You have truly caused me great suffering!

The autumn wind in Hedong was already quite chilly. Walking outside Taiyuan City, soldiers were washing their warhorses by the river.

Hearing the neighing of warhorses and the loud laughter of the robust cavalry, Yuwen Xu felt a surge of powerlessness.

No matter how difficult the situation, he would try his best to find a solution.

Therefore, he was called a strategist.

However, the current situation is beyond human control to reverse.

The Lingwu Army was so formidable that Chen Shao was even more pragmatic than he had imagined; he had no intention of leaving this place.

Yunzhong Prefecture appears to have been recovered, but in reality, it hasn't been; Hedong appears to have been preserved, but in reality, it has already been lost.

Wang Bing's Huanqing Army and the New Army were no match for this group; they could even stop the Jurchen Tartars who swept across the Khitan.

Faced with absolute power, everything is in vain. If Chen Shao doesn't leave, then the Song Dynasty will have to hold off the enemy in Hebei on its own.

Yuwen Xuzhong recalled that a few days ago, the emperor had been unusually diligent and frugal, even spending money several times to train the new army.

But a few days later, he went to Shenxiao Palace to cultivate with Liang Shicheng again.

Can the new army of the Beijing garrison, the Hebei militia, and the remnants of the Yanshan army really stop the Jurchen Tartars?
I'm afraid even Guo Yaoshi's 50,000 elite Ever-Victorious Army would be difficult to defeat.

And were Chen Shao's demands excessive?

His two conditions were that he needed military provisions, which was the responsibility of the imperial court. After all, without them, Hedong would have become a battlefield, and who knows how much money would have been wasted.

The second example is the killing of Tong Guan, Cai You, Liang Shicheng, and Wang Fu. These actions could quickly bring a large sum of money and win the hearts and minds of the people, gaining their love and respect.

These people should have been killed long ago!

After cursing in his heart, Yuwen Xuzhong realized that he seemed to have lost his composure and had actually cursed aloud.

He looked around, and his men's eyes were all darting away.

Realizing that they didn't know who he meant to kill, Yuwen Xuzhong didn't care and said, "We need to hurry back."

"Leaving right away?"

"No rush," Yuwen Xuzhong said. "Let me speak with Grand Commandant Wang for a few minutes first."

Regardless of the strength of Wang Bing's troops, he must now defend Taiyuan City at all costs. At the very least, the city must remain in the hands of the imperial court and not be easily taken over by Chen Shao.

Otherwise, Hedong would already be in his grasp.

Almost all the prominent gentry in Hedong were in Taiyuan. Once they occupied Taiyuan, as long as they sent people to persuade others to surrender, there would be little resistance in other parts of Hedong.

Yuwen Xuzhong had little contact with Chen Shao, but from these few encounters, he had roughly figured out Chen Shao's temperament and character.

He was certain that Chen Shao would not launch a forced attack on the city. He was a very cautious and pragmatic person, and it would be a mistake to openly attack Taiyuan.

Then Chen Shao would become an even more hated public enemy in the Central Plains than the Jurchen Tartars.

All patriots will rise up and fight you.

He currently has no reason to break with the Song Dynasty. Just as he chose to gradually erode the territory in the Northwest despite having a significant advantage.

In Hedong, he could have easily taken over the area slowly, just like he did back then.

So there's still a chance. As long as Hebei holds out, and after the Jurchen troops retreat, we can threaten him to withdraw his troops, and Chen Shao should give in.

Yuwen Xuzhong arrived at Wang Bing's camp with a sullen face.

Seeing his appearance, Wang Bing knew that his prediction was correct; he would definitely return empty-handed.

“Uncle Tong, don’t be discouraged. Things are not beyond repair yet,” Wang Bing said. “Once I have reorganized the Huanqing Army, I will go to Zhengding Prefecture. The Tartar army will take advantage of the situation and come. Once we are stopped, as long as we hold out for a while, they will retreat on their own.”

"If all else fails, we will hold Bianliang to the death until troops from other regions come to the emperor's aid!"

After Wang Bing finished speaking, he remained silent for a while. Once the capital was besieged and troops from all over the country came to the emperor's aid, the prestige of the court would be greatly diminished.

