[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-424":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},1558590,2024,"Chapter 424: The Final Throw","shao-song-chapter-424",424,"\u003Cp>By afternoon, the spring rain, which everyone had already grown accustomed to, continued to fall, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, without cease, and the battle quickly entered its third climax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon learning the intelligence provided by that Han Battalion Commander, combined with other scattered frontline feedback, the battlefield commander-in-chief Wu Jie immediately judged that the intelligence was most likely true—at the very least, the general troop distribution was not too far off—so he made an instant decision, committing Li Qiong's forces into battle ahead of schedule... The twenty thousand well-rested troops of the Imperial Guard Central Army immediately set out, crossing the river to attack from downstream of Shiqiao and the high ground, that is, from the front flank of Huolu County town, then circling around the eastern side of the high ground, where the fighting was lighter, to the rear flank, attempting to locate that 'reserve' army of Yelu Ma Wu and Wanyan Wolun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This move had been very dangerous before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Jin army camp, during its hasty construction, had still managed to form a herringbone shape, like a central node extending three arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, the node was located slightly east of the south side of the high ground, covering a vast battlefield, and counted as the main stockade. The three arms: one cut across from behind the high ground, connecting to Shiyi further southeast—that was the original camp and also an escape route; one pointed across the river toward Zhending Prefecture city—that was the main supply channel for military provisions and a more secure escape route; the last one slanted diagonally from the east side of the high ground, crossing the Taiping River and pointing toward the Song army's Huolu County town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, for the Jin army, the high ground and the two arms of their camp formed a mutual support system... In fact, among the four Wanhu of the Jin army's western heavy force group at the start, the southernmost, Heshilie Taiyu's unit, was directly connected to the camp's outer moat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, advancing rashly from the east side of the high ground earlier would have been very dangerous, as it could easily have fallen into a pincer attack between the high ground and the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now, with the battle having progressed to this point, the main Jin force on the high ground was fully exposed and out of control, already engaged in a full-frontal battle with the Song army. Compared to the temptation of locating the Jin army's reserve fresh forces ahead of time, a bit of risk-taking no longer seemed so unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, by the time Zhao Jiu learned of Hu Yantong's death, the fierce fighting had already spread across the entire high ground. On a battlefield spanning some sixteen or seventeen li in radius centered on the high ground, the cumulative combat forces committed by both sides had already reached eleven Wanhu and one hundred twenty-five thousand men respectively—Li Qiong, Qiao Zhongfu, and Zhang Jing had found Yelu Ma Wu and Wanyan Wolun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the original plan, the next step was to pause slightly and see if the Jin army, under Li Qiong's fierce assault, would commit their final reserve forces... After all, whether it was the three Wanhu plus six Hezha Meng'an mentioned by the defecting general, or whatever was anticipated, the Jin army was bound to have a last trump card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hu Yan is dead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the rain, Zhao Jiu did not voice the question aloud, only resting his hand on his forehead, because at that moment he clearly felt a fleeting dizziness... However, after drinking most of a jug of wine in the rain, having such a sensation didn't seem worth worrying about, and in a battle of nearly two hundred thousand troops, the death of a Commander didn't seem like news that should shake him, the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand.\" Suppressing that flash of dizziness, Zhao Jiu exhaled slightly, answering as calmly as he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The heads of the generals Tusu and Ali have been taken. Commander Wu sent them over. Would Your Majesty like to inspect them briefly?\" Liu Yan, beside him, did not notice the emotion hidden beneath the Emperor's half-drunken state, continuing to report earnestly with a formal bow, to the point where rainwater streamed from his armor in lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need.\" Zhao Jiu shook his head in response, casually pressing down on the wine cup on the table before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan immediately turned and waved at two Imperial Guards, who promptly withdrew with the wooden bucket in their hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the hastily constructed platform of piled-up odds and ends, an unsettling silence once again descended. In that silence, Zhao Jiu took a deep breath while the others looked out at the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be clear, this silence was not Zhao Jiu's intention. On the contrary, at this very moment, this Emperor of Zhao Song had countless words he wanted to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He very much wanted to tell Mei Li, a close minister who might not know the details, that ten years ago, when he had felt most insecure, Hu Yantong, by chance, had served for a long time as his personal guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also wanted to ask Liu Yan how many of the old soldiers from Yanzhou in Liaodong were left in the Red Heart Company, which had once had 'about a thousand men' in front of Mingdao Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also wanted to invite Lu Yihao to sit down, pour wine, and discuss heroes with him—to debate whose 'ten years of effort' it really was. Was it his, the Emperor's? Or the famous generals like Han, Yue, Zhang, and Wu, who seemed to have descended from heaven to aid the Great Song in this great era? Or was it the renowned chancellors of the Jianyan era, including Li Gang, Zong Ze, Zhang Suo, Wang Boyan, as well as Lu Haowen, Xu Jingheng, Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, and even Lu Yihao himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if none of these, was it the three hundred thousand Imperial Guard soldiers themselves? Or the countless civil officials and clerks across the realm? Or the struggling remnants of the Two Rivers region? Or the common people of the Southeast, Jingxiang, Bashu, the Central Plains, and Guanxi, who provided the wealth and grain for the nation's revival?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps, should everyone be considered one body?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the Jin state was destroyed, could they truly remain as one body forever?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a daze, Zhao Jiu couldn't help silently reciting the names of the Commanders in the Imperial Guard, then the court ministers, then all the names he could recall or couldn't recall, even some faceless people. In the end, it was no longer specific individuals, but events strung together by people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as these people and events accumulated in his mind, piling up to a certain point, this Emperor almost felt his chest would burst, urging and compelling him to shout something out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, he did not speak, not a single word more. Because he knew that unless this day's battle produced a result—and it had to be a decisive victory—he could not discuss these matters or speak these names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another squad of Red Heart bell-ringing cavalry came galloping from Wu Jie's direction, drawing everyone's attention. The Emperor, his face covered in rain, swayed slightly, taking the opportunity to hastily pour himself a cup of wine and down it in one gulp, trying to suppress the complex emotions within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since early morning, he had been using this method to control himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan proactively stepped forward, hand on his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several Red Heart cavalrymen arrived before him, knelt directly, and one immediately reported: \"Reporting to the Commander... A report from the front: Commander Guan Shigu has fallen in battle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Shigu was a senior general of the Imperial Guard Rear Army. Wu Jie had repeatedly proposed replacing his younger brother Wu Lin with this man as Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard Rear Army, where he held a prominent position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Liu Yan paused for a moment, then immediately turned his head to look at the Emperor, who sat motionless. Knowing that at this distance the other party could certainly hear clearly, he paused briefly before turning back and speaking seriously to his subordinate: \"Understood. Does Commander Wu have any other messages?