I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 395 Going straight to Huanglong
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During the Liao Dynasty, Yongming City was under the jurisdiction of the "Shuibin Prefecture" of the Donghai Jurchen in the Tokyo Circuit.

During the Jin Dynasty, this area was assigned to Xupin Road of Shangjing Road.

This area is mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities such as the Jurchen. They make a living by fishing and hunting, and have established numerous fishing and hunting settlements along the coast, utilizing the abundant marine and forest resources to sustain their livelihoods.

Yongming City's other name, "Haishenwai," means "small fishing village by the sea" in Manchu, which reflects the local lifestyle at that time.

The region's economy is primarily based on fishing and hunting, with some animal husbandry and handicrafts also present. The nearby waters are rich in seafood such as sea cucumbers, which are consumed by the local population and exported to other regions through trade channels.

In addition, the "Lubin horses" of this place are also very valuable and are known as precious horses.

This is a natural deep-water port with wide and deep waters, small waves and shelter from the wind. Influenced by the warm current of the Sea of ​​Japan, it is one of the few ice-free ports in the Far East that is ice-free all year round. Its shipping network covers coastal ports of China, Kiyotsu Port of Minochi, and major ports in Northeast Asia. It is an important maritime channel for foreign trade in the Asia-Pacific region, making it an important geopolitical center in Northeast Asia and holding an important position in regional economic cooperation and geopolitics.

Its location allows fleets deployed there to quickly enter the Sea of ​​Japan, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, and even the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Its strategic deterrence range covers Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and the central Pacific. To the east, it can reach the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the Pacific Islands via the Sea of ​​Japan. To the south, it faces Northeast China and North Korea across the sea. It is a key node connecting Eurasia and the Pacific Ocean.

In addition, starting from Yongming City, one can cross the vast Sea of ​​Japan, then round the southern tip of Sakhalin Island into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Next, sailing north along the Far Eastern coast of Siberia, crossing the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean, and then sailing west along the Arctic Ocean coast, one can reach the waters off Northern Europe, and then enter the Baltic or Black Sea region, reaching Russia and the Nordic countries.

Of course, this is just a theoretical route.

This route not only spans tens of thousands of kilometers, but also traverses several regions with harsh climates and complex seas. Currently, the ships of the Great Song Dynasty are unable to withstand the fierce winds and towering waves of the Sea of ​​Japan, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, and the Arctic Ocean.

On the other hand, navigation technology at that time mainly relied on compasses and coastal landmarks for navigation. Once they entered the deep ocean far from the continent or the frozen Arctic Ocean, they would completely lose their direction, let alone accurately reach their destination.

However, this does not diminish the importance of Yongming City in the slightest.

The Song Dynasty had recovered the Liaodong Peninsula and Jidi, opening up all shipping routes in this area.

In this situation, as long as the Song Dynasty captures Yongming City, it can establish an eastern military base based on the port and open up a "second front" that the Jin army will find difficult to defend against.

On the one hand, the Song army was able to go upstream from Yongming City along the Songhua River and the Heilongjiang River, and directly penetrate the northeastern hinterland of the Jin Dynasty (that is, the area around Shangjing Huining Prefecture, the "birthplace" of the Jin Dynasty).

On the other hand, the Song Dynasty could station troops in Yongming City and march north by land from Jidi, forming a coordinated force with the Song army on the Liaodong Peninsula to launch a pincer attack on the Jin Dynasty's Liaodong defense line from the east and west, thus tearing open a gap in the Jin army's northeastern defenses.

Crucially, Yongming City would become the core supply hub for the Song Dynasty's support of the eastern front. The Song Dynasty could transport grain, weapons, and other supplies from the Central Plains to Yongming City via sea, through the Bohai and Yellow Seas, and then transport them to the northeastern front via land routes. Simultaneously, the fishing and hunting resources surrounding Yongming City, and the grain reserves in Jidi, could be centrally allocated through the port, providing local supplies to the Song army on the eastern front, significantly reducing losses during long-distance transport and the risk of supply lines being cut off by the Jin army.

Furthermore, the Song Dynasty could use Yongming City as a starting point to open up a trade route to the northeastern border of the Jin Dynasty, thereby winning over the Jurchen tribes and the remnants of the Liao Dynasty under the Jin Dynasty's rule through the export of goods, and weakening the Jin Dynasty's internal cohesion.

In short, as long as Yongming City is captured, the Song Dynasty can form a geopolitical blockade against the Jin Dynasty from the north, south, and west.

At sea, the Song Dynasty could also use Yongming City as a base to form a fleet to monitor the Sea of ​​Japan and the northern Bohai Sea, cut off the Jin Dynasty's maritime connections with the outside world, and prevent the Jin Dynasty from obtaining foreign aid or supplies through the sea.

On land, the Song Dynasty, relying on the linkage between Yongming City and Liaodong and Goryeo, could tie down a large number of Jin troops to garrison the northeast, forcing the Jin Dynasty to withdraw troops from the main battlefield in the south to defend the south, which greatly relieved the pressure on the southern battlefield of the Song Dynasty.