However, there was no time to worry about that now. The immediate priority was to resolve the crisis. This large tiger raised in the Northwest was not something that could be controlled in the short term.

Heaven is indeed fair, allowing the current emperor to enjoy such prosperity for so many years. The capital city of Bianliang has overdrawn the nation's strength to surpass the prosperity of previous dynasties, and has completely exhausted the national fortune of the Song Dynasty.

The days ahead will only become more and more difficult.

Wang Bing, sitting in his tent, suddenly stood up, walked to Yuwen Xuzhong's side, and grasped his hand. "Shutong," he said, "though I am a rough man, I know that those who are united in purpose will prevail, and those who work diligently and resolutely will win. Now is a critical moment for the survival of the nation. I urge you, loyal and righteous men, to advise His Majesty in the capital to win over the hearts of the people, to guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and to lead our Great Song out of its current predicament."

"Don't worry, General, I will do my best!" Yuwen Xuzhong rarely made any promises, but at this moment he couldn't help but nod in agreement, and even changed his address from Grand Commandant to General.

Ultimately, to reverse the situation, we need to fight the war well; that's the key to all the problems.

Chen Shao was able to stay in Hedong because his men had recovered Yunzhong Prefecture and established a firm foothold.

As long as you frontline soldiers fight well, even if you don't win, you should lose gracefully so that people can see hope.

Then, relying on the foundation of the Song Dynasty and the strong self-sustaining capacity of Jiangnan and Lianghuai, the prestige of the Song Dynasty court was gradually restored.
-
More than ten Jurchen knights, dressed in tattered leather robes but with soft and warm inner linings, were carefully riding their horses through the narrow mountain path.

They had certainly enjoyed the freedom to plunder freely across the vast territory of the Liao Dynasty!
Whether it's wealth or women, as long as it's Liao territory, they can indulge in their wanton pleasure.

Now, they have set their sights on the more prosperous Song Dynasty further south.

The area around Yingzhou Prefecture was swarming with Dingnan Army scouts; it was already quite an achievement for them to have even managed to reach this place.

The main reason is that the mountain roads here are winding and the vegetation is dense, making it difficult to find a place with a wide view.

Starting from Xijing Datong Prefecture, the troops had to follow this complex terrain all the way to the various prefectures within the Yunnei region, and Yingzhou was a key point that needed to be controlled.

Wanyan Zonghan has given a death order, instructing Lou Shi to take Yingzhou Prefecture at all costs.

After capturing Yingzhou, it can serve as an important supply depot for the army's southward advance, both to cover and control the army's passageways and to store and transport supplies.

Using this as a base for an offensive deep into Hedong, it would also bring us much closer to the various prefectures within Yunnei. With Yingzhou as a base for cover, it might even be possible to support an army all the way to the inner Great Wall controlled by the Song Dynasty.

Even after Wanyan Yinshuke joined forces with Wanyan Xiyin, they still suffered a defeat at Yingzhou City Fortress and were even chased and forced to retreat.

This place was considered a humiliating site by the Jurchens, who felt they had to return to avenge it.

Not far behind these dozen or so spies was the encampment of Wanyan Loushi's army.

The Yinshuke and Loushi units, acting as the vanguard, waited for Zonghan's main army to arrive from Xijing Datong Prefecture while continuously sending out scouts to patrol and sweep the area.

This was done both to gather as many supplies as possible and to find out the enemy's troop deployment.

It is said that a steady stream of troops came from Shuozhou to this place. Wanyan Zonghan tried to send people to attack Shuozhou, but they returned empty-handed.

Those who remained in Shuozhou were still formidable fighters, so the Jurchens believed that the so-called reinforcements were a deliberate illusion created by the Dingnan Army.

This was to deter the Jurchen army from advancing south.

Wanyan Loushi, the commander-in-chief of the Zong army who attacked Yingzhou Prefecture, also firmly believed this, feeling that the west was being attacked everywhere.

Given the Jurchens' fighting strength, they could only be overwhelmed and beaten if there was a significant numerical disadvantage.

Therefore, the main force of the Dingnan Army must be in Dongsheng Prefecture and Shuo Prefecture, while Ying Prefecture is relatively empty.

