Moma Liangshan

Chapter 207 Southward and Westward Advances: New Troop Deployment

"Destroying the Liao" was the core national policy of the Jurchen after its establishment, a lifelong undertaking that every member of the Wanyan clan had to steadfastly complete. Wanyan Aguda gazed at his generals and said, "The Khitan are in decline, Yelü Yanxi is struggling to survive, but the Great Jin is like the rising sun, destined to illuminate the vast land!" The generals were all deeply moved. Wanyan Sagai, the chief minister, said, "Our army is exhausted from long battles, and the heavy rain will further hinder our siege. We should rest for three days before launching a full-scale attack!" Wanyan Aguda repeated the words "rest for three days, then launch a full-scale attack," and then asked, "Do any of you have any objections to the Prime Minister's words?" Wanyan Wuqimai said, "I agree!" Subsequently, the four princes, Wanyan Zonghan, and others echoed his sentiments.

Seeing the united resolve of the troops, Wanyan Aguda approached the map and said, "Three days ago, an army camped outside Shangjing City, seemingly poised to challenge our forces!" Wanyan Zongwang immediately volunteered, saying, "Your subject is willing to lead your troops to raze this camp to the ground!" Wanyan Aguda was delighted and said, "Good! I hereby appoint your Pituo Army as the Left Vanguard, specifically tasked with removing this thorn in our side!" Wanyan Wulu hesitated slightly, saying, "This humble general might recognize that army; it bears the banner of Princess Yelü Yuliyan of the Shu Kingdom of Liaodong!" Wanyan Wuqimai frowned and asked, "According to scouts, there are at least fifty thousand men in that camp." "Great army, does the Princess of Shu have such a large force?" Wanyan Wulu replied, "After the Princess of Shu withdrew from Liaoyang, she had approximately 30,000 troops under her command. At least half of these 30,000 troops were recruited locally in Liaodong, making it difficult to support the capital." Wanyan Wuqimai asked again, "There are no jokes before the army. Are you sure you saw it clearly?" Wanyan Wulu answered, "Your Majesty, I saw it clearly. It is indeed the banner of the Princess of Shu!" At this point, Wanyan Gao, the Grand General, said, "Second Brother, don't you know the fighting strength of the Liao army? Even if they are troops from Liaodong, what can they do? Can they withstand the attack of 30,000 Jurchen warriors?"

Wanyan Wuqimai laughed loudly and said, "Third brother is right. We've wiped out the main force of the 700,000 Liao troops. What are we afraid of with the last 300,000 old, weak, and disabled?" At this moment, Wanyan Aguda looked at Wanyan Zongwang and said, "The enemy has 50,000 troops, which are very likely the last elite of the Liao army. Your Pituo army only has 30,000. Do you dare to fight?" Wanyan Zongwang replied, "The Jurchens have less than 10,000, but more than 10,000 are invincible!" Wanyan Aguda shouted, "Good! Your father is waiting for your triumphant victory!" Although the Jurchens were brave, the defending side had a natural advantage. Wanyan Wulu said again, "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. The Liaodong campaign was less about the Shu princess retreating without a fight and more about this humble general returning in defeat!" Wanyan Wulu was a veteran of many battles and was by no means mediocre. Wanyan Aguda said, "You captured Liaoyang Prefecture without shedding a drop of blood, how can you say you returned in defeat?" Wanyan Wulu replied, "Liaoyang Prefecture was already an empty city. Losing it, apart from losing some face, was not a major loss. Therefore, the change of Liaoyang Prefecture cannot be considered a defeat for the Shu princess. In the Liaonan campaign, I also considered launching a full-scale attack, but in the end, I was constrained by the terrain and had to give up." Wanyan Aguda had already understood the meaning behind Wanyan Wulu's words and said, "So you want to tell us that although the Shu princess is a woman, she is a formidable opponent!" Wanyan Wulu hardened his heart and gritted his teeth, saying, "Not only that, I believe that since the Shu princess dared to block her camp in front of the capital, she must have already devised a countermeasure. Thirty thousand troops alone are not enough to succeed!"

