Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Now let me translate this passage from Chapter 86 of *Water Margin* (120-chapter edition) into English.

Now the commander-in-chief He, whose given name was Chongbao, served as deputy commander-in-chief under Wanyan, the supreme commander of the Liao Kingdom. He stood ten feet tall, possessed the strength of ten thousand men, and was skilled in dark sorcery. He wielded a three-pointed, double-edged saber and was currently stationed in Youzhou, where he commanded all the regional armies. At that time, He Chongbao memorialized the Lord of the Liao Kingdom: "Your servant's territory of Youzhou contains a place called Qingshi Valley—there is only one path leading into it, and all around are towering mountains with no way out. If I dispatch a dozen or so riders to lure those savages inside, and then deploy troops to surround them from outside, these wretches will have no way forward and no path of retreat—they will surely starve to death." Commander Wanyan asked, "How can we get these men to come here?" Commander He replied: "They have struck three of our major prefectures—their spirits are swollen with pride and their ambitions inflated. They will surely have their eyes on Youzhou. If we divide our forces here to lure them, they will certainly press forward in pursuit. Once we draw them into the trap within the mountains, where will they escape to?" Commander Wanyan said: "Your stratagem may not work. We will still need my main army to crush them. Let us see how you fare."

Thereupon Commander He Chongbao took leave of the Lord of the Liao Kingdom, gathered his armor, sword, and horse, and led a company of foot soldiers and attendants back into Youzhou city. He assembled his troops and divided them into three companies: one to defend Youzhou, and the other two to advance toward Bazhou and Jizhou. Once the orders were issued, he dispatched the two companies out of the city and sent his two brothers to lead them. The elder brother, Hechai, was to attack Bazhou, and the younger brother, Heyun, was to attack Jizhou—neither was to win, but only to feign defeat and retreat, drawing the enemy into Youzhou territory, where they had their own strategy prepared.

Meanwhile, Song Jiang and his men were stationed in Bazhou when a report came: "Liao troops are attacking Jizhou. We fear they may gain an advantage there—please dispatch reinforcements." Song Jiang said: "Since they have come to attack, we must meet them head-on. Let us seize this opportunity to capture Youzhou." He left a small garrison to hold Bazhou and marched the main force with their encampment toward Jizhou to join Lu Junyi's army, setting a date to advance.

Now, the Liao general Hechai led his troops toward Bazhou. Song Jiang was just marshaling his forces when they met him on the road. They had barely exchanged three blows before Hechai's forces retreated in defeat, but Song Jiang did not pursue. Meanwhile, Heyun advanced on Jizhou and met Huyan Zhuo, but withdrew without a fight.

Song Jiang joined Lu Junyi in the command tent to discuss the strategy for capturing Youzhou. Wu Yong and Zhu Wu said: "Youzhou has sent forces along two routes—this must be a scheme to lure us in. We should not advance." Lu Junyi replied: "You strategists are wrong! Those fellows have lost repeatedly—how can this be a ruse to lure the enemy? If we do not seize this opportunity now, it will be difficult later. If we do not capture Youzhou now, when else shall we?" Song Jiang said: "These wretches are at the end of their strength and resources—what clever stratagem could they possibly employ? This is precisely the opportunity we should exploit." And so he ignored the advice of Wu Yong and Zhu Wu and led his troops toward Youzhou, dividing the two forces into three columns, large and small, to set out.

Soon the vanguard reported: "The Liao troops are blocking our path ahead." Song Jiang rode to the front and saw a mass of black banners emerging from behind a hill. He ordered the vanguard to deploy, and the Liao soldiers and generals spread out in four columns before the hillside. Song Jiang, Lu Junyi, and the other commanders watched as what seemed like a dark cloud of hundreds of thousands of troops surged forward, surrounding a Liao official who sat astride his horse at the front of the array, holding a three-pointed, double-edged saber. How was this official arrayed? Behold:

On his head he wore a bright frost-forged iron helmet;

On his body he wore gleaming chain-mail armor that shone like the sun;

On his feet he wore boots of green cloud-root leather;

Around his waist was a girdle of tortoiseshell and lion motif.

Beneath his brocade and scarlet robe,

He grasped an iron-handled wolf-tooth club.

In his hand he held a three-pointed, double-edged eight-ring saber;

Beneath him he rode a four-hoofed, double-winged thousand-li horse.

