You have truly caused me great suffering!

With both Changgankou and Heiludi falling at the same time, it's impossible to take them back.

The enemy has too many troops.

Wanyan Loushi looked down at the city walls, where arrays were being set up in preparation for an attack.

He sighed, his hands behind his back.

Yelü Mawu stood before him with an uncertain expression. Ever since he was left to guard Ansu, Lou Shi had made sure that Yelü Mawu was never to leave his side.

He feared that this fellow would lead the Khitans to surrender the city.

Whether it was the Song-Liao alliance or the former Liao-Xia alliance, they had no deep-seated hatred for each other.

The Khitan and the Song-Xia dynasties both claimed to be brotherly states.

Looking at the city below, Lou Shi shooed away the flies around his ears and a thought suddenly popped into his mind: The cities of the southern barbarians are nice, the food is good, and the clothes are beautiful, but the weather is scorching hot. It is already autumn, and these mosquitoes are still buzzing around, which is really annoying.

The Jurchen warriors were all very uncomfortable in the hot and humid environment.

Why are we heading south?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Wanyan Loushi quickly shook his head, no longer dwelling on such trivial matters.

Although the situation is unfavorable, we still need to find a way. Even if we cannot fight back and turn the tide, we should at least try our best to hold them off.

If even a military general like him felt irritable, one can only imagine how much more agitated his subordinates were.

The Jurchen soldiers on duty on the city wall returned to hand over their duties, and then squatted down on the ground. Soon after, they began to snore.

The Jurchen soldiers who took over got up cursing and continued to patrol outside the city to prevent any movement.

Lou Shi knew of their dissatisfaction. In the past, he would have reprimanded them sternly, or even killed a few to establish his authority.

But there's no need for that now. We're going to die here sooner or later anyway, so why bother with military discipline?

This is the final battle.
Every Jurchen soldier harbored resentment and complaints. They didn't know that Zonghan had abandoned them, and they assumed that Zonghan would send someone to pick them up as before.

How could Zonghan escape? He will definitely come back to fight. This is a common tactic of the Jurchens: flanking from behind.

The Jurchen cavalry, who were invincible in the vast deserts and desolate lands of the Changbai Mountains and Heilongjiang River, suffered greatly while fighting and riding back and forth through the mountains of Hebei, where summer torrential rains and autumn drizzles fell.

Lou felt a pang of guilt as he thought about how they still didn't know their fate.

At this moment, he had essentially let down his guard as a general and could freely express his emotions.

When a person is about to die, there are no taboos!
Wanyan Loushi narrowed his eyes and scanned the Dingnan Army's lines outside the city. He thought to himself that he would lead his men to have a good, satisfying time!
It's been a long time since I personally charged into battle!
Let me die here, in the midst of ten thousand men.

Fighting alongside the old Khan is a worthwhile experience in this life. Those once arrogant Khitan "angels" are now as servile as dogs in front of us.

Perhaps we should have listened to the old Khan. If we hadn't invaded the Song Dynasty from the south and entered this quagmire of the Central Plains, perhaps we could have built a vast empire like the Liao Dynasty and lasted for hundreds of years.

Zong Han and his men might still have a chance. If they retreat to Youyan and hold onto the city, they can still build a considerable foundation.

His thoughts raced, and he thought of Yin Shuke again. Like himself, Yin Shuke came from a minor sect and earned his position through hard work and struggle.

What a pity about Silver Magic!
Is this the fate of people like us?

Wanyan Loushi completely let loose. In the past, he would have forced himself not to think too deeply about such things.

But at this moment, he couldn't help but compare himself to the person on the other side.

I heard that Han Shizhong, who commanded the troops, came from a low-ranking military background, but he was the top general in the Dingnan Army.

What about yourself?
Among the kings and princes of the Great Jin Kingdom, who has made the greatest contribution?

If I were in Dingnan Army
Lou Shi suddenly burst into laughter, and the Jurchen soldiers around him all looked over in bewilderment.

Our commander is always serious and never shows his emotions.

Could it be that we have found a way to defeat the enemy?
They were also seasoned soldiers who had fought for many years, so they naturally knew the current situation. The loss of the two outer fortresses had left Ansu City isolated.

The enemy can attack the city at will without worrying about being attacked or harassed from the outside. Supply lines, supplies, and siege equipment can also be easily transported to the city.

At this moment, the commotion below grew louder and louder, and the Jurchen Tartars all lay on the low wall, looking down.

