Chapter 2: Northern Han Jinyang

The Northern Han Kingdom, located in the southwest of the Yongle Border City, is characterized by its limited territory and scarce resources, with a weak military and few generals. However, due to its recognition of the Northern Khitan as the 'Father Emperor', it received support from the latter and managed to survive in a precarious state.

Additionally, since Yongle Frontier City serves as a transit center connecting the powers from the east, west, south, and north, it acts as a bridge for trade exchanges among these regions. The southern regions supply grains, textiles, ironware, salt, and tea, while the northern regions provide horses, cattle, sheep, furs, and various special medicinal materials. Both the local populace and official entities from different powers continuously engage in mutual trade and exchange here according to their respective needs

However, due to the recent instability of the internal governance in the Khitan state and the critical period of the struggle for imperial power, the Great King of the Southern Court of the Khitan delayed the order to mobilize troops. Meanwhile, Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty personally led his army with an unstoppable momentum, advancing northward. The Northern Han army was defeated in a single battle and fled in panic.

Zhao Kuangyin, while allowing the Northern Han to perceive the strength of the Song Dynasty's military, also dispatched a large number of spies to infiltrate the enemy forces to gather various military intelligence, while simultaneously creating and disseminating rumors to confuse the enemy's morale and undermine their spirit

Various factors have contributed to the current prosperity of Yongle Border City

On the 8th day of the 2nd month in the 2nd year of the Kai Bao era, Zhao Kuangyin ordered the envoy of the Southern Bureau, Cao Bin, and the commander of the Imperial Guard Infantry, Dang Jin, to each lead a contingent of troops to advance to Jinyang (present-day Taiyuan) ahead of schedule

A storm of war, sweeping across three factions, is quietly brewing. After several years of peace, the Yongle border city is on the brink of once again facing the flames of conflict. For the people of Yongle border city, however, disaster is already imminent.

In these past few years, Song Zhao Kuangyin continuously dispatched troops to conduct raids. In July of the first year of the Qian De era, he sent Cao Bin and Chen Wanmai to attack the border regions of Northern Han, capturing a significant number of prisoners upon their return. Shortly thereafter, he dispatched Wang Quanbin, who successfully captured Le Ping County of Northern Han; by the end of the same year, he again sent Cao Bin to lead an army into Northern Han territory, seizing the two states of Liao and Shi. In the first month following the second year of Qian De, Li Jixun and Kang Yanze led over ten thousand infantry and cavalry to launch another attack on Liao Prefecture. Northern Han sought assistance from Khitan, requesting an army of sixty thousand for rescue, but ultimately, they were defeated by Li Jixun, Cao Bin, and others, who commanded sixty thousand Song soldiers.

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Until Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty initiated the Chenqiao coup, donned the yellow robe, and replaced the Later Zhou, establishing the Great Song in the southern Central Plains. At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin formulated a strategic policy of "first the south, then the north" and "first the easy, then the difficult" based on the prevailing situation. He recognized that the south was the economic center and that the powers in the region were relatively weak, while the Liao regime established by the Khitan in the north was strong and well-equipped. After consulting with ministers such as Zhang Yongde and Zhao Pu, he determined this approach.

Particularly a few years ago, when Song and Liao were in confrontation, the Northern Han and various Tangut tribes were caught in between, engaging in mutual attacks. Although the scale was not large, whenever there was warfare, it often erupted in the vicinity of the Yongle border city, leading to the destruction of city walls in that area, the desolation of fields, the scattering of the populace, and the abandonment of homes.

On February 17, Zhao Kuangyin donned his armor and personally led a large army departing from Bianjing (Kaifeng). He appointed the veteran General Gao Huaide, the military governor of the Guide Army, as the commander of the Hedong campaign, with Li Jixun, the military governor of Zhaoyi, as his deputy, and Zhao Zan, the military governor of Jianxiong, as the commander of the cavalry and infantry. Prime Minister Zhao Pu also accompanied the expedition to assist in military affairs.

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Criminals wanted by various national authorities, fugitives who have offended the powerful and noble families, as well as those without a place to belong in the martial world, all take this place as a refuge and a haven.

The peripheral states and cities of the Northern Han Kingdom have all fallen into the hands of the Song Dynasty, leaving only the solitary city of Jinyang, the capital of the Northern Han Kingdom, which is present-day Taiyuan

Zhao Kuangyin was enraged; he forgot the established strategy of prioritizing the south before the north. Ignoring the repeated objections of Zhao Pu and others, he decided to dispatch a large army to swiftly conquer Northern Han. Since the covert warfare without gunpowder had proven ineffective, he resolved to bring the army to the borders, engaging in direct confrontation, and to resolve the issue with real weapons.

Thus, over the years, Yongle Border City has been both a refuge for good citizens and a paradise sought after by those who thrive on bloodshed. It is fraught with danger, yet opportunities abound. It can be a place where heroes and gallant figures find no burial ground, as well as a stage for the fearless to achieve fame and fortune.

This siege battle has lasted for more than ten days to date, with casualties on both sides totaling over ten thousand. Although the Northern Han side has the advantage of defending the city, their morale is low, their supplies are insufficient, and their military strength is clearly weaker than that of the Song army. Furthermore, their weaponry and equipment are also inferior to that of the Song army, and in addition, their troop numbers are relatively fewer than those of the Song army.

