Xianxia version of Water Margin

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The night is as dark as ink.

On a winding and seemingly endless mountain road, a sea of ​​torches slowly advanced.

Thousands of soldiers drove horse-drawn sledges, carrying heavy hopes, and marched towards the peak of Big Bald Mountain.

Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu, as members of this huge team, leading two hundred Khitan warriors, were full of doubts and confusion.

They were summoned here, and it was said that they were going to receive grain, grass, baggage and sophisticated weapons from the Yuan Empire.

However, this seemingly absurd task made them murmur to themselves: How could the towering and almost unscalable summit of Dabaldingzi Mountain contain supplies for the Yuan army? Not to mention, in this ice-covered and snow-covered season, how to open a grain road to the top of the mountain, and how much blood and sweat is required to carry those heavy supplies here?

Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu looked at each other and read the same doubts in each other's eyes. If the Great Yuan Empire really had such strength here, why not directly send its troops south to show off with Wanyanchang's Jin army? Why take this detour?

The two secretly calculated that to accomplish such a feat, they would probably need to mobilize millions of soldiers and civilians, which was obviously unreasonable.

However, the sight before them did not allow them to think too much.

As the team moved forward slowly, the outline of the top of the mountain gradually became clearer, as if an unknown mystery was about to be revealed.

Finally, they reached the top of the mountain, only to see an open plain, empty and silent, with no trace of food, grass, or weapons.

Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu's hearts suddenly rose to their throats, thinking: "Could it be that this is a carefully laid trap?"

But reason tells them that such speculation is too far-fetched.

If the Dayuan people want to harm them, why go to such trouble?

What's more, on the top of the mountain, it is clear at a glance. If there is an ambush, how can it escape their eyes?

Just as the two were lost in thought, a burst of uproar broke the tranquility around them.

"Look, it's coming." Yao Youzhong's voice suddenly sounded, pointing his finger to the distant sky.

Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu followed his guidance and saw a group of huge black shadows slowly approaching in the night sky.

Those black shadows are shaped like huge footballs, with sharp heads and slightly narrower tails. Their streamlined bodies look particularly mysterious under the moonlight.

Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu's eyes widened, and they could hardly believe what they were seeing.

Those huge objects actually had big mouths and giant eyes, like ancient evil beasts coming through the void.

However, when their eyes moved downward, they discovered that hanging baskets measuring several feet square were hanging below those objects, and figures could be vaguely seen shaking in the hanging baskets.

"What the hell is this?" Yelu Yujian muttered to himself, his heart filled with shock and confusion.

Xiao Wuliu also looked stunned, as if he was in a dream. They had never seen such a strange sight, and they could not imagine that these huge "evil beasts" could soar freely in the night sky.

As those objects get closer, their true appearance becomes clearer.

It turns out that they are not evil beasts, but airships, the latest flying tools developed by the Yuan Empire.

Each airship is equipped with advanced engines and lighting equipment, leaving faint light trails in the night sky, like meteors streaking across the sky. They shuttle quietly through the darkness and approach the top of the mountain silently, adding a bit of mystery and solemnity to the silent night sky.

Yelu Yujian, Xiao Wuliu and their Khitan warriors were all shocked by this spectacular sight. Their eyes widened and their mouths opened wide, as if they had forgotten to even breathe.

Yao Youzhong walked lightly to Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu. Their eyes were still tightly drawn by the spectacular airship brigade in the sky, as if their hearts had been shocked by its huge body and silent power. He smiled and said: "This is our Great Yuan airship army. In recent days, it is they who have traveled through the sky to deliver grain, grass, baggage, soldiers and equipment here one by one."

Yao Youzhong pointed to the leading airship, its streamlined figure shining with metallic luster in the sun, and continued: "The reason why the airship is designed like this is to minimize the resistance in the air, as if a fish shuttles freely in the water without If you spend too much, you can soar into the sky and cross thousands of rivers and mountains..."

Yao Youzhong paused for a moment, his eyes shining with pride: "The animal head totem painted on the airship is an invisible deterrent to the enemy. Just imagine, when this airship dives like a giant eagle, passing over the enemy city, that shocking sight The sight is enough to make the defenders feel frightened. What's more, it can carry many weapons from the sky and deal devastating blows to the enemy. The pod can carry both people and supplies, so it has a wide range of uses. , from transportation, to military reconnaissance, artillery positioning, and even coastal patrols, all have demonstrated its extraordinary strategic value. "

Yao Youzhong's words revealed his deep pride: "One of our Dayuan airships can carry a weight of one hundred thousand kilograms. If a hundred ships fly together, it can carry a weight of tens of millions of kilograms. With the help of this artifact, Why should our Northeast Anti-Golden Alliance Army worry about lack of food and weapons?”

When Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu heard this, waves surged in their hearts.

In fact, what Yelu Yujian and Xiao Wuliu didn't know was that it was actually not easy for the airship to come.

Without the guidance of modern navigation, the pilots of the Dayuan Empire only relied on exploring the unknown terrain. After a month of arduous attempts, they finally drew a route to Dayuanzi.

Behind this are countless test flights, countless sweat and wisdom, and a firm belief in victory.

