You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 122 Baigou River Again

Bianliang has enjoyed several consecutive days of clear skies and calm weather.

A thin mist hangs in the morning air, but it will dissipate as soon as the sun comes out, promising a clear and bright day.

Cai Jing sat in the courtyard. He was old and had been granted permission not to go to the Lecture Hall every day to handle political affairs. He could wait until there were important matters to consult with Prime Minister Cai, and then Cai would make the decision.

A few days ago, Cai Jing managed to scrape together some money and sent it to the inner palace for the emperor's expenses. Emperor Huizong was overjoyed and showered him with favor.

However, his complexion was not very good at the moment.

The Emperor arranged for Li Gang to enter the Lectures Department and Wu Min to enter the Privy Council. These were both members of the old party who had been ousted from Bianliang by the Emperor.

Moreover, Tong Guan had repeatedly sent people to demand military pay, and the court's delay in paying the Western Army's military pay had become a common practice.

In the past, although Tong Guan would help ask for money, he had never pressed so hard. Cai Jing was used to it, first using the Western Army's pay to cover the shortfall, and then squeezing out a little more to give to them later.

However, this campaign by the Western Army against Liao was the battle in which Tong Guan would obtain the title of king, so the old eunuch couldn't help but be anxious.

"Has anyone from the Northwest come?"

After Cai Jing finished asking, the steward of the Cai residence quickly bowed and said, "Reporting to Master, they've arrived."

Cai Jing's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Why wasn't it reported?"

The old steward looked somewhat strange. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "They only brought some local products from the Northwest, so this old servant took it upon himself to do so without informing the master."

Upon hearing this, Cai Jing's brow furrowed instantly.

When the news spread that Chen Shao had confiscated the property of three wealthy merchants, everyone knew that he had made a fortune.

However, the powerful and influential people in Bianliang waited and waited, but he never came to deliver gifts.

Even Cai Jing, who had a fairly good relationship with him, had some complaints.

Cai Jing was just a little wiser than others, but that doesn't mean he wasn't greedy. In fact, he was the greediest.

In Cai Jing's mind, Chen Shao had defected to him. Moreover, his aim was likely to gain Cai Jing's protection after Tong Guan's successful campaign against Liao.

He initially thought it was because the journey was too long and Chen Shao hadn't been delivered yet.

Only then did I realize that he truly had no intention of giving it to me.

Even Cai Jing, with his extraordinary composure, was somewhat annoyed at this moment. "I've spoken up for you several times, but you've remained unmoved."

No wonder Tong Daofu always said that this person was ungrateful and treacherous; now it seems that this is indeed the case.

"Chen Shao."

Cai Jing sighed, clenched his fist, and said with a hint of annoyance, "In the end, we are still too young. Coming from a humble family, not well-educated, and with such short-sighted vision."

He still cared quite a bit, because Zhu Mian at that time had truly supported these powerful figures in Bianliang single-handedly.

Now that Zhu Mian has fallen, the Dingnan Army in the Northwest is thriving, yet he refuses to offer tribute.
In Cai Jing's mind, scholars were still considered superior and military officials inferior, and he looked down on Chen Shao.

If he knew that Chen Shao often said things like "I am also a hero of my time," he would probably be even more furious.

Even the most brilliant person is ultimately limited by the times.
-
Hebei, on the border between the Song and Liao dynasties.

The night was pitch black, with countless stars twinkling overhead, and the vast Milky Way unfolded magnificently here.

Under the starlight, the torches on the watchtower cast long shadows.

"From where does the reed flute play? All night long, the soldiers on the march yearn for home."

In the distance, some kind of night bird was making intermittent, mournful cries, which only made the night seem even more eerily silent.

Several envoys from the north were seated in Tong Guan's tent.

Meanwhile, the Jurchens had already captured Zhongjing Prefecture of the Liao Kingdom, and their military might was heading straight for Liaodong and Yanjing.

The once mighty Liao Dynasty was now on its last legs.

Throughout the north, the Liao dynasty's ruling system collapsed, bandits rose up everywhere, and local officials either surrendered or rebelled...

Those who came tonight were the men of Guo Yaoshi, a general of the resentful army.

He is now ordered to guard Zhuozhou, seemingly waiting for the right price to go up.

The Liao people were not unaware that this man harbored rebellious intentions, but they were already at their wits' end and could no longer send troops to quell the rebellion. They could only hope that he and the Song people would not reach an agreement.

Tong Guan smiled and said, "I know about military affairs. Seven years ago, the Liao emperor lost the empire's main force at Hubudagang. Since then, he has never recovered, and the Jurchens have been attacking and seizing territory everywhere, and no one can stop him. What was your Liao emperor doing at that time? Still hunting and playing around!"

