Chapter 87

Chapter 87

It was said that at that time, Wanyan Yanshou led some twenty thousand troops and joined forces with the Grand Princess's Consort Taizhen and Li Jinwu, together commanding thirty-five thousand foreign soldiers. They put their spears, swords, bows, and arrows in order, and all weapons and equipment being complete, they arranged their formation and set out. Soon a scout arrived at Youzhou city and reported to Song Jiang. Song Jiang then summoned the Military Adviser Wu Yong to deliberate: "The Liao soldiers have been defeated repeatedly. This time they will certainly select elite troops and fierce generals to come and fight. With what strategy should we meet them?" Wu Yong said: "First dispatch troops out of the city and deploy in battle formation. When the Liao soldiers come, challenge them slowly. If they prove incapable, they will naturally withdraw." Song Jiang thereupon ordered troops out of the city. Ten li from the city—a place called Fangshan, with flat terrain—backed by mountains and beside water, he deployed the "Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams" battle formation. While they waited, they saw the Liao soldiers arrive in three columns. The young General Wanyan's troops bore black banners, the Princess's Consort Taizhen's troops bore red banners, and Li Jinwu's troops bore blue banners. When all three armies arrived and saw Song Jiang's deployed formation—that Wanyan Yanshou, having studied military formations under his father, understood them deeply and knew their mysteries—he ordered the blue and red banner armies to take positions on the left and right and make camp. He himself went to the central army, erected a cloud-ladder, and observed that Song Jiang's troops had indeed deployed the "Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams" formation. He came down from the cloud-ladder, laughing coldly without cease. The subordinate generals on his left and right asked, "Why does the general laugh coldly?" Wanyan Yanshou said: "This 'Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation' of theirs—who does not know it? He thinks to fool people with such a formation. But I will startle them!" He ordered the army to beat the war drums three times, erected a command platform, and from the platform waved two signal flags, deploying troops to the left and right until the formation was complete. He then came down from the command platform, mounted his horse, ordered the vanguard to open the formation, and went personally to the front to parley with Song Jiang. How was the young general adorned? Behold:

He wore a three-pronged, wish-fulfilling purple-gold crown, and donned a white silver armor of Shu brocade with clustered flowers.

He wore four-seamed eagle-beak boots of verdant green, and bound his waist with a double-ringed dragon-horn yellow sash.

A dragon-devouring banner served as his general's whip, and a frost-and-snow-forged sword served as his man-slaying blade.

On his left hung a gold-painted jeweled carved bow, on his right were inserted silver-inlaid wolf-fang arrows.

He wielded a painted-pole halberd of the "Square Heaven" type, and rode a chestnut-red horse with iron-hard legs.

