Chapter 10: The Meat Grinder

“Report! Our Western Army has come under attack from the Song army’s mysterious giant crossbows. Our vanguard has suffered heavy casualties!” The scout delivered his message, panting for breath.

“Report! Our Southern Army has come under attack from the Song army’s mysterious giant crossbows. Our vanguard has suffered heavy casualties!” No sooner had the words left his mouth than another scout burst in, equally out of breath, struggling to get the words out.

After hearing the two scouts’ reports, Wanyan Zongwang’s expression turned grim.

“What about the Eastern Army? Any news from the east?” Wanyan Zongwang asked.

Both scouts shook their heads.

“Hurry and send someone to deliver orders to Wanyan Zongbi. Tell him he must be cautious of the Song army’s giant crossbows,” Wanyan Zongwang instructed his deputy.

“General, now that three out of our four armies have been blocked, our only hope rests on the Fourth Prince,” Wanyan Chang said to Wanyan Zongwang.

Wanyan Zongwang could only muster a bitter smile. If the situation were really as simple as Wanyan Chang described, there would be little to worry about; but he feared that Wanyan Zongbi, knowing the odds, would still press on regardless.

“Never mind, you go yourself. If anything happens, report back to me at once,” Wanyan Zongwang said to his deputy.

Knowing the urgency, the deputy accepted the order and hurried off.

Meanwhile, things on Wanyan Zongbi’s side were unfolding exactly as Wanyan Zongwang had suspected.

Wanyan Zongbi’s troops too encountered the deadly attack of the Jingkang Crossbow. Yet, unlike the other three armies, Wanyan Zongbi’s Jin soldiers did not retreat. Instead, they charged forward with reckless abandon.

It was not that they did not fear death; rather, Wanyan Zongbi had issued a strict order: any who dared retreat would be executed on the spot, while the first to scale the city wall would be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold.

Death was all but certain—if retreat meant death, it was better to risk everything for a chance at glory, and possibly walk away with a fortune.

Military strategy holds that one needs three times the enemy’s numbers to storm a city. But now, the Jin army had only twenty thousand men, and they faced the desperate resistance of the Song troops. To climb the walls under such circumstances was all but impossible.

The enormous Jingkang Crossbows were like meat grinders, mercilessly harvesting the lives of Jin soldiers who dared approach. Blood flowed everywhere; severed limbs flew through the air. The scene was truly terrifying.

At this point in the battle, retreat was hardly an option. The Jin soldiers at the foot of the wall were already blinded by bloodlust. As soon as one comrade fell to a crossbow bolt, another would immediately rush forward, wave upon wave. The Jin soldiers at the base of the wall looked like skewers of meat, impaled one after another. The sight was almost comical, but there was not a soul who could find it in them to laugh.

“General Zongbi, we must retreat—those Song crossbows are too powerful. If this continues, our losses will be catastrophic!” Wanyan Zongwang’s deputy rushed over and pleaded with Wanyan Zongbi.

“No. We have sacrificed so many men. To retreat now would render all their deaths meaningless,” Wanyan Zongbi refused to relent. In truth, war sometimes resembled gambling—he had already lost so much, and could not bear to walk away empty-handed.

“But General Zongbi, if this continues, our twenty thousand men may all perish here,” the deputy urged anxiously.

“What did you say?” Wanyan Zongbi was infuriated by these words. He grabbed the deputy by the collar, his eyes bloodshot.

The deputy felt as though he were being stared down by a wild beast. Instinctively, he lowered his head. Remembering that Wanyan Zongwang had sent him personally, he braced himself and said, “General, if we keep even a single green mountain standing, we need not fear running out of firewood. The Song have somehow produced these giant crossbows. For now, we should withdraw and wait for a way to counter them.”

Wanyan Zongbi, a fierce warrior by any measure, took a deep breath at the deputy’s words, then threw back his head and roared, venting his frustration.

“Sound the gong—order the retreat!” Wanyan Zongbi forced out the command through gritted teeth. These four words were a tremendous humiliation to him.

“Report! The Jingkang Crossbows have shown their might—the Jin army is in retreat!” In the Song army’s main camp, the scout had not even entered the gates before his triumphant voice rang out.

In the camp, Zhao Huan sat at the center, flanked by over a dozen Song generals. At the news, excitement lit up every face.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Jingkang Crossbow you designed is truly the greatest artifact of our Great Song. With this weapon in our arsenal, the safety of Bianjing is assured,” Li Gang said, visibly moved.

But as a man from the modern world, Zhao Huan understood well that though these cold weapons seemed formidable, they were nothing compared to true firearms—the difference was like that between children and adults, not even in the same league.

“The Jin army’s retreat is only temporary. Their main force remains—they have not truly withdrawn. We must not grow complacent. Pass down my orders: tend to the wounded at once, and distribute compensation to the families of the fallen. You keep a close watch—if anyone dares withhold even a coin of this money, no matter who they are, they will be executed,” Zhao Huan commanded. He knew well how corruption plagued the Song dynasty—there were those who would even embezzle the money for the dead.

He had to eliminate all worries for these frontline soldiers; only then would they be willing to risk their lives in his service.

“At your command!” Li Gang replied at once, seeing how serious Zhao Huan was.

“The Jin have retreated, which is a blessing. Have each city gate guarded in shifts, and let the rest of the men rest while they can to guard against a night raid,” Zhao Huan ordered.

The generals by his side accepted their commands.

Meanwhile, the mood in the Jin army’s camp was far from harmonious.

In the main tent, members of the Wanyan clan wore grim expressions. Wanyan Zongwang looked around at those present and asked, “Have we learned anything about the origins of this Song weapon?”

“Reporting, General—according to our scouts, it is said that after the new emperor of Song ascended the throne, he immediately ordered the construction of these giant crossbows. The Song now call these the Jingkang Crossbows,” Wanyan Chang replied.

“Jingkang Crossbows…” Wanyan Zongwang muttered the name repeatedly. “Do we know how they are made?”

This was truly a treasure—if they could seize one, it would be invaluable for defense, and just as effective for assault. With such power, even city walls could be pierced.

But everyone shook their heads.

“If the general wants one of those crossbows, it’s simple. Once we take Bianjing, all their crossbows will be ours,” Wanyan Zongbi snorted.

Wanyan Zongwang rolled his eyes. He made it sound easy—if Bianjing were so easily conquered, the Jin army would not have suffered so many casualties this day.