Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms
Chapter 918: Playing Hard to Get
A northerly wind, carrying tiny icy crystals, swept across the vast plains. Since the beginning of November, this intermittent flurry had become a regular occurrence. Beneath a canopy of low-hanging clouds, the banners of the fifty-thousand-strong army rustled in the chill wind. Every falling snowflake froze onto the soldiers' armor, and the ruts left by the marching carts were soon covered with a thin layer of fresh snow, adding to the hardships of the westward march.
In front of the central army tent, Yuan Tan shook the snow off his cloak, his dark brocade robe soaked through by the cold wind. Though born into a wealthy family, Yuan Shao's eldest son displayed none of the arrogance of a noble son. He rubbed his reddened hands, exchanged a smile with Yan Liang beside him, and said, "General, there are still three battalions of the rear army left to inspect today."
"Young Master, please be at ease." Yan Liang, draped in a fur cloak, his massive figure as steady as an iron tower in the twilight, reached out to catch a snowflake. "This little bit of wind and snow is nothing compared to the bloodbath at White Horse Hill." Before he could finish his words, warmth suddenly surged from the tent. Advisor Xin Ping hurried out, holding a bronze cup. The steam rising from the warm wine in the cup instantly blurred the faces of the three men.
"Young Master, why are you so worried!" Xin Ping bowed and handed over the wine, his eyes full of concern. "In this icy and snowy place, with General Yan in charge, the 50,000 men are all fierce warriors. What's more, Chang'an is deserted. With the general's bravery, breaking through Tongguan is as easy as taking something out of a bag. Young Master, you can enjoy yourself..."
"Sir, you are wrong." Yuan Tan took the wine cup and took a sip. The warm wine flowed down his throat, dispelling some of the chill. "My father insisted on dividing his troops and marching westward when the battle in Youzhou was at a stalemate, which shows that he was determined to capture Chang'an. As a descendant of the Yuan family, how dare I slack off because of the wind and snow?" He turned to look at Yan Liang with a sincere look, "Besides, a good general like you is my good teacher in learning how to march and deploy troops."
Upon hearing this, Yan Liang laughed out loud, his voice shaking the whole area. "Sir, you are so kind! We will reach Tongguan by the afternoon tomorrow. Once we take this strategic point, Chang'an will be trapped." He looked at the endless snow in the distance, his brows raised slightly, "This little bit of wind and snow is just God's blessing for our army!"
As night deepened, torches lit up in the camp, painting the falling snow a vibrant orange. Yuan Tan and Yan Liang stood side by side, listening to the distant drumbeats. They could almost see the magnificent sight of the Yuan banner raised atop the walls of Tongguan. Ultimately, the snow couldn't deter their ambition to advance westward.
A bitter north wind whipped snowflakes against the ancient Tongguan walls. Spears and halberds formed a forest among the battlements, and a large, black banner with the Chinese character "Liang" fluttered in the wind. Gao Ming stood with his sword drawn, his gaze from beneath his bronze visor sweeping the distant, hawk-like gaze across the vast expanse of Yuan's army. Behind him, Du Xiong gripped his sword hilt tightly, his heavy cowhide cape fluttering in the wind.
As a former member of the Black Mountain Army, Du Xiong was well aware of the precarious situation facing the remnants of the newly allied forces of Prince Liang. Three hundred thousand women and children, along with their families, were sheltered behind Tongguan Pass, relying on it for their food and supplies. He leaned slightly and whispered, "General Gao, if you command, I will fight through fire and water!" Before he finished speaking, the dull roar of war drums suddenly rose in the distance, rolling across the snow like thunder. Fifty thousand Yuan troops descended upon the pass like a dark cloud bearing down on a city. Their swords and spears reflected the setting sun, blinding anyone who could open their eyes.
Gao Ming raised his hand to calm the restless soldiers on the city wall, his knuckles cracking the hilt of his sword. He caught a glimpse of Du Xiong secretly deploying crossbowmen, and nodded inwardly—this rough-hewn man possessed a subtle dexterity. As the horns of Yuan's vanguard pierced the sky, a solemn and murderous atmosphere instantly permeated Tongguan. From the arrow towers came the creaking sound of bowstrings, like the roar of a mighty beast before awakening.
A chill wind whipped gravel into the soldiers' faces as Yuan's army and the Tongguan defenders formed their respective battle lines across the vast expanse of land. Yuan Tan, clad in black iron chain mail, stood at the front, accompanied by Xin Ping. Behind him, Yan Liang's yellow horse neighed with its head held high, his broadsword gleaming with a cold gleam.
