Jinting Han people

Tanzhi County, a remote and impoverished area in Ningzhou, has never been so bustling before.

The area was merely a small basin within the Zangke Commandery, with three narrow paths leading east, west, and north, each quite rugged and difficult to traverse. Therefore, before Liu Xian and his allied Yi forces arrived, there were only about four thousand people there. Even the Ningzhou governor's office, familiar with the southern regions, needed a map to recognize the place. Yet now, due to the bizarre decisions of both the Han and Yi armies, it had become a place that would determine the fate of Ningzhou.

Liu Xian occupied the mountain pass in the western part of the basin. The pass was four or five miles wide, with hills and fields interspersed. High mountains rose on the north and south sides of the pass, forming a natural passage. Liu Xian set up camp on three hills in the very center of the pass. Because these three hills were connected, the middle hill was high and commanding, and a stream flowed through the middle, making it a natural place to station troops and defend.

The combined forces of the Yi and Yue people occupied the eastern part of the basin. They came from the west and north with great force, occupying almost all the plains surrounding Tanzhi County. They didn't set up camp deliberately; their choice of encampment was extremely random, basically choosing wherever there was open space, lining up in groups according to their arrival time. Their defenses were very lax, and every morning, minor conflicts such as disputes over water frequently arose. But at night, everyone would gather together to sing and dance, chanting melodious songs that the Han people couldn't understand the lyrics but couldn't help but hum along with.

Faced with this situation, Li Feng offered Liu Xian a suggestion: "Your Highness, the enemy's defenses are barely adequate. Why not launch a night attack? I guarantee a swift and decisive victory!"

Liu Xian was actually quite tempted. To be honest, with the enemy revealing such a significant weakness, any general would be tempted to launch a night attack. Recalling his own battles over the years, such as the Battle of Luoyang, the Battle of Tongguan, and the retreat from Chang'an, he had always won by relying on surprise attacks under the cover of darkness. The odds of victory in this night battle were practically guaranteed, and Liu Xian hoped to end the war quickly.

Li Xiu shook his head in denial, saying, "Your Highness, Military Advisor Li's idea is excellent, and it certainly guarantees victory. However, our army has always despised such a thing. Do you know why?"

She analyzed in detail: "The people of Nanzhong are simple and honest, and the barbarians have always submitted to force. They decide the outcome through fair and square duels, and even if there are many casualties, they have no complaints. This way, we can win their hearts and minds, and it is easy to govern them by alternating between fighting and negotiating. However, if we use tactics such as night raids, they will think that we are unethical. Even if we lose, they will not be convinced, but will instead fight to the death in resentment. Since Your Highness wants long-term stability, you should not use such tactics."

In short, the style of the Nanzhong region at this time was probably still in the early Spring and Autumn period, when the two armies still paid great attention to etiquette in battle. For example, when Duke Wen of Jin fought against King Cheng of Chu, he would retreat three she (a unit of distance) in advance to show his gratitude; when Duke Xiang of Song fought against King Cheng of Chu, he would wait for the other to cross the river.

In the eyes of later generations, this behavior may seem somewhat outdated. However, it reflects different forms of warfare under different circumstances. When it is impossible to annihilate the enemy, upholding such military etiquette can effectively reduce the intensity of combat and achieve peace in a simpler way. Those who break such etiquette, such as King Cheng of Chu, may gain some advantages in the short term, but they are successively resisted by Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Xiang of Song, and Duke Wen of Jin, who led the states of the Central Plains. In the end, they also died in a coup and failed to achieve hegemony.

Li Xiu's advice was that Liu Xian should not be greedy for one or two victories in the immediate battles, as this would be detrimental to his future rule.

Liu Xian thought for a moment, nodded to Li Xiu, and said, "Let's stick to the original plan."

The original plan, as it was called, was a feint proposed by Liu Xian after surveying the local terrain. Liu Xian could utilize the hilly terrain to set up a large number of wooden figures in the camp, painted with fake armor, creating a smokescreen within the camp, waiting for the enemy to launch an attack. Then, he could secretly deploy the main force in the mountains on both sides of the mountain road. These mountains were mostly filled with towering trees and were sparsely populated, so there was no need to worry about being discovered.

When the enemy army comes to attack, Liu Xian can defend the front of the camp. When the enemy is tired, he can order his ambush troops to attack from both flanks. If he can throw the enemy into chaos, the battle will be more than half won.

Regarding the division of troops, Liu Xian planned to leave 4,000 infantrymen behind, while Guo Mo and Wen Shuo would each lead 5,000 troops out of the camp.

