Jinting Han people

During this period, Qi Wannian intensified the siege.

All the tunnels previously dug outside the city were stopped, except for those that had been dug through to the moat inside the city and were occupied by the Jin people. However, this did not mean that these tunnels were useless.

Qi Wannian imitated the tactics that Yuan Shao used to defeat Gongsun Zan in Yijing. He set up many beams and pillars at the connection between these tunnels and the city walls to support the city walls and earthen hills above. Then he continued to add weight to the earthen hills at the corners of the city and deepened the pits inside, making the Jin army mistakenly believe that he was going to adopt the stupid method of frontal attack. In fact, he wanted to secretly cause a large number of sinkholes. When the time was right, he ordered people to pour kerosene into the pillars and then set them on fire.

After the beams and pillars burned to a certain degree, they could no longer bear the weight of the city wall and the earthen hill above. After the first sound of collapse echoed from underground, it was like the collapse of heaven and earth. As the earth shook, the walls of Niyang collapsed, shattered into pieces, and finally sank into the cave. The once majestic city wall was now reduced to a pile of broken ruins, with large cracks and holes throughout, wide enough for the Hu people to enter.

Seeing the miraculous effect of their trapping tactics, the Hu soldiers were overjoyed, believing the city was imminent, and rushed in with swords drawn. Unexpectedly, the Jin army inside the city had already prepared, having built layers of fences in the moat within the city walls and quickly filled the small gaps with the earth piled up from the trenches. The defenders, armed with bows and crossbows, provided support from a distance, and they still managed to repel the Hu soldiers.

The Hu people then used the same trick again. They tied animal fur to long poles, poured oil on them and set them on fire. Then they rushed towards the wooden fence in waves, trying to burn it down with fire attack tactics.

Both sides were furious. The Jin people rained arrows down, but the Hu people, reckless and fearless, braved the hail of arrows without retreating, gradually approaching the fence. The defenders poured water and dirt on the wooden fence, turning it into a wall of wet mud. This prevented the fire from spreading.

The battle lasted until late at night, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. The attacking Hu people in particular made a huge sacrifice, with corpses piling up like a mountain, and finally the attack became so difficult that they were forced to suspend their offensive and retreat.

After this round, Liu Xian, as he had done before, called out to the Hu people outside the city, urging them to cease fighting for a day and collect each other's bodies. Qi Wannian, concerned for morale, had to agree. However, this gave Liu Xian time to make repairs. After a short rest, Liu Xian filled in and repaired most of the city wall. Both sides continued to rebuild as they destroyed, but there was still no breakthrough.

At this point, almost all the Hu people had lost confidence.

It was mid-June, the height of summer, and the foliage was lush. The mountains and plains of the north were covered with green grass, red flowers, and verdant shrubs. But on a loess plateau, bare and barren, stood a single, enormous city. The east wind blew, whirling unimpeded across the plateau, stirring up clouds of dust.

The steeds captured by the Hu people galloped freely across the plateau. Freed from restraints, they moved freely, and even the thundering clatter of their hooves lent a touch of elegance. Sadly, many of their former riders had already fallen, forever buried in the loess beside the city wall.

In fact, as temperatures gradually rose, the rebels were slow to collect the bodies, leading to an epidemic among the troops. Many people collapsed in the wounded camp, coughing. This caused the atmosphere in the camp to become tense again. At first, the barbarians would erect monuments for the bodies they collected, but now, everyone was just anxious to bury them. They dug large pits and piled them up together. No one cared where anyone was buried anymore.

When news of Linjin's defeat reached Niyang, although everyone still felt panic at the Xianbei's appearance and sympathy for their comrades' defeat, these emotions were overshadowed by the fact that the siege had failed. Upon hearing this news, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. They knew that the Xianbei's appearance was the final straw that broke the camel's back. This offensive and defensive battle, which had lasted for three months, was finally coming to an end.

Qi Wannian himself knew that the conditions for the army to continue attacking the city were no longer ripe, so he had to end the war and prepare to withdraw.