On the battlefield, the scene is incredibly tragic, with thousands of soldiers from both sides dying every day, turning into bones. Many of the soldiers who died at the foot of the city have remained unburied for many days, and as time passes, the stench becomes unbearable

At this time, the Song army could have easily launched a vigorous attack on the Southern Tang or Northern Han, expanding their achievements in victory. However, Zhao Kuangyin of the Song, a man of great talent and strategy, had been well-versed in military texts since childhood and came from a lineage of renowned generals. He was particularly familiar with the chapter on "using spies" in Sun Tzu's Art of War. He held in high regard the various espionage techniques listed in the Art of War, such as "using spies for advantage," "counter-espionage," and "creating spies." Additionally, considering the need for the Song army to rest and the development of various domestic industries, he sought an alternative approach to reclaim Northern Han—one that would minimize bloodshed, reduce casualties, and avoid excessive military engagement.

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On February 11, Zhao Kuangyin issued an edict to personally lead a military campaign. He appointed Zhao Guangyi, the governor of Kaifeng, to remain in the Eastern Capital, and Shen Yilun, the deputy chief of the secretariat, to oversee the internal affairs of the court.

In fact, from the moment the Great Song army set out from Kaifeng, the Khitan state had already received intelligence from spies stationed in the Great Song regarding military developments, without waiting for the Northern Han to send envoys to request assistance. The Khitan military had already made preparations to march southward

At this moment, the Prime Minister Guo Wuwei, who was originally regarded as the backbone of the Northern Han state, mysteriously disappeared. This further unsettled the Northern Han court and the populace, creating a sense that the fall of the nation was imminent

However, it was utterly unexpected that all of this was clearly seen through by Guo Wuwei, the Prime Minister of Northern Han. Not only did he orchestrate the assassination of Hou Barong, but he also organized elite troops to eliminate numerous spies from the Song Dynasty. As a result, Zhao Kuangyin's meticulously planned espionage war ended in failure, and the plan to recover Northern Han through a coup was also reduced to nothing.

Fortunately, during a time of crisis, the renowned general Liu Jiyie of the Northern Han showcased his talents, commanded the army, and took charge of the overall situation. This enabled the formation of a standoff at Jinyang City

For the Southern Song and the Northern Han regime to the east, this land, which was the first to be affected, was no longer suitable for the common people to inhabit; it was only appropriate for implementing the strategy of "fortifying walls and clearing the fields" to prevent the Khitan and Tanguts' warhorses from advancing southward, rendering them unable to resupply within hundreds of miles.

It is under such special circumstances that various forces have formed a rather delicate balance of stalemate, allowing Yongle Border City to experience a precious and brief period of tranquility, free from the ravages of war for several years. Moreover, with the tacit consent, whether intentional or unintentional, of the surrounding forces, the current Yongle Border City has become a subtle place of neglect.

Yongle Frontier City is located in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River, connecting to the Southern Song Dynasty in the south, the Liao Dynasty in the north, the Northern Han in the east, and the various tribes of the Tangxiang in the west. Due to its unique geographical position, this border town has frequently suffered from the ravages of war since the late Tang Dynasty. The city walls, which are neither tall, wide, strong, nor thick, have undergone countless cycles of destruction and repair, followed by further destruction and repair.

Since the decline of the Tang Dynasty and the An-Shi Rebellion, various local heroes have risen, leading to the chaotic situation of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. For over fifty years, the land of Huaxia has been embroiled in continuous warfare, with bones covering the fields and a thousand miles without cooking fires

At present, the Great Song has swallowed Jinghu, destroyed the Later Shu, and boasts a strong military, abundant supplies, vast territory, and a dense population, marking the most prosperous period since its establishment. Especially after the incorporation of the Later Shu, known as the "Land of Abundance," into the Central Plains, the financial and material resources of the Great Song have been unprecedentedly strengthened, laying a solid foundation for further unification efforts.

The army of the State of Song surrounded the city from all sides, forming an encirclement as solid as an iron barrel around Jinyang. Simultaneously attacking from all directions, the atmosphere was filled with panic, and the city of Jinyang was already in a state of terror.

Therefore, today, apart from the Yongle Frontier City itself, the land outside, centered around the Yongle Frontier City, stretches for hundreds of miles, filled with ruins and desolate villages, resembling a ghostly realm of abandoned land, utterly devoid of inhabitants

For the Liao people and the various branches of the Dangxiang, who originated from nomadic tribes, it is customary to leave a buffer zone known as "Ou Tuo" at the boundary between the two ethnic groups. During times of peace, neither side is permitted to enter this area, and pedestrians must stop; otherwise, it will be regarded as provocation and disturbance.

The scale, magnitude, and the number of troops deployed in this Northern Expedition of the Song Dynasty are unprecedented in all previous military campaigns

In this battle, Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty was determined to achieve victory, but what was the outcome? Ye Chen knew, while others naturally did not.

The capital of Northern Han, Jinyang

At the same time, in collaboration with Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi, they meticulously planned to send back Hou Barong, a general of Northern Han who had ostensibly escaped from the Song army, but in reality had completely defected to the Song Dynasty. He returned to Northern Han to win over its officials, secretly creating various public opinions, preparing to overthrow this small northern court without shedding blood.

In fact, if it were not for the Northern Han's renowned general Liu Jiyie recognizing the situation and decisively abandoning all states and counties outside the capital, concentrating all main forces within the capital to preserve military strength, the current state of war for the Northern Han would be even more dire