[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-235":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Shao Song",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1558401,2024,"Chapter 235: Setting Forth","shao-song-chapter-235",235,"\u003Cp>Deciding to go on an expedition doesn't mean you can set out immediately, just as deciding to go on an expedition doesn't mean the odds of victory are high, or that the decision-maker truly believes the expedition will surely win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, from Zhao Jiu's perspective, choosing to take the initiative and strike out was largely because the situation had already become entangled, so he simply hardened his heart and went for it. Before and after this, the other high-ranking officials were still in favor or opposed as before… Zhang Jun, for instance, had always thought they should go on the expedition, while Liu Ziyu had opposed it from start to finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, since the Son of Heaven had made the decision to go on the expedition, Liu Ziyu had no choice but to keep his mouth shut, because at this point, the lower-ranking officers, soldiers, and common people had to be made to believe that the expedition was sure to win. Liu Ziyu had to pretend to be completely convinced, even if he had to fake it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But again, going on an expedition doesn't mean you can set out immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A force of a hundred thousand men—how to assemble them? Who goes first, who goes after? What route for each? With the troops like this, how to coordinate the logistics? With so many generals, when they converge, who listens to whom?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these matters had to be arranged and resolved one by one. It was fortunate that the Bureau of Military Affairs already had contingency plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And on this day, as Zhang Jun once again submitted a memorial requesting the dispatch of troops, and after \"convincing\" His Majesty Zhao, things indeed began to grow complicated and tedious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the perspective of high-level planning, the first issue was who would remain behind to guard Chang'an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding this, Zhao Jiu had long since made arrangements. First, he hung a brand-new golden halberd banner in Chang'an City and formally took up residence in the palace there… Although there had been speculation inside and outside Chang'an, the news that the Son of Heaven had moved his carriage to Guanzhong still shook the entire Jingzhao region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Zhao Jiu soon dragged Yuwen Xuzhong into the old palace of Chang'an as well and bestowed that golden halberd banner upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, with Luoyang about to be exposed, he still intended to play psychological warfare with those like Wanyan Loushi, having Yuwen Xuzhong remain in Chang'an in his own name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the strategic point of Wei Bridge, he entrusted it to Liu Ziyu, while Zhang Jun continued to oversee logistics… He himself planned to go directly to the front-line camp under the banner of Yuwen Xuzhong for an imperial personal expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, with all the feints and deceptions, even a little bit of confusion would help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, this arrangement was more or less expected by the high-ranking civil and military officials. His Majesty Zhao's willingness to go all out had been evident for some time; ever since the day of the entrustment, everyone had basically anticipated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, once this high-level plan was quickly decided and it came to the execution stage of deploying the troops, something happened that left His Majesty Zhao inwardly stunned—the troops of the three circuits west of the Pass, who had been hiding behind Jingzhao, were originally prepared to set out for the front line, but upon hearing that His Majesty had arrived in Chang'an, incited by someone unknown, they actually demanded marching pay from within the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How to put it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his initial shock, Zhao Jiu was not angry at all. He even felt that this matter was unexpected yet reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This \"reasonable\" did not mean that the matter should have happened this way, but rather that Zhao Jiu almost immediately realized that this unit was precisely at this level… This was the original Western Army. They had combat effectiveness, and their combat experience might even be richer, but in essence, they were still an old army with strong \"Great Song characteristics\"—the same army that had abandoned combat on the battlefield because the silver bowls for rewards were insufficient, and the same army that would occasionally kill innocent people to claim merit or sit idly by while friendly forces were annihilated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this army had suffered several major routs and had only been receiving their military pay again for a little over half a year. After seeing the equipment and treatment of the Imperial Guard troops, and upon hearing that the Great Song's Son of Heaven had arrived, it was