You have truly caused me great suffering!

The Dingnan Army launched an attack from Nuanquan Peak and, in a short period of time, conquered a large area of ​​territory that originally belonged to the Liao Dynasty.

And they successfully held their ground, currently locked in a stalemate with the Jurchens.

Things took an unexpected turn, leaving the entire Song Dynasty dumbfounded.

It seems that Dingnan Army has returned to the familiar tactics of using fortified strongholds to wear down the enemy.

In fact, Chen Shao and his men were well aware that while they could wear down the Western Xia, it was unlikely that they could wear down the Jurchens.

The Jurchens now possess vast territories and abundant resources, unlike the Western Xia at the end of its dynasty.

The stalemate occurred because during the frost-prone period, large-scale battles could not be launched.

However, small-scale battles never ceased in Dongsheng Prefecture.

The powerful figures of the various states within the Yunnei region all chose their own camps.

Some surrendered to the Dingnan army like Meng Nuan, while others surrendered to the Jurchens.

All around Chenjiabao, there were shouts of men and neighing of horses. In just over a month, this small fortress, isolated on the Yellow River and not near any towns, had changed its appearance.

The territory of Shengzhou in Liaodong is vast, but there are few decent cities; most are small fortified villages set up by powerful local lords for self-defense.

The original low walls of Chenjiabao have been raised. In this area, everything is scarce except for stones.

The original rammed earth walls have now been covered with newly quarried stones.

Although the outer layer has not been polished and still shows exposed stone fragments, its defensive capabilities are much higher than before.

A deep and wide moat was also dug around the village.

Even though it was too cold to bring in water, the deep moat, more than ten feet deep and more than two feet wide, was also filled with sharpened wooden stakes; falling in meant certain death.

A defensive system of passes, from Qizhai to Wubibaozhai.

Along the way, small forts were set up at various points along the Yellow River, which could be used to support each other with bows and crossbows.

Then, build a main fortress on the surrounding high ridges to store grain, weapons, and a large army as a last resort.

Han Shizhong was building his own defense system. Looking at the Xiazhou laborers working outside the village, he laughed and scolded, "These people are really good at building supply trains. I've been in the army for over 20 years and I've never seen anyone so good at digging ditches and building walls."

These laborers not only worked hard, but most importantly, they cooperated extremely well, with clear division of labor and no meaningless work.

Whether it's quarrying stones to reinforce the stockade walls or digging such a trench in this freezing weather, both require a large amount of manpower.

With the original inhabitants of Chenjiabao plus the refugees they intercepted, they won't be able to stop working even if they keep going until next year.

The laborers from Xia Prefecture were incredibly efficient, and the fortifications were already taking shape.

Firstly, they have been building fortresses and villages for many years, and they all came from the same fortress, so they cooperate well and are skilled in their craft.

Secondly, with this defensive line breached, Xiazhou will be the next to hold the line.

So everyone worked extra hard, hoping that if they built a sturdier structure today, their village and their families wouldn't be besieged by the Jurchens.

Patrolling the stockade walls were burly men from the north, dressed in a motley collection of clothes; they were all people from Yunnei Prefecture.

These men wore very little armor and their weapons were a jumbled mess, making them no match for Han Shizhong's Helan Mountain troops in the fortress.

But the fact that so many strong men gathered in such a remote place was a formidable force.

They were also under the command of Helan Mountain officers, who were dressed in neat armor, cloaks, and iron helmets. Military discipline was not yet strict, but at least there were units, organization, and orders.

These northern men, who grew up in harsh and cold lands and took life and death much less seriously than the people of the Song Dynasty, became different in combat once they were organized into units.

They were perfectly capable of patrolling other captured areas, restraining the people, and keeping watch.

And there are quite a few of them.

There are more than four or five hundred men patrolling the stockade walls and setting up checkpoints outside.
The officers who command them, layer upon layer, probably number twenty or thirty. At least in this place, that's already a formidable force.

Led by Han Shizhong, they fought several fierce battles and later became a strong army.

Han Shizhong's troops were never many, even though he was the most meritorious general in the Dingnan Army. Back in Youzhou, he selected three thousand strong men from the army to harass the Xingling Plain.