On the banner at the front of his army was written clearly: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Great Liao, He Chongbao." He spurred his horse forward, saber drawn, and rode out before the array. Song Jiang looked and said: "A Liao commander-in-chief must be a top general. Who dares ride out to meet him?" Before he finished speaking, Guan Sheng—"Great Blade"—raised his Green Dragon Crescent Moon Saber, mounted his Red Hare stallion, and flew out of the ranks. Without a word, he engaged Commander He. After more than thirty exchanges, He Chongbao's strength failed him. He wheeled his horse and fled toward his own lines. Guan Sheng spurred his horse in pursuit, and Commander He led his defeated troops around the hill. Song Jiang ordered the army to give chase, and after some forty or fifty *li*, war drums thundered on all sides. Song Jiang urgently called for a retreat, but already from the left of the hill, a column of Liao troops had burst through to block their path. As Song Jiang hastily divided his forces to meet them, another Liao force suddenly appeared on their right. Ahead, Commander He rallied his troops and returned to attack from the front. Song Jiang's forces could not respond to all the threats at once, and the Liao army cut them in two.

Now Lu Junyi was leading his troops in combat from behind when he noticed the vanguard had vanished. He searched frantically for a path to fight his way back, only to find Tatar soldiers crashing into his flank. The Liao troops shouted for blood as they struck from all sides, surrounding his forces in the center. Lu Junyi directed his generals to charge left and right, to press forward and cut through, seeking a way to break free. His officers raised their weapons with fierce spirit, fighting in every direction, when suddenly dark clouds gathered, black fog blotted out the sky, and daylight turned to night—no one could tell east from west or south from north. Lu Junyi's heart raced. He hastily led a contingent of troops and fought desperately to break through. In the pitch darkness, he heard the jingle of harness bells ahead and spurred his horse forward, leading his men to attack. They reached a mountain pass where he could hear the sounds of men talking and horses neighing from within. He led his troops in charging through, only to be met by howling winds and flying stones and sand—he could not see what was before him. Lu Junyi fought his way inside, and it was not until about the second watch of the night that the winds finally calmed and the clouds parted, revealing the stars once again. When the men looked around, they found themselves surrounded on all sides by tall mountains, with sheer cliffs to the left and right—only towering peaks and steep precipices, with no road to climb. Of the men who had followed, they found Xu Ning, Suo Chao, Han Tao, Peng Qi, Chen Da, Yang Chun, Zhou Tong, Li Zhong, Zou Yuan, Zou Run, Yang Lin, and Bai Sheng—twelve chieftains in all, with five thousand troops. Beneath the starlight, they searched for a way back, but the mountains enclosed them on every side, and they could not get out. Lu Junyi said, "The soldiers have fought all day and are weary. Let us rest here for the night, stable our horses for now, and search for a way back tomorrow."

Meanwhile, as Song Jiang was engaged in battle, he saw black clouds rising on all sides, with stones flying and sand swirling—his soldiers could not see one another. But within the army, Gongsun Sheng, riding on his horse, recognized that this was sorcery. He hastily drew his sword, performed the ritual from atop his horse, muttered incantations, and shouted, "Quick!" Wherever he pointed his sword, the dark clouds scattered in all directions and the fierce winds suddenly ceased. The Liao army retreated without a fight. Song Jiang drove his troops through the encirclement and withdrew to a high mountain, where he met up with his main force. He had the supply wagons linked end to end to serve as a makeshift camp. When he counted his officers, he found that Lu Junyi and twelve others were missing, along with over five thousand troops. By daybreak, Song Jiang sent Huyan Zhuo, Lin Chong, Qin Ming, and Guan Sheng each to lead soldiers and search in every direction for a full day, but no news came back. Song Jiang then consulted the Divine Maiden's Divination, burned incense, and cast the lots. He said, "The overall omen is not unfavorable, but they are trapped in a dark, shadowy place and cannot be rescued quickly." Song Jiang could not put his mind at ease, so he sent Jie Zhen and Jie Bao, disguised as hunters, to search around the mountains. He also dispatched Shi Qian, Shi Yong, Duan Jingzhu, and Cao Zheng to go in all directions and gather news.

