I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 317 Firepower Destroys the Jin Army, One Battle Decides the Fate
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Just as the Song army was fiercely clashing with the western Jin army, the eastern Jin army, which had concentrated superior forces and stronger generals, launched a fierce attack on the Liao army. Generals such as Wanyan Zongjun, Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zongfu, Jin Wuzhu, Wanyan Loushi, Wanyan Yinshuke, and Yelü Yudu bravely stepped forward.

Soon, the camp of Liao commander Yelü Zhen was breached by the Jin army, and Yelü Zhen and his Liao soldiers abandoned their positions and fled.

Xiao Gan arrived quickly, beheaded Yelü Zhen with his sword, and stopped the retreat.

Yelü Dashi also led his troops to the scene, organized a counterattack, and recaptured Yelü Zhen's camp.

Yelü Dashi shouted to the Liao soldiers, "The Jin army has mobilized all its forces; this is our chance to kill the enemy and serve our country!"

Yelü Dashi drew his sword, drew a line at his feet, pointed the tip of his sword at the line, and announced: "If you're going to die, die in front of this line! Anyone who dares to retreat will be beheaded!"

The Liao army fought desperately and managed to stabilize their position.

The Jin army launched another attack, deploying a reserve force of over 30,000 men, personally led by Wanyan Loushi, to launch a fierce assault on the left flank of Xiao Gan's camp.

Xiao Gan immediately mobilized troops to support the Jin army and thwarted their advance.

Moments later, the enraged Jin army on the eastern route launched another attack. Ignoring casualties, they charged into the Liao army's ranks in dense formation, and a bloody battle ensued.

The Jin army on the eastern route launched a fierce attack on the Liao army, making full use of the high mobility of cavalry. They changed their tactics from a direct frontal assault to a two-pronged attack, with Wanyan Zongjun commanding the eastern force and Wanyan Zongwang commanding the western force. They used the rapid movement of cavalry to constantly change the deployment of troops on the east and west sides, sometimes concentrating their forces to attack the east, sometimes concentrating their forces to attack the west, and sometimes attacking from both sides simultaneously.

The change in tactical rhythm caused the Liao army, whose cavalry numbers were far fewer than those of the Jin army, to run back and forth constantly, sometimes to the east and sometimes to the west, becoming extremely exhausted.

Finally, at a considerable cost, the Jin army on the eastern route completely broke through the Liao army's defenses, and the heavily armored infantry of the Jin army on the eastern route charged forward on horseback.

If the Jin army's heavy infantry on the eastern route can reach the Liao army's lines, the Liao army may be defeated.

Even though the Jin army on the eastern route was gaining momentum, the Liao army did not give up, and the Jin army on the eastern route showed no joy whatsoever.

This is because, at the same time, the Song army and the Jin army on the western route are about to determine a victor.

The Jin army on the western route employed a series of charges as their main tactic, attempting to break through the Song army's formation and divide them up by relying on their horsepower.

However, when the Jin cavalry from the west approached, the Song infantry, who had been waiting for days, quickly formed ranks, with the front row kneeling and the back row standing, taking turns firing to ensure that the firepower was not interrupted.

The formations maintained coordination, mutually protecting each other's flanks to avoid being divided and surrounded by the Jin army's cavalry on the western route.
Artillery was deployed behind or in the gaps of the square formation to bombard the charging Jin cavalry groups on the western route, weakening their impact. Then, the Li Lin guns and Shenbi crossbows in the square formation fired in unison to finish them off.

This tactic caused the western Jin cavalry charges to repeatedly crash into a "wall of fire"—even if a few western Jin cavalry broke through to the vicinity of the square formation, they would be repelled by the crossfire or long spears of the circular formation.

The stability and sustained firepower of the hollow formation prevented the Jin army on the western route from advancing, fully demonstrating the superiority of modern military tactics over traditional cavalry tactics.

When the Jin army's horses were hit, they would charge in disarray even at the sound of artillery fire, resulting in heavy casualties.

