[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-416":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},1558582,2024,"Chapter 416: Chapter Six: Huolu","shao-song-chapter-416",416,"\u003Cp>On the sixteenth day of the first month in the tenth year of Jianyan, it was early spring. On this day, the Song army dispatched large, organized units to launch a probing attack toward Jingxing. At the same time, troops from the main force assembled around Taiyuan began to strike camp and move eastward at a slightly slower pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strategic intent behind this move was self-evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, perhaps from the perspective of the finicky Zhao Jiu, or from the high-ranking civil and military officials on the Taiyuan front who were weighed down with concerns before the battle, making the decision to take this step was still very difficult... The stance of the Eastern Mongols, the surge in combat effectiveness of the Jin cavalry once they gathered in the open field, the possibility that the Jin army's desperate posture might trigger a decisive battle that was swift and unexpected, including Zhao Jiu's own considerations for the aftermath, and Lu Xiang rushing from Linfen to Taiyuan to urge action while ill—these were all real experiences worth narrating and discussing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole affair involved a so-called process of torment and overcoming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in reality, from a macro perspective—from the viewpoint of rear-area officials and commoners, mid- and low-ranking officers and soldiers, the Jin forces across the way, and the allied reinforcements who had just arrived in Datong—Zhao Jiu and the main Song army's advance was, on the contrary, without hesitation or gap, to the point of suffocating pressure on the onlookers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, naturally, Zhao Jiu's hesitation and struggle occurred during the necessary lull and preparation period for the campaign. It was like washing teacups—though it took considerable effort, it was done during the time the water was being boiled, without delaying the main task later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, and most crucially, the fall of Taiyuan city was simply too astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking back now, from the time the Que-Shu Valley was opened, Zhao Jiu and the Hedong army's advance speed, speed of splitting and encircling, speed of breaching the city, as well as the scale of the army's thrust in all directions and logistical preparations—even without considering the almost mythical process of breaching the city—still gave a deeply stirring impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it bluntly, while a very few people began to quickly consider the likely field battle after the city fell, everyone else—including enemies and allies—remained immersed in that two-direction city-breaking performance that was destined to be recorded in history from every angle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, if this campaign were to be discussed in the future, the capture of Taiyuan city and Yuancheng might be grouped together, viewed as the second phase of the Northern Expedition, as the same battle. In this strategically significant battle, the Song army achieved decisive victories in two directions simultaneously, causing the Jin army to lose the entire Hedong region and further lose subsequent strategic options, forcing them onto the single strategic track preset by the Song army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, Khabul Khan himself has no aversion to us, but he simply cannot command the Eastern Mongol tribes with strict authority?\" That afternoon, in the empty central command tent, Zhao Jiu seemed thoughtful, as if not surprised by this outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Baozhong, who had been urgently recalled by Wu Jie upon learning of the troop movement, ignored his own travel fatigue and immediately explained while holding warm salted tea and wiping sweat. \"According to the information we gathered on this trip, within the Eastern Mongols, the highest status and widest following currently belong to Khabul and his cousin's Borjigin-Tayichiud lineage. But the Merkit tribe is also very powerful. The two major factions have been in latent opposition within the Eastern Mongols, only forced together by the rise of the Jin state...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this time, the Merkit secretly colluded with the Jin, and Khabul simply couldn't control it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" Ren Baozhong was also somewhat helpless. \"Based on Wu Dutong's and my own inquiries and conjectures, the ones secretly colluding with the Jin should be the Tatar tribe... but it's not certain. It's hard to say there are tribes that definitely colluded with the Jin. It could be that the Jin army retreated too quickly for the Eastern Mongols to advance in time. We can only say the Tatars are the most likely to have colluded with the Jin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was momentarily stunned, clearly digesting the information, then asked back: \"Isn't the Tatar tribe an artificial border tribe created by the Jin to counter the Eastern Mongols?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Ren Baozhong grew even more helpless. \"But previously, to curry favor with Khabul Khan, the Jin transferred the entire Tatar tribe, along with their territory and people, to the Eastern Mongols.