The Cold Door Hero

Summary

In Huangzhou, a hidden army of 20,000 Western Xia soldiers, led by Prince Li Cha Ge, advanced stealthily through the Great Douba Valley towards Huangzhou. The ongoing war between the Song and Xia had prompted the Jin Dynasty's emperor to request Western Xia's assistance. Li Qian Shun, the Western Xia king, dispatched 100,000 troops, with a feigned attack on Shaanxi and a real assault on Xihe Road. The Song army, significantly outnumbered with only 40,000 troops against 80,000 Xia soldiers, faced dire manpower shortages due to the loss of 70,000 Jing Zhao troops. Li Cha Ge planned to bypass the Song fortress, Tong Tian Fort, but ultimately decided to attack it. As his army approached, Zuo Hu, a Qiang chieftain leading the Song soldiers at the fortress, received alarming news of the Xia troops. Despite being under orders not to leave the fort, Zuo Hu faced pressure from his soldiers who were eager for supplies after a month of scarcity. When a logistics convoy appeared, the Song soldiers rushed out, only to be ambushed by the Xia cavalry. The Xia army captured Tong Tian Fort, leading to chaos among the Song soldiers. Zuo Hu attempted to flee but was killed by Xia archers. Following this victory, Li Cha Ge's forces advanced toward Lanzhou, where King Li Chao Ying launched a full-scale attack. Liu Guang Shi, the Song commander, found himself outnumbered and ultimately retreated with the remnants of his army after suffering significant losses. The Xihe Road fell to the Western Xia, leaving the Song Dynasty's northwest in a precarious situation.

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