You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 173 If the Song Dynasty does not perish, it will be an injustice to Heaven.
Chenzhou.

The night was cool as water, and the river was shrouded in thick fog.

Zhao Liangsi stood by the river, looking up at the starry sky, speechless.

His wife came down from under the tree and draped a coat over him.

Zhao Liangsi smiled and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

A few days ago, Zhang Jue came to surrender, but Zhao Liangsi and Tan Zhen opposed accepting Zhang Jue.

They believed this move would anger the Jurchens and give the Jin dynasty an excuse to invade the south.

Tan Zhen sent him to Bianliang to persuade the emperor, but despite Zhao Liangsi's earnest pleas, Zhao Ji refused to listen.

Later, Zhang Jue defeated the Jurchens, and Zhao Ji remembered him. He summoned Zhang Jue to his side, humiliated and ridiculed him, and then ordered him to be stripped of his official position, removed from his military rank, and exiled to Chenzhou.

He was shackled and chained the whole way, but Tan Zhen secretly pleaded for him, allowing him to be exempted from the heavy shackles and to carry a small amount of luggage.

Finally arriving in Chenzhou, Zhao Liangsi was assigned to perform labor along the riverbank.

His wife, daughter, and young son, who had arrived earlier, were waiting here.

Li laughed and said, "If my husband hadn't left the Liao Dynasty so early, my son and daughter would probably have suffered an even more tragic fate."

The couple were very loving. Li held her husband's hand tenderly, feeling a chill.

These days, digging silt in the river has made him quite thin, and he'll probably catch a cold in a few days.

Zhao Liangsi sighed, reflecting on the rest of his life, and remained silent.

He was originally a Han Chinese duke or marquis in the Liao Dynasty, whose family had been officials for generations, and he himself had risen to the position of Guanglu Qing in the Liao state.

Seeing that the Liao dynasty was complacent and its ruler was incompetent and appointed treacherous officials, and considering that he was of Han blood, he carefully planned to abandon the Liao and return to the Song dynasty.

Then he single-handedly facilitated the maritime alliance.

Unexpectedly, things have come to this in the Song Dynasty.

I was truly blind; I only saw the handsome appearance of the Song emperor and the imposing presence of Tong Guan, the pacification chief of the Northwest.

However, they failed to see how outwardly impressive but inwardly rotten the emperor and his ministers of the Song Dynasty were.

Now that Yanshan Prefecture has been lost, it is Chen Shao, whom I hate the most, who has suddenly become famous and has hundreds of thousands of proud and fierce soldiers under his command.

Not only did he destroy Xia, but he also sent troops to occupy Yunzhong Prefecture. Thinking back to when the two of them went to Bianliang together, he noticed that Chen Shao was acting strangely back then.

He had spoken to Tong Guan, Tan Zhen, and even the Emperor.

They should be wary of Chen Shao, and it would be best to capture him.

No one believed it.

Thinking of this, Zhao Liangsi suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and decided to stop worrying about the chaotic political situation in the Song Dynasty.

It's good that I'm here. He's sure that Wanyan Zongwang will be able to take Bianliang soon, and then those fools will regret it!

In the thatched hut not far away, the youngest son, who had been awakened by the cold because his mother had been gone for too long, got up, rubbed his eyes, and came out.

Seeing his parents by the river, he ran over with his hands outstretched. Zhao Liangsi chuckled, bent down, and picked him up.

Zhao Liangsi parted the tattered cotton coat and wrapped it around his chest. Although he was a civil official, Zhao Liangsi had always ridden a poor horse, drawn a strong bow, and had been through many battles.

Looking at the father and son, Li's eyes were full of happiness. She smiled and said, "It's cool here, let's go back quickly."

"it is good!"

Just as the family of three was about to return to their dilapidated thatched hut, some knights suddenly came galloping from afar, all carrying torches.

After they approached, they surrounded the three men. The leader, a military officer, pointed his sword at them and asked, "Is this it?"

Zhao Liangsi looked behind him and saw the clerk in charge of the place. He was just lowering his head and didn't dare to look at him, but he kept nodding.

The military officer shouted, "Ma Zhi! You have spread falsehoods and misled the people, ruining the century-old friendship between the Song and Liao dynasties, leading to the Jurchen invasion and bringing disaster to China. I am Li Shengzhi, the Deputy Transport Commissioner of Guangxi, and I am hereby ordered by the Emperor to behead you and display your head to the public, and to strip you of the name bestowed upon you by the Emperor!"

