You have truly caused me great suffering!

Although Yelü Dashi was not a famous general of ancient times, he faced many formidable opponents.

They had already matured through ten years of fighting against the Jurchens.

Li Xiaozhong is Li Yanxian.

Because he wrote a letter criticizing Li Gang for his ignorance of military affairs, he was wanted by Li Gang and eventually changed his name to Li Yanxian.

He, Qu Duan, and Liu Qi were all capable of going toe-to-toe with the peak Jin army.

Wang De and Yang Zaixing were both fierce generals among fierce generals.

Needless to say, the enhanced version of Yue Fei's army was even more formidable.

Even so, Chen Shao left Wu Jie and Han Shizhong behind to oversee the battle.

This lineup, combined with the Jing army's morale, logistics, armor, and weaponry, can be said to be able to defeat any cold weapon-based army.

Let alone Yelü Dashi, Chen Shao was confident he could defeat the Tian Ce Mansion gang at their peak, or even Zhu Yuanzhang's Huai Xi gang.

Other groups have to consider this and take care of that when they fight, but the Jing army is united as one, with civil and military officials, soldiers and civilians, and both Han and non-Han people waiting for the war to make money.

Promotion, wealth, and land distribution.

The rise of the Dingnan Army was more like a military leader leading everyone to start a business, but he couldn't stop it, and the business grew bigger and bigger, and he couldn't control it anymore.

On the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, the Khitan army was already approaching the front lines.

A light drizzle was falling from the sky, which had been making the marching troops groan since early morning.

In the rain, Yelü Dashi stood reined in his horse, his cloak soaked through and clinging tightly to his armor.

Dozens of Khitan guards surrounded him, their breaths billowing out long plumes of white smoke.

This is the difference between Yelü Dashi and Chen Shao. At this moment, he did not realize at all that his body was the foundation of everything.

If it were Chen Shao, he wouldn't be standing in the rain right now; even if he were, someone would be holding an umbrella for him.

If I get sick, it will take up a lot of time to recover.

Life is short, only a few decades, and energy is limited. People who want to accomplish great things should not waste their energy on such things.

Back in Yanjing, the situation was just as critical. As the Liao Dynasty was in turmoil, the eunuch Xuan Shuai, who had been pacifying the northwest border for more than ten years, led over 100,000 skilled and capable Western Army soldiers northward.

At that time, Yelü Dashi still looked calm and composed, as if everything was under his control.

Now, his eyes have lost their sparkle, and he stands blankly in the rain, bewildered and helpless.

Whenever the night was quiet and Yelü Dashi stopped, he would wonder if he had made a mistake.

Should we just take everyone and flee west?

But if you run away without fighting, people's hearts will be scattered. How many people will actually follow you westward?
I'm afraid we'll have to turn back and descend halfway through.

This battle must be fought!
But he never expected to find himself here, and he couldn't help but wonder how he could win this battle.

Even after analyzing the outcome ten thousand times and taking all factors into account, I still couldn't find a winning opportunity.

Unless the opponent is like Tong Guan, committing all the major taboos of military strategy.

However, the Dingnan Army has been on the battlefield for more than ten years. They have suffered defeats, but there has never been a case of a defeat caused by a serious mistake.

Their ceiling is very high, and their floor is also very high.

They fight in a very disciplined manner, adhering to all the rules of the battlefield and showing great respect for all the regulations on the battlefield.

Occasionally, they would pull off miraculous feats like a surprise attack on Datong, and they rarely made basic mistakes. The entire Dajing was like a sophisticated war machine.

Yelü Dashi had been studying the Great Jing for more than a year or two. After fleeing from the East, he had been paying close attention to the struggle between the Jing and Jin dynasties.

Although the Jurchens displayed formidable fighting power when they destroyed the Liao Dynasty, if he had to choose between the two, he would choose the Jin Dynasty a thousand times over.

Although the Jin dynasty was strong, it was still vulnerable to defeat. Their commanders were prone to acting impulsively, showing recklessness, and underestimating the enemy.

However, the Great Jing army almost never does.
-
The vanguard of Jingjun was Zhang Xian, a subordinate of Yue Fei.

He led three thousand men, all of whom were elite cavalry.

Dajing's horse administration has always been the best in history. After overcoming the extreme horse shortage during the Song Dynasty, Dajing subsequently possessed the Longyou Ranch, Qilian Mountain Ranch, Hequ Ranch, Yanmen Daibei Ranch, Mongolian Ranch, Tianshan Ranch, Hengshan Ranch, Qingtang Ranch, Liaodong Ranch, and Dali Dian Horse Ranch.
There are many other places with potential, such as the Ili River Valley, which has the potential to become a top-notch pasture. In the later Qing Dynasty, it became an important horse ranch.

This also made the Great Jing Dynasty the most conveniently located in terms of transportation.

Jingjun became the most mobile army equipped with cold weapons.