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" The leading Red Heart squadron leader took over the report. Clearly, his information was more important. \"Commander Wu says the frontline situation is slightly unfavorable...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\" Liu Yan immediately became serious. \"Has General Guan's death caused a disturbance?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General Guan's death is a factor, but General Guan was on the main front of the high ground. The ripples from his fall are not enough to shake the overall situation. The main issue is that on the eastern rear flank of the high ground, we underestimated the strength of Yelu Ma Wu's and Wanyan Wolun's units.\" The Red Heart squadron leader spoke clearly. \"We originally thought that Yelu Ma Wu's unit had suffered heavy losses in the previous Taiyuan campaign and the Jingxing retreat, so their combat strength should be weak. That's why Commander Wu sent Deputy Commander Li Qiong with twenty thousand men to actively seek battle. But after engaging, we discovered that the strength of Yelu Ma Wu's and Wanyan Wolun's units is not only not weak, but definitely exceeds two Wanhu...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why is that?\" Liu Yan couldn't help interrupting to press further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to battlefield feedback, there are many more infantry. Deputy Commander Li Qiong and Commander Wu both believe that the Jin army, in order to concentrate their cavalry for a final throw, picked out the infantry from the remaining three Wanhu and supplemented them under Yelu Ma Wu's unified command...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see.\" Liu Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't a heavenly army beyond the original plan, it was acceptable. \"What decision has Military Governor Wu made?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Wu says that although the Imperial Guard Central Army cannot quickly suppress this Jin force on the eastern rear flank of the high ground, on the western side of the high ground, our army has already become overwhelmingly powerful and unstoppable. Suppressing the entire Jin army line and forcing out their trump card is only a matter of time... He asks Your Majesty not to worry and to wait a little longer.\" The Red Heart squadron leader's report ended there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the last sentence, Liu Yan turned his head once more to look behind him. Confirming that the silent Emperor had indeed heard the entire message, he said no more, merely waving his hand to signal the man to return to Wu Jie's side and report back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red Heart cavalry left, and the Emperor remained silent. It was Lu Yihao who spoke up slowly from under Mei Li's umbrella: \"General Liu...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subordinate is here.\" Facing Lu Yihao, Liu Yan was momentarily flustered. \"Please speak, Chancellor Lu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many troops have crossed the river? How many are left on this side of the Taiping River?\" Lu Yihao asked unhurriedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those who crossed the river number one hundred twenty-five thousand. Those left on this side of the river include the Imperial Guard Cavalry Army and the Imperial Guard Vanguard Army's Beiwei Army, organized into a cavalry force of about thirteen to fourteen thousand, under the command of Military Governor Wang and Commander Yang. Added to that are the long-axe heavy infantry and long-spear mixed units organized from the Imperial Guard Right Army's Beiwei Army, about twenty-six to twenty-seven thousand... In total, less than forty thousand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anything else?\" Lu Yihao pressed on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are also the Imperial Guards in front of the Emperor, a scattering of Japanese samurai, and some generals' personal guards, totaling three to four thousand infantry and cavalry, to guard the Huolu camp and the Emperor.\" Liu Yan paused briefly before continuing his report with bowed head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anything else?\" Lu Yihao asked again, as if he hadn't heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are also the Tangut auxiliary troops and the Taihang volunteer army.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean? Are they usable?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course they are usable...\" Liu Yan grew more confused but could only grit his teeth and state the facts. \"They have plenty of combat experience, can endure hardship, and can take the field... However, because we need to set up a supply line from Taiyuan to Huolu, there are currently only twenty thousand Tangut laborers and ten thousand Taihang volunteer army auxiliary troops in the camp here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao nodded and looked at the expressionless Emperor sitting there: \"Your Majesty, this expedition to Hebei has a total of one hundred eighty thousand men. Excluding the few detached forces sent to the Hutuo River area, the remaining approximately one hundred seventy thousand combat troops have already crossed the river, more than two-thirds of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone understood in their hearts—Chancellor Lu was urging the Emperor to cross the river himself to break the deadlock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And clearly, given this Emperor's nature, he should not refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu certainly understood his meaning, but after thinking for a moment, this Emperor, who had long been unable to contain himself, actually shook his head, then forced himself to reply calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait a little longer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao, after being refused, did not mind. He merely nodded slightly, then instructed Liu Yan to deploy the twenty thousand Tangut auxiliary troops and the ten thousand Taihang volunteer army auxiliary troops from the camp to form ranks on the open ground behind Shiqiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Emperor suddenly interjected: \"Have the auxiliary troops bring out all the chevaux-de-frise from the camps.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan hurried off to organize the auxiliary troops. The Emperor's words, however, made the fact even clearer—he did not want to cross the river, but rather hoped to set out at a better, more suitable time for crossing, fully prepared, to maximize the effect of the imperial expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Liu Yan was hastily organizing the auxiliary troops, the battlefield on the opposite bank of the Taiping River had already become a complete mess, with 120,000 Song troops facing off against ten Wanhu units of the Jin army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when they said it was a mess, they were mostly referring to the interlocking nature of the battle—as time passed, on one side, increasingly exhausted soldiers found themselves in a difficult fighting situation, with casualties appearing on a large scale and morale generally low; on the other side, the newly committed fresh troops still had soaring morale, maintaining a complete battle line while also attempting to seize the initiative in a complex situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, however, from the overall dynamics of the battlefield, the situation was still fairly clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the west side of the high ground, after crushing two Wanhu units on the Jin army's western line, the Song army had gained a comprehensive advantage and was trying hard to tear through the final obstacles to complete an encirclement from behind the high ground... But as mentioned before, the western line had entered battle the earliest. After a morning and noon of fierce fighting in the rain, both sides' troops were utterly exhausted and morale was very low. The Jin army was barely holding on, but the Song army's offensive could no longer be compared to what it was earlier. On top of that, Jiagu Wulibu's all-cavalry Wanhu unit brought from Yanjing was using its local mobility advantage to rotate personnel and provide support. When they would finally break through, nobody could say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the front of the high ground, after routing Ali's unit, the Song army successfully linked up with the troops on the western line, so they were able to maintain their advantage and forward momentum. At the same time, however, the Jin army on the front of the high ground had no shortage of veteran