Winter had arrived, and a penetrating dampness rose from the mountains.

The Sword Pavilion had changed hands. In the mountains southeast of the Sword Pavilion, the Jin army's camps stretched out as far as the eye could see.

Various military flags were interspersed, the most common being the triangular flag with a gold-edged red sun. The rest, with their five-colored iron towers, dragon-patterned black borders, and other designs, were flags of the pure Jurchen army.

In addition, the Khitan, Liao, and Liaodong Han Chinese had their own distinct flags. Some used totems such as the gyrfalcon, wolf, and crow, surrounding the enormous command flags. Each command flag symbolized the name of a hero who had once shaken the world.

Among them, the two thousand Jurchen Yanshan Guards, once commanded by the God of War Wanyan Loushi, and the ten thousand-plus direct troops commanded by Cibushih, still retained their organizational structure. Over the years, under Zonghan's command, the flags of these two armies had been bleached, and they trained incessantly, regarding this southern expedition as a campaign to avenge their humiliation. Direct command was held by Prince Baoshan, Wanyan Xiebao.

The Huaxia Army had a grudge against the Jurchens, and the Jurchen side regarded the sacrifices of Loushi and Cibushih as a great disgrace. Throughout the southern expedition, this army had been waiting to repay the blood debt for the deaths of their commanders to the Huaxia Army.

In the central military tent, after several days of operation, the most important civil and military officials of the Western and Central Route Armies of this southern expedition were all present this morning.

Apart from Xiyin and Yinshuke, who were still in charge of the eastern front, the Jurchen generals gathered here were led by Wanyan Zonghan, followed by Bali Su, Wanyan Saba, Prince Zhenzhu, Wanyan Sheyema, Gao Qingyi, Elili, Dalai, Yu Yu... Most of them were veterans who had participated in the first and second southern expeditions. In addition, Han Qixian, a Han official deeply trusted by Zonghan, was in charge of logistics and grain planning.

In addition, many generals of the Wu Dynasty who had surrendered to the Jurchens along the way, such as Li Huan, Guo Turan, and Hou Ji..., were summoned to attend the meeting.

A huge map depicting the situation from Sword Pavilion to Chengdu was hung up. Gao Qingyi, a man of both literary and military talents, was responsible for explaining it. Compared to the meticulous Han official Han Qixian, Gao Qingyi had a strong and fierce personality and was the most capable foreign official under Zonghan to suppress one side. In the plan for this southern expedition, Zonghan and Xiyin originally intended for him to stay behind in Yúnzhōng, but later brought him along to command the thirty thousand elite Bohai soldiers in this southern expedition.

"The Sword Pavilion has fallen, and a great battle is imminent!"

Walking in front of the crowd, Gao Qingyi, wearing soft armor, had extremely thick eyebrows. He had once been a Liao official and was later highly regarded under Zonghan. He usually engaged in literary affairs, but could also lead troops into battle during wartime, making him a rare talent. The most striking impression people had of him was his constantly lowered eyebrows. At first glance, he seemed spiritless, but when he opened his eyes, he exuded a murderous aura. Once he acted, he was decisive, swift, and extremely difficult to deal with.

"Over the past few days, you have all prepared for battle with the so-called Huaxia Army. Today, the commander-in-chief has summoned you to tell you that this battle is near. After you pass the Sword Pavilion, please strictly abide by military law in every action. Any further transgression will not be tolerated by military law. This is the premise before this great battle."

Gao Qingyi's eyebrows scanned the rear of the camp, without excessive emphasis, then picked up the pole and turned his gaze to the map at the rear.

"Our front is the Huaxia Fifth Army, which guards the southwest under the Black Flag, with a total of sixty thousand troops. They have now fully advanced to the front line of Zizhou, Huangming County, and Yushuixi. The area of more than forty li from the forefront Huangming and Yushuixi to Zizhou is the most critical section of this southern expedition."