That night, he sat alone outside his tent, lost in thought, his eyes fixed on the bright moon overhead. The smile that had always graced his lips vanished without a trace. He wondered: What had I done wrong? Was it that I didn't have enough strategies, or my judgment wasn't clear enough, or perhaps my ability was lacking? Otherwise, why couldn't I realize my ambitions, and why had I suffered such a huge setback?

Qi Wannian quickly grasped the answer, and then he thought: Perhaps he had done nothing wrong, simply because destiny hadn't favored him enough. As the saying goes, human effort has its limits, and many things are like that; success doesn't come just from doing well. This was something Zhuge Liang had already proven over sixty years earlier.

But this answer made him feel sad. If success was inevitable, why bother fighting? He recalled the hopes of his youth and said to Qi Gui beside him, "When I was at the horse market in Huangyaji, I often wanted to buy a thousand-mile horse, thinking that with a thousand-mile horse I could travel a thousand miles a day. But when I actually got one, I found that thousand-mile horses are not rare, but grasslands where they can gallop freely are rare."

Qi Gui could tell that Qi Wannian was lamenting that fate hadn't favored him. So he said, "Everyone encounters setbacks. Even figures like Liu Bang and Xiang Yu had their ups and downs. This failure is just a minor setback."

"It's not insignificant." Qi Wannian stated calmly, as always. "In this battle, I lost nearly 20,000 men under Niyang City, including thousands of elite soldiers. This is already an unbearable loss. Not to mention the casualties in Linjin. Overall, the advantage I gained in the battle of Fufeng has been completely eroded."

"Since I cannot seize Guanzhong by taking advantage of the victory, the next hurdle will be extremely difficult. Whether we can make it through does not depend on me, but on the confidence of the tribes."

"Your Majesty, we all respect you." Qi Gui bowed his head and said, "I believe we will be able to overcome this difficulty."

"I hope so."

Qi Wannian glanced at Qi Gui and didn't say anything more, but he knew in his heart that respecting a person and having confidence in a person are two completely different mentalities.

He looked back at Niyang City in the distance and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: The opponent in the city is his biggest obstacle.

The next morning, Qi Wannian summoned all the military leaders to discuss matters. The generals, initially disheartened, gradually relaxed when they saw the Hu emperor sitting comfortably on a Hu bed in the center, his face smiling as usual.

Just as Qi Gui said, although Qi Wannian did not win this siege, the tactics and talents he demonstrated were far beyond the reach of others. Although everyone's morale was low, the public, especially the middle and high-level military officers, had an increasing admiration for Qi Wannian.

The tent was packed with people, and the weather was stifling, causing everyone to sweat profusely. Qi Wannian, wearing only a single layer of clothing, had the tent curtains set up and fanned, cooling the room somewhat. He scanned the crowd; there were over forty tribal leaders inside, all clutching swords and sitting in a circle in the shelter from the wind.

Qi Wannian said to everyone, "This time last year, I had just started my rebellion. I left Chang'an and entered Huanglong Mountain, and then began this great rebellion. I went from Huanglong Mountain to Linjin, to Panlong Bay, and then to Meiyang, and then gathered with everyone. Time flies! In the blink of an eye, a year has passed."

"We've already captured ten counties, terrifying the people of Guanzhong. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are roaming everywhere, and the very foundation of the Jin Dynasty has been shaken. However, the Jin Dynasty is ultimately a formidable force. Even though we've already wounded them, we can't afford to slack off. We must continue to engage them, neither revealing any weaknesses nor encouraging them to relax. We must allow their injuries to worsen until they are exhausted, and then deliver the fatal blow." "As for Liu Xian in the city, he's truly a talent. Unfortunately, he's on the side of the Jin Dynasty. While he might be able to display his talents independently, he's useless once he's under the command of the Western Expedition Army."

At this point, everyone understood that the emperor was preparing to withdraw his troops this time.

Qi Wannian then continued, "I intend to retreat to Wugong to rest, but I need a brave general to cover my retreat. This person must guard the Jing River to prevent the Xianbei from crossing easily."

As soon as he finished speaking, Duolansha stood up. Qi Wannian's smile became more sincere. He said with emotion, "Brother Duolan is a famous tiger among the Tiele people. I remember that he traveled back and forth in Shuofang and was the old leader's best general. I am sorry to trouble you with this trip."