Now Jie Zhen and Jie Bao put on their tiger-skin cloaks and dragged their steel tridents, heading deep into the mountains. As evening approached, the two brothers walked into the mountains—looking around in every direction, they saw no sign of people, only a tangle of peaks and ridges. Jie Zhen and Jie Bao crossed several more hills. That night the moonlight was dim, and from afar they spotted a point of light beside the mountain. The two brothers said, "Where there is lamplight, there must be a household. Let us go there and beg some food." They headed toward the light, quickening their pace. Before they had gone a li or so, they came to a place beside a wooded slope, where there were three or four thatched cottages. From a crack in the wall, lamplight flickered out. Jie Zhen and Jie Bao pushed open the door, and in the lamplight they saw an old woman, over sixty years of age. The two brothers set down their tridents and bowed to the ground. The old woman said, "I thought it was my sons coming home, but I did not expect guests. Do not bow, sirs. Where are you hunters from, and how did you come here?" Jie Zhen said, "We are originally from Shandong and were hunters by trade. We came here to do some business, but we happened to run into the fighting armies and battled repeatedly. Our capital was lost, and we could not make a living. My brother and I had no choice but to come into the mountains to hunt wild game to feed ourselves. We did not know the paths and lost our way, ending up here. We ask only to lodge for the night at your house. We hope you will take us in, Grandmother." The old woman said, "As the saying goes, 'Who carries his house on his back?' My two sons are also hunters and should be back any moment. Please sit for a moment. I will prepare supper for you two." Jie Zhen and Jie Bao said, "We are most grateful, Grandmother." The old woman went inside. The two brothers sat by the door. Before long, they saw two men outside carrying a deer, calling out, "Mother, where are you?" The old woman came out and said, "My sons, you are back. Put down the deer and greet these two guests." Jie Zhen and Jie Bao hastily bowed. The two men returned the greeting and then asked, "Where are you from, and how did you come here?" Jie Zhen and Jie Bao repeated what they had just said. The two men said, "Our family has lived here for generations. I am Liu Er, and my younger brother is Liu San. Our father was Liu Yi, but he has passed away, leaving only our mother. We have lived here for twenty or thirty years, hunting for a living. The paths around here are very confusing, and there are still places we do not know. You two are from Shandong—how could you make a living here? Do not deceive me—I dare say you two are not really hunters?" Jie Zhen and Jie Bao said, "Since we are here, how could we hide it? We will tell you the truth, elder brothers." A poem attests to this:

*Mountain peaks and ridges surround on every side,*

*The troops are trapped in the center with no escape.*

*The two Jies sought to learn where the fierce tigers roamed,*

*So they concealed their traces among the fishers and woodcutters.*

At that time, Xie Zhen and Xie Bao knelt on the ground and said, "We are indeed hunters from Shandong. The two of us brothers are called Xie Zhen and Xie Bao. We followed Brother Song Gongming on Liangshan Marsh for a long time as outlaws, and now that we have accepted amnesty, we have come with our brother to destroy the Liao kingdom. The other day, we were engaged in a great battle with Commander He, who scattered our forces. We don't know where one detachment of our army has fallen into trouble, so our brother specially sent us two to scout for news."

The two brothers laughed and said, "Since you two are such fine fellows, please rise. We will show you the way. Sit for a while, and we will cook a leg of venison, warm up some village wine, and prepare a feast for you two." Before a single watch had passed, the meat was ready. Liu Er and Liu San entertained Xie Zhen and Xie Bao. While drinking, they asked, saying, "We have long heard that Song Gongming of Liangshan Marsh acts on Heaven's behalf and does not harm good people—the word has even reached us here in Liao."

Xie Zhen and Xie Bao replied, "Our brother takes loyalty and righteousness as his guiding principle. He swears never to harm the good, and only kills corrupt and cruel officials and those who bully the weak with their strength."

The two said, "We had only heard the reports—so it is indeed true!" They were overjoyed and felt a bond of affection and reluctance to part. Xie Zhen and Xie Bao said, "That detachment of our army has more than a dozen chieftains and three to five thousand soldiers, and we have no idea where it might have fallen. I imagine it would take quite a large place to trap them."

The two said, "You don't know the geography of our northern region. This area falls under the jurisdiction of Youzhou. There is a place called Qingyu Ravine—there is only one road leading in, and on all sides are sheer cliffs and deep gorges. If that road leading in were blocked, no one could ever get out. Most likely they are trapped there. There is no other place this vast around here. Now the place where your Vanguard Commander Song has encamped is called Dulu Mountain. The ground in front of this mountain is flat and suitable for battle. If you look from the top of the mountain, you can see troops coming from all directions. If you want to rescue that detachment of your army, you must risk your lives to break open the Qingyu Ravine, and only then can you bring them out. At the mouth of the Qingyu Ravine, there must be many soldiers blocking the road. This mountain is full of cypress trees, but at the mouth of the Qingyu Ravine there are two especially large cypress trees, the finest ones, shaped like umbrellas, visible from all directions. Right beside those great trees is the mouth of the ravine. And watch out for one thing—Commander He knows how to practice sorcery. You must teach Vanguard Commander Song how to counter it—this is crucial."

