Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 184 Ögedei Khan suffers setback and feels envy, jealousy, and hatred towards Zhao Shuo.
Wanyan Shouxu's edict was certainly not so straightforward; it was revised before being issued to the world, but the general meaning was similar.

Soon, the imperial edict spread throughout the Jin Kingdom at an urgent speed of 800 li.

In addition to Wanyan Shouxu's declaration of war, this edict also ordered all Jurchen men aged sixteen to seventy to enlist in the army.

In other words, the nation's elite troops were concentrated in Tang and Deng prefectures, awaiting an opportunity to engage Zhao Shuo in a decisive battle. The remaining Jurchen men were all conscripted into the army to suppress local rebellions.

If it weren't for the fact that the Han people were truly unreliable, and that the Red Turban Rebellion had demonstrated sufficient strength, the Jin Dynasty would have loved to conscript all Han men into the army, or simply seize all the wealth and women of the Han people to boost the morale of their army.

It must be said that the Jin Kingdom has squeezed out all its potential for this decisive battle; victory or death!

The Jin dynasty's territory now includes Henan and Shaanxi, as well as parts of northern Anhui and northern Jiangsu, with a total population of over 24 million, of which over 2 million are Jurchens.

Such exploitation of potential results in a truly formidable and terrifying power.

……

……

Inside Tongguan Pass.

"In the ten years since the southward migration, the people in the surrounding areas have destroyed their fields and houses, sold their wives and children to support the soldiers... I have thought about this carefully. Survival and destruction are determined by Heaven. I can only do my best to live up to the expectations of my people..."

Wanyan Saibu, the commander-in-chief of the Tongguan defense line and the deputy privy councilor of the Jin Dynasty, summoned all officers of the Meng'an (thousand-household commander) rank and above in the Tongguan defense line and read out the decree of Emperor Wanyan Shouxu of Jin.

Finally, he said, "The Song Dynasty broke its promise and allied with the Mongols to destroy the Jin Dynasty. Now, Zhao Shuo has joined forces with the Song Dynasty and intends to attack Henan from the Jinghu region to destroy our Great Jin. Our Great Jin is a small ethnic group facing a large country. When it was founded, it was inevitable to kill many people. After its founding, it was inevitable to favor the Jurchens and treat the Khitans and Han people poorly. Over the past hundred years, there have been countless blood debts."

"Once the Great Jin Dynasty is destroyed, I fear the entire Jurchen people will cease to exist. Today, His Majesty has decreed that we be here with elite troops to block Tangdeng and fight Zhao Shuo to the death. What do you all think?"

Wow~~
As soon as Wanyan Sai finished speaking, the hall erupted in commotion.

"Of course we will obey His Majesty's decree and fight Zhao Shuo to the death!"

"My Great Jin still has over 20 million people and hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Zhao Shuo wants to destroy Jin? Be careful, or you'll break all your teeth!"

"We Jurchens still have over two million people, far more than the Mongols! The outcome is still uncertain!"

"So what if the Song and Mongols join forces? We'll take care of the Song Kingdom too!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Fight Zhao Shuo to the death! Let's settle this battle in one fell swoop!"

……

Although the Jurchens had declined and their fighting strength had diminished considerably over the past century, they were still inspired by the impending doom of their nation and the loss of their people. Most of their officers clamored for a final battle with Zhao Shuo.

However, despite their impassioned rhetoric and the apparent high probability of victory for the Jin army, they all knew in reality that their chances of winning were probably less than 40%.

It's a very simple principle: since the rise of the Mongol army, when have they ever won a fight against the Mongol army?
But the war has already reached this point, and the country is on the verge of collapse and the people are about to perish. Are we going to say anything discouraging? In short, we must fight whether we can win or not. Even if the Jin Dynasty is destined to be destroyed, Zhao Shuo will be splattered with blood!

Of course, some people had already been terrified by the Mongol soldiers.

Someone weakly suggested, "If you ask me, the terrain of Tang and Deng prefectures isn't particularly treacherous. Why not retreat to Shanxi? Shanxi is surrounded by mountains and rivers, comparable to..."

"Who? Who's farting!"

Wanyan Chenheshang looked in the direction of the voice, and the Meng'an all stepped back, revealing the figure of a Jurchen noblewoman of medium build.

Tu Dan Jinming!

