You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 186 Beheading
Dark clouds covered the long-drought-stricken land of Hebei.

More than 10,000 corpses of Fuyan soldiers remained beneath the walls of Wu'an City.

They were all soldiers.

If Yue Fei hadn't risked his life to lead over 500 men to block the valley, the losses would likely have been even greater.

Although he blocked the way for a short time, he caused Wanyan Zongbi to miss the best opportunity to enter the fray.

When he led his men away from the battlefield on horseback, Yue Fei glanced back and knew at a glance that he had lost about four hundred brothers.

He felt somewhat heavy-hearted, as these were all troops he had personally trained.

But it was too late for grief. The Jurchen Tartars had inflicted a major defeat on the Fuyan army, and the situation was deteriorating further.

It is unknown how many people will be affected by this battle, and will no longer dare to resist, or may even choose to surrender.

But an even more terrible disaster was yet to come. After Liu Guangshi moved east to Longde Prefecture in Hedong, he conscripted more than 50,000 laborers from Hedong on the western side of the Taihang Mountains.

The main force responsible for repairing roads, building camps, transporting supplies, and handling these mundane and arduous tasks in the army consisted of more than 50,000 laborers from Hedong.

With more than ten thousand people, there is no boundless expanse, let alone the tens of thousands of laborers on a river valley road in these mountains!
News of the major defeat at the front had not yet reached them, and they were still busy.

These people from Hedong were covered in sweat, their clothes mostly soaked through, either building fortifications or pushing heavy carts along the way.

The cicadas' shrill chirping in the valley was quite annoying.

Those who led and directed these laborers were mostly low-ranking military officers from the Xiang Army of Longde Prefecture in Hedong, or local minor officials.

They were all wearing hemp shoes and short clothes, following in the procession, sweating profusely and their faces weathered.

Although they didn't have to do hard labor like pushing carts or herding horses, they still shouted themselves hoarse every day, their throats almost bleeding.

Although this kind of arduous work was deadly, the laborers and minor officials could grit their teeth and endure it because the neighboring Cizhou was in such dire straits.

If the Fuyan army can drive the Tartars out as soon as possible, even if they die from exhaustion, they can protect their elders and families from being harmed by the Tartars.

Gradually, these people realized something was wrong: many defeated Fuyan troops were fleeing across the Taihang Mountains.

The laborers inexplicably felt a pang of anxiety.

Finally, not far away, the nightmare they had been terrified of appeared.

The Jurchen cavalry were in hot pursuit, their weapons dripping with blood.

The Jurchen Tartars are here! And they're sweeping away the entire rear of the Fuyan army in one fell swoop!

Where did these Jurchen Tartars come from?
What is Fu Yanjun doing?! What is Zhe Jiajun doing?!
The soldiers stationed here in Hedong were filled with rage. They had risked their lives to clear the way and transport grain for them.

They lost so quickly.

The warning cries, delivered in the Kansai dialect, echoed mournfully everywhere.

"The Tartars are coming! The Tartars are coming!"

In the Taihang Mountains, the urgent sounds of drums and gongs resounded throughout the military camps.

There must be military camps in such a strategic location, and many of these camps have actually been taken over by the Fuyan Army.

There was no other way; they were a powerful and well-equipped force. When faced with such a large and well-disciplined border army, the local militia had no choice but to obey.

In the Song Dynasty army, armed clashes and killings were commonplace, and they were rarely punished.

Most of it was covered up by higher-ranking officers.

Although the performance of the Fuyan Army since crossing the river has not been good, it is still one of the old core forces of the Song Dynasty's powerful Western Army.

Everyone knows that if this area is cut off, the 40,000 Fuyan troops will have no way to retreat, will be trapped in Hebei, their supplies will be cut off, their morale will be irrecoverable, and they will most likely be wiped out.

At this point, no matter how panicked or terrified we are, we can only fight to the bitter end by relying on our camp!
This place is not Taiyuan, but the heartland of Hedong, a region that has enjoyed peace for a long time.

The military camp was poorly constructed and had fallen into disrepair over the years. After the Fuyan army was stationed there, they were too lazy to maintain it.

It's too late to regret it now.

Many Fuyan soldiers jumped out of the camp, loudly issuing orders and commands.

Then they saw that many of the garrison troops from Hedong had jumped off the stockade wall in fright and were trying to escape.

"You thief!"

On the contrary, the laborers who had taken refuge inside, because of their innate fear of these officials, were too frightened by the roar to retreat. They hurriedly grabbed the tools around them, and without caring whether they were lethal, they looked down tremblingly.

