Chapter 24: Against the Khitan (Part 2)

  The Jurchen army defeated the main force of the Liao army defending Ningjiang Prefecture, and Xiao Tiennu chased after them on horseback, changing horses twice along the way. He pursued them all the way to the city walls of Ningjiang Prefecture, but seeing that there were no reinforcements coming, he retreated back.

  After Zhang Yan's army was defeated and retreated, they collected the captured weapons and prisoners. When Yang Kaiyuan led the engineering troops to follow up, it was already late in the day, so they set up camp.

  Guo Xiang was busy setting up defenses in another strategic location and did not have time to attend this meeting. Aguda sent someone to spread the news of his great victory, and after hearing it, Xiang dispatched his son Zonghan to come and congratulate him, and also advised Aguda to declare himself emperor to command the people. Aguda asked Zhao Yanxun: "What do you think?"

  Zhe Yan Chong did not speak, Ah Gu Da smiled and said: "I know what you mean. The emperor should be the strongest under the blue sky, a victory in one battle is enough to claim a great title, why show people shallowly!"

  On the second day, the army advanced and approached the city of Ningjiang. Yang Kai looked far away and saw the city of Ningjiang, thinking to himself: "The northern barbarian city is fundamentally incomparable to the cities of the Central Plains!" He led the engineering soldiers, under the cover of bows and arrows, using a single-wheeled cart to transport earth, filling up the moat.

  The Jurchen people set up the cloud ladder made by the Han army to attack the city. Abaoji pointed at the city wall and asked Dijue: "I often hear that the Han people are best at attacking and defending cities, do you think this city can be taken?"

  Di Yu snorted and said: "This city is not worth defending for long."

  As soon as the words fell, the eastern gate saw the Liao army rushing out, wanting to make a battle under the city. Alu Man led his men to charge from the side, cutting off the Liao army's retreat route. Zong Xiong, Zong Gan, and Zong Wang respectively led their troops to divide the Liao army that came out of the city into small pieces. Wuzhuo, Xiao Tienu, and others rushed in, killing them like chopping vegetables, and actually killed every single one under the eyes of the Liao army on the city wall. The ground was covered with blood, limbs, and internal organs, and the soldiers and civilians on the city wall were all frightened.

  Zhe Yan Chong asked Cao Guangyi beside him: "Why don't you go forward and make achievements?"

  Cao Guangyi said lightly, "This battle is without suspense, what benefit is there in killing more people?" He glanced sideways and saw Yang Kaiyuan looking as if he was about to vomit, and asked, "After traveling thousands of miles, you still haven't gotten used to it?"

  Yang Kaiyuan shook his head and said: "If I had always stayed in Jiangnan, I probably wouldn't have had the chance to see this scene in my lifetime."

  Cao Guangyi listened to this and looked around, seeing no Jurchen people nearby, he said in a low voice: "I'm a bit worried, what if the Jin replaces the Liao...". Before he could finish speaking, he saw Zong Xiong and Xiao Tienu bringing back enemy heads, so he stopped talking.

  The main force of the Liao army had already dispersed, and there were not many defenders in the city. The Jurchen people held the key to the attack and besieged Ningjiang Prefecture.

  The weather was getting colder, the Jurchen soldiers were getting more and more spirited, while the Liao people were becoming more and more fearful. On this day, Dou Yan suddenly said: "Doubi Jilechang often says that Han people are good at attacking cities, but now there is a broken city in front of us, yet it has not been taken for many days! If we let the Jurchen people enter the city first, where will our faces be placed?"

  The Han army was enraged upon hearing the news. Suddenly, a scout rushed over to report that Ou Yang had sent a letter. Zhe Yan-chong read it and said: "Ou Yang has contacted the merchants inside the city, they have bought off several guards in the south of the city, tonight they will set fire in the north as an internal response to attract the attention of the Liao army generals, we will then charge in from the south! We will wash away the name of Han people being weak and soft, it's going to be tonight!"

  Several leaders said in unison: "Good!"

  Zhe Yan Zhong knew after meeting with Wanyan Zonghan, at night he lay in ambush south of the city. At that time it was already late September, only a sliver of moonlight remained, and there were few stars. At the third watch, someone on the wall dropped down a soft ladder, Zhe Yan Zhong led a dozen or so men to climb up, but when they reached the top of the wall, they were shocked to find that beside the soft ladder was Ou Yang Shi, wearing the uniform of the Liao army's Bohai department. It was unknown how he had infiltrated the army.