He drew a circle with the wooden pole. The total distance from Sword Pavilion to Zizhou was a hundred li, with two main roads. Huangming County and Yushuixi were near the dividing point of these two roads. The Huaxia Army's pressing the front line here clearly indicated that they intended to fight more than just a defensive battle in Zizhou.

For the seasoned veterans who had fought for many years, the troop strength ratio and the strategy adopted by the other side were a situation that was relatively difficult to understand. The Jurchen Western Route Army originally had three hundred thousand troops when heading south. There were casualties and detachments along the way, and the main force that arrived at the Sword Pavilion was only about two hundred thousand. However, after incorporating several Wu Dynasty armies and capturing two to three hundred thousand Han Chinese civilians near the Sword Pavilion as cannon fodder, the overall force could be claimed to be a million-strong army in ancient times.

And the Huaxia Army on the opposite side had a main force of only sixty thousand-plus.

Even defending a city was insufficient with this force ratio, let alone pushing the battle line halfway. Even if there were many mountains and treacherous passes between Sword Pavilion and Zizhou, where would it be better to defend than behind city walls?

But facing the Huaxia Army before this "final battle", the Jurchen generals did not blindly overestimate their strength. At least at this meeting, Gao Qingyi did not intend to comment on this. He had someone hang a list of names on the side of the map.

"In the Black Flag Army, the Huaxia Fifth Army is the main force under Ning Yi. Their army's designations are different from those of the Wu Dynasty and our Great Jin. Below the army is called a division, then a brigade, regiment... The general commanding the Fifth Division is He Zhicheng, a native of Ninghua, Hedong. During the Jinghan era, he was a general in Qin Shaoqian's Wúruì Camp and later rebelled with Ning Yi. In the Battle of Xiaocang River, he was the deputy commander of the Huaxia Army and withdrew south with Ning Yi at the end. Judging by his command of troops, he follows a set pattern and has no outstanding qualities, but you must not be careless. He is Ning Yi's most readily used pawn. To face him is to face Ning Yi."

"The Fifth Army's First Division, commander Han Jing, was originally the leader of the Qingmu寨 in the Lüliang Mountains, and is now a leader of the Lüliang Mountains faction in the Huaxia Army. As far as we know, this is where Ning Yi first laid out his plans for training troops. During the First Battle of Bianliang, this person led two thousand Qingmu cavalry south to launch a surprise attack on Mutuogang... This person is agile and resourceful in his command of troops, has a strong ability to adapt, and has strategic vision, making him extremely difficult to deal with. Once the battle begins on both sides, this person is likely to be arranged as a reserve force to respond to reinforcements."

"...The Fifth Army's Second Division, commander Pang Liuan, was originally a general in the Wúruì Camp, a direct descendant of Qin Shaoqian's rebellion. Judging by this person's command of troops, he is steady, good at defense, and not good at offense. He prefers frontal combat, but do not underestimate him. According to previous intelligence, the Second Division has the most iron cannons. If you really engage in frontal combat with him and face his iron cannon formations, I'm afraid no one will be able to rush to his front... Facing this person requires a surprise attack."

"The Third Division, commander Liu Chengzong, took people to Xuzhou last year and transferred to the Liangshan area in September of this year. He is a problem for His Highness Prince Lu (Wanyan Chang). Among the several generals under Qin Shaoqian of the Wúruì Camp, only this person has the talent of a commander. If he were here, he would probably be the most difficult person to deal with, but now, there is no need to pay attention to him."

"The Fourth Division commander, Qu Zhengyan, only joined the Black Flag Army after the rebellion and was promoted by Ning Yi. After Wu Jingping, he joined the Black Flag Army, starting as the lowest soldier, and rose rapidly during the years of great battles in the Northwest and Xiaocang River."

"...Now, most of the generals of the Huaxia Army are meritorious ministers who followed Ning Yi in his uprising. In the past, the generals of the Wúruì Camp, He Zhicheng, Li Yi, Pang Liuan, and Liu Chengzong, all hold high positions. If you say they are truly unparalleled talents, the Wúruì Camp had no outstanding qualities under their command in the past. Later, Qin Shaoqian relied on his father's background to focus on training, and then, during the Battle of Xiacun, Ning Yi used his means to arouse some of their ambition. These people can now have the corresponding status and ability, it can be said that Ning Yi and others knew how to use their talents and slowly brought them out, but this Qu Zhengyan is different..."