Therefore, as long as I send out more scouts and spies to better investigate and grasp the surrounding military situation, then once Zonghan's army arrives and supplies are provided, I can smoothly deploy my army and penetrate deep into Yunnei.

They completely seized control of this vital area bordering the Song Dynasty.

Regardless of whether we attack the Song Dynasty next, we will have complete control over the initiative.

It's not that their western army doesn't want to invade the Song Dynasty; it's that Emperor Wanyan Wugumai personally ordered them to advance south, with both the eastern and western routes advancing simultaneously.

As a result, Wanyan Zongwang's eastern army had already reached Hebei, while the western army not only failed to advance even half a step south, but also lost a large amount of territory.

Given the strictness of the Jurchen military orders, if they fail to win this time, they will definitely be killed.

So everyone was eager to fight, fearing they would be the unlucky one to be killed for poor performance.

Wanyan Loushi and Yinshu were also puzzled. According to their understanding of the Southerners, they were always timid, yielding, and lacking ambition.

But this group from the Northwest was so proactive and efficient, quietly and swiftly seizing control of Yunnei with thunderous methods!
If we then have them open up Weizhou, then we can connect it with Yan and form a unified whole.

The Jurchen territory was entirely under the threat of his military might.

Moreover, if the Jurchens were to attack the Song Dynasty, they would have successfully built a solid barrier in the north of the Song Dynasty!

If they suffer a slight setback, they can take the opportunity to block the retreat route, which may lead to the encirclement and separation of the Jurchen army marching south.

Inside Wanyan Loushi's tent, the Jurchen generals who were to lead the vanguard discussed their plans around the campfire.

Yin Shuke remained silent. Ever since his defeat in Yingzhou, he had once again become the target of ridicule from the Jurchens.

Wanyan Yinshuke, who was originally from a minor clan, was favored by Zonghan and became one of his right-hand men and trusted generals.

But whether it was being bitten by Yelü Yanxi last time or attacking Yingzhou this time, both were heavy losses that the Jurchen Western Route Army had never suffered since its formation.

Even his own trusted subordinates, including his own strategist Mouke, had their grievances, feeling that their commander was incompetent and had caused them to lose face.

Yin Shuke didn't show anything on the surface, but he was under a lot of pressure inside.

He knew he had to prove himself again, starting with taking Yingzhou.

If Yingzhou is never captured, and that Chen Shao quietly turns Yunnei into an impregnable fortress, and the Jurchens still want to attack the Song Dynasty, then who knows how many lives will be lost in the future!

Just then, one of the dozen or so Jurchens who had initially scouted out of the valley rushed into the tent, covered in blood.

He was about to speak when he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Everyone stood up, and Wanyan Loushi waved his hand, telling people to quickly help him to get treatment.

However, it seems there's no way to save him, and there's no need to ask about it; he must have been discovered while investigating.

"They sent out more spies than we did!"

After Wanyan Loushi arrived, he kept sending out squads of scouts to try to grasp the situation on the surrounding battlefield.

However, they were all wiped out one by one. This scout team of more than ten men was the one that went the furthest south, and the distance was only a few miles.

How many Dingnan Army sentries are hidden along the mountain path right now?

The people inside the tent were all furious, but there was nothing they could do.

Since they started their campaign against Liao, this was the first time many of them had felt so frustrated.

Yin Shuke's face turned even uglier. This group of more than ten Jurchen scouts was a Puliyan under Yin Shuke's direct command of Mouke.

When they set off, there were nearly fifty riders, along with one hundred warhorses, twenty pack horses, and twenty mules. There were also thirty servants and twenty shepherds.

This is the Jurchen Western Route Army, a standard configuration for a Puliyan (a type of military force), and some with better battle records are even richer.

However, as they ventured deeper into the clouds, they lost 30% of their warhorses, pack animals, and mules, and nearly half of their auxiliary troops, including the headmen and herdsmen, were also lost.

Last time, when they were about to break through the Jiazi Fortress during a fierce attack on Yingzhou City, Meng Nuan came out of the city and attacked them, killing more than a dozen Jurchen soldiers.

Even with the loss of these dozen or so people today, Pu Liyan himself is left with only twenty-odd men, who are still exploring the mountains and forests of Yingzhou Prefecture.
I reckon it's probably a bad omen.