"Do you know how many people have worked hard to open up this route?" Yao Youzhong's voice was deep and powerful. "The pilots, relying on their love for the sky and their desire for victory, constantly challenged their limits, using inertial navigation, level flight speed, flight angle and other complex calculations to determine their spatial positions; they also used equipment such as navigation sextants to accurately calculate longitude and latitude. With the support of the Yuan Empire's advanced radio and radar technology, seamless connection between the ground and the air was achieved. All of this was just to allow this aerial behemoth to arrive here accurately and help our anti-Jin coalition."

Yelü Yudu and Xiao Wuliu were deeply moved by these words. They realized that the strength of the Yuan Empire was not only reflected in its military power, but also in its profound scientific and technological heritage and indomitable spirit. They began to believe that this world would eventually belong to the Yuan Empire.

Indeed, for the Khitans, the twists and turns of fate were undoubtedly heavy. They were once proud rulers, but in a blink of an eye they became subjects of the Jurchens. This humiliation and helplessness were beyond words.

The Jurchen people, known for their cunning and suspicious nature, always maintained a high degree of vigilance against the Khitans, and this precaution seemed particularly reasonable in the context of history.

Looking back to the past, the rise of the Jurchens was a magnificent epic.

From the initial scattered tribes to the gradual unification during the reign of Emperor Daozong of Liao, Yelu Hongji, the Jurchens, with the joint efforts of the raw and cooked Jurchens, grew stronger through farming, military training, and horse herding, and eventually formed a powerful force with a huge tribal alliance.

However, even at its peak, the total population of the Jurchens never exceeded one million, a fact that made them highly alert to any potential threats.

It is recorded in the History of Liao.

At the peak of the Liao Dynasty, the total population reached 8.3 million, of which the Han people accounted for 3.3 million, and the Khitans had 1.5 million. Although the Jurchens were brave and good at fighting, they only had a population of 900,000.

Imagine, among these 900,000 people, how many adult men could really take up arms and become warriors?

At most, there were only 300,000.

This is why Wanyan Aguda could only lead 20,000 troops at the beginning of his uprising.

Although the Jurchens were known for their bravery, their population disadvantage was an indisputable fact.

In order to make up for this deficiency, they had to adopt the strategy of external expansion and barbaric plunder in order to obtain more resources and population in the war.

However, the cruelty of the war also made them pay a heavy price. The number of adult males not only did not increase, but was greatly reduced due to the war.

This is the deep meaning of the saying "If the Jurchens are less than 10,000, they are invincible" - it is not only a praise for the fighting power of the Jurchens, but also a helpless portrayal of their sparse population.

On the other hand, the Khitans, although they have lost their homeland, hundreds of years of development have given them a larger population base and richer cultural heritage.

More importantly, they may also get support from other ethnic groups in the former Liao Kingdom, such as Han, Xi, Bohai, etc. This made the Jurchens have to be doubly vigilant when facing the Khitans, for fear that they would be backfired if they were not careful.

The Yuan Empire was a huge empire with a population of 280 million, 99% of whom were Han Chinese.

This number was still growing at an alarming rate, as if foreshadowing endless vitality and vigor.

Against this background, the joining of the Khitans would not only not seem abrupt, but would be able to find a new sense of belonging.

The tolerance and acceptance of ethnic minorities by the Yuan Empire gave the Khitans hope.

Here, there was no discrimination or prejudice, only equality and respect.

More importantly, the Yuan Empire also encouraged people of other nationalities to join the Han nationality and become the masters of this huge empire.

Such a policy undoubtedly made the Khitans feel warm and at ease.

After years of turmoil and displacement, the Khitans finally found a new home.

Here they can live a stable life and regain the long-lost sense of belonging.

The Yuan Empire not only gave them a living space but also gave them a chance to be reborn.

Now that the barriers between the two sides have been completely eliminated, the Khitans can reproduce and live a happy and healthy life on the new land.

The hard-won peace and tranquility made the Khitans cherish it and made them more determined to choose the Yuan Empire as their home.

At the new starting point, the Khitans will meet the challenges of the future with more enthusiasm and firmer faith to create their own glorious chapter.

When Yelu Yudu and Xiao Wuliu transported the full load of food, supplies and weapons back to the camp, the Khitans were boiling. They cheered and jumped for joy, as if they saw the dawn of victory. What made them even more excited was that the Yuan court promised to continue to provide them with continuous support.

This promise was like a shot of adrenaline, allowing the Khitans to regain confidence and hope.

The Khitans who lost their homeland had experienced countless hardships and humiliations. They were oppressed by the tyranny under the rule of the Jurchens and lived in fear and anxiety. However, the weaknesses of the Jurchens themselves were also exposed - sparse population, dispersed power, and lack of trust. In contrast, the Yuan Empire was in its heyday, with a large population, advanced technology, and national unity.

This comparison made Yelu Yudu and Xiao Wuliu more determined to follow the Yuan Empire.

They knew that although the Jurchens were brave and good at fighting, they could not resist the Yuan Empire's overwhelming force.

