[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-380":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},1558546,2024,"Chapter 380: Discussing Military Affairs","shao-song-chapter-380",380,"\u003Cp>In the afternoon, when the sun was a bit sweltering, the Imperial Lord, Lord Lu, and Commander-in-Chief Wang led the crowd away from the old Luoyang palace and headed toward the military camp outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because they had just held a sacrifice for the late Lord Wang Boyan, who had once served the imperial carriage with bow, horse, and sword, the atmosphere was somewhat somber. The group advanced slowly along the Jian River, and when they were halfway there, considering Lord Lu's age, they stopped directly at a thatched shed by the roadside to rest for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thatched shed had probably been a tea stall before, but now it was completely empty. The tables, chairs, and utensils were still there, the owner having clearly left in a hurry. Once the Imperial Lord, Lord Lu, and Military Governor Wang entered, the imperial bodyguards quickly wiped things down with something, arranged the seating order, and let everyone sit properly. Then they found the stove in the back corner, fetched firewood, and boiled some hot water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, those below the Secretariat Drafter had no extra chairs to sit on, so they had to stand, but they might get a share of the hot water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once everyone was seated, they naturally started discussing the war. Lord Lu, having come from the south, was particularly unclear about many military deployments in the north, and having been traveling continuously these past days, he had not yet had a chance to sit down and properly discuss the current situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to military reports, Han Shizhong should have crossed the river by now,\" Lu Yihao said, stroking his knee with a sigh. \"His Imperial Camp Left Army is all elite troops. After joining forces with Li Yanxian, they should have at least sixty to seventy thousand men. I wonder if they can take Hezhong Prefecture in one battle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Lord Lu spoke, at least half the people around exchanged bewildered glances... Although this Lord Lu had courage and decisiveness, and had always been no slouch with bow, horse, and sword, he was still far from a military professional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Imperial Lord found this statement off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Lu is overthinking it,\" Zhao Jiu said with a wry smile, seeing that no one around dared to respond. \"Hezhong Prefecture has a large city like Hedongcheng. As long as the defenses are tight and the city is united, even if the number and fighting strength of the troops inside are inferior to Han and Li's, they can still hold out for a month or two, until they start using trebuchets to smash the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Wang Yan, the Commander-in-Chief, couldn't hold back and suddenly interjected: \"Your Majesty, Lord Lu, regarding the Commandery Prince Han, there has been quite a bit of discussion in the Guanzhong region...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu didn't say anything, but Lu Yihao instinctively stroked his beard and raised an eyebrow: \"What discussion?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan hesitated, then gritted his teeth and replied: \"It's not that I'm gossiping about a colleague, but there have been continuous impeachments from Guanzhong. Even when I was in Guanzhong before, I heard it repeatedly... They say that after the Yaoshan battle, the Commandery Prince Han was enfeoffed as a Commandery Prince, and he gradually became slack. In the Pingxia battle, Your Majesty used Yue Fei, Qu Duan, and Wu Jie, but he alone had no great merit. He seemed to feel that his achievements were too great to be rewarded, and that Your Majesty deliberately didn't want to use him anymore. So he became even worse—complacent about his merits, perfunctory in military affairs, yet also afraid of the times, seeking leisure in the countryside, even thinking of retreating to preserve himself, and dabbling in literary pursuits...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao found this troubling and turned to look at Zhao Jiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's all an act,\" Zhao Jiu said expressionlessly, responding directly. \"He has sent many secret memorials to me, regarding the Northern Expedition as his lifelong wish. His words are earnest and sincere. He even wrote a poem to express his aspirations...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty,\" Lu Yihao suddenly became stern. \"In matters of the realm, there is nothing that cannot be discussed with the chief councilors.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu gave a dry laugh and looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang and Liu understood, and with a casual gesture, all the standing people withdrew directly, making things simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Han Shizhong indeed behaves this way,\" Zhao Jiu admitted once only his trusted men remained. \"This is his usual flaw. It wasn't just after Yaoshan; he was already slack when he returned to Guanzhong before Yaoshan. It's just that after Yaoshan and Pingxia, it became more and more obvious each time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why not remove this man?\" Lu Yihao frowned. \"And entrust a region's military affairs to him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because the one who is slack is Han Shizhong, not the Imperial Camp Left Army,\" Zhao Jiu forced a smile. \"That scoundrel Han Liangchen has a thousand faults, but he always has two redeeming qualities. First, his loyalty and courage are unmatched in the realm. No matter how difficult the military situation, he will never shirk or be perfunctory. Second, he governs his army with extreme strictness. Even if he himself is slack and has many faults, it doesn't hinder his strict control over his subordinates. His Imperial Camp Left Army has strict discipline, and the soldiers are all daring and capable in battle... So, as long as his courage is spurred on before a battle, it's enough. He and his army are truly worthy of being called the 'waist and gall' of the empire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao sighed upon hearing this, as if recalling something, but he was still somewhat uneasy: \"If the commander is so slack, can it really not affect the combat effectiveness of his troops?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since we've come to this point today,\" Zhao Jiu paused slightly, then continued, \"I might as well give Lord Lu a bit more inside information. In the eighth month, when Lord Lu and I left Nanjing and returned to Dongjing, we exchanged responses with several commanders along the way. I praised a few and criticized a few... Does Lord Lu remember?