The cousin of the current Empress Tudan.

"It's you? Tu Dan Jinming!"

Wanyan Chenheshang stepped forward, his right hand like an iron clamp, and fiercely grabbed Tudan Jinming's neck. He turned to Wanyan Saibu and said, "At this critical moment for the survival of the nation, this man is spreading heresies and disturbing the morale of the army. What does the commander-in-chief think should be done?"

"killed."

Bang!

Wanyan Sai didn't just throw a dagger on the ground.

At a time when the country is destroyed and the clan is wiped out, what is the Empress's cousin worth! Wanyan Sai has long wanted to kill to establish his authority, just waiting to see who will step forward today.

"Yes!"

The poor Tudan Jinming was being choked by Wanyan Chenheshang, unable to even breathe, let alone beg for mercy.

puff!puff!puff!
A dozen or so muffled thuds in succession!
Wanyan Chenheshang picked up the dagger and viciously stabbed Tudan Jinming in the heart more than ten times!

Blood gushed from Tu Dan Jinming's chest, staining his clothes red in the blink of an eye. Some blood even splattered onto Wanyan Chenheshang's face, dripping down his cheeks, making him look like a demon from hell.

Pfft!
Wanyan Chenheshang loosened his grip, and Tudan Jinming's corpse fell to the ground like a tattered sack.

died!

The Empress's cousin, such a noble Jurchen woman, died just like that!
Died like an ant?
Wanyan Sai did not think that Tudan Jinming's life or death was insignificant, but most of the Jurchen nobles did not think so, and the tent was completely silent.

Deng Deng Deng~~
Wanyan Sai did not stand up from behind the desk, but walked to Wanyan Chenheshang, took the blood-dripping dagger, and even raised his foot to contemptuously kick the corpse of Tudan Jinming.

"Good kill!"

Wanyan Saibu's face was ashen. He looked at his generals and said loudly, "Tudan Jinming's status is indeed noble. However, that nobility only exists within the Jin Kingdom! Even if he doesn't die today, once the Jin Kingdom is destroyed, his death will likely be far more tragic than it is now!"

"Let me make this clear. Don't talk about how simple it is to advance. Any one of you who hesitates or is afraid of death in this battle will be killed on the spot without hesitation! In fact, I myself am prepared to die on the battlefield."

Swish!
As he spoke, Wanyan Sai didn't tie up his braid; instead, he used his razor-sharp dagger to cut it off in one stroke!

The Jurchen people had a custom of wearing braids.

However, their braiding style differed from the later Manchu "money-tail" hairstyle. As the saying goes, "The braided hair hangs down to the shoulders, different from the Khitan, with a gold ring, and the hair at the back of the head is tied with colored silk."

When the Jin Dynasty was founded, it even implemented a hair-shaving order in Shanxi and other places, just like the Manchu Qing Dynasty, which "prohibited people from wearing Han clothing and shaving their heads, and those who did not comply would be put to death," requiring Han people and Jurchens to have the same hairstyle.

However, the resistance from the Han people was too fierce, and the decree gradually faded away.

Later, the Jurchens gradually became Sinicized, and many Jurchens adopted the same hairstyles as the Han people, no longer using the traditional Jurchen hairstyles.

However, some Jurchens still maintain their original customs.

In particular, the Jurchen nobles, who could not stand the gradual rise of Khitans and Han Chinese in the court, deliberately kept their Jurchen hairstyles to show their pride as Jurchen nobles.

Wanyan Sai retained the traditional Jurchen hairstyle.

He said in a deep voice, "If we win this battle, my shaved braid will grow back! If we lose this battle, I won't even be able to keep my head. What use is this braid then? Today, I will cut off my braid to show my resolve! All those who fail in this battle, including myself, who retreat, will have this braid!"

"I am willing to join the General in cutting off my queue as a sign of our resolve!"

"Let's fight Zhao Shuo to the death!"

"Either Zhao Shuo dies, or we perish!"

……

In fact, these nobles of the Jin Kingdom had long understood that the fall of their country and the extinction of their people were imminent.

When Zhao Shuo attacked Jingzhao in Shaanxi, he declared that one life for another, and if that wasn't enough, he would offer the head of the Wanyan clan, or even the lives of the entire Jurchen tribe!

