[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-386":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},1558552,2024,"Chapter 386: Proceeding While Observing","shao-song-chapter-386",386,"\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu had not been willing to cross the river so early at first. In fact, ever since arriving at Luoyang and establishing the main camp on Mount Mang, his behavior had been somewhat strange, basically maintaining a conservative posture rarely seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew the specific reason why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But reasons were never lacking—such as worrying about the chaos caused by mobilization behind him, or fretting over the logistical bottleneck between Luoyang and Hedong formed by the Shanzhou river channel, or perhaps it was purely because this Emperor trusted too much in the moral character and abilities of several chief commanders, as well as the combat effectiveness of his own Imperial Camp army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after Han Shizhong exerted himself three times and actually seized the Hezhong Basin (Yuncheng Basin), Lu Xiang Lu Yihao and Wang Yan, the Commander-in-Chief, the two highest-ranking civil and military officials accompanying the Emperor, simultaneously expressed their concerns about the Hedong battlefield and then both suggested that Emperor Zhao personally cross the river to rectify the situation and restrain the generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Lu Yihao, the current situation, although they had actually seized the Hezhong Basin, broadly speaking, was nothing more than taking advantage of the sudden death of the Jin front-line commander-in-chief, the Third Prince, Eriduo, to launch a surprise attack and seize it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Striking the unprepared with the prepared—achieving results of this level was only to be expected and not worth boasting about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this process, the chief commanders, each with their own selfish motives, either vied for merit and advanced recklessly, or used their power to oppress others, or were perfunctory and timid; and at the level of the commanding officers, there even emerged someone like Guo Zhen, whose death was insufficient to apologize to the world... It was evident that although the three hundred thousand troops of the Imperial Camp had gradually gained combat effectiveness thanks to the court's nurturing, and had shown the confidence for the Northern Expedition in clashes with the Jin army, they still could not shed those old ways from top to bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this required Emperor Zhao to advance to the front, balancing kindness with authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Emperor Zhao himself crossed the river, it was hard to say what would happen quickly, but based on this Emperor's usual handling of the various chief commanders and his grasp over the commanding officers, at the very least, it would have a considerable deterrent effect on the high-ranking officers of the various Imperial Camp armies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from this, there was also the broader picture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Lu Yihao summarized it beautifully—in the current situation, since Hedong had actually seized Hezhong, the benefits brought by the death of the Jin Third Prince had come to an end, and from now on, it would be hard fighting and bitter battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, with both sides locked in a nationwide struggle, it was nothing more than one side advancing while the other retreated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At such a moment, one should go all out; in the rear, it was 'men should fight, women should transport,' and at the front, it was only to emulate the late Emperor Zhao Lie entering Hanzhong, 'why hesitate to send troops?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This analysis was well-reasoned and well-founded, and Zhao Jiu, who had only been hesitant, was immediately persuaded by Lu Yihao. He then promptly summoned the civil and military officials and publicly issued the decree to cross the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the scene of the monks being granted an opportunity by the Buddha occur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, although he had decided to cross the river, Zhao Jiu could not simply hang up a hot air balloon, confirm the opposite bank was safe, and then cross directly in a small boat... because as the Emperor of the Zhao Song and the current Son of Heaven, once he crossed north, its political and military significance would be immense beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was independent of how many tens of thousands of troops had already crossed the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, thorough preparations had to be made, and the political propaganda had to be fully leveraged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To this end, a Northern Expedition proclamation had to be drafted first, no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for saying 'drafted' was that this thing was simple when simple, and difficult when difficult... Simple because it was just an essay, and the Great Song Dynasty was never short of people who could write essays. If absolutely necessary, even those fellows in the Imperial Camp Cavalry could manage to write one. Then he, Zhao Jiu, could add a few lines like 'Expel the barbarians, restore China, establish order and discipline, and save the people,' and it might even be remembered by later generations as some kind of masterpiece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the