You have truly caused me great suffering!

Wu Jie had just captured Fengdao Prefecture when he heard from his scouts that the other armies were ahead of him.

Wang Xi had already crossed the White Crane River and was not far from Shenglong City.

Wu Jie was somewhat surprised. He ordered Wang Xi to be careful and not to fall into the enemy's trap.

Even in Fengdao City, the resistance they encountered was very strong.

It's easy to imagine that the Joseon Dynasty would fight desperately near Thang Long.

Now is the height of their national power, and the Joseon Dynasty still enjoys great prestige. There should be many people fighting for their country.

Along the riverbank, cavalrymen raised dust as they marched. Wu Jie burned down the city gates of Fengdao City, demolished parts of the city walls, and continued his march.

For Jiaozhi, the Red River was indeed very important, with forests, rice paddies and villages scattered around its various winding tributaries.

Wu Jie looked at both banks of the river, which were filled with tree stumps that had been felled.

These timbers were transported to the city by the Joseon people to build various warships and fortifications to defend against the southern expeditionary army.

For the Joseon Dynasty, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they mobilized the entire nation to fight against the enemy.

Fortunately, this was also the peak of the Northwest military strength, and the soldiers' morale was soaring. In addition, the Prince of Dai was about to declare himself emperor, which further boosted the morale of the army.

The soldiers' desire to achieve merit was beyond measure.

At this point, not only would Wu Jie not want to concern himself with his subordinates' combat methods, but even if he wanted to, he would have to be careful.

From a broader perspective, those in higher positions tend to prioritize stability.

The King of Dai gave him a deadline: the war must end before the next rainy season. Otherwise, if he were to fall into this area during the rainy season, he would suffer many non-war-related grievances.

Wu Jie set himself the goal of defeating Thang Long before the New Year.

As for the men's goal, it was to fight to the death and finish the battle before the Prince of Dai ascended the throne, so that they could lead the Joseon royal family to Bianliang to present their victory.

After destroying the Ly Dynasty and conquering Jiaozhi, how to stabilize and govern the region was no longer a concern for the soldiers.

That's why they were able to each display their unique abilities.
Faced with his subordinates' achievements, Wu Jie felt no bitterness or jealousy. He cracked his whip and said, "Send out a few more scouts to thoroughly investigate the surrounding area. Report back immediately if there is any disturbance."

"The supplies and provisions of all the troops must be well guaranteed. Do not eat food of unknown origin, and do not drink water from towns that have just been captured."

"In the autumn and winter seasons, the weather is dry and the land is barren. The Joseon Dynasty is full of wooden houses. Orders have been sent to all regions to use fire attacks more often."

Following the established plan, Wu Jie, who attacked from the city with the most cities and the flattest road, finally reached the gates of hell.

Looking at the distant pass and thinking about its unfortunate name, Wu Jie seemed to be deep in thought.

This pass is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with a vast plain behind it.

The term "yuan" refers to a type of terrain that rises above the surrounding ground.

There is a dense jungle above, making it impossible to pass through. The only way is through a waterway in the middle, which can be crossed by boat.

The Ghost Gate Pass is located near the bank of the Red River. Between the pass and the river, there is a long, seemingly endless trench filled with sharpened bamboo poles.

Behind the moat was a waist wall with a fence made of hard bamboo strips.

Even before the fight began, just one glance was enough for Wu Jie to imagine a scene of carnage.

This battle will not be easy.

It seems we have no choice but to build a pontoon bridge to get through this perilous situation.

Fighting on such ground would put them at a significant disadvantage, and even if they were to build pontoon bridges, they would obviously be vulnerable to attack from the Joseon navy.

The soldiers under my command are not afraid of the Gobi Desert, the plateau, or the mountains; they have all been tested.

However, in the water, that wouldn't work; they definitely couldn't defeat the Joseon navy.

Wu Jie stopped by the river and saw small boats of the Joseon Dynasty on the river, with many Joseon soldiers wearing bamboo hats standing on them, most of whom were not wearing armor.