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And Khabul just accepted?\" Zhao Jiu was completely speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let Your Majesty know, Khabul isn't that stupid.\" Ren Baozhong genuinely felt parched. \"But Khabul, through the cycle of Jin's rise and Liao's fall, and the earlier Song-Jin smuggling trade, greatly expanded his tribe on the steppe. After expansion, according to tradition, he divided the tents with his cousin Ambaghai. Ambaghai lived in the south, his tribe gradually grew strong, renamed themselves the Tayichiud, and their power slowly became no weaker than Khabul's own Borjigin lineage... They are one entity, and Ambaghai is Khabul's greatest support, but they have indeed become two separate groups...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me guess.\" Zhao Jiu suddenly sneered from his seat. \"The Tatars were formed from small tribes propped up by the Jin, naturally on the southeastern border of the steppe, and were always dealt with by Ambaghai and his Tayichiud. If transferred to the Eastern Mongols, they would inevitably become direct subordinates of Ambaghai and the Tayichiud. Ambaghai doesn't actually want to fall out with Great Song either, and he knows the Tatars are inextricably linked to the Jin. But since the sky would fall on Khabul first, he's happy to shed less blood and expand his own power while he's at it, so he just accepted the Tatars. And Khabul can't fall out with his cousin over this... Am I right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Ren Baozhong quickly bowed his head in his seat. \"Your Majesty is wise, seeing clearly for ten thousand li.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bullshit seeing clearly for ten thousand li.\" Zhao Jiu dropped his smile, looking thoroughly displeased. \"What I fear most are these primitive tribes who have no ill intent but can become enemies at the drop of a hat—you can argue with them but can't take action, and they can stir up any kind of trouble...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Baozhong dared not answer for a moment, and with only Liu Yan and a few guards below in the tent, it fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Regardless, within the Eastern Mongols, the Tatar tribe is acting as Jin's inside agent, right?\" Zhao Jiu waited a moment, then after signaling Ren Baozhong to finish his cup of salted tea, pressed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm... yes.\" Ren Baozhong hesitated noticeably, but after wiping his mouth, gave an affirmative answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did Wu Jinqing decide?\" Zhao Jiu continued pressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wu Dutong said that since Your Majesty had decided to march, he would follow previous instructions and handle it swiftly and strictly... Before I left, Wu Dutong had already sent a letter, demanding that Khabul Khan dispose of all Tatars in the army within three days.\" Ren Baozhong did not dare pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And after disposing of them?\" Zhao Jiu frowned slightly. \"Then lead the remaining Eastern Mongol reinforcements south?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" Ren Baozhong finally swallowed. \"Regardless of how the Eastern Mongols handle it, or don't handle it, he will leave one unit to guard Datong and monitor the Eastern Mongols; leave another to guard Yanmen Pass as a lock; then lead the Khitans, the Western Mongol tribes, and the troops of Deputy Commanders Wang and Guo back to Taiyuan, without delaying the great battle... This is what Wu Dutong asked me to return and tell Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu finally nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with this approach, but soon fell into a second silence in his seat without a word, as if pondering something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Ren Baozhong, having finished his salted tea and reported the key points, still felt somewhat breathless, as if nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was inevitable. One must know that the events at Datong this time had once again given Ren Baozhong a feeling of the fox mourning the hare, the creature grieving its kind, because he once again felt the same dread he had felt years ago when Western Xia was destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This dread was not caused by any specific betrayal or disposal, but by the fact that in the layers of indifference from those above, many people's fates were decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, those Tatars in the Eastern Mongol army this time might have secretly colluded with the Jin, or they might not have—it was very possible the Jin simply retreated too quickly for them to catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wu Da didn't care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those Tatar tribesmen accompanying the army, a full two to three thousand people, would likely face total annihilation because of a single word from Wu Da. Many so-called Tatar tribes on the border would also face catastrophic disaster because of this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And one layer up, regardless of how Khabul and his cousin handled the Tatar tribe, whether the Tatars lived or died, it could not change the reality that the Eastern Mongol tribes would be isolated from this great battle. No matter how they struggled or tried to remedy the situation, they could not change the fact that Khabul