Audience
Emperor Liu Yu of the Great Qi Dynasty was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan when he received the intelligence. He paced back and forth in the hall. His son Liu Lin said beside him, "Father, what's the point of being anxious? Write a letter to the gold master and ask for troops."
"Yes, yes, please quickly draft a letter of request for me."
Liu Yu wrote the letter himself and sent someone to Jinting as soon as possible.
Back in Jinting, it was the time when Emperor Taizong of Jin passed away and a new ruler was newly appointed. Upon reading the letter, the prime minister, Pu Hu, angrily declared, "The previous emperor appointed Liu Yu, hoping to use him to protect the borders. However, Liu Yu is unable to advance or defend, and the wars continue, only to cause endless trouble. Victory would benefit Liu Yu, while defeat would hinder our army. Furthermore, Liu Yu's request for troops two years ago resulted in our defeat on the river. Why should we grant him the request?"
So the Jin people did not send a single soldier.
Upon hearing this, Liu Yu said to his ministers, "Since the Jin army won't come to our aid, why not give it a try? Let them see that I, Liu Yu, am no fool. As the ancients said, 'Speed is the essence of war. While the Song army is still struggling to gain a firm foothold, our army must strike first."
One of Liu Yu's advisors suggested, "The Southern Song fears the Jin the most. We can make our troops shave their heads and wear foreign clothing."
Liu Yu was delighted and said, "This is a brilliant plan. Pass the order along."
As a result, groups of "fake devils" appeared on both sides of the Huai River, claiming to have an army of 700,000.
After the Song court received the intelligence that "there are enemy cavalry everywhere", everyone in the court and the country was immediately terrified.
At that time, Zhang Jun was stationed in Xuzhou, Han Shizhong was stationed in Chuzhou, and Yue Fei was stationed in Ezhou, which were far away from Liu Yu. Only Liu Guangshi was stationed in Dangtu, which was very close to Liu Yu.
Liu Guangshi had never faced Jin soldiers directly before, and had never seen such a battle. He immediately submitted several memorials to the court, requesting that they send troops for support. However, when no reinforcements arrived, Liu Guangshi was frightened and led his troops back to the capital.
After receiving the report, Zhao Gou was discussing countermeasures with his ministers.
Lü Zhi presented Zhang Jun with a memorial stating, "Liu Yu marched south this time without any Jin troops. The so-called enemy cavalry are merely bandits in disguise and are nothing to be feared."
Zhao Gou's expression relaxed slightly after reading Zhang Jun's memorial.
Zhang Jun was analyzing the battle situation while looking at a map when a soldier suddenly came up to report, "Prime Minister, Liu Guangshi has secretly come to the court to see the emperor and requested to retreat to the Yangtze River."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jun sternly declared, "Pass on my order. Order Yang Yizhong to rush to Haozhou to support Zhang Jun." "Order Zhang Jun and Han Shizhong to dispatch their troops without delay. There must be no delay."
After everything was arranged, he led his men to rush to the quarry.
After arriving at Cai Shi, they saw that the soldiers and civilians in the city were in a panic. There were many military camps far outside the city. Not long after, they saw another group of troops coming from afar, preparing to set up camp.
Zhang Jun returned to the city, where the chaos had intensified. Some families had already locked their doors, while others were busy packing up and preparing to flee. Small groups of troops occasionally passed through the streets.
When we arrived at the Marshal's Mansion, it was in a mess. Some people were driving their carriages out, while others were packing up their things. There were many carriages parked in the yard, and cries and noises echoed throughout the Mansion.
Seeing this, Zhang Jun ordered his men to capture a man who was busy moving things onto the car.
The man was completely bewildered. When he heard it was Zhang Jun, he quickly knelt down and begged for mercy, saying, "Master Zhang, spare my life. I'm just a clerk. I saw everyone in the Marshal's Mansion had fled, so I was about to run away."
Zhang Jun was so angry that he almost fell off his horse and shouted, "Where is your General Liu?"
The man replied, "Lord Liu has already moved to the commander's tent thirty miles west of the city, directing the troops across the river."
Liu Guangshi was riding down the mountain when he happened to meet Zhang Jun riding towards him. He quickly dismounted and saluted: "Liu Guangshi, the envoy of Jiangdong and Huaixi, greets the Prime Minister."