Not long ago, Yelü Chun suffered another defeat, and he didn't even dare to return to Yanjing, fleeing instead to Datong Prefecture in Xijing.

“Your General Guo is originally a Han Chinese. If you don’t take this opportunity to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, when will you ever get another chance?”

The person sent by Guo Yaoshi was Zhen Wuchen, one of his most trusted confidants, who had been recruited into the resentful army along with Tong Guan. When he saw that Tong Guan only sent his men to surrender without mentioning any conditions, he knew that they were not sincere.

After Tong Guan finished speaking, the tent was completely silent. The staff members all kept their faces expressionless and remained silent, without offering any words of advice or assistance.

Seeing this, Zhen Wuchen knew that this negotiation was unlikely to succeed. When Brother Guo came, he said that if they couldn't offer any good terms, he really wouldn't surrender.

This army was a newly established army of the Liao Dynasty, and Yelü Chun used them purely as cannon fodder. Their foundation in the Liao Dynasty was too weak; their survival to this day was entirely due to Guo Yaoshi leading them in a desperate struggle.

Encountering such a chaotic world, with the Jurchens to the north, the Song Dynasty to the south, and the Liao Dynasty itself in complete disarray, outside the city were fortified villages built by powerful Han people, making the living environment extremely dangerous. In such a situation, who wouldn't care about where this group's future lies?
Everyone is aware of the situation; they are not completely ignorant.

Your Great Song Dynasty is so arrogant, don't you know that you have many choices now? Zhuozhou is in your own hands, if all else fails, you can surrender to the Jurchens!

He stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "My lord is currently the commander of the Ever Victorious Army and the garrison commander of Zhuozhou. I wonder what happened after he surrendered to the Song Dynasty?"

Tong Guan smiled and said, "Everything is negotiable. We'll talk about it later."

Zhen Wuchen nodded, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute, and said, "In that case, we shall take our leave!"

After saying this, he led his men to lift the curtain and left in a huff.

After watching them leave, Tong Guan sneered, "The resentful army is fickle. They come to surrender now, yet they dare to ask for official positions. Once we defeat Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan, they'll only be begging for their lives!"

Zhao Liangsi nodded and said, "Commander Xuan is wise. Guo Yaoshi is not to be trusted. Two years ago, two of his battalions rebelled and plundered Qianzhou, but were later recruited. This year, his entire army rebelled again and attacked Jinzhou. Tonight alone, he has already rebelled against the Liao Dynasty three times."

Zhao Liangsi was a somewhat idealistic scholar with extremely high moral standards for others.

Although Chen Shao later made many great contributions, Tong Guan felt that Chen Shao was not up to the task. Every time Tong Guan wanted to promote Chen Shao, Tong Guan would jump out and say that Chen Shao had extorted local gentry on his way to Bianliang.

Guo Yaoshi's character was even worse than Chen Shao's. He betrayed the Khitan several times, and then surrendered to them again. He was truly fickle.

After leaving the Song army camp, Zhen Wuchen said coldly, "Tong Guan is so arrogant. If we come to surrender, we will surely be humiliated by him. We should advise our elder brother to think twice."

The other knights echoed his sentiments.
-
In April, Cai Tiao made a rare trip back to Bianliang.

When he returned, he was escorted by Zhang Daoji, who was the brother-in-law of Cai Jing's cousin and originally worked as the ordnance supervisor in the Imperial Guard.

Now that the Imperial Guards have been disbanded, he was thinking of seeking an official position. Cai Jing, remembering that his youngest son in Youzhou had not completed the tasks he had assigned, asked him to come along.

By establishing a foothold in Youzhou, when the imperial court succeeds in its campaign against Liaodong and then comes to weaken the power of the northwestern vassal states, Zhang Daoji, the son and relative of the emperor, can seize control of the Dingnan Army.

When they returned, Chen Shao had already received the news, and having nothing else to do, he went to the city gate to greet them.

Even if it's just to give Cai Jing some face.

Chen Shao was not a native of the Song Dynasty, and he did not hold the deeply ingrained idea of ​​valuing civil officials over military ones.

Therefore, he prefers to view his relationships with others based on his own abilities.

He always felt that he was already very strong, and that the important figures in Bianliang should take him seriously.

That's why he kept writing letters to Tong Guan and didn't send many gifts.
He felt that what he did was reasonable, while Tong Guan and Cai Jing thought he was arrogant, ignorant, and ungrateful.

The fact that they came out to greet his son today is an immense honor.

After the carriage arrived, Cai Tiao got off to see Chen Shao, still looking listless. He exchanged a few pleasantries and then left.

