Magical Water Margin: They all call me brother

Page 138

The target sea area was instantly transformed into the core of a storm and ice inferno. The Liangshan fleet unleashed a barrage of thunderous cannon fire, gradually extinguishing the fire of this steel behemoth that had just awakened and was spewing flames, and the bombardment ceased.

"Now! Charge!!!"

Wanyan Zongwang maintained his frost magic, sealing off Liangshan's artillery positions, and roared an order, and his army immediately charged towards Liangshan like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down!

The ground began to tremble violently under the ferocious trampling of thousands of iron hooves and mutated claws, forming the drumbeats of death! The entire earth was even completely swallowed up by a hideous and twisted shadow.

All you could see were the fierce Jurchen warriors, half-human, half-bear, half-human, half-tiger, with bloodshot eyes and muscles bulging like rocks, dressed in the Mingguang armor of the Song Dynasty and the Tang Xuanjia of the Liao Dynasty, riding warhorses from the grasslands and the Northeast, galloping wildly across the beach! The heavy armor of their mounts could not conceal their swollen bodies, and their deep roars were like rolling thunder!

Meanwhile, the smaller wolf-like and leopard-like beastmen served as light cavalry, harassing the Jurchen alliance from both flanks with arrows, their eyes gleaming with a sinister green light; the massive infantry ranks surged forward in a dark mass, countless frost trolls over three meters tall, and even frost giants ten meters tall, standing out like cranes among chickens in the vast Jurchen alliance! They combined Han Chinese armor craftsmanship with the ferocious wildness of beasts, forming a twisted and terrifying hybrid torrent.

And this was merely the vanguard! Behind them surged an army of countless races: stocky, fierce-looking frost dwarves; short, menacing cavemen wielding poisoned daggers… Banners fluttered, their forms varied, yet all coalesced into a single, destructive greed and killing intent. The sounds of hooves, footsteps, beast roars, and human shouts blended into a chaotic, primal, destructive roar, like a boiling sea of ​​lava, carrying the force to annihilate all life and barriers before it, sweeping towards the Liangshan Marsh beachhead with overwhelming force, like a tidal wave crashing down upon them!

The overwhelming killing intent and the dust that rose up almost dyed the sky blood red. The Liangshan army, which had landed hastily and had not yet assembled a defensive line, seemed to be torn to pieces in the bloody frenzy of the Jin people.

However, just as this wave of destruction had swept halfway, and was still hundreds of steps away from Liangshan Beach, the ten galleons that Wanyan Zongwang had covered with ice and snow opened fire once again.

The previous misfires were merely Liu Hong's deception of the Jin army. If cannons were to be suppressed by a blizzard on the plains, it would indeed result in most of them failing to fire.

However, under the double protection of the thick deck and sealed canvas, the cannons and gunpowder, even those hidden deep in the ship's hold, were not so easily affected by the severe storm and snow weather. As a result, only one-third of the cannons were silenced, and more than half of the ship's cannons were still able to fire normally!

Without further announcement, the ten galleons roared once more, their cannon fire even briefly overshadowing the dark clouds in the sky! The intense heat melted away the blizzard that had formed a curtain of water, and a massive cloud of smoke rose into the air once more!

The once surging, unstoppable tide of Jin soldiers charged forward as if crashing into an invisible wall. The heavy, solid iron projectiles exploded first above the heads of the most ferocious bear-man cavalry! The violent shockwaves sent several massive bodies, along with their mounts, flying and tearing them apart. Hot shrapnel, like a swarm of hellish bees, indiscriminately pierced through thick fur and heavy armor. Blood, flesh, internal organs, and shattered limbs splattered like fountains at the epicenter of the explosion, covering the faces of those charging behind them.

The rapidly spinning chain shot became a terrifying limb-reaper! Spinning and whistling, it swept past the flanks of the charging column with a deathly scream! Wherever it passed, the formidable werewolf cavalry were easily cleaved in two; severed limbs, even half-bodies, mixed with gushing blood, splattered everywhere. The charging column was like a wheat field brutally sliced ​​by an invisible giant scythe, instantly leaving behind several shocking, crimson wounds paved with flesh and entrails.

