Chapter 9: Corpses in the Yellow River

Including Cao Bin, everyone else remained in a coma, but Ye Chen, whose complexion was rosy, radiant, and whose body temperature and heartbeat were all normal, looked on.

Within the command tent of Beiying, Cao Bin led the commanders above the rank of deputy commander, watching as two soldiers carried Ye Chen on a stretcher into the tent and placed him in the midst of the crowd

The commander of the naval forces is named Zhang Ping. He has an unremarkable appearance and even possesses a somewhat lewd demeanor, lacking any trace of the fierce valor characteristic of a general in the Song Dynasty's imperial army. However, those familiar with Zhang Ping know that although his personal combat skills are average, he is exceptionally proficient in naval warfare. He approaches his tasks with considerable discretion and can be considered a decisive individual.

Zhao Kuangyin, who was experienced in battle formations, was once the most outstanding general of the previous dynasty (the Later Zhou) and was also a benevolent commander who was unwilling to cause unnecessary loss of life. He understood the importance of caring for his soldiers, and he was not ignorant of the immense sacrifices that would be required to forcibly attack, nor the countless lives that would need to be lost to fill the moat that could never be crossed even by a single step.

Zhao Kuangyin gazed longingly for a while, then looked down at the city that was besieged to the point of being impenetrable. This city would eventually fall into his hands, and the emperor within it would inevitably prostrate himself before him, just like other emperors had done. However, would heaven grant him enough time to achieve victory in battle?

A bizarre scene unfolded; almost at the very moment the blood flowed, it had already stopped, and it coagulated into clots at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Zhang Ping noticed that Cao Bin's expression was not good, and he felt a chill in his heart. He quickly bowed and said: "The general may not be aware! This young man's situation is indeed somewhat strange. From my experience, he has been submerged in water for at least ten days, during which he naturally did not consume anything. However, looking at his appearance, he does not resemble someone who has been in the water for such a long time. Furthermore, the most peculiar thing is that I have tried various methods with my men—hitting, kicking, pricking him with needles, making loud noises near his ears, and so on. All these methods have been exhausted, yet we have been unable to wake him up."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping noticed that there was also a hint of disbelief on Cao Bin's face. Feeling anxious, he hurried to Ye Chen's side and slapped him twice on the face, then forcefully pinched Ye Chen's thigh.

Cao Bin is a true general who is renowned for both his martial prowess and scholarly virtues. He excels in hard battles, maintains strict military discipline, places great emphasis on military conduct, and is known for his integrity in office, approaching tasks with utmost prudence. He is highly valued by Zhao Kuangyin

The capital of Northern Han, Jinyang, has been surrounded by the Song army from all sides for nearly a month

Amidst the clamor and astonishment of the numerous generals, they began to scrutinize Ye Chen once more as if they were gazing upon a monster. Only Cao Bin, who had seen the military intelligence, felt equally shocked, yet his frown deepened increasingly.

When the Son of Heaven is enraged, a hundred thousand corpses lie in the fields, and blood flows for a thousand miles. Regardless of his willingness or unwillingness, these hands must be stained with that blood, simply because... he is the Son of Heaven

However, Liu Jiyie, the commanding general of Northern Han, truly lived up to his reputation. He keenly recognized this point and thus implemented a strategy of fortifying defenses and clearing the countryside, concentrating his forces in the capital of Northern Han. Additionally, he stockpiled a large amount of grain, weapons, and various siege equipment within the capital, preparing to engage in a protracted war against the Song Dynasty while awaiting reinforcements from the Khitan army

The essence of this battle lies in its swiftness; he is seizing time, aiming to conquer Northern Han before the Khitan army arrives to provide support.

Soon, Ye Chen, along with his belongings, was brought before the commander of the Northern Camp, Commander Cao Bin of the Xuanhui Nanyuan.

Zhao Kuangyin gazed anxiously toward the north, toward the vast desert grasslands stretching for thousands of miles, wondering whether those foreign tribes possessed such far-reaching vision to temporarily set aside their internal disputes and come to the aid of Northern Han. If they cannot swiftly capture the capital of Northern Han and instead send troops to assist, would this not result in yet another futile endeavor?

