[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-318":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},1558484,2024,"Chapter 318: Leaning on the River (Continued)","shao-song-chapter-318",318,"\u003Cp>On the eighth day of the fourth month, the Song army marched along the river for over sixty li before stopping unhurriedly. At this point, their straight-line distance from Xingqing Prefecture was actually no more than forty li. Even following the river downstream and then turning back, the detour was only a little over fifty li... No matter how one calculated it, the Song army could rest for one night tomorrow evening and then, on the day after, the tenth day of the fourth month, formally launch an attack on Xingqing Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was fully two days earlier than the originally scheduled time, and two days, under the current situation, could very well be the time difference that decided a nation's life or death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the Song army's main force, both infantry and cavalry, remained intact, and all their supplies were present. It could be said they had suffered no losses at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, on this day, the Western Xia Prince of Liang, Weiming Anhui, had not failed to do his utmost. He sent small tribal light cavalry to continue harassing and had sheepskin rafts carry soldiers to meet the enemy from the river. But both were completely wasted against the Song army's more powerful crossbows... Even the Jurchens, renowned for their heavy armor, were daunted by the Song army's bows and crossbows, let alone these hastily assembled tribal soldiers lacking armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Anhui himself had long anticipated this. After observing the battle line yesterday, this Western Xia veteran, rich in war experience, had never expected such actions to have any practical effect. Those people were simply being forced to use their lives to do as much harassing as possible. And this old imperial clansman, currently the most militarily experienced in the Western Xia state, second only to the ruler in status, had set his mind on two things from the start... One was to conscript and assemble as many tribal troops as possible, the more the better; the other was to cross ahead of the Song army, arrive at Jingzhou, which was practically right next to the Yellow River, then forcibly take away the local Fan troops and civilian laborers, dismantle the local defenses, and scatter the wealth from the treasury and the gold goods from the temples onto the road east of Jingzhou city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unfortunately, the Song army did not touch Jingzhou at all. As dusk fell, the main force of twenty to thirty thousand Song infantry and cavalry arrived beneath Jingzhou city. Facing the open city gates and the gold and silk gleaming in the setting sun, not a single formation broke from the ranks. Instead, the entire army passed the city without entering and continued straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This drove the fear in Weiming Anhui's heart to a peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Tanguts were never a purely nomadic people, and Western Xia was no longer the kind of state where, as in Li Yuanhao's time, wherever the ruler was, that was the nation. Over nearly a hundred years, this state established by the Tangut people had ultimately been unable to resist the strong influence of Han culture. Its official system had basically begun to imitate the Song, Han rituals gradually overwhelmed the Fan rituals forcibly established at the founding, and Confucianism became the dominant doctrine. Although it still retained quite distinctive ethnic language, customs, and military systems, the mainstream culture had gradually leaned toward the Han system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This cultural nourishment, combined with the richness of the Yinchuan Plain, had gradually formed the state's own core agricultural region. Thus, a firm concept of a capital had ultimately taken shape—Li Qianshun had not left Xingqing Prefecture for many years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weiming Anhui certainly could not articulate these principles, nor could the Song officers and men who had abandoned Jingzhou without entering. But they all understood it clearly on another level!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were very clear that Western Xia's foundation lay in the Xitao region between the Helan Mountains and the Yellow River, this land of Xing and Ling, and the heart of this region was Xingqing Prefecture... Take this city, and no one dared say Western Xia would be destroyed, but the state would immediately go into shock!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a word, the gain or loss of Xingqing Prefecture already held enough significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this, Weiming Anhui did not hesitate to empty one of his trusted cities, Jingzhou, as bait, hoping to slightly delay the Song army's pace. And the Song army's senior officers did not hesitate to execute on the spot several soldiers and low-ranking officers who went to pick up loot, all to keep marching north and ensure they could launch the attack on Xingqing Prefecture the day after tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And no matter what, in this delaying action, the Western Xia had failed once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prince Liang did the right thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a wilderness ten li northwest of Jingzhou city, under the glow of a campfire, surrounded by several armored warriors and tribal chieftains, accompanied