Chapter 1 The Gathering

It was said that on this day, Zhao Guan Jia came to the Houtao region and met with Yelu Dashi, the ruler of the Western Liao, Heble Khan, the Mongol Khan of the East, and Huerzhahusi, the leader of the Klie tribe, the largest Mongol tribe in the Central region. He even met an unexpected person – Billege, the King of the Xizhou Uyghurs.

Considering that the western grasslands were still under the control of the Western Liao, and Wushu was the actual military executor of the Jin Dynasty's ruling group, it could be said that, apart from Goryeo, the heads of the main military entities in Northeast Asia had gathered on the small Houtao Plain. Even Goryeo had a faction representative here, enjoying the scenery.

These people were divided into two distinct and opposing camps. Specifically, the rest of the families were joining forces to deal with the Jurchen family.

This was not a coincidence. The Jurchens' performance in the previous twenty years had been too strong and dangerous. But from another perspective, if Zhao Jiu had not come this time, the weakest and most divided Mongols would likely have been drawn over by the Jurchens. Even Yelu Dashi, even if Zhao Jiu provided him with sufficient logistics, might have collapsed.

In that case, the gains and losses of the Houtao region would be irrelevant. Missing the opportunity to form a united front and delaying the overall situation in the future would be the most fatal.

Of course, as far as the big talk of this day was concerned, Zhao Jiu had not gone back on his word. He really wanted to fight the Jurchens in this excellent terrain. If he won, with this terrain surrounded by water on all sides, the Western Route Army would basically be crippled, and the situation in the world might be settled in one fell swoop. By the same token, Yelu Dashi had no reason to let go of this opportunity, and he also demonstrated great determination and execution in the subsequent troop deployment.

Since Zhao Jiu and Yelu Dashi were determined, it seemed that the others had no choice but to be determined as well.

Therefore, the next day, under the arrangement of Yue Fei, the commander of the Song army, the Han, Khitan, Dangxiang, Mongol, Uyghur, and Xiren people, as well as some people whose ethnicity could not be identified, followed orders and the Allied forces moved east.

Among them, the supplies brought by the Emperor of Song provided for the entire army, and the countless Dangxiang laborers were transformed into qualified auxiliary soldiers. Not to mention the huge and well-known Imperial Guard heavy infantry group beside the official, which undoubtedly brought a great sense of security to all comrades-in-arms.

Relatively speaking, the armored cavalry unit, which was urgently expanding from this battle, had grown in size, but had obviously not yet received sufficient proof.

Therefore, this huge force was divided into two by Yue Fei. The infantry became the central army of this advance, and the cavalry became the general reserve of the entire army.

At the same time, the Khitan's complex sudden cavalry also came out in full force. Except for the necessary garrison of Wulahai City, the rest of the army gathered on the north side of the Song army's formation, undertaking the task of a left-wing mobile force. They would be responsible for a deadly flanking attack on the side after the battle.

As for the tens of thousands of Mongol light cavalry, they were scattered throughout the southeast. Their mission was to find, harass, delay, and pursue.

Even the Uyghurs' camels were uniformly incorporated into the logistics convoy.

To be honest, this coalition army did not really have 200,000 men. 200,000 was just Zhao Jiu bragging, but 150,000 or 160,000 was definitely there. Moreover, the quality of this army was probably the elite force second only to the Jurchen cavalry in the world. This was not bragging, but saying that the Jin and Liao had fought for eleven years, and then the Song and Jin had fought for seven years. Eighteen years of war was enough for everyone to know each other inside and out.

From the initial Jurchen's less than 10,000 men, "with 10,000 men, none could resist," to the later 20,000 households in the east and west; from the initial defeat like a landslide, to the later gradual recovery of the remnants.

Now, who doesn't know who?

What are the secrets of war?

Nothing more than fair rewards and punishments, sufficient logistics, proper equipment, sufficient depth, suitable terrain... and then courage, training, discipline, and so on.

There is nothing mysterious. Everyone's conditions are the same. Anyone who can do these things can do it. Otherwise, why could the Xiren, Khitan, Bohai, and Han people, who had been beaten by the Jurchens just a moment ago, be reorganized into Meng'an and Mouke and then turn around and beat their compatriots?