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember, Your Majesty praised Yue, Wang, and Li, and criticized Wu and the two Zhangs,\" Lu Yihao blurted out, then fell into thought. \"Han and Qu were not mentioned?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct. Does Lord Lu know why?\" Zhao Jiu asked in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wasn't it just random?\" Lu Yihao suddenly laughed. \"There were praises and criticisms, so naturally there had to be those who were neither praised nor criticized.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's true, but it's also because I really didn't know how to praise or criticize them,\" Zhao Jiu finally told the truth. \"With Han Shizhong, the army is strong but the general is slack. With Qu Duan, from him on down, all the officers of the entire army are rare and outstanding figures. Qu Duan himself is both civil and military. Liu Qi is the only Confucian general seed from a military family who has withstood the test of war. There's also Li Master, whose family is loyal and brave. Even the Zhang Zhongfu and Zhang Zhongyan brothers are rare brave generals with talent for governance. The key is that every single one of them is focused on military affairs... But the Imperial Camp Cavalry Army is truly the weak point of our entire army. This is not something that can be changed by human effort. Yet we have no choice but to pour massive effort and countless military resources into it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized: \"That's right... The Imperial Camp Cavalry Army was hastily formed, and many of its troops rely on foreign cavalry. Even if the officers are excellent, how can they become a fully-fledged army in three years, let alone be compared to the Jurchen Iron Cavalry? But since we are determined to fight the Jurchens to the death, we inevitably need to maintain a cavalry force of sufficient size and excellent equipment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the same logic,\" Zhao Jiu looked up at the thatched roof above, squinting slightly, \"with the Imperial Camp Left Army, no matter how slack Han Shizhong himself is, his troops are the old core that survived the bloody battle of Yanling. They have rich combat experience and ample supplies. He himself is a veteran of decades in the military, knows the importance of military affairs, and wouldn't dare to mess around in the army. Plus, I can bypass him directly to guide Wang Sheng and Xie Yuan, ensuring that training, promotions, and rotations don't go wrong. That's how the Imperial Camp Left Army can still be relied upon by the state... If he really caused trouble in the army, how could I tolerate him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even so, it's still better to hope for a strong army and a clear-headed general,\" Wang Yan forced another interjection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Difficult,\" Zhao Jiu withdrew his gaze and shook his head. \"The current system of generals leading troops is a product of the times. As long as these people don't rebel, don't attack each other, and are willing to obey orders and fight against the Jin, that's already a good thing. How can we ask for much more... Yue Fei and the Imperial Camp Forward Army are a strong army with a clear-headed general, so I entrusted him with true regional command.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few people around all fell into thought... Yue Fei having true regional command meant that Han Shizhong did not. In fact, considering that the Imperial Lord had come personally, this route seemed to be the Imperial Lord himself leading Lord Lu and Commander-in-Chief Wang to personally oversee the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this was also a combination of soft and hard tactics, a subtle warning to Commander-in-Chief Wang not to keep hinting that if something went wrong, he could go out and retake command of the Eight-Character Army... Did he really not know why he had left the army in the first place? Wasn't he satisfied with his current position?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about Wu Jinqing and the Imperial Camp Rear Army?\" Lu Yihao suddenly asked again. \"If Han Liangchen is a nominal commander, is Wu Jinqing a real commander?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wu Jie is one of the few people who, like Yue Fei, has proper talent. Even more so than Han Shizhong. The Imperial Camp Rear Army is also not bad... But both he and his army cannot shake off the old bad habits of the Western Army,\" Zhao Jiu admitted frankly. \"He can only be considered half a real commander. Like Han Shizhong, I have to watch and prod him, or else all sorts of tricks will come out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about Zhang Rong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhang Rong and the Imperial Camp Navy are certainly not bad. Zhang Rong is also one of the few I can trust and let go. But the navy is ultimately a specialized force... It might be useful for controlling the Yellow River and advancing on Great Ming Prefecture... But when it comes to the decisive battle, even if I want to use him, I probably won't be able to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then there's no need to mention Zhang Jun, Li Yanxian, Ma Kuo, Wang De, and Li Qiong,\" Lord Lu sighed slightly. \"Zhang Jun is like Han Shizhong, but both he and his troops are even worse. Li Yanxian is like Qu Duan, but he is slightly better than Qu Duan, and his troops are mostly from the wilds, so we can only see the effect in battle. Ma Kuo is also specialized for the Taihang region. Wang De and Li Qiong are directly under Your Majesty's command.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, just as Wang Yan was about to say something, Lu Yihao thought for a moment and came to a rather interesting conclusion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So it seems, this situation with the generals, combined with our dynasty's system, is somewhat tailor-made for a horse-riding Son of Heaven... The saying goes, 'When the general is capable and the ruler does not interfere, victory is assured.' Your Majesty entrusts Yue Fei with regional command and no longer interferes, then personally comes to the front line to oversee these flawed commanders, leveraging their strengths and compensating for their weaknesses, making overall adjustments, and delegating authority at the right time without interfering in specific command. This allows the various generals to combine their strength to the maximum... Is that right or not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He couldn't say yes, and he couldn't say no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, although few close ministers remained around, there were still Fan Zongyin and Ren Baozhong, who immediately took over the conversation and flattered him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, since it no longer involved the commanders, most people could chime in. For a moment, even Yang Yizhong, Liu Yan, Yu Yunwen, Mei Li, and others took the opportunity to speak up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The topic also shifted from the gain or loss of Hezhong Prefecture to the relief troops for Taiyuan and Longde