Qingshan Army...
Qingshan Army!
The government soldiers on the city gate were surprised, watching this group of men and horses speed towards one direction, where a side's troops were advancing mightily. At the forefront, cavalry galloped ahead, followed by a continuous stretch of glimmering carts and horses, seemingly endless, like a giant beast crossing the land in the dusky twilight.
Yes, Qingshan Army!
"It's the Qingshan Army!"
"The reinforcements from the northern lands are here!"
"It's the Qingshan Army from the northern lands!"
"The Qingshan Army has arrived!"
The soldiers on the walls couldn't help but shout wildly, one soldier even cried aloud.
"The capital is saved, the capital is saved."
Is the capital saved?
The generals' expressions were excited yet complicated.
They were very confident in the Qingshan Army fighting the Jurchen people, but it's been so long, they didn't know if the capital could still hold.
"Sir, sir." A deputy whispered in his ear, "Whether the capital can hold or not, rescuing it is always a great merit."
Indeed.
Whether the capital is there or not, lifting the siege of the capital will always be considered a great merit.
This is something everyone knows, just that some merits aren't attainable just because you desire them.
"Now with the Qingshan Army..." the deputy continued.
Everyone knows the Qingshan Army's reputation, with them here, this matter should be achievable.
The general looked at the large army crossing ahead towards the capital, roughly estimating less than ten thousand troops.
These troops seem scant compared to the woodcutters.
"These are all rapid troops, there should be bigger forces behind." The deputy said, looking at the fire token in his hand, "And everyone along the way should have received this reinforcements order."
That calculates to quite a number of troops.
The general's expression shifted.
....
......
After throwing the orders, the men quickly caught up with the advancing army, soon merging into it.
Entering among them, one could see that each cavalryman was equipped with three horses.
The entire formation echoed with the sound of hooves and snorts, with no other noise. The soldiers' expressions were somewhat wooden, seemingly as ignorant and fearless as wooden figures.
And exactly due to this wooden demeanor, the soldiers' fatigue was not very evident.
The rapid troop suddenly slowed.
A squad of sentries whistled sharply as they prowled the formation's rear.
With the whistle, the advancing soldiers simultaneously dismounted, switching to another horse beside them. After a brief adjustment, urged by the whistling from front to back, they galloped forward once again.
This motion was completed almost in the blink of an eye, as if the march had never stopped.
The last light of the sunset disappeared on the horizon, night gradually enveloping the earth.
The urgent sound of hooves came from ahead; a squad of sentries raced back.
"Ahead, there are ten thousand woodcutters."
Finally caught up.
Li Guorui wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but took a deep breath instead.
"Engage..."
A feminine voice beside him already sounded as Li Guorui was startled and hurried to stop it.
"Miss Zhao, Lord Yang and the others haven't caught up yet," he said.
Because the slow-moving supply carts and artillery carriages, along with their seven thousand troops aimed to march at the fastest speed, each assigned three horses per person, the main force was left behind. En route, they had to deal with stationed woodcutters, so they didn't follow closely.
"The people in the capital can't wait." Zhao Hanqing said, drawing out a long sword from her back.
Li Guorui certainly knew that the capital was definitely in a crisis.
"But Miss Zhao, the opposing woodcutters, for one, are large in number, and for another, are well-rested and prepared. We've come through a long journey and are fatigued, it wouldn't be advantageous if we confront them," he said.
Zhao Hanqing only looked ahead.
"But sometimes on the battlefield, there's no way to consider advantageous or disadvantageous." She said.
Shortly after she spoke, noise arose from the rear.
"Sir, Renji Prefecture's seven thousand troops have come to our aid." A sentry reported.
Li Guorui exhaled.
"Surprisingly, we really deceived one." He muttered to himself.
They threw down orders wherever they passed but only tossed them casually, racing away without time for detailed discussions of pros and cons, arrangements, so often they'd left before the stationed troops reacted or deliberated. Besides, they didn't have many soldiers, though they flew the Qingshan Army's banner, probably no one would believe them. In fact, ultimately, no troops followed.
Still, they continued to do so, as Zhao Hanqing said, if they could bluff a few, it counted for something.
"Now, the number of troops seems about right." Zhao Hanqing said, tossing her head, "Let's engage."
.......
........
The northern land's nighttime wind was no longer chilling, with dense clouds overhead, no stars visible, deadly quiet.
Yet on the ground, there was a hubbub of men and horses, with dense torches.
"Uncle... Duke."
A general dashed up hurriedly, seeing Uncle Qinghe, hesitated, then looked toward Duke of Chengguo.
"The Jurchen people have withdrawn their camp."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Qinghe, previously angered as the general had only eyes for the Duke, immediately cast aside his ire.
"Is it absolutely true?" he asked.
"Yes, it has been confirmed that the Roc King and others from the camp are retreating," the general said with a trembling voice, "without a specific reason known."