difficulty lay in the fact that the proclamation was not merely a simple formal declaration of war; it also related to genuine political strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, once the proclamation was written, the whole world would read it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When shown to the rear, the proclamation had to tell the rear why the Northern Expedition was necessary and what price could be paid for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When shown to the frontline soldiers, the proclamation had to tell them how many troops they had, what the strategic objectives were, and what military discipline and principles to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When shown to the Jin, the proclamation also had to clarify who the enemy of this campaign was, who absolutely could not be pardoned, who could be accepted to a limited extent, and whether the ordinary Khitan and Jurchen people should be recognized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, these specific issues had to be divided into whether they were theoretical or practical... or simply whether to tell the truth or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Emperor Zhao had to think deeply and answer each of these questions seriously before this proclamation, destined to appear in the court gazette and on the wooden boards outside the camp gates, could live up to its name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We must tell the civil and military officials, lay it all out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That afternoon, the generals and soldiers in the camp had already gone to pack their luggage, but Zhao Jiu was still sitting upright in the central army camp, instructing Fan Zongyin, Academician Fan, to write this proclamation, which was either too late or too early. \"If the shame of the Jingkang Incident cannot be avenged, and the Two Rivers cannot be recovered, then the state has no qualification to call itself the Mandate of Heaven. Even if it is merely a partial peace, the court is only a minor court. At that time, I am unworthy to be called the Son of Heaven, and they are unworthy to be called Han officials... The Northern Expedition concerns the state's legitimacy. If even the Two Rivers and Yanyun cannot be pacified, what qualification is there to claim succession to the Han and Tang? Moreover, from a personal perspective, since I once swore an oath to Minister Zong, I cannot pretend those words never existed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Zongyin, who had just started writing the opening, was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, if it were about writing the necessity of the Northern Expedition, he, Academician Sanzhao, could write ten thousand words without taking a breath while looking in the mirror, because it was a topic that had been discussed to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, this Emperor could always bring him surprises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at Lu Xiang Lu Yihao, who stood solemnly to the side, and seeing that this Minister had no objection, Academician Fan had no choice but to pick up his brush and start a new paragraph after the already begun \"Northern Expedition Proclamation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquis Wu, in his 'Later Memorial to the Throne on Sending Out the Troops,' described the ambition of the late Emperor Zhao Lie, saying: 'Han and the bandit cannot coexist; the imperial cause cannot be content with partial peace.' If the shame of the Jingkang Incident is not avenged, whenever I call myself the Son of Heaven, I silently feel ashamed; if the Two Rivers are not returned, you, my officials, calling yourselves Han officials, is also laughable. Therefore, the Northern Expedition concerns the foundation of the state. Without establishing a peaceful world, how dare we claim to be the successors of the Three Kings? Without inheriting the territory of the Han and Tang, how can we continue the lineage of China?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the Sage said: 'Without trust, a person cannot stand, let alone a ruler?' I once swore an oath to the world that I would surely destroy the Jin! There is no reason to break it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After writing this paragraph and reading it aloud, since it was written hastily and would probably be revised by dozens of great writers in the capital before being published in the court gazette, no one paid much attention to the details. They only discussed whether to specifically mention Zong Ze's name, then quickly moved on and waited for Emperor Zhao to continue speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We must tell the truth. In a national war of this scale, it won't matter if we boast a bit. Say how many troops we have, no more, no less.\" Zhao Jiu continued speaking from his seat. \"Don't forget to use those sixteen characters I mentioned earlier.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Zongyin immediately nodded, then quickly moved his brush to write:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since the establishment of the Jianyan reign title, nine years have passed. Ruler and ministers are united, enduring together for the sake of the state. The cycle of Heaven's mandate turns; we sharpen and grow together. Now the national power of the Imperial Song has revived; our armor and weapons are abundant and well-made. We have organized the Imperial Camp's Left, Right, Front, Rear, Center, Cavalry, Navy, and Marine forces, totaling three hundred thousand troops. We have also raised fifty thousand scholars and warriors from the Central Plains and Guanzhong. Trusted ministers and elite soldiers, responding with shouts and following like shadows—this is a grand occasion unprecedented since ancient times! Naturally, we should advance with courage and martial vigor, fully recover our lost territories, expel the barbarians, restore China, establish order and discipline, and save the people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, since we are comforting the people and punishing the guilty, recovering our lost territories, military discipline must be strict... Towards the common people, whether they are the surviving people of the Two Rivers, the Han people of Yanyun, or the Jurchen, Khitan, Xi, Bohai, Mongol, Goryeo, Tubo, Dangxiang, or Dali, they should all be treated equally and accepted. Soldiers are strictly forbidden to burn, kill, or plunder...