Prefectures, as well as the Jin army's response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, after the order to withdraw was lifted and more people gathered around, the discussion further extended to whether Eastern Mongolia would participate in the war, which would inevitably have a truly decisive impact on the battle situation, and whether Goryeo would participate, and which side they would stand on if they did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how long it would take to capture Yangqu City, the capital of Taiyuan Prefecture, and Yuancheng, the capital of Great Ming Prefecture, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were all very serious yet very interesting topics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, although the Northern Expedition had officially begun, there wasn't even a formal proclamation... It was said that Minister of War Zhang had written one, but after that incident, he ultimately didn't dare to issue it... So the Song army's action was more like a surprise attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since, after the Yaoshan battle, the Song army had established dense supply stations along the Yellow River to ensure the best possible flow of information for this era, and to guarantee the mobility of troop deployments as much as possible. This would clearly give the Song army a further first-mover advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, many of the accompanying close ministers and bodyguard officers believed that the main Jurchen force in the Hedong region might not have even detected the Song army's full-scale Northern Expedition until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: the Third Prince had died at Qinghe, north of Great Ming Prefecture. There were three possible routes to transmit the message from Great Ming Prefecture to Hezhong Prefecture:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first route: first go nine hundred li to Yanjing, then Yanjing sends the information five hundred li to Zhending Prefecture. Zhending Prefecture simultaneously sends documents to Longde Prefecture and Taiyuan Prefecture. Only when it reaches Taiyuan or Longde Prefecture will the message be transmitted to Hezhong Prefecture through the Zhiguan Pass or the Fenshui River channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distances of these latter two routes are roughly similar. Going through Taiyuan is first a three-hundred-fifty-li mountain passage, then a seven-hundred-li open passage. Going through Longde Prefecture is a six-hundred-li main road, then another three-hundred-li Taihang mountain passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The total distance is over two thousand three to four hundred li, half of which must be traveled in the mountainous Hedong region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second possible route: while reporting to Yanjing, Great Ming Prefecture directly sends the news of the Third Prince's death to Taiyuan via Zhending Prefecture or Longde Prefecture, and then Taiyuan sends it down to Hezhong Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This would directly save about a thousand li of travel, reducing time by more than a third.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were the case, Taiyuan or Longde Prefecture should already know the news by now, but Hezhong Prefecture might not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is also a third transmission route, the most direct and simple: while reporting to Yanjing, Gao Jingshan directly sends a message to Longde Prefecture. Longde Prefecture simultaneously sends a message to Taiyuan and Hezhong Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All three possibilities exist, but many believe it is the first. Because Gao Jingshan belongs to the Eastern Route Army, and Taiyuan's Wanyan Balisu belongs to the Western Route Army. The Third Prince, a great prince who oversaw the entire front, died suddenly. There is no reason for Gao Jingshan to privately transmit the news to Balisu, who is in a different chain of command. Instead, he should only report it quickly to Yanjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To this, Zhao Jiu, though he yearned for it in his heart and roughly believed it to be the first scenario, still refrained from voicing an opinion, just like Lord Lu and Commander-in-Chief Wang. It wasn’t that the front would give feedback in a few days, but that as the Emperor, he had to maintain this calm and composed demeanor, as if he could foresee everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the same logic, Zhao Jiu also had his conjectures about Eastern Mongolia and Goryeo, but he likewise did not interrupt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Eastern Mongolia, probably due to his wariness of the Borjigin surname, even though Khabul’s brothers and sons were there patting their chests and pledging loyalty, it didn’t stop Zhao Jiu from mentally fabricating an ultimate final boss, an image of the one who would ultimately profit from this war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Emperor, with no reason at all in his heart, believed that Khabul would likely make a self-interested choice based on the war’s development. He would be like Eastern Wu at the Battle of Red Cliffs, allying with the weaker side to participate in the final decisive battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Goryeo, Zhao Jiu felt that those bastards would never make a move until the Great Song had fought its way out of the passes. But they would never turn hostile toward the Great Song either, only constantly and carefully fobbing them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple… the north-south conflict among the Goryeo people, that is, the opposition between the Pyongyang yangban and the Kaesong yangban, was itself a kind of unequal distribution of spoils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the powerful minister fell, it was the Kaesong yangban, led by Kim Bu-sik, who gained the greatest political benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the rapid rise of the Jurchens greatly shrank the Goryeo people’s sphere of activity in the north, with the direct economic losers being the northern Pyongyang yangban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, it was the Pyongyang yangban, whose political and economic interests had both been undercut, who frequently stirred up trouble, shouting about attacking the Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, with the unexpected development of the transit trade, no matter which side—including the instigator, His Majesty Zhao—had underestimated the scale and potential of this trade. As a result, the Pyongyang yangban, as the northern counterparts, had greatly profited from the trade, which caused them to lose the basic desire to cause trouble for the Kaesong yangban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that factional strife had ceased, but that the entire Goryeo, north and south, was unwilling to disrupt the current state of enjoying the dividends from this transit trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, even the rapid rise of Eastern Mongolia