Jinting Han people

After pushing the remaining dozen or so small boats into the upper reaches of the Wei River, Zhang Shi led his men aboard.

The sounds of battle on the south bank continued unabated, but from several hundred feet away, they sounded somewhat hollow and desolate by the time they reached the north bank. Aboard his boat, Zhang Shi saw a full moon floating on the shimmering Wei River, bobbing up and down with the waves. A thought struck him; he looked up and saw the moon like a jade plate, the sky filled with stars. He suddenly realized that it was already the fifteenth of August.

At this time, the Mid-Autumn Festival was not yet a universally recognized holiday, and naturally, there were no famous lines like "May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, though separated by a thousand miles." But this did not prevent people from appreciating the moon and, consequently, from feeling homesick.

Of all the things in the sky, why do people associate the moon with their hometown? Perhaps it's because, in the vast night sky, the moon's radiance is so unique. It's not as scorching and dazzling as the sun, nor as intricate and faint as the stars, making it difficult to see clearly. It's a cool and desolate light that evokes feelings of loneliness and solitude, leading one to think of home.

The moon on the fifteenth of August is always exceptionally bright and clear. Zhang Shi looked up at the moonlight overhead and couldn't help but recite: "The great star of the East shines brightly for thousands of miles. Young people leave home to travel, their minds filled with thoughts of books, rising at night."

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhen, the military advisor accompanying him, immediately understood what he was thinking and asked, "Is the young master worried about the governor of Liangzhou?"

Chen Zhen had hit the nail on the head regarding Zhang Shi's concerns. Ever since learning of Ruoluoba's rebellion in Liangzhou, Zhang Shi had been extremely anxious.

It should be noted that Ruoluoba Neng was no ordinary Xianbei; he not only had a large and powerful army, but was also extremely senior. When Tufa Shujineng rebelled and captured the Qin and Liang provinces, Ruoluoba Neng was one of his most important generals. His military achievements were also remarkable; most famously, in the fourth year of the Xianning era, he beheaded Yang Xin, the then-governor of Liang province and the renowned general who had conquered Shu, in a single battle.

Later, although Ma Long defeated Tufa Shujineng, he mainly used a strategy of dividing and recruiting his former followers. Ruoluoba Neng thus broke away from Tufa Shujineng and took command of his former Xianbei troops. Later, when Qi Wannian rebelled, he tried to win over Ruoluoba Neng. However, Ruoluoba Neng underestimated Qi Wannian and remained unmoved, demonstrating the strength of his power.

If Luo Ba were to cause trouble in Liangzhou again, could Zhang Gui truly defeat such a formidable enemy? As the eldest son, Zhang Shi had no idea. Now, standing by Liu Xian's side, witnessing the fierce fighting, how could Zhang Shi not think of the battle in Liangzhou, and then worry about his father and brothers far away there?

Seeing that his words had hit the mark, Chen Zhen then offered a suggestion: "In that case, why don't you ask Lord Liu for permission to resign? I see that he also cherishes his friendship with our lord and has taken good care of you in his daily life, without participating in the battles. As long as you ask, he will surely allow us to return to Guzang, and you will be able to see our lord again."

Unexpectedly, Zhang Shi shook his head and said, "No, the war is tense right now. If I return to Liangzhou now, I'm afraid it will greatly damage the morale of the army and waste the friendship between you and the marshal. In any case, we should wait until this battle is over."

"Moreover, I currently have only a little over a thousand soldiers under my command. The army is small and the generals are few. Returning to Liangzhou is a long and arduous journey. Even if I went back, it would probably be a drop in the ocean and would not help the situation. It would be better to stay by the Marshal's side. Who knows, under the Marshal's command, it might produce some unexpected results."

Of course, there were some things Zhang Shi couldn't say aloud. As the war continued, Liu Xian's success or failure could very well affect the entire situation in Guanzhong. If Liu Xian could truly establish himself in Bashu, he would be an indispensable ally for Zhang Gui in Liangzhou, perhaps even helping to stabilize the situation in Longxi. Even if Zhang Gui was defeated in Liangzhou, he would have somewhere to go in the future, and wouldn't be at the mercy of the treacherous Prince of Hejian.

Conversely, if Liu Xian couldn't establish himself in Bashu, leading Liu Xian and his group to Longxi would undoubtedly be a great help to Liangzhou. However, these thoughts couldn't be discussed openly, given Liu Xian's current sensitive position—seemingly raising the banner of restoring the Han dynasty, yet not quite. This gave them some room to maneuver.

Seeing that Zhang Shi had made up his mind, Chen Zhen stopped discussing the question of whether to stay or leave and instead began to discuss the current war situation. As everyone boarded the ship, he asked, "Young master, what do you think of the chances of Liu Gong winning this battle, given the overwhelming force of the Western army?"