Zhang Jun pointed with his whip and said, "Lord Liu, immediately issue an order for all troops to march north to Luzhou. If anyone crosses the river, I will execute them immediately."
Liu Guangshi hurriedly said: "I will obey your orders."
On October 10, Liu Yu's army set out from Dingyuan and headed straight for Jiankang.
Upon hearing the news, Yang Yizhong urgently ordered the entire army to rush to Chihe to intercept the pseudo-Qi army.
The two armies met at Jietang Town and formed their battle lines along the mountainside.
Yang Yizhong said to his deputy commander, "At this moment, the enemy outnumbers us. We must not be afraid of the battle. As always, when two armies clash, the bravest prevails. I order you to lead 5,000 elite cavalry and charge head-on, while I cover from the flanks."
The deputy general nodded, then swung his spear into the air and shouted, "Kill!"
Suddenly, five thousand elite cavalrymen of the Song army pounced on the enemy formation like tigers descending from the mountains. The Qi army fired thousands of arrows at them, and arrows rained down. However, the Song army used their spears and swords to block the sharp arrows, and bravely moved forward, rushing into the enemy formation. The Qi army had never seen such a fierce attack, and its formation was immediately thrown into chaos.
At this time, Yang Yizhong had led 10,000 elite soldiers to the rear of the pseudo-Qi army. Seeing the enemy in chaos, he swung his spear and charged into the enemy formation. He swept horizontally and vertically, and the pseudo-Qi soldiers fell off their horses like falling leaves. As he killed, he shouted, "The Qi army has been defeated, kill quickly!"
From the east, Han Shizhong led a group of troops to attack this side, and the pseudo-Qi army was immediately defeated.
Seeing that defeat was inevitable, Liu Yu led dozens of his personal soldiers away, regardless of the life and death of the main force. In less than half a day, the soldiers of the pseudo-Qi army knelt down and surrendered. The Song army captured four generals of the pseudo-Qi army and tens of thousands of soldiers.
At this point, the Eastern Army of the Pseudo-Qi was completely wiped out.
After that, good news came again, Liu Lin was defeated.
This time the Song army defeated the Qi, and the whole country was jubilant.
In March of the seventh year of Shaoxing, the generals came to Danyang County, waiting to meet Zhao Gou.
Liang Hongyu accompanied Han Shizhong to Danyang County. From afar, they spotted a cavalry lined up along the road outside the city. A large banner fluttered in the wind. Crafted from the finest lake-blue brocade, its edges embroidered with scarlet-gold cloud patterns, it gleamed brilliantly in the warm sun. Embroidered in the center was a golden eagle, its wings flapping as if ready for flight. Its claws, outlined in gold thread, held a ferocious red snake, its body wrapped in a gigantic "Yue" character.
As I got closer, it was indeed Yue Fei. He was wearing a white battle robe, his armor was polished like a mirror, and his hair was tied with green jade. He was as calm as a cold pond on his horse, and he was majestic without being angry. Despite this, his eyebrows were handsome, and his brows seemed to reveal the demeanor of a Confucian scholar.
Liang Hongyu had heard of this young man, who was only a few years younger than Han Shizhong. He ranked first in the Jiangxi bandit suppression campaign, and had made three northern expeditions, conquering six counties in Xiangyang. His reputation had shaken the court and the country, and he was famous in the Central Plains.
If there is anyone in the entire Song Dynasty who can be compared with Han Shizhong, it must be this person.
Yue Fei was also ordered to lead his personal soldiers to the court, and Zhao Gou ordered him to accompany him with his imperial guards.
Han Shizhong smiled slightly when he saw Yue Fei, and Yue Fei saluted and said, "General Han, how are you?"
Han Shizhong also smiled and clasped his fists, saying, "Marshal Yue has recently been promoted. This is cause for celebration. I, Han, would like to congratulate you."
When Yue Fei was guarding Tongtai, he asked Han Shizhong for help, but Han Shizhong did not send troops. He felt a little resentful towards Han Shizhong. Later, he was transferred to Jiangxi to quell the rebellion and stationed in Ezhou. He was far away from Han Shizhong and had no contact with him.