And now, nearly twenty years of total war has basically worn away the mysterious colors on everyone. Yelu Dashi escaped to Ketun City and gathered a few thousand remnants, and he could still rise up. Zhao Jiu was driven to the Huai River, and he gradually regained his morale, and now he has come to the Yin Mountains. If the Jurchens still have any advantages, it is nothing more than rich war experience, psychological advantage, and a part of the spirit of enduring hardship inherited from the deep mountains and old forests before the war.

War experience can be smoothed out, and the spirit of enduring hardship is something that the Jurchens have worked hard for generations, and can only be worn away by time, but today, the psychological advantage must be broken!

"Guan Jia, can we win?"

Under the dragon banner that had already begun to move eastward, while Zheng Zhichang had not yet returned, Lu Benzhong, who was wearing a leather shoulder armor, asked a question on horseback with some apprehension.

The question was obviously inappropriate, but it was reasonable.

The Zhao Guan Jia, who had changed into the dazzling golden armor of Pujin that day, was riding in front. Hearing this, he didn't mind, but turned around and smiled at another attendant: "What does Renqing think?"

"Guan Jia's soldiers descended from the sky. If I were the Jurchen commander, I would definitely abandon the land and flee." Ren Baozhong, who was in full armor, with a bow and a spear, replied immediately, his voice as loud as if he were ten years younger.

"Not bad." Zhao Jiu also nodded slightly. "If I were Wanyan Wushu, I would also abandon the land and flee in eight or nine out of ten cases. It's not just that my support is timely and my troops are strong, but more importantly, in such terrain, if heavy cavalry fights with mixed troops, once they lose, it will be an earth-shattering ending. No matter how aggrieved the Jurchens are, as long as they have a shred of reason, they will not force a battle with us in the Houtao region."

Lu Benzhong was relieved, but also slightly suspicious.

"However, there must be no fluke in military strategy."

Although Zhao Jiu did not look back, he seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and saw through Lu Benzhong's thoughts at once. "Everyone thinks that the Jurchens will leave, but what if they don't? The more this is the case, the more we must show the spirit and preparation for a decisive battle. If Wanyan Wushu and Wanyan Balisu really dare not leave, we will really press them to death in the Houtao region and take the opportunity to attack Hedong!"

As soon as these words came out, Ren Baozhong nodded repeatedly with his cheeks bulging, while Lu Benzhong nodded in a panic, but he didn't know whether he really understood or lost his composure after hearing that there might really be a major battle.

"Of course, making a good show also has another advantage, that is, even if the two sides have not fought, we can also let the 200,000 or 300,000 soldiers and people in the world believe that the Jurchens are really afraid of us and were driven out by us! Some things, if everyone in the world believes them, even if they are not true, they will be true!" Zhao Jiu added a final sentence, which may be what he really wanted to achieve.

But it didn't matter. On this day, relying on the surrounding rivers to the north, south, left, and right, especially the straight-line distance of only a hundred miles between the north and south rivers, and the presence of Wubao and reinforcements, the Allied forces brazenly advanced fifty miles before stopping. And early the next morning, Zheng Zhichang, who had gone to find the Jurchen camp, returned with a crisp message - Wanyan Wushu and Balisu did not hesitate at all, and immediately pulled out their camps and headed east, apparently preparing to retreat to the former Liao State's Tiande Army (the Baotou area in later generations) east of the Houtao region. He did not see the Jurchens at all.

Judging by this speed, it was likely that the Jurchens had abandoned the Houtao region as soon as their scouts detected the arrival of the Song army.

In other words, the Jurchens had indeed left.

The news spread, and the army was excited. On this day, they continued to march east. Xiao Wolila, the chief general under Yelu Dashi, also came to meet Zhao Guan Jia in a hurry during the march.

"Your Majesty, my king means that if the Jurchens cross the river and stay at Tiande Army, we will lead our army to confront them across the river. Our army has confronted the Jurchens here for half a month, and we are very clear that the Jurchens' logistics are actually a bit unsustainable. If we confront them here, we can last until after autumn, but they can't." Xiao Wolila's statement was straightforward.

But Zhao Jiu did not respond directly. Instead, he just looked at the person and continued to move forward slowly and silently, as if he had turned a deaf ear to Xiao Wolila's words.

"What if the Jurchens continue to retreat after crossing the river?" Ren Baozhong and Lu Benzhong, who had been observing the situation for a long time, understood everything, but Lu Benzhong really didn't know how to interject in military affairs, so Ren Baozhong seized the opportunity and said with his head held high.

