Chapter 10

Zhao Xiaoyi led Chen Qing out from the northwest corner, below was a smooth boulder. Chen Qing tied a long rope at the top and slowly slid down while holding onto the rope.

"Follow me, Captain!"

Zhao Xiaoyi led the way. They passed through a pine forest, followed a stream southward, and then circled back north. About a hundred steps away from the military camp, they had actually circled around to the enemy's rear.

Chen Qing saw the enemy commander, who was hiding behind a large tree, observing the intense battle and continuously directing the Jurchen soldiers. A few torches were set up beside him, and his face flickered in the firelight.

Chen Qing drew his bow, loaded a crossbow bolt, and aimed at Wanyan Alu's side face, which was sixty steps away. This was a matter of life and death. Chen Qing pulled the trigger, and a lethal crossbow bolt whizzed out.

Wanyan Alu never expected the enemy commander to have circled around behind him. He suddenly heard the sound of the crossbow, turned his head, and the arrow pierced his forehead with a "thud."

The powerful crossbow bolt penetrated Wanyan Alu's skull, blood splattered, and the arrow tip protruded from the back of his head.

Wanyan Alu's eyes widened, and he fell backward, dead.

"The thousand-man commander is dead! The thousand-man commander is dead!"

The Jurchen soldiers shouted, and their morale quickly plummeted. The hundred-man commander, Yinya, seeing the situation was not good, ordered, "Retreat!"

The intense battle abruptly stopped at its bloodiest moment.

More than 130 Jurchen soldiers formed a square formation, one hand holding a spear, the other raising a shield, and slowly retreated, entering the forest.

"Fall back!"

Yang Hua waved his hand and led fifty soldiers back to the military camp, closing the gate.

At this moment, Chen Qing returned to the military camp and said to the soldiers with a smile, "I killed the enemy commander; they won't continue the battle!"

The military camp immediately erupted in a chorus of excited cheers.

...

The sky gradually brightened, but the stench of blood had not yet dissipated. The mountain path in front of the military camp gate was littered with the bodies of both armies, the earth stained red with blood, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of blood.

The soldiers were all exhausted, lying on the ground to rest.

"Captain, only this flag is left!"

The escort, Yang Hua, handed a tattered plain yellow flag to Chen Qing.

Chen Qing pulled out a dagger, pierced his finger, and wrote the eight characters "Red Heart for the Country, Vow to Kill the Jurchen Bandits" on the yellow flag with his blood. This was the flag of the Eight-Character Army.

Chen Qing personally planted the flag on the high platform, and the wind blew, making the tattered flag flutter in the wind.

Fifty-three Song soldiers slowly stood up, supporting each other with their spears, and looked up at the flag. Everyone's eyes were moist, despite their injuries and near total annihilation, as long as the flag was still standing, they had not failed.

This was their military spirit, their determination to fight for the country. As long as they had a breath left, they would never admit defeat.

The Jurchen soldiers in the forest also saw the flag fluttering in the wind. Everyone realized that they could not defeat this army, even if the other side fought to the last man, they could not claim victory.

Three hundred Jurchen soldiers had lost more than 160 men, and the hundred-man commander, Yinya, did not want any more casualties. They were the most valuable scouts and could not die in such a futile manner.

The responsibility could be pushed onto Wanyan Alu. The hundred-man commander, Yinya, finally made up his mind, "Order the entire army to retreat down the mountain!"

More than a hundred Jurchen soldiers carried the wounded and the body of their commander, and sadly descended the mountain.

Behind them, the tattered flag of the Eight-Character Army still stubbornly fluttered in the wind.

...

In the Battle of Fuping, 200,000 Song soldiers suffered a惨败. The Sichuan-Shaanxi Pacification Commissioner, Zhang Jun, ordered the execution of the defeated general, Zhao Zhe, and retreated to Xingzhou with the remaining troops. Forced by the situation, he soon retreated further to Langzhong.

Zhang Jun then ordered the commander, Wu Jie, to gather troops and hold the strategic positions at Fengxiang Prefecture's Heshangyuan and Dasha Pass.

At this time, the commander of the Eight-Character Army, Wang Yan, successfully crossed the Wei River with 5,000 troops and retreated to Heshangyuan, joining forces with Wu Jie. Zhang Jun then appointed Wang Yan as deputy commander to assist Wu Jie in defending the key passes into Shu.

Wang Yan stood at the Dasha Pass, his gaze filled with worry as he looked north.

The commander, Wu Jie, slowly walked over and stood beside him, asking, "Is there any news from Zicai's men?"

Wang Yan shook his head and sighed, "A thousand soldiers went to intercept Wanyan Zongbi's 10,000 iron cavalry; they must have been completely annihilated."

"But they did not die in vain, did they?"

"They held off the enemy for a quarter of an hour, and that crucial quarter of an hour allowed the main army to successfully cross the Wei River. Even if they were all killed, they died with honor. What moves me is that many of them drew the living lot but chose to stay and die bravely!"