The rain continued to fall, and Zhang Xian ordered, "We are all men from the Central Plains. This place is full of fierce winds and torrential rain. It would be bad luck to get soaked. Order the construction of rain shelters for our meals. We will continue our march after we have eaten and drunk our fill!"

Although they were the forwards, they were not in a hurry to engage the enemy, because they knew that this battle was about offense, not defense.

His Western Liao troops could not enter the territory of Dajing, so there was no urgent military situation.

With the lives of our brothers as our priority, there is no need to waste manpower on a forced march.

Jingjun's fighting style has always been scientific, prioritizing minimizing casualties and avoiding reckless bravery. He believes in playing it safe and winning battles.

After Zhang Xian gave the order, the auxiliary troops began to look for open spaces that were not flooded. They busily used the shafts of spears as pillars to support the four corners, covered them with tarpaulins, and connected them one by one.

In the blink of an eye, one rain shelter after another was erected.

In the rain, squads of Jing soldiers who had rushed to the scene dismounted to rest.

According to the original plan and the intelligence gathered by the scouts, they should have been able to engage the enemy in about three days.

Yelü Dashi also made preparations for tomorrow's battle.

But he didn't expect that a strong army like Jing's would be delayed in its march due to taking shelter from the rain, and his plans would probably be disrupted again.

The men dismounted, chatting and laughing quietly, and loosened the girths of their warhorses. Horses are prone to getting blurry eyes in the rain, so they needed to be cleaned quickly.

If we can set up camp, we have to quickly wash the horse clean and wipe it down with a dry cloth until it sweats.

Cavalry mounts are more precious than people, and their strength far surpasses that of their riders.

Actually, the light cavalry were relatively well off, as they carried most of their belongings with them. It was the heavy cavalry in the Jing army who took the extreme care of their warhorses.

The heavy cavalry's armor, vests, and all their equipment were transported and maintained by auxiliary soldiers on the rear convoy.

These heavy cavalry soldiers are only responsible for putting on their armor and charging into battle to break through enemy lines. They don't need to worry about anything else; they just need to eat and sleep on time to maintain their physical strength.

Their rewards are also substantial, and they often receive the highest honors.

However, the selection criteria were the most stringent. Applicants had to be strong and robust, and not too tall. The difficulty of being selected was second only to that of the sentry.

In fact, among the Jurchen people, the common millstone-shaped figure—thick waist, thick legs, and short stature—was quite suitable for heavy cavalry.

They stood in the rain, wiping their armor and horses while chatting about everything under the sun.

The atmosphere was relaxed, and everyone felt at ease.
-
Rainwater had formed a continuous stream from the eaves of the mansion where the palace was located, dripping down incessantly.

Everything in the courtyard was washed clean.

Chen Shao smiled and said, "We've only been out of the army for a few days, and it's going to be cloudy for days. The front lines are probably already complaining bitterly." He knew how difficult it was to march on muddy roads in this era. Every step was a crunch, and the mud was so sticky it was like paste, making it impossible to lift one's feet.

Han Shizhong disagreed, saying, "Your Majesty does not know that these convict soldiers cherish themselves the most. When they encounter this kind of weather, they will definitely build shelters to avoid the rain."

Chen Shao glanced at him in surprise. Everyone knew that the Dingnan Army was eager for battle, fought without regard for their lives, and rushed to charge whenever they had a chance, fearing that if they were a step too slow, their merits would be stolen.

Seeing that he didn't quite believe it, Wu Jie smiled and said, "Your Majesty, the Great Jing Dynasty has been established for seven years, and the Dingnan Army has been fighting for more than ten years. It is no longer like before."

What was the market like at the beginning?
Those who fought well were rewarded with titles and honors, and such opportunities had not been seen for over a hundred years in the Song Dynasty.

They were so thirsty that they risked their lives for anything they saw.

Things are different now; everyone knows that the imperial court keeps its word.

Preserving your life, making good contributions, and enjoying a comfortable life when you return home are the most important things.

As I said before, if you can live a good life, who would want to risk their life?

An army that can consistently win battles will have a low casualty rate.

"Your Majesty has been away from the capital for a long time, and now you've even come to Yili. Shouldn't you return?"

In the crowd, Yang Cheng suddenly spoke up, quite out of place.

Chen Shao pondered for a moment and then nodded.

Since this is my first time touring the country, it's best not to stay away from the capital for too long; I've been away for a year already.

It's like we've traveled halfway around the north.

Aside from this western expedition, he actually collected a lot of materials and discovered many problems along the way.

In order to conduct a follow-up investigation, he has not taken any action.

For example, the corruption and violence in the Grand Canal's grain transport system; the corruption chains that emerged after the liberalization of coal, iron, and salt production; the neglect and cover-up of water conservancy and irrigation canals; the perfunctory promotion of local artisan training; and the poor implementation of imperial decrees in some areas.
Chen Shao knew that, from a macro perspective, the Great Jing Dynasty under his rule was indeed a golden age.

