[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-48":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},1558214,2024,"Chapter 48","shao-song-chapter-48",48,"\u003Cp>In war, the petty emotions of an individual seem hardly worth mentioning, especially when that individual's position in the army is so insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, whatever emotions or thoughts existed soon became no one's concern, because just one day later, the stillness of the Huai River battlefield—or rather, that flashy, seemingly fierce back-and-forth of psychological warfare—came to a complete end, replaced by military action in the truest sense: the Jin army began building a pontoon bridge, attempting to cross the Huai!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, without a doubt, almost everyone knew that for over a decade, the Jin people had risen to power precisely through this method... They were barbaric and crude, they were not as clever as their opponents, they were not as numerous as their opponents, they knew nothing of Sunzi's Art of War, only using the methods of hunting beasts, and when necessary, simply charging head-on with brute force!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, every time, it was they who emerged victorious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All honor and morality, human scheming, stratagems and equipment, even civilization and institutions themselves, were slaughtered into nothing by the Jin in the final, real-sword, real-spear showdown!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Zhao Jiu's earlier performances on both banks of the Huai were truly insignificant compared to his predecessors; the key still lay in the military action itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, if the Jin were truly blocked at the Huai River line, no matter how badly the Song army was beaten, then His Majesty's recent actions could still be said to hold the hope of becoming the prelude to a great era. But if Jin Wushu made a fool of himself yet ultimately succeeded in crossing the river, coming to cut off Zhao Jiu's head... then His Majesty's earlier performance would only become a joke instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This must be because in the past few days, His Majesty issued many decrees, and some envoys heading to Huaibei were intercepted on both flanks.\" Standing on the wall of Xia Cai, looking at the starting point of the pontoon bridge being built less than two li east of the city, Tian Shizhong, fully armored, almost blurted out. \"Jin Wushu does have some skill in using troops after all—he endured my father-in-law's provocations earlier, and then, sensing that volunteer armies might come to reinforce, he immediately crossed the river. He truly knows when to make a decision!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Zhang Jun, the Grand Commandant, also in full armor, just stared silently in the direction of the pontoon bridge upon hearing this and did not respond to his son-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grand Commandant.\" Another general under Zhang Jun, Liu Bao, couldn't help but grit his teeth and speak up. \"The morale in the city is still high, and there are no obstacles along the Huai embankment. Should we launch an active attack? If we can destroy the foundation of that pontoon bridge, it would be a tremendous merit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No!\" Zhang Jun said expressionlessly, shaking his head repeatedly. \"The Jin army deliberately built it this close, deliberately left this path open... It looks like only two li, but even if we send all twenty or thirty thousand men in the city, we might not make it across.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about a night raid?\" Tian Shizhong lowered his head in thought for a moment, then asked again. \"When dusk falls, we feign an attack here, then lower a hundred or so death-defying soldiers from the water gate on ropes, letting them sneak along the river embankment...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The plan might be feasible.\" Zhang Jun shook his head. \"But I'm afraid it won't be in time...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\" Zhao Ding, who had been nodding along until then, was startled by this remark. \"Surely this pontoon bridge can't be completed in a single day?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not that it can be completed in one day.\" Zhang Jun turned his head and replied seriously. \"Rather, I'm afraid it can be completed in half a day, and by dusk, they'll be able to ferry over a thousand elite armored soldiers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ding was stunned into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Excellency Zhao, you may not know this, but the Huai River is wide in some places and narrow in others. The Jin are felling timber on the spot; the wood, unseasoned and unpolished, can't be made into ferry boats, but it can be dried and made into stable things like wooden boxes or cabin shapes, with wooden rafts placed on top and connected by ropes. So without obstruction, this pontoon bridge can be built in no time!