Chen Shao had originally intended to say that he had prepared a welcome banquet, but seeing his reaction, he became somewhat angry.

Cai Jing sent you here, which is a great honor for me; I brought the civil and military officials of Youzhou out of the city to welcome you, which is an even greater honor for you.

Why are you acting so arrogant?

You come out, say three words, and then you're leaving? What do you take us for?
Even if Cai Jing were here, this wouldn't be right!
Chen Shao was utterly disgusted with Cai Tiao. He sneered and was about to leave when Zhang Daoji, who had escorted Cai Tiao, stepped forward with a smile, clasped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Commander."

Chen Shao already knew about him and what he was there for, so he treated him somewhat coldly.

At this moment, Zhang Daoji took the initiative to pay his respects, and Chen Shao nodded and said with a smile, "You must be tired from your journey."

"No, no, it's all my duty."

Seeing that he didn't seem to be faking it, Chen Shao figured that since the banquet was already prepared and that Cai Tiao, that bastard, wasn't going, he might as well bring Zhang Daoji for a drink.

"I've prepared a feast. If you don't mind, would you like to join me for a drink?"

Zhang Daoji showed a look of delight and clapped his hands, saying, "Oh dear, how could I dare refuse such a kind offer from the General!"

When they arrived at the destination, Zhang Daoji discovered that Chen Shao was indeed full of sincerity.

This restaurant, located on the main street of the city, has been booked by Chen Shao and will not be accepting other guests today.

Many civil and military officials from Youzhou City came, not out of respect for Cai Tiao, but because of his father.

Little did they know that this man was born the son of a prime minister, and was somewhat arrogant.

He wasn't targeting Chen Shao, but he was resentful about being sent to such a place, and he didn't bother to talk to Zhang Daoji along the way.

Seeing that all the civil and military officials from Youzhou were there, Zhang Daoji began to think to himself that these people had an extraordinary level of respect for Chen Shao.

This kind of heartfelt obedience and acceptance cannot be faked.

He immediately realized that when Cai Jing came, he told him to manage the business well here, and that he might eventually settle down here.

Looking at it now, Grand Tutor Cai is quite old, while this military commander is so young.

Will Cai Jing really live to see that day?
Dingnan Army is a vast and resource-rich region. If the military governor Chen Shaowei is so highly respected, can the imperial court really easily reduce the power of the regional military governors?
Although he was related to Grand Tutor Cai, over the years, all he had done was arrange for him to join the Imperial Guard.

If Cai Jing was already in such a state, then after his death, there wouldn't be a single member of the Cai family capable of supporting the family.

He worked tirelessly to improve the tenon and mortise structure of the Divine Arm Bow, reducing the failure rate of continuous firing by more than half. He also supervised the construction of 300 Thunderbolt Cannons, making a great contribution.

Just as he was waiting for his promotion, Grand Tutor Cai wiped out the entire Imperial Guard, completely disregarding his own position.

Having wasted most of his life in the Imperial Guard's Ordnance Bureau, he can no longer rely on this unreliable relative.

He'd probably really hang himself from that tree.

Chen Shao is young and promising. I haven't had much contact with him, but he is very polite to me.

If they can regain their footing in the Dingnan Army, it would be a good way out.

With this idea in mind, Zhang Daoji no longer simply attended the banquet; he began to intentionally or unintentionally talk about his achievements.

As expected, Chen Shao was very interested and asked very detailed questions.

There are some things that Jie Shuai truly doesn't understand. But he has one good point: he doesn't pretend to know what he doesn't, but rather humbly asks for advice.

In fact, Zhang Daoji's greatest skill was in crossbows, but seeing that Chen Shao was very interested in gunpowder and cannons, he focused on talking about the thunderbolt cannon he had built.

As Chen Shao chatted, he became certain that this person was indeed capable, and there were many things that couldn't be made up.

The slight unpleasantness caused by Cai Tiao's arrogance and rudeness vanished, and Chen Shao had long since forgotten about him.

This kind of person isn't worth wasting your emotions on.

Recalling the rewards Tong Guan had bestowed upon him in Bianliang, Chen Shao felt a sense of gratitude at that time.

So he waved his hand and gave him one of the houses that had been confiscated from Li Eyi a few days earlier.

Li Eyi's work is undoubtedly excellent, and I believe he will be pleasantly surprised when he sees the house.
Immediately afterward, Chen Shao said, "Zhang Tianwang, the former deputy military governor of Yunzhou in the Liao Dynasty, is your relative and also an expert in firearms. You can discuss and work on it together another day."

