Chapter 125: The Divine Mechanism Left Army Wins Fame in One Battle

…

Zhong Pu, like Zhong Shidao and Zhong Shizhong, was the third generation of the Zhong family generals; his father was the famed Zhong E of the Zhong family.

Unlike Zhong Shidao and Zhong Shizhong, who had not yet risen to prominence, Zhong Pu could be said to be the most distinguished general of the entire Song Zhe Emperor's reign—whether in the Battle of Pingxiacheng or in the construction of Hengshan, he made monumental contributions, and even in the pacification of Qingtang Tubo, he achieved considerable success.

At the end of last year, as the Qingtang front teetered on collapse, Zhong Pu did not hesitate and rushed to Hezhou.

Who knew that, just before Zhong Pu was to march to rescue Yigongcheng, Zhao Xu died and Zhao Yu ascended the throne.

Immediately afterward, Zhao Yu issued an imperial decree summoning Zhong Pu, Guo Cheng, and their elite troops to the capital.

Thus, Zhao Yu literally pulled Zhong Pu back from the gates of death.

After Zhong Pu arrived in the capital, Zhao Yu summoned him to court.

Zhong Pu was beyond thrilled; he told Zhao Yu much about the northwest, about Xi Xia, about Qingtang, and his views on annihilating Xi Xia and Qingtang.

After this meeting, Zhao Yu ordered Zhong Pu to reorganize the army in Hebei.

In other words, Zhao Yu had genuinely prepared for war against the Liao.

Now that the Liao had fallen silent, Zhao Yu decided to crush Qingtang Tubo at once, rendering Zhong Pu's presence in Hebei unnecessary.

Thus, Zhao Yu ordered Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan to lead Zhong Pu's original five thousand troops, twenty thousand Hebei imperial guards, ten thousand capital region imperial guards, and the Divine Mechanism Left Army (alongside another ten thousand auxiliary troops), totaling fifty thousand men, publicly declared as two hundred thousand troops, to reinforce the Qingtang region.

Under the command of Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan, this relief force arrived smoothly in Xihé Road.

At this time, Hu Zonghui, the commander of Xihé, had already sent multiple expeditions to rescue Yigongcheng—all of which failed, and every commanding general was killed.

The commander of this Qingtang force was named Lang Akazhang, a hereditary chieftain of the Yigongcheng region.

Historically, Zhong Pu was killed by Lang Akazhang.

Two days after Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan's relief force arrived in Hezhou, Hu Zonghui forcibly ordered them to march out and rescue Yigongcheng.

The terrain of the northwest was rugged, and they were forced to fight on enemy ground—the ancestral domain of Lang Akazhang—and Zhong Pu felt this battle would be difficult, yet he could not defy his commander's order.

To compensate for insufficient preparations, Zhong Pu summoned two Tibetan monks who had provided him intelligence for over a decade, hoping their guidance would improve his chances of victory.

Indeed, since Zhong Pu's grandfather Zhong Shiheng, the Zhong family generals had been renowned for their skill in pacifying and recruiting Tibetan tribes.

Whether Zhong Pu's father Zhong E, his uncle Zhong Yi, or Zhong Pu himself, all had achieved brilliant military successes by allying with Tibetan tribes.

Thus, Zhong Pu had ample reason to trust these two Tibetan monk friends before him.

The Tibetan monks told Zhong Pu that the tribes around Yigongcheng deeply revered brightly colored banners; if Zhong Pu raised many such banners, he could win the tribes' allegiance and weaken the enemy army.

This was not entirely nonsense—Tibetans had long revered Buddhism, and brightly colored banners often carried religious significance.

Zhong Pu understood this well; he should not have doubted the monks' words.

But during his last audience with Zhao Yu, Zhao Yu had spoken few words, so Zhong Pu remembered every one.

And one of the most solemn things Zhao Yu had said was: "Do not fully trust unfamiliar Tibetans, especially in times of crisis."

Zhao Yu's words rang like a warning bell in Zhong Pu's heart, leaving him torn between trust and caution. He knew that on this war-torn frontier, even the slightest oversight could cost the entire army's lives—and even alter the course of the entire northwest campaign.