\" Tian Shizhong quickly explained from the side. \"Moreover, the Jin army's willingness to fight is far from ordinary. When I was fighting in Hebei back then, I personally saw tens of thousands of Jin troops, led by the Second Prince Wolibu, openly removing their armor in winter and fording the river on horseback, not sparing livestock, soldiers, or even their own Jin nobles' lives...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Tian Shizhong paused briefly, then added another sentence under Zhao Ding's astonished expression: \"At that time, one of the Six Traitors, Liang Shicheng, was the commander. He thought he could hold the Jin at the river, but when he saw Wolibu, a prominent Jin noble, actually ford the river first on horseback, he was so terrified he fled without a fight, and his hundred-thousand-strong army collapsed at the first clash! And today, the Fourth Prince Wushu outside the city was also a general under Wolibu back then. I don't believe that in just one year, this man has lost that spirit of personally fording the river on horseback. I'm afraid that once the pontoon bridge is complete, he will force the entire army to cross, not sparing their lives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ding's face turned pale, but he had nothing to say in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about it—what could Zhao Yuanzhen, Your Excellency Zhao, say at this point? He certainly knew that the foundation of this battle lay with His Majesty at Bagong Mountain in Henan, and he also knew that the success or failure of this battle hinged on whether the Jin army could cross the Huai. He was even clearer that, even for the self-preservation of Xia Cai city, they should do their utmost to prevent the Jin from crossing the Huai... But the problem was, didn't Zhang Jun, Tian Shizhong, Liu Bao, and the others know this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew it too, and they had made efforts in the past few days, and they still had ideas now. It was just that the Jin had ignored them before and now hadn't given them the opportunity... Or rather, Zhao Ding himself was very clear that, with Xia Cai city and the Huainan main camp cut off from each other, since the Jin army had chosen to cross the river rather than attack the city, the pressure should naturally fall on the Huainan main camp. Xia Cai city couldn't do much about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jun watched for a while, then turned back with an unchanged expression and asked about another matter: \"How is the repair work on the inner crossing coming along?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still very slow!\" Tian Shizhong quickly replied again. \"The key problem is that there's too much debris deposited in the water, and it's extremely difficult to dredge. Also, we're short on staff officers...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Send more men, work day and night without stopping... The trebuchets can wait for now. Also, have the entire army be on strict guard. No one is to engage the enemy without my personal order!\" After giving these thorough instructions, Zhang Jun immediately turned and descended from the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ding sighed. Though he didn't follow Zhang Jun down the wall, he could only stand there futilely, watching. Occasionally, he would glance across the river at the dragon banner that was faintly visible in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as Zhao Ding's gaze shifted to the south bank of the Huai, on the steep northern cliff of Bagong Mountain, beneath the golden-tailed dragon banner, which was perhaps the place with the widest view of the entire battlefield, the atmosphere was also the worst on the whole battlefield—for a simple reason: this place might have gathered all the military idiots on the entire battlefield!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\" After watching for half a day, Zhang Jun, the Censor-in-Chief, saw a large banner rise on the opposite bank, and then countless iron-armored cavalry escorting several people onto the embankment. He finally couldn't help but ask. \"Should we send someone down to urge Wang Yecha? Have him quickly dispatch troops to stop the pontoon bridge?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No!\" His Majesty Zhao, sitting motionless, gritted his teeth and replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\" After a while, seeing the foundation of the Jin pontoon bridge rise on one side and then begin to extend continuously, Wang Boyan also couldn't help but speak up. \"If we're not going to Wang De, should we take this opportunity to send a decree to Xia Cai?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu finally grew furious: \"All the boats, big and small, are in our hands. The Jin army is abandoning the advantages of warhorses and iron armor to cross a natural barrier. Zhang Jun and Wang De are both seasoned generals in the army. Wasn't the discussion before quite sound? What are you all panicking about?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence instantly fell beneath the dragon banner and lasted for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, as the sun rose higher and the Huai River pontoon bridge was nearly half completed, someone could no longer hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" Lu Haowen, with a slight sweat on his forehead, said cautiously. \"The Jin are building the bridge so quickly, and the structure is stable, with no sign of being warped by the current... Let's set that aside for now. The key point is that our army still hasn't made a move. Could it be that the generals in the camp below don't accept Wang De's command, leading to some discord? Should we send an envoy with a golden token to inquire?