Chapter 1 The Filature of the Song

The Jin army retreated, and the Song army began to rest and reorganize on a large scale while cleaning up the battlefield and guarding against possible surprise attacks.

Unable to set up tents in time, many Song soldiers simply lay down in the open to sleep.

The fatigue of last night and the fierce battle of today were truly exhausting, and the warm afternoon sun in winter further fueled this weariness, so that many soldiers did not even remove their armor, falling asleep as soon as they lay down.

The laborers were no different.

In this situation, the hot soup and noodles that had been prepared at noon were simply ignored, except for a few who needed to be on duty. A large amount of steaming soup and noodles with oil could only be taken back and reheated, in case these people caused chaos by eating together in the evening.

Tian Shizhong was also very tired, but sitting on a small mound, he did not immediately fall asleep like the people around him, because Yue Fei had once again pushed his military plan beyond his bottom line.

Every time it was like this, every step was like this. It was the same when he faced Li Cheng many years ago, and it was still the same now. The other party steadily grasped his personality, so that he, who was clearly carrying a mentality of resistance and self-preservation, was repeatedly used by him.

Moreover, he could not get angry or complain, but could only grit his teeth and do it.

If only he was also a military commissioner… Tian Shizhong sighed slightly in his heart. He knew that Yue Fei must have given Zhang Rong a heads-up in advance. Unlike himself, he only realized that he had been forced into a corner after discovering that possibility when he was about to face it.

Of course, Tian Shizhong actually had a vague guess in his heart, that Yue Fei might not really be deliberately trying to control him. It was more that he had a plan in his heart, but he still needed to verify the approximate success rate with his own eyes… For example, today, if the battle was not so easy, if the navy's ability to suppress the shore was not so prominent, he might not really implement this plan. He might let his Beiwei Army hold back the cavalry of Yuancheng at a certain cost, and then desperately attack the city, blasting the city when it was at its most precarious, as a conservative measure.

Of course, thinking like this seemed like he was taking the initiative to exonerate the other party for controlling him, which was really ridiculous.

For a time, it was extremely awkward.

In this way, Tian Shizhong thought for a while, tossing and turning for a while, but in the end, he could not resist the increasingly heavy weariness and gradually fell asleep.

Then, like most people, he actually did not sleep for long, one or two hours, or two or three hours, before waking up before evening. Those who did not wake up would be awakened, and then another busy evening and first half of the night would follow – lighting bonfires, eating some food, setting up tents, and also calculating military merits, counting casualties, and even needing accompanying scholars to boost morale and comfort those who were killed and wounded.

In addition, the laborers inevitably had to work a little harder. They continued to complete the defense line overnight, continued to build pontoon bridges, transport supplies, and clean up the battlefield overnight.

It was not until the second half of the night that they rested for a while, and then returned to a slightly normal rhythm.

In the next few days, Yue Fei did not actually announce his military plan, and Zhang Rong and Tian Shizhong also pretended that nothing had happened, just following the steps… Strengthening the northern defense line, building camps, and setting up cannons in the north and south were all just means of attacking the city, and no one said anything.

After Tang Huai took the lead in capturing a large number of ships, he once again used land-based navigation, sending a considerable number of steamboats to the westernmost side to sweep and accept the western fork of the Hebei North Road, which was also a natural part of the clearing.

After all, everyone had witnessed the powerful role of the navy with its own ultra-long-range projection ability in this narrow area in that battle. Moreover, the army still mainly relied on the Yellow River for supplies. Once the western fork of the Hebei North Road was controlled and Xiaowu Slope was opened, it would greatly save transportation time from the battlefield to Tokyo and improve transportation efficiency.

There was no reason not to do so.

Of course, there were also inevitable small-scale military conflicts during this period.

A small number of steamboats returned again, and then kept moving and bombarding the east wall of Yuancheng along the river, testing for weak spots. Shao He and Ali also came to spy many times, but at most they just spied. After that battle, they had already realized that their own strength was not enough to break through the Song army, especially as the Song army's northern defense line became more and more solid and complex.

The northern battle was more of a scattered skirmish between sentry riders.