Wanyan Yanshou reined his horse right up to the front of the formation and called out loudly: "You deploy the 'Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation'—whom do you think to fool? But do you recognize our formation?" Song Jiang, hearing that the foreign general wished to contest formations, ordered a cloud-ladder to be erected in the army. Song Jiang, Wu Yong, and Zhu Wu ascended the cloud-ladder and observed the Liao soldiers' formation—three columns linked together, left and right supporting each other. Zhu Wu recognized it at once and said to Song Jiang: "This is the 'Great Unity Three Powers formation.'" Song Jiang left Wu Yong and Zhu Wu on the command platform, descended the cloud-ladder himself, mounted his horse, rode out to the front of the formation, leveled his whip, and pointing directly at the Liao general, shouted: "This 'Great Unity Three Powers formation' of yours—what is so remarkable about it?" The young General Wanyan said: "You recognize our formation. Watch us change formations and become unrecognizable to you!" He reined his horse back to the central army, ascended the command platform again, waved the signal flags, and transformed the formation. Wu Yong and Zhu Wu, watching from the command platform, saw it change into the "River-Luo Four Symbols formation." They sent someone down the cloud-ladder to report this to Song Jiang. The young General Wanyan rode out again past the formation gate, leveled his halberd, and asked: "Do you still recognize our formation?" Song Jiang replied: "This is the changed 'River-Luo Four Symbols formation.'" The young general shook his head and laughed coldly. He re-entered the formation, ascended the command platform, and waved the signal flags left and right, transforming the formation once more. Wu Yong and Zhu Wu watched from the command platform. Zhu Wu said: "This has changed into the 'Cyclic Eight Trigrams formation.'" They again sent someone to report this to Song Jiang. The young general rode out to the front again and called loudly: "Can you still recognize our formation?" Song Jiang laughed and said: "I reckon it is merely the changed 'Cyclic Eight Trigrams formation'—nothing remarkable!" Upon hearing this, the young general thought to himself: "These several formations of mine were all transmitted in secret, yet I did not expect this man to see through every one of them. Among Song Jiang's soldiers, there must be someone of ability!" The young General Wanyan re-entered the formation, dismounted, and ascended the command platform. He waved the signal flags, swirling them left and right, and transformed into a formation with no entrances on any of its four sides, concealing within it sixty-four units of troops arranged in eight groups of eight. Zhu Wu ascended the cloud-ladder once more and observed it. He said to Wu Yong: "This is Zhuge Liang's 'Eightfold Battle Chart,' concealing its beginning and end—no one knows it." He then sent for Song Jiangong to come to the formation, ascend the command platform, and observe this formation. "Do not underestimate them—the Liao soldiers have received instruction in such battle charts. These four formations all descend from a single lineage and have not deviated from it. First came the 'Great Unity Three Powers,' which gave birth to the 'River-Luo Four Symbols'; the 'Four Symbols' gave birth to the 'Cyclic Eight Trigrams'; the 'Eight Trigrams' gave birth to the sixty-four hexagrams arranged in eight groups of eight, which has become the 'Eightfold Battle Chart.' This is a formation of infinite cycles—supremely profound!" Song Jiang descended the command platform, mounted his warhorse, and rode to the front of the formation. The young general gripped his halberd, reined his horse at the front, and called loudly: "Can you recognize our formation?" Song Jiang shouted: "You young general, young and shallow in learning, are like a frog at the bottom of a well—you only know formations of this kind and consider them supremely profound. This head-concealing 'Eightfold Battle Chart'—whom does it think to fool? You could not fool even a child in our Great Song!" The young General Wanyan said: "Even though you recognize our formation, can you deploy a strange and wondrous formation to fool us?" Song Jiang shouted: "This 'Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation' of ours, though simple—do you dare assault it?" The young general laughed loudly: "Such a petty formation—what difficulty is it? Let no one in your army shoot cold arrows—we shall see us assault your little formation!"

Now young General Wanyan had already issued his orders, instructing Taizhen the Imperial Son-in-Law and Li Jinwu each to detach a thousand troops: "Wait until I break through their formation, then come to support me." Once the orders were given, the drums were beaten throughout the army. The Song forces had likewise passed down their commands: the army was to beat the war drums three times in succession, the gate banners were to part on both sides, and the young general who would assault the formation was to be let in. That Wanyan Yanshou led his twenty-odd lieutenant generals and a thousand armored cavalry. Calculating with his fingers, he determined that the day belonged to the element Fire, so he did not approach from the south, the position of Li. Instead he led his troops around to the right, from the west, the position of Dui, parting the white banners and charging into the formation. The troops behind him were held back by archers, so only half the cavalry managed to enter; the rest returned to their own lines.

Now when the young general reached the formation, he made straight for the center. But the middle was a vast white expanse, like a wall of silver and iron, surrounding him on all sides. When Wanyan Yanshou saw this, his face turned the color of earth and he thought to himself with alarm, "How can there be such a fortress inside this formation?" He ordered his men to fight their way through on all sides, to find the old path and break out. When the troops looked back, they saw a white expanse as boundless as a silver sea; everywhere they heard only the sound of water, and no road could be found. The young general was greatly alarmed. He led his men to fight toward the south gate, but there they saw a thousand balls of fire and ten thousand streaks of red mist rolling across the ground, and not a single soldier in sight. The young general dared not go out by the south gate. He veered diagonally and charged toward the east gate, but there he saw leafy trees and brushwood from the mountains filling the ground in tangled heaps, with rows of abatis on both sides—nowhere to advance. He turned to the north gate instead, and there black vapor blotted out the sky and dark clouds obscured the sun; he could not see his own palm before his outstretched hand, as if he had entered a pitch-dark hell. The young general was trapped inside the formation with no way out through any of the four gates. He thought with suspicion, "This must be Song Jiang practicing sorcery. No matter what, I will smash my way out from here." The troops received the order and raised a great battle cry, then charged forward. From the side a great general burst out and shouted in a loud voice, "You little whelp of a general, where do you think you're going?" Wanyan Yanshou was about to turn and fight, but before he could respond, a whip came sweeping down upon his forehead. The young general was sharp-eyed and quick-handed; he raised his halberd to block it. But then twin whips struck together and snapped the halberd shaft clean in two. He struggled to break free, but the general plunged into his embrace, extended his long arms with the ease of an agile ape and twisted his waist with the grace of a wolf, and seized Wanyan Yanshou alive. He then blocked the rear troops and ordered them all to dismount. The enemy soldiers were as blind as if groping in the dark, unable to tell east from west, and had no choice but to surrender on foot. The one who had captured the young general was none other than the Tiger Army's great general, "Double Whips" Huyan Zhuo. At that moment Gongsun Sheng was performing his magic in the central command. When he received word that the young general had been taken, he withdrew his sorcery, and the formation returned to normal—a clear blue sky and bright sun.