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu, seeing it was Lu Haowen, spared some face for this chief minister of the traveling court. Instead, he turned his head to look at the trembling Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace, Lan Gui: \"Go fetch a chair each for Lord Lu and Lord Wang. Then have someone brew a few cups of tea. I want to drink tea with the two lords!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lan Gui accepted the order awkwardly and left... Now, Bagong Mountain, being on the main route south of the Huai, had long been connected to the supplies from the southeast, so nothing was lacking. In a moment, small tables and high stools were set up, and tea was served... To be fair, if it weren't for the young eunuch who came to pour the tea being startled by the sight of the Jin pontoon bridge on the opposite bank and dropping the teapot, this place would have had the full flavor of a reenactment of the Battle of Fei River!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After another interval, around noon, when the Jin pontoon bridge had progressed to three-quarters completion, the water fortress at the western passage of the Bagong Mountain camp suddenly opened wide. Countless boats, no fewer than a hundred of various sizes, surged out and formed a line upstream of the pontoon bridge. Most people finally breathed a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, someone couldn't help but speak up again. Everyone turned to look, and it turned out to be Hu Yin, Hu Mingzhong, the number one fiery radical in the traveling court. They couldn't help but feel puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty,\" Hu Mingzhong said, his face flushed, standing tall and proud. \"Since our army is about to fight, why not move the imperial carriage to the eastern ferry at the foot of the mountain? Then Your Majesty can personally beat the war drum to boost morale?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll boost your...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was stunned for a long moment after hearing this before he understood the other's meaning, and he almost cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Secretary Hu is confused!\" Yang Yizhong, who shouldn't have interrupted, couldn't bear to listen any longer and risked the world's condemnation to interject. \"Going to the eastern ferry to beat the war drum to boost morale isn't impossible, but if so, it should have been decided long ago. Moving the carriage now, the soldiers in the river, seeing the commotion from afar, might think Your Majesty is fleeing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Yin was taken aback for a moment, then honestly shut his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a gentle breeze stirred the dragon banner—it was actually a southeast wind. Zhao Jiu's heart stirred slightly, and he gained a bit more confidence. He was about to take this opportunity to say a few grand words and put on a show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could speak, Hu Yin frowned again and said, \"If that's the case, then why, during the several military councils a few days ago when the response to the pontoon bridge was discussed, did none of the generals request that Your Majesty personally oversee the battle at the river?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was about to laugh and answer, but unexpectedly, the young Academician Lin suddenly spoke up nervously: \"Your, Your Majesty, Wang De has only recently been promoted to Commander-in-Chief. I'm afraid the other generals in the army might not accept him. Should we send someone to check, to prevent any discord between them that might delay the military opportunity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was first slightly startled, then became exasperated. Ignoring the fact that the pontoon bridge in the river had already reached the shallow waters of the south bank, that war drums were beating on the opposite bank, and that the entire Jin army was rousing, he pointed directly at Lin Jingmo from his seat and said angrily to Hu Yin:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Secretary Hu, now do you know why none of the generals wanted me to go to the ferry to oversee the battle? Because today, by sitting still under this dragon banner on the northern cliff, I am achieving two tremendous merits... One is to boost the morale of the soldiers in the river, and the other is to keep you armchair strategists tied down for them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before these words had even finished, and before the assembled civil officials under the dragon banner had time to feel insulted, the drums on both banks suddenly roared in unison. Even from Xia Cai city, diagonally opposite, drums were directly beaten to boost morale. The Jin army, seeing the pontoon bridge nearly complete and the Song boats about to move, simply drove armored soldiers and archers onto the pontoon bridge to force a crossing. The Song river forces, no longer hesitating, under the leadership of two veteran generals, Qiao Zhongfu and Zhang Jing, rowed from upstream eastward, heading straight for the pontoon bridge!