Chapter 140 Part 1

 

At daybreak, a green falcon flew high in the sky. Its shadow, as small as a black dot, flew over the snow-covered peaks and canyons. It passed above a plain densely dotted with white yak-tail military banners and tents, then finally flew into the besieged city. After circling briefly in the air, it suddenly dove toward an arrow tower perched on the high ground.

Qingtou caught the falcon, untied a bamboo tube as small as a finger tied to the falcon’s claws, poured out a small note inside, and rushed down quickly, running towards a nearby felt tent.

Outside the tent, seven to eight major generals from Yuanzhou, He Jin who later joined with the old members of the Shenhu Army, Chen Shao, Gu Twelve and others were all there. Some of them sat on the spot, while others stood on the side. No one spoke, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Just a moment ago, they suddenly received a summons and gathered here together, waiting for the commander to show up. Seeing Qingtou rushing from the direction of the arrow tower, Chen Shao, who was closest to him, immediately rushed over to meet him.

Qingtou hurriedly handed over the note he had just received.

The news came from scouts who were outside the city before the siege and were specifically assigned to gather information.

As expected, the scouts’ report confirmed the speculation based on the enemy’s movements observed from the heights. They were eager to recapture Dache City and open up the food supply route. After several unsuccessful sieges and being blocked for nearly two months, there were signs that troops from Zhongdu were being dispatched to support them from the south, and they were expected to arrive in a few days.

When the siege force increases again, the defenders in the city would surely face another difficult and bloody battle.

However, there was still no sign of the court deploying troops in the rear.

“Next time! Next time it will definitely be good news!” Qingtou clenched his fist and shouted loudly to everyone.

No one answered him. Everyone’s eyes were on the tent door.

They had been besieged for almost two months. Although they had not encountered a snowstorm like before, the weather was getting colder and colder. Yesterday was snowing again and it only stopped in the second half of last night. This morning, the snow on the ground and on the hills was even higher. Before the snow melts in the spring of next year, it was impossible for people and supplies to come from Yuanzhou in the east. The current situation of supplies in the city was becoming more and more serious.

This small town was originally used as a transit point. There were not many food and horse feed reserves in the city. After consumption, they had already begun to run short. Soldiers were given only one loaf of bread a day. This was the minimum amount of food that could barely maintain physical strength in such severe cold weather. And this amount of food would only last for less than five to six days.

Not only that, the severe cold weather was also a big enemy for the defense troops. People were freezing to death every day. Just now, it was reported that dozens of people froze to death last night.

All the generals present knew very well that if they continued to be trapped like this, even if they could withstand the upcoming new crazy attack, when the last food was exhausted, death would be inevitable for everyone.

Accompanied by the sound of boots, Yuanzhou Governor, Dong Gongfu, who was discussing matters with Pei Xiaoyuan in the tent, reappeared behind the tent door.

Everyone gathered around immediately.

“Governor Dong, we just received news that the troops outside are increasing! We can’t count on the support from the court, we can’t just sit and wait like this!”

“Right! While the main force is still here, we might as well charge out!”

“I agree!”

“I agree too!”

He Jin, Chen Shao and others remained silent and did not say anything, while the generals from Yuanzhou expressed their opinions excitedly.

In fact, they were not the only ones who thought so. As rations became increasingly scarce and they were starving every day, most of the soldiers began to become anxious and the desire to escape was spreading.

Rather than being trapped and starving to death, it was better to fight.

“Where’s Commander Pei? What is Commander Pei’s plan?”

Dong Gongfu looked serious and did not answer. He just turned his head and glanced inside, then said, “Come in.”

Everyone rushed into the tent impatiently.

Pei Xiaoyuan sat behind a simple desk. He was not wearing armor, but a light blue robe that he usually wore. The light from the lamp on the desk showed his calm face.

Everyone saluted, he nodded slightly to indicate that they should take a seat, then looked at Dong Gongfu.

Dong Gongfu said: “Your intention to fight coincides with that of Commander Pei. The Commander has also decided that we must end this battle before the enemy reinforcements arrive. I called you here to inform you of this.”