The dense barrage of grapeshot bullets was like a rain of sand spewed by the Grim Reaper! They swept across, and whether you were a ferocious alien, a tough golden warrior, or an ordinary barbarian infantryman, you were as fragile as paper under this saturation attack! The front ranks of the charging formation seemed to be brutally wiped out by an invisible giant hand! Patches of figures were riddled with holes by countless small but deadly bullets, their sieve-like bodies gushing blood as they crashed to the ground, only to be trampled into a bloody pulp by their unstoppable brethren behind them!

One round! Just one round!

The overwhelming and terrifying army of beastmen and the allied forces of thousands of races charged forward with the ferocity of flesh and blood being thrown into a giant mortar. They were shattered and routed in a round of naval bombardment! The deafening shouts of the charge instantly turned into the mournful howls of countless dying beasts, the dying cries of warriors, and the utterly out-of-control screams of fear!

The horrific casualties were like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, instantly extinguishing all fighting spirit and frenzy! The surviving beast riders were left with only pure, instinctive fear. They desperately reined in their almost insane mounts, turning, trampling, and colliding with each other... The entire plain was in chaos! The charging formation collapsed, was divided, and scattered, leaving only a swamp of corpses and blood, and routed soldiers running around in despair without any leadership.

At that very moment, a deafening battle cry erupted! Clad in dark iron armor and wielding gleaming spears and crescent blades, the Liangshan cavalry converged into a thunderous torrent of steel, sweeping in with unstoppable force! Fueled by the burning rage for revenge for their compatriots and the boundless morale boosted by the fleet's artillery reinforcements, they crashed into the carnage of severed limbs, broken bodies, and chaotic terror like a whirlwind of steel burning with the flames of vengeance!

The once invincible Jurchen remnants and routed warriors of various tribes were now as fragile as withered grass in autumn before the steel spears and whistling sabers. Their formation was lost, their courage gone; how could they withstand this devastating, thunderous attack? Countless fleeing soldiers were pierced and tossed about by spears like straw! Their breastbones and brains were crushed by heavy iron hooves! Their heads and arms were sliced ​​off by sharp sabers!

This was no longer a balanced charge and resistance, but a complete crushing of flesh and blood by steel, a one-sided massacre of chaos by order! The horrific battle situation made Wanyan Zongwang frown.

He had fought artillery before; the Liao artillery was quite ferocious, but its weaknesses were also quite obvious. First, it was vulnerable to misfires caused by rain or snow; second, it was afraid that cavalry could charge in and drive away the gunners, killing them and rendering the guns unusable.

But now, with their cannons hidden inside the ships, they are somewhat ignoring the effects of the bad weather.

Their ships were hiding at sea, and the cavalry couldn't charge into the open ocean...

Knowing that the situation was hopeless, Wanyan Zongwang immediately moved the blizzard covering the Liangshan fleet to his own position, using the blizzard to obscure the view and slow down the pursuers. Then, he led the Jurchen army, which was already adapted to fighting on the snowfield, and quickly retreated.

Chapter 400: The People of Youyan Return to Liu

The smoke of blood and fire had not yet completely dissipated, and a faint smell of burnt blood still lingered in the air. However, in the Bohai Bay, a completely different atmosphere, filled with the spirit of survival and surging currents, was overwhelmingly dispelling the shadow of war.

Two hundred thousand ragged Yan refugees stared in disbelief at the Liangshan reinforcements. They were all disheveled, many covered in mud, blood scabs, and the exhaustion and wounds of their long journey. They carried the old and the young, their last remaining belongings, and looked at the approaching Liangshan army as if it were parched land receiving rain.

At this moment, they were densely packed, like a tide gathering on the beach. As far as the eye could see, there was a sea of ​​heads, a dark mass stretching from the shoreline all the way to the distant gentle hills, almost without end! Every weathered face was filled with a mixture of shock and unspoken anticipation.