"If the Jurchens cross the river, the Allied forces will of course also cross the river." Xiao Wolila urged his horse to follow while feeling a little surprised and angry, but he did not dare to look at the Zhao Song Guan Jia, but could only seriously talk to the Dangxiang old man beside him.

"But if we cross the river to pursue, will we be lured deep by the Jurchens and counterattacked?"

"There is no danger before we reach the Southwest Pacification Commissioner of the Great Liao (near Hohhot in later generations)!"

"How do you say that?"

"Although the terrain east of the Houtao region is no longer the so-called death ground for cavalry, the area between the Great Liao's Tiande Army and Yunnei Prefecture west of the Great Liao's Southwest Pacification Commissioner is still a narrow strip between the Yin Mountains and the Great River. With the Allied forces so powerful, it is enough to advance properly. Therefore, if the Jurchens retreat this time and abandon the confrontation across the river, they will probably retreat to the Southwest Pacification Commissioner (Hohhot) or simply retreat to Xijing (Datong)."

"General Xiao." Ren Baozhong secretly glanced at the back of Zhao Guan Jia and then continued to march while speaking seriously. "You must remember one thing, the army of 200,000 men relies entirely on our Great Song to supply food and grass, and the main force here is also our Great Song's troops. Once we cross the river to pursue and the supply line is stretched, it is your Liao State's former territory that is being recovered, but we have to take out real military rations. Is there such a cheap thing in the world?"

"My king said..."

"If Dashi Lin Ya wants to talk to our Majesty, he should come himself." Ren Baozhong saw that Zhao Guan Jia did not have any reaction and simply interrupted the other party. "Now General Xiao is telling me some military ideas. Why do you always bring out Dashi Lin Ya to pressure people?"

Xiao Wolila also glanced at the back of Zhao Guan Jia, who had no reaction, and then pulled down his face and said seriously to Ren Baozhong:

"General Rendo, of course we know that Great Song is the main force, but if we only advance to the Yunnei Prefecture area, the logistics line has not been stretched too much, and we do not intend to continue to go deeper. As for the benefits, if the army can reach the front of my Great Liao's Southwest Pacification Commissioner, not only will my Great Liao recover the core prefectures and counties, but the Mongols will also loosen the side constraints. Will your country not also be able to sweep all the land outside the Yellow River?"

Ren Baozhong was about to say something, but Xiao Wolila suddenly sneered: "More importantly, once this is the case, the Jurchens will shrink to Hedong and Hebei and will no longer be able to easily contact your country's newly conquered Xixia land. Your Song people will no longer have to worry about those Dangxiang dogs being disloyal!"

Ren Baozhong was not angry when he heard this, but Zhao Jiu finally turned around at this time, startling Xiao Wolila to suddenly rein in his horse, and then the mount neighed for a while, but he quickly returned to normal and continued to follow.

"General Xiao." Zhao Jiu smiled and said on horseback. "Why is such a big matter that Dashi Lin Ya did not come in person?"

"Your Majesty." Xiao Wolila lowered his head and explained earnestly. "It's not that my king is deliberately neglecting you, it's just that it's not convenient to leave the army."

"I understand." Zhao Jiu said as if he didn't care. "I will tell Yue, Wu, and Qu, the three commanders, what you just said, and let them distribute the troops. I will not interfere in specific battles. However, you really don't want to take back Xijing?"

Xiao Wolila was silent for a moment before responding: "Who doesn't want to? But being able to advance to this point is already a blessing from our ancestors. If we force our way into Xijing, if there is any mistake, I am afraid that all the previous hard work will be in vain."

Zhao Jiu turned his head and smiled at Lu Benzhong: "I told you, Dashi Lin Ya is a great hero and will not let me worry about some messy things."

Without talking about military affairs, Lu Benzhong reacted very quickly and immediately stroked his beard and nodded.

"Thank you for your Majesty's understanding." Xiao Wolila breathed a sigh of relief and quickly responded, as if he was somewhat disappointed that he could not advance into Xijing and was about to leave.

"It's okay." Zhao Jiu nodded in response, and then, just as Xiao Wolila had turned his horse around, he suddenly spoke again. "General Xiao just called Dashi Lin Ya 'King'?"

