Zong Ze, the commander-in-chief of the Hebei Volunteer Army, was a man of unwavering integrity and a deep hatred for evil. When the Jin army besieged Bianjing, he led his troops to the capital to relieve the siege. En route, he was shocked to learn that the emperor intended to negotiate peace with the Jin. Furious, he returned to Hebei with his troops.
According to imperial decree, recruiting troops required imperial approval. However, Zong Ze did the opposite. He first returned to Hebei to recruit troops and then reported to the court. The book said that when the country is in danger, it is necessary to recruit troops to serve the king.
Considering that Zongze was old and had served the country, and had reported the recruitment to the court in a timely manner, the court did not pursue the matter further.
After receiving Chen Guoting's letter, he learned that the emperor wanted to bide his time and that he was determined to go to war with Jin. He was overjoyed and happily led his troops to the Xixia defense line.
Zhao Huan, dressed in military uniform, rode out of the city. Outside the palace gates, officials wept as they bid him farewell. Zhao Huan's authority within the court grew, and few dared to disobey him.
The emperor went to war with a large army, and Wang Zongchu and Wu Ge led 20,000 imperial guards to accompany him.
The common people lined the streets along the way to see him off. They all knew the Jin people were tyrannical. But the emperor, regardless of his own safety, led the army in person, and everyone was filled with gratitude. Wherever the imperial procession passed, the people cheered, "Long live the emperor!"
After leaving the city, Zhao Huan changed to a horse-drawn carriage, a dragon-drawn sedan chair, and the imperial sedan chair, and the group left the capital in a grand manner.
Zhu Lian and his companions were not able to accompany the army on the expedition, as it was a taboo to bring family members with you. Even Zhao Huan, the emperor, was not immune to this.
The morale of the army was high, and the morale of the various troops outside the city who were supporting the emperor was greatly boosted when they heard that the emperor had arrived in person.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and the armies were marching northward as planned. During the march, Zhao Huan received urgent news from the front line: Baoding was trapped and the Jin army was approaching the city.
Zhao Huan was shocked. He had just set out when the Jin people attacked first.
After Wanyan Ang's raid on the grain and grass, the Huining Alliance between Song and Jin had already collapsed. It was just that both sides chose to remain silent at the time because neither side was ready.
However, the Jin army was mainly composed of cavalry, which was much more mobile than the Song army, so they could assemble much faster than the Song army. In addition, the bureaucracy of the Song army and the various cumbersome procedures made the army assembly slow.
Zhao Huan had just led his troops to the north, but the Jin soldiers had already gathered their forces and began to attack.
Baoding.
Shuangzishan, the commander of the Baoding Army, is a leader in bravery, his golden maces invincible. His ancestor, the nunchaku, accompanied Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin in his conquests across the country, achieving countless military exploits.
After the founding of the state, Zhao Kuangyin personally ordered someone to forge a golden mace and gave it to Shuangzishan. By the time it was passed down to Shuangzishan, it had already been in the hands of the seventh generation. At this moment, Shuangzishan stood on the city wall, holding the double mace and looking out, while the Jin cavalry outside the city watched closely.
Zhong Hong made mistakes in command and seriously underestimated the enemy after the Battle of Yixian Valley. He only stationed troops in Cangzhou and Xiongzhou, which led to the Jin army's invasion of Baoding Prefecture.
After Wanyan Ang died in battle, the Jin Kingdom sent Wanyan Jiu to take over the position of commander-in-chief.
Wanyan Jiu was a meticulous and cunning man, well-versed in military tactics, yet possessed a sinister and ruthless character. He shared a similar teacher with Jin Wushu, making him his senior. Their instructor was the Han Chinese, Lü Jing.
Lü Jing, also known by his courtesy name Wangbadan (well, the author's identity is unknown). Originally from Qingzhou, Shandong, he passed the imperial examination in the first year of the Jianzhong Jingguo era. Later, he was denounced by his colleagues for having an affair with his sister-in-law. He subsequently fled north to the Jin Dynasty. He was highly valued by Jin Prime Minister Zahan and appointed Imperial Tutor, teaching the princes. Jin Wushu, Wanyan Tan, and Wanyan Jiu were all his students.
At this time, Baozhou was surrounded by Jin soldiers, and Zhang Chun, the governor of Baoding Prefecture, abandoned the city and fled, leaving only the commander Shuangzishan to defend it.
Shuangzi Mountain, the descendant of a famous general. During the reign of Emperor Huizong, he was suppressed by Tong Guan and others and became a disciple of Zhong Shidao.