Zhang Daoji laughed and said, "Since I've come to Dingnan Army, I'll do whatever the commander-in-chief asks me to do!"

The words were simple, but they were certainly pleasant to hear. Chen Shao said with a smile, "Come on, let's raise a glass together to welcome Old Zhang!"

Zhang Daoji had a strange feeling. These people were very sincere, unlike the officials in Bianliang who would offer superficial congratulations but secretly feel jealous when you suddenly receive a reward.

A force in its early stages, especially during its rise, possesses a unique aura.

Be vigorous and upward!

Zhang Daoji, who had just come from the old and corrupt bureaucratic system of Bianliang, would have a particularly strong sense of it.
-
Zhuozhou City.

After listening to Zhen Wuchen's words, Guo Yaoshi glanced at his angry brother, a cold smile on his lips, and said in a low voice, "If Tong Guan is like this, then he really doesn't live up to his great reputation. I always said, how much ability can someone who doesn't even have an egg have?"

Guo Yaoshi was originally a military leader who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and his generals were much the same.

The eight battalions of resentful soldiers that Yelü Chun initially assembled were indeed weak; in fact, they could be described as a rabble.

But after so many extremely brutal battles, it's like being refined from sand by fire, turning gold into gold through a hundred trials.

Guo Yaoshi's Ever Victorious Army was already a relatively strong armed force. They were not a tribal army of the Liao Kingdom. When the Liao Kingdom was in turmoil, their idea was to find a stronger backer. In this world, whoever can fight is the one who matters.

This is especially true in the Youyan region.

Although the Ever Victorious Army, which originated from the Jurchen people, was entirely composed of Han Chinese, these generals of the Ever Victorious Army did not harbor any ethnic prejudices against the Song Dynasty and the Jurchens.

The idea of ​​"Han'er" is even more of a joke.

They've been under the rule of the Liao Dynasty for over a hundred years, so why would they have so many thoughts about family and country?
Historically, before the Song army was defeated at Baigou, when they were preparing for a northern expedition with great momentum, Guo Yaoshi tried to contact the Song side.

However, Zhao Liangsi, who was in charge of receiving people from the north at the time, had always disliked these ever-victorious soldiers. He believed that they were fickle, unruly, and unreliable.

From Tong Guan onwards, they were brimming with confidence and had no intention of contacting anyone surnamed Guo.

Now Tong Guan is more confident because the Northwest is no longer a hindrance, and the army's food and pay are more plentiful than ever before.

This campaign against Liao was much better prepared and had a greater advantage than the one in history.
-
At the end of April, Tong Guan's army arrived near the Baigou River.

Yelü Dashi, the garrison commander of Nanjing under the Liao dynasty, and Xiao Gan, the commander-in-chief, gathered more than 30,000 troops from the Xi, Khitan, and Han ethnic groups and held the Baigou River.

"The Baigou line has been the link between the world's important and unimportant things for five hundred years."

This place serves as a barrier for Hebei, while Shibaigou opens the gateway to Hebei.

The Song army built a "water Great Wall" along the river—planting willows, setting up fences, digging trenches, and building 28 weirs, creating an artificial swamp.

The Liao army set up "Eagle Army" sentry towers on the north bank to monitor the movements of the Song army.

The area in front of the main tent of the Song army camp was heavily guarded, with more than a hundred soldiers in armor and carrying spears surrounding the tent.

Zhong Shidao sat in the commander's seat, his face extremely grim.

His own Western Army had been fragmented by Tong Guan, resulting in a chaotic command structure.

What's most infuriating is that almost all the low- and mid-level military officers in the army were transferred to Liu Yanqing's side.

He was appointed as a general to the newly recruited Hebei soldiers.

Although it appears to be a unilateral move, it is actually intended to weaken the Western Army, which is obvious to everyone.

The military officers in this camp are all from Bianliang. They are either civil officials or sons of powerful families who have come to gain experience and military achievements.

Before the war against Liaodong even began, the imperial court was already blatantly weakening the Western Army.

The atmosphere inside the tent was extremely heavy, and the faces of several veteran generals of the Western Army were all ashen.

With a major battle imminent, even if they didn't take the remnants of the Liao army seriously, they shouldn't have acted this way.

Can't we really wait until after the fight is over?
You can't even have the patience for just a few days?

Outside the camp, the voices of soldiers saluting suddenly rang out: "Lord Yang, Lord Wang!"

The junior officers leading the troops on the stockade looked at each other in bewilderment, when the two highest-ranking military officers in the army arrived.

Yang Keshi, Military Commissioner of Huazhou and Commander of Jingyuan Road, and Wang Bing, Military Commissioner of Wuzhou and Commander of Shengjie Army!

