Jinting Han people

Who betrayed him? Liu Xian heard the sounds of battle formations being set up outside the camp and felt his head buzzing.

Before the battle, he had been considering the issue of spies, and had even postponed the military council for this reason. He never expected that despite all his calculations, he would still fall into their trap. Was it Lu Ji who received the information at the last minute and made the decision? That's impossible. Was it Sima Yi's own carelessness that led him to inform others beforehand? That's hard to say.

Or did Sima Yi betray himself beforehand?
This was originally an absurd option, but Liu Xian couldn't completely rule it out. The King of Changsha's behavior that day was strange, almost unlike Sima Yi's usual self.

However, Liu Xian didn't have much time to think about these issues right now. Although he didn't know how Lu Ji had obtained the information, Liu Xian knew that tonight's battle would probably be the most difficult and dangerous battle he had ever fought since joining the army, even surpassing the battle of Niyang.

But he has never been one to give up when faced with danger.

Liu Xian was the last to emerge from the camp, beginning to survey the intricate array surrounding the python's mouth. The situation was exactly as he had expected—a veritable inescapable trap.
In the intense firelight of the granary, one could see cavalrymen lined up on the opposite bank of the Mang River, blocking their retreat. To the north and east, countless infantrymen were forming thick formations on the hills, locking themselves completely at the mouth of the Mang River. Moreover, one could vaguely see infantry being mobilized on the Xingyang River Bridge to the east, continuously rushing towards this location to further strengthen the encirclement.

It must be said, the scene was extremely spectacular. The flames of the grain fires around them blazed, turning half the sky red. The thick clouds resembled rolling waves, their edges also turning dark red, as if smeared with blood, leaving no place for the darkness on earth to hide.

Thanks to this, Liu Xian could clearly see the faces of all his soldiers. Most of them looked bewildered, anxious, or fearful, all feeling lost and disoriented by the changes before them. In the distance, he could see the Northern Army's formation growing ever tighter, their flamboyant banners stretching like crimson clouds, seemingly endless from east to west.

Because of the low elevation, Liu Xian couldn't see the thickness of the Northern army's formation, but its sheer power was still terrifying. In the distance, the Northern army's main force was protected by large shields and mounted cavalry, their soldiers all wearing iron helmets and armor. Although there was no sunlight at night, the countless densely packed iron armor and weapons still emitted a continuous, dazzling light under the glow of the burning granary, a truly magnificent sight.

Observing the Northern Army's momentum from his camp, Liu Xian secretly assessed the situation: It seems Lu Ji has practically abandoned the main camp on the riverbank, and has also abandoned the Prince of Fanyang and the Eastern Expeditionary Army, mobilizing all available troops. He certainly thinks highly of himself; to devour his ten thousand cavalry, he's willing to pay any price.

However, the enemy army's formation is not yet fully assembled, so we still have time to react. But this time will not be long; once the enemy completes its formation, it will be time for a decisive battle.

Faced with such a formidable force, Meng Tao, being young and impatient, couldn't contain himself. He said to Liu Xian, "Marshal, what are we waiting for? If we don't lead the troops out now, the enemy will be fully arrayed, and our army will have no chance!"

Before Liu Xian could reply, Li Sheng solemnly said, "I'm afraid that won't work. Our army's morale is already in chaos. If we force our way through, our formation will surely collapse. Then the enemy will surround and intercept us, and I'm afraid few of us will survive."

"But what if we don't charge?" Huangfu Dan was a general under Liu Shen and was not familiar with Liu Xian and other veterans of the Western Army, so he lacked confidence. He said, "Judging from the situation on the other side, there are probably no less than 100,000 people here. If we stay here, can we fight against 100,000 people?"

These words sent a chill down everyone's spines: Indeed! The enemy's forces outnumbered their own tenfold, and they had no outside support. If they didn't escape soon, were they really going to fight ten against one? That would likely result in total annihilation. Some even glanced at the mudflats behind them, seeing the surging river, and pondered whether swimming across was even a possibility.

"What if there are 100,000 people? What if there are a million?"

Just as most of the knights were filled with apprehension, a young man suddenly stepped forward. Standing in the middle of the crowd, he boldly addressed those around him, saying, "Gentlemen, since ancient times, when two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave shall prevail! How mighty was the Qin army back then! Yet Xiang Yu burned his boats and destroyed his cauldrons, winning in a single battle! Why? Wasn't it because Xiang Yu's bravery far surpassed that of the Qin people, frightening them into submission?"

"Our army came here to fight to the death, outnumbered and outgunned. We have only lost a little initiative. We are far from being defeated. Why are you afraid of dying in the face of battle?"

