You have truly caused me great suffering!

The area east of the river is known as "a land of mountains and rivers."

His importance goes without saying. Chen Shao was like a nail, using the prefectures of Yunnei as a cap and Hedong as a nail, firmly wedging himself into the Central Plains.

Even a slight infiltration further would have encircled all five routes in Shaanxi, severing the Western Army's connection with the imperial court.

The imperial court had to send provisions and supplies to the Western Army through its own territory.

Under such circumstances, it was inevitable that the ministers in the court would all be filled with anxiety.

To them, Chen Shaoyuan was more dangerous than the Jurchen Tartars.

Therefore, while the entire army was engaged in the attack, Chen Shao still retained a portion of his troops to guard Hedong.

Just as when the Jin Kingdom broke the alliance and marched south, Chen Shao sent troops to Nuanquan Peak, but still left Wu Jie to guard the main camp.

In chaotic times, one cannot entrust one's safety to the moral integrity of anyone else.

Chen Shao looked at the troops in the distance and felt inexplicably nervous.

Looking around at the officials, they were all excited, their faces flushed, as if victory was just around the corner.

In fact, Chen Shao only wanted to win without any harm or risk, but for the officials in Hedong, such an opportunity, even if there was only a 30% chance, was worth taking a chance!
If there's even a 50% chance, then we have to risk our lives to fight for it!

Now, the chances are only 70-80%, which is entirely due to some stroke of luck from our ancestors. If we fail to seize this opportunity, we will be letting our ancestors down.

Liu Jizu asked in a low voice, "Prince Dai, should we also send out some troops from Taiyuan Prefecture?"

Chen Shao shook his head and said, "It's not time yet. I've already ordered a portion of the troops to go to the Hebei border."

Separated by the Taihang Mountains, Hebei has a total of seven prefectures that directly border Hedong.

In other words, Chen Shao can provide support to Zhen Ding Prefecture, Zhao Prefecture, Xing Prefecture, Ci Prefecture, Xiang Prefecture, Wei Prefecture, and Huai Prefecture at any time.

The Jurchen Tartars could also attack Hedong from these places.

But they are unlikely to do so, because it is obvious to the naked eye that the Dingnan Army is not so easy to defeat.

Their strategic value in attacking Bianliang was greater, and it was also easier for them.

The fighting strength of the Taiyuan soldiers is unknown, although they have been trained by Wang Bing and have experience fighting the Jurchens in open battle.

However, compared to the main force of the Dingnan Army, they still lacked a lot of experience and also lacked suitable generals.

It wasn't that Chen Shao didn't trust the local military officers from Hedong; it was simply that they hadn't proven themselves on the battlefield, and it was impossible for him to let them test the waters in such a crucial battle.

At this time, there was one person in the Huaizhou area who could prove himself, and that was Qu Duan, the number one critic in Dingnan.

Qu Duan led his troops to Wuzhi, where the Qin River flows into the Yellow River. Facing the surging river, he sent someone to Wuzhi City and ordered Chen Sheng, the magistrate of Wuzhi County, to gather boats and build a pontoon bridge on the Qin River in the eastern part of the city.

In this way, they can travel much less distance, and Qu Duan estimates that he can save at least ten days.

At this time, crossing the Yellow River is impossible due to its rapid current, and the Qin River is an unavoidable route.

But before noon, Qu Duan received a reply from Chen Sheng. In the letter, Chen Yongsheng said that the Tartars were marching south and asked them to quickly go to Bianliang to provide support, but he did not mention the matter of building a pontoon bridge.

After reading the letter, Qu Duan felt a surge of anger and blurted out, "With foreign tribes advancing south, this county magistrate dares to shirk responsibility! He's incredibly audacious!"

"Delaying military intelligence is a crime punishable by death!"

After saying this, he ordered his personal guards to go into the city. At this moment, an aide said, "Chen Sheng is a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) from the Chongning era and has a wide network of connections."

Qu Duan ignored him completely and was about to lead his troops there when someone reported that the prefect of Huai Prefecture had arrived.

He hurried outside and saw a group of people rushing over, the leader of whom was wearing light armor.

Qu Duan was somewhat puzzled and asked loudly, "Which one of you is the prefect?"

The armored man quickened his pace and said as he approached, "I am Huo Anguo, the prefect of Huai Prefecture."

Qu Duan immediately recognized that this man must have served in the military, and upon questioning him, he confirmed this.

Huo Anguo had retreated from Yanshan Prefecture and was quite knowledgeable about military affairs. Seeing that the Tartars were heading south again, he prepared weapons and armor and organized troops to intercept them in the city.

