Liu Qi
Liu Qi was the ninth son of Liu Zhongwu, the military governor of Luchuan, a true son of a military family. As a young man, he accompanied his father in fierce battles against the Western Xia in the northwest, honing his courage and martial prowess. He eventually served under Zhang Jun, earning numerous military exploits and later being recruited by Zhao Gou, who trusted him deeply and made him a rare and capable general in the Song Dynasty.
Panic spread like a plague through Shunchang. The people, dragging their families with them, tried to flee south, but were deterred by the uncertain future and the faint cries of killing. The city's defenders were already sparse, and with no leader, a sense of impending doom loomed.
At that moment, a dusty army, bucking the tide of fleeing people, marched into Shunchang City like a resolute stream of iron. Leading the charge was a general, clad in black armor, with a resolute face and eagle-like eyes. He was none other than Liu Qi, the deputy governor of Tokyo, who had been ordered to garrison in Bianliang, the capital of the Eastern Capital.
The troops had barely reached Wokou, before crossing the Huai River, when devastating news arrived: the Jin had broken their alliance, marching southward and sweeping across Henan! They could no longer reach Bianliang; the road ahead was blocked. Most of the "Eight Character Army" were traveling with families, carrying heavy baggage and supplies, and their movement was slow. Due to their limited mobility, they had been previously relocated to Shunchang Prefecture.
"General! My family and I are all in Shunchang. If Shunchang is lost..." The generals gathered around, their faces full of anxiety and panic.
Liu Qi reined in his warhorse, his gaze sweeping across the bewildered faces before finally gazing at the modest walls of Shunchang. He suddenly drew his sword, pointed it toward the heavens, and his voice, resolute and resolute, drowned out the clamor: "Our army has come here to serve in Bian. Although Tokyo has been lost, Shunchang has the city, the food, and our parents, wives, and children! How can we abandon it? We must unite and fight to the death! Anyone who dares to retreat will be executed!"
His eyes were blazing as he scanned the entire army. "I have made up my mind. I will stay in Shunchang and fight the Jin army to the death! Are you willing to follow me?"
After a brief silence, the "Eight Character Army" soldiers thought of their loved ones in the city and the oath tattooed on their faces. Their blood was instantly ignited: "I am willing to follow the general! Fight to the death! Dedicated to serving our country, we swear to kill the Jin thieves!"
The deafening roar dispelled some of the panic, but it also drew the skeptical gazes of the city's inhabitants. Could this equally exhausted army truly hold off the ferocious Jin soldiers?
Upon entering the city, Liu Qi immediately ascended his tent to discuss matters. He commanded only a little over 3,000 combat-capable soldiers. Adding the existing Shunchang garrison and the young and strong who had volunteered, the total was less than 10,000. And they would face the main force of the Jin army, numbering in the hundreds of thousands and led by Wanyan Zongbi himself, sweeping across the Central Plains!
The next morning, on the banks of the Yingshui River, a grim atmosphere reigned. Liu Qi assembled his troops and, pointing to the boats in the middle of the river that had been prepared for retreat, sternly declared, "Our army has already defeated the enemy. What use are these boats? They only serve to disrupt morale! Cut off our route of retreat today to show us that there is no retreat but to fight to the death!"
With that, he waved his hand. The soldiers, axes and chisels in hand, attacked the boats with all their might. Wood chips flew, oars broke, and under the gaze of the crowd, the boats that had once carried them south slowly sank into the murky Ying River. The muffled roar of the sinking ships, like a drumbeat of war, struck each soldier's heart, shattering any last shred of hope. With no escape left, they had no choice but to live and die with the city!
Not only that, Liu Qi also placed his elderly mother, wife and children in a Buddhist temple in the city. Outside the temple gate, there was a pile of pre-prepared firewood.
Liu Qi looked around at the soldiers who followed him, his voice heavy with grief and determination: "My family is here! If the city falls, it will mean that I am incompetent and have no face to live in this world! Then, this fire will be the fire of loyalty of my entire Liu family to our country! You are all witnesses! Liu Qi, I swear to live and die with Shunchang!"