After saying that, he swung his broadsword and slashed down.

Ma Zhi, who had reverted to his original name, ducked to avoid it.

Li Shengzhi cursed, "Are you defying the imperial decree?"

Ma Zhi handed the toddler to his wife and said, "Don't let the child see this."

Tears streamed down Li's face as she covered the child's eyes, refusing to turn her head away.

Ma Zhi shouted, "My wife is innocent!"

"How can the family members of a convicted official be considered innocent? The imperial decree orders your entire family to be exiled to Wan'an Army!"

Ma Zhi's vision went black, his teeth clenched tightly, and a feeling of suffocation welled up in his chest, as if it were about to burst. He was filled with deep regret.

Wan'an Army, in later Hainan, was one of the "most remote and evil prefectures" in the Song Dynasty, a region where long-term exile was carried out. Being exiled there meant facing a life-or-death situation.

Moreover, his wife and daughter were easily violated, and his young son, being so young, would likely not be able to save his life either.

"If you dare to resist, I'll chop your whole family into mincemeat!"

Ma Zhi closed his eyes in despair and shouted, "Live on!"

Li shook her head, weeping bitterly.

With a bang, the broadsword severed his head. Cavalrymen dismounted, wrapped his head up, and prepared to take it to Bianliang to report back.

(The History of Song states: Censor Hu Shunzhi argued that he had created border troubles, ruined the century-old alliance with the Khitan, allowed the Jin invaders to plunder, and brought disaster to China, and requested that he be executed in the marketplace. At that time, he had already fled to Chenzhou. An imperial edict ordered Li Shengzhi, the Deputy Transport Commissioner of Guangxi, to immediately behead him wherever he went, and his wife and children were exiled to Wan'an Army.)
====
Chen Shao looked at the box in front of him, his brow furrowing slightly, not understanding its meaning.

The eunuch from the Inner Palace, sent by the court, said with a hint of smugness and flattery, "Didn't Commander Chen say that there were treacherous officials in the court? His Majesty has investigated carefully and found that there are indeed treacherous officials!"

"This treacherous minister was none other than Ma Zhi, the Liao traitor. Now that His Majesty has executed him, the military commander should be satisfied, right?"

Chen Shao closed his eyes.

马植
He traveled all the way to Bianliang with me, and later crossed the sea to sign the Alliance at Sea. He was a Liao man, single-mindedly dedicated to helping the Song Dynasty reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun.

Was what happened later his responsibility?
That's because you, Tong Guan, didn't play well.

To be honest, if you had defeated Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan fair and square and reclaimed the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, it would have been hard to say whether the Jurchens would have moved south.

Such a person was actually killed by Zhao Ji.

Emperor Huizong of Song was truly cold-hearted to the core.

Chen Shao opened the box containing Ma Zhi's head and thoughtfully added ice cubes.

You can still vaguely see his spirited appearance back then.

The eunuch from the Inner Palace, thinking he didn't believe him, quickly stepped forward and introduced, "Don't worry, General, this is indeed the Liao traitor Ma Zhi. Look here."

With a bang, Chen Shao raised his hand and struck the eunuch in the eye, causing the eunuch to fall to the ground and wail in pain.

"Although this man and I are not on good terms, he grew up in the northern Liao territory and still remembers his Han bloodline. He resolutely returned to the Central Plains. His heart belongs not to the Song emperor, but to the Chinese people. Let him be buried in Hedong."

"Have the caravan escorts bring his wife to Xiping Prefecture and settle her in properly."

Chen Shao felt a pang of sorrow, an indescribable feeling, but it was certainly not pleasant.

Logically speaking, this person doesn't get along with me, but he is indeed a good person.

After the matter was accomplished, he resigned from his post several times, wanting to retire to the countryside, but Emperor Huizong of Song was unwilling to accept it.

Unexpectedly, he was later exiled and then beheaded.
Given the current situation, Tong Guan, who caused the collapse of Youyan, is unharmed.
Yanshan Prefecture fell, but Tan Zhen was unharmed;

Zhu Mian, who caused the civil unrest in Jiangnan, is unharmed;
Cai You, who caused the festering sores in Hebei, is fine.
Ma Zhi was executed.

It would be against all reason if the Song Dynasty did not perish.
-
November.

The weather in the various prefectures of Yunnei is already extremely cold.

Han Shizhong's troops also approached Datong Prefecture.

Li Xiaozhong set up camp by the water, while Zhu Lingling occupied Longshou Mountain.

