Chapter 64: The Attack of the Jie People

In mid-March, just as Xu Ling and his companions were heading south to impart the techniques of sun-drying and refining salt, the Jie people on the grasslands, having barely survived the harsh winter, began to stir restlessly. Their Grand Khan, Shi Le, dispatched orders to various tribes to assemble a massive army, intending to launch a two-pronged offensive against Xiguan and Yanmen Pass by the end of May, driving south to invade the Xia Kingdom. Meanwhile, the Sand Wolf tribe, stationed near Xiguan, grew utterly impatient. Not only did they send small vanguard units to provoke and harass the defenders near Xiguan, but they also dispatched a force of one thousand men to cross the mountains via treacherous mountain trails and plunder the territory of Yan.

Outside the Prince of Yan's Manor, a lingering military report shattered the stillness of the estate:
"Report..."

Hearing the cry, Zhao Bin and the others, who were handling official business in the front hall, instantly stood up from their chairs.

A soldier rushed into the hall, dropped to one knee, and reported, "Reporting to Your Highness, the scout camp brings word that small bands of Jie cavalry have been spotted moving through the Western and Northern Mountains."

Zhao Bin furrowed his brows slightly, thinking to himself that the time had finally come. He immediately asked, "Roughly how many men are there?"

" replying to Your Highness, the exact number is still unclear. Three separate units have been spotted entering the borders of Yan City from different mountain passes, numbering around a thousand men in total. However, it remains unknown whether there are other forces following behind. Captain Qin has already ordered the entire scout camp to deploy and monitor the enemy's movements, and will report back the moment there is any news."

"Old Wu, bring the map," Zhao Bin said to Wang Wu behind him.

Wang Wu strode quickly to a nearby bookshelf, retrieved a scroll, and spread it flat across the table.

Zhao Bin gestured for the soldier to point out the positions of the Jie forces. The soldier hurried forward and located the three mountain passes on the map, pointing to them one by one.

Examining the map, Zhao Bin noted that because these areas were close to the mountains and frequently raided by the Jie people over the years, very few commoners lived there anymore; most had migrated closer to the safety of Yan City.

Xiao Chu glanced at the map and said, "Your Highness, the closest location to where the enemy was spotted is the Li Family Village. If the enemy knows the exact location of the village, they are likely already there."

Zhao Bin's brow furrowed further as he asked the soldier, "Has anyone been sent to warn the villagers of Li Family Village?"

"Answering Your Highness, the scout camp dispatched men to notify the local residents at the very first moment, instructing them to evacuate swiftly or take shelter in the tunnels."

Studying the map, Zhao Bin wondered: if the Jie forces found no villagers in Li Family Village, where would they strike next?

***

"Where is Wei Xiang stationed?" Zhao Bin asked leisurely.

Cao Li hurriedly pointed to a spot on the map and said, "Your Highness, Wei Xiang is at Wuli Fortress, five li south of Li Family Village. Wuli Fortress is a large village settlement with over five hundred residents, and there are several other smaller villages surrounding it."

"Zhou Hu!"

"Subordinate is here!" Zhou Hu, the commander of the fifth squad of the security guards, stepped forward from the crowd and answered in a resonant voice.

"You are familiar with the western region. Take two hundred guards and immediately rush to Wuli Fortress to reinforce Wei Xiang," Zhao Bin commanded decisively.

Xiao Chu stepped forward in haste to stop him, "Your Highness, you cannot! What if the Jie forces launch a siege on Yan City..."

"Rest assured, no military reports have come from the Western Mountain. It is impossible for the Jie army to have a large force inside the borders of Yan City. These small raiding parties certainly will not dare to attack the city walls; even if they come, there is nothing to worry about. Go."

Zhou Hu cupped his fists and said, "Understood, your subordinate obeys." With that, he turned to leave, but just as he reached the door, Zhao Bin's voice came from behind once more:

"Leave none of them alive, and try to capture a couple of tongues alive."

"Understood, Your Highness." Zhou Hu turned and strode out of the door, returning to the barracks to assemble two hundred guards. Moments later, two hundred cavalrymen rode out through the West City Gate.