Now Taizhen the Imperial Son-in-Law and General Li Jinwu each led a thousand troops, waiting only for news from inside the formation before they would come to support him. But they saw no sign of movement and dared not charge forward. Song Jiang rode out before the formation and shouted in a powerful voice: "Why do your two armies not surrender? The young Wanyan general has been taken alive by us!" He ordered the sword-bearing guards to bring the prisoner out before the lines. When Li Jinwu saw this, he galloped forward on horseback with a spear, intending to rescue Wanyan Yanshou. But "Firestarter" Qin Ming was at the head of the vanguard, and he swung his wolf-tooth mace straight at Li Jinwu. The two horses met and their weapons clashed as both armies raised a great battle cry. Li Jinwu's heart had already failed him from the start; his technique faltered and his timing was slow. Qin Ming brought his mace down upon his head, smashing through helmet and skull alike into pieces. Li Jinwu fell from his horse. When Taizhen the Imperial Son-in-Law saw that Li Jinwu had fallen, he led his troops in retreat. Song Jiang urged his men forward in pursuit, and the Liao army was routed and fled. Over three thousand war horses were captured, and banners, swords, and halberds were strewn across the valleys and hills. Song Jiang led his army straight toward Yanjing, intending to drive forward and sweep everything before him, to recover the royal fief.

Now the shattered remnants of the Liao army fled back to Liao territory and reported to Grand Marshal Wanyan that the young general had gone to assault the Song formation and been taken alive, that all his lieutenant generals had surrendered, that Li Jinwu had been killed with a single mace blow, and that Taizhen the Imperial Son-in-Law had escaped with his life but his whereabouts were unknown. When the Grand Marshal heard this, he was greatly alarmed and said, "My son has studied military formations since childhood and knows their mysteries well. What manner of formation did that wretch Song Jiang use to capture my son?" Those around him said, "It was only a 'Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams' formation—nothing remarkable. Our young general had deployed four formations, and all of them were seen through by those barbarians. At the end he said to our young general, 'You recognize my Nine Palades and Eight Trigrams formation—do you dare attack it?' Our young general then led a thousand cavalry and charged in from the west, but they held him with powerful crossbows and stiff bows, so only half his men got in. How he was taken alive, we do not know." The Grand Marshal said, "This Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation should be no difficult thing to break—he must have transformed the formation somehow." The soldiers said, "We watched from the command platform and saw that the ranks inside his formation did not move and the banners did not change; only a mass of black clouds hung over the formation from above." The Grand Marshal said, "Then it must be sorcery. Even if I do not raise an army, that wretch will come to us. If we do not prevail, I will take my own life! Who will go before me as vanguard commander and lead the troops? I will bring the main army and follow close behind." Two generals stepped forward from before the tent together and said, "We two will serve as the vanguard." One was the foreign official Qiong Yaonayan; the other was a valiant general of Yanjing, surnamed Kou, given name Zhenyuan. The Grand Marshal was overjoyed and said, "You two take care. Lead ten thousand soldiers as the vanguard, cutting through mountains and building bridges over rivers. I will follow with the main army."