Today is also a training day, so they are wearing light armor.

"I came to help because I saw the army passing by. I am responsible for guarding the city and cannot leave lightly, but I will send some supplies from the city." Huo Anguo looked at Qu Duan's men and nodded repeatedly. He was a military man and knew the value of these men.

Qu Duan quickly expressed his gratitude, saying, "Chen Sheng of Wuzhi is unwilling to build a pontoon bridge for me, which may delay my crossing time."

Huo Anguo was furious and cursed, "Chen Sheng is a pedantic scholar! He is arrogant and ignorant of the bigger picture because his cousin Chen Xian once served as Minister of Works during the Daguan era! I will go to the city with you and personally oversee the construction of the bridge. I'm afraid ordinary pontoon bridges won't be able to cross the river for the cavalry."

“Wuzhi originally had a bridge, but it was demolished when the Tartars retreated during their last southward campaign. I have repeatedly petitioned the emperor, but a year has passed and it still hasn't been rebuilt.”

Beside him, Lin Yuan, the prefectural magistrate of Huai Prefecture who had come with him, said, "Perhaps the imperial court's expenditures are too high and there is no money to allocate."

The reason why Wuzhi did not build the bridge was because the court believed that the Tartars would definitely invade southward again, and they were afraid that building the bridge would benefit the Tartars.

Zhao Shi'e, the military commander of Huai Prefecture, was a local. He pointed to the Qin River in the distance and said, "The ferry crossing at the eastern end of Wuzhi is naturally convenient for building a pontoon bridge. There are several islands in the middle of the river, which divide the river into several narrow sections. The narrower the water, the easier it is to build a pontoon bridge!"

"it is good!"

Qu Duan led a group of people to the city of Wuzhi. The people on the city wall were instructed by the county magistrate not to open the city gates to these barbarian soldiers from the northwest.

However, seeing the prefect arrive in person, along with the prefectural magistrate, the military commander, and the military supervisor of Huai Prefecture, all gathered below the city, how could they dare not open the gates?

A group of people arrived at the county government office, only to find that the magistrate was not there, only some clerks.

The clerks were not afraid when they saw these officials arrive; these days, the clerks were the only ones in power, while the officials came and went.

Although they held low positions in officialdom, they were local bullies in their respective counties, similar to Song Jiang in Yuncheng County.

When the Jurchen Tartars invaded the south last time, Huai Prefecture was plundered because it was close to the capital.

Now that the county magistrate is not cooperating with the troops fighting against the Jin, everyone is angry, but they dare not speak out because of the pressure of their positions.

Now that someone capable of dealing with him has arrived, these officials will naturally not cover for the county magistrate.

The head clerk said, "The magistrate is hosting a banquet at his residence."

"Hosting guests?" Huo Anguo laughed in exasperation and asked, "Where are these guests from?"

"It was said to be during my time in Tokyo, at a brothel where I had a boyfriend."

"A prostitute?" Qu Duan was genuinely furious this time; if it were before, he would have already erupted in rage.

Huo Anguo was so angry that he couldn't speak. He ordered the clerk to lead the way to a quiet courtyard.

The clerk was about to go and report when Huo Anguo kicked the door open. Qu Duan looked at the prefect from behind and thought that he really was a veteran of the battlefield, with a bit of a bloodthirsty spirit.

A group of people stepped in, and a gasp came from inside. Then Chen Sheng came out cursing.

He wore a square headscarf and a brocade robe, dressed like a scholar, but his clothes were disheveled and there were some red marks on his face.

Huo Anguo roared, "With the nation in peril, you're still hanging out with prostitutes!"

Chen Sheng said with a stern face, "This is my private matter, so there's no need for the prefect to worry about it."

Huo Anguo, quick-tempered, cursed, "You scoundrel! The suffering of the people of Huaizhou when the Jin army marched south is still fresh in our minds! As the magistrate, instead of focusing on repairing the city and training the troops, you're indulging in prostitutes here. What use is the court to a person like you who holds a position without doing any work?!"

"It's none of your business!"

Huo Anguo was so angry he almost choked. He pointed at him for a long time but couldn't get the words out, so he simply hit him.

Chen Sheng didn't dodge and was slapped. Just as he was about to retaliate, he suddenly felt a pain in his chest.

The light in his eyes gradually faded, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

Qu Duan drew his blood-dripping sword and said, "This thief must be a traitor among the Jin soldiers, otherwise he would never have done such a thing. Now he has even beaten his superior. I am eliminating this scourge for the country, and I ask you all to be my witnesses."

