Chapter 177: Yelu Yanxi: Zhao Yu Is the Knife and Chopping Block, I Am the Fish and Meat

…

The autumn air was crisp and clear, the cold moon like a hooked blade.

Zhang Jun not only persuaded Fan Chuncui but also convinced Gao Yongnian and Guo Cheng.

After Song forces had made meticulous preparations, Guo Cheng ordered Zhang Jun, who had proposed this strategy, to personally carry out the crucial task of setting fire.

Zhang Jun did not refuse; he led a hundred nimble elite soldiers through a hidden stretch of the Lugou River to the opposite bank.

Although Liao forces had posted patrols along the riverbank, the Lugou River defense line was far too long for them to cover every point.

Thus, the bold and meticulous Zhang Jun, after crossing the river, led his hundred elite soldiers along the Lugou River in search of an opening.

They found a stretch of river with no enemy guards, without much effort.

After sending scouts to confirm the area was truly safe, Zhang Jun led his hundred elite soldiers through the darkness toward the forest—dozens of li long, where the Liao main force lay hidden, weapons at hand.

The Liao forces had stationed their main troops in the forest because its dense trees and interwoven branches formed natural cover. By day, sunlight struggled to pierce the thick canopy; by night, deep shadows prevailed, ideal for concealing movement and launching ambushes. Added to this, the uneven terrain allowed flexible deployment of cavalry and infantry—enabling rapid assembly or dispersed concealment, perfect for both offense and defense.

Crucially, this camp layout made it impossible for Song forces to gauge the true size of the Liao army, deterring them from crossing the river to engage.

Just as the Zhao Song dynasty knew time worked against them, the Liao knew time favored them—especially after abandoning Xi Xia.

Precisely because of this, the Liao forces were now inevitably resorting to deception, hoping to stall the Song army without fighting, buying enough time for reinforcements to arrive.

Moreover, the Liao forces seemed especially fond of positioning troops within forests.

Historically, at the Battle of Langgou Dian, Yelu Dashi had stationed Liao troops in the pine forests on both sides of Langgou Dian, catching Song general Yang Keshi completely off guard, successfully leading to the mutual destruction of Liao and Northern Song, allowing Jin to reap a great advantage.

Yet, the Liao frontline commander had evidently never read the Three Kingdoms history and knew nothing of the fire attack on linked camps; otherwise, he would never have deployed his troops this way, even under threat of death.

Strangely, as Zhang Jun's men approached, the wind had been from the southwest; but the moment they reached the forest's edge, the southwest wind instantly shifted to the northeast.

Seeing this, whether moved by inspiration, skilled flattery, or merely seeking to boost morale, Zhang Jun looked up at the deep, inscrutable forest, a confident smile curling on his lips, and declared loudly:

"Why has the southern wind turned to northern wind? It is timing! Destiny! Fortune!"

"Your Majesty shall be the sovereign of a unified realm!!!"

"In ancient times, Zhuge Liang borrowed the eastern wind to crush Cao Cao at Red Cliffs; today, though we lack Zhuge's wisdom, we are aided by the northern wind—surely we shall add glory to Your Majesty's recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun!"

Zhang Jun immediately assigned the task of using fire oil cabinets to ignite the fire.

The fire oil cabinet was a flame projector, the world's earliest continuous-flame weapon.

As early as a thousand years ago, the Chinese had discovered and used petroleum.

This petroleum was known in different eras as "stone lacquer," "stone fat water," and "fire oil."

After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, petroleum was employed in warfare for fire attacks.

In the early Song, after gunpowder entered military use, troops were equipped with more refined flame projectors called "fire oil cabinets."

The fire oil cabinet was made of forged copper, resting on four legs, with four copper tubes on top; each tube had a horizontal syringe connected to the oil reservoir, holding about three catties of oil per fill. The syringe's front end held a fire chamber containing ignition powder.

To use it, first heat a branding iron until red-hot and thrust it into the fire chamber to ignite the powder, creating a high-temperature zone and preheating the oil passage. Then forcefully pump the syringe to compress air into the oil tank, forcing the fire oil through the fire chamber, where it ignited upon contact with heat and erupted from the nozzle as a jet of flame.

Fire oil cabinets were primarily weapons for siege warfare and naval combat. During sieges, they could be placed on parapets to spray fire oil and burn enemy troops; in naval battles, they could burn floating bridges and warships.

The flames spewed by fire oil cabinets caused those struck to be utterly charred; water could not extinguish them, granting them great lethality.

For ease of transport, the fire oil cabinets Zhang Jun's men carried were compact versions, using copper gourds instead of full tanks, capable of only three sprays each.

But that was enough.

In the pitch-black poplar forest, the Liao army's hundred-li-long encampments glowed under the moonlight like a coiled white serpent.

Between the endless tents, Liao soldiers moved back and forth, banners fluttering in the wind, utterly unaware that danger crept silently closer.