Yan Liang squeezed his horse's belly hard, and the yellow horse rushed to the gate like an arrow, and roared like a bell: "I am Yan Liang, a general under Yuan Gong! Listen up, you rats at the gate, who dares to fight with me?" The roar shook the snow from the city wall.
On the tower, Du Xiong gripped the hilt of his sword tightly at his waist and turned to look at Gao Ming beside him, his eyes brimming with eagerness to fight. Gao Ming, however, still held onto the arrow embrasure, his gaze fixed on Yan Liang in front of the battle line like a hawk. He remained silent for a long time. Yan Liang's curses continued to rise to the top of the city wall, his foul language piercing the defenders' ears like arrows. The fierce general from Hebei had been circling the pass for three quarters of an hour, his red face flushed purple with rage, and his sword repeatedly chopped the frozen earth, sending up ice chips. "You Xiliang thieves, you only know how to hide like turtles? Could it be that Ma Chao gave you courage? You're worse than a stray dog on the side of the road!"
Du Xiong couldn't hold back the dagger at his waist, and the sweat seeping through the cracks in his armor froze into ice beads in the cold wind. He took a half step forward, pushing aside the guards beside him, shaking the battlements and making snow fall. "General Gao! I am willing to lead three thousand soldiers to behead this lunatic!" Before he finished speaking, his knuckles squeezed the hilt of the dagger, making a crisp sound.
Gao Ming stared at the furious Yan Liang below the pass, his palms brushing off a thin layer of frost on the arrow embrasures. The Black Mountain Army had recently joined the King of Liang. If they were to flinch at this moment, wouldn't that tarnish the King's reputation? He spun abruptly, his cloak sweeping across Du Xiong's face. "Bring me my iron-framed bow!" His bronze wristband struck the bricks, sparks flying. "You lead the vanguard to break through the city walls, and I'll lead the elite troops from the crossbow tower to scout for you.
As the drawbridge crashed down, Du Xiong led the charge out of the trenches, the footsteps of his three thousand soldiers behind him sending the snow flying. Gao Ming, carrying his longbow, eased his reins as he emerged from the pass. He watched the snow dust dance in the gleam of Yan Liang's sword, a sneer curling his lips: "Time for this trapped beast to retract its claws."
The yellow horse's hooves flew, crushing the ice on the ground. Seeing the city gate open, Yan Liang's lips curled up in a bloodthirsty arc, and he swung his sword directly at the incoming general: "Well done! I am Yan Liang, a member of Lord Yuan's army. Tell me your name, and don't let my sword be stained with blood!"
Du Xiong held his silver spear horizontally, its tassel swishing like flame in the wind. "General Du Xiong! I've come specially to meet you, the renowned general from Hebei!" Before he could finish his words, Yan Liang slashed down with immense force, the sharp crack of his blade slicing through the air achingly sharp. Du Xiong spun around, raising his spear to block, the shock numbing his palm and shattering his arm bones.
"A trifle!" Yan Liang roared, his sword swerving to strike at his throat. Du Xiong hastily retreated, his spear shaft colliding with his blade, sending sparks flying. After only seven or eight rounds, cold sweat had already broken out on his forehead—the mighty general before him possessed a raging sword technique, each strike a subtle yet powerful combination. It seemed like a grand sweep, but in reality, each move was intended to block any retreat.
Du Xiong poked Yan Liang's face with the tip of his spear, leveraging the momentum to turn his horse. A sound of breaking wind echoed from behind him as Yan Liang's blade brushed the back of his neck, severing strands of hair. He galloped away, the thunder of war drums blazing in his ears, a single thought lingering in his mind: These "Four Pillars of Hebei" truly lived up to their reputation!
As Du Xiong fled back to the suspension bridge in panic, the roar of battle echoed behind him. Yan Liang, his sword flashing, led his elite cavalry like a surging black tide. His horses' hooves crushed the remaining snow, sending up a shower of ice crystals that looked like silver mist in the twilight. Gao Ming, prepared for this, shouted, "Shoot!" Instantly, thousands of arrows unleashed from the towers, trailing crimson trails of fire that streaked across the sky, exploding into showers of sparks amidst Yuan's ranks.
Yan Liang swung his sword to deflect the incoming arrows. Seeing his attack on the city was blocked, he was furious, but he had no choice but to rein in his horse and retreat. As the horn sounded, the Yuan army retreated like a tide, leaving only arrows and scattered remnants on the ground.
Du Xiong stumbled over to Gao Ming and fell to his knees with a "thump," his face filled with shame. "I am incompetent and have brought disgrace upon the army. Please punish me, General!" His clenched fists were still oozing with blood from his fight with Yan Liang.
