Meng Bangjie孟邦杰

History vs. fiction

Meng Bangjie. A general under Yue Fei, deployed for strategic management. Son of Elder Meng, wields double axes, after killing Liu Ni's household general, he defected to Marshal Yue. From Shandong...

• based on factA general under Yue Fei, deployed for strategic management. | Son of Elder Meng, wields double axes, after killing Liu Ni's household general, he defected to Marshal Yue.; A hero from Shandong, because his entire family was killed by Liu Ni, he defected to Yue Fei to take revenge.; A commander under Marshal Yue, together with Tang Huai, he escorted grain supplies.

  Historically, Meng Bangjie indeed existed. His deeds are recorded in historical sources such as the History of Song. For example, the Biography of Yue Fei records: 'In the tenth year, the Jin attacked Gong and Bo, Liu Qi sent an urgent request for help, and the emperor ordered Yue Fei to rush to his aid. Yue Fei sent Zhang Xian and Yao Zheng to go. The emperor sent a letter saying: "The strategy for deployment is entirely entrusted to you; I will not interfere from afar." Yue Fei then sent Wang Gui, Niu Gao, Dong Xian, Yang Zaixing, Meng Bangjie, Li Bao, etc., to deploy and manage the western capital, Ru, Zheng, Yingchang, Chen, Cao, Guang, Cai and other commanderies; also ordered Liang Xing to cross the Yellow River, to unite the loyal and righteous societies, and to take the prefectures and counties of Hedong and Hebei. He also sent troops to aid Liu Qi in the east and Guo Hao in the west, while he himself led his army to march directly to the Central Plains. Before departing, he secretly memorialized: "First stabilize the state to reassure the people, then do not stay in one place, to show that we have not forgotten the intention of revenge." When the emperor received the memorial, he greatly praised his loyalty, and appointed him Junior Protector, and Pacification Commissioner of Henan Prefecture Circuit, Shaanxi, Hedong and Hebei Circuits, and soon changed to Pacification Commissioner of Henan and Hebei Circuits. Shortly after, the generals he sent reported victories one after another. The main army was at Yingchang, and the generals divided and went out to fight. Yue Fei himself led light cavalry to station at Yancheng, and the military situation was very sharp.' In the novel 'The Story of Yue Fei', Chapter 35 records: 'It is also said that Tang Huai and Meng Bangjie, under orders to escort grain and fodder, arrived at a fork in the road. A soldier reported: "Sir, will you take the main road or the small path?" Tang Huai asked: "Which is shorter, the main road or the small path?" The soldier said: "The small path is shorter by ten to twenty li, but there may be bandits and robbers." Tang Huai said: "If the grain arrives early at the front, that is a merit. Since the small path is shorter, we will take the small path. With the two of us here, what bandit with a leopard's heart would dare to provoke us? Why fear them?" The soldier obeyed the order and took the small path. Unexpectedly, the road was narrow and difficult to traverse, and they had to climb mountains and cross ridges. What was intended to be fast turned out to be slower.'