Chapter 16

That night, under the cover of darkness, the Jin army swiftly retreated. It took them only one hour to complete the withdrawal.

At the same time, the Song army scouts on the outer perimeter received important intelligence.

The intelligence was quickly relayed to the Heshangyuan military camp.

Wang Yan hurried to the main tent, and a soldier loudly reported, "Commander Wang has arrived!"

"Please enter!" came the voice of the commander Wu Jie from inside the tent.

"Jin Qing, I heard the Jin army has retreated?" Wang Yan asked as he walked into the tent.

Wu Jie stood in front of the map, smiling slightly, and said, "That's what I should be asking you!"

Wang Yan was a bit confused, "What do you mean?"

"The scouts reported that a unit of the Eight-Character Army launched a surprise attack on Jingzhao City, beheading Wanyan Lou Shi. The Jin army lost all their supplies and had no choice but to retreat!"

"Wanyan Lou Shi is dead?" Wang Yan's eyes widened in surprise.

He then frowned, "What do you mean? The Eight-Character Army did it, that's impossible! My troops are all at Dasha Pass, where could there be another Eight-Character Army?"

"The intelligence says so, but I'm not sure of the details."

Wu Jie paused and added, "It seems a general surnamed Chen led a few hundred soldiers. Can you think of who it might be?"

"Surnamed Chen?"

Wang Yan suddenly slapped his forehead and blurted out, "Chen Qing, it must be him!"

He could no longer contain his excitement, "It must be him, the head of our Eight-Character Army's scout unit. He and Li Jiang led a thousand soldiers to fight Wanyan Zongbi's main cavalry force. I knew he must still be alive!"

"A thousand soldiers fighting Wanyan Zongbi's main cavalry force and still surviving? Impossible!" Wu Jie was skeptical.

"Others might find it impossible, but he is a legend."

Wang Yan then detailed to Wu Jie how Chen Qing had escaped from the battlefield and evaded the pursuit of the enemy cavalry. He concluded, "The only puzzling thing is the five hundred soldiers. A thousand soldiers shouldn't have so many left. Perhaps he gathered another force from somewhere, but to behead Wanyan Lou Shi is simply incredible!"

Wu Jie was genuinely surprised that Wanyan Lou Shi had been killed. This news would surely cause a sensation if it reached the court.

Wu Jie couldn't help but exclaim, "A mere head of the scout unit can accomplish such a monumental feat. Zicai, I really envy you! The Eight-Character Army has such a legendary general."

Wang Yan quickly humbly responded, "The details are still unclear. It might not be him. We'll see once the situation is clear!"

Though he said this, Wu Jie was already thinking. He stroked his beard and smiled, not saying a word. Such a talented general, he must recruit him to his own command. After all, Chen Qing was originally a general of the Huanqing Army, not the Eight-Character Army.

Wang Yan became wary. He knew Wu Jie well. If he was deep in thought, he was likely planning to take Chen Qing away. No, he couldn't let that happen!

...

As night fell, a gray, cold mist enveloped the Ziwu Valley. Tens of thousands of refugees fleeing south crowded the short ten-mile valley. The wind was less strong in this section, but it was still very cold. Women wrapped their children in tattered quilts and held them tightly. The elderly clutched their cloth, unwilling to tear it apart. Coughing sounds echoed throughout the valley.

The young and strong men spontaneously formed night patrols, holding weapons obtained from the Jingzhao granary, vigilantly watching the dark, narrow paths. The endless darkness hid dangers, not just wild beasts but also ruthless bandits.

Chen Qing led a group of soldiers on horseback, patrolling the valley. A robbery had occurred during the day, leaving a woman injured and 120 taels of silver stolen. The thieves, having tasted success, would likely return at night.

Chen Qing studied a bow on his horse. It was the bow used by Wanyan Lou Shi, which he had captured. This bow was a two-stone cavalry bow, too powerful for ordinary generals to draw, but it suited him well, indicating that his strength was comparable to Wanyan Lou Shi's.

Compared to bows, crossbows were much less convenient, especially during rapid movement. Archery on horseback was a basic skill for a great general. To survive in the Song Dynasty, he had to master this skill.

"General!"

The head of the patrol, Yang Hua, rode up from behind, saluting, "A Song army unit has arrived from the south. Their leader wants to see you!"

"I know. Continue patrolling and be cautious of the bandits' cold arrows!"

"Understood, sir!"

Chen Qing put the bow in his bag and turned his horse south.

The leading group of refugees was less than ten miles from Ziwu Pass. This Song army unit must have come from Ziwu Pass. In the distance, the torches of over a hundred soldiers were visible, with a tall, imposing general leading them, wearing mountain-pattern armor and a phoenix-wing helmet, about thirty years old.

Chen Qing gripped his iron spear, highly alert. Weapons and armor were readily available in Guanzhong, and many refugees wore military leather armor for warmth. It would be easy for bandits to disguise themselves as Song soldiers.

"Where are you from, Song soldiers?" Chen Qing called out from fifty paces away.