Because they were locked in fierce fighting with the Western Xia at the time, and the battle was taking place in their heartland, Han Shizhong dared not select troops originally from the Western Xia.

He selected almost entirely Han Chinese men from the Shaanxi-Hengshan area, and most of them were defeated soldiers from the Western Army.

Later, when attacking Helan Mountain, not many people were needed. Just block a few entrances to Helan Mountain and wait for them to run out of ammunition and food.

Therefore, Han Shizhong's troops have never been many, currently numbering only five thousand cavalry.

He was far inferior to Li Xiaozhong, Wu Jie, and Lao Zhu.

Chen Shao's task for Han Shizhong was to occupy the prefectures within Yunnei, not to simply conquer them and consider the job done, like the Jurchens did.

It will be very difficult for Han Shizhong to accomplish this task; it is not something that can be done well simply by being good at fighting.

In fact, the Jurchens only truly established their rule over the western borders of the Liao Dynasty after stabilizing the region and internally assimilating into Han culture.

Chen Shao felt that this was a rare opportunity. In the past, when this place was occupied by foreign tribes, it would have taken a long time to educate them in order to completely conquer it.

However, the Jurchens were of great help. These ruthless and cruel Tartars, whose methods were inhuman, destroyed the spirit of the local people with just a few moves.

Now, as long as they are freed from the demonic Jurchen Tartars, these people of various ethnic groups in the western part of the Liao Dynasty will welcome the royal army with food and drink.

In addition to these garrison troops, a large number of refugees filled the area inside and outside the fortress.

Now, Han Shizhong needs to recruit new soldiers, and he must have enough manpower to fulfill Chen Shao's request.

Strong and robust men were recruited by Han Shizhong, organized, and handed over to his elite troops who had conquered the country.

The others prepared various defensive equipment, and sheds were set up inside and outside the fortress, with steam rising from them as the cooks prepared meals.

The steamed buns made from various grains were piled up like small mountains, and the hot soup was steaming. The migrant workers kept glancing at these sheds as they worked; these simple meals were more precious to them than anything else.

When the Jurchen Tartars came, they would plunder the land and drive the people to work without giving them food.

As a result, Han Shizhong's army became even more impressive in their eyes.

Winning people's hearts sometimes depends not on how well you do, but on how badly the person before you did.

Large numbers of the elderly, women, and children were also moved to the south, behind the Yellow River defense line.

This move was not simply to protect them; it was a scorched-earth policy. The Jurchen Tartars' auxiliary troops relied on plundering from these people to maintain their military supplies.

Han Shizhong has given the order that anyone who refuses to leave should have their houses burned down.

It's either leave or die; staying behind to be a mobile blood bank for the Tartars is unacceptable.

Suddenly, Han Shizhong noticed that there were over a hundred men escorting the elderly, women, and children, all riding horses and driving camels.

There were also seven or eight large carts in the procession, pulled by horses and laden with goods. After recognizing their banners, Han Shizhong asked suspiciously, "A merchant escort caravan? What are they doing here?"

A military officer from Xia Prefecture who came to deliver supplies laughed and said, "General Han came from Helan Mountain. He didn't know that the grain escort team is so strong now. They are probably here to select some men and do business with them."

Han Shizhong was stunned: "These people have no money, what kind of business can we do with them?"

“We are indeed penniless now, but you know the rules of our Dingnan Army. These people will have work after they go south. They may not have money now, but they may not have it in the future. Let the caravan give them some benefits first, and then let them pay back slowly.”

The knights escorting these women and children shouted at the top of their lungs at the front and back of the procession: "One bowl of hot soup for each person, with salt and oil, be careful not to spill it! Send any orphans or children who are too difficult to raise to us."

"Our caravan will raise your children for free, we will never mistreat them, and we will even teach them a skill!"

"If you don't believe me, go and ask around. Send him to a caravan, and he'll have a bright future!"

Hearing their shouts, Han Shizhong scratched his head and asked, "Does the General know about these things?"

"Of course I know."

Han Shizhong felt relieved after hearing this. Since the military commander knew, it meant that he had tacitly approved it, so there was no problem.

It's possible that this is another of General Jie's doing.

Among the people heading south, some were forced by Han Shizhong to burn down their houses, destroy their fields, and steal their cattle and sheep.

