I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 312 The Liao people will never be slaves, unless they are truly outmatched.

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People living in the newly recovered Yanping region of the Song Dynasty, regardless of whether they were Han or non-Han, all changed their clothing from left-fastening to right-fastening.

As for the Confucius statues that previously wore the left-fastening robe, they were all smashed and replaced with the right-fastening robe, thus restoring order.

Everyone in the newly recovered areas, as long as they are permanent residents, must keep their hair—not keeping their hair means not being allowed to live.

All writing systems in the Yanping area were changed to Chinese characters, and all other writing systems were prohibited.

Faced with the overwhelming power of the Song Dynasty, many Liao people, including not only Khitans, Xis, Bohais, Zubus, Shiweis, and Jurchens, but also many Han Chinese who deeply loved the Liao Dynasty, were indignant and even cursed the Song Dynasty for taking advantage of their misfortune.

At this time, the Liao court issued a recruitment order in Khitan script, the content of which is as follows:
My great Liao dynasty, with its century-long foundation, once stretched across the vast deserts and bordered the boundless seas, with all barbarians submitting to its rule. However, the Jurchen traitors, with their wolfish ambitions, seized the opportunity, broke through my capital, captured my capital city, and seized my central capital. Ten thousand miles of northeastern territory fell entirely into the hands of these traitors!
The land of Yan and Yun, once home to the Han people, is now being returned to the Song Dynasty in exchange for the opportunity to restore the Liao Dynasty.

Lost territory not yet recovered, homeland already returned, where can we Liaodong people find refuge?
Khitan sons, remember where your ancestral tombs lie; Han sons, never forget the pain of losing your homeland; the Xi, Bohai, Zubu, and Shiwei tribes, how can you bear to see your homes trampled by the Jurchens? Even if there are righteous Jurchens, they should know the shame of killing their own kind and unite to resist tyranny! From this day forward, all those who are willing to take up arms and march north to drive out the Jurchens and reclaim our land, regardless of their ethnicity, are subjects of our Great Liao!

Though the enemy's forces are formidable, they are not invincible; though our strength is limited, our united will is as solid as a fortress. Parents sending their children off should say, "Do not return until the lost land is recovered"; wives encouraging their husbands should say, "Defending the land and protecting the home is a man's duty." Let us raise the banner of righteousness, turn the tide, reclaim our land, and restore our homes!

Brave souls, quickly gather under the banner and face the national crisis together...

Soon, notices recruiting Liao people to go north to fight against the Jin dynasty were posted in various places in the Yanping area, including the main streets of Yanjing.

The Liao court also sent people on horseback to various places where Liao people gathered to spread the word about recruiting Liao people to go north and resist the Jin.

This attracted great attention from the Liao people.

On the one hand, the Song Dynasty was "driving the Liao people out."

On the other hand, the Liao Dynasty recruited Liao people to go north and recover lost territories.

Song officials had planted new flags all over the streets, and Liao envoys had posted notices stating that the handover between Song and Liao was complete. Former Liao citizens who wished to return north could leave with the Liao army; those who wished to stay would have to follow the regulations of the Song Dynasty, change their hair and clothes, and register as citizens.

Some people looked at the words "Returning North" on the notice and recalled their lives under the rule of the Liao Dynasty; others stared at the right-fastening robes hanging in the cloth shop, their eyes lingering on their own old left-fastening robes.

Some Liao people were arguing. Some tied quivers to their waists, saying they wanted to follow the Liao army north to defeat the Jurchens and recover their Liao homeland. Others shook their heads, saying that the Liao Kingdom was gone, all five capitals were lost, and the court was just a department under the Song court. Going north would mean being displaced, homeless, and unable to live a stable life for their whole family. Although the Song Dynasty wanted them to change, it genuinely wanted to accept them. Otherwise, why would they bother?
After several days of disputes, the returning northwards formed a long queue outside the city gates. There were Khitan herdsmen driving cattle, horses, camels, and donkeys, their backs laden with tightly rolled-up felt blankets; there were Han craftsmen carrying toolboxes, inside which were hidden the "skilled craftsman" tokens granted by the Liao court; and there were men from the Xi, Bohai, Zubu, Shiwei, and Jurchen tribes, who took the long spears newly issued to them by the Liao court, bid farewell to their families, and resolutely went to fight for their country.

Those who chose to stay were busy changing into right-fastening clothes, growing their hair like the Han people, and personally selling all the books, inscriptions, bamboo slips, and silk manuscripts with Khitan script to the Song Dynasty. As for other Khitan script, they were all erased and destroyed.