Xiao Wolila's expression changed slightly, but he did not dare to hesitate and immediately turned around and said: "Yes... Before setting off for Hexi this time, the envoy sent by His Majesty relayed the death of the late Emperor. In order to gather people's hearts, my king sacrificed to heaven and earth and temporarily called himself Khan."

"Oh!" Zhao Jiu responded with his head raised as he swayed on his horse, as if he was lost in thought.

Xiao Wolila was very uneasy and followed for a long time. Seeing that Zhao Jiu did not mean to continue speaking, he suppressed his complicated emotions and turned back to the Khitan army.

In this way, without further ado, in the following days, the Allied forces advanced eastward in a big way, and the Jurchens, as Yelu Dashi had judged, realized that they could not fight the Allied forces in the narrow passage between the Yin Mountains and the Yellow River and retreated to Xijing (Datong) in one breath.

In this regard, Yelu Dashi, Yue Fei, Wu Jie, and others judged unanimously that the Jurchens were deliberately doing this in order to lure the Allied forces to continue to pursue. Once the Allied forces were caught in the trap, crossed Yunnei Prefecture, and lost the protection of the Yin Mountains, they would likely face the Jurchens' encirclement.

These people made a judgment, and Zhao Jiu would of course not cross the thunder pool, and directly ordered the army to reach the position of Yunnei Prefecture and Dongsheng Prefecture. The main force of the army was not allowed to cross the Jin River, which flows through Yunnei, Dongsheng, and other places.

However, even so, as the army continued to leave the Yin Mountains and the Jurchen main force retreated to Datong Prefecture, the entire Hebei and Hedong regions were shaken. Especially in the Hebei area where the Jurchen forces could no longer reach, the Zhe clan, who had long sent troops to secretly cooperate with the Song army, publicly rebelled repeatedly. Fengzhou, Fuzhou, and Linzhou directly hung up the banner of the Great Song; Heqing Army, Jinsu Army, and Ningbian Prefecture, three prefectures that originally belonged to the old territory of the Great Liao, also had Khitan remnants who rebelled together, but they were directly attacked by the Zhe clan troops who were eager to make contributions. As for Yelu Nu Ge, the Yunnei Jiedushi of Yunnei Prefecture and Dongsheng Prefecture, the so-called direct confrontation with the army, directly opened the door and defected before the army arrived.

At this time, as the north-south communication of the Yellow River's zigzag shape was opened, Zhao Jiu realized that as early as late May, when he advanced to the Houtao region, Wanyan Huonv and Wanyan Salili He had taken the initiative to cross the Yellow River and returned to Hedong. In late May, Han Shizhong formally recovered Yan'an, Suide, and Jinning, and led his army north to respond.

The time came to June 2. Thanks to the strong suppression of Zhao Jiu and Yelu Dashi, the Allied forces stopped at the Jinhe Lake, the confluence of the Jin River and the Yellow River under the jurisdiction of Dongsheng Prefecture, and ultimately did not cross the Yin Mountains' safety zone.

At this point, everyone knew that the Northwest War caused by Yelu Yu Du's defection, after nearly half a year, with this victorious and successful great march, it was time to put an end to it.

In fact, seeing that the Allied forces were no longer moving forward, both the Jurchen and Allied forces, who were somewhat unable to hold on, soon tacitly and tentatively disbanded and separated small units to alleviate logistical pressure.

But at the same time, as the saying goes, military affairs belong to military affairs, and politics belongs to politics. After the military victory, before the troops were disbanded, some things should be done, especially those high-end affairs that could only be done by him, the Great Song Guan Jia.

June 6 was the date set by Zhao Guan Jia for the Song-Liao-Mongol alliance. The location was on the banks of the Jinhe Lake between the Yin Mountains and the Yellow River. According to the agreement, the three parties and four places would sacrifice to heaven and earth here, and then, under the witness of 200,000 troops, establish a formal, comprehensive, and all-round anti-Jin alliance, including military, economic, and diplomatic aspects.

On this morning, before the official start of the sacrifice ceremony at noon, Yelu Dashi, Heble, Huerzhahusi, and Billege arrived at the Song army camp on the banks of the Jinhe Lake. They had to come, because Zhao Guan Jia's date arrangement was too hasty, and some more sensitive matters had to be communicated and agreed upon before the alliance was established. Otherwise, what if Zhao Guan Jia, who was leading the alliance, came up with a coercive plan?

Break the agreement?

