The prince is more stable

Chapter 461: Double Victory in One Battle

At the hour of Mao, the sky was already turning pale.

Ten thousand Song troops crossed the Yishui River and attacked the Liao army camp.

Zhang Rong and Zong Ze were full of confidence. They believed that they would be able to annihilate the enemy in this battle, and the morale of the soldiers behind them was also high.

After following Zhao Xiaoqian for less than two years, the Longwei Camp had become accustomed to victory.

The Song army in other places may still have some problems and cannot change its cowardly nature, but the Longwei Camp following Zhao Xiaoqian has been reborn in the past two years.

From Western Xia to Zhending Prefecture, the wars that the Dragon Guard Camp experienced basically all ended in victory.

Every victory represents the courage and confidence accumulated by an army. Today, the Dragon Guard Battalion has an invincible aura. In their eyes, there is no undefeatable enemy. The cowardly and fearful habits of the past seem to be a thing of the past life.

This army has essentially completed a transformation. Even if they do not have firearms and only have cold weapons like the enemy, they will never be afraid of any enemy they encounter. They will rush forward with guns in hand, fearing death.

Five thousand border troops and five thousand Dragon Guard Battalion formed the entire combat force of this raid.

Galloping in the dark night, two completely different armies mixed together. Looking at the soldiers of the Dragon Guard Camp whipping their horses and galloping with happy looks on their faces, the other 5,000 imperial guards were quite confused.

They don’t understand. Now everyone is going to the battlefield to kill the enemy. Regardless of victory or defeat, there will definitely be casualties. Why are the people in the Dragon Guard Camp so happy?

"What are you afraid of? Even if we die in battle, there's no need to worry. His Royal Highness will take care of our mother and children. Last time, during the Song-Liao War, thousands of our comrades died. After His Royal Highness buried our brothers, he immediately sent silver to the families of the fallen brothers, one hundred taels per household."

A soldier of the Imperial Guards gasped, "One hundred taels? How is that possible? The court doesn't have such a rule."

"This isn't a court rule, it's His Royal Highness's rule, understand? His Royal Highness also said that brothers fought for the country, and human life shouldn't be cheap. Those who died in battle will not only receive generous compensation, but their families will also receive official documents."

"If your family is bullied in the local area in the future, just take the documents to the Dragon Guard Battalion and they will help them. Moreover, the Dragon Guard Battalion will provide pensions not just once, but also provide some silver subsidies every year. With a commander like this, do we still fear death?"

"What's more, if you can survive on the battlefield, you'll get even more benefits. Our Dragon Guard Battalion's generals never dare to covet military merits. Everyone knows what they did and how many enemies they killed. After the battle, you'll receive rewards based on your achievements. Those who kill the most enemies will be promoted directly. Would you do something like this?"

The soldiers of the Imperial Guards seemed to have realized something. They vaguely understood why the soldiers of the Dragon Guard Camp were so excited when encountering a war.

If the same policy falls upon them, they are also willing to fight to the death.

On the bumpy horseback, the Dragon Guard Battalion soldier patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "You are now also the Dragon Guard Battalion. His Highness has incorporated you into the army. From now on, we will be comrades-in-arms who will share life and death on the battlefield. What we have, you will also have. Do your best and don't embarrass His Highness."

The imperial guard nodded, his eyes penetrating the darkness ahead, but there was a ray of light in his pupils.

At the hour of Mao, it was already dawn and 10,000 Song soldiers arrived at the Liao army camp.

At this time, the Liao army camp had already learned of the Song army's attack. After all, Zhang Rong and Zong Ze had no intention of hiding their tracks along the way. They were not fighting a surprise attack, but a war of annihilation.

Two miles away from the Liao army camp, the vanguards of the two armies had begun fighting.

At this time, outside the camp, more than 10,000 Liao soldiers were lined up, and everyone's face was filled with tension and fear.

Although Yelu Chun had anticipated the possibility of a surprise attack by the Song army, the Song army arrived too quickly.

Judging from the time, 20,000 Liao troops had just left the camp last night, and this Song army may have already started to cross the Yishui River to the east.

Yelu Chun didn't know whether Zhao Xiaoqian had anticipated the enemy's attack, but he was shocked by the lightning speed of the Song army.

This was not the Song army he had in mind.

Now Yelu Chun knew that even if the Song army did not have firearms, it would still be a formidable opponent of the Liao army, because this Song army was different from the inside out, they were real soldiers.

When 10,000 Song troops appeared two miles away from the Liao army camp, Yelu Chun already knew the outcome of the battle.

It's time to give up, the Liao army has been defeated.

Sitting in the general's tent, Yelu Chun calmly ordered the Liao army to form a battle array to resist. After handing over the command to a general under his command, Yelu Chun immediately ordered his personal guards to pack up and called Yelu Yanxi.

More than a hundred personal guards protected Yelu Chun and Yelu Yanxi and quietly fled out of the camp to the north.

That's right, when the Liao army was still lined up outside the camp to fight the enemy, the commander-in-chief of the army and the crown prince actually fled first.

Yelu Yanxi was very honest this time and followed Yelu Chun to escape obediently.

The two of them have the same idea at this moment: a noble person should cherish his life first and then plan for things.

If you have lost your life, what else can you do?
Yelu Yanxi had been captured once. If he was captured by the Song army again, no matter how thick-skinned he was, he would probably be embarrassed to survive.

At this moment, outside the Liao army camp, Zong Ze had led about 5,000 imperial guards to encircle the enemy, while Zhang Rong ordered 5,000 soldiers of the Dragon Guard Camp to line up and attack the enemy head-on.

"Kill the enemy, make merit, and receive the reward!" Zhang Rong roared in front of the formation, waving his sword.