But at the same time, some obvious signals gradually increased. For example, Wang Bolong, who did not listen to Gao Jingshan's orders, suddenly went south again, almost approaching Xiazhen. For example, the Song army sentry riders reported that Jurchen cavalry was gradually becoming denser in the areas of Mingzhou and Xiangzhou west of the river, and it became difficult for sentry riders to conduct armed reconnaissance there.

What this foreshadowed was self-evident.

Only, as time passed and as the preparations became more urgent, the Song army's intentions basically became more and more obvious – some things that the laborers and soldiers below would not care about at all, but in the eyes of senior commanders, it was another matter entirely.

First of all, the main position of the Song army shifted westward. The huge Song army military area between Daming City and Gucheng almost entirely moved to the due north of Yuancheng. As for the eastern fork of the Hebei North Road, the Song army obviously gradually gave up, becoming just guarding the two key strongholds of Daming City and Gucheng. Even after the Song army controlled the more convenient western fork of the Hebei North Road, Gucheng began to become somewhat loose.

It was almost imaginable that once it came to the worst, the Song army might abandon the military deployment on the east bank, just trapping themselves in Xiazhen and Daming City. As for Gucheng, they would defend it if they could, and if they could not, then so be it.

Secondly, after the Song army completed the perfect construction of the northern defense line, they immediately began to continue constructing a defense line on the south side of Yuancheng without any pause, and the regulations were almost the same as those on the north side.

This seemed a bit too much.

In comparison, the internal barriers used to trap the city, prevent escape from the city, and collude with the outside, as well as the necessary construction of siege positions, were obviously somewhat lagging behind and delayed.

Moreover, the positions for setting up cannons were also a bit too large and deviated.

Of course, at this time it could still only be conjecture and doubt. Not to mention the Song army, what really made Gao Jingshan on Yuancheng strongly realize a certain possibility was the transportation of materials.

It is said that although Gao Jingshan thought of burning the ships that had been scattered and placed in the Yellow River fork west of Yuancheng as soon as Yue Fei moved his camp and built his fortresses, just like his idea of trying to attack the Song army's formation as soon as possible to meet the reinforcements… he thought very correctly and did it very resolutely, but he just did not succeed.

Yue Fei also immediately ordered Tang Huai to divide his troops to seize those ships, and facing the messengers in Yuancheng, those who were mostly Han soldiers transferred to military officers, the navy composed of local fishermen recruited showed extreme resistance to the military orders… They at this level could not possibly know that the Fourth Prince's army was coming soon. They only knew that the Song army was coming, but there was a large amount of wavering and delaying actions, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of Gao Jingshan's order to burn the ships.

In this case, these ships mostly quickly became the Song army's spoils of war after the Song army completed the second land-based navigation, and further became an important part of the Song army's transfer of materials from Xiaowu Slope to the Tokyo direction.

As a result, a large number of ships shuttled back and forth non-stop, day and night. Large ships generally traveled along the Yellow River, directly docking on the shore, while small ships generally sailed directly into the slightly narrow but still passable Yongji Canal, docking inside the Song army's position, in order to achieve the greatest transfer efficiency.

This also allowed the Jin army in Yuancheng to overlook from a high position and get a glimpse of the situation.

Weapons, armor pieces, large wood, cloth, grain, jars and pots that were said to contain wine, oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar were all reasonable things, but on this day, when Gao Jingshan received the report and then personally witnessed the Song army suddenly starting to transport coal, he finally became somewhat flustered.

Although he still dared not think about it and did not want to think about it, an absurd idea still repeatedly impacted the brain of this Jurchen commander who definitely had enough strategic vision and military experience – he and this Zhou, forty miles around, the former Song Dynasty's Beijing City, and definitely the first important place for the Song army to advance into Hebei, Yuancheng, might just be a bait or a sore spot. Yue Fei's real purpose was to use this city and the defenders in the city, and of course himself, the commander of the march, to hold back the main force of the Jin army for a long time, giving the Song army in the Hedong direction enough time to capture Taiyuan, which was of greater strategic value.

On a certain day in late November, the sky was clear and cloudless. North of Yuancheng, Yue Fei and a group of trusted military officers were inspecting the siege positions.

