Beacon Fires Across the Central Plains is the third novel in the Song-Jin Struggle historical fiction series. It tells how Wu Jie defeated the Jin army at the Battle of Xianren Pass, after which the Jin abandoned their plan to invade Sichuan from Shaanxi, bringing peace to the Shaanxi-Sichuan front. Meanwhile, the Southern Song began limited counterattacks. Its greatest victory came when Yue Fei retook the six prefectures of Xiangyang in just two months, linking Shaanxi-Sichuan, Jingxiang, and the southeast. This put the Southern Song in a far more favorable strategic position, and Yue Fei was promoted to military governor for his achievements, truly entering the ranks of the great generals who helped restore the dynasty. Liu Yu, the puppet emperor of the pseudo-Qi state caught between Jin and Song, was determined to use the Jin army to destroy the Southern Song. But his ill-planned schemes led instead to a crushing defeat, leaving his position as a puppet emperor in jeopardy. Yet despite the favorable situation, Zhang Jun mishandled matters and caused the Huai-Xi army mutiny, squandering all their gains. Fortunately, at this time, Talan, a Jin minister who favored peace, took power. After much negotiation, the two sides finally signed a peace agreement between North and South...