They were also pointing and gesturing, probably plotting how to deal with the invading Song army.

Among the southern expeditionary force, some people were shouting and cursing by the river, while others were drawing their bows and shooting arrows, but their range was not long enough.

Having fought the Southern Expeditionary Army for so long, they gradually realized the power of these people's crossbows and dared not get too close.

The Joseon people on the boat were also shouting and cursing. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I could tell from their tone that it must have been very offensive.

Wu Jie sometimes admired these people; even after being killed like this, they still had such ruthlessness and resisted fiercely.

In this respect, they were far superior to the Khitans, Tibetans, and Uyghurs.

Whether it was conquering Xizhou or fighting Qingtang, he had never encountered such resistance. The barbarians surrendered as soon as they encountered a setback.

The current campaign against Jiaozhi is quite similar to the battles between the Song and Xia dynasties in the past.

The Song Dynasty and the Western Xia Dynasty fought for a century. Regardless of who had the upper hand, the temporarily weaker side would never compromise.

"Let's set up camp here and begin our breakthrough tomorrow!"
-
By the end of October, if you are in the Central Plains, especially in the north, you will definitely feel the chill of winter.

But on the plains of Jiaozhi, people didn't feel cold early in the morning; they could get by wearing only a single layer of clothing under their armor.

The Ghost Gate Pass in the distance was faintly visible through the hazy mist along the riverbank. The pass was extremely sturdy, shrouded in the fog in the air, and the damp mist on the river looked like the heavy smoke of gunpowder.

Wu Jie finally understood why the Prince of Dai was so determined to develop those bronze cannons, even though they were incredibly expensive.

Zhu Lingling broke through the Ji River by relying on the power of the bronze cannon.

If I had a few of those skills myself, it would be much easier to overcome the dangers.

Wu Jie firmly believed that the Prince of Dai was ordained by Heaven.

Because he had followed the Prince of Dai for a long time, Wu Jie was already by Chen Shao's side when they fought against Richard at Yuanbao Village in Hengshan.

You might find the things the King of Dai did strange and incomprehensible at the moment.

But in hindsight, he was always right.

It's one thing if it happens once or twice, but if it happens every time, who wouldn't complain?

During the truce between Song and Xia, they continued fighting using fortified village tactics and destroyed Western Xia.
He broke with Tong Guan at the height of his power, when he held military power over the entire country.
When the Song and Jin dynasties formed an alliance and divided up the Khitan, they contacted Yingzhou and gathered a large army on the border to prepare to enter Yunzhong.
Let alone a military general like him, many of the scholar-officials nurtured by the Song Dynasty also began to believe that the Prince of Dai was the chosen one.

So even though he could see that this battle would be difficult, Wu Jie was convinced that he could win, break through the so-called gates of hell, and march to Thang Long City to destroy the Joseon Dynasty.

This tiny, insignificant state in the southwest dares to call itself the Rising Dragon; if we don't destroy you, who will we destroy?

We have a dragon in the Central Plains that is about to rise.

As the sound of drums and gongs rang out, Wu Jie's soldiers set up a pontoon bridge in the water.

As expected, the Joseon navy arrived. The soldiers of the Southern Expeditionary Army were on the ships, using wooden shields to shield themselves from the enemy and exchange fire, while covering their comrades as they continued to build the pontoon bridge.

Joseon arrows rained down like raindrops.

Many soldiers were so anxious they were jumping up and down. They were used to fighting on horseback, and in this kind of battle, they felt quite powerless.

The river is extremely swift, and without building a pontoon bridge, even getting close to this perilous pass would be a challenge.

So even though the process is difficult, the bridge must be built.

The Joseon people naturally understood this principle as well. When these people approached the pass, they were fearless in breaking through the pass, and the Joseon people had no confidence that they could stop them.

The two sides fought fiercely back and forth, battling and vying for every inch of the river.

It got dark very quickly.