"Lu Biao, take one hundred guards and two hundred men from the transport team, and set up an ambush at Guo Family Town north of the city. The northern area is sparsely populated, and Guo Family Town is already an abandoned village. The enemy may pass through there to plunder eastward. Wait and ambush them there; once these little bastards enter the village, seal the exits and catch the turtles in the jar," Zhao Bin instructed Xiao Chu—correction, Lu Biao.

"Understood, Your Highness. What if they refuse to enter the village?" asked Lu Biao, commander of the first guard squad.

"Hehe, then you will just have to build fires and cook meals. When they see the smoke rising, they will naturally assume the village is inhabited. I refuse to believe these scoundrels can resist such easy prey right before their eyes."

"This general obeys." Lu Biao accepted the order and departed.

***

Cao Li gazed at the map and asked, "Your Highness, what should we do about this southern enemy force?"

"Our manpower is stretched thin. We can only leave this southern unit to Captain Qin and his men. Send word to Captain Qin and ask him, if possible, to dispatch a thousand men to defend the southern sector and try to drive the enemy westward to converge with Zhou Hu and the others."

"But what if Captain Qin refuses to dispatch troops?" Cao Li asked with deep concern.

Zhao Bin looked at Cao Li and said with a hint of uncertainty, "He shouldn't. I imagine he is even more eager to kill the enemy than we are. Old Cao, you should go handle this matter in person."

Cao Li naturally understood what Zhao Bin meant. As the Prefect of Yan City, it was only fitting that he went in person to make the deployment convincing; after all, if the operation failed, Qin Fāng would have to bear the responsibility. Furthermore, Qin Fāng was no longer under the direct command of the Prince's Manor or the Prefect's Office. Asking someone to lead troops into danger could no longer be done simply by sending a messenger as before; it required a person of proper weight to negotiate and coordinate.

Without delay, Cao Li left the manor and headed toward the South City Gate.

At the city gate, Qin Fāng was personally directing his soldiers in preparing defensive equipment. Another squad of cavalry stood fully geared and ready for action. Knowing the urgency of the situation, Cao Li dispensed with pleasantries and immediately briefed Garrison Captain Qin Fāng on the Prince of Yan's deployment, straightforwardly requesting him to dispatch troops to intercept the southern enemy force.

Just as Zhao Bin had anticipated, Qin Fāng hesitated only briefly before agreeing. He had waited for this moment for many years. Stationed in the lands of Yan City for a long time, ever since the last retreat of the Jie people, he had been forced to switch from offense to defense. To protect the safety of Yan City, he had never been able to mount a warhorse to engage the Jie in mortal combat. Even when he watched local villagers being plundered outside the walls, he had been utterly powerless—without horses, he could never catch them. But things were different now. The Prince of Yan had given them thousands of warhorses; although their horsemanship might not match that of the nomads, it would not dampen their resolve to slay the enemy and exact revenge.

At Qin Fāng's command, Garrison Major Hao Tong led a thousand cavalrymen out through the city gates. Qin Fāng longed to go himself, but as the Garrison Commander of Yan City, he had to remain at his post. Hao Tong was Qin Fāng's deputy, and in the barracks, aside from being called Major Hao, he had earned the moniker "Ape-Armed Major." This was because Hao Tong's arms were unusually long, much like those of a gibbon, and he possessed supernatural strength. Wielding a heavy iron-crafted spear, whenever he engaged in combat, his opponents were struck down by his reach before their weapons could even come close.

Meanwhile, back in Li Family Village, villagers were farming in the fields when scout cavalry galloped in, shouting at the top of their lungs, "The Jie are coming! Hurry home! The Jie are coming! Hurry home!"

Instantly, the village echoed with the frantic clanging of bronze gongs signaling danger. The peasants farming outside dropped their plows and fled homewards driving their cattle and horses before them. The villagers rapidly scrambled into underground tunnels for shelter, hauling their harvested grain down with them. As for the cattle and horses that could not possibly fit into the tunnels, they were simply left untied in the courtyards; fortunately, Yan City had promised that all livestock lost by the villagers would be fully compensated, and preserving human lives was paramount.

The local militia units also fetched their respective bows, crossbows, and weapons, concealing themselves in hidden vantage points, poised and ready to launch surprise attacks at any moment.