by the rumbling of distant drums, a Tangut nobleman wearing a tall golden crown sat by the fire. After hearing the report, he raised his wrinkled face and sighed. It was none other than the nearly fifty-year-old Western Xia ruler, Li Qianshun. \"If I were here, I would also use Jingzhou as bait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side of the campfire, several local officials and tribal leaders from Jingzhou visibly darkened and directly faded into the twilight. Weiming Anhui, his hair already gray, sat to one side. Upon hearing this, the unease in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hesitating for a moment, he directly bypassed the issue of Jingzhou and asked the key question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, if we do not stop them tomorrow, the Song army will be able to camp on the riverbank directly east of Xingqing Prefecture. That place is only a little over twenty li from Xingqing Prefecture and a little over ten li from the palace outside the city...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is precisely why I came in person to find Prince Liang.\" Li Qianshun's brow remained furrowed. \"Prince Liang, I have not been able to eat or sleep for the past three days, thinking over and over. Tell me, can the light cavalry in our hands be used to defend the city? Sending large numbers of light cavalry not to field battle but to defend a city—isn't that to deny our own strengths?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think so too...\" Prince Liang sighed, then straightened his expression, but clearly hesitated to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The situation today is all due to my incompetence and foolishness, not yours. As long as we can get through this, any words are loyal advice.\" Li Qianshun did not even look at Weiming Anhui, but could tell from his voice what he intended to express, and directly urged him. \"If Prince Liang has any useful words, speak them quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" Weiming Anhui replied with difficulty. \"Xingqing Prefecture has been repaired and expanded many times, but none were as extensive as the repairs I did over a decade ago when I was Grand Preceptor... At that time, the state was finally stable. Your Majesty promoted Confucian learning and revived Han rituals, while I expanded Xingqing Prefecture and built water conservancy projects... I am not boasting of my merits, but rather thinking that I, who personally built Xingqing Prefecture, have long known that city has too many flaws!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How could I not know?\" Li Qianshun nodded slightly. \"I personally issued the decree for you to build a large temple north of the city and a spacious palace east of the city. These two places can only serve as useless ladders for the Song army to attack the city... But who could have imagined back then that the Song army would come here? Since the founding of the state, Xingqing Prefecture has probably never been touched. A hundred years of peace—that is no empty boast.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the two old men, one nearly fifty and the other nearly sixty, the highest-ranking sovereign and minister in the heartland of Western Xia at this moment, fell silent together by the campfire for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, Weiming Anhui was slightly older, Li Qianshun slightly younger, with a gap of about ten years. Anhui was one generation senior to Li Qianshun, but their political and military experiences largely overlapped... In other words, this pair of sovereign and minister had been through too many things together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting from when the Lesser Empress Liang attacked Song, Weiming Anhui had begun to show his talent and gained some military authority. Then the Khitans poisoned the Lesser Empress Liang, and Li Qianshun, trembling and tearfully failing to secure a Khitan princess as his empress, could only honor Anhui as Imperial Father, Grand Preceptor, and head of the Privy Council. Anhui, as an imperial clansman and senior minister, became the head of all officials and held military power during the early period of Li Qianshun's reign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, Li Qianshun obtained a Khitan princess, also defeated the Song militarily, and made peace with the Great Song, stabilizing the state. From then on, his position grew increasingly secure. This Imperial Father, only a little over ten years older than the ruler, was naturally gradually stripped of power. Years ago, when Li Qianshun successfully replaced him with his adult younger brother, Weiming Chage, to control the army, this man was completely sidelined... The classic East Asian sovereign-minister drama, they had experienced every bit of it... Only now, with the Song army suddenly thrusting a knife into their belly and no famous generals available, was this old minister hastily recalled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, these old grudges did not affect their sincere cooperation and wordless understanding at this moment, because both understood that the Great White High State had truly reached its most dangerous moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking for a while, it was ultimately Weiming Anhui who broke the silence: \"Your Majesty, my meaning is that defending the city is not as good as fighting in the field. In the end, we must try our luck in the wilderness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qianshun's spirits lifted. This was exactly what he had been waiting for... At this time, bringing all the troops into Xingqing Prefecture was one thing; desperately blocking the enemy outside the city was another... Li Qianshun himself had already calculated this military and political account very clearly. Otherwise, he would not have come here in person, and his words just now had hinted enough. But he needed someone to stand up and give him courage, and to tell him and the surrounding tribal chieftains that this was the right thing to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have three reasons.