Everyone was excited and immediately expressed their agreement and asked about the specific plan.

“If all the troops rush out together, what are our chances of breaking out?” Dong Gongfu asked again.

“Our army has more than 10,000 soldiers, and the enemy has several times that number, and they are strong and powerful. It’s unlikely that all of them can break out. In the end, it will be good if one to two tenths of them can make it out…”

A Yuanzhou general thought about it and responded cautiously.

“But even if we all die in battle, it’s better than the shame of starving to death here!” He immediately said, looking excited. The others echoed him.

“What about Dache City? What should we do?” Dong Gongfu asked again.

As soon as he finished speaking, the tent fell into dead silence.

The purpose of their deep incursion into enemy territory was to seize control of this strategic stronghold—Dache City—and thereby cut off the Xifan army’s supply line to the north.

Now, with the majority having fallen in battle to allow a small number to break through the siege—be it one or two tenths, or perhaps more—the plan was for those survivors to carry on and rendezvous with Linghu Gong’s main forces in Hexi. It would have been a miracle of reversal born from the jaws of certain defeat.

But this would also mean that the hard-won stronghold would fall once again into enemy hands. The mission would be a complete failure, and the consequences would ripple outward, jeopardizing the entirety of Hexi’s upcoming campaign.

Such humiliation was even worse than dying in prison.

After a moment of dead silence, one of them suddenly said, “I am willing to lead my men to stay here and defend until the last man died. We will fight to the bitter end!”

The person who spoke was He Jin, who had been silent until now.

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Shao, Gu Twelve, Liu Bo and others also stood up and expressed their stance to Pei Xiaoyuan on the seat: “We are all willing to defend together!”

The Yuanzhou generals who had just demanded to break out of the city looked at each other, hesitated, slowly shut up, and fell silent.

Dong Gongfu stopped talking, and soon everyone’s eyes turned to the young commander who had been watching the debate quietly.

Pei Xiaoyuan motioned for He Jin and others to sit down, and finally spoke.

“To fight to the last man is a last resort, taken only when there’s no other choice. Governor Dong and I have devised a plan—to let as many soldiers break out as possible at the smallest cost, while at the same time, severing this supply route completely.”

As his voice fell, a stir ran through the tent. Not only the people from Yuanzhou, but also He Jin, Chen Shao and others were surprised and looked at each other.

If the plan truly succeeded and the main force could be preserved, then with the Xifan army forced to take a detour and reopen a new supply route, that would likely take at least a month or two.

“Commander, what is the plan?” Gu Twelve couldn’t help but ask loudly.

Pei Xiaoyuan picked up the sword on the desk, walked to the middle of the crowd, drew the sword, and used the tip of the sword to draw a simple map of the terrain on the ground.

“Dache City is called a city, but it’s actually wedged between mountains, more like a mountain pass, with only a single exit. We will send a group of people to break into the enemy camp in the middle of the night, making them believe we are attempting a full breakout, then lead as many of their troops as possible here…”

The tip of his sword drew two peaks on the ground near the city. Finally, with force, he stabbed the blade into the spot between the two peaks.

“This here is a stretch of canyon between the mountains, about four to five li from Dache City. It’s the only route from Zhongdu to Dache. If, at that moment, the snow on both peaks collapses, in this terrain, everyone caught in it—without exception—will be buried alive under the avalanche. There will be no escape. And the path itself will be sealed completely, leaving no worries behind.”

He raised his eyes and looked at the surprised crowd.

“The roar of an avalanche is terrifying, like rolling thunder from the heavens, and can be heard from several li away. The Xifan people call it ‘the wrath of the gods’ and have always feared it deeply. Once it strikes, the remaining enemy troops will be restless, unnerved, and unable to fight. That will be the moment for the remaining forces in the city to break out amidst the chaos—cut a path through and head north with all speed, following the original route to rendezvous with General Linghu.”

“This is the strategy that the governor and I have decided on to escape this predicament.”

After another moment of silence, a general from Yuanzhou finally spoke hesitantly: “Commander Pei’s plan is brilliant. It’s just that… just that this ‘wrath of the gods’—how can we be sure it strikes at the precise moment?”