Based on this strategic concept, Zhao Yu personally selected generals, ordering Yue Fei, Zhang Shuye, Li Bao, Hu Yanqing, Li Jun (the River Dragon), Ruan Xiaoer (the Short-lived Second Brother), Ruan Xiaowu (the Standing Tyrant), Ruan Xiaoqi (the Living Yama), Zhang Heng (the Boat Fire), and Zhang Shun (the White Leap in the Waves) to lead troops to capture Yongming City.

……

The morning mist drifted over the mudflats at the mouth of the Ussuri River, where more than a hundred small fishing boats were scattered along the muddy shore. The birch bark houses of the Jurchen villages were scattered on the low slopes, with only a few simple wooden fences at the village entrance. A few Jurchen herdsmen casually stood guard with bows and arrows, completely unprepared.

Upon arriving at Yongming City (which is no longer a city, but rather a collection of Jurchen tribes built along the water), the various naval forces lined up their warships and unleashed a barrage of cannon fire upon the Jurchen tribes on the shore.

"boom--!"

"boom--!"

"boom--!"

"..."

The first to fire were the "Wucheng Yonggu Dajiangjun" type Li Lin guns aboard the ships "Tokyo", "Nanjing", "Xijing" and "Beijing".

The cannon trembled, and sparks shot out from its muzzle. One after another, solid cannonballs weighing thirty pounds pierced the sky with a sharp whistle and crashed into a group of Jurchen villages.

No building in the village could withstand a single shot from a cannon of the "General Wucheng Yonggu" type.

With just one shot, village houses, fences, everything was crushed to dust, with wood chips and dirt flying everywhere.

Upon witnessing this scene, even the fiercest Jurchens would flee in terror like frightened birds.

In an instant, the Jurchens on the shore scattered and fled like a swarm of panicked ants.

Immediately afterwards, hundreds of Li Lin cannons roared in unison.

A barrage of cannonballs rained down on the crowd, instantly turning the Jurchens into carnage, with corpses piling up like mountains.

The Jurchens on the shore were clearly unprepared for the terrifying firepower of the Song warships, and chaos erupted in the village. Some tried to grab shields to defend themselves, only to be blasted to pieces along with their shields by the whistling cannonballs; others tried to organize a volley of arrows, but the Song warships were too far out of range, and the arrows fell futilely into the sea; still others fled in panic toward the depths of the harbor, only to be relentlessly bombarded by cannon fire. Screams, cries, and the roar of cannons mingled together, turning the entire Jin army camp into a living hell.

After defeating the Jurchens and rendering them incapable of resistance, the Song army began landing by small boats. Meanwhile, the cannons on the decks of the Song warships continued to fire intermittently, providing cover for the ground troops. Shells landed along the Jin army's retreating path, steadily eroding their will to resist.

Soon, the Song soldiers stepped on the broken planks and waded through the shallows, quickly taking control of the "port". They then steadily advanced along the streets and alleys of the "port". When they encountered resistance, they used small teams to clear it out. When they encountered scattered Jurchens, they quickly captured those who surrendered and killed those who resisted.

In less than half an hour, the gunfire and shouts of battle from the Jurchen tribes near the "port" gradually subsided. Song soldiers deployed their troops at key intersections, raised the banners of the Great Song Dynasty, and the entire "port" of Yongming City was now under the control of the Great Song Dynasty.

Zhao Ding, who came with him, immediately organized craftsmen and laborers to formally build Yongming City and Yongming Port.

Li Bao, Hu Yanqing and other naval commanders deployed about 20,000 naval troops (including more than 300 warships) near Yongming Port.

Meanwhile, Yue Fei and Zhang Shuye left behind their generals Niu Gao and Dong Xian, instructing them to lead 20,000 Song soldiers and 30,000 Song soldiers from Jidi to continue clearing out the Jurchens near Yongming City and to set up defensive lines to ensure that Yongming City would not be taken back by the Jin state.

As for Yue Fei and Zhang Shuye, they followed the original plan and led 30,000 elite cavalrymen upstream along the Songhua River and Heilongjiang River, heading straight into the northeastern heartland of the Jin Kingdom, that is, directly attacking the Jin capital, Shangjing.

This place was the foundation of the Jurchen tribes of the Jin Dynasty, but its defenses were weak because the main force of the Jin army had long been deployed in the south (to fight against the Song Dynasty) and the west (to guard against the Mongol tribes). A surprise attack by the Song army could directly shake the foundation of the Jin Dynasty's rule.

Some might say, "Defend against the Song Dynasty. I know that the Song and Jin dynasties have been fighting for several years. Now the Song army is pressing on the border in three routes. If the Jin Dynasty doesn't send a large army to fight against them, the Song army will definitely attack. That's normal. But what's with this defense against the Mongol tribes in the west?"

This was mainly because the Jin Dynasty was bogged down in a protracted war with the Song Dynasty. Its repeated military defeats triggered a chain reaction, causing its national strength to decline rapidly at a visible pace. On the vast lands that had once been conquered by its iron hooves, discontent was quietly spreading.