perhaps not incomprehensible for them to demand an extra reward to seek psychological balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, compared to Zhao Jiu's calmness, Zhang Jun and Yang Yizhong were clearly filled with shame and indignation over this matter. The former, as the actual overall commander of these units, felt embarrassed facing the decisive actions of the Imperial Guard troops and the achievements of Wu Jie from the three circuits north of Shaanxi; the latter, having previously made statements to His Majesty Zhao about \"defending the country and the family\" and guaranteed the combat capability of these Western Army troops, felt ashamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, regardless, Zhao Jiu was quite experienced with this kind of thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the reward, or marching pay, His Majesty Zhao had Zhang Jun distribute it without hesitation… What else could he do? He had already increased taxes in the Southeast, added levies in Jingxiang, and Bashu had prepaid two years' worth of taxes. The Dongting Lake region had already begun to rebel, and there might be other troubles in the future. What was all this desperate effort for if not to avoid being constrained by money and grain at the moment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the Western Army was indeed quite poor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Zhao Jiu had Yang Yizhong select thirty officers below the rank of commander, all of whom were the most troublesome in this demand for marching pay, and then handed the list to Liu Xi, Liu Qi, and Zhao Zhe, ordering them to behead them immediately in their own names as a warning to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why Yang Yizhong could do this, it was not because his Imperial City Department was still so effective west of the Pass, but because his grandfather, Yang Zongmin, had been the Grand General stationed in Chang'an during the Jingkang era, responsible for the entire Guanzhong defense. He had later died for the country when Chang'an was breached by Wanyan Loushi, and he had long-standing connections and prestige in the area, which made it convenient for Yang Yizhong to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the executions, Zhao Jiu, in his capacity as the Son of Heaven, formally issued a proclamation. Citing the fact that the Jin army had ravaged Guanzhong, leaving much ownerless land, he promised to grant land to local soldiers based on military merit—ten mu of land for each Jin soldier's head. There was a similar policy for the Imperial Guard troops, directly promising to take the previous military farms in Henan and turn them into private property as rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Imperial Guard soldiers who were from west of the Pass and wanted to acquire property there, they were also allowed to participate in the Guanzhong military merit land grants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, Zhao Jiu was issuing typical empty promises. It was one thing for the Imperial Guard troops, as there were the Henan military farms to back it up, but in Guanzhong, he had only been there a few days. How could he know how much idle land the Jin army had left behind after sweeping through Guanzhong? And how could he know whether these idle lands had already been seized by these military leaders, officials, and landlords?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no other choice; at this moment, he had to do it this way!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the upper-level military leaders, he had promised official positions and rewards—he had already done this as soon as he arrived, directly granting titles to five or six Grand Coordinators, five or six Military Supervisors, one Commander-in-Chief, and one Commanding Officer. For the middle and lower-level officers, he had just distributed money and silk. For the lower-level soldiers, he promised land… Since ancient times, what other means were there to motivate the army? Appeal to righteousness? He had done that too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides, if this battle was won, even if the land in Guanzhong had been occupied, he could make those people spit it back out. But if they lost, Guanzhong would be gone, so what was there to say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, with the Zhao Song Son of Heaven, stationed in Chang'an, gritting his teeth and throwing everything into it, regardless of the outcome, the vast war machine was hastily set in motion… And while these chaotic matters were being hastily dealt with, the various other large armies west of the Pass had already begun to move according to the various directives issued from Chang'an City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Duan, Wu Lin, and Li Yongqi were ordered to rush south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Imperial Guard Central Army, under the command of Wang De and Wang Yan, advanced in a pincer movement, dividing their forces to rapidly advance toward the four cities of Pucheng, Meiyuan, Xiagui, and Fuping… This was the border area of Huazhou and Yaozhou, the region opposite where Wanyan Loushi was currently located at the junction of the Weibei Plain and the northern hilly plateau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the tenth day of the fifth month, having received money and silk rewards, promises of land for military merit, and of course, having had some heads chopped off