Jinting Han people

Sun Xiu's scouts already knew about the 100,000-strong rebel army climbing the mountain.

Hundreds of scouts, divided into dozens of squads, were scattered atop Mount Mang. Upon spotting any sign of enemy troops gathering and moving out, they immediately headed south down the mountain. The horses' hooves pounded through the fallen leaves, releasing the scent of earthy soil where earthworms had burrowed. Hearing the chaotic sound of hooves, birds hid in the branches, and beasts concealed themselves in the grass, then peeked out, curiously observing the scouts' movements. They had always been puzzled as to why humans moved so hastily if not in search of food.

The mountain path was still too muddy after the rain. Some riders, in their haste, kept whipping their horses, only to have their hooves slip and fall on stones. They tumbled to the ground, bruised and battered, some even breaking their horses' legs. The other scouts, seeing this, could only patiently slow their horses down, proceeding slowly through the valley. Even so, the mud kicked up by the horses' hooves quickly stained the scouts' trousers yellow, leaving them in a sorry state.

The lead scouts of the Imperial Guards arrived at the Imperial Guard camp in Yanshi at dawn. The group, covered in dust and grime, reported to Shi Yi. Upon hearing this, Shi Yi hurriedly led the captain to see Sun Xiu. He reported, "The bandits ate their meal at dawn and then rode over. It looks like a full-scale attack of 100,000 troops, and they are currently climbing the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Sun Xiu chuckled and stood up from the couch, looking very relaxed. However, he didn't speak immediately but instead looked at Sun Qi beside him.

Sun Qi was knowledgeable in military strategy. He understood Sun Xiu's meaning; he wanted Sun Qi's help in making a decision. After a moment's thought, he drew his sword, planted it in the ground, and shouted, "Secretary, great news! Yesterday, a heavy rain fell, making the roads so slippery that it was not conducive to a large-scale battle. Yet the enemy insisted on fighting, wading through mud and water all the way here. They'll be exhausted to death! I'll take care of them!"

Sun Xiu then spoke up, "Alright! Then let's order the troops to eat quickly, and we'll prepare for battle!"

Half an hour later, Sun Xiu's imperial guards were in formation. Sun Xiu commanded General of Chariots and Cavalry Sun Qi, General of the Central Fortress Shi Yi, General of the Upper Army Sun Fu, General of the Vanguard Li Yan, and Prince of Guangping Sima Qian as the left wing, totaling 20,000 troops; General of the Garrison Sima Ya, Prince of Jingzhao Sima Fu, General of the Valiant Mo Yuan, and General of the Left Guard Wang Yu as the right wing, also with 20,000 troops; he himself, along with Governor of Henan Xin Ran, Chief Clerk Liu Ji, and General of the Right Guard Zhang Qiu, formed the central army, placing the most important armored cavalry and crossbows there to ensure his safety.

The Zhao King's army was connected to Mangshan in the north and Yishui in the south, facing west with its back to the east, and lined up in a grand formation to await the Hebei army.

After the formation was completed, Sun Xiu looked around and saw that his troops were well-organized and that the armor of the various tribes gleamed like a sea in the sunlight. He couldn't help but feel a little proud and asked Sun Qi in private, "Boqi, with such a majestic and powerful army, are we invincible in the world?"

Seeing that no one was around, Sun Qi spoke a few words of truth, which was rare for him: "Zhongshu, in terms of military strength alone, the elite troops of the world are all here, but having soldiers without generals means they cannot be used to their full potential! It's a pity Zhang..."

Having said this, he realized he had made a slip of the tongue and quickly shut up. But Sun Xiu knew who the person he hadn't finished mentioning was: Zhang Lin, the vanguard general he had killed.

This man was the one who advised Sun Xiu on military matters during his coup. He was Meng Guan's deputy general and they had both participated in suppressing the rebellion of Qi Wannian. Sun Xiu's persuasion of Meng Guan was also facilitated by Zhang Lin. It can be said that Sun Xiu was the first to deserve credit for the King of Zhao's successful ascension to the throne, and Zhang Lin was the second. People at the time referred to them together as "Sun and Zhang".