Looking down from above, the view becomes much clearer. To the west, flames surge like a tide, and iron cavalry gallop forward. A large army is rapidly approaching under the cover of night, like lava flowing northward after a volcanic eruption, roaring in with unstoppable force!

They might attack the city tonight, or at most tomorrow.

The Jurchens had witnessed their madness; they would fight any enemy they encountered, hold them tightly, and never let go.

At this moment, a sense of fear permeated the city walls.

What made them show their true colors in front of Zonghan, holding firm and waiting for reinforcements; what made them wipe out the enemy in front of them, restoring face for Zonghan.

At this moment, everything vanished like smoke. Even the most arrogant Jurchen warriors had to admit the truth—they simply couldn't win.

There is absolutely no chance of winning.

The Jurchens had extensive experience in siege warfare and a wide variety of siege tactics.

However, their experience in defending the city was almost zero. They gained some experience later at Wuhui Ridge, but those experienced soldiers were also wiped out.

Only a mere hundred or so people escaped with Xi Yin.

They even had to rely on the experience of the Khitan auxiliary troops to defend Ansu City, since these Liao soldiers from Yunnei were indeed experienced in guarding large cities.
-
Li Xiaozhong looked at Ansu City with a sense of helplessness.

He had already received news that the Jin emperor was personally leading troops, almost the entire nation's strength, to support the two armies.

What a magnificent spirit!
If it were the Song Dynasty, I simply couldn't imagine it.

With such an emperor, such determination, and a formidable army, it would be wishful thinking to think he could stop and annihilate the main force of the Jurchens.

It seems that another battle in Youyan is inevitable in the future, but Taiyuan had already made this plan long ago.

However, in the early stages of a war, it is essential to set ambitious goals.

Li Xiaozhong was not afraid; let them fight. Overall, the current situation was favorable.

They still won, though not decisively, but it's better than losing.

In the early stages of the war, who could have imagined this situation?

He was now quite certain that the people in the city were still unaware of this news; otherwise, they would have already broken through the siege.

After all, the other forces of the Dingnan Army had not yet had time to block their eastward escape route.

The Jurchen Tartars and Khitan servants here are still preparing to hold out and await reinforcements.

Perhaps only a handful of people know what happened to them.

Since Wanyan Loushi is unaware that Zonghan has already retreated to the north bank of the Baigou River, we must surround them as soon as possible and at least wipe out these troops.

After all, from the moment Zonghan marched south, the general objective set by Taiyuan was to eliminate the Jurchen's manpower and prepare for the decisive battle to come.

As darkness fell, the commotion below the city continued unabated. By nightfall, hearing that troops were still approaching, the Jurchen soldiers on the city walls were truly frightened.

As for the Khitan auxiliary troops, their teeth were chattering.

Damn Zonghan, why hasn't he come back to kill us yet!

Damn Naru, how come we can't hold back these Western barbarians? We've lost Changgankou and Heilidi, allowing them to surge in like this!

Even if it's just to hold on a little longer, so we have time to provide assistance, that would be great!

The soldiers guarding the city walls understood that the Dingnan Army below was indeed the same as before.

They'll attack the city as soon as they surround it, without even waiting until dawn.

They never wait; they charge at the first sign of an enemy. They're like a pack of mad dogs!
No matter how much they cursed, it was useless at this point, and hundreds of torches were lit up on the Ansu city wall.

With shouts and cries, countless figures surged onto the fortress walls, looking westward.

Meanwhile, the extremely unpleasant sounds of drums and horns from the Dingnan Army, which were utterly unpleasant to the Tartars, rang out again, signifying that these mad dogs were about to attack once more.

We're still here, we'll hold out until the very last moment!
"Lou Shi, what should we do!"

The distant sound of horses' hooves thundered, echoing through the mountains and valleys, while overhead, the sound of drums and horns blared like a death knell.

Lou Shi leaned against the wall, turned around inexplicably, and looked eastward.

At this moment, a commotion suddenly arose below the city, and soon after, a person covered in blood climbed up.

"Lou Shi! Lou Shi!" the man roared through gritted teeth.

Lou Shi quickly stepped forward and discovered that the man was Han Lu, Zong Han's personal guard, the kind who was always by his side.

By this time, he was covered in blood.

"Zonghan has reached the north bank. You must break out on your own. You must break out on your own."

After he finished speaking, his neck went limp and his head drooped.