After he finished speaking, he tossed the sword to his guard and asked him to wipe it clean.

The officials of Huai Prefecture were all stunned, including Huo Anguo.

Outside Wuzhi City, the construction of pontoon bridges began.

Besides the county magistrate, the soldiers and civilians of Wuzhi were all very enthusiastic and contributed their efforts.

There was no other way; the last time the Tartars were stationed not far from here, their plundering was so fierce and their killings so cruel, it was still fresh in my mind.

Nobody wants to go through that again.

Qu Duan ordered the cooks to set up cooking pots by the river and provide meals for everyone who contributed.

Huo Anguo was on the riverbank at this moment, watching the soldiers and civilians lay out the pontoon bridge, his expression complicated.

He hadn't expected Qu Duan to be so bold as to kill Chen Sheng outright.

Was it Qu Duan's own idea, or did someone say something to him before he arrived that made him dare to act so recklessly?
As the prefect, the death of a county magistrate who had passed the imperial examination was a major event.

Perhaps he won't be able to become an official anymore.

At this moment, Qu Duan walked over and said, "Prefect Huo, I killed Chen Sheng in a fit of anger, which now seems to be of great disadvantage to you. The war is urgent, and I cannot clear things up for you here. I can only write a letter and hope that His Highness the Prince of Dai can uphold justice for you."

Huo Anguo's heart skipped a beat. No wonder you killed so swiftly; you were waiting here all along.

Huo Anguo used to work in Yanshan Prefecture, and now he is in Huaizhou. He knows best how tragic it was when he encountered the Jurchen Tartars twice.

The fact that the Dingnan Army was able to recover the prefectures within the Yunnei region from the Tartars demonstrates its formidable fighting strength.

Now, within my own jurisdiction, a county magistrate who had passed the imperial examinations has been killed, and he was the kind of person who had connections in the imperial court.

Qu Duan seemed to see through his inner struggle and smiled, "Prefect, there's no need to rush. After you return, think it over carefully, and it won't be too late to send someone to find the Prince of Dai."

After saying that, he turned and left, taking his deputy and personal guards with him, to continue directing the construction of the pontoon bridge.

Huo Anguo watched his departing figure, gritted his teeth and breathed a sigh of relief, then scratched his head helplessly.

At this moment, the military supervisor Zhang Xingzhong whispered, "This is excellent. Why is the prefect hesitant?" Huo Anguo looked up and around. He saw that all the local officials of Huai Prefecture were staring intently at him.

Huai Prefecture and Ze Prefecture in Hedong are adjacent to each other, connected by a canal and traversed by the Taihang Mountains, and the two prefectures have very close ties.

The local gentry have already made their decision.
Huo Anguo hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Who will go to Taiyuan for me?"

Zhao Shi'e clasped his hands and said, "This humble official is willing to go!"

(PS: Historically, after Wanyan Zonghan conquered Taiyuan, he marched south. Wanyan Loushi broke through the walls of Huaizhou. The main officials of Huaizhou—Huo Anguo, Lin Yuan, Zhao Shi'e, Zhao Shifu, Zhang Chen, Zhang Xingzhong, Zhang Pengnian, Yu Qian, and Shen Dun—all fought alongside the soldiers and civilians to defend the city and died in battle.)
In the direction of Weizhou, the entire mountain range is engulfed in war.

Wanyan Xiyin had anticipated that the Dingnan Army's offensive would be fierce, but he had not expected it to be this intense.

With countless troops pouring in, this poses a significant challenge to the abilities of mid- to low-level generals. In this mountainous terrain, attacking fortified villages requires troops to be scattered and fight independently.

Wanyan Xiyin, accompanied by two trusted confidants, Puliyan, was charging at the enemy in front of him, while fierce fighting raged behind him. Wanyan Xiyin had already turned east.

After repelling several attacks by the Dingnan Army, Wanyan Xiyin gradually realized that these soldiers seemed unwilling to engage in prolonged battles with him.

He immediately sensed something was wrong and guessed that Dingnan's army was launching a fierce attack on the front to contain them, but in reality, they might break through from the north and south.

Wanyan Xiyin immediately dispatched a force of over a thousand elite Jurchen cavalry, lightly armed and well-supplied, to quickly march south and attack Yinchengfang.

The loss of Yinchengfang, while not immediately fatal to Wanyan Xiyin's defenses, has created a vulnerability.

On the south side of the entire defensive line, Yinchengfang will become a springboard for the Dingnan Army to attack Wuhuiling.

The garrison troops from Weizhou, Anding, and Guangling also came out in full force to support the Wuhuiling defense line.