After several days of gathering, the Liao people heading north gradually left the Yanping region. The wind lifted the corners of their clothes, and their left-fastening robes stretched out in the twilight like a torn old flag.

Those Liao people who remained, whether Khitans, Han Chinese, or people of other ethnicities, all cautiously yet resolutely began their new lives, telling themselves, "From today onwards, I am a Han Chinese..."

Zhao Yu kept his word and prepared 500,000 shi of grain and 50,000 soldiers and armor for the Liao people heading north.

Yelü Chun personally led these Liao people northward to Ulanbutong on the southern edge of the Hunshandake Sandy Land, where they joined forces with Xiao Xiamai, the prefect of the Xiwang Palace; Xiao Degong, the prime minister of the Northern Palace; Yelü Diligu, the Grand Master of Ceremonies; Xiao Heshangnu, the governor of Guizhou; Xiao Gan, the commander of the Eastern Capital; Yelü Dashi, the commander of the Western Capital; Zhang Jue, the military governor of Liaoxing Army; Guo Yaoshi, the commander of Yuan Army; and many other Liao troops and grassland tribes.

At this time, including the Liao people from the Yanping region brought by Yelü Chun, a total of 660,000 Liao troops had gathered here.

In fact, given the current situation of the Liao army, the most urgent task is to train and prepare its troops, adopt a defensive strategy as an offensive tactic, and wait for an opportune moment to act.

However, both Yelü Chun and the Liao people who came with the belief that they would die hoped to organize a decisive battle here to defeat the Jin army and at least recover Liao Zhongjing, so that their Liao state could have a place and no longer be dependent on others.

This included the hawks Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi.

Moreover, the Liao Dynasty possessed an army of 600,000 to 700,000, claiming to have a million soldiers, making its military strength superior to that of the Jin army.

Furthermore, Yelü Chun and others still harbored illusions about Yelü Yudu and other Liao soldiers who had surrendered to the Jin Dynasty. They believed that it was Yelü Yanxi who had forced Yelü Yudu into rebellion, and it was Yelü Yudu's incompetence that led to the Liao Dynasty's current state, with many Liao people defecting to the Jin. Now, the Liao emperor had changed from Yelü Yanxi to the highly popular Yelü Aoluwo, who was also the prince Yelü Yudu had always supported. They felt there was no reason for Yelü Yudu and his followers not to return.

In this way, Yelü Yudu might lead the Liao army that had surrendered to the Jin Dynasty to defect on the battlefield.

Not only did Yelü Chun and others think this way, they also sent spies to persuade Jin generals of Liao origin, such as Yelü Yudu, to defect.

However, Yelü Chun and others' idea of ​​a decisive battle was not without opposition.

Xiao Degong then presented Yelü Chun with two strategies, "Cultivating Authority" and "Prudent Conduct," advising Yelü Chun against rash actions.

Yelü Chun laughed it off and did not take it seriously.

Yelü Chun convened a military conference to solicit the opinions of his generals on the battle.

Xiao Xiamai, the Liao general in charge of the Xiwangfu (a government office), said: "Our Liao has suffered repeated defeats and its morale is low. The Jurchens have only recently established themselves and are at the height of their power. It is difficult for our army to contend with them. Our army should train its troops and prepare for war to preserve its existing territory. We can only discuss a decisive battle at least three years from now."

Yelü Diligu said: "Although our army is large, most of them are defeated soldiers who fear the Jurchens like tigers. It is not advisable to engage them in a direct confrontation. Instead, we should harass the areas where the Jurchens have weak control, plunder their grain, livestock, and people, and gradually restore our national strength."

Xiao Heshangnu spoke up: "Since our Great Liao has the support of the Great Song, we can unite with the tribes of the grasslands and slowly negotiate with the Jurchens. There is no need to rush. We can wait until the Jurchens' morale is exhausted before we plan to recover our lost territories."

However, the Liao people, led by hawkish generals such as Xiao Gan, Yelü Dashi, and Zhang Jue, believed that Xiao Xiamai's opinion was too imprudent, while Yelü Diligu and Xiao Heshangnu's opinions were too timid.

Xiao Degong agreed with the opinions of Xiao Xiamai, Yelü Diligu, and Xiao Heshangnu, and argued firmly against engaging in a battle with the Jin army in the near future.