The crowd erupted in a cacophony of curses.

Only Lou Shi kept his head down, looking at Han Lu's back, where the wounds were shocking.

In fact, Zonghan sent eighteen men to deliver the message, all of whom were the best horsemen.

In the end, only one managed to break through; the others were wiped out by the Dingnan Army's scouts on the way.

He knew that even if a message were to be sent in, Lou Shi would face a near-certain death, but he still wanted to hold onto a sliver of hope.

Wanyan Loushi was Zonghan's most favored general and his sharpest spear.

Lou Shi was aware of the situation, but the others were not. Upon hearing the news, they immediately erupted in uproar.

It turns out Zonghan ran away!

Zonghan left his men here so we could die?
He ran away, abandoning us, just to shield them from their pursuers.

Yelü Mawu's face turned ashen as he quietly reached for his waist.

At this moment, a sudden commotion broke out at the foot of the city wall. The Khitan generals, incited by someone, suddenly erupted.

Countless figures surged forward, empty-handed, desperately trying to reach the city gate.

The patrolling Jurchen warriors drew their swords and began to slash, but the men had already lost their minds in fear.

The cries and screams echoed through the sky, startling the Jurchen warriors who were taking turns resting in the city. They rushed out in a panic, only to be greeted by this chaotic scene!

Instead of being angry, Wanyan Loushi was delighted and burst into laughter, his voice deep and resonant.

"My lads, Zonghan is alive! Zonghan is alive, so we have hope!"

That one sentence was enough to calm the Jurchen warriors down.

He didn't say that Zonghan abandoned them, but only that they protected Zonghan, so that these soldiers no longer felt like sacrificial pawns, but rather like brave warriors who had made great contributions.

"Follow me and fight your way out, fight your way back to Zong Han's side!"

Yelü Ma Wu finally approached, and he raised his sword to strike.

With a loud bang, Lou Shi, who was prepared, deflected Lou Shi's weapon with a single stroke.

With a soft thud, Lou Shi slashed Yelü Ma Wu, who was standing beside him, with a single blow. The wound stretched from his neck to his chest, and blood gushed out.

As long as they kill this Khitan general, they won't be able to quickly quell the unrest among the Khitan troops. Creating some chaos in the city and slowing down the pursuers is also beneficial.

Just as Yelü Ma Wu was about to kill Lou Shi and surrender, the other side struck first, and he almost instantly stopped breathing.

Lou Shi, carrying a knife, strode down the city wall. When a Khitan stood in the road, he slashed at him.

He had already realized that the Khitans would immediately riot and shout, and there was no way to salvage the situation.

Their role was to scatter and flee after the city was opened, creating chaos and making it impossible for the Dingnan Army to take action.

The Jurchen soldiers followed suit, imitating Lou Shi, and attacked any Khitan soldiers they saw.

The Dingnan army outside the city had already rushed to the foot of the western city wall.

Wanyan Loushi summoned the Jurchen troops, and apart from those who had been lost outside, there were still more than three thousand cavalrymen left.

They rode directly towards the east city, and Lou Shi ordered them to set fires as they went, as there were many spoils and supplies in the city, and they would burn as much as they could.

Lou Shi sensed Zong Han's last bit of kindness; although his chances of escaping were extremely slim, Zong Han had at least informed him.

After Wanyan Loushi arrived in Dongcheng, he ignored the Khitan troops in the city who were in turmoil. These people would most likely surrender, but they were of little importance.

They, who were originally expendable pawns, have now completed their mission. Nothing in the world matters anymore; even they, who should all be dead, are no longer important.
Since they had been given a second chance at life, they decided to take a gamble. They no longer cared about the horses' strength and frantically pushed the stirrups to increase their speed.

Following the general who was leading the way, we rushed out of the east gate, only to find ourselves in complete darkness.

Behind him were soldiers from Xiazhou, and in front were the troops of Han Shizhong and Zhu Lingling.

On the long road eastward, countless Dingnan troops were sure to be waiting for them. They were surrounded and intercepted by powerful enemies in front and pursuers behind, facing a life-or-death situation.

At this moment, Wanyan Loushi had no other thoughts; his heart was burning with a single belief.

Kill! Fight your way out!

In the darkness of night, the flickering firelight illuminated the battlefield.

Li Xiaozhong, who was preparing to attack Xicheng, suddenly saw a fire breaking out in the city.