"After joining the Black Flag Army, this person first showed his talent in the battle against Xixia, but at that time, he only gained merit and became the leader of a squad in the Black Flag Army, that is, a ten-man leader. It was not until the end of the three-year Battle of Xiaocang River that he gradually entered the sight of everyone. During those three years of great battles, he was active in the Lüliang, Northwest, and other places, and was repeatedly ordered to take charge in times of crisis. Later, he incorporated a large number of Han Chinese armies in the Central Plains, and by the end of the three-year war, this person led nearly ten thousand troops, 70% of whom were hastily incorporated armies from the Central Plains, but under his command, he was able to achieve some success."

Gao Qingyi glanced around and paused slightly: "Back then, Commander Cibushih led an army to attack the Northwest and break through Yanzhou. Ning Yi quickly encircled them, and General Dalai led more than ten thousand troops nearby, intending to join Cibushih in attacking Ning Yi, but was intercepted by a Huaxia Army force. Although this army was not strong in combat power, it harassed them incessantly, and finally held General Dalai back for a day and a night, so that Ning Yi broke through the city from a secret passage and Commander Cibushih died in Yanzhou."

"The army at that time was a group of Central Plains soldiers hastily assembled by Qu Zhengyan, of which less than two thousand were trained Huaxia Army... These news were later investigated in many ways under the leadership of Lord Gushen before they became clear."

As soon as he said this, everyone present couldn't help but be moved. Dalai clenched his fists with firm eyes, but didn't say anything. At that time, in order to avenge Loushi, Cibushih led a large army to conquer the Northwest, and he was one of the deputy generals. By the time of the Xiaocang River breach, Cibushih was killed, and the Northwest was truly slaughtered with blood flowing like rivers. The two sides fought back and forth, endlessly.

At that time, the Huaxia Army was already bloodthirsty, their numbers dwindling day by day, but their morale rising day by day. Facing the Jurchen's repeated offensives, the reinforcements from the Central Plains continuously launched counterattacks, truly with a desperate sense of pulling the whole world to their graves.

Faced with such lunatics, anyone with a bit of rationality couldn't help but feel afraid. The million-strong Han army in the Central Plains was terrified in the later stages. After Cibushih died, Dalai was ordered to take charge in times of crisis and led the Jurchen army to maneuver with the Huaxia Army. At that time, he was also considering how not to be dragged down to their mutual destruction by these guys.

Of course, later they learned that in the second half of the Battle of Xiaocang River, Ning Yi had already arranged to transfer to the south. He had planted spies in the million-strong Han army to launch a propaganda war, creating an atmosphere that the Huaxia Army had gone all out to drag people to their graves, while secretly taking advantage of the prestige of killing Cibushih to transfer forces. Dalai and others were deceived by the fierce offensives on the front line, and finally failed to stop the Huaxia Army from escaping south.

After that, although he, Yinshuke, and others led the army to slaughter the entire Northwest to vent their anger, the whole matter was still the most unforgettable disgrace in his life.

Fighting against the Huaxia Army, fighting against Qu Zhengyan, Dalai had already requested to fight several times in private and naturally didn't say much at this time. Everyone exchanged a few words in low voices, and Gao Qingyi continued to speak.

"...This Qu Zhengyan in the Huaxia Army is regarded as Ning Yi's disciple. He attended Ning Yi's lectures, but to be able to achieve this level on the battlefield is due to his own talent. This person is not strong in martial arts, but in the use of troops, he has deeply grasped the essence of 'Han Xin counts soldiers, the more the better,' which should not be underestimated. He may even be the most difficult general to deal with in the Southwest Huaxia Army."