Xie Zhen and Xie Bao, having obtained this information, thanked the Liu brothers and returned to camp that very night. When Song Jiang saw them, he asked, "Did you two find out anything?"

Xie Zhen and Xie Bao then related in detail everything the Liu brothers had said. Song Jiang was alarmed and immediately asked the Military Advisor Wu Yong to discuss the matter. While they were talking, a soldier reported: "Duan Jingzhu and Shi Yong have brought Bai Song here."

Song Jiang said, "Bai Song was lost along with Commander Lu—his coming here must mean something unusual." He summoned him at once to the tent and questioned him. Duan Jingzhu spoke first: "Shi Yong and I were observing from beside a mountain gully when we saw a large felt bundle rolling down from the mountain top. We watched it roll all the way to the foot of the mountain, and it turned out to be a felt garment, wrapped tightly all around on the inside, bound securely with ropes on the outside. When we went to the tree and looked inside, it was Bai Song."

Bai Song then said: "Commander Lu and I along with thirteen others were in the middle of fighting when suddenly the sky grew dark and the sun lost its light—we could not tell south from north or east from west. We could only hear the sounds of men shouting and horses neighing. Commander Lu told us only to keep charging forward. Who would have known we had penetrated deep into enemy territory? There were mountains on all sides with no way out, and no provisions to sustain us—the whole force was in dire straits. Commander Lu sent me rolling down from the mountain top to find a way to deliver a message. I never expected to run right into Shi Yong and Duan Jingzhu. I beg you, brother, to send rescue troops to support us quickly—if you delay, the officers will surely die."

When Song Jiang heard this, he mustered the troops that very night and ordered Zhen Jie and Bao Jie to lead the way, heading toward the great cypress tree that marked the mouth of the valley. He commanded the cavalry and infantry to advance with all their might and fight their way through the valley pass at any cost. The army marched until daybreak, when they spotted from afar two great cypress trees before the mountain, their shapes indeed like canopy umbrellas. Zhen Jie and Bao Jie at once led the troops to the mountain and charged the valley mouth. Commander He had already drawn up his forces there, and his two brothers eagerly rode out to meet the attack. Song Jiang's officers, intent on seizing the pass, surged forward together. "Leopard Head" Lin Chong galloped ahead of the rest and met He Chai head-on. After barely two exchanges of his spear, he thrust through He Chai's belly and unhorsed him. When the infantry captains saw the cavalry had already won the first victory, they all rushed in together. "Black Whirlwind" Li Kui swung his twin axes and hacked his way through the Liao soldiers all along the road. Behind him came "Demon King of the World" Fan Rui and "God of Death" Bao Xu, leading shield-bearers Xiang Chong and Li Gun, along with many shield fighters, who charged straight into the Liao ranks. Li Kui met He Yun face on, dashed beneath his horse, and with one axe-stroke severed its leg. The horse collapsed and He Yun was thrown to the ground. Li Kui's twin axes flew like lightning as he hacked at horse and rider alike without discrimination. As the Liao soldiers pressed forward, they were met by Fan Rui and Bao Xu, whose shield fighters crashed into them from both flanks. When Commander He saw that he had lost two of his brothers, he began muttering incantations and worked his sorcery—no one knew what he was conjuring. A great wind suddenly rose, clouds formed on the ground, darkness shrouded the mountain peak, and gloom sealed the valley mouth. Just as the spell took effect, Gongsun Sheng rode forward from the Song army. Drawing his treasured sword on horseback, he recited a few lines, then shouted a command: "Swift!" At once the winds from all sides swept away the drifting clouds and revealed a brilliant red sun. The cavalry, infantry, and all the officers pressed forward and threw themselves into the slaughter of the Liao troops. When Commander He saw that his magic had failed and the enemy's assault was fierce, he drew his sword and rode into battle himself. The two armies clashed together in a great melee, and the Song soldiers drove the Liao forces fleeing in all directions.