Their original rulers, the Liao Dynasty, were destroyed.

The royal army they longed for had been abandoned by the Song Dynasty.

Their leader, Zhang Jue, was killed by the Jurchens.

Just when these 200,000 Yan people were at their wits' end and about to be captured by the Jurchens and taken to the northeast, they were saved by a group of rebels within their own Song territory!

"Fellow countrymen of Yan and Yun! I've come to save you!"

Liu Hongshu spread his gilded wings and soared in the sky. His enormous gilded fiery wings were even strong enough to block out the sun, casting the shadow of Liangshan over the heads of hundreds of thousands of people.

"Our Liangshan people help the poor and needy, protect our territory and people, and rob the rich to help the poor. We only take what is ill-gotten! We eliminate violence and uphold justice, and we are dedicated to killing the villains who harm the country! Now the Jurchen invaders are coming south, slaughtering our compatriots and destroying our homes. Heaven and earth will not tolerate this!"

"I admit that Liangshan's strength is limited, and we cannot lead you back to your hometown in a short time. However, I have the ability to lead you back to Shandong! Everyone will have a house to live in, land to cultivate, and after you have recuperated and strengthened yourselves, I will personally lead our elders and fellow villagers to fight our way back to Youzhou!!!"

"Heavens have opened their eyes! Someone has come to save us!"

"Father! Mother! We're saved! Boats! So many boats!"

Someone shouted first, and like a spark igniting an endless grassland, the entire camp was instantly set ablaze! A wave of gratitude, as loud as a mountain and as deep as the ocean, surged into the sky! Countless people trembled with emotion, tears streaming down their faces!

Like wheat fields swaying in the wind, like rivers bursting forth! Two hundred thousand people, regardless of age, gender, or gender, all bowed deeply in reverence towards Liu Hong, towards him, and towards the "Acting on Behalf of Heaven" banner on the ship.

At this moment, Liangshan Marsh, under Liu Hong's governance, displayed a powerful organizational and command capability, with countless ships of all sizes neatly arranged. The massive galleons, like floating fortresses, stood proudly on the outermost perimeter, deterring potential threats; while a large number of troop transports and converted fishing and merchant boats were densely packed in the inner layer, as if building a floating bridge for returning travelers.

The Liangshan soldiers, armed with weapons, maintained order, guiding the large number of refugees to their assigned boats. The wounded and the weakest women and children were given priority to board the larger, more stable boats, while the men rode in smaller boats. Furthermore, the Liangshan soldiers quickly and systematically distributed clean water, hot bread, and basic medicine. Everyone who received food held it carefully, as if it were a precious treasure.

Under the protection of the Liangshan army, the 200,000-strong force remained almost completely undisturbed. The column, like several slowly flowing dragons, marched silently and resolutely towards the ship's deck, a symbol of their return journey, to the accompaniment of loud and rhythmic shouts. The sailors skillfully guided them, and the crowd on the shore gradually thinned out.

However, the population here was still ridiculously large. Liu Hong mobilized all the ships in Dengzhou and Shandong, but they could only bring back 20,000 people. He could only send four tiger generals, Guan Sheng, Lin Chong, Qin Ming and Dong Ping, to lead the Liangshan soldiers to the shore, set up camp and hold the line. The other ships had to return to port temporarily. If one trip was not enough, they would make ten trips!

In an instant, white sails rose one after another, and the fleet stretched for miles, a magnificent sight. The refugees were transported to the nearest county in Shandong, where they were first given houses, then tools were distributed, and the refugees were arranged to cultivate the land.

The Pingzhou evacuation lasted for almost a month. The Jin forces only launched sporadic harassment attacks and did not launch any large-scale attacks. The largest attack involved only a thousand people, which were repelled by Guan Sheng, Lin Chong, Qin Ming, and Dong Ping, who protected the refugees during the evacuation.

