Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 192

Li Ji and Wei Gao exchanged a glance, both feeling a great weight lifted from their hearts. They then turned to Duan Xiushi, a mysterious smile on their faces, and said, “Ma Chongying’s cunning schemes cannot escape my keen eyes—I predict that the barbarian raids on Shuofang are a feint; their main force will surely invade Huizhou, intending to take it and then advance eastward to Yuanzhou. They may even launch a surprise attack from the mountains on Pinggao! Tell me, Junshi, how many troops are currently defending Pinggao?”

Duan Xiushi stared in disbelief for a long while before bowing deeply and saying, "Commander Li is wise and insightful, I admire you greatly..." He lowered his head to hide his face, because he was somewhat ashamed—how could I have thought so badly of him before? I was really judging a gentleman by my own petty standards.

Think about it. Since Li Ji anticipated that the barbarian bandits would attack Huizhou, why would he invade Jingyuan again? Even if he successfully captured Pinggao City, he would soon encounter the barbarian army and would have no chance to go south to the Guanzhong Basin.

Unless he was in contact with the barbarian rebels and it was a conspiracy... is that even possible? With so many preconditions, any conclusion we draw is unreliable. Besides, if the Shuofang army really had a prior agreement with the barbarian rebels, Ma Lin, or even the Fengxiang army, do you think I, being inside Yuanzhou City, would be so foolish as to not hear a single word? Don't be ridiculous!

He hurriedly told the truth: "There are only two thousand weak soldiers in Pinggao City. Ma Zhenxi has already transferred the main force to the passes of Liupan. Before I came, I was informed that the general had divided his troops to guard Shimen Pass, so as to prevent the barbarian bandits from attacking this prefecture from the east after capturing Huizhou... Commander Li just said that the barbarian bandits may also launch a surprise attack on Pinggao from the mountains. If that is the case, Pinggao really cannot be defended!"

Li Ji smiled smugly and said, "My predictions were accurate eight or nine times out of ten, which is why I quickly led my cavalry south to provide reinforcements. With me here, Ma Chongying is like a cricket in the grass—and that's only in the autumn!" He paused, then asked Duan Xiushi, "So, who is left to guard Pinggao City now? Han Quanyi?"

Duan Xiushi said with a wry smile, "Vice Envoy Han is not in the city. He has gone alone to Baiquan to persuade Xing Junya's Shence Right Army in order to save Huizhou. Before I left, I ordered Sima to temporarily assume the responsibility of defending the city."

Who is the Prefect of Yuanzhou?

Duan Xiushi's expression was slightly awkward: "He's also an old friend of Commander Li...it's Qin Rui."

"Qin Rui, former military governor of Wushun Army?"

"Exactly this person."

Li Ji curled his lip: "Brave as he may be, it's a pity he lacks strategy; he's nothing but a crude and uncouth man."

Duan Xiu said frankly, "You dare to call someone else 'Luffy'? Your own reputation as 'Luffy' is already known throughout the world..."

Li Ji was certainly not truly reckless. His numerous instances of leading troops into battle at the forefront, taking high-stakes gambles, were all due to circumstances, forced into a corner – either the entire army would collapse, or they would fight for survival. Daring to take the latter was merely courage, not recklessness. The problem was that with the level of information dissemination at that time, unless one was directly involved, in-depth analysis was impossible. Ordinary people only saw Li Ji's impulsive actions. Thus, the story spread like wildfire…

Li Ji's prediction that the barbarian bandits would invade Huizhou and his subsequent advance southward rescue of the city does not necessarily prove that he was intelligent. After all, he was a military commander, and he must have had many capable and wise men under his command. It is possible that Li Ji was simply following advice without thinking of it himself.

Therefore, Duan Xiushi disagreed with Li Ji's assessment of Qin Rui as "a crude and uncouth man." Crucially, after Qin Rui became the Sima of Yuanzhou, he partnered with Duan Xiushi, and their relationship was generally harmonious. Naturally, Qin Rui would complain to his colleagues about how arrogant Li Ji was, how he had imprisoned him without authorization, and how Li Ji had annexed his Wushun Army. This created a negative image of Qin Rui in the minds of Duan Xiushi and others, portraying him as someone who relied solely on force and acted recklessly.