Thinking of this, Yue Fei didn't want to pay any more attention to Han Shizhong. When he was about to turn around, he saw a female general in red beside Han Shizhong, and his eyes couldn't help but focus.
The woman had a face as rosy as a peach, and her natural charm evoked a dashing, heroic air, reminiscent of a great general. Her crimson battle robe rustled in the wind, its golden embroidery of a fire phoenix gleaming in the sunlight. She wore no armor, only a pair of gilded wrist guards. Her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied up with a white jade hairpin, a few strands cascading down her neck, setting her skin off against the backdrop of snow.
The most eye-catching thing is the pair of mandarin duck swords hanging at her waist, and the red agate inlaid on the scabbards reflects the dazzling light.
Standing side by side with Han Shizhong, this woman looked like a perfect match. She sensed Yue Fei's gaze, but instead of dodging it, she cupped her hands in a standard military salute, a meaningful smile curling up at the corner of her lips.
Yue Fei had heard before that in the "Battle of Huangtiandang", a famous female general beat the drum to cheer for Han Shizhong, which led to the defeat of Wanyan Zongbing. Could it be that this female general was Liang Hongyu?
So, he asked Han Shizhong, "Could this female general beside General Han be the world-famous Liang Hongyu?"
Yue Fei's official position before was far lower than Han Shizhong's. Now things are different. He and Han Shizhong have become two of the few military commanders in the court. It is with great regret that he can finally see the elegance of the first female general of the Song Dynasty today.
When Han Shizhong heard Yue Fei praising his "wife" (although they were not formally married, in Han Shizhong's heart, Liang Hongyu was already his legal wife), he instantly had a better impression of him and said proudly, "That's right."
Upon hearing this, Liang Hongyu clasped her fists and said, "General Yue, you are so kind! Your name is so well-known. I am so honored to have the opportunity to meet you. It is truly a great honor."
Her voice was clear and melodious, neither humble nor arrogant. Yue Fei only said, "You are too kind."
At this time, the voice of Eunuch Rong was heard, inviting all the generals to come for an audience.
When they arrived at the temporary palace, Eunuch Rong asked Yue Fei to go first to meet the emperor. Upon hearing this, Han Shizhong and Zhang Jun stood outside the palace, waiting for the emperor's summons.
Yue Fei hurriedly followed Eunuch Rong to the temporary palace. Zhao Gou was the only one in the room, sitting on the imperial bed.
Yue Fei hurried forward and saluted: "I respectfully listen to your inquiries."
"My dear minister, you are my trusted and beloved general. There are currently discussions in the court. First, Liu Guangshi is addicted to wine and women, and has become arrogant and lazy. I want to dismiss him. Second, we should use military force against the pseudo-Qi. What are your opinions?"
Yue Fei, newly appointed to a high position, was naturally full of confidence. He reported, "Liu Guangshi is indeed too arrogant. In the last battle against the Pseudo-Qi, he fled without even fighting. This is unbecoming of a great general, and he should be dismissed. Since the founding of our dynasty, our army has grown increasingly powerful, but the generals are suspicious of each other and fight independently. In the past few years, we haven't seen a single joint force to resist the Jin. I believe that the various armies should be united so that we can concentrate our forces and attack the Plains. As for the Pseudo-Qi of the Liu family, I believe it can be eliminated. The Liu family resides in Henan, lying between the Song and Jin dynasties, acting as accomplices to the enemy. Destroying them will deprive the Jin of their defenses. Once the Pseudo-Qi is destroyed, we can recover our homeland and welcome back the two emperors in no time."
Zhao Gou nodded repeatedly as he spoke passionately, saying, "I am very pleased to hear your words."
Yue Fei walked out of the palace with a smile on his face and bid farewell to the generals outside the palace one by one.
Zhang Jun said, "General Yue, this is good news!"
Yue Fei clasped his fists and said, "The emperor is here, I dare not speak nonsense." Then he turned and left.
As soon as Yue Fei left, he heard someone announce, "General Xuan Han is here to see you."
The person who took Han Shizhong to the palace this time was a eunuch.
Han Shizhong saw Zhao Gou sitting on the throne and bowed hurriedly, saying, "Your humble servant greets your Majesty."