\" Weiming Anhui, under the gaze of the surrounding armored warriors and some tribal chieftains, forced himself to be energetic and spoke vigorously by the campfire. \"One is what Your Majesty said earlier—most of our troops are light cavalry. I have never heard of cavalry abandoning their horses to defend a city. Another is what I just said—Xingqing Prefecture itself is not easy to defend... Unlike Lingzhou, it has been peaceful for a hundred years and has too many flaws. The last is that our imperial palace, Buddhist temples, and imperial mausoleums are all outside the city. The palace is right on the Song army's line of march. The Great Buddha Temple north of the city is also right next to the city wall. The mausoleums are at the foot of the Helan Mountains to the west... When the Song army attacks, will we burn down the palace ourselves, or let the Song do it? Once it burns, how do we maintain morale within the city? And what we fear most is that the Song army, instead of burning them, will use the terrain and materials of the palace and temples to press the attack. What do we do then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tribal chieftains finally began to murmur and discuss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, Li Qianshun suddenly stood up, drew his saber in front of everyone, and with all his might chopped down at the wooden table in front of him that held food and drink... One chop, but being old and lacking strength, he could not cut it in two with one blow. The blade only stuck into the tabletop... But it was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Li Qianshun had been the ruler of the Great White High State for forty or fifty years. He did not need such things to boost morale; his words and commands were sufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one chop was merely to show his resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My mind is made up.\" After the chop, Li Qianshun let go of the saber, leaned on the scabbard by the campfire, and looked around. \"We will follow Prince Liang's words. Tomorrow, we will gather the entire army of one hundred thousand and fight the Song to the death by the river. We will never let the Song advance to Xingqing Prefecture! Any tribe that disobeys military orders, I will have their entire clan exterminated, just like this table!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Prince Liang Weiming Anhui directly knelt and kowtowed, saying he received the order. The other tribal chieftains also prostrated themselves and kowtowed, then rose and shouted wildly, faintly echoing the wild shouts under the distant drums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morale of the army, with the Son of Heaven of the Great White High State, who had been on the throne for nearly fifty years, personally arriving and making a decision, was temporarily boosted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the decision made, everyone dispersed to prepare for the great battle tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, among them, Prince Liang Weiming Anhui had only taken a few steps when Li Qianshun caught up and pulled him aside in the darkness. The former turned back, and the latter spoke in a low voice: \"Prince Liang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You built Xingqing Prefecture.\" Although the wild shouts continued around them, Li Qianshun lowered his voice even further. \"You are still the most suitable for defending the city. Those Han officials like Xue Yuanli, though loyal, are useless. The Crown Prince and the Prince of Yue have already returned to the capital... If we cannot stop the Song army tomorrow and there is no time to speak on the battlefield, do not worry about me. Return directly to Xingqing Prefecture to take charge of the defenses. If I cannot arrive in time, first arrange things in the Crown Prince's name. Whether it's the palace or the Buddhist temples, tear them down if you need to, burn them if you need to. Use the wealth and goods inside as you see fit, reward as you see fit. Do not hesitate!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anhui was silent in the twilight for a long time before nodding heavily. But it was too dark here; only the golden crown on his head could be seen bobbing up and down, catching the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving aside what Weiming Anhui was thinking, on this side, after delivering this last crucial order, Li Qianshun turned and entered a large tent behind him. He finally dropped the stern and intense expression on his face and looked somewhat dejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, as the oldest and most experienced ruler among the various states, Li Qianshun had been through too many things, some even legendary. Not to mention his mother, his father-in-law, his wife and children, but just extending from the current military situation, the Western Xia's military victories against the Great Song alone were enough to make him proud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But others did not know, how could Li Qianshun himself not realize?