[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-320":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},1558486,2024,"Chapter 320","shao-song-chapter-320",320,"\u003Cp>On the tenth day of the fourth month, the weather remained clear and showed a trend of continuous warming, only the fragrant gusts blowing along the Yellow River somewhat suppressed that restless heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still within the bounds of morning, the Song army reached the Western Xia imperial palace east of Xingqing Prefecture city without a drop of bloodshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately afterward, the commander-in-chief Yue Fei publicly ordered the entire army to stand at attention, forbidding anyone from leaving ranks to plunder. After this battle, civilian laborers would gather the spoils uniformly. Officers above the rank of Controller-in-Chief would take not a single share; the entire army would distribute evenly, with soldiers taking double and laborers taking half, showing no favoritism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this battle, Yue Fei had been famous for five or six years and served as a military commander for three or four. His reputation within the Imperial Army system needed no elaboration. Thus, as soon as this order was issued, soldiers and laborers alike cheered with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And immediately, amid the cheers, this commander issued another order: Qu Duan would lead two thousand armored cavalry as overseers, taking charge of military discipline and also serving as the general reserve; Li Master would lead his own Fan cavalry to circle the city for reconnaissance; Zhang Jing would lead troops to supervise the laborers, demolishing the Western Xia imperial palace from east to west, selecting building materials to construct ladders, battering rams, and other crude siege equipment; and Liu Qi would supervise all units advancing forward, first extinguishing the still-burning palace flames, then piling debris at various points before the city wall, even setting up siege positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Yue Fei summoned Zhang Xian and handed the gunpowder packets brought on this campaign to this most trusted subordinate, to be prepared for when necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let me add a word here: regarding gunpowder, as a commander, Yue Fei naturally knew the ins and outs. He had personally inspected and participated in gunpowder packet experiments more than once when visiting the Eastern Capital, and had long known that the court now had two major categories of relatively mature gunpowder weapons:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One type leaned toward aiding combustion, mostly used by the navy, with Zhang Rong's and Li Bao's units receiving the most. This type of gunpowder, in fact, the Jurchens also possessed, and it generally matched most people's understanding of gunpowder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relatively speaking, the other type—the one Yue Fei brought on this campaign—leaned toward explosive combustion... In the eyes of His Majesty Zhao, the power of this type of gunpowder was actually not great; otherwise, on the day of the public memorial, he wouldn't have buried so much in the ground beforehand to put on a show. However, in the eyes of men like Chen Gui and Yue Fei, one mature application of this gunpowder was already useful enough—dig a tunnel to the city wall, stuff in enough gunpowder, or pile gunpowder directly under a \"goose cart\" and then shove it into the city gate tunnel, and it would be enough to instantly blast a breach in the city defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike His Majesty Zhao's various dissatisfactions, this method of use, though seemingly simple, was actually revolutionary, because it would destroy the most popular method of breaching cities at the time. With this weapon, the artillery cart formations that took ten-day periods to build on a large scale fell into an awkward position, and the former single-layer high walls would also accelerate their transformation into typical multi-layered city defense systems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, this gunpowder, brought all the way from the Eastern Capital, was precisely another important reliance for Yue Fei's willingness to risk the advance on Xingqing Prefecture, and also the foundation of his certainty today... From the moment the white yak-tail standard fell yesterday, in Yue Fei's eyes, this city was already a bagged prize for the Imperial Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to be honest, after experiencing yesterday's battle and realizing that the Western Xia people truly had their gates wide open and simply had no time to organize effective defenses, Yue Fei did not want to use the gunpowder on this occasion... If possible, he would rather use this stuff at Great Ming Prefecture, Hezhong Prefecture, Taiyuan, or even the Jurchen Western Capital, as a secret weapon to quickly seize strategic strongholds when crossing the river northward in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as a professional soldier, Yue Fei needed to be responsible for the casualties of his subordinates. So he had also long resolved that if the sun reached the position of the Helan Mountain peak to the west and they still couldn't breach the defenses before them, he would immediately blow open the city gate and end this battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Song army's arrangements were proper and orderly, but the opposite side wasn't idle either, missing none of the usual scenes on a battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the Song army extinguished the palace fire, an acquaintance was immediately lowered from the city wall to come and \"comfort the army.