commanders, and their four Wanhu units were also linked in a single line—declining but not collapsing. So no breakthrough situation like the one on the western line had yet formed on the high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the east side of the high ground, on the newly opened eastern battlefield, although the scale of fighting was slightly smaller, the two sides were roughly evenly matched, and both were fresh troops. Moreover, Wanyan Wolun, Yelu Mawu, Li Qiong, Qiao Zhongfu, Zhang Jing, and the others were all recognized veteran commanders, so the fighting went back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To sum it up: there were no miracles, and no brilliant stratagems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The war had gone on for so long that both sides were already completely clear on each other's tactics, personnel deployments, and equipment. They had both thoroughly figured out heavy armor, the most era-defining military technology... As for estimates of troop strength, perhaps no one could make an accurate count, but both sides had a rough idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the few hundred camel cannons were nothing more than an embellishment, having no real impact on the main battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could only say that the Song army had an overall advantage in morale and troop numbers from the start, so it was only natural that they now held a rough advantage—but it was simply not enough to quickly crush the enemy's heavy forces. Meanwhile, although the Jin army knew before the battle that they were at a comprehensive disadvantage, they had done their best to gain some tactical advantages by controlling the high ground and setting up camps across the river—but these tactical advantages were not enough to offset their comprehensive disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier rain and the current spring rain were equally fair to both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And without miracles or clever schemes, at this point, the only thing that could influence the development and direction of the battle was simply when one side would play the cards in their hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, after learning that only a crippled Wanhu unit was deployed between the Jin army's main camp and Zhending Prefecture, Wu Jie had briefly considered having Qu Duan lead a force on a sneak attack to the rear, but he immediately suppressed the idea himself, without even discussing the possibility with Zhao Jiu... The battle had reached this point; splitting forces was impossible. The only path was to concentrate as much force as possible on the main battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was precisely based on this reasoning that Lu Yihao seized the opportunity to urge His Majesty the Emperor to cross the river at the right time. Only His Majesty himself was still waiting for a more suitable moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that moment did not take long to arrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About two ke less than an hour after Zhao Jiu said \"Wait a little longer,\" and before Liu Yan had even finished organizing the 30,000 auxiliary troops, as the seesaw battle continued, Zhang Qi's unit suddenly advanced and captured the eastern slope crest of the high ground—one of two obvious high points on the high ground, east and west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the \"Commanding with Calm\" grand banner, which had already advanced to the front of the Stone Bridge, Wu Jie looked at the Zhang character banner on that high point and hesitated for a moment. But he quickly came to his senses and turned back to order the Red Heart Cavalry that His Majesty had specially assigned to him, commanding Qu Duan to lead the remaining Song iron cavalry to decisively cross the river and attack, pressing forward from that point to achieve a breakthrough. At the same time, he had this military order relayed to the Imperial Presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not mention what His Majesty himself should do; that was not his place to command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The military order from his former subordinate first reached the Imperial Camp Cavalry. Qu Da did not hesitate for a moment and immediately ordered Liu Qi, Zhang Xian, Zhang Zhongfu, Zhang Zhongyan, and the other generals to return to their units, then advance and engage across the pontoon bridges that Li Qiong's troops had set up earlier. He himself, riding the new Iron Elephant, took the lead, crossing the river first with his personal guards... This was not because Qu Duan had suddenly regained confidence in his troops, or because he still relished the brutal fighting he had watched for most of the day. Rather, it was that, at this point, even he could no longer hesitate or retreat, no matter how dull-witted he might be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was honor and responsibility, political pressure, or the authority of military law—he and his more than 10,000 cavalry, who had lacked rest, now had to press forward without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like the more than 100,000 troops who had already entered the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Qu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just after crossing the river, a Red Heart Cavalryman galloped up from across the river to inform Qu Duan of a message. \"His Majesty has decreed that the remaining thousand-plus Red Heart Cavalry of the Imperial Presence are to be placed under your command...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Duan was momentarily stunned, but before he could express his gratitude, he suddenly realized something and instinctively looked back toward the Dragon Banner on the opposite bank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, in the slightly calming drizzle, that Dragon Banner was moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the departure of His Majesty Zhao and his already worn-out Golden Wu Banner did not trigger any roaring scenes like mountains shaking or seas churning—at least not at this moment. Nor were there any tearful partings or earth-shattering shifts in morale... This attack was not the same as the one at Yaoshan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the drizzle, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song and Lu Yihao nodded to each other. Lu Yihao turned back to Huolu City, while Zhao Jiu set off westward. At his side were only a few close ministers, and Liu Yan with seven or eight hundred Imperial Guard troops. Among these, Yuan Wei and a hundred or so Japanese samurai were also there, making up the numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu even had Shao Chengzhang bring the remaining half-flask of wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, His Majesty's route also deviated somewhat from the masses. After entrusting the Red Heart squad within the Imperial Guard sequence to Qu Duan, who had been worrying that his subordinates would suffer heavy casualties, he straightened up, mounted his horse, and headed west. Clearly, he intended to cross the Taiping River via the very safe and secure Stone Bridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, even so, Qu Duan did not think much about it—or rather, he had no time to think. He simply hurried to urge his troops to cross the river and support the front-line units in order to fully control the high ground... and incidentally, to clear a campsite for His Majesty and his Dragon Banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last main battle cavalry of the Song army crossed the river at full speed, while His Majesty Zhao, clad in dark gold armor, after heading straight west, stopped behind the Stone Bridge, that is, behind Wu Jie's grand banner... Under Wu Jie's watchful eye, His Majesty waited for a massive and strange \"reinforcement\"... Although somewhat hasty, Liu Yan had done his best to assign routes to the 20,000 Tangut auxiliary troops and the 10,000 Taihang volunteer auxiliary troops who had not been incorporated into the Imperial Camp's organization in the Hedong region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men had no iron armor, generally only wearing leather armor, carrying spears and swords. Their soft bows were useless at this point, so they simply discarded them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, it was worth noting that when they set out from camp, following His Majesty's decree, they had dismantled almost all the cheval-de-frise in front of the Song army's main camp, and then, in groups of several men, carried them behind His Majesty's Dragon Banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auxiliary troops were, after all, auxiliary troops. Although they had an officer system, gathering and deploying these 30,000 auxiliaries still took a long time. By this time, Qu Duan's various units were already locked in chaotic combat with the scattered troops all over the high ground... Qu Duan had his own difficulties. It wasn't that he didn't want to concentrate his forces, but the battlefield was too cramped. He lacked both the command experience