The battle on the banks of the Yellow River lasted from morning to mid-afternoon, and the armies of both sides suffered heavy losses. The battlefield within a radius of more than ten miles was soaked in blood, with human blood and horse blood.

Because the Jin soldiers were driven to retreat by the Protector Army, they didn't even have time to recover the bodies of the dead in battle.

The Song soldiers were more fortunate that the wounded were treated and the dead were buried. The old marshal Zong Ze no longer let Zong Pan support him, but walked down the mound alone and walked to the side of a Song army who had died in battle.

This was an extremely young Song soldier, sixteen or seventeen years old at most, he had at least four fatal wounds on his body, his eyes were wide open, and he stared at the corpse of a bearded golden soldier opposite, and the saber in his hand had already slashed into the chest of this golden soldier. The mace of the golden soldier smashed into his right chest.

Zong Ze sighed, stepped forward, wiped the soldier's eyelids with his hand, looked up at the generals around him and asked, "What is the name of this child?" ”

Yue Fei said, "Report to the sect marshal, this person's name is Liu Qing, sixteen years old, a native of Ying Tianfu, and a squad leader of our people's protector cavalry. ”

"Are his parents still alive?"

"His father died in the rebellion in Yingtianfu, and there is a mother and a younger sister at home. He was the only son in the family. Since Liu Qing joined the army, he has trained extremely hard. He dreamed of becoming a general, earning more money and making his mother and sister live a good life. ”

When Zong Ze heard this, he said a little unhappily, "Pengju, it is the practice of our dynasty that the only son does not join the army. How did you recruit your only son into the army! ”

A look of sadness appeared on Yue Fei's face, and he said in a low voice, "Zong Shuai, Liu Qing is willing to apply. ”

Zong Ze suddenly stopped talking, paused for a moment, and only let out a longer sigh. What else can Zong Ze say?

Yue Fei's words were very clear. Liu Qing originally had a happy home, but King Kang was stationed in Yingtianfu for several months, looted all the money and grain, patted his ass and went to Jiangnan. The tens of thousands of rebels who were abandoned in Yingtianfu killed people and set fires, although they were pacified by Yue Fei, but I don't know how many people were ruined by the scourge.

If Liu Qing's father hadn't died, he would never have let the sixteen-year-old Liu Qing join the army, wielding the saber with his still immature hands, and fighting for his life with the wolf-like Jin army. But Zong Ze understood these words in his heart, but he didn't dare to say them. The son does not say anything about the father, and the minister does not say anything about the king. King Kang's actions are certainly frustrating, but others can say it, but Zong Ze can't say it.

Of course, Yue Fei also understood Zong Ze's dilemma, and immediately whispered, "Liu Qing died against Jin, he is a hero, and his mother and sister will be raised by Ying Tianfu." ”

Zong Ze glanced at Yue Fei meaningfully, stopped talking, and just walked silently among the corpses. Who fell on the battlefield, who does not have his own family, his own family? They set foot on the battlefield of resistance against gold without hesitation, in addition to earning a salary, but also out of grief and indignation of the country's ruin.

Since the southern invasion of the Jin soldiers, in front of their horses' hooves, many anti-Jin righteous soldiers have fallen. There will be more anti-Jin righteous soldiers who will come forward and use rudimentary weapons against the Jin soldiers who are armed to the teeth.

But what did the imperial court do for these anti-gold righteous people? It's a pity that nothing was done. In addition to giving them an empty official title and letting them sacrifice their lives, just to slow down the advance of the Jin soldiers, just to let the small court survive. Once they die in battle, their families can only reap tears and grief, and nothing else. The imperial court pension will not be issued to them. Because they are only rebels and do not belong to the imperial court establishment.

Now Ying Tianfu has carried out the functions of the imperial court. Although Ying Tianfu is only in charge of protecting the people's army, in this way, more rebels will fall to Ying Tianfu.

Zong Ze suddenly didn't know what kind of calculation his disciple was in his heart. If Yue Fei was selfish, Yue Fei received his own order, and almost evacuated Ying Tianfu's military strength to Luoyang. In today's battle, the 8,000 Protector Cavalry lost at least a thousand people. It can be said that it is the heroic and good fighting of the Protector Army that can withstand the ancient quality of the sand.

If Yue Fei didn't come, Zong Ze might even think that he might be dead.

But if Yue Fei was loyal to the imperial court, Zong Ze couldn't see it either. Ying Tianfu and the imperial court have already fought two battles, which can be regarded as a fear of the imperial court. Now it occupies Xuzhou, Yingtian, Caozhou, and the sphere of influence of the Protector Army has long spread to the entire Jingxi Road and Huainan East Road.

But whether you like the Protector Army or not, you have to admit that wherever the Protector Army goes, the people welcome it. Now in the entire Central Plains, Yue Fei's reputation is not to say that it is superior to Zong Ze, at least it is on par with Zong Ze. But Yue Fei still respected Zong Ze's every order.

But Zong Ze is worried that after a hundred years, if the imperial court still shrinks to the south of the Yangtze River, then the entire Central Plains will no longer be owned by the imperial court. Yue Fei loves the people, not the king. It is the country, not the court, that is loyal.

But in Zong Ze's heart, he never had the idea of getting rid of Yue Fei. It is true that he is a loyal minister, but Zong Ze is a hero full of humanity, not the kind of hero who exterminates human nature.

The rise of the Protector Army has sheltered millions of people in the Central Plains, and there will be many more. In this regard, whether it is Yue Fei or the Protector Army, they are all immeasurably meritorious.