The three sides formed a defensive perimeter, constructed fortifications, and prepared for an attack.

Zonghan also kept sending people to harass them, and small-scale battles continued between the two sides, with each side winning and losing.

It was essentially a stalemate in Datong Prefecture.

Wanyan Zonghan had been gathering troops for the western route army, preparing for a decisive battle. The atmosphere on both sides did not ease at all due to the cold weather.

Chen Shao began to utilize the formidable capabilities of the escort caravans, continuously delivering supplies to the front lines.

Li Xiaozhong's acquisition of the topographical maps of the various prefectures within Yunnei was extremely important, giving them a significant advantage when setting up camp.

Meanwhile, Chen Shao, who was near Taiyuan, also stationed his Lingwu army in several key locations in Hedong, setting up the Taiyuan Camp and the Wutaishan Camp.

The Wutaishan camp was already pointing directly at Weizhou Prefecture. Although it was close to Yanmen Pass, they did not set foot there, and Chen Shao had no intention of sending the Lingwu Army north to provide support.

If the war in the north goes badly, then Qu Duan from Shuozhou will go to provide reinforcements; the Lingwu Army has its own mission.

After establishing a foothold in Hedong, Chen Shao had been working on arrangements for Weizhou.

The soldiers of Lingwu Army who came out with him this time were also eager to make a name for themselves.

If the battle in Yingzhou Prefecture goes well, once Datong Prefecture is captured, Wanyan Zonghan's main force will be defeated.

Then the Jurchen Western Route Army can freely annex the Liao territory it has swallowed!

With the Lingwu Army stationed outside the city, Taiyuan has become even more prosperous than before.

Because safety was guaranteed, and there were also escort caravans from the Western Regions bringing a steady stream of rare and sought-after goods.

Merchants from all over gathered here, and the bustling crowds, with their haggling and shouts, created a vibrant atmosphere in what was originally a peaceful market.

This wasn't the first time Chen Shao had entered the city, and this time he brought many personal guards, all dressed in plain clothes, to protect him in the shadows.

Wang Bing and Zhang Xiaochun also sent many people to protect him in secret.

Their current fear is that something might happen to Chen Shao, and the Lingwu Army might use this as a pretext to attack the city. With the merchant escort teams entering Taiyuan, the city is no longer difficult for Chen Shao to conquer.

The Jurchen Tartars besieged the city for a year without success because they killed everyone they saw. The people of Taiyuan were united and fought back desperately to survive.

But Chen Shao was different. He had long since made friends with the gentry of Hedong, and no one knew how many people in the city were his inside men.

Zhang Xiaochun was a civil official sent from Bianliang, and Wang Bing was a military general from the Western Army. Their main force was the Huanqing Army from the Western Army.

For people from Hedong, especially those from Taiyuan, it's really hard to say who is the host and who is the guest.

Chen Shao and his party strolled around the city with the caravan. After leaving the East Market, the caravan headed south towards Dingbei Ward for a while, and the noise of the market gradually faded into the distance.

Once inside North Street, it became even quieter. The street was lined with wealthy and powerful families, either officials in the capital or rich merchants. Their servants were all well-trained and spoke in a low voice, so no one was rude or loud, making the environment naturally peaceful.

Amidst the gentle drift of elegant osmanthus blossoms, one could see the well-dressed servants on either side of the vermilion gate, looking quite respectable and spirited.

Following the caravan, Chen Shao entered a mansion with high walls, where grain guards stood on both sides.

Despite being a merchant caravan, they were actually treated like an army. After the Xiao family's request, Chen Shao even equipped them with the most powerful weapon of the time—the crossbow.

This group only restrained themselves a bit in the Central Plains. Some time ago, when the Xiao family's business empire expanded westward, they went on a killing spree in the Western Regions.

After entering the inner courtyard, the grain guards disappeared, and the inner courtyard became very quiet and secluded.

Chen Shao stepped through the moon gate and saw a beautiful woman emerge from the north entrance. Her figure was graceful, her hair was styled in an updo, revealing her fair neck, which was exceptionally beautiful.

In late autumn, she was dressed very lightly, in a moon-white, narrow-sleeved blouse, over which was a thin gauze overlay. The sleeves were short, covering her shoulders, and the hem only reached her lower waist. The two panels of the blouse were fastened to a small gold butterfly at her chest. She was wrapped up so tightly that her breasts, like snowflakes, undulated gracefully.

The maids looked on in astonishment as the once domineering lady now smiled sweetly and looked incredibly charming.