The main force of the Jin Dynasty might have been held up by other matters? Perhaps they were negotiating with the Song Dynasty? Perhaps they were wondering what Liangshan was? In any case, it wasn't until more than twenty days later, when all the refugees had been evacuated, that there was no longer any pursuit by Wanyan Zongwang or his ilk. They could only watch helplessly as 200,000 refugees were all protected by Liangshan and transported to Shandong.

Such a massive refugee group was a huge strain on Liu Hong's resources. He organized the 200,000 refugees into 40,000 households, with 10,000 households settling in Penglai and Liangshan as urban workers. The remaining 30,000 households were scattered throughout Shandong as military households and farmers. Chai Da Guanren desperately bought grain to support them, barely managing to feed the 200,000 people. Liu Hong, with a very difficult workload, had to absorb the human resources of 200,000 people. He then began cultivating the land.

Once things get on track, this massive force of 200,000 people will propel Liangshan's fighting and tax-collecting capabilities to a new peak.

At the same time, Liu Hong also learned why the Jurchens had not launched a second major offensive.

First, Wanyan Aguda mistakenly believed that Liangshan was a Song army and that the Song emperor was causing trouble. Therefore, he sent envoys to negotiate, sternly condemning the actions and attempting to quell the matter without using soldiers. Ultimately, he discovered that Liangshan was indeed a rebel army and that he had wrongly accused the Song emperor, at which point he dropped the matter.

Secondly, Wanyan Aguda had an even more important goal to pursue: Yelü Dashi fled to Qatun City with two hundred cannibals and brought out twenty thousand cavalrymen from the city!

It turns out that this city was an important town in the north of the Liao Dynasty, where the last elite heavy cavalry of the Liao Dynasty still remained. Although the Jin army was brave, its small number of soldiers was always their biggest weakness.

The Jurchen's entire elite cavalry force never exceeded ten thousand, always hovering around four figures. Even with the addition of various allied and auxiliary forces, their total strength was less than fifty thousand. At that time, Northeast China was truly an uncivilized land of white mountains and black waters, with a pitifully small population. Their total military strength was even less than that of Liangshan after its maximum mobilization. Like Liangshan, they followed an absolutely elite route.

In order to fight Yelü Dashi's 20,000 men and to pursue Emperor Tianzuo, Aguda couldn't spare a large army to confront the main force of Liangshan and seize the 200,000 Yan people.

Chapter 401: Yelü Dashi Charges Left and Right

At this moment, Yelü Dashi was inspecting the soldiers of Qatun City: these 20,000 cavalrymen were an important force for the Liao Dynasty to suppress and enslave the nomadic tribes of the grasslands, and also the last reserve force of the empire. Now, they had fallen into his hands.

In fact, a major reason why the nomadic tribes of the grasslands and the Han Chinese of the Central Plains fought each other endlessly was that the Great Chanyu of the Xiongnu and the Great Khan of the Turks were actually the leaders of a loose alliance. They could not control the small tribes under them. If the Great Chanyu signed a treaty with the Han Dynasty and married a Han princess, what did it have to do with their small tribes? They would go south to plunder if they wanted to. This angered the Han Chinese in the south, who believed that the north had broken the agreement, thus leading to constant wars and chaos.

The Liao Dynasty was indeed able to control the various small tribes on the northern grasslands, and thus, after signing the Treaty of Shanyuan, it maintained peace with the Song Dynasty for a hundred years.

One of the key reasons why the grasslands were able to be gradually suppressed was the 20,000 cavalrymen of Khatun City.

Five thousand of them were cannibals, each equipped with a fanged beast. These beasts were enormous and fierce by nature. In appearance, they were no different from rhinoceroses in size and shape, except that their bodies were covered with a thick layer of fur and they did not have rhinoceros horns, but instead had a pair of bloody tusks.

These giant monsters are slower than horses, but have excellent endurance and are extremely aggressive. They can carry an ogre for a day and a night and fight on the battlefield for one or two hours before getting tired.

Therefore, the Zangya Beast cavalry only needed to pull an extra packhorse to help carry some logistical supplies before they could set off.