and the Eastern Mongols had lost Great Song's military trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the same logic, one more layer up, coming to this kindly official who hadn't forgotten to offer him a seat and salted tea, the fate of the entire Eastern Mongol tribes might be completely changed after the war due to some potential possibility, a misunderstanding, or a single thought from this official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Baozhong had seen this kind of thing once before. Last time, this official had casually chosen to destroy Western Xia to secure a strategically advantageous position for attacking Hedong... And after destroying Western Xia on the grounds of excessive reclamation damaging the land and water, the irrigation area in Ningxia had actually expanded to store military grain for this campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ren Qing... Ren Qing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is here.\" Ren Baozhong snapped back to reality, breaking out in a cold sweat, and quickly stood to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sit down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the Western Mongols?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Western Mongols are fine. Khan Hurzhas is just a muddled man. And as I said before, the Western Mongol tribes, being situated between Western Liao and Great Song, are heavily influenced by the eight tribes of Western Liao, so their foundation is stable... However, after Your Majesty sent Toghril back this time, Toghril has been jumping around, throwing his weight around, and has drawn many of his father's direct subordinates, which seems a bit improper.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even so, a muddled man cannot be kept.\" Zhao Jiu suddenly spoke, sounding inexplicable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty refers to...\" Ren Baozhong did not pause at all, quickly echoing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the Khitans?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Khitans are even more reliable... Although they once allowed Khan Hurzhas to plunder Datong as a test, Yelu Yudu is already a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. He knows full well that his future in the Yinshan region lies with Great Song, so this behavior is actually reasonable.\" Ren Baozhong continued. \"This matter was handled by Academician Mei. He was in Datong for only two or three days, yet he feasted with a group of Khitans seven times and composed eight or nine poems...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That doesn't matter.\" Zhao Jiu snorted with a laugh, confirming the Khitans were fine, and quickly interrupted him. \"That's exactly what he was sent there to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Ren Baozhong grew even more cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the central command tent fell silent for the third time at this moment... because Ren Baozhong's report was theoretically complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How is Ren Qing's health?\" After a brief moment, Zhao Jiu looked at him thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Though your servant is older, I can still don armor and gallop a horse.\" Ren Baozhong was startled and stood up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need for you to don armor and gallop a horse.\" Zhao Jiu finally smiled wryly, but did not signal him to sit again. \"I was thinking, you have been by my side for several years, contributing much in military staff work and border policy. If this campaign succeeds, no matter where the northern border is pushed to, there will need to be a new circuit established along the border... I don't mean the Yanshan circuit, but one centered on Datong, overseeing the surrounding prefectures and counties, and handling Yinshan and Mongol affairs, roughly equivalent to the Liao's former...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Western Capital Circuit.\" Ren Baozhong finally couldn't help but remind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, all his previous worries, fears, and panic were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, the Western Capital Circuit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu seemed thoughtful. \"Ren Qing has followed me for many years and knows I am not one to make empty promises. Whether it's the Datong circuit or the Western Capital Circuit, I believe you are the most suitable person to be the first Grand Coordinator of this new circuit... Because you are a close attendant, you will surely understand my intentions and not make mistakes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant…” Ren Baozhong’s mind was almost completely blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Moreover, most of the territories in this circuit cannot be firmly held at the start. There are too many tribes, too chaotic. Some need to be courted, some assimilated, some suppressed. You are experienced in this as well.” Zhao Jiu paid no attention to the other’s reaction and continued analyzing on his own. “Besides, Ren Qing is a Tangut, a Tangut hero renowned across the realm decades ago. Although the court opposes ethnic divisions, some matters are historical leftovers. We, sovereign and minister, need not hide it. As a Tangut standard-bearer, you should have experience as a substantive commissioner to win the Tanguts’ hearts. I have even thought that if you handle the Datong Circuit affairs splendidly, returning to fill a post as Minister would be feasible… But your age truly worries me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty.” Ren Baozhong, finally catching a pause in the other’s speech, knelt prostrate in the tent, weeping. “If your servant can share Your Majesty’s burdens, I fear not even being ground to dust. What is mere old age? For Your Majesty, I can serve another ten years!