His eyes widened suddenly as he saw the city gates opened from the inside, meaning he had breached the city without having to attack.

But Li Xiaozhong showed no joy. Instead, he frowned and cursed, "Those damned Tartars have gotten wind of our escape!"

He immediately ordered that only a portion of his troops remain to accept the surrender of the enemy in the city and occupy Ansu.

The others followed him around the city wall and chased eastward, determined to catch up and wipe out the Jurchen Tartars!

"Follow me and hunt down the Tartars!"

"Leave no one behind!"

Ansu City was already in our grasp; whether we took it a day earlier or a day later made no difference.

Their goal has always been to kill the people inside, not the city itself.

Now that the prey is gone, Ansu's cage is no longer important.

The cavalry following Li Xiaozhong immediately lit torches and gave chase.

At this time, the city was in chaos. Yeli Xiong, who was ordered to accept the surrender, saw large groups of Khitan soldiers coming to surrender.

In his haste, he raised his spear on horseback, wishing he could stab several Khitans to death, and shouted, "Where is your commander! Khitan general, step forward!"

Finally, a Khitan military officer approached and shouted that he wanted to surrender.

Yeli Xiong shouted, "Quickly restrain your men and get them into the city to put out the fire! Who is your commander? Bring him to me at once!"

"Our commander, Yelü Ma Wu, has been killed by the Jurchen Tartars!"

When Noriyuki heard this, he was startled.

He had heard of Yelü Ma Wu's name before; he was a very important figure in the Liao Dynasty.

After surrendering to the Jin dynasty, he made great contributions to the Jurchen people.

He was killed just like that.

In the chaotic city, more Han Chinese civilians took advantage of the turmoil to rebel.

Unaware of the situation, they only knew that the Khitan soldiers were the Jurchens' dogs. Countless figures rushed forward, bare-handed, and began to fight the Khitans guarding them.

Many civilians, with red eyes and stones in hand, rushed forward, knocking down all the soldiers and officers in front of them, and smashing and beating them indiscriminately.

Those who were unarmed and exhausted simply pounced and bit wildly. Once the Khitan soldiers were knocked to the ground, all they could do was let out a series of piercing screams!
Seeing the frenzied Song people, the Khitans no longer cared about surrendering. They brandished their swords and slashed repeatedly, but people kept rushing forward with screams!
Both sides were bloodthirsty, wielding various weapons in a frenzied hacking and stabbing attack.

In this hellish scene.

Everyone was screaming.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

In the chaotic city of Ansu, the fire grew larger and larger. Faced with this situation, Yeli Xiong scratched his head vigorously.

Just then, a voice came from behind, "Open the city gates! Open all the city gates! Let all the Khitan soldiers and generals come out first!"

Yeli Xiong turned around and saw Wu Lin from the Lingwu Army. Although the boy was young, he was a confidant of the Prince of Dai.

His soldiers were all from the Lingwu Camp, the legitimate personal guards of the Prince of Dai, and he simply obeyed them.

A night of chaos.

In Ansu City, corpses piled up like mountains.

The Dingnan Army began collecting the corpses, comforting the people, and most importantly, taking inventory of the city's supplies.

Ansu City was particularly brutal because it was inhabited by a group of abandoned Tartars.

It's no wonder that the last surviving people went mad; they endured unimaginable suffering.

From the time Zongwang first invaded the Song Dynasty in the south until now, nearly a year and a half has passed, and they have lived under the clutches of the Jurchen Tartars.

Those who have survived to this day are mostly those who have lost their families and suffered deep-seated hatred!
Wu Lin did not choose to pursue, but instead quietly dealt with Ansu City, feeling that the city was very meaningful.

It is located at the confluence of three rivers, connecting the two prefectures of Zhuo and Yi to the north, and linking to the Baigou River to the east. In the future, when attacking Youyan, this place will definitely be a transportation hub.

The Tartars were fleeing for their lives, and the supplies of the Eastern Route Army were probably all concentrated here.

Sure enough, as the city was being conquered, Wu Lin's eyes widened more and more.

These damned Tartars, just how much wealth do they have? They've been robbing for over a decade, they really haven't been idle!
As Li Xiaozhong's pursuing troops traveled along the way, they saw that wherever the Jurchen Tartars had ravaged the land, there were piles of bones and ruins of graves.

This section of the road was still muddy due to the heavy rain a few days ago.

But they walked slowly, and the Tartars couldn't run fast either.