The gate to the central military camp creaked open. Two men wearing bright red cloaks and black gauze hats rode in, surrounded by layers of heavily armored knights.

The tall one was Yang Keshi, while Wang Bing was short and stocky with a stern expression and a smirk that seemed to dislike everything.

Judging solely from their official positions, their combined power even surpassed that of the old Zhong.

After all, Lao Zhong was ordered to cooperate in the operation this time, and was considered a cover force.

The officers and soldiers in the camp immediately knelt down on one knee, clasped their hands in greeting, and said, "My lords!"

Yang Keshi didn't answer. He went straight to the front of the main tent, jumped off his horse, and glanced around: "Have all the generals and commanders arrived?"

"They're all here."

The two exchanged a glance, looked at the closed camp gate, and simultaneously took a deep breath before stepping inside.

They were all from the Western Army, and now that the Western Army had been dismantled, how could they not know that endless rage was brewing in the tent?

Although Yang Keshi came from the Western Army, he had long since separated from it and was Tong Guan's most trusted confidant and most loyal follower. He remained relatively calm.

After all, he had long been regarded as a thorn in the side by the core group of the Western Army, led by Old Master Zhong and Young Master Zhong.

However, Wang Bing did not actually want to go too far before the battle. He thought very simply and considered the issue from the perspective of victory or defeat.

Before a major battle, this move disrupts the organization of each battalion, leaving generals unaware of their soldiers and soldiers unaware of their generals, which greatly affects combat effectiveness.

Unfortunately, he was also promoted by Tong Guan, so he could only listen to Commander Xuan.

Yang Keshi and the other two then lifted the tent flap and entered.

More than a dozen pairs of eyes turned to look at them.

Yao Gu sneered, "What orders do you two generals have for us?"

Wang Bing and Yang Keshi exchanged a glance. Both remained silent, their faces ashen. They truly didn't know what to say.

But they were, after all, straightforward men who had fought their way through life. After a while, seeing that Lao Zhong had not spoken, Wang Bing could not bear it any longer and said, "This matter is beyond our control. We are just following orders."

At that moment, the tent curtain was suddenly lifted, and a junior officer poked his head in: "Gentlemen, the Liao dogs have made a move!"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this. Why did the Liao army suddenly move at this time?

We haven't even made a move, how dare they?

Everyone stood up, and except for Old Zhong, whose leg ailment had relapsed, everyone else rushed out.

Standing on the watchtower, one could see a military general on the opposite bank, with a Song soldier tucked under his arm, returning to his camp.

He threw the Song soldier prisoner to the ground and shouted, "I captured you today for no other reason than to tell Tong Guan that I am Yelü Dashi. Anyone who dares to invade my territory will be killed and never return!"

Today, the Song Dynasty dispatched a seven-man team to take a detour to the other side of the river to spy on the camp.

Yelü Dashi happened to see this, and rode out alone, killing six of the Song Dynasty's scouts and finally capturing one alive from his horse.

At this moment, his voice was as loud as a bell, and cheers and applause immediately rang out in the Liao army's camp.

The Song army, on the other hand, experienced a slight dip in morale for a period of time.

The Western Army was disbanded, and the newly recruited Hebei soldiers had no combat experience and were of low combat effectiveness.

A look of worry had already appeared in Wang Bing's eyes; the situation was not as good as everyone had estimated.

He tugged at Yang Keshi and said, "The military report from Commander Xuan clearly states that the Liao people are short of food supplies, so we must be careful when transporting supplies recently."

Yang Keshi smiled and said, "If they dare to cross the river, it's exactly what I want. I'm just afraid they won't come."

Wang Bing frowned and said, "Don't underestimate the enemy."

Yang Keshi didn't say anything, but patted him on the shoulder and took the opportunity to escape from the oppressive atmosphere of the central army tent, using the excuse of transporting grain to get away.

Given his status, why would he need to transport grain? He simply didn't want to continue being harassed by the generals of the Western Army.

After leaving the central army, Yang Keshi immediately returned to his own tent and fell into a deep sleep.

The night mist swirled around the Baigou River, dampening my face.

Yang Sanqi rubbed the moisture from the corners of his eyes, and the sole of his boot sank into the mud with a muffled "squeak," like a swamp secretly swallowing a living creature.

"This rotten land!"

In fact, this swampy road was intentionally created by the Song Dynasty to irrigate the area, making it impossible for warhorses to gallop.

This was done to weaken the attack power of the Liao people's warhorses.

"Move the grain cart to the outer edge! The wheels are about to get stuck!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. In the glow of the torches, you could see several soldiers bending over and pushing a crooked supply cart.