\" It was none other than Xue Yuanli, the Western Xia chief councilor who had previously been sent as an envoy to Chang'an to meet the Son of Heaven of Zhao Song and had tasted the crow zhajiang noodles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei also had an impression of this man. And as a commander who was rare in this era for having consideration for the common people at the bottom, he still harbored some thought of persuading the city to surrender and preserving the populace. Moreover, since there was still time for siege equipment, he simply summoned him for a face-to-face talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sides met on the open ground before the palace's main assembly hall. Yue Fei sat motionless on a chair, while Hu Hongxiu, who was somewhat evasive due to his hair, chose to turn his back. As soon as he arrived, Xue Yuanli did not do anything extraordinary like showing neither humility nor arrogance or stepping within five paces, but instead made a deep bow with clasped hands, showing the utmost courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Yue Fei exchanged a glance with Hu Hongxiu, who had turned his back but had stolen a look beforehand, and their spirits lifted momentarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when Xue Yuanli raised his head, he spoke with righteous indignation and a different explanation: \"Governor Yue has brought an external army here. Not only have you not recklessly disturbed the palace, but you have also assisted in extinguishing the fire. You yourself have not entered the main hall, making no gesture to humiliate our state. As the chief councilor of this country, I ought to bow in thanks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei sighed inwardly but kept his expression unchanged, replying frankly: \"If that is the case, Councilor Xue need not thank me. The laborers in the rear are already dismantling large timbers to make ladders. The gold, silver, and valuables in this palace have already been promised to the thirty thousand valiant troops as rewards for this battle. The ceremonial crowns, robes, and implements that violate regulations will await the Son of Heaven's decree for further disposition... I did not enter the hall only because military discipline demands it, and I must set an example.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Yuanli did not grow angry either. He paused slightly, then clasped his hands and asked in turn: \"Speaking of this, the Great Song is a great state, and the Great White High State is a small state. When a small state makes a mistake, a great state should first send an envoy to demand an explanation, giving the small state a chance to correct itself. Why did you enter without declaring war, come directly to the capital of a small state, dismantle its palace, and then prepare to attack its capital?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei finally frowned: \"Councilor Xue is confused. Was it not you yourself who personally questioned the Son of Heaven at the Jinghe River mouth that day, then covered your face and left? If the Western Xia does not know that the two states are at war, it can only be because you deliberately concealed it... Even that is not right. The two armies have been fighting at Hengshan and Pingxia Fortress for months. If Chage had not led the main force to Hengshan, how could I have driven straight in? Why only now do you speak of declaring war or not declaring war?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Yuanli, without pausing for a moment, continued with clasped hands: \"Let the past be. May I ask, at this point, can Governor Yue temporarily withdraw? The Great White High State is willing to cede the seven prefectures of Hengshan to the Great Song...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei exchanged a glance with Hu Hongxiu, and both clearly saw the word \"absurd\" in each other's eyes. At this point, what meaning was there in saying such things?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, even if others didn't know, didn't this man before him know the temper of the Great Song's His Majesty?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking a step back, even setting aside His Majesty Zhao, could any commander of the Great Song, having come this far, possibly withdraw?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that is insufficient, we are willing to send another thirty thousand Dangxiang iron cavalry as vanguard for the Son of Heaven, to attack the rebel general Zhe clan north of the river... If still insufficient, we are also willing to send the Crown Prince to the Eastern Capital...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Yuanli spoke on and on, item after item. And before him, even though Yue Fei was by nature steady and composed, he could not help but repeatedly exchange glances with Hu Hongxiu beside him, sighing inwardly at the other's absurdity... But he did not say it aloud, because this kind of absurdity had happened six years ago as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That moment then was exactly like this moment now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Yue Fei patiently waited for the other to finish before speaking: \"Councilor Xue, at this point, only one thing can stop the war...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Yuanli immediately became solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please have your state's ruler, the Crown Prince, and the Prince of Yue, all three come to my camp. I will properly escort them to Chang'an to await the Son of Heaven's disposition,\" Yue Fei said calmly. \"If so, I am willing to spare Xingqing Prefecture and station my troops at Jingzhou.