However, as things stand, regardless of how recklessly Li Ji acts, relying on the Emperor's and Crown Prince's favor, he is at least loyal to the Emperor and patriotic. His purpose in coming here is to express his grievances, not to harm allies or commit any offense against the Emperor. Duan Xiushi had previously overestimated the problem; now, relieved, his opinion of Li Ji has actually improved. Furthermore, it takes two to tango. If Qin Rui truly did as he claimed, intentionally trying to befriend or even flatter Li Ji, would Li Ji have been so ruthless towards him? It's understandable that both sides would accuse each other…

So he bowed slightly and quickly moved on from the matter, asking, "What plans does Commander Li have? May I ask if I may hear about them?"

Li Ji then ordered his soldiers to rest and conserve their energy. He himself dismounted, ordered someone to fetch a map, and unfolded it in front of Duan Xiushi—each holding one end—before asking, "Since you are in charge of Yuanzhou, you must be very familiar with the terrain. If the barbarian bandits launch a surprise attack on Pinggao, in your opinion, where is the route?"

Duan Xiushi first shook his head: "There is no road." Then he looked at the map and pointed with his index finger: "If the bandits use elite troops carrying provisions to cross the mountains, they can advance eastward from the border of Hui and Yuan prefectures, sneak out from the Wa Ting Shui North Plain, and indeed bypass the Shimen Pass to the north and the Muxia Pass to the south, and approach Pinggao City..."

Li Ji asked, "On what day did the barbarian bandits begin their attack on Huining Pass?"

"Seven days ago."

"If what Duan Jun said is true, and the surprise attack comes out from the mountains, how many days will it take?"

"Within ten days."

Li Ji quickly calculated with his fingers—"I'm not too late." He then analyzed, "If I go straight south to help defend Pinggao, the enemy will see no opening and will surely retreat, and we will gain nothing. Moreover, if they are cornered and instead attack Xiaoguan to the north, or even attack Shimen Pass from the east to the west, things will become difficult. It would be better to hide a hundred miles north of Pinggao County for the time being, observe the enemy after they have captured Pinggao, and then attack them from behind. With Pinggao City in front and our army behind, the enemy will surely be defeated!"

Wei Gao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Duan Xiushi, however, frowned and hesitated, saying, "While this would certainly lead to a great victory over the enemy, I fear it would harm the common people..."

"Where does this come from?"

"Reporting to Commander Li, if the barbarian bandits do indeed send a surprise force over the mountains, their provisions will surely be limited. Therefore, after taking Pinggao, we should head straight for Pinggao. If we can capture it in one fell swoop, that's fine. But if we close the city gates and defend Pinggao, the bandits will not be able to take it quickly and will surely plunder the surrounding villages. Although Pinggao is small, there are thousands of acres of fertile land around the city and thousands of farming households. I fear that by the time the Shuofang army arrives, most of the people will have already fallen victim to the barbarian bandits!"

Wei Gao curled his lip dismissively: "When two countries are at war, victory or defeat hangs by a thread. How can we care about such things?" Li Ji waved his hand to stop Wei Gao from continuing, and then looked at Duan Xiushi: "I know you are not a clerk, but rather someone who comes from the military. So how do you plan to make arrangements?"

Duan Xiushi pondered for a moment, then replied, "I, Duan, will immediately return to Pinggao and relocate all the people outside the city into the city..."

Wei Gao interjected, "Then the barbarian bandits, seeing no opportunity to exploit, will surely turn back."

Duan Xiushi shook his head and smiled, "They have come from afar with limited provisions, and having nothing to plunder in the wilderness, they most likely dare not turn back. If they were to attack Xiaoguan to the north, they would be easy prey for your army. However, I believe that the barbarian bandits are very likely to march towards Shimen Pass in order to open a passage and launch a pincer attack on Huizhou with their main army—if Huizhou has not yet fallen. As long as we inform the commander of Shimen Pass in advance so that he is prepared, the Shuofang army can take the opportunity to cut off their retreat and annihilate them in one fell swoop—what does Commander Li think?"

Li Ji scratched his beard and said hesitantly, "It is indeed a brilliant plan, but our army is separated from Pinggao and Shimen Pass by tens or even hundreds of miles, making it difficult to communicate with each other. If the army's advance is slow, we fear that the barbarian bandits may take advantage of the situation to escape... Are there any beacon towers in between?"

Duan Xiushi hurriedly said, "Most of the old beacon towers are abandoned, but restoring them is not difficult."