After Sima Lun ascended the throne, Zhang Lin, believing himself to have rendered great service, not only demanded the promotion to General of the Guards but also requested the title of Grand General of the Three Excellencies. Sun Xiu refused, so Zhang Lin complained to Crown Prince Sima Fu, who then relayed the matter to Sun Xiu. Seeing Zhang Lin's resentment, Sun Xiu immediately used Sima Lun's name to summon Zhang Lin to the palace, falsely accusing him of treason, and had his entire clan arrested and exterminated in one fell swoop.

This happened in February of this year, and it was the first major case in Luoyang after the King of Zhao ascended the throne.

Upon hearing Sun Qi's words, Sun Xiu felt a pang of regret and muttered to himself, "Alas, if I had known this would happen, I would have spared Zhang Lin's life and given him the title of Grand Master of the Palace. What good would that have done?" Unfortunately, there was no going back.

Fortunately, good news soon arrived. Just as the Hebei rebels began to descend the mountain, Sima Fu sent an envoy from Luoyang to tell Sun Xiu, "The vanguard of the Western Expeditionary Army has arrived in Luoyang. After the Crown Prince has rewarded them, he will invite them to join the Central Secretariat."

Luoyang and Yanshi are only forty li apart. If it were cavalry, they could reach Yanshi in an hour.

This news gave Sun Xiu even more confidence, and his earlier regret vanished instantly. He hugged Sun Qi and shouted, "Haha, these scoundrels only managed to win against me for a while because of their numbers! Now that the enemy and we are evenly matched, I want to see how they can win!"

Then he urged the messenger, saying, "Go and urge them again. After this battle, I can grant the entire Guanzhong region to the King of Hejian! He can rule the world together with His Majesty."

He then informed the entire army of the news, and the whole army cheered, feeling that the chances of winning this battle were eighty or ninety percent.

It was at this moment that the Hebei rebels came into the sight of the Imperial Guards.

It was nearly noon when the 100,000-strong army, wading through mud and water, lined up on the banks of the Yi River, their faces mostly showing signs of fatigue. But as they faced east in full armor, their iron-framed weapons gleamed in the sunlight, creating a bright spectacle that could be seen for miles around, still displaying considerable power.

Instead of launching an attack, they first took out the flatbread and water bottle they carried with them to replenish their strength.

Liu Xian and the other generals were unaware of the arrival of reinforcements from the Western Expeditionary Army. They merely rode around the front lines, observing both the enemy and their own forces. It must be said that the Imperial Guards were indeed formidable in appearance. After surveying the front lines, Liu Xian remarked to Sima Yi, "It seems that Sun Xiu has emptied the armory of all the weapons and armor."

Sima Yi was also seeing so many armored soldiers for the first time. The usually bold man was now somewhat apprehensive and asked Liu Xian, "Lord, the enemy's military formation is so well-organized. Our army is coming through muddy ground. Can we really win?"

Liu Xian laughed and said, "Your Highness, the impeccable military bearing is merely an appearance. As I said before, out of all these people standing opposite, how many are truly willing to fight to the death for Sun Xiu? I doubt even half of them."

Sima Yi's heart slowly calmed down, and he nodded, saying, "Then let's see if the Prefect's plan will work."

A gentle breeze swept across the banks of the Yi River, causing the banners of both armies to flutter in the wind. The Black Tortoise banner of the Hebei rebels stood in stark contrast to the Yellow Dragon banner held high by the Imperial Guards. A year ago, who could have imagined such a scene? The two great armies of the empire were now facing each other at the foot of Mount Mang, about to fight to the death. In truth, everyone present felt a sense of unreality, as if the spirits of heroes buried on Mount Mang throughout the ages were now circling and gazing down from the sky.

Liu Xian looked up at the heavens, thinking of his teacher Chen Shou, who had passed away not long ago, and wondered: Was his teacher also in mid-air, witnessing this battle? He would use this victory to show his teacher that he had already gone very, very far on the path his teacher had taught him but had not yet finished walking…

After regaining his composure, Liu Xian turned to one of the people beside him and said, "Go and inform Yue Shi that it's time for us to go on stage."