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Governor Yue is joking,\" Xue Yuanli said, finally breaking into a bitter smile after a moment of silence. \"It was precisely to prevent the ruler and the capital from being lost that I proposed all those conditions earlier... Does Governor Yue think that the rulers and ministers of our Great White High State are as lacking in resilience and integrity as those of your state? Xingqing Prefecture has ample grain and fodder, and a hundred thousand able-bodied men. It can hold out for months. When Prince Jin Chage returns with the royal relief army, we will attack from both inside and outside, and then we will keep Governor Yue as a guest in the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With words having reached this point, Yue Fei did not even bother to mention Yelu Dashi. He simply raised his hand from his seat to see the guest off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armored soldiers on both sides immediately came forward and pushed Xue Yuanli back. They did not detain or kill him, but let him walk to the city wall, climb back into a wicker basket, and return inside Xingqing Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This interlude, though somewhat strange, did not affect the overall situation at all. And thanks to the high-quality timber used in the Western Xia imperial palace, crude ladders and battering rams were ready before noon. At the same time, a large number of non-contact skirmishes had already begun around the city... While setting up siege positions, various Song army units had already started probing along the entire front, as if everyone could no longer wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, at this moment, no one could guess who would snatch the top merit in this battle. However, among the generals, the one who seemed farthest from the merit of breaching the city appeared to have been decided long ago—it was Li Master, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To speak of it, this Dangxiang general from Suide commanded mostly Fan cavalry from the Hengshan area. Compared to the opponents from yesterday's battle, they were merely more Sinicized, better equipped, and had an extra year or so of military training. They were not suited for siege warfare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And some things, though unspoken, did not mean they didn't exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master, young as he was, was already Deputy Commander of the Imperial Cavalry and had been specially allowed to inherit the title of Founding Duke. Moreover, given the performance of him and his father at the Battle of Yaoshan, no one could openly question their loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, this man should be one of the few with the brightest prospects in the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, that was only in theory. Everyone knew that throughout the court and within the Imperial Army, many still cared about his Dangxiang identity. Even before this campaign, some had suggested not letting Li Master accompany the army, lest he waver and cause great disaster. Li Master himself understood this well and wished to downplay his Dangxiang identity, but unfortunately, what His Majesty valued in him was precisely his Dangxiang noble lineage and his ability to control and recruit Fan cavalry. Thus, he was helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again, looking at the present situation, his Dangxiang identity did bring Li Master tangible benefits. When he led the Fan cavalry to monitor and reconnoiter the outskirts of Xingqing Prefecture, the local monks, commoners, rich and poor outside the city were much more docile. When inquiring about the situation inside the city, there was little resistance at the main road junctions outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this could not change the fact that he could not participate in the siege.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, during his reconnaissance ride around the city, he had early on discovered that the Tang Canal west of the city had been cut off. He immediately sent men to reconnoiter the two main water gates. Unfortunately, the Western Xia people were not foolish. Since the two main water gates had been exposed, how could they not be on guard? The Fan cavalry saw clearly that debris, bricks, and stones were piled solidly behind the water gates, completely blocking both gates inside and out, and archers from the militia were stationed above as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Master, who had been momentarily excited, sent men to report to the commander Yue Fei, but couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed. He simply gave up any thought of earning merit in this siege and focused entirely on securing the perimeter, preparing to pick up any scraps after the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the present, at noon, after arranging his Fan cavalry, Li Master led a force of two to three hundred of his own men, circling around the outer perimeter of the city. It could hardly be called an inspection; rather, he was personally enforcing discipline, preventing these Fan cavalrymen, who had only been Imperial Army soldiers for two years, from losing patience and bringing trouble upon themselves before the famously strict Governor Yue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's going on?\" Arriving at a spot south of the city, Li Master saw from a distance a hundred or so men and women kneeling before a temple by the roadside, with several monks talking and discussing with his own men. He immediately reined in his horse and rode forward to question them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander!\" The leading Fan cavalryman quickly reported. \"This temple was hiding many people. When they saw us, they tried to run, but we blocked them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great King,\" the monk, seeing that someone in charge had arrived, hurried forward to explain. \"These are all commoners and merchants who fled the city last night. Because they are old acquaintances with our temple, they hid here last night. There are no spies among them... I beg the Great King, for the sake of the Buddha, to be lenient. I, this poor monk, am willing to take them back into the temple and ask the Great King to send soldiers to guard them. When the battle is over, they can be released.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master frowned slightly, then looked again at the refugees. Seeing that most were indeed old, young, women, and children, with a few leaders who were plump \"gentlemen,\" he couldn't help feeling somewhat impatient. Moreover, since the battle was about to begin, he spoke directly from his horse:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those of you who have come to Xingqing Prefecture with my father and seen Li Qianshun, take a look. As long as none of them are Li Qianshun or his sons, don't make trouble... The situation is nearly settled; nothing can turn it around.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several personal guards, hearing this, immediately stepped forward to identify and question them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as expected, these people were mostly the so-called clever ones from the city—merchants, sorcerers, and low-ranking officials. Most had keenly sensed something from the gap when the defeated troops returned to the city last night and had fled under cover of darkness. However, they had started out a bit late. Though they had left the city, they didn't know how fierce the Song army's advance was, so they chose to lodge at a temple outside, only to be caught by Li Master's light cavalry. Asking these people about the defenders inside the city or weaknesses in the walls was almost useless. Not because they were unwilling to speak, but because the Song army had come too suddenly—only three days ago had they been startled, two days ago had definite rumors spread, and only last night had the city been suddenly sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such circumstances, even a god could not provide useful intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, after looking over many people and seeing none resembling Li Qianshun in appearance, and a few children about the same age as the Western Xia Crown Prince—though ninety-nine percent sure they weren't—he made a gentleman's agreement with the temple monks. These few families would be temporarily left under the temple's custody, and after the battle, once their identities were confirmed, they would be released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the rest, with the rumble of drums from the east signaling that the battle seemed about to begin, Li Master's impatience grew more evident. He simply raised his hand to signal that the remaining people should all be let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leaders of the refugees were all clever people, and with the monks present, they naturally gathered together and kowtowed to Li Master in thanks before the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master, already impatient, waved his hand roughly and turned to mount his horse. But just as he was getting on, a sudden inspiration struck him. He turned his head to look at one person:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Weren't the water gates blocked long ago? Why are you and your family's clothes all stained with water? How did you get out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man, clearly dressed as a merchant, was momentarily stunned. He turned back to look at his wife and children, but dared not conceal anything: \"To let the Great King of Song know, the Tang Canal has many branches, and there is more than one water gate passing through the city. The water has only been cut off for two days. The two large water gates north of the city are completely exposed and were blocked early on. But at other water gates, because the sills are usually set deeper, there is still water inside. No one has gone to clear them, and no one has gone to block them... When my family and I set out last night, the city was already sealed. Fortunately, my son and I are good swimmers, so we found a water gate and took turns carrying my wife and daughters through from the inside, and that's how we managed to slip out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master's heart pounded. He quickly pressed further: \"What is that water gate like? How deep is the water? How wide is the gate? In what direction? How can one swim through it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was equally panicked now, but in the end, he dared not refuse to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, Li Master rode with this man to the southernmost end of the eastern wall, only to stare dumbfounded at the scene before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, this water gate was neither large nor small—enough for two rafts to pass through. It likely served both for transport and for channeling canal water to irrigate the eastern lands—a proper water gate. And its location was actually on the eastern wall, which was the front line, situated slightly south of the position held by Zhang Xian's unit... According to the man's account, although the iron grating gate had been fully lowered, stones were wedged underneath, preventing it from reaching the bottom. Thus, at the very bottom, there was a gap half a zhang high, enough for someone to swim through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In normal times, the Tang Canal carried a lot of water, and the depth here was considerable. An ordinary person would find it difficult to swim through; only someone exceptionally skilled in water could pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could say it was quite hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the man beside him, he probably hadn't told the whole truth either. Judging by his dress and the things he had been carrying, he was mostly a small-time merchant—likely a petty smuggler dodging taxes, which was how he knew the depths here...