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Western Xia had achieved several remarkable military victories and repeatedly plunged the Great Song army into disaster, in reality, the very occurrence of these battles meant that Western Xia had been strategically pushed to the brink of destruction by the Great Song time and again... If Li Qianshun could choose, he would rather be a peaceful ruler than want those political and military crises that had built his authority as sovereign. Otherwise, why would he seek peace with the Great Song after every victory? Why would he kowtow and beg for marriage alliances with the Great Liao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he also had some luck. From the time he came to power, he had been repeatedly troubled because the Great Song had built Pingxia City. But suddenly, the Jingkang Incident came, and the noose around his neck was suddenly loosened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he lost tens of thousands of elite field troops at the Yinshan Mountains, it did not stop him from capturing Pingxia City, taking Dingbian Army, and even seizing a small part of Xi'an Prefecture... And the rulers of the Great Jin were once willing to gift the land inside the bend of the Yellow River to Western Xia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a prospect that was!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, he truly felt that Western Xia could last another hundred years!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, the Song had come back, retaken Pingxia City, and then it was another severe crisis that came every eight or ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, even up to now, what had thrown Li Qianshun into a state of panic was not the Song army's surprise attack... The Song army's surprise attack was certainly fatal, but the problem was that this fatality came from a purely military raid, from his own tactical misjudgment, from leaving an opening. In such a situation, being seized upon by a skilled Song commander was simply a matter of being outmatched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What truly shook Li Qianshun psychologically was still the news from a few days ago about the Khitans' whirlwind advance along Hexi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, like many of his ministers, he had used great effort to accept the reality that the Tanguts were being pincered by the Han and the Khitans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Qianshun had a certain realization... This time, the Great White High State had truly fallen into an unprecedented crisis... It was just that the crisis then developed so quickly, so fatally, that it truly made his heart race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ninth day of the fourth month, as soon as the sky brightened, Li Qianshun rose directly. The Song army, which had been harassed all night, also rose properly, ate their meal, and continued their unshakeable march downstream along the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, the Western Xia had switched to noise harassment, but the Song army handled it properly. The outer layers remained armored and on duty, while the inner layers plugged their ears and slept, then rotated shifts... And they even launched a proactive raid in the early morning, with considerable gains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After starting the march, everything went smoothly, but the main generals Yue Fei, Qu Duan, and Liu Qi were already prepared... They did not need the clear intelligence brought back by Li Master's scouts from bloody skirmishes. Just on the unobstructed plain, even on the small slopes the generals occasionally passed along the way, they could notice that the Western Xia had begun to gather Fan cavalry and civilian laborers in large numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene was chaotic, with green sprouts and dust clouds coexisting, making it nearly impossible to verify the exact number of cavalry present, but without a doubt, the enemy was gathering troops as best they could, preparing to block the Song army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, considering the distance, this was only to be expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If we can cover forty li today, this battle can be called a victory.\" Qu Duan shaded his eyes with his hand, looked for a moment, then turned back to advise Yue Fei. \"But if we can inflict some casualties, then advancing on Xingqing Prefecture will be much more secure... Military Governor, if the Tanguts continue to harass with light cavalry today, we should allow the cavalry to counterattack further!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the early summer breeze, Yue Fei's expression did not change. He merely nodded slightly, sparing his words: \"Agreed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, this Commander of the Forward Army of the Imperial Camp was about to descend from the small slope and continue forward with the main army alongside the other generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was at this moment that the Vice Minister of War, Hu Hongxiu, who was about to move, suddenly changed expression, then reined in his horse and spoke out: \"Military Governor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\" Yue Fei turned back to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's the White Yak Tail Banner!\" Hu Hongxiu pointed towards the Xia army beginning to form up in the distance, providing a critical piece of information. \"The Xia sovereign has come!