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu didn't have time to speak to the pale-faced civil officials behind him. He quickly turned his head to look, but in just a moment, the vanguard of the Song river forces had already reached the front—seven or eight small boats... However, when he tried to look more closely, the distance was too great, and he couldn't see clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only vaguely guess, based on what had been discussed in the military councils before, that these boats were probably carrying incendiary materials... But although he couldn't see clearly, it was obvious that after a moment, these few boats immediately failed—the fire wasn't set, and the people on the boats couldn't be seen clearly, but they were presumably dead or wounded, because these seven or eight small boats quickly lost control, drifted with the current, and were caught against the pontoon bridge, becoming spoils of war for the Jin army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And indeed, that was the case. In places beyond Zhao Jiu's line of sight, almost none of these few boats reached the pontoon bridge before they were defeated by the concentrated volleys of the Jin army's powerful bows and crossbows!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, on the pontoon bridge, the majority were Jin troops and Han troops. The former used bows; archery was their main field tactic. Their range wasn't very far, but they excelled in having extremely long arrows, with arrowheads as long as five or six inches, giving them great penetrating power against armor. The latter mostly used captured Song crossbows, which went without saying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small-unit attempt to use minimal expenditure to set fire and counter the pontoon bridge had failed, and the Song army was indeed frustrated. But their morale was not shaken. Driven personally by the two generals, the second wave of the Song river forces' main attack followed almost immediately. Several larger boats took the lead, with dozens of smaller boats supporting from behind, sailing downstream from the center of the river, charging hard towards the pontoon bridge!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the Jin army clearly couldn't stop the attack through concentrated volleys. Several large boats crashed head-on into the bridge, and who knows how many sections of the pontoon bridge were overturned entirely. Countless Jin armored soldiers and crossbowmen fell directly into the water! At a certain point on the rear half of the pontoon bridge, perhaps where the current was strongest, a large boat even smashed the bridge cleanly in two!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this round of ramming, the pontoon bridge, which had already reached the shallow waters of the south bank of the Huai, was directly reduced by a third! The number of Jin soldiers on the bridge was instantly halved!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu and the others on the steep cliff overlooking the Huai on the northern side of Bagong Mountain could see this clearly from afar. Almost everyone felt relieved, only then realizing they were drenched in sweat. The soldiers in the left and right camps at the foot of the mountain, as well as those on the walls of Xia Cai on the opposite bank, also cheered without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The moment of opportunity has come!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Jin Wushu, standing on the embankment of the north bank of the Huai, was not angered but delighted upon seeing this. He laughed loudly, raised the horsewhip in his hand, and swung it vigorously. \"Where is Pulu Hun? Forget everything else! Take this opportunity to lead your troops along the pontoon bridge and engage in hand-to-hand combat to seize the boats... If we can get the boats trapped against the bridge, what need do we have for a pontoon bridge?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Fourth Prince had already planned for this?\" As Pulu Hun's troops, carrying grappling hooks, surged out from the river embankment, the ten-thousand-man commander Ali, riding beside Jin Wushu, couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. \"No wonder you repeatedly instructed earlier to make the pontoon bridge as firmly connected as possible, rather than rushing to build it quickly? And it seems you also had fishing nets wrapped around the western side of the bridge?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad, but my schemes today go far beyond that!\" Jin Wushu cast a disdainful glance, then replied with soaring boldness and a fierce voice. \"General Ali need only watch from this dike as I achieve the same unparalleled feats as my second brother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",3163,"2026-06-06T07:45:46.639Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","f3f41079dba276bd9cd2c9a49a12518eb54b2dd82fe6bbd28536e55697a950d8","shao-song-chapter-49","shao-song-chapter-47",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]