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Western Xia troops on the wall, they had at most four days to arrange their defenses. By the time they resolved to defend the city and entered a state of lockdown, it was probably only from yesterday that they began. In their haste, compared to the residential buildings, the imperial palace, the Buddhist temples, and the two large water gates west of the city, this place still had enough water stored below, so they naturally felt they could rely on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the Song army had indeed refrained from arranging siege operations here because of the water. It was only because Li Master had led his unit here that a squad of men rushed over from the wall to spy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go back and report the intelligence just obtained to Military Governor Yue.\" Li Master was stunned for a moment, then suddenly turned back, no longer hesitating. \"Pick ten men who are good swimmers, wear leather armor, and go with this man to dive through... The rest of you, first shoot a volley of arrows upward to suppress and cover them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tangut merchant was utterly helpless. His family and all his goods were in their hands, so he could only comply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no fancy process. A quarter of an hour later, several hundred cavalry below the wall suppressed the defenders on the wall, and then ten daredevils calmly dove into the water with this man and entered the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, one group after another, in teams of ten, kept diving in from this spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thirty men had entered, they alarmed the defenders in other parts of the city. The infiltration turned into a forced assault, but by then the water gate had already been raised by the Song troops who had entered first, and several planks of wood had been laid under the gate to serve as a bridge. Li Master's unit, eager not to be left behind, dismounted one after another and burst in through the water gate... At this point, Yue Fei's response had not yet arrived, but Zhang Xian's unit had already detected the activity here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Master himself no longer hesitated. He immediately dismounted, did not change his armor, abandoned his long weapons and bow, and simply carried a pair of sabers on his back. He jumped in from the planks on the water gate, intending to fight in person to claim a great merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only at this moment, after entering the city, that Li Master noticed something unusual: \"Where is the guide?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That man had second thoughts underwater!\" Zhang Qi, the leader, was a childhood companion of Li Master and the captain of the personal guards left to him by his father Li Yongqi. He spoke without any restraint. \"He tried to push away the stone propping up the water gate, so I stabbed him directly with my knife underwater!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master was momentarily stunned, uncharacteristically dazed. But a moment later, he came to his senses. Together with Zhang Qi, both wielding twin sabers—four blades between them—they coordinated perfectly, truly like a fierce tiger and a hungry wolf, cutting down enemies in succession. In an instant, they scattered the Western Xia defenders who had come to block them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, seeing that Zhang Xian's unit had already poured in, the two of them ignored everything else. Relying on their familiarity with the geography from having been to Xingqing Prefecture together, they led their own unit straight toward the old palace in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this point, both above and below the wall had been fully alerted by this development. Without waiting for Yue Fei's order, Zhang Xian committed his entire unit to follow, breaking in through this spot. And for the Western Xia defenders on the wall, once one point was breached, the entire wall collapsed. They gradually lost control and finally scattered in a rout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be sure, after yesterday's battle, even ordinary soldiers could roughly guess from experience that this city would surely fall. But no one expected it to fall so easily. Even less did they expect that Li Master, who had been assigned to intercept and scout on the periphery, would achieve such a remarkable feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, as the Song army entered the city in force and began to clear it, Li Master's originally earth-shattering military merit inevitably dimmed somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were two reasons:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, it was only when the Song army entered the city in force that they realized the city had only two thousand armored defenders—the armored cavalry from Xingqing Prefecture who had fled back yesterday and the palace guards. The rest were tribal barbarian troops who had rushed in from outside over the past two days. On the wall, there were barely over a thousand armored soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Xingqing Prefecture's defenses were nothing but paper—it would have been pierced with a single poke, even worse than imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, after Li Master's surprise attack entered the city, he became bogged down in hand-to-hand street fighting inside and around the old