This godforsaken place is no place to set up camp, but Tong Xuanshuai's orders are law.

The laborers in Hebei had long cursed his ancestors for eighteen generations. It was said that the envoy was warming himself by a fire in his tent fifty miles away, listening to folk songs, and fantasizing that the Liao people would kneel on the opposite bank of the Baigou River with a letter of surrender the next morning.

Tong Guan was notorious for not cherishing the people's strength. This campaign against Xia lasted five years, and no fewer than 100,000 of the laborers he conscripted died from exhaustion, fighting, or starvation, leaving piles of white bones abandoned along the Hengshan line.

When Chen Shao first joined the army, he was leading a supply corps. He was already considered the most merciful military general, yet more than a dozen of his five hundred laborers still died.

Lieutenant Wang Yuan ran over through the mud, his voice lower than an owl's: "The scouts report strange noises coming from the woods to the north, not like wild animals."

His armor was covered in black mud along the bottom edge, making him look like he had just crawled out of a grave.

Yang Sanqi stared at the inky darkness on the opposite bank of the river.

The Liao people? They've been hiding like cowards for the past month. Today's daytime standoff was just a few weak arrows fired across the river.

"The commander said that Xiao Gan, that bastard, doesn't have the guts to cross the river." He spat out a mouthful of phlegm, which landed silently in the mud. "Just to warn the boys."

A wake-up call? Wang Yuan looked at the numb and exhausted faces in the firelight. After marching in the rain for days, their leather armor smelled musty, and their feet were white and festering from being soaked in water.

The so-called camp was nothing more than a few soaked tents scattered haphazardly on the muddy ground, and most of the people were wrapped in half-wet blankets and dozing off under the wheels of the supply wagons.

The weapons were scattered and stuck in the mud, and the bowstrings were all limp.

Before he could offer any further advice, a gust of cold wind whipped up the flames, and half of the torches around them went out with a "poof." A thick darkness, carrying a biting chill, instantly engulfed them.

"The wind is picking up! Quick! Light the fire..." A squad leader had only managed to shout half a sentence when his voice abruptly stopped.

It wasn't the wind.

Yang Keshi's hair stood on end instantly. The sound, like rolling thunder, rolled over the ground, growing louder and closer—it was horses' hooves! Countless hooves violently trampled the cold mud!
"Enemy attack—!" A scream, filled with the despair of death, tore through the night from the northernmost part of the camp.

late.

The first volley of arrows, like a dark swarm of locusts, swooped down from above, shrieking with the sharp, whistling sound of the Liao people's tail feathers cutting through the air. A series of muffled thuds followed, the sounds of iron spikes piercing flesh, embedding themselves in carts, and piercing sacks. A young Song soldier, just awakened from his sleep and clutching his spear, had an arrowhead pierce his slightly open mouth, exploding into a red and white mass at the back of his head. He swayed, then collapsed into the mud.

Chaos erupted like cold water poured over boiling oil. The soldiers were like headless flies, with only incoherent screams echoing in the darkness.

"my eyes!"

"Form ranks! Form ranks quickly!"

"A horse! Where did this horse come from?!"

Their answer came with a second and third volley of even denser arrows, and a wave of death crashing out of the thick darkness!

The Liao cavalry appeared. They were like ghosts tearing through the night, their men and horses covered in wet mud, only their cold metal and beast-like eyes reflecting a chilling light in the occasional glimmer of moonlight piercing through the dark clouds.

These cavalrymen seemed oblivious to the cold, damp mud; they pierced through the sparse, muddy ranks of the Song army with razor-like precision.

"Hold on to the west with me! Spearmen! Where are the spearmen?" Wang Yuan's voice was tinged with blood. He swung his sword to deflect a stray arrow and hastily organized a few dozen soldiers who were still somewhat conscious.

The spears, like thorns, thrust out towards the surging black tide. A Liao rider at the forefront was pierced through the belly by several spear tips, and he and his horse rolled and neighed in the mud. The huge force of the impact even broke the bones of two Song soldiers.

But the next Liao cavalryman arrived, and the heavy iron mace crashed down with a mournful whistling sound.

A spear snapped in two with a snap, instantly deforming and collapsing the spearman's helmet and its contents. The Liao horse charged on relentlessly, its massive hooves mercilessly crushing the chest of a fallen support soldier. The sound of bones breaking was drowned out by screams and the clang of metal.

The entire vanguard of the Song army was perfectly divided into countless small "islands" by the damned mud of the Baigou River.

The 'swamp' specifically prepared for cavalry also proved ineffective. The Liao people seemed to have anticipated this. Their charge did not sink deep into the mud, but instead followed the relatively solid areas along the riverbank, relentlessly cutting, encircling, and strangling the Song army trapped in the muddy center!

