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

Chapter 193 The Jin army's spine was broken; they had to become Zhao Shuo's dogs!

With shouts of "Long live the King!" echoing throughout, Peng Yibin led his personal guards, armed with spears, heavy axes, and maces, and surged forward madly.

Bang bang bang!
Dang Dang Dang!
Puff puff!
In the blink of an eye, there were countless sounds of weapons clashing against armor, and even the sound of weapons tearing through armor and piercing flesh.

The Jin soldiers in front of them were either already seriously wounded or had lost all their courage and morale, and were almost powerless to resist. They were all killed in less than a quarter of an hour.

The heavily armored Han soldiers surrounded Wanyan Saibu in the center.

"kill!"

Even at the very last moment, Wanyan Saibuyou remained loyal to the Great Jin, wielding his iron spear and recklessly thrusting it at Peng Yibin.

when!
Peng Yibin thrust his spear with all his might, and Wanyan Saibu's iron spear flew out of his hand!

how come? !

Wanyan Sai and Peng Yibin were both taken aback.

Wanyan Saibu suddenly realized that although he was rationally willing to shed his last drop of blood for the Great Jin, deep down he had already lost all courage in despair, just like the Jurchen warriors who had just been easily slaughtered by the Han army.

The name of Jin Gou, the sudden heavy snowfall, and the fact that the Han army was almost unharmed in the face of the thunderous roar... had shattered all the pride of the Jurchens and destroyed all their resolve.

He had come to understand that destiny belonged to Zhao Shuo, and the Jin Dynasty was destined for destruction.

In war, courage is paramount!

He had lost his courage and could no longer muster much strength!
Peng Yibin knew, of course, that the Jin general Wanyan Saibu before him was not someone to be trifled with, and that he had used all his strength in that thrust. He had thought that after deflecting that thrust, he would have to exchange a few more blows before he could take Wanyan Saibu's life.

I never expected it to turn out like this!
After a slight surprise, he was overjoyed.

"Long live the King!"

Peng Yibin roared and thrust his spear at Wanyan Saibu!

puff!
Under Peng Yibin's immense strength, the tip of the Damascus spear pierced through Wanyan Saibu's armor and plunged into his heart.

Peng Yibin stirred it forcefully, then kicked it hard!
Pfft!
Wanyan Saibu's corpse fell to the ground, blood gushing out.

Peng Yibin stepped forward, drew his sword, and severed Wanyan Saibu's head. He then held it high and proclaimed, "This is Wanyan Saibu's head! The Jin army's commander-in-chief is dead! We have won! Long live the King! Long live the King!"

"Wanyan Sai is dead! Long live the King!"

"Wanyan Sai is dead! Long live the King!"

……

Peng Yibin's bodyguards shouted in unison, one person shouting, a hundred people shouting, a thousand people shouting, ten thousand people shouting!

Nearly 70,000 Han soldiers on the entire battlefield shouted in unison, their momentum like a tidal wave, their voices reaching beyond the heavens!
……

……

Meanwhile, on a slightly more distant mountain peak, Meng Gong kept a close eye on the battle situation with binoculars in hand.

When Zhao Shuo organized a team-building activity, he naturally wouldn't invite Meng Gong, an "outsider." It wasn't that Zhao Shuo was stingy, but rather that if word got out that Meng Gong frequently ate and drank with the generals in Zhao Shuo's central military tent, the scholars of Song might start making wild accusations, which would be detrimental to a general like Meng Gong who commanded troops.

Zhao Shuo did indeed want to persuade Meng Gong to surrender, but it would be a straightforward and open offer. If Meng Gong agreed, that would be fine. If he didn't, Zhao Shuo wouldn't feel any guilt if he killed Meng Gong on the battlefield later. Zhao Shuo disdained such a disgusting tactic as "sowing discord," and he wouldn't even intentionally put Meng Gong under suspicion.

He did not issue an order for Meng Gong to lead the entire Zhongshun Army to attack.

The Han army's strength was already sufficient. Zhao Shuo wanted to use the Night Owl Guard in the central army, a Khitan commander of a thousand, and Meng Gong's five thousand loyal soldiers as the final reserve force in case of any unexpected events.

Therefore, Meng Gong has no combat mission tonight; he is merely observing the battle.