palace. Even when the other units rapidly surrounded the area, he failed to capture Li Qianshun and his son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this point, all units of the army had gone mad. They sent in their finest troops, repeatedly combing through the narrow confines of the Western Xia old palace and its surroundings. The scope grew larger and larger, and gradually, there was a trend of eyes turning bloodshot. Looting, killing, and even rape had already occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this juncture, for some unknown reason, Li Master simply gave up on the monumental merit of finding Li Qianshun and his son. He went straight to the city gate to welcome Yue Fei's four-character command banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, Qu Duan entered first and began to restore military discipline, arresting soldiers from various units who had violated orders and sending them to the streets... Then Yue Fei's banner entered from behind, pausing not a moment. Along the way, he meted out punishment: looters had their rewards and merits stripped; those who killed indiscriminately or committed rape were executed on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coming to their senses, Qu Duan, Yue Fei, and Hu Hongxiu had already arrived before the old palace. The other generals also sobered up and gathered on the blood-soaked ground in front of the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean, can't find them?\" After hearing the report, Qu Duan, mounted on his Iron Elephant steed and standing at the intersection before the Western Xia old palace, was beside himself with frustration. \"The city fell so quickly—where could they have gone? Even if they were rats, with so many of you, you could have trampled them to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the generals looked at each other, all speechless... They simply looked toward Yue Fei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei frowned slightly, then turned back to look at a group of surrendered people. He and Qu Duan had gathered them along the way while restoring discipline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them understood. After a moment's thought, he first sighed, then stepped forward voluntarily, clasped his hands and bowed: \"Military Governor Yue... Your subject presumes to speak. In your subject's private guess, after receiving the Prince of Yue the day before yesterday, our sovereign and the crown prince went out together and never returned... At the very least, your subject has not seen the sovereign in person these past two days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Qu Duan and the others, despite their great victory, could not help but be somewhat exasperated. But Yue Fei, Hu Hongxiu, and Li Master—who had been the first to reach the old palace—all inexplicably froze at the same time, instinctively sensing something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that's the case, the weakness of the city's defenses makes sense. But who was in overall command within the city?\" Yue Fei, also mounted beneath the banner, asked seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Naturally, it was Privy Councilor Xue Yuanli.\" The man bowed again. \"All the decrees were brought out of the old palace by him. And when the sovereign went out the day before yesterday, he was publicly entrusted by the sovereign.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei finally understood where the strangeness lay... If Xue Yuanli was in overall command of Xingqing Prefecture, why had he personally come as an envoy before the battle? If he had been captured or killed, wouldn't this city have become a heap of loose sand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, Yue Fei fully realized the truth. And Hu Hongxiu, though slightly slower, also had a sudden epiphany.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: it was precisely because of this that the man had acted this way. Li Qianshun and his son were not in this city. With the broken and defeated troops left in the city, it would have been pierced with a single poke. Compared to this city, it was Li Qianshun's whereabouts that he needed to conceal as much as possible... So, when he left the city earlier and put on a show, he only wanted to make him, the Song army commander outside the city, mistakenly believe that Li Qianshun was still inside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one expected that after only half a day of fighting, the Song army had already breached the defenses... Of course, perhaps he had anticipated this and was only doing his best. And in a certain sense, this man's scheme had actually succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Western Xia has stood for a hundred years—there must be some reason for it.\" With this thought, Yue Fei finally narrowed his eyes slightly. Then, beneath the command banner, he reined in his horse and rested his spear, looking around. \"Where is Xue Yuanli?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the generals who had come to seize the old palace looked at each other again, only to realize with astonishment that not only were Li Qianshun and his son absent, but no one had even captured Xue Yuanli.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Qu Duan snorted coldly. Paired with the unusually dark-faced commander Yue Fei, the scene grew increasingly awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, in the midst of an awkward silence, Li Master suddenly seemed to think of something. He walked directly to the gate of the old palace, already in a mess and covered in blood and filth. He searched for a while among a pile of corpses and construction debris by the side of the gate, then pulled out a head covered in who knows how much dust and bloodstains. He rubbed it on a corpse to clean it, then turned back and presented it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Military Governor, could this be the man?