  At that time, there was no leisure to talk, Ouyang Yi led Zhe Yan-chong to quietly approach the city gate, and suddenly killed the soldiers and civilians guarding the city gate. The city gate opened wide, and most of the Liao army only realized it then, but it was too late? Di, Cao, Xiao, Alu Man and others had already rushed in early. Xiao Tienu led 50 people to charge against the enemy who came to welcome them, and the Jurchen army followed behind, the Liao soldiers were completely without fighting spirit, some abandoned their armor and fled, some surrendered. Zhe Yan-chong and Ouyang Yi led the remaining Han troops to directly reach the Ningjiang State Government Office, capturing the Liao army's defensive envoy, Da Yao Shi Nu. The commander-in-chief Xiao Ya did not live in the city.

  Ah Gu Da entered the city with great joy and ordered Zhe Yan Chong and Zong Xiong to go separately to handle the affairs of pacifying the people.

  Cao Guangyi asked how Ou Yangzi had managed to infiltrate the Liao army, and Ou Yangzi smiled: "I didn't think you'd arrive so quickly. Before I could even leave the city, Ningjiang Prefecture was put under martial law. The battle was fierce, and the Liao people were routed, leaving behind their armor and helmets. Ningjiang Prefecture's military strength is insufficient. In recent days, in order to defend the city, many able-bodied men have been hastily recruited as soldiers - who knows how many! I thought it would be easy to mix in!"

  Ningjiang Prefecture was a commercial hub in the northeastern border of Liao, where merchants from Khitan and Goryeo often passed through to trade with the Jurchen tribes. Some bold and powerful men like Zhao Guan even dared to enter the Jurchen territory to trade, using Ningjiang as their base. As a result, although Ningjiang was not large, it had a lot of wealth. After the city was breached that night, many shops were looted, but only Zhao Guan and others who received protection from the Han army were able to escape unscathed.

  Zhe Yan rushed to see many merchants coming to the Zhao family to seek Han's protection, knowing that this matter could not be ignored. He came to see Abao and said: "The looting with strong soldiers has a reason to follow, but the extremely fierce eyes of Dou Bo should not be limited to our existing land. This place can become an important base for our supplies and troops in the future. If Uncle has the intention of advancing south to attack Liao, we must win over the hearts of the people in this city."

  Ah Gu Da said so, and ordered Zhe Yan Chong to go and issue an order to restrain. Zhe Yan Chong said: "I am not suitable for this matter."

  Agu woke up and realized that he was a Han Chinese after all, so if he went to pass on the order, he feared that the Jurchen people would not obey, so he called his younger brother Xiao to go and pass on the order.

  The Jurchen army intimidated Ningjiang Prefecture for several days, and the people's minds gradually calmed down. Aguda ordered Xiao to stay behind as a garrison commander, with Zheyanchong as his deputy, while he himself led the troops back to Ning.

  Before the army left, Zhe Yan Chong held onto Zong Xiong and said: "I won't be back for a while, you let Ah Hu take good care of her pregnancy, don't worry about me."

  "Relax, it's just my sister!"

  This battle captured many prisoners, and Zhe Yan only accepted Han prisoners - whether they were Khitan or Bohai people, as long as they could speak Chinese, he also took them as Han prisoners. Due to Ou Yang's ghosting, the prisoners spread that surrendering to the Han would be much better off, so many prisoners claimed to be Han and eventually joined the Han department, totaling 800 people.

  Cao Guangyi and others carefully selected 200 people with strong physique and full spirit, and then divided 50 people from the original 160 cavalry to form a team of four, as the grassroots cadres of these 200 people, still in groups of five, teams of ten, pulled out of the city every day for training, as if there would be a big battle tomorrow.

  The other 600 men were led by Yang Kaiyuan back to Huining and returned to Yang Yingqi's command.

  Soon, the appointment came from Huaning, with Zhe Yan Chong as the Han Department's Meng'an (thousand household chief), Di Yu, Cao Guangbi, and Xiao Tienu as Mouke (hundred household chiefs). Zhe Yan Chong also promoted those who had merit in this battle to be Pu Liyan (ten household chiefs). The good doctor Yao Tong hurried to Ningjiang Prefecture to treat the wounded, while the dead were transported back to Han Village where Yang Yingqi handled the subsequent affairs.

  However, just as Zhao Yan had caught his breath, he heard that the powerful minister of the Great Liao, Xiao Siqian, was leading an army of 100,000 infantry and cavalry to quell the "border rebellion"!