You have truly caused me great suffering!

There was another crucial person who was able to accept the Shengjie Army in Daming Prefecture.

That was Wang Yu, the military commander of Daming Prefecture.

He was Tong Guan's confidant.

When Tong Guan was serving as the Pacification Commissioner of Hebei, Hedong and Shaanxi, he was stationed in Daming Prefecture as the General Commander of the Army, effectively seizing military power from the garrison commander of Daming.

In fact, in order to completely suppress the local military forces in Hebei, Tong Guan appointed a total of four military commanders:

Xin Xingzong of Zhongshan Prefecture, Ren Yuan of Zhending Prefecture, Yang Weizhong of Hejian Prefecture, and Wang Yu of Daming Prefecture
These four were all his loyal confidants from the Northwest who had followed him for many years.

Therefore, the victorious army was defeated in Yanshan Prefecture and fled south until it stopped in Daming Prefecture.

Seeing the Jin army retreating, Wang Yu thought that if he did not send someone to pursue them, the cowardice of Daming Prefecture after the war might affect him.

So early in the morning, he took a few personal guards to the Shengjie Army's garrison on the outskirts of the city and ordered Yang Keshi to quickly pursue Wanyan Zongwang.

Even if they end up getting some dust in their wake, they still have to make a chasing motion.

Wang Yu was actually quite dissatisfied. Did I really have to remind you of something like this?

You, Yang Keshi, have wasted so many years serving under Commander Xuan; you haven't learned a single bit of his wisdom.

Upon arriving at the camp, Wang Yu went straight to Yang Keshi's tent, as he had no habit of waiting for an announcement.

Sheng Jiejun, in a way, went to live with his poor relatives.
Everyone used to follow Commander Tong Xuan. Back then, you, Yang Keshi, were Commander Tong Xuan's confidant. Now that Commander Tong Xuan is dead, all your honors are long gone.

The guards around him did not stop him, but simply watched him enter the tent with indifferent eyes.

As soon as Wang Yu entered, he sensed that something was off.

Yang Keshi and the others were all wearing light armor. When they saw him, they didn't say anything, and dozens of eyes turned to look at him at the same time.

Wang Yu thought to himself, "Since everyone's here today, it seems I've wronged him."

Yang Keshi has already gathered his generals and is ready to pursue the Jin army.

“Chief Steward Wang,” Yang Keshi suddenly spoke up, “The Great Song Dynasty unjustly killed Commander Xuan. We have decided to avenge Commander Xuan. You have also been deeply indebted to Commander Xuan. It seems that your presence here today is the will of Heaven.”

Wang Yu was furious and shouted, "You want to rebel!"

"That's right! This damned Song Dynasty, what is there that cannot be rebelled against!"

"That's right!"

"Avenge Commander Xuan!"

Seeing the ferocious faces of the young military officers, Wang Yu took a step back and sneered, "Do you think you can rebel!"

Yang Keshi said, "It seems that you, Steward Wang, have no intention of avenging Commander Xuan!"

Wang Yu shouted, "Nonsense! Commander Xuan has indeed made great contributions in governing the Northwest and pacifying the border for twenty years, but the court has never mistreated him! After the failure to conquer Liaodong, the court redeemed Youyan, exhausting the national treasury, yet the court still granted him the title of Prince, an unprecedented act of favor!"

"When the Jin army marched south, Commander Xuan fled from Taiyuan. Isn't that a capital offense?"

"His merits and demerits will be judged in time. You want to cause trouble, and you even want to use Marshal Xuan's name. He was exiled by imperial decree, but he did not have any thoughts of rebellion. Do you want to nail Marshal Xuan's reputation to the pillar of shame a hundred years from now?"

Yang Keshi was a fierce general. Upon hearing this, he was enraged and drew his sword to strike.

Wang Yu was unable to resist and was stabbed to death inside the tent. Before he died, his eyes were still wide open, and he seemed to be cursing "traitor" with his mouth, but his voice was no longer very clear.

Yang Keshi wiped his sword and said, "Let's go!"
-
Qu Duan sent someone to Taiyuan Prefecture.

After listening to his words, Chen Shao simply told him to make his own decision, since a general in the field may not always obey the emperor's orders.

Moreover, the entire Taiyuan Prefecture was busy preparing for the decisive battle in Hebei.

Fighting the Jurchen armies from the east and west on the plains was no small matter.

This will most likely be the most important event in the world in the next hundred years or so.

Qu Duan's personal guards were still on their way, and Chen Shao's message had not yet arrived when news of Yang Keshi's defection spread.

After passing through Cangzhou, he immediately announced his surrender to Guo Yaoshi, and the main force of the 30,000-strong Shengjie Army defected.

This incident shocked the court and the public, and the court immediately sent people to persuade Yang Keshi to change his mind.

And he secretly promised her high-ranking official positions and generous salaries.

Yang Keshi and Sheng Jiejun were determined to leave.

At this time, Guo Yaoshi had not even fully retreated to Pinglu, but upon hearing the news, he immediately made arrangements.