in recent years had been stimulated by this Song-Jin transit trade… Indeed, even His Majesty Zhao himself, up to this very moment, was reluctant to stop this trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the benefits were too great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a certain sense, this was the trade between the two largest and wealthiest countries in the world today… enough to revive a nation or bring it to ruin… Otherwise, where would His Majesty Zhao have scraped together the financial gap for the Northern Expedition, which had once seemed so unattainable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>War is war, business is business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the group talked a great deal, for once speaking freely, which also allowed Lord Lu Yihao to gain a bit more understanding of the northern situation and geography, fulfilling the intended purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After talking for a full half-hour, with everyone still undiminished in interest, suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came in bursts, along with the distant jingling of bells. Liu Yan gestured with his lips, and several Mongol princes from the Red Heart Squad, who had long been unable to sit still, rushed out. Moments later, they indeed brought back a messenger, who then, through Liu Yan, carefully presented an urgent military dispatch to His Majesty Zhao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening it and giving it only a glance, Zhao Jiu handed the document in his hand to Lu Yihao beside him. Then, his expression unchanged, he spoke in a deep voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Yanxian has replied. He did not go to Hezhong Prefecture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao was still looking at the document and said nothing. Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Camp, Wang Yan, immediately expressed his dissatisfaction: “The court has planned for years, and these strategies were nodded to by these commanders themselves. How can they each go their own way the moment war begins?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He says the military situation has changed.” Zhao Jiu looked around at everyone and responded casually, as if he didn’t care much about the matter. “He said he originally intended to shut the door and beat the dog, first sweeping through Xiezhou and advancing into Jiangzhou. By then, with Tieling Pass in hand, he could block the Zhiguan Path on one side, cutting off reinforcements from Longde Prefecture to the southeast, and on the other side, organize a defense line on the spot to resist the Taiyuan reinforcements from the north. Then he could turn back and deal with Hezhong at his leisure. But unexpectedly, after the decree arrived, as soon as he dispatched his troops, he received a plea for help and a warning from Ma Kuo, saying that the main Jin forces in Taiyuan had already been mobilized. At the very least, three Wanhu around Taiyuan had suddenly set out, but he didn’t know if there were more to follow… So he simply moved his entire army toward Xiezhou, hoping to quickly break through Xiezhou, join forces with Ma Kuo, and block the Taiyuan Jin army.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing His Majesty Zhao’s words, not only Wang Yan but also the other attending close ministers changed expressions several times… When they heard “the military situation has changed” and “intended to shut the door and beat the dog,” they calmed down a bit. But when they heard that the main Taiyuan Jin forces had come so quickly, they all became alarmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why this display? Isn't this precisely the essence of what we were just discussing—the Emperor overseeing from the center while the commanders make decisions on the spot?\" After reading the document, Lu Yihao didn't even glance at Wang Yan or the others. Instead, he directly put it away and handed it to Liu Yan, who was in charge of military secrets, and spoke with conviction. \"From beyond the river to the Eastern Sea, the battle lines of the two countries stretch for three thousand li. But is this three thousand li just a single line? Each side has depth before and behind them—cities and markets, strategic passes, rivers and mountains, all different. Moreover, in between, places like the several-hundred-li Lüliang Mountains simply cannot support a large army's logistics. And the Taihang and Wangwu Mountains, after cutting off the Jin army's eastern and western routes, are now bound to cut us off as well… 'When the general is capable and the ruler does not interfere, victory follows.' Across a great river, with such urgent military intelligence at a time like this, it is precisely the front-line commanders who should make decisions on the spot. We absolutely cannot lightly hold them accountable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Lu is right.” Zhao Jiu, expressionless, nodded directly before Wang Yan could speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Conversely, Li Yanxian’s move to seize Tieling Pass was also correct… Just think about it, why did the Jin army station a large force in Longde Prefecture? Isn’t it because they saw that this place is the most convenient for supporting both the eastern and western routes?” Lu Yihao continued with a sigh. “Going to Hezhong Prefecture has the Zhiguan Path. Going to Great Ming Prefecture has the Huguan Pass within Longde Prefecture itself, and then it’s a flat, open road. Even if the front line is slightly unfavorable, they can retreat calmly northwest to Taiyuan or northeast to Zhending… In a national war, when deciding victory or defeat, you have to consider everything—timing, terrain, and human factors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something still isn’t right.” Wang Yan, who was definitely more familiar with the geography of that area than Lu Yihao, furrowed his brow even more upon hearing this. “It’s not unthinkable for Taiyuan to send a large force to support Hezhong. It’s just as we just said—Taiyuan directly learned of the Third Prince’s death, guessed that we might be about to launch a full-scale Northern Expedition, and since Hezhong Prefecture is the first to bear the brunt, Bolisu, disregarding everything, quickly sent reinforcements south… But since Taiyuan Prefecture knew of the Third Prince’s death, there’s no reason Longde Prefecture wouldn’t know, right? If Taiyuan Prefecture sent reinforcements, there’s no reason Longde Prefecture wouldn’t send any, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Wang Yan said this, those around him also fell into thought. But soon, everyone around the imperial carriage split into two halves—one half quickly seemed to realize something, while the other half remained as puzzled as Wang Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps feeling that the atmosphere was good today, and that Wang Yan had maintained respect and restraint, or perhaps because it was awkward to discuss this topic before the Emperor, Lu Yihao hesitated to speak and finally said nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu also did not explain directly. Instead, he