"I am Zhu Baijin, a general under the command of the Consolation Envoy. The refugees say you are their protector. May I ask which unit you belong to and what your rank is?"

The Consolation Envoy was the Song army commander Zhang Jun, who held the title of Consolation Envoy for Sichuan and Shaanxi. He was currently in Hanzhong, and Zhu Baijin was likely one of his personal guards.

Chen Qing replied coolly, "I am Chen Qing, the head of the scout unit under Commander Wang of the Eight-Character Army."

Zhu Baijin was taken aback upon hearing that Chen Qing was just a head of the scout unit. He asked, "Do you have a superior officer?"

"My superior is Commander Li Jiang. We were responsible for the rear guard. Commander Li has fallen in battle, and I led the remaining troops south. I was concerned about bandits in the Ziwu Valley, so I took the initiative to protect these refugees."

"I see!"

Zhu Baijin pondered for a moment and then cautiously asked, "Have you been to Jingzhao City?"

He was surprised to see that the refugees had food and cloth, which they had obtained from the granary in Jingzhao City.

"I took a look around, killed a few thousand enemy soldiers, and beheaded Wanyan Lou Shi."

"What?"

Zhu Baijin was shocked, "What did you say, beheaded Wanyan Lou Shi?"

"Just a sick man, not much of a victory."

Chen Qing spoke casually, but Zhu Baijin was thunderstruck. He quickly said, "The Consolation Envoy is at Ziwu Pass. Could you please come with me?"

...

Chen Qing followed Zhu Baijin to Ziwu Pass with a few of his men. He asked curiously, "Why is the Consolation Envoy at Ziwu Pass?"

Zhu Baijin smiled bitterly, "The Consolation Envoy was inspecting the defenses in Yang County when he heard that tens of thousands of refugees had arrived in the Ziwu Valley. He was worried it might be a trap set by Wanyan Lou Shi, so he rushed to Ziwu Pass."

Ziwu Pass was not far, and they arrived after a fifteen-minute ride. A tall, sturdy gate guarded the exit of the Ziwu Valley, with soldiers holding bows and spears standing on the walls, the torches illuminating the area like daylight.

"Please wait a moment, General. I'll go in and report!"

Zhu Baijin asked Chen Qing to wait while he entered the gate to report.

At this moment, Chen Qing realized a major issue. If he didn't accompany the refugees south and explain the situation, the tens of thousands of refugees would not be allowed into Ziwu Pass. They would have to return to where they came from. If Wanyan Lou Shi sent ten thousand soldiers to mix with the refugees, Hanzhong would be in grave danger. The Song army would certainly be on high alert.

Soon, Zhu Baijin came out, saluting, "Please come with me, General!"

Chen Qing followed him into the pass and soon arrived at a large tent.

"Report to the Consolation Envoy, the person has arrived."

"Please come in!" The voice inside was gentle and clear, belonging to a middle-aged man.

Zhu Baijin pointed to the sword at Chen Qing's waist and apologized, "Generals cannot bring swords into the commander's tent!"

Chen Qing removed his sword and handed it to him, then lifted the curtain and entered the tent. He immediately saw the commander, Zhang Jun, who was indeed a civil official, not a general.

Chen Qing knelt on one knee and reported, "This subordinate, Chen Qing of the Eight-Character Army, pays respects to the commander!"

Zhang Jun was in his forties, of medium build, with a white face and a long beard. His eyes were bright, and he looked intelligent and capable.

He was a scholar, originally a deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites, and had been promoted to the position of chief of the Military Council for his role in suppressing the Liu and Miao rebellions. He was one of the leaders of the pro-war faction in the court, following Li Gang and Zong Ze.

After Wanyan Zongbi's defeat at Huangtian Ford, Zhang Jun realized that the Jin's next strategic target would be Sichuan and Shaanxi. He advocated strengthening the defenses in Sichuan and Shaanxi to prevent the Jin from entering Sichuan.

His ideas were supported by the emperor, Zhao Gou, who appointed him as the Consolation Envoy for Sichuan and Shaanxi, giving him full authority over military and political affairs in the region.

This was a characteristic of the Song Dynasty: regardless of the military operations, the commander was always a civil official appointed by the court. However, the armies in Sichuan and Shaanxi were fortunate, as Zhang Jun was a pro-war advocate and relatively intelligent and open-minded.

However, Zhang Jun, being a civil official, did not understand the situation in Sichuan and Shaanxi. He was idealistic and favored large-scale military operations. His eagerness for a decisive battle ultimately led to the disastrous defeat at Fuping, which also destroyed the most elite Western Army of the Song.

After the Fuping defeat, he immediately wrote a letter of apology to the emperor. He had not yet received a response, but he still needed to write a detailed battle report, which was causing him great distress.

Just then, Zhang Jun heard a piece of news: the Jin commander Wanyan Lou Shi had been beheaded. This news was almost unbelievable, but it also gave him a glimmer of hope.

Zhang Jun glanced at Chen Qing, a young and imposing general. He nodded, and then his gaze fell on the sword in Zhu Baijin's hand. He exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!"