Lintao was completely destroyed, with only Jurchen children, no taller than a cartwheel, surviving, which further demonstrated Zhao Shuo's determination.

Zhao Shuo was already so cruel to the Jurchens before even destroying the Jin Dynasty. What would Zhao Shuo do to the Jurchens after the Jin Dynasty was destroyed?
Furthermore, Zhao Shuo has too many remnants of the Red Turban Army under his command; there are five or six commanders of ten thousand men alone. Given the Red Turban Army's ruthlessness in skinning, dismembering, and exhuming the Jurchens, what will they do to the Jurchens?
Simply understanding something is one thing; truly figuring it out is another.

Today, Wanyan Sai did not need to mention the tragic death of Tudan Jinming on the spot, nor his own act of cutting off his queue to show his determination, thus making this matter clear!
This was a battle for the life and death of the Jurchen people!
What about Wanyan Saibu, the Vice Privy Councilor? What about Tudan Jinming, the esteemed cousin of the Empress? Only if we win will these titles hold any weight! If we lose, we'll die like an insignificant ant.

This is even more true for others!
Immediately, the bloodlust of these Jurchen nobles was fully ignited, and they began to clamor. After returning to their army, they ordered all their soldiers to cut off their queues as a sign of their loyalty.

They did not use the Jurchen braid style but adopted the Han Chinese hairstyle, and all the long hair was shaved off, leaving only an inch of hair for the entire army.

Then, only the conscripted soldiers were left to guard Tongguan, while 60,000 elite troops and another 60,000 elite conscripted soldiers left the Tongguan defense line and headed south to Tang and Deng prefectures!
……

……

In Puzhou City, Shanxi Province.

Puzhou, also known as "Hezhong Prefecture," is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. It is bordered by the Zhongtiao Mountains to the south and the Yellow River to the west, situated at the junction of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan provinces. Controlling both mountains and rivers, it is not only a connecting zone between the Guanzhong Plain and the Heluo Plain, but also a strategic location linking Chang'an and Luoyang.

The Jin state has stationed a large number of troops here. If Zhao Shuo wants to invade Shanxi, the most difficult place to capture will undoubtedly be Puzhou City in Hezhong Prefecture.

At the time when the Jurchen state was destroyed and the tribe perished, the elite troops of Puzhou City in Hezhong Prefecture were also mobilized.

The Jin dynasty's garrison in Puzhou had two commanders: one was the general, and the other was the supervisor.

The commander-in-chief was named Wanyan Eke, and the military supervisor was also named Wanyan Eke; both were members of the Jin royal family.

To distinguish them, people called the commander-in-chief Wanyan Eke "Cao Huo Eke" because he was cruel by nature and liked to roast captured enemy soldiers over grass fire.

The military supervisor was known as "Banzi Eke" because he was ignorant and incompetent, and once referred to "teeth" as "boards," which was ridiculed by others.

Today is the day when Cao Huoeke leads 5,000 elite soldiers and 20,000 elite conscripts from Hezhong Prefecture southward.

Banzi E could lead 10,000 conscripted soldiers to continue garrisoning Puzhou City.
He led dozens of civil and military officials from Puzhou to see Cao Huoeke off. However, at that moment, Banzieke suddenly received very bad news.

"Cao Huo Eke, what exactly do you want?" Ban Zi Eke reached out and grabbed Cao Huo Eke by the collar, angrily saying, "You're heading south, so why are you arresting my family? What law have I broken? Release my family right now!"

Cao Huo Eke let Ban Zi Eke rage on, showing no sign of panic.

After Banzi Eke finished speaking, he sneered, "What's the rush? Although I've arrested your family, aren't my family still in Puzhou City, in your hands?"

"You...what on earth do you want to do?"

"What I want to do is very simple. If my Jin state is defeated in this battle, it is because I, Wanyan Eke, have failed in battle and have let down the Jurchens and the Jin state. You may kill my family members and let them die for the Jin state."

"What does that have to do with my family?"

"Of course it's related. If you lose Puzhou before the battle with Zhao Shuo is decided, it means you've failed in battle, let down the Jurchens, and let down the Jin Dynasty. I will kill your entire family!"

"Are you...are you crazy?"

"It's not that I'm crazy, but the national situation is such that I have no choice but to do it!"