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu nodded: “If Ren Qing is willing, that is fine… Rest a while. After I discuss it with Chancellor Lu, I will issue you the formal decree, and you can return directly to Datong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Baozhong was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized in his heart—he finally understood why Wu Jie had sent him, an old man, back to report the news! This was an enormous favor!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite this realization, Ren Baozhong showed nothing on his face, only growing more solemn: “Since Your Majesty has chosen your servant as the Grand Coordinator of the Datong Circuit, I will spare no effort to repay Your Majesty’s trust.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The times are such. Right now, we need a Grand Coordinator so different from those from the interior, and Ren Qing happens to be right here.” Zhao Jiu sighed softly. “So it can also be said that the era and the nation have chosen Ren Qing. I ask Ren Qing not to betray the era and the nation either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Baozhong only kowtowed, no longer understanding what the Zhao official was saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, after hastily finalizing the arrangements for the Datong direction, the last scruples of the Song army vanished. Over the following days, unit by unit, the main Imperial Guard forces began a large-scale eastward advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very start, of course, were the two units of Dong Xian and Zhang Qi, which had set out first on the sixteenth day of the first month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same afternoon, four Commanders—Niu Gao, Zhai Jin, Zhai Chong, and Shao Yun—totaling over ten thousand men, split into two routes, one south and one north, advancing eastward along the Bear Ridge as reinforcements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the morning of the seventeenth day of the first month, Generals Dong Xian and Zhang Qi arrived at the eastern part of Shouyang County, almost the easternmost point of Taiyuan Prefecture, reaching the famous Mianman River, where they skirmished with a small Jin force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called Mianman River is a tributary of the Hutuo River, the very river that passes through Jingxing and witnessed the Battle of the River Back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Left Army, Prince of Yan’an Han Shizhong, personally led the Imperial Guard Left Army as the main force, with seven Commanders headed by Xie Yuan, nearly twenty-five thousand Imperial Guard combat troops, plus over ten thousand laborers and auxiliary troops, advancing along the northern road of Bear Ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the afternoon of that day, at the same time Ren Baozhong hurried back to Taiyuan, the four Commanders led by Niu Gao, following behind, also reached Yu County and Shouyang County, the easternmost parts of Taiyuan Prefecture, splitting north and south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the eighteenth day of the first month, Ren Baozhong set out northward early in the morning with his appointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the morning, the Zhao official personally led the dragon banner, escorted by Yang Yizhong and Liu Yan of the Imperial Guard, and left Taiyuan City… Accompanying him were the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Wang Yan, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Cavalry Li Master, and Wu Lin, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Rear Army, who had just arrived from the rear to join them. Below them were fifteen Commanders, leading the three thousand Imperial Guard Rear Army, which had suffered almost no casualties in this northern expedition and was a fresh force, and the fifteen thousand Tangut light cavalry of the Imperial Guard Cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a multitude, plus the original four thousand Imperial Guard troops, the sixty thousand Tangut auxiliary troops with rich combat experience, and miscellaneous groups like Japanese samurai, Poxi Army, and advisors, the total must have been one hundred ten thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, with such a host, they marched only thirty li per day, following the southern road of Bear Ridge, slowly heading east via Yuci.