The men left behind on Fuyan Road, however, were armed and cursing in Shaanxi dialect, ready to fight the Tartars to the death.

As long as they have their own generals in command, the Western Army is still willing to fight.

The Tartar cavalry drew ever closer, and everyone watched as the fleeing soldiers were chased and slaughtered, along with the unfortunate laborers, who were utterly helpless against such cavalry.

Everyone could only scatter and flee, only to be mercilessly slaughtered. Those who were lucky enough to roll into the mountains might be able to save their lives.

There were also Jurchen Tartars on horseback, drawing their bows and shooting arrows with great accuracy and ferocity, their cries of agony echoing throughout the valley.

For every person who flees, another steps forward. This has been the case in the Central Plains for thousands of years in the face of invasions by foreign tribes.

Some of the officials and laborers who came with the army also picked up weapons and stones, preparing to fight the enemy.

At this moment, many men who appeared to be military officers were fleeing while their comrades were loudly calling on the soldiers to fight from their fortified camps!
These military officers were either sons of generals or from military families, pampered since childhood, and received military assignments through the legacy of their grandfathers.

But when faced with a crisis, his true colors as a spoiled brat were revealed. He didn't think of fighting with a weapon at all; he only wanted to save his own life.

They're living too comfortably; they're reluctant to die, and they're also reluctant to risk their lives here.

With so many important figures leaving at the last minute, the camp, which was packed to the brim, immediately collapsed.

Countless laborers cried out and ran about, trampling each other and fighting for passage in the camp. Their desperate cries echoed through the sky!
Within the valley, there are all sorts of people, with different personalities and behaviors.
It's a mess!
A Western Army officer standing on the stockade wall with a gun, looking at the scene, spat fiercely: "Damn it, they'd rather die than run away! What will happen to the 40,000 brothers in the east if we lose this place?"

But his shouts and curses were drowned out by the chaotic and collapsing scene. How many people could hear them? Even if those who abandoned their troops heard them, would they stop for a second?

After the general finished his tirade, he simply looked up to the sky and sighed, "Little Liu! Liu Guangshi! You've led a fine army!"

Old Liu was a terrible general, widely recognized as the least capable commander in the Western Army, but he still cherished his Fuyan Army.

Their lifestyle was luxurious, but similar to other Western Army generals; it wasn't as extravagant as Xiao Liu's.

Since Liu Yanqing's defeat in the campaign against Liaodong, Liu Guangshi has been in charge of the army. He has been abusing his power and authority, embezzling military pay to live a life of luxury, and is by nature distant from his soldiers.

He didn't even bother to pretend; when he was with the soldiers, he would often cover his mouth and nose and hurry past them.

It seemed as if they were afraid of being overwhelmed by the stench.

This march further revealed his attitude of treating his soldiers like cattle and grass.

He indulged in wine, women, song, and dance all the way, while his soldiers marched on empty stomachs.

The imperial court has not mistreated the Western Army. Now the court relies on them greatly, and military pay is being delivered continuously, but it is being embezzled at every level.

Liu Guangshi was probably used to drinking the blood of soldiers, and he didn't treat these fighting men as human beings, so he didn't hide anything at all.

The soldiers of the Western Army did know that their superiors drank the blood of their soldiers, and they also knew that this was a tradition of the entire Western Army.

But if you cover it up, everyone will pretend they don't know. But if you're so blatant, who can stand it?

With the commander acting this way, the morale of the army naturally collapsed. And the Jurchen Tartars were indeed surprisingly strong. They used a simple trick to lure the enemy, and then launched a surprise attack, causing Liu Guangshi's army to suffer a crushing defeat.

The general picked up a long spear and strode through the crowd toward the foot of the stockade wall.

"Damn it, Liu Guangshi is incompetent, but we can't let the Western Army lose face."

Amidst the collapsing and fleeing crowds, there were always a few Kansai men who went against the tide and surged towards the village.

The killing continued below, with the Jurchen Tartars chasing after them until they were within firing range of the stockade wall.

However, their arrows barely reached the target and were unable to penetrate the Tartars' armor.

The people in the village looked at the massive Jurchen cavalry and felt a sense of despair.

Those who choose to resist at this point are actually prepared to die.

Among the fleeing crowd were members of the Zhao family, a powerful clan in the Northwest, who were not military families.

I used to be close to Xiao Liu; we often went hunting, patronizing prostitutes, eating, drinking, and having fun together.