"The thieves will arrive in the next two or three days; I'm afraid it won't be enough time..."

Wei Gao interjected, "Prefect Duan is also busy arranging the evacuation of the people outside Pinggao City. How can he possibly manage? Why don't you write a letter first and indicate the location of the old beacon towers? I will lead my men to restore them and inform Shimen Pass."

Li Ji slapped his thigh: "Alright, then we'll grant Duan Jun's request."

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Meanwhile, Mang Re led five thousand elite Tibetan soldiers, traversing mountains and valleys, and in less than eight days, they had reached the main thoroughfare between the north and south. The Qiang guide pointed out that they would be out of the mountains in less than ten miles to the east.

Pinggao County is located in a valley that stretches for about 100 miles from north to south and more than 20 miles from east to west. Agricultural production is relatively developed. A main road connects to Xiaoguan County to the north of the valley. The road is relatively flat and open. To the south of the valley, it connects to Tanzheng Gorge, also known as Sanguankou. The road there is relatively rugged and bumpy.

Therefore, Ma Chongying launched this campaign by inciting the powerful chieftains and nobles of Tibet, saying that as long as we could break through the Tanzheng Gorge, we would have a chance to invade the Guanzhong Basin and take Fengxiang directly. However, most generals who were relatively familiar with the geography and understood military strategy knew that the chances were slim—unless the loss of Yuanzhou completely crushed the morale of the Tang people, causing their armies to collapse at the mere sight of them.

In fact, Ma Chongying would have been satisfied if he had captured Huizhou and Yuanzhou and occupied the north-south thoroughfare. From there, he could have threatened the Guanzhong Basin and forced the Tang people to the negotiating table. He could have also joined forces with the Liangzhou troops to attack Shuofang from the north.

Mang Re shared the same idea. As long as they could capture Pinggao and obtain its granaries for food, the battle would be considered a victory. He would only consider leaving the city and heading west if there was concrete news that the Tang army at Shimen Pass was holding out despite being cut off from their rear, preventing the main force of the Da Lun from leaving Shimen Pass. Now that Pinggao was in sight, he breathed a sigh of relief—the arduous journey was finally coming to an end—but at the same time, he couldn't help but tense up again.

So he ordered the soldiers to set up camp and rest. Although the sun was still high, they decided not to leave yet—otherwise, if they hastily descended to Ping, and the Tang army was already prepared, it would be difficult to retreat in the darkness.

Although he was confident that the Tang army, facing attacks from three sides and unable to determine the location of his main force or its primary target, would be stretched thin and unlikely to consider Pinggao again, and would almost certainly not set up defenses, military strategy always dictates that those who overestimate their strength will win, while those who underestimate it will lose. Therefore, he had to proceed with caution. So he first sent a Qiang guide with several dozen soldiers down to Pinggao to observe the surrounding situation and see if there were any Tang troops stationed on the main roads.

The next morning, we set off again. At the same time, the advance scouts returned and reported that within a dozen miles north and south of the mountain, there was not a single soldier or soldier in sight, only some passing travelers. We followed the general's orders and did not intercept them, so as not to reveal our whereabouts.

Actually, if they stopped a few people to inquire, Li Ji might have been exposed... After all, it was impossible for his five thousand cavalrymen to swagger past Xiaoguan City without the knowledge of passing travelers.

Mang Re was overjoyed. He immediately went to the mountain pass, ordered his men to rest for another quarter of an hour, and then said, "We will march swiftly, hoping to reach Pinggao City by noon, catch the enemy off guard, and seize the city in one fell swoop!"

Chapter Nineteen, The Song of Geshu

Li Sheng led a thousand cavalrymen, but instead of leaving Dazhen Pass, he detoured to the south via Anyi Pass, passed through the Longdi Gorge, and sped westward along the north bank of the Wei River.

This is because if the barbarian bandits were to invade, they would likely take two main routes: one is the northern route, starting from Chengji, the capital of Qinzhou, passing through Lueyangchuan, Qingshui, and Qinyuan to take Dazhen Pass—this route is rugged and not conducive to cavalry charges; once caught by the enemy, it would be difficult to escape safely; the other is the southern route, passing through Fuqiang, Shanggui, and Qinling in Weinan, and then crossing the Wei River, which would allow them to attack Dazhen and Anyi Passes. In this way, the Tang cavalry could travel along the north bank of the Wei River, observing the situation in Weinan from afar, which would make it easier to spot the enemy without having to engage them immediately, making it the safest option.