"I swear to live and die with Shunchang!"
"I swear to live and die with Shunchang!"
The shouts were deafening, and the "eight-character" tattoos on the soldiers' faces seemed to be burning hot at this moment!
"The Jin cavalry are accustomed to long-range bows and arrows. If we allow them to reach the city and shoot down our troops, we will be in danger," Liu Qi explained to his generals. "We must prevent them from getting close and dampen their fighting spirit!"
He mobilized his entire army and civilians to work tirelessly day and night, utilizing the existing low walls, slopes, and ruins of civilian residences outside Shunchang City to hastily construct a winding, additional defensive fortification. This wall was not high, but extremely practical, shaped like a sheep and a horse, earning it the nickname "Yangcheng Horse." Behind the wall, trenches were dug and wooden chevaux de frise were arranged. Liu Qi positioned most of his elite troops forward, deploying them behind this outer defensive line, relying on the low walls and trenches for defense.
At the same time, he sent a large number of small elite troops out of the city day and night to harass the vanguard of the Jin army, capture and kill cavalry, and burn food and grass, making the Jin army restless and unable to calmly deploy an siege.
A few days later, tens of thousands of Jin troops, led by Han Chang, the vanguard, finally arrived outside Shunchang. Seeing the Song army daring to line up outside the city, the Jin army, taking advantage of their small number, ignored them and rushed forward like a tide, firing thousands of arrows in an attempt to overwhelm the Song army with a hail of arrows and then break the formation.
Arrows rained down, most of which hit the Yangcheng horses or were blocked by the shields of the Song soldiers behind the low wall, resulting in few casualties. The Song soldiers hid behind the fortifications, calmly waiting for the moment when the Jin arrows would pause and try to close in.
Liu Qi saw the right opportunity and waved his flag!
Within the Song army, powerful bows and crossbows unleashed a volley of arrows! Like locusts, the arrows swarmed with precision, piercing the Jin army's light cavalry and infantry, who lacked heavy armor. Soldiers targeted the Jin soldiers' faces, arms, and horses, where they were unarmored or lightly armored. The Jin soldiers were caught off guard, their men and horses falling to the ground. Those struck were either dead or seriously injured, screaming in agony.
After a hail of arrows, Li Qi suddenly opened the city gates and personally led a group of elite soldiers. Like a tiger out of its cage, they charged into the chaotic Jin army's formation. A flash of swords followed, and a rain of blood raged. The Song army, long pent up, erupted in a fierce fight, each one charging bravely into the front. The Jin army was thrown into disarray, suffering the loss of over a thousand men and retreating in disarray.
The Song army won the first battle! Thunderous cheers rang out from the top of Shunchang City.
When news of the defeat reached the rear, Wanyan Zongbing was furious. He had just executed Wanyan Chang and other pro-peace factions in Bianliang, and was feeling very proud of himself. How could he have run into such a setback in the small town of Shunchang?
"Who is Liu Qi? How dare you stop my heavenly soldiers!" Wanyan Zongbing roared, unable to restrain himself any longer. He left the army behind and personally led his most elite "Iron Floating Tu" heavy armored cavalry and "Crooked Horse" light cavalry on both wings, traveling day and night, and galloping to Shunchang.
Arriving at the city, they saw the Song army in meticulous formation, their fortifications well-prepared. They were no match for the formidable force. But Wanyan Zongbing was confident in his "Iron Floating Tower." This was his trump card. With both men and horses clad in heavy armor and linked by leather ropes, they formed a formation and charged like a wall, unstoppable. Against the Song army, he had been virtually invincible.
In early June, the weather became increasingly hot. Regardless of his soldiers' fatigue, Wanyan Zongbing immediately ordered the "Iron Floating Tu" to put on armor and form a battle array, ready to crush Shunchang in one fell swoop.
The heavy armor burned under the scorching sun, and the elite Jin soldiers clad within it were sweating profusely, breathing with difficulty. But the military order was as strong as a mountain, and the black torrent of armor began to slowly move forward, shaking the earth. The heavy thud of horse hooves was like muffled thunder, hammering at the hearts of every Song soldier defending the city. The overwhelming sense of oppression was almost suffocating.