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding officers were all shaken, then vied to look. Even Qu Duan could not restrain himself; he straightened up on the Iron Elephant he had specially switched to today to look... It turned out that the so-called White Yak Tail Banner was not a banner embroidered with a white yak, but a large banner decorated with white yak hair along its edges, with the two characters \"Great Xia\" embroidered in Tangut script in the center. It had always been a symbol of the Xia sovereign. However, since Li Qianshun's two disastrous campaigns in his youth, whether due to some psychological trauma, he rarely led campaigns in person anymore. Thus, even those from the Great Song Western Army had not seen this banner for many years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back to the present, the white yak hair was extremely eye-catching. As the generals looked, there indeed was such a banner appearing and disappearing in the distance. It seemed the Xia sovereign had indeed arrived in person, and for a moment, there was an uproar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Yue Fei, after a brief pause, continued to turn northward: \"Pay him no mind. The key today is still to march forward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The personal guards behind him quickly raised the \"Utmost Loyalty to Serve the Country\" banner and headed north as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Qu Duan and Hu Hongxiu's lead, everyone straightened their expressions and followed, but they still couldn't help glancing at that White Yak Tail Banner...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, around noon, the attack finally began. It started with several groups of unarmored Fan cavalry arriving first, but they were clearly testing. With the experience from before, these cavalry only made shallow probes. Yue Fei again maintained the army's state from the previous two days, only having the outermost soldiers wear armor, rotating shifts, and the entire army continued to advance steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after two rounds of probing, by the afternoon, when the sun was beginning to slant westward, the Song army could see with their own eyes countless Xia cavalry and infantry swarming in, appearing in the fields within their field of vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of the cavalry were clearly wearing ill-fitting leather armor, and some even had dazzling armored cavalry moving back and forth within the formation. The so-called infantry were still single bows and spears, indistinguishable from ordinary laborers. This was the typical attire of the Xia's \"Zhuang Lang Lang\" (non-Tangut cannon fodder troops, mostly Han, but allowed to earn military merit), but they were clearly mostly Tanguts themselves... And the three groups combined, their numbers were excessive, almost instantly trampling the green sprouts in the fields flat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relatively speaking, the Song army formation was also visibly compressed and slightly deformed from a distance, forcing the marching commanders of each unit to shout new orders for adjustments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Military Governor...\" Hu Hongxiu was even somewhat panicked. \"Should we have the entire army don armor first?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No rush.\" Yue Fei glanced over and gave a grand order. \"Let them come first... The key is not to stop... If the army stops, they've won.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generals naturally understood this principle, but few responded, their tension already very apparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, under the White Yak Tail Banner, the Prince of Liang, Weiming Anhui, wearing a golden crown, turned back to look at the sovereign beside him, who wore a slightly taller golden crown: \"Over forty tribal camps, about twenty thousand light cavalry, two to three thousand Xingqing armored cavalry, over a thousand Bu Bozi, forty to fifty thousand... forty to fifty thousand Zhuang Lang Lang... Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Li Qianshun replied in a low voice. \"Most of these armored cavalry are private troops from the noble families in Xingqing Prefecture. That's why they have the money for good horses. Their family mansions are inside Xingqing Prefecture city; they will fight hard even if dismounted for city defense, and even if defeated, they will head back to Xingqing Prefecture on their own. But that thousand-plus Bu Bozi are mostly armored warriors from the tribes below the Helan Mountains... If they suffer a setback, they will inevitably scatter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject understands!\" Weiming Anhui did not hide his meaning at all. \"In this battle, naturally everyone will fight to the death, but there must be an order. If the Zhuang Lang Lang can achieve some success, then the Bu Bozi can follow them and be committed to battle first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qianshun nodded slightly. The next moment, as Weiming Anhui spurred his horse forward and waved his hand heavily, flags shook incessantly everywhere, and drums rumbled. First, armored cavalry moved out to the rear to act as overseers. Then, unlike the previous two days, this time, a staggering number of Zhuang Lang Lang surged forward first!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These Zhuang Lang Lang shouted and screamed, some bareheaded, some barely wearing a tattered felt hat, most only in an ill-fitting ragged jacket. Holding bows, they swarmed forward, launching a tide-like assault on the Song army. Often, after one volley of arrows, they would switch to long spears and charge into melee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Correspondingly, even as the Zhuang Lang Lang were shooting arrows, crossbow bolts were flying horizontally from within the Song army formation, causing countless casualties among the Zhuang Lang Lang. But bolstered by their numbers, these unarmored, single-weapon Tanguts still pressed forward wave after wave, swarming to the front of the Song army formation and making contact with the Song infantry line... It had to be admitted that this was the first time the Song infantry had engaged in large-scale close combat with the enemy since entering the Xing-Ling hinterland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arm the entire army!