Chapter 10: The Bright Sun Shines Brightly

The goshawk spreads its wings, covering a thousand li in a single day.

Apart from Zhao Jiu, nearly all the civil and military officials of the Great Song believed that the Jin army, having just returned from their campaign a few months prior, would not invade south again in the short term. Their reasons varied—the army must be weary from prolonged campaigning, logistics could not sustain another push, the Grand Marshal and Second Prince had died in internal power struggles—but at root, they were all judging the enemy by their own standards.

Little did they know that ever since Jin Taizu, Wanyan Aguda, raised an army against the Liao thirteen years ago, the Jurchens had repeatedly won against superior numbers, defeating the many with the few. They swallowed the Liao and destroyed the Song, expanding from the mere corner of Liaodong to project military power into the Central Plains within thirteen years, shaking the realm. This army of a fishing-and-hunting people was likely at the very peak of a pre-gunpowder cold-weapon force.

One Western Army general described the Jurchens thus: in the past, when the Great Song fought the Western Xia, both sides were usually fighting for pride; once one side could no longer hold, they would scatter and rout. But when fighting the Jurchens, one's own side would still rout upon defeat, while the enemy could scatter and then regroup, leave and then return. Often a whole day of fierce battle could not break them. The Jurchens themselves boasted: if cavalry cannot charge back and forth a dozen times in a single engagement, what right do they have to call themselves cavalry?

Such sharpness and organizational discipline were utterly beyond the imagination of the Great Song's Imperial Guard, who would scatter if not rewarded... That classic example of a famous general from the Western Army whose men dispersed in a hubbub because they received no reward after a single volley of divine-arm crossbows could probably only happen in the Song army, right?

Furthermore, the Jurchens had risen from fishing-and-hunting tribes and had won victory after victory for thirteen years. Naturally, they plundered and seized spoils in the most barbaric manner, truly sustaining war through war itself. This army continuously learned military technology while simultaneously using captured supplies to sustain logistics and arm itself. Why would they ever worry about logistics?

As for internal power struggles, that was indeed an objective reality. The factional conflicts within the Jin state were as real and driven by interests as those in the Song—so obvious at a glance.

However, the problem was twofold: first, the Jin ruler, Aguda's younger brother Wanyan Wuqimai (Wanyan Sheng), still held considerable prestige and could make decisive judgments; second, with continuous plunder and expansion, what internal contradictions were even worth mentioning?

Or rather, precisely because there were internal contradictions, that was exactly the reason to send troops south, to plunder the incompetent Great Song, to use one victory after another, countless riches, and the sons and daughters of the Central Plains to alleviate those contradictions!

In fact, a few months prior, the second most important figure in the Jin state, the Grand Marshal and Second Prince Wanyan Wolibu (Wanyan Zongwang), who had effectively overseen the destruction of the Song, had just returned to the north when he fell ill and died. After his death, the military and political power of the Jin state was quickly reorganized into the hands of three factions.

First, naturally, was the faction of the Jin ruler himself, later known as Jin Taizong, Wanyan Wuqimai (Wanyan Sheng). This was Aguda's younger brother. Gathered around him were Aguda's other brothers and cousins, such as Wanyan Talan (Wanyan Chang) and his ilk.

Second was the great meritorious minister of the Jin state, the Grand Marshal Wanyan Nianhan (Wanyan Zonghan), who had already vied for supremacy with the Second Prince Wanyan Wolibu (Wanyan Zongwang) during the latter's time.

This man was distantly related to Aguda's line, but he belonged to a major branch within the Jin state with a tradition of inheritance. For generations, his family had held the position of Boginlie (similar to a Chancellor, but with a flavor of primitive clan council governance, wielding far greater power than a Chancellor). During the destruction of the Liao, he was the commander of Aguda's right-wing army. During the destruction of the Song, he was the commander-in-chief of the Western Route Army. After Wanyan Wolibu's death, his seniority and achievements were unmatched throughout the entire Jin state.

