【After the suppression of the bandits, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the fourth year of Shaoxing, Yue Fei led 30,000 troops to cross the Yangtze River northward to attack the puppet Qi. This was the first time since the Southern Song Dynasty crossed the river that the imperial army took the initiative to cross the river and attack. It was a grand operation with the goal of targeting Xiangyang, which was occupied by the puppet Qi. 】
【Yuejia Army first broke Yingzhou, then fought a decisive battle with Li Cheng, the general who surrendered to the puppet Qi, in Xiangyang. Niu Gao captured Suizhou in three days. Yue Fei defeated Li Cheng in a single battle. The enraged Li Cheng combined forces with the Jin army, totaling 300,000 troops. The Yuejia Army dispersed to attack, and the puppet Qi allied forces collapsed again. They then captured Deng and Tang prefectures within six days. In just over two months, Yue Fei had recovered the six prefectures of Xiangyang, shaking the whole country. 】
【This was Yue Fei's first Northern Expedition. This battle completely enraged the Jin Dynasty. The Jin army and the puppet Qi army joined forces, preparing to attack Huainan again and completely annihilate the Southern Song court. 】
【Zhao Gou was startled and immediately sent envoys to negotiate peace with the Jin Dynasty. He proposed that the Southern Song Dynasty could pay 500,000 taels of silver to the Jin. This amount was far higher than the Treaty of Chanyuan, but the Jin was even more ruthless. They agreed to peace but demanded that Zhao Gou become king in the Guangxi and Minyue regions, while the rest of the land would be ceded to the Jin. 】
【Zhao Gou was furious and refused to accept such terms. Moreover, Zhao Ding, the prime minister at the time, advocated for war and proposed that Zhao Gou's chariot travel north to Pingjiang Mansion, leading the imperial army in a personal expedition. He also appointed Zhang Jun, the previous war advocate, as the commander-in-chief. 】
【Zhao Gou agreed. Thus, both sides began a major war. Han Shizhong went north to cross the river to attack Yangzhou, but he found that he was the only one with troops. Liu Guangshi disappeared again. Zhang Jun pretended to have a broken arm and could not participate in the battle. 】
【Han Shizhong had no choice but to face the vast allied forces of the Jin and the puppet Qi alone. Han Shizhong ambushed the Jin army at Dayi Town and launched a surprise attack, defeating the allied forces. However, he was outnumbered and retreated safely to the south bank of the Yangtze River after the victory. 】
【At this time, Yue Fei first went north to lift the siege of Luzhou, and then the Yuejia Army quickly crossed the river to Huai West. Wan Yan Zong Bi was terrified and hastily retreated, not daring to engage in battle with the main force of the Yuejia Army. 】
【After this battle, Zhang Jun, Han Shizhong, and Yue Fei were all rewarded. In June of the same year, Yue Fei also pacified Yang Yao's rebellion, which had been entrenched in Dongting Lake. 】
【In the sixth year of Shaoxing, Zhang Jun deployed his generals to launch another Northern Expedition. Zhao Gou established his headquarters at Pingjiang Mansion. The Yuejia Army captured Zhenrujun City, then advanced to Guozhou and recovered Shangzhou, and then attacked Shunzhou, entered Changshui County, entered Henan territory, and approached Luoyang City. 】
【However, due to the lack of supplies, the Yuejia Army had to withdraw from Luoyang and return to Xiangyang. 】
【After this battle, Zhang Jun's reputation soared, eclipsing Prime Minister Zhao Ding and becoming the new prime minister. He strongly advocated for the Northern Expedition to recover Huai West and could not give up the old capital of Kaifeng. To better lead the Northern Expedition, Zhang Jun recommended Qin Hui to Zhao Gou. Qin Hui returned to the capital and became the Minister of War. 】
【In the same year, Yue Fei launched his third Northern Expedition, leading 20,000 troops deep into enemy territory. He returned with a great victory. Zhang Jun was overjoyed, which further solidified his confidence in the Northern Expedition to destroy the puppet Qi. 】
【Therefore, in the seventh year of Shaoxing, the Southern Song Dynasty, under Zhang Jun's leadership, launched another Northern Expedition. However, before the Northern Expedition, they had to solve the problem within the army, namely Liu Guangshi's army, which frequently disappeared. 】
【In the same year, Zhang Jun confiscated Liu Guangshi's military power, but unexpectedly, the Huai West mutiny broke out. Li Qiong, a general under Liu Guangshi, seized the opportunity and led 40,000 soldiers to cross the river and surrender to the puppet Qi. After the mutiny, Zhang Jun's reputation suffered, and he resigned from his post. Before leaving, he recommended Zhao Ding to Zhao Gou. 】
