Chapter 54: The Burning Yellow River Frontline

Wanyan Zonghan felt as though pins and needles were pricking his back, and this was indeed the case.

However, this did not mean the war had turned around.

First, although the forces Zong Ze had engaged were regular Jin troops, they were not the elite core, meaning the foundation of the Jin army remained undamaged.

Second, Zong Ze had maintained continuous, rapid combat over a short period, leaving his own troops exhausted.

If he were to continue fighting, it would be extremely difficult.

After all, he only had twenty thousand men, and they were operating after a long-distance raid.

Inside the Jin army camp, Wanyan Zonghan angrily demanded, "Why has a capable Song army suddenly appeared in Hebei! Someone tell me! Which crack in the earth did they crawl out of from?"

This completely upended Wanyan Zonghan's perception.

Five years ago, during the fourth year of Xuanhe, Tong Guan led a Song army of over two hundred thousand to attack Yanjing of the Liao Dynasty, only to be defeated by a few thousand Liao soldiers.

When this news reached his ally Wanyan Zonghan, it instantly opened the door to a new world for him.

From then on, in Wanyan Zonghan's mind, every single Song soldier was merely a pig wearing human skin.

In the seventh year of Xuanhe, the year before last, the Jin army invaded the Song, pressing south all the way.

Upon hearing of the Jin advance, the highest commander of the Song army, Tong Guan, was so terrified that he abandoned his entire army and fled alone back to Bianjing, causing the military defense line that the Great Song had built in the north for a century to lose unified coordination, plunging the Song army into chaos.

The southward march of the Jin army was like entering an unpeopled wasteland.

Right up until the eleventh intercalary month of the first year of Jingkang, just before Zhao Ning traveled through time, the Jin army had been sweeping across all directions.

The more they fought, the more imposing the Jin army became; the more they fought, the more Wanyan Zonghan believed they could annihilate the Great Song. Many in the Jin court believed they could completely destroy the Song and unify the realm.

Especially since Wanyan Zonghan had paid a huge price that year to crack Taiyuan, the most formidable military stronghold in northern Great Song, the Jin army possessed a tremendous momentum to sweep across the world.

Imagine fighting an opponent for two full years, frequently hearing victory reports like "our forces of several hundred routed tens of thousands of Song soldiers"—how would you view the Song army?

Coupled with the fact that in orthodox history, after the Humiliation of Jingkang, the capital of the Great Song was captured, and thereafter the Jin Dynasty grew increasingly arrogant, dispatching troops across all fronts in Shaanxi, Shandong, Hebei, and the Southeast to press down with massive forces.

Wanyan Zonghan and the others had pushed forward all the way under precisely this macro-environment.

Though chewing through Taiyuan was arduous—with all military personnel and civilians of Taiyuan dying for their country—they had ultimately broken it.

Yet at this very moment, they suddenly heard that a Song army had defeated their own troops, and furthermore, the Song army was the attacking party!

While their own side was the defender!

To the upper echelons of the Jin army, this was no different from hearing that a five-year-old child had punched and killed a robust adult.

The entire Jin leadership was momentarily stunned.

Faced with Wanyan Zonghan's question, not a single person answered.

After a moment of silence, Wanyan Zongwang spoke, "How many men does this Song army have?"

Wanyan Xiyin replied, "It is still impossible to determine their exact numbers at present; I have already arranged for scouts to investigate the enemy situation."

"Who could this Song general be?"

"Word has it that it is a Song general named Zong Ze."

"Zong Ze?" Wanyan Zongwang said, "The Director-General of the Hebei Volunteer Army of the Song."

Wanyan Zonghan asked, "You know this person?"

"I heard mention of him on the road south; I hear he is resolute and decisive by nature." A faint, imperceptible smile actually appeared on Wanyan Zongwang's face. "He is already approaching the age of seventy."

When Wanyan Zongwang said this, the others were even more surprised.

"The age of seventy!" Wanyan Zonghan could not help but be astonished. "The Song state actually possesses such a fine general, yet I have never heard of him!"

Wanyan Zongwang remarked, "Viewed in this light, if Zong Ze had replaced Tong Guan's position to attack the Liao back then, the situation might have been different."

Liu Yanzong took over the conversation: "Most certainly not. The Song emperor is muddle-headed, and the court is filled with nothing but dogs and rats. A fine general like Zong Ze would never have had his day in the sun. Had we not launched this massive southward invasion and caused Emperor Zhao to lose his composure, Zong Ze would never have had the opportunity to enlist."

These words were the absolute truth.

During the second southward invasion of the Jin army, Zong Ze was originally sent out as an envoy for peace talks.

As a result, Zong Ze told the various figures of the Song court: "I do not plan to return alive from this trip."

When someone asked him why, Zong Ze stated: "It would be fine if the Jin people repent and withdraw their troops; otherwise, how can one bend the knee to the Jin and humiliate the sovereign's mandate?"

