Battle of Dayi Town
In the fourth year of Shaoxing, Liu Yu, having lost much of the Qi territory to the Song army, wrote to the Jin army for help. Wanyan Zongbing urgently dispatched 20,000 Jin troops southward, seizing the opportunity to capture Xiangyang and the six counties of Yingzhou that Yue Fei had recaptured, and then to drink from the Yangtze River. The Jin army quickly tore a large hole in the Southern Song's Yangtze River defenses.
The Southern Song court was in panic upon hearing the news, and Zhao Gou hurriedly summoned all ministers to discuss the matter in the capital hall.
In the end, Zhao Gou adopted the military deployment of his minister Zhao Ding.
Han Shizhong led 30,000 troops to garrison in Yangzhou as ordered, Liu Guangshi led 40,000 troops to retreat to the Yangtze River, Yue Fei led 20,000 troops to garrison in Wuchang, and Zhang Jun led 20,000 troops to garrison in Caishi.
Years of fighting have exhausted Zhao Gou. The days when he was chased by the Jin people and had to seek refuge at sea are still vivid in his mind. He is no longer the King Kang who bravely broke into the Jin camp, but the cowardly king who wants to escape and negotiate peace whenever war breaks out.
So, while Zhao Gou was actively preparing for war, he also sent Wei Liangchen and Wang Lun to negotiate peace.
The two men boarded a boat and sailed north along the canal, crossed the river and arrived in Yangzhou. They then headed north to Dayi Town. Further ahead was the territory of the Jin people, so they had no choice but to stay there for the time being and wait until tomorrow to go to the Jin camp.
Han Shizhong was in the tent discussing matters with his generals when one of his men suddenly came forward to report, "The emperor has sent Wei Liangchen and Wang Lun as envoys to the Jin camp to sue for peace."
Upon hearing this, Hu Yantong was furious: "We are risking our lives here to build an empire for Zhao, but Zhao is only holding us back."
The other generals also sighed when they heard this.
Just when the generals were indignant about the court's peace talks, Han Shizhong had a flash of inspiration and came up with a plan to defend against the enemy.
Han Shizhong came to Dayi Town and held a banquet, and personally saw off the two envoys Wei Liangchen and Wang Lun.
After several rounds of drinks, urgent military orders with feathers on them were delivered one after another, and Wei Liangchen asked the reason.
Han Shizhong replied: "The court has issued an edict ordering our army to move to Zhenjiang, and we are now withdrawing our troops." As he spoke, he took out the forged edict.
Wei Liangchen was secretly delighted. Perhaps this military intelligence could be his bargaining chip for peace talks with the Jin people. He came here on orders from the government to negotiate peace. If the peace talks were successful, his career would be prosperous.
After the banquet, the two of them rode fast horses to the Jin camp.
Hu Yantong watched the two men leave and said to Han Shizhong beside him, "Wanyan Zongbi is as cunning as a fox. Can he trust him?"
"If he doesn't believe us, we'll create the illusion of a withdrawal."
"You will station some of your troops in Zhenjiang, while the majority of the troops will remain behind to lurk in the swamp."
"Yes, General."
Han Shizhong estimated that Wei Liangchen had already left the country, so he immediately mounted his horse and delivered his orders: "Follow the direction my whip points and march!"
So the army gathered and marched north to Dayi Town, divided the elite troops into five formations, set up more than 20 ambushes, and agreed to attack in turn when they heard the drum sound.
After Wei and Wang arrived at the Jin camp, a Jin cavalryman came and ordered them to mount their horses and head to Tianchang County together.
Along the way, the Jin soldiers kept asking, "Where is the Emperor of Song?"
Wei and Wang replied, "In Hangzhou."
"Where is Han Shizhong? How many troops does he have?"
"In Yangzhou, but when we left, he had already led his army back to Zhenjiang. I don't know the exact number of troops."
The Jin soldiers asked, "Are they feigning a retreat, waiting for us to relax and then attack us again?"
Wang Lun cleverly responded, "He is a military commander. How can we, the envoys for peace, know about the military situation?"
When they were six or seven miles from the city, they encountered a group of over a hundred Jin cavalrymen, all wearing full armor and carrying black flags, surrounding an old man. The old man had a dignified appearance and was none other than Nier Bojin, the Jin commander.