as a demonstration, the troops from the Xihai Circuit, Lizhou Circuit, and Qinfeng Circuit finally set out. Under the leadership of their respective officers, they crossed the Wei River and marched northeast toward the main force of Wanyan Loushi's unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Song-Jin war suddenly entered a new phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if Scholar Lin's estimation of Yue Fei's situation was not wrong, what truly marked the new phase of the war was Yue Pengju's Imperial Guard Forward Army crossing north during the Dragon Boat Festival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whether Yue Fei succeeded or failed, or even the outcome at Luoyang, Zhao Jiu could not afford to worry about too much. He wrote a clear personal letter in the form of an imperial decree to Li Yanxian, ordering him to intercept all military intelligence east of the Pass to ensure that the Jin army in Luoyang could not harass the area west of the Pass. If he could achieve this, he would be the foremost meritorious official of this battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yanxian certainly understood the stakes and was trustworthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Zhao Jiu's only military response regarding Luoyang was one thing: he sent Zhai Jin's eldest son, Zhai Cong, and his two hundred elite soldiers back to Luoyang via the small path along the Southern Luo River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twelfth day of the fifth month, in the height of summer, Zhao Jiu also departed from Chang'an. On the fourteenth day of the fifth month, he arrived at Suyi Town, behind Fuping and Xiagui. This was the predetermined logistics headquarters north of the Wei River, as planned by the Bureau of Military Affairs' Directorate of Operations, and was garrisoned by Zhang Jun. Zhao Jiu did not stop here; he merely left behind the three to four thousand soldiers, who had been gathered in the same manner and with the same status as Zhai Cong—the \"trump card\" that everyone had thought he was carrying—and then continued northeast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the morning of the fifteenth day of the fifth month, after a sudden summer rainstorm the previous night that had also quickly passed, Zhao Jiu personally led the Imperial Guard Direct Attendants and two units of the Beiwei Army to a position between the four cities of Pucheng, Fuping, Meiyuan, and Xiagui, roughly ten-odd li northwest of Jingyao Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the front-line camp established by the thirty thousand troops of the three western circuits, presided over by Liu Xi, the Grand Coordinator of the Xihai Circuit and Commander-in-Chief, who held the highest official rank, the most seniority, and the strongest subordinate combat power among the three western circuits… This location was only seventy to eighty li from Wanyan Loushi's camp on the south bank of Baishui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, please look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the bright sun after the rain, the weather was refreshingly clear. Commander-in-Chief Liu Xi invited His Majesty Zhao, who had just arrived, to ascend a nearby plateau for a high vantage point to view the camp. \"Your servant did not set up the camp within Jingyao Town, but rather behind this marsh ten li from Jingyao Town. First, to escape the heat, and second, to use the marsh and mud to slow down the Jin cavalry…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu looked in the direction indicated and saw that the terrain here already displayed the characteristic plateau landforms of the northwest… What is called plateau land is a kind of tableland with steep sides and a flat top, formed by soil erosion, where ravines cut through the highlands like lines randomly drawn on the earth, creating an irregular chessboard-like terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Similar terms include \"ridge\" and \"mound.\" Ridge land has a ridge-like shape in the middle, while mound land has a small hill-like shape in the middle, both being variations of plateau land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The large camp Liu Xi had set up was adjacent to a plateau with a small hill—that is, a mound—which was right beneath Zhao Jiu's feet. However, he had not chosen to occupy this high ground but instead selected a lower position to establish the stockade, because there was a large, greenish marsh in front of that open area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loess soil, marshland, plateaus, and plains converged here, yet the plains were not very flat, the ravines around the plateaus were not very steep, the marsh was not very deep, and the loess was not entirely without vegetation cover… According to the locals, this complex terrain would continue all the way to Baishui City ahead, where Wanyan Loushi was located.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, according to intelligence, Wanyan Loushi had also taken the initiative to cross the Baishui River and set up his camp next to a marsh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the present, after Liu Xi had talked until his mouth was dry, His Majesty finally spoke: \"When you sent word earlier about setting up camp here, was it because you had your eye on this marsh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reporting to Your Majesty, that is correct.