Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The sky was clear and the grass was green. In the mountain stream, water was flowing. People's footprints were walking on the ground, making the green grass even rarer, revealing the moist soil underneath. The gate of the cavalry camp was opened, and Jurchen knights were galloping out on their war horses. A total of about 5,600 cavalrymen were gathering.

The news of the cut-off of the food supply route was covered up by Wanyan Loushi. The army still had food in stock, so a safe retreat should not be a problem anyway.

Unfortunately, when they woke up in the morning, the flags of the Qi army had already been planted all over the banks of the Hunhe River. The scouts in the army brought back the news, which immediately caused chaos. Wanyan Loushi walked on the road to the military camp somewhat helplessly, with guards in armor walking around him with swords and shields. He looked at four strong Jurchen men walking by. They were carrying a wooden board, and Wanyan Shitumen, who was wounded by an arrow, was lying on it.

Wanyan Loushi stopped and looked at the old general being carried by four people: "Shi Tumen Meng'an..."

"Marshal." The old general who was lying prone tried to straighten his head: "Xishi told me everything."

"Just don't blame me."

Wanyan Loushi grinned unhappily. He had hidden Wanyan Xishi in the army yesterday. Today he wanted to send the vanguard south to attack the Qi camp and then decide whether to retreat or stay. However, the flags raised by the Qi army on the opposite side of the river forced him to change his strategy. It would be meaningless for Wanyan Xishi to continue hiding in the tent, so he might as well let him out and let him communicate with Wanyan Shitumen first.

"It's all for the sake of dealing with Qi. How can I blame you, Marshal?" The old general shook his head and sighed, "But if we do this, we will have to retreat. If Qi attacks us halfway across the river, I'm afraid we won't be able to resist."

Wanyan Loushi said nothing. Wanyan Shitumen wiped the sweat off his face while lying on his stomach. "If we stay, I'm afraid that with the food stored in Binzhou City, we won't be able to support an army of 120,000 or 130,000."

After standing still for a while, Wanyan Loushi said, "I still want to retreat." He looked towards the west with a somewhat indifferent look, "But how to retreat? I hope you can listen to my arrangements. I guarantee that there will be enough military supplies and roads to retreat to the north of Ci Lishui."

"... Marshal, can you guarantee that everyone will go back?" Wanyan Shitumen's eyes flashed.

"There are always casualties in war." Wanyan Loushi lowered his gaze and looked at Wanyan Shitumen. "I can only guarantee that it is safer than returning from Pennsylvania."

Wanyan Shitumen was relieved when he heard this: "In that case, I fully support the Marshal's plan."

As the two were talking, two figures on horseback came towards them in the distance like a whirlwind. They reined in their horses and stopped in front of them. Wanyan Huo Nu patted the horses' necks and said, "Dad, there is no big movement from the Qi army, but there is chaos in Binzhou. Uncle Dalai and Uncle Alihemeng are arguing. Uncle Alihemeng wants to continue to defend Binzhou, while Uncle Dalai wants to withdraw. They asked me to ask you what to do."

"What else can we do..." Wanyan Loushi exhaled, "Let them all evacuate. The rear is unstable. Follow me back. Tell them to take those who are willing to leave with ten days' worth of rations. For the rest... I will find a way."

"Yes."

Wanyan Huo Nu responded and was about to turn around and ride away when she heard her father's voice: "Come back."

Wanyan Huonu turned around and saw her father coming. She jumped off her warhorse at his signal. Wanyan Loushi went over and whispered a few instructions, then patted him on the shoulder and said, "Go and change horses first."

"Okay." The son naturally agreed. The horse under him had been running to the Qi army camp and then to Pennsylvania for half a day and was already exhausted. He bowed to Wanyan Shitumen, went around the dock, changed a warhorse and ran out of the camp.

Wanyan Loushi watched his son disappear from his sight, then turned to look at the camp and said, "It's time for us to go." He waved his hand and said, "Just let Dalai and Alihem follow behind. They are just infantrymen anyway, and the upcoming battle has nothing to do with them." Wanyan Shitumen pondered for a moment and nodded.

It is indeed as Wanyan Loushi said. In this situation, infantry is no longer needed. It is better to...

They are a drag.

On the 27th day of the 3rd month of midsummer, Wanyan Loushi led his cavalry out of their hiding place and headed westward. The Pennsylvania infantry also packed up their bags and set out on the road to retreat after quarreling and panicking that afternoon.

Xi Sheng, who was also in Binzhou, learned the news of the retreat of the Binzhou city defenders, and immediately led a large army to attack. He combined the remaining cavalry of Zeng Tu and Niu Gao to launch a surprise attack on the rear army led by Wanyan Alihemen. Although the Jurchens were prepared, their army was already in chaos, and their infantry was not as strong as theirs. Zeng Tu broke into the formation, stabbed Wanyan Alihemen's half-brother Wanyan Mapo with a spear, cut off his head and returned.

Sima Heren of Niu Gao's army was shot dead by Wanyan Manduhe, the younger brother of Wanyan Alihemen. Then Niu Gao shot the former again under the cover of Wanyan Zongfu, and the arrow hit the throat, thus avenging his deputy general.

However, Wanyan Chang's troops were more numerous than the Qi cavalry. Even with the speed of their war horses, they were unable to keep the enemy troops. They could only patrol the periphery and delay their retreat.

In the next two days, Wanyan Chang led his infantry to guard against the sneak attack of Qi cavalry, while following Wanyan Huonu westward along the Hunhe River.

On the Jiyou day, Xi Sheng led his army to catch up with Wanyan Chang, and the two sides launched an offensive and defensive battle on the banks of the Hunhe River. The infantry of Wanyan's army was homesick, and they used their ferocity to repel the Qi army many times. The foreign general Cheng Zhunahai died at the hands of Wanyan Huonu, and Aliyi was killed by the rebel army.

Wanyan Alihe was furious at his half-brother's death, so he charged into the battle line many times in armor, disrupting the Qi army's front line. Xi Sheng then ordered Han Shizhong to lead Xu Wen and more than 300 cavalrymen under his command to attack the enemy from the side and disrupt their formation.

During the melee, Xu Wen slashed Wanyan Alihemen's arm. While fleeing, the latter bumped into Han Shizhong and was hit by a spear and flew into the air. The Wanyan infantry, who had lost their leader, were immediately swallowed up by the defending Qi army, and Wanyan Chang had no choice but to retreat.

At the Gengxu time in midsummer, Wanyan Loushi led his cavalry and suddenly attacked Jingyuan City. Wanyan Zonghan was leading his troops to attack the city and was caught off guard by the sudden attack in the center of the army. If it were not for his own superb martial arts and the carefully selected horse he rode, he would have been killed in the battle by Wanyan Loushi.

Even so, the 10,000-strong army suffered countless casualties. When they retreated to a safe place to collect supplies, they found that 40% of the more than 10,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, including 3,000 who were trampled by their own people when the cavalry charged. The food and supplies in the camp were also seized by Wanyan Loushi, who took them all into Jingyuan City.

Wanyan Zonghan had no choice but to retreat to Huanglongfu. Many Jin soldiers were tired of fighting, and by the time they returned, they were a thousand fewer.

In mid-summer on the day of Xin Hai, Wanyan Loushi led his cavalry out of Jingyuan again. On the way, he attempted to ambush Xi Sheng in the woods, but was discovered by the latter. The two sides then confronted each other in the wilderness.

On the New Year's Day in late summer, Wanyan Loushi and Xi Sheng, unable to find an opportunity, retreated at the same time.

On the Jiayin day of the last month of summer, the Qi army occupied Binzhou. (End of this chapter)