These five thousand ogres were all heavy cavalry. Five thousand sets of Tang Xuan armor gleamed on the massive bodies of these ogres, displaying their former glory. The huge ogres were also covered with an extra layer of leather for protection. All five thousand ogres were armed with lances and steel whips, and each carried a three-meter-long giant bow and two javelins of one-and-a-half-meter-long arrows, as big as javelins. They were majestic and arrogant.

The other 15,000 soldiers were vassal troops of the Liao Dynasty—earth spirits from the grasslands.

The variety of monsters on the grasslands is even greater than in the Northeast, but most of them are utterly undisciplined and incredibly disorganized. Back then, Yelü Abaoji carefully selected a race that, while weak, was at least somewhat disciplined, and brought them into the Liao Dynasty's direct army. These earth goblins are somewhere between the short, emerald-green goblins and the burly, dark-green orcs, averaging about 1.7 meters tall.

High goblins revere physical strength and military prowess, firmly believing that immense power and superior combat skills are essential qualities for individuals and leaders. They care nothing for anything other than the skills and strategies displayed on the battlefield. High goblins rise through the ranks by force and maintain their positions through harsh methods. They train with a variety of weapons and are highly skilled at crafting weapons, armor, and engineering equipment. They are organized, disciplined, and meticulously maintain their weapons, armor, and personal belongings.

Their mounts also come in two types.

Five thousand of the most powerful goblins were also granted the right to wear armor. Their mounts were dire wolves, enormous wolves as big as horses, though lacking in stamina, but possessing terrifying explosive power and lethality on the battlefield. Wielding spears, sabers, and recurve bows, they became five thousand fierce and fearsome wolf riders.

The other 10,000 goblins rode ordinary grassland horses, carrying sabers and recurve bows, and were ordinary 10,000 archer cavalry.

These 20,000 cavalrymen, plus Yelü Dashi's 200 cannibalistic arquebusier guards, constituted all his trump cards.

This force is already very powerful, but the problem is that Yelü Dashi is now fighting against a massive army that the Jin state has mobilized in full force.

Yelü Dashi pondered carefully, his gaze set on the Western Regions—both the Xiongnu and the Turks fled westward after being defeated by the Han and Tang dynasties, hoping to escape the Jin army's advance and iron hooves!

However, historically speaking, none of the Xiongnu or Turks who escaped were able to return to the grasslands or avenge their grievances. They all succumbed to depravity in the west and had no desire to return home.

If they wanted revenge, the Song Dynasty had betrayed the alliance, so they couldn't go back. The Western Xia was too small, and its land was too barren. It was already exhausted from fighting against the Song Dynasty, and it was no match for the Song and Jin Dynasties.

After much deliberation, Yelü Dashi finally remembered Liu Hong's promise to him: if things ever become unbearable, come to Liangshan.

Yelü Dashi slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That makes sense! My aunt Yang Zhi is a general at Liangshan, and that brat Liu Hong lacks cavalry. If I were to lead 20,000 cavalry to join them, I'd at least be appointed a general, right?"

Moreover, based on my current record, if I want revenge, Liangshan is my best choice! And the Jin soldiers will definitely surround and intercept me, but they will never expect me to launch a surprise attack!

Thinking of this, Yelü Dashi immediately assembled his troops and decided not to go west. Instead, he turned around and headed east!

Yelü Dashi's move was indeed unexpected by everyone. The Jin emperor, Wanyan Aguda, personally led troops to blockade the north to prevent Yelü Dashi from escaping to the northern grasslands.

Wanyan Zonghan, one of the four great generals of the Jin dynasty, also led his cavalry to make a detour from the south to prevent Yelü Dashi from escaping south to Western Xia.

Meanwhile, the Great Jin general, Wanyan Loushi, led an extremely fast aerial dragon force to directly outflank the west, attempting to establish a defensive line in the west, intercept Yelü Dashi's escape route, and annihilate the Liao army at Qatun City.