In other words, the Liao people's intelligence was incredibly accurate.

Yang Sanqi's eyes reddened; he knew it was all over. The vanguard mission, the recapture of Youyun—it was all just a pipe dream.

His brothers were being harvested in swathes, like wheat.

"Set it on fire! Burn the supplies! We can't leave them!" he commanded hoarsely.

Several guards tried to throw torches at the nearest grain cart, but were knocked down by Liao cavalry that pounced from the side.

A warm, rusty liquid splashed onto Yang Sanqi's face. It was from his own lieutenant, Wang Yuan. A lance pierced through the gap in Wang Yuan's shoulder armor, lifting him up and then flinging him away, where he slammed into a wooden box full of arrows, and fell silent.

A Liao general spotted Yang Sanqi's armor, spurred his horse and charged straight at him, his scimitar reflecting the flames of the burning carts in the distance.

Yang Sanqi parried the slash aimed at his face, the heavy force causing his hand to split open and his sword to nearly slip from his grasp. The ground was slippery mud, and all around him were the dying screams of his men and the eerie howls of the Liao people; he had nowhere to hide.

Just as the curved blade came down again, Yang Sanqi suddenly sprang up from the mud beside him and slammed into the horse's leg! He used all his strength to smash the back of the blade hard against the horse's foreleg joint.

The horses neighed pitifully, lurching to the side with tremendous force. The Liao centurion on his back was caught off guard and thrown heavily into the mud. The soldiers were also knocked down, their axes slipping from their hands, and mud covered their mouths and noses.

In that split second! Yang Keshi's instinct for survival overcame his fear. He swung his knife backhand and slashed it hard into the throat of the Liao man in the mud, spraying foul-smelling blood all over him.

"Brothers! Charge to the river! Every one of us who survives is a life we ​​can count!" Yang Sanqi roared, slapping the back of his knife at several soldiers who were running around like headless flies.

He tore off his helmet and threw it away, then, under the last desperate cover of his personal guards, plunged headfirst into the icy, bone-chilling waters of the Baigou River.

The river water was murky, carrying a strong smell of blood and corpses floating downstream.

The image of hell on earth, illuminated by the firelight on the shore, flickered and shimmered before my eyes:

Those heavy crossbows, representing the elite of the Song Dynasty, were abandoned in the mud, and the Liao people's horses excitedly trampled them around.

The supply wagons, filled with newly cast armor, were set ablaze, and the iron plates twisted and deformed in the flames;

Countless soldiers, clad in familiar Song army armor, were dismembered, trampled, and slaughtered like cattle and sheep in a slaughterhouse... The last spark of resistance was extinguished completely in the mud.

At this moment, the Baigou River.

The bugle calls rang out one after another deep within the Liao army camp.

By this time, it was fully light, and the morning mist had long since dissipated. One could clearly see various flags fluttering and commands being issued from the watchtowers of the Liao camp several miles away.

Hundreds of cavalrymen who had been rotating patrols and scouting across the battlefield had already spread out in a sparse formation in front of the Song and Liao armies. More scout cavalrymen continued to pour in from all directions, maintaining vigilance against the Song army.

The Liao cavalry, whistling and circling, some even pressing close to the edge of Song archery range, displayed various horsemanship skills on horseback, all with one purpose: to maintain pressure on the Song army camp. They wanted to avoid being harassed or attacked by the Song army before their main force left the camp!

The Song army camps, which were connected as one, were also filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, the fluttering of flags, and the frantic transmission of all sorts of orders.

One by one, the Song soldiers, fully armored and led by their officers, rushed out of their tents and swiftly scaled the stockade walls.

All the camp gates were temporarily opened, and large groups of laborers poured out to reinforce and thicken the barricades inside the moat and outside the stockade walls. The roads that had been cleared for easy passage were immediately blocked.

On the open ground between the camps, squads of Song soldiers emerged and set up positions.

In front were the deer fortresses, then spears and daggers, and behind them were layers upon layers of archers and crossbowmen.

The walls of the stockade were crowded with people. Song soldiers' archers and crossbowmen accounted for 60% of the soldiers. In addition to those who were preparing for field battles between the two stockades, the walls of the stockade were also full of powerful bows and crossbows!
Inside the camp, chaos reigned. Large pots were set up to heat water and oil, and more arrows and stones were being sent up. Straw bags and timber were prepared again to plug the breach.

The few Song cavalrymen also came out from behind the gate and assembled, standing in silent ranks, ready to launch a counterattack at any moment.