Let us not speak of the two vanguard generals Qiong and Kou setting out to lead the way; instead, let us tell of Commander Wuyan, who immediately mustered the eleven Planetary Generals and twenty-eight Lunar Mansion Generals under his command, marching them all out to war. First, let us describe the eleven Planetary Generals:

The Solar Star, the Imperial Younger Brother Prince Yelü Dezhong, leading five thousand troops;

The Lunar Star, Princess Tali Bo of the Heavenly Longevity, leading five thousand female warriors;

The Rahu Star, Imperial Nephew Yelü Derong, leading three thousand troops;

The Ketu Star, Imperial Nephew Yelü Dehua, leading three thousand troops;

The Purple Star, Imperial Nephew Yelü Dezhong, leading three thousand troops;

The Moon's Comet Star, Imperial Nephew Yelü Dexin, leading three thousand troops;

The Eastern Green Emperor's Mercury Star General Zhi'er Fulang, leading three thousand troops;

The Western Venus Star General Wulike'an, leading three thousand troops;

The Southern Mars Star General Dongxian Wenrong, leading three thousand troops;

The Northern Black Tortoise's Mercury Star General Quli Chuqing, leading three thousand troops;

The Central Saturn Star Supreme Commander Wuyan Guang, commanding the various flying cavalry generals with five thousand troops, guarding the central altar.

Commander Wuyan then mustered his twenty-eight Lunar Mansion Generals:

Jiao Wood-Sun Zhong; Kang Gold-Zhang Qi

Di Earth-Liu Ren; Sun Rabbit-Xie Wu

Heart Moon-Huai Zhi; Tail Fire-Gu Yongxing

Ji Water-Jia Mao; Dou Wood-Xiao Daguan

Niu Gold-Xiu Xiong; Nu Earth-Yu Decheng

Xu Sun Rat-Xu Wei; Wei Moon Swallow-Li Yi

Shi Fire Pig-Zu Xing; Bi Water-Cheng Zhu Nahai

Kui Wood Wolf-Guo Yongchang; Lou Gold Dog-Ali Yi

Wei Earth Pheasant-Gao Biao; Mao Sun Chicken-Shun Shou Gao

Bi Moon Crow-Guo Yongtai; Zi Fire Monkey-Pan Yi

Shen Water Ape-Zhou Bao; Jing Wood Dog-Tong Lihe

Gui Gold Sheep-Wang Jing; Liu Earth Muntjac-Lei Chun

Xing Sun Horse-Ka Junbao; Zhang Moon Deer-Li Fu

Yi Fire Snake-Di Sheng; Zhen Water Earthworm-Ban Gu'er

When Wuyan Guang had mustered the eleven Planetary Generals and twenty-eight Lunar Mansion Generals, he led a great army of elite soldiers numbering over two hundred thousand, mobilizing the entire nation, and invited the Lord himself to lead the expedition in person. There is an ancient-style poem to attest to this:

The horned whirlwind spins, heaven and earth turn black,

The yellow desert stretches vast, clouds gloomy and bleak.

The Khitan soldiers move, mountains are crushed,

Ten thousand li of the world lose all their color.

Wild neighing, the fine horses carry the Hu riders,

Leaping over streams and ridges, swift as shooting stars.

Spear-tips gleam as the Heavenly Dog howls,

Toxic mists swirl and rush with hordes of demons.

Treasure-carved bows are drawn with black dragon spines,

Snow-bright blades and frosted swords reflect the cold sun.

Ten thousand banners like brocade ribbons of rosy light,

A thousand lotus-leaf green felt hats.

The Hu flutes join in harmony with Tianshan songs,

Drumbeats shake the white camels awake.

On the left and right of the barbarian king, embroidered axes are held;

Before and behind the commander, golden halberds are brandished.

Embroaxed axes and golden halberds—their might nearly equal—

Where the royal hunt passes, no crops remain.

When the gyrfalcon is released, wild geese and swans grieve;

When the leopard roars, even ghosts and spirits are afraid.

Beneath Youzhou's walls, the waves seethe and boil,

Connected camps arrayed with cavalry, elite soldiers beyond count.

The Gang Stars were sent from heaven to dispel the evil omens—

What can the gathered constellations and stars avail against them?

