I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 314 The Ultimate Battle of the Three Kingdoms
...

A dozen days later, Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi arrived in Pingzhou again. Yang Zhichuan, the garrison commander of Yuguan, reported that the Jin emperor Wanyan Aguda had sent an envoy to visit.

While sending someone to Yanjing to inform Zhao Yu, Song Jiang also sent someone to bring Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi to Pingzhou.

Soon after, the military camp arranged for Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo to serve as hostesses and to receive Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi in Pingzhou.

Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi delivered Wanyan Aguda's challenge to Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo. The challenge stated:

"The Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty sends a letter to His Excellency the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty:"

Having received your letter and the messenger's reply, I cannot assure you of our sincerity in forming an alliance, and thus cannot avoid further discussion. If the affairs of our two dynasties do not reach a compromise, war is inevitable. If this happens, not only will the calamities worsen, but countless lives will also be lost. Therefore, I have sent someone to await your reply. It is because the Song emperor sheltered the Khitan emperor and even assisted the Khitan in changing emperors, intending to ally with the Khitan against our Great Jin. Moreover, your letter suggests there is still room for discussion and negotiation, yet you show no remorse…”

Wanyan Aguda was essentially saying: "If neither of us can convince the other, then the Jin and Song dynasties will have to fight. Whoever wins will get their way. I, Wanyan Aguda, am a civilized man. Before I beat you, I sent someone to inform you first. Furthermore, the reason I'm beating you is because you're protecting the remnants of the Liao dynasty from my annihilation. I've already sent someone to warn you, but you remain unrepentant. Originally, I wanted to discuss this matter with you properly because you were willing to trade with me, but since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being impolite. I'll ask you one last time: will you hand over Yelü Yanxi and his son, and the people of the remnants of the Liao dynasty? If you still don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being ruthless."

This is a very clear declaration of war.

Logically, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo should have returned to Yanjing City immediately to deliver Wanyan Aguda's challenge to Zhao Yu.

However, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo opened Wanyan Aguda's challenge to Zhao Yu in front of Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi.

This was, of course, Zhao Yu's prior instruction.

In fact, Emperor Zhao Yu and his ministers had already anticipated that there would be a war between the Song and Jin dynasties, and had already mobilized troops to prepare for the battle.

In response, some conservative ministers of the Song Dynasty must have advised Zhao Yu not to fight the Jin Dynasty. They even said that this was a war between Liao and Jin and had nothing to do with the Song Dynasty.

Some people say that the Song Dynasty was able to recover the Yanping region thanks to the Jin Dynasty's influence. Moreover, Wanyan Aguda treated Zhao Yu with great respect and kindness, not only marrying all three of his daughters to Zhao Yu, but also marrying three hundred noblewomen of the Jin Dynasty to Zhao Yu, and sending more than three hundred beauties of the Liao Dynasty to Zhao Yu. His words were all meant to advise Zhao Yu not to repay kindness with enmity and offend his new neighbor, the Jin Dynasty.

In fact, Zhao Yu was well aware that the ministers who advised him not to go to war with the Jin Dynasty were, on the one hand, conservative and unwilling to let the Song Dynasty fight; on the other hand, the Jin Dynasty occupied the north and was an important trading partner of the Song Dynasty. Trading with the Jin Dynasty could make a lot of money for both the Song Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty.

Zhao Yu ignored these short-sighted people. He knew very well how cunning, fierce, and greedy the Jurchens were. If he didn't punish them severely, they would always covet the wealth and women of the Song Dynasty, even more so than the Liao and Xia dynasties.

Therefore, Zhao Yu overruled the objections of others and decided to strike once to avoid being struck a hundred times.

Based on this, before Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo came to see Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi, Zhao Yu told them to handle the challenges from the Jin state with full authority and not to waste time on sending envoys back and forth.

After reading Wanyan Aguda's declaration of war, Zhao Liangsi said, "The affairs between two great powers should be discussed. Why do you say this?"

