Yue Fei
On the top of Shunchang City, the smoke of gunpowder had not yet cleared. Liu Qi defeated the Jin army in the Battle of Shunchang, and the siege of Shunchang on the eastern front was lifted, and the situation stabilized slightly.
However, the Southern Song court far away in Lin'an was shrouded in a subtle atmosphere.
"Your Majesty, although General Liu Qi won a great victory, our army's manpower is limited. If the Jin army sends more troops to fight again, we may find it difficult to hold on." Qin Hui bowed and reported, his voice steady without a trace of emotion.
Zhao Gou sat on the throne in silence for a long time. He had originally wanted to adopt a defensive tactic, and Qin Hui's words hit the mark. So he said, "Pass on my decree. Instruct Yue Fei not to move his troops lightly and to return home."
The messenger was Li Ruoxu, Junior Minister of Agriculture, who arrived at Yue Fei's camp in mid-May. The soldiers in the camp were eager to fight, and the call for a northern expedition was growing louder.
"General Yue, His Majesty has issued an order." Li Ruoxu unfolded the imperial edict, his voice remarkably clear in the quiet military tent. "The troops must not move lightly, and it is advisable to withdraw."
The generals in the tent looked at each other in confusion. Yue Yun couldn't help but take a step forward, but was stopped by Yue Fei with a look.
Yue Fei took the imperial edict and read it carefully three times, his brow furrowing with each reading. Finally, he raised his head, his gaze piercing: "Sir Li, our army has won victory after victory. If we march north now, we can recapture Bianjing and welcome the two emperors. Why are you returning?"
Li Ruoxu sighed: "How could I not know? But the emperor's will is determined..."
As night fell, Yue Fei's tent was brightly lit. He spread out a military map and detailed his Northern Expedition plan to Li Ruoxu: "Zhang Xian's vanguard has conquered Caizhou, and Niu Gao's left wing has broken through the counties of Lushan. We will soon join Zhang Xian at Chenzhou. Han Shizhong's general Wang Sheng has recaptured Haizhou, and Zhang Jun's general Wang De has conquered Bozhou. Our army will be divided into three routes, heading straight for Bianjing..."
Li Ruoxu's eyes lit up as he listened. He had always been a supporter of the resistance against the Jin, and he knew this was the best opportunity in ten years.
Suddenly, Li Ruoxu slammed the table and said, "Forget it! Today, I, Li Ruoxu, will forge an imperial edict! General Yue, you just focus on the Northern Expedition. I will bear all the blame from the imperial court!"
Yue Fei was stunned: "Master Li, this is a capital crime!"
"If we can recapture the Central Plains, even death is nothing," Li Ruoxu said generously. "But General Yue needs a quick victory. The imperial court... I'm afraid they won't give us much time."
Yue's army marched northward with unstoppable force. With Yue's army in hand and the rebel army in the two river regions, they had successively conquered large tracts of land in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, forming a five-sided siege on Wanyan Zongbing stationed in Kaifeng.
In early June, Zhang Xian conquered Chenzhou, shocking the entire Central Plains. Han people, oppressed for years by the Jin, rose up in rebellion to welcome the imperial army. Throughout the Jin-controlled territory, wars erupted.
However, at this moment, the imperial court issued a series of decrees: Zhang Jun was to withdraw from Bozhou and relocate to Shouchun, and Liu Qi was to be transferred to the south of the Yangtze River. Yue Fei's army suddenly became isolated and had to advance deep into the enemy's territory.
Yue Fei submitted a series of memorials requesting support: "I hope you will come down quickly and command us to advance quickly", but the memorials fell on deaf ears and received no response.
The army began to run out of food and fodder. Even more worrying was the report from scouts that Wanyan Zongbing was mobilizing a large army in preparation for a counterattack.
In the scorching heat of July, Yue Fei stationed his troops in Yancheng. Scouts arrived to report that a large Jin army was approaching Yancheng.
Yue Fei immediately went up to his tent and called out his generals: "Yue Yun, listen to my orders! Lead the Beiwei cavalry to attack and make sure to crush the enemy's spirit!"
"Understood!" Yue Yun, who was only 22 years old, was full of heroic spirit. He turned around and led his troops out of the city.
At Wulidian, north of Yancheng, the two armies met. Yue Yun, wielding his silver spear and white horse, charged headfirst into the enemy lines. Seeing their commander's son so valiant, the Beiwei soldiers were ready to fight ten to one. Despite their numbers, the Jin troops were scattered.