There was no other way. If you wanted to lure the enemy into a large-scale attack, you had to have a big enough bait. And this bait was probably only big enough for Liu Xian himself.

There were actually some people in the army who opposed this decision. For example, Huo Biao took the opportunity to visit the emperor at night and privately suggested, "Your Highness is of noble birth and the hope of the nation. How can you risk your life? I can act as bait in Your Highness's place."

Liu Xian asked, "How will you act as bait for me?"

Huo Biao had already thought things through. He knelt on one knee, pleading for permission, and said confidently, "How could the barbarians recognize Your Highness? Moreover, when two armies are facing each other, what they see is nothing more than flags and armor. I dare to ask Your Highness to lend me your armor and horse temporarily. I will climb high and stand on the flag, and the barbarians will certainly not be able to distinguish the real from the fake!"

Liu Xian quickly helped Huo Biao up, and while looking Huo Biao over, he thought, "With four thousand soldiers guarding the camp against an attack of one hundred thousand, even though the barbarian army is disorganized, it is still a great danger. Uncle Wu disregarded his own safety and was willing to take my place. I think he wanted to show me his loyalty and also to vindicate the Ningzhou army. He is a true man!"

Thinking of this, Liu Xian smiled and comforted Huo Biao, saying, "I know your heart. But, Uncle Wu, using tricks to deceive the enemy is indeed feasible, but you cannot deceive yourself. You may be able to fool the enemy by taking charge of the camp in my place, but you cannot fool our soldiers. If the soldiers who leave the camp know that I am not there, how can they fight to the death? If the soldiers guarding the camp know that I am not there, how can they fight with their lives? The enemy outnumbers us, and this is precisely the time when our soldiers must fight to the death. My personal command may seem risky, but it is something I have no choice but to do!"

Huo Biao was speechless for a moment, but soon he knelt down again and pleaded, "Your Highness's wisdom is admirable. However, if Your Highness does not grant me this request, you at least hope that I can protect you and serve you!"

Liu Xian readily agreed. He helped Huo Biao up again and said, "Uncle Wu wants to live and die with me, how could I not agree?"

As the gentle breezes of spring and summer swept across the hills, Liu Xian was filled with confidence for this battle.

The more than 4,000 soldiers who followed Liu Xian to garrison the city were mainly infantry, serving as defensive bait. The majority of them were Ningzhou troops brought from Nanzhong, totaling 3,000 men. Apart from Huo Biao, there were Meng Yue's troops and Li Yi's remaining troops. Li Yi's remaining troops were led by Mao Meng and Li Xiu, supplemented by more than 1,000 Changsheng soldiers led by Zhang Bao.

In fact, Mao Jian's 6,000 troops were stationed to the west of the main camp, but Liu Xian had no intention of using them. Firstly, the supply route was crucial, and they needed to guard against the enemy army flanking and cutting off the supply lines; secondly, they could serve as a diversion, preventing the enemy from launching a full-scale attack; and thirdly, they could also act as a backup, so that if they really couldn't hold the position, Liu Xian could withdraw from the camp and join up with Mao Jian's troops as a safety net.

Liu Xian entrusted all four hundred knights he brought to Guo Mo, along with a thousand of his most elite armored soldiers, to be positioned on the northern mountain path, hoping that Guo Mo could deliver the decisive blow. Wen Shuo, on the other hand, led over four thousand Changsheng soldiers on the southern flank as backup for a sustained assault.

Everything was arranged. The day before the agreed-upon battle, Guo Mo and his men arrived at the ambush site, where the Yi-Yue allied forces were also present. To the east, south, and north of Tanzhi City, a dense, dark mass of Yi people who had traveled from afar could be seen. Ten thousand people on flat ground already felt boundless, let alone a hundred thousand! They resembled dark clouds before a summer storm. Under the sunlight, the rattan and leather armor worn by the Yi soldiers looked like a vast ocean. Tanzhi City itself seemed insignificant in comparison.

After everyone had gathered, that afternoon, over a thousand armored soldiers came to the camp to challenge them. The leader, though also dressed as a barbarian, was adorned with gold and silver foil, making him very splendid. Liu Xian guessed that he was Yu Lingcheng. He had never seen him before, but with such a star-studded presence, there was no other candidate.

Liu Xian smiled and said to Huo Biao and the others, "Having more people makes you more imposing! It's a pity that my Bashu army can't be mobilized, otherwise I really would like to compete with them."

As they spoke, these barbarian soldiers were already within arrow range of the camp, riding their ponies and yelling strangely. Several of them even pulled down their trousers and urinated towards the camp.