At this time, this man not only commanded the Jin state's ever-victorious general Wanyan Loushi's forces, responsible for the Hedong war zone, but also effectively controlled most of the newly occupied territories in Hebei after Wanyan Wolibu's death. He could be considered the most powerful figure within the state.

However, regardless, neither Wanyan Wuqimai nor Wanyan Nianhan could deny or encroach upon the authority of Wanyan Aguda himself and his direct line. Therefore, after Wanyan Aguda's death, Wanyan Wolibu became the Jin state's commander-in-chief, subtly ranking above Nianhan. Now that Wolibu was dead, after a brief period of competition and negotiation, Aguda's three surviving elder sons each gained something. Among them, one man unhesitatingly and swiftly inherited the prestige and part of the military power of Aguda's direct line within the Eastern Route Army.

This man was none other than Wanyan Zongbi, also known as Aguda's fourth son, Jin Wushu!

Now that Jin Wushu had taken power as a high minister of the Jin state and naturally became the leader of Aguda's direct line, he found himself utterly unable to compete with Nianhan in Hebei, and even more unable to go to Youyan or Liaodong to find fault with his uncles and elder brothers. Following the simple logic of a primitive tribe, he almost instinctively abandoned internal strife and instead logically proposed a military strategy to once again march south and plunder the Great Song.

His original intention was to attack the Jingxi North Circuit (the Shaan-Luo region) and the Jingdong Two Circuits (the Shandong region), which held strategic geographical advantage over the Central Plains. Finally, he would see if he could take advantage of the situation to pincer the Central Plains, break the new Song Emperor, and plunder wealth, women, craftsmen, and military equipment.

If possible, he also harbored the intention of occupying the Central Plains to counterbalance Nianhan in Hebei!

Even if this scheme for the Central Plains failed, after controlling the two flanks, he could turn back and launch large-scale pacification campaigns in Hebei and Hedong, thoroughly digesting these two fertile lands that were the very foundation of the state.

Therefore, this wave of invasion was, in fact, inevitable!

Regardless, since Jin Wushu had this intention, although the Jin ruler Wanyan Wuqimai and Grand Marshal Wanyan Nianhan each had their own considerations and engaged in some debate, they ultimately quickly reached a mutual compromise... In other words, just a few months after the army had returned north, the highest echelons of the Jin state had already approved the strategy for a third major invasion of the Song to the south.

According to the plan, Wanyan Nianhan was nominally the commander-in-chief, but he ordered the Jin state's ever-victorious general Wanyan Loushi to lead the original Western Route Army for the invasion of Song southward once more. Comprising Jurchen troops, surrendered Liao soldiers, and even surrendered Song soldiers, totaling one hundred thousand, they would cross the Yellow River heading south to attack Luoyang and Shanzhou!

Wanyan Wuqimai's cousin, also Jin Wushu's uncle, Wanyan Talan, would lead fifty thousand troops, nominally as Nianhan's deputy commander. Aguda's fourth son, Jin Wushu himself, would also lead fifty thousand troops, nominally as Nianhan's vanguard commander. The two forces combined would also total one hundred thousand, effectively reforming the Eastern Route Army, with the intention of taking the Jingdong Two Circuits, the area later known as Shandong.

Returning to the present, the Jin state mobilized two hundred thousand troops for the southern invasion. Cavalry galloped freely, howling back and forth. The first to move were naturally Nianhan's forces, already stationed in the Hebei and Hedong areas. But the first to bear the brunt were not Deputy Marshal Zong Ze, who felt the Sishui Pass was under threat, nor the defenders of Luoyang and Shanzhou, but a Song secondary force that had just won a major victory in Hebei.

The leader of this force was named Wang Yan, with the military rank of Commander-in-Chief, commanding seven thousand men. Under his command was a Commander named Yue Fei, styled Yue Pengju, twenty-four years old this year, a native of Xiangzhou in Hebei, gifted with superhuman strength and unmatched valor in the army.

Why was Yue Fei here? Naturally, it had to do with Li Gang.