After the two sides exchanged greetings, Nie'er Bojin asked, "How many troops does Han Shizhong have? Where are they stationed?"
Wang Lun replied, "In Yangzhou, the exact number is unknown. When we left Yangzhou, Han Shizhong produced an imperial edict stating that he had been ordered to withdraw to Zhenjiang."
Wei Liangchen added: "We saw with our own eyes the Song army leaving the east gate of Yangzhou and retreating towards Guazhou."
Wang Lun warned, "Minister Wei, you must not make such assertions. Using troops and negotiating peace are two different things. Even if there is an order to withdraw, 'a general is not bound by the king's orders'. Whether or not they really withdrew, we have no way of knowing."
Nie Er Bojin asked again, "What if Han Shizhong launches a surprise attack on our rear?"
Wang Lun said sternly, "This is a military secret. How could the envoy know it?"
Nie'er Bojin sneered, "This time, our army marched south because of Liu Yu (the Pseudo-Qi)'s instigation. They lied that Han Shizhong and Yue Fei were stationed heavily in Huainan. Yet, since entering the country, not a single soldier has been seen from our army!"
Nie Er Bojin was overjoyed when he heard that Han Shizhong had retreated, and he immediately reorganized his troops. The Jin army's iron cavalry "Iron Flotsam" took the lead and rushed straight to the river mouth, reaching five miles away from Dayi Town.
The "Iron Pagoda Soldiers," also known as the "Iron Tower Soldiers," were the elite troops of the Jin army. They consisted of two soldiers and three horses: one regular soldier and one reserve soldier. Each soldier rode a horse in normal times, with their warhorses often used as idle steeds. In battle, the soldiers wore double iron helmets with long brims around the sides and felt pillows nailed under them. They wore double iron armor, and their horses were also armored. Fifty men formed a team, and in battle, they could serve as both charge soldiers and wing cavalry.
Han Shizhong ordered Dong Min to garrison Tianchang and Jie Yuan to garrison Gaoyou. He and Hu Yantong led a dozen cavalrymen on reconnaissance. Ten miles from Dayi Town, they encountered over 200 Jin cavalrymen. Han Shizhong and Hu Yantong were reining in their horses to discuss countermeasures when suddenly thirty or forty cavalrymen charged directly at Han Shizhong. Han Shizhong was outmatched, and a valiant Jin general challenged him in a one-on-one duel. Han Shizhong, feeling exhausted, fell from his horse.
Huyan Tong was in the middle of a fierce battle with a Jin general. Seeing Han Shizhong fall off his horse, he chopped off the general's head with a sword and rushed towards Han Shizhong. Several Jin soldiers were about to chop Han Shizhong with their swords, but Huyan Tong blocked them with his sword. Han Shizhong took the opportunity to mount his horse while fighting with several Jin soldiers.
After remounting, more than a hundred Jin cavalrymen were still in hot pursuit. Hu Yantong suggested that Han Shizhong occupy the pass on the hillside and use bows and arrows to stop the pursuers, thus escaping danger.
On the way back, Han Shizhong was grateful for Hu Yantong's life-saving grace. He said to Hu Yantong beside him on horseback: "When I return to the capital this time, I will report your achievements today to the emperor truthfully."
Hu Yantong replied, "It is my humble duty to protect the General, but I still want to thank you for your recommendation."
Upon hearing this, Han Shizhong looked up to the sky and laughed, "Of course."
At this time, the Jin army general Nie'er Bojin was leading the charge, riding his horse towards Dayi Town. Wherever his horse's hooves stepped on, clouds of dust were raised, and the black mass pressed down like a dark cloud.
After Han Shizhong let 2,000 Jin cavalrymen pass the east flank of the Song army, he suddenly waved his flag, and the sound of war drums caused ambushes to spring up. The Song army's flags mixed with the Jin army's, and the Jin army was thrown into chaos, unable to use their bows or swords.
The elite "Beiwei Army" attacked in turns in teams of five. The infantry used long axes to chop the chests of the Tiefutu cavalry and hit the horses' legs, causing the horses to fall to the ground. The Jin soldiers who fell off their horses were instantly trampled into meat paste by other horses.