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have sent troops north to drive out the barbarians, to save the people from misery, and to restore the majesty of Han officials. Fearing that the people may not know this and instead become my enemies, fleeing north with their families, sinking deeper into disaster, I therefore first proclaim: When the army arrives, the people should not flee. My orders are strict; there will be no harm as fine as an autumn hair. Those who submit to me will be forever secure in China; those who oppose me will flee beyond the seas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is also said: The Khitan, Xi, Bohai, Mongol, Goryeo, Tubo, Dangxiang, and Dali are all remnants of the Yellow Emperor, who received the enfeoffment of the Han and Tang. They share in the glory of China and should be treated accordingly. As for the Jurchen, although they rose suddenly from the White Mountains and Black Waters, and their origins cannot be fully traced for now, they were born between Heaven and Earth. If there are those who understand propriety and righteousness and are willing to become subjects, they are without guilt and will be nurtured no differently from the people of the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, if any soldier commits crimes, plunders, or harasses the people, I will strictly enforce the law, hold superiors and subordinates accountable, and never show leniency.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For mid-level officials and military officers, based on age: those under thirty, who came of age under Jin rule, will be pardoned of their crimes as long as they do not resist; for mid-level officials and soldiers over thirty, their performance in meritorious service will be considered for appropriate pardon; for high-ranking Jin officials and generals, especially those famous generals who participated in the Jingkang Incident, and those Han traitors who surrendered and held high positions, none shall be pardoned...\" At this point, Zhao Jiu tapped the table. \"Later, I will draft a list of war criminals together with Minister Lu, to be attached separately and sent to the court gazette.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Zongyin understood and wrote broadly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yet the enmity of nine generations is still unforgettable, let alone the new grievances of ten years?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are those in the false Jin barbarian state who hold office. If they are over thirty, having clearly received the favor of Han, yet still play the fool among the barbarians, to the point of forgetting the surnames of their Chinese ancestors, they absolutely cannot be pardoned!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are also enemy chieftains who flaunt their power for a time, cruelly slaughtering the multitudes. Even if they hold the rank of prince or marquis, they should be killed and their corpses mutilated to sacrifice to China and abroad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I now personally lead the six armies. We will first take Hedong, then recover Hebei, decide the victory at Yanyun, and annihilate the state in Liaodong. Along the way, we will naturally investigate the origins of all groups, examine the full story of the masses, either comforting the people and punishing the guilty, or executing justice according to the law. Do not say you were not forewarned!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having written it all in one breath, even though he had started with a relaxed attitude, Academician Sanzhao was now panting and uneasy... It couldn't be helped; by the end, he had sensed the seriousness and determination of Emperor Zhao from this proclamation. \"Please review it, Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won't look at it.\" Zhao Jiu gestured with his lips, his expression calm. \"Minister Lu, take a look. If there are no problems, send it out, and keep a copy for use tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao took it, glanced over it roughly, and directly gestured to another person: \"I won't look at it either, Academician Mei... You take a look, polish it a bit. If there are no omissions, consider it reviewed by two Academicians of the Jade Hall and send it out directly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Li was flattered and surprised, but how could he miss this opportunity? He quickly stepped forward, pretended to look it over, then directly returned it to Fan Zongyin, and bowed in a circle to Emperor Zhao, Minister Lu, and Academician Fan:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty's resolve is like iron, the Minister's calm is like a mountain, the Academician's brush is like a beam. This document is worth one hundred thousand troops!