It is said that although the construction of siege positions seemed somewhat perfunctory compared to the construction of fortifications and military deployments in other directions, the battle between the two sides still gradually became frequent and routine as the siege positions were built.

The so-called siege positions did not mean that they had to build a certain number of trebuchets or siege towers, but more to reduce obstacles and create a favorable environment for these things that would determine the outcome of the siege… For example, filling in ditches on the selected route for the siege towers under the city, throwing some wooden fences around the route of the siege towers to facilitate covering the troops to obtain cover, and appropriately raiding and burning some of the sheep and horse walls that were weakly defended.

Even including building rammed earth platforms at a safe distance, arranging reserve team attack areas, etc., were all part of the construction of positions.

Correspondingly, the city would not stand idly by. In addition to the necessary demolition of buildings to build trebuchets and establish trebuchet positions, it was also necessary to appropriately send out suicide squads to harass them, and then build some temporarily made giant crossbows on the towers with considerable advantages to carry out targeted clearing.

"Is that there?"

Stopping on the other side of the Yongji Canal in the northwest of the city, with the help of the river embankment, Yue Fei pointed to a place on the opposite side that was obviously a temporary addition to the city fortifications. There were still figures shaking there.

"Yes."

A camp commander in charge of the front immediately responded. "To let the marshal know, that place is the most prominent position in the northwest corner tower of Yuancheng, and it was also the first place where a fixed large crossbow was installed. It just has not been fired. We just thought that it could not reach us, but yesterday a flat-bottomed boat fully loaded with military equipment passed through the Yongji Canal here. It was a little slow in the middle. The crossbowmen on the city could not bear it and directly fired the crossbow, hitting a large hole in the boat. The boat could not move after sailing only a few dozen steps further. It took us a lot of effort to salvage the materials..."

"What do you mean?" Yue Fei listened carefully and asked calmly.

"Set up a Ba Niu crossbow in a place where they can't reach, and use the range advantage to suppress them in turn." The camp commander said on the spot. "If they set it up once, we will destroy it once."

"Okay." Yue Fei casually replied. "But you can't use the navy's. Wait for the military counselor to give you a document, and you can go to the craftsman camp to get a newly delivered one..."

"This subordinate understands." The camp commander blurted out.

Yue Fei nodded and was about to continue the inspection, but at this moment, a rider galloped over and hurriedly shouted from dozens of steps away: "Marshal! Military Counselor Huang ordered this subordinate to quickly invite you to the river, saying that a high-ranking official from Tokyo has arrived, and he has already gone to the river!"

Yue Fei immediately became serious, and even the many military officers around him were awe-struck. Huang Zuo, the commander in charge of the affairs north of the city, even bowed his hands and took the initiative to express his position: "Marshal does not need to worry about this place. This subordinate will definitely do his best."

Yue Fei nodded again, without saying much, and was about to turn his horse back.

But at this moment, suddenly, the place where the figure was shaking shouted, and then an arrow flew over… but unfortunately, the arrow was crooked and barely floated over the Yongji Canal and was already powerless, directly sliding on the river embankment.

Yue Fei reined in his horse, looked up, and asked seriously: "Headwind?"

"It is indeed a headwind." Huang Zuo tried hard to shake his head and smiled. "Isn't it the northwest wind in the winter?"

Yue Fei nodded again and again, and then suddenly took out a bow from his horse, raised it on the horse, and after a little gesture, he directly drew the bow and shot, and the arrow was also sent out with the wind… This arrow, of course, did not hit the crossbowman on the enemy tower who occupied the height advantage and was extremely far away. To hit it would be a true immortal… but it did not fail either. An arrow flew out and directly shot down a Haidongqing that had been circling in the northwest of the city, just happened to come to the northwest and entered the range.

Obviously, this Marshal of Hebei had noticed this bird, which must belong to the enemy, long ago.

Shooting down a bird with one arrow, if it was shot by the Zhao official, there would definitely be flattery like clouds, and it might even be reported in the official newspaper; if it was shot by Han Prince, he would probably have to hold his belt and compose half a poem… But since it was shot by Yue Fei, it was just shot. The Haidongqing fell on the river embankment on the opposite side of the Yongji Canal. He did not even look at it, and reined in his horse and left to find the important official from Tokyo.