"...In addition, this Fourth Division of the Huaxia Fifth Army is rumored to be called a Special Operations Division. Chen Tian, the chief of staff who advises Qu Zhengyan and executes military affairs, is Ning Yi's disciple. Ning Yi's every whimsical idea is mostly verified in this Fourth Division. In the upcoming great battle, any kind of tactics may appear when facing Qu Zhengyan, so you must not take it lightly."

"...The Fifth Army's Fifth Division, commander Yu Zhongdao, is a native of the Northwest and came from the Western Army of the Zhong family. He can be regarded as a minister entrusted after Zhong Lie's death. This person was not prominent in the Western Army, and had no particularly outstanding record after joining the Huaxia Army, but he managed military affairs in an orderly manner, and Ning Yi's command of this Fifth Division was as easy as an arm and a finger. Before, the Huaxia Army left Liangshan and fought against Lu Qiaoshan. The Huaxia Third and Fifth Divisions were responsible for the main attack, and the 100,000 Wu Dynasty troops were easily destroyed. If we are too careless, the future may not be much better."

"In addition, news has come from the west that the 20,000 elite troops that Ning Yi arranged in the Dayang tribe at the junction of Tubo and Dali have already pulled out of their camps and are moving east. These 20,000-plus people all participated in the Battle of Xiaocang River, and most of them were elite troops who withdrew at the end. Lord Gushen sent envoys to try to instigate Guo Yaoshi, who is now avoiding the Jurchens in Tubo, to take advantage of Dayang's situation... but Guo Yaoshi turned pale when he heard this and dared not act..."

Gao Qingyi described the participants in this great battle, the current high-ranking officials of the Huaxia Army - and this was just the beginning. The Jurchens may have had many discussions about it on a daily basis, but the Wu Dynasty generals who surrendered in the rear couldn't help but be amazed.

Their understanding of many things in the Huaxia Army was not as detailed as Gao Qingyi's. From this piece of information, it was conceivable that the Jurchens had been preparing for this great battle for many years, probably starting in all aspects several years ago.

For more than a decade, although people in the Wu Dynasty often predicted the decline of the Jin Kingdom, saying that they would quickly fall into the ending of being born in sorrow and dying in ease, this southern expedition proved that their strength had not declined too much. And from the importance attached by generals such as Zonghan and Gao Qingyi, they could gradually see clearly what the outline and face of the Black Flag on the opposite side was...

*****************

After the morning war meeting, the troops of the Fifth Army's Second Division were to set off from Zizhou.

At noon, tens of thousands of Huaxia Army soldiers gathered in the long sheds on the side of the military camp, which served as a canteen. Officers and soldiers alike were discussing the possible situations that might occur in this great battle.

On one side of the long shed, Ning Yi and many high-ranking military officers were also seated here for a meal. Chief of Staff Li Yi, Second Division Commander Pang Liuan, First Division Commander Han Jing, Fourth Division Commander Qu Zhengyan, and others were gathered here. In addition, there were some brigade and regimental commanders from the Second Division. Everyone gathered to discuss the war, and did not avoid the surrounding soldiers.

"This battle is actually not easy to fight..."

"In all these years, I haven't seen a single one that was easy."

"From when Wanyan Aguda died until now, almost all of the Jin Kingdom's founding fathers are still alive... Well, only Wu Qimai, Xiyin, and Yinshuke are missing..."

"Two hundred thousand main troops, plus two to three hundred thousand troops who surrendered willy-nilly, that's half a million people... Aren't they afraid of being crushed to death on the road?"

"They also captured hundreds of thousands of civilians, adding up to the Battle of Hubudagang, haha."

"Optimism is okay, but don't be careless... Bali Su, Saba, Yu Yu, Elili, Gao Qingyi, the Zonghan family... are all veterans who attacked Bianliang ten years ago. They have countless lives on their hands and can't be compared to pampered soldiers. Those who laughed at them before now have trees growing on their graves."

"I'm not being careless, my hands are sweating right now, look, but everyone knows there's no way out... Half a million people, they won't necessarily win."

