In 1161, Wanyan Liang, emperor of the Jurchen Jin Dynasty, planned to invade the Southern Song Dynasty. Owing to the harsh recruitment policy and the Jin’s cruelty, people in the Central Plain found it hard to live on. Xin Qiji, aged 21, rose up in arms with villagers to fight against the Jin army and then joined a more influential voluntary army led by Geng Jing, winning victory after victory. In 1162, aiming to expel invaders and recover the lost land to realize the reunification, Xin Qiji went to the south to persuade the Song Emperor to drive the Jurchens out of the north. Successfully accomplishing his mission, Xin Qiji only to find the commander Geng Jing was killed by a traitor and the army had lost morale. Facing with Wanyan Basu’s army of 50,000 soldiers, what course would Xin Qiji and his 50 loyal subordinates follow?