While in Chuzhou, Liang Hongyu developed a "defeating bow" to defeat the Jin army's "Iron Pagodas," which came in handy during this battle. The bow's powerful force could penetrate rhinoceros armor and elephant hide, even through seven layers of lamellar armor. The bow's powerful force sent the Iron Pagoda cavalry reeling, leaving the Jin army terrified as if encountering a demon. Suddenly, the wails of the Jin soldiers and the neighing of their horses resounded through the air.
The remaining iron floats of the Jin army were forced into a field by Han Shizhong's troops.
Han Shizhong stopped his horse at the edge of the field, staring ahead and saying, "Hongyu, the rest is up to you."
In late spring in the south of the Yangtze River, a drizzling rain soaked the rice paddies outside Dayi Town into a sludge. Liang Hongyu reined in her horse on a high hill, rain dripping down the edge of her bamboo hat, soaking her fingers as she gripped the reins. The trembling of the Jin soldiers' iron hooves could be heard from beneath the earth. From afar, she watched as their hooves gradually treaded into the ridges of the fields, and a cold smile curled her lips.
"Everything has been arranged." Qiu Feng walked over in the mud and water, lowering her voice. "We just need to wait for the golden dog to fall into the trap."
Liang Hongyu nodded slightly, her eyes bright as cold stars beneath her bamboo hat. She dismounted, her boots sinking into the soft mud with a soft, soft slurping sound. Crouching, she used her fingers to trace three intersecting grooves in the mud.
"Three ridges," she whispered, her voice low but clear. "One to divert water, two to trap horses, and three to hide soldiers. Once the Jin cavalry enter, they'll be like a dragon trapped in shallow water. Even the bravest of ten thousand men will find it difficult to escape this trap."
Qiu Feng looked at the simple pattern on the ground, her eyes flashing with amazement. "This method is exquisite. The Jin people would never have imagined that such murderous intent could be hidden in this ordinary rice field."
Liang Hongyu stood up, rain running down her armor. She gazed at the approaching Jin cavalry in the distance, her gaze growing colder. "Wanyan Zongbing is known as the Jin's foremost general. This time, he's leading 20,000 cavalry south, his arrogance unbridled. Today, I'll show him that the Jiangnan water towns are no place for him to run wild."
She turned and walked towards her warhorse, but suddenly stopped, took out a white handkerchief from her bosom, and gently wiped the water droplets off the scabbard. It was the Qingfeng sword that Han Shizhong had secretly placed in her room before leaving. The hilt was wrapped with red thread, which looked particularly bright in the rain.
"Report—" A scout came running over and knelt on one knee, "The vanguard of the Jin army has left the camp and is heading towards Dayi Town!"
Liang Hongyu's eyes flashed, and she jumped on her horse. "According to the plan. Qiufeng, you lead the crossbowmen to ambush behind the third ridge. Wait for my signal, and unleash all your arrows."
"I obey your command!"
The Jin army's cavalry passed through the first ridge of the field. The rice seedlings here looked normal, but in fact the ridge had been secretly dug deeper.
Amidst the neighing of warhorses, the front row of Jin soldiers, horses and men, sank into the mire. Alarmed, Wanyan Zongbing hurriedly ordered the rear troops to halt, but it was too late. Liang Hongyu had already ascended to a higher point, raised the red flag, and waved it vigorously.
"Let it go!"
At the command, the Song army dug through the previously blocked embankment, and the long-accumulated river water rushed out, instantly flooding the low-lying fields. The Jin cavalry was stuck in knee-deep mud, their horses struggling to move, and their formation was in chaos.
"Shoot!"
The Song army archers, ambushed behind the third ridge, unleashed a hail of arrows. The Jin soldiers, slow to move in the mud, became sitting ducks, their screams echoing incessantly.
Wanyan Zongbing roared and ordered his personal guards to form a defensive formation, but found that his mount was also stuck in the mud. He jumped off his horse in anger, slashed at the approaching Song soldiers with his sword, and rushed towards Liang Hongyu.
"Bitch! Do you dare to fight me?"
Seeing this, Liang Hongyu took the spear from her personal guard and rode forward. Her warhorse was a carefully selected Jiangnan pony that treaded the mud with ease. The two generals clashed amidst the splashing mud and water, their spears and swords flashing, sparks flying everywhere.