The four cities of Baozhou were closed, and Wanyan Jiu led 5,000 elite soldiers but failed to conquer them, so he resorted to a vicious plan.
"General, when will the reinforcements arrive?" asked counselor Shangguan Qingyun anxiously.
Shuangzishan gazed out at the city walls: "Marshal Zhong Hong ignored the advice of the old commander, Shi Dao. Instead of defending the city, he focused solely on declaring war. As a result, his troops were concentrated on the Xiongzhou and Cangzhou fronts. The central part was left empty, giving the Jin soldiers an opportunity to exploit. Reinforcements must not come, and it would be best if they didn't come."
Shangguan Qingyun was shocked: "Why do you say that, General?"
Shuangzishan was the only general with a clear mind. He sighed, "I suspect the Jin soldiers' attack on Dingzhou is just a feint, their purpose is to annihilate our Song reinforcements. Look, there are only four or five thousand cavalry besieging the city now. If it were the main force of the Jin army, how could you and I still be standing on this city wall?"
"General, reinforcements are not arriving. The walls of Dingzhou are low, and most of our defenders are old and weak. Let's retreat."
Shuangzishan was furious: "As long as the city survives, the people will live. If the city falls, the people will die! If you dare to shake the morale of the army again, you will be killed without mercy!"
Shangguan Qingyun didn't dare to say anything more.
Shuangzishan's guess was correct. The main force of the Jin soldiers had already ambushed in Rongcheng and Gaoyang counties, waiting for an opportunity to annihilate Zhong Hong's reinforcements from Xiongzhou and Cangzhou.
Zhao Huan's army had just arrived in Puyang to assemble, and Zhao Huan, who was far away in Puyang, could see it clearly.
Zhao Huan slammed the table in the tent and said, "Zhong Hong, that bastard! What kind of defense line is he setting up? He's just handing himself over to the Jin people to eat his army!"
Wang Zongchu looked at the map from the side, frowning and saying, "If Zhong Hong sends troops to support Baoding, the eastern line of Xiongzhou will be left empty."
"You have the same pig brain as Zhong Hong!" Zhao Huan looked at him angrily: "Will the Jin soldiers attack Xiongzhou? They will ambush Zhong Hong's reinforcements in Rongcheng and Gaoyang. If my guess is correct, Zhong Hong will be defeated!"
Wu Ge was horrified and said, "Your Majesty, what should we do about this?"
Zhao Huan kicked the stool and said, "What else can we do? We're doomed to fail on the front line!" After his outburst, he sighed, "It all depends on whether we can hold Baoding Shuangzi Mountain."
On the Baoding City Wall, soldiers were busy strengthening the defenses, reinforcing the fortifications, and repairing the walls.
Shuangzishan didn't dare return home to rest that night. He stayed on the city wall, fully clothed. Most of the Baoding soldiers were old, weak, and sick, and their fighting capacity was low. Although Shuangzishan mobilized the civilians within the city, these people had never seen a battlefield. They were a motley crowd, good enough to transport weapons and food, but certainly not capable of fighting.
After a night of toil, Shuangzishan was lying on the city wall, taking a nap. Suddenly, he heard loud cries outside the city. Shuangzishan stood up in shock and looked up.
Outside the city, countless civilians and refugees were driven towards the city gate by the Jin soldiers.
The common people, with their families and tattered clothes, ran towards the city gate crying and shouting. The Jin soldiers behind them rode on horses, holding long swords and slashed at these unarmed people.
Suddenly, cries and shouts shook the heavens, and the Jin soldiers rode back and forth on their horses, and wherever they went, people fell down one after another.
The soldiers on the city wall watched with hatred and were all indignant.
"General! Open the city gate and let me rescue these people!" Deputy General Qi Tongwei pleaded.
Shuangzishan's hands trembled with rage as the civilians below were being chopped up like melons and vegetables by the Jin soldiers. He knew that if he opened the city gates to meet the enemy, he would fall into a trap. The cavalry was swift, and the Jin soldiers would round up and annihilate his soldiers. If he didn't open the city gates, and watched helplessly as these civilians were slaughtered, how could he not be furious?
The veins on Shuangzishan's hands were clenched. Saving the people outside the city while the people inside the city are in danger, and saving the people inside the city while the people outside the city are in danger, there is no way to have the best of both worlds.
Qi Tongwei's eyes were red: "General! Open the city gates. I am willing to lead the army to fight the Golden Dog! General! General!"
Shuangzishan shouted angrily: "No! Anyone who opens the city gate without permission will be subject to military law!"
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