Jinting Han people

In terms of troop losses, the defeat at Tiantai Mountain was still within the Jiangzhou army's tolerance range. After all, the battlefield was confined to the hills and riverbank, with a narrow battle line, insufficient to cause massive casualties. However, from the perspective of the overall battlefield situation, the Jiangzhou army was already in an extremely unfavorable position.

Before this battle, the Jiangzhou army had only one pass left to conquer. Once they broke through Wuma Mountain, they would be like birds released from their cages, unstoppable. Therefore, the entire army was in high spirits, believing the enemy was overestimating themselves. However, Li Ju played a trick, feigning weakness to lure them in, delivering a crushing blow to the Jiangzhou army at the very moment of victory, erasing all the gains of the past few days overnight.

The retreat of the battle lines is not terrible; the problem is that the Jiangzhou army is pressed for time.

The Jiangzhou army has lost its rear supply lines and only has the grain they carry with them, which is dwindling with each passing day. The Jiangzhou army now has only enough rations for fourteen days, and even if they eat sparingly and use it for twenty days, that will be about enough.

Just in case, they needed to leave enough provisions for ten days' march. If they couldn't break through Li Ju's defenses within the next four to ten days, the Jiangzhou army would inevitably face starvation. But now, with a numerical advantage of several times over, they were being pushed back, and the soldiers couldn't help but wonder: could they really break through?
Just as Li Ju had predicted, setbacks following peak morale are the most demoralizing. For a time, the entire army's morale plummeted. Seeing this, Luo Shang had no choice but to take a day off to allow the army to regroup and adjust.

Now, the problem has returned to Luo Shang. There are three issues that he urgently needs to address: morale, food, and tactics.

Morale determines whether soldiers can continue to carry out military orders and persevere in the fight; food supplies determine how long soldiers can hold out and how much combat strength they can maintain; tactics are the game between the two armies' generals and the key to victory in a battle.

His first priority was to address the morale issue. Early the next morning after the defeat, he summoned his generals for a meeting. Seeing that everyone was dejected and silent, he covered his face with the bandage on his cheek and said to them earnestly, "It's just a minor defeat. What's there to be discouraged about? Are you suggesting we stop fighting and just lay down our weapons and surrender to the enemy?"

At this point, seeing all the generals raise their heads and turn their gazes towards him, Luo Shang raised his eyebrows, suddenly drew his sword from his waist, pointed it at each of them, and his tone changed accordingly, becoming fierce and stern as he cursed, "You really dare to dream! You're simply delusional! Have you all forgotten how we've survived these past few years? Because we couldn't quickly defeat the bandits, the war dragged on, causing countless families to be destroyed and homes to be wiped out? Your salaries are all earned through the blood and sweat of the people! How many people hate us to the bone!"

"If we surrender, even if Li Ju dares to accept us, how long can those people below tolerate us? And will our fate be any better than Yan Cen's?"

In his emotional outburst, Luo Shang spoke with such force that the scabbed wound on his cheek reopened, and blood seeped out, staining the cloth red. Upon seeing this, the attendants quickly changed his dressing. The generals, upon hearing this, exchanged bewildered glances, then felt a chill run down their spines, and abandoned any thought of surrendering.

Luo Shang was telling the truth. They were all too aware of how their side had exploited the people of Sichuan and Chongqing over the years. As the saying goes, what the superiors do, the inferiors follow. While not everyone had committed rape and plunder, forced buying and selling, extortion, and other such acts had become commonplace. Under this coercion, the people's behavior had become savage. If a soldier went out alone, he would immediately be attacked by groups of civilians seeking to reclaim his belongings.

If they surrendered to Li Ju, even if Li Ju spared them, would the local people of Bashu allow them to live in peace? When Emperor Guangwu sent Wu Han to attack Gongsun Shu, Gongsun Shu died of illness, and Yan Cen led his remaining troops to surrender to Wu Han. Wu Han, with similar considerations in mind, after accepting their surrender, immediately exterminated Yan Cen's entire clan and massacred the entire city of Chengdu. Clearly, surrendering is not something that can be done simply by wanting to surrender.