"That's not right, who plants trees on graves..."

"...You have to think this way: Xiaocang River was fought for three years, and then we shrank back here for five or six years. The Central Plains has fallen, and it's time for us to show off. Otherwise, when people talk about it, they all say the Huaxia Army is lucky, rebelled and ran to the Northwest, couldn't win at Xiaocang River, ran all the way to the Southwest, and then fought a battle with Lu Qiaoshan, which many people don't count as much... This is an opportunity."

"In theory, with such a disparity in troop strength, it's indeed more stable to defend the city..."

"There's no way... If five or six thousand people, including Mr. Ning, all defended Zizhou, they wouldn't be able to take it, but if I were Zonghan, I would use elite troops to surround Zizhou and put all the Wu Dynasty troops behind Zizhou to burn, kill, and loot. Behind Zizhou is a vast plain, and we can only watch, which would be a dead end. Fighting more with less means using the terrain to stir up the water and see if we can catch some fish... For example, catch the fish of Zonghan's two sons, hehehehe..."

"Hey... Your Fourth Army is full of bad ideas, this idea is worth considering..."

"This is called attacking what they must defend, secret, secret... Hehehe..."

"I understand, I understand... Hehehehehehehe..."

Among the high-ranking military officers of the Huaxia Army, the basic ideas for this war had been unified. At this time, when they talked about it at the dinner table, it was of course not a real secret. It was just that everyone was nervous before the war, and several officers from different armies happened to meet and joked to relax.

Ning Yi didn't stop this kind of thing, and occasionally he would participate and add some bad ideas himself. Watching the regimental commanders and staff officers at the next table making up stories, he and Han Jing, Qu Zhengyan, and others also teased each other.

With the Jurchens coming, defending Zizhou was not realistic. They could only start from Zizhou and make use of the rugged mountain terrain. Pang Liuan, leading the Second Division, was the main force for resistance. After they set off this afternoon, they would be followed by a packhorse team of more than 5,000 people, which was originally all the horses owned by the Huaxia Army's Commercial Department. Now, it was assigned to Han Jing's command.

Although the Southwest had the Chengdu Plain, outside the Chengdu Plain were rugged mountain roads. What was needed to walk on such mountain roads were short-legged Yunnan horses, which were not very useful for battlefield assaults, but they were known for their endurance and were suitable for walking on mountain roads and dangerous roads. On the battlefield from Zizhou to the Sword Pavilion, if there was any situation that urgently needed rescue, this horse team would provide the best transport capacity.

In the Huaxia Army, Han Jing was flexible in his use of troops and had also commanded a horse team, making him suitable to be the fire brigade in the middle. However, recently, Qu Zhengyan, the commander of the Fourth Division, had been pestering him, begging him to give him three hundred horses, and then wanting two hundred more. Every day, he would pester Han Jing and say, "I have an idea that may be useful in the future. Brother Han, please consider helping me..."

To Qu Zhengyan, the "little old man" who always looked worried and was always thinking about things seriously, Han Jing was sometimes willing to help, but sometimes he would collapse: "What are you talking about? For your plan that requires the right time, the right place, and the right people, I have to issue orders down to the company level. Go away, go away. Let the people below focus on fighting!"

"No need, no need, Division Commander Han, I just chose those few points on your side. The Jurchens are very likely to be fooled. You just need to tell your arranged regimental cadres in advance. I have a way to send signals. You can take a look at our plan..."

"Take a look at your balls, it's too complicated. I'm a rough guy, I can't understand it."

"That's not right, that's not right. Division Commander Han is flexible in his use of troops and doesn't stick to one pattern, which is perfect for coordinating... coordinating a bit."

"I used to be a bandit! I don't understand your scheming intellectuals! Don't praise me!"

"...Then give me two hundred horses."

"...I..." Han Jing was so angry that he couldn't speak, "I'll give you my balls!"

Such things happened occasionally, and Han Jing would take advantage of mealtime to come to Ning Yi and complain. Ning Yi waved his hand and didn't participate: "It's none of my business, it's none of my business. Why don't you beat him up? Qu Zhengyan doesn't look like he can take a beating..."