Riding a horse to the Yellow River further northwest, where one side was the continuous transfer of logistics goods, and the other side was many laborers taking small boats along the bank to break the thin ice on both sides. Among them, the figure of a purple-robed official on the river embankment on the bank seemed too prominent.

Yue Fei dismounted in advance and hurried forward. When he got closer, he saw that his counselors, Huang Zong and others, were all awe-struck and respectful, and he became more careful in his heart.

However, even with enough mental preparation, when the purple-robed official turned around, Yue Fei was still momentarily terrified, and then actually took the initiative to bow his hands as a marshal and respectfully greeted him.

All the previous preparations and composure flew to Java in an instant.

It turned out that the person who came was none other than Hu Yin, Hu Mingzhong, a leader among the civil officials of the court, with extremely deep qualifications, great achievements, and a high position. He was the Minister of Works.

Although Hu Yin was only a few years older than Yue Fei and was only one of the six ministers, he was undoubtedly Yue Fei's patron. He had also acted as the Censor-in-Chief, equivalent to half a prime minister, and had been the director of the Guanzhong area. Previously, he had also taken overall responsibility for the logistics construction after the Northern Expedition as the Minister of Works… The so-called three famous ministers of the Jingkang Imperial Academy, the only one who can now bite Zhao and Zhang, and even control the two, is this Minister Hu.

Even Chen Gui and Liu Ji, the two deputy prime ministers, were probably inwardly afraid of this person.

Moreover, unlike other civil officials, Hu Yin participated in military planning more because of his pro-war stance. He accompanied the emperor in the Battle of Yanling, directed Shaanxi North in the Battle of Yaoshan, took overall responsibility for logistics in the pacification of Xia, and also took overall responsibility for the rear transfer in this Northern Expedition. He had repeatedly come forward to restrain Han Shizhong, arrested Qu Duan, promoted the Wu Jie brothers, and killed Yang Zheng. Of course, in his early years, he had personally recommended Yue Fei, who was still a miscellaneous army, to directly serve as the pacification envoy.

His suppression and deterrent power to the commander-in-chief was naturally unique.

How could such a person be regarded as an ordinary minister? And with this person here, all kinds of words and preparations seemed pale.

"Marshal Yue."

Hu Yin turned his head and saw Yue Fei's arrival. His expression was calm, and he directly bowed his hands. "The various plans of your lords and ministers are already fully known. I have also received your private letter… The military is serious, don't delay time. Where is your central army tent? Take me there quickly, and then summon Zhang Jiedu and Vice-Commander Tian. I have something to say."

"I respectfully obey Minggong's orders." Yue Fei became more and more nervous, but he could only bow his hands in response.

In this way, Hu Yin hurriedly met at the river, and immediately transferred to the central army tent. Then he did not speak to Yue Fei, and even when Yue Fei asked him to sit in the upper seat first, he was rejected, and he did not use water or food, just waiting with his hands tied… This made the atmosphere even more dignified.

Tian Shizhong was fine. At this time, he was supervising the construction of earth mountains north of Yuancheng. At this time, when he heard Yue Fei's summons, he flew over on horseback and arrived in a moment, but Zhang Rong was 'exploring' downstream of the western fork of the Hebei North Road. He waited for more than an hour, until the afternoon, before he came late.

"Everyone else, get out."

Seeing that Zhang Rong had also arrived, Hu Yin finally spoke, but he dismissed all irrelevant people as soon as he came up.

Yue, Zhang, and Tian looked at each other, only feeling that their previous thoughts and confidence were all gone. They had to bite the bullet and face each other, and they could not help but feel more uneasy.

Sure enough, when all the staff and attendants left, and only four people were left in the tent, Hu Mingzhong's words sank the hearts of the three to the bottom:

"The Privy Council's public opinion is that the three people, Yue, Zhang, and Tian, are playing with the enemy and indulging the bandits, holding heavy troops and respecting themselves, and relying on favor to be arrogant. I also deeply agree with this."

As soon as these words came out, Tian Shizhong's face was pale, and Zhang Rong was momentarily at a loss… perhaps because he did not understand what these three words meant… and Yue Fei could only quickly bow his hands:

"Minggong, please hear me out!"

