Chapter 897 - 88: Fighting Desperately, Breaking Through Jin to Enter Jiangnan

In the fifteenth year of Shaoxing, May.

The beacon fires have not extinguished, but have instead become increasingly fierce.

Both sides clearly harbored the intention to achieve a decisive victory in this battle, thus engaging in the most intense of struggles on this land.

The region of Huaidong has transformed from an initial ambush battlefield into a brutal arena testing the will and resilience of both sides.

—with the involvement of Jiangnan forces.

All this is undoubtedly inevitable.

Of course, this is naturally because Yue Fei is indeed quite difficult to deal with.

Had it been anyone else.

In the current situation of being surrounded on all sides, it would be impossible to stabilize the situation; even if unable to secure a great victory, it nonetheless created an opportunity for a stalemate for the entire Song Army.

The "Hunting Squad" composed of the elite cavalry of the Jin Army and Yue Fei’s rangers were entangled repeatedly in battles amidst the river networks and hills, fighting fiercely yet misshapenly.

Yue Fei, however, did not insist on sheer offense.

He established simple naval stations using recovered coastal strongholds like Haizhou and Chuzhou, maintaining a tenuous connection via sea routes with the Northern Border, using this as a base to further spread the seeds of resistance against the Jin in Huaidong’s countryside, even secretly supporting several notably large Rebel Armies.

Using this as a base.

Bolstered by his own elite troops, to counter the Jiangnan forces mobilized by Wanyan Digunai.

On the northern front—

Daming Prefecture almost could not be recognized as a city.

Multiple breaches in the city walls were patched with soil, timber, bricks, stones, and even the corpses of both sides, forming low walls winding like hideous scars.

Above and below the city, all one could see was charred black and deep red.

Wanyan Digü’s patience seemed to have worn thin from this stubborn resistance, launching increasingly wild and cost-ignoring assaults, nearly deploying all the elite troops to fully breach the Song Army’s defensive line.

Worth mentioning is that Wanyan Digü is indeed formidable.

Especially under such casualty-indifferent circumstances, naturally increasing the pressure on the northern defensive line abruptly.

Both sides relentlessly pulling back and forth.

Within Daming Prefecture, Liu Qi and Zhang Xian had long converted offices, residences, and even temples into focal points for street battles.

Every street, every courtyard became potential arenas for fierce contests.

Soldiers’ blades dulled and were honed anew, bowstrings snapped and were replaced, with many unable to recall how many times they repelled the climbing foes.

Food began to run low, medicine long depleted.

Had it not been for Wanyan Digü’s failing to completely sever Daming Prefecture’s connection to the Northern Border, the entire Daming Prefecture would perhaps already have become a hell on earth.

Within Shandong, the stalemate lines were relatively stable, yet stirred an intense confrontation of another type beneath the surface.

Gu Hui’s main forces methodically advance, not rushing to assault Jinan, rather playing like a seasoned chess player, planting strategic pieces around, uprooting Jin Army outposts, reinforcing supply routes, increasingly isolating Jinan.

—This was the most stable point under the current war situation.

Not a matter of Wanyan Digunai abandoning this place.

But rather, because Gu Hui is too steady.

Such tactics gave Wanyan Digunai no opportunity at all, harnessing the influence of the Gu Clan, everything crafted by Gu Hui was airtight, rendering any targeted attempt futile.

Further unsettling Wanyan Digunai were the varied "new policies" implemented by Gu Hui in counties under his control.

Though the overall process was relatively slow and met with resistance from gentry and chaotic enforcement, it still gradually expanded the wave of thought.

Decrees reducing rent and interest, scenes publicly reviewing accumulated old cases, and even the comparatively restrained exploitation by officials from the old days spoke volumes through merchants and refugees, quietly spreading in Shandong and even parts of Henan.

"Could it be that things are really a bit different in the North?"

Such whispers sent a chill far beyond swords and spears through the bones of officials and noble lords relying on the Jin State.

Gu Hui seemed in no rush for outcomes on the battlefield, patiently trying to shake the seemingly solid rule of Wanyan Digunai from its foundation.

Within Yingtian Prefecture.

Wanyan Digunai faced the battle reports and summaries of civil situations sent from all sides, his expression growing gloomier day by day.

Unable to clear Huaidong, unsuccessfully besieging Daming, unrest in Shandong... Stalemate, for him, occupying vast lands and seemingly dominant, was actually the most detrimental.

Eventually, his influence paled compared to that of the Gu Clan.

Truth be told, the authority Wanyan Digunai held today largely stemmed from the Jurchen Alliance Army under his command.

And this precisely set the stage for various issues under his rule.

Stalemate equals failure!

Compared to the Gu Clan.

If he couldn’t demonstrate absolute authority, his rule would continually weaken.

If not for Gu Hui’s current endeavor being so astonishing.

By now, it would likely have sparked rebellions all over.

Wanyan Digunai was acutely aware of this!

Within Chuigong Hall.

The candlelight stretched and contracted Wanyan Digunai’s shadow on the cold floor tiles, echoing his fluctuating and increasingly fierce sentiments.

He sat in silence for a long time, pressing his finger heavily upon the map’s empty space between Jinan and Daming Prefecture.

"This sluggish knife-cutting treatment can’t go on." His voice was hoarse, tinged with a finality burning all bridges, "Gu Hui seeks to wear me down, destabilize my foundations, but I will smash his chessboard!"

Suddenly lifting his head, his eyes shone fiercely: "Transmit orders to Wanyan Digü, Daming Prefecture... for now surround without assault, secretly extract the most elite armored cavalry and troops of the Jurchen Alliance Army!"

"Tell Digü to put on a display of readiness to breach the city at all costs, but relocate the true elite forces stealthily eastward!"

"Next, command the defending army of Jinan," his finger shifted towards Jinan, "to abandon the city!"

Upon hearing this, his trusted close aides standing by changed color.