glanced at Ren Baozhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter, receiving the signal, quickly responded with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Wang, in my humble opinion, just as Taiyuan Prefecture probably learned of the Third Prince’s death and thus recklessly sent a large army south in haste, Longde Prefecture, precisely because it also learned of the Third Prince’s death, dared not send troops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan was momentarily stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Ren Baozhong, noticing that the Emperor was again looking at the canopy, continued with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Wang, think about it. Routes are routes, information is information. Both Taiyuan and Longde have main Jin forces, and both know of the Jin Third Prince's death, but are they fundamentally the same? The Taiyuan garrison commander and Commander-in-Chief of the March, Wanyan Bolisu, is a veteran Jin general and the younger brother of Yinshu. He is the actual manager of the Western Route Army. Even when the Jurchens were making large-scale enfeoffments of princes, they dared not give him one, precisely because they feared he would live up to the title. When a man like this hears of the Third Prince's death, he naturally has the decisiveness and dares to send troops south quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan finally seemed to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Baozhong, though he knew the other had already grasped it, had received the Emperor's command and had to explain clearly: \"But what about Longde Prefecture? Let alone the fact that the four Wanhu in Longde Prefecture originally belonged to the Eastern Route Army, the current Commander-in-Chief of the March in Longde Prefecture, Wanyan Bendu, is only about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. In the north, he has always been compared to Lord Yue… But in reality, this man rose to power partly because he is a close branch of the imperial clan, raised from childhood in the camp of the Jin founder, Aguda, known as the 'Gold Medal Young Master.' He is a trusted confidant recognized by the three ruling princes of the former Jin state. Similar is the Jin Western Capital garrison commander in Datong, Wanyan Eluguan… When men like this hear of the Third Prince's death, without an order from Yanjing or a directive from a prince, how would they dare to make a decision on their own and send a large army to Hezhong Prefecture? Even if they later heard that our Great Song had launched a full-scale Northern Expedition and prepared to send reinforcements, they would probably prioritize Great Ming Prefecture first, which has the greatest military momentum, shares a connected foundation, and belongs to the same Eastern Route Army.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan nodded repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, it wasn’t that he didn’t understand; his thinking just hadn’t shifted yet. He had already realized it as soon as Ren Baozhong started… This was precisely the strategic opportunity that the Third Prince’s death had handed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consider that Eliduo was just one man, not a famous general, and someone from Yanjing could be sent at any time to replace him. So why did the death of one man force the Song army to launch a hasty Northern Expedition half a year early?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current situation already illustrated the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Hebei, Gao Jingshan dared not gather his troops and launch a decisive battle on his own, so he could only watch helplessly as Yue Fei, together with the generals, calmly swallowed up Dizhou, Dezhou, and Bozhou—two branches of the Yellow River’s eastern route—pushing the battle line right up to Great Ming Prefecture. In Hedong, the coordination between the eastern and western routes was obstructed… Otherwise, if they had followed Bolisu’s keen battlefield instincts and had smooth command, they would have likely sent all eight or nine Wanhu from Longde and Taiyuan Prefectures south in a rush, charging into Xiezhou. Then, the Song army might have had to retreat and seek safety, just like in several previous rounds of fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The death of this Third Prince was worth a fortune—literally worth a fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bolisu and Gao Jingshan are not worthless characters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu's expression remained unchanged as he continued speaking briefly. \"I had some wishful thinking before, thinking that Gao Jingshan might not dare to quickly send news of Eliduo's death to Taiyuan, but would only send it to Yanjing… But now it seems Gao Jingshan did his duty. And Bolisu, even in the chaos of battle, dared to make a decision.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it was still a step behind Your Majesty,” Ren Baozhong quickly flattered. “Lord Li has managed to block them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It may not be in time, and it may not hold,” Zhao Jiu replied expressionlessly. “The Taiyuan March Command under Bolisu is almost the most combat-effective of the Jin’s four major March Commands. What he can mobilize is far more than just three Wanhu; those three Wanhu are merely the first batch of combat power hastily assembled around Taiyuan. Although Li Yanxian is outstanding, the troops under his command are of mixed quality. In those narrow passes, he may not be able to withstand the Jin army’s repeated assaults… Moreover, Han Shizhong has not yet crossed the river, and he dares not send all the troops from Pinglu over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not only that.” Wang Yan also immediately stood up to remind him. “Your Majesty, Han Shizhong is usually arrogant, and Li Yanxian is also usually proud. These two may compete for merit and cause trouble, failing to remind each other…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not only that.” Lu Yihao also spoke up immediately. “The Jin army’s reaction has been unexpectedly swift. Your Majesty, I believe that from now on, we must estimate the enemy on the generous side. If we do, calculating the time, Eliduo has been dead for eighteen days. Suppose Yanjing can also make a prompt decision, immediately convene a meeting upon receiving the news, decide on a candidate, then quickly ride south to Zhending Prefecture, and then send a gold-letter messenger south to Longde. By then, the people in Longde Prefecture might also be about to move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu’s heart was repeatedly startled, but having been tempered, he still maintained a calm exterior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, led by Lu Yihao and Wang Yan, the many close ministers around him all changed color, stood up solemnly, and prepared to bow their heads and receive orders inside the thatched shed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, don’t wait for the results from Hezhong Prefecture… And don’t worry about what Taiyuan or Longde Prefecture