The poplar trees in this forest were tall, the ground open, stretching for dozens of li.

It was now deep autumn; leaves lay piled thick on the ground.

Tens of thousands of Liao troops were dispersed throughout this forest.

Some Liao soldiers unable to sleep discussed in their own tongues when the Song army would cross the river, what the future of Liao would be, whether they would die in battle.

At that very moment, at Zhang Jun's command, the elite soldiers sprang into action.

Zhang Jun thrust the red-hot branding iron into the fire chamber—sparks flew instantly. As the syringe was forcefully pumped, thick fire oil erupted into crimson tongues, slicing through the night's silence, lashing toward the deep poplar forest.

All other elite soldiers did the same.

Lines of furious fire dragons raced wildly across the piled leaves, igniting the entire forest in an instant.

The scattered flames quickly merged into one; towering poplar trunks were licked by fire, their oils bursting with crackles as burning branches transmitted the blaze to the next tree.

Firelight instantly illuminated half the sky, turning the Liao encampments as bright as daylight.

Soon, fire rode the wind, wind fueled the fire; amid the "crackling" roar, the Liao encampments were instantly swallowed by a sea of flames.

Liao soldiers asleep were jolted awake by heat and smoke, plunging into chaos. Fierce flames devoured everything without mercy—tents, grain, weapons twisted and warped in the fire. Shouts of terror from Liao soldiers, neighing horses, and the howling wind merged into a deafening clamor. Blazing fires reddened the surrounding heavens; thick smoke surged skyward; the entire camp seemed plunged into a hell on earth.

Guo Cheng, commanding over a hundred thousand Song troops poised to cross the Lugou River, lowered his telescope and laughed: "Heaven aids Great Song! This battle is won!"

Guo Cheng's laugh rang bold and loud, shaking the land; his long sword pointed straight at the night sky, now glowing red with fire:

"Order the entire army: Cross the river immediately! Slay them all! Recover our lost lands! Proclaim our nation's might!"

At Guo Cheng's command, Song troops surged toward the riverbank like a tide; war drums thundered, hooves shook the earth, horns blared in unison.

Boats serving as floating bridges had been prepared; auxiliary troops and laborers leapt into the river and swiftly built bridges upon them.

Song forces crossed rapidly and charged toward the opposite bank.

At this moment, where were the Liao troops? Seeing their main force burned to ashes, every Liao soldier—whether stationed in the forest or elsewhere—plunged into panic.

These Liao soldiers looked across the Lugou River and saw Song banners snapping in the morning wind; terrified, they broke and fled in disarray.

The Liao troops guarding the drawbridge, seeing Song forces advancing, either fled or tried to carry out the order to burn the bridge, hoping to use the Lugou River to halt the Song.

But thousands of Liao soldiers fleeing from the southern bank now jammed the Lugou Bridge, their heads scorched by fire.

Amid wails, rolling smoke, and towering flames, they leapt into the water, only to be speared one by one by Song soldiers with long spears.

The Liao troops guarding the northern bank of the Lugou River, seeing this, abandoned their posts and fled in terror.

Soon, not a single Liao soldier remained on the northern bank of the Lugou River—the defense line, so heavily relied upon by Yelu Yanxi and his court, had collapsed without a single assault…

……

Yanjingcheng was too close to the Lugou River; no scouts needed to be sent, not even a telescope was required—just climb to a height and look, and the towering flames could be seen.

Yelu Yanxi, the master of escape, reacted swiftly. He summoned Yelu Heluowan and said: "Others may not know, but I know: the Song Zhu cannot be faced. I shall journey north with Song Taishu to reclaim our lands."

Yelu Heluowan deeply disdained Yelu Yanxi's cowardice and said: "The battlefield situation is still unclear. Perhaps our Liao troops have crushed the Song army—if so, why should Your Majesty return north and rule the realm?"

Soon, many ministers rushed to Yelu Yanxi and Yelu Heluowan to discuss strategy, each offering wildly differing opinions.

Some advocated fleeing the city immediately to evade the enemy.

Others urged sending reinforcements to the front lines without delay.

Still others insisted on withdrawing all troops into Yanjingcheng, fortifying the walls, clearing the countryside, and preparing to hold out for reinforcements.

None could convince the others; the argument raged until dawn.

At that moment, scouts returning from the front reported to Yelu Yanxi and his court: "The Song army has crossed the Lugou River; their cavalry is charging toward the capital."

Upon hearing the Song army was approaching, many Liao nobles, scholar-gentry, and wealthy families seized their families and belongings and fled Yanjingcheng on horseback, heading north to seek refuge.

Yelu Yanxi also wanted to run.

But Yelu Heluowan and others would not let him flee.