"General Wanyan," Liang Hongyu said coldly during a break in the fight, "You're not used to the climate in Jiangnan. You'd better return to the north."
Wanyan Zongbing, enraged, swung his sword, but Liang Hongyu deftly dodged it. Seizing the opportunity, she thrust her spear like a venomous snake, piercing the opponent's throat. Wanyan Zongbing hastily dodged, and the spear tip grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark.
At that moment, deafening cries of battle rang out from afar. Han Shizhong's main force arrived just in time, charging into the Jin army from the flank. Seeing the situation was hopeless, Wanyan Zongbing gritted his teeth and ordered a retreat.
Liang Hongyu would not let him escape so easily. She pointed her spear and said, "Pursue with all your forces. We must annihilate the Jin army's vanguard!"
The Song army's morale was boosted, and they thrived in the familiar terrain, while the remnants of the Jin army struggled through the mud, with soldiers falling repeatedly. In the end, Wanyan Zongbing fled with only a few dozen cavalrymen, and more than half of the 20,000-strong vanguard army was killed.
The rain stopped, and the setting sun shone through the clouds, illuminating the muddy battlefield. Liang Hongyu stood on a high point, gazing at the fleeing Jin army, and slowly sheathed her sword. Turning to her personal guards, she said, "Send the order down to treat the wounded and count the gains. After this defeat, Wanyan Zongbing will surely not dare to attack again in the near future."
In this battle, the Jin general Taboye and more than 500 Jurchen thousand-household leaders were captured, and thousands of war horses, armor, and weapons were seized.
Qiu Feng approached with a look of admiration on her face: "General, your plan is brilliant! This triple-layered ridge method is truly ingenious!"
Liang Hongyu shook her head and gazed into the distance. "The Jin army is powerful, so this is only a minor victory. The real hard battle is yet to come." She touched the red thread on the hilt of her sword, a flicker of tenderness in her eyes before regaining her resolve. "Order the three armies to reinforce their fortifications overnight and prepare to meet the main force of the Jin army."
The next morning, the interpreter led Wei Liangchen and others out of the south gate of Tianchang. After crossing the trench, they were surrounded by three hundred Jin cavalry.
The Jin army, including the elderly, weak, and baggage, were seen retreating westward. At 9:00 PM, Wei, Wang, and the others were brought to the riverbank and forced to dismount. The Jin soldiers publicly beheaded over 30 of them with giant axes and then escorted Wei, Wang, and the others to Nier Bojin's horse.
Upon seeing this, Nie Er Bojin angrily threw his mink hat and drew his sword, demanding to know Wei Liangchen: "You pretended to negotiate peace, claiming yesterday that Han Shizhong had retreated, but in reality you were plotting against our army!"
Wei Liangchen argued, "This must be the case of the Shuizhai rebels acting on their own, unaware that the imperial court had sent envoys to negotiate peace."
Nie'er Bojin sneered and ordered his men to bring the three captives over: "Who are these?"
Wang Lun recognized two of them as officers under Han Shizhong's general Dong Min, but he did not know the other one, so he had to tell the truth.
Nie'er Bojin was furious: "It is just as I expected! You are negotiating peace in the name of peace, but you are actually Han Shizhong's accomplices!" The Jin soldiers raised their axes and wanted to kill him.
Wei Liangchen pointed to the heavens and swore, "We have come here at the order of the emperor, risking our lives to negotiate peace. This must be Han Shizhong's trick! If you don't believe me, I am willing to die in service of my country!"
After a stalemate of half an hour, Nie Er Bojin, seeing his sincerity, finally softened his tone and said, "Send them to see the Marshal."
Wei Liangchen and others replied: "If we see the Marshal submit his letter of credence, we will die without regrets!"
Nie'er Bojin sneered, "The Great Jin won't kill envoys, so find an interpreter to lead the way. Just ride your horses!"
Wei and Wang then hurriedly rode away from the Jin camp. After driving half a mile, Wei Liangchen suddenly felt a dampness on his back. It turned out that he had broken out in a cold sweat in the Jin camp. He didn't care about anything else and continued to ride back to the capital.
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