Moma Liangshan

Chapter 237 Strategic Advancement and Retreat, Full-Scale Attack

The Jurchen "Thunderbolt Chariot" was a combination of a catapult, a shield wall, and wheels. The shield wall, located at the front, was butterfly-shaped and slightly tilted backward, constructed of tightly packed, double-layered, wrist-thick hardwoods, providing effective protection for the soldiers behind. The catapult was single-pole, pulled by six men, and could launch five-pound stones to a distance of eighty paces. The two heavy wheels, about half a foot wide and two feet high, provided sufficient sturdiness for the entire chariot frame. Crossbows, as described in the novel, were horizontal shots, thus having a maximum range and an effective range; the old saying "even a powerful crossbow at its end cannot pierce silk" illustrates this point. The catapult, however, launched projectiles, and the entire area where the projectiles landed was within its effective range.

Faced with the oncoming trebuchets, the Shu princess's expression turned serious again. She asked, "Do you have a way to destroy these behemoths?" Wang Hao, observing the battle, sighed, "Without artillery, the only thing capable of destroying these trebuchets is probably the trebuchets themselves!" He could only say, "You should trust Yelü Dashi!" The Shu princess frowned, saying, "Even you are helpless?" Wang Hao smiled sheepishly, saying, "If I were confident, why would I be standing here with you on this observation platform?"

At that very moment, Yelü Dashi suddenly ordered, "The entire army retreats sixty paces!" Previously, Yelü Dashi's heavy crossbowmen were exactly twenty paces away from the enemy in the trenches, allowing them to unleash a devastating three-arrow volley. Retreating sixty paces put them just outside the enemy's attack range. When the massive stone projectiles arced through the air and landed on the allied camp, it was like a punch hitting cotton—completely ineffective. Wanyan Zongwang, however, disregarded the consequences and sent troops to rescue his men. Yelü Dashi was not intimidated by the enemy's powerful counterattack and ordered again, "Heavy crossbowmen, advance on both flanks, crossfire!" Ancient catapults and trebuchets shared the same weakness: immense weight, slow movement, and the lack of a rotating turret, limiting them to a straight-line attack. Yelü Dashi, utilizing the heavy crossbowmen's mobility, immediately changed formation, launching a crossfire from both flanks, achieving another remarkable victory. In this round of fighting, hundreds more enemy soldiers perished on the spot.

The princess of Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Yelü Dashi is truly a rare and excellent general!" Wang Hao, however, muttered to himself, "If Yelü Dashi didn't possess great talent and strategy, how could he have led the remnants of the Liao army to establish the vast Western Liao? You must know that the Western Liao not only dominated Central Asia but also existed until Genghis Khan's westward expedition!" He continued, "Yelü Dashi is calm and composed in battle, and he takes enemy heads silently. With such a capable general, the Liao might very well be able to revive!" The princess of Shu nodded at first, but... He quickly thought of the fierce political struggles within the court and felt a deep sense of powerlessness. He said, "If we want to rely on Yelü Dashi to revive the Liao Dynasty, we must not let him be recalled to the court. Otherwise, such a peerless general will be buried in foolish political struggles!" Wang Hao smiled bitterly and said, "If we win this battle, Yelü Dashi will surely become too powerful for the emperor, and your father will certainly not allow him to hold troops abroad! If we lose this battle, the last half of the Liao Dynasty will be in jeopardy. At that time, we should talk about restoring the country rather than reviving it!"

The princess of Shu had no way to refute him and asked, "Do you have a solution?" Wang Hao pondered for a long time and said, "There is a solution, but it also has huge drawbacks!" The princess of Shu was unwilling to give up this faint hope and said, "Please speak!" Wang Hao said, "If we win this battle, you must be credited with the greatest merit!" The princess of Shu did not know how to evaluate Wang Hao's suggestion and said, "Of the 60,000 allied troops, half are from Yelü Dashi's Youdu army. If I take credit from him, even if Yelü Dashi understands our predicament, those 30,000 soldiers will not let it go!" Wang Hao was also helpless and said, "We can only take it one step at a time!"

As noon passed and the sun began to set, the short half-day felt like half a century to Wanyan Zongwang. He cried out in his heart, "I, Wanyan Zongwang, have spent half my life on the battlefield. When have I ever suffered such humiliation? I can neither fight nor retreat. What should I do?" Although Wanyan Zonggan had his troops stationed at the rear, he was constantly watching the battle situation at the front. Seeing Wanyan Zongwang suffer repeated setbacks, he felt a mixture of schadenfreude and restlessness. Finally, when the battle at the front reached a stalemate, he spurred his horse forward.

Despite harboring ambitions, Wanyan Zonggan managed to feign a humble demeanor, cautiously asking, "Why did you suddenly cease hostilities, Second Brother?" Wanyan Zongwang's face was grim, yet he still had to force a smile and reply, "Elder Brother, you'll see at a glance!" He then pointed to the trenches ahead. Wanyan Zongwang pretended to look into the distance, saying, "I can only hear our army shouting, but I can't see a single person. How strange!" How could Wanyan Zongwang not know that his half-brother was no benevolent man? He countered, saying, "The six hundred vanguards I sent are trapped in the enemy's trenches and cannot be rescued. I beg Elder Brother for assistance!" Wanyan Zonggan already knew about the trapped vanguards of the Pito army and asked, "What methods did you use to rescue them, Second Brother?" Although Wanyan Zongwang was indignant, he could only tell him the truth. Wanyan Zonggan feigned sudden realization and said, "In my humble opinion, the only solution now is to put them in a life-or-death situation!" Wanyan Zongwang was anxious and said, "They are all my most elite warriors. How can we just ignore them?" Wanyan Zonggan replied, "You have already lost a thousand men trying to rescue these six hundred, and it will be dark in three hours at most!"

Given the unfavorable situation, the mere thought of guarding against an enemy night attack was enough, let alone actively seeking battle. Wanyan Zongwang could only say, "I wonder what good plan my elder brother has?" In this life-or-death battle between Jin and Liao, Wanyan Zonggan dared not resort to scheming in the face of such a crucial matter. He said, "Let us deploy all 60,000 troops in a general offensive. The enemy will not dare to make the slightest mistake and will also have to deploy all their forces and go all out. At that time, the enemy's defenses at the gates will surely weaken. Then you can concentrate your elite troops and attack the enemy camp directly. If the enemy camp is breached, the 600 soldiers will be saved!"

Wanyan Zongwang had considered this method, but without Wanyan Zonggan's strong support, his 30,000 troops alone were insufficient to contain the enemy's entire force. He cupped his hands and said, "I cannot thank you enough. If my elder brother ever needs my assistance, I will gladly die for you!" Wanyan Zonggan feigned nonchalance and said, "We are brothers, why stand on ceremony?" Wanyan Zonggan's strategy was not particularly brilliant, but it was very suitable for the current situation. However, his reckless attack, disregarding the lives of his soldiers, would inevitably damage Wanyan Zongwang's reputation!