They marched for two days and two nights, approaching Longxi County—located on the north bank of the Wei River—but still saw no enemy. My subordinates ask, should we turn back now, or continue westward? If we venture too far into enemy territory, we fear that if we encounter the enemy, we may not be able to return in time, and our supplies are also insufficient. Where exactly does the deputy commander intend to go in one go, and what cities and fortresses do he plan to capture along the way for military supplies? It would be best if you could inform us beforehand.

Li Sheng asked with a smile, "You are all Westerners, do you know the song 'Geshu Song'?"

The subordinate replied, "We know, and we can even recite—'The Big Dipper shines high, Geshu carries his sword at night. The Tibetans are all annihilated, and two more moats are built.'"

Li Sheng said in surprise, "What I have heard is different from what you have heard." He then cleared his throat and sang loudly, "The Big Dipper shines high, Geshu carries his sword at night. To this day, he spyes on the grazing horses, but dares not cross Lintao!"

He then sighed and said, “I am originally from Taozhou. I once followed Wang Qingyuan (Wang Zhongsi was enfeoffed as Duke of Qingyuan County) to fight against the barbarians. I never expected that once I was transferred to the Northern Army, my hometown would fall to the barbarian bandits. Now I am a general of the country, a deputy commander of a garrison, with tens of thousands of brave warriors at my side, yet I cannot return home. This is truly a heart-wrenching pain. Now I want to take Lintao directly and slaughter the Qin Fortress, so that the barbarian bandits will know that our Tang Dynasty has capable people!”

Everyone was greatly alarmed and hurriedly advised, "It's still over two hundred li to Lintao. We only have a thousand cavalrymen. How can we cross it easily? General, please don't be reckless!"

Li Sheng smiled and said, "Why do you all think I'm being reckless? Although the barbarian bandits have captured Longyou and taken many cities, they cannot defend them. They also fear that the Tang people will rebel and join forces with the royal army, so they have destroyed the cities and built fortresses in other strategic locations. That's why I can advance directly with light cavalry, and there are no obstacles in the counties and prefectures I pass through. As long as the horses run fast, what can the barbarian bandits do to me? Dingqin Fortress is four hundred li west of Longdi. The bandits will not be on guard, so we can easily slaughter them and seize their grass and grain." But he immediately reassured everyone, saying, "Of course, I will first scout out the barbarian bandits' deployment and the situation in Longyou before daring to advance quickly. I will not waste the lives of my men."

So they sent out cavalry to capture a dozen or so passersby, some Han and some Hu, and brought them before the horses for questioning. The Tang people knew almost nothing, only pleading for the royal army to recover Longyou as soon as possible and rescue them from their suffering; but from the Hu people, they obtained an important piece of information.

It is said that the Tibetan Empire amassed a large army in Longyou this year, intending to invade eastward. However, due to their exploitation of the Qiang and Hu tribes, they planned to raise more than twice the number of auxiliary troops as in previous years, which led to a rebellion. Many Qiang and Hu tribes gathered in the Niaoshutongxue Mountain area and raised the banner of rebellion. In order to secure their rear, the Tibetan army had no choice but to suppress the rebellion, and fierce fighting is likely still ongoing.

Upon hearing this news, the Tang army breathed a sigh of relief—firstly, since the rear of the barbarian rebels was unstable, their invasion of Longzuo this year would likely end in a half-hearted effort; secondly, since Niaoshutongxue Mountain was not far south of Lintao, so close to the battlefield, Vice Commander Li should no longer have any illusions about attacking Qinbao…

Li Sheng frowned and pondered for a long time—he didn't need to look at a map, as he had the entire terrain of Longyou in his mind—before finally giving the order: "Head north, we're going into the mountains!"

Based on intelligence, he estimated that the Tibetan army was not a single force. The one heading towards Huining Pass must have set off before the Qiang-Hu rebellion, while the other force intending to attack Dazhen Pass was forced to temporarily change course—no wonder his route was so sparsely populated, with no large Tibetan army in sight, not even any large groups of Qiang-Hu cavalry. Given this, west of Weiyuan and Zhangxian, there were likely few Tibetan forces; he could roam freely.

