Zhao Huan also wrote a letter back to Yelü Dashi.

This letter was truly touching. Zhao Huan first explained that everyone is of the same race by talking about the origin of mankind, and then went on to talk about other things, saying that everyone read the books of sages and virtuous men.

They then moved from the founding stories of the Liao and Song dynasties to their shared friendship.

Finally, the conversation turned to the first few years of Zhao Huan's reign, when the two sides collaborated to treacherously harm the Jin Dynasty.

Then, Zhao Huan also married his younger sister (a member of the royal family with a very distant bloodline) to Yelü Dashi.

Speaking of which, Daishi, you're actually my brother-in-law!

Huh? Why would I lead a million-strong army to attack?

Brother-in-law! Please don't misunderstand me, I'm definitely not here to punish you!

I have heard that the Abbasid Caliphate to the west is quite audacious, daring to harm my brother-in-law.

As you know, I value family ties the most.

Upon hearing this news, I couldn't sleep all night. The thought of my brother-in-law being bullied in the Western Regions was something I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

So, I mustered some soldiers and rushed over, thinking that I didn't want my brother-in-law to suffer any injustice!

By the way, it's been a long time since you wrote to me. I miss you so much!

Come to Gaochang City and have a drink with me sometime (if you come, I'll chop you into mincemeat)!

There were some blurry words on the envelope, as if they had been blurred by Zhao Huan's tears.

Those who didn't know the situation might really think that Zhao Huan and Yelü Dashi were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years!

When Yelü Dashi saw this letter, he almost vomited up the dinner he had eaten the night before.

Yelü Dashi sighed and gave Zhao Huan high praise: "Zhao Huan is the most shameless emperor since the founding of the Song Dynasty, without a doubt!"

While writing a heartfelt letter to Yelü Dashi, Zhao Huan also dispatched a light cavalry force of one thousand men to cross the Tianshan Mountains and traverse the vast Western Regions.

The leader of this team was none other than Yue Fei's eldest son, Yue Yun.

Yue Yun flew eight hundred miles in one night, like thunder and lightning across the vast land.

During this time, they encountered a Liao army of three thousand men. They launched a lightning attack on this Liao army and miraculously defeated them, killing one thousand men, capturing one thousand five hundred, and the rest fled.

According to reliable intelligence, the Liao army's elite troops have already assembled north of the Chu River, sealing off all the crossing points.

The herders who migrated from there described the Liao army's imposing military might, their armor gleaming in the sunlight, so bright it was blinding.

Warriors competed in the military camp, ate meat, and drank wine.

Not only were there Khitan warriors, but also Turks.

After the Seleucus Empire's allied forces were defeated in the Battle of Kavant, many Turks joined the Liao army's ranks.

It is said that the commander of the Liao army at the Chu River ferry was Xiao Hanlici, a trusted and beloved general of Yelü Dashi and one of the most capable commanders in the Liao Dynasty.

Yue Yun led a thousand cavalrymen toward the Chu River ferry.

At dusk, Yue Yun saw the Liao army camp on the opposite bank of the Chu River.

Rolling and undulating, boundless and limitless.

Inside the military camp, the deafening shouts of battle could be heard.

A commander whispered to Yue Yun, "Commander Yue, is it dangerous for us to run right up to the enemy's lair like this?"

"You don't need to worry. The Liao army is still thinking of using the Chu River as a natural barrier. They won't dare to cross the Chu River. Even if they had a lot of courage, they wouldn't dare to come!"

Why is that?

"If you had 50,000 elite troops and the enemy attacked with 1,000 light cavalry, how would you feel?"

"There must be a trap!" the constable blurted out, then paused, looking at Yue Yun with admiration.

Yue Yun was twenty-two years old, with striking features, a tall and straight figure, and a red tassel on his head fluttering in the wind.

He looked across the river and took down his longbow.

This longbow weighed forty jin (approximately 20 kg) and was entirely black. Yue Yun held it firmly in one hand, as steady as Mount Tai.

He frowned, took an arrow, and drew the bow to its fullest extent.

Bang……

The longbow trembled violently.

The arrow shot out like lightning, reaching a distance of three hundred meters.

Finally, it landed on the bank of the Chu River on the opposite side.

The Liao army on the opposite bank could see it clearly and stared at the people on the other side in shock.

Yue Yun laughed loudly, "Does the Liao thief dare to cross the river and fight against my Han sons!"

He was full of energy and high spirits, which made the soldiers behind him feel excited.

While Yelü Dashi wrote to Zhao Huan expressing his desire to become a vassal, he also actively prepared defenses.

"Report! To the commander-in-chief!" A scout officer rushed to the front of Xiao Hanli's camp.

"Enter!"

The scout strode in and said, "General, a thousand Song light cavalry have reached the other side and fired an arrow at our army!"

His words excited all the generals in the tent.

"How dare you! An arrow was shot from the opposite bank. Which fierce general in the Song army is this?"

Xiao Hanli retorted, "In the Song army, there are only two men who can shoot arrows across the Liao River, and these two are father and son!"

Left Commander Xiao Bulige stepped forward and said, "General, that man must be Yue Yun. Please give me a thousand men and I will go and get his head right away!"

"General! I'll go too! That brat Yue Yun is extremely arrogant, daring to bark wildly in front of our army. This subordinate will go and take his head, hanging it before the three armies to boost our morale!"

The others were moved and stepped forward to volunteer, eager to lead their army across the river, kill Yue Yun, and then march east to Gaochang City to capture the Song emperor.

Xiao Hanli said in a deep voice, "No."

"General!"

"If I say no, then no." Xiao Hanli's calm tone carried an undeniable air of authority. "Yue Yun dared to lead a thousand light cavalry here; there may be a large army following closely behind. Our army must not take the initiative to fight now!"

The men in the military tent were all red-faced with anxiety, but no one dared to disobey Xiao Hanli's orders.

Although Xiao Hanli was eager to start the war immediately, he felt that he was a qualified commander with a calm mind on the battlefield.

"General, what should we do now?"

"Beat the war drums and intimidate them with your morale; the Song army will then leave on their own!"

Before long, the sound of heavy bugles and inspiring war drums rang out from the military camp by the Chu River.

The Liao army quickly assembled, formed neat military formations, and began rhythmic drills.

The sounds of battle were deafening, as if they were about to shake apart the low-hanging clouds.

The Song army's warhorses seemed to be somewhat frightened and began to become restless.

"Commander Yue, what do we do now?"

Yue Yun turned his horse around and laughed loudly, "Of course we're going back! We, a thousand soldiers, have made the Liao army put on such a great show of force, how wonderful! How wonderful!"

Upon hearing this, the people who were initially a little nervous immediately relaxed, burst into laughter, and followed Yue Yun as they turned their horses around and galloped back the way they came.

The sunlight seemed to be shattered by the iron hooves; this was a young and brave cavalry unit.

In the early summer of the fourteenth year of the Jingkang era, the smoke of war had already enveloped the Seven Rivers region.

The increasingly powerful Song Dynasty yearned to open up broader trade routes.