After speaking, Cao Huo Eke broke free from Ban Zi Eke's restraints and turned to look at the 25,000-strong army behind him.

"If we lose this battle, Banzi Eke will kill my entire family. However, if he loses Puzhou before the decisive battle, it will be because Banzi Eke failed to protect my family, and I will kill his entire family. In short, in the battle of Tangdeng, we have no way out; we will not return until we win!"

"We will not return until we win! We will not return until we win!"

Twenty-five thousand Jin soldiers shouted in unison, determined to "not return until victory," and marched toward the Tangdeng region.

…… ……

Nanjing Road, Haizhou.

The Nanjing Road of the Jin Dynasty included not only what later became Henan Province, but also the northern parts of what later became Jiangsu and Anhui.

Haizhou later became Lianyungang, the seat of the Zhennan Jiedushi (military governor) of the Jin Dynasty, mainly to defend against the northern invasion of the Song army.

Although the Song and the Mongols have joined forces, what difference does it make if this place is lost? If they can't stop Zhao Shuo, then the country will truly be destroyed and the people will perish.

Therefore, the main force of Haizhou was to advance eastward to Tangdeng to participate in the decisive battle against Zhao Shuo.

The commander-in-chief of Haizhou, the military governor of Zhennan, was named Wanyan Zhongde, a Jurchen.

Although the deputy commander was named Wanyan Zhongyuan, he was a Han Chinese and his original surname was Guo. He was given the surname "Wanyan" by the Jin Dynasty court because of his military achievements.

After the famous Jin general Pusan ​​Anzhen was unjustly killed, the "Flower Hat Army" under Pusan ​​Anzhen's command was dispersed and resettled by the imperial court.

Guo Zhongyuan, as the most valiant general of the Flower Hat Army, commanded 5,000 Flower Hat soldiers, making him a formidable fighting force in the Jin Dynasty.

“Brother Zhongyuan, you are originally a Han Chinese. You know the current situation of the Jin Kingdom without me having to tell you. If you think that the future of our Great Jin is bleak, you can lead your Flower Hat Army to surrender to the Song now. As long as you don’t participate in this decisive battle, you have already done more than enough for the Jin Kingdom. I don’t blame you.”

Today, Wanyan Zhongde specially invited Guo Zhongyuan to his residence for drinks. He raised his wine cup and spoke earnestly.

Guo Zhongyuan flew into a rage upon hearing this, saying, "So, when the court bestowed upon me the surname Wanyan, it was just to fool me? Now, does the military governor still treat me like an outsider? Fine! Fine! Today, I will die before the military governor to prove my loyalty to the Great Jin!"

After saying this, he stood up and was about to ram his head against the wall in the hall.

"Hey, Brother Zhongyuan, wait a minute!"

Wanyan Zhongde certainly couldn't just stand by and watch Guo Zhongyuan die. If Guo Zhongyuan died, his Flower Hat Army would be rendered useless.

While holding Guo Zhongyuan tightly, he said, "It's not that I don't trust you, but this is a critical moment for the survival of our Great Jin Dynasty, and we dare not be careless!"

Guo Zhongyuan stopped struggling and said with a sigh, "My loyalty to the Great Jin Dynasty is as clear as heaven and as worthy of the sun and moon!"

"Then why don't we send your family to Bianliang now?"

"Yes," Guo Zhongyuan said without hesitation. "I am not afraid of death for the sake of the Great Jin, let alone my family. To put the court at ease, the military governor may send my family to Bianliang."

"Brother Zhongyuan is truly a loyal and capable minister of my Great Jin Dynasty. I am deeply ashamed of him!"

Despite this, Wanyan Zhongde did not intend to retract his order. He even asked, "Then, to put the court at ease, how about moving all the families of officers of the Flower Hat Army above the rank of Mouke to Bianliang?"

Guo Zhongyuan shook his head firmly and said, "No! Although I am loyal to the Great Jin, I cannot guarantee that my brothers are as loyal to the court as I am. If the court forcibly relocates their families, it may cause a mutiny. But I believe that if the court treats its soldiers with sincerity, they will be willing to fight to the death for the Great Jin."

Wanyan Zhongde stared into Guo Zhongyuan's eyes and said in a deep voice, "Is it really not going to work?"
"No!" Guo Zhongyuan answered decisively.