She bent over to greet Chen Shao, the purple belt around her waist creating a very attractive and slender curve. Her waist was narrow and thin yet fleshy, and the tight skirt revealed the alluring curve of her buttocks.

"Master is here." Madam Xiao lowered her head, her voice soft and gentle, indescribably touching.

Chen Shao knew that she had come in person for a long time; she probably wanted to regain the power to mobilize and use the grain transport team. He knew he could never agree to that, so he had already planned to give her a warning first.

He nodded and said, "Come in."

Ms. Xiao felt uneasy and took small, quick steps into the room.

Seeing Chen Shao sitting there with an air of authority, she carefully curtsied and performed a proper and respectful bow.

"master."

Her voice was clear and gentle, like a clear spring flowing slowly through the heart.

Chen Shao smiled and waved, saying, "You're dressed so lightly, there's no need to go out to greet us. We're all family."

Xiao nodded quickly and took the opportunity to come closer.

"Get me something to eat, and eat with me."

Madam Xiao turned her head and gave a wink to the maid, who quickly went out to bring the prepared wine and dishes.

Chen Shao casually stroked the tassel earring on her earlobe with his thumb and asked, "I heard you killed a prince of the Karakhanid Khanate in the Western Regions?"

Xiao was taken aback by his questioning. Although he showed no anger, she was still somewhat at a loss.

There was no other way; this scoundrel held all the power, and I had to please him to gain some of the right to use it.

She couldn't resist that blissful feeling.

With a quick glance around, Madam Xiao, too lazy to think, knelt down beside him and said, "This servant is guilty, please punish me, sir."

Chen Shao found it amusing that she had resorted to such a shameless tactic, so he simply remained silent.

I let you pretend!

When the food and wine were served, the maids saw their mistress kneeling there, her forehead touching the ground, just like the yoga she often practiced.

They dared not speak, but respectfully served at the table, diligently preparing meals for Chen Shaobu.

Chen Shao often ate with his soldiers, but that was to win them over; he himself had no masochistic tendencies.

I love food, especially finely prepared food!

So he ate very happily, and as for the one kneeling and putting on a show, let her perform.

Chen Shao would occasionally stroke the raised area.

Ms. Xiao bit her lip and rolled her eyes, but since the other party wasn't responding, she couldn't very well slink away.

Stuck here, caught in a dilemma.
After Chen Shao finished eating and drinking, he gave Xiao a push from behind in an annoyed manner. Only then did Xiao take the opportunity to raise her head, looking aggrieved.

Chen Shao said bluntly, "Taking back your command of the caravan is a way for me to protect you. Don't be ungrateful. It's just an extra step in the process."

“If you really have an emergency, Zhao He definitely won’t hesitate.”

"Does Master still not trust people?" Madam Xiao was still making a last-ditch effort, but Chen Shao had made his point clear, so she no longer had the chance to act coquettishly and could only ask honestly.

Chen Shao shook his head and said, "This isn't targeting you, or anyone else, but rather a system that needs to be passed down. Do you understand?"

Xiao nodded helplessly.

A little afraid of dampening her enthusiasm, Chen Shao smiled and pulled her into his arms, saying, "However, I can give you the authority to command 500 people; you can make your own decisions."

Xiao's phoenix eyes lit up. Five hundred it is! Five hundred is enough to fight in the Western Regions!
-
Han Shizhong's forces grew larger with each battle, and after arriving in Yunnei, they selected a portion of Li Xiaozhong's troops.

This group consists mostly of defeated Liao soldiers who have gathered in Xia Prefecture in the past year or two. They include warriors from various ethnic groups, including even the most elite Yuanlanzi of the Liao Dynasty.

These people learned to ride horses before they could even walk. Especially in recent years, with the Liao region constantly engulfed in war, almost everyone had been on the battlefield and seen blood, and they had a deep-seated hatred for the Jurchens. Although the Song people eventually took advantage of the chaos and captured Yanjing, they did not massacre the city like the Jurchens did!
Over the years, Chen Shao has worked hard, making arrangements in various places, and the troops he has gathered are all filled with a fierce desire for revenge. As they march forward, their demeanor is completely different from when they were defeated under the iron hooves of the Jurchens.

The two thousand or so cavalrymen from various ethnic groups, together with the Yunnei soldiers, were reorganized into two Yunzhong camps.

These two thousand-plus riders were equipped with nearly two thousand captured Liaodong warhorses, and more than two thousand Mongolian horses as spare horses and pack horses.