and ability to concentrate and use over 10,000 cavalry, and the tactical space to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the sudden commitment of 13,000 to 14,000 cavalry immediately changed the battlefield situation. The previously active units of Yelu Mawu and Wanyan Wolun immediately lost the initiative and could no longer support their comrades on the high ground. The troops on the high ground, in turn, suffered a massive blow to their morale, to the point that more than half of the high ground fell under Song control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be said without exaggeration that this attack caused the Jin army to shrink across the entire front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, His Majesty finally set out again. Behind him now were not only the 30,000 Tangut and Han auxiliary troops, carrying several thousand simple cheval-de-frise and advancing in separate streams, but also several dozen men whose faces kept shifting between pale and flushed, \"on standby for consultation\"... These men had been driven out of the city by Lu Yihao to accompany the imperial carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make a long story short, the 30,000 auxiliary troops spread out across the entire front. Following the pontoon bridges that Li Yanxian's unit had set up earlier, they crossed the river in several dozen streams directly opposite them. Meanwhile, His Majesty Zhao, with his eunuchs, close ministers, and consultants, leading his Imperial Guard troops and flanked by the Dragon Banner, advanced toward the Stone Bridge in the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached the Stone Bridge, Wu Jie, who had been prepared, knelt and prostrated himself on the ground before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu sat upright on his horse without a word. He only nodded slightly after Wu Jie had completed the full ritual. Then, Wu Jie's \"Commanding with Calm\" grand banner automatically moved to the side and rear of the Golden Wu Banner, and Wu Jie himself stepped forward without hesitation to personally lead His Majesty's horse, guiding him onto the Stone Bridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, the commotion caused by the auxiliary troops had already alerted the Song soldiers along the bank of the Taiping River on the opposite side... The battle had gone on for so long, and with the Song army's ironclad order that \"anyone who crosses the river without a severe wound will be executed,\" the area along the south bank of the Taiping River had long become a place where lightly wounded Song soldiers, routed troops, and exhausted units gathered to rest. Countless soldiers were gasping, lying stiff, hiding, and waiting in the mud and water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon hearing this commotion and seeing the Dragon Banner cross the bridge, countless Song wounded and routed soldiers couldn't help craning their necks to look. Among them, the routed troops unconsciously gathered toward the Stone Bridge with a certain hesitant posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu naturally saw this scene, and he observed it very carefully... He saw a large number of wounded lying on a clean slope that couldn't hold water. Rainwater flowed down the slope, carrying blood into the river, so that the murky yellow river water was faintly dark. He saw exhausted soldiers sitting motionless in puddles, clutching their spears, their hands and feet soaked white, but the mud on the sides of their faces had hardened into clumps because they had avoided the rain for so long. They now stared at him, His Majesty, turning their necks as if they had lost their souls, so that mud dripped from their beards. He also saw a familiar-looking officer running toward him from a distance as he crossed the river, but every few steps he would stop for a while, then start again, his speed slowing, as if he seemed somewhat hesitant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But throughout this entire scene, Zhao Jiu neither dismounted to comfort and praise these wounded men, nor did he rebuke or encourage these routed troops. He didn't even have the Imperial Guard blow their horns to let the officers take the opportunity to reorganize their units.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it wasn't necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Majesty said not a word. He simply had Wu Jie lead him to a small slope in front of the Stone Bridge, and then paused there with the Golden Wu Banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a moment, like ripples spreading after a stone is thrown into a lake, the Song troops along the riverbank, who had been frozen in place, were set in motion again, wave after wave... More and more Song routed soldiers and lightly wounded men crowded over, immediately surrounding the small slope in an impenetrable mass. Troops and soldiers from further out were still arriving continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu stood at the very top of the small slope, looking around. Seeing countless pairs of eyes fixed on him, he wanted to speak, but found himself as tongue-tied and unable to speak as before... He, who was usually sharp-tongued, who was usually best at playing the role of an enlightened ruler, now felt as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, from noon that day onward, he had spoken very few words. And when he did speak, they were just a few simple words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It really wasn't that he didn't want to speak, but that he was too desperate for victory, so much so that he simply couldn't speak before victory was achieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, after looking around in all directions for a long time, having confirmed that he had stirred up many routed soldiers, His Majesty suppressed the many words in his heart and prepared to move on. But just as he spurred his horse forward again, after only two or three steps, he saw another person hurrying toward him from the front and side, so he reined in his horse again. Wu Jie cooperated throughout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was none other than Wang De, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Camp Central Army. He was alone, bare-chested, wearing only long trousers. From his arms to his torso, he was wrapped in seven or eight bandages, five or six of which clearly had blood seeping through. He came on foot, and when he saw that Zhao Jiu was about to leave, he bowed his head and prostrated himself from several dozen paces away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu knew that Wang De's unit had suffered heavy casualties, and was likely the most exhausted unit in the entire army, and was certainly resting at this moment. He also knew that this \"Yaksha,\" in addition to rendering great service, had lost one son and had another wounded. Naturally, he wanted to offer comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for some reason, when the words reached his lips, they came out extremely brief and flat:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Minister Wang.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is here.\" Wang De raised his head, clearly showing an excitement that was completely different from before the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Follow along!\" Zhao Jiu, on his horse, ordered calmly with effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, for some reason, these three simple words almost made Wang De burst into tears on the spot. It took him great effort to suppress his emotions, and then he kowtowed heavily again on the muddy ground:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I beg Your Majesty to wait a moment, allow your servant to don his armor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu immediately nodded in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this nod, the gathered routed soldiers, including many lightly wounded, finally burst into life with a roar, as if receiving some decree, and then began searching everywhere for their own armor and weapons. Those who couldn't find any simply went to scavenge from the corpses around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Zhao Jiu, once Wang De had donned his armor again and taken up his long axe, mounted his warhorse, and led the general's banner as his vanguard, he did not hesitate. Continuing at that unhurried pace, he had Wu Jie lead his horse southward to ascend the high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After climbing barely a li or two, Li Yanxian met him from the front. When the sovereign and his minister met, they remained as sparing with words as ever, merely exchanging a bow. Then Li Shaoyan led the grand standard and his own troops to follow the imperial procession forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the troops behind and beside Zhao Jiu had formed a considerable formation. Added to this, the auxiliary soldiers carrying the caltrops had now generally crossed the river and, following previous orders, began to gather again behind the imperial procession. The commotion caused by this dragon standard could no longer be suppressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the northern slope of the high ground, the Song army was inspired along the entire line. The main body of the Jin army, which had been pressed to the other side of the high ground, though largely unaware of the reason, clearly felt the tremor and impact. The few Jin troops occupying the highest points of the high ground, realizing what was happening, hurriedly sent scout riders to the rear, calling for support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After advancing only another two or three hundred paces, Han Shizhong suddenly came galloping from the west, calling out from afar. \"Is Your Majesty heading to that slope on the east side?