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the dense mass of Zhuang Lang Lang, Yue Fei, who had been marching unceasingly under the main banner, finally gave the order. But at the same time, he did not forget to emphasize: \"Slow down the laborers, slow down the armored cavalry. Even if the entire army slows down, we must continue to advance!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Duan and Hu Hongxiu on one side were both silent. Even throughout the entire army, although startled by the momentum of the Tangut Zhuang Lang Lang, no senior officer raised any objection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was because anyone with some military experience, especially those who had served in the Western Army, understood that troops like the Zhuang Lang Lang, whether composed of Han or Tanguts, were essentially cannon fodder, consumables. Their role generally had only three purposes: one was to gamble that this wave of charges could shake the formation, forcing the opponent to redeploy and create a flaw; another was to actively seek out weaknesses in the enemy formation through such large-scale contact; and the last, which needed no explanation, was to consume arrows and dull swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how sharp a blade, it can only cut through human bone so many times. Once an arrow pierces flesh, there's no thought of reusing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with such an attack from such troops, the first priority was to stabilize the formation, not to be drawn into their rhythm. Once stabilized and holding firm, these people would suddenly collapse on their own due to casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, whether it was because the Xia sovereign was behind them, or because their numbers were too great, this wave of Zhuang Lang Lang seemed exceptionally tenacious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the well-ordered Song army formation had formed concave pockets in various places and relied on discipline, armor, equipment, and formation to inflict heavy casualties, they still allowed these Tanguts to crash into the front of the crossbow formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, even the outer crossbowmen were armored, which prevented too many casualties among the crossbow formation. But without a doubt, this greatly reduced the Song army's killing efficiency, severely hindered the speed of the rear Song troops donning armor, and directly affected the formation's forward movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, perhaps sensing a glimmer of possibility, within their field of vision, a small number of Xia armored infantry, the so-called Bu Bozi, were already preparing to break into the army formation under the cover of these Zhuang Lang Lang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have the sword-and-shield soldiers don armor and break out of the spear formation to engage.\" Yue Fei, looking at the dense mass of Tangut cannon fodder, finally frowned. \"But they are not permitted to pursue beyond the formation! They are only to clear the Zhuang Lang Lang around the crossbowmen and prevent the Xia from entering the formation! The banner will follow me personally. No matter how slow the pace, we must advance step by step.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The order was passed down. Some sword-and-shield soldiers who had already been prepared for this situation immediately sortied... These soldiers, equipped with armor and sharp blades, facing these unarmored, spear-wielding, yet chaotic Xia infantry in dense formation, were essentially conducting a slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was foreseeable that as more and more armored sword-and-shield soldiers sortied, the Zhuang Lang Lang's offensive would eventually collapse, and the Song army's marching speed would quickly recover. But before that, the bloody slaughter would not stop... In fact, even the Tangut Zhuang Lang Lang themselves had momentarily been blinded by bloodlust, losing their senses... During the sword-and-shield soldiers' sortie, small groups of Tangut infantry everywhere seized gaps in the formation, successfully crossing the line and flooding into the army formation. But inside, they were met by dense Song armored cavalry, Fan cavalry, along with lances and cavalry bows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once inside, their chances of survival were virtually zero, yet they still swarmed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the chaos of battle, anything could happen. Especially with such large numbers, miracles were almost inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because the armored cavalry had been ordered to stay within the formation for several days, they were somewhat excited now. Thus, facing a wave of Tangut Zhuang Lang Lang that had surged in, the armored cavalry allowed a short, felt-hat-wearing Tangut to miraculously slip through their line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This person was splattered with half a body's worth of blood from who knows who, wildly brandishing a spear, charging furiously towards the moving four-character banner, howling and shrieking, looking utterly mad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, considering this person's equipment and stature, it was more comical than terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need