The Western Xia spy looked and dressed very much like a Song man. His mannerisms, speech, and dialect were all those of Song. Had nobody told Lin Feng that he was a Western Xia spy, Lin Feng would never have recognized him as one.
He was summoned to Xia Song's residence, where he met Lin Feng.
His first reaction was, "You Song people have no honor! Sending someone like him to Xingqing Prefecture with me—how is that any different from sending us to our deaths?"
"Can't your enormous court find even one fierce warrior?
"Is this how you intend to accomplish anything?"
Xia Song said nothing. He sat to one side, calmly drinking tea, but his anger radiated through his robes without the slightest attempt at concealment!
"If you don't trust our Great Song, go die in the Yellow River with your master!
"You came here seeking help. This is Song territory! Keep squawking and I'll break your legs!"
Xia Song had not the slightest affection for the people of Western Xia. Perhaps none of the eminent civil and military officials at court did. Several of those currently occupying the highest offices had unpleasant histories with Western Xia.
The Song Dynasty's scholar-officials could take to the battlefield, too.
Xia Song, for example, had gone to the frontier to fight Western Xia.
And the result?
Defeat. A crushing defeat recorded in the annals of history: the Battle of Haoshuichuan!
"Xia Song never inspired awe; Han Qi was nothing remarkable."
"A valley full of dragons and tigers, yet still they prattled of military strategy."
The disastrous defeat at Haoshuichuan!
Li Yuanhao had slaughtered the Song troops until their corpses filled every pit and valley. Not only that, after defeating them, he had left behind a verse that survived to this day, nailing