Zhang Shi had stopped gazing at the moon and was now looking upstream at the flowing water, trying to figure out when to release the logs. He said, "The Western Army is indeed difficult to defeat, and as things stand, the Northern Army is far behind. It's a pity they are facing the Marshal. The Marshal's wisdom and courage are beyond the reach of ordinary strategists."

"Just like this time, they tried to drop logs upstream to destroy the bridge, but the Marshal noticed in advance. I think that if Zhang Fang hadn't intervened, the Marshal wouldn't have lost."

“But what if the King of Hejian gets angry and sends Zhang Fang into the pass?” Chen Zhen asked.

Upon considering this possibility, Zhang Shi immediately recalled the tragic defeat at the Battle of Xilei. As someone who had experienced it firsthand, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. However, he quickly shook his head and said, "That's absolutely impossible."

By now, Liu Xian's persuasion of Zhang Fang to make peace was common knowledge. Everyone knew that Zhang Fang harbored resentment towards the Prince of Hejian, which was why he negotiated peace with Liu Xian. Faced with a subordinate who had privately negotiated peace with the enemy, Sima Yong was too busy avoiding him to possibly give him any further responsibility.
Conversely, no matter how capable Zhang Fang was, without Sima Yong's support, he was like water without roots, and it would never be possible for him to reappear in Guanzhong.

During their conversation, a commotion suddenly arose among the soldiers around them, who pointed to the west and shouted, "Young master, look! They're here! They're here!"

Zhang Shi and his companion immediately looked towards the upper reaches of the Wei River. Along the long stretch of river, shadows slowly emerged from the moonlight. In the clear night sky, from a distance, they resembled tiny insect marks, their undulating movements on the waves appearing as if trembling and wriggling. But soon, the shadows grew closer and closer, gradually shrinking from insect marks to the size of a palm. One could then see the gaps between the bound pieces of wood.

These were the bundles of cypress logs the scouts had seen earlier. Almost every single one of these cypress logs was the size of a person's waist and waist, and four or five zhang long. The Westerners had sharpened both ends of the logs, making them look like awls. Moreover, more than a dozen logs were bundled together, each bundle resembling the size of a boat. When they floated downstream, they made a thunderous roar, which was quite frightening.

Before Zhang Shi could give the order, a boat rowed ahead to meet the bundle of cypress logs head-on. However, as soon as it got close, the cypress logs were too heavy to withstand the impact. With a loud crash, the logs rammed into the side of the boat, capsizing it. The soldiers fell into the water like dumplings, thrashing about in the river.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Shi immediately called out to direct the rescue, while instructing the remaining boats: "Don't go head-on, hook onto the logs from the side and row to the shore!"

Having said that, he had his own boat serve as a demonstration, rowing forward first. Once the boat was facing east and west and parallel to the side of the cypress bundle, he had his soldiers take out the long poles they had prepared beforehand and carve them into the ends of the logs to secure them. Then he had his soldiers slowly row, pulling the log bundle to the muddy bank.

Seeing this, the other boats followed suit, and more than ten small boats crisscrossed the Wei River all night, relentlessly guiding all the bundles of cypress wood pushed into the river to the mudflats. Those upstream threw in over a hundred bundles at once, and those downstream patiently hauled in over a hundred bundles in as well. None of them were good swimmers, and they couldn't exert much force. In the cold wind, the soldiers' hands, gripping the wood, became numb. Eventually, they couldn't hold on any longer, and three bundles of cypress wood slipped from their grasp and struck the piers of the West Wei Bridge. Fortunately, these three impacts were not enough to cause fatal damage to the Wei Bridge; after a few creaking moments, the cypress wood was stopped between the piers, and finally, peace was restored.

By this time, the giant logs upstream had finally been used up, and the soldiers downstream were also exhausted. They disembarked and lay down on the ground to rest.

Listening to the sound of the Wei River flowing beside them, the sounds of fighting on the opposite bank subsided somewhat. Perhaps it was because the plan to destroy the bridge had failed, and they should find a way to rest.

Having completed the task assigned by Liu Xian, Zhang Shi felt somewhat relieved. He broke off a reed and put it in his mouth, then asked Chen Zhen, "What do you think the Western Army will do next?"

Chen Zhen shrugged and laughed, "You're asking me? If I were the King of Hejian, I wouldn't even bother with a battle. What difference would it make if I let Lord Liu pass through?"

"This is not the act of a hero."

"How difficult it is to become a ruler! I am already extremely satisfied that I can assist my lord and the prince in stabilizing the region."

At this point, both men burst into laughter. But during the break, Zhang Shi suddenly sensed something amiss. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but a feeling of unease washed over him. He stood up and looked around, noticing that the attack from the opposite bank had intensified again. Flames were shooting into the sky from the Western army, indicating the use of numerous fire arrows. Why was this happening? Was it a last-ditch effort?