However, this prosperous era is far from what he himself desired.

However, with only seven years since the founding of the nation, Chen Shao is confident that he will do even better in the future.

In addition, in the seventh year of Jianwu, Japan was to be completely dealt with.

The South China Sea Fleet is about to land in India and open up a large battlefield.

The reform of replacing native chieftains with centrally appointed officials in Yunnan and Guizhou has reached a fever pitch, with fierce resistance from the tribal leaders and chieftains who have been entrenched in Yunnan and Guizhou.

Goryeo has effectively split apart and is suffering from severe population loss. It is now at its weakest point and it is time to take it over completely.

These matters forced him to return to Jinling to take charge of the overall situation.

The crown prince was young, and although he was said to be in charge of the country, he was really just a figurehead, serving to stabilize people's hearts.

"Return!" Chen Shao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "In a few years, I will come out again to take a look."

Go back and work hard for another three to five years, then come out and see the results.

This trip was definitely worthwhile, and it will probably become a regular occurrence in the future, with inspections being conducted every few years.

Chen Shao didn't plan to go to places that were too far away, especially newly conquered lands. He wanted to at least take good care of the Central Plains, the land passed down from our ancestors.

The emperor said he wanted to come out and take another look, and no one spoke.

It's difficult to express an opinion on this kind of thing.

The ministers still need to reach a consensus.

However, His Majesty's tour this time did not disturb the local areas, did not deplete the national treasury, and indeed accomplished many practical things.

Moreover, the accompanying ministers were also very pleased and wanted to continue accompanying him on his inspection tour.

Those who missed out this time will inevitably feel regretful, and might even take the initiative to petition His Majesty to make another inspection tour.

It is foreseeable that there will likely be a second and third time in the future.

That evening, Chen Shao hosted a grand banquet for his officials in Yili.

After a hearty meal, they proposed to celebrate, ordering their accompanying guards to set off fireworks throughout the city and share the joy with the people.

The first inspection has now entered the return journey phase.
-
The mountains in Yikesai, Xiliao, are not steep and there are relatively flat river valleys. However, the mountains are very wide, so large cavalry units can move around without any problem.

Therefore, it has been a place for cavalry to fight since ancient times.

The rolling mountains obstructed the view; unless the scouts happened to be on nearby high ground, they couldn't see the cavalry at all.

This mountainous region is vast, and it was here that Zhang Xian encountered the Western Liao army.

The Khitans had a very good understanding of the terrain and water sources in this territory that they had painstakingly developed over a long period of time.

After discovering the whereabouts of the Great Jing vanguard, Yelü Dashi took it very seriously, and he wanted to make them fight with great momentum.

You need to win at least once or twice so that you don't completely fall apart when you retreat.

“Jing Jun is careless and dares to advance with only these few men,” Yelü Dashi said in a low voice. At this moment, he spoke very slowly, as if he was afraid of disturbing the prey ahead.

Two or three thousand people, when viewed from a distance, appeared very peaceful on the gently undulating land, like a group of herdsmen.

Once you get closer, you'll find that they're not quiet at all; the wind howls, and the sounds of horses' hooves, shouts, and various drums and horns fill the air.

Perhaps because the gently undulating land is so vast, countless people are as insignificant as ants within it.

"Once they enter the valley, tighten the trap and make sure to annihilate this reckless vanguard!"

Yelü Dashi gave a death order; he was so eager for victory that the first battle was as important as the decisive battle for the Western Liao.

As the drums sounded, the Liao army attacked from all directions, but Zhang Xian remained calm.

They deployed heavy cavalry at the forefront, forming a defensive line on the spot, and then plumes of black smoke from burning tung oil rose into the sky from their ranks.

The Liao army noticed this and immediately realized something was wrong.

These cavalrymen didn't seem to have stumbled into their own trap at all; rather, they entered on purpose, signaling to their allies.

Guided by the black smoke, Jing Jun's main force will probably arrive soon.

It's hard to say who the prey is and who the hunter is. If they can't quickly take down this cavalry, they'll easily be surrounded.

An uproar erupted around them, followed by expressions of anger and panic spreading across their faces.

Yelü Dashi immediately said, "Send someone to order our cavalry to stop advancing, retreat immediately, and prepare to withdraw."

The general holding the flag beside him bowed and mounted his horse.

Yelü Dashi then said, "Tell everyone not to panic, the cavalry must not be thrown into disarray."

Seeing that morale was somewhat low, he quickly put on a lighthearted tone and added, "We'll deal with it once we understand the enemy's intentions. Maybe this is just the Jing army bluffing."

At this moment, on the vast land, countless cavalrymen, covering the mountains and plains, rushed forward at full speed like a flood sweeping across the world. (End of this chapter)