The cavalry pursued the Liao soldiers while the infantry went to clear the valley mouth. It turned out that the Liao troops had piled heavy slabs of blue stone one upon another to block the way out. The infantry cleared the pass and fought their way into the Blue Stone Valley. When Lu Junyi saw Song Jiang's army, he was overcome with shame. Song Jiang gave orders to stop pursuing the Liao soldiers and to withdraw to Deer-Lone Mountain to rest the troops who had been trapped. Lu Junyi met Song Jiang and wept aloud: "Had it not been for your mercy, brother, we would have lost our lives!" Song Jiang and Lu Junyi rode back to the camp together with Wu Yong and Gongsun Sheng, to rest the three armies and let them lay aside their armor for a while.

The next day, Military Advisor Wu the Scholar said: "We can take advantage of this opportunity to seize Youzhou. If we take Youzhou, the destruction of the Liao kingdom will be within easy reach." Song Jiang ordered Lu Junyi and the other thirteen commanders to return to Ji Zhou for the time being to rest, while he himself led all the officers and men, high and low, away from Deer-Lone Mountain to attack Youzhou.

Commander He had just retreated into the city, deeply vexed at the loss of his two brothers. Then a scout reported: "Song Jiang's army is coming to attack Youzhou." The foreign troops grew even more alarmed. The Liao soldiers mounted the walls to look out and saw a cluster of red banners approaching from the northeast and a cluster of blue banners from the northwest—two columns of troops speeding toward Youzhou. They reported this to Commander He. He was greatly alarmed and went up to the city wall himself to look. He recognized the banners as those belonging to the Liao kingdom, and his heart rejoiced. The red-bannered troops bore silver characters on their flags. This force was the Grand Liao's son-in-law, Tai Zhen Xu Qing, with only some five thousand men. The blue-bannered troops had gold characters on their flags and wore pheasant tails in their caps. This was the Great General Li Jinwu. The foreign official in question held the post of Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, Left Gold Guardian, and Upper General. His name was Li Ji, called Li Jinwu, a descendant of Li Lin. He had inherited the title of Gold Guardian and was stationed at Xiong Zhou with some ten thousand troops under his command. It was men like these who had been raiding the borders of the Great Song. When he heard that the Liao sovereign had lost cities, he had been ordered to bring his troops to aid in the battle. When Commander He saw them, he sent word to both forces not to enter the city but to go behind the mountain and rest in ambush. When his own troops sallied forth and Song Jiang's army approached, they would attack from both flanks. After sending these orders, Commander He led his soldiers out of Youzhou to meet the enemy.

Song Jiang's generals were now near Youzhou. Wu Yong said: "If they keep the city gates shut, they have no preparations. If they lead their troops out to meet us, they must have an ambush ready. We can divide our forces into three columns in advance. One column will march straight toward Youzhou to meet the enemy troops. The other two, like wings, will protect the flanks on either side. If the ambush troops appear, these two columns will engage them." Song Jiang then ordered Guan Sheng, with Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen, to lead a force on the left, and Hu Yan Zhu, with Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo, to lead a force on the right. Each took some ten thousand men and advanced slowly along the mountain paths behind. Song Jiang led the main army straight toward Youzhou.

Now Commander He led his troops forward and met Song Jiang's army. The two forces faced each other. Lin Chong rode out and engaged Commander He in combat. After fewer than five exchanges, Commander He turned his horse and fled. Song Jiang's troops gave chase. Commander He divided his forces into two columns, bypassing Youzhou instead of entering it, and fled around the city walls. Wu Yong, from horseback, cried: "Do not pursue!" But before he could finish speaking, Tai Zhen the son-in-law burst out from the left—and Guan Sheng was there to meet him. Then Li Jinwu burst out from the right—and Hu Yan Zhu was there to meet him. Three armies now clashed in a great battle, fighting so fiercely that corpses lay strewn across the ground and blood flowed like a river.