Neither side will rest, and there won't be any peace at night.

At night, the Joseon people would climb down the walls to sabotage the pontoon bridge that had already been repaired. The Southern Expeditionary Army, having risked their lives to build the pontoon bridge, would certainly not allow the enemy to destroy it and would definitely retaliate, so the fighting lasted all night.

At night, the banks of the river and the boats on the river are filled with firelight and torches, making it as bright as day.

Wu Jie stood on the watchtower by the river, observing the battle unfolding ahead.

With nothing else to do, the guards below retrieved the bodies floating in the river. If they saw anyone wearing their own uniform, they pulled them out.

The bodies of the Joseon people were left unattended, and the bodies that were slowly pulled up and laid out on the riverbank were already quite numerous.

Wu Jie gritted his teeth, his eyes seemingly spitting fire. Even when attacking Qingzhou City and Gaochang, he had never lost so many people.

The first half of the pontoon bridge went smoothly, but the resistance from the Joseon Dynasty became increasingly fierce as they progressed.

They came to cause destruction as if their lives depended on it.

Wu Jie witnessed firsthand that on many boats, people hung flammable materials on their bodies, doused themselves with oil, lit them, and then rushed onto the pontoon bridge, clinging to it tightly and refusing to let go.

Fortunately, the soldiers on the ship, armed with wooden shields, were formidable, possessed accurate marksmanship, and provided excellent cover.

Finally, at dusk on the second day, the pontoon bridge approached the gates of hell.

Some of the southern expeditionary troops had already jumped into the river and landed below the pass, holding wooden shields.

They covered their brothers behind them, allowing them to pile their boats together on the side of the pontoon bridge, forming a continuous line.

"Alright! Siege team, charge!"

The prepared assassins carried ladders up the pontoon bridge and rushed down into the gates of hell.

Upon reaching the pass, the battle remained fierce.

The suicide squad pushed the ladder forward. Because of the great river, nothing could be transported across, not even poison or smoke bombs. Only the ladder was usable.

A raging fire broke out on the ladder they had finally managed to climb, and the suicide soldiers screamed in agony as they turned into balls of flame and fell from it.

Li Chaojun on the city wall was still smashing porcelain jars down below, and the oil poured out of the jars immediately fueled the fire.

The siege ladder on the left front side is now useless! Not far away, a military officer pointed his sword in that direction and shouted, "Fire arrows! Fire arrows to provide cover!"

Behind the line of soldiers advancing along the riverbank with shields raised, everyone lowered their bows and arrows, and lit the oilcloth wrapped around the arrowheads on the pine resin fire line in front of them.

The sound of bowstrings rang out one after another as rockets flew towards the city walls.

Tian Weizhong spotted an enemy soldier holding a clay pot at the top of the battlement and fired an arrow with a "bang".

The rocket struck the earthenware pot squarely, shattering it, and the burning tarpaulin ignited the spilled oil.

The Joseon defenders were burning up, stumbling and falling headlong down the city walls. Their screams mingled with countless shouts, like a pebble thrown into the ocean, creating no ripples.

He laughed, tossed aside his bow and arrows, twisted his wrist guard, and said, "I'm going to be the first to scale the walls! Anyone who's not afraid to die, follow me!"

He had told Wu Jie long ago that this time they should be the first to charge into battle. A group of his men, each holding a shield in one hand and a ladder in the other, ran down to the pass.

A military officer saw that Tian Weizhong was about to charge himself and shouted, "Fire arrows! Fire arrows! Shoot all the arrows!"

The siege ladders were placed below the pass, and the guards held them down tightly, wrestling with the defenders above who were pushing them with levers.

Perhaps because there were more people this time, the Joseon soldiers on the city wall desperately pushed the ladder outward with push rods.

Finally, they couldn't stop him. Tian Weizhong, who had already climbed halfway up, suddenly leaped into the air onto the ladder next to him and climbed up using both his hands and feet.

He climbed up with many soldiers of the Southern Expeditionary Army, drew his sword, and prepared to kill the enemy.