“Alright, as Brother Zhongyuan says, the families of the Flower Hat Army officers don’t need to be moved to Bianliang. Also, I have some good news for you, Brother Zhongyuan: I have petitioned the court, and if we win this battle, all Flower Hat Army soldiers will be granted Jurchen surnames, and they will all be Jurchen people from now on.”

Guo Zhongde bowed deeply and said, "The entire Flower Hat Army is willing to die for the Great Jin!"

……

Thus, 100,000 elite troops and 250,000 elite conscripts of the Jin state gathered near Tang and Deng prefectures.

They are not only defending the city, but have also adopted a posture of decisive battle with Zhao Shuo.

……

……

Goryeo, outside the capital city of Kaesong.

"Chaghan Wanhu has been hit by an arrow!"

"Protect the Chahan Wanhu!"

"Back off! Back off!"

"That wild woman is amazing!"

……

With a whoosh, the Mongol Kheshig army that was attacking the city retreated like a tide, and Kaesong City remained unmoved.

Now, the original commander of the Kheshig army, Naya'a, has died of illness, and the new commander of the Kheshig army is named Chahan.

With Chaghan wounded by an arrow and carried back by soldiers, this largest siege since the Mongol invasion of Kaijing ended in failure.

"Damn it!"

Ögedei Khan, who was watching the battle, was extremely frustrated upon seeing this.

After he and Tolui conquered Dongjin, they led their army into Goryeo territory, dividing their forces into three routes to attack cities and seize land. Overall, none of the three armies fared well.

The 20,000-strong right flank army initially made good progress, capturing several prefectures in Goryeo, including Long, Xuan, and Guo, but failed to capture the important northern Goryeo city of Anbei Protectorate.

The left flank army, numbering 15,000, encountered difficulties from the outset. Their attack on Guizhou was met with fierce resistance from the defending generals, Park Seo and Kim Kyung-sun, and they failed to capture it for a month. After halting their advance on Guizhou, the Mongol army turned their attention to Cizhou, where they faced resistance from the local commander, Choi Chun-myeong, and still could not conquer it.

Ögedei and Tolui led their main force of 90,000 men, including 70,000 steppe warriors and 20,000 Han and Semu soldiers who had been recruited by Genghis Khan, and marched from the central route.

They first attacked Pyongyang (the capital of Goryeo) but failed. Then they simply bypassed Pyongyang and continued their advance, capturing Hwangju and Bongju in succession. They besieged Gaegyeong, the capital of Goryeo, but suffered repeated defeats. The Baru Camp, composed of Goryeo surrendered troops, was almost completely wiped out.

Ögedei Khan, in a fit of rage, launched several more attacks and finally ordered the Kheshig army to engage in battle. As a result, the Kheshig commander Chaghan was killed in action, but still could not capture Kaesong.

Unfortunately, historically, the Mongol army and the Dongjin army joined forces to invade Goryeo. Although they failed to capture Gaegyeong, they forced Goryeo to submit to them, offer up a large amount of gold and silver, and agree to pay tribute, which can be considered a success.

But Zhao Shuo changed history. Ögedei not only faced the problem of Tolui's growing influence, but also the looming threat of Zhao Shuo.

Ögedei was under immense pressure and was determined to achieve a resounding victory to consolidate his power as Khan.

Therefore, his strategy was to conquer both countries in one battle, first taking Dongjin and then targeting Goryeo.

While the main force of Dongzhen was fighting the Goryeo people within Goryeo territory, Ögedei Khan took Dongzhen without much effort.

Pu Xianwannu was filled with hatred after losing his stronghold, so he simply allied with Goryeo and became a Goryeo mercenary to help Goryeo defend Gaegyeong.

Pu Xianwannu's Dongzhen army was mainly composed of Jurchens from Northeast China, including three thousand wild Jurchens who lived by hunting and gathering. These wild Jurchens were born between the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River, living a life of hardship and hunting, and their fighting strength was probably superior to that of ordinary steppe warriors.

The main force of Dongjin and the Goryeo people joined forces to defend Gaegyeong. It wouldn't be so easy for Ögedei to take Gaegyeong.
At this moment, Ögedei felt utterly humiliated and began to worry about Zhao Shuo's whereabouts. He would feel much better if Zhao Shuo's attack on the Song Dynasty also failed.

