You have truly caused me great suffering!

Gubeikou is located in the Yanshan Mountains, bordered by Wohu Mountain to the east and Panlong Mountain to the west, with the Chao River flowing through it.

It is an important pass along the Great Wall and is known as the "Key to Yanjing".

After Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Liao people, the entire Gubeikou area fell within Liao territory and lost its role as a protective barrier.

To make travel easier, many roads were even built.

At this time, it was reoccupied by the Jurchens and became a strategic location for military operations in the north.

After the Chanyuan Alliance, the Song and Liao dynasties maintained peace for several centuries, and there were few reports of war on their borders.

Over the course of a century, only the troops in the western part of Hedong Road and the various routes in Shaanxi Province of the entire Song Dynasty still possessed some fighting strength.

The Khitan were not much different.
Despite Tong Guan's disastrous defeat in his campaign against Liao, it had little to do with the fighting strength of his troops; the main problem was the outrageous actions of the higher-ups.

The Khitan border troops were completely ineffective in combat, not to mention that Gubeikou had long been part of the interior, and even such a crucial pass had long been abandoned.

Wanyan Zonghan, who was stationed here, had long lost his former high spirits and arrogance.

The series of failures made him more reserved, and he rarely showed his emotions.

To Wanyan Xiyin's surprise, his decision to abandon Yanjing and retreat to Gubeikou went unpunished.

Because he preserved his manpower and successfully transported the supplies back.

If Wanyan Xiyin had chosen to fight head-on in Yanjing and wiped out all the Jurchen soldiers, then it would have been truly the end for them.

Therefore, Emperor Wuqimaili protected him and entrusted him with important responsibilities.

Wu Qimai's prestige greatly increased because he mobilized the entire Jin state and mobilized the nation's resources to go south to support the two armies.

It faintly possesses the same appeal as the old Khan back then.

If he hadn't been so decisive, the two armies would probably have been blocked between Hebei and Youyan.

The Jin state is now firmly convinced of one idea: it must concentrate all its forces to resist the Dingnan Army's northern expedition.

Strangely, the Dingnan Army, which had previously acted like madmen, charging headlong into the Jurchen troops whenever they saw them, suddenly quieted down.

Their three armies were scattered along the border, resting and recuperating, and did not launch any attacks.

Wu Qimai intended to send envoys to negotiate peace with Chen Shao, but this was opposed by Bo Lieji.

Wu Qimai believed that the Jurchens still had bargaining chips in their hands for peace negotiations.

But if they were to lose again, there would be no chance left. However, the Jurchen generals were not willing to admit defeat; they believed there was still a chance to make a comeback.

It's hard to say who was right and who was wrong. Wu Qimai assessed the situation and felt that the Dingnan Army was at its strongest. He retreated to the northern border and occupied the original Tokyo Road, Zhongjing Road and Shangjing Road of the Khitan, slowly accumulating strength.

That's not wrong.

It's not wrong for people like Zongwang and Zonghan not to want peace talks and to fight back on the battlefield.

We'll see how it all turns out.

This world judges heroes by success or failure, and the Jurchens may not have truly had no chance at all.

In the end, Wu Qimai had no choice but to compromise and begin to deploy border defenses.

Because of the formidable enemy they now face, they are no longer as brutal as before. They have begun to seriously utilize the original Khitan officials and establish their own rules.

At that very moment, Yue Fei was in the military camp south of Gubeikou.

Looking at the mountain range stretching for thousands of miles to the north, it resembles a reclining dragon, lying across the northern border of the Central Plains.

Gubeikou is a valley entrance in the mountains. Compared to the surrounding towering mountains, this place is passable, and a pass was built there.

Originally, because it was a major transportation route, there were some residents around. Later, when the Jin army ravaged the area, some fled and some died.

The area around us is full of military camps and fortresses, where the Jurchens have stationed their troops, making it extremely difficult to break through.

The fortified villages watch over the mountain path below, where troops are stationed to attack enemy forces advancing along the winding mountain road, along with their essential supplies.

There are other fortresses and stockades around, which are also mostly located on similar terrain and have a similar layout.

These fortified villages could often house two to three thousand infantry and cavalry, and their reserves of defensive equipment, weapons, provisions, and supplies could last for a year.