There was no long speech to boost morale. The soldiers of the Longwei Camp did not need any morale boosting. Zhang Rong's mobilization consisted of only six words, but it had ignited the fighting spirit of the soldiers of the Longwei Camp. They shouted and lined up to approach the Liao army camp.

…………

Feihu Military Command.

It was already dawn, but Zhao Xiaoqian was still sleeping soundly.

What an amazing person. He couldn't sleep last night and was wandering around. However, once the operation was deployed and the army was sent out, Zhao Xiaoqian put his worries aside and slept soundly.

It's like an exam. You feel extremely anxious and nervous before the exam, especially when you think about the consequences of failing. You feel like you are sitting on pins and needles.

But once you hand in the test paper and come out of the examination room, there is no need to worry.

Because there is no point in worrying, the result is already determined.

It's better to eat and drink well, but in the end, you either get a knife in the head or continue to eat and drink. Zhao Xiaoqian is obviously this kind of person. He may not be a top student, but his mentality must be as steady as an old dog.

Zhao Xiaoqian slept very soundly and didn't even dream. There was thunderous snoring in the bedroom in the backyard of the office. Chen Shou, Jia Shi and other masters of the imperial guards were waiting silently outside the door.

Near noon, a noisy sound was heard outside the Bingmasi, with people roaring, horses neighing, and chaotic footsteps.

There was a sound of armor plates colliding, and Zhong Jianzhong and a group of generals walked into the backyard of the government office.

Everyone was in high spirits. Chen Shou, who was guarding outside the bedroom door, knew from everyone's expressions that the battle had been won, and he also smiled.

"Your Highness the Prince—" Zhong Jianzhong just shouted loudly, but Chen Shou's face changed and he quickly made a gesture to keep quiet.

Zhong Jianzhong was also startled and asked in a lowered voice, "Still sleeping?"

Chen Shou nodded silently.

"Have you slept until last night?" Zhong Jianzhong asked unwillingly.

Chen Shou nodded again.

Zhong Jianzhong had a complicated expression. They had been running back and forth all night and were exhausted as dogs. They came back with the news of victory, but the other party was not worried at all and slept more soundly than anyone else.

Should we say that he is unparalleled in temple planning, or that he is just too careless?

Zhong Jianzhong turned his head and exchanged glances with the generals. The generals smiled and communicated silently.

Zhong Jianzhong understood, and he nodded to Chen Shou: "Let's not disturb His Highness. We will wait for His Highness to wake up in the main hall of the government office."

Chen Shou smiled with relief, he was sensible.

Zhong Jianzhong turned around and just as he was about to take a step, he suddenly shouted towards the bedroom: "Your Highness, the victory news has arrived!"

All the generals shouted in unison: "Victory news has arrived!"

Chen Shou was shocked, but the snoring in the bedroom suddenly stopped.

A moment later, an exquisite teacup penetrated the window paper and slammed heavily onto the open space in the backyard, from which came a roar like a tiger's roar.

"roll--!"

Generals including Zhong Jianzhong were shocked and quickly lowered their heads and hurriedly left the backyard.

Half an hour later, in the main hall of the government office, Zhao Xiaoqian looked unhappy and glanced coldly at everyone in the hall.

When his gaze rested on Zhong Jianzhong's face, Zhao Xiaoqian still had a hint of anger in his eyes.

Sensing Zhao Xiaoqian's emotions, Zhong Jianzhong smiled awkwardly, not daring to look him in the eye, and quickly turned away.

After a long pause, Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, "Old Zhong, tell me about yourself. You're already so grown up, you must be forty this year, right? Why are you so naughty?"

Zhong Jianzhong hurriedly said, "I was so happy that I couldn't help but be naughty. Your Highness, please forgive me..."

"You're having a good time, aren't you? I'm telling you, this isn't over yet. Without two kilograms of gold, I'm afraid you can't appease me..."

"Two...two pounds..." Zhong Jianzhong was dumbfounded.

Is the price of being naughty so heavy?

Zhao Xiaoqian looked around at the generals, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

All the generals were shocked and stood up and bowed: "I know I was wrong, please forgive me, Your Highness."

"you……"

Zhe Keshi smiled bitterly and said, "My mind was focused on the war, and I didn't care much about looting. All the gold went to the little guys below. I really can't afford so much gold."

The other generals also echoed the sentiment, and the main hall became a scene of crying poor.

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and said, "Forget it. This won't happen again. Remember, my sleep is the most important thing. No matter how big the problem is, you are not allowed to wake me up, because I..."

Zhong Jianzhong immediately interjected: "I know that Your Highness is growing."

"Yes."

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian continued, "Didn't you say victory news? Tell me in detail."

Speaking of good news, everyone became excited again.

Zhong Jianzhong said happily, "Your Highness's plan is brilliant. Our army won two consecutive battles this morning and both were victorious."

"Zhe Keshi's troops intercepted 20,000 Liao troops and killed over 14,000 of them, including over 2,300 Liao heavy cavalrymen. Not a single one escaped. In this morning's battle, only over 5,000 of the 20,000 Liao troops fled."

"Zhang Rong and Zong Ze's troops were ordered to raid the Liao army camp on the opposite bank. In this battle, they killed over ten thousand enemies, burned down the Liao army camp, and the rest fled..."

Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly asked, "Where are Yelu Chun and Yelu Yanxi? Have they been captured?"

Before Zhong Jianzhong could answer, Zhang Rong stepped forward, lowering his head in shame and saying, "I deserve to die. Yelu Chun and Yelu Yanxi have already fled north, and we haven't caught them yet."

Zhao Xiaoqian, however, showed no emotion and nodded calmly: "It's alright. Leaving his soldiers behind and running away is a normal move for Yelu Chun. He has done this more than once."

(End of this chapter)