More importantly, where would the barbarian bandits, who would advance through the mountain valleys to attack Huining Pass, establish their forward base? Heading straight north from here, just a hundred li away lies Jinjiyuan…

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Ma Chongying never expected that his meticulously crafted plan, which he had begun after Li Ji broke through Fu Yi's defenses last autumn, would be ruined by Shang Jiexi.

Shang Jiexi had previously wanted his trusted confidant to lead a surprise attack on Pinggao in order to win the first merit, but Ma Chongying overruled the objections and directly appointed Mangre. He was deeply resentful about this. He thought, "Oh, if we win this battle, you will have the merit of capturing Huizhou, and your confidant will have the merit of capturing Yuanzhou. We can only cheer from the sidelines. Is all our hard work just to benefit you? After the battle, Mangre will most likely be able to enter the Council of State, which is currently being prepared. So even though there are many chancellors, isn't it still you, the chief chancellor, who makes the decisions?"

To consolidate his power, Shang Jiexi planned to launch a full-scale attack on Dazhen Pass—he had heard that the Tang family had not mobilized a large army this year, and the defenses of the Liupan Passes were insufficient—even if he ultimately failed, as long as the number of prisoners and kills increased, he couldn't deny his contribution. Thus, he emptied the Longyou army and issued a strict order to the allied Qiang and Hu tribes, requiring them to join the campaign.

This triggered a turmoil, forcing Shang Jiexi to first launch a westward campaign, thus failing to arrive at Dazhen Pass in time as planned to confuse and contain the Tang army.

Ma Chongying only received the news four days after successfully capturing Huining Pass and establishing his position at the city walls. He was furious but helpless. Fortunately, Hechi had also been captured, and his vanguard was already approaching Shimen Pass. Once Shimen Pass was breached, they could coordinate with Mangre to seize Yuanzhou. Even if the Tang army reacted by then, it would be too late—victory was still in their hands.

I wonder if Shimen Pass is currently prepared?

The closer Ma Chongying got to victory, the more nervous he became. He often paced back and forth in his tent, repeatedly pondering every detail of the plan, hoping to find any omissions or deficiencies. But things are beyond human control, and there was always an endless fog hanging over the battlefield. The more he tried to dispel it, the thicker the fog became.

He couldn't help but sigh, "Hundreds of miles apart, scouts can hardly reach them, let alone send messages in time. If... if I had the supernatural powers of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, with my heavenly eye and heavenly ear, and could control all kinds of changes, this battle would be much easier!"

Then he smiled wryly and said, "If one becomes a Buddha or Bodhisattva, able to understand others' minds and past lives, then why bother with war?"

One day, a report suddenly arrived: "Our vanguard has reached the Shimen Pass, but the gate is tightly closed, and flags are flying above it, indicating that the Tang people are already on guard..."

Ma Chongying nodded and said, "That makes sense." He had been besieging Huining City for several days, and if you count from the start of the attack on Huining Pass, it had been more than ten days. No matter how slow or incompetent the Tang people were, they would definitely have alerted the surrounding counties.

He then asked, "How many Tang soldiers are there at the pass?"

"Upon reaching the pass, we could not count them in detail, but judging from the flags, there were more than five or six thousand."

Ma Chongying shook his head and laughed: "Shimen Pass is too narrow; how could it possibly hold five or six thousand men? This must be a feint to mislead us." He had calculated that the most convenient way for Yuanzhou to receive the warning was to transfer troops from the nearby Muxia Pass. However, Muxia Pass was located at the northernmost end of the Liupan Pass, and because it had more than fifty li of loess plateau in front of it, it was not easily attacked by the barbarian army. Therefore, in previous years, only seven or eight hundred troops were stationed there for autumn defense. So, the first batch of Tang reinforcements arriving at Shimen Pass would be at most five hundred men.

"How about closing the wall?"

"It is still very damaged, and the gaps are being blocked with earth and stones - based on this estimate, enemy reinforcements will arrive in no more than three days."

Is it possible to take it down?

"We originally planned to rest for a day before launching a full-scale attack. Perhaps by the time I report this, Shimen Pass will have already been captured—who knows?"

"I hope so," Ma Chongying nodded, secretly calculating with his fingers, "The Mang Re army will reach Pinggao City by this morning at the latest. Whether or not they can breach the city, the garrison at Shimen Pass will be inexplicably terrified, and may even collapse on the spot..."