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scale of this campaign overshadowed almost all other news… Whether it was the coordinated efforts of the vanguard, Dong Xian and Zhang Qi, successfully capturing Pingding City, the seat of Pingding Army, which had few stationed troops on the banks of the Mianman River, approaching the narrow Jingxing Pass; or Li Qiong’s ten thousand troops turning from the Shangdang Basin into Liaozhou (the area of later Zuoquan County); or Wang De’s unit returning from the Datong Prefecture direction and crossing Yanmen Pass—none of it drew any attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the nineteenth day of the first month, all was calm; the armies simply continued their advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twentieth day of the first month, an anxious Wang De returned from Datong ahead of schedule, leading twenty thousand troops into the Taiyuan Basin. Upon hearing this news, the accompanying Chancellor Lu Yihao immediately set out. He led only a few thousand troops and twenty thousand carefully selected laborers by Ma Kuo, carrying a large amount of supplies, plus most of the accompanying civil officials, advancing eastward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That afternoon, Generals Dong and Zhang, who had formally entered the Jingxing area, suddenly encountered the main Jin force at Baijing Stockade. Caught off guard, the Song army could not overcome them and had to retreat ten li to set up camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twenty-first day of the first month, after three days of leisurely marching, the main force led by the Zhao official reached the territory of Shouyang County. Meanwhile, Wu Jie, leading ten thousand Khitan Yinshan reinforcements, fifteen thousand Western Mongol reinforcements, and the remaining ten thousand Imperial Guard Rear Army, crossed Xinzhou and arrived in the Taiyuan Basin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately afterward, Li Yanxian led the remaining Shaan-Luo troops, about ten thousand, plus Wang De’s twenty thousand, totaling thirty thousand combat troops, all setting out together. Within a day, they caught up with Lu Yihao ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same day, Niu Gao, Shao Yun, Zhai Jin, Zhai Chong, along with Dong Xian and Zhang Qi, converged within Jingxing. The six Commanders took turns attacking through the night, and in one stroke, they captured Baijing Stockade, seizing the key forward section of Jingxing. In the latter part of the night, they sent messengers to report the victory to the Zhao official behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twenty-second day of the first month, a full seven days after Generals Dong and Zhang had set out, Wu Jie finally organized his troops in Taiyuan and headed east. After leaving ten thousand garrison troops distributed across Taiyuan and Xihe, he led a force mainly composed of Khitan, Mongol, Tangut, and Xi light cavalry reinforcements, setting out eastward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Song army had deployed a total of one hundred forty thousand combat troops just from Taiyuan heading east!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, at the start of the war, the Song army’s three hundred thousand Imperial Guard troops had been split in two. The Hebei direction comprised the Imperial Guard Forward Army, Right Army, Water Army, and Navy, about ninety thousand combat troops. So the Imperial Guard main force assembled in the Hedong direction was self-evident: a full two hundred ten thousand combat troops! Adding the twenty-five thousand Yinshan and Western Mongol reinforcements, it should have been two hundred thirty to forty thousand combat troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, months of warfare inevitably brought attrition and various strange losses. Additionally, after occupying almost the entire Hedong region, the Song army could not avoid leaving garrison troops at key points to guard against contingencies and participate in maintaining logistics… For instance, Taiyuan, Datong, Yanmen Pass, Xihe, and Longde Prefecture all had organized garrison units left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, when Li Yanxian saw Wu Jie appear in the Taiyuan Basin, he directly led his troops eastward without waiting for the other to return. The inner reason was that he wanted the Imperial Guard Rear Army to take over the defense of the Taiyuan Basin, allowing his remaining troops to participate in the eastern campaign… Wu Jie had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill, having to scatter the twenty thousand troops led by Guo Hao across the Datong and Taiyuan Basins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poor Guo Hao. He had been trapped in a fort by Qu Duan at Yaoshan, and now he was trapped in Taiyuan by Li Yanxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Sheng was also trapped, but he had outsmarted himself and could blame no one else—he had suffered a major defeat at Pingxing Stockade, lost his supplies, and could not advance. Even after logistics were finally restored, he could only continue advancing through Puyin Pass, serving as a “surprise force” to harass the rear of Zhending Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But everyone knew that Jingxing was the most direct route from Taiyuan to Hebei, the most convenient of the Eight Passes of the Taihang Mountains. In fact, the importance of Zhending Prefecture’s itinerary and Taiyuan Prefecture was largely due to their relationship with Jingxing… Under these circumstances, it seemed difficult for Wang Sheng to catch up with events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from this, there was also the main force of over ten thousand led by Commander Xiao Fan of the Eight-Character Army, which had been left behind by Li Qiong’s unit from the start. Needless to say, they would follow Qu Duan’s Imperial Guard Cavalry into Longde Prefecture and become its garrison. Only Li Qiong himself, leading the remaining ten thousand main troops of the Eight-Character Army, could turn back from Liaozhou and hopefully join the Zhao official’s main force in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Qu Duan’s Imperial Guard Cavalry, after Zhang Zhongfu’s disastrous defeat, it was unclear