Duolansha bowed and replied, "I am willing to be your Majesty's henchman. If any enemy general dares to advance, even if I die, I will die with him and prevent him from crossing the Jing River."

Qi Wannian looked around, a warm feeling rising in his heart. He thought, many great things cannot be accomplished by one person, but with so many friends and subordinates, even turning the world upside down is not impossible. He turned to Qi Gui and said:

"We've all worked hard this year, and now we're leaving. Boy, sing a Di folk song."

Qi Gui then stood up. He was only twenty years old, his beard still ungrown, and he still had a certain youthful air. He had lived in Han territory for so long that he no longer knew what life had been like for his ancestors, but he was still filled with awe for the songs they had left behind.

Qi Gui spread his hands and bent forward, a gesture of respect for the gods of heaven and earth. He then muttered something incoherent, words from the ancient Qiang language he had memorized by heart. He no longer knew which syllable marked the end of each word. It was said that the words meant: "The deceased rest in peace, the living are at peace."

At this point, he raised his hands, one covering his forehead, the other his chest. Then, closing his eyes, he let out a long cry, singing the long song of his ancestors in his newly emerged, clear, masculine voice. The melody was as desolate as an eagle spreading its wings and gliding over the rocky mountains of the Hehuang River, as long and drawn-out as the ripples of the countless lakes of the Xingxiu Sea. It seemed as if the vast world held boundless freedom, waiting for its people to explore it.

Qi Gui still sang in the ancient Qiang language, and the lyrics roughly mean:
"One hundred tall elk,
Wandering among the endless rocky mountains.

The ancient knight and the soul of gold,

Sleeping in the bend of the river.

Those are the tears of the moon and the snow-capped mountains,

Yingying misses her sons who have left their hometown.

The strong wind came and went in all directions,
Frost flowers bloom and fade on the mountaintops,
The stones sunk on the river bank,

It is the root that the knights on horseback will never forget."

After listening to the melody, the Hu people present all felt that it was very familiar. Most of the Hu people in Guanzhong were of Qiang and Di ethnic origin. They had lived in the lands between Hehuang, Longyou, and even Shuofang for generations. After experiencing wars and chaos, they were forced to leave their homes. Few of them still remembered where their roots were.

The familiar tune brings back memories of childhood, when parents would sing such songs, sowing seeds for their children and hoping they would find a new home where they could take root forever. Now, that wish has almost come true, only to fall on the brink of collapse. The future looks as uncertain as this bleak song, and how can one not feel a sense of sadness?
Qi Wannian wiped the moist corners of his eyes and said to everyone, "I will definitely build our own country."

After saying this, he couldn't help but sing again. As the leader of the Hu people, his singing was more sincere and more majestic. All the Hu nobles present were moved. Many of them couldn't help but sing along, and then they shed tears.

The next morning, the siege of Niyang was officially lifted. Tens of thousands of soldiers evacuated the camp in an orderly manner, loading whatever they could onto their horses and burning whatever they couldn't carry on the spot. The first to leave were Yao Yizhong's troops, who had been defending the enemy at Malan Mountain, followed by Peng Dangzhong's troops, Yang Jian's generals, and finally, with the exception of Duolansha's troops, who remained at the rear, Qi Wannian's main force.

Qi Wannian was sitting on a light grey horse with long mane, and was inconspicuous in the vast black crowd. But at a corner, he paused for a moment and looked back at Niyang City unwillingly again.

The morning glow had faded, leaving only pure sunlight, shining on the scarred Niyang City. Black spots swarmed on the walls; they were Jin soldiers watching them. Although their expressions were unclear, it was easy to imagine that they must be smiling.

Qi Wannian didn't express any more emotion. He retracted his gaze and rode his horse back to join the moving crowd. Among so many people relaxing, only he knew what would happen next.

The Jin army in the city did not leave the city to pursue. They silently watched as all the rebels left. Even after the last red crow flag of Qi Wannian disappeared in the sky, the city gate showed no intention of opening.

In any case, the brutal Battle of Niyang finally came to an end.

Two days later, on another quiet, windless morning, the black flags of the Xianbei cavalry appeared in the northeastern sky above Malan Mountain. (End of this chapter)