plan to do. At a time like this, it’s the brave who win on a narrow path. We absolutely cannot show weakness. Let the Eight-Character Army cross the river first to support the Tieling Pass area!” Zhao Jiu sat on the long bench in the thatched shed, holding his horsewhip, and gave the order with deliberation. His speech was slow, with many pauses, but his words left no room for retreat. “Then quickly inform Han Shizhong of the situation here and let him decide for himself… Also notify all units that after crossing the river, they will be commanded in sequence according to the order of Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, Ma Kuo, and Li Qiong… The military situation has changed. We don’t need to worry about a single isolated city like Hezhong Prefecture. Let’s fight for Linfen first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan immediately responded… The Eight-Character Army was, after all, his old unit. Now that it was leaving, he actually felt a sense of closeness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao had originally wanted to suggest that His Majesty Zhao send the cavalry first for speed, but thinking of the earlier discussion about the Imperial Camp’s cavalry, he ultimately kept silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the decree was issued, attending scholars, secretaries, and other close ministers hurriedly wrote it out and handed it to the Red Heart Squad among the Imperial Guard. The latter, without a moment’s delay, formed teams of several men, each carrying a waist token, and galloped off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all the messengers had left, everyone’s hearts were heavy, and none had the mood to talk. Lord Lu then stepped forward and requested that His Majesty Zhao not delay any longer on the road and return early to the main camp at Mount Mang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu naturally followed the advice, but as he finally stood up, he paused, then pointed to the top of the thatched shed and signaled to the attending Imperial Guard:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take it down for me. Be careful not to damage someone else’s property.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those around him obeyed in confusion. In the end, the Western Mongol prince, Toghril, who was tall and lean, was lifted up with the help of several guards to feel along the wooden beam at the top of the shed that His Majesty Zhao had pointed to. He indeed found an object—a small cloth pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening it, it contained a few scattered pieces of silver and seventy or eighty copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu spread open the pouch, turned to Yang Yizhong like a debt collector, and the latter, understanding, immediately took a few copper coins from his waist and placed them inside… Lu Yihao had wanted to advise His Majesty that a ruler doing such meaningless small things should instead spend more thought on major matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But thinking of the recently spoken line, \"When the general is capable and the ruler does not interfere, victory is assured,\" and considering that His Majesty Zhao might be feigning calm due to the tense atmosphere, yet it was not appropriate to speak up about it, he simply picked a coin from a squad leader's hand and dropped it into the bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those around followed suit, hurriedly tossing coins inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a moment, His Majesty Zhao had collected several dozen coins for the shed owner, who had likely been conscripted for corvée labor, then had Tuoli climb back up to hide the bag away before leading the group out of the shed and setting off back toward Mount Mang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what His Majesty did not know was that while he was putting on a hypocritical show of benevolence while feigning calm, Han Shizhong—whom he had criticized as \"complacent in his achievements, perfunctory in military affairs, fearful of the times, idling in the forests, seeking retreat for self-preservation, and playing with words and ink,\" and who supposedly could not function properly without His Majesty Zhao watching over him—had already concluded the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle process was unremarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the several-li-wide flatland from the bridgehead east of the river, from Hedong City, the capital of Hezhong Prefecture, down to Pujin, Hu Yantong advanced cautiously on the beach, forming ranks before moving forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as they left the beachhead, the four *meng'an* hidden behind the city could no longer restrain themselves and immediately deployed in the typical Jin Army formation: infantry in the center advancing, cavalry on both flanks attacking in turns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, they noticed nothing unusual, only thinking that the Song Army vanguard's formation was dense and would require some time and effort to swallow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they specifically detached troops to the beach to block the later-arriving Song forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they never expected that what landed next was the famous Cuipian Army. Dense volleys of bolts shot from the boats, not giving the Jin Army any chance to close in, allowing this second force to easily establish a formation on the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, the Jin Army was already tense. The two commanders among the four *meng'an* began to discuss, but the result of their discussion was hesitation... because Wendun Sizhong was a bastard. Going back like this would likely mean punishment, so they might as well stall a bit longer, regardless of anything, and leave when the time came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that hesitation, Cheng Min, as the third wave, led the Beiwei Army cavalry to land calmly under the cover of the Cuipian Army and the screening of Hu Yantong's unit. Then they locked into a melee with the Jin cavalry on the riverbank, making it difficult for the Jin Army to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, the Jin Army's four *meng'an* and twenty-five *mouke*—that is, 2,500 cavalry plus 1,500 infantry—was already a powerful configuration. The Song cavalry had crossed hastily, so at first, the four *meng'an* were somewhat puzzled and even secretly pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They felt that compared to those long spears and heavy crossbows, this cavalry that spared no expense to lock onto them would be easier to achieve results against, allowing them to report back to Wendun Sizhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Han Shizhong's Beiwei cavalry might have been an even more formidable force than Yue Fei's Beiwei cavalry, especially since Han Shizhong himself led several hundred of his personal guards into their ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Jin Army soon realized something was wrong, waking up to the fact that they had taken the bait... it was impossible not to notice, because this Song cavalry, daring to cross the river to lock into a melee with the Great Jin's Jurchen cavalry, had better equipment, better horses, and even better horsemanship than they did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, these men looked back at the bronze face masks they had previously dismissed, now seeming like warnings laced with mockery, and finally woke up as if from a dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of leopard's gall had they eaten to bring only 4,000 troops, of which only 2,500 were traditional Jurchen cavalry, to fight a delaying action in the open field against a full 40,000 of the Han family army?