Starting from the Liao Dynasty, the Yan region has experienced several major upheavals, but the only place that was not conquered by the Song Dynasty was Gubeikou.

After nearly a century of peace, the once majestic Yanmen Fortress has fallen into disrepair. The stone slabs that once encased it have been dismantled and repurposed, exposing the rammed earth layers beneath.

Shrubs and withered grass have grown on this rammed earth layer.

This shows how rough the Khitans were.

Of course, it's also possible that they never imagined the Song people would attack.

For nearly two hundred years, the only enemy they could think of that could threaten them was the Song people.

The Jurchens, most of the time, were just a group of slaves at the mercy of the Jurchens.

When Yue Fei was looking north from the military camp, Zong Han was also looking south.

He had no idea what kind of conspiracy the Southerners were plotting.

In the past few months, he had been prepared to fight to the death, and given the Dingnan Army's past practices, it was not impossible for them to launch a northern expedition in the dead of winter.

Why has the usually warlike Dingnan Army suddenly become quiet? Has it started fighting among themselves?

Zonghan was filled with both hope and worry. He also hoped that the Han people would fight amongst themselves and kill each other.

But I'm also afraid they're up to something.

Especially the Dingnan Army; before they suddenly emerged from the northwest, no one would have predicted that they would sweep through Yunnei.

Zonghan later learned that these people had started planning this raid several years earlier.

They even subdued Meng Nuan, who was far away in Yingzhou, right under the noses of the Jurchens, and Yingzhou was precisely the most crucial pass.

"What on earth is that Western barbarian thinking?"
-

Yue Fei stood atop the military camp wall, his hand resting on the rammed earth that had hardened like iron, gazing northward.

He showed no sign of discouragement despite the desolation of the place. Compared to his gloomy demeanor in Hebei, his expression was far better, brimming with high spirits.

It must be said that Yue Fei was born to be a general on this frontier, facing the north winds.

Reaching the border was already an excellent start for him.

It was better than being in his hometown of Xiangzhou. The inhuman cruelty and atrocities committed by the Tartars against Yue Fei's fellow Hebei natives filled him with boundless hatred.

I wish I could grind all the Tartars to dust and scatter them to the winds, only then could I vent my anger!
Several bodyguards stood beside him.

At this time in the Central Plains, spring has arrived and flowers are in bloom. Although there is still a chill in the air, the cold wind is no longer as sharp as a knife.

For the past few months, he and his soldiers had to smear their faces with grease and cover the gaps in their armor before going out.

Otherwise, they would definitely get frostbite.

This was the first time Yue Fei and his men had experienced the top-notch logistics of the Dingnan Army.

Zhang Xian and the others followed Yue Fei with their hands on their swords, looking around. In the mountains to their north, wisps of smoke rose, clearly indicating that the scouts were starting a fire.

"The Tartars are actually quite patient these days."

The mountains and fields were full of scouts and spies, but they just wouldn't leave the pass.

The battles here are all life-or-death struggles between one or two small scout squads. Although they are fierce enough, the scale is indeed very small.

Yue Fei also didn't know why the Dingnan Army wasn't attacking, and even if they were going to seize power in Bianliang, their troop deployment shouldn't be like this.

The main army is in the north, and judging from their posture, they are clearly preparing for a northern expedition.

Turning around, I saw hundreds or even thousands of hired laborers on the mountain path to the south. They had set up thatched huts in a sheltered spot at the foot of the mountain and were now building stoves to cook.

The laborers gathered together, shouting and laughing, and were eating heartily. Their expressions were completely different from those of the laborers before them, adding a touch of vitality to the long-quiet mountains.

These were all changes brought about by the Dingnan Army. Yue Fei saw them and naturally had his own thoughts.

People naturally prefer good things; no one likes a worse environment.

During their wars, civilian laborers lived worse than mules and horses, with tens or thousands dying at a time, their bodies left to rot by the roadside.

In many cases, the number of deaths was even greater than that of soldiers who died on the front lines.

This was not an isolated case in the Song Dynasty; it has always been the case in warfare throughout history.

The appearance of the Dingnan Army changed everything.

They chose to have caravans handle the most arduous transportation tasks.

There were countless packhorses, mules, and camels.

The combination of water and land transport makes the operation fast and efficient, and it won't exhaust people.

The laborers only needed to do some construction and transportation work, and they were well-fed.