As a key general under Zong Han, Wanyan Xiyin naturally understood that the focus at this time was to defend Wuhui Ridge.

As for Weizhou, it doesn't matter if all the cities are lost.

This is not the main battlefield. Holding off the enemy's main force for even one more day would be a tremendous achievement.

Although Wanyan Xiyin had always been worried about the weak point on the southern flank, he did not expect that Yinchengfang would be lost overnight.

It now seems that the high command of the Dingnan Army should already know that their forces have captured Yinchengfang.

Therefore, the army launched a full-scale offensive to tie down the main force of the Jurchens, giving them time and space to continuously reinforce their troops.

At this time, due to the tight schedule, there was still no definite news about the reverse direction of Yinchengfang.

However, Wanyan Xiyin at this moment demonstrated the strategic vision and decisiveness of a true general.

Despite Wanyan Xiyin's usual carefree and playful demeanor in the Jurchen camp, his love of reading and writing, and his seemingly un-Jurchen-like behavior, other senior generals also enjoyed teasing him. Even Yin Shuke, from a minor tribe, addressed him by his childhood nickname, Valley God.

But he was a wise strategist.

They were not weak at crucial moments and fought many tough battles when they destroyed the Liao Dynasty.

He knew that this was a defensive battle, and he didn't need to worry about the gains or losses of a single city or place, but he absolutely could not lose the initiative.

Although the Dingnan Army's offensive was fierce, they were able to hold on thanks to their defensive system.

If the flanks or rear are lost, the entire defensive line will be in danger of collapse!

Sensing the danger of the battle situation, Wanyan Xiyin acted immediately, drawing troops and personally leading them south to seize Yinchengfang as quickly as possible.

The soldiers Zonghan left him this time were indeed the main force that destroyed Liao; they were all veterans who hadn't removed their armor for ten years.

At a single command, several strategists immediately selected their elite troops and set off.

As night fell, the thousand-odd riders followed Wanyan Xiyin southwards under the cover of darkness, carrying torches.

The flames flickered all the way, completely ignoring the fighting around them.

Wanyan Xiyin headed straight for Yinchengfang.
-
A night and half a day passed, and Han Shizhong's more than a thousand cavalrymen had already traveled more than a hundred miles.

They turned southwest, heading towards the border between Ninghua Army and Xianzhou, and then headed towards Wuhui Ridge.

If we can break through the border at Wuhui Ridge, then advance another two hundred li east to reach Yizhou.

After crossing the Five Ridges, the terrain of Yizhou becomes flatter as you move eastward, allowing your troops to quickly deploy.

At that time, the advantage of having more troops can be amplified infinitely, and the Yi River flows through this area from east to west, so it is even possible to deploy defenses on the south bank to cut off the Tartars' connection between the north and south.

They could attack Yanjing from above, or encircle and annihilate the main force of the Jurchens from below.

Han Shizhong's purpose in this trip is to completely tear open this breach!

Once this breach is broken, the Jurchen fortresses in Weizhou will be taken over without any fighting. You can occupy them for as long as you like.

The Dingnan Army could easily carve out a supply line from Hedong, without having to take the blocked roads of Weizhou.

After traveling more than a hundred miles at high speed, both men and horses were exhausted and their bones were weak. Every now and then, warhorses would be unable to run and would be abandoned by the roadside. Fortunately, these elite soldiers from Helan Mountain all had spare horses, so they were not delayed.

Normally, even the Helan Mountain Corps, which always prioritizes getting the best equipment, would be heartbroken to see so many warhorses worn out. But now, nobody cares.

If the horses were like this, then the soldiers, who were even more hardworking and resilient, also gritted their teeth and persevered, and no one dared to stop and rest for even a moment!
The auxiliary troops following closely behind were busy preparing horses and transporting supplies, and everyone looked like they were running their legs off.
-
As Wanyan Xiyin marched south, the military intelligence he gathered from the retreating soldiers was fragmented and scattered, but it still roughly outlined the whole picture.

The Western barbarians had broken through the defenses around Yincheng Ward a few days ago, and one particularly capable force was rushing eastward with unstoppable momentum.

These fragmented pieces of information were enough to make Wanyan Xiyin disregard his elite troops and push forward relentlessly.

Now it's a race against time to see if we can plug this gap!
In addition, Wanyan Xiyin couldn't help but curse all the way, "Do these barbarians from Dingnan really not care about the life or death of Bianliang?"
Liu Yanzong's plan was to lure them out of the Yunnei defense line and into Hebei, then seize the opportunity to fight a decisive battle and completely annihilate them!
Why is everyone coming after me?
So they've been brought out to fight me? Wanyan Xiyin cursed inwardly. Fine, I'll fight them, but at least leave some more troops behind.