for Yue Fei to say anything—he didn't even look at this person. Nor did Qu Duan or Hu Hongxiu need to speak. A Preparatory General, leading a few cavalry, rode forward, ready to finish this person off with a single spear thrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the miracle happened again. That highly skilled and battle-hardened Preparatory General of the Imperial Camp Cavalry, just as he was about to thrust his spear, instinctively hesitated for a moment, allowing that short Tangut to escape from under his spear and continue, with strange cries, charging straight for Yue Fei's command banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Preparatory General came to his senses and immediately gave chase, but Qu Duan was already boiling with rage. He pulled down his visor and personally rode the Iron Elephant over... Now, the Iron Elephant was a famous steed known throughout the realm. And Qu Duan, with twenty years of military service—though he couldn't even beat Wu Jie—was nonetheless imposing enough in stature. At this moment, looking down from on high, in heavy armor with a long spear, an iron mask, and a divine beast beneath him, he was awe-inspiring. Facing the short Tangut Zhuang Lang Lang before him, he was like a god or demon confronting an ant... In fact, the man, seeing this as he charged forward, was completely panicked. He finally regained his senses, then turned and fled in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could he have any chance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Preparatory General, with a single thrust of his spear, easily killed the man. Then he dismounted, removed the tattered felt hat, cut off the head, and knelt before the Iron Elephant, presenting it, claiming guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Qu Duan, looking at the head, was stunned for a moment. He didn't pursue the subordinate's mistake at all. Instead, without a word, he turned his horse around and returned to the central army banner, which was still slowly moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why not enforce military discipline?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei frowned and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing to say about it.\" Qu Duan lowered his visor, feigning casualness. \"It was a Tangut madwoman, an old madwoman, all her hair was white... Military Governor, the Xia are at the end of their rope!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei was finally stunned. He reined in his horse for a moment and looked seriously at the white-haired head. At the same time, the \"Utmost Loyalty to Serve the Country\" banner behind him also paused for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time the main commander's banner of this Song army had stopped since spotting the White Yak Tail Banner today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was only a pause. A moment later, the banner continued northward without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, as the Song army stabilized its formation, with the infantry line fully engaged, inflicting casualties everywhere, the tens of thousands of Tangut Zhuang Lang Lang, after leaving behind several thousand corpses, suddenly scattered just as all who understood warfare had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The outer Tangut Fan cavalry barely managed to round up half of those in front of them; the rest couldn't be bothered to stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the disciplined Song army did not pursue. Under the urging of their respective marching commanders, they immediately adjusted their formation, restored the previous marching formation, and continued northward without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Imperial Uncle.\" Seeing that the Song army not only did not pursue but continued to advance, Li Qianshun, amidst the scattered defeated infantry covering the hills, clearly lost his composure, even changing his address on the spot. \"Did you see any weakness in the Song army? We must make them stop!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's one place—I don't know if it counts as a flaw—but it's definitely the weakest point of the Song army!\" Weiming Anhui gripped the reins, turned his head, and spoke solemnly. \"Gather all the Collision Warriors; this time, press them all forward. I'll personally lead the charge to that spot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll lend the White Yak Banner to the Royal Father!\" Li Qianshun replied without a moment's hesitation. \"Today's matter, I entrust to the Royal Father!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired Weiming Anhui nodded, silently reined his horse forward. The armored cavalry officers and tribal chieftains who had heard clearly followed along, while dozens of golden-armored warriors escorted the White Yak Banner as they departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the departing Prince of Liang, Li Qianshun, standing by his horse amid the green seedlings, gradually felt a rising heat… At the same time, the Song army also spotted the Western Xia forces readjusting, but they were not surprised. Yesterday, the accompanying jinshi scholars had already conveyed the message to every soldier—everyone knew the Western Xia would desperately try to block them, and this was merely the first deployment of the Collision Warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, in a certain sense, today's battle had only just begun.\u003C\u002Fp>",5869,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","cd42d8f4e2dc74c45f561a267130abe0ffe4648c045366eac2e7c373b3c2e9b5","shao-song-chapter-319","shao-song-chapter-317",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]