Han Shizhong also did his best to gather about a thousand auxiliary soldiers for this vanguard army, mostly strong local men from Yunnei, along with nearly two thousand horses, mules and donkeys to carry the army's food and supplies.

Such a luxurious lineup would have been nothing short of a fantasy in the Song Dynasty. Han Shizhong, being from the Western Army, certainly knew this!
He knew all too well how scarce horses the Western Army had been. Even after the Song Dynasty opened up the Hehuang region, warhorses were no longer as scarce as they had been in the past few decades, but it was still impossible to provide two thousand men with so many horses! You must know that the White Stick Heavy Cavalry that the Western Army managed to assemble back then numbered about five thousand men and were the Western Army's most precious force. They only had about 60% of their horses that were up to standard.

As for Han Shizhong's main force, those Han Chinese troops from the Helan Mountains, their horses were as swift and agile as dragons and eagles.

His entire body was armed to the teeth; he didn't wear heavy armor on ordinary days, but would don it when fighting.

When these people marched, they were basically grouped into the category of light cavalry.

However, during siege battles, they all wore leather armor with a chainmail overlay. Some soldiers even carried an extra set of scale armor with breastplates, which they gave to auxiliary soldiers to carry on their backs.

This level of armor is sufficient to classify them as heavy cavalry.

They switched back and forth between light and heavy cavalry, their combat power growing stronger and stronger. Their confidence and morale, ingrained to the core, made them inviolable.

Even their warhorses were cared for by special auxiliary troops, and each of their main warhorses had its own equipment.

Thick white quilted cloth served as a horse harness, with several layers of white cotton batting pounded together, and then covered with waterproof oilcloth. It provided both warmth and moisture protection, as well as a certain level of protection.

Every soldier in the Helan Mountain Legion, regardless of their origin, is fully equipped with various weapons.

Almost everyone had a finely crafted lance, and some of the most powerful and influential men even had spare lances.

As for melee weapons such as horse swords, long knives, and maces, each member of the YaYa Chacha group carried at least three or four, which were carried by auxiliary soldiers and pack horses.

Needless to say, the powerful bows and crossbows were top-quality items carefully selected from the Xingqing Prefecture's armory. The craftsmanship of the Western Xia was highly skilled, no less than that of the Liao and Song dynasties.

Originally, other supplies transported with the army were kept simple, with only sufficient food and fodder.

However, ever since Chen Shao established himself in Hedong, the quality of food has rapidly improved. There's no way around it; if you want the horse to run, you have to make sure it's well-fed first.

Their military rations consisted of refined mixed grains and roasted wheat with dried meat, along with a fine meat sauce. Jars and jars of salted eggs, gourds and gourds of strong liquor and good vinegar.

Even the horse feed is made with high-quality salted beans and sugar cubes!

This is a classic example of elite troops, designed specifically for open-field battles against the Tartars; they were born for tough fights.

In a typical small battle, deploying this force, even if victorious, could potentially result in losses.
Such equipment demonstrates Han Shizhong's status in the Dingnan Army, leaving the Lingwu Army far behind.

There was no other way; this was Commander Chen's personal henchman. He was the one who fought many tough battles in the early stages of the business.

Nowadays, those fighting the Jurchens outside Datong Prefecture are mostly Han Shizhong's men.

As Datong Prefecture was besieged by Chen Shao, he continued to send people to the Song Dynasty to request supplies.

He also specifically named and demanded that Zhao Ji execute the treacherous officials and confiscate their property to help the country in its time of crisis.

The Song Dynasty's national strength was unparalleled in this era, but this national strength was never fully utilized!

Unparalleled productivity was reduced to a tool for the upper class to amass wealth and live extravagant lives.

As Chen Shao infiltrated Hedong and the Lingwu army arrived in the Wutai Mountain area, the Song Dynasty once again chose to turn a blind eye.

Self-deception.

I won't go and see, so I won't know you're infiltrating Hedong. Do whatever you want.
If the Song Dynasty could defeat the Jurchen western army, it wouldn't be a loss for them. Whether they faced Chen Shao or Wanyan Zonghan, it wouldn't make much difference.
Chen Shao, who had been staying in Taiyuan City for five days, was sitting in his room eating with Xiao Shi.

She will be leaving after today.

Madam Xiao asked considerately, "Master, would you like to leave a few seductive women from the Western Regions to serve you?"

Chen Shao shook his head. "I need to focus my energy on fighting the war."