Uxie said, "The army has already set out; what is there to discuss?"

Gao Qingyi steered the conversation back a bit, saying, "If you're in a hurry, we can discuss it. But your dynasty must consider handing over all the Liao people, from Aguo down, and paying some annual tribute. That would preserve the ancestral temples and state of the Great Song."

Zhao Liangsi said, "Your emperor frequently mentions raising troops; what is his intention?"

Wu Xie replied, "The army has already been mobilized, and there is no need for further discussion. Our Great Jin army is now advancing south in two routes. We forbid the killing of the people, but only issue proclamations to pacify the region. Your dynasty can prepare for battle."

Zhao Liangsi said, "Many things were agreed upon between the two dynasties, but now they have raised an army without even giving us a heads-up. What kind of logic is this?"

Gao Qingyi replied, "It is only because your dynasty has lost its way that this has happened."

Ma Kuo said leisurely, "Weapons are instruments of destruction, and Heaven abhors them. Your dynasty has swallowed up much of the Khitan territory, but it was with the help and influence of our dynasty that you have taken advantage of it. Now, you have abandoned your previous oaths of friendship and started a war, which is a death sentence. Moreover, who knows when the war will end!"

Wu Xie said, "If His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty were afraid of your dynasty's strength, he would not dare to come to war."

Gao Qingyi said, "Since things have come to this, why are we arguing here? If your country doesn't hand over all the Liao people and pay tribute to our Great Jin, then our two families can no longer avoid this war."

Ma Kuo said calmly, "It seems that your dynasty listens to such outrageous words and regards our dynasty as a fallen Khitan. I fear that you will bring great trouble upon yourselves in the future!"

Wu Xie smiled slightly, a look of self-satisfaction on his face.

Seeing that they could no longer continue the conversation and that the Jin Dynasty was determined to fight the Song Dynasty, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo produced the declaration of war that Zhao Yu had given to Wanyan Aguda:

"Challenge":
Threatening each other with force is not the way for the two countries to make peace. In the past, the conflict between Liao and Jin had nothing to do with the Song Dynasty. Trade was permitted, and the people on both sides were allowed to live in peace, so as not to cause trouble. However, I am mindful of humanity and cannot bear to see people suffer. Therefore, I have intervened to mediate, hoping that the three countries can share peace and live their own lives. I am not seeking any other benefit.

Now you use my assistance to Liaodong as an excuse to start a war, are you trying to deceive me into thinking I dare not fight?
In the past, Emperor Wu of Han drove the Xiongnu to the northern deserts, and Emperor Taizong of Tang pacified the Turks across vast distances. Although our Great Song Dynasty governs with benevolence and kindness, our determination to punish those who offend our mighty Han, no matter how far away, has never diminished. If you remain obstinate and refuse to understand, I will personally lead an expedition to eradicate you and wipe out your evil forces!

No need for further words, if you want war, then let's fight!
Inscribed by the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty.

Wu Xie and Gao Qingyi never expected that Zhao Yu not only disregarded the "peace" conditions proposed by their Great Jin Kingdom, but also had already prepared a declaration of war. This clearly showed that he had long been preparing for a war with the Jin Kingdom.

Wu Xie felt that Zhao Yu didn't respect their Great Jin Kingdom at all, and he was furious, vowing to teach Zhao Yu a lesson.

Gao Qingyi sensed something was amiss. As far as he knew, Zhao Yu wasn't an impulsive person. Even if Zhao Yu were impulsive, the Song Dynasty's ministers were generally war-averse and conservative; how could the Song Dynasty so easily decide to go to war? There must be something fishy going on. Gao Qingyi frowned, pondering to himself, 'Could it be that the Song Dynasty has some kind of backing, making them so fearless?'

Wu Xie disregarded all of this and immediately set the time and place for the battle with Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo.

……

The battlefield agreed upon by the Song and Jin dynasties for the decisive battle was the Luan River Valley.