In fact, this was not Qu Zhengyan just fooling around. In the Huaxia Army, this division commander's style was relatively special. Rather than a soldier, he was more like a chess player who was constantly pondering. He was thin, frowned, and had a serious expression. He had extremely outstanding talent in leading troops, training, commanding, and planning, which was revealed in the great battles of Xiaocang River.

In those three years of the most brutal war, the members of the Huaxia Army were tempered and constantly dying. There were many talents who emerged in the middle, and Qu Zhengyan was the most dazzling one. He first took over the position of platoon leader in a battle in times of crisis, and then rescued several staff members led by Chen Tian. Then, he captured hundreds of frightened Han Chinese soldiers in the Central Plains, reorganized and intimidated them slightly, and threw them into the battlefield.

With the foundation of these hundreds of Han Chinese soldiers, he rescued hundreds of trapped Huaxia Army soldiers, and then the two sides fought side by side. In a series of brutal marches and battles, Qu Zhengyan's judgment of the enemy's strategy and tactics was almost perfect, and then, with the assistance of Chen Tian and others, he walked on the edge of life and death again and again, sometimes even seeming to deliberately test Yama's bottom line.

For example, with a team of less than 2,000 people, he instigated more than 7,000 Han Chinese soldiers in the Central Plains to attack Dalai's main force of more than 10,000. These 2,000 people were also divided into two groups, one acting as the main force and one acting as reinforcements. Whenever the front line was about to be defeated, the "reinforcements" would just appear to give their own people a shot in the arm. In the most dangerous battles in Xiaocang River, he played both God and ghost, not only deceiving the enemy but also deceiving himself - of course, he deceived the surrendered Han Chinese soldiers the most, and those who survived among these Han Chinese soldiers were now all official members of the Huaxia Army.

This constant tightrope walking was just out of desperation. Many times it was only a matter of millimeters, and his side might have completely collapsed, but every time Qu Zhengyan succeeded in fishing in troubled waters. Sometimes Ning Yi was amazed by his operation and felt a chill down his spine when he thought about it.

It was also because of such achievements that Qu Zhengyan was promoted to brigade commander after the Battle of Xiaocang River, and later, when the number of troops increased, he naturally went to the position of division commander. Of course, it was also because of this style that the Huaxia Army liked to describe them as "full of bad ideas" when talking about the Fourth Division of the Fifth Army.

The success of Qu Zhengyan's behavior was naturally not just luck. The first was his judgment and grasp of battlefield planning and the enemy's intentions. The second was his clear understanding and control of the soldiers under his command. In this regard, Ning Yi paid more attention to using data to achieve these goals, but in Qu Zhengyan, there was more pure talent. He was more like a calm chess player, accurately recognizing the enemy's intentions, accurately grasping the role of the chess pieces in his hand, and accurately putting them in the right place.

And on the other hand, it was due to the assistance of Chen Tian and others in the staff department.

Ning Yi's lectures in the Huaxia Army focused more on techniques in the early stage and more on principles in the later stage. Chen Tian, Tang Minjie, and others were all born in the tendency to focus on techniques in the early stage, analyzing various methods, emphasizing the purpose, and using all means to achieve the goal... In the staff department of the Fourth Division, there were many of Ning Yi's students, and the usual motto was "There are no unusable ideas, it just depends on how you implement them." Chen Tian was a pragmatist, and he was always frowning and thinking about how to implement various ideas.

They did not pursue brainstorming, but no matter what the problem, Chen Tian only considered implementation, which could be called a master of action in later generations. It was also with Chen Tian's assistance that Qu Zhengyan's many death-seeking behaviors could be more properly implemented.

This pair of partners frowned and pondered all day long, and were occasionally described by Ning Yi as the "worried duo." However, Qu Zhengyan was more like a simple chess player, and others had a positive impression of him. Chen Tian would occasionally smile contentedly after a plan succeeded, and was considered by a group of people to be "a bastard."