Upon hearing this, Yelü Chun became agitated and sternly interrupted Xiao Degong, saying, "Do you think we don't know these things? But our Great Liao has lost all its capitals, and the emperor can only live under the guise of the Great Song. Although the Great Song supports our Great Liao, if our Great Liao suffers repeated defeats and cannot defeat the Jurchens, how long can the Great Song support our Great Liao?"

Yelü Dashi also said that if the Liao people never see any hope of restoring their country, they will either surrender to the Jin or the Song, and the Liao Dynasty will probably exist in name only.

This is also an objective fact.

However, Xiao Xiamai, Xiao Degong, Yelü Diligu, and Xiao Heshangnu, who were frightened by the Jin army and were relatively prudent, still disagreed with fighting a decisive battle with the Jin army.

Fearing that Xiao Xiamai and others would sabotage the decisive battle, Yelü Chun, on the advice of Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi, forced them to relinquish their military power, keeping them by his side as advisors. He then handed over their troops to his trusted commanders as the central army, which he personally commanded.

Wanyan Aguda also wanted to defeat the Liao army in one battle, and then, riding the momentum of a great victory, march south to have a good talk with Zhao Yu and see what Zhao Yu really thought: whether the Song Dynasty should make peace or fight with the Jin Dynasty. Therefore, the situation presented by the Liao Dynasty was very much in line with Wanyan Aguda's intention to resolve the Liao problem in one fell swoop through a decisive battle.

Therefore, Wanyan Aguda personally commanded the war, mobilizing more than 300,000 Jin troops, claiming to be 800,000, and brought them to Ulanbutong on the southern edge of the Hunshandake Sandy Land.

The Jin army, numbering 340,000, was divided into three parts: Wanyan Zonghan led the eastern route army to guard the Hongshan Pass on the east side, preventing the Liao army from outflanking them; Wanyan Zongwang led the western route army to garrison the Shaliang on the west side, controlling the Luanhe River crossing; Wanyan Aguda himself led the central army to the main hilly area, while Wanyan Loushi and Wanyan Yinshuke each led elite cavalry on the two wings, like eagles circling around. The former Liao soldiers who had surrendered to the Jin army were scattered by Wanyan Aguda and deployed in insignificant places.

The tributaries of the Luan River have carved out several shallows in the grassland. The north bank is a continuous range of hills and terraces, while the south bank is an open river valley grassland.

The Jin camp was set up on the hills on the north bank. Wanyan Aguda climbed to a high point to observe the situation. He saw that although the Liao army's formation was large, its discipline was scattered. He said to Wanyan Xie beside him, "Nieli is too impatient."

At this point, Wanyan Aguda asked Yelü Yudu with a smile, "What does the Right Vice Commander think?"

Yelü Chun and his accomplices were unaware that the spies they had sent to persuade Yelü Yudu and other surrendered Liao generals to defect had all been captured by the Jurchens.

In other words, Wanyan Aguda knew that Yelü Chun and others wanted Yelü Yudu and the other Liao generals who had surrendered to the Liao to turn against them during the decisive battle.

In response, Wanyan Aguda allowed Yelü Yudu and other former Liao generals who had surrendered to the Liao to continue leading their former troops, and bestowed upon them high-ranking positions and generous salaries as a way to win them over.

—Leaving aside the leaders and officers, as long as a Liao person was willing to surrender to the Jin Dynasty, the Jin court would give them land, grassland, a wife, two pigs, a cow, and a dog.

This approach made Yelü Yudu and other surrendered Liao soldiers feel valued, which to some extent strengthened their sense of belonging to the Jin Dynasty.

On the other hand, Wanyan Aguda detained the families, wives and children of Yelü Yudu and other Liao soldiers as hostages when they first surrendered. At the same time, he ordered the Xianzhou Road Commander-in-Chief to keep a close watch on them and moved the Khitan army led by Yelü Yudu and other Liao soldiers to the Jurchen heartland to prevent them from causing trouble on the border.

This time, Wanyan Aguda brought the surrendered Khitan troops along because he was going to have a decisive battle with the Liao Kingdom.

At the same time, the families of these Khitan soldiers were all left behind by Wanyan Aguda. If they dared to make any moves, their families and everything they owned would belong to the Jurchens.

Wanyan Aguda was very confident. He used a combination of soft and hard tactics, along with some technical control, to ensure that these surrendered Khitan soldiers would obey him.

At dawn, the Liao army made the first move.