He naturally couldn't have imagined that Mang Re hadn't even reached the walls of Pinggao City.

Now, after Mang Re broke out of the plateau at Chenshi yesterday, he led five thousand elite troops along the north-south thoroughfare straight towards Pinggao, hoping to reach it by noon at the latest. Perhaps he could charge in directly without waiting for the garrison to hear the alarm and close the gates. The mountain pass is less than twenty li from the county town. If he doesn't need to conserve his strength, he might be able to achieve victory in less than an hour—afternoon is a very generous estimate.

However, as he traveled, Mang Reyou looked around and his brows gradually furrowed. He had fought the Tang army more than once and had ventured deep into Tang territory several times. He knew the Tang people's nature well. Even though it was after the autumn harvest and the weather was not yet very cold, there were still uncut wheat stalks and even some scattered ears of wheat in the fields and along the roadside. In normal times, there should be some farmers still busy at work—not to mention the ears of wheat, even the stalks could be cut and used as fuel for the winter—but why was there no one for dozens of miles around?

He ran in the middle of the column, selecting three hundred strong soldiers as the vanguard to attack the city first. However, just as the silhouette of the high city wall appeared on the horizon, a vanguard returned with a report: "Looking into the distance, the city gates are tightly closed, and there is no one to be seen!"

Mang Re was taken aback and immediately ordered everyone to stop.

"This must be a leak of information; the Tang people have already taken precautions!"

His mind raced, and the more he pondered the situation, the more perilous it seemed.

It was obvious that the Tang army hadn't just received the news. The absence of farmers in the countryside meant they must have already been alerted and either moved into the city or scattered to hide. If the Tang army had only just received the news and closed the city gates, the city would likely be in chaos, and according to intelligence, there were only two thousand weak soldiers. We would still have a chance to approach and scale the walls. But if they had been prepared… they could muster the able-bodied men in the city to help defend it, making it much more difficult to take.

If there is no external reinforcement, the small city of Pinggao is not difficult to take, after all, Mang Re's five thousand soldiers are all elite troops from the barbarian tribes, each one capable of fighting ten. However, if they come lightly armed and face a fortified city, they will first need to spend several days building siege equipment—relying on grappling hooks alone is probably not enough—while Tang reinforcements could arrive at any time.

He was unaware that Tang troops were still stationed at Baiquan, but he knew that the nearest pass, Muxia Pass, was within reach of Pinggao. If reinforcements were to arrive, they could reach Pinggao in a day or two at most. Although Muxia Pass did not have many troops, there were Liupan Pass and Longshan Pass to its south... Even if tens of thousands of troops came, it would probably not take more than three to five days.

Are I confident that I can successfully capture Pinggao City within three to five days? To be honest, the barbarian army is good at defending fortresses but not cities, and their skills and strategies for attacking cities are even worse.

Mang Re was in a dangerous place and dared not act rashly. However, having traveled a hundred li, he was reluctant to retreat. After a moment's thought, he ordered several small teams under his command: "Search the Tang villages from left to right and see if you can find any farmers."

Several small groups of barbarian soldiers went to carry out their orders and returned shortly afterward. Most of them found nothing, but one group managed to sneak into a small village. However, not only were all the houses locked and deserted, but when they broke into a few houses and searched inside, they found that even the stored grain and poultry such as chickens and ducks had been taken away.

This is also because Duan Xiushi had been stationed in Yuanzhou for a long time and liked to get close to the people and ask about agricultural matters. Therefore, he was familiar with the surrounding villages. Although he did not have time to move all the villages into the city, he cleared out all the villages near the main road in just one day.

Just then, the faint smoke of signal fire rose from the city walls again. With that, Mang Re had no chance of escape and couldn't help but stamp his foot and sigh, "If I find out who leaked the military intelligence, I will skin them alive and make an example of them!"

Ma Chongying devised this surprise attack strategy primarily based on the following considerations:

Firstly, the Tang army amassed a large force every year to defend against the autumn attack, leaving the Tibetan army with almost no opportunity to exploit. Moreover, the Tang army repeatedly rejected the Tibetans' requests for peace. They could disagree with using Longdi as the boundary and maintaining the status quo, but they had to offer a compromise. They couldn't just insist on Menggu and Chiling. Therefore, without a surprise attack, it would be difficult to break the stalemate on the eastern front.

