gave the order, and the army set off.

Meanwhile, the Second Division set off from Jiangling and advanced eastward along the Yangtze River.

The two divisions, one in the south and one in the north, were like two pairs of pincers, slowly closing in on the State of Chu.

The State of Chu was not much stronger than the State of Min.

During his more than ten years in power, Wang Kui levied exorbitant taxes and levies, causing widespread resentment among the people.

The people of Chu had long hoped that someone would come to deal with this tyrant.

Even more fatally, the people of Minglitang had been operating in the Chu Kingdom for many years.

For many years, they disguised themselves as merchants, accountants, and down-on-their-luck scholars, infiltrating various prefectures and counties of the Chu Kingdom.

Which garrison commander was greedy, which was cowardly, and which was dissatisfied with Wang Kui... all of this was thoroughly investigated.

Before the main army even arrived, the garrison commanders who had been turned against their cause began to act on their own.

Some opened the city gates and surrendered the city.

Some killed officials and surrendered with their troops.

Some simply fled with their families, leaving the city to the people to deal with themselves.

The National Defense Force marched south, but hardly fought any major battles.

One prefecture and county after another surrendered, faster than an army could march.

When Wang Kui heard this news in Changsha, he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

"Beat them! Beat them! You're all trash! You're all trash!"

Wang Kui summoned the remaining generals and ordered them to send troops to meet the enemy.

But the generals kept their heads down and no one uttered a sound.

"Are you deaf? I told you to go and fight!"

Finally, someone spoke up, "Your Majesty, how should we fight? Half of our soldiers have already surrendered to the Zhou army. The morale of the remaining half has also collapsed. Sending them out is just sending them to their deaths."

Wang Kui slumped on the dragon throne, his face deathly pale.

Half a month later, the Second and Sixteenth Divisions arrived at the gates of Changsha.

The two divisions joined forces, and the 20,000-strong army completely surrounded Changsha.

Wang Kui stood on the city wall, looking at the dark mass of Zhou army camp outside the city, his legs trembling.

"Hold on...hold on!" Wang Kui shouted hoarsely. "Whoever holds on, I will make him a king!"

However, by this time no one paid any attention to him anymore; nobody wanted to be a local tyrant these days.

That night, the general guarding the city opened the city gates.

The National Defense Army soldiers quickly poured into the city.

When Wang Kui heard shouts of killing in the palace, he was so frightened that he hid under the bed.

At dawn, Wang Kui was finally dragged out from under the bed by several eunuchs and tied up.

"You...you dare to kidnap me?"

The eunuchs lowered their heads, not daring to look at Wang Kui.

Someone whispered, "Your Majesty, the Zhou army has entered the city. You...you should take care of yourself."

Then Wang Kui was taken to the front of Zhou's army tent.

Wang Yanjun, the commander of the Second Division, looked at Wang Kui and shook his head.

"Wang Kui, during your more than ten years in power, you levied exorbitant taxes and levied heavy taxes, killing countless people?"

Wang Kui was trembling all over and couldn't speak.

Wang Yanjun did not kill him, nor could he have acted on his own initiative to kill Wang Kui.

Instead, following Su Ning's orders, Wang Kui was escorted to Bianliang and handed over to the imperial court for disposal.

……

The State of Chu was destroyed.

When the news reached the Southern Han, Liu Sheng was drinking and making merry in the palace.

After hearing the report, he dropped his wine glass on the ground.

"What? Chu...the Kingdom of Chu is gone?"

No one dared to answer.

Liu Sheng stood up and paced back and forth.

"We'll be next in Zhou Jun's army! Quickly, gather the troops and prepare for battle!"

We can fight, but what can we use to fight?
Over the years, Liu Sheng of the Southern Han Dynasty had been tyrannical and ruthless, killing countless people, and the people had long hated him to the core.

There was also widespread panic in the army, and no one was willing to risk their life for him.

Before the National Defense Army even arrived, the people of Southern Han had already taken action on their own.

They organized themselves, opened the city gates, and welcomed the king's army.

In some places, the people even tied up the officials guarding the city and sent them directly to Zhou's army tent.

When Liu Sheng heard this news in the palace, he was so angry that he went mad.

"Kill! Kill all those rebels!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Liu Sheng sent troops to suppress the rebellion, but the troops he sent also rebelled.

Two weeks later, the Second and Sixteenth Divisions arrived at the gates of Guangzhou.

Liu Sheng stood on the city wall, looking at the dark mass of Zhou's army camp outside the city, and trembled all over.

"Hold on...hold on!"

Unfortunately, nobody paid any attention to him.

That night, Liu Sheng's personal guards tied him up.

"You...you dare?"

The guard bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, the Zhou army has entered the city. You...you should take care of yourself."

Liu Sheng was taken to Zhou Jun's tent.

Wang Mingyang looked at Liu Sheng with disdain, his gaze icy.

"Liu Sheng, how many people have you killed during your more than ten years in power?"

Liu Sheng knelt on the ground, trembling all over, unable to speak.

"Take him away. Send him to Bianliang."

Liu Sheng was taken away.

The gates of Guangzhou were wide open, and the people lined the streets to welcome Zhou's army into the city.

Those people who had been oppressed by Liu Sheng for more than a decade stood by the roadside, tears welling in their eyes.

"Finally... finally this day has come!"

The Southern Han dynasty was destroyed.

Within half a year, the three kingdoms of Min, Chu, and Han were all incorporated into the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The news spread far and wide, shaking the southern countries.

The most desperate person was Li Jing in Jinling City.

He stood on a high point in the palace, gazing towards the north of the river.

Zhou Jun did not come to attack him.

But Zhou Jun wiped out all his neighboring countries one by one.

The Southern Tang Dynasty became an isolated island.

"Your Majesty," a minister whispered, "why don't we... surrender as well?"

Li Jing remained silent for a long time.

"hold on."

What are you waiting for?
he does not know.

But he didn't want to admit defeat so easily.

In the autumn of the fourth year of Xiande, Su Ning held a meeting in Yangzhou to discuss matters.

On the map, Min, Chu, and Han have already been colored with the colors of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Later Shu was still in the west, while Southern Tang was still on the other side of the river.

"Next, we'll attack Later Shu," Su Ning said.

The generals in the tent were in high spirits.

After playing for half a year, I got better and better at it, and I felt more and more energetic.

"Your Highness, I heard that Meng Chang from Later Shu is terrified. We haven't even started fighting yet, and he's been burning incense and praying to Buddha in the palace every day."

"Meng Chang is only interested in pleasure. And among the generals in Shu, there are few who can fight."

"If you ask me, we should just call them directly, and we can take them down in a month!"

Suning shook his head.

"The roads to Shu are difficult, it's no joke." He pointed to the mountains and rivers on the map. "Shu is mountainous, easy to defend but difficult to attack. If we fight head-on, many people will die."

"Then how do we fight?"

"Surround them first," Su Ning said. "The Second Division will advance westward from Jiangling, the Sixteenth Division will make a flanking maneuver from the south, and Wang Chongjin will lead the Ninth and Tenth Divisions to advance from the west, attacking from three sides. Don't rush to attack the city; first, occupy the prefectures and counties surrounding Shu, cut off their supply lines, and eliminate their passage."

"They'll naturally lower their prices when they can't hold on any longer."

The generals nodded and accepted their orders.

Su Ning looked westward, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

After the fall of Later Shu, Southern Tang became the last isolated city.

At that point, they'll have to surrender without a fight.

Outside the window, the autumn wind is blowing hard.

The war is far from over.

But it will be soon.

...(End of this chapter)