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was too late. On the open ground between the city and the river, the Beiwei Army dispersed to firmly lock onto the Jin cavalry, while the Cuipian Army advanced calmly from behind, Hu Yantong's unit stood immovable, and at the same time, Wang Sheng launched the entire Imperial Guard Left Army to cross the river in succession. As a result, the Song forces grew larger and larger, with bronze-faced armored soldiers everywhere, the scene becoming increasingly terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about another half *shichen* of fighting, seeing that Wendun Sizhong in the city had no intention of sending reinforcements to rescue them, the 4,000 Jin troops completely collapsed. Nearly all of the 1,500 Han'er troops surrendered, and the 2,500 Jurchen cavalry scattered. Of course, they could not attempt to enter Hedong City... a small number fled directly into the early winter wilderness, while most instinctively headed for their respective garrisons... Hedong City was large, but it could not normally hold 10,000 cavalry and infantry; these troops were usually stationed in camps and satellite fortifications around Hedong City, or even to the north at Linjin and to the east at Yuxiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the well-prepared Song cavalry followed them relentlessly according to tactical maneuvers, which was only to be expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a daze, a beachhead blocking action, or rather a battle originally intended as a show of force, quickly came to an end, with the Jin Army suffering a major rout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Song Army naturally thought nothing of it, because it was the elite of the Imperial Guard Left Army that had crossed first to achieve this. The Cuipian Army and the Beiwei Army, the two lifeline units of the Imperial Guard Left Army, had both been deployed, and even Han, the Commandery Prince, had personally entered the fray... In a chaotic battle of this thousand-man scale, whenever Han Shizhong fought, he never failed to sweep away all obstacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be strange if they hadn't won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there were still those who found it hard to accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Wendun Sizhong, the garrison commander of Hezhong. As Aguda's former envoy, this man had always been arrogant, arrogant both internally and externally, but clearly, he was especially arrogant toward the Khitans and the Song. And this arrogance had become even more pronounced and obvious after the Song Army had repeatedly hit a wall and turned back under Hedong City in previous years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, even within the Jin state, few regarded him as a normal person... they valued his arrogance, knowing that he would disdain the Song Army and never waver, so they appointed him as the garrison commander of Hezhong, with the Fourth Prince Wushu personally instructing him: every time the Song Army came, hold the city and await reinforcements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, every time, he watched tens of thousands of Song troops under Li Yanxian's command withdraw in an orderly fashion without a fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, seeing a full four *meng'an* and twenty-five *mouke*—which in the past could have scattered a hundred thousand Song troops—being swallowed up across the river by a Song Army that had bared its claws, he was momentarily stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't that no one wanted to advise this Hezhong garrison commander: times have changed... at Yaoshan, they couldn't win even when outnumbering the enemy two to one. Five years have passed since Yaoshan, and now it's still one against two, or even one against one. The Song have 40,000, you have 4,000... although the enemy's vanguard cavalry locked onto your side and couldn't be retrieved, and they might even take Yuxiang and Linjin, which is indeed a problem, but did you really expect certain victory from the start?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how arrogant, looking at the overall standoff between north and south, shouldn't you have some sense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, shouldn't you be thinking carefully about why the Song Army suddenly started fighting for their lives? Why did Han Shizhong's Imperial Guard Left Army leave behind only a small covering force and cross the river almost recklessly? It looks like they intend to cross the entire army!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has something happened somewhere?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why hasn't anyone told Hezhong Prefecture?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Taiyuan be harboring some intentions by not informing Hezhong Prefecture?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one dared to say this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Wendun Sizhong was a true petty man; if you displeased him, people really would die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And everyone believed that although this man had his flaws, he also had intelligence. With his intelligence, he must have already thought of these problems and even arrived at an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something's not right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Shizhong took off his bronze face mask, lowered his helmet, and sat on his horse, looking at his generals with a frown. \"Is this all it takes? In just a few years, the Jin Army has become this weak?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the Commandery Prince goes into battle, victory naturally comes easily.\" Wang Shixiong, seeing blood for the first time in battle, quickly offered sincere praise... Although he had begun to subtly let Han Shizhong win in their usual sparring, he now realized that actual combat was nothing like testing strength and martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Han Commandery Prince, who usually boasted of being \"number one under heaven\" and had been granted the title \"unrivaled under heaven\" by His Majesty, had not earned that reputation through empty talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's not what I mean.\" Han Shizhong shook his head repeatedly, growing more serious. \"The Jurchens really aren't what they used to be... I wonder how many of these are veterans and how many are new recruits...