However, to their utter surprise, Yelü Dashi, because of his agreement with Liu Hong, decided not to go west and instead turned around and headed east! The three strongest forces of the Great Jin, the three elite troops, all came up empty-handed and surrounded a lonely enemy.

Commanding the army in the east was Wanyan Zongbi, the fourth son of Wanyan Aguda, also known as Jin Wuzhu.

Jin Wuzhu was completely stunned. He never expected Yelü Dashi to turn back and attack him. The elite troops of the Jin Dynasty had all been taken away by his father Aguda, his uncle Loushi, and his cousin Zonghan. His remaining troops were all auxiliary forces, and the entire army had no battle plan. No one expected Yelü Dashi to come back to attack, and as a result, they were crushed on the spot by 20,000 cavalry!

Yelü Dashi dared not linger, knowing that the other three killing gods could return at any moment. After breaking through the encirclement, he led his army eastward in a whirlwind charge, re-entering Guo Yaoshi's Youyan territory.

At this moment, Guo Yaoshi was also dumbfounded. What the hell? The elite troops of the Liao Dynasty are coming towards me?

Because of the Northern Song Dynasty's previous baffling actions, the people of Youyan (present-day Beijing and Hebei) preferred to help the Liao people rather than the Song people, especially the Liaodong people on Guo Yaoshi's side!

Furthermore, Guo Yaoshi had only been in control of Youyan for less than a month, and he hadn't figured out how to govern this area.

Thus, with the support of the Han Chinese of Youyan, Yelü Dashi's 20,000 Khitan cavalry bypassed all of Guo Yaoshi's defenses and charged directly into the heart of Hebei, reaching the banks of the Yellow River. Liu Hong had been waiting there for a long time, and Shandong ships were frantically ferrying cavalry across the Yellow River. This time, they only needed to cross the Yellow River, not the Bohai Sea, so in two days and two nights, all 20,000 cavalry were brought to the south bank of the Yellow River and settled in Shandong.

Chapter 402: The Infighting Between the Song and Jin Courts

Seeing Yelü Dashi arrive with 20,000 cavalry, Liu Hong was naturally very excited. He held a grand banquet to welcome him and wash away the dust of his journey. Yelü Dashi, who had not had a proper rest for several months due to the Jin army's pursuit and interception, got drunk and even cried. He was comforted by his generals and sent to his room.

The next day, Liu Hong, following Khitan tradition, appointed Yelü Dashi as the Great King of the Northern Court and the commander of the Fifth Army of Liangshan. The cannibals and earthbill cavalry he brought were still under Yelü Dashi's rule and management, and he promised that one day they would return to Youyan.

At this moment, Wanyan Aguda was furious. What were these Liangshan bandits? The first time they robbed him of over 200,000 people, and the second time they robbed him of 20,000 Khitan cavalry? He immediately demanded an explanation from the Song Dynasty!

At this moment, the Song Dynasty was powerless—you speak as if we could defeat Liangshan. If we could wipe out Liangshan, we would have done so long ago. What? You say the Song Dynasty can't destroy Liangshan, and the Jin Dynasty wants to borrow our passage to destroy Liangshan? Are you crazy? Who would dare agree to that?

The envoys from both sides were unable to reach an agreement on the Liangshan issue.

For the Jin dynasty, they felt extremely wronged, as the things promised by the Song dynasty had been intercepted by Liangshan!

For the Song Dynasty, they also felt very wronged: I really can't beat Liangshan, what does their looting have to do with me?

The Liangshan incident further strained relations between the Song and Jin dynasties.

After the Jin army seized the other half of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun in one fell swoop, which was northern Shanxi and the core area of ​​Inner Mongolia, they were so angry that they simply refused to return it and firmly controlled the area with Yunzhou as the leader. At this time, all five capitals of Liao had completely fallen, the Liao Dynasty was completely destroyed, and the Jin Dynasty replaced the Liao Dynasty and became the northern neighbor of the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, after destroying the Liao Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty spent another year on a long expedition to the grasslands and invaded the Western Xia Dynasty. The grassland tribes were forced to kowtow and beg for forgiveness, and they all recognized Wanyan Aguda as the new ruler of the grasslands and the new Khan.