To explain, Yue Pengju was previously a Military Gentleman in Nanjing (Shangqiu). Hearing that the treacherous ministers Li Gang, Huang Qianshan, and Wang Boyan each held their own opinions—one wanting to go to Nanyang, another to Yangzhou—all seemingly plans to abandon the people of Hebei and flee south. As a refugee from Hebei, he was naturally outraged. He overstepped his rank and submitted a memorial to the new Emperor, urging His Majesty to dismiss the three treacherous ministers, raise the entire Six Armies to cross the Yellow River, establish a temporary capital in his hometown of Xiangzhou, fight the Jin, and recover Hebei.

However, Li Gang and the other two held great power. How could they tolerate such nonsense? They immediately dismissed this minor military officer and expelled him from the army.

But Yue Fei was single-mindedly dedicated to resisting the Jin, so he was not discouraged. He simply took a few close brothers, crossed the Yellow River, and headed for his hometown, preparing to resist the Jin on his own.

Unexpectedly, just as he reached the riverbank preparing to cross, Yue Pengju encountered Zhang Suo, the Pacification Commissioner for Hebei West Circuit promoted by Li Gang, who was recruiting soldiers there. Through the recommendation of an old acquaintance, Zhao Jiuling, a Secretary under the Pacification Commissioner, Yue Fei was able to meet Zhang Suo himself. Zhang Suo, a direct subordinate of Li Gang, greatly admired Yue Pengju. Within a few days, he promoted this mere commoner continuously... In just over a month, Yue Fei went from 'Tent Servitor' to 'Commoner Appointed as Cultivated Military Gentleman', then promoted to Commander, and finally, promoted to Commander-in-Chief!

Poor Han Shizhong had joined the army at eighteen, beheaded an Imperial Son-in-Law, captured Fang La, fought the Liao, and defended Hebei—a full twenty years—before he managed to become a Commander by catching up with Zhao Jiu. In comparison, although Yue Pengju's official position was somewhat nominal, his official career was truly like having cheats enabled.

In any case, by the time the Pacification Commissioner's office had scraped together seven thousand troops, Yue Fei, as a Commander, had become one of the main generals of this force. He then crossed the Yellow River northward together with Commander-in-Chief Wang Yan! They immediately won a victory at Xinxiang in Hebei, successfully recovering this important town!

But it was precisely at this time that the treacherous minister Li Gang was dismissed from his chancellorship, and Zhang Suo's position as Pacification Commissioner for Hebei West Circuit was also abolished. As this seven-thousand-man force, panicked and unsettled, hurriedly sought to establish an administrative relationship with Zong Ze, suddenly, in the early winter season, the massive Jin army from the north surged forward densely. There were no fewer than fifty independent banners of Jin cavalry generals in the surrounding area. It turned out that when Nianhan's forces were originally planning to head south to attack Shaan-Luo, they heard of Xinxiang's fall and ordered the main force to converge and surround them.

Faced with such a predicament, this army naturally suffered a complete defeat. The entire force, led by Wang Yan, broke out in a desperate retreat, fighting as they withdrew towards the Taihang Mountains.

Among Wang Yan's eleven generals, only Yue Fei's unit fought the hardest and dared the most. Yue Fei himself was recognized throughout the army as having the valor to withstand ten thousand men. Therefore, he was assigned to cover the rear, resulting in extremely heavy losses.

When they reached the foot of the Taihang Mountains, the Jin army, on the one hand, had one of their generals captured alive by Yue Fei using a decapitation tactic, and on the other hand, their cavalry was not adept at advancing into mountainous terrain. So they took the opportunity to abandon the pursuit... But as the battle situation eased slightly, Yue Fei believed that Wang Yan had failed to rescue him when he was covering the rear, causing many of his men to die unjustly. Filled with indignation and having some other ideas, he simply established his own camp and refused to rejoin Wang Yan.

At this point, the situation was already very critical. Wang Yan had only eleven generals under his command; two had died, two had run away, three had surrendered, and of the remaining four, one was Yue Fei who refused to obey orders. How could he tolerate this?