\" Liu Xi quickly explained further. \"Although high ground and plateau ravines have their own advantages, it is still the marsh that is most effective in slowing down cavalry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu, of course, did not understand these matters, so he nodded and then asked again: \"Won't the troops be spread out too much?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, the four surrounding cities are not far apart, and the Jin army is eighty li from here. Once they move, it will be enough time for the troops from the four cities to converge…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if they take the opportunity to occupy the cities?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We want them to occupy the cities… Once they occupy the cities, they lose the advantage of their cavalry and will find it difficult to break free, like entering a trap.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu frowned slightly: \"Will the Jin army definitely act as we think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course not.\" Liu Xi immediately replied. \"Your Majesty, this is only the optimal move for our army at present. We intend to link our camp here with the four surrounding cities, forming a single entity, making a gesture of blocking the Jin army from entering the Weibei region. If the Jin army responds otherwise, we will naturally respond in kind…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu looked at the surrounding terrain again and nodded slightly… He roughly understood Liu Xi's meaning. Saying they were going on an expedition to meet Wanyan Loushi to the north did not mean they would simply set a date and then line up for battle. Instead, they would seize advantageous terrain, deploy their troops, and then, like playing a game of chess, probe, maneuver, and pressure each other, finally launching or luring the enemy into a decisive battle based on the changing situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a continuous dynamic process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the current situation is merely that the Song Army has made the first move as they intended. Whether the Jin Army responds or not will change the situation... and this depends on what Loushi thinks and does.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you arrived the day before yesterday, didn't the Jin Army send cavalry to harass your camp?\" With this thought, Zhao Jiu continued to press.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the main army advanced the day before yesterday, there were naturally a few Jin Army roving cavalry crossing beyond Pucheng ahead, engaging our forward scout cavalry. Yesterday, near Changle Town, where the North Luoshui Bridge is located, there was even a skirmish involving over a hundred riders. But because Commander Han sent reinforcements from across the river, the fighting did not last long before both sides withdrew. As of today, there has been no report yet, but there are no beacon fires from Pucheng or Meiyuan ahead.\" Liu Xi answered fluently. \"Overall, the Jin Army has not truly committed to battle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Zhao Jiu fell completely silent. To be honest, he was an outsider when it came to troop deployments and formations, and listening to the report only helped him understand the situation a little better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, although Zhao Jiu said nothing, Liu Xi still had his own questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" After hesitating for a moment, Liu Xi asked tentatively. \"May I ask where the imperial carriage will be stationed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will use Chancellor Yuwen's banner as the command standard, with the Imperial Guard and the two Beiwei Army units from the Right Army and Vanguard Army of the Imperial Camp as the central army, and Imperial Camp Commander-in-Chief Wang Yuan handling the central army camp's general affairs. I will set up camp behind you.\" Zhao Jiu answered bluntly. \"If you have military intelligence, come directly to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xi was silent for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and spoke: \"Your Majesty, you are the lord of the myriad people, the Son of Heaven of the Great Song, of noble status. It would not be proper for you to personally engage in warfare... And now that Staff Officer Liu is not here, there are nearly eighty thousand imperial troops gathered within a few dozen li of this area, with Commander-in-Chief Wang and myself here, and also a Deputy Commander-in-Chief Wang at both Pucheng and Meiyuan...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say no more. My mind is made up.\" Zhao Jiu, as if he hadn't understood the other's meaning, directly interrupted him. \"I will live or die with the armies. You need not try to persuade me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xi was silent for a moment, and in the end dared not say more. He could only nod reluctantly, then followed His Majesty Zhao as he reined his horse, turned, and descended from the high ground on the plateau, returning to the area behind the marsh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When His Majesty's camp was hastily established and the \"Yuwen\" banner was hurriedly raised, Liu Xi, along with Zhao Zhe and Liu Qi, turned back to their respective camps. But halfway there, he could not help complaining to his own younger brother:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When we set up camp the day before yesterday, word came that Qu Duan had entrusted his troops to the Zhang Zhongfu brothers and ridden south alone on his Iron Elephant horse. I knew it would be trouble. Who would have thought that after all these days of contention, this command position would still be snatched away by that bastard Qu Da? It just shows that no matter how hard you work guarding the border, it's not as good as showing your face more often before His Majesty, and certainly not as good as passing the metropolitan examination!