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They can still fight quite well.\" Deputy Commander-in-Chief Xie Yuan rode over, causing Wang Shixiong to immediately yield. \"Fifth Brother, think about it. We deployed the Beiwei Army and the Cuipian Army, with several times their numbers joining the battle in waves, yet they managed to tangle with us for nearly half a *shichen*. Including the time they spent attacking Hu Yantong earlier, that's a full one or two *shichen*... Isn't that still quite capable? It's just that they didn't know we were going all out, underestimated the enemy, and fell into the net... This kind of example is just a one-time trick.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's not what I mean either.\" Han Shizhong shook his head and sighed. \"I'm saying that the Jurchens can now fight us one-on-one or two-on-one, depending on troop numbers, generals, and morale. They're no longer like the old days when ten thousand of them were invincible, or when a dozen of them scattered a thousand provincial troops in Hebei. Back then, I naturally wasn't afraid, but no one else could be counted on. And if that's the case, then this Northern Expedition might really sweep through the Two Rivers and reclaim our homeland in one campaign, and I might truly win fame in life and after death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yuan was silent for a moment, and Wang Shixiong was also stunned. Although the two didn't quite understand what \"fame in life and after death\" meant, the same thought arose in both their minds—so this Han Commandery Prince of ours hadn't believed the Northern Expedition could succeed from the start?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still, something's off.\" After finishing his lament, Han Shizhong still frowned. \"Why did Wendun Sizhong underestimate me so much? Look at his deployment—throwing out four *meng'an* at once, as if he thought he could take a bite out of me? Did he think I would still be like in previous years, not even sending the whole army across? Doesn't he know that full-scale war has already begun?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That must be it.\" Xie Yuan turned to look at the walls of Hedong City, imagining that the Jin garrison commander of Hezhong was surely standing there in a daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then there's something to it.\" Han Shizhong looked thoughtful. \"This man doesn't know that our His Majesty has launched a great Northern Expedition, and that bastard Li Yanxian is nowhere to be seen... Either Taiyuan doesn't know either, or Taiyuan knows but has abandoned him, or Taiyuan has already sent reinforcements and doesn't bother to tell him, but the reinforcements haven't arrived yet, or Li Yanxian has blocked them... Shanliang (Xie Yuan's courtesy name), you're a kind-hearted man, don't you agree?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It can only be that way.\" Xie Yuan, hearing this frivolous, moldy joke that he hadn't heard in decades, forced himself to endure the discomfort and replied with effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then do you think this place, Hezhong Prefecture, is still a place where I can show my skill?\" Han Shizhong pressed urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Xie Yuan, who considered himself a brother of decades' standing with this Marshal Han, having known him since youth, couldn't help but feel utterly confused—you thought the Northern Expedition might not succeed, you were thinking about writing poetry, and you almost delayed the crossing. How have you suddenly changed like a different person?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, how have you suddenly become twenty years younger, full of curiosity about the whole world again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly did His Majesty Zhao write to you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that another marriage alliance has been formed? Is the Empress's position firmly secured for the Han family?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing all these stray thoughts, Xie Yuan forced himself to respond: \"Fifth Brother, what exactly do you mean? Just give the order directly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many troops are left in this city?\" Han Shizhong pointed at Hedong City and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If there are no reinforcements, at most six thousand...\" Xie Yuan blurted out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And what about the other places?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The entire Hezhong Prefecture has only one *wanhu*!\" Xie Yuan blurted out again, inwardly indignant—you're a dignified marshal, didn't you even know this before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have Wang Sheng take twenty thousand men to lock down the city!\" Han Shizhong suddenly ordered with a stern expression. \"Xu Shian, Dong Min, Chen Jue, quickly split your forces to sweep the surrounding towns. You, Hu Yantong, Cheng Min, follow me. We'll combine twelve thousand men and seize Tieling Pass!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yuan and Wang Shixiong quickly cupped their hands in acknowledgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, speed is paramount in war. Since Han Shizhong realized that the current situation in Hezhong Prefecture was either abandoned land or a place where the Jin Army had been too slow to react and was blocked by Li Yanxian's forces around Linfen, the key to the battlefield was not here. So, like beating the grass to flush out the snakes, he had Wang Sheng bite down on the credit for Hezhong Prefecture while he unhesitatingly ordered his elite troops to concentrate and then set off hastily, regardless of everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peerless great banner had just crossed the river when it abandoned Hezhong Prefecture and headed east.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the Hezhong garrison commander, Wen Dun Sizhong, who was watching the battle from the city wall, witnessed his own forces' complete defeat and then saw Han Shizhong's great banner directly abandon him and head east. He finally seemed to come to his senses, trembling all over as if in a rage. Just as everyone cautiously stepped back a few paces, this Jin garrison commander of Hezhong suddenly lost his composure, collapsed sitting on the wall, covered his face, and wept loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bali Su abandoned me! Ben Du abandoned me! Li Yanxian abandoned me! And now Han Shizhong has abandoned me too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to the various big shots who were fishing for the top spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, did I forget the big shots Hanyu Yinnong and Linghu Taizhong... or did you change your names?\u003C\u002Fp>",8368,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","613745a9a5d00015a2779cf826542a9d1e8641ca82d94f329171ca1bc7e7facb","shao-song-chapter-381","shao-song-chapter-379",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]