Moma Liangshan

Chapter 140 The Jurchens enter the city, but it is deserted.

When Wang Hao was sent as an envoy to Liaodong, he proposed to Princess Yelü Yuliyan of Shu, "Take the initiative to withdraw from Liaoyang Prefecture, rely on the terrain of Jinzhou, and continue to negotiate with the Jin Kingdom!" Princess Yelü Yuliyan of Shu overruled the objections of others and followed Wang Hao's plan to retreat to Jinzhou. She also successfully drove the vast majority of people on the Liaodong Peninsula to Jinzhou by using the name of Wanyan Zhamu.

Spring always arrives later in the regions beyond the Great Wall than in the Central Plains. When Wanyan Zhamu led her vanguard to confront Liaoyang Prefecture once more, she suddenly discovered it was a deserted city, devoid of human habitation. Wanyan Zhamu dared not be careless, ordering her soldiers to guard the city gates before advancing on a search. However, the clusters of tender yellow grass sprouting from the cracks in the street stones were the most compelling evidence of Liaoyang's abandonment. Wanyan Zhamu sat on her warhorse, quietly watching red and yellow foxes chase gray rabbits in the streets, while birds in the pavilions, startled by the Jin army, fluttered out of the windows. Wanyan Huonü stepped forward and said, "It seems no one has been here for a long time?" Wanyan Zhamu nodded and said, "The Khitans should have withdrawn before the snow melted." Wanyan Huonü said with disdain, "Without the walls of Liaoyang Prefecture, how could they withstand the elite troops of the Jin Dynasty?" Wanyan Zhamu felt a sense of pressure and said, "That's because they finally realized that even with the walls of Liaoyang Prefecture, they couldn't hold this city." Wanyan Huonü said, "Where could tens of thousands of Liao soldiers go after fleeing Liaoyang Prefecture?" Wanyan Zhamu thought of more than just that, saying, "Besides the 30,000 Liao soldiers, Liaoyang Prefecture also had tens of thousands of civilians. The Shu princess not only took her army but also didn't abandon her people, so this was a well-planned retreat!"

Wanyan Huonu frowned and said, "Liaodong is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and our territory is to the north. She can only go south!" Wanyan Zhamu said, "Jinzhou in the south is just across the sea from the Song Dynasty!" Wanyan Huonu was surprised and said, "Does the general suspect that the Shu princess has fled to the Song Dynasty?" Wanyan Zhamu shook her head and said, "The Shu princess did not flee alone. The Song and Liao Dynasties are sworn enemies and would not easily accept tens of thousands of Liao troops, but she must have received some kind of promise from the Song Dynasty!" Wanyan Huonu thought for a moment and said, "This humble general is willing to lead my troops south to pursue her!" Wanyan Zhamu shook her head and said, "Stay where you are and wait for General Wanyan Wulu's main force to arrive." "Da, let's pursue them south again!" Wanyan Huonü said dejectedly, "The Liao army is now like stray dogs; why should you personally lead the charge?" Wanyan Zhamu was not as optimistic as Wanyan Huonü, saying, "Although the Princess of Shu is a woman, her 30,000 troops held us off for a full six months. They should not be underestimated!" Wanyan Huonü retorted, "That's because in the autumn we only had 10,000 troops in Liaodong. Later, General Wanyan Wulu's reinforcements arrived, but winter came quickly, so the Princess of Shu was able to hold Liaoyang Prefecture by chance. Now that winter has passed and spring has come, isn't she terrified of the Jin army's 50,000 troops?"

Although what Wanyan Huonü said was true, Wanyan Zhamu still did not change his mind. He thought to himself, "The Jurchens have risen too quickly. Although they have an unstoppable momentum, their foundation is ultimately shallow. If they are not careful, they will lose this great country that they have just gained!" He ordered, "You lead your troops to search fifty miles to the south. If you find any living people, capture them all!" Wanyan Huonü accepted the order and replied, "Your subordinate will do it immediately!" Wanyan Zhamu sent someone to report the military situation to Wanyan Wulu while searching the entire city.

As evening fell, Wanyan Zhamu stayed at the former residence of the Shu Kingdom princess. Her troops, except for her personal guards who remained at the princess's residence, were stationed at various key points throughout the city. On the same day that Wanyan Huonü returned to Liaoyang Prefecture, Wanyan Wulu's army also arrived. Inside the central command tent, Wanyan Wulu, Wanyan Zhamu, Wanyan Pucha, and Wanyan Digu were all present. Facing the empty city beneath their feet, each of them was filled with complex emotions. Wanyan Wulu, as the commander-in-chief, looked at Wanyan Zhamu and asked, "As the commander of the vanguard, do you know the whereabouts of the Liao army in the city?" Wanyan Zhamu replied, "When I entered the city, Liaoyang Prefecture was already an empty city. Moreover, the Liao army's treasury was empty of money, and their granaries were empty of grain. I also sent men to search fifty li to the south, but all the villages were deserted!" Wanyan Wulu frowned and said, "It seems that the Liao army made thorough preparations when they withdrew, and the people didn't seem to offer much resistance!" Wanyan Zhamu... The mother nodded and said, "All the villages, houses, doors, and windows are intact, with no signs of fighting, and everything that could be taken has been taken without exception!" Wanyan Wulu laughed angrily and said, "We've endured the elements and waited all winter, only to be outmaneuvered by a little girl in the end!" Wanyan Zhamu said, "The Liaodong Peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides. Even if the princess of Shu has great abilities, it's impossible for her to make 30,000 troops and tens of thousands of civilians disappear forever. I hope the general will allow me to lead the vanguard to search south!"

Wanyan Zhamu's 3,000 vanguard troops were elites selected from 50,000 Jurchen soldiers, intended to be a sharp blade cutting through the heart of the Liao Kingdom. With the whereabouts of 30,000 Liao troops currently unknown, Wanyan Wulu couldn't sit idly by. He said, "The Liaodong Peninsula is less than 300 li in all directions; it can't hide tens of thousands of troops." Then his voice suddenly rose, shouting, "Wanyan Pucha, Wanyan Zhamu, Wanyan Digu, heed my command!" The three men instantly stood up and loudly replied, "Your subordinates are here!" Wanyan Wulu continued, "I order you three to lead your respective troops, advancing south in three routes—left, center, and right—to search. I will personally lead the main force to cover your retreat!" The three men, upon hearing this, replied in unison, "Your subordinates obey!"

What truly astonished the Jurchens was that, heading south from Liaoyang Prefecture, the counties and villages along the way were deserted, like ghost towns. This unusual situation was suspicious, and none of the three Jurchen armies dared to venture too far alone. They were forced to advance slowly in a triangular formation to avoid being ambushed by the Liao army. This situation lasted for six days until the three armies converged at the Great Wall at Zhendonghaikou. The Great Wall at Zhendonghaikou stretched for twenty-three li (approximately 11.5 kilometers) at the narrowest point of Jinzhou, and was heavily fortified by the Shu princess's thirty thousand troops. Wanyan Zhamu looked at the Liao guards at the pass without a smile. She turned to Wanyan Huonü and said, "Which do you think is more difficult to conquer, this pass or the walls of Liaoyang Prefecture?" Wanyan Huonü, also looking worried, replied, "Liaoyang Prefecture is flat and open; our army can attack from any direction. But this formidable pass, although stretching for over twenty li, has very few points of attack!"