At the same time, Yang Zaixing led 300 cavalrymen to patrol the camp to Xiaoshang Bridge and suddenly encountered a large group of Jin soldiers.
"General, the enemy is numerous and we are few, why don't we take shelter temporarily?" suggested the deputy general.
Yang Zaixing laughed heartily: "Evade? The word 'avoid' doesn't exist in the dictionary of Yue Family Army! Today, let the Jin thieves see what it means to defeat ten thousand with only three hundred!"
The three hundred cavalrymen, like a sharp knife, plunged straight into the heart of the Jin army. Yang Zaixing led the charge, his spear sending men and horses reeling wherever it struck. Despite their numbers, the Jin troops were unable to deploy in the narrow terrain and instead trampled upon each other.
The battle lasted from the afternoon until sunset. Even with their arrows and spears broken, the three hundred warriors fought on. Yang Zaixing, wounded dozens of times, still stood there shouting, "Kill the bandits! Kill the bandits!"
In the end, all three hundred men were killed, but the Jin army lost over two thousand lives, including over a hundred officers. The Jin army had dominated the Central Plains for over a decade, but they had never seen such a fearless army.
Upon learning of the disastrous defeat of his vanguard, Wanyan Zongbing flew into a rage. On July 14, he personally led 100,000 infantry and 30,000 cavalry to attack Yingchang.
Wang Gui, who was stationed in Yingchang, hurriedly asked Yue Fei for help. Yue Fei ordered Yue Yun to lead 8,000 Beiwei troops to provide assistance.
At dawn, the Jin army launched its attack. The most terrifying of these were the "Crooked Horses," three warhorses linked horizontally to form a moving iron wall. Jin Wushu deployed two thousand Crooked Horses, which roared forward like six hundred tanks.
Wang Gui defended the city, while Yue Yun went out to meet the enemy. On the plain outside the city, the Jin army's cavalry array pressed down like a mountain, shaking the earth.
Yue Yun remembered the strategy his father had taught him to defeat the enemy and ordered, "Infantry, lie low and attack the horses' feet!"
Under a hail of arrows, the infantry of Yue's army crept forward. Every time one fell, another took their place. Once a horse's foot was severed, the entire crooked horse collapsed to the ground. The battlefield was ablaze with chaos, and the cries of the Jin soldiers shook the air.
Wanyan Zongbing, watching the battle from a high hill in the distance, was heartbroken when he saw his painstakingly constructed Crooked Horse formation being broken. He said, "Since the day we started this war, we have relied on Crooked Horse to win, and now we have been defeated like this!"
By midday, Yue Yun had already changed horses three times and was covered in blood. Seeing the reinforcements struggling, the Song defenders opened the city gates and charged out. The Jin army, attacked from both sides, finally collapsed.
After a series of defeats, Wanyan Zongbing retreated to Zhuxian Town, only 45 miles from Kaifeng. This was the last barrier, where a 100,000-strong Jin army was stationed, attempting a final resistance.
Yue Fei personally led the army north and stationed in Weishi County, facing Zhuxian Town from a distance.
On July 20th, Yue Fei sent out a vanguard of 500 cavalrymen to test the enemy's position. Unexpectedly, upon arriving at Zhuxian Town, these 500 cavalrymen engaged the Jin vanguard like a tiger among a flock of sheep. The Jin army, fresh from their defeat, was demoralized and, upon seeing the banners of Yue's army, they became timid even before a fight began. The moment the battle began, their entire army collapsed.
Upon hearing the news, Wanyan Zongbing was stunned: "How could Yue Shaobao defeat one hundred thousand of my elite troops with only five hundred cavalrymen?"
That night, Wanyan Zongbing summoned his generals and prepared to abandon Kaifeng and escape north across the river. Suddenly, a guard arrived with news that a Northern Song Dynasty student wanted to see him.
"Is there a student from the Imperial College asking to see you at this time?" Wanyan Zongbing was puzzled, but he still summoned the visitor.
The Imperial College student was unhurried: "Prince, don't flee! The capital can be defended! Yue Shaobao will surely retreat!"
Wanyan Zongbing smiled bitterly, "Yue Shaobao defeated one hundred thousand of our elite troops with only five hundred cavalrymen. The people of Kaifeng are expecting Yue Fei to attack them day and night. The army is demoralized, and the people have lost their support. How can we defend this city? It's easier to shake a mountain than to shake Yue Fei's army!"