In the deep darkness, the flickering firelight couldn't illuminate the scene clearly. However, Wanyan Sai's order to light the fire and raise his banner immediately drew his attention.

The hissing sparks from the fuse just now made Meng Gong's heart sink even more.

He understood that Wanyan Sai was desperate and was going to launch a suicidal attack using the Thunderclap Bomb to kill a portion of Zhao Shuo's elite troops.

Although Zhao Shuo had many elite troops under his command, Meng Gong, as an ally and a former comrade-in-arms, still felt quite sorry for him.

However, after a series of intense explosions, he watched as countless Han soldiers staggered to their feet, while few of the nearby Jin soldiers stood up.

Immediately afterwards, cheers of "Long live the King!" rang out.

How is this going?

Could it be that Zhao Shuo is truly destined for greatness, and his troops are all blessed by the heavens, even the thunderbolts are powerless against him?
Meng Gong shook his head, trying to clear his mind of such absurdity and think about the real reason.

He quickly came up with the answer—cotton armor.

However, the result of this consideration did not make Meng Gong feel any relief. On the contrary, it made Meng Gong feel even more fearsome and terrifying about Zhao Shuo, who was simply invincible!
There was no other reason than that Zhao Shuo had prepared far too many cotton armors.

Not only were Zhao Shuo's soldiers equipped with cotton armor, but when they set off from the Tongbai Mountain defense line, each soldier of the Zhongshun Army was also issued a cotton armor.

Meng Gong originally thought that the cotton armor was mainly for keeping warm.

A sudden heavy snowfall hit Sanfeng Mountain, and the cotton armor came in handy. Meng Gong didn't admire Zhao Shuo much.

As the commander-in-chief, one must consider not only battlefield combat but also logistics and various weather changes, including heavy rain, fog, strong winds, floods, hail, and even earthquakes. Given Zhao Shuo's wealth, it's not surprising that he made thorough preparations.

However, Meng Gong only now realized that the cotton armor's main purpose was not to keep warm, but to defend against firearms!

This is too scary!

As the intensity of war increased, the use of detonators became more and more widespread.

Meng Gong, a prominent military strategist of his time, keenly realized that firearms would likely replace swords and spears as the dominant weapon on the battlefield in the future. He had already resolved to return and petition the court for permission to develop more powerful firearms.

As a result, he never dreamed that while he had even thought through the "spear," Zhao Shuo was already considering the "shield."

Use cotton armor to fight firearms!
Today, the combination of cotton armor and iron armor is extremely effective against the Thunderclap Bomb!
At least 100,000 sets of cotton armor, how could they possibly produce them in such a short time?

When exactly did Zhao Shuo begin researching cotton armor? When did he begin mass production? When did he notify his subordinates to transport these cotton armors to the front lines?
The more Meng Gong thought about it, the more unfathomable Zhao Shuo seemed. He was even less likely to see any hope of victory than the rumors of Zhao Shuo being "destined by heaven."

Zhang Jun, the valiant general beside him, had no binoculars and was unaware of what was happening on the battlefield. However, the shouts of "Long live the King!" from tens of thousands of people filled him with dread.

Because this wasn't a ceremony, but rather the soldiers' spontaneous voice.

Zhang Jun had a clear understanding of just how strong the Han Army's Eight Banners were through these days of fighting side by side.

He understood all too well what he could accomplish with such a powerful army whose loyalty was off the charts.

Zhang Jun took a deep breath and sighed, "If we win this battle, I'm afraid Zhao Shuo's title of 'Northern Zhao Emperor' will be confirmed, and he'll directly become emperor, right?"

“Unlikely.” Meng Gong shook his head slightly and said, “The main force of the Mongol court is still intact. If Zhao Shuo were to declare himself emperor, it would mean a break with the Mongol court. It’s not that Zhao Shuo is certain to lose, but after a Pyrrhic victory, what would he use to unify the world? Zhao Shuo shouldn’t be so unwise.”

Zhang Jun smiled bitterly and said, "Even if Zhao Shuo doesn't declare himself emperor now, the day he does is probably not far off. Given the state of the army, he has his own reasons. When our Great Song Emperor Taizu donned the yellow robe, it was truly a matter of divine mandate and popular support."