Thus, Zhong Pu adopted a dual strategy: he ordered the mass production of colorful banners, spreading them around the camp to psychologically pressure the enemy, while stationing Zhao Yu's elite Divine Mechanism Left Army in the center, assigning its auxiliary troops to carry the banners; he himself, like the alpha wolf, led his personal guard to guard the rear, ready to respond to any sudden developments.

—Zhong Pu did this partly to protect the Divine Mechanism Left Army; he dared not risk losing Zhao Yu's precious troops.

As expected, an unexpected event occurred immediately.

The terrain along the Song-Tubo border was rugged and narrow, forcing the Song army to advance in a thin, vulnerable line.

And the tall, conspicuous banners hindered the army's concealment.

This allowed the Tubo forces to quickly pinpoint the Song army's position.

The Song dynasty's policies since taking Qingtangcheng had already stirred fierce resentment among the Tubo chieftains; by now, from the heartland of Qingtang to the Henan region, chaos reigned.

Under such circumstances, hoping to subdue the enemy with a few banners was pure fantasy.

As expected, after advancing more than sixty li, the Song army was ambushed by Tubo cavalry.

The Tubo knew the terrain intimately and had two Tibetan monks acting as internal spies; from the outset, the Tubo forces gained the upper hand.

Moreover, constrained by the terrain, the Song army's elongated formation could not support both front and rear, making timely formation adjustments to protect the center impossible.

The Tubo cavalry easily locked onto the Song army's center—the Divine Mechanism Left Army—and charged downhill, aiming to shatter the Song center outright.

But the Tubo cavalry never expected that, at the very moment they charged, Wang Bing and Zong Ze had already prepared an anti-cavalry tactic: they formed a circular defense with tiger crouching cannons, placed crossbowmen within the formation, and scattered thunderbomb throwers outside.

As the Tubo cavalry charged forward, the Divine Mechanism Left Army first fired with crossbows to blunt their momentum and reduce their impact.

When the Tubo cavalry drew nearer, they launched thunderbombs.

Hundreds of thunderbombs exploded in succession.

The Tubo cavalry and their horses had never heard such terrifying roars; they immediately reared up and fell in chaos.

Moreover, in the dense charge of the Tubo cavalry, each thunderbomb blast devastated a wide area.

The Tubo, who revered Buddhism, saw this as divine punishment.

The Tubo cavalry's surprise attack on the Song center collapsed in a single strike.

The Divine Mechanism Left Army then used tiger crouching cannons to bombard the Tubo cavalry, denying them any chance to regroup.

Zhong Pu never imagined Zhao Yu's elite troops were so formidable—they had turned the tide even under such dire circumstances—and his reaction was slightly delayed.

But the Divine Mechanism Left Army was trained by Accompanying Tong Guan; his reaction was not slow.

Accompanying Tong Guan immediately led the Divine Mechanism Left Army's cavalry in pursuit of the Tubo cavalry.

At this moment, Zhong Pu also reacted, ordering the Song army to counterattack.

After a bloody battle, the Tubo forces gradually faltered and began to flee.

But such a disorganized retreat naturally became easy prey for the Song cavalry's pursuit.

Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan personally led the Song cavalry in pursuit for over twenty li, driving the Tubo forces into a narrow pass.

Just as Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan prepared to annihilate this Tubo force,

Lang Akazhang had already assembled over ten thousand cavalry to come to their rescue.

Seeing this, Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan could only reluctantly withdraw their cavalry and rejoin the main Song army.

Not long after, Lang Akzhang assembled fifty thousand troops to fight.

Accompanying Tong Guan persuaded Zhong Pu to deploy the Divine Mechanism Left Army as the vanguard.

Wang Bin and Zong Ze accepted their orders and began deploying their formation: they placed tiger squat cannons in the first row and divine arm crossbowmen in the second.

As soon as battle commenced, Qingtang Tubo cavalry launched a fierce charge.

When they neared within one arrow's range, Lang Akzhang raised his hand, signaling the Qingtang cavalry to prepare to shoot.

But at that moment, the tiger squat cannons fired en masse; a sky-covering hail of lead pellets shattered the Qingtang cavalry, throwing riders and horses into chaos, leaving them unable to shoot.