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed!\" Zhao Jiu turned his head to reply loudly to that peerless grand standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The eastern high slope is a secondary slope; it is not as high as the western high slope.\" Han Shizhong, not having time to remove his face guard, pointed with his horsewhip to the area behind and beside him. \"Your Majesty, noble as the Son of Heaven, if you wish to observe the decisive battle of the royal army, how can you go to a secondary slope? You must surely set up your position on the western main slope!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is the main slope not still in the hands of the Jin army?\" Before Zhao Jiu could speak, Li Yanxian behind him suddenly interjected, shouting loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the time I and the various Military Governors escort Your Majesty there, the main slope will surely already be under our control!\" Han Shizhong responded on the spot without a moment's pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu still did not waste words, simply turning his horse's head directly westward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Han Shizhong immediately led his own grand standard to follow as a flank guard, while his Beiwei Army, under the command of the Controller-General Cheng Min, headed straight for the western main slope still held by the Jin army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, as Zhao Jiu advanced along the way, the various units on the western line were all revitalized. The units of the Imperial Guard Left Army, together with the Dangxiang and Khitan light cavalry, came rushing towards this high ground with all their might, some like wolves, some like boars, some like cranes, some like tigers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jin army here was already tottering. How could they hold out when attacked from all sides?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than half a ke, looking at the dragon standard that had gathered no less than three grand standards and over a dozen general's banners, the defending general Shaohe merely sighed, then gloomily turned his horse and led his men in retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the afternoon was not yet half over, and the rain had not ceased, under a sky that had returned to a fine drizzle, the dragon standard of the Zhao Song Emperor stood silently at the highest point of the battlefield's core high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving together were the grand standards of the three Commanders-in-Chief, Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, and Wu Jie, along with over a dozen general's banners, including that of Military Governor Wang De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving here, the dragon standard was placed in the center. The grand standards and banners of the various marshals and generals were arrayed to the left, right, and rear. The Imperial Guard formed a ring and spread out. Zhao Jiu, unhurried, dismounted. Then, the Imperial Guard Controller-General Liu Yan set out a camp stool, the guards brought over a small table, and the Eunuch Director of the Palace Domestic Service, Shao Chengzhang, placed that pot of Blue Bridge Wind and Moon, whose remaining contents were unknown, upon it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately afterwards, the generals surged forward and formed a ring, standing with the Zhao Song Emperor to look down from a height and observe the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout the entire process, there were no drums, no horns, no additional commands. But from the moment this dragon standard set out, it had already begun to influence the battle. And when it was firmly planted on this main slope, merely by 'observing the battle,' it directly precipitated a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within just a quarter-hour of the standard being raised, Qu Duan, unable to control his scattered subordinates, broke through from the gaps between the eastern line and the high ground battlefield together with almost all his independently commanding officers, all acting without prior agreement. They even converged with the Dangxiang light cavalry unit of another subordinate, Li Master, forming a massive cavalry group on the eastern side of the high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time since the Northern Expedition that the main cavalry force of the Imperial Guard had assembled across the entire battlefield... And the benefit of the Zhao Emperor choosing to advance together with the Imperial Guard cavalry was also clearly demonstrated. At this moment, one plus one was definitely far greater than two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the ten-thousand-strong cavalry unit of Jiagu Wulibu, which had been struggling to hold on, finally abandoned its screening of Heshilie Taiyu under the immense danger of likely being completely encircled. They turned and fled, attempting to regroup behind Shaohe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With pressure applied from both sides, the central army also took advantage of the situation to seize all the high ground in the center, and pressed down with combined force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, when this dragon standard first crossed the river and ascended the high ground, the high ground was still split fifty-fifty between the two sides, and the highest point was not even in Song hands. But after this grand standard was planted at the highest point, within just a quarter-hour, the Song army had successfully suppressed seventy percent of the high ground and was vaguely forming a three-sided encirclement... A heavy sword has no edge; great skill seems clumsy. It was probably like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, for many Jin generals who had not experienced the Battle of Yaoshan, these words were somewhat unfamiliar. Beneath the wave that crashed over the high ground, what they recalled more was a saying that had circulated among the Jin army after Yaoshan—that this dragon standard alone was worth two Wanhu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You didn't say a single word for half the day, just waiting for this moment?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon standard had suddenly appeared at the commanding height of the battlefield. Within the Jin camp, chaos had already erupted. Hong Ya, the Vice Director of the Jin Privy Council, after hearing the report from his trusted man outside the tent, immediately stood up, pressed close to the young Song official, and stared at him through gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct.\" Yu Yunwen, relying on his height advantage, looked down coldly and spoke. \"I was indeed waiting for this moment... County Magistrate Hong! You don't need to put on a fierce front anymore! This battle, the Great Song will surely win, and it will be a great victory. The more you prevaricate, isn't it just refusing to weep until you see the coffin? Now that His Majesty has reached the high ground, the great tide is about to form, and he can almost see this place from afar. I am now using His Majesty's prestige to give you one last chance for wealth and a peaceful life... What words are you hiding that you refuse to disclose?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What can you do to me if I don't tell?!\" Hong Ya flicked his sleeves and turned around, exasperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you don't tell, it's just your head falling to the ground later, and your entire clan being exiled to the Western Regions!\" Yu Yunwen retorted without hesitation, crisp and clear. \"Whether you kill me or not, it's the same. The fact that I and Commander Bei entered your tent cannot be hidden... Only by telling me the reason now can you gain a chance to live!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ya, with his back to the other man, panted heavily. After a long pause, he finally spoke in a lowered voice: \"If I don't tell, the Jin army might just suffer a great rout, lose the Two Rivers, but still have its foundation. If I tell, this defeat will likely be a complete and utter defeat, turning us into fish and meat on the Great Song's chopping block...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, it's still military intelligence?\" Yu Yunwen was overjoyed for a moment. \"Has Marshal Yue actually already reached Huolu?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nonsense!