This was unprecedented humane treatment of civilian laborers on the battlefield, which might not seem like much to people in later generations.

But for people at that time, it was shocking enough.

If Yue Fei and his generals were like this, then these civilian laborers were even more undoubtedly loyal to the Dingnan Army.

The hearts of people across the land, at least those in the north, have found their home.

Putting them aside, Yue Fei and the soldiers he recruited and trained from Hebei were also inclined to support the Dingnan Army.

Which of his personal guards hasn't said something similar when drunk?

Most importantly, none of us have benefited from the Song Dynasty; on the contrary, we have suffered at its hands.

Moreover, his hometown of Hebei was ravaged by the Song Dynasty and then ruthlessly abandoned by them, allowing the Tartars to ravage it twice.

In this case, if one were to compare the supplies and provisions provided by the Dingnan Army with those of the Song Dynasty, and still choose the one who is loyal to the Song Dynasty, then one would definitely have a mental problem.

Yue Fei led his men down from the military camp, along the mountain path, where large timbers, stones, and other building materials, as well as various construction tools, were piled up everywhere.

To be honest, Yue Fei admired the logistics of the Dingnan Army from the bottom of his heart.

Only those who have fought in battles and led troops know how powerful they were. There was a reason why they were able to drive the Jurchens out of the pass.

Yue Fei chose to be at the forefront because he personally went to ask Chen Shao for better treatment, which in effect meant that he had formed a bond with Chen Shao.

To say that Yue Fei directly joined the Dingnan Army to pursue a better future, he really didn't have that idea.

But to say that he was loyal to the Song Dynasty in every way is utter nonsense.

His idea was simple: a northern expedition!

Yue Fei's ideal was to destroy the Tartars who had twice marched south, trampled the land of Hebei, and slaughtered his fellow villagers.

Now he volunteered to be the vanguard of the Northern Expedition. After receiving the promise from Chen Shao, he did not delay for a moment and arrived at the border of Gubeikou early.

He simply sent someone to Zong Ze with a letter expressing his intentions.

After arriving here and making all the necessary preparations, they waited for the army to launch its northern expedition.

He wanted to be the vanguard, leading his troops to the northern border to exact revenge.

Just like Huo Qubing back then.

Behind him was Han Shizhong's army, whose current silence puzzled Yue Fei.

Han Shizhong, however, was quite carefree. Seeing that Chen Shao had arranged for men to hold the line, he immediately ordered his troops to rest properly. After fighting for so long, anyone would be tired. Han Shizhong simply conducted basic drills for his soldiers each day, and basically remained a detached observer of Yue Fei's group.

They would cooperate with you in all matters, such as providing grain and mobilizing local laborers, but otherwise they would completely ignore Yue Fei and his party.

Any important military meetings would not be communicated to Yue Fei, so he was completely unaware of the Dingnan Army's decisions.

Yue Fei and his party had anticipated the Dingnan Army's attitude, since you hadn't joined their army.

It's already quite an achievement to have received this much support. Since we can't integrate, let's start doing things on our own.

During this period, Yue Fei trained his troops on the border, and the results were remarkable.

At this point, he was also getting restless and wanted to take the initiative to go to Han Shizhong to find out the strategic intentions of the Dingnan Army.

Whether we get an answer or not, it seems we should at least make some contact with the Dingnan Army. They're feeding and serving us every day, so it would be arrogant of us not to.

Yue Fei was not ignorant of human relationships. He glanced at his close confidants and finally said, "Xu Qing, Li Dao, you two come with me to Tanzhou."

Upon hearing that they were going to Yanjing City to make contact with the Dingnan Army, everyone looked somewhat happy.

They made no attempt to hide their goodwill towards the Dingnan Army.

As for why the general wanted to go to Han Shizhong, they didn't bother to guess.

Anyway, they all admired Yue Fei and were willing to follow him.

During these few months of leisure, Yue Fei did not slack off in military affairs. In addition to organizing manpower for civilian labor, scouts and sentries were also dispatched northward to try their best to find out the movements in the north.

It can be said that he was always ready for a northern expedition.

The Dingnan Army treated them very well, even when Yue Fei recruited strong men from among the refugees, Han Shizhong did not care.

He allowed Yue Fei to recruit and train soldiers at will, and this determination impressed him greatly.