When Commander He realized the Liao forces could not prevail and tried to retreat toward Youzhou, he ran straight into two enemy generals—Hua Rong and Qin Ming—who engaged him at once in a desperate fight. Commander He attempted to withdraw toward the west gate of the city, but there he collided with the "Double-Spear General" Dong Ping, and another fierce battle ensued. He turned toward the south gate, only to encounter Zhu Tong, who fell upon him yet again. Commander He did not dare enter the city and instead struck out along a broad road, fleeing northward. But before he could go far, he ran into Huang Zhen, known as "The Mountain-Tamer of Three Mountains," who flourished his great blade and charged straight at him. Commander He, flustered and caught off guard, was struck by Huang Zhen's sword, which landed square on his horse's head. Commander He abandoned his horse and fled on foot, but before he could escape, out from the side burst Yang Xiong and Shi Xiu, two infantry leaders, who together seized him and pinned him beneath their knees. Song Wan rushed forward with his lance. The others, fearing they would lose credit and damage their brotherhood by quarreling over the prize, dispatched Commander He with a flurry of spear thrusts. The Liao troops had already scattered, each man fleeing for his own life. The Grand Marshal Taizhen, seeing that the commander's army had lost its banner of command and its soldiers were in disarray, knew the cause was lost and led his Red Banner troops away over the mountains. Li Jinwu, in the midst of battle, noticed the Red Banner force had vanished and judged the situation hopeless; he likewise withdrew his Green Banner troops behind the hills.

When Song Jiang saw that all three columns of the enemy army had retreated, he drove his forces forward in full strength to seize Youzhou. Without the slightest delay, he took the city in a single stroke. Upon entering Youzhou, he encamped the three armies and immediately posted proclamations to reassure the populace. He then sent a courier in haste to Tanzhou to report the victory and requested that Zhao the Imperial Commissioner move his troops to garrison Ji Prefecture. He ordered the naval commanders and their ships to proceed to Youzhou for reassignment, while ordering the vice-vanguard Lu Junyi to take sole charge of Bazhou. In all, they had captured four major prefectures. When Zhao the Pacification Commissioner received the dispatch, he was overjoyed. He sent a memorial to the court and simultaneously issued directives to Ji and Bazhou Prefectures, instructing them to dispatch additional naval commanders and prepare for a combined land and water advance.

Now let us return to the Liao sovereign, who ascended the throne and assembled his civil and military officials. The Left Chancellor Youxi Bojin, the Right Chancellor Grand Tutor Chu Jian, the commander-in-chief, and others all gathered at court to deliberate. "At present," they said, "Song Jiang has encroached upon our borders and seized four of our major prefectures. Before long he will surely advance upon our capital, and Yanjing will be difficult to defend. Commander He and his two brothers have perished. You, our civil and military officials, in this time of national crisis—what do you propose?" The Supreme Commander Wanyan Guang stepped forward and addressed the throne: "Let the Lord not worry. In the past, your humble servant repeatedly wished to lead troops in person, but was always prevented, allowing the bandit menace to grow until it became this great calamity. I humbly beg that Your Majesty issue a sacred edict granting me authority to select and deploy troops, to assemble forces from all quarters, and to raise an army without delay, with the sworn objective of capturing Song Jiang and his men and recovering the lost cities." The Lord granted the request and bestowed upon Commander Wanyan the Pearl Tiger Tablets, the golden seal and imperial edict, the golden battle-axe and white ox-tail pennons, the red banners and black canopies—all into the hands of the Supreme Commander Wanyan. "Regardless of princes of the blood or imperial kin, and without distinction as to which troops they may be, all shall obey your command. Raise your forces swiftly and march to attack!"

Supreme Commander Wanyan, having received the imperial mandate and military seals, descended to the parade ground, assembled the many foreign generals, and issued orders dispatching troops from all quarters to converge in support. He had scarcely finished issuing these commands when his eldest son, Wanyan Yanshou, came directly to the military drill pavilion and reported: "While Father marshals the main army, let me lead several fierce commanders first, together with the forces of Grand Marshal Taizhen and General Li Jinwu, to advance at once on Youzhou and defeat these barbarians by eight parts out of ten. Then when Father arrives, we will catch them like turtles in a jar and sweep away the Song forces in one stroke. What does Father think?" The Supreme Commander said: "Your words show sound judgment. I grant you five thousand shock cavalry and twenty thousand elite troops. You shall serve as vanguard and immediately join forces with Grand Marshal Taizhen and General Li Jinwu—set out this very hour. If you achieve victory, send word swiftly by courier." The young general joyfully received his orders, marshaled his three armies, and marched straight for Youzhou. Indeed:

*Ten thousand horses galloped, making heaven and earth tremble;*

*A thousand troops surged forward, filling gods and spirits with dread.*

*How the young Wanyan commander did challenge the enemy to battle—let us listen to the explanation in the next chapter.*