The fierce generals of the Jin army on the western route did not give up. They organized cavalry charges many times, and some cavalry even broke through to the Song army. However, they were repelled by the spear formations, and most of the arrows they shot were blocked by the Song army's shield soldiers.

After the Song army's central force completely halted the massive, overwhelming cone-shaped formation of the western Jin army, under Li Lin's command, the Song army continued to employ the tactic of "tiered fire coverage," forcing the western Jin army to retreat in droves, unable to advance.

Just then, the Jingse Army on both flanks of the Song army's Crane Wing Formation attacked the left and right flanks of the Jin army on the western route.

Upon witnessing the imposing presence of the Jingse Army, Wanyan Wulu knew that this heavily armored cavalry would be a formidable force.

Despite knowing this, Wanyan Wulu still sent 20,000 Liao light cavalry to meet the enemy and try to stop the two Jingse armies.

However, how could light cavalry possibly defeat armored cavalry? Moreover, the Song army also had a large number of heavy cavalry on both flanks.

The two sides exchanged fire for a short while, and the Liao light cavalry, who were not particularly willing to fight for the Jin Dynasty, were repelled.

In short, after repelling the Liao light cavalry, the left and right flanks of the western Jin army were broken by the Jingse Army, and the cavalry and infantry behind the Jingse Army began to encircle the main force of the western Jin army.

After the encirclement was completed, the Jingse Army and the Song cavalry began to pursue and kill the Jin army on the western route outside the encirclement, in order to prevent them from attacking the Song infantry's encirclement.

As for the main force of the western Jin army, which was surrounded, it was attacked from all sides by the Song infantry.

Upon hearing his commander's order, Zhao Jian was told: "Throw down your shields and within ten breaths, throw all your thunderbolts into the enemy ranks. Explode wherever there are the most people, and don't forget to draw the bowstring!"

Upon receiving the order, Zhao Jian quickly threw away the large shield he was holding, which was riddled with arrows, and then, as instructed by his instructor, threw the thunderbolt into the surrounded Jin army in the shortest possible time.

Tens of thousands of infantrymen were like Zhao Jian, so much so that the encircled Jin army formation was instantly attacked as if by a meteor shower, and these meteors would explode.

Thunderclaps boomed one after another, flames shot into the sky, thick smoke billowed, and the screams of the Jin soldiers and the neighing of their warhorses mingled together, creating an extremely tragic scene.

The main force of the Jin army on the western route, which was surrounded, was caught off guard by the sudden and fierce attack. They were already compressed together and were instantly thrown into chaos.

No matter how fierce the armored cavalry, heavy cavalry, or heavily armored infantry are, once they're all crammed together, it's all useless.

Especially the Jin cavalry, who couldn't run fast, could only be slaughtered by the Song infantry.

Moreover, the shockwave released by the Song army's thunderclap bombs was something that even iron armor could not withstand.

More importantly, under Li Lin's command, all of Li Lin's cannons were turned around and fired continuously at the main force of the western Jin army in the encirclement.

At the same time, Li Lin's muskets and divine crossbows were also firing at the main force of the western Jin army in the encirclement.

As a result, the main force of the Jin army on the western route, which was surrounded, was completely trapped in a desperate situation.

The intense artillery fire and the deafening explosions of thunderclaps intertwined to create a deathly symphony, each boom accompanied by the screams of countless Jin troops on the western route and the mournful neighing of their warhorses.

The heavy infantry's armor, with at least two layers, was as fragile as paper under the explosive impact of the thunderclap bombs, especially under the bombardment of Li Lin's cannons, making them no more resilient than other Jin troops.

The Song infantry swiftly reaped the lives of the main Jin army force on the western route without the slightest hesitation.

Looking at this tragic scene, Wanyan Wulu was filled with despair and resentment. He had never imagined that the once invincible Jin army would be so utterly defeated by the Song army with such novel tactics and powerful firepower.