How could the power and prestige of Emperor Taizu at that time possibly compare to that of Zhao Shuo?
Despite thinking this, Meng Gong didn't say it aloud. He said, "I estimate that Zhao Shuo has a lot of authority and can still keep his subordinates in check for at least three to five years, or even seven or eight years."

"What about seven or eight years from now? He might ascend the throne, or perhaps even launch a grand campaign to capture the dragon in the south. Can we... withstand that?"

"Zhang Jun, you've talked too much today!" Meng Gong snorted and said, "As warriors, we have no choice but to fight to the death for our country. No matter how powerful Zhao Shuo is, we should be thinking about how to win the battle, not whether we can stop him!"

"Yes, yes, thank you for your guidance, General."

Zhang Jun readily agreed, realizing that he had been too shocked to say many things he shouldn't have.

Although Meng Gong reprimanded Zhang Jun, he also had some doubts in his heart.

How could he possibly defeat Zhao Shuo? He had absolutely no confidence.

Let's fight to the death! Meng Gong himself isn't afraid of death, but what about his soldiers? Are they all going to die with the Song Dynasty? Does he really want to take them with him to their deaths?

Meng Gong's eyes were vacant, filled with confusion.

Wanyan Zhongde was even more confused than him!
How to do?
How to do?
The Han army shouted "Long live the King!" repeatedly, their morale soaring, as they fiercely attacked the Jin army.

The Jin army was cold and hungry, and was a group of defeated soldiers. They had just received news of Wanyan Saibuyi's death. How could they be a match for the Han army?
The situation is now on the verge of collapse, and countless Jin soldiers are considering abandoning their armor and fleeing in all directions.

The reason they didn't actually escape was because they knew it was impossible to escape.

Han troops were everywhere; where could they escape to? Even if they managed to break through, they had no horses and would still die in the pursuit of the elite Han cavalry! Countless Jin soldiers were now neither fiercely resisting the Han army nor fleeing for their lives; their eyes were filled with despair.

"Governor, you must think of a way to save our brothers!"

Of the group of guards that Wanyan Zhongde sent out to gather information, only two returned.

A man, his voice trembling with sobs, said, "The commander-in-chief is indeed dead! He wanted to use the Thunderclap Bomb to take down the elite Han army with him. In the end, he couldn't even do that. I don't know if the Han army was destined for greatness, but the Thunderclap Bomb really didn't cause them many casualties. Even if the warriors wanted to perish with the Han army, they couldn't do it!"

Another soldier said, "General Cao Huo Eke has died in battle! The Han army cut off both his legs and threw him into the fire. Just like those who died at his hands before, he was burned alive! Don't you think this is retribution?"

The soldier, his voice trembling with tears, continued, "And General Jiaguze was killed by five Han soldiers. His head was smashed, both arms were severed, and he was shot twice! Now, you are in the highest position, you have to think of something!"

"me……"

Wanyan Zhongde originally thought he was not afraid of death. Back in Haizhou, he not only sent Guo Zhongyuan's family to Bianliang, but also sent his own family to Bianliang.

Even when Wanyan Sai did not propose the plan to defend Jingou, he fully supported it.

But when the moment came, he realized he wasn't so fearless after all; he still wanted to live.

Furthermore, what's the point of continuing?
If the sudden snowfall and the combined power of cotton and iron armor boosted the morale of the Han army to new heights, then these strange phenomena dealt a devastating blow to the morale of the entire Jin army, including Wanyan Saibu and Wanyan Zhongde.

They felt that the Han army was indeed blessed by Heaven, just like their ancestors.

Their resolute resistance, though seemingly magnificent, was in reality nothing more than a group of clowns trying to stop a chariot with their bare hands. Now, who remembers those Khitan warriors who so resolutely resisted the Jin army?

What's the point of struggling?

What's the use of being resentful?

The Han army, blessed by Heaven, is invincible. These resistances merely provide the Han soldiers with more opportunities to distinguish themselves!

forget it!
Stop resisting! Everything else is fake. Only living is real, and only the survival of your men is real!

Oh, right, subordinates!
I'm not doing this for myself, but for all my subordinates!

