After running for a day, more than 30,000 Jurchen troops arrived to the north of Raoyang County. Another large river appeared in front of them. This was the North Hutuo River. Its width and depth were similar to those of the South Hutuo River, and its flow was not gentle.
Wan Yanchang was depressed all day long. He watched helplessly as 50,000 troops were massacred, but he was unable to do anything, which made him heartbroken. Especially, the 80,000 troops were his foundation, and most of the foundation was destroyed. How could he gain a foothold when he returned?
Various worries and inner sadness were intertwined, making Wan Yanchang's mood very low.
At this time, there was a sudden commotion in front, and some soldiers shouted. Wanyanchang hurriedly urged his horse forward. His heart suddenly went cold. More than a dozen large ships appeared on the river. They looked like Western warships. Let them
How to build a floating bridge?
The generals looked at each other and looked at Wanyanchang. Wanyanchang thought for a moment and said: "Send an army to build a pontoon bridge fifty miles to the west. After the construction is completed, we will be notified to cross the bridge."
This is a good idea. Let an army build a pontoon bridge first. They can drag the enemy warships here, and then the army can go over after the construction is completed there.
Pucha Falcon Balu quickly arranged for an army of three thousand people to install the pontoon bridge, while the rest of the army rested and waited.
Time passed little by little, and soon, an hour and a half passed, and the spies came back with news that the Western Army's 100,000 cavalry had pursued them fifty miles to the south.
This news made everyone angry, and the Western Army killed them all, which made everyone feel humiliated. Pucha Hubalu said angrily: "Marshal Du, I am willing to lead 20,000 troops to ambush the opponent. The worst is that everyone will be destroyed, and we cannot let him be massacred.
!”
Wan Yanchang was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Let's see how the bridge works!"
The 30,000-strong army turned their horses and galloped westward. An hour later, the 30,000-strong army arrived at the bridge building. The soldiers moved quickly and had already built a pontoon bridge. Wan Yanchang immediately ordered the army to cross the bridge.
Pucha Falcon Balu stepped forward again and whispered: "Father-in-law, I'm afraid that the 30,000 troops cannot completely cross the bridge. We must leave part of the army to stop the enemy!"
Wan Yanchang said coldly: "I know that I must leave part of the army behind, but why didn't I agree just now? Don't you understand?"
Pucha Falcon Balu understood that his father-in-law just didn't want him to lead his army to cut off the rear, so he retreated silently and stopped talking.
Wan Yanchang looked at the speed of the river and estimated in his mind that it would probably pass about 20,000 people.
Wan Yanchang ordered: "Where is General Wen Yamu?"
"The end is here!" A captain of ten thousand men stepped forward and saluted with clasped fists.
"You lead 10,000 cavalry to intercept the Western Army's pursuers and cover their retreat. If the bridge is broken, you can lead your army westward to find a bridge across the river!"
"I humbly obey orders!"
The captain's eyes were a little gloomy, but he still accepted the order.
The Jurchen army sped up to cross the river. Wan Yanchang and a group of generals also crossed the river first. The army had just passed 10,000 people. At this time, Western warships appeared on the river. Several warships sped up and headed towards the pontoon.
Hit hard.
The Jurchen soldiers on the bridge were in a mess. After several consecutive heavy impacts, the pontoon bridge was broken into several pieces. More than a thousand people on the bridge all fell into the water. The 10,000 soldiers on the south bank screamed in shock.
But this time Wan Yanchang was mentally prepared and had made arrangements in advance. Captain Wen Yamu shouted: "Brothers, follow me, let's go to the west to find a way out!"
The 20,000 cavalry who had not crossed the river reorganized their troops and followed Wen Yamu to rush west like a gust of wind. The 30,000 troops went their separate ways. Wan Yanchang did not know whether the 20,000 troops could escape back to Yanshan Mansion. He felt sad and had to lead 10,000 troops.
The cavalry continued to flee towards Yanshan Mansion.
In half an hour, Chen Qing led 100,000 cavalry to the river crossing. Tang Huai got off the warship and reported to Chen Qing: "Your Majesty, the enemy army has escaped across the river, about 10,000 people, and the remaining 20,000 cavalry cannot.
Crossed the river and fled westward."
"How long have you been gone?
"About half an hour later, I have sent ten warships to follow us westward."
"Has Wan Yanchang crossed the river?" Chen Qing asked again.
"We should cross the river and head north."
Chen Qing faced a choice, either continue to pursue Wan Yanchang in the north, or go west to annihilate the 20,000 Jurchen army. Although the troops can be divided, the trapped beasts will still fight. The Jurchen cavalry forced into a desperate situation are very powerful and will explode with twice the strength.