He ordered Zhen Wuchen to lead his troops back, while he himself led his troops to meet them.

Although in this chaotic world, especially in the land of Youyan, there is deceit and betrayal among people.

But Guo Yaoshi was very familiar with these people and roughly understood why they had defected.

He readily accepted and successfully joined forces with Yang Keshi at the border of Cangzhou.

Ironically, not a single soldier on the Song Dynasty's territory could come out to stop it.

Guo Yaoshi immediately swore brotherhood with Yang Keshi, joined forces at Xuannv Village, and retreated to Pinglu.

The Jin and Song dynasties both faced rebellions by their generals, and their conflicts even became intertwined.

To be honest, neither country is currently able to spare the resources to quell the rebellion, especially the Jurchen Jin Dynasty.

The high command of the Dingnan Army didn't take this seriously. In any case, they were causing division on Jin territory, which was actually a good thing for them.

This directly weakened the Jin Dynasty's power, making the upcoming decisive battle between the two forces at the border of Youyan and Hebei less difficult.

When it comes time to reclaim that land, it will definitely be easier to fight a divided Jin state than a unified one.

The Dingnan Army was happy to see Guo Yaoshi cause a ruckus in Liaodong.

You should attack Huanglongfu.

Unfortunately, Pharmacist Guo might not have the guts.

The more likely scenario is that he will hold Liaodong, his hometown, where the people of Pingzhou harbor deep-seated hatred for the Tartars.

They might follow him.

The Jurchens at present do not have enough troops to quell Guo Yaoshi's rebellion, and will most likely resort to appeasement and persuasion to surrender.

It's highly unlikely that Pharmacist Guo will cause too much trouble before the decisive battle between the two sides.

He actually had high hopes for the Dingnan Army, and was just waiting for the Jurchen army to be defeated so that he could take the opportunity to march north and sweep across Liaodong.

After all, the Jurchens were a small tribe with few members in their own clan. When they were winning, they could use their power to suppress the surrounding areas.

Once they suffer a major defeat, they will be unable to suppress the various ethnic groups in Liao, and rebellions will surely break out everywhere on the original Liao territory.

Taking advantage of the situation, he rose to power and benefited from it. Although Guo Yaoshi had repeatedly defected to the enemy in recent years, it must be said that each defection made him stronger.

Currently, the focus of all parties is actually on the border between Youyan and Hebei.

They awaited the arrival of the final battle.
-
Daming Mansion.

Qu Duan, who was plotting outside the city, was overjoyed and immediately ordered his men to enter Daming Prefecture to thoroughly investigate Du Chong's treason.

Du Chong immediately realized something was wrong. He also had informants and knew that Qu Duan's visit was ill-intentioned.

He dared to kill court officials without any reason; now that he has an excuse, do you think he will let me go?

Du Chong wrote letters to several important officials in the court, stating that the Dingnan Army was a military force that did not respect the court, and that Qu Duan was the most dangerous among them.

However, none of the officials in the court took it to heart, and they all thought he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

You can stay in Daming Prefecture and be your garrison commander. He wouldn't kill you for no reason. Qu Duan marched all the way, and he only killed those who blocked the resistance against the Jin. The highest-ranking official he killed was a county magistrate, and he was dealt with along with officials from Huai Prefecture.

In all these respects, it's all quite reasonable, since everything in war is a matter of expediency.

That county magistrate did indeed obstruct the resistance against the Jin.

Du Chong, who was in the city counting his troops, realized the danger at that moment.

He immediately ordered all soldiers in Daming Prefecture to assemble and seize the three south gates of the city.

Li Yanqi stood on the city wall, looking at the approaching troops with a cold gaze.

Once the three south gates of the city are captured, Daming Prefecture will be effectively breached.

Previously, his only fear was the victorious army in the city, but now they have also betrayed him.

As the approaching army from Daming Prefecture drew near, Li Yanqi waved his hand and shouted, "You are all soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty. Why do you not fight the Jurchen Tartars, but instead turn your swords against your own people?"

The officers below remained silent.

It wasn't that they were convinced by Li Yanqi's words, but rather that they had long been convinced by the strength of the Dingnan Army.

In terms of spirit and energy, Qu Duan and his ilk are simply not on the same level as them.

Even if we actually win, so what?

Will the Dingnan Army retaliate? They have an army of over 100,000.

Most importantly, they haven't even made a move yet.
This leads to a paradox.

Only when the Dingnan Army takes action can they say that the enemy is wrong, and only then will they have a legitimate reason to resist.

Theoretically, the only way for Du Chong to prove the Dingnan Army's guilt was through his own life.
He knew very well that Qu Duan wanted to kill him, but it would be difficult to convince others to do so based solely on his own feelings.

At this point, ordering one's men to attack friendly forces would be a grave offense.

At this point, Du Chong was determined to go all out. He personally rode his horse, donned armor, and took up his sword, arriving at the southern city.

He sensed something was wrong when Qu Duanlai stayed in Daming Prefecture and didn't pursue the Tartars.