The young man's voice was so impassioned that it startled the surrounding generals. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was Guo Song. Guo Song was Li Ju's nephew, just over twenty years old. Unlike Li Ju, however, he was less than seven feet tall, unremarkable in appearance, and easily mistaken for an ordinary man in a crowd. Because of his low seniority and humble origins, the generals usually avoided speaking to him; they were surprised by his sudden outburst and the audacity he displayed.

Zhuge Yan was greatly encouraged by these words. He clapped his hands and said, "Well said, young man! You are indeed worthy of being Li Shihui's nephew!" Then he turned to the crowd and said, "To die without fighting is to die! What is there to be afraid of? Even if we die, we should do so with dignity and like true men! We are all from Guanzhong, aren't we here to die?"

At this moment, Liu Xian finally spoke. He patted Zhuge Yan on the shoulder and said, "Nan Qiao, don't use inappropriate analogies. What do you mean by 'sending someone to their death'?"

He drew his sword, pointed to the sky, and said to the crowd, word by word: "I will throw myself into the national crisis, regarding death as returning home!"

Liu Xian's voice was not loud, but extremely calm. The generals present heard his words clearly and were moved by them. They all drew their swords in unison, the cold blades gleaming in the firelight. They repeated at the same time: "We will devote ourselves to the country's crisis and regard death as returning home!"

The soldiers around them, hearing this, were also filled with surging emotions, and they repeated once more: "We will throw ourselves into the country's peril, regarding death as returning home!"

No one spoke loudly; they seemed to be calmly talking to themselves. Yet their words echoed, stirring up a considerable wave of sound in the crowd, like the receding tide revealing the reefs. The soldiers' unease at being surrounded had vanished; they had returned to reality and were ready to pick up their bows and arrows and fight again.

However, Liu Xian needed to come up with a plan for how to fight the battle in a short period of time.

Before Liu Xian could even ponder, most of them had already reached a consensus: to hold their ground. After all, there was an existing fortified camp right beneath their feet. Although it had been breached by their own forces, they could still use it to their advantage. They had enough arrows and some unburnt grain, so they could fire arrows through the fence and perhaps hold out for a long time.

At this moment, Guo Song stepped forward again. He said to Liu Xian, "Marshal, since the enemy outnumbers us, we should not set up our formation on this flat ground. If the enemy forces squeeze us from three sides, what will we do? Moreover, this camp has already been captured by us. Hoping that it will reach the enemy forces will not be of much use."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian roughly guessed his thoughts, turned to look at the mudflats and reeds along the riverbank, and asked, "You mean..."

Guo Song indeed said, "That's right, Marshal, our army can set up formation on the riverbank mudflats! The mudflats are surrounded by water on three sides and the terrain is narrow. As long as the enemy cannot encircle us and cannot make use of their numerical advantage, whether it is a fair fight or a scattered guerrilla attack, how can they be our match!"

This suggestion caused some hesitation among the generals. The idea sounded good, but everyone understood its essence: it meant engaging the soldiers in open field battles against the Northern army. Open field battles were far more dangerous than ordinary warfare; the risks were extremely high, and even if victorious, the casualty rate would be devastating. However, Zhang Shi spoke up in agreement: "Let's do it this way! Otherwise, what's the point of bringing so many horses? Aren't we just taking up space for nothing? The horses of Guanzhong are renowned throughout the land; they're meant to fight the enemy in open field! Let these Hebei people learn their lesson!"

Zhang Shi was the eldest son of Zhang Gui, the governor of Liangzhou. He was skilled in both literature and martial arts and had a great reputation in the army. With his support, Liu Xian said happily, "Like father, like son! Shi Yan was a hero for a generation, and now he has a worthy successor."

In a very short time, a plan was decided. They knew that they didn't have much time left. So Liu Xian gave a very simple strategy: Suo Jing's four thousand cavalry would form the left wing, Zhang Shi's four thousand cavalry would form the right wing, and Liu Xian himself would lead five thousand cavalry as the central army. They would form a simple crane wing formation in the mudflats and reeds, waiting for the northern army to enter the battlefield. The left and right wing would then fight the enemy separately, and Liu Xian would counterattack as needed.

From the moment they learned they were surrounded by the Northern army, to the moment the entire army calmed down, abandoned all prisoners and camps, and lined up on the mudflats, the entire process took no more than a quarter of an hour. After the plan was finalized, Liu Xian ordered Gongsun Gong to lead the Songzi camp to hide in the reeds, awaiting his command before launching a final attack on the enemy.

He personally led his troops, raising the banner of Anle Yanshu, and stood in the center of the formation. He removed his armor and helmet, revealing his blue military uniform and solemn expression in the river breeze. Liu Xian said to those around him, "From this moment on, no matter who attacks, we cannot retreat a single step. From this moment on, we are not men, but mountains! We must let everyone see that until victory is achieved, we will stand here, never abandoning anyone."