This area was formed by the alluvial deposits of several tributaries on the northern slope of the Yanshan Mountains. The terrain is relatively flat and the river valleys are open, which can accommodate the deployment, formation and maneuver of an army of hundreds of thousands of people, meeting the needs of large-scale field battles.

This place is a necessary passage for those heading north from passes such as Songting Pass and Gubeikou. It connects to Liaozhongjing in the north and Yanjing in the south, serving as both a vital hub for north-south transportation and a core corridor for those traveling north from Yan to Northeast China.

The Luanhe River Valley has always been a key battlefield for the Liao army's southward advance and the Song army's northern expedition. For example, during the Yongxi Northern Expedition of the Northern Song Dynasty, the eastern route army attempted to advance north through this passage, aiming directly at the Liao capital of Zhongjing; the Liao army also frequently gathered in this area when advancing south, relying on the valley terrain to launch offensive and defensive operations.

This area avoids the mountainous terrain outside Juyong Pass and is further north than Gubeikou, situated in the transition zone between Yanjing and Zhongjing Road.

Choosing this battlefield meant that neither the Song nor the Jin dynasty would suffer a loss. Seven days in advance, the Song-Liao allied forces left Songting Pass and marched straight to the south bank of the Luan River.

Prior to this, Zhao Yu had already ordered Liu Fa, Han Shizhong, Wu Jie, Xiao Gan, Yelü Dashi, and others to survey the terrain of the Luan River Valley.

After Liu Fa and the others returned, they discussed and decided on the battle formation for the Song army in this battle—the Crane Wing Formation.

The Crane Wing Formation is a field battle formation developed in ancient China during the era of cold weapons, combining offense and defense. The commander-in-chief commands from the center, while the two flanks spread out like crane wings, allowing for flanking maneuvers to attack or counterattack enemy penetrations. Its core tactics require the central army to maintain tight defense, while the two flanks coordinate flexibly for long-range containment and close-quarters encirclement, relying on flag and drum signals for coordinated advances and retreats.

It's roughly like this:

The central route consisted of the Shenji Army and other infantry—the Shenji Army was in the center, flanked by infantry on both sides.

The two flanks of the Crane Wing Formation were cavalry.

It is worth mentioning that Zhao Yu's imperial camp was located in the very center of this formation, attracting the main force of the Jin army to attack. Then, he gradually retreated, luring the enemy deep into his territory. Finally, he used the concentric attacks of the cavalry on both flanks to close the gap and deliver a decisive blow to the enemy from the side.

To be honest, Zhao Yu was taking some risks with this formation, even though the Song Dynasty had made ample preparations for his defense and escape.

In fact, many people opposed Zhao Yu's personal involvement in the battle, believing that it would be sufficient to send a commander to take command in his place.

Li Lin, who dreamed of war and conquest, longed to command a decisive battle involving hundreds of thousands of troops on both sides. So, she urged Zhao Yu to personally command the battle, even if it was just in name only. As long as the Jin army was defeated, Zhao Yu's prestige would reach new heights and become unshakeable.

Moreover, as long as Zhao Yu personally leads the troops into battle, the morale of both the Song and Liao armies will surely be high.

To persuade Zhao Yu, Li Lin cited the example of the Treaty of Chanyuan, saying that Kou Zhun requested Emperor Zhenzong of Song to personally lead an expedition. After the imperial carriage crossed the river, the morale of the Song army soared, the enemy general Talan was shot and killed, and the morale of the Liao army plummeted. The Liao army then sent envoys to sue for peace, and Hebei was thus recovered. The situation today is similar. I urge Your Majesty to emulate Emperor Zhenzong and personally lead an expedition. This matter should be handled swiftly and cannot be delayed.

Zhao Yu was perfectly aware of Li Lin's thoughts.

Zhao Yu could let Li Lin participate in the command of this battle, since she was more knowledgeable about firearms, but he certainly couldn't let her command the battle.