Madam Xiao smiled, a shallow dimple appearing at the corner of her mouth. Although her smile carried a hint of mockery, it was still full of charm: "I wish my master a resounding victory and great success."

Chen Shao looked outside; the wind was carrying snowflakes, and it was almost December again.

Those words from back in Tokyo still ring in my ears.

This year, I can't stay up all night with Shishi again.
Han Shizhong won again, capturing a considerable amount of supplies, and led his team back to camp.

The thousands of cavalrymen moved together, forming a formation several times larger than that of an equal number of infantry.

During the march, they kicked up snow dust, and the armor reflected the snow, making it even more dazzling.

In the remaining fortified villages within the Yunnei region, the powerful figures peering through the cracks in the walls at this military display felt their legs tremble.

Previously it was the Jurchens, and now another army, the Dingnan Army, has arrived. The two sides are fighting on their land, while they can only act as spectators.

They might even become prey or blood packs to replenish supplies.

Fortunately, neither the Jurchens who plundered the entire Khitan nor the Dingnan Army, which had been preparing for this battle for many years, were short of food and supplies.

That's why they didn't exterminate the powerful figures in Yunnei, but instead tried their best to win them over.

For the people of Yunnei, the original system completely collapsed after the collapse of the Liao Dynasty's rule.

Each of them occupied some territory, attacking and plundering each other. Even those with considerable strength felt their lives were insecure in this chaotic world.

The Jurchens were too brutal, and even if they temporarily surrendered, these local power holders were not willing to submit.

They were terrified that one day they would be slaughtered by the Jurchens.

For the powerful clans in Yunnei, they didn't care who they surrendered to, nor did they have much loyalty to the Liao Dynasty; what they sought was stability.

The key is to surrender to the stronger side. Once is enough of this chaotic life!
They don't want to keep lowering prices, so many powerful teams are still observing the situation.

Gradually, people discovered that the Dingnan Army was actually an armed force of the Song Dynasty.

The Song Dynasty was, after all, a vast empire that stood alongside the Liao Dynasty for over a century, making it far more reliable than other smaller powers.

Moreover, the Jurchen Tartars were fierce and barbaric, massacring countless cities along their way, causing a massive refugee crisis in the north.

The Song Dynasty was very wealthy, far surpassing the Jurchens, those Tartars who came from deep in the mountains and forests, no matter how you looked at it.

Therefore, people's hearts gradually leaned towards the Dingnan Army. At this time, Han Shizhong kept showing off his power, just to let these powerful figures in Yunnei see that his strength was enough to protect them.

While marching, Han Shizhong suddenly spotted a scout approaching from afar. Upon closer inspection, the scout handed a bamboo tube to his personal guard.

The guards took out the letter from the bamboo tube and delivered it to Han Shizhong.

He quickly read it through and found that it was a military report sent by Chen Shao.

Han Shizhong spurred his horse out of the ranks, slowing down on his back, and a group of guards quickly followed.

After discussion, Li Xiaozhong and Zhu Lingling unanimously discovered that the Jurchen western army was very eager to move south.

In this way, they were no longer in a hurry to besiege Datong, rather than letting the Jurchen army fight in Datong Prefecture, relying on the city walls.

Let them out to fight!

After they told Chen Shao about their idea, Chen Shao sent someone to deliver a letter, wanting to hear Han Shizhong's opinion.

Old Han stopped his horse by the roadside and watched his men march north. Unexpectedly, this northward march had a deterrent effect on the Yunnei region.

A cavalry contingent marching is not actually much faster than an infantry contingent. Horses and mules tire and fall ill more easily than humans. Taking care of these animals is a skilled job, and it's difficult to keep them in good condition for long.

The disciples of Yunzhong Camp acted as guides, and they also arranged for them to rest and replenish their supplies in the fortified villages they could control along the way.

Even if you don't pledge allegiance to either side, the Dingnan Army and the Jurchen Tartars wouldn't dare refuse if they wanted to come to your fortified village to repair their defenses.

However, in the past, the powerful families in these fortified villages had not yet given up on submitting, so replenishing and resting along the way was a somewhat troublesome matter.

With several victories, news that his powerful army was heading north to capture Datong spread like wildfire among the local strongmen in Yunnei.

From then on, whenever the Dingnan Army replenished and rested along the way, they were always warmly received and entertained.

Not only would they do their best to use their own stored grains and fodder to replenish the army, but local powerful families were also desperate to see Han Shizhong and send more of their elite sons to the Yunzhong Camp.