Yelu Heluowan said to Yelu Yanxi: "Nanjingcheng is the southern bulwark of our Great Liao, the source of its wealth. With it, our borders expand, agriculture and herding flourish, national strength grows. Its terrain offers natural defenses, keeping enemies at bay—it is the very foundation of our realm. We must not abandon it! The walls are strong; if we resolve to defend it, Heaven and the ancestral temples will grant protection. If the Son of Heaven departs, the capital will descend into chaos, and Nanjingcheng cannot be saved. Lose Nanjingcheng, and Xijing will fall; Pingzhou will be hard to hold. Without these three lands, the Southern Court will cut off our trade—how can Great Liao survive?"

Not everyone opposed Yelu Yanxi's flight. Xiao Fengxian privately told Yelu Yanxi: "The Son of Heaven does not risk himself in peril. The highest strategy is to outwit the enemy. If Your Majesty journeys north, gathers your vassal ministers, and launches multiple coordinated offensives while our troops are still full of vigor, this is the surest plan. Even if Nanjingcheng falls, and Xijing and Pingzhou are lost, we merely return Han lands to the Southern Court. We of the Northern Court are children of the Eternal Heaven, born of the steppe. Your Majesty, sovereign of ten thousand chariots, must not duel with enemy generals or hold a lone, isolated city with no hope of aid."

Xiao Fengxian's words struck deep into Yelu Yanxi's heart. He ordered Xiao Fengxian to assemble the troops and await his arrival—they would leave Yanjingcheng together.

But circumstances suddenly changed again.

The Beifu Chancellor Xiao Changge and the Commander-in-Chief Yelu Heluowan arrived abruptly to consult with Yelu Yanxi.

This time, Xiao Fengxian no longer hid behind the scenes—he stepped forward and insisted Yelu Yanxi leave the city, proposing that Xiao Changge or Yelu Heluowan remain as Governor of Nanjingcheng to defend Yanjingcheng.

Xiao Changge also believed Yelu Yanxi must not leave. He said: "When Emperor Xuanzong of Tang learned of Accompanying Tong Guan's fall, he fled immediately to Shu—the ancestral temples and court were shattered by enemy hands, and it took years to recover. Fan Zuyu judged his error to be failure to hold firm and await reinforcements. Your Majesty has just ascended the throne; the realm rejoices in your rule. Troops from all quarters will soon gather. The Song Ren cannot hold long. If you abandon Nanjingcheng, it is like a dragon escaping the deep, a chariot departing at dawn while the capital collapses by dusk—even if we remain as governors, what good will it do? The southern lands will be seized by the Song, the ancestral foundations destroyed in an instant. I beg Your Majesty to consider carefully."

Xiao Changge's words stirred shame in Yelu Yanxi, yet he still insisted: "Do not be obstinate. I shall personally go to Zhang Zhongjing to raise an army and reclaim Nanjingcheng—I will not stay here!"

Yelu Chun wept and knelt, bowing forward, pleading with his life.

Many members of the Huangshihe Sect also came to beg Yelu Yanxi to remain and resist the Song army.

Soon after, Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan, Xiao Guige, Xiao Sese, and Xiao Shigu arrived, some leading children, others holding them, urging Yelu Yanxi to prioritize the realm and the state.

Faced with this, even if Yelu Yanxi was more cowardly and shameless than ever, he could only say to Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluowan, and others: "You shall remain to organize troops and defend against the barbarians. I entrust this entirely to you—do not be careless."

Xiao Changge, Yelu Heluowan, and others received their orders and went to arrange defenses.

Yet, not long after, under Xiao Fengxian's persuasion, Yelu Yanxi changed his mind again, preparing to sneak out of Yanjingcheng.

Xiao Sese promptly informed Xiao Changge and Yelu Heluowan of this.

This time, Yelu Heluowan no longer minced words: "If Your Majesty leads the campaign, all four armies will fight to the death. If you merely tour, a palace coup may erupt."

Yelu Yanxi never imagined Yelu Heluowan had begun to "force the throne."

Seeing this, Yelu Yanxi resolved to personally lead the troops and people of Yanjingcheng in defending the city, awaiting reinforcements.

Xiao Changge immediately went to Xiao Fengxian and others preparing to escort Yelu Yanxi out of the city and declared: "The Emperor has made his decision. Anyone who dares to oppose shall be executed!"

Then, Xiao Changge and Yelu Heluowan stepped out of the palace and proclaimed to the assembled guards, fully armed: "The Emperor has decided not to leave the city. He will stand with the troops to defend Nanjingcheng."

The guards bowed low and knelt, shouting "Ten Thousand Years!"—their voices shaking heaven and earth.

At that very moment, someone rushed to report to Xiao Changge and Yelu Heluowan: "The Song army has arrived—they're at the gates!!!"

Inside the palace, Yelu Yanxi heard the news. He slumped heavily onto the dragon throne, his heart as dead as ash: "It's over… Zhao Yu is the butcher's knife, I am the meat…"

……

(End of Chapter)