The Fourth Division had many plans and preliminary plans, some of which could only be completed by themselves, and some of which required cooperation with friendly forces. Qu Zhengyan came to harass Han Jing, which was also a way of communicating. If the plan was reliable, Han Jing would know it. If Han Jing strongly opposed it, Qu Zhengyan would have a sufficient understanding of the First Division's attitude and tendency.

He had also harassed Pang Liuan and Yu Zhongdao before. Pang Liuan was generous, and Yu Zhongdao was honest. The negotiations between them were not as dramatic as those with Han Jing.

"By the way, I have another idea that I didn't make clear earlier..."

"Stop talking, it's time to eat."

"That Dalai, in the Battle of Xiaocang River, was originally going to rescue Yanzhou. I held him back for a day and a night, and as a result, Cibushih was killed by the teacher. He must be unwilling. This time, if I don't face him, if he goes to the left, I will consider going to the right, and if he goes to the right, I will choose the left. If anything happens, Brother Han, help me hold him back. I'm just saying this, of course, when the battle starts, the overall situation is still the most important thing."

"Why? Are you afraid of him?"

"Chen Tian said that it's better to let him cool down first, so it's easier to make a move. I think it makes sense."

"...Hehe, you guys are really full of bad ideas."

"...We also have an idea that he appears, we can use me as bait to lure him in."

"...Hmm, how do you do it?"

"The battlefield changes rapidly, and the specifics will naturally be discussed at that time, but I have to run faster. General Han, give me two hundred more horses..."

"...Get away from me."

"It's all for Huaxia."

Qu Zhengyan frowned with a sincere expression.

In this way, the two sides teased each other, and Ning Yi occasionally participated. Not long after, people put away their playful moods, and the military arrays on the military camp school field were lined up. Words of mobilization echoed in the soldiers' ears, and their minds might think of their relatives in the rear.

The flames of war were solemn, and the murderous aura soared to the sky. The main force of the Second Division set off from here. Ning Yi, Li Yi, Qu Zhengyan, Han Jing, and others stood on the wooden platform by the roadside and gave a solemn salute.

On the front line dozens of miles away, there were also troops guarding it. In the more complex and vast mountains, the conflicts and battles between scouts had been unfolding and continuing for several days...

*****************

In the Jurchen military camp tent, Gao Qingyi dropped the wooden pole on the map.

"...At this time, our scouts have been engaged in short-range combat with the Black Flag Army's scouts in the mountains thirty to sixty miles southwest. According to the scouts' reports, they have buried almost all the roads in the southwestern mountains that can be walked with landmines..."

"...Over the years, the Black Flag Army has developed in the southwest. Their firearms are the strongest. They are not afraid of landmines in frontal combat. They can drive Han civilians to walk through them. But if they encounter this landmine formation in a sudden attack, the situation may be very dangerous..."

Speaking of this, Gao Qingyi, Zonghan at the rear looked at the people in the camp and said, "If the Huaxia Army relies too much on these landmines, we can go to the mountains in the southwest more often."

"What the commander-in-chief said is very true." Gao Qingyi nodded and then raised the pole again, "In addition to landmines, what the Huaxia Army relies on is, first of all, iron cannons. The Huaxia Army is skilled in handicrafts, and the range of the iron cannons on the opposite side may be more than ten steps greater than ours..."

"...Like us, the Huaxia Army has now had a large number of hand-thrown fire mines, which can be thrown out with one hand for dozens of steps. Faced with this thing, infantry assaults have no power at all..."

"...Furthermore, all generals must be careful. In the Huaxia Army, there are specially made muskets whose bullets can be fired as far as a hundred zhang. According to spies, the Huaxia Army likes to fire this thing in the dense forest, so when each army advances, the accompanying scouts must be dispersed by a hundred zhang to clear hidden dangers and not take it lightly..."

"...Hot air balloon..."

"...Musket formation..."