Therefore, Commander-in-Chief Wang Yan repeatedly issued orders to Yue Fei, demanding that he bring his troops over, or else he would face military discipline. After several failed attempts, Wang Yan, styled Wang Zicai, finally issued an ultimatum, saying that if Yue Fei did not move his camp to join the main force, he would publicly send a document to Deputy Marshal Zong Ze in the Eastern Capital, letting all the heroes of Heshuo know that there was a deserter named Yue Fei from Xiangzhou who refused to obey orders!

But what responded to Wang Yan was still not the remnants of Yue Fei's own force, but Yue Fei himself, the Commander, coming to pay his respects at the camp alone on horseback.

"He really came alone?"

In the camp built in the Shimen Mountain hollow near Xinxiang, inside the central main tent, the recently somewhat weary Commander-in-Chief Wang Yan looked up in astonishment.

To explain, Wang Yan, styled Wang Zicai, would be forty years old after the New Year, a full sixteen years older than Yue Fei. In his youth, he participated in the imperial military examination. Due to his outstanding martial skills and talent, he was personally named by the Daoist Retired Emperor to be a Palace Attendant. He then transferred to the Western Army, serving under Zhong Shidao, and participated in many battles against the Western Xia, earning numerous merits. Later, when the Jin invaded the south and Hedong fell, as a native of Shangdang, he felt it his duty to join the army in Bianliang. After Bianliang fell, upon seeing Zhang Suo organizing troops to cross the river, he re-enlisted for battle. As soon as he joined the army, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, becoming the commander of an army.

A figure like this, whether in terms of identity, status, reputation, or existing official position, or his importance in the eyes of Eastern Capital Deputy Marshal Zong Ze, was undoubtedly far superior to Yue Fei, who was almost like a lieutenant general under his command.

However, Yue Fei did not submit to him!

"Indeed, he came alone, single-handedly, and is waiting in front of the camp." The one who replied on behalf of the gate guard was Wang Yan's staff officer, named Fan Yihong. He was said to be a descendant of Fan Zhongyan, who had also joined the army upon seeing the devastation of the land. Because of his family name, he was naturally regarded with special respect. Although he was also a mere commoner and extremely young, he had directly become Wang Yan's confidential staff officer.

"What does Little Fan think?" Wang Yan naturally asked his advisor.

"Kill him!" Fan Yihong replied expressionlessly and decisively.

"Why?" Wang Yan sighed softly.

"Why?" Fan Yihong gave a cold laugh. "The Grand Defender ordered him to move his troops here, but he comes alone, clearly intending to defy orders to the end with his wild spirit. We are an isolated army in the field, surrounded by Jin troops. He, Yue Fei, as a subordinate, refuses to obey orders and even treats his troops as his private property. If military law is not enforced at a time like this, how can morale be managed?"

Wang Yan remained silent in response, but gestured to the gate guard: "Bring out the remaining few jars of wine, and summon Commander Li who is nearby, along with a few of the army's Commanders. I want to host a banquet to entertain Commander Yue... But do not allow him to enter the camp gate until the banquet is prepared."

The guard acknowledged and left. Staff Officer Fan wanted to speak but stopped, only stamping his foot in frustration.

Shortly after, the men hastily set up a banquet. The two or three jars of wine were nothing special, but yesterday, Staff Officer Fan had gone to scout the surrounding terrain and encountered a bear. At this early winter time, the bear was at its fattest and strongest. Staff Officer Fan ordered it shot dead with arrows, and today it proved convenient for Yue Fei's feast.

Once everyone was seated, the wine poured, and the bear paws and meat stewed until tender, a single rider arrived at the tent. He calmly disarmed and set aside his weapons, then strode boldly into the tent.