Who was Du Chong? He was a ruthless man who killed tens of thousands of Youyan people who fled south without batting an eye.

He said those people were Jurchen spies, but could those people possibly stand up and refute him?
The situation is the same today. If Qu Duan is allowed into the city, he will definitely kill me.

They can easily pin charges on themselves later.

If the imperial court lacks the courage to break with the Dingnan Army, it will reluctantly acquiesce.
Now, the only way out is to save ourselves!
Du Chong was extremely anxious when he saw that the troops in front of him were not moving.

He immediately summoned all the military officers and brought them to a restaurant in the southern part of the city.

By this time, the owner had already been driven away, and the shop was empty.

"Why aren't you fighting!"

The military officers looked at each other, and for a moment, there was complete silence.

"I know your concerns, but don't be afraid. I have solid evidence of Qu Duan's rebellion, and I guarantee you will be safe!"

Seeing that no one had yet expressed their opinion, Du Chong gritted his teeth and said, "Let me make this clear: if you don't take the South Gate quickly, I will find a way to make you suffer the consequences!"

They could be skeptical of Du Chong's previous words, but they had no choice but to believe this one.

Du Chong's background is no secret; he was the favorite student of a key minister in the court, and their relationship was so close that it was like that of father and son.

If he really went all out to deal with his military officers, wouldn't he have them completely under his thumb?

For so many years, the civil officials of the Song Dynasty suppressed the military generals, and their deterrent power had long been deeply ingrained.

Military officers have always been unable to hold their heads high in front of civil officials.

After a moment, Du Chong said coldly, "But if you can fight bravely, drive away the bandits in the south city, and defend Daming Prefecture, I will guarantee that you will be promoted and ennobled. Even if someone dies in battle, I will find a way to ensure your posthumous reputation, not only protecting your parents and wives, but also granting you posthumous honors and benefits. I mean what I say, and I will leave this written agreement as proof."

This statement was not only a promise of benefits but also a form of threat: "I will ensure the safety of your parents and wives." The military officers present all understood what this meant.

The problem now is that only Du Chong himself has the feeling and awareness that Qu Duan will harm him.

No one else would have imagined that someone would dare to kill such a high-ranking official so easily.

Therefore, everyone thought that Du Liushou was at worst, and that he would just be taken to Bianliang and scolded.

This scoundrel dares to threaten other people's families; he's even less ethical than the outlaws of the martial arts world.

What a load of bullshit for being a Jinshi!
They may criticize, but they are genuinely afraid.

But what could they do? They were all eating the government's rice, and they couldn't fight against the powerful. The other man had connections in the court, and they were powerful figures. Which of the local military officers present could stand up to him?

Those people on the city wall, however, are not to be trifled with.
While they were hesitating, Du Chong became extremely anxious, only he knew how dangerous his current situation was.

He drew his sword and said, "If you fear the enemy and refuse to advance, kill!"

After saying this, he ordered his generals to go out and fight.

Everyone was startled. Although the old man might not be able to stab anyone, it would be difficult to deal with if he really fell flat on his face.

Just then, a drumbeat sounded from the city gate.

A group of armored cavalrymen poured in from the south of the city.

With each step they took forward, they forced the troops below the city to retreat, forming an insurmountable iron wall.

The drumming subsided slightly, but many people in the city still felt their ears tremble from the rapid drumming.

The army dispersed from the middle, and a general emerged from among them; it was Qu Duan.

An overwhelming fear gripped Du Chong's heart, causing his vision to go black.

Qu Duan's voice was loud and clear: "The traitor Du Chong, in collusion with Yang Keshi, plotted a rebellion."

"kill!"

Du Chong roared, “Charge! Kill these bandits who have indiscriminately slaughtered Song officials! Kill them! Everyone will be rewarded with ten strings of cash and promoted! Zhao Ye! Yan Qi! Kill these western thieves, and I will guarantee you the position of military commander in Daming Prefecture! If you refuse, may my entire family be exterminated!”

Du Chong's frenzied state horrified the military officers around him.

No wonder Governor Du was in such a hurry; did the Dingnan Army really dare to kill officials?

They really dare to kill such a high-ranking official?

Countless eyes of his men turned toward Qu Duan.

From a distance, Qu Duan watched Du Chong's frantic behavior and gave a cold smile.

Qu Duan raised his right hand high, fingers spread, and without hesitation, swung it down sharply!

Whether Du Chong threatened or bribed, his men dared not move.

But Qu Duan was different. At his command, the knights around him silently drew their swords and charged forward.

They moved through the army of Daming Prefecture as if they were in an empty place, and everyone began to hide.

Seeing that things were hopeless, Du Chong panicked and fled, but a cold arrow whistled through the air, and Du Chong's body flew several steps away before he lay sprawled on the ground.

A knight stepped forward, dismounted, and with a swift stroke of his sword, beheaded the man.

There was silence.

Such a high-ranking officer, Commander Du.
He just died like that? (End of Chapter)