If your own army is insufficient in number and does not form a crushing force to suppress it, you will suffer heavy losses even if you completely annihilate the opponent.
After pondering for a long time, Chen Qing said resolutely: "Pursue westward!"
Chen Qing temporarily gave up the pursuit of Wan Yanchang, and instead turned to the complete elimination of the Jurchens' effective forces. This was also an important goal of his attack on Henan Road and Hebei Road to eliminate the Jurchen population.
One hundred thousand troops continued to pursue westward
Wan Yanchang led 10,000 cavalrymen like frightened birds, and galloped all the way north, not daring to stop any longer. Two days later, 10,000 cavalry arrived at the Juma River in Bazhou, which has been the dividing line between Song and Liao for hundreds of years, and is also the Yanshan Mountain.
The dividing line between the road and Hebei Road, crossing the Juma River means it is temporarily safe.
Wanyanchang sent someone to deliver a message to Wanyan Helisa in advance. When he arrived in Bazhou, he quickly found the pontoon bridge built by the Jin soldiers on the Juma River. It was not built with leather rafts, but with wooden boats.
Looking at the Jurchen soldiers standing guard on the pontoon, Wanyanchang finally breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking that he only had 10,000 troops left in his 80,000-strong army, and that there were still 20,000 troops who were not sure whether they were alive or dead. Wanyanchang couldn't help feeling sad and burst into tears.
.
At this time, Wanyan Helisa hurriedly came up to him. He felt Wanyanchang's sadness and quickly stepped forward to comfort him: "Chen Qing attacked with the strength of the whole country. It is normal that Marshal Du can't resist it. We can only nourish our energy."
Gather up your strength, accumulate enough strength and go south to the Central Plains, we will still have a chance."
Wanyanchang gritted his teeth and said bitterly: "Our Jin Kingdom has hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers in its heyday, but in the past ten years, they have been wasted on the battlefield again and again, without a single victory, and every time they were defeated, Wanyan Wushu
I have to bear the main responsibility, and I want to settle this account with the emperor, who is the chief culprit who destroyed our Kingdom of Jin."
Wanyan drank from Lisa and secretly sighed. It was already at this time, and they still had to criticize each other and fight within themselves. With such disunity, how could the Jin Kingdom win on the battlefield? The biggest mistake of the Jin Kingdom was not to treat laziness and cowardice.
Putting the techniques together at the same time is one of the most important reasons for defeat.
Chen Qing's 100,000-strong army kept chasing westward, and both sides were a little exhausted. Two days later, the 100,000-strong Western Army finally caught up with the 20,000-Jurchen army in Gucheng County, Qizhou, and surrounded them without hesitation.
Chen Qing ordered Lu Liuqiong, Tang Qian, Lu Gui, Yue Yun and Zhang Xian to each lead 20,000 cavalry to attack the 20,000 Jurchens in the wilderness from five directions at the same time. Chen Qing also issued a killing order.
If you don't accept surrender, you will be rewarded with heads!'
This is a very cruel way of fighting. Merits are recorded by heads, that is, no whole corpses are left, all the heads of the enemy soldiers are chopped off. It is usually used by the Jurchens to kill Song soldiers or civilians of the Song Dynasty, but this time they fought back
to themselves.
The Jurchen cavalry also knew that it was difficult to survive, and they also tried their best. On the battlefield, drums were beating loudly, shouts of killing were heard one after another, blood was sprayed, heads were rolling, war horses and human corpses were piled up in layers, many war horses were pierced by spears, and some were killed.
Convulsions before death.
There were headless corpses bleeding with blood everywhere, uniformly dressed in Jurchen cavalry uniforms, their heads had been chopped off by Western soldiers as trophies to mark their merits.
Although the Jurchen cavalry resisted desperately and exploded with more powerful force than usual, they faced one hundred thousand brave and capable Western cavalry after all, not the weak and cowardly Song soldiers of the past. They were launched after the awakening of a nation.
With strong strength, everyone is brave enough to kill the enemy bravely, and with five times the number of people, they form a powerful crushing advantage.
There was no suspense. Two hours later, the number of Jurchen cavalry became less and less as they fought, and the last thousand or so Jurchen cavalry were swallowed up by the endless sea of cavalry.
So far, in less than a month, the 350,000 Western Army launched five battles and completely annihilated the 120,000 Jurchen Army and 120,000 Sign Army entrenched on Hebei Road, with a total of 240,000 gold.