The student smiled faintly. "From ancient times to the present, as long as there are treacherous ministers holding great power in the court, it is impossible for a general to achieve great success in the military! In my opinion, Yue Shaobao himself is facing great disaster and even his life is in danger. Do you still expect him to succeed in the Northern Expedition?"
Wanyan Zongbing suddenly came to his senses and immediately ordered to stop the preparations for crossing the river.
Just as Yue's army was winning victory after victory, the atmosphere in the Lin'an court became increasingly weird.
In early July, Luo Ruji, a member of Qin Hui's entourage, submitted a memorial: "Our troops are small, our generals are few, our people are in distress, and our country is destitute. If Yue Fei advances deep into the enemy territory, it will be dangerous. I hope Your Majesty will issue an imperial decree and order the troops to withdraw."
Zhao Gou pondered for a long time. He certainly wanted to recover the Central Plains, but if Yue Fei succeeded, his influence would be enough to overthrow the emperor. If he failed, even the south of the Yangtze River would be lost. After much deliberation, he finally ordered the army to return.
When the first imperial edict to withdraw troops reached Yue Fei's army, he could hardly believe his eyes. At that time, Zhang Xian was marching from Linying to Kaifeng, and the fall of Bianjing was imminent.
"Ten years of work must not be wasted in an instant!" Yue Fei wrote a letter to argue, his words earnest.
However, instead of a reply, a series of imperial edicts were issued to the army. On July 21st, twelve golden edicts were delivered to the army camp in one day.
The wording of the imperial edict became more and more severe, and the last one was a direct order: the army must return immediately, and Yue Fei himself must come to Lin'an to pay homage.
Yue Fei's hands trembled as he received the imperial edict. The twelve golden medals laid out on the table shone brightly, yet their gleaming brilliance only illuminated his pale face.
His fingers tightly gripped the twelve gold medals, the cold metal edges nearly digging into his palms. Outside the tent came the sounds of soldiers gearing up for battle, war horses neighing anxiously, flags rustling in the night breeze. This should have been an exciting scene on the eve of the Northern Expedition, but now it had become the sad sound of a return trip south.
"Ten years of effort, wasted in an instant!" Yue Fei sighed to the sky. The candlelight in the tent flickered. His vision gradually blurred, and the words "Return Soon" on the gold medal were blurred by his tears.
He seemed to see again the scene of Marshal Zong Ze on his deathbed. The old general's hair and beard were all white, and his skinny hands tightly grasped his wrist. His eyes, which had once been bright and lively, were sunken in their sockets, but they still emitted a final ray of light.
"Cross the river! Cross the river!" Zong Ze's voice was hoarse as torn silk, and every word was stained with blood and tears. "I...can't see anymore...you must...cross the river!"
That day, he knelt before the couch and swore solemnly: "Marshal, rest assured, Yue Fei will cross the Yellow River and attack Huanglong!"
And now...
Yue Fei suddenly closed his eyes, tears finally bursting out. He seemed to see Zong Ze looking at him with tears in his eyes from the depths of the nine springs, watching this army, only forty-five miles away from Bianjing, retreating southward.
"Marshal... I'm afraid Yue Fei will fail to live up to your trust..." He muttered to himself, feeling his internal organs twisted together.
Suddenly, suppressed sobs could be heard from outside the tent. They were the veterans who had fought with him for years. Some had retreated south from Hebei, some had families still struggling under the iron hoofs of the Jin army, and some bore dozens of scars, waiting for the day they could fight their way back home.
Upon hearing the news, all the generals rushed into the commander's tent. Yue Yun fell to his knees and said, "Father! Kaifeng can be taken at any moment. If we retreat now, what guilt will the people of the Central Plains have?"
Niu Gao beat his chest and stamped his feet: "Marshal! A general is not bound by the king's orders when he is away from home!"
Zhang Xian drew his sword and said, "I hereby pledge my loyalty to you, and I will conquer Bianjing within three days!"
Yue Fei shook his head, his voice hoarse: "The Yue Family Army is loyal to the Song Dynasty, not to Yue Fei alone. Disobeying the order is no different from rebellion."
Yue Fei's fingers stroked the hilt of the sword at his waist. This Zhanlu sword was a gift from Zong Ze, and the sword was engraved with the four words "Serve the country with loyalty" written by the old marshal himself.