Now that the two armies had lined up, the next step should have been battle. The Imperial Guards were all eager for a fight to the death. But at this moment, more than a hundred cavalrymen rushed out from the Hebei army. The three men in front of them were not wearing armor, but were dressed in brocade robes, and did not even wear the most basic iron helmets.

This was completely unexpected for the Imperial Guards. What did the other side mean? Were they here to die? Thinking this, they all drew their bows taut, ready to shoot the enemy as soon as they entered range. But as the enemy's face gradually became clear, they were all stunned, and the taut bowstrings in their hands gradually loosened.

It turned out that the knight at the forefront was none other than Liu Kun, a relative of the current emperor. To his left was his nephew Liu Yan, and to his right was Sun Mao, the son of Sun Qi, who had also been captured. The three stood in the middle of the two armies. Liu Kun cleared his throat and shouted to the imperial guards, "Listen, soldiers! The rebellion of Sima Lun and Sun Xiu is solely the fault of these ringleaders, not others. Why risk your lives for them? If you restore order and join the righteous army, you will not only be innocent but also meritorious! What good will it do to follow Sun Xiu? Hundreds of thousands of troops from all over the country are gathering to attack him. Do you have any chance of victory? If you can't win, you will only end up as skeletons. Then, your wives, children, and fathers will grieve in vain. How tragic! We swear to Heaven that anyone who did not participate in the massacre of the King of Huainan will not be held accountable!"

After the address was finished, the Imperial Guards fell silent. At this moment, Sun Mao rode out and shouted, “I am Sun Mao, son of the General of Chariots and Cavalry, you all know me. Do not be afraid, His Highness the Prince of Changshan and His Highness the Prince of Chengdu are both benevolent men! Those comrades who died in battle have been given a proper burial! Those prisoners who survived are all living well, and will be released to return to their hometowns after this battle!”

Liu Yan chimed in, "That's absolutely right. I saw it with my own eyes in Hebei!"

Seeing a slight commotion within the Imperial Guards' ranks, Liu Yan dismounted and reached behind to take the reins of two horses. Fearing they might suddenly bolt, he carefully held onto the reins and stood guard in front of them. Seated on either side of the horses were Sima Yi and Liu Xian.

Among the Imperial Guards, most officers of the sixth rank and above, though they did not know Sima Yi, knew Liu Xian, and a commotion immediately arose in the army.

Liu Xian remained calm, removed his headscarf, drew his Changsheng sword, and said, "Gentlemen, I am Liu Xian, the former General Who Pacifies Bandits and the current Prefect of Changshan, as well as the commander-in-chief of the righteous army. You all know me. The person sitting next to me now is His Highness the Prince of Changshan."

He paused, raised the sword above his head, and said, "I, Liu Xian, swear to Heaven that all the prisoners who surrendered before are safe and sound. If you surrender today, as long as you are not the ringleaders or the most heinous criminals, all past transgressions will be forgiven, and your official ranks and honors will be restored. If you remain obstinate, don't blame the sword for being merciless. If I have lied, I will surely die by the sword!"

Sima Yi then drew his sword and shouted, "I, Sima Yi, guarantee with my family's reputation that everything Lord Liu said just now is true! Soldiers, are you still going to be deceived by Sun Xiu? It's not too late to wake up now! Anyone who listens to me, run to Mangshan in the north, leave the battle, and that will be considered as surrendering!"

To be honest, the Imperial Guards had felt uneasy and confused ever since they learned of the rebel army crossing the river. It was Sun Xiu who had tried every possible method, from generous rewards to deception, to finally convince them to fight. But now, seeing Liu Xian and the others appear and swear that Sun Xiu was lying and guiding them to a way out, they immediately responded in unison. They had never trusted Sun Xiu to begin with, and now that the cavalry had started running, the infantry behind them also abandoned their banners and fled north in a chaotic rout.

Like a spring flood breaking through solid ice, the once orderly and solemn Imperial Guard formation shattered instantly. The right flank completely scattered, leaving only Sun Xiu's main formation and the left flank, which was blocked by the main formation. There was also unrest on the left flank, but the terrain prevented them from moving.

At this point, Liu Xian, Sima Yi, and the others returned to their main camp. Liu Xian waved his hand and said, "Sound the drums and advance!"