In the huge camp tent, Gao Qingyi listed one by one the trump cards possessed by the Huaxia Army on the opposite side. The voice was like knocking at the bottom of everyone's heart. The Han generals in the rear gradually changed color, and the Jin army generals in the front mostly showed bloodthirsty and determined looks.

The wind blew through, and there seemed to be fog flowing in the mountains. The Jin Kingdom scouts, who had been old hunters, were carefully moving forward in the forest, throwing stones at unusual movements and landforms. The Huaxia Army scouts, carrying long knives, were also sneaking over from different places.

The fighting broke out, and occasionally there would be explosions of landmines. Sometimes you could even see rare birds still flying in the forest.

These sounds were the prelude to this great battle.

In the continuous military camps where hundreds of thousands of troops were stationed, the Jurchens had made all preparations. This was the accumulation that the Jurchens had begun several years ago under the leadership of Zonghan, Xiyin, and others. When Gao Qingyi explained the whole situation clearly piece by piece, Wanyan Zonghan stood up from his seat and then began his deployment...

...

****************

North of the Yellow River, the Third Division of the Huaxia Fifth Army, led by Liu Chengzong, had crossed Daming Prefecture.

Last year, in a rescue of Wang Shanyue and others, the Shandong unit of the Huaxia Army, led by Zhu Biao, lost more than half of its troops in Daming Prefecture. The Jurchens then massacred the city, causing a plague. Now, the city was just a lonely and desolate ruin under the moonlight.

The army paid tribute to the fallen comrades in front of the ruins and then turned towards Liangshanpo, which was still surrounded by the Han army, to attack internally and externally with Zhu Biao, Wang Shanyue, and others inside Liangshan and break through this blockade.

All along the way, starving corpses were everywhere. Shandong had become a hell on earth.

...

The counterattack in Jin had begun.

In early October, Yu Yulin led his troops back to Weisheng, and Liao Yiren and others fled in panic.

Lou Shuwan returned to this city, which had once been invested with boundless enthusiasm. At this time, the city that had been burned by the fire had not recovered, and there were only a few hungry people like lonely ghosts in the ruins of the fire.

But not long after, hearing the news that the Female Chancellor had killed her way back to Weisheng, the hungry people in the vicinity gradually began to gather towards the Weisheng direction. For Jin, Liao Yiren and other large families were constantly conscripting troops and exploiting them in order to win, but only this compassionate Female Chancellor cared about the people's livelihood—people had already begun to know this.

The land that had been reclaimed had been abandoned, and the magnificent palace that had once been built had collapsed, but as long as there were people, all of this would be rebuilt.

News that a great battle was imminent in the Southwest had also been conveyed here.

Lou Shuwan set the reconstruction plan for Weisheng, but all of this was still based on the premise that the Southwest could support itself.

"Don't disappoint me...Ning Yi."

Winter was approaching, and the land could no longer be planted. She ordered the army to continue attacking cities and seizing land, but in reality, she was still running around and worrying about the hungry people's food. In such gaps, she would unconsciously stare at the Southwest, clench her fists, and cheer for her father's enemy far away in the sky...

...

In the southeast sea, the dragon ship fleet rested and replenished supplies on the island.

Zhou Pei purged some of the wavering people, then conferred official positions, promised rewards, boosted morale, and turned around waiting for another fleet chasing from the rear.

The leader of the Taihu fleet was a general named Hu Sunming, who had led the team out to sea to chase after surrendering to the Jin. At this time, he was already nearby.

They couldn't flee forever, and under the power of the Jurchens, it was not easy to go ashore easily. Zhou Pei clenched the last of his strength in his hand, knowing that he had to win this battle!

At this moment, she also gave up everything she had.

...

At the same time, Jun Wu led his troops out of Jiangning and began a journey of escape towards Fujian direction under the encirclement and interception of Wushu and others.

This humiliating journey was both training and training. In any case, he could no longer be surrounded by the Jurchen army on the edge of the Yangtze River...

...

Jiangnan West Road.

After defeating three Han troops, Chen Fan led his troops to quickly transfer