"Can Yue Jiedu allow me to finish speaking?" Hu Yin coldly retorted.

Yue Fei could only remain silent.

"The Privy Council believes that the Hebei Front Army has abandoned three states without authorization, causing more than 100,000 people to be displaced in the cold winter. This is not only suspected of abandoning land, but also greatly increases the pressure on logistics. The military supplies that the country has accumulated for three years have been wasted for no reason… No matter how much you three argue about this point, you cannot change the fact that it has caused turmoil and trouble to the country… Is it or is it not?" At this point, Hu Yin, who was standing on the side of the central army tent, looked around at the three and formally questioned them. "The three of you can talk about this matter first."

Yue Fei stepped forward without hesitation.

However, under the gaze of the other two, he bowed his hands and hesitated, and finally could only be honest: "The abandonment of the three states was to concentrate our forces, but causing the displacement of 100,000 people in Hebei was really something I did not consider carefully… I am the marshal of the Hebei Front Army, and I have nothing to say when Tokyo questions me… The only thing is that the war is serious, please allow me to go to Tokyo to apologize after the war."

Hu Yin nodded and continued to say with a black face: "The Privy Council also publicly discussed the military plan you presented to the Privy Council, saying that you are a wolf with wild ambitions, using heavy troops to seek personal merit and conspire against the court..."

"Duke Hu." Finally someone could not help but interrupt Hu Mingzhong, but it was actually Tian Shizhong who was anxious. "There are more than 65,000 soldiers in the Imperial Vanguard Army, the Right Army, and the Navy here, plus 70,000 to 80,000 laborers, totaling 140,000 to 150,000 people, but not one of them can bear this crime!"

"Do you two Jiedu think the same way?" Hu Yin ignored Tian Shizhong and directly looked at the other two.

Although Zhang Rong did not understand those words, he knew what wolfish ambitions and conspiracies meant when he heard them, and he immediately bowed his hands angrily: "I think so too!"

"In any case, I have no such intentions!" Yue Fei also just bowed his hands helplessly, but unexpectedly, he did not show emotions like Zhang Rong and Tian Shizhong.

"Then do you know why everyone in the Privy Council thinks so?" Hu Yin stared at Yue Fei and asked.

Yue Fei did not say a word.

Seeing this, Hu Yin continued to say with a black face: "It seems that you know… The Privy Council believes that you are abandoning Tokyo to the enemy, disregarding the safety of millions of people in Tokyo, as well as the empress dowager, noble concubines, virtuous concubines, princes, and princesses… Some people say that you are a self-respecting person with troops even worse than Fan Qiong, and others say that you are a ridiculous fame-seeker even more laughable than Liu Guangshi. And if the Privy Council is only evaluating and discussing you in this way, then in the Public Council, some people simply want to kill you!"

Hearing this, Yue Fei relaxed instead, just calmly bowing his hands: "Minggong, Fei's original heart is clear to the heavens and the sun."

Hu Yin was silent for a moment, and did not reply for a while.

It was Tian Shizhong who hurriedly stepped forward to explain again: "Duke Hu… The Imperial Vanguard Army, Right Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have a total of 90,000 troops. The Marine Corps is small, and the other three armies have a total of combat troops. Although there are casualties, there are still more than 80,000 troops. Now there are only more than 60,000 combat troops here. The other fortresses are not empty either. Xiazhen, Gaotang, and Jinan in the east are connected in a line, and Puyang behind us is now in our hands. It can completely connect with Baima… and Shaoxing to defend the river, as the northern gate of Tokyo..."

"You only say, once the Yellow River freezes, and the Jin army abandons these fortresses and abandons you, and then directly approaches Tokyo, and repeats the old story of Jingkang, how should you react?" Hu Yin listened impatiently and interrupted him again.

Tian Shizhong was momentarily panicked, and quickly said again: "Duke Hu, this is a different time and a different situation. The Jin army will not abandon Daming Prefecture and go south!"

"That's right." Zhang Rong also became serious. "Hu Shangshu will know if he thinks about it. During the Jingkang era, the navy on the river was useless. What about our Imperial Navy now? If he dares to go south, as long as he survives the freeze, I will lock the Jin army in Henan… Then we can probably directly destroy the Yellow Dragon Prefecture!"