Having witnessed the fall of the Liao Dynasty, they realized that in chaotic times, life is as cheap as paper, even for the sons of powerful families with some status.

In times of chaos, there are many opportunities, making it a good time to choose sides!
Who knows, they might just be able to secure a century of wealth for the family! Risking the lives of a few of their children is nothing to them.

In peacetime, getting this kind of opportunity is as difficult as climbing to the sky!

Chaos has arrived, and those who fail to seize the opportunity will only have their descendants continue to struggle.

Such high-stakes gambles have an extremely high probability of winning because there are only a few options, and the results can be checked.

As his men entered the fortified position one by one, Han Shizhong remained by the roadside, pondering the contents of the military report sent by Chen Shao.

Release the Tartars for a final battle
It seems like a good option, but it's also very dangerous.

However, continuing to harass the area like this is not a solution.

While Han Shizhong was hesitating, a sudden thought flashed through his mind: why should he bother with this?

All you need to do is tell the commander that you will fight to the death once he gives the order.

I, Han Shizhong, am a general, not the commander-in-chief of this battle. The commander sent someone to ask me, perhaps not to wait for my opinion, but to see my determination.

Having figured this out, Han Shizhong breathed a sigh of relief and said to the scouts, "Go back and tell the commander that no matter how the battle goes, I, Han Shizhong, will fight to the death for the commander and will not dare to retreat even a step."
-
Zhu Lingling's main camp was set up on a high hill in Longshou Mountain.

The central command tent was set up on this high hill, and other guard tents were arranged around it.

The area was surrounded by fences and snow ditches, and four watchtowers were set up at the corners, offering panoramic views. However, with winter approaching and the sky remaining overcast, the view was not very wide.

The other cavalry commanders were scattered to the left and right, spreading out like plum blossom petals to form camps, firmly protecting the central command tent.

The distance between each camp was within the range of crossbows, and each camp had a passageway large enough for cavalry to launch attacks, making it a standard cavalry camp.

The Qiang people of Hengshan are renowned for their fighting prowess, and they are particularly adept at mountain warfare.

The vanguard of the Yinzhou Legion has established its camp here, awaiting changes in the situation at the front, and will then make the most swift and powerful response.

In fact, these three battalions need a common command to coordinate any real battle that could break out at any time.

However, since the three were roughly equal in strength, they did not choose a commander-in-chief and had to consult Chen Shao in the rear when necessary.

However, there was an underlying sense that Han Shizhong was superior to the other two, and Chen Shao gradually gave orders to both sides to cooperate with Han Shizhong's actions.

So he was actually the commander-in-chief of all three forces, but it wasn't officially confirmed.

Zhu Lingling had no objection to this. He wasn't vying for such a trivial matter as frontline command; rather, he wanted to put in all his effort to make the pie as big as possible before dividing it up!
At this moment, in Zhu De's simply decorated central command tent, Zhu De listened to his subordinates' reports, especially Han Shizhong's words, and immediately became respectful.

"One is never too old to learn!"

"General Han, as expected of the one who has followed the commander the longest, speaks so tactfully!" Zhu Lingling said with lingering fear. "Luckily, I didn't rush to report back, but instead listened to their explanation first. Now it seems that what Li Xiaozhong said is no longer important. Immediately send someone to the commander to tell him that all the soldiers of Yinzhou are in the same boat as General Han, awaiting the commander's orders before fighting to the death!"

In fact, the release of the Jurchens was already a done deal.

The desire of the Jurchen Tatars to go south was greater than the desire of the army to go north.

The Dingnan Army can forgo Datong and maintain a stalemate for a few years without any problem, but the Western Route Army and Zonghan cannot wait.

They also have to compete against Zongwang.

The enemy is in a hurry, not us, so what's the point of going to the city walls? Far more people will die in a siege than in open battle.

They could even retreat to defend the state.

Of course, this is only a method for when encountering dangerous situations. As long as you can fight, eliminate them in open field battles.

Defending a city has too many limitations.
-
Li Xiaozhong's main camp was located on one side of the Sanggan River.

Built along the river, they would launch attacks daily, but their victories were not as impressive as Han Shizhong's; the results were roughly equal.

The light snow finally stopped today, and the sun, for once, peeked out from behind the clouds, making the surrounding ice and snow sparkle and shine.
From the watchtower on one side of the Sanggan River, those with good eyesight can stand at the highest point and even see the movements within a radius of more than ten miles.