Wanyan Zhongde finally found a noble reason and shouted, "Stop fighting! Stop fighting! I am Wanyan Zhongde, the military governor of Zhennan of the Great Jin! On behalf of all the soldiers of the Great Jin, I unconditionally surrender to Zhao... the Zhao Emperor of the North!"

"That's right! We surrender!"

"We're not fighting anymore! We surrender!"

"We'll leave the fighting to the Emperor Zhao's discretion!"

"Spare me! Grandpa Eight Banners, spare me!"

……

Wanyan Zhongde's words seemed to ignite the fuse of surrender. The remaining 30,000-plus Jin soldiers threw down their weapons and surrendered to Zhao Shuo.

Half an hour later, Wanyan Zhongde was bound hand and foot and taken into Zhao Shuo's central command tent.

Boom boom boom!
As soon as he entered the tent, Wanyan Zhongde kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "This sinful subject was ignorant of the opportune moment and stubbornly resisted Your Majesty's heavenly army. My crime is truly heinous. I beg Your Majesty to show your boundless grace and spare my life, as well as the lives of those surrendered criminal soldiers!"

Zhao Shuo had certainly considered that the Jin army would surrender during the Battle of Jingou, but he never expected that such a high-ranking Jin official would surrender.

Zhao Shuo frowned and asked, "Wanyan Zhongde, are you truly surrendering?"

"Yes, yes, yes, this humble subject's loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as the blue sky and as stern as the sun and moon!"

"But I heard that your family is in Bianliang?"

"So what? If we hadn't surrendered, the king's heavenly army would have arrived, and we would have only died a few days later, but our whole families would still have been wiped out. Now that we have surrendered, we might be able to live. It makes sense."

Zhao Shuo shook his head slightly and said, "Even if I don't kill you, it will be difficult to save your life. Afterwards, you will join the Balu Camp like ordinary Jin soldiers and undertake the most difficult tasks. You will have to participate in three bloody battles or cut off three heads before you can leave the Balu Camp and become a regular soldier under my command."

"Baru Camp it is! Forget Baru Camp, I'd even be your dog, Your Majesty, just don't kill me!"

Once Wanyan Zhongde made up his mind, he behaved even more obediently than a lapdog, kowtowing repeatedly. If he had a tail, it would definitely wag wildly.

In fact, it wasn't just Wanyan Zhongde.
In the Battle of Sanfeng Mountain, Zhao Shuo inflicted a heavy blow on the Jin army, and so many unbelievable things happened that the backbone of all the Jin troops in the area was completely broken. This is why Zhao Shuo was able to capture so many Jin soldiers as prisoners.

Zhao Shuo simply took a round number of 20,000 surrendered Jin soldiers, and killed most of the remaining 10,000 or so old and weak as a pledge of allegiance. He spared only a few dozen people with the surname "Wanyan," intending to exchange them with the Jin court for Guo Zhongyuan's family.

They didn't care about Wanyan Zhongde's family; the Jin court could kill them as they pleased. Killing Wanyan Zhongde's family would only make him more loyal to Zhao Shuo as a dog.

However, as the envoys traveled back and forth, Guo Zhongyuan's family was sent over, but the Jin envoy also brought some not-so-good news.

"Our Jin Kingdom has relocated all the soldiers and civilians from Tongguan, the Yellow River, and all the cities and countryside near Bianliang to Bianliang. Now, the number of soldiers and civilians in Bianliang has reached 2.4 million, and the food supply can last for three years. If Your Majesty wants to take Bianliang, I'm afraid you will suffer heavy casualties."

"Your enemies are not only the Jin Dynasty, but also the Song Dynasty in the south, the vast territory in the west, and even the Mongol court in the north. Why lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of the small?"

Zhao Shuo snorted coldly and said, "Are you threatening me?"

"No! No! No!" The envoy kowtowed repeatedly, blood seeping from his forehead, saying, "This is merely a humble request from my Jin Kingdom. Your Majesty, with your magnanimous heart, why cannot tolerate a small kingdom like Jin? If you would just nod your head, my Emperor is willing to demote himself to the King of Henan, to be Your Majesty's eternal vassal, to be loyal to Your Majesty, and for generations to come, to be grateful for Your Majesty's kindness!"

(End of this chapter)