Wanyan Wulu attempted to organize the remaining Liao light cavalry for a counterattack, but on this battlefield filled with chaos and fear, any order seemed so pale and powerless.

The main force of the western Jin army, trapped in the encirclement, scattered and trampled each other, completely lacking its former discipline and order. Those once-mighty Jin generals could only struggle for survival amidst the flames and smoke, unable to shake off the Song infantry's pursuit and interception.

The Song infantry surrounded the Jin army, shouting as they mercilessly reaped the lives of the Jin soldiers with their spears and broadswords.

Zhao Cheng kept thrusting forward with his spear, having lost count of how many Jurchens he had killed. Yue Fei, standing beside him, was also fighting desperately while leading his men to protect Zhao Cheng; both of them were covered in blood.

As Zhao Cheng killed, he thought about what his mother, Zhang Chun, had told him: "If you can fight your way up from the bottom, you will definitely gain the military's approval and your brothers will respect you. As long as you can get through this, no matter how many princes your father has, you will definitely be one of the most indispensable to him. If the crown prince is not up to the task, you may become the next crown prince. Even if you don't inherit your father's throne in the end, your mother will definitely choose a fiefdom for you where you can realize your ambitions. Your future achievements may not be inferior to your father's..."

Zhang Chun had already learned from Li Lin that the hollow formation was the safest and most training ground in this battle. It was precisely for this reason that Zhao Yu arranged for most of his sons to be trained there, so that they could experience firsthand the power of firearms and their impact on the war.

However, both Zhang Chun and the sons she bore for Zhao Yu were ambitious individuals. They wanted more, so they were truly willing to gamble at crucial moments.

Now, having survived the test of life and death, Zhao Cheng knows he has transformed again without anyone telling him. He is now confident in facing any challenge and is not afraid of anyone or anything.

The next step is easy.

The main force of the Jin army on the western route, which was surrounded, was constantly compressed by the Song army and suffered a massacre by the Song army.

The light cavalry of the western Jin army outside the encirclement tried to get close to the encirclement to rescue the main force of the western Jin army inside the encirclement, but they could not get past the Jing Sai Army and heavy cavalry of the Song army. Moreover, they also had to guard against being killed by the Jing Sai Army and heavy cavalry.

Wanyan Aguda, the commander-in-chief of this battle, also sent a reserve force to try to rescue the main force of the Jin army in the west, which was surrounded by the Song infantry.

But all of this was in vain.

If it weren't for the goal of annihilating the main force of the Jin army, would Zhao Yu have risked nearly ten thousand casualties to play with Wanyan Aguda for so many days?
With cannons lined up, the Jin army had long been driven away by the Song army.

However, doing so will not solve the problem.

The biggest problem with nomadic peoples has never been their prowess in warfare, but rather their incredible speed. For thousands of years, the reason why the Central Plains dynasties were unable to completely eliminate the nomadic tribes was never because they couldn't defeat them, but because the nomads ran away too quickly when they couldn't defeat the armies of the Central Plains.

If the Jin army knew they couldn't beat the Song army, they would definitely run away. The grasslands are so vast, and the cannons are so heavy. How could the Song army possibly catch up with them while dragging cannons?
To put it simply, if the Jin army hadn't courted death by engaging the Song army in a direct confrontation, Zhao Yu really wouldn't have been able to deal with them, especially since they abandoned the capital and went to live on the grasslands or in the Changbai Mountains.

The key issue is that while the Song army currently possesses formidable offensive capabilities, it is extremely reliant on logistical support.

To put it bluntly, the Jin army had already reached the doorstep of the Song Dynasty, and Emperor Zhao Yu had already begun repairing the official roads. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for him to transport so many cannons and a sufficient amount of ammunition in such a short time.