His doubts were naturally shared by the others present, and they all looked at him.

“A few years ago, I fought in this area and witnessed several such so-called ‘wrath of the gods,’ some large, some small. After careful observation, I discovered they could be triggered by sound. When I left the capital, I brought with me a dozen or so fire devices—let’s tentatively call them spike-thunder—which were acquired by chance. It’s a byproduct of Taoist’s alchemical furnace explosion. When detonated, the blast isn’t powerful enough for practical battlefield use—at most, it might injure one or two if triggered right under the enemy’s feet. But if a dozen of them were set off all at once beneath a snowy mountain valley, the resulting sound and force would be enough to awaken the ‘wrath of the gods ’and bury everything beneath it.”

He explained in a calm voice, and everyone in the tent was stunned. After a moment, a voice suddenly sounded, breaking the silence.

“Commander Pei! I’d like to be the first to go! Such a marvelous thing, this old man have never seen it! Let me light it. If it means death, so be it. To die with eyes wide open, I’d die with no regrets!”

The speaker was Gu Twelve, seated at the far end of the ranks. He suddenly jumped up, raised his arms and shouted.

Just moments ago, everyone had still been wrapped in the chilling silence of that calm yet death-scented plan. Now that they’d come back to themselves, their thoughts had all turned to the same grim realization.

Those who were sent out of the city first would never return. Even if they survived the initial clash, the terrain would see to it that they died beneath the very “wrath of the gods” they unleashed with their own hands, buried under a sea of snow with no chance of escape.

At that moment, Gu Twelve’s words were like a jolt from a dream. Immediately, Chen Shao rose to his feet. Then came Liu Bo’s voice. The seven to eight generals from Yuanzhou looked at one another—and one by one, they too began to stand.

“All orders shall follow Commander Pei’s direction!” They declared in unison.

Pei Xiaoyuan smiled and said, “This matter is extremely important. We must succeed and not fail. How to break out of the siege and how to lead more Xifan troops to die in the snow all require careful consideration and arrangement. It’s not that I don’t trust any of you, but this task must be led by me personally. Only if they see me leading the charge will they believe that those trapped in the city are truly making a desperate last stand. So the vanguard shall be under my command.”

“Master Pei!” Chen Shao was shocked and blurted out a cry, then stepped forward and knelt in front of his desk.

“The Commander cannot do this! I’m nothing but just a lowly official with little influence and few military achievements, but I swear to heaven that as long as Commander gives me this task, I will complete it!”

“Me too! Commander, you must not do this!” Gu Twelve, Liu Bo and others also knelt down to stop him.

“Which of you will go depends on your luck.” Pei Xiaoyuan said, “I must go. I have already discussed this matter with the governor.”

He said lightly.

At this time, Dong Gongfu finally couldn’t bear it anymore, and pushed everyone aside and knelt in the front.

“Prince Consort! You can’t go! I am willing to take your place!”

Pei Xiaoyuan came from behind the desk and lifted Dong Gongfu up from the ground.

“Governor was injured in your early years, so your legs may not be as convenient as mine.” He smiled. “It’s not that I look down on you, but if something goes wrong, it will be bad if the plan fails.”

The seven to eight Yuanzhou generals were still hesitant at first, suspecting that he was putting on an act to force them, the military officers who were not under this direct command, to step forward. Now they no longer had any doubts, knowing that he really wanted to lead the team out of the city and be the first to die. They all felt ashamed and tried to stop him.

“No need to say more! What has been agreed upon will not be changed.”

Pei Xiaoyuan walked over, picked up the sword that was still pierced on the ground, and inserted it back into its scabbard.

He said with his back to the crowd.

There was another silence in the tent. At this moment, He Jin, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly stepped forward.

“Commander Pei, please take this subordinate. Not being able to went together with the great general back then is the biggest regret of my life. This time, please give me a chance to make up for it.”

He bowed respectfully and kowtowed solemnly to the young figure in front of him.

Pei Xiaoyuan turned his head, looked at him for a moment, then walked over and helped him up.

“Alright.”

He slowly tightened his grip on He Jin’s arm, nodded slowly, and spoke.

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