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, everyone from top to bottom had already seen that below the imperial carriage, everyone was already impatient. Although the proclamation was good and important, it could not suppress that eagerness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, after going through the formalities, no one was willing to waste any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And having resolved this necessary proclamation issue, Emperor Zhao personally issued an order for everyone to make proper arrangements, return to their posts, and await the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although it was said to return to their posts and await the next day, that very afternoon, Li Master first led several units of the Imperial Camp Cavalry to board ships and head upstream, to land overnight at the western end of Mount Wangwu, east of Pinglu, the easternmost point of the Hezhong Basin (Yuncheng Basin), to serve as a vanguard and support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With half of the Imperial Camp Cavalry already departed, the main camp at Mount Mang remained bustling all night... because everyone knew that tomorrow, Emperor Zhao would cross the river, and this also meant that, except for a few defensive units, most of the people in this camp would gradually follow, cross the Yellow River, and head to Hedong on the opposite bank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was nothing more than a matter of a day sooner or a day later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since crossing the river meant this journey was truly a matter of staking everything, that night many people tossed and turned, unable to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this did not seem to include His Majesty Zhao. The next morning, His Majesty Zhao changed into a suit of light armor, covered it with a cotton military uniform, and walked out with his hand on his sword, clearly in high spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below Lord Lu Xiang and Commander-in-Chief Wang Yan were Fan Zongyin, Ren Baozhong, Yu Yunwen, Mei Li, plus the southeastern \"reserve consultants\" Bai Qiangweiwen, Yang Yizhong, Liu Yan, plus the various generals of the Imperial Camp Central Army and Cavalry Army as the military side, and the Imperial Personal Guards surrounding them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this group was not in a hurry to board the ships. Instead, they first came to the tamped-earth platform in the camp, where they invited Academician Fan to read the proclamation, with Lord Lu Xiang assisting. His Majesty Zhao personally conducted a sacrifice to the fallen chief ministers and high-ranking officials such as Zong Ze, Wang Boyan, Zhang Shuye, Zhang Suo, and Liu Ge, as a declaration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it was finished, His Majesty Zhao wanted to speak, but for some reason, he became unusually calm instead. He simply snatched the proclamation himself, burned it in front of everyone, then turned and descended, personally boarding the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon banner and the left and right black and white yak-tail standards immediately followed, with attendants swarming into motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Majesty Zhao, Lu Yihao, and Wang Yan separately boarded three large steamships. His Majesty Zhao was in the center, with the dragon banner raised on his ship. Lu Yihao was on the left, with the captured white yak-tail banner raised on his ship. Wang Yan was on the right, with the black yak-tail banner naturally raised on his ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The various close ministers, \"reserve consultants,\" and Imperial Guards were also divided into three groups accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also the main forces of Wang De, Zhang Jing, and Qiao Zhongfu of the Imperial Camp Central Army surrounding them, some going ahead, some following behind. In contrast, Qu Duan, Xiahou Yuan, and that group, who had been the most anxious earlier, ended up at the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, this arrangement naturally had its reasons—the Mengzhou and Huaizhou areas opposite Luoyang were precisely the southern gateway of Longde Prefecture, a major garrison town for the Jin Army, and also the eastern exit of the Zhiguan Path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, the Song Army had once intended to land directly here and launch a pincer attack on the Jin Army at the Zhiguan Path. But unfortunately, considering the number of Jin troops in Longde Prefecture, and to prevent being surrounded after a landing, His Majesty Zhao, who had become conservative in Luoyang, naturally vetoed this idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, now that His Majesty Zhao was crossing north, and the Jin Army at the Zhiguan Path should be about to withdraw from this area, it became very necessary to dispatch a portion of the Eight-Character Army, which was familiar with the local terrain, to advance along the Zhiguan Path and rendezvous with some of the Henan Song Army here. At that time, they could simultaneously block the Zhiguan Path and further protect Luoyang during the winter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This task fell on Fu Qing, Fan Yihong, and Meng De. But Qu Duan and Liu Qi needed to stay behind with the cavalry to provide cover for them, ensuring the three could rendezvous and establish a defensive line, before they could go to Hedong to assemble with the main force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, now was not the time to discuss these scattered flank arrangements. Suffice it to say that since His Majesty Zhao had hastily boarded the ship and was sailing upstream against the Great River, he no longer had to feign the calm and composed demeanor he had maintained before. All kinds of thoughts surged into his mind at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, at this moment, he still had no intention of vigorously shouting about crossing the