Yin Shuke snorted coldly, suddenly flung open the tent flap, and walked out.

He looked south, and for the first time, a hint of dejection appeared on his resolute face. He asked himself if he had done enough.

Last time, they were unjustly implicated. The entire western army was poorly defended, but it was only because those few cities happened to be located in their own defense zone, and Yelü Yanxi just happened to choose those places.

He was stripped of his official rank and eventually, with the help of some Tatars, defeated Yelü Yanxi's last troops at Jiahuling and regained his position.

Then, inexplicably, I encountered the boundless Dingnan Army.

Good heavens, is it deliberately making things difficult for me, the Silver Arts Master?
He hoped that at least some of his people would return, so that the entire Puliyan clan wouldn't be wiped out.

When the Jurchens began their campaign against the Liao, there was no precedent for the complete annihilation of Puliyan.
At this moment, in the mountains of Yingzhou, after scouting south for more than thirty miles, the leader, Pu Liyan, who was not in high spirits, called a halt to his men.

He dismounted first, leaned against a rock, took out his water bag, drank a mouthful of strong liquor, and then exhaled heavily.

Just now by the roadside, they saw a group of their own men's corpses, killed and hung on a tree.

Having fought my way out of my hometown in the Northeast, I've only ever seen people treated like this. When have I ever seen a Jurchen stripped naked and hung on a tree, their corpses in such a gruesome state?

All they could do was collect their companions' bodies, hastily bury them, and continue south.

At this moment, his short and stocky Jurchen knights also dismounted and gathered around to complain.

"Yin Shu is useless; all he knows is how to order us around, while those strategists from Lou Shi are sleeping soundly in the camp!"

"The battle of Yingzhou was a fierce one for us. We've never seen such a tough battle before! There were dead men all around us, and we survived by sheer luck. These Liaodong dogs were so ferocious on the battlefield... With such a strong army, why didn't they use it on the battlefield before? They only knew how to run away when they saw us!"

"Are you stupid? Didn't you hear what Mouke said? Those aren't Liao dogs, they're damned Xia people!"

"Xia people?"

The team leader, Pu Liyan, who had participated in several meetings, spoke up at this moment: "They are not Xia people, but Song people! I heard they are subordinates of a Song person named Chen Shao."

"Those Song people are said to be incredibly wealthy, and every year they would give the Liao people large sums of silk, money, and children to beg them not to go south. How come they are still so hardworking even in such a harsh place?"

"Your Highness the Second Prince is leading the Eastern Route Army, fighting against the Song people. I heard it's even easier than fighting the Liao dogs, yet we keep losing?"

These Jurchens, when speaking privately, were all incredibly outspoken. "What's wrong with Yinshuke these days? Is he just risking our lives?"

The Jurchens value strength, and Yin Shuke had suffered several misfortunes, losing his former prestige.

Team leader Pu Liyan said, "Yin Shu was Zong Han's favorite general. He came from a humble background and it wasn't easy for him to reach this position. To please Zong Han, how could he not work his hardest? But he doesn't reward merits much, while he punishes mistakes severely. In the end, it's just us, his direct subordinates, who suffer the most."

"Putting everything else aside, Wanyan Wanyan Zhamu was defeated by Zhang Jue and nothing happened to her. But if Yin Shu loses even one match, those gentlemen would love to chop off his head!"

A middle-aged Tartar whispered to the leader, "Now that Zonghan is here, let's see if we can find a way to transfer us to other nobles' direct command. I think Xiyin is quite good. Under his command, the reputation isn't great, but at least we don't have to fight so many desperate battles..."

"If only I could go and take down Li Su's men!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. Wanyan Balisu's subordinates were living a very comfortable life.

After resting for a while, the team leader, Pu Liyan, heard his men getting bolder and bolder and quickly roared, "When did you start acting like Ya Haizhen, all fussy and indecisive! You people have only been away from the old forest for a few days, and you can't even handle this little bit of hardship?"

All you do is go to the city and sleep with those Liaodong women? Don't you ever think about it? We risked our lives for those places! Do you think Jurchen men want to die in bed like that?

