The long wind and snow have also fallen in Shandong.
Since the end of the Battle of Damingfu, in the past year, people all over Shandong have been starving and their lives have been in dire straits.
The more than 200,000 Han troops sent by Wan Yanchang to encircle and suppress Liangshan completely destroyed the already collapsed local order. Ordinary people could no longer survive. There were no more hungry rebels, refugees, horse thieves, and mountain bandits.
The big difference is that the sown grain is harvested by various forces before it is mature. Every field is filled with blood. A cart of grain is often accompanied by more than one cart of corpses. Some survivors have even begun to get used to human flesh.
the taste of.
The Yellow River has burst its banks several times since the Xia Dynasty, each time taking away a large number of lives. The various armies living on the water near Liangshan relied on fish to prolong their lives. The two sides occasionally clashed, but only for a few bites of food.
.
After the better-than-nothing autumn harvest, the fighting between the two sides was the most intense. Zhu Biao and Wang Shanyue led the elites from the mountains to come out and fight the autumn wind fiercely. Two Han armies with more than 30,000 people in the south of Liangshan were completely dispersed.
The grain was transported back to Liangshan.
After the army was dispersed, the soldiers could only become refugees, and even whether they could survive the winter was a question. Some Han troops changed their minds after hearing the news, and several troops that had been temporarily separated due to insufficient food supplies nearby moved closer.
After the leading generals met, many of them contacted Liangshan privately, hoping that they would stop "beating their own people."
"...We can't survive anymore. We were driven here by Wan Yanchang. You are fierce and powerful. You go and beat Wan Yanchang. There is really no food around, so why bother to beat us... In this way, as long as you lift
Raise your hands, we are willing to hand over some food..."
People living in the cracks will always do some ridiculous things. The army that was originally rushed to encircle Liangshan secretly paid "protection money" to Liangshan. Zhu, Wang and others are also welcome
, after collecting the food, secretly began to send people to recruit and instigate rebellion among the bloody generals in these teams.
Not long after the autumn harvest, Liu Chengzong's troops arrived in Liangshan, and a large-scale attack was launched again, defeating the siege network near Shuibo. Several troops that had been reluctant to pay "protection fees" were defeated.
They dispersed, and the rest of the team fled, retreating and watching the development of the matter.
In November, Wanyanchang ordered general Gao Zongbao to lead 40,000 troops south to deal with the black flag incident in Liangshan. These 40,000 troops were not hastily collected Han troops, but were mobilized from the Jin Kingdom after Wanyanchang took control of the Central Plains.
In the official army, Gao Zongbao was a famous general among the Bohai people. He also made many military exploits when he destroyed the Liao Kingdom.
In Wan Yanchang's opinion, in the Battle of Damingfu, most of the Black Flag and Wu Dynasty troops in Shandong had been destroyed, and they existed in name only. He had trapped Shandong into a dead end for the past year, and the people inside had starved to nothing.
, the combat strength will definitely be difficult to return to the original. The only one to worry about is Liu Chengzong's army, but they were doing trouble near Xuzhou before and fought many battles back and forth. Now they number only 5,000, and their supplies have already been used up.
Even if the real army presses forward, even if the opponent hides in the water stronghold and is difficult to attack, the loss will still be unbearable.
This is just his idea.
In the actual use of troops, in mid-November, Gao Zongbao won the first battle with Black Flag. Liu Chengzong and others fought and retreated, seeming to want to retreat to the water. Gao Zongbao was high-spirited and rushed forward with his troops. Zhu Biao,
Wang Shanyue and others were waiting for the moment when he would rush forward, and quickly marched to seize Gao Zongbao's rear supply of food, grass and baggage. Gao Zongbao wanted to return to the army for rescue, but Liu Chengzong's troops in front, who had been "defeated" by them, suddenly showed their strength and attacked forcefully.