The Khitans’ knot was finally untied, as if winter had gone and spring had come, and they were once again bathed in the warmth of life, and the days of worry-free food and clothing returned to peace.

This sense of belonging that was lost and regained was like a long drought and a sweet rain, which filled the hearts of every Khitan with unspeakable joy.

However, once the seeds of secrets were sown, they were difficult to hide completely.

Although Yelu Yudu and Xiao Wuliu kept their mouths shut about the airship, it was inevitable that some of the more than 200 Khitans who accompanied them were not careful.

Not long after, a piece of exaggerated news quietly spread among the Khitans, saying that the airship not only brought hope, but also brought food, supplies and weapons that could shake the mountains and rivers.

This news was like an undercurrent, which quickly stirred up the Khitan people and aroused the long-suppressed fire of revenge in their hearts.

At this moment, the Khitans only had a deep hatred for the Jurchens and a firm belief in winning a place for themselves in the Yuan Empire.

Seven days passed in a flash. Li Yanxian and Yao Youzhong personally led the Northeast Anti-Jin Coalition Army and set out on a journey to the west side of Puyu Road, aiming directly at the camp of Wanyan Zongxian, the King of Jin.

This was a carefully planned ambush. The coalition stopped more than 20 miles away from the enemy camp and waited for the night to fall.

Li Yanxian was well versed in military tactics and sent the brave general Yan Chong to the Yuan army to recruit two thousand death squads to prepare for a surprise attack on a snowy night.

That night, heavy snow fell from the sky and the north wind howled. Even the Jin people, who were known for their cold resistance, had to shrink into the tent, warm themselves around the stove, and enjoy a moment of peace.

However, there was a hidden murderous intent under this tranquility.

The death squad led by Suo Chao and Sun Li quietly approached Wanyan Zongxian's camp under the cover of wind and snow.

With the loud bangs of thunder and the roar of tiger squat cannons, the defense line of the Jin army collapsed instantly. The death squad was like a tiger descending from the mountain, killing anyone they saw and attacking Huanglong.

Seeing that the sneak attack was successful, Li Yanxian decisively ordered Yelu Gaoliu, the younger brother of Yelu Wuliu, to lead 10,000 Khitan elites to reinforce Suo Chao and Sun Li.

Facing the order for reinforcement, someone suggested that the soldiers hold a gag in their mouths to keep silent, but Li Yanxian smiled indifferently and rejected the proposal. He was ingenious and ordered people to distribute a bamboo whistle to each Khitan soldier, so that they could hold it in their mouths during the attack.

This bamboo whistle was originally a toy for children in the market, but now it has become a token for the coalition forces to identify each other in the dark night.

The Jin army was confused by this sudden offensive, unable to distinguish between the enemy and us, and killed each other. In the end, the camp was full of corpses and blood.

Although Wanyan Zongxian was brave, he was helpless in such a desperate situation. He knew that his people were in imminent danger, but he still held a torch and went into battle in person, trying to turn the tide.

However, this failed to save the Jin army from defeat.

As the first rays of sunlight fell on the earth at dawn, the Northeast Anti-Jin Coalition had completed the encirclement of Wanyan Zongxian's troops.

Generals such as Li Yanxian, Yao Youzhong, Yelu Yudu, and Xiao Wuliu personally went into battle and fought a desperate battle with the Jin army.

Although the coalition had the advantage of sneak attacks and advanced weapons, the tenacious resistance of the Jin army made the battle extremely tragic.

It was not until noon that the remaining Jin army laid down their weapons and surrendered under the leadership of the Khitans and Haner, as Wanyan Zongxian was captured alive by the young Yuan general Li Shifu.

After the war, Yelu Yudu and Xiao Wuliu's hatred for the Jurchens reached its peak.

With the tacit consent of Li Yanxian and Yao Youzhong, they led the Khitans in a bloody massacre of Jurchen men, leaving only Wanyan Zongxian and dozens of Jin royal and clan members as captives.

As for the women of the Jurchens, except for the daughters of the royal family and the clan and the 100 carefully selected beauties who were presented to Jiang Hongfei, most of the rest were distributed to the Khitans as spoils of war.

As for the captives of other ethnic groups, Li Yanxian and Yao Youzhong adopted different treatment methods: the Khitans were returned to Yelu Yudu and Xiao Wuliu; the Han male captives were taken back for retraining and education to supplement the army; and the fate of the female captives was determined by the performance of their men.

After this battle, the Northeast Anti-Jin Coalition not only severely damaged the Jin army of Wanyan Chang's army, forcing it to retreat and strengthen its defense, but also greatly expanded its own strategic space.

Li Yanxian and Yao Youzhong were able to continue to lead the coalition forces to deal with the Jin army in the Heilongjiang River Basin, making the Jin Kingdom more cautious about the movements of the Yuan Empire and dare not act rashly.

The arrival of the airship brigade two days later not only brought much-needed supplies, but also sent captives such as Wanyan Zongxian to the Yuan Empire, starting their shocking journey.

——They first flew to Helan Road on an airship, then took the Yuan Empire's steel battleship to Jizhou of the Yuan Empire, and then took a carriage to Yanjing City, the world's number one city...

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