Arrows and javelins rained down from the sky, and shouts and screams echoed throughout the heavens and earth. Corpses piled up like mountains at the base of the earthen ramparts! Tian Weizhong wasn't the first to climb up, but his arrival gave the soldiers who had advanced a sense of purpose, and they fought their way towards him.

Both sides were in a bloodthirsty frenzy, and even though they were bleeding profusely, they felt no pain. They just roared and stabbed each other with ferocious expressions.

When Wu Jie saw that some people had climbed up the city wall and seemed to have gained a foothold, he immediately made a decisive decision and ordered them to rush across the pontoon bridge.

Those who stormed the city gates were all elite warriors from the southern expeditionary force. The Joseon army, having lost the advantage of the city walls, could not drive them all back, no matter how brave they were.

Tian Weizhong held a knife in one hand and picked up a shield from the ground with the other. Although it was a horse shield, it could still provide some cover.

When they reached the other side of the city wall and looked down, the Southern Expeditionary Army, who had climbed the pass, were taken aback.

Inside the Gates of Hell, a vast, dark mass of soldiers from the Joseon Dynasty could be seen.

They were crowded at the foot of the city wall, stretching as far as the eye could see, a dense mass of people whose number was unknown.

After only a moment of stunned silence, Tian Weizhong roared and led several people around him toward the stairwell.

A dozen or so people blocked the stairwell, slashing and hacking, causing corpses to fall one after another.

The Joseon soldiers on the stairs all wore expressions of fear, but they still charged forward with strange cries, determined to fight these Song soldiers they saw as mortals.

Because of the gap held up by these dozen or so people, more and more people climbed up the ladder.

At this point, the Joseon navy launched another attack, attempting to destroy the pontoon bridge once more and separate the advancing southern expeditionary force from the rest.

Wu Jie drew his sword, leaped onto a boat, and shouted, "A true man should establish his career today! After we break through the pass, I will reward you handsomely. Brothers, take all the wealth and treasures of the Joseon Dynasty! Break through! Break through!"

Even just standing by the riverbank, Wu Jie could inspire people; how much more so when he leaped onto the boat on the river.

In an instant, the soldiers brandished their swords and shouted.

A wooden boat, towing a ram, sailed towards the pass, and the surrounding people rushed to protect it.

The Joseon navy was also in a bloodthirsty frenzy, with more and more people setting themselves on fire and jumping onto their ships.

Besides the corpses, there were also some people struggling in the water.

Finally, the log reached the foot of the pass, and people immediately began pulling it onto the land below.

A group of people grabbed the battering ram and charged forward.

Such simple siege equipment was already their limit.

Bang, bang, bang! With shouts from the crowd, the soldiers repeatedly rammed the city gate.

"Thump, thump..." The city gate and city wall trembled with each loud bang.

The Gates of Hell had now become a veritable hell on earth.

With a cracking sound, the gate of the Ghost Gate was smashed open. Because they never expected a war to break out here, even though they temporarily reinforced the gate, they still couldn't make it very sturdy.

After the city gates were breached, the two armies quickly engaged in close combat. The Joseon soldiers in the front ranks were slaughtered and cried out in pain. Then, the sounds of weapons, shields, and armor clashing were deafening.

The Joseon soldiers inside the pass were very dense, and when they charged together, they brandished various weapons.

They were probably not elite Joseon royal guards; their weapons even included sharpened bamboo poles.

Because the city gate was too small, both sides were crowded together there, making battle experience and command ability particularly important.

Wu Jie personally commanded the Joseon soldiers inside. Although their fighting spirit was exceptionally strong, they were relatively chaotic and trampled on each other frequently.

More and more people are starting to climb up the ladder.

When the two sides actually clashed, the huge difference in their combat capabilities immediately became apparent.

The Joseon Dynasty recruited a million people, but they were all farmers, so their ferocity was useless. The Yooyang Southern Expeditionary Army, which had been fighting for years, was like wolves among sheep.