After being shouted at by Puliyan, the Jurchen knights dared not say another word. They listlessly got up to tidy up their horses, loosened their girths and fed them fodder, preparing to continue their reconnaissance southward while it was still light.

Napu Liyan muttered something, seemingly about pulling away quickly. He was about to put the wine bag back into the saddlebag when he suddenly stopped, touched his cheek, and found his hand sticky.

He was puzzled. He looked up and saw an arrow falling almost vertically, whistling through the air, piercing right into the center of his forehead. Only then did he hear the sound of the bowstring snapping!

Napuyan screamed and reached out to scratch, but he died halfway through raising his hand and finally collapsed heavily to the ground!

A dense barrage of arrows rained down from the trees, and after three volleys, almost no one in the Puliyan squad could stand.

The rest scattered and fled. Meanwhile, several Qiang soldiers from Hengshan were each holding onto a withered vine and sliding down from the tree.

The bow had been discarded, and the sword drawn from his waist; the hunt was about to begin!
In Wanyan Loushi's central command tent, he glanced around and said, "It seems the Dingnan Army has headed north; they are probably going to attack Datong."

His voice remained as deep and resonant as ever.

The scouts and sentries initially dispatched by Wanyan Loushi were able to penetrate more than a hundred li into Yingzhou.

Later, after traveling several dozen miles, it became unsafe, and now, having entered Yingzhou, there is a real danger to life.

There is only one explanation: the troops from Yingzhou are heading north.

Wanyan Loushi thus concluded that they had not held out in Yingzhou, waiting for him to attack.

Instead, they took the initiative.

It had been so long since anyone dared to launch a preemptive attack on the Jurchens that almost no one believed Lou Shi when he uttered those words in the main tent.

Lou Shi continued, "We need to report back to Zong Han as soon as possible and let him make a decision. At this point, we probably can't continue south."

Are you going to back down?

Some people shouted loudly, questioning Lou Shi's decision.

They were ordered to attack Yingzhou; it would be too shameful not to head south.

By this time, Wanyan Loushi had realized the seriousness of the problem; their preparations for this southward expedition had not been sufficient.

Many people had just returned from the collapsed command post, exhausted and without much rest.

The fact that the enemy was able to sweep through Yunzhong Prefecture in such a short time clearly indicates that they came prepared.

The attack on Datong appears to be part of their plan.

To underestimate the enemy and act rashly at this point is not courage, but suicide.

For them, the biggest problem has always been not being able to figure out the strength of the enemy.

I had never heard of this group before, I only knew that they seemed to have some dealings with Wanyan Balisu and that they had a pretty good relationship.

I heard that during festivals of the Southern people, they would send people to deliver gifts to Balisu, and the two sides would often meet.

Then suddenly, this group mobilized 100,000 elite troops and occupied the various states within the Yunnei region.

Just as chaos erupted inside the tent, Yin Shuke stood up and shouted, "Listen to Lou Shi! If we don't leave now, we might not be able to leave at all!"

Everyone, including Wanyan Loushi, looked at Yin Shuke with surprise. He was a man who never admitted defeat.

They had planned this all along; it was a trap, and we must break free as soon as possible.
-
In the Cangtou River, the filthy blood had congealed into blackish-red ice crystals.

Stepping into a pair of rather worn-out combat boots produced a slight cracking sound.

"This godforsaken place freezes over in the fall!"

The owner of these worn-out combat boots was none other than Han Shizhong, who, leading the Helan Mountain Legion, had already approached Zuoyun.

Once you advance from here, the road becomes flat and almost completely exposed, allowing your cavalry to charge right up to the walls of Datong.

Han Shizhong casually tossed his blood-stained weapon to his personal guard, then stretched his limbs and walked to the body of the Jurchen Mouke who had died under his spear.

He bent down and casually picked up the crimson fox-tailed sable hat that had rolled to the side, his eyes lighting up.

Putting everything else aside, just this hat alone could be used to marry a concubine.

Old Han's hobbies are very common. He used to indulge in eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring, but now he doesn't gamble anymore and has taken a concubine.

However, he was always away fighting, and although he had money, he never put it into action. He still had the same two concubines and remained in Xiping Prefecture.