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Yue Fei could identify it, Qu Duan glanced at it from the front and directly nodded: \"It's that wretch. When I sat across from him at the Jinghe Estuary that day, I remember his features clearly... You wretch really do have good luck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone fell completely silent, casting sidelong glances at Li Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master was slightly embarrassed and could only explain: \"When I attacked this place, he came out in armor, leading a group of golden-armored warriors to resist. The man was old and frail. Although he put up some fight, he couldn't even keep his footing steady. My unit commander Zhang Qi cut off his head with one blow. At the time, I didn't think anything of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei was moved inwardly, but his face showed nothing. \"He's just a loyal minister of a fallen state. He sought benevolence and got it. We still need to sweep through the other areas, find the whereabouts of the Li father and son, and pursue them relentlessly. There's no need to dwell on this... As for Vice Commander Li, you were the first to breach the city and killed the enemy leader. Such merit should rank first in this battle. Congratulations!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding generals reacted differently. Some forced smiles, some were still indignant, and some even sneered... But everyone knew that under the current system, it was impossible to deny this barbarian's merit, especially with Yue Pengju as the commander on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And considering this man's age, his current position, and the generosity of His Majesty, who knows how many people were green with envy at that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Li Master, the focus of everyone's attention, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly threw down the head, made a deep bow, and clasped his hands: \"Military Governor, I wish to exchange the merit of breaching the city and killing the enemy leader for a favor...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Fei frowned slightly and did not respond directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master continued, bowing sincerely: \"I ask the Military Governor to restrain the discipline of all units and treat the people of Xingling well... Naturally, if there are any who refuse to submit to the king's civilizing influence, I am willing to personally go and pacify them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expressions of those around him softened slightly, but Yue Fei still frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be known that Yue Fei was not one to condone lax discipline or the looting of civilians. Especially after these months of contact, he had personally felt that although the Tangut people wore different clothes and had different customs, their sinicization was still very deep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, with Xingqing Prefecture fallen, as long as they quickly swept the surrounding area, held the river against Weiming Chage's counterattack, and guarded against Yelu Dashi turning hostile, the century-old foundation of Western Xia would suddenly collapse like a mountain, drain like a river... At that time, while the Hengshan region was beyond their control, the Tangut people in Xingling would inevitably split in two—some lost to the Central Plains, some taken by the Khitans. At this moment, large-scale slaughter and looting of the Tanguts would be like serving food to Yelu Dashi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that one of the fundamental reasons the Imperial Lord had launched this campaign in the first place was to build up the cavalry on a large scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, by reason, by sentiment, by merit, and by interest, there was no need for the other party to ask him, Yue Fei, to restrain military discipline, because he would never indulge lax discipline… Had they not just seen, all along the way here, it was he, Yue Pengju himself, who had ordered heads chopped off?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suspect this man, embarrassed by his ethnic background and having rendered such a great merit, felt somewhat uneasy in his heart, and thus sullied his own reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was also possible that this man was relatively young and ultimately hadn't thought too much about it, his mind being straightforward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, this was not the time to dwell on such matters. Given Li Master's status and the importance of this battle, Yue Fei would naturally explain the whole matter properly to the Imperial Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought, Yue Pengju no longer concerned himself: \"I understand. Let it be said thus… Vice Minister Hu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master quickly rose, and Hu Hongxiu, still wearing his headcloth, also turned and stood with clasped hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I entrust all matters of Xingqing Prefecture to you,\" Yue Fei instructed calmly. \"Settle the people, restore the city defenses, repair the ruins… everything shall be decided by Vice Minister Hu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Hongxiu naturally acknowledged the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Qu.