Not only the Liao people, who had only recently been ruled by the Jurchens, harbored resentment towards Jurchen rule, but now, seeing the decline of the Jin dynasty, their desire for restoration and independence grew stronger. Undercurrents were surging in various places, and the sparks of resistance could ignite at any moment.

The nomadic tribes of the grasslands, who had once been suppressed by the Jin army, also sensed an opportunity for revenge. They frequently raided the borders of the Jin state, plunging the Jin state into a predicament of fighting on multiple fronts.

To defuse the threat from the northern grasslands, the Jin dynasty leadership devised a two-pronged strategy of "military strikes + political appeasement," attempting to establish a fragile balance among the various tribes of the grasslands.

Because the Jin army was tied down by the Song army, the Jin dynasty neglected its control over the grasslands, which allowed Khabul Khan to rise rapidly in the Mongolian steppes. With his outstanding military talent and leadership, he expanded his territory and his power grew stronger day by day. He was jointly elected as "Khabul Khan" by the surrounding tribes.

To appease this troublesome situation, Wanyan Wugumai summoned Khabul to the court under the pretext of paying tribute, hoping to persuade Khabul to join forces with the Jin Dynasty to defeat the Song Dynasty and prevent them from being defeated one by one by the Song Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, during the banquet, Hebule, who was completely drunk, publicly stroked Wanyan Wuqimai's beard.

This was an unprecedented humiliation in the eyes of the strictly hierarchical Jurchen nobles.

Upon returning to his homeland, Khabul knew that the conflict with the Jin Dynasty was irreconcilable. Therefore, when the Jin envoy came to persuade him to surrender, he angrily beheaded the envoy and officially raised the banner of resistance against the Jin.

Wanyan Aguda was furious and first sent Hushahu to lead an army to attack, but he was defeated and returned home. Hebule took the opportunity to lead his army south and successively destroyed 27 strongholds of the Jin Dynasty, including Xiping.

Wanyan Aguda then dispatched Jin Wuzhu to lead an expedition, intending to eliminate Khabul.

As a result, the two sides fought several battles on the grassland, and it remained a close contest.

At that time, the Jin dynasty's leadership was caught in a dilemma: if they continued to fight Khabul, their national strength would be further depleted, and the Song dynasty would likely reap the benefits. However, if the Jin dynasty did not fight Khabul, Khabul would continue to harass them.

Ultimately, because the pressure exerted by the Song Dynasty on the Jin Dynasty was too great, the Jin Dynasty had no choice but to compromise and negotiate peace with Khabul – ceding twenty-seven villages, providing the Mongols with food and clothing every year, and officially recognizing Khabul as the "King of the Mongols". This protracted steppe war finally came to a temporary end.

While launching military attacks against Khabul, the Jin dynasty adopted a policy of appeasement towards other steppe tribes. Through coercion and enticement, they brought a number of tribes onto their side.

The territories of tribes such as the Tatar, Zhajila, Hedixin, Shanzhikun, and Wanggu were located close to the border of the Jin Dynasty and within its military deterrence range. For them, submitting to the Jin Dynasty was a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. If they refused to submit, they would be annexed by the Jin Dynasty by force. However, although they had to assume certain obligations, they could preserve the survival and basic interests of their tribes.

In addition to military and diplomatic means, the Jin Dynasty also hoped to build a Great Wall to keep the cavalry of the various steppe tribes outside its borders.

This is the historically famous "Great Wall of Jin".

Unlike the Qin and Han Great Wall, which was built on mountain ridges and strategic passes, the Jin Great Wall was mostly constructed in flat grassland areas.

The grassland region is constantly plagued by sandstorms. The Jin Great Wall, with its gentle terrain, lacks natural barriers and is easily buried by shifting sands.

For the steppe tribes, who were skilled in cavalry assaults, breaching this defensive line was a piece of cake. They only needed to carry a small amount of firewood and sand to quickly fill in a section of the Great Wall's trenches, turning the barrier that the Jin Dynasty had painstakingly built into a passage for attacking the Jin Dynasty in an instant.

The construction of the Jin Great Wall was a massive undertaking, requiring hundreds of thousands of people and a vast amount of financial resources from the Jin Dynasty.

Given that the nation's strength was already declining due to fighting on multiple fronts, this project was undoubtedly a heavy shackle on the Jin Dynasty.

Ultimately, the Great Wall of Jin not only failed to achieve its intended effect of "keeping the steppe cavalry out of the country," but also accelerated the decline of the Jin Dynasty.

The massive investment of human and material resources exacerbated the domestic financial crisis and social problems, making the Jin Dynasty increasingly powerless in the face of the dual pressures of the Song Dynasty and the nomadic tribes.

In short, the pressure from the Song Dynasty and the various tribes of the grasslands was too great, and because the Jin Dynasty's high-ranking officials never expected that the Song army would launch a surprise attack on Yongming City and launch a sneak attack on its capital from the rear, the Jin Dynasty had a very fatal vulnerability.

Zhao Yu astutely seized upon this weakness in the Jin state and dispatched Yue Fei and Zhang Shuye to lead a large army to strike directly at the heart of the Jin capital...

……

(End of this chapter)