On the top of the city wall, Liu Qi's face was solemn, but he showed no fear. He had long studied the Jin army's tactics and was well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the "Iron Floating Tower".
"Heavy armor may be strong, but it's not agile! Under the scorching sun, its interior is like a furnace, and it won't last long!" Liu Qi shouted to his men, "Our army will wait for the tired enemy to tire. We will break this iron barrier today!"
He had already prepared a response. He ordered his soldiers to prepare long-handled machetes (a long sword with a hooked sickle), axes, and hammers. He also asked the cooks to prepare large quantities of cooked beans, salt water, and herbal decoctions to relieve the heat.
As the Iron Floating Tus, braving sporadic arrows shot from the city walls, breathlessly approached the Yangcheng Horses, Liu Qi seized the opportunity and gave the order: "Attack! Focus on chopping off the horses' legs and tearing off their visors!"
The city gates were opened again, and the Song army's suicide squads poured out like a tide, but they did not collide head-on with the armored cavalry. Instead, they used the cover of the "Yangcheng Horses" and trenches to approach flexibly!
The spearmen skillfully used their spear tips to pry open the joints of the Iron Flotilla cavalry's visors or helmets! Once their faces were exposed, the following swordsmen pounced, slashing with swords and axes! Strongmen even swung heavy hammers, smashing directly into the armored horses' heads or the knights' chests! Iron armor could withstand the slashing blows, but it was no match for the blunt force of the impact, denting the armor and breaking bones and tendons!
At the same time, the Song army scattered the cooked beans they had prepared on the ground. The hungry and thirsty Jin horses, upon smelling the aroma of the beans, lowered their heads to nibble, their formation instantly thrown into disarray. And when one horse, bound together by leather ropes, fell, the entire iron-tower formation collapsed into chaos.
The heavily armored Jin soldiers, already suffering under the scorching sun, were now thrown into disarray and their movements slowed, making them easy targets for the Song army's swords and axes. The Song soldiers took turns fighting, sipping saltwater herbal soup when thirsty, and continuing the fight.
The bloody battle lasted from early morning to late afternoon, leaving the land along the Ying River stained red with blood, corpses strewn across the ground, and broken armor and weapons scattered everywhere. The once-mighty "Iron Floating Figures" suffered heavy losses, with corpses strewn across the ground. The survivors fled in panic, overwhelmed by the subsequent "Crooked Horse" formation.
Wanyan Zongbing stood on the high slope, watching his elite ace troops being defeated in such a way, shocked and angry, almost vomiting blood! He drew his sword and roared, wanting to charge into the battle himself, but was stopped by his left and right generals.
At this time, news came that made Wuzhu even more frightened: scouts reported that Yue Fei, another great general of the Southern Song Dynasty, had sent a vanguard force from Ezhou, rushing north, intending to rescue Shunchang and threaten the Jin army's flanks!
With the timing, location, and people all out of their favor and reinforcements imminent, Wuzhu looked at the still-destroyed Shunchang City and the piles of corpses beneath it. Despite his reluctance, he knew that this was impossible. If he continued to camp beneath the fortified city, the consequences would be disastrous if Yue Fei's army arrived.
That night, the Jin army camp was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of men and horses. At dawn the next day, Song scouts discovered the Jin camp was empty! Wanyan Zongbing broke camp overnight, leading his remaining troops in a desperate retreat northward.
Shunchang, hold it!
The rising sun illuminated the still-smoky battlefield and the towering city walls. Atop the walls, the battle flag of the "Eight Character Army," though damaged, still flew high. Liu Qi stood, sword in hand, his armor stained with blood. He watched the smoke and dust of the Jin army fleeing northward, and he breathed a long sigh of relief, a hint of triumph finally showing on his weary face. After this brutal and bloody battle, the gateway to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River had finally been temporarily preserved.
The news of the great victory in Shunchang was like a thunderclap, shaking the panic-stricken Southern Song court and the people, and greatly boosting the morale of the anti-Jin army and civilians.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com