Even if you can't see clearly, you can still get a general idea of ​​what's going on if a large army comes.

The sunlight reflecting off the river was so bright that Li Xiaozhong was leading his men to set up fortifications and hide gunpowder on the frozen surface of the Sanggan River.

As a rare advanced technology developed by Chen Shao during his time in the Dingnan Army, gunpowder was widely used in the Dingnan Army.

The most important of these is the signal flare, followed by the explosion.

The drawback remains: there is no technology or container to launch the gunpowder.

Unlike the other two, Li Xiaozhong did not pledge allegiance to Chen Shao, but he was equally committed in action.

Preparations for the war have already begun.

In defense, he is highly skilled, and his layered defense is very effective.

It was his idea to lure the Jurchens out this time.

According to the original plan, the attack was actually carried out on all fronts.

At that time, Chen Shao believed that the Jurchens were on a winning streak and, being arrogant, would certainly not tolerate his territory being attacked.

However, Wanyan Zonghan was determined to march south, and as a result, he concentrated the Jurchen troops in Datong City.

Attacking a city suddenly became a very costly endeavor, and the chances of success were slim.

Chen Shao didn't know whether Wanyan Zonghan had strategic vision or simply didn't take the barren western territories of the Liao Dynasty seriously.
-
While the three battalions were preparing for battle, the Tartars in Datong Prefecture were not idle either.

Nestled among the mountains in the clouds, atop a mountain peak.

The Xiazhou outpost climbed up from the south, while the Jurchen patrols climbed up from the north.

Because this mountain peak faces a winding mountain road, standing here, one can have a clear view of the road for more than ten miles.

So both patrol teams left their mounts at the foot of the mountain to climb up and scout, and as a result, they bumped into each other!
As Xia Zhoubing looked up, he saw more than a dozen Jurchen Tartars emerging from the mountain ridge, and the soldiers on both sides faced each other.
Both sides had just climbed up, all panting heavily, and were all strong, agile, elite, and courageous warriors.

The two sides were stunned for only a moment before they roared at the same time and swung their weapons to meet each other fiercely!
Without the slightest hesitation, a fierce battle erupted on the hilltop. Since both sides were sentinels, they were both elite troops.

Even though the attack was sudden and unexpected, they reacted almost simultaneously. In an instant, two or three pairs of soldiers plunged their weapons into each other's bodies and fell down together!

This encounter was a microcosm of the countless battles fought in Yunnei today, with the Xiazhou troops, who had a numerical advantage, ultimately winning by a narrow margin.

Just as they expected, the Xiazhou soldiers cursed as they collected the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Two Jurchen soldiers, still coughing up blood, were being held down by several soldiers and tied up with ropes, in preparation to be taken back for torture and interrogation.

The Jurchens often sit together to discuss their battles, and even ordinary soldiers sometimes know a lot of information.

Some were tending to their brothers by applying medicine, while others were finishing off other Jurchen Tartars.

Some people collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Every time they faced the Jurchen Tartars, even with the strong army of Xiazhou, it was an enormous burden!
A few lucky Jurchen soldiers have already scrambled down to the mountainside, leaving only a few small dots behind.

Having occupied this crucial position, the scouts on both sides began to determine the victor in this area.

From here, the field of vision makes it easy to spot enemy scouts and sneak up to assassinate them.

Suddenly, a sergeant silently patted the captain on the shoulder and pointed north.

Seeing his subordinate's grim expression, the Xiazhou soldier captain quickly looked over and was shocked by what he saw.

At the foot of the mountain, along the winding mountain road, a troop of soldiers was heading north.

The force numbered in the thousands, and with the addition of auxiliary troops such as servants and guards, they filled the narrow mountain path with a dense, dark mass.

They remained silent, and the horses' mouths were gagged to prevent them from making any noise.

The riders on horseback were burly and strong, and their fierce and valiant aura could be felt from afar.

Having already clashed several times, the scouts from Xia Prefecture naturally knew that these were the Jurchen army.

This is no ordinary Jurchen army. Judging by its size, it must be the Jurchen Tartars from Datong Prefecture!

Where did they get here from?!

The captain turned around and ordered through gritted teeth, "Go back immediately and report to the commander that the Jurchen Tartars in Datong have been mobilized!"

The Jurchens did not wait for Chen Shao to make all the arrangements before they set out.

They have their own decisions to make and won't cooperate with yours just because you made them.

This is war.

Zong Han finally broke the stalemate between the two sides, and a major battle was about to break out.

(End of this chapter)