"General Han won a great victory in the Battle of Dazhenyi. He also held off hundreds of thousands of Jin troops in Chuzhou with only 30,000 men, preventing the Jin army from advancing a single step south of the Yangtze River. He is truly a valuable asset of our dynasty. I will soon have someone bring General Han's reward to Chuzhou."
Han Shizhong quickly said modestly: "It is really the emperor's good use of his talents. I dare not take credit for it."
Han Shizhong was lowering his head, waiting for Zhao Gou to ask questions, but he didn't hear anything for a long time. So he looked up, only to see Zhao Gou walking up to him. His face was hidden in the darkness, and his expression could not be seen clearly.
A faint voice was heard: "However, a friend's wife should not be deceived, let alone Liang Hongyu, who was once my concubine. When she left the palace, she swore not to marry anyone else. I heard that the general has been very close to her recently. Do you have anything to say?"
Han Shizhong broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this and quickly knelt down, saying, "I have never overstepped my bounds. I hope the emperor will understand."
Zhao Gou's words were just a warning. Seeing that his attitude was quite sincere, he half believed it for the time being. So he patted his shoulder and said, "You are my loyal minister. I will not do anything to you. As for my former concubines..."
Before Zhao Gou finished the second half of his sentence, he glanced at Han Shizhong who was still kneeling on the ground.
Han Shizhong understood: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will always be there to encourage General Liang."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Gou nodded in satisfaction, asked Han Shizhong to leave, and summoned Zhang Jun to meet him.
After Han Shizhong left, Eunuch Rong beside him wondered, "Since the emperor was worried about Liang Hongyu and Han Shizhong, why didn't he let her stay away from Han Shizhong and be stationed somewhere else?"
Zhao Gou picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said, "Since she likes Han Shizhong, I want her to also taste the pain I once felt, being so close to the one I love, but not being able to have him."
Zhao Gou recalled how he had gone to great lengths to win Liang Hongyu's heart, yet still couldn't win her heart. Every time he thought of this, his chest felt like a red-hot iron, burning his very being. Late at night, he would sit alone on the dragon throne, his fingertips rubbing against an arrowhead Liang Hongyu had lost—it was the arrowhead she had shot during a competition, its tail still entangled with a half-length of faded red silk.
As the candlelight flickered, he seemed to see Liang Hongyu standing at the foot of the city wall in military uniform again.
That day, a fierce wind blew, whirling her red robe in the wind. Her face, reflecting the morning sun, looked at him from the city wall. He had never imagined that she would be so breathtakingly beautiful in her military uniform, just like the irises blooming all over the mountains, so gorgeous and dazzling that it was impossible to take your eyes off her.
At that moment, he realized why she had been so determined to abandon her pampered life in the palace and head for the bloody battlefield. It turned out that military uniform suited her better, and so did the battlefield. She belonged to a vast world, not just to him, and so, with great pain, he let her go.
And she had indeed performed brilliantly, becoming a lauded female general. He should have been happy for her, yet, deep down, he felt resentful. He couldn't accept that she might belong to someone else, that she never had a place for him in her heart. He had a vast kingdom, everyone prostrated at his feet, yet he couldn't win the heart of a single woman.
The most painful thing was not that he couldn't get her, but that he had already imprisoned her within the palace walls, but still let her escape from his grasp.
Eunuch Rong recalled seeing Liang Hongyu outside the palace just now and reminded the emperor, "Should I summon General Liang as well?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Gou suddenly threw the teacup at the palace pillar, and the porcelain shards exploded at Eunuch Rong's feet. "Remember, never mention her again!"
Eunuch Rong shuddered slightly, nearly dropping the whisk in his hand. He stole a glance at the emperor, only to see Zhao Gou clutching the teacup with white knuckles, the celadon glaze reflecting the dark currents surging in his eyes.
Zhao Gou suddenly chuckled: "What good will it do to see her? It will only make me sadder."
After Zhang Jun entered the palace, he saw Zhao Gou sitting on the throne, his face pale. He was so frightened that he quickly knelt and said, "Your humble servant greets the emperor."
Zhao Gou gave Eunuch Rong a look, and Eunuch Rong quickly understood and said, "General, please stand up and answer."
Zhang Jun then stood up and stood in the center of the hall. He thought that since he had commanded the entire army and defeated the pseudo-Qi army, the government should have rewarded him. Why did he look so unhappy today?
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