Meanwhile, the Divine Mechanism Left Army executed their segmented firing with orderly precision.

The divine arm crossbow used mulberry wood for its bow, sandalwood for its stock, iron for its barrel, bronze for its mechanism, hemp ropes for binding, and silk for its string. The bow measured three feet three inches in length, the string two feet five inches; its mechanism was ingeniously designed, incorporating parts resembling gear wheels.

This crossbow could shoot two hundred forty to three hundred paces, reaching over three hundred forty paces—far exceeding the range of ordinary bows of the era—with an effective range of roughly three hundred meters. It could pierce heavy armor and retained astonishing penetration power even at over three hundred seventy paces, capable of piercing through layered armor and striking fear into enemy ranks. Moreover, compared to ordinary bows, the divine arm crossbow allowed precise aiming and timing of shots, yielding higher accuracy.

Had it not been for confidence in the tiger squat cannons to disrupt the Qingtang cavalry's charge and allow their own forces to shoot at leisure, the Divine Mechanism Left Army would have fired long ago.

Now, by letting the Qingtang cavalry draw closer before firing, the kill effect was clearly superior.

The Qingtang cavalry were mowed down in waves, suffering heavy losses.

Many Qingtang cavalry, seeing the Divine Mechanism Left Army's ferocity, fled the battlefield en masse or turned their horses around to retreat, refusing to charge further.

One must admit, Lang Akzhang was no ordinary Qingtang general; despite the Divine Mechanism Left Army's ferocious assault, he still personally led several hundred cavalry forward.

In response, Wang Bin calmly ordered part of the Divine Mechanism Left Army to set aside their divine arm crossbows and draw thunder bombs, hurling them forward.

After a barrage of explosions, Lang Akzhang—who had once been the Song army's nightmare—was blown to death. His several hundred elite Qingtang warriors were either killed outright or scattered in panic, clutching their heads.

Accompanying Tong Guan seized the opportunity and decisively led the Divine Mechanism Left Army's cavalry in a counterattack against the fleeing Qingtang troops.

Zhong Pu also promptly ordered the Song cavalry to charge.

As the fleeing Qingtang cavalry disrupted the Qingtang infantry's formation, the Song cavalry easily routed the Qingtang army, pursuing them over twenty li, slaying tens of thousands, capturing nearly ten thousand, and seizing countless horses and weapons.

The Divine Mechanism Left Army became famous overnight.

Afterwards, Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan led the main Song force to Yigong City for rest and reorganization.

Next, Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan used Yigong City as a base to launch attacks in all directions.

With the Divine Mechanism Left Army's overwhelming strength, the main Qingtang forces near Yigong City were swiftly crushed.

Later, under the guidance of surrendered barbarians, Zhong Pu's subordinates captured Lang Akzhang's entire clan.

Although Zhong Pu did not flay Lang Akzhang's entire clan alive, he strictly followed the revised order issued later by Zhang Dun: he laid the wheel flat and executed all male members of Lang Akzhang's clan, while all women were directly consigned to brothels.

Nearby minor tribes, seeing the Song army's strength and resolve, surrendered one after another, offering grain, supplies, and treasures.

Next, the Song army sustained itself through war, rapidly securing the Yigong City region.

Not long after, Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan, cooperating with Wang Hou—the general personally appointed by Zhao Yu to lead the campaign to reclaim Qingtang—recaptured Nanda Fortress, Dangbiao City, and Biedang City.

The local Qiang people, unwilling to accept defeat, seized and burned Biedang City while Wang Hou was away; they were immediately met by Wang Hou's returning forces.

Meanwhile, Zhong Pu and Accompanying Tong Guan also led troops to reinforce.

The Divine Mechanism Left Army struck again, decisively defeating the Qiang and killing over ten thousand.

After the battle, Wang Hou ordered that all Qiang nobles who had participated in rebellion be laid flat on the wheel: all male members of their clans were executed, and all women were directly consigned to brothels.

Afterwards, Wang Hou rebuilt Biedang City, renaming it Laibin City; he renamed Yigong City Xunhua City, Dangbiao City Anqiang Fort, and Nanda Fortress Datong City.