After breaking through the gates of hell.

For the heartland of the Joseon Dynasty, it was truly like opening the gates of hell.

This fertile land is teeming with wealthy households, even in its suburban towns and villages.

The essence of the entire Joseon Dynasty was concentrated here, with countless large estates.

The powerful families of the Joseon Dynasty were concentrated in Thang Long City, but there was no land ownership in Thang Long City.

Therefore, their fields and estates were all located in the suburbs near the capital.

Just like when Wanyan Zongwang attacked and reached the vicinity of the capital.

Wu Jie fulfilled his promise and engaged in killing and plundering.

This was a way to reward the army with this vast and fertile land.

This was still the central army under Wu Jie's command. The several groups of troops that had been split off at this time were now engaged in fierce fighting.
-
Inside the Royal Palace in Thang Long City.

The atmosphere was particularly solemn.

Important officials of the Joseon Dynasty gathered to discuss the current war situation.

Li Qiande glanced at everyone and said, "The Gate of Hell has been breached, and the Song army is burning, killing, and looting nearby. What good strategies do you have?"

The elderly Li Changjie was still in relatively good spirits; in his youth, he was known for his bravery and skill in battle.

His original name was Wu Jun. Perhaps he felt that the surname Wu was not powerful enough, so he changed it to the imperial surname. It should be noted that when he changed his surname, he had not yet become an official, nor did he have any merit in being granted the imperial surname. It was purely a personal act.

Although he was a eunuch who was castrated at a very young age, he was exceptionally skilled in combat.

During the Xining War between Song and Yue, Li Changjie led his army to invade Yongzhou and Qinzhou of the Song Dynasty and set fire to the cities; twenty years later, he again led his army to conquer Champa and captured places such as Dili and Ma Ling.

Tong Guan, who was his contemporary, was known in the martial arts world as "Little Li Changjie of the Great Song Dynasty".
Seeing that no one spoke, Li Changjie said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan to defeat the Song invaders!"

"Oh? Say it quickly!"

Li Changjie said, "The enemy relies entirely on their horses, moving like the wind. Our cavalry cannot defeat them. The best course of action now is to lure them to the walls of Thang Long Fortress, surround them, and then use elephant cavalry to break through their cavalry!"

Upon hearing that these "Tai Sui" (a type of mythical creature) were to be brought down to Thang Long City, the high-ranking officials present became somewhat apprehensive.

Zhang Boyu quickly said, "Li Taibao's plan is good, but putting the enemy outside the capital will only frighten the people. There are already many traitors in the court who want to defect to the Song Dynasty and plot against His Majesty."

"If the Song army reaches outside the city, I fear it will only embolden these people."

Li Changjie sneered, "With a formidable enemy at hand, we must fight to the death to survive. How can we be afraid of death? If we don't lure them to Thang Long City, how can they lower their guard and launch a full-scale attack? If we were in other places, the Song army would have many scouts, and the elephant cavalry would have fled before they even entered the battle."

"An elephant can't catch a warhorse!"

Although Zhang Boyu came from a wealthy family in the Joseon Dynasty, he was not as senior as this old man and dared not argue with him. He could only look at Grand Tutor Li Wensheng with his eyes.

Li Wensheng also didn't want to send people to Thang Long City, after all, it was just too terrifying.

What if the city falls?

The conduct of the Southern Expeditionary Army, once publicized by the fleeing Joseon people, had by this time been established as a distinct character.

It is said that these Song soldiers killed anyone they saw, sparing neither the elderly, the weak, women, nor children.

Just as Li Wensheng was about to speak, a eunuch rushed in from outside. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Li Wenxiang, the emperor's trusted eunuch.

His face was filled with panic. He entered the hall, knelt down, and said, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"

"What's the matter that you're in such a panic!"

"The Song navy, led by General Wang Bing, has set sail from Qinzhou and landed on the east side!"

Li Qiande's face darkened, and he almost fainted.