This is also the reason why Zong Ze entrusted his grandson Zong Pan to Yue Fei. Zong Ze knew that his time was short, and he was repeatedly belittled and suspicious, which also made Zong Ze understand one thing. The imperial court had no intention of recovering the Central Plains at all. Only planned to use the Central Plains as a huge buffer zone, and wanted to use the entire Central Plains to block the attack of the Jin soldiers, the imperial court now only wants to learn from the Eastern Jin Dynasty in history and prepare for the southern part of the Yangtze River.

But Zong Ze was unwilling to give up this splendid Central Plains, this great river and mountain, so he put his last hope on Yue Fei. He hoped that he, the most outstanding disciple, would be able to save the entire Central Plains.

But Zong Ze often feels that his thoughts are disloyal to you. Two thoughts collided back and forth in his mind, and finally the stubborn old man fell. Although Xue Bi's enlightenment opened his heart, there was still a gloomy feeling in his heart that could not be resolved.

Now walking on the blood-soaked battlefield, seeing those Song cavalry who were still holding their sabers after death, Zong Ze's heart suddenly brightened. These soldiers fought so desperately not so much to protect the imperial court as they were to protect their families.

Now that they are dead in battle, it is the duty of those who are alive to protect their families. Only in this way will these heroic spirits close their eyes under the Nine Springs. I'm old and can't protect their families anymore. Then Yue Fei should be allowed to carry this burden.

Zong Ze stopped on the battlefield. He looked at Yue Fei with blazing eyes and said, "Pengju, in today's battle, your Protector Army has made the greatest contribution. But this battle has just begun, and the sand Gu is not injured. From tomorrow onwards, I will put all the cavalry under your command and let you command them in one direction. How does Peng Ju think? ”

As soon as Zong Ze's words came out, Chen Quan and Li Cheng immediately changed their faces. Chen Qu's face changed because Zong Ze was going to deprive him of his command. Li Cheng's change of face was because he had ambushed Yue Fei, and if he became Yue Fei's subordinate, it would not be a piece of cake for Yue Fei to rectify himself.

However, Li Cheng did not speak. Because he felt that Yue Fei was not the kind of person who would repay him. If Yue Fei was really that kind of person, Li Cheng and Zhang Yong should have become dead people by now. If Yue Fei didn't lead the Beiwei army to aid the right wing, the right wing army would definitely not be able to support Zong Ze's arrival.

But Chen Quan said extremely unhappily, "Zong Shuai, this matter still needs to be thought twice. Pengju is just a regimental training commander, how can he command so many troops? It's better for Zong Shuai to command it personally. Pengju and I will do our best to assist the sect commander. ”

Chen Qu's words were ostensibly to persuade Zong Ze to take charge of the army, but in fact he was reminding Zong Ze, Lao Shuai, I am your deputy. You relieved me of my military power, isn't it a bit unauthentic?

Of course, Zong Ze understood the meaning of Chen Qu's words, and said with a sneer, "Chen Qu, your position has not changed, you are still Bianliang Tongju, my deputy." You are a third-ranking jinshi, full of wealth, talented, and a good hand at governing the place, but when the two armies are facing each other, charging into battle and capturing the flag, it is really a bit embarrassing for you. ”

Chen Qu's face turned red and he stopped talking.

Because his record today is really a bit unmatched. For most of the time, he was resting on the mound, standing idly by the imminent battle, and could not give any useful help to the several armies on the right flank. Later, he led three hundred pro-troops to rush down, but he was soon surrounded by Jin soldiers, if it wasn't for Yue Fei to save him, he would have become a cold corpse now.

Chen Quan is not a traitor, he does not have the cheekiness of a traitor. Therefore, even though he was dissatisfied with Zong Ze's arrangement, Zong Ze pointed out his shortcomings, and he no longer quibbled.

If it were Yue Fei in the past, he would definitely be humble again and again. But now that he has accepted Yue Xiaofei's memory, Yue Fei pays attention to being the best. In today's decisive battle of the cavalry, the command of the right-wing army is really a mess.

If it weren't for Sha Guzhi being scared back by Zong Ze, it is not yet known who killed the deer today. But Yue Fei didn't dare to rely on such luck for every victory. So in the face of Zong Ze's gaze, Yue Fei clenched his fists and said, "Follow Zong Shuai's order, Pengju should go all out and prepare for battle." ”

Zong Ze handed over the cavalry to Yue Fei, and also handed over the task of cleaning up the battlefield to Yue Fei. Yue Fei immediately ordered that the wounded of the Song army should be rushed back to the barracks for treatment, and the dead should also be dragged back to the barracks and buried after the funeral.

As for the casualties of the Jin soldiers, they all cut off their heads, and built a Beijing Temple on the edge of the Yellow River.

Yue Fei said loudly, "The Golden Dog doesn't treat us Song people as people, and we don't treat them as people. Everywhere they go, they do all kinds of evil, killing young and old, because they think we have no capacity for revenge. But we have to let the golden dog understand that we Zhongyuan boys also have knives in their hands, and we can also cut off their heads. ”

All the armies applauded. These soldiers are hot-blooded men, but they will not follow the example of those corrupt Confucians to repay grievances with virtue. The golden dog will kill the Song people, and the Song people will also kill the golden dog.

Yue Fei gave an order, and thousands of cavalrymen carried sabers and cut off their heads on the battlefield. Some of the Jin soldiers were wounded but did not die, and their heads were unceremoniously cut off by these cavalry. An hour later, a huge Jingguan was piled up on the bank of the Yellow River. The heads of more than 2,000 golden soldiers with hideous faces looked particularly terrifying under the reflection of the setting sun. Those staring heads may be thinking, they came to the Central Plains to kill people, why were they killed instead?