\" Hong Ya turned back, utterly speechless. \"This isn't a siege of a strategic pass, where you can play the 'except by flying' trick... We all came from Great Ming Prefecture. The Jin army has so many cavalry, and with supplies along the way, they barely managed to meet His Majesty here. How could Yue Fei come? Do you really think he's a Golden-winged Dapeng? Besides, if he were really about to arrive, what difference would it make whether I told you or not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunwen instantly came to his senses... If Yue Fei could have arrived in time to participate in this battle, why would the main cavalry elite have followed the Imperial Guard cavalry to tail the Jin army?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to know that although he had been captured before Qu Duan reached the army, as an imperial attendant, he was also aware of this information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if it wasn't this, what information could directly affect the outcome of this battle?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just one piece of information?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me ask you.\" Hong Ya suddenly swallowed, then lowered his head and asked urgently. \"Doesn't this large stockade the Jin army built, with its three long arms, seem strange?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunwen was slightly startled, but immediately shook his head slowly: \"Although it's strange, it's only because it was built in haste... Everything has an obvious reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What reason?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The most obvious one is that two of its arms clamp the high ground, making it convenient for deploying troops.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And... and one arm points towards Zhending, making supply convenient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And... and one arm points towards Huolu, making observation convenient...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is all this?!\" Hong Ya was momentarily furious. \"Let me ask you... Before this battle began, didn't everyone know that the Jin army had more chances of losing than winning?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is natural.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, when the Jin army built this stockade, did they not prepare for defeat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunwen's heart stirred: \"The large stockade was forcibly extended from Shiyi to Zhending, which could effectively gather routed troops and block pursuers... Is that what you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct.\" Hong Ya stared fixedly at him and gave the answer. \"Tanhua Yu... you must remember this day. Not only do you owe me a life, but I have also repaid a portion of the Great Song's national fortune... You should have guessed it already. Yue Pengju may not be able to reach Huolu in time, but the Yellow River thawed long ago. Your father-in-law, Zhang Rong, has been holding the navy and operating jointly with him. He could have taken advantage of the spring flood to go downstream to Hejian, and then block the mouth of the Hutuo River where it enters the Yellow River...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunwen was momentarily dazed, unable to cross-reference the geography of Hebei in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You asked me earlier why the new Yanjing army didn't come?\" Hong Ya, seeing this, showed slight impatience. \"One reason is that they truly couldn't make it in time. The other is that even if they were fully prepared, they would already have a new destination, which is to go to Hejian Prefecture to block Yue Fei and your father-in-law! According to top-secret military intelligence, the day before yesterday, the vanguard steamship of the Song army had already, using both manpower and water power, rushed to Hengshui!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunwen's mouth went dry: \"You mean...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean.\" Hong Ya pressed forward, red-eyed, and said. \"If the Jin army loses this battle, it will be impossible for so many troops to all escape to Zhending via those few pontoon bridges in the north. The Hutuo River is a major river, not the same as the Taiping River, especially during the post-spring-rain inland flooding. Most of the routed troops can only use the stockade for cover and scatter downstream along the Hutuo River, then seek a chance to cross and regroup... But what if, at this time, there is already a Song navy downstream on the Hutuo River?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If there is a navy meeting them downstream.\" Yu Yunwen could hardly believe it for a moment. \"Then wouldn't it be possible, as long as the royal army dares to pursue relentlessly, keeping the routed troops pinned so they cannot cross the river, to ensure that not a single horse of the Jin army south of the Hutuo River returns north?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why I say this piece of military intelligence can determine the rise and fall of a nation!\" Hong Ya shook his head for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But if that's the case, why didn't the Jin army move north of the Hutuo River to fight the decisive battle earlier?\" Yu Yunwen, under tension, still found it somewhat hard to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Wushu dare?\" Hong Ya pointed outside the tent, momentarily furious. \"With that lord present, over a dozen Wanhu are crossing the Hutuo River for no reason? I'm afraid there won't even be a chance for a fair fight today!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunwen was completely speechless, but after a long moment, he suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the other man: \"Vice Minister Hong, send me out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've done all I can!\" Hong Ya stared at him, shaking his head without stopping. \"Things have come to this. If there's a chance later, I'll send you back myself. If there's no chance... don't you drag me down either!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those final words, he violently shook his sleeve free, but for some reason, this man, just like the momentarily helpless Yu Yunwen, was left breathing heavily in the tent, unable to calm his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Yang! What is the meaning of this?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, on the other side of the Taiping River in the Song army's main camp, under the drizzling rain, someone else was also panting heavily. It was the Imperial Camp Commander-in-Chief Wang Yan, who was gripping the sword at his waist and glaring at Yang Yizhong before him, suddenly enraged. \"Do you think that just because you are a close attendant to His Majesty, I cannot deal with you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong maintained his bowing posture and slowly shook his head: \"Commander Wang, as a general bearing the imperial seal, it is naturally no trouble for you to deal with a commander like me... But whether you deal with me or not, I beg Commander Wang to absolutely not dispatch troops early! His Majesty has given a clear decree: unless Bolisu and the Hezha Meng'an both appear, our unit must absolutely not cross the river!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan also shook his head without stopping: \"This is a different time from before. All the Military Governors have gathered, escorting His Majesty to the high ground to oversee the battle. The entire army is inspired. The Jin army's formation ahead is about to be crushed by His Majesty! How can we afford to miss this opportunity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong remained unhurried: \"Commander Wang, in my opinion, His Majesty's move itself is meant to help Commander Qu and us to lure out the Jin army's final cavalry. We cannot put the cart before the horse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan certainly knew that Yang Yizhong had a special status and might be speaking His Majesty's true intention, but seeing that at his words, the nearly hundred commanders drawn from various units all nodded in agreement, his proud nature flared up, and he became even angrier:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you insist on using your favor as a close minister to countermand my orders, then so be it. You can handle this battle yourself! Why do you need me to take overall command?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Wang! Is this the time for you to vie for glory and display your authority?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yang Yizhong, who had maintained a humble posture, suddenly raised his head, one hand on his sword, his voice cold. \"From His Majesty to the three hundred thousand of the Imperial Camp, to the displaced people of the Two Rivers and the gentry of the Southeast, the entire realm has united for ten years of effort to bring about this day's battle. You have been trusted by His Majesty to wield this decisive strike for the realm. Instead of thinking of ensuring absolute safety, you would let personal pride endanger the safety of the realm?