What he didn't know was that, not only here, the Dingnan Army had never cared about recruiting soldiers in the Central Plains.

Recruit and train as you please; I have absolute confidence that I can defeat you when we are on the opposing side.

Even the Dingnan Army dreamed of being challenged, preferably by their King of Dai.

In this way, everyone would have an excuse to go south, and they could then seize the opportunity to completely help the Prince of Dai ascend to that position.

The higher up they are, the more they think this way, because they understand better than those below that the Dingnan Army is not just strong and well-equipped.

The expansion of the Prince of Dai in Hedong, Shaanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Youyan, and Yunzhong was both solid and thorough.

In Bianliang, there was also enough power to help the Dingnan Army obtain a large portion of the Song Dynasty's annual revenue.

Moreover, they also have a stronghold.

In Yanjing, Han Shizhong did not move into the original Northern Liao imperial palace.

Since Chen Shao didn't stay even when he came, Old Han wasn't stupid, and of course he wouldn't try to show off.

However, he wasn't one to make things difficult for himself.

In Yanjing City, they occupied a large, unclaimed mansion.

In present-day Yanjing, most of the mansions are unowned, and eight or nine out of ten residents have died in the war.

The rest were also captured by Wanyan Xiyin and taken to the north.

Han Shizhong sat in the main hall, with his generals standing on both sides, discussing matters.

Suddenly someone came in and announced, "Yue Fei requests an audience."

"Yue Fei?" Han Shizhong wiped his eyelids and laughed, "He can't sit still anymore."

The generals on both sides laughed, but in truth they were not sure either. They were all puzzled by the Prince of Dai's sudden decision to allow them to rest for so long.

Of all these people, only Han Shizhong truly knew the reason.

The Prince of Dai is waiting for the navy.
We must launch a joint attack, taking them by surprise and penetrating directly into the heart of Liaodong from the rear.

It can be said that the Prince of Dai's appetite is as big as ever; he wants to eliminate both Guo Yaoshi and the Jurchens at the same time.

Han Shizhong approved of this strategy because if one of them was attacked, the other would take the opportunity to cause trouble.

Meanwhile, the Dingnan Army in Hebei wiped out many of the Jurchen's own soldiers and also recruited the Han Chinese army in Yunnei to surrender.

The combined forces of the Jurchens and Guo Yaoshi are less than half the size of the Dingnan Army, so we should crush them in one fell swoop.

If the navy can transport troops to the hinterland, occupy one or two cities, gain a foothold, and then continue to expand.

With the combined forces of the three armies launching a northern expedition, there is a high probability that they will be able to pacify the northern border in one fell swoop.

"Let him in!"

Han Shizhong waved his hand, and soon Yue Fei entered the main hall with two trusted confidants.

"This humble general pays his respects to Commander Han."

Han Shizhong's current official position is indeed much higher than his, and he is also more senior and older, so Yue Fei was very polite to him.

"Pengju, you are a general valued by the Prince of Dai. We are all on the same side, so there's no need for formalities. Someone, bring General Yue a chair!"

After Yue Fei sat down, Xu Qing and Li Dao stood behind him.

"What brings you here this time?"

"I have come specifically to inquire about the next military orders, whether to continue harassing the enemy camp."

Yue Fei spoke tactfully, without asking a direct question.

Their act of sending small scouts to harass the Jurchen army camp at Gubeikou was their own doing.

It would seem particularly unreasonable to ask for instructions.

Han Shizhong smiled slightly and said, "Pengju, at this moment, I am also waiting for the Prince of Dai's military order. Do you understand?"

Yue Fei remained silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand."

Today, Han Shizhong was very polite to him, but Yue Fei knew in his heart that he was probably not telling the truth.

Because Han Shizhong said those words with such ease.

If he truly didn't know the Prince of Dai's plans, how could he have been so composed while leading 60,000 troops to garrison here?

It's important to understand that none of the 60,000 troops were local soldiers; they had been stationed away for a long time, putting immense pressure on the commander.

Since he wouldn't speak, it most likely involves the secrets of the Dingnan Army. Han Shizhong's composure also shows that the Prince of Ming's plan is absolutely thorough.

Han Shizhong was a general who had fought in many battles, so his judgment of the battlefield situation should be reliable.