The Western Xia cavalry were evenly matched with the Liao, but no match for the Jin. After suffering a series of crushing defeats, the Western Xia, trembling with fear, admitted defeat and directly submitted to the Jin, paying tribute. The Jin perfectly replaced the Liao, becoming the northern neighbor of the Song Dynasty, and was even ten thousand times more terrifying than the Liao.

Subsequently, the Jurchens began to reorganize their army, replenish their troops, control the occupied territories, end the war, and enter a period of recuperation. At the same time, they continuously sent messengers to accuse the Song Dynasty of violating the maritime alliance.

As for Liangshan, the 200,000 Han Chinese, Yelü Dashi, various traitorous generals, and the Yunzhou issue, an endless and protracted wrangling ensued. Liangshan had already settled the 200,000 people and cultivated new land, yet the envoys from both sides continued their endless disputes, each offering their own version of events.

At this moment, the Song emperor once again did something shocking: after elevating Guo Yaoshi to a high position, even to the same level as An Lushan, he actually stopped trusting Guo Yaoshi.

The whole incident started because Guo Yaoshi felt that his Ever Victorious Army was not large enough in order to guard Hebei and Youzhou, so he began to expand the army. In the end, according to the calculation of the Song Dynasty, he obtained 50,000 Imperial Guards of Youyan and 300,000 Xiang Army.

This number is nothing compared to the total military strength of the Song Dynasty, but unfortunately, Guo Yaoshi is honest and straightforward. Other places are just making empty promises and exaggerating or concealing information, and the remaining troops are not trained much.

He really has 350,000 men, training them every day and conducting military exercises every month. If he wants to turn the ever-victorious army into an elite and powerful force, then the cost will be enormous.

Meanwhile, in Kaifeng, Cai Jing, Gao Qiu, Tong Guan, Yang Jian, and others all considered Guo Yaoshi a threat. These past few years had been turbulent, and the number of troops under our control had greatly decreased, while Guo Yaoshi commanded 350,000 Ever-Victorious Army soldiers. Who could tolerate that? So they began to offer slanderous advice, saying that Guo Yaoshi's expansion of his army was too exaggerated. After we reclaimed Youyan, taxes not only did not increase, but actually decreased. All the taxes from Youyan were used to support Guo Yaoshi's 350,000 Ever-Victorious Army, making it seem as if we had not reclaimed Youyan at all.

If it were just that, it wouldn't be so bad. But, to support 350,000 professional troops, the taxes from Youyan are simply not enough! We even have to dig out the entire tax revenue of Hebei to support Guo Yaoshi! He eats, takes, and demands far too much! The entire Hebei will be bankrupted by these 350,000 troops!

Emperor Huizong initially didn't believe it, but the four treacherous ministers kept embezzling funds and reporting him every day and every month. In addition, the entire tax revenue of Hebei was indeed being embezzled by Guo Yaoshi. Emperor Huizong's private treasury income decreased sharply, and everyone involved in the Hebei tax revenue chain gradually came to hate Guo Yaoshi to the bone. After all, cutting off someone's source of income is like killing their parents.

Guo Yaoshi was also terrified and helpless. He was leading troops in the field, and every day people in the court were reporting him. Who could stand that?

He also lost faith in the court and refused to surrender. Instead, he began to rapidly expand his army, thinking he might end up like An Lushan.

Given this mutual distrust, the Song Dynasty had no choice but to plan to rebuild an army to replace Guo Yaoshi's Ever-Victorious Army. Through Gao Qiu's machinations, they recruited Tian Hu, one of the four great bandits of the Song Dynasty, from Hebei, and appointed him as the military governor of Taiyuan. They then began to expand their army at an alarming pace!

This move stunned the Great Jin Dynasty in the north.

What the hell? We've only been at peace for two years, and your Youzhou military governor, Guo Yaoshi, has gone from a victorious army of 10,000 to a crazy expansion of 350,000.