After determining the broad strategy, the two of them gathered again over the map to meticulously research the battle plan.
It wasn't until midnight, when darkness had completely enveloped the sea, that Li Bao finally gave the order. The entire fleet weighed anchor once more and headed towards the dark coastline in the distance.
The so-called Yuguan was actually what would later be known as Shanhai Pass.
However, at this particular time, the majestic appearance of this city was nowhere near what it would become in later generations. The current Yuguan city was largely constructed during the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty.
Regardless of its scale or sturdiness, it was certainly no match for the foremost pass of the Great Wall in later eras.
Yet, even so, relying on the advantageous terrain of the Liaoxi Corridor, this formidable city was a deadly existence.
It was a pity, however, that this city did not fulfill its intended purpose. The pass remained, but the Great Liao Empire that owned it had already vanished into thin air.
Although the entire Great Liao was now fully under the control of the present people, Wanyan Aguda, who hailed from a nomadic background, had not forgotten his homeland.
Every year, he transported vast quantities of grain and supplies back to the Jurchen's original lands via the Liaoxi Corridor.
It was, in fact, somewhat ironic that the very pass built to defend against the Jurchens had now become a crucial transit point for Jurchen supplies.
To ensure the safety of the entire Liaoxi Corridor, Wanyan Aguda had even stationed five thousand troops there permanently.
No matter how urgent the battles on the front lines were, these five thousand men were never redeployed!
Of course, none of the Jurchen soldiers or generals questioned this much. After all, for them, this was their fallback route.
Even if the empire they had just established were to collapse, as long as this pass remained, they would still have the means to return to their homeland.
While the lands between the White Mountains and Black Water might not offer them a life of luxury, they could at least guarantee their survival.
No matter how many warnings Wanyan Aguda issued, or how generous the treatment he offered these soldiers, human nature invariably contained inertia.
Especially in such a desolate place, with the entire Great Liao now belonging to the Jurchens, and them confined to this remote location, slowly festering.
Spending too long in such a place inevitably led to complacency.
During the day, they maintained their routine patrols and inspections, thoroughly searching everything that entered or exited Yuguan.
But at night, once the city gates were closed, the guards, save for a small contingent on alert, would immediately descend into revelry.
The common folk in the vicinity of Yuguan bore the brunt of it. Whether Liao or Han women, any they fancied were simply taken.
It was not uncommon for the officers and soldiers in the camp to engage in uninhibited gatherings within the encampment at night.
Generally, they celebrated with abandon every night until the first hint of dawn before dispersing.
Although it was the end of the month and there was no moon in the sky, they still lit bonfires and indulged in their merriment.
"Watch these things carefully. You can lose your lives, but you cannot lose these! Make absolutely sure they don't get damp. Do you understand?"
"Understood!"
On the Song army's warships, as the small boats began to assemble, Yue Fei gathered dozens of his carefully selected, tall soldiers and entrusted them with the improved gunpowder that Han Mo had painstakingly developed, instructing them to carry it separately.
After dozens of experimental blasts for fishing, these soldiers were already keenly aware of the danger posed by this gunpowder.
Even the colossal whales that ruled the deep sea could only surrender their lives when faced with this substance; they had witnessed this firsthand and were now handling it with utmost caution.
"Brother Yue, I will await your good news here. If the situation turns unfavorable, retreat as quickly as possible!"
Seeing that Yue Fei was ready and the soldiers in the small boats were poised for action, Li Bao clasped his hands towards Yue Fei once more.
"Don't worry, you just watch from here. If we don't give them a severe blow this time, I fear these Jurchens will never know our might!"
To be honest, this was Yue Fei's first engagement against the Jin, and he himself was itching for the fight.
"Set forth!"
With Yue Fei's command, hundreds of small vessels carried by the Song army's navy immediately began to move towards the coastline.
Although each of these boats carried only a limited number of soldiers, ranging from seven or eight at most to a mere two or three at least,
Normally, these boats were towed behind the larger ships for emergency purposes. However, in this near-shore environment, they proved invaluable.
In less than half an hour, with the aid of these hundreds of small boats, Yue Fei's three thousand men had all successfully landed.
Life by the sea was already arduous, and with the added burden of the Jurchen's exploitation, any coastal fishermen who could escape had long since fled.
Along the dozens of miles of coastline outside Yuguan, there wasn't a single soul to be seen...
Seeing the last contingent of soldiers disembark, Yue Fei silently waved his hand, and led by a few guides, he directed his troops straight towards the imposing Yuguan city in the distance.
The soldiers under his command were all elite troops handpicked by Yue Fei.
A small portion of them were veteran soldiers who had participated in the defense of Mingzhou, while the rest were elite soldiers meticulously recruited by Yue Fei from honest families.
Despite his young age, in their eyes, he was a god, a deity!
It was these very men who, following him and Han Shizhong, had directly infiltrated Fang La's army and, against all odds, captured Fang La alive.
Having endured continuous battles, even now, fighting as a lone force, these men showed no sign of fear.
The Song army's weaponry was already diverse. To ensure their peak combat effectiveness, Han Mo had, according to Yue Fei's own designs, personally crafted a complete set of tailored equipment for them.
Though they numbered only three thousand, the value of their equipment alone, if converted to copper coins, would have been more than enough to equip seventy to eighty thousand auxiliary troops!