The 40,000 troops transferred from the Jin Kingdom did have some veterans as their skeletons, but in terms of combat power, they were naturally not as good as the real elite Jurchen troops. It was only at this moment that Gao Zongbao realized something was wrong. When he rectified the troops comprehensively,
When I faced the challenge, I realized that no matter what I encountered in front or behind, what I encountered was pure refined steel without any frills or moisture.
Gao Zongbao also wanted to set fire to the baggage, but the 40,000-strong army collapsed suddenly. Gao Zongbao was hunted all the way. At the end of November, he fled back to Wanyanchang's tent, claiming that our side was "not an opponent". Moreover, the opponent's army was actually among the black flags.
The elite among the elite, such as the assault group led by Luo Ye who followed him and chased him all the way. It is said that they have won the first place in the internal competition of the Black Flag Army many times. They are strong in both offense and defense, and the most difficult to deal with.
The "crazy" team.
Wan Yanchang was so enraged by this defeat and Gao Zongbao's bragging to cover up the failure that he almost smashed the table. In the past few months, not only the situation in Liangshan began to become tense, but the Jin Dynasty originally had an advantage.
Liao Yiren's side was also retreating steadily under the attacks organized by Lou Shuwan, Yu Yulin and others, and constantly requested support from the Jurchen side.
Although in order to support the war in the south and for the sake of future rule, Wan Yanchang's search for the Central Plains was aimed at fishing from the lake and using up all the potential of the Central Plains. But at this moment, the incompetence of these corrupt forces that had been supported was indeed revealed.
It's shocking.
They couldn't even muster the final strength to fight for their own living space.
After the battle in which Gao Zongbao lost, Zhu Biao, Liu Chengzong and others had essentially taken control of Shandong, although not many changes could be seen in such a snowy winter. Wan Yanchang sent some troops south to collect the defeated troops, and then
He ordered all Han troops to strengthen their defense. He was stationed in Baoding, but the more than 20,000 elite troops under his command remained stationary.
On the third day of the twelfth lunar month, Baoding Mansion was covered in white and the wind and snow were howling. A man in a fashionable dress braved the wind and snow to enter Wan Yanchang's palace. Wan Yanchang, who was handling official business, greeted him with a smile.
The person who came to visit was the Jurchen general Shu Liesu, who was almost seriously injured in the battle at the beginning of the year. At this time, the Jurchen general had a deep scar on his face, which made him blurred, but it was still difficult to hide it in his tall body.
The hostility of war.
"When the general heard about Gao Zongbao's defeat, he couldn't help but want to ask the prince about his next plan against the enemy in Liangshan."
Wan Yanchang and Shu Liesu can be regarded as lifelong comrades-in-arms. Shu Liesu is a pure general, and Wan Yanchang, who is Aguda's cousin, has successively assisted Zong Wang and Zong Fu, and is more like a reliable old uncle. The two of them are more like a reliable old uncle.
When they met, Shu Lie quickly entered the living room and directly expressed the questions in his heart.
"Can the general teach me?"
"The last general is willing to lead the troops to the Pingliang Mountain Incident!"
"Does the general want revenge?"
"Your Majesty, do you want to remain unchanged in the face of ever-changing circumstances?"
"Of course, if we want to suppress them, I have ordered people to mobilize an army of 150,000 troops within three months to attack Liangshan again."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking bluntly. The chariots of Xiaocanghe are in front of me. Facing an army like Black Flag, no matter how many Han troops go, they will be nothing more than local chickens and dogs. The current situation in the Central Plains is not good for the reputation of our country, Dajin."
, so I will boldly ask the prince to give me elite soldiers. I will... be willing to carry the coffin and fight!"
In a big battle at the beginning of the year, facing the black flag, Shu Liesu was determined to win or die. Unexpectedly, he and Lu Junyi exchanged swords later, and the war horses rushed in, leaving both of them alive. Shu Liesu woke up.
After that, every time I thought about this, I felt deeply ashamed. At this time, when the Jurchen general talked about carrying the coffin and fighting again, there was a determined and ferocious look of death on his face.