In the Song army camp, which occupied an absolute advantage? In front of the Jurchen soldiers, who were only one or two hundred miles away and were still watching covetously?

"Dashi Lin Ya wants all the prefectures and counties north of the Yellow River?" In the warm weather, among the banquets hastily set up on the banks of the Jinhe Lake, Zhao, who was sitting in the main seat, asked with a smile. "In addition, you also want Heqing, Jinsu, and Ningbian?"

"Your Majesty's words are interesting." Yelu Dashi, who was sitting in the first seat on the left, replied with a cup in his hand. "North of the Yellow River is only the Houtao region and the three prefectures of Tiande Army, Yunnei Prefecture, and Dongsheng Prefecture in the former territory of the Great Liao. How can it seem from Your Majesty's mouth that you are talking about some amazing territory? And Heqing, Jinsu, and Ningbian are also the former territories of the Liao State. Therefore, my words just now are nothing more than wanting the Houtao region. Or is it that Your Majesty clearly has an alliance with us Khitans, but is preparing to swallow the former territory of the Liao State?"

After saying that, Yelu Dashi, dressed in refreshing cloth clothes and carrying a single knife, drank his cup in one gulp, and then laughed loudly.

That said, although a similar topic had been expected for a long time, with Yelu Dashi's bluntness, the atmosphere was inevitably a little tense, especially at this time, after the other party questioned him, he laughed presumptuously, which immediately made a group of Zhao Jiu's right-hand side proud soldiers and fierce generals unable to hold back.

Qu Duan took the lead to sneer: "Dashi Lin Ya, if we follow your words, Great Song will give you the six prefectures of Hexi, the four military divisions of the Northwest, together with the Houtao region, and the six prefectures of the former territory of the Liao State. Great Song dares to give it, but do you dare to take it?"

Yelu Dashi smiled again, but suddenly became serious and said proudly to Qu Duan: "Why wouldn't I dare?"

Qu Duan was rarely stunned.

"Dashi Lin Ya." Lu Benzhong also frowned and said. "If that's the case, Great Song sent 100,000 troops and supplied so much food and grass to help you take the Houtao region and the six prefectures of the former territory of the Liao State. You must have some return, right?"

"Great Song has fulfilled its promise properly this time and has provided a lot of assistance. Of course, I am grateful in my heart and am willing to repay this kindness." Yelu Dashi immediately said earnestly. "But at this time, my Great Liao is really in trouble. How about this, why not ask Lu She Ren to calculate it clearly and list a bill, or directly report a number? No matter how much it is, I will directly admit it, and then our Great Liao will sell everything and definitely repay it slowly in the future. We will never be a debtor!"

Lu Benzhong's face turned pale, and he was embarrassed for a while.

At this time, the Zhao Guan Jia, who had been looking at the dazzling light on the lake beside him, finally turned around, picked up his wine glass, and opened his mouth: "Dashi Lin Ya... The golden lake is dazzling and the scenery is beautiful. Let's drink a cup."

Yelu Dashi smiled and arched his hand remotely with his cup, and then drank it directly. Zhao Jiu also raised his cup and drank it directly. Everyone else, seeing that the two biggest ones had drunk together, including the two Mongol leaders who had been watching the excitement, all raised their cups and drank with them.

"Ten thousand miles of Yin Mountains, ten thousand miles of sand, who will fight against the frost with green hair?"

After everyone put down their wine glasses, Zhao Jiu slightly chanted half a sentence that was neither poetry nor lyrics, and then shook his head and sighed. "It's a pity for such a grand scene. If the alliance is properly established today, Dashi Lin Ya will return to Gaochang in the west, 4,000 miles away. Going back and forth is 8,000 miles, but I don't know when we will meet again next time? I and Dashi Lin Ya hit it off at first sight and call each other confidants. When I think that we will say goodbye here, and perhaps we will never see each other again in this life, I am really reluctant."

Yelu Dashi was stunned when he heard this. After waiting for a while, he sneered, but he didn't know whether it was self-deprecating or what:

"Your Majesty is mistaken, I am terrified... But I and Your Majesty are both related to the rise and fall of our clans, and we should not be so sentimental in midsummer... I wonder if Your Majesty has any arrangements this time? I am willing to listen first."

ps: Thank you to classmate Xiahou Ningyuan for the second moe, and thank you to sniper Di Lie for the upper moe. This is also the 143rd moe of this book.