It would be a lie to say I don't hate them, but no matter how much resentment I feel, I can't let it out at this moment. The reason is simple: I'm no match for them, and I have to accept it.

Not to mention those cavalrymen in their gleaming armor, a military camp has already been set up right outside Chenjiabao Village.

Together with the Chenjiabao Fortress, which is currently being reinforced, the fortress forms a strategic point, located near the Yellow River. The military camp is quite large, capable of accommodating a thousand people.

All defensive facilities were complete, and agile men moved in and out of the military camp. Compared to those guarding the fortress walls, these soldiers were better equipped and were all cavalry. They were heavily armored and well-equipped, rushing back and forth with a whoosh.

Faced with the formidable cavalry forces of the various states within the Yunnei region, they had absolutely no room for resistance.

In this special military camp, three large flags were erected: one was the flag of the Army that advocated the righteous cause of restoring Liaodong; another was the flag of the Red Sun and Bright Moon, with the background color of white, which was revered by the Jurchens; and the third was the pure black military flag of the Tatars.

The Khitan, Jurchen, and Mongol peoples were miraculously integrated into one camp.

At this very moment, atop the watchtower in the center of the military camp, Han Shizhong looked with satisfaction at a portion of the Yellow River defense line he had constructed.

The commander-in-chief tasked him with taking control of the prefectures within the Yunnei region, a very heavy responsibility. In Han Shizhong's view, it was even more difficult than attacking Datong Prefecture.

He believed that Chen Shao also knew that, on many occasions, the two of them shared a tacit understanding.

The commander knows how capable I, Han Shizhong, am, and always assigns me the most difficult and toughest battles; I also know how much the commander values ​​me, and I always put my heart and soul into each one, giving him a brilliant victory.

He turned around and continued his inspection of the stockade wall.

Suddenly, squads of light cavalry galloped in from the outside of the fortified system built by Han Shizhong.

At the head of the procession, flags were waving, and upon closer inspection, they were the flags of Xia Prefecture.

These banners gradually converged in one place, forming an iron torrent of tens of thousands of people.

Li Xiaozhong mustered his troops at Wuyangling and set off. Following the light cavalry of Yinzhou, the heavy cavalry of Helan Mountain, and the Lingwu troops, the main force of Xiazhou also moved.

Their march from this point clearly indicates their destination: to attack Datong Prefecture. The main force of the troops assembled in Xia Prefecture this time is still light cavalry, essentially the Dingnan Army, which inherited the territory of Western Xia and whose fighting style is somewhat similar to that of Western Xia.

The soldiers of Xia Prefecture each had two or even three horses. Under the command of the Grand Commander Li Xiaozhong, there were four commanders, each with more than ten thousand men under their command.

Moreover, unlike other Dingnan Army soldiers, these Xiazhou soldiers were accompanied by a considerable number of auxiliary soldiers and civilians.

There were over ten thousand magnificent warhorses and nearly twenty thousand pack horses and mules. The cavalry force was several times larger than the regular army, with tens of thousands of troops gathered in one place, giving the impression of boundless territory.

Because it was the frost-covered period, they walked very slowly and with great difficulty.

The shouts of men and the neighing of horses blended together, and even the river winds on both sides of the Yellow River seemed to avoid this rising, powerful energy.

Just after the Dingnan Army had already brought immense shock to the Central Plains, another army was mobilized.

Even Han Shizhong, one of his own men, felt a chill run down his spine.

I really want to see what kind of faces those big-turbaned people from the Song Dynasty will have when they see these troops.
-
"This year there has been a lot of rain, the ice layer is thick in winter, and the frost-blowing period will be very long."

In Yan'an Prefecture, in Old Zhong's study, Chen Shao and Zhong Shidao looked at the sand table and spoke slowly.

From the moment he captured Yanzhou, Chen Shao had been planning this battle.

He went through every single detail countless times.

The frost heap season was naturally within his expectations.

Therefore, when Chen Shao learned that the Jin Kingdom had declared war at the beginning of the year, he initially thought it was unlikely and believed that they were trying to put pressure on the Song Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, they actually sent Yin Shuke to launch a surprise attack on Yingzhou's capital.

