Chapter 276: The Jurchens Personally Seek Imperial Recognition; The Court Questions the State of the Realm

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The Battle of Chuhe Dian saw the Jurchen troops, one against ten, charge fiercely and break the Liao army into utter rout.

Xiao Fengxian, hearing of the defeat of the eastern expeditionary force, feared his brother Xiao Baoxian would be punished, and told Yelu Yanxi: "Now the troops are in disarray; if we do not pardon them, they may plunder and spark greater chaos."

Yelu Yanxi believed Xiao Fengxian's slander and pardoned Xiao Baoxian, Xiao Taba Ye, and the fleeing soldiers of their crimes.

From then on, the Liao army adopted the principle: "Die in battle—no merit; flee—no punishment." Military discipline gradually collapsed.

On the other hand, the Jin army seized vast quantities of carts, horses, and armor; Wanyan Aguda incorporated Liao captives, expanding his forces to over ten thousand, formally rising to power.

Subsequently, the Jin army split into three columns and captured Binzhou, Xiangzhou, and Xianzhou in succession.

By the end of December of Hongwu Year Ten, the Jin state controlled over half of northeastern China, including the Heilongjiang and Songhua River basins and the Changbai Mountains region; only the Liao River basin remained under Liao control.

On the first day of the first month of Hongwu Year Eleven, Wanyan Aguda proclaimed himself Emperor and founded the Jin state; by the fifth day, he captured Huang Longfu and returned.

Huang Longfu was the Liao state's treasury and military stronghold; its fall enraged Yelu Yanxi.

Yelu Yanxi ordered Yelu Eriduo to assemble two hundred thousand cavalry and seventy thousand infantry at Dalu Ancient City, intending to crush the Jin army outright, while sending Sengjia Nu to negotiate peace, offering that if the Jurchens ceased hostilities, they might remain a vassal state of Liao.

As the Jin army neared Yizhou, hearing of the Liao army's assembly, Wanyan Aguda decisively turned and marched straight toward Dalu Ancient City.

Sengjia Nu, seeing this, conveyed Yelu Yanxi's peace overtures.

Wanyan Aguda said: "If you wish peace, return Ashu, relocate Huang Longfu, and grant the Jurchens autonomy; otherwise, no talk."

As the Jin army approached Dalu Ancient City, Wanyan Aguda ascended high ground to observe the enemy formation and said to his officers: "The Liao troops are disorganized and cowardly; though numerous, they are not to be feared!" He ordered the Jin army to seize the high ground and launched a cavalry charge.

Jin generals Wanyan Zongxiong, Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Wanyan Loushi, Wanyan Yinshuke, Wanyan Zonghan, and others all charged forward fiercely; the Liao army could not withstand them and retreated into their camp, where they were surrounded by the Jin forces.

At dawn the next day, the Liao army attempted to break out; the Jin army pursued them to A'lou Gang, annihilated their infantry, and seized thousands of farming tools—originally, the Liao troops had planned to settle and fortify the area through agriculture, never expecting such a surprise attack.

In February of Hongwu Year Eleven, the Jin army returned to regroup, training through hunting and archery at willow trees.

In August, Wanyan Aguda attacked Huang Longfu again.

The city was heavily fortified, one of the Liao's six major prefectures, commanding a vital strategic passage in the northeast.

Wanyan Aguda adopted the plan of Jin's most formidable general, Wanyan Wanyan Loushi: first encircle the city, then clear its outer defenses.

A month later, the defenders inside, isolated and without aid, abandoned the city and fled; the Jin army entered and seized vast supplies.

Yelu Yanxi, shocked by the fall of Huang Longfu, personally led over one hundred thousand troops (claimed to be seven hundred thousand) eastward from Changchunzhou, determined to confront Wanyan Aguda in decisive battle.

At this time, the Jin army numbered only slightly over twenty thousand, vastly outnumbered by the Liao.