As a result, the morale of the army was boosted again, and Luo Shang successfully solved the first problem.

As for the food problem, it was a classic case of "a clever cook cannot cook without rice." With the supply lines cut off, how could they conjure up food out of thin air? But Luo Shang actually came up with a solution. Hadn't he sent a team to scout the Dangqu River beforehand? Judging by the time, they should already be on their way back. Luo Shang immediately sent his eldest son, Luo Yu, to meet them.

That evening, the convoy returned, a pack animal caravan of nearly a thousand men, making them extremely conspicuous as they entered the camp. Each horse, heading north, carried a bulging large sack, making the journey somewhat difficult. The soldiers, curious, gathered around, examining the horses and asking for details. Seeing this, Luo Yu laughed heartily, and in front of everyone, cut open the sack beside him, taking out a handful of grain and scattering it on the ground.

It turned out the horse caravan was carrying rice! Upon seeing this, the soldiers' morale soared, and they immediately inquired where the rice had come from. Luo Yu claimed that the rice had been looted from the homes of villagers along the canal to the east, enough for the army for seven days. Hearing this news, the soldiers' morale was greatly boosted, and they had even greater confidence for the upcoming battle.

Seeing this, Li Xiu couldn't help but find it strange. She said to Mao Meng in private, "Strange, I remember that the team that Lord Luo sent out didn't have that many packhorses. Could they have been collected from the people's homes?"

Although Sichuan and Chongqing don't produce high-quality warhorses, they do have a considerable number of packhorses. In addition to transporting supplies by canal boats, Luo Shang brought over three thousand mules and horses with him on this expedition. But he sent a thousand men out to scout another breakout route, not to plunder provisions beforehand. Why would he provide these men with packhorses? And why would he provide them with a thousand packhorses? It doesn't make sense from any angle.

As intelligent as Li Xiu was, he quickly guessed the truth: this was probably a plan Luo Shang had made in advance. He wanted to use this method to ensure that his soldiers had no worries and could devote themselves wholeheartedly to the upcoming decisive battle.

Sure enough, that very night, Luo Shang sent a messenger to secretly summon Li Xiu to the commander's tent, saying that he had important matters to discuss with her and that she should go quietly without making a fuss.

So Li Xiu followed the instructions, without notifying the others, and only took two personal guards to meet Luo Shang.

Upon entering the tent, she saw Luo Shang remove his silk cloth and comb his hair with the help of a maid, while he looked at himself in the mirror. After several days of recuperation, the wounds on Luo Shang's cheeks had begun to scab over, but the original wounds were still faintly visible, making him appear even more terrifying and grotesque, especially under the dim light of the lamp. In the half-light and half-darkness of the tent, Luo Shang's face looked as merciless as a demon.

Li Xiu was secretly alarmed, but still bowed to Luo Shang and asked softly, "How is Luo Gong?"

When Luo Shang saw her enter, he put down the bronze mirror in his hand, then dismissed the maid beside him. Touching the wound on his cheek, he slowly said, "At this age, what difference is there between good and bad? I only regret that I could not kill more traitors and serve my country before I die!"

Li Xiu said in a low voice, "What are you saying, Lord Luo? I have already examined you. Your injuries are not serious. You will recover after a few more days of rest. Why speak of death?"

"I'm not talking about injuries, I'm talking about the battle situation!" Luo Shang sighed, patting his knee, and said, "The so-called grain and fodder brought back from Dangqu today were secretly sent out by me. You should have guessed it by now, right? The army's grain and fodder are running low."

Seeing Li Xiu nod slightly, Luo Shang said to himself, "Alas, old people tend to be stubborn. Shuniang, you were right before! If I had adopted your strategy earlier, things wouldn't have come to this."