All the generals looked over. They saw a man seven feet tall, with an ordinary, unremarkable appearance. Only his face was slightly broad and his skin somewhat pale, not like a typical farmer... However, everyone knew that this man, though seemingly ordinary, possessed superhuman strength. On horseback or on foot, with spear or bow, he was the best in the army. The fact that they had managed to shake off the pursuing Jin army was due to him personally killing one Jin general in a desperate situation and capturing another alive, turning danger into safety.

However, in the opinion of the various officers, it was probably precisely because he had such talent that he was arrogant and refused to obey orders from above.

In fact, when this man walked closer, he made a loud salutation to Wang Yan at the main seat, then went to sit down by himself. Throughout the process, he looked askance, as if rolling his eyes at Wang Yan.

Wang Yan immediately frowned: "What's wrong with your eyes? Why is one big and one small?"

"In reply to the Grand Defender," said the broad-faced man, who was also the Yue Fei, styled Yue Pengju, that someone had been longing for. He merely raised his hand slightly from his seat and confessed frankly. "Last month, while covering the rear, I was grazed by a Jin arrow. It didn't hit my eye, but it injured my brow bone. Now, when I look at people, it seems like I'm looking down on them. Even after the injury heals, I'm afraid I'll always have a bit of a squint."

Wang Yan was silent for a moment before stroking his beard and speaking: "Pengju, your rear-guard action was arduous!"

"I'm from Hebei originally," Yue Fei, seated at the highest position on the left, said calmly. "Fighting the Jin and killing the enemy—that's all I seek. I don't find it hard."

Wang Yan grew even more speechless.

"Controller Yue!" Just then, seeing that their own Grand Commandant had repeatedly fallen silent, his momentum seemingly seized by a man of chaotic army origins, the young Staff Officer Fan, seated diagonally across from Yue Fei, could no longer hold back. "I only ask you this: why, when Grand Commandant Wang has repeatedly ordered you to move your troops and merge camps, have you paid no heed? Is Grand Commandant Wang not your superior?"

"Grand Commandant Wang has always been my superior, of course, but whether he will continue to be my superior from now on depends on a few questions I must ask him today before I know." Yue Fei no longer bothered to hide anything.

"Preposterous..."

"Ask away." Wang Yan, bold and straightforward by nature, actually agreed outright.

"Grand Commandant." Yue Fei turned his head, fixing his mismatched eyes on the other man. He pursed his lips for a moment, then his face twitched slightly as he forced himself to speak. "When I was covering the rear, and my men were fighting for their lives through countless perils, why was there no promised support?"

Wang Yan remained silent and did not answer. The entire gathering was also speechless. Even young Staff Officer Fan could only lower his head and obediently gnaw on a piece of bear meat... For no other reason than that everyone present knew the answer. The answer was exceptionally simple, but no one could bring themselves to say it out loud.

What did it mean?

Very simple. Yue Fei's unit was only one of eleven under Wang Yan's command. From the very beginning, Wang Yan had planned to abandon Yue Fei's unit. From the very beginning, he had prepared for Yue Fei's unit to be completely annihilated or surrounded. From the very beginning, Wang Yan's central army had no intention of providing support. Later, when Yue Fei requested reinforcements, although Wang Yan verbally agreed, he still had no real intention of going to rescue them... It was just that no one expected Yue Fei to be such a capable fighter, that he actually managed to lead his troops out alive.

This matter could not be harshly blamed on Wang Yan. Surrounded on all sides, a commander must make choices on the battlefield—cutting off the tail to save the body has always been a common decision on the field of battle.

But since the man had come back alive and confronted him face to face, Wang Zicai, being a man of stature, could only be in the wrong and have nothing to say.

"That matter is one thing." Yue Fei let out a long breath, then shook his head repeatedly. "After all, it was an arrangement of military affairs. I have another question, and that is the root of why I refused to move camp earlier and why I came alone on a single horse today..."

"Speak!" Wang Yan grew even more terse.