Here, he finally encountered the first tough battle, which was also the last battle of this expedition.

At this moment, the crowd erupted in excitement, all expressing their astonishment. They rushed forward, beginning to touch and poke at Ye Chen. Even his two eyes were forcibly pried open.

Upon this sight, everyone displayed an expression of uncertainty and suspicion on their faces

After an even more exaggerated display of aggression than Zhang Ping's just now, everyone looked at Ye Chen, who remained completely unresponsive, with expressions of disbelief and astonishment. The most significant discovery they made was that, given their strength and the varying weights of their blows, a normal person would have long been covered in bruises, with purple and red swellings all over. However, Ye Chen appeared as he always did, with fair and rosy skin, delicate and smooth, healthier than one could imagine. The most significant discovery they made was that, given their strength and the varying weights of their blows, a normal person would have long been covered in bruises, with purple and red swellings all over. However, Ye Chen appeared as he always did, with fair and rosy skin, delicate and smooth, healthier than one could imagine.

Heaven knows when that sickly yet ambitious new emperor of the northern country will be able to consolidate the various factions and promptly send troops south to support Northern Han

As a result, this person is indeed alive, and not only was a token from their own reconnaissance unit found in their possession, but also military intelligence.

Cao Bin did not take offense at this; he simply kept a close watch on Ye Chen, noticing that despite such a loud noise, Ye Chen still had not been awakened

In this context, when will the Khitan army arrive? Additionally, the marching route and the commander of the troops become extremely important intelligence.

The Song army besieged Jinyang, generally dividing into four main camps: east, west, south, and north. Each camp was also positioned in relation to the four city gates of Jinyang.

His true intention naturally lies with the Khitan. His objective is to take advantage of the internal political instability and turmoil of the imperial power in the Northern Song, seizing an important stronghold—the Northern Han—when the Khitan may one day invade from the south. At the same time, this also prepares the way for the Song Dynasty to later launch a campaign against the Khitan and reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun.

Yet Ye Chen remained motionless, showing not the slightest reaction

Hula ... ...

This military intelligence was found on this person? Moreover, the token of the scout Liu Nan was also on this person? Cao Bin's eyes sparkled with brilliance, his voice calm, deep, and magnetic; even when the matter was of great importance, he remained unhurried, and even appeared elegant and composed

Indeed! The person who fell into the water is Ye Chen

The general, seeing that Ye Chen had not yet awakened, furrowed his brows and shook Ye Chen's shoulders vigorously a few times, but there were still no signs of awakening from Ye Chen.

Zhao Kuangyin stood on a high ridge, overlooking the precarious city of Jinyang before him. The city resembled a solitary boat amidst towering waves, poised to face imminent disaster, yet it always reemerged atop the crests. ... The battlements and the ground below resembled an unrelenting meat grinder, swiftly harvesting lives ...

To the north of Beida Camp, there is a river named Fenhe, which is the largest tributary of the Yellow River within the borders of the Northern Han state. To prevent the Khitan army from launching surprise attacks via water routes, a small number of naval warships are stationed in the Fenhe River.

Under his personal command, the imperial troops of the Song Dynasty were as fierce as tigers and as powerful as dragons. Their advance westward was unstoppable, encountering no significant resistance. Even the so-called invincible general of the Northern Han, Liu Jiyie, was defeated in a single battle, fleeing in panic. The peripheral prefectures and cities of the Northern Han have all fallen into his hands, leaving only this solitary city as the last stronghold of the Northern Han.

A certain commander of the Xiangdu garrison widened his eyes and said, "Is that true or false? Zhang Ping, you haven't drunk too much, have you?"

Therefore, he has arrived

Indeed! The commander of the water army stated decisively.

Zhang Ping spoke in one breath, and seeing everyone staring blankly, most of their expressions revealed disbelief.