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan was finally stunned. He looked around and saw the nearly hundred commanders staring only at him and Yang Yizhong, while Zhang Zigai had even moved his hand to his sword and stepped behind Yang Yizhong. He suddenly felt flustered and disheartened:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that's the case, I will listen to your words and wait for the opportunity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong bowed respectfully, then stood solemnly to one side, still unmoving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Yang Yizhong's words were somewhat harsh. Wang Yan was by no means the type to sacrifice the public good for private gain. Of course, Wang Yan's outburst was also excessive... but the loss of composure on both sides was essentially due to tension. Both knew that victory or defeat was about to be decided, and perhaps by their own hands, and their minds could not be calmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, if we're talking about unsettled minds, the most unsettled on this battlefield were definitely not the Song army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huo Nu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu sincerely comforted Wanyan Huonu before him. \"I know that now is the time to stake everything on victory. I've even sent Eluguan with the cavalry from that Wanhu in Zhending over here... But you must suppress your temper. At this moment, victory or defeat rests entirely on the final blow. Only if all our troops seize the right moment and strike together can we turn defeat into victory... The Zhao Song Emperor coming to the high ground is exactly the best outcome we predicted, isn't it? If the army wins, we might even achieve a miraculous feat. But we must wait. Wait until this newly arrived Song cavalry is slightly fatigued, then we will strike from three sides...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fourth Prince, say no more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huonu coldly interrupted him. \"Since you have come, how could I launch a reckless attack... On the contrary, it is you who, ever since you came to this side, have been chattering on like this. I'm afraid you are already terrified to the core, aren't you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Wushu did not want to answer this question, so he simply turned around. But as he turned back and saw the clear dragon banner on the commanding height and the three large banners behind it, he couldn't help but feel his mouth go dry. He still wanted to turn back and keep talking to Huonu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as this Jin ruling prince turned his head back, just as he was about to say something more, he suddenly felt that something seemed wrong on the high ground. He turned back to look again... Through the drizzling rain, he looked a few times but couldn't immediately see what was wrong, so he turned back around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, he was shocked to find that Huonu was staring wide-eyed in the direction behind him, the direction of the dragon banner, and then even his mouth slowly began to open slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was literally being dumbstruck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Wushu quickly turned back to look again, but the chaotic and vast battlefield came into view, along with a mind full of various military intelligence. He clearly sensed a great danger, yet still couldn't identify it at once, becoming more and more anxious, and the more anxious he became, the harder it was to identify.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this Prince of Wei of the Great Jin directly grabbed Huonu to consult him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The caltrops!\" Huonu said angrily, pointing with his finger, uttering what seemed to be a very fatal term. \"Prince of Wei, haven't you seen that the Song army is preparing to lay out caltrops all over the mountain?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu woke up as if from a dream, but then he was somewhat puzzled—so what if the Song army was laying out a large area of caltrops around the dragon banner?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must know that the only purpose of laying out caltrops like this was to ensure that the Jin cavalry could not launch a surprise attack on the Zhao Song Emperor and the marshals under the dragon banner. It did not in itself hinder the Jin army's original plan, which was for the final elite cavalry of over twenty thousand, including six Hezha Meng'an, to surge out from the arms of the herringbone-shaped camp, encircle the high ground from three sides, and crush the offensive there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, if they could win, they would win. If they couldn't, merely blunting the Song offensive would count as a success for the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Huonu's strong reaction was understandable, because from Huonu's perspective, besides winning the battle, his greatest goal was still to cut down those under the dragon banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it bluntly, things had come full circle. He still had to suppress Huonu and keep him from acting rashly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wushu was still somewhat puzzled, because if that were the case, why had he felt such a great sense of crisis when scanning the battlefield?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought, Wushu directly looked at Huonu, and Huonu also suddenly looked back at Wushu, grinning directly: \"Prince of Wei, I am going to prepare for battle. May you live to be a hundred and twenty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu immediately wanted to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't bother persuading me. Prince of Wei, you've persuaded the wrong person.\" Huonu continued to sneer at him. \"Actually, it was right for the Prince of Wei to come to my camp first. Because if anyone saw the scene of the dragon banner standing tall earlier and couldn't help but attack against the greater good, it would definitely be me first... But since they've started placing caltrops in front of the dragon banner, cutting off our intention to use the iron cavalry to smash the dragon banner today, then I am not the only one who can no longer endure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wushu finally reacted, and then he looked north along the camp. Sure enough, a rumbling sound began there... It was the sound of the drawbridges at the camp's preset openings being lowered. Attacking in full force across the entire line of drawbridges was one of the Jin army's preparations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Bolisu had put great effort into planning for this final blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wanyan Poushu!\" Wushu shook his head in response, surprisingly not angry. \"Wanyan Poushu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huonu paid him no attention at all. He simply turned around and ordered his own cavalry, which had rested for most of the day, to don armor and mount their horses. He ordered the conscripted troops to lower the drawbridges, and ordered everyone to follow him in charging forward to avenge his father's death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Wushu did not stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just past mid-afternoon, as the Song army began using auxiliary troops to lay out caltrops around the commanding height, the former deputy general of Loushi, Wanyan Poushu, could no longer endure. He led four of the six Hezha Meng'an out of the camp first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Poushu out, Wanyan Huonu on the far west side also led his troops out of the camp. Then, a pale-faced Bolisu formally dispatched his troops from the camp's nodal point, his own cavalry plus two Hezha Meng'an joining the battle... Finally, Elubu, who had hastily set out under Bolisu's orders from the camp east of the high ground, also emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three Wanhu, among which Bolisu's own troops had a terrifyingly high proportion of cavalry. So, although the infantry had been split off early to Yelu Ma Wu, with the addition of the six Hezha Meng'an, there were still a formidable twenty-four to twenty-five thousand cavalry. They emerged from three sides in succession, an iron forest of horsemen, driving the entire army's cavalry to attack the high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu, looking down from his vantage point, watched this formation with a mix of relief and shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even generals like Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, and Wu Jie had grim expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One look was enough for them to realize that although the Zhao Emperor had successfully lured out the Jin army's final trump card by personally joining the Imperial Camp cavalry in battle, the elite troops the Jin army had kept hidden all day were no empty threat. The Song army would have to pay a bloody