Chapter 11: The Jurchen Army's Night Assault

Wanyan Chang was the most moderate among those present. At this moment, he cleared his throat and said, "General, the casualties have been tallied. Our army has lost over five thousand men, with more than five thousand severely wounded, not counting the lightly injured."

He paused, as if wanting to say something more, but upon seeing the fiery glares from those beside him, he shook his head and said nothing further.

"Agh!" Wanyan Zongbi slapped the table in frustration. "This is infuriating! The Song army dares to injure so many of our soldiers. General, give the order! Tonight, we must launch a night assault on Bianjing!"

A night assault was a true test for any soldier—not only physically, but also mentally. The bloody scene from the morning still lingered indelibly in everyone’s hearts. In the pitch darkness, those massive, unseen arrows could wreak havoc on the army’s fighting spirit.

Thinking of this, Wanyan Zongwang furrowed his brow tightly.

"General, what are you hesitating for? Are we to let the lives of over ten thousand of our soldiers go to waste just like that?" Wanyan Zongbi exclaimed angrily.

"I fear the Song army has already anticipated our night raid and will be prepared. If that is the case, even if we attack, we will gain nothing," Wanyan Chang replied.

"Hmph, those useless Song troops rely entirely on their great crossbows. If we attack the city at night, they won’t be able to see us, and their crossbows will be rendered useless. With just twenty thousand men, I guarantee I can break open the gates of Bianjing," Wanyan Zongbi declared confidently.

What had seemed a simple task now faced a bottleneck.

"Do any of you have a way to counter the great crossbows?" Wanyan Zongwang did not give an immediate order but instead sought counsel.

The Jin generals glanced at each other helplessly. The Jin state, founded by the Jurchens, had only recently risen to power and knew little of advanced manufacturing techniques. Now, faced with such formidable war machines, they found themselves at an impasse.

"The power of these crossbows is overwhelming—no manpower can resist them," said Wanyan Loushi gravely.

Everyone fell into a heavy silence.

Wanyan Zongbi scoffed, "Is my mighty Jin cavalry to be held up by a mere crossbow?"

"Fourth Prince, do not be impatient. It’s not that we do not wish to break open Bianjing swiftly, but at present, we truly have no solution," Wanyan Xiyin advised.

"If there are no other ideas, then let us proceed with mine. Tonight, I’ll take twenty thousand elite troops and, under cover of darkness, storm the city. As long as one man reaches the crossbow and destroys it, the Song army will have nothing to rely on. Then breaking the city will be easy," Wanyan Zongbi insisted.

After he spoke, silence reigned.

Growing agitated, Wanyan Zongbi pressed, "Well? Say something! Do you agree or not?"

Wanyan Chang thought for a moment and replied, "I believe it unwise. The key to a successful night raid is that the Song army must be unaware. The new emperor of Song acts very differently from the old one; there is no guarantee they will not be prepared."

Wanyan Zongbi, growing impatient, retorted, "The issue is not whether the Song army expects us, but that we cannot avoid those crossbows. Only by using the cover of night can we minimize our losses. If you don’t agree to the night raid, do you have a better plan?"

Wanyan Chang did not reply, for he truly had no better solution.

"I suggest we wait for the Western Army led by Wanyan Zonghan to arrive before making further plans," Wanyan Loushi proposed.

"Wait for him?" Wanyan Zongbi bristled at this, unable to contain his anger. "If it weren’t for Wanyan Zonghan dragging his feet, with our eastern and western armies converged, Bianjing would have fallen long ago."

Mentioning Wanyan Zonghan brought further discontent among the generals.

"Our Eastern Army swept through with unstoppable force, yet the Western Army under Wanyan Zonghan is nowhere to be seen. What is he dawdling for?" Wanyan Xiyin added with a scoff.

"The Western Army has been blocked in Shaanxi by the Song general Zhong Shidao. They likely won’t arrive soon. It seems we must find our own way to break Bianjing," Wanyan Zongwang remarked coolly.

In war, much depends on allies reaching their positions. The battlefield shifts in an instant, and one misstep could spell total defeat. No wonder there were so many grievances.

"We can’t pin our hopes entirely on Wanyan Zonghan. If he remains entangled with the Song forces, are we to sit here and wait indefinitely? Moreover, from what I hear, the Song court’s call to arms has been answered throughout the realm. If we cannot breach Bianjing quickly and the Song army strikes from within and without, we’ll be in real trouble," Wanyan Zongbi argued.

His words left the gathered generals silent, for the scenario he described was all too possible.

"Very well, as you wish. Wanyan Zongbi, hear my command: you are appointed as the assault general. Tonight, lead twenty thousand elite soldiers and attack Bianjing from the north gate," Wanyan Zongwang ordered.

"Your command is received," replied Wanyan Zongbi, still smarting from the recent defeat—a humiliation in his military career that he was desperate to erase.

Outside Bianjing, a brief calm settled. Both sides made their preparations, but all was quiet, as if in the pause before a coming storm.

Shortly after midnight, Wanyan Zongbi quietly led his twenty thousand troops toward the city’s north gate.

But before they even approached, they saw from afar a massive brazier blazing atop the northern wall. Behind it stood a gigantic bronze mirror, reflecting the fire’s glow clearly onto the ground a hundred yards beyond the ramparts. It was as if torches ringed the entire city wall, illuminating everything within a hundred yards. If the Jin army so much as showed themselves, they would be spotted instantly.

"General, the Song army is truly cunning. What should we do now?" the deputy commander asked, his expression grim.

Wanyan Zongbi was at a loss as well. Perhaps their previous victories had come too easily, leading him to underestimate the Song army. Now, faced with this transformed and vigilant foe, he found it hard to accept.