\" Yue Fei continued summoning people without pause. \"Jingzhou and Huaizhou are the closest to Xingqing Prefecture, and both lie by the river. They will surely learn of the commotion here immediately. Take two thousand cavalry and four thousand infantry. With the momentum of having destroyed Xingqing Prefecture, swiftly sweep these two places clean, and also search for the whereabouts of the Li father and son. After the sweep, do not return; set up river defenses directly at those two locations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Duan did not dismount from Iron Elephant, but simply clasped his hands from atop the horse in acknowledgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deputy Commander Liu (Liu Qi), take one thousand cavalry and two thousand infantry and go to Shunzhou…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qi also acknowledged the order directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Zhang.\" Yue Fei then looked toward Zhang Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jing stepped forward in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take one thousand cavalry and one thousand infantry, follow the Tang Canal north, and go to Dingzhou… The north has not been deeply penetrated; be careful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jing naturally had no objection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deputy Commander Li!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master quickly bowed his head again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our army came out this time, not counting Deputy Commander Wang behind us, with twenty-one thousand battle-ready troops, roughly half cavalry and half infantry. Up to this point, we have lost about seven hundred… It can be called a great victory.\" Having said this, even Yue Fei himself paused slightly before continuing. \"Now, the other units have already been dispatched, totaling eleven thousand men, including four thousand cavalry and seven thousand infantry. We have remaining over six thousand cavalry and over three thousand infantry. I will keep the infantry here to assist Vice Minister Hu. As for the remaining cavalry, three thousand tribal cavalry and three thousand armored cavalry, I give them all to you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master was momentarily shaken and looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not asking you to attack cities, but to go to the foot of the Helan Mountains, sweep along the mountains and subdue the various Dangxiang tribes. Tell them that Western Xia has fallen, the Great Song has risen, and order them to come to the city to meet the Chinese commander and henceforth serve the Son of Heaven of China.\" Yue Fei calmly gave the order to the young Dangxiang general before him. \"If you have the heart to pacify the Dangxiang for the Imperial Lord, this is where you should exert your efforts… Do you understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Master nodded heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Be wary of Yelu Dashi suddenly coming over from the opposite side of the Helan Mountains.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving this final instruction, Yue Fei finally dismounted. He came before the severed head lying there, made a slight bow with clasped hands to this Western Xia Han Chinese minister, then directly remounted his horse and, leading the commander's banner, headed toward the government offices in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Hongxiu sighed, then also turned and left with the surrendered officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Qu Duan, riding Iron Elephant from behind, he passed by this spot, reined in his horse slightly, and sneered: \"These people, always trying to imitate the Imperial Lord's manner day in and day out, but they don't realize that with a pair of mismatched eyes, how could they ever learn to look like him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, Qu Da merely raised the long spear in his hand, gave a slight flick, and sent this head, on which the faint outline of a flying-bird hairstyle could still be seen, flying far away like a polo ball. It landed in the pile of heads that the soldiers had painstakingly stacked, not only scattering a section but also making it impossible to distinguish which one was Xue Yuanli anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he swaggered off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his smug and self-satisfied demeanor formed a stark contrast with the restraint he had shown before the campaign and during the march and battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining generals, including Liu Qi, Li Master, Zhang Jing, and dozens of others, stared blankly at that pile of heads, then looked at the departing Qu Duan, exchanging bewildered glances for a long time. Only when the cheers from the city, following that great banner, gradually rose to a crescendo, shaking the mountains and rivers, did they finally come to their senses… Regardless of where Li Qianshun and his son were, the great affair of a thirty-thousand-strong army launching a surprise attack on Xingqing Prefecture from the Hulu River — had it actually succeeded?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could a battle really be fought like this? Could affairs really be handled like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A miraculous feat had been accomplished; a great undertaking had been achieved?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But looking around, the warm wind came from the south, the city was filled with cheers, the Helan Mountains stood majestic to the west, and the great river surged eastward — none of this could possibly be false.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to classmate adrian_fufu and classmate Hewushazhou for their patronage! 132 Alliance Leaders! Grateful beyond words.\u003C\u002Fp>",6917,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","a7dfb1227d635640c3f3785f1e75d989c238558b66907f093c3a7d8a6de1a3ad","shao-song-chapter-321","shao-song-chapter-319",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]