Wang Gui followed behind and asked, "Boss, Blackwater City has 100,000 troops, and the surrounding fortresses have a combined force of 10,000. They are certainly capable of holding off the Mongol army. Why do we still need to go to Suzhou to ask for reinforcements?"

This was also a question in the minds of Yang Zaixing, Zhang Xian, and others.

Yue Fei said, “The Mongols dare not easily provoke our Great Song. Now that they have suddenly attacked, they must have been prepared. As early as the Song-Xia War two years ago, the Mongols were already very close to Yelü Dashi. The news that the Naiman tribe had submitted to Yelü Dashi was not unfounded.”

"Boss, you mean that bastard Yelü Dashi is really going to betray us now!"

"It must be Yelü Dashi without a doubt!"

"Then let's have a good fight with Yelü Dashi!"

"What I'm worried about is that this is just the vanguard, and there's a much larger main force coming from behind!"

In fact, Yue Fei had another worry in his heart: if he were Yelü Dashi, how would he conquer the Northwest?

Yelü Dashi received considerable financial support from the emperor, and in recent years he has posed a strong obstacle to the Jin Dynasty on the grasslands.

After the Song-Xia War, the Song Dynasty possessed the fertile Hetao Plain and occupied an important pass leading to the Western Regions.

Yelü Dashi has changed his mind. The Jin Dynasty is too powerful. It would be a pipe dream for him to go back, but he can take over the former territory of the Xia Dynasty, learn from the Tanguts, and establish a state there.

Yue Fei suddenly asked, "Yang Zaixing, if you were Yelü Dashi, how would you fight this battle?"

"Of course, we'll split our forces into three groups, advancing into Heishan, Heisui, and Xiping respectively!"

"Of course, with strong generals like Zhe Keqiu and Yao Pingzhong guarding Heishan, it won't be easy to take it down. Xiping also has Wu Jie, making it an even tougher nut to crack. Only Liu Yanqing of Heishui City is a good-for-nothing!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Gui was immediately alarmed: "So, Heishan and Xiping were also attacked?"

Yue Fei did not answer, but said, "I am not worried about Heishan and Xiping being attacked, but I am worried about the Tangut people's counterattack!"

"If I were Yelü Dashi, I would definitely coordinate with those inside and outside to fight a battle!"

After Yue Fei finished speaking, everyone fell silent.

"Yang Zaixing, go to Xingqing Prefecture immediately and report this matter to Commander Zhong. Wang Gui, go to Xuanhua Prefecture to find Liu Qi and tell him to be careful of the Dangxiang people. Xu Qing, go to Xiping to see Wu Jie. Zhang Xian, come with me to Suzhou!"

"yes!"

Take care, everyone!

The group split up and went their separate ways.

That night, the sky in the northwest was crystal clear, without a single cloud. The silver moon hung in the deep blue sky, coldly overlooking the earth.

Five miles north of Blackwater City, a massive, dark army pressed in.

At the same time, all the fortresses surrounding Blackwater City were attacked.

The three thousand defenders of Heyuan Village were completely wiped out, and the Mongols went mad in the village, harvesting heads to claim credit.

Three thousand headless corpses were piled up outside the fortress, waiting to be devoured by wild crows.

At the same time, the surrounding villages of Xihuangzhai, Linhezhai, and Minlezhai were also attacked, and the newly established defense line was in imminent danger.

At this moment, Zhong Shidao, who was looking at the northern defense map in the commander's mansion in Xingqing Prefecture, was furious: "Why has Blackwater City only had three thousand soldiers in a year and a half?"

While Wang Kui'an, the Northwest Military Inspector, remained silent, Fan Zhixu, the Transport Commissioner beside him, had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "General Zhong, please forgive me. I have questioned Liu Yanqing many times, and he has assured me many times!"

Zhong Shidao picked up another report and said, "This year, Blackwater City alone consumed one million shi of grain! That's a third of the entire Northwest War Zone! Do Liu Yanqing's soldiers have two mouths?"

Fan Zhixu broke out in a cold sweat: "General Zhong, Blackwater City is a key defensive line. The imperial court plans to deploy 300,000 troops, so the amount of grain and fodder distributed will be more."

"But we only have 120,000! One dares to ask for it! The other dares to give it! Every grain of rice in the Song Dynasty is the result of the people's sweat!"

"General Zhong, please forgive me. Liu Yanqing mentioned several times in his letter that the Mongols in the north were making unusual moves and wanted to fight, so he wanted to stockpile military rations in advance."

Wang Kuian said at the right moment, "General Zhong, according to the information from the Imperial City Guard spies, the Naiman tribe is making unusual moves. Therefore, Blackwater City not only needs to increase its food supply, but also needs to immediately dispatch troops."

Zhong Shidao was aware of the unusual activities of the Naiman tribe. There were Imperial City spies active on the northern grasslands, who were specifically responsible for gathering intelligence.

Blackwater City is a strategic location, so it is reasonable for the imperial court to send more troops there.

Zhong Shidao could accept this explanation.

"Where is the defensive line? If we're going to fight, why only five fortresses? Before I left last year, I gave Liu Yanqing the task of ten fortresses!"

Fan Zhixu was extremely annoyed. "General Zhong, I've been urging Liu Yanqing every day as you instructed, but that guy is completely unyielding. I'm innocent too! I'm just a transport commissioner, not his superior, so I can't control him!"

Zhong Shidao suddenly shouted, "Commander Wang, Liu Yanqing's actions constitute a breach of military discipline. Where are your military police?"

Wang Kui'an looked grim, while Fan Zhixu stood by, not daring to utter a sound.

Before Zhong Shidao arrived, Wang Kui'an held the highest power in the Northwest.

He was a favorite of the emperor and the military commissioner of the Censorate, with the power to supervise the army. At the same time, he also controlled various military forces, just like Qian Gai in the Northwest back then!

Fan Zhixu had no right to command him, nor even to reprimand him.

Only Zhong Shidao dared to do this, and Wang Kuian dared not retaliate.

In fact, each of the generals had their own grievances.

Because the entire Hetao region was newly incorporated into the Song Dynasty, the original Western Army was divided and assigned to the territory of the Xia Kingdom. They experienced maladaptation to the climate and local environment, and also had to suppress rebellions in the area.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!