During this time, there were occasional scattered Jurchen cavalrymen who turned around to block the flow, but they were all overwhelmed by this unstoppable torrent.

Because this area was originally the border between the Song and Liao dynasties, the Song dynasty planted many trees here to prevent the Khitan cavalry from advancing south.

The area was littered with giant trees that had been there for decades, forcing Li Xiaozhong to divide his forces to search for them.

He led his troops and chased them all the way to Black Mountain, where suddenly a large number of soldiers appeared in front of him.

Upon closer inspection of the banners, it became clear that they belonged to Han Shizhong's troops, who had already stopped this remnant Jurchen army.

Li Xiaozhong was overjoyed and quickly ordered his troops to spread out to both flanks and surround the Tartars!

The military officer leading the charge was Fang Dangqi, a fierce general under his command. The hammer in his hand gleamed with light as it slashed down with a heavy whistling sound.

In the blink of an eye, with left and right swings, flowers bloomed on the heads of several Jurchen Tartars.

Under the iron mace, the skull shattered and brain matter splattered.

Then, the main force of guards surged forward frantically, spears and lances flying, carving bloody waves through the Tartar ranks!
Just as they were fighting fiercely, several Jurchen soldiers suddenly turned around and started slashing.

Although Wanyan Loushi was very resourceful in leading troops, he was an outstanding general in the early stages of battle. In battle, he was not only fierce and capable, but also had an extremely keen sense of strategy.

Once the opportunity is found, the attack will proceed with lightning speed, launching a devastating attack in an instant!

His attributes are very similar to Han Shizhong's, and he even surpasses Han Shizhong in some ways. He is also a man with explosive martial prowess and the ability to lead and command troops.

Forced into a corner, he finally unleashed his full power, wielding a large spear in one hand and thrusting it forward with the reins in his hand.

Just as Fang Dangqi was about to shield himself, in the blink of an eye, Wanyan Loushi had already released the reins, stepped into the stirrups, and swung the gun down with both hands.

Fang Dangqi knew that this Jurchen general was strong. He raised his hammer and spear shaft to meet them, then pulled back with both arms, firmly gripping the stirrups to stabilize his body. At the same time, he leaned to the side to dissipate the force.

With a muffled thud, even though Fang Dangqi had made all the necessary preparations to deflect the force, he was still shaken by the gunshot. His warhorse neighed and staggered two steps to the side. He felt a burning sensation from his chest to his throat, and almost vomited blood!
Before he could regain his footing, the spear, like a venomous snake, pierced his chest.

After Wanyan Loushi killed the general, weapons clashed, and the sounds of metal striking metal filled the air. Suddenly, the cries of men and horses, of bones breaking and tendons snapping, rang out.

Having not personally fought his enemies for a long time, he was now completely uninhibited, his mind already filled with the will to die.

Influenced by him, the remaining Jurchen Tartars also went mad, no longer thinking about escaping for their lives.

Those who surrounded them were either swept away or slashed, and were knocked off their horses!

Despite this, the number of people around them kept increasing.

Wanyan Loushi rode a large horse from Liaodong, and as far as the eye could see, there was a vast, dark mass of people.

Despite the fierce fighting of himself and his men, the group closest to him showed no fear whatsoever.

They charged forward with bloodshot eyes, and the Jurchen warriors around them fell one by one.

Long trails of smoke rise as the sun sets, and piles of corpses stand like mountains.

Covered in blood, Wanyan Loushi looked around and saw that none of his men were still alive.

My palms were already raw and bleeding, and I had countless wounds all over my body, but I didn't feel any pain at all.

His horse was lying beside him, with more than a dozen holes poked in it.

At this moment, the soldiers of Dingnan had already dismounted and approached on foot, their feet firmly planted on the ground, their spears thrust forward.

Suddenly, a strange sensation came from his back. Lou Shi didn't feel any pain, but he felt as if his body had been pierced.

Immediately afterwards, another shot was fired.
Three shots,

Four shots,

Lou Shi finally felt the pain. His adrenaline was no longer effective, and his knees buckled as he was about to fall to the ground, but he was held up by the long spears that were stuck into his body.

Just as he was losing consciousness, someone stepped forward and slashed his neck with a knife.

I don't know if his knife was dull or if his neck was too stiff, but he stopped halfway through cutting.

The others also rushed forward and, in a fit of rage, slashed wildly at him. (End of Chapter)