I came here to earn some military merit, but I didn't expect Xiao Liu to be so incompetent. He had already volunteered to stay in the rear, but he was still killed by someone.

Zhao Shan cursed Liu Guangshi as he fled, surrounded by his personal guards.

Suddenly, a cavalry unit appeared before him.

The leader frowned as he looked at the soldiers and laborers fleeing across the mountains.

Seeing Zhao Shan surrounded by people, and judging from their attire and rank, they demanded, "Who are you? Why are you fleeing?"

Zhao Shan's helmet was askew. He looked up and saw the person coming, and cursed, "Qu Duan, are you blind? You don't even recognize me?"

Qu Duan looked at it carefully, then asked uncertainly, "Zhao Shan?"

Zhao Shan then looked at the troops behind him and was surprised to find them surprisingly well-organized. His eyes lit up immediately. "Qu Duan, you've come at the right time! Quickly send someone to escort me out. The Tartars are attacking!"

The Zhao family was highly respected in the Western Army and had marriage alliances with various military families.

Otherwise, Zhao Shan wouldn't be qualified to be friends with Liu Yanei.

Qu Duan was a military officer in the Jingyuan Army. When his father died in battle, Qu Duan was only three years old and inherited his father's military position.

Hearing Zhao Shan shouting, Qu Duan's face turned cold, and he said, "You're in charge of the defense of this Huangze stronghold?"

"What nonsense!"

Qu Duan shouted, "You deserted your post and fled the battlefield! Guards, execute him!"

"You dare!" Zhao Shan was not afraid at all. He did not believe that anyone in the Western Army would dare to kill him.

But several cavalrymen who came out from behind Qu Duan ignored all of this and came over with their swords raised.

The Zhao family's retainers rushed forward, but they couldn't stop him at all. Zhao Shan's eyes widened, and before he could even beg for mercy, the knife came crashing down on his head.

On his deathbed, he realized that Qu Duan was no longer part of the Western Army.

After Liu Fa's defeat, many of these defeated soldiers from the Jingyuan Army were recruited by Chen Shao and settled in Western Xia.

A thousand warhorses leaped out of the valley.

Behind them were endless cavalry.

This was a light cavalry unit, with each soldier on two horses, and an auxiliary officer following behind.

Most of the auxiliary troops were refugees from Liaodong, because the soldiers of Yinzhou were not responsible for taking care of their own warhorses.

Warhorses are delicate animals that require extremely careful care. Their hooves need protection, and attention must be paid to drying off their sweat. Their backs must be protected from wear and tear, and their eyes need to be wiped frequently to prevent them from becoming fogged up. Taking care of horses takes a considerable amount of time each day.

Unless it's on the battlefield requiring intense maneuvering, flanking maneuvers, or surprise attacks, cavalry isn't much faster than infantry. Horses are fed on grass; they only have strength when fed horse feed. Letting them graze is merely keeping them alive.

Looking at the devastation in the valley below, Qu Duan's face darkened, and he cursed under his breath.

"Liu Guangshi, a pig and a dog, can lead troops!"

He ordered the auxiliary troops to gather the fleeing soldiers and laborers, and then the others followed him to meet the enemy.

The laborers from Hedong, the generals of Fuyan, and the soldiers of Longde all looked up.

In their despair, they saw countless cavalrymen in bright armor charging towards them from the mountains and fields.

They soon clashed with the pursuing Jurchen troops.

The Jurchen cavalry, who had been easily pursuing the enemy, instantly sensed the danger.

They were pursuing so relentlessly that they didn't have time to send out scouts, as they hadn't stopped along the way.

In the rush, they ran into the light cavalry of Yinzhou led by Qu Duan.

At this time, north of Wu'an, Zhe Kecun was also gathering the defeated troops from Fuyan.

He should have supported the Fuyan army, but instead chose to build a fortified camp on high ground, watch the Fuyan army collapse, and then gather its troops for his own use.

Its heart is awkward!

Although the responsibility for this crushing defeat lies 99% with Liu Guangshi alone.

However, Zhe Kecun's intentions were still far too sinister.

It can only be said that after the Song Dynasty lost its authority, the powerful figures in various regions could no longer restrain themselves.

The rules are being broken one by one.

Moreover, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on the Zhe family army.

The so-called allied war between Fuyan Army and Zhe Family Army was already somewhat fraught with difficulties.

In particular, the Zhe family's troops were already few in number, and they all needed to stay behind to guard their homeland. Unlike other generals in the Western Army, they did not need to be wary of the Song army.