Let us not speak of Commander Wuyan raising his great host and sweeping in from across the land. Let us instead tell of the two vanguard generals Qiong and Kou, who led ten thousand troops to advance first. Spies had already reported this to Song Jiang, and this battle would be no small affair. Song Jiang was greatly alarmed upon hearing the news. He issued orders: on one hand, he commanded that all troops under Lu Junyi's command be summoned, and on the other, that all former personnel of Tanzhou and Jizhou be mobilized and placed under his command. He invited Grand Secretariat Zhao to come and oversee the battle. He further ordered the naval commanders to bring all their sailors ashore and assemble them all at Bazhou for the advance by land.

The naval commanders escorted Grand Secretariat Zhao, following behind. All the troops were stationed at Youzhou. Song Jiang and the others received Grand Secretariat Zhao. After the formal greetings were completed, Grand Secretariat Zhao said, "General, your efforts are so tireless—you are indeed the pillar of the state, and your name will be passed down for ten thousand generations. When I return to court, I will certainly recommend you strongly before the Son of Heaven."

Song Jiang replied, "This unworthy general is not worth mentioning. Above, I rely on the great blessings of the Son of Heaven; below, I depend on the awe-inspiring might of the commander-in-chief. That we have achieved small victories is not due to human ability! Now our scouts have reported in detail that the Liao Kingdom's Commander Wuyan has raised an army of two hundred thousand and comes with the full strength of his nation. Whether we survive or perish, victory or defeat will be decided in this single battle. I have specially invited the Grand Secretariat to establish a separate camp fifteen li away, to watch Song Jiang perform his humble duty and, together with all his brothers, exert their full strength to fight this decisive battle."

Grand Secretariat Zhao said, "The General may proceed as he sees fit."

Then Song Jiang took his leave from Zhao the Imperial Secretary, and together with Lu Junyi led the great army around through the territory of Yongqing County under Youzhou Prefecture, where they pitched camp and stationed the troops. He gathered all his generals and chieftains to sit together in the command tent and discuss matters of military importance. Song Jiang said, "This time the Grand Commander Wanyan has personally led the Liao forces, coming at us with the entire might of his kingdom—this is no trivial matter! Life and death, victory or defeat, will be decided in this single battle! All you brothers must strive forward with all your might and show no thought of retreat. Even the smallest merit we achieve will be reported to the court, and when His Majesty bestows rewards, we shall all share them together." All rose to their feet and said, "Who would dare not obey the elder brother's command!"

Even as they were deliberating, a junior officer reported that an envoy from the Liao kingdom had arrived with a challenge to battle. Song Jiang ordered him summoned into the tent and received the letter he presented. Song Jiang opened and read it—it was from the two vanguard generals Qiong and Kou, serving under the Grand Commander Wanyan of the Liao kingdom, commanding the forward troops and requesting a decisive battle on the following day. Song Jiang wrote his reply at the end of the letter, agreeing to battle on the morrow. He had the envoy given food and wine, then sent back to his own camp.

By now autumn had given way to winter. The soldiers wore heavy armor and the horses were clad in leather barding—all properly equipped for the season. The next day, they prepared food at the fifth watch, broke camp at dawn, and set out in full force. Before they had marched four or five *li*, the Song troops indeed met the Liao forces. From afar, beneath the shadow of the black eagle banners, the standards of two vanguard generals flashed forth. War drums thundered to the heavens, and as the gate-banners parted, that Vanguard General Qiong rode out in the vanguard. What manner of warrior was he? Observe: upon his head sat an iron crown of curling fish-tail clouds; his body was clad in a dragon-scale armor inlaid to defy the frost; his robe was of pomegranate-red brocade silk; at his waist hung a lychee-patterned golden belt set with seven precious stones; his feet were shod in green boots with eagle-beak toes and golden thread; at his waist hung a forged silver bamboo-section steel whip. On his left hung a powerful bow, on his right a quiver of long arrows. His steed was a beast that crossed ridges and scaled mountains; his spear was a dragon that stirred the rivers and churned the seas.

Now that Qiong Yan'a'yan leveled his spear and galloped his horse, taking his stand before the battle line. Song Jiang, watching from beneath the gate-banners, saw that this Vanguard General Qiong was a man of such valor and asked, "Who will engage this general in combat?" At once Shi Jin, the "Nine-Dragon Tattooed," raised his saber and spurred his horse forward to challenge General Qiong. Their warhorses charged, their weapons met. The two fought for some twenty or thirty exchanges, when Shi Jin's saber cut only empty air. Startled, he wheeled his horse and fled back toward his own lines, with Vanguard General Qiong in pursuit along the road.