At present, although the military strength of the Song Dynasty is considerable, it is certain that they will ultimately be able to capture the capital of Northern Han. However, whether they can conquer the capital of Northern Han before the arrival of the Khitan army has become the key to this battle

... ...

In this year, Emperor Song Zhao Kuangyin had just turned forty-one. It was the age when his experience, energy, and wisdom had all reached their peak. He possessed great talent and strategy, as well as a broad strategic vision. He understood that the Southern Tang, Southern Han, Wu-Yue, and even the Chen Hongjin of Ming Jiang, who were barely surviving, were all incapable of withstanding a blow. Sooner or later, he would face a formidable enemy worthy of battle—the Khitan from the north

Cao Bin reached out to brush away the blood clots, and everyone present could not help but gasp in shock. The finger-length wound had actually healed, leaving only a white scar.

Cao Bin has a robust physique, showcasing from head to toe that he is a muscular man, yet paradoxically, such a person is imbued with an air of elegance and refinement

Cao Bin was a renowned general in the army of the Song Dynasty. In the second year of the Qian De era, Cao Bin led his troops to destroy the Later Shu, gaining a reputation for not engaging in indiscriminate killings. He was promoted to the position of Deputy Director of the Southern Bureau of the Xuanhui, making him a significant figure in the Song military, second only to the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Privy Council.

... ...

The city stands like an isolated island, and the battle resembles a gathering of clouds. From the mountaintop, looking down, the countless soldiers appear like swarms of ants. Once, he was also one of these ants. Now, he has donned the yellow robe and become the emperor of a dynasty

His personal expedition against Northern Han, although initiated due to his failure in the scheme of sowing discord, was born out of anger and the desire to launch a northern campaign. However, with his mindset as the founding emperor, how could he possibly act impulsively

However, the arrow is on the string and must be released. It must be released quickly, and time must be seized.

Today, this naval warship set sail from the Fen River and, while patrolling the Yellow River, discovered a person floating in the water, whose condition was unknown. For nearly half a month, there had been no traffic coming from the direction of Yongle Border City, primarily because the Song Dynasty had been lurking in Yongle Border City, and the scouts dispatched had not returned. Therefore, the naval commander deduced that this person who had fallen into the water was likely from Yongle Border City. With a sense of hope, he ordered the rescue of this person whose fate was uncertain.

Zhao Kuangyin knew that during this northern expedition, the Khitan would be somewhat sluggish in their response due to internal strife. However, it is undoubtedly true that the Khitan army would eventually come to the aid of Northern Han.

With a sneer, Cao Bin acted with great precision, merely breaking the surface of Ye Chen's skin, causing him pain and a small amount of bleeding

"Bring me a dagger!" Cao Bin furrowed his brows tightly. Although he found the unbelievable scene before him hard to believe, as one of the main generals of the Song Dynasty, he was more concerned about quickly waking Ye Chen to confront him directly, thereby determining the authenticity of the military situation.

A personal guard brought over a dagger, and Cao Bin's gaze swept over Ye Chen's entire body, casually making a light cut on his exposed thigh due to the tattered pants.

The siege warfare continues daily, albeit with varying scales, and the number of casualties fluctuates.

At this moment, the warrior Niu Xing was provoked. He grabbed Ye Chen's left ankle and lifted it up effortlessly, shaking it violently a few times, and then began to swing it left and right as if wielding a weapon

"Then why not hurry up and wake him?" Cao Bin frowned and said in a deep voice. The content of this military intelligence was of great significance and extremely important to the current situation of the battle. If it were not for his need to further verify the authenticity of this intelligence, he would have already personally delivered it to Zhao Kuangyin on horseback.

A burly warrior, skeptical of the supernatural, leaned close to Ye Chen's ear, took a deep breath, and let out a thunderous shout that resonated like a clap of thunder on a clear day, startling everyone in the tent and prompting them to curse inwardly.

After pondering for a while, Cao Bin said: "Come here! Send a fast horse to the central camp to invite the Qian Shen camp over, just say that I have suddenly fallen ill. Hurry up..."

After a while, the warrior, panting and with sweat covering his forehead, returned Ye Chen to his original position