He glanced at the sable hat, then suddenly turned to the Liao general captured at Baidaoban and asked, "What's the identity of this Tartar? He doesn't seem to have much skill, but he's wearing a fancy sable hat. If he's just some nobody, wouldn't it be a laughingstock if I brought him back this bird hat?"

The Liao general said, "Reporting to the general! I know this Jurchen Tartar. He is Puliyan named Chulu, a subordinate of Yinshu Kegui under Zonghan. It is said that he has been following Yinshu Kegui since the beginning of the uprising. During the battle of Shangjing, I personally watched from the city wall as this fellow Chulu charged into the Yuanlanzi army that was fighting in the open field outside the city, and fought his way through... He is definitely not an unknown soldier, definitely not an unknown soldier!"

Several of the ragged underlings who were kneeling on the ground with their heads in their hands raised their heads and echoed his words.

Han Shizhong nodded and had his personal guards put away their hats. He glanced to the east and said, "It's time to inform Li Xiaozhong and Zhu Lingling that we are about to reach the walls of Datong. We need them to provide support. We can't go there and fight alone."

The battle on the banks of the Cangtou River had ended, and the ground was covered with blood and corpses. Most of the Jurchen Tartar corpses had been stripped naked and piled up in one place.

These people were too lazy to burn it, so they just piled up some firewood and let the surrendered Liao soldiers burn it.

They had suffered greatly following the Jurchens and had long wanted to rebel, but unfortunately, they lacked the strength.

Now that they have been captured, they are all overjoyed, finally free from the torment of the Jurchen demons.

In the eyes of the Jurchens, they were all lowly slaves, whom they could order around at will. The worst part was that they would curse them at the drop of a hat, torture and kill them at will, and beat them to death if they did not do something right.

People had become numb to it before, because the Jurchen Tartars were so fierce that no one in the world could defeat them.

Now, finally, someone has come who can defeat them. These people have seen hope of returning to their hometown, even though most of their families have already been ruined.

Han Shizhong ordered his men to count the spoils of war. The Jurchen cavalry had brought more than two hundred warhorses and packhorses. This Mouke had fought from beginning to end, and they were all extremely wealthy. With just a little cleaning, they could find a lot of gold and jewels.

Their armor was even more valuable, being top-quality Khitan gear!

As for the horses, they were all fine Liaodong horses.

The exact evolution of horse breeds in Northeast China is lost to history, but the period from the late Eastern Han Dynasty to the Liao and Jin Dynasties was a peak in the production of fine horses. The various ethnic groups that rose to prominence in Northeast China were all renowned for their cavalry, especially their heavy cavalry.

The Wuhuan cavalry were Cao Cao's elite force; the Xianbei cavalry were famous heavy cavalry during the Northern and Southern Dynasties; and the Liao and Jin dynasties mostly used Liaodong horse breeds.

The Liaodong horse has a shoulder height exceeding that of the Mongolian horse and possesses explosive power, making it a suitable choice for elite cavalry.

Historically, after the rise of the Mongols, for some reason, Mongolian horses became dominant, and Liaodong horses became rare.

However, at this time, the horses of Liaodong were still much better than those of the Northwest. When the Western Xia and Liao armies fought cavalry battles in the field, they lost more often than they won.

Han Shizhong ordered his men to lead the Liao army prisoners to clear the battlefield, while he himself mounted his horse and rode eastward.

Along the way, they also acquired a considerable number of auxiliary and auxiliary troops. Although the Helan Mountain Legion did not treat these surrendered Liao soldiers very well, they were all like bodhisattvas compared to the Jurchens.

These auxiliary soldiers were happy to follow them; at least they got to eat.

As the three armies slowly approached, a net targeting Yunnei Datong was about to be cast.
-
In the small town of Sanjiaokou outside Taiyuan City, Wei Yun, a prominent gentry from Hedong, hosted a banquet for Chen Shao.

Many people attended, and the atmosphere was very lively.

Some people enjoy the bustling atmosphere of a crowded place, but Chen Shao is not like that; he is not interested in noisy, crowded occasions.

At such times, he would utter all sorts of polite words and be forced to socialize. Even after he rose in status, he found it difficult to muster any interest in listening to the flattery of others.

When the weather gets cold, he even feels a little homesick. If he could hold Chuntao right now and have Shishi sing and dance, he would be so happy.