Wan Yanchang knew the heroism and loyalty of these companions, and was silent for a moment.
"...After the Battle of Daming Mansion, the vitality of the top of Liangshan Mountain has been damaged. Even if the newly arrived Liu Chengzong's troops are added at this moment, there are only more than 10,000 soldiers that can fight, and the damage to the Central Plains is limited. Furthermore, the east and west armies went south, occupying
With the benefit of the autumn harvest, now all the food and grass in the south of the Yangtze River are in my hands. Whether it is Zongfu or Nianhan, there will be no worries about food and grass within half a year. I do still have more than 20,000 elite soldiers, but after thinking about it, there is no need to take risks.
When the army returns, both Liangshan and Jin will be wiped out. This is what everyone thinks."
The "everyone" in his mouth naturally has many people with interests involved. This is something he can tell Shu Liesu. As for other reasons that cannot be stated clearly but are understood by both of them, perhaps Shu Liesu is the sect of the Western Imperial Court.
Wan Yanchang, a general under Han's command, supported Zongfu and Zongbi's reasons in the Eastern court.
Shu Liesu was silent for a moment.
"... During this southern expedition, what the commander-in-chief, Gushen and others said the most was not the difficulty of the expedition, but the stability of our country in recent years... Your Majesty, you still remember that when Taizu was in trouble, that
In such a heroic mood, I defended Dagang with 20,000 soldiers and defeated the 700,000-strong army, creating an invincible momentum for our Jurchens... In the past, I had 20,000 soldiers and could conquer the world, but now... Your Majesty
Ah, we are staying here and don’t dare to go out?”
Shu Liesu's words were actually a bit fierce, but Wan Yanchang's temperament was gentle and not angry at all. He stood there and looked at the wind and snow outside the hall with Shu Liesu, and after a while he sighed.
"...I don't know what the general said...then, let me think about it again."
These words may have been perfunctory, but Shu Liesu didn't insist on it anymore. At this time, Feng Xue was shouting and cheering in from outside the door. Although the two of them were getting older, they did not sit down at this time.
"The heroic spirit of the past, I still remember in my heart... If the prince makes a decision, I will die for the Jurchens!"
However, it was not until the spring of the next year that Wan Yanchang could not make up his mind to attack.
***************
The situation in the Central Plains made Wan Yanchang feel bitter, so naturally, Lou Shuwan and others on the other side tasted the sweetness more or less.
Yu Yulin conquered the city and Liao Yiren retreated steadily. When the heavy snow that sealed the mountain fell, although on the whole, one could still feel the tension of countless mouths crying for food, but in general, the dawn of hope finally appeared before our eyes.
In September, the Black Flag Army from Shandong secretly came to Jin and temporarily borrowed some supplies from Lou Shuwan for Liu Chengzong's northward journey. Lou Shuwan shipped some of the food he saved from his teeth to the other party.
, during this period, the Chinese military envoys who came to humiliate themselves and ask for help were grieved. Ning Yi scolded the Chinese military officials in front of them for half a month and did not dare to talk back, which made her feel spiritually satisfied.
In October and November, Liu Chengzong and others defeated Gao Zongbao's army near Liangshan. This news not only boosted the morale of Jin's anti-golden forces, but after seizing Gaozong Bao's grain, grass and baggage, the Chinese army also gave Jin a reward
A lot of luggage was given as gifts. Lou Shuwan made a lot of money from this investment, and he seemed to have gained a lot of weight.
In December, the "female prime minister" is in a good mood and often tells people that they will have a good year this time.
In fact, in the many years since leaving Hangzhou, this is the first time Lou Shuwan has mentioned the matter of "celebrating the New Year" to anyone.
The southwest was shrouded in war. Throughout November, there were not many breakthrough changes. Occasionally, news came out that the offensive and defensive attacks on both sides were either "tragic" or "anxious." In the eyes of the outside world, as the leader of the Jurchen Qingtian
Wanyan Zonghan unleashed his strongest combat power and firmest determination to carve a hole in the southwest world. However, the Chinese army blocked this overwhelming offensive and stood still at the southwest pass for a whole month.