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Zhe pretended not to hear. Liu Qi, upon hearing this, was helpless and could only offer a few casual words of comfort, but said nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, as everyone knew, His Majesty Zhao could not personally lead the army, and this sovereign had always advocated that one who does not understand military affairs should not be commander. So, no matter how many layers of identity and banners His Majesty put on, there had to be one person to serve as the overall military commander of this army of over a hundred thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with the Imperial Camp's central army split in two, and Wang De and Wang Yan unable to command each other, it was very likely that Liu Xi and Wang Yuan would compete for this command position. In fact, they had already begun their open and secret struggle back in Chang'an. By the time of this campaign, Liu Xi had gone ahead, ordered to act as circumstances dictated, and had almost thought he would secure this command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would have thought that His Majesty's attitude would be ambiguous, and Qu Duan's southward ride would be so swift, completely dashing Liu Xi's hopes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Qu Duan had previously been the top general in Guanzhong and the actual military leader of the three northern circuits. Among the Western Army, which valued seniority, if he jumped out to seize this command, Liu Xi really had no way to deal with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, even Liu Xi's complaint now had a hint of admitting defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And sure enough, that very evening, before the sky had fully darkened, at the central army camp that had been hastily set up and was just taking shape, several riders indeed galloped in from the north to seek an audience with His Majesty. Liu Xi, as commander-in-chief, naturally had his scout cavalry spot this and hurriedly report back. According to what those scout cavalrymen saw from a distance, they could not make out the riders' faces clearly, and there were no banners, but everyone recognized the famous Iron Elephant horse from west of the Pass. It was clear that Qu Da had truly returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Liu Xi's last shred of hope was utterly extinguished. He could only wait for His Majesty to gather everyone the next day and clearly designate the command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you are Wu Jinqing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu, who had been halfway through shooting an arrow, saw a yellow-faced general being led into the archery range behind the central army tent by Wang Yuan and Yang Yizhong. He immediately put away his arrow, turned, and smiled. \"I had Qu Duan guard Fangzhou for you. That should be fine, shouldn't it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject is overwhelmed with awe.\" Wu Jie, who had ridden all day to arrive, was drenched in sweat. He knew that the young man before him, wearing cotton clothes more expensive than silk, must be His Majesty of the Zhao Song, and he was indeed somewhat awed. But the military situation was urgent, so he hurriedly knelt to pay his respects while struggling to lift his head and inquire. \"Your subject's troops were originally under Grand Coordinator Qu's command, so naturally there is no problem. But I dare ask Your Majesty, why have you summoned me here alone? Please enlighten me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's like this.\" Perhaps because the place was near the marsh, Zhao Jiu, who had not sweated much, simply threw down his bow and arrow, stepped forward to help the other up, and smiled slowly. \"Jinqing should know that the state is about to have a great battle. Here in the west of the Pass, I should have had Han Liangchen issue orders and oversee military affairs on my behalf. But although he is right across the North Luoshui River in Tongzhou, he has another important task. So I want to entrust the only hundred thousand troops here in Guanzhong to you, and ask you to swallow up Loushi for me... I wonder if Jinqing is willing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Jie was dumbfounded... And let it be said, the first thing that came to his mind was not to thank His Majesty for the favor, but rather the reluctant look on that bastard Qu Da's face when he came to Fangzhou to borrow his Iron Elephant horse and told him to go south for an audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That look, as if he, Wu Jie, didn't just owe him a horse, but owed that bastard Qu Da a Military Governor position.\u003C\u002Fp>",4076,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","32ce27c9e15f5e1296a8300400383d8f35cbc5f115f8a3499bc60f260fe59c53","shao-song-chapter-236","shao-song-chapter-234",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]