Hu Yin nodded, glanced at Yue Fei, who had not said a word, and then continued to say seriously: "So, let's not talk about whether Tokyo can be defended or whether the Jin army will go south. Let's just talk about one thing, that is, you three are all honest, if the Jin army really goes south, even if it reaches Tokyo, you will not save it… Is that right or not?"

Zhang Rong was momentarily speechless, and Tian Shizhong also fell silent.

"Yes!" After a long while, it was Yue Fei who suppressed all kinds of emotions and bowed his hands. "Ten years of hard work are all here, and Tokyo seems dangerous, but it is actually not a problem. If the Jin kingdom really sends a large army south, I believe that Chancellor Chen is enough to defend it for dozens of days, or even less. And I… I will not really pursue it easily! Instead, I will step up the siege of Daming Prefecture, so that it will not dare to go south!"

Hu Mingzhong looked deeply at the other party again and asked calmly: "What if the Empress Dowager of Tokyo issues an edict? What if the Metropolitan Council and the Privy Council urge you?"

"I only recognize the official's will." Yue Fei said through gritted teeth. "Before the official left, he publicly allowed me the power to make decisions independently in Hebei."

"Do you know what the consequences of saying this will be?" Hu Yin continued to ask.

"Probably after this battle, even if I achieve immortal achievements, I will be disliked by the officials in Tokyo, and then I will be idle and never be used again." Yue Fei said calmly. "But on the other hand, if this battle can achieve immortal achievements, I will die without regret, let alone be disliked by others?"

"Actually, things are so simple."

Hu Yin nodded and finally sighed with his hands behind his back. "Everyone knows that even if we take a step back and say that the Jin army really went south, and even captured Tokyo, the world would be shaken, but this is a different time and a different situation. They cannot win like they did during the Jingkang era. Instead, they will lose the world for gaining a city… Because the official is in Hedong, and smart people in the world probably understand that our official can re-establish the court once in exile, then he can naturally establish it a second time. Moreover, the official now holds 300,000 imperial troops, the main force of the Jin army is locked, and there is Guanzhong to respond, so he can completely break Taiyuan, capture Yanjing, and go straight to the Yellow Dragon… But Pengju, no matter how reasonable your calculations are, no matter how optimal they are from a military point of view, since there is this danger of exposing Tokyo, then the officials in Tokyo, whether it is the Privy Council or the Public Council, will probably hate you to the bone, because they are in Tokyo, and you have put people in a 'disposable', at least a 'disposable' position! How did Kou Zhun lose power? You are also a scholar, don't you know?"

Yue Fei just lowered his head and did not speak.

"And to be honest, this time, even I am starting to hate you commanders." Hu Mingzhong continued. "Do you know why?"

Yue Fei also thought of the other party's initial sentence, 'I also deeply agree with it', but he finally said seriously: "I am ashamed, but I really did not feel that Minggong and the others were really disposable..."

"That's not what I meant, at least not just that." Hu Yin sighed with his hands behind his back. "What we hate about you is that you always rely on the fact that the overall situation needs you, and force all the well-meaning people in the world to do things for you… forcing the old people in the south to increase taxes to support you, forcing Tokyo to become a large military camp, forcing the cultural elegance and royal ceremonies to all turn into your coal and trebuchets, forcing the official, who is actually lazy and casual, to cooperate with you military officers, and give up the importance of the ruler to become the largest warlord… This coercion will not be changed slightly because you, Yue Fei, are loyal to the country, nor will it be changed because you, Zhang Rong, act for the heavens. It is the meaning that hundreds of thousands of imperial troops are sucking the country's marrow year after year, making the country unable to operate normally! In the past few years, I have been responsible for the military supply preparations for the Northern Expedition, and the thing I think about most often is that these things are the people's blood and sweat gathered from the whole country. If they are used up and nothing can be accomplished, how can I face the elders of Jiangdong?!"

Tian Shizhong, who had a high level of education, was a little dazed, but Yue Fei could completely understand what the other party meant. Unexpectedly, Zhang Rong also seemed to understand a little.