This terrified Emperor Qinzong of Song, Zhao Huan, and the group of capitulators, who hurriedly replaced him with the Prince of Su.

They then assigned Zong Ze as the Prefect of Cizhou and further appointed him as the Director-General of the Hebei Volunteer Army.

Only then did he get the chance to make his mark militarily.

Wanyan Zonghan said, "Such talent—would it not be even better if he could be put to use by our Great Jin? Who is willing to lead troops to go and persuade this Zong Ze to surrender?"

Wanyan Wushu said, "Great Marshal, this subordinate is willing to go."

"Good! You shall go!"

Wanyan Wushu led his Hooked Cavalry across the Yellow River to meet with Zong Ze.

On February 3rd, Zhang Jun arrived in Huazhou and met with Zong Ze.

That is correct, Zhang Jun, one of the Four Great Generals of the Southern Song Restoration.

The very same Zhang Jun who kneels alongside Qin Hui in front of King Yue's memorial.

"Deputy Marshal Zong."

"And you are?"

"Zhang Jun, Military Meritorious Physician, under the command of Zhong Shizhong, the Vice Commissioner of Military Affairs for Hedong."

The Zhong Shizhong he spoke of was the younger brother of Zhong Shidao.

In the Water Margin, he was known as "The Younger Lord Zhong," and alongside his elder brother Zhong Shidao, "The Elder Lord Zhong," both were renowned generals in the military circles of the Great Song.

Unfortunately, he died in battle while reinforcing Taiyuan in the first year of Jingkang, resulting in the annihilation of the entire twenty-thousand-strong Song army.

Of course, the primary reasons for this were the corruption of the Song military and political administration, and the sabotage of his teammate (Yao Gu). Lord Zhong the Younger had done his utmost before finally dying for his country.

Zhang Jun, however, had broken through with a contingent of men.

By invoking Zhong Shizhong's name at this moment, he was clearly using it to elevate his own prestige and put pressure on Zong Ze.

His implication was that he, brother Zhang, came from the Hedong army, and going into battle to kill the enemy was an everyday occurrence for him.

"So it is Commander Zhang. How many men did Your Excellency bring along?"

"Five hundred. Why do you ask?"

"Five hundred men? Why didn't Your Excellency bring more troops so that we could march together to the capital?"

Zhang Jun looked at Zong Ze as if looking at a lunatic, yet a smile still lingered on his face.

He was an extremely hypocritical opportunist who spent his entire life scheming, and he bore a share of the blame for causing Yue Fei's death.

At the same time, he was also one of Zhao Gou's unprincipled sycophants.

"Deputy Marshal Zong, I have come by order of the Great Marshal to inform the Deputy Marshal to cease fighting the Jin army."

"And why is that?"

"Word has already come from the capital that the Emperor has reached a peace agreement with the Jin people. For you to be waging a fierce battle against the Jin army here—placing the Emperor in a perilous position—what is your intention?"

"Absurd!" Zong Ze slammed his palm angrily on the desk, nearly shattering it to pieces and giving Zhang Jun a great start.

Though Zong Ze's hair and beard were completely white, his voice was like a booming bell as he roared in anger: "This is a treacherous plot by the Jin bandits! The Great Marshal has actually gone so far as to lightly trust a petty rat like Wang Boyan!"

Zhang Jun was utterly shocked; he had not expected Zong Ze to dare reprimand Zhao Gou in such a manner, and inwardly cursed Zong Ze for being a fool who knew nothing of officialdom.

Zong Ze continued, "Commander Zhang, are you willing to mobilize your troops and join me in marching south to勤王 (save the sovereign)?"

"This... this official is naturally utterly loyal to the Emperor; however, since the Great Marshal has issued an order at this time, this official will never disobey military commands!"

"Yue Fei!" Zong Ze shouted loudly, and Yue Fei entered with a few men. "Marshal Zong, what are your orders?"

"Throw this person out!"

Zhang Jun had not anticipated that Zong Ze would be so bold, and hastily said, "Zong Ze, I was sent by the Great Marshal! What qualifications do you have to throw me out!"

"Zhang Jun, go back and tell the Great Marshal to distance himself from petty villains like Wang Boyan! The Emperor is still in the capital!"

Zhao Ye, Fan Ne, and Zeng Mao, the military commissioners of Daming Prefecture, all had troops, but they currently looked to the Grand Marshal Zhao Gou for their cues.

None of them were willing to dispatch troops to come; Zhao Gou was currently the shield they used behind their worries and fears to avoid sending out their forces.

Yue Fei stepped forward and said, "Please leave!"

"What kind of thing are you! Step aside!" Zhang Jun flew into a rage.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Yue Fei grabbed hold of Zhang Jun and forcefully pinned him down with a single hand.

Before Zhang Jun could even react, he was instantly subdued.