price to win this battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Meet them... meet them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Duan also noticed this scene, or rather, he couldn't help but notice it, as his unit was directly in the path. But he didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately turned back and gave the order. Not only that, but after giving the order a second time, he took the lead himself, leading his personal guards and the Red Heart Cavalry to meet one of Wanyan Poushu's Hezha Meng'an head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just Qu Duan. All the Song armored cavalry knew this battle was unavoidable. Each unit, under the command of its own officers, met the enemy head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the southern slope of the high ground, the two cavalry forces collided with a thunderous roar. At the same time, on the commanding height to the west, signal flags waved continuously, and the sound of horns and drums finally erupted with great effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the unwavering spring rain, auxiliary troops nervously carried caltrops and quickly laid them out according to orders. Infantry formed large formations, raising their hard spears like an iron forest. Light cavalry scattered across the battlefield also hurriedly converged from all directions, trying to support the high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Imperial Guard beside Zhao Jiu quickly surged down and formed a formation behind the already-laid caltrops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gentlemen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minamoto no Yoshichika, wearing an ill-fitting suit of armor, spoke in Japanese without even noticing that his voice was trembling. \"We cannot retreat now. If we take even one step back, we will be laughed at by people from several countries for hundreds of years... Commander Liu has not given us a task, but we still cannot retreat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he drew his sword and drew a line in the muddy ground between two caltrops that were only two or three men wide apart. Then he stepped outside the line and turned back to face his dozens of pale-faced countrymen: \"A few days ago, the Great Wisdom Dharma Master spoke to me about a 'square foot of ground.' Now, this piece of ground is the square foot of ground of me, Minamoto no Mutsu Shiro! If the Jin cavalry wants to pass through here, they will have to kill me first, and I will become a Buddha on this very spot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dozens of Japanese samurai were stunned for a moment, then all fell silent. They simply followed suit, each finding a gap between the caltrops, drawing a line with their swords, and claiming their own square foot of ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, just as the Japanese samurai were still trying to muster the courage to face this battle that once again exceeded their imagination, in the midst of the chaos, on the southeastern side of the high ground, a fierce and bloody clash of many cavalrymen directly produced a result.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's right—when long-range weapons are largely ineffective, armored cavalry charging into battle is a matter of an instant: victory is victory, defeat is defeat, life is life, death is death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, on this kind of battlefield, even dying on the very first charge does not mean their charge was worthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could even be said that on this battlefield, anyone who picks up a weapon and fights is an irreplaceable warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing the same signal flags relayed from multiple points, Yang Yizhong, suppressing the pounding in his heart, signaled to Wang Yan. \"Proceed as planned—I'll take the head, Zhang Zigai the tail, and the Commander-in-Chief the center…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan, whose own chest was also pounding, had no extra words—he merely nodded hastily. And with that nod, the Song army's final throw followed immediately after the Jin army's final throw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About another quarter of an hour later, thanks to the outstanding performance of the vanguard and the tactic of attacking from three sides, the Jin Marshal Bolisu, who had personally led the main force to suppress part of the Imperial Guard Cavalry, successfully brought his Five-Colored Sun-Embracing Banner to a slope less than five hundred paces from the high ground's eastern high point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this Jin Marshal felt no excitement over his progress. In his mind, there was only the anger provoked by Wanyan Poushu's unauthorized attack… In his view, Wanyan Poushu's sortie not only disregarded his authority as marshal but also placed the Jin army in this battle into an extremely dangerous situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because according to his calculations, the Song army should still have a reserve of at least twenty thousand men—they should have dragged things out, waiting until the very end to commit their forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Bolisu had charged to this slope not to seize the eastern high point, but to try to locate the Song army's final reserve and swiftly and decisively destroy it… Only then could the Jin army maintain that sliver of hope for victory, two or three parts in ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About half a stick of incense later, Bolisu found his target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out that on the eastern side of the high ground, where it faced the river, a massive Song army had just crossed the countless pontoon bridges over the Taiping River. They were now forming ranks along the riverbank, and forming up quickly… The scale of this force and the uniformity of their iron armor made it impossible to mistake or ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only slightly strange thing was that this iron-armored force, definitely twenty-four or twenty-five thousand strong, was rapidly arraying itself in a very thin, elongated formation along the river as it formed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Bolisu thought this was for ease of marching—that this army was about to march swiftly to the west and then hide behind the Zhao Song Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, as this army began to raise its weapons, every Jin soldier on the eastern slope who could see this sight—from Bolisu to Elubu—turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least twenty-four thousand Song regulars in standard lamellar heavy infantry, drawn up in just four ranks: the first rank raised long axes, the second rank raised long spears, the third rank again raised axes, the fourth rank again raised spears—a dense formation, like a wall, like a forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, with the rumble of drums, the wall of armor and forest of axes began to move slowly, like an iron dragon that had long lurked by the riverbank, coiling fiercely toward the high ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the eastern slope of the high ground, whether cavalry or infantry, large units or small bands, every Jin soldier who saw this was stricken with terror, just as the Song army had been when they saw the Jin armored cavalry charge out in full force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, beneath the Five-Colored Sun-Embracing Banner, Marshal Bolisu suddenly threw back his head and laughed loudly. When the laughter stopped, he pointed a finger at that iron dragon, then turned to look at his trusted generals and personal guards around him, and roared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lads! Today I, Bolisu, wield your elite valor against this enemy's might. After the battle, whether we win or lose, in the annals of history and the words of men, who dares say I am not a true marshal of the Great Jin Kingdom?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generals were first stunned, then roared in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ps: Thanks to classmate Taosu Nuomi Gao (a familiar face!) and classmate Wind-Chasing Bear, who are respectively the 208th and 209th patrons of this book!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I'm offering up a new book—\"I Play the Role of White Impermanence at the City God Temple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, I'll say this: I've been reading everyone's activity posts, and many are quite good. I'll organize them later, based on awards and length, just like I did with \"Fuhan\"—I'll try to include them in the book's appendix, released as public chapters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's just a bit unfair to the few masters who made illustrations and videos.\u003C\u002Fp>",10803,"2026-06-06T07:46:32.508Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1cbf16bb53db6b4f47060df967c5dd006f38ce8ed92a711862a1a545de5940e2","shao-song-chapter-425","shao-song-chapter-423",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]