This gave Chen Shao some insight into Wanyan Wuqimai's strength. He might be a fierce general, but compared to his elder brother Wanyan Aguda, he was still a bit inferior.

Perhaps the campaign against Liao was too successful, which led him to believe that the Jurchens could accomplish whatever they wanted.

There was no careful preparation before doing it.

Given the incompetence and folly of the Song Dynasty's rulers and ministers, even if you give him another six months, you should also prepare for another six months.

A surprise attack in the fall, once everything is in place, is far better than declaring war at the beginning of the year and then slowly preparing for it.

"If Wanyan Aguda were here, he certainly wouldn't have declared war at the beginning of the year. Sending a challenge sounds domineering, but it's actually a bit presumptuous."

Old Zhong was often in an awkward position. He seemed to be the leader of the Western Army, but the other families each had their own ideas.

This requires the old fox to frequently do some illogical things to resolve the internal strife within the Western Army and maintain its superficial unity.

Therefore, his perspective on the issue differed somewhat from Chen Shao's. He said calmly, "Wanyan Wuqimai's move may be an attempt to balance the conflict between the Eastern Route Army and the Western Route Army."

Chen Shao looked up in surprise, then suddenly seemed to realize something. No wonder he was an old fox; even he hadn't thought of that.

The Jurchen people were not a monolithic entity. Wanyan Wugumai may have had no choice but to propose an invasion to the south to resolve some internal strife.

After all, creating a common enemy and launching a war is always the easiest and most direct way to resolve internal conflicts.

Moreover, Wanyan Wuqimai was not entirely without countermeasures for the flooding period; he dispatched Yin Shuke as the vanguard.

If Chen Shao hadn't contacted Meng Nuan early on, even during the frost-prone period, after the Jurchens occupied Yingzhou, they could have slowly gathered around Taiyuan and laid siege to the city.

Just like in history, after capturing Yingzhou, Wanyan Zonghan began besieging Taiyuan much earlier than four months later.

Zhong Shidao asked with a smile, "Do you know that your name is being spread all over the Central Plains now?"

Chen Shao clicked his tongue and said, "This is not what I want."

Seeing Chen Shao's sighing expression, Zhong Shidao suddenly felt a little scared.

He was young once too; he was in his early twenties.

Back then, I was full of vigor and ambition, and I wished the whole world would know my name, that would be the real joy!
If there's an opportunity to make a name for oneself, one will definitely seize it at all costs.

This twenty-year-old young commander hoped to remain unknown, while Old Zhong, at seventy and having seen countless people, could naturally discern whether Chen Shao was genuine or merely putting on an act.

Zhong Shidao remained silent, recounting Chen Shao's rise to wealth, and suddenly realized something: he was too pragmatic.

He claimed that the capture of Yinzhou was achieved by the Zhong family army.
He claimed that Tan Zhen was responsible for defeating Fang La;

After destroying the Western Xia dynasty, he secretly sent the Western Xia royal family to Bianliang, giving all the opportunities to shine to Emperor Huizong of Tang.

After destroying the Western Uyghurs, he secretly sent the Khan's family of Gaochang to Bianliang City.
He seems to have a grudge against reputation, and he tries to push people away whenever he sees it.

It is precisely because of this that he was able to quietly grow and expand in the Northwest, eventually reaching its current scale.

Zhong Shidao secretly sized up Chen Shao, thinking to himself, "What exactly are you plotting? How can you be so patient at such a young age?"

Chen Shao did not stay in Yan'an Prefecture for long. When he left, many people from Yan'an Prefecture lined both sides of the road to watch the Lingwu Army march.

Many Western Army generals were also present.

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

Looking at the appearance, morale, and armor of the Lingwu Army, they secretly nodded in approval.

In the crowd, a young man clenched his fist and said, "Not bad at all!"

"They're not bad, what are you so happy about?" a middle-aged man said with dissatisfaction.

"This group of people is going to Hedong."

"What's the matter?"

"The east bank of the river is now guarded by the Huanqing Army, who are also our brothers in the Western Army."

The middle-aged man fell silent. Huanqing Army members were not only their old brothers, but also sons of Shaanxi.

That damned Song court left them in Hedong to fight against the Jurchen army marching south.