Now that Zhao Yu has gone to such great lengths to surround half of the main force of the Jin army, if he doesn't wipe them out and severely damage the Jin state, wouldn't all his long-term forbearance have been in vain?
Under such circumstances, how could Zhao Yu possibly allow the main force of the western Jin army, which was surrounded, to escape?
All Song cavalry, whether Jingse Army or heavy cavalry, went into battle to prevent the Jin army from rescuing the main force of the Jin army on the western route of the encirclement. Zhao Yu also left only his personal guards and the Shenji Central Army to protect himself, and ordered the Shenji Left Army and Shenji Right Army to advance alternately to reinforce the Liao army.

Seeing this, the Liao army, which had been suppressed for far too long, was suddenly energized and fought desperately against the Jin army on the eastern route.

Despite numerous attempts, Wanyan Aguda was unable to rescue the main force of the western Jin army, which was surrounded by Song infantry. Meanwhile, with the Shenji Army on the left and right wings joining the battle, the eastern Jin army, which had previously held an absolute advantage, began to retreat in defeat.

Wanyan Aguda knew that if he did not order a retreat, the Jin Dynasty would perish.

Left with no other choice, Wanyan Aguda could only order: "Sound the retreat! Withdraw the troops!"

Upon Wanyan Aguda's order, the Jin army was thrown into chaos, with soldiers fleeing in disarray and losing their fighting capacity.

The Shenji Left Army broke through Wanyan Zongjun's Jin army in the first instance, killing more than 3,000 people and capturing more than 500 alive. They even almost captured Wanyan Zongjun.

The Shenji Right Army quickly broke through the Jin army under Wanyan Xishi, killing more than 2,000 people, capturing more than 300 alive, and killing Wanyan Xishi, a famous general of the Jin Dynasty and one of the twenty-one meritorious officials of Yanqing in history.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Wanyan Aguda could only lead the way in a hasty northward escape.

The Song army then launched a counterattack, relentlessly pursuing the Jin army.

Zhao Yu had only one goal at this moment: not to give the Jin army a chance to breathe, but to pursue them relentlessly and completely defeat or even annihilate them!
The Jin army was utterly routed.

Even more terrifying was that the 50,000 light cavalry that Zhao Yu had hidden away and had been waiting in comfort for many days, led by Tong Guan, not only swept through the Jin army but also got ahead of them and headed straight for Liaozhongjing...

Yelü Chun also commanded the Liao cavalry to pursue and kill the Jin army. Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi, disregarding their fatigue from the fighting, each led 10,000 elite cavalry to launch a surprise attack on Liao Zhongjing, hoping to recapture it in one fell swoop and give the Liao state a foothold.

As for the main force of the Jin army on the western route within the encirclement, they died in droves, their corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing.

Of course, the main force of the Jin army on the western route, which was within the encirclement, also launched several counterattacks in an attempt to break through the encirclement.

pity!

Their counterattacks were all thwarted by the Song army.

The massacre continues...

Zhao Yu never gave the main force of the western Jin army within the encirclement a chance to surrender.

Zhao Yu only issued an order to stop the attack and offer surrender when the main force of the besieged western Jin army was reduced to less than three thousand men, and these three thousand men were all driven to the brink of collapse.

During this period, Wanyan Wulu and his nephew Wanyan Zonghan personally came to the rescue.

As a result, Wanyan Wulu was killed in battle, and Wanyan Zonghan was seriously wounded and rescued by his confidants.

In this battle, the Song-Liao allied forces achieved a great victory, killing 150,000 Jin soldiers (claiming to have killed 500,000) and capturing 30,000 Jin soldiers alive (claiming to have captured 300,000).

It is worth mentioning that most of the Jin soldiers who died in this battle were the main elites of the Jin state, and even Jurchens.

The newly risen Jin dynasty suffered a severe blow and will certainly not pose any threat to the Song dynasty in the short term!
The battle yielded nearly 30,000 good horses, 70,000 to 80,000 wounded and dead horses, and countless soldiers, armor, provisions, and supplies.

The Song army itself suffered fewer than 20,000 casualties. Of those, more than 10,000 were from the previous feint attack.

Without a doubt, this was an unprecedented and glorious victory for the Song Dynasty...

……

(End of this chapter)