【Just when the Southern Song Dynasty was in despair, the puppet Qi fell into ruin after accepting Li Qiong's 40,000 troops. The Jin generals Wan Yan Chang and Wan Yan Zong Bi arrived in Kaifeng, arrested Liu Yu, disbanded the puppet Qi, and even proposed peace negotiations with the Southern Song Dynasty, willing to return all the territories of the puppet Qi to the Southern Song Dynasty. 】
【Zhao Gou was overjoyed and, despite the opposition of his ministers, insisted on peace talks. To this end, he dismissed Prime Ministers Liu Dazhong and Zhao Ding and appointed Qin Hui, who advocated for peace, as prime minister. 】
【Soon, the peace treaty was concluded, and the Southern Song Dynasty recovered Kaifeng and its former territories. 】
【However, Jin Xizong suddenly broke the treaty. In May of the tenth year of Shaoxing, he launched four attacks southward. Zhao Gou had no choice but to fight back. First, Liu Qi defeated Wan Yan Zong Bi at Shunchang. Then, the Yuejia Army launched another Northern Expedition, achieving great victories at Yancheng and Yingchang, annihilating tens of thousands of Jin troops and recovering Yingchang, Chenzhou, Zhengzhou, and Luoyang, encircling Kaifeng. 】
【Wan Yan Zong Bi was furious and personally led 120,000 troops to attack, but he was defeated again by the Yuejia Army. Taking advantage of this victory, Yue Fei turned from defense to offense and advanced to Zhuxian Town, defeating the Jin army again. He was close to Kaifeng City. 】
【At this time, everyone in the world was shocked by the Yuejia Army. The northern rebel armies rose up, reaching 400,000 strong, and all supported the Yuejia Army. The Jin army's morale was low, and countless generals surrendered to the Yuejia Army. From then on, the Yuejia Army was invincible! 】
……
“Huff!”
A gentle breeze blew, and as the words and sounds on the Golden Banner continued to appear, people from all dynasties stood there dumbfounded, speechless, their faces full of shock!
Since the fourth year of Shaoxing, the Yuejia Army had won every battle, never suffering a defeat. Its strength was unmatched in the world!
In the realm of Qin Shi Huang, outside Xianyang Palace.
Ying Zheng smacked his lips, trying to regain his composure. He took a deep breath, his eyes burning with passion as he said calmly:
“What a formidable Yuejia Army, what a brilliant Yue Fei! Such prowess! Truly a renowned general of our time!”
As soon as these words were uttered, the officials of the Qin Dynasty standing behind Ying Zheng were stunned, their bodies trembling. It was the ultimate shock and excitement!
They had witnessed the strength of the Jin army. In a few years, they had destroyed the Liao Dynasty, and in a few months, they had captured Kaifeng. They moved with incredible speed, pursuing Zhao Gou to the sea. Almost no one could withstand them!
But the emergence of Yue Fei brought a different kind of surprise to everyone. He had won every battle. Since Yue Fei's appearance, the Yuejia Army had never suffered a defeat!
Moreover, they had grown stronger with every battle, causing everyone present to gasp in awe!
Meng Yi and other Qin generals were also shocked. After a while, Meng Yi said with a wry smile:
“I am no match for this man’s strength!”
This was the truth. If Yue Fei appeared in the Qin Dynasty, Meng Yi was not entirely confident that he could defeat such a formidable Yuejia Army!
“Han Shizhong is no slouch either. Of the Four Pillars of the Middle Kingdom, only these two have extraordinary abilities!”
Feng Quji also agreed.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ying Zheng also smiled. The Han army was still mighty. Even after hundreds of years, they still had such famous generals. No wonder the Southern Song Dynasty could rise again. The Southern Song Dynasty was blessed with such a powerful general like Yue Fei. They truly deserved their resurgence!
Witnessing Yue Fei’s countless achievements, everyone’s hearts were filled with both shock and excitement.
Ying Zheng and his ministers even saw in the near future that the Yuejia Army would attack Kaifeng, recover the old capital, and restore the Northern Song Dynasty!
And even to launch a Northern Expedition, annihilate the Jin Dynasty, and achieve great unification, it was not impossible!
Thinking of this, Ying Zheng couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Such a famous general, if only he had been born in my Great Qin! Then I wouldn’t have to fear the Xiongnu from the north, and I wouldn’t have to build the Great Wall…
……
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