Yao Pingzhong himself came from a military family, so he knew exactly what these men lacked the most.
Dealing with these elite troops of the Western Army, there was no need for any useless trickery. As long as the rewards offered by the emperor were high enough, they would dare to risk their lives!
"A promotion of three ranks! What's there to hesitate about? If you don't dare to seize this immense fortune, then get out of the way!"
As soon as Yao Pingzhong finished speaking, a few centurions in the crowd began to clamor.
These men, every single one of them, had neither noble birth nor wealth. If they relied on their own efforts, they probably wouldn't have advanced an inch in their lives. After all, the elite guard was established to block people like them. They had essentially reached their limit in their current positions. If they could seize this opportunity to enter the elite guard, who knew, perhaps one day they could even become a defense commissioner!
"General, such a good opportunity, only a fool would refuse! Just tell us how to fight, General!"
"Yes, General, just tell us how to fight!"
"Very good! After we leave the city, everyone will follow my banner. Do not engage in prolonged battles on the way. We will head directly to the Jin army's main camp with me!"
"Yes!"
"Alright, now check your equipment. We depart in fifteen minutes!"
"Yes!"
With Yao Pingzhong's order, the ten thousand Song troops gathered under his command began to move swiftly. Although the numbers were only ten thousand, to show their importance, the emperor had directly allocated the remaining few thousand horses in Bianliang City to them.
"Brother Xiyan, I entrust tonight to you!"
Seeing that Yao Pingzhong's troops had assembled, even Zhang Bangchang personally came to see them off. Although this fellow's character was not good, he was, after all, the nominal Grand Chancellor of the Great Song. Seeing him arrive, Yao Pingzhong felt a surge of emotion. He was a military man after all, not so calculating. For this surprise attack, if not for Zhang Bangchang's support, the emperor would never have listened to his opinion. Both publicly and privately, he remained grateful to Zhang Bangchang!
"Your Excellency is too kind. To receive the emperor's stipend is to bear the emperor's burden. This is my duty as a subordinate. Please wait in the city, my lord. I shall return swiftly!"
"Someone, bring wine!"
Seeing Yao Pingzhong's resolute words, Zhang Bangchang personally took a wine jar from his attendant and poured him a bowl of farewell wine.
"Thank you, my lord. I depart now!"
After draining the farewell wine in one gulp, Yao Pingzhong smashed the wine bowl in his hand, turned, and led his ten thousand soldiers out of Bianliang City quietly.
It was the end of the month, and in the silent night, the gates of Bianliang City were finally opened quietly once more. All the horses had their mouths specially fitted with muzzles, and all the soldiers were strictly ordered not to make any sound. Only when he saw the city gate slowly close behind him did Yao Pingzhong regain his composure and cautiously lead his ten thousand soldiers towards the nearby Jin encampment.
Bianliang City was exceptionally quiet tonight. The entire Fuming Hall was brightly lit, but the eunuchs and palace maids serving inside were all holding their breath, lest they accidentally make a sound that might anger the new master of the Great Song Dynasty!
"They should have left the city by now, right?" Zhao Huan asked anxiously, looking at the hourglass.
"Replying to Your Majesty, judging by the time, they should have left the city. It is estimated that in another half an hour at most, the two sides will be engaged in close combat!" Shunxi said softly after carefully observing the time on the hourglass.
"May the ancestors bless us, may the ancestors bless us!" Upon hearing Shunxi's words, Zhao Huan strode back to the offering table in front of Fuming Hall. This was perhaps the most devout sacrifice of his life. He now desperately craved a decisive victory. The empire, since it fell into his hands, had been in a state of precariousness. He was not even sure if he himself could survive this storm. If not for the strong persuasion of Zhang Bangchang and Sun Fu, he would never have agreed to such a plan! But it was too late to say these things now. The men had already left the city, and everything would have to be left to fate.
While the emperor waited in Fuming Hall, on the city walls of Bianliang, Zhang Bangchang, Sun Fu, and Li Gang, all their attention was focused on the southern direction. Whether this battle could be won directly determined the future course of the entire campaign. If Yao Pingzhong won, Li Gang would naturally lead the remaining soldiers in the city to fight the Jin army to the death. But if Yao Pingzhong lost, it would mean that even the auxiliary troops within Bianliang City would have to join the defense.
Amidst everyone's prayers, Yao Pingzhong, leading his ten thousand troops, finally approached the Jin army's encampment.
"Brothers, the moment to achieve glory is now! Kill them!" With a roar from Yao Pingzhong, the ten thousand soldiers behind him charged into the Jin camp like tigers descending from a mountain.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
With the shouts of the Song army, the Jin army's camp was thrown into utter chaos. Yet, even so, Yao Pingzhong's focus remained clear! His objective tonight was Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang. As for other minor figures, they were not within his scope of attack. Under the protection of several hundred personal guards, Yao Pingzhong entered the Jin army's camp as if he were in an uninhabited land, causing a bloody slaughter. The ten thousand elite troops of the Western Army he led were indeed seasoned veterans, but the Jin soldiers they faced were, for the most part, also elites who had just experienced a war of annihilation. After they broke into the second encampment, the Jin soldiers and generals who heard the commotion had already begun to organize their formations.
"Good lad, they actually dare to come!" While Yao Pingzhong's army was fighting hard, in the main camp of the Jin army, Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang stood outside their tent, gazing at the distant fighting.
"Their courage is indeed commendable, but they underestimate us too much. We are not those fat and lazy noble lords!" Wanyan Zongwang said disdainfully after glancing in Yao Pingzhong's direction.
"That's right. Since they dare to come, there's no need to be polite. Issue the order, and gobble them up!"
"Yes!"