Yue Fei sighed inwardly. He was not from the Dingnan Army, so he naturally had no way of knowing.

It was understandable that Han Shizhong wouldn't tell him; it couldn't be forced. Such matters involved highly confidential information, often determining the outcome of a war, so no one would treat them lightly.

Aside from the time when the Song emperor and his ministers were fighting against the Liao, those sons of powerful nobles who bought quotas boasted and showed off everywhere, revealing all of Tong Guan's military plans.

The key point is that the Song and Liao dynasties had maintained friendly relations for a century, and the Khitan had many officials in Bianliang, so the information was naturally transmitted back word for word.

Before the battle even began, the Liao people already knew Tong Guan's background.

Yue Fei did not leave, but stayed to listen to them continue their discussion. Because of his presence as an outsider, everyone became more restrained.

The conversation gradually returned to the issues of training and management in each battalion.

When Yue Fei came out of Han Shizhong's hall, he was in a daze for a moment, and suddenly he had an idea.

He wanted to contact the Prince of Dai directly.

This idea should never have come up, given the vast difference in their social status.

You weren't even a subordinate of the Prince of Dai.

On the day the Prince of Dai came to Yan and recovered Yanjing, Yue Fei met with him.

Chen Shao left a deep impression on him at that time.

This young military leader and prince, who wielded immense power and commanded a large army, yet enjoyed a good reputation, was surprisingly kind and showed no signs of arrogance.

Moreover, he is truly different; he actually has the courage to transfer troops that do not belong to him to the front line.

Upon returning to the military camp, Yue Fei immediately picked up a pen, wrote a letter, sealed it, and handed it to Xu Qing, who was standing beside him.

"Go to Taiyuan and deliver this letter to the Prince of Dai."

Xu Qing hesitated and asked, "Can I go into my royal palace, a place of great importance?"

Yue Fei frowned and said, "Let's give it a try."

"OK then."

It's no wonder Xu Qing was in a difficult position. If this were the powerful and wealthy people of the Song Dynasty in the past, someone of his status would definitely not have been allowed to enter their homes.

I can't even be bothered to inform you.

Even an ordinary soldier, let alone someone of Yue Fei's rank, would likely find it difficult to get a message to Tong Guan, let alone meet him in person.
-

Taiyuan Prefecture.

Chen Shao has fully recovered and got up early in the morning. Li Shishi had already brought him the health care medicine that she had prepared.

He took the medicine with a smile, and then had breakfast with her.

"Is my lord still going to repair the irrigation canal today?"

"I'm not going, I'm not going. That's just to encourage everyone. In such a large place as Hedong Prefecture, how can it be missing someone like me who digs the earth?"

Li Shishi covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "It's good that my lord knows."

Chen Shao had not been indulging in women these past few days due to his illness, but upon seeing Shishi's charming and alluring appearance, he was immediately tempted.

He whispered, "Shishi will be waiting for me after she's washed up tonight."

Li Shishi blushed and said reproachfully, "I am not available today, my lord, you may go and find other sisters."

Chen Shao clicked his tongue, slightly regretful, and walked away under Li Shishi's embarrassed gaze.

Upon entering the government office, the place appeared somewhat empty.

In the past, there were always a lot of civil and military officials, but during the period from late spring to early summer, they were all busy outside.

Because Chen Shao valued agriculture, it became the top priority in Hedong, and it was the time for spring plowing.

Chen Shao had been reading reports all morning, and his back ached. Seeing that the sun was high in the sky, he got up, stretched his waist and arms, and went to take a short rest.

Upon entering the inner courtyard, one immediately sees Madam Song, dressed in a light blue silk robe, standing at the west entrance, with Maode and Li Qingzhao standing beside her.

Chen Shao was immediately drawn to the bright colors and quickly forgot about taking a nap.

Of the three standing together, the most beautiful is undoubtedly Maud, but the other two, with their ripe and delicate bodies, appear especially alluring in the bright spring sunshine.

Standing together, they form a most vibrant and beautiful sight.

In late spring, the loose silk outer robe is slightly see-through, revealing the beautiful, flowing curves of the three slender waists.

Mao De was stunningly beautiful, Song Shi had a round and full bottom, and Li Qingzhao had the broadest chest; the fabric clung to her body, revealing many clearly visible stretchy folds. (End of Chapter)