Secondly, the Tang court had basically stabilized the east and had even appointed Li Ji as the military governor of Shuofang, which hinted at the intention to recover Hexi and Longyou. This would directly affect the Tibetan conquest of Anxi and Beiting.

Thirdly, every year during the autumn defense, the Tang army would concentrate heavy troops at the passes of Liupan Mountain, but would ignore the salient of Huizhou, and would not reinforce Huizhou with additional troops. Now, the troops guarding Huizhou are the rootless Anxi and Beiting military camps, which are said to be demoralized and lack the will to fight, making it easy to seize.

Thus, Ma Chongying painstakingly devised this plan, which aimed to threaten Guanzhong, cut off Ling and Yuan, and then easily seize Huizhou. Now, with Mang Re's surprise attack failing, the already uncertain outcome of the best result is out of the question, and even the moderate outcome of capturing Yuanzhou seems unlikely. So what should he do?

One path leads onward, hoping that Pinggao's generals are incompetent and his soldiers cowardly, perhaps still offering a chance to capture the city. However, any general with a sound mind can foresee the slim chances of victory. If they halt their troops beneath the fortified city and wait for the Tang army to encircle them from all sides, they will be annihilated—especially since their food supplies are insufficient, and the Tang are employing a scorched-earth policy…

The other option is to avoid trouble and retreat the way we came. While supplies will be insufficient for the return journey, as long as daily consumption is managed, we can barely make it out of the mountains and won't starve. However, this would mean not only gaining no merit in this battle, but also potentially being slandered by political enemies as cowardly and a failure to seize an opportunity upon returning to court…

After much deliberation, Mang Re, just as Duan Xiushi had predicted, chose the middle strategy—to attack Shimen Pass!

Shimen Pass is located more than seventy li northwest of Pinggao City. If one runs fast, one can reach it in a day and a night. Even if the pass receives a signal from Pinggao, the defenders will only have one night to prepare, so it may not be difficult to breach. More importantly, according to Mang Re's calculations, Ma Chongying's army must have already captured Huining Pass and divided its forces to advance eastward. In that case, he and the main force can attack from both sides and successfully break through the pass, thus escaping the danger zone.

Moreover, if we act quickly enough, before the Tang forces from all directions can gather, our Tibetan army can still attack Pinggao again and then defeat the Tang reinforcements one by one.

This is a strategy of seeking life in the face of death... no, a strategy of achieving merit where none has been achieved!

He then ordered the entire army to turn around and head north again along the main road, heading straight for Shimen Pass.

Chapter Twenty, Waiting for a Rabbit to Fall into a Trap

Ma Chongying was really worried about Shimen Pass.

He knew that it was extremely risky for Mang Re to lead a surprise attack eastward. If he failed to capture the city and was trapped in enemy territory, his entire army would likely be wiped out. Even if he successfully captured Pinggao City, he would still be isolated and without reinforcements. Unless his own army could quickly capture Shimen Pass, coordinate with it, or even charge into Xiaping and cooperate to defeat the Tang army that came to its aid one by one.

He then besieged Huining for two days and then for three more days. When he heard that his vanguard had reached Shimen Pass, but the Tang army at the pass was already prepared, he could no longer sit idly by. So he handed over the siege to his subordinates and personally rode eastward at full speed.

Upon reaching the vicinity of Hechi, they saw thousands of barbarian soldiers driving captured salt workers to diligently produce salt. Ma Chongying couldn't help but laugh, "Huizhou is practically in my hands now, why drain the pond to catch all the fish?" He ordered a reduction in the workload and forbade the arbitrary killing of salt workers—salt mining is a skilled job, after all; if there are unnecessary losses, I can't very well just bring in workers from within the country to mine salt again later—just as he was about to continue westward, he suddenly received an urgent report from the outskirts of Huining City—

“Wang Tongzhi and others, the generals of Huizhou, were sent out to make contact and arrange to set fire to the city to create chaos and help our army attack the city.”

Ma Chongying was overjoyed upon receiving the report: "This is proof that all the gods, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas are helping our barbarians!" He immediately ordered a message to be sent back, saying that the morale of the Anxi and Beiting expeditionary forces was low and their hearts were unsettled. Therefore, this invitation must be genuine and not a trick by Bai Xiaode. If he did that, he would only further demoralize his own forces. Such a good opportunity must not be lost, and we must take the opportunity to break through the city's defenses.