Seeing the front-line situation stabilized,

Zhao Yu ordered the Divine Mechanism Left Army to return to the capital for rest and reorganization, replacing it with the Divine Mechanism Right Army at the front.

Simultaneously, the court ordered the establishment of the Xihé-Lánhuì Border Affairs Administration, headed by Wang Hou, with Zhong Pu, Wang Shan, Wang Min, and Accompanying Tong Guan serving as deputies.

Zhao Yu also granted Wang Hou discretionary authority to act independently, without needing to submit memorials for every decision.

Wang Hou ordered his senior general Liu Zhongwu (father of Liu Qi) to construct Ganpu Fort between Anqiang Fort and Nanshun Fort, linking the front with the rear to prevent the situation of the past, when Qingtang forces had cut off Song supply lines during the siege of Yigong City.

Until now, the Zhao Song dynasty's campaign to eliminate Qingtang Tubo had progressed both smoothly and steadily.

Notably, under Zhao Yu's orders, Zhang Dun, Ceng Bu, Lu Huiqing, and others had deliberately transferred the Capital Garrison, Hebei Garrison, and Jiangnan Garrison—including Jiangnan troops—to the Qingtang region for real combat rotation training.

Even Zhao Yu's personal guard was not exempt.

You have to understand that among Zhao Yu's personal troops, there are quite a few officials' sons, so calling them "young masters' army" would not be wrong at all.

Yet even such troops were forced to fight on the battlefield—ask yourself, on what grounds should other armies be spared?

Do you have empty rations?

The court won't intervene; whether you recruit refugees or round up ruffians, you must fill your ranks and take them to the battlefield for real combat training.

If you can't, then sorry.

Confiscate property, exterminate the clan.

In other words, anti-corruption has now reached the military.

Yet, regarding the military, Zhao Yu and his ministers' policy was: if you can plug the holes you created, past offenses will be forgiven.

Moreover, Zhao Yu did not touch the Western Army, nor did he intend to—at least in the short term—though he well knew the Western Army's problems were greater, even the greatest.

But who could deny the Western Army's fighting power?

Such troops deserved special treatment.

As for the Capital Garrison, Hebei Garrison, and Jiangnan Garrison—whose combat effectiveness approached zero—too bad: if you're a soldier, you must go to the battlefield when called.

Of course, Zhao Yu and his ministers offered these troops a way out to avoid driving them to rebellion.

That way out was the Patrol and Inspection Bureau (police) system overseen by Lu Huiqing.

Anyone who could be verified and voluntarily transferred into the Patrol and Inspection Bureau could leave the military and become a specialized civil militia for public order; though their pay couldn't match that of the Garrison troops, it was still substantial—and crucially, they wouldn't have to risk their lives on the battlefield.

Zhao Yu and his ministers' move was precisely addressing the Zhao Song dynasty's problem of excessive troops; this rotation not only revitalized the combat effectiveness of the Capital Garrison, Hebei Garrison, and Jiangnan Garrison, but also allowed the war-weary Western Army to rest and recover.

But objectively speaking, the consequences were clear.

After months of war, mourning banners hung everywhere across the Central Plains—even in Dongjing Bianliang, long accustomed to peace.

Yet at the same time, Zhao Yu did not hesitate to reward those who earned merit, even promoting individuals who achieved great feats by seven ranks at once.

Zhao Yu's principle was simple: if you do well, you will be richly rewarded without hesitation; if you fail, sorry—the imperial court does not support idlers.

Notably, Zhao Yu never stinted on frontline supplies; the provisions for the Song army, especially for the Divine Mechanism Left Army and Divine Mechanism Right Army, were always delivered in full to the front.

This was mainly because Zhao Yu emulated Qianlong, fully leveraging the principle that great rewards produce brave men: for the civilian laborers tasked with transporting grain and supplies to the Song army, Zhao Yu paid them one-third above market rate, calling it "Victory Money."

Anyone who received this money would work diligently, without complaint.

In short, in the matter of reclaiming Qing Tang, Zhao Yu truly put in tremendous effort…

…

(End of Chapter)