The Zhe family might be a different story. If they were truly weakened internally, it wouldn't be impossible for the Song Dynasty to seize the opportunity to reclaim Fugu.

In this way, Fu Yanjun wanted to claim all the credit, and Liu Guangshi essentially placed Zhe Jiajun in a subordinate position.

The supplies and provisions brought by the Song court were also being handled with ulterior motives by both sides. Liu Guangshi had no intention of giving them to them at all, while the Zhe family army was prepared to intercept them for their own use.

Given the current state of relations between the two armies, it's unlikely that the Zhe family army would want to see the Fuyan army suffer a crushing defeat; at least the vast majority of the Zhe family army wouldn't.

However, it would be impossible to say that they put in much effort for the eastward advance led by the Fuyan Army.

Only the commander-in-chief, Zhe Kecun, had a venomous mind. From the moment he saw through the Jurchen Tartars' plan to lure the enemy, he was determined to sit back and watch Liu Guangshi's army be defeated, and then swallow up his Fuyan army.

Eat as much as you can.

Although the Fuyan Army has recently had a poor record, it is mostly due to problems with its generals and commanders. These veteran soldiers are still very eager to fight.

Zong Ze of Gushan was also doing his best to rescue the soldiers who had been taken in by the Fuyan Road.

Even those who fled to the Taihang Mountains and were taken in by Qu Duan, Liu Guangshi, having escaped this time, will also become a commander without troops.

However, he is indeed skilled at escaping and has not yet been captured by the Jurchens.
-
Qu Duan is not a person who stays idle.

Not long after he arrived in Taiyuan, he led his troops to the Taihang Mountains, saying that he was to guard against the Tartars advancing westward into Hedong.

It's obvious that this is impossible. Why would Wanyan Zongwang come to Hedong to cause trouble instead of going to the capital region? He must have lost his mind.

However, after thinking about it, Chen Shao did not stop him.

He wanted to infiltrate Hedong under the pretext of guarding against the Jurchen Tartars, so that he could move his troops around Hedong and control many villages and passes.

Once this opportunity is gone, it will be gone forever. If the Tartars retreat, this action will be tantamount to rebellion.

After receiving Chen Shao's approval, Qu Duan led his troops eastward, heading straight for Cizhou after leaving Taiyuan.

It just so happened that Liu Guangshi was leading his troops eastward.

Based on his understanding of Liu Guangshi, Qu Duan, the old general of the Western Army, immediately sensed that something was wrong. He predicted that the Fuyan Army was in danger and might be completely wiped out in Hebei, and by Liu Guangshi, this son of a powerful official.

The Jurchen pursuers were not numerous this time, as they were never known for their large armies.

When they encountered the light cavalry of Yinzhou in the mountains, they experienced firsthand the intensity that the Western Route Army had encountered in Yingzhou.

Puliyan, a Jurchen, witnessed firsthand how the cavalryman he had knocked off his horse leaped swiftly across the rocks in the forest, quickly climbed a giant tree, and fired an arrow.

Some people, while riding horses, would encounter tree trunks blocking their way. They would leap from their horses, use one hand to flip over the tree trunk, and land back on the horse's back after crossing the trunk.

It's just like watching a juggling act.

As for the Jurchen Tartars being fierce? These Hengshan Qiang soldiers thought they were alright, much better than their previous chieftains.

The battle in the mountains and forests quickly came to an end. Qu Duan successfully repelled the Jurchen pursuers and left behind three to five hundred corpses.

However, he did not choose to pursue them.

Because once they catch up and encounter the Jurchen army, it will be considered a formal confrontation with the Jurchen Eastern Route Army.

What follows may have far-reaching consequences, requiring changes to the entire Dingnan Army's deployment.

The supply trains, logistics, and reinforcements will definitely affect the battle situation in Weizhou.

Although Qu Duan is a notorious critic, there is no doubt that he is knowledgeable about military affairs.

If he were to open a second front for the Dingnan Army in Hebei, the already strained supply of materials would likely cripple the entire Dingnan Army.

He decided to withdraw from the situation here, then raised his battle flag, recruited the defeated soldiers of Fuyan, and sent someone to urgently inform Chen Shao of the situation.
-
Taiyuan City.

Chen Shao is arresting spies.

Wanyan Zonghan sent many spies to Taiyuan City, just as Guangyuantang had many spies in Fengsheng Prefecture.

It seems that both sides are aware of each other's actions in sending spies during the chaos.