Gao Ming reached out his hand to help him up, his eyes looking at the gradually fading banners of the Yuan army outside the pass, and said in a deep voice: "Get up. Yan Liang is one of the four pillars of Hebei, and Yuan Shao relied on him as an arm. He dominated the world for decades. How could you be his opponent alone?" He paused and lowered his voice: "Letting you fight today was a strategy decided by Mr. Li Ru before leaving. Let them be arrogant first and look down on Xiliang. Don't worry, this is just the opening scene."
Du Xiong looked up, a flicker of relief in his eyes. A cold wind swept across the city wall, scattering their conversation amidst the falling snow. In the distance, the lights of Yuan's army camp were lighting up one by one.
Night fell over the Yuan army camp. The cowhide tents were cozy and warm, and the animal oil lamps cast shadows on the felt walls. Yuan Tan raised a bronze cup filled with fine wine, the amber liquid gleaming faintly in the light. "Lord Yan is a formidable figure. Today's battle on the battlefield was truly a crushing victory!" Even before he finished speaking, a roar of applause erupted from the tent.
Yan Liang casually threw his cloak behind him, without a trace of arrogance on his bronze face: "I'm just a nobody, not worth mentioning." His iron-framed bow was leaning against the tiger-skin chair, and there were still grains of unmelted snow on the bowstring.
"Lord Yan is too modest!" Yuan Tan smiled as he stepped forward and personally poured wine for Yan Liang. "Father has many brave generals under his command, but Lord Yan is the best in Hebei. In today's battle, not only did you cause the enemy to flee in disarray, but you also boosted the morale of the soldiers who have been marching through the snow for days!" He paused, his eyes blazing. "This is a great achievement, and I admire you, Yuan Tan!"
Yan Liang tilted his head back and drank the entire cup, his Adam's apple rolling as he let out a hearty laugh. The wine slid down his slender neck and into his clothes. He slammed the cup down on the table. "Don't worry, sir! Tomorrow I will capture Tongguan and present the defending commander's head to you at the gate!"
Xin Ping, standing by, quickly bowed in agreement, his eyes full of flattery. "The general is truly a man of heaven, a true hero! Judging from the commander's swordsmanship today, his swordsmanship is disorganized and the defenses on the Tongguan city wall are practically useless. In my opinion, Ma Chao must have withdrawn all his elite troops when he returned to Xiliang." He lowered his voice deliberately. "If that Jin Ma Chao were here, our army might have needed to be cautious, but now..."
"Hahahaha!" Yan Liang suddenly stood up, making the wine cups on the table buzz, and the hem of his cloak swept the sheepskin map on the table. "If Ma Chao were here, I would still respect him. As for the others, hehe..." The lights in the tent were stimulated by his momentum and shook a few times, making his burly figure look like a god of war.
The setting sun shone like blood, stained the battle flags atop Chang'an City a dark crimson. As the clatter of horse hooves, wrapped in wind and snow, reached the city gates, Li Ru was placing the last scroll of bamboo slips into a lacquer box on his desk. The messenger, still shrouded in frost and snow, knelt before him as he presented the battle report, still tinged with the chill of Tongguan Pass: "Military Advisor, Yuan Tan and Yan Liang have arrived at the gate with a 50,000-man army!"
The candlelight flickered in the gentle rustle of the wind. Li Ru slowly unfolded the secret letter, his withered fingertips tracing the ink: "You arrived so quickly." He looked up at the two people in the tent, his eyes pausing on Yan Liang's name. "Generals, it's time to wake up - the fangs of Hebei are already at the throat of Tongguan."
Zhang Yan suddenly stood up, the brass buckle of his leather belt making a crisp sound. The former Black Mountain Army commander raised his thick eyebrows and said, "Military Advisor, please give your orders! I will make sure Yuan Tan never returns!"
"Don't worry." Li Ru stroked the tiger talisman hidden in his sleeve, a sinister smile on his lips. He walked to Zhang Yan, the candlelight casting their shadows on the sand table, "The 20,000 elite soldiers ambushed outside the city will be led by the general himself." His voice suddenly lowered, "When Yuan's army advances deep, I will use the beacon fire as a signal..." His skinny fingers suddenly pinched Zhang Yan's wrist pulse, "Then it will be time to close the net."
Outside the tent, the cold wind howled, like a galloping army. Zhang Yan looked at the cold light in Li Ru's eyes, and cold sweat oozed from his back - this seemingly weak military advisor was the sharpest knife hidden in the Liang Wang army.
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