"Actually, Chen Shao also came from our Western Army."

In the crowd, this voice immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Don't you know? He was a soldier from Fuyan Road. He was promoted to grain transport commissioner because he climbed the Western Xia's stockade wall alone and cut down the felt flag to bring back."

People looked at the figure in the ranks, feeling incredulous. They had no idea that Commander Chen was such a skilled fighter!
Rumors began to circulate that Chen Shao was both a skilled warrior and a scholar, and that he had single-handedly stormed the enemy camp.

And it's getting increasingly mysterious.

Chen Shao knew nothing about this.

He is still on his way to provide assistance to Hedong.
-
The seat of Yingzhou, on the stockade wall.

The weather was clear and visibility was excellent.

Looking down from Yingzhou Fortress, the Jurchen army's camps were clearly visible.

The fortresses and strongholds throughout Yingzhou, the main city walls, and the walls of Longshou Village were already filled with soldiers and officers, all clad in armor and armed, their expressions tense as they watched the Jurchen army's camp.

Although they knew the Jurchen Tartars would come, and had been humiliated by them before, they had to swallow their anger in order to survive. Whenever the Tartars came to raid their territory, they would send people to deliver supplies to them.

The Tartars killed many of their own people while collecting their loot, and these people dared not resist. This was the case for most of the local powerful families.

The soldiers of Yingzhou stood guard at their respective battle positions, and Meng Nuan's knuckles were white as she gripped her weapon.

The cold wind blew, and even though I had applied oil to my face, it still stung like being cut by a knife.

No one had the leisure to stomp their feet or rub their faces to keep warm. They remained motionless at their posts, and any movement they made would cause the guards at the gate to nervously swallow.

Meng Nuan, perched atop the wall, rallied the men: "Brothers, though the Jurchen Tartars are ruthless, this fortress is no joke. As long as we hold it, the Jurchen army will arrive soon!"

"Hold the line! Holding the line will be a great achievement! I will personally go to the commander's tent to request the reward for everyone!"

"You all know how ruthless the Tartars are. If they invade, we're finished!"

More than a dozen fires were lit on the city wall, with large pots hanging above them, the broth boiling and emitting an unpleasant smell.

So-called "golden juice" is simply collected excrement and urine, boiled until it bubbles. Some versions also add poisonous herbs/substances.

Adding highly toxic plant powders or minerals such as aconite and arsenic increases the toxicity.

Adding rosin: increases boiling point, adhesion, and flammability.

When this stuff is poured on the body, it causes extensive, deep burns, skin ulceration, and excruciating pain.

The Jurchen Tartars had thick armor and thick skin, making them difficult to kill. This was the perfect way to deal with them.

Below the city wall, military officers were shouting orders, urging laborers and auxiliary soldiers to carry up more logs, stones, arrows, and crossbow bolts.

After Meng Nuan shouted, she was encouraged, even more so than others, and began to walk around the fortified village with even greater effort.

The archers took out the greased bowstrings from the bag, carefully wiped off the grease, hung them on the bow and crossbow arms, and silently adjusted the string tension.

Apart from these noises, the soldiers and officers densely packed on the city wall remained silent, all on high alert.

Yingzhou is actually very small. There are no tall arrow towers on the main city fortress, only a few watchtowers that can be used as beacon towers.

Even before the battle, Chen Shao and his men knew that Yingzhou Society would bear the brunt of the attack, and its role and status were immense.

After Yin Shuke's surprise attack failed, he had no choice but to launch a full-scale assault. Before dawn, he saw a large number of fires being lit in the Jurchen camp, and there was a commotion among the people.

Then even more scouts poured out. A more powerful cavalry perimeter was deployed beyond the range of the crossbows and arrows of Yingzhou's defenses, preventing the city's cavalry from launching a surprise attack.

The camp was filled with the rough shouts and commands in the Jurchen language. Thousands of Jurchen soldiers, along with many more captured prisoners, sprang into action. The firelight illuminated the sky, turning it red.

Meng Nuan felt both anxious and excited. He knew that reinforcements definitely came and were strong enough, but he couldn't say when they would arrive.

The longer you hold out, the greater your merit.

This is the most important battle for him, and even for his entire family. (End of Chapter)