But sometimes there's nothing you can do about it. Whether it's people you want to see or people you don't want to see, you always have to maintain various connections when you're in this position.

The people of Hedong regarded Chen Shao as a highly sought-after prize because he had actually taken over the prefectures of Yunnei.

Hedong, which was originally located on the border, was suddenly relieved and no longer had to worry about this Tartar or that Tartar coming south.

If anything happens, let the people of Yunzhong Prefecture take the blame; if anything is difficult, let the people of Yunzhong Prefecture bear it first.

These people were truly remarkable. Seeing that Chen Shao had interacted with them several times, they neither looked down on them nor coerced them with force.

These local tycoons and powerful figures in Hedong, on the contrary, became generous.

They raised a considerable amount of money and provisions to reward the army, far exceeding the amount given by Zhang Xiaochun in Taiyuan.

Chen Shao also secretly agreed to the requests of several people seeking official positions, arranging for their sons to serve as officials in several counties near Hedong.

After leaving the banquet, Chen Shao first relaxed his stiff smile, then unzipped his pants to relieve himself, and muttered, "Damn, that was boring."

Da Hu asked from the side, "Master, should we go back or send them away?"

"No need, we still have to pretend."

When the two returned, they could hear the constant buzzing noise from outside the curtain, which made Chen Shao feel that the banquet was as noisy as a market, which annoyed him quite a bit.

But there's nothing we can do about it; we'll just treat it as part of the job.

He shook his sleeves, put on his hat, and went inside.

The singing and dancing in the hall continued, with the sounds of string and wind instruments filling the air, and the musicians and singers performing in various styles without ever getting tired.

Indeed, the Song Dynasty kept its most valuable resources in the capital region in every aspect.

Even if the gentry and powerful families of Bianliang and Luoyang wanted to curry favor with Chen Shao, they wouldn't be so blatant and worldly.

The women in low-cut, thin dresses all had sweet smiles on their faces, but no one knew whether they truly enjoyed showing off their figures in front of others or were forced to do so out of necessity to make a living.

Upon his return, everyone showered him with compliments, but Chen Shao felt a pang of loneliness and sighed inwardly.

Everyone here wears their own mask, and says different things to different people, as if it were all pre-programmed.

And aren't I also wearing a mask?

Once I've won over the hearts of the people of Hedong this time, perhaps I won't have to go through all this trouble.
-
Wanyan Loushi left Datong Prefecture and then returned.

Zong Han not only did not blame him, but also rewarded Lou Shi handsomely, because it was because he withdrew in time that the vanguard was prevented from being surrounded.

In fact, if he had left a day or two later, he would have been surrounded by soldiers from Yinzhou and Xiazhou.

The situation has suddenly become clear: it's not that they're going south or not, but that the other side is going north to attack Datong.

Every Jurchen Tartar was seething with anger and wanted to go to war with these overconfident Song people from the Northwest.

Currently, the three Jurchen tribes of Datong City have joined forces, and Wanyan Xiyin, Wanyan Loushi, and Yin Shuke are all generals under Zonghan.

Zonghan's western army briefly reunited during the campaign against Yelü Yanxi.

This is the second time.
Although he knew they were going to attack Datong, Zonghan still sent some of Liu Yanzong's men to the north to appease and deter them.

So that the Liao people wouldn't become restless if they knew someone was coming to attack.

Not long ago, things were peaceful here. Every day, scouts were sent out, partly to find out if there were any enemy traces in the distance, and partly to collect provisions.

Apart from the fact that the meager amount of food and fodder collected was a bit of a worry for Zonghan, everything else was quiet to the point of being boring.

Although they knew they were surrounded, the Jurchens in the city were not actually very afraid.

After Zonghan's army joined forces, there were 30,000 Jurchen warriors alone, plus various garrison commanders and tribal auxiliary troops, which together could be called an army of 100,000.

I heard that the other side also has a similar number of troops, but with 30,000 Jurchen soldiers gathered together, how could they compare?

The Jurchens were very confident. They only needed to wait in the city, rest for a while, and when those overconfident Song people approached the city, they could rush out and kill them all in one fell swoop.

They came by themselves, which saved everyone the trouble of searching everywhere.