, what the outside world can vaguely see is just the Jurchen side's tragic casualties and unrelenting will. With the Jurchen's such firm willpower, no one will doubt that the black flag in the southwest can stand firm, and it must have sacrificed a lot.
Huge price.
If in the previous discussions and fantasies, people still had some doubts or contempt for the combat power of the Southwest Army, at this moment, the longer and longer offensive and defensive times are enough to erase the superficial doubts in everyone's mind. Now the Central Plains has
After the fall of the Wu Dynasty, the two forces in the southwest that can truly be called the strongest in the world are the two forces that are fighting in the southwest.
Southwest's ability to withstand the first wave of attacks was one of the reasons that made Lou Shuwan's life easier. She reluctantly hoped that the Chinese army could survive this battle - of course, it would be best to fight with
The Jurchens will lose both sides, and everyone in the world will be happy about it.
In such a mood, there was also a small episode that happened in the land she ruled - a seemingly newly emerging force from the northwest sent people to contact them in the Central Plains and wanted to ask Lou Shuwan
He bought iron cannons, explosives and other items, and reportedly brought a lot of money to bribe officials.
Lou Shuwan refused.
The northwest has always been a small corner that people in the world don't pay attention to. After the Xiaocanghe War, it has never been able to regain its strength. In the past, the Zhe family supported by the Jurchens was the dominant one, and the rest were nothing more than a chaos composed of bumpkins.
Bandits occasionally want to go to the Central Plains to gain some benefits, but the only result is that their claws are chopped off.
There has been so much chaos in Jin recently that Lou Shuwan has no time to pay attention to it. He only heard that the Zhejia family was unable to control the situation and there was civil strife. One can imagine that the next step will be countless horse bandits fighting for the top of the mountain.
This force wanted to buy artillery from the Central Plains, and they were very courageous and ambitious. However, Lou Shuwan's side was short of supplies and it was not enough for their own use. There was no way they could sell any leftovers. This eliminated the prerequisite for a transaction.
.On the other hand, life was tight, and Lou Shuwan spent a lot of effort to maintain the integrity and fairness of the officials below her, and to maintain the good reputation she had finally gained among the people. The other party bribed the officials with gold and silver antiques—
- It’s not like they brought food and grass - this made Lou Shuwan’s impression even worse.
She rejected the businessmen's proposal.
At the same time, a group of people with the same purpose visited Liao Yiren, who was still in charge of a large territory.
Zhongyuan couldn't help but see that the territory under his command was about to be destroyed by the aggressive offensive of Lou Shuwan and Yu Yulin. On the one hand, Liao Yiren kept asking for help from the Jurchens, and on the other hand, he was also anxiously considering his way out. Northwest Caravan
The treasures originally collected by the Zhe family were exactly what he wanted - once he wanted to go to the Kingdom of Jin to retire, he would naturally have no choice but to bring the gold and silver treasures to clear the way. Could the other party allow him to bring his troops, swords and guns there?
?
On the other hand, the other party needs a large amount of iron cannons, gunpowder and other materials, which means that the other party has people on hand, and they are all desperadoes from the northwest. This knowledge made Liao Yiren plan. After testing each other, Liao Yiren asked the other party
A new idea was proposed.
In the eleventh year of Wu Jianshuo's reign, on December 27, in the whimpering wind and snow, Liao Yiren and a group of Liao family disciples saw with novel eyes the cavalry coming out of the snow and the front of the cavalry.
That tall figure.
Zhamuhe, the leader of Mongolia's Zalanda tribe, and with the will of the legendary steppe Khan King Temujin, officially set foot in the Central Plains in the last days of this troubled year.
Liao Yiren, open the door and greet the guests.
"--welcome!"
At this moment, the wind and snow roared past.
His passionate voice left traces on the historical picture of later generations.