"Keep investigating," the Duke of Chengguo said calmly.
As the general was about to leave, he was stopped by the Duke of Chengguo.
"And also, pursue them."
Retreating was already advantageous enough, yet a pursuit was ordered—did he not know the saying 'cornered enemies should not be chased'? Was he intent on forcing the Jurchen people into a desperate fight?
Uncle Qinghe frowned as if to say something, but the general had turned without hesitation.
Suit yourselves! thought Uncle Qinghe angrily.
Seeing the Zhou Soldiers were actually pursuing them, the Roc King Tuoba Wu jumped in anger, ready to lead his men to engage.
"Did the Fifth Prince not order us to return to court?"
Upon hearing the news, the generals of the other troops rushed over, angrily shouting.
"If we go back now, all previous efforts will be in vain." The Roc King exclaimed, pounding his chest.
"Your Majesty," a general said in a low voice, "Something has happened to the Emperor. We can't delay."
Upon hearing this, the Roc King's eyes reddened even more.
Unexpectedly, after so many years, their king was once again harmed by the Zhou People.
"Despicable Zhou People! This must be Duke of Chengguo Zhu Shan's doing!" He shouted angrily, "So we must not retreat; I want to kill them all! I want to kill him to avenge the Emperor!"
The generals knelt in his way.
"Your Majesty, the Prince Yingwu and others have already retreated. If we alone engage them, our losses will be severe," they said, "We're not afraid of casualties, but at this moment, we cannot afford them. Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince is still in court waiting for you. If you do not return, Prince Yingwu and others might seize the throne..."
The Great Emperor encountered trouble, creating chaos among people; each faction started to preserve its strength, unwilling to let their warriors fight to the death anymore.
Morale has scattered!
Once again, success narrowly slips away!
Just a little further! Just a little further! Only a few more days need to be endured!
Tuoba Wu raised his hand towards the sky with a visceral howl.
.......
........
"Even such a provocation as pursuit is ignored."
The Duke of Chengguo stepped out, standing on the hillside in the wilderness, looking at the night in which the troops wound like a fiery serpent.
"It proves something serious has happened."
What could have occurred that forced a seemingly undefeated army to suddenly retreat?
Uncle Qinghe thought of the matter the Duke had mentioned, his expression somewhat incredulous.
"Could it be Zhu Zan succeeded?" he asked, "But that's the capital of the Jin Country."
To infiltrate into Jin Capital was already a feat; to assassinate the Emperor of Jin sounds like a mere joke.
The Duke of Chengguo chuckled.
"Many things in this world seem like jokes," he said, "For example, my conspiracy."
Constantly bringing up himself, which was clearly unappealing, Uncle Qinghe frowned.
"In that case, it's all the more essential to dispatch troops to pursue..." he interjected.
The Duke of Chengguo had already turned away.
"Now, immediately send forces southward to reinforce the capital," he said.
Southward?
Uncle Qinghe was stunned for a moment, slightly frowning. Heading south was something he had long awaited and insisted on, yet he felt no excitement hearing it from the Duke at this moment.
What about the north, about Heir Zhu's side...
"We have done everything we needed here," the Duke of Chengguo said calmly, his hands behind him as he gazed towards the capital, "Hopefully, they are holding on."
Hope everything is in time.
.......
........
The sharp whistle and cries echoed over the wild plains, as eight or nine Jurchen people scouts were cut down from their horses, and a team of Zhou sentries deftly severed their heads, galloping back with them. The officials from Renji Prefecture standing in the rear military formation couldn't help but click their tongues.
"The Qingshan Army is indeed fierce," they murmured, their eyes gleaming.
The Zhou scouts were usually used for reconnaissance, lacking much lethality, and the usual approach to the Jurchen people scouts was avoidance. Yet the Qingshan scouts directly butchered them.
As they pondered, the military formation began to rumble with drums and the fluttering of war flags.
Accompanied by these colors, the formation began to shift.
It indicated a change in strategy. Although they had killed several Jurchen scouts, their arrival surely alerted the Jurchen camp, hence preparations for engagement were underway.
The formation changed quickly, and it was unlike anything they had seen before—a circular formation, fortunately guided by someone.
The officials of Renji Prefecture were not discontented by the instruction; rather, they grew increasingly excited and eager.
Indeed quite formidable, behold this stern formation, akin to a rolling boulder crushing all.
Yes... except the numbers seem not quite large, though the Qingshan Army possesses powerful artillery carriages, assuring victory in this battle.
Thinking of this, several officials couldn't help but look around.
Hey? How come no carts are visible?
Neither artillery carriages nor supply carts can be seen.
This is not just fieldwork; it's night warfare—isn't relying solely on these cavalry charges insufficient?
Impossible....
Perhaps reconsidering participation?
No sooner had the thought arisen, a rumble sounded ahead, accompanied by the brightening of torches—the Jurchen people had arrived!