Yelü Dashi personally led 30,000 elite Liao cavalry, brandishing their scimitars as they charged into battle, their iron hooves trampling across the frosty grassland, raising clouds of white grass clippings.

In the Jin army's ranks, Wanyan Loushi received Wanyan Aguda's order and led 20,000 heavy infantry to meet them steadily.

Within an arrow's reach, the Liao army began to fire arrows in droves.

Unexpectedly, the Jin heavy infantrymen each wore at least two sets of armor, making their defense incredibly strong. Moreover, they were able to hold out until the Liao army was within twenty or thirty paces before firing their arrows.

This fully demonstrates that the Jin army was not only well-equipped, but also strictly disciplined.

It's worth mentioning that the bows and arrows used by the Jin army were deadly weapons in close combat. Their bows were arguably the king of cold weapons of the era, even more effective than the Li Lin muskets currently in use by the Song army. With a hard bow weighing over eighty pounds, coupled with heavy arrows capable of killing a wild boar at a single step, they could pin a person and their armor to the ground within twenty paces; even warhorses couldn't withstand a single arrow.

Crucially, many of the bolder Jin soldiers fired at point-blank range, within ten paces of each other.

In this situation, the Jin army killed at least one-third of the Liao's elite cavalry in a single volley of fire.

However, Yelü Dashi, as expected of a top general in the late Liao Dynasty and an outstanding leader who established the Western Liao Dynasty, shouted in the face of such a fierce Jin army: "No more words, only death."

As soon as Yelü Dashi finished speaking, the Liao soldiers raised their sabers, braving the heavy arrows that could kill them with a single shot, and charged into the Jin infantry, cutting them down like melons and vegetables.

Yelü Dashi took the lead, leading the fearless Liao soldiers in a fierce battle against the Jin army.

Although the Jin army was composed of infantry, they were not afraid of the Liao cavalry at all, thanks to the superior defensive capabilities of their heavy armor. The maces in their hands were also powerful weapons for killing Liao soldiers.

The two sides fought each other like madmen.

Meanwhile, Wanyan Zonghan led the eastern army across the shallows and charged straight at the Liao army's right flank, where the resentful troops and the mixed Bohai army. The Bohai people who had been forcibly conscripted were unwilling to fight to the death for the Liao, and when they saw the Jin army's heavy cavalry charging towards them, the mixed Bohai army turned and fled.

Yelü Chun and others did not expect the Bohai mixed army to resist the Jin army's attack. The main force here was the rebellious army led by Guo Yaoshi. However, after the Bohai mixed army was frightened away by the Jin army, it panicked and rushed towards the rebellious army's camp, disrupting the rebellious army's formation. This was something the rebellious army had not anticipated.

Guo Yaoshi and other generals of the resentful army were completely unable to control the chaos. They could only watch helplessly as the Jin army, following the fleeing Bohai mixed troops, successfully passed through the resentful army's firing range and rushed straight to the resentful army's camp.

Thus, the Liao and Jin sides engaged in fierce close-quarters combat.

Not only did Yelü Dashi's Liao army and Yuan army engage in fierce battles with the Jin army, but Xiao Gan's Liao army, Zhang Jue's Han army, and warriors from some grassland tribes also fought fiercely with the Jin army, exchanging blood and lives.

The Liao and Jin armies fought fiercely until the afternoon, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

As the sun began to set, the Liao army's visibility began to be obstructed as they faced the sunlight.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Wanyan Aguda decisively committed all his reserves, which were personally led by Wanyan Xieye to attack the Liao army's central force led by Yelü Chun.

Just as Xiao Xiamai and others had said beforehand, these Liao troops had suffered defeat after defeat and had long become frightened birds. In addition, the change of generals on the eve of battle, coupled with the fact that Wanyan Xieye was known as the first commander of the Jurchens, made the Liao troops afraid as soon as they saw Wanyan Xieye's banner. As a result, the Liao army's central army was overwhelmed by the Jin army's reserves in one fell swoop, and the other Liao army camps did not have time to provide reinforcements.

The collapse of the Liao army's central command and the subsequent desertion of its soldiers disrupted the entire battle. Other armies also suffered defeats and fled south.

The decisive battle ended in victory for the Jin army.

However, the Jin army itself suffered heavy casualties and was unable to pursue the Liao army. So they stationed themselves at Wulanbutong, cleaned up the battlefield, counted the spoils of war, and rested their troops.

The Liao army, having lost all their armor and weapons, fled back to the Great Wall, seeking refuge with the Song Dynasty...

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(End of this chapter)