Wu Jie sighed softly, "It is because of so many heroic soldiers who died for the country that the Song Dynasty has not fallen, and we still have the chance to stand here and continue fighting the enemy."

"Commander is right, but I still have a glimmer of hope."

"Does Zicai think they can break through?"

"I have a feeling that a miracle might happen!"

Wang Yan thought of Chen Qing, this young commander who suddenly appeared and gave him a completely different feeling. If a miracle were to happen, it would be because of this person.

...

Chen Qing led more than fifty of his men out of the military camp and retreated northwest.

They were all injured and could not move quickly, so they had to travel by night and hide by day. It took them five days to reach Chunhua County.

Chunhua County was a military stronghold in the Jingyuan Road. The commander, Zhang Zhongyan, led over a thousand defeated troops to temporarily garrison there.

At this time, the commander, Zhao Zhe, had already been executed by the supreme commander, Zhang Jun, and other main commanders had also been killed. This news shocked the various defeated commanders of the Huoqing Army, who were all seeking their own ways out.

The commander, Murong Tao, led his troops to join the Western Xia, and the commander, Zhang Zhongyan, who had fled to Chunhua County, decided to surrender to the Jin.

Zhang Zhongyan was about forty years old, with dark skin, thick eyebrows, and a pair of triangular eyes, and a thick beard. He looked rough and hearty, but his triangular eyes were full of cunning.

In the room, Zhang Zhongyan heard that a remnant of the Eight-Character Army had arrived and sneered inwardly. He was worried about not having a token of submission to Wanyan Zongbi, and now a remnant of the Eight-Character Army had come to him.

Zhang Zhongyan had already received news that Wanyan Zongbi was offering a large reward for a commander of the Eight-Character Army named Chen Qing. A live capture would be rewarded with a fortune and a promotion of three ranks, while a dead body would be rewarded with a fortune and a promotion of two ranks.

It was said that this person had only a few dozen men left, which matched the characteristics of the Eight-Character Army in front of him.

"Follow my orders!"

Zhang Zhongyan gathered his subordinates and said, "Once they enter the city, immediately close the city gate and shoot them in the inner city. No mistakes!"

The subordinates remained silent, and Zhang Zhongyan shouted, "At least 500,000 Song soldiers have already surrendered to the Jin. When will it be our turn to rise? This is our only chance to gain wealth and honor. If you don't want to follow me, speak up now!"

The deputy commander, Li Hua, raised his hand and said, "I will follow the commander in surrendering, but I cannot kill my Song brothers!"

"You!" Zhang Zhongyan was furious, his hand on the hilt of his sword. The other subordinates quickly restrained him.

Zhang Zhongyan knew he couldn't kill Li Hua, so he grunted and said, "If you don't want to do it, stand aside. If you ruin my plans, I will kill you myself!"

Li Hua grunted and turned to leave.

Zhang Zhongyan glared at Li Hua's back and ordered his personal guards, "Watch his every move!"

...

Chen Qing led his men to the city gate of Chunhua County. The city gate was closed, and dozens of Song soldiers wearing conical hats stood on the city wall, holding spears, with the Song dragon flag flying high.

At this moment, the city gate opened a crack, and a soldier ran out, saluting and said, "Our general says you can enter the city, but you are not allowed to plunder the people, and you must take care of your own food and lodging!"

Chen Qing didn't expect a warm welcome. He was eager to let his men rest and recover, so he nodded, "Our Eight-Character Army has strict discipline and will not harass the people or trouble you!"

The soldier waved his hand, and the city gate creaked open.

Chen Qing called out to his men, "Let's go in!"

The group supported each other and walked into the city...

On the city wall, Zhang Zhongyan watched the Song soldiers below with a sinister look. He was very cunning and knew that asking too many questions or showing too much concern would make them suspicious, so he decided to act harshly to make them relax.

When the last soldier entered the city, Zhang Zhongyan immediately turned and gave a signal. The soldiers began to turn the winch to close the city gate.

Inside the city gate was a barbican, a large open space with no buildings and no way to climb the walls. The only way to enter the county was through another city gate.

Chen Qing and his men had just entered the barbican when the city gate behind them slammed shut. Soldiers on the surrounding walls drew their bows, and cold arrows pointed at them.

The subordinates were shocked, and Yang Hua urgently said, "Captain, we are surrounded!"

Chen Qing calmly ordered, "Everyone, don't panic, use your shields to defend!"

The soldiers gathered together, backs to backs, holding their shields, forming a shield wall.

Chen Qing slowly looked around the city wall and shouted loudly, "Brothers of the defending army, am I mistaken? Is the flag behind you not the Song dragon flag?

You are still wearing Song armor and conical hats, but your arrows are pointing at your former comrades.

We fought the Jurchen to the death, not dying under their swords, but now we are to die under the arrows of our own people. Is this your way of defending the country against the Jurchen?"

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