"Yue Pengju." Hu Yin finally dusted off the dust on his purple robe, and then said with his hands tied. "I will tell you clearly… In order for you to succeed, this time, several ministers have really tried their best. Duke Lu dissolved the Public Council, Chancellor Zhao and Chancellor Zhang almost suppressed the Privy Council, Chancellor Chen swore on the spot with the lives of more than 100 people in his family that Tokyo would be unbreakable, and I also followed your private letter's reminder and snatched Chancellor Zhang's trail to come to this army to sit in charge. As for the rear fuel transfer, you don't have to worry about it. Since I am here, there will be no possibility of delay or perfunctoriness in the rear… Of course, now that things have come to this, saying this seems to be taking credit for it… But in this battle, or this Northern Expedition, you must do your best, and do your best to hold back the main force of the Jin army, in order to achieve your immortal achievements, because even I have to say a word for the lords in the rear. No one wants to do this again for ten years!"

Tian Shizhong was overjoyed, and Zhang Rong was immediately relieved.

Only Yue Fei became more serious, but he could only bow his hands again and again: "I still have the same words, the heavens and the sun are clear, and can see this heart! Please Minggong take a seat and watch me succeed!"

"I will not take a seat. You are the marshal, you take a seat." Hu Mingzhong turned around and sat on the chair on the left side of the commander's seat, and said calmly and a little tiredly: "Don't worry, from today onwards, I will take care of all the affairs of Tokyo for you, and you should also do well in making military decisions… Beat the drums to gather the generals!"

Hearing this, Yue Fei felt a mixture of emotions, but he respectfully saluted upwards. Seeing this, Zhang Rong and Tian Shizhong also quickly saluted Hu Yin. Then, Yue Fei sat down on the main seat himself, and Zhang Rong also quickly stepped forward and sat on another seat on the side.

But Tian Shizhong wanted to step forward, but seeing that all three seats were taken, he honestly turned around and ordered the attendants and staff to beat the drums to gather the generals. Then he honestly turned back, very consciously standing next to the three with his knife in hand.

After three drums, the generals gathered, and when they saw Hu Yin, they knew that he was the world-famous Minister Hu, and they were also mostly horrified. When this Minister Hu issued an order on the spot in the name of the Tokyo Chancellor, Yue Fei should temporarily suspend the siege and defend his position to contain the main force of the Jin army… Although they were even more horrified, they could only look at each other in awe.

Thus, in this way, with Hu Yin's arrival, the Song army no longer concealed its strategic intentions. As more and more materials were transferred non-stop, around Yuancheng, the inner and outer double layers of barriers, the so-called seven-sided construction of fortresses and six-sided construction of cannons, the construction of earth mountains, and the construction of shipyards continued non-stop.

However, during this period, on the opposite bank of the Yellow River, there was a gradual rumbling, and then it was clear that the organized Jin army troops were gradually gathering. At the beginning, the Song army could still send troops to engage in short-term battles to defeat them, but when time came to the last few days of November, seeing the continuous flow of the Jin army in large numbers, with countless infantry and cavalry gathering within a few days, the Song army could no longer cross the river to engage them.

When the first day of the twelfth lunar month came, the Jin army camps also gradually stood up. With hundreds of thousands of troops, plus no less than 200,000 to 300,000 conscripted soldiers responsible for transferring logistics, the plains were actually connected by dozens of miles of camps, and even completely surrounded several towns.

On the same day, the Wang Banner of Wushu, the Prince of Jin, and the Five-Colored Sun-Holding Banner of Commander Balisu appeared on the opposite bank of the river.

Seeing this scene, Yue Fei did not hesitate. He gathered the Ba Niu crossbows and trebuchets, and in front of the main force of the Jin army, continuously smashed the city constantly, destroying the four corner towers in the northwest corner of Yuancheng in one day, as a greeting.

Wushu and Balisu were stunned for a moment, and then before they could ram the earth to make a general's platform, they released a hot air balloon that they dared not use for a long time, and personally piled it up high to look. When they saw the various arrangements under the river embankment on the opposite bank, their faces changed.

However, when they looked back at their huge camp behind them, they could not help but feel a surge of pride and gradually rise up.

With this number of people, they could shake even a mountain, let alone an army trapped in internal and external difficulties?