"Is there any news of Zhao Shuo attacking the Song state?" Ögedei asked.

Zhenhai was fully aware of Ögedei's thoughts, but since the Great Khan had asked him a question, he could not lie and could only give a brief reply: "Yes."

"What exactly is the situation regarding Zhao Shuohan's attack on the Song Dynasty? Please tell me in detail."

"Uh... that's how it is. Zhao Shuo Khan attacked the Hanzhong region because the Song Dynasty refused to grant him passage. In the Battle of Xianren Pass, he annihilated more than 100,000 Song soldiers, and the Song Dynasty was forced to sue for peace."

"Ok?"

Ögedei's face immediately turned extremely ugly, and he said, "So, the Song Kingdom has agreed to let us pass?"

"It wasn't just about lending them a passage; they also agreed to ally with the Mongols to destroy the Jin, provided provisions for Zhao Shuo Khan's army, and even sent troops to assist them. Not only that, the Song emperor even issued an edict of self-reproach, and... and..."

"What else?"

"They also promised to give Zhao Shuo tribute worth 17 million strings of cash every year."

"How many?"

"Seventeen million strings of cash!"

"So many? How is that possible?"

Ögedei Khan could hardly believe his ears!

Seventeen million strings of cash!

As the Great Khan of the Mongols, he could only collect tribute from the grasslands and his fiefdoms.

How much tax revenue can be generated by selecting only one out of every hundred cattle and sheep from the grasslands?

The former territory of the Western Liao Dynasty was not a wealthy place. It did not even generate ten million strings of cash in tax revenue per year.

They were entirely supported by Genghis Khan's legacy.

Although he captured some cities during this attack on Goryeo and Dongjin, Dongjin was located in a remote area, and Goryeo was not wealthy. After looting these cities and taking a cut, his income was less than seven million guan.

Zhao Shuo is doing well; he fought a battle with the Song people and earned 17 million strings of cash.

It will happen every year from now on!

It has to be said that the figure of 17 million strings of cash completely stunned Ögedei Khan, who was extremely envious.

By now, Ögedei Khan regretted attacking the impoverished Eastern Jin and Goryeo kingdoms. If he had known the Song dynasty was so easy to conquer and so wealthy, he would have simply marched out of Shaanxi to attack it.
Even if we don't attack the Song Dynasty, wouldn't it be better to bully those weaker nations in the west?
Why bother fighting Goryeo?
Opening up the capital city is such a tough nut to crack!
Most importantly, how difficult would it be for Zhao Shuo to ally with the Song Dynasty to destroy the Jin Dynasty? If Zhao Shuo had destroyed the Jin Dynasty, but couldn't even take over Goryeo, where would that leave his reputation as the newly appointed Great Khan of the Mongols?

How to do?
No!

Before Zhao Shuo could destroy the Jin dynasty, he had to take over Goryeo!

Ögedei pondered for a while, then looked at Tolui and said, “Fourth brother, it seems that we will have difficulty conquering Kaesong in a short time. My idea is to leave 20,000 troops to guard Kaesong. Then, you and I will split into two groups, one to support the eastern army and the other to support the western army.”

"After we've conquered enough cities in Goryeo and captured enough Balu Camp soldiers, we can then launch a full-scale attack on Gaegyeong. What do you think?"

Tore had no objection to this, of course.

Anyway, it was agreed beforehand that after conquering Dongjin and Goryeo, Tolui would get Dongjin, and Ögedei would get Goryeo. Now that Dongjin has been taken, Ögedei can do whatever he wants with Goryeo.

Moreover, Torre was truly heartbroken to have to use his precious steppe warriors to attack a fortified city.

He nodded slightly and said, "Alright, I'll listen to the Khan."

"Then it's settled." Ögedei's eyes gleamed. "We'll divide our forces tomorrow. We must act swiftly and decisively, and take the entire territory of Goryeo as soon as possible!"

……

……

Just as Ögedei Khan divided his forces to capture various cities in Goryeo, and the Jin Dynasty's 350,000-strong army gathered between Tang and Deng, Zhao Shuo led nearly 100,000 main force troops and 100,000 soldiers out of Raofeng Pass, leaving the Hanzhong region and arriving in Xiangyang in the Jinghu area.

There, Meng Gong and his 20,000 loyal soldiers had been waiting for a long time.

(End of this chapter)