Since much of the territory on both sides originally belonged to the Khitan, after occupying the prefectures in Yunnei, there would inevitably be population movement with Taiyuan, making it convenient for both sides to plant spies.

Chen Shao originally didn't intend to treat it as a serious matter.

However, Li Tangchen of Taiyuan was assassinated. Although he survived, he was seriously injured, and Chen Shao personally went to visit him.

The Li family members were crying their eyes out. Li Tangchen had been shot in the arm with a poisoned arrow and was extremely weak, but he still reminded Chen Shao to be careful.

These days, Chen Shao has been staying at home and rarely goes out unless there is something important to do.

The people from Guangyuantang were very professional in investigating these matters, and they caught more than twenty people in no time, which shocked Chen Shao into disbelief.

At one point, it was suspected that they had fabricated stories to make up the numbers in order to gain credit.

As a result, each of them had solid evidence, and according to their confessions, at least several hundred more spies had infiltrated Taiyuan.

After listening, Chen Shao understood what Wanyan Zonghan meant.

That bastard has figured it out: the Dingnan Army is the Jurchen's greatest enemy, and eliminating the Dingnan Army will be extremely difficult.

However, there is a shortcut: kill Chen Shao, and the Dingnan Army will collapse on its own.

This tactic is basically only effective against the Dingnan Army.

Even if you kill Zonghan, or even if you kill Wanyan Wuzhumai, the Jin state will find someone to replace him.
Killing Zhao Ji was more beneficial than harmful to the Song Dynasty; it was actually doing the enemy a huge favor.

Only Chen Shao, if he dies, the Nan army will surely disband.

Taiyuan was not considered a very wealthy and prosperous city in the Central Plains.

However, the mansions here are incomparable to those on the northwestern border; they possess a unique charm.

The garden was built by drawing water from the river outside the city to form a water system, with pavilions and terraces built and exotic flowers and plants planted.

Small bridges over flowing water, short corridors and long walkways; it is the height of summer, with flowers in full bloom and fragrance filling the air.

The delicate buds bloom amidst the warm air, spreading their fragrance, truly like a paradise on earth.

Chen Shao lived here, unlike Liu Guangshi who had no chance to enjoy such comforts and had to endure different things on the march.

Seeing such beautiful scenery, Chen Shao, thinking about the wars all around, would often sigh: "What a place that wears down one's spirit."

Inside the pavilion, Chen Shao unfolded today's military report and read it carefully.

Outside the pavilion, Da Hu, holding a knife, sat on the steps, leaning against a pillar and dozing off idly.

From the study not far away, the faint sound of string and wind instruments could be heard, but it was very quiet and barely audible.

The young women in the room were gifts from Li Tangchen to Chen Shao. Each of them possessed unique skills: some could play the flute, some the zither, some could sing, and some could dance.
The house is quaint and charming, with rammed earth walls covered in wallpaper featuring delicate patterns, ornate and beautiful carved wooden windows, and spotless floors that don't feel dirty even when you sit directly on them.

Several beautiful and innocent young girls peeked out of the window at Chen Shao in the pavilion, fantasizing that if they could be favored by the general, they would soar to great heights.

Finally, Chen Shao found the military report sent by Qu Duan, opened it, and shook his head.

As he expected, Liu Guangshi was defeated, and defeated quite thoroughly.

Among all the generals in the Western Army, the Fuyan Army had the biggest problem!

The problem isn't with the subordinates, it's precisely with the head coach!

Even when the battle situation deteriorated further, not a single military officer from the Fuyan Army defected to the enemy, and many died in battle.

Moreover, their battle record was still acceptable after leaving the Liu family.

Chen Shao was also very satisfied with Qu Duan's actions in rallying the defeated soldiers of Fuyan Road, as he himself had started his career on this very act.

When Liu Fa was defeated at Tong'an City, Chen Shao gathered the defeated soldiers of Xihe Army and Jingyuan Army at Hengshan, which formed his earliest core force.

Moreover, in the Western Army, even low-ranking officers and soldiers can easily rise to become famous generals.

The Dingnan Army and the Western Army are of the same lineage, and Chen Shao himself was originally a grain transport officer in the Fuyan Army.

Many soldiers and even military officers of the Western Army secretly crossed Hengshan to join Chen Shao.

In the Western Army, those at the bottom saw no hope, but in the Dingnan Army, they could fight their way to a better future.

Realizing that he could only supply one force for the attack, Chen Shao ordered Qu Duan to hold the Taihang Mountain defense line.