On the Song formation, Hua Rong, the "Little Li Guang," was positioned just behind Song Jiang. Seeing that Shi Jin had lost the bout, he nocked an arrow to his bow, rode his horse out to the front of the line, and waited until the pursuing horse drew near. Then with a *whoosh*, he loosed a single arrow that struck Vanguard General Qiong squarely in the face, and he toppled from his mount. Shi Jin, hearing the sound of a fall behind him, whirled around and struck with another saber stroke, finishing off Qiong Yan'a'yan.

When Vanguard General Kou saw Vanguard General Qiong cut down, rage surged in his heart. He leaped onto his horse and raised his spear, riding straight to the front of the line, shouting loudly at the top of his lungs: "You bandit generals—how dare you strike down my brother by treachery!" Then Sun Li, the "Sick Yuchi," galloped forth on his horse, charging straight for Kou Zhenyuan. The war drums thundered in the army, and shouts rang unceasingly in the ears. Sun Li's golden spear moved with unearthly swiftness. Vanguard General Kou could not hold out beyond twenty exchanges, then reined in his horse and fled. He dared not return to his own formation, fearing he might throw the battle line into disorder, so he circled to the northeast around the army. Sun Li, eager to win merit, would by no means let him go and gave chase on horseback.

Vanguard General Kou had gotten far ahead. Sun Li reined in his horse, held his spear steady, took up his bow with his left hand, drew an arrow with his right, nocked it, and drew the bow to full. He aimed at the nearer target of Kou's back and loosed a single arrow. That General Kou, hearing the bowstring's twang, threw himself sideways—the arrow happened to arrive just then, and with a quick motion he caught it in his hand. Sun Li saw this and silently applauded him. Vanguard General Kou said with a cold laugh, "This fellow shows off with archery!" He took the arrow in his mouth, hung his spear on the saddle ring, quickly drew his powerful bow with his left hand, took the arrow with his right, nocked it to the string, twisted his body around, and shot an arrow straight at Sun Li's chest.

Sun Li had already been watching with a sidelong glance and swayed left and right on horseback. As the arrow reached his chest, he let himself fall backward, and the arrow flew past over his body. His horse could not be reined in and kept running forward. General Kou slipped his bow over his arm, turned back, and watched Sun Li lying on his horse. General Kou thought, "He must have been hit!" In truth, Sun Li's legs were powerful; he clamped his legs against his horse's armor and lay across his mount, feigning injury, yet he did not fall from the horse. General Kou turned his horse, intending to capture Sun Li. The two horses' heads happened to meet, scarcely a *zhang* or a *chi* apart. Sun Li sprang up with a great shout. General Kou was startled and replied, "You may dodge my arrow, but you cannot dodge my spear!" He thrust with all his strength at Sun Li's chest. Sun Li thrust out his chest and received the spear. The spearpoint reached his armor; he shifted slightly to one side, and the spear slid past through his armpit, while General Kou himself lurched forward into Sun Li's embrace. Sun Li raised the steel tiger-eye bracelets from his wrist with one hand and brought them crashing down on General Kou's skull, shearing off half his crown. That General Kou, who had served as a foreign official for half his life, died by Sun Li's hand, his corpse falling before the horse. Sun Li raised his spear and rode back to the front of the line. Song Jiang unleashed his three armies in a great charge, sweeping across to the opposing formation. The Liao troops, leaderless, scattered east and west, each struggling to save his own life.

As Song Jiang pressed the pursuit, he heard the sound of continuous cannon fire ahead. Song Jiang then ordered the naval chieftains to lead a detachment of troops to seize the river crossing. He sent Hua Rong, Qin Ming, Lü Fang, and Guo Sheng to ride to the mountaintop to look out, and they saw a vast, surging mass of foreign troops covering the ground as they came on. Indeed: the whistling arrows thundered like thunder as barbarian cavalry charged; the raised dust billowed like fog as Tartar soldiers swarmed forward. As for what army these foreign troops belonged to, listen to the explanation in the following chapter.