The relationship between the four princes and Wanyan Wuqimai was already somewhat strained. Seeing Wanyan Wulu boost the morale of others while diminishing his own, Wanyan Zongwang was displeased and said, "The Pituo army is not fighting alone; they have Father Emperor's main force supporting them. Why can't they fight?" Although Wanyan Zongwang's actions were impulsive, what he said was quite objective. Wanyan Gao, as the Grand Chancellor and commander of the three armies, said, "In that case, let Zonggan's Sanhe army be your reinforcements!"

Although Wanyan Zonggan was the eldest son, he was only a son born out of wedlock. His mother, Peiman, was not a Jurchen, but rather came from a Mongol tribe along the Ergun River. Wanyan Zongwang, though the second prince, was born of the principal wife, and his status was far superior to Wanyan Zonggan's. The area around the Pituo River was Wanyan Aguda's territory before his ascension to the throne, thus it's difficult to discern Wanyan Zongwang's position within the royal family as the commander of the Pituo army. The core area of ​​the Jurchen tribes was the vast region between the Greater Khingan Mountains and the Changbai Mountains, while the Sanhe region was located west of the Greater Khingan Mountains. It was only due to the rapid rise of the Wanyan clan that the tribes in the Sanhe region, seeking refuge, submitted to the Wanyan clan, thus giving rise to Wanyan Zonggan's Sanhe army.

During Wanyan Wulu's eastern expedition, Wanyan Zonggan volunteered to march west out of the Greater Khingan Mountains. However, Wanyan Aguda and others believed that the Mongols and Jurchens had always used the Greater Khingan Mountains as a boundary and did not invade each other, so they refused Wanyan Zonggan's request to advance westward. However, Wanyan Zonggan did not give up. Instead, he hoped to establish a presence in the Greater Khingan Mountains to intimidate the Mongol tribes and force them to submit. However, Wanyan Aguda refused again, citing the urgent need to destroy the Liao Dynasty. From then on, although Wanyan Zonggan was resentful, he became even more cautious. Upon hearing that Wanyan Gao had ordered his Sanhe Army to support Wanyan Zongwang, he immediately replied, "I will obey your command!"

Although Wanyan Aguda had reigned as emperor for many years, the characteristics of the Jin Dynasty's tribal alliance remained very evident. The four Bojilie and the four princes each had relatively fixed territories, and the population and wealth of these territories significantly influenced the power of each lord. Wanyan Zonggan's Sanhe region was merely a peripheral area of ​​the Jin Dynasty, while Wanyan Zongwang's Pituo River region and Wanyan Wushu's Changbai Mountain region were the heartland of the Wanyan tribe. Although Wanyan Zongfu did not hold the title of lord, he effectively controlled the royal guards on behalf of Wanyan Aguda. Wanyan Zonghan's Lailiu River region was another heartland of the Jurchens, on par with the Pituo River region. Wanyan Wuqimai, as the first in line to the throne, simultaneously controlled the Greater Khingan Mountains region, known for its fierce generals, and the fertile Haidong region. Therefore, among the seven major Jurchen armies, Wanyan Zonggan, despite being the eldest son, ranked last.

The allied forces of the Shu princess were not the main target of the Jurchens' attack. Wanyan Gao, as the commander-in-chief, said, "Previously, our army only attacked the northern wall of Shangjing City, but we were hampered by the terrain and failed to utilize our advantages. This time, I propose to attack from both the northwest and east, together with the Pituo and Sanhe armies from the east. We should be able to take it in one battle!" Wanyan Aguda agreed and asked, "What do you all think?" Wanyan Wuqimai pondered for a moment and said, "Although the Khitan reinforcements are a rabble, we must still be wary!" Wanyan Aguda said, "Wuzhu's Baishan army and Zonghan's Lailiu army will be responsible for attacking the west, Loushi's Daxing army and Wulu's Haidong army will be responsible for attacking the north, and Guqin will lead the royal guards to monitor the Khitan reinforcements!"