He predicted that Wanyan Zongwang would be unable to divide his forces to attack Hedong, and would definitely concentrate his forces to attack Bianliang.

He's already fought his way to the vicinity of Xiangzhou, and a fast horse could reach the walls of Bianliang in a day. It's no wonder he's not going to stop.
-
After the battle at Wu'an City, a torrential rainstorm hit Cizhou.

Right there on the mountaintop village where the Zhe family army was stationed, a large cavalry force covered in mud hurriedly rode into the village gate.

The first rider, tall and imposing, wielding a large spear, was none other than Liu Anshi.

Behind him, many of Liu's personal guards and barbarian cavalry protected the disheveled Liu Guangshi.

The Jurchen cavalry pursued them, and Zhe Kecun stood on the stockade wall, watching the men and horses below.

Although the situation was extremely critical, Zhe Kecun remained calm and composed, his eyes half-closed, showing no sign of panic.

Upon seeing their commander in such a state, the soldiers of the Zhe family army in the stronghold calmed down, even those who were initially flustered and terrified.

Although the Zhe family was one of the four major families of the Western Army, in terms of background, when they were ruling their own territory, the Zhao family had not yet risen to prominence.

From the Five Dynasties period onwards, the Zhe family of Fugu County was caught between various forces.

They survived to this day only after going through life-or-death battles with both the Khitan and the Tangut; they are capable of fighting, and even more so, they dare to fight.

The Zhe family treated their soldiers much better than the Western Army, because they needed these soldiers to risk their lives to protect their family business.

Therefore, they often showed favors, and the relationship between generals and soldiers was very close, far surpassing that of the Western Army.

Zhe Kecun ordered the gates of the village to be opened and Liu Guangshi and his men to be let in.

Finally hiding in the military camp, Liu Guangshi and his men breathed a sigh of relief and dismounted.

Even in a proper military camp, it's not a flat plain.

Especially for military camps where infantry are stationed, there are also abatis blocking the way, one of which is to demarcate the roads.

Secondly, it also prepared that even if the stockade was breached, the infantry could still continue to fight from the palisades.

The Zhe family infantry is very strong, and their ability to build fortified camps is also outstanding.

Liu Guangshi was a man of principle, and he didn't take Zhe Kecun seriously at all, even though Zhe was his elder.

However, now that they have been defeated and come to surrender, they dare not pursue the crime of the Zhe family army avoiding battle. Upon seeing Zhe Kecun, they immediately bowed and said, "Guangshi is incompetent and has come to surrender after being defeated. Fortunately, the Zhe family's army is strong and able to hold off the Tartar pursuers! I have no way to repay the life-saving grace!"

He wiped the rain off his face and spoke with heartfelt sincerity. In fact, on the way here, he had been cursing Zhe Kecun, that old dog, for not providing support.

He himself knew that the army was in complete disarray and there was no way to provide support.

Zhe Kecun completely ignored this performance of being arrogant at first and then obsequious, and jumped off his horse to stretch his muscles.

Wiping the rain from his face, Zhe Kecun said expressionlessly, "Young Master Liu, your defeat this time is no small matter. Fifty thousand Fuyan troops have scattered and fled in all directions around Cizhou."

"The only way to make amends for our mistakes is to personally go and gather these troops."

Liu Guangshi harbored resentment, thinking that the other man was taking the opportunity to humiliate him. Although he had suffered heavy losses, as long as he returned to Fuyan Road, with the help of other Western Army generals, he could eventually recruit the warriors from Guanzhong.

From the very beginning of the Western Army's establishment, they have always done this. When fighting against the Western Xia, they suffered similar crushing defeats, but they gradually recovered afterward.

With the Zhe family's current status, you still dare to humiliate me? Once I get back, I'll make sure you're not finished!

"Your men won't be going in. I've already arranged for the horses to be fed and watered, and I'll get you some hot drinks. Then you can personally lead your men to rally the defeated troops. It would be best if you could turn the tide and win, otherwise, I'm afraid you'll have a hard time explaining yourself this time."

"Tell your mother!" Liu Anshi cursed, "Who do you think you are to reprimand my brother like that!"

Zhe Kecun laughed and waved his hand, saying, "Kill all the others except the two surnamed Liu."

After saying this, he turned his head without looking back and went to the stockade wall to deal with the Jurchen pursuers.

The sounds behind us were somewhat muffled by the heavy rain, but they were still incredibly tragic.

Zhe Kecun didn't look back; he needed the Liu brothers to rally the defeated troops of Fuyan.