Luo Shang, known for his stubbornness, surprisingly apologized to Li Xiu, much to her surprise. Seeing his dejected state, she couldn't help but think of her father on his sickbed, and a pang of pity struck her. She quickly comforted him, saying, "Why do you say that, Lord Luo? Victory and defeat are common in war. Besides, you've only suffered a minor defeat; you still have a chance to turn the tide." Luo Shang forced a light smile and said to Li Xiu, "Shuniang, I'm old now, and I'm injured. If there's any hope of turning the tide, it only lies with you young people."

It turned out that Luo Shang had summoned Li Xiu that night to give him special tactical instructions. He had made up his mind to fight the Hanzhong army to the death in the next two days, with no way out but to die trying.

He said to Li Xiu, "That brat Li Ju doesn't dare to fight me head-on, so he can only resort to night raids. I'll just copy him and give him a night raid too."

"A night raid?" Li Xiu was somewhat puzzled. She asked, "Such a big matter, Lord Luo, why not convene a military council to discuss it?"

"Success comes from secrecy, failure from leaks." Luo Shang lowered his eyes and said slowly, "How can something like this be made known to everyone? Too much discussion will only lead to conflicting opinions. It's better to make a decision directly."

In front of Li Xiu, he took out a map and pointed it out to the girl, saying, "Shuniang, your Ningzhou soldiers and Wang Ji's Guangzhou soldiers all grew up in the mountains and are good at crossing mountains and valleys. I plan to have your troops and Wang Ji's troops march south together and raid the area south of Wuma Mountain. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiu's eyes flickered for a moment before he carefully replied, "Lord Luo, this might be a bit risky..."

This is indeed an extremely risky move. The Hanzhong army currently occupies a strategically important mountain position and possesses naval superiority. If a force were to break through and flank them from behind, it might appear as a rear encirclement, but in reality, it would isolate the force. Not only would it be difficult to receive support in the short term, but crossing the mountains would also be extremely exhausting, potentially forcing them to fight the enemy in a weakened state.

But Luo Shang also said, "I know this is not easy, but if we want to fight the enemy, there is no other way. Our army will launch a fierce attack on Maohuoshan during the day. You and Wang Ji's 10,000 men will take advantage of the chaos to pass through and reach the south of Wumashan. The enemy army will be thrown into chaos."

"At that time, as long as you can hold your ground and do not abandon me, we will break through the pass from the north, and the combined forces from the north and south will advance like thunder and tigers, and set off like tumbleweeds. How can the enemy army resist us!"

After uttering these bold words, he looked up at the sky and sighed, his eyes filled with tears: "I have entrusted my life and fortune to you young people. If you really cannot stand firm, you can leave me behind. That way, I can be considered to have done right by your father and not be implicated here."

Li Xiu understood Luo Shang's meaning. If he led his troops to bypass the three mountains, although it would be arduous, it would also provide a rare opportunity to escape. The Hanzhong army would certainly value Luo Shang more than himself. If he fled south in the face of battle, Luo Shang's troops would likely be trapped in Brazil and wiped out.

This was a weighty responsibility, yet the young woman's heart pounded with excitement and her blood boiled. She thought to herself, "Throughout history, which woman has ever shouldered such a heavy burden?" She often compared herself to Feng Yi and Cen Peng, possessing the talent to govern a prefecture; how could she possibly let such an opportunity slip by?
With this in mind, Li Xiu immediately followed the example of a warrior and bowed, her clear voice generously promising, "Although I am a woman, I am loyal and trustworthy. Please rest assured, Lord Luo, when it comes to the desire to kill the enemy and serve the country, I am in no way inferior to any man!"

Upon hearing Li Xiu's words, Luo Shang repeatedly praised her, saying, "Excellent! Excellent! Shuniang truly has her father's style! Yungang has a worthy successor!"