"I heard that the Grand Commandant is building camps and walls in the mountains, and has ordered three controllers to occupy the hilltops with separate camps. Is it true that you are preparing to rest and recuperate in the mountains and settle there for a long time? I also heard that you plan to contact some heroes from the Two Rivers region in the mountains to jointly undertake the cause of resisting the Jin?" Yue Fei's eye, injured by an arrowhead, was opened to its fullest extent, causing the skin beneath his eye socket to twitch incessantly. His words seemed calm, but the emotions within him were raging to the extreme.

"Is that not permissible?" Wang Yan also grew serious.

"How can one resist the Jin from the mountains?!" Yue Fei flew into a rage, directly knocking over the bear paw in front of him. "The people of Hebei are wailing on the plains, and we, the only Imperial Army of Hebei, are to hide in the mountains and play at being bandit kings?!"

"Are you actually doubting my absolute resolve to resist the Jin?!" Wang Yan was equally indignant, slamming the table and glaring back.

"At this time and in this situation, how can I not doubt?!" Yue Fei stood up, pointing at his own eye, then sweeping his arm to point at the assembled generals. "And am I, Yue Fei, only doubting you, Grand Commandant Wang?! Wherever the Jin army goes on the plains, the villagers of Hebei are like chickens and dogs, slaughtered at will—men die, women become slaves—have you not seen this?! Today, to avoid battle, you can play at being bandit kings; tomorrow, for wealth and rank, can you not surrender to the Jin and become their dogs?!"

Yue Fei was agitated and spoke recklessly. Wang Yan, on the other hand, was also bursting with rage. Young Staff Officer Fan repeatedly shot him meaningful glances... However, Wang Zicai tried several times to flare up, but each time, when he saw Yue Fei's mismatched eyes, he held back his murderous intent.

After Yue Fei finished his tirade, the tent was somewhat tense. Wang Yan, after loosening his grip on his sword hilt once more, let out a long sigh, then slowly raised his cup: "Controller Yue, I understand your feelings, but you have misunderstood my intentions. Come, drink!"

Yue Fei was grieved and indignant, unable to speak. He did not reply, but he did sit back down in his seat. Lifting his cup, he drained it in one gulp, while repeatedly helping himself to the remaining bear meat on the table.

"Pengju." Seeing this, Wang Zicai felt even more pained inside, but he could only suppress all his emotions and speak. "I know you resent me for the rear-guard matter. I also know that Xiangzhou lies ahead, and your mother, wife, children, and fellow villagers are all there. I know even more that after today's defeat, I don't know when we will be able to return home. But as the commander of an army, I also have my difficulties... Enough, I won't argue with you any longer! How about this: I will write a report of today's events to the Defender-in-Chief Zong in Dongjing and let him decide right from wrong. Then, I will give you a document to guard the pass, allowing you to lead troops independently. Wherever you think you can lead your men to fight, go there!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Fei stopped eating, wiped his mouth, and stood up: "Grand Commandant, give me the document now!"

Wang Yan still had more to say, but seeing this, he could only let it go. Shortly after, young Staff Officer Fan's brush flew across the paper, and the document was written almost immediately. Wang Yan then affixed the seal of the Two Rivers Pacification Commissioner, which Zong Ze had previously sent him, and personally handed the document to the most capable lieutenant general under his command.

These two, perhaps the most resolute generals of this era in resisting the Jin, parted ways from then on.

So Yue Fei took the document and, without looking back, was about to leave the tent.

Seeing the other man stride to the tent entrance, Wang Yan finally couldn't help but call out to him: "Controller Yue!"

"Does the Grand Commandant have anything else to say?" Yue Fei turned his head, his mismatched eyes seeming to look down upon the man behind him.

"My intention to serve the country with utmost loyalty has not changed for a single day!" Wang Yan sat in the tent and announced in a loud voice.

"What proof does the Grand Commandant have?" Yue Fei's expression did not change.

"The bright sun and heavens above can bear witness to my heart!" Wang Yan pointed to his chest and said solemnly. "You may go now!"

Yue Fei was silent for a rare moment, but in the end, he turned and rode away alone on his single horse.

PS: Damn, I hope this doesn't ruin everyone's investment! I'm truly a sinner to the nation!