Rationally, he knew that the more troops he could hold off, the greater the strategic value and the more advantageous it would be for the Jin state.

But the actual pressure was too great, and he was on the verge of collapse.

None of the three main forces of the Dingnan Army went to cross the Taihang Mountains; they all came for Wanyan Xiyin!

And now, he is about to collide with one of them.

Both armies were composed entirely of elite troops capable of conquering other states; one conquered Liao, and the other conquered Xia.
-
Amidst the rolling mountains, standing in the valley of the Tang River, one can look up and see the majestic walls of Yinchengfang Village standing tall.

Normally, Yinchengfang is also a complete defense system, complete with watchtowers and fortresses.

However, Wanyan Xiyin made a mistake despite his meticulous planning. He never expected that the Dingnan Army would arrive so quickly and launch such a fierce attack.

Therefore, the defense line was set up in a forward position first, and this one oversight was seized upon by the Dingnan Army.

The Dingnan Army's victory wasn't due to scouts discovering the enemy and seizing the opportunity, but rather because their numbers were simply too great.

It's all laid out flat; as long as you have a loophole, they can exploit it.

The three main forces are like a flood; any flaw they make can become the key to breaking the deadlock.

Not long after Yinchengfang was breached and captured, it immediately faced a strong counterattack from the Jurchens, so there was no time to reorganize.

From a distance, one can see that there are many breaches in the main village wall, some of which are so large that two or three soldiers could probably walk through side by side.

Around Yinchengfang, wherever there was a slightly wider and flat area, fields were cultivated, mulberry trees were planted, and there was even a small coal kiln.

This suggests that the officials or local powerful figures who originally lived in this area were very adept at managing their affairs.

If it weren't for the chaotic times, we should have been doing quite well!

At this moment, Han Shizhong and his men finally arrived at Yinchengfang, weary from their journey. Looking up, they saw this scene of carnage.

The area was littered with corpses, and there was no time to clean up; it must have just been the site of an attack and defense.

The flags of the Dingnan Army still fluttered weakly in the spring sunshine.

Some with good eyesight could even see the shadowy figures of people wearing Dingnan military uniforms on the stockade wall.

The robes of the Dingnan Army were designed by Chen Shao and Li Shishi, making them unlike any other.

Han Shizhong wiped away his sweat and breathed a sigh of relief; he had finally made it.

Just as they were about to go up, a large group of knights suddenly came rolling in, raising clouds of dust in the valley.

Those on the stockade walls seemed to have noticed the commotion and went on high alert.

Amidst the smoke and dust, Wanyan Xiyin's trusted confidant, Puliyan Alixi, took the lead, personally serving as a sharp scout and spies.

After crossing the valley, the two groups of people suddenly met. Because they were both running for their lives, there were no sentries ahead.

At this time, a light cavalry force traveled hundreds of miles to provide reinforcements, deep into enemy territory, with no clear view of the enemy situation.

Military commanders, naturally, cannot afford to be careless and need to grasp the enemy's movements at the first opportunity. At this critical juncture, even figures of high status like Han Shizhong and Wanyan Xiyin have stepped forward to the front lines, hoping to boost morale.

This battle is crucial.

Including Han Shizhong, all the guards had already put on their armor seven or eight miles away from Yinchengfang. Everyone was covered in dust, their mouths were dry, and both men and horses were drenched in sweat.

Suddenly, dozens of figures emerged from the distant valley. These elite Tartars, each wielding a horn bow, unleashed a hail of arrows in the blink of an eye!

Many female Tartars, at this moment, let out loud shouts and howls, just like the roars of ten thousand beasts!

Upon meeting, they immediately engaged in battle without the slightest hesitation.

Han Shizhong's eyes widened suddenly. He tugged at his battle robe, dismounted, and charged forward with his spear in hand.

Beyond the valley lay mountainous terrain unsuitable for riding. Although every armored soldier was utterly exhausted, they quickly formed ranks upon dismounting, their formation impeccable, their steps firm, slowly ascending like iron walls. It was a scene of utter readiness for a formidable enemy!

Contrary to what most later generations believed, the Jurchens conquered the Jin dynasty with their iron cavalry.

In fact, the Jurchen infantry's formation was their specialty. Although the horses in Liaodong were magnificent, their numbers were not as high as those in the Northwest.

After conquering the Liao Dynasty, the number of horses increased, and mobility improved.

Now, on this steep mountain path, two elite infantry units are rapidly engaging in battle. (End of Chapter)