Ultimately, Zhao Yu appointed the veteran general Liu Fa as the Grand Marshal, the overall commander of the battle, with Tong Guan, He Guan, and Song Jiang as deputy marshals, and Zhong Shidao, Zhong Shizhong, Wang Bing, Han Shizhong, Wu Jie, Zhang Jun, and Zhai Xing as senior advisors. Together with Li Lin, they formed a staff to assist Zhao Yu in commanding the battle.

The Liao army, meanwhile, was stationed downstream on the south bank of the Luan River, forming a pincer movement with the Song army.

The Liao army's formation was in the shape of a large "∧", which was the famous attack formation - the wedge formation.

This is also the formation that nomadic peoples are most adept at.

Upon reaching the south bank of the Luan River, both the Song and Liao armies set up camp and prepared for a major battle.

The following day, the Jin army also arrived at the north bank of the Luan River, where they confronted the Song and Liao armies across the river.

On the Jin side, approximately 400,000 troops were mobilized, roughly the same number as the Song-Liao allied forces. They were also divided into left and right armies, with the left wing confronting the Song army and the right wing confronting the Liao army.

The Jin army deployed its most elite heavy cavalry in the vanguard and light cavalry on the flanks, employing a wedge-shaped formation in an attempt to break through the Song-Liao allied forces' defenses with the impact of its cavalry.

Wanyan Aguda personally led the central army, along with a portion of elite cavalry and a large number of infantry, in an attempt to use the mobility of the cavalry to support the Jin army on the left and right, and to carry out flanking maneuvers, divisions, and encirclements when necessary, repeatedly attacking the Song and Liao armies.

The Jin infantry were divided into small squads and scattered around the villages and fields surrounding the cavalry, forming a pincer movement to harass approaching enemies and coordinate with the cavalry in combat.

Both sides deployed nearly 400,000 troops, and both claimed to have a million-strong army. Their military formations were very long and stretched out. Moreover, the terrain was flat and open, making it unlikely that they could use any schemes or tricks under the watchful eyes of so many people.

Therefore, this was destined to be a fair and square decisive battle.

Such a large-scale battle could not possibly be commanded by one or two people; it required a large command team, otherwise chaos would ensue.

In this crucial battle, Zhao Yu dared not be careless in the slightest. On Zhang Chun's advice, Zhao Yu deployed only the most capable and experienced generals at key points.

It is worth mentioning that, in order to train his sons, many of Zhao Yu's sons, such as Zhao Yan, Zhao Xiu, Zhao Da, Zhao Di, Zhao Wei, Zhao Jin, Zhao Qing, and Zhao Tang, all participated in this battle. Moreover, many of them anonymously joined the front-line troops, or even became soldiers on the front lines.

This shows that Zhao Yu was taking a big gamble, and he couldn't afford to lose.

As soon as the Jin army arrived at the north bank of the Luan River, they sent out a cavalry force to patrol along the riverbank, giving the Song-Liao allied forces no chance to launch a surprise attack.

The Luan River is two to three meters deep in some places and only a foot deep in others.

Deep inside, it's almost a given that during a war, no one should be able to cross the Luan River, which is only a few dozen feet wide, under the noses of nearly a million troops.

Therefore, only those shallow sections are passageways for crossing the river.

Once the Jin army arrived at the banks of the Luan River, they occupied all the shallow areas and sent scouts across the river through these areas to build fortresses on the riverbanks belonging to the Song army.

In short, the Jin army initially planned to launch an offensive, much like the Liao army.

This is also consistent with the characteristics of nomadic peoples, who have always been the ones to take the initiative in attacking.

On the other hand, the Song army, mainly composed of infantry, naturally focused on defense, which is in line with the characteristics of an agrarian society.

After the three sides set up their formations, they began probing attacks.

During this process, the tripartite arrangement was basically fully formed.

The Jin army held their attack formation and the area north of the Luan River, while the hundreds of square miles south of the Luan River were filled with Song and Liao troops...

……

(End of this chapter)