At that time, we can press on and head south to take Yingzhou Prefecture and enter the heart of the Central Plains from Hedong.

At that time, Zonghan's political force completely gained the upper hand in the political landscape of the Jurchens.

I heard that Zongwang's Eastern Route Army has already captured the vast Yanshan Prefecture. The territory is really big. Zongwang has learned from Zhang Jue's lesson and is incorporating the local armed forces to strengthen his rule.

In fact, when they followed the old emperor to destroy the Liao Dynasty, the Liao's elite forces basically fell into the hands of Zongwang's faction.

Even the current Jurchen emperor, Wuqimai, actually leans towards the Zongwang faction, which has a closer bloodline.

Zonghan's force could only stay in the remote western border region of the Liao people, dealing with a bunch of poor people on the grasslands. Now, for no reason, they have also gotten into trouble with a group of Song people from the northwest.

However, when Zonghan led his army south and successfully invaded the territory of the Song Dynasty, the vast territory of the Southern Dynasty would inevitably fall into Zonghan's hands!

Since Zongwang came south from Yanjing, they would definitely be unable to continue their attack once they reached Bianliang.

In this way, the only land that Zongwang could plunder was Hebei and Yanshan Prefecture.

Zonghan's march route passed through countless famous cities of the Song Dynasty, and he occupied much more land and population than Zongwang.

At that time, the Eastern Route Army, which controlled the former territory of the Liao people, and the Western Route Army, which controlled the elite of the Southern Dynasties, could be considered to be able to rival each other.

Unlike today, the Eastern Route Army is clearly superior to the rest, while the Western Route Army is more like their poor relatives.

Those newly rich Jurchens who followed Zonghan through thick and thin, traveling the farthest and fighting the hardest in the process of destroying the Liao, thus truly secured their positions. Moreover, this wealth and status could be passed down to their descendants for generations to come!
May they enjoy the fertility of this land for generations to come, and receive the service of other races.

This battle was extremely important for the Western Route Army.

Only by winning this battle can everything else proceed smoothly!

Lou Shi, Yin Shuke, and Wanyan Xiyin gathered together, waiting for Zong Han's arrival.

As usual, Wanyan Xiyin would tease Yin Shuke a few times, and today was no exception.

Before he could even speak, merely smiling as he looked over, Yin Shu delivered a powerful punch to his face.

"God of Grain, don't be presumptuous. Wait patiently for Zonghan's instructions!"

Yin Shuke's voice was hoarse when he spoke, which showed how nervous he was.

Yin Shu had never been afraid of anything in his life. Born into a small Jurchen tribe, he began hunting bears in the mountains at the age of eleven, fighting bloody battles with other tribes. Since raising his army, he had never feared the Liao army of a million armored soldiers. In fact, he became even more excited and courageous in the face of great battles. He fought his way up from a minor tribal general to a trusted and important general under Zong Han.

At this moment, however, he felt a sense of fear. He was afraid of losing this battle. Yin Shu had a strong premonition that if he lost this battle, all his previous victories would be for naught.
-
News of Chen Shao's demand that the court execute several treacherous officials spread throughout Bianliang.

Yuwen Xuzhong couldn't possibly keep this a secret.

Tong Guan was furious when he heard this. In his opinion, Chen Shao was someone he had personally promoted, and it was no exaggeration to say that he had been given a great opportunity.

I never expected that he would kick me when I was down.

In his view, Chen Shao was completely ungrateful, while Chen Shao was completely open and honest.

The reason I proposed to execute you is because your crimes, Tong Guan, are heinous and deserve to die.

For all the things you've done, especially since the campaign against Liao, every single thing you've done deserves to be killed!
However, since the court did not punish Tong Guan, Emperor Huizong still harbored a sliver of hope.

What if we win?

Having achieved their goal, they have now reached a new level.

If Tong Guan were killed or even punished at this time, wouldn't that negate the achievement of reclaiming Youzhou?

I've already visited the graves of my ancestors and boasted to them. How can I possibly slap myself in the face now?

Zhao Ji suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of another person, whom he wanted to kill to shut Chen Shao up.

This person was none other than Zhao Liangsi, whom he had personally named. (End of Chapter)