Wanyan Aguda gathered his generals, slashed his face with a knife, and wept: "We rose in arms because of Liao's tyranny, seeking autonomy. Now the Liao emperor himself leads the charge; we must fight to the death. Otherwise, you may kill my entire family and surrender to avoid disaster."

All generals wept and bowed: "We obey your command."

On the first day of December, the Jin army reached Yao Ci; the generals advised: "The Liao army claims seven hundred thousand; their momentum is unstoppable. Our troops are weary from long march; we should dig deep trenches and build high walls here and wait."

Wanyan Aguda agreed, leaving Wanyan Diguni and Wanyan Yinshuke to hold Dalu Gu, and personally led the main cavalry force to meet the enemy.

On December 10, the Liao vanguard crossed the Yazi River when Deputy Commander Yelu Zhangnu suddenly rebelled with two thousand men, fleeing at night to Shangjing to install Prince Yan, Yelu Chun; they declared Yelu Yanxi incompetent and corrupt—first defeated by Zhao Yu, then provoking Jurchen rebellion, unworthy to rule Liao.

Yelu Yanxi, upon hearing this, was stunned and lost all will to fight; he urgently ordered his army to turn back and suppress the rebellion.

On December 12, the Jin army captured a Liao officer in charge of rewards and learned the Liao army had withdrawn westward for two days; they immediately pursued on light cavalry and caught up at Hubuda Gang.

Wanyan Aguda ascended high ground to observe: "They are many, we are few; we must not divide our forces. The center is strongest—the Liao emperor must be there. Strike there and we shall win."

The Jin army charged the Liao center, fighting fiercely.

The Liao army panicked in response, suffered heavy casualties, and fled toward Changchunzhou; corpses littered the ground for over a hundred li, all supplies lost.

Yelu Yanxi fled day and night for five hundred li; when he returned to Changchunzhou, only three to five hundred guards remained.

After this battle, the Liao army's prestige was utterly shattered; from then on, it collapsed in steady retreat.

Yelu Zhangnu's rebellion was another crushing blow to Yelu Yanxi—it not only disrupted his campaign against the Jurchens but plunged the entire Liao state into chaos.

On the night of the first day of the first month of Hongwu Year Twelve, over a dozen unruly youths from the Eastern Capital of Liao, drunk and armed with blades, scaled the walls of the留守府 and assassinated the Eastern Capital's留守, Xiao Baoxian (also Xiao Fengxian's younger brother); the Bohai cavalry deputy commander Gao Yongchang seized the opportunity to rebel, capturing the Eastern Capital. He declared himself Emperor of the Great Bohai State; over fifty prefectures of Liaodong, except Shenzhou, all defected from Liao and rallied to Gao Yongchang.

Yelu Yanxi ordered the Nanfu Chancellor Zhang Chun to recruit troops and march to suppress the rebellion in the Eastern Capital.

Zhang Chun recruited twenty-eight thousand discontented troops from refugees in Liaodong; his attack on the Eastern Capital failed, and he retreated to defend Shenzhou.

Gao Yongchang sent envoys to contact the Jurchens, requesting a joint assault on Liao.

Wanyan Aguda saw Gao Yongchang's weakness; he appointed Wanyan Hanlu, younger brother of the state chancellor Wanyan Saigai, to command all forces and seized Shenzhou.

Subsequently, Wanyan Aguda dispatched envoys to the Eastern Capital, ordering Gao Yongchang to renounce his imperial title.

Gao Yongchang refused to comply; Wanyan Aguda issued a decree to punish Gao Yongchang.

In fury, Gao Yongchang executed the Jin envoys.

Wanyan Hanlu, upon hearing this in Shenzhou, flew into rage and immediately launched a fierce assault on the Eastern Capital.

Gao Yongchang, knowing he could not prevail, abandoned the city and fled.

On Changsong Island in the Bohai Bay, Gao Yongchang was captured by Jin forces and subsequently executed.