river or anything like that. Instead, he directly began to ponder the various situations in the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, before the battle, he had worried that Han Shizhong would lack fighting spirit and hoped he would perk up. As a result, that fellow did indeed perk up, but this posture of a dignified Commandery Prince and Marshal personally charging into battle at the front instead made Zhao Jiu somewhat fearful afterwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he arrived at the place, he would certainly have to sternly reprimand him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was also Li Yanxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the battle, Zhao Jiu had undoubtedly held great expectations for this commander, who was ranked among the top three in the realm. But this man's rash advance directly caused his unit to suffer the heaviest losses since the war began. Moreover, some good and bad elements within his unit had lost control north of Tieling Pass, even engaging in looting and armed conflict with the volunteer army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something Zhao Jiu found especially unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering that Li Yanxian had held out in Shanzhou for nine years, Zhao Jiu did not intend to harshly criticize his rash advance, but he was prepared to severely deal with the incident of military discipline violations north of the pass... Was this how one was supposed to comfort the people and punish the guilty, with no harm done to the innocent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was the Northern Expedition for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Ma Kuo and Wu Jie, to be honest, had performed in ways that exceeded His Majesty Zhao's expectations, only one was good and the other bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Guo Zhen under Wu Jie's command, who left some impression on Zhao Jiu, he was certainly prepared to execute him according to the law. But he was somewhat hesitant about the reward for Ma Kuo... He very much wanted to give Ma Kuo a large banner, but Wu Jie, who held a higher position and had greater military achievements, did not have one. To bypass Wu Jie and give one to Ma Kuo at this point would seem somewhat inappropriate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what was truly important was not the specific handling of these matters, but the fact that these things made Zhao Jiu directly realize that the commanders he relied on were by no means immortals. They all had emotional fluctuations and were all capable of making mistakes. He had to follow the reminders of Lu Yihao and Wang Yan, using the authority of the Son of Heaven to integrate them, form a strategic plan, and then use that strategic plan to replace the individual struggles of these commanders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Shizhong's kind of exceptional personal performance, Ma Kuo's diligent and conscientious work, should be guided towards the decisive battle. Wu Jie's personnel errors, Li Yanxian's rash advance and greed for merit, should have been eliminated and covered up from the very beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To foster strengths and circumvent weaknesses, that was roughly it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with this thought, Zhao Jiu then thought of those two men... Liang Xiao and Zhang Heng. He had known of these two early on, but for some reason, he had a favorable impression of the daring and aggressive Liang Xiao, while harboring a trace of doubt towards Zhang Heng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was the result?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Xiao was indeed daring and aggressive, and his own unit was strong. But according to Ma Kuo's memorial, this man was too daring and aggressive. Upon hearing that the Northern Expedition had begun and Yue Fei had been appointed Marshal of Hebei Circuit, he directly abandoned Ma Kuo's restraints and went to Great Ming Prefecture to seek his old master. As a result, he encountered the veteran Jin general Elubu's Wanhu unit in a narrow path and suffered a disastrous defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, Zhang Heng, who had maneuvered to Guji Mountain (Luliang Mountains) before the battle, not only provided a large amount of intelligence from the Taiyuan direction for the Imperial Camp main force, but also did not falter at the critical moment. Although his troops were weak, he still dared to cross the river and guard the adjacent road, which was truly outstanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coupled with this man's connections in Taiyuan, I'm afraid he would continue to render meritorious service in the upcoming Linfen and Taiyuan campaigns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was truly a matter of timing and fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zhao Jiu, draped in a light yellow cloak, was standing on the steamship with his thoughts leaping, suddenly, Ping Qingsheng, Tuoli, and others beside him called out, then surged forward, blocking the right side of His Majesty—that is, the north side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu frowned for a moment, but soon realized the situation from the flag signals of the other ships—there were Jin troops on the river embankment in the Mengzhou area north of the Yellow River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As mentioned before, the area north of the Yellow River was enemy-occupied territory, and it was the southern gateway of the Longde Prefecture Jin Army and the eastern gate of the Zhiguan Path. The presence of Jin troops was quite normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, considering that the Mengjin Port behind them, which had a hot air balloon hanging, had not sent any signal before, the sudden appearance of these Jin troops seemed somewhat strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, as more and more Jin troops emerged on the river embankment, Yang Yizhong was the first to realize and report: \"It's Elubu... it must be Elubu withdrawing from the Zhiguan Path! What a pity, we didn't know he was withdrawing this slowly, otherwise, how could we have blocked him?