Back in Xiayang, Liu Xian had practiced swimming with his soldiers. Under their cover, crossing the river south of the Yellow River wouldn't have been difficult for him. But at this moment, a flame ignited within him, making his blood boil. Although being caught in the vortex of politics often made Liu Xian appear cautious and timid, his true nature had never changed. The more seemingly insurmountable the predicament, the more it ignited his fighting spirit and passion.

Among the many generals of his time, Liu Xian stood out not only because of his quick thinking and strategic planning, but also because of his decisiveness, unwavering conviction, and fearless courage. In this respect, almost no one of his peers could match him, which made him invincible.

As they formed ranks, Liu Xian turned his gaze to the opposite side. Watching the Northern Army still moving around, he gradually calmed down and murmured, "Come on, Lu Shiheng, let's settle this once and for all!"

At this very moment, Lu Ji was still waiting.

The Northern Expeditionary Army had formed a massive semi-circle on the north bank, completely encircling the surrounding area for ten miles. The dense army resembled an endless mountain range, seemingly intent on trapping these ten thousand men here.

As the Western Army cavalry marched south to the mudflats and arrayed themselves in the reeds along the riverbank, Lu Ji and his generals observed the enemy's situation. They were surprised to see the enemy abandon their prisoners and retreat south into the reeds. Most of them had assumed that the enemy would quickly scatter and collapse after discovering they were surrounded.

Shi Chao said, "Liu Huaichong is a famous general who has fought dozens of battles, big and small. How could he collapse without a fight? You are underestimating him too much."

Immediately, someone suggested that they take advantage of the enemy's disorganized formation and send troops to pursue and defeat them in one fell swoop.

Lu Ji rejected the suggestion, saying, "The enemy is all cavalry, while our army is mostly infantry. If we pursue them hastily, our formation will be disorganized, revealing weaknesses that the enemy will exploit. This would be counterproductive."

"Sun Tzu said, 'First make yourself invincible, then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable.' Our most urgent task is to form a tight formation, leaving no gaps whatsoever."

However, Li Yi, the governor of Ji Province, had other concerns. He asked, "If Liu Xian takes the opportunity to cross the river, wouldn't he have escaped for nothing?"

Lu Ji shook his head slightly and said calmly, "I know him. In this battle, he will either win or die. He will never be a coward."

Sun Hui, who was standing nearby, also said, "If he wanted to escape, he should have run away when he saw our army. But not only did he not escape, he also sought his own death. He wants our army to fight to the death! Grand Commander, he has retreated to such a place. If our army wants to eliminate him, I'm afraid the casualties will not be small."

Lu Ji waved his hand, his expression solemn, and said, "De Shi is right, but I came with my entire army to annihilate them. No matter the cost, we will win!"

"Without Liu Xian, the King of Changsha is like a man with a broken arm. How can he resist? Moreover, killing Liu Xian is also to avenge the soldiers who died on Mangshan Mountain. It is worth it no matter how many people die for this! Only in this way can we give an account to the General."

"Pass down the order: whoever can behead Liu Xian will be granted the title of Duke of the County and a reward of ten thousand households!"

He then reined in his horse and asked his generals, "Who dares to be the vanguard in this battle?"

After this was said, most of the generals dared not speak. After all, they had already witnessed the formidable strength of the Songzi Battalion in the previous battle; their entire army was virtually invincible. Wouldn't the first to step forward and fight be nothing more than a pointless death?
Finally, it was the Xianbei man Qiao Zhiming who said, "The reason our army almost succeeded last time was entirely because we fell into Liu Xian's trap! Please give the order, Grand Commander, we are willing to be the vanguard and avenge our defeat at Mangshan!"

Now that the vanguard was in place, the remaining generals eagerly volunteered to continue the fight, expressing their willingness to follow in Qiao Zhiming's footsteps. They planned to wait until the Xianbei had dealt with the tougher opponents before scrambling to pick up the spoils. Lu Ji was well aware of this, but he didn't criticize them; after all, it was only human nature. Recalling the defeat in the previous battle, he himself felt lingering fear.

He quickly made arrangements, planning to launch attacks in turn by Qiao Zhiming, Shi Chao, Wang Yan, Wang Zan, and other units.

Could he win this time? Lu Ji wondered.

He had meticulously planned and executed every step of the way to prepare for this moment. Now, as long as everything proceeded according to plan, Lu Ji couldn't imagine the possibility of failure. But for some reason, he felt no joy; instead, he hesitated for a long time.

Before the provisions had even burned out and the battlefield was shrouded in smoke, once everything was ready, Lu Ji ordered the drums to be beaten, and the Xianbei cavalry charged out. (End of Chapter)