But after they finished collecting the loot, their usefulness came to an end.

What a load of rubbish! The Great Song Dynasty, the Western Army—they're all useless!

In this chaotic world, it's nothing more than a struggle between the Dingnan Army and the Jurchen Tartars. The Zhe family should just quietly develop its strength.

When the time comes, we'll sell it for a good price, and hopefully preserve this family business.

If it were the Jurchen Tartars, they could have truly defeated Chen Shao and ultimately won.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Zhe family's entry into the former territory of Western Xia was the best choice!

As for vying for control of the Central Plains, Fugu's size is insufficient for them to even dream of such a thing.

Every step in a chaotic world is fraught with peril.

The military camp was initially in a state of chaos, but it finally quieted down when Zhe Kecun arrived at the camp.

The commander-in-chief has arrived in person. Even if the Jurchen Tartars charge at this moment, these Zhe family men will not back down and will fight the Tartars to the bitter end under the leadership of their commander!

The Jurchen soldiers stopped in front of the stockade; this stockade was not easy to attack.

First, his location was excellent, and it appeared to be heavily fortified, with a retreat route behind him.

Another reason why Zhe Kecun was so confident was that he knew that Wanyan Zongwang's army had actually already left.

After a somewhat crude plan to lure the enemy, Wanyan Zongwang did not rush westward to hunt down the Fuyan army.

Instead, they deployed their troops southward, sweeping away the various strongholds and scattered crossings of the Cizhou rebels, and continuously advancing towards the capital region.

The remaining troops were stationed in the cities around Cizhou to ensure the roads remained open.

It was precisely because of the Jurchen army's strength that the defeated soldiers of the Fuyan army were allowed to flee in all directions.

Wanyan Zongwang first defeated the Fuyan army in one battle, causing the strongest fighting force of the Song Dynasty in Hebei to collapse.

Then, taking advantage of the situation, they swiftly marched south; their military tactics were simply masterful.

And it was incredibly daring!

This tactic completely disregarded the Song army's humanity.

They frequently used this tactic when they overthrew the Liao Dynasty, and it always worked.

Zhe Kecun looked at the Jurchen Tartars and laughed, "They came in the rain and chased us all the way. They don't have much strength left. You just hold the fortress walls. I'm sure they'll retreat soon."
-
As Zhe Kecun had predicted, Wanyan Zongwang's army marched south.

There was no further resistance along the way.

The defensive line personally set up by Li Gang collapsed in one battle, and sporadic Jurchen cavalry had begun to appear outside Kaifeng Prefecture.

Yao Gu, who came to provide support, encountered the Jurchens outside the city and was also defeated, retreating in panic to Chenqiao Town.

Panic gripped the court and the public. Bianliang had enjoyed a good life for too long, and being suddenly surrounded felt like the sky was falling.

Especially Zhao Huan, who was pulled out by Zhao Ji to fill in for him.

At this critical moment, he was desperate and wrote a very earnest edict to Chen Shao, along with a private letter, almost begging him to come quickly to the aid of the emperor.

Then another delegation was sent to the Jin camp to negotiate peace.

Inside Zongwang's tent near Baimajin.

Zongwang, dressed in lamellar armor, looked at the few Song people he had specifically requested for the peace talks and nodded with satisfaction.

The three people opposite were all terrified: Li Zhuo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Zhang Bangchang, Grand Chancellor; and the unlucky Zhao Gou.

When Zhao Gou went to negotiate peace last time, he was stopped by the Hebei rebels on the way and the Minister of Personnel who was with him was beaten to death.

This time, the Jurchen Tartars specifically requested him to come again, and Zhao Gou had already cursed Wanyan Zongwang's ancestors for eighteen generations in his heart.

But he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to the Jin camp.

Inside the tent, Wanyan Zongwang sat while everyone else stood, and there wasn't a single chair.

All three were people of high status in the Song Dynasty, yet they stood in the middle as if they were paying homage to Wanyan Zongwang.

The smell inside the tent was extremely unpleasant; Zhao Gou had never been to such a pungent place in his entire life.

He couldn't even suppress the urge to vomit.

Suddenly, he vomited.

The Jurchen Tartars inside the tent thought he was cowardly and laughed loudly.

Zhang Bangyan was somewhat disgusted. This Ninth Prince was too inexperienced; he had already vomited before the negotiations had even begun.

Wanyan Zongwang repeated his old tune, joining the Jurchen generals in the tent to vehemently denounce the Song people for breaking their alliance.