how many usable troops remained. Moreover, they were now supposed to be executing the task of following the main Jin force northward east of the Taihang Mountains, and the situation was completely unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Eastern Mongol tribes, whom no one cared about anymore, they were excluded from all calculations… Even though Khabul, upon receiving Wu Jie’s request, immediately sent Ambaghai to Datong to explain, and even though Ambaghai, upon discovering that various units in Datong were moving south, immediately turned back and actively persuaded Khabul to abandon excuses and deal with the Tatars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over ten thousand Eastern Mongol tribesmen, from their leaders downward, were almost entirely plunged into panic and confusion, having no idea where to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But again, no one cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, setting aside all these peripheral issues, everyone could calculate a possible, chilling final number of participants in the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least one hundred fifty to sixty thousand, at most two hundred thousand, and in reality, probably one hundred seventy to eighty thousand…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the Taihang Mountains, less than a hundred li in a straight line from the Song army’s vanguard, north of Daluze, in Gaoyi County of Zhaozhou, in the county government hall, after gathering intelligence from all sides, Gao Qingyi, sitting in a subordinate seat with bloodshot eyes, gave a more precise number than the Zhao official’s side. This was because they were very clear about the size of the cavalry group behind them, led by Qu Duan, Liu Qi, Zhang Zhongfu, Zhang Zhongyan, Zhang Xian, and others. “It mainly depends on whether Wang Sheng at Puyin Pass and Khabul further north will converge. As for Qu Duan and Zhang Xian and the others, it’s already impossible to eliminate them before the main Song force exits Jingxing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Counting Eluguan and the others already in Zhending, we have thirteen Wanhu units on our side. But various combat losses haven’t been replenished at all. In reality, we have just over one hundred thousand combat troops, infantry and cavalry combined.” In the hall, empty except for a table with a map spread on it, an equally exhausted Wushu, eyes closed, spoke from one side of the table, repeating the numbers already memorized. “Huonü and Wulinda Taiyu have already reached Baozhou (later Baoding). My elder brother, as per my letter, has handed over the four Hezha Meng’an of Yanjing to Wanyan Poushu, who will arrive at Baozhou soon… These three will definitely make it in time! But what about the south? Will it be undefended? What if Yue Fei pursues and joins in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we must act quickly.” Gao Qingyi repeated the sentence he had repeated many times. “Act before the Zhao Song official exits Jingxing and reaches Zhending, and before Yue Fei comes downriver to Hejian… Ideally, before Wang Sheng in the north can join, so it’s one hundred twenty to thirty thousand against one hundred seventy to eighty thousand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does the Marshal think?” Hoarse and exhausted, Wushu, with eyes closed, called out to another person in the hall… In fact, only three people were around the table with the map in the hall. They had arrived here hastily and hastily convened a small military council.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Retreat was not easy, especially with Qu Dang exiting Fukou Pass and joining Yue Fei’s “cavalry,” closely following behind. Helplessly, countless conscripted troops were abandoned in large numbers, and many supplies were scattered. Only a small number of families, valuable goods, and military supplies were preserved… The only consolation was that conscripts could be replenished along the way, and Zhending still had some stores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after these words were spoken, no answer came for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu opened his eyes in surprise and saw Bolisu, sitting dryly diagonally opposite, also with bloodshot eyes staring at the map, who had just glanced up at him: “That’s the number. We’ve calculated it so many times along the way, Prince Wei, why calculate again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu made no comment, only asked in return: “Then what was the Marshal just thinking about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thinking about the Zhao Song official’s advance.” Bolisu stroked the simple map before him and shook his head. “Prince Wei, do you think that when the Zhao official attacked Taiyuan earlier, could it be called ‘swift as the wind’? And this time, advancing from Taiyuan into Jingxing, could it be called ‘slow as the forest’? Next, will it be ‘violent as fire’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu was stunned for a moment, unable to refute, but soon recovered and looked at Gao Qingyi again: “Gao Interpreter, let me ask you again, setting aside the issue of troop numbers, now that we have a brief respite, are there any urgent matters in the army to deal with?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, should Jingxing be defended?” Gao Qingyi blurted out. “Second, where to choose the battlefield? These two are interconnected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu thought for a moment and asked in return: “Only these?