Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 149: Singing Heroes in the Smoke

As expected, Liu Huai's next words were already incoherent: "When the time comes, you must quickly kill Zhang Anguo, unite with Li Tieqiang, annex the Tianwang Army, and integrate the Xinzi Army, the Tianwang Army, and the Rulin Army. Then, bring as many people as you can and join forces with the Zhongyi Army."

Xin Qiji raised his weary eyes and stared at Liu Huai. His meaning was clear: "So I killed my comrades, bore the infamy, and annexed allies just to be annexed by your loyal army? Why would I do this?"
Liu Huai explained, "Taking Linyi is equivalent to blocking the transportation of supplies from Shandong East to the south. Without these supplies, the Jin bandits will face the dilemma of insufficient food, fodder and weapons when they move south along the Yellow River. Moreover, if Linyi is in our hands, the Loyalty Army can follow the Yishui River downstream and attack the important city of Pizhou, threatening the retreat of the Jin bandits' southern expedition."

"Therefore, Wanyan Liang had two options. One was to shift the main attack direction and send a small-scale army to Lianghuai to ease the logistical pressure; the other was to send the Jin army to attack Linyi."

"And judging by Wanyan Liang's actions over the years, he is extremely stubborn and will definitely choose the second option."

"Xin Wulang, from now on, the entire Shandong rebel army will be swept away by the Jin bandits' regular army. It will be a tough battle. If Chief Geng is still here, the Tianping Army can still unite to face the storm, but if Chief Geng is gone, you will have to bear the responsibility. I'm not joking with you, nor am I trying to instigate you. You must know that this concerns the lives of thousands of people!"

Xin Qiji listened silently, but in the end he neither agreed nor refused.

Liu Huai naturally did not try to persuade them anymore. The two of them continued to patrol the front and back of the queue. People kept finding dead war horses on the roadside and Jurchens hiding everywhere. Horse carcasses and heads were constantly sent to the army.

When they set up camp in the afternoon, they counted the spoils and found that the number of captured Jurchens had exceeded one hundred. Including the carcasses of horses and the war horses that were still alive but had collapsed from exhaustion, there were a total of one hundred and ninety-eight horses.

The horse carcasses were quickly cut up, sprinkled with salt, and cooked in a large pot. That evening, the Xin army had another meal of meat. The exhausted war horses were cared for like treasures.

These are all good war horses. Even if they can be restored to half, it will be a great fortune.

After counting, Liu Huai was speechless for a while, but just as you can't sit back down after you've shit, you can't swallow back the words you've said. He immediately threw the dagger on his waist to Pan Wulang.

Pan Wulang took the dagger, but hesitated for a moment: "Liu Dalang, I don't want this dagger anymore. Please give us a tune and sing a song."

As soon as these words were spoken, the soldiers who were resting began to make a fuss.

Liu Huai was surprised for a moment: "Good fellow, you actually want me to sing a song, what song?"

Pan Wulang hesitated for a moment. "I still remember the most critical moment two days ago, when you encouraged us and said you would become as strong as Mount Tai with us. Later, when we faced the enemy, I was not far behind you and heard you humming a tune. I only vaguely caught the line 'Heroes drive away tigers and leopards, sacrificing their own lives to protect peace.' I want to hear it again."

Liu Huai suddenly realized.

He had the habit of humming songs when he was nervous, but he didn't show it on weekdays in the army.

But the battle two nights ago was different from the previous ones.

Because no matter how tense and harsh the battles were in the past, he had Wei Sheng behind him, and generals such as Zhang Baiyu, Shi Qilang, and Zhang Xiaoyi were by his side, as well as the soldiers and horses he personally trained to fight hard together.

In other words, Liu Dalang had a clear idea in his mind at that time.

And the first two nights were really pitch black.

Liu Huai had no idea whether the seemingly well-organized generals of the Tianping Army would turn around and run away the next moment, nor did he know whether the neatly arranged formation would collapse at the first touch. In such a dark and chaotic army, life and death could only be left to fate.

So he was really nervous at the time, but he was also infected by the environment and couldn't help humming a red song.

Who would have thought that someone could hear it in such a chaotic battlefield?

Seeing the soldiers of the Xin Army making a fuss, Liu Huai was not stage-frightened. He stood directly on a baggage cart and said loudly: "Pan Wulang, the dagger is still with you. I admit defeat. Since everyone wants me to sing, I will sing a tune from my hometown and show off my ugliness!" Then, a rough and slow singing voice sounded.

It is:

"Smoke billows as heroes sing,

The green mountains on all sides listen attentively,

Listen carefully.

Thunder on a clear sky sounds like golden drums,
The great river waves make a harmonious sound,
The hero of the scales drives away tigers and leopards,
Sacrifice your life to protect peace,
Why are the battle flags so picturesque?

The blood of heroes dyed it red,

Why is spring always here on earth?

The lives of heroes bloom."

Liu Huai had not studied singing specifically, and the song was indeed quite old, which resulted in him not only forgetting the lyrics and making mistakes in the middle part and having to make temporary corrections, but he even completely forgot the last two sections.

But the lyrics of this song are simple and catchy. Liu Huai only sang it twice before someone joined in. When he sang it for the third time, more than a thousand officers and soldiers in the battalion joined in singing at the same time.

At first, Xin Qiji thought the song was too soft. How could it possibly be a war song? War songs were sung to the accompaniment of bronze pipa and iron clapboards. Furthermore, the lyrics were too plain, not even using an allusion. How could that be justified?
It can be said that the creative idea of this ditty, which is like a poem but not a poem, and like a ci but not a ci, is completely opposite to that of Xin Qiji.

But when Xin Qiji looked at the soldiers who had already started humming along, he suddenly realized.

This song was not originally a response between scholars while they were drinking and chatting, but a hymn to ordinary soldiers who were illiterate or semi-literate.

Just as no one except Liu Huai told the ordinary soldiers that their death would be heavier than Mount Tai, no one ever called them heroes.

They themselves would not consider themselves heroes. They would only march, fight, eat and sleep under the orders of their general, but they did not know why.

Now, though these soldiers were still somewhat confused, someone finally acknowledged their actions and told them: "You did the right thing! You are heroes who safeguarded peace! I am willing to sing your praises!"
For an ordinary soldier, this is already a great boast.

After Liu Huai sang it several times, he waved his hand in a very heroic manner and said, "Heroes, please stop singing. A hero needs to eat too. Go set up camp, light a fire and cook! Officers of all levels, come out and do your work!"

Everyone agreed with a roar.

Xin Jingwei approached his cousin Xin Qiji and whispered, "Brother, are you really not going to do anything about it? If this continues, the Xin Army might become the Liu Army."

Xin Qiji smiled bitterly and shook his head: "It doesn't matter, Liu Dalang will be leaving soon, and we will go our separate ways when we reach Feixian at the latest."

Xin Jingwei felt relieved, yet also filled with a sense of loss. He couldn't help but stare at the figure that had just jumped off the grain cart and mutter, "Being friends with them brings peace of mind, but being enemies brings fear. Being close to them is like being roasted by flames, and being far away is like falling into an icy cave in the coldest winter. Brother, how can such a person exist in this world?"

Xin Qiji could only nod silently for a moment.

(End of this chapter)