First, they secretly instigated Zhang Jue to rebel, and then they took Zhang Jue in.

The three envoys from the Song Dynasty were so frightened that they dared not utter a word of rebuttal.

Upon seeing this, Wanyan Zongwang made no attempt to conceal his disdain. He waved his hand, and the tent finally quieted down.

"Do you plead guilty or not?!"

The three of them were no longer able to think and could only nod repeatedly.

"Since you have confessed, things are easier to discuss. We should have marched into Tokyo to punish you for your betrayal, but considering your relatively submissive attitude, we will give you a chance."

The peace negotiations turned into Wanyan Zongwang instructing his grandson. He coldly said, "First of all, your Great Song shamelessly occupied Pingzhou. You must cede territory to apologize and cede the three towns of Taiyuan, Zhongshan, and Hejian. The Yellow River will be the boundary between Song and Jin in the future."
Secondly, since we have gone on a long and arduous expedition, you must pay us reparations. I don't ask for much: 500 million taels of silver, 5000 million taels of silver, 1 million bolts of silk, and 100 cattle and horses.

Third, to prevent you from continuing to break the alliance, Zhao Gou and Zhang Bangchang will be kept in the camp until you have completed the first two tasks, after which they will be sent back.

Upon hearing this, the two men looked distressed, but dared not disobey.

Only Li Zhuo, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, felt relieved. Wanyan Zongwang told him to go back and tell Zhao Huan that he would wait for news from the Song people.

After Li Zhu led the Song delegation in a hasty escape, the Jin army did not rest, sending troops everywhere to plunder and kill.

In the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, cries of despair filled the land, and smoke signals rose everywhere.

Bianliang, the imperial city.

After Zhao Ji abdicated, he enjoyed his life in Genyue, leaving the imperial city idle.

At that time, Zhao Huan moved in.

Wu Min, Yuwen Xuzhong, and others who had served the Crown Prince for many years finally got their chance.

Zhao Huan was indecisive, and when faced with a crisis, he could only rely on the people around him.

They were gathered in the side hall at this moment. Zhao Huan's eyes were glazed over, and his movements were flustered. "What should we do!"

"Your Majesty, please do not panic," Wu Min said with a frown. "The situation is far from being out of control."

Although these scholar-officials hoped that the emperor would govern by doing nothing and listen to them completely.

But we can't be this useless.

He was a bit too laissez-faire.

"The Jurchens are demanding that I cede territory and pay reparations—that's an outrageous demand! Chen Shao wants me to execute the treacherous officials, but I can't make that decision either!"

"How can you not make the decisions?" Wu Min suddenly raised her voice, "Cai Jing and Tong Guan are traitors who have brought disaster to the country and should have been killed long ago!"

The old party members actually agreed with Chen Shao's point.

Zhao Huan said, "Although they have brought disaster to the country and its people, they are, after all, close ministers of the retired emperor. If I kill them, what will happen if the retired emperor blames me?"

At a time like this, who has time to worry about these things?

Yuwen Xuzhong also said, "The current calamity caused by the Jin army is all due to Tong Guan. If we do not kill this man, it will be difficult to quell the public's anger."

Others also chimed in.

Tong Guan had already lost all power and influence, unlike Cai Jing, so killing him was very simple.

Therefore, they planned to target Tong Guan first to test Chen Shaohe and the retired emperor's reaction.

Wu Min said, "If we just kill them like this, I'm afraid the court and the public will say that we have submitted to Chen Shao and have lost face for the country."

"It would be better to have the scholars incite the people to submit petitions, and use this as a pretext to deal with Tong Guan."

Zhao Huan was completely at a loss and could only say, "Do as you please, but if the Emperor blames you, don't say it was my idea."

Wu Min cursed inwardly, "Emperor Emeritus, huh!"
July.

The Jin army ravaged the capital region.

The people of Tokyo petitioned for severe punishment of the six traitors.

The emperor issued an edict demoting Tong Guan to the rank of Left Guard General.

A day later, he was demoted again to Deputy Military Governor of Zhaohua Army.

He was demoted three times and exiled to Yingzhou.

The fourth demotion and resettlement in Jiyang Army.
During his exile, Zhao Huan issued an edict listing his ten major crimes: "He harbored grudges against the Liao and Jin dynasties, causing national turmoil; he abandoned the city and fled, resulting in the loss of Hebei; he was domineering and arrogant, and corrupt."
The imperial censor Zhang Cheng was dispatched to pursue him, intending to behead him on the spot and bring his head back to Bianliang.

(End of this chapter)