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd immediately looked again and indeed realized that the Jin troops on the opposite side were also somewhat panicked and hasty, with their military appearance extremely disorganized, and their direction was also from west to east.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was probably that they had just emerged from the Wangwu Mountains and Taihang Mountains, and then ran into the large Song Army fleet, equally caught off guard. As a result, after occupying the river embankment, they maintained a strange silence, now stopping on the embankment one after another, watching the Song Army flags and steamships from the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And realizing that it was not a deliberate ambush by the Jin Army, and that they could not possibly have prepared lethal weapons like catapults, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Instead, like the Jin troops, they faced each other from a distance, observing with astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, we just happened to meet on the road in a hurry?\" Zhao Jiu, from behind the crowd, noticed many Jin officers climbing the river embankment to look into the distance. After a pause, he spoke with a half-smile. \"Elubu is also an old acquaintance... When we discussed war criminals before, we said he was at Huaishang, he was also the one who broke into Nanjing (Shangqiu) and massacred the city, forced Zhang Suo and killed Xin Daozong, he should also be counted for forcing Lord Zong into exhaustion, and before the Yaoshan battle, he forced Lord Wang to cross the Luoyang River in a hurry and killed Commander Zhai... am I right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong swallowed his saliva. It was clear that crossing the river also had a psychological impact on him. \"It is precisely this beast.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since he is an old acquaintance, let's make a chance acquaintance!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu's smile grew colder. \"He must be looking for my figure... all of you, move aside! Let him see with his own eyes where I am and where I am going!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong and the others estimated the distance from the center of the river to the opposite river embankment in their minds, carefully moved aside, but at the same time signaled the ships on the right, the north side, to accelerate or decelerate appropriately along with the large steamship they were on, to provide some cover and defense as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the Jin troops on the opposite bank did not attempt to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, when the armored soldiers beside Zhao Jiu slightly dispersed, not only Elubu, but almost all the Jin troops quickly realized who the person was, surrounded by attendants, wearing a cloak, and looking this way on the large steamship flying the dragon banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of Jin troops, weary and bewildered, stared blankly at the dragon banner on the ship and the figure beneath it, without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elubu was certainly among them. He once raised his hand to draw his bow, wanting to try his luck, but in the end, he smiled a self-deprecating smile and chose to give up. Finally, this veteran Jin general, like all his subordinates, with a trace of fatigue and an indescribable expression, gazed at the golden imperial banner and the figure beneath it, silent, watching this huge fleet sail upstream until it finally disappeared from sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, that evening, Zhao Jiu, on the other side of the Wangwu Mountains at Yuanqu, under the welcome of Li Master, stepped onto the land of Hedong without much fanfare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This day was the winter of the ninth year of the Jianyan era, the eighteenth day of the tenth month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thank you to the new patron hlatar1983 classmate, this is the 184th patron of this book. Thank you to the classmate Qin Wang Po Zhen Yue Ni Shang Yu Yi Qu, this is the 185th patron of this book. Thank you to the big shot Stuka Rui Feng, this is the 186th patron of this book!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also thanks to classmate Xiahou for the 4th patron, and classmate Crow_13 for the 2nd patron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, special thanks to big shot Liu Li Qin for the 4th silver patron... big shot has given this book forty or fifty patrons in total, I am deeply ashamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, today is Zhao Jiu's birthday event. In theory, there should be corresponding activities, but I'm also confused about how Qidian specifically handles it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I hope everyone will actively participate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, thanks to a few big shots for their guidance in revising this proclamation. Everyone, continue to have fun!\u003C\u002Fp>",5023,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","32e2ea4358dab29f5b5a12cca700024b3fb150bbd781f1559694facfebf77ecf","shao-song-chapter-387","shao-song-chapter-385",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]