Wu Jie alone has already suffocated them.

Now another group of people has arrived. Although we don't know how many there are, given the style of the Song Dynasty's military expedition this time, it should be quite large.
-
Zhao Huan is now a human stamping machine, issuing all sorts of imperial edicts one after another.

Early November.

The emperor issued an edict that from now on, all government offices, temples, and Taoist monasteries in the Song Dynasty shall be constructed using bricks, stones, and adobe bricks.

In various prefectures and cities, brick kilns were built and sold at low prices to reduce the use of timber.

People who have recently settled in Yunzhong, Youyan, and Liaodong and who build houses with bricks and stones will be exempt from land tax for an additional three years.

At the source of the river, a no-logging zone is designated, and logging is prohibited.

Those who illegally cut down trees will be flogged fifty times and have their property confiscated. Local officials who fail to supervise will be demoted but retained in their posts and their performance will be included in their performance evaluation.

This winter, the use of coal for heating is encouraged, and the burning of charcoal should be reduced.

Immediately afterwards, the Song emperor sent someone to Japan to convey his decree, ordering Japan to send envoys to pay tribute and to increase the import of timber for use in construction in the Central Plains.

Since the Tang Dynasty sent envoys to Japan, Japan has not sent any envoys to the Central Plains, but trade among its people has been relatively prosperous.

After the caravan established its second port in Goryeo, it ushered in a new wave of trade.

Timber has always been an important export from Japan to the Central Plains, along with sulfur, lacquerware, swords, and other goods.

Chen Shao wanted to remind them that it was time to pay their respects; if they didn't come soon, he would have to take matters into his own hands. He was about to reform the paper currency, which required a large amount of gold and silver backing, making the land in Japan particularly important.

At this time, they were in the crucial stage of the transition from the Heian period to the Kamakura shogunate, with political power shifting from the nobility (the Fujiwara clan) to the samurai class, and the insei system (where the emperor abdicates and the emperor reigns as a retired emperor) becoming the core political system.

As the samurai class participated in local security and border defense, they gradually gained actual military power. Among them, Taira no Kiyomori was the most representative samurai leader.

Through marriage, he married his daughter, Taira no Tokuko, to Emperor Takakura, making her empress. He then quelled the Hōgen Rebellion and the Heiji Rebellion, gradually gaining control of the court.

Emperor Shirakawa's Executive Yuan is currently locked in a fierce power struggle with the samurai group represented by Taira no Kiyomori.

This edict from the Song emperor immediately attracted attention from all sides.

They immediately realized that this might be their chance to completely defeat their opponent.

However, the upper echelons of Japan did not know much about the Song Dynasty at this time, so each side sent an envoy to secretly sail to the Song Dynasty to find out the truth.

When Wu Jie broke through the gates of hell.

At Chen Shao's behest, Zhao Huan issued another edict, beginning to settle scores regarding the Jin army's southward invasion at the beginning of the Jingkang era:

First, the son scolded his father, listing the emperor's crimes after his ascension to the throne, writing more than twenty pages.

Although Chen Shao instigated this, it is unknown whether Zhao Huan took the opportunity to vent his emotions.

The second task is to thoroughly investigate the crimes of the treacherous officials whom the Emperor Emeritus had heavily relied on. This is a very important matter, and it will take a long time to investigate.

The third step was to settle scores with Li Gang and other pro-war factions. In the early years of the Jingkang era, their poor performance in battle allowed the Jin army to advance south to the capital region. Li Gang's title was revoked, the Hebei army was disbanded, Zong Ze was summoned back to court, and his troops were allowed to voluntarily go to Liaodong to be resettled on allocated land.

This is both a signal that accountability is about to be taken into account and a reminder to everyone to quickly choose sides.

Before abdicating, it is certain that dissidents must be eliminated. Either you resign from your post or you make a statement.

Otherwise, your name would certainly be on the list of traitors and criminals of the Jingkang Incident.

Then I'll have to help you save face. (End of Chapter)