Just then, he noticed a sound on the ground. Zhang Shi recognized it immediately, and after a moment's thought, he realized it was the vibration of galloping cavalry. But he was on the north bank, so why were there cavalry?
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw, under the bright moonlight, dust billowing from the north, filling the sky and heading straight for the camp north of the Wei River. Zhang Shi clearly saw that behind the leading knight was the white tiger banner of the Western Expeditionary Army!

Zhang Shi was greatly alarmed. He repeatedly shouted to the soldiers around him, "Form ranks! Form ranks quickly!"

It turned out that the Western Army had devised a double trap. The first layer involved sending giant logs downstream upstream, posing as if to destroy the Wei Bridge. Simultaneously, under the cover of night, they ordered some of their cavalry to swim across the Wei River in its shallows. Zhang Shi and his men, preoccupied with intercepting the logs, had no time to notice these unusual events and would never have imagined that the Western Army, not typically strong swimmers, would dare to deliberately swim across the river.

Now, tens of thousands of troops are launching a night raid, their horses galloping through the air, their spears and halberds forming a forest, their cold glints aimed directly at the main camp north of the Wei River. Zhang Shi was secretly alarmed: the entire army's attention was now almost entirely drawn to the south of the Wei River, and the defenses north of the Wei River were inevitably lax. If the enemy were to successfully breach the camp, the entire army would be doomed!

But he couldn't worry about that right now. It was too late to issue an order to Liu Xian. He could only order his soldiers to quickly form ranks and prioritize the defense of the Wei Bridge to prevent this bridge connecting the north and south from being destroyed.

Caught off guard, the enemy cavalry swept in like a whirlwind, engulfing the camp in an instant. They rode large horses, carrying torches, and set fire to any sparsely populated areas. The autumn air was dry, and soon a great deal of black smoke billowed from the fire. At the same time, these attacking knights shouted, "Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

As he spoke, seeing Zhang Shi and his infantry arrayed outside, the Western Army dispatched several hundred cavalrymen who immediately charged forward. Although Zhang Shi had already ordered his soldiers to quickly form ranks, these men had been busy all night and had no extra strength left. Their formation was inevitably loose and disorganized. The Western Army almost single-handedly cut Zhang Shi's forces in two.

This situation made Zhang Shi even more anxious: How could he fight like this? If he couldn't even deal with the enemy in front of him, wouldn't the Weibei camp be in even greater danger? If the troops in Weinan saw the chaos in Weibei, would they also collapse?

It must be said that Yan Ding's plan had a great impact on Zhang Shi. He even began to consider whether he should really abandon the army and leave, since only by surviving could he have any hope for the future.

Just then, the sound of drums echoed in the moonlight, instantly silencing the shouts of the Western Army knights. Zhang Shi looked up and saw a man dressed in robes but without armor standing on a high platform in the camp, personally beating a large cowhide drum in the center, surrounded by dozens of soldiers responding in unison. Amidst the thunderous drumbeats, someone shouted, "These mere bandits are nothing to worry about! Our commander-in-chief is here; do you dare to fight?!"

The one beating the drum on the high platform was Liu Xian.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, and flames blazed on the ground. The soldiers of Weibei, who had been somewhat panicked when they saw their commander personally beating the drums to cheer them on, vanished without a trace and instinctively gathered around him. The cavalry of the Western Army, seeing Liu Xian appear, were also filled with envy and rage, abandoning the rest of their pursuing fleeing soldiers and galloping towards the high platform where Liu Xian was.

This immediately relieved Zhang Shi's troops from their predicament. Seeing the Western Army cavalry abandoning them and surrounding Liu Xian's forces, they felt a great sense of relief. In just a quarter of an hour of fighting, they had lost nearly a hundred men.

But at this moment, Zhang Shi was unwilling to rest here. He immediately said to Chen Zhen beside him, "Quickly gather the rest of the people together!"

Chen Zhen instantly understood his lord's meaning. He also wanted to go and reinforce Liu Xian's troops, but he couldn't help but wonder: "Our group is either wounded or exhausted. What use would we be if we went there at this time?"

"Even if one more person takes a hit, it's still useful; even if it boosts morale, it's still useful." Zhang Shi gazed at the fierce battle and conflict between the two armies. In the firelight, some soldiers of the Western Army had already gotten carried away with the fighting, stripping off their upper garments and swinging their large axes through the crowd. Meanwhile, some of Anle Gong's soldiers were also charging headlong into the fray, the firelight making the blood gleam brilliantly, and the blades in their hands shining like poetry.

Zhang Shi said in a deep voice, "As a man born into this age of heroes, how can I fall behind others? I am almost the same age as the Marshal, and I am armed with a sharp weapon. He is going to meet the challenge head-on, while I am avoiding him. Aren't I ashamed?"

Having said that, he mounted his horse, lashed its rump with his whip, and galloped off towards the battlefield of Xianyang Plain with a neighing cry. Seeing this, Chen Zhen dared not delay, immediately urging the remaining soldiers to try their best to catch up with the young master's retreating figure on foot. (End of Chapter)