He could disregard everything and continue northward. His soldiers would surely follow him to the death, and the Central Plains righteous armies would respond. Perhaps in three days, just three days, Bianjing could be recaptured...
But then what?
Scenes flashed before Yue Fei's eyes: the imperial court was cut off from food and pay, the armies stood by and watched, the Yue army was surrounded, the Jin soldiers took advantage of the opportunity to march south, and the people of Jiangnan were devastated...
He slammed his fist on the table, and the gold medal fell to the ground.
If he disobeyed the order, even if he succeeded, it would set a precedent for military generals to act arrogantly, and the shaky Southern Song Dynasty would likely fall apart in an instant. If he failed, the entire country would be doomed.
But to return to the capital in compliance with the order would mean abandoning the people who had carried incense and brought food and fodder to welcome the imperial army, would mean the blood of countless righteous soldiers would be shed in vain, and would mean that the Central Plains would continue to groan under the iron hoofs...
The sound of a night watchman's drum was heard outside the tent, it was already the fourth watch.
Yue Fei slowly stood up and walked to the tent door. He opened the curtains and saw a sky full of twinkling stars, just like the night he and Zong Ze discussed military strategy many years ago.
"Marshal, you told me that a general should know when to advance and when to retreat." He looked up at the North Star and muttered to himself, "But retreating... is a thousand times more difficult than advancing."
A gust of night wind blew, bringing with it the fishy smell of the Yellow River's water vapor. So close, so close to his dream, so close that he could almost hear the bells from the top of Bianjing City.
But those twelve golden medals were like twelve shackles, locking him tightly. This was not a military decision, but a political one; it was not about victory or defeat on the battlefield, but about the righteousness between the ruler and his subjects.
This dilemma almost tore him apart.
Finally, he slowly walked back to the table and picked up the scattered gold medals. The metal was icy cold, but it was not even a ten-thousandth as cold as the chill in his heart.
"Send an order..." His voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible, but he still repeated it firmly, "Send an order to the entire army, tomorrow... return."
When he said these four words, he seemed to see the old Marshal Zong Ze sighing in the clouds, the people of the Central Plains crying under the iron hoofs, and the flames of ten years of war gradually extinguishing.
But he had no choice.
As a general, he could risk his life; but as a pillar of the dynasty, he had to consider the overall situation, even if this overall situation came at the cost of his dreams and oaths.
Yue Fei took out a brush and paper, preparing to write a memorial requesting punishment. As he dipped the tip of his brush into ink, a teardrop fell onto the rice paper, slowly spreading like a wound that would never heal.
Outside the window, the morning star rose quietly, illuminating the tear marks on his face and also illuminating this tragic night that was destined to be remembered by history.
The news of the return of the army spread like wildfire, and the people in the Central Plains were shocked.
The next morning, Yue's army broke camp and headed south. As soon as they left the camp, they were blocked by a massive crowd of people.
Thousands of people knelt by the roadside, with incense burning and cries shaking the sky.
A white-haired old man trembled and stopped Yue Fei's horse: "Marshal Yue, you can't leave! If you leave and the Jin people come back, we will all be dead!"
The woman, holding her child, cried, "We carried incense pots and hauled food and fodder to welcome the army, and the Jin know all about it. If the Marshal leaves, we will all die at the hands of the Jin."
Yue Fei dismounted, helped the old man up, tears in his eyes: "How can I bear to abandon the people? But I cannot disobey the king's order..."
He took out the imperial edict and showed it to everyone: "This commander is not allowed to stay without permission."
When the people saw the yellow paper and the red seal, they knew it was an imperial decree, and their cries became even more mournful. For a moment, the fields were filled with mournful cries, and the sun and moon were dimmed.
Yue Fei mounted his horse, unable to look back, and simply whipped his whip southward. The army advanced in silence, the only sounds being the clinking of armor and suppressed sobs.
After traveling ten miles, Yue Fei suddenly reined in his horse and looked back. He saw smoke and dust billowing in the north, clearly indicating the Jin soldiers had begun their counterattack. The fate of the civilians left behind was unpredictable.
"All the counties we gained were turned into nothing in one day. It will be difficult to revive our country! The vast territory of the Song Dynasty will never be recovered!" Yue Fei sighed to the sky, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, staining his battle robe red.
After Yue's army returned south, Wanyan Zongbing reorganized his army and launched a counterattack. Without the main support of the Northern Loyal Army, they were defeated one after another, and the Henan region, which had been recovered through bloody battles, fell again.
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