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are many more.” Gao Qingyi almost sneered. “Such as whether Yanjing is stable? Whether a cavalry force might exit Jundu Pass and directly threaten Yanjing? Whether the new troops in Yanjing are usable? Who should be the commander? How many military supplies are actually in Zhending Prefecture? How many conscripts has Prince Chen (Eluguan) prepared for us in Zhending as auxiliaries? How many of our army have fallen behind or been lost in the arduous journey? When can we properly regroup? If you think about it, there are problems everywhere…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But none of them are the immediate priority, nor the overall strategy.” Wushu sighed softly, then forced himself to look at the simple map again. “Right now, the only decision that must be made regardless of everything else is whether Yelu Ma Wu should withdraw from Jingxing to join us, and then choose where to fight the decisive battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Withdraw!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bolisu spoke abruptly. “Jingxing is wide inside. Back then, Han Xin fought a battle of a hundred thousand men in the pass without feeling cramped… Ma Wu and his troops definitely cannot hold off the main Song force. It’s better to withdraw and preserve strength. Moreover, you’ve been saying all along that we must fight a decisive battle quickly, before Yue Fei catches up… Relying on layered resistance to delay would actually be disadvantageous for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can we fight the decisive battle inside Jingxing?” Wushu suddenly interjected, apparently directly acquiescing to the opinion of letting Yelu Ma Wu withdraw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s still a pass terrain, unsuitable for large cavalry formations.” Bolisu shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu looked at Gao Qingyi again, who also shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that's the case,\" the Fourth Prince said, nodding first, then muttering to himself as he looked at the map. \"So today we need to find good terrain east of Jingxing and west of Zhending to fight? Defend the Hutuo River, or the Mianman River?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is Prince Wei confused?\" Bolisu suddenly said impatiently. \"I've said it before—we can't drag this out... The sooner we force a decisive battle with the Song army, the more fighting strength we'll have. If we delay until Yue Fei marches north to Hejian and we're caught in a pincer, the situation will only get worse! And if we want a quick decisive battle with the Song army, what's the point of defending these rivers? Letting them cross the rivers is the real issue!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Wushu was startled and looked at the map again, shifting his gaze to the area east of the Mianman River, which turned almost due north after entering the Hebei Plain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Gao Qingyi slowly spoke up: \"That said, we can't let the Song army cross the Hutuo River either, because Zhending City lies behind it. If the Song army uses that city-breaking method again, the entire army will panic, dare not engage, and just sit by while they take Zhending—what then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can't set up camp right by the Hutuo River either,\" Bolisu added again. \"Otherwise we'd be in a position with our backs to the water... If... if we lose, even though we're cavalry, it won't be easy to scatter and flee—there's a risk of being encircled and annihilated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Jin Wushu finally touched the map and smiled bitterly: \"So that means we can only find some awkward terrain in the plains east of the Mianman River (running north-south after exiting Jingxing) and southwest of the Hutuo River (running northwest-southeast near Zhending), then lure the Song army across the Mianman River to attack us... But this area only has one county—a few hundred thousand troops will almost fill it up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huolu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, after a brief pause, Bolisu and Gao Qingyi, who hadn't even been looking at the map, shouted the name of that county almost simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One hundred and twenty li from here,\" Gao Qingyi added. \"To our northwest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huolu... a good name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the banks of the Mianman River, only one hundred and fifty li in a straight line from Gaoyi in Zhaozhou, inside the camp, Zhao Jiu looked at the map and gave the place another assessment. \"Truly a good name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Han Shizhong was about to agree, Zhao Jiu suddenly looked up and asked again: \"Looking at the map, it's to our northeast... how far?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One hundred and twenty li,\" Han Shizhong said, startled for a moment, then solemnly replied. \"Just one Jingxing passage and one Mianman River in between.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thank you to Lord Yunzhu Zhige for the second patronage.\u003C\u002Fp>",5539,"2026-06-06T07:46:32.508Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","6dda9a693f3088ea19c18a1f1aab27ceafd0101391ee2ef12a07dc22960f10e0","shao-song-chapter-417","shao-song-chapter-415",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]