Late the next night, Li Xiu led his troops to join Wang Ji. They made several small openings in the northern fence of their camp, then silently climbed the hillside and gathered at the foot of Daping Mountain, east of Zhufeng Mountain. Guided by a local guide, they circled around, cautiously making their way south along a cold, clear stream. Soon the cold moon set, the sun rose, and bathed in the morning sunlight, they heard faint, distant shouts of battle from the east; Luo Shang had probably begun his planned attack on Maohuoshan.

Realizing that the Hanzhong army might have been distracted by the main force, Ning Guangjun felt much more at ease. They quickened their pace, making their way through the undulating woods. Visibility was poor in the dense forest, and many people had their clothes torn by the thorns along the roadside. However, as time passed, the shouts of battle and the sound of war drums in the distance gradually faded away. All they could hear were Ning Guangjun's own footsteps and the rustling of autumn leaves in the wind.

After walking for about three hours, the people were quite tired, so they stopped at noon to eat some dry rations. After resting for half an hour, they continued on their way, and after walking about ten more miles, they finally approached the designated location and could see the Wumashan camp to the west.

After sending out scouts to investigate, they learned that there were indeed many enemy troops in the camp, but the defenses seemed rather lax. Li Xiu immediately seized the opportunity and selected several fierce generals, including Mao Meng and Zhao Tao, to lead a surprise attack on Wuma Mountain.

This truly caught the defenders of Wuma Mountain off guard. Ning Guang's army briefly breached the camp and engaged in close combat with the defenders, resulting in bloodshed on the autumn plain. However, firstly, the Hanzhong army was not like the Jiangzhou army; even if they relaxed their guard, they would not completely let their guard down. Secondly, Ning Guang's army had marched nearly sixty li and was somewhat exhausted. Therefore, a few quarters of an hour later, with the arrival of the first batch of reinforcements from the Hanzhong army's navy, Ning Guang's army was forced out of the camp.

This development was to be expected, and Li Xiu was not surprised. Since the attack failed, she ordered the entire army to form a defensive formation to tie down the forces of the Hanzhong army and wait for Luo Shang to lead the main force of the Jiangzhou army to respond.

As the battle dragged on, the group gradually realized something was amiss. The number of enemy troops coming to reinforce the defenders of Wuma Mountain was excessive, and the enemy navy seemed to have no fear as it circled around to their south, attempting to encircle Ning Guang's army. By nightfall, the Hanzhong army had formed a semi-encirclement from the north, south, and west, avoiding close combat and instead firing arrows at the edge of range. The arrows rained down like thousands upon thousands of drops, pinning Ning Guang's army down.

This battle situation left Ning Guang's army both confused and excited: What was going on? Had the entire Hanzhong army been mobilized to attack them? Had they abandoned their main force in the north? It seemed that as long as they held out for two hours without collapsing, and the main force caught up, they could achieve their goal of victory!

Reality, however, poured cold water on their hopes. After nearly two hours of fighting, they had neither achieved victory nor seen the promised reinforcements. This caused Ning Guang's army's initial excitement to fade, and their confusion turned into dejection. Faced with the enemy's advance, their resistance gradually weakened.

When an arrow with a white silk ribbon tied to it was shot into Ning Guang's army, the truth finally came to light.

This letter, written by Li Ju himself, was intended to persuade Ning Guangjun to surrender. He wrote that after Ning Guangjun led his troops to flank and attack, Luo Shang did not intensify his offensive. Instead, he took advantage of the situation to withdraw his troops and head east, abandoning the cargo ships and camps, and sending light troops eastward.

In other words, Luo Shang used Li Xiu and Wang Ji's troops as expendable pawns to lure Li Ju away. Seeing the commotion in the direction of Wuma Mountain, Luo Shang led his main force of over 30,000 men away from the battle, successfully escaping the battlefield and leaving triumphantly. (End of Chapter)