The front line at Baigou River was manned by the elite troops of the Western Army. Although the Liao people moved suddenly, their war preparations were still well-organized and there was no panic!

Soldiers are battle-hardened veterans, and generals are seasoned battlefield experts.

However, the lower-level generals who were holding things together in the middle were transferred away and replaced with a bunch of incompetent fools.

The generals were even a little excited. The Liao people actually dared to take the initiative to attack. This was a golden opportunity that they couldn't ask for more than they could have.

Suddenly, shouts of battle came from the west.

The Song soldiers turned their heads and saw that the western route, which should have been their own, was suddenly filled with countless Khitan cavalry.

The Liao army before them was even more imposing than the Song army.

The long moat in front of the Song army camp severely restricted their mobility.

The Liao cavalry were scattered everywhere in loose formations, their whistles ringing out one after another.

Behind the cavalry, the first rank consisted of infantrymen wearing iron helmets and heavy armor, surging forward like an iron wall. Behind them were light infantrymen in leather armor and soft hats, and archers in simple robes with bows and arrow quivers, stretching out in layers for an unknown distance.

The Liao troops in these operations first formed small formations, then converged into a large formation. Stepping forward, one could see endless waves of people rolling forward!

A murderous atmosphere is blowing in your face!

On either side of the infantry formation, large groups of cavalry were gathering.

The Liao cavalry far outnumbered the Song cavalry. They gradually coalesced into a massive, awe-inspiring cavalry formation.

The neighing of warhorses seemed to drown out the sound of horns, enveloping the entire battlefield!

Countless warhorses reared up, neighing and leaping, giving one the feeling that this massive cavalry formation held immense explosive power!
On the watchtower, everyone's face was pale.

What's going on in the west? Why are there so many Liao soldiers appearing?

The generals of the Western Army remained calm. They immediately determined that Yang Keshi on the left flank had caused the problem and made the decision to retreat in an orderly manner and launch a counterattack!
The mid- to low-ranking military officers who should have appeared in time to calm their subordinates and fight according to military orders were all replaced by incompetent incompetents who came from Bianliang to gain military merit, causing the Song army to miss the best opportunity for a counterattack or breakout.

The west side was not the focus of the defense; everyone was focused on the opposite bank of the Baigou River. No one expected that Yang Keshi, the left-wing forward, would be so ineffective!
Furthermore, with orders being relayed haphazardly, the chaotic camp was quickly breached by the Liao forces.

Surrounded by Xiao Gan's troops, they surged forward. Xiao Gan, the Prince of Xi, sat astride his horse, ensuring that every Liao soldier could see his banner.

Yelü Dashi launched his attack from the opposite bank of the Baigou River.
-
The Liao Dynasty's Nanjing Commander-in-Chief, Prince Xiao Gan, dispatched light cavalry to launch a night raid on the Song army's vanguard, led by Yang Keshi. They used the Baigou River marshland terrain to divide and encircle the enemy, and then attacked the Baigou River water fortress from the west.

The Song army suffered a crushing defeat, with 30,000 dead and all its weapons and supplies abandoned.

The remaining army retreated back to Xiongzhou, with nearly half of the elite Western Army killed.

Chen Shao was completely stunned when he saw the military report in front of him.

He rubbed his eyes, looked down again, and then confirmed that he hadn't seen wrong.

Sitting in the chair, Chen Shao's mind was buzzing, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

It's like a lump of paste.
He scratched his head, walked to the window, and ordered his men to summon Wei Li, Yang Cheng, and Wang Yin.

The three arrived one after another. When they saw the military report sent down by Chen Shao, apart from Wang Yin, who already knew the news, the other two were also stunned.

There was a long silence in the study.

Everyone had a lot to say, but no one knew what to say.

Chen Shao coughed, breaking the suffocating silence.

"How's the digging of the Wuding River canal going?"

Chen Shao was too lazy to mention the battle report from Hebei; he didn't want to talk about it anymore, and there was nothing to say about it.

Anyway, Tong Guan won't hear you cursing here.

Yang Cheng said, "It's going very smoothly, and we'll be able to break through soon."

Because of the large number of refugees from Liaodong, these people were given work relief after arriving at Dingnan Army and participated in various construction and transportation projects.

They built fortresses on the Xingling Plain; dug ditches in the Wuding River; mined and dried salt in the salt lakes; and mined and smelted iron in Youzhou.
They were happy to have food; Chen Shao was also happy to have manpower available.

Chen Shao felt that the Song Dynasty was just like the national football team of later generations; you couldn't trust it at all.

No matter when or what the situation, he can always deliver a huge blow.

We should focus all our energy on developing our own strength.

(End of this chapter)