The rebel army's drums suddenly roared, and at this point, there was no longer any strict formation. The iron cavalry and infantry advanced together to the sound of the drums, from west to east, diagonally facing the Yi River, and launched a charge against the remaining Imperial Guards.

Although the ground was covered in mud and water, the earth still shook violently with every step. Those imperial guards who hadn't yet managed to escape were terrified at the sight. The soldiers on the left flank hurriedly threw down their flags and weapons, prioritizing their own survival, and fled north towards Mangshan Mountain. At this point, even Sun Xiu's main force could no longer maintain any semblance of order.

Someone in the army shouted, trying to turn the tide: "Don't panic, reinforcements from Chang'an are arriving soon! Stay calm! Stay calm and we will win!"

He was telling the truth, but who would believe him? The truth spoken by a liar is still a lie; no one would believe it. Under this chaotic onslaught, the soldiers of the main force also began to flee. At this point, the rebel army hadn't even had a chance to engage, but over a hundred people had already died from being trampled to death in the crush.

At this point, Sun Xiu's defeat was inevitable.

Sun Xiu had a premonition of this, and seeing the rebel cavalry charging towards him, he immediately abandoned his troops and rode south. The remaining imperial guards, especially those near the Yi River, were all crammed onto the riverbank. The rebel soldiers were only concerned with advancing and killing them, showing no mercy. They all knew that this was the last battle against Zhao, that is, the last chance to make a name for themselves, so they fought with all their might, constantly driving the imperial guards into the water along the river.

The imperial guards were driven into the Yi River in droves; those who reached the shore died instantly, and everyone scrambled to cross the river to escape. Countless people crowded into the river, which had just risen with the tide, and countless drowned in the trampling. The corpses floated on the water, turning it reddish for miles.

About an hour later, Liu Xian saw that the enemy had completely lost the ability to resist, so he ordered a halt to the attack and informed the army that those who threw down their weapons and armor would not be killed. He then began to collect prisoners and clean up the battlefield.

Another hour passed, and the rebel generals roughly estimated that about 30,000 people had surrendered before the battle, and about 12,000 were captured afterward. Although no official count was made of those who were driven into the water by the three armies, it can be roughly estimated that more than 9,000 people died. Among them, almost all the imperial guards were captured, and many of those who participated in the battle, such as Sima Fu and Sima Qian, were captured.

"We didn't capture Sun Xiu?" Sima Ying, who had been watching the battle, was somewhat dissatisfied. No matter how fruitful the victory was, the fact that the biggest culprit had escaped meant that the battle had a huge flaw.

But Liu Xian didn't care. He laughed and said, "Your Highness, there's nothing to regret. He lost Luoyang. From today onwards, he's a traitor, and there's nowhere for him to live in peace. Even a minor official can arrest him. I bet he won't be able to escape Henan before he's sent back immediately."

Lu Zhi shared the same opinion, saying, "Your Highnesses, our army has now cleared all obstacles to entering Luoyang. We should enter Luoyang as soon as possible to rescue the Emperor and deal with the Prince of Zhao!"

Just then, a soldier rushed in with a shout: "Your Highness, General, something terrible has happened!"

No one took it seriously. The battle had been a resounding victory; even Sun Xiu had abandoned his army and fled. What could possibly be wrong? But the soldier's next words instantly changed everyone's expression:

"A large army of tens of thousands has appeared in the west and is advancing towards our army!"

"They are flying the White Tiger Banner high; it seems that Zhao, the traitor, has invited reinforcements from the Western Expeditionary Army!"

"Gentlemen, look back! The enemy's vanguard is less than three miles from our army!"

Upon hearing this, the generals immediately turned around and saw thousands of banners fluttering in the wind atop Mount Mang. The banners were white with black borders and each depicted a white tiger. Tens of thousands of cavalrymen were arrayed beneath the banners in a disciplined formation. These were the very cavalrymen of the Western Expeditionary Army that Liu Xian was most familiar with.

At this time, the rebel army was capturing prisoners everywhere, and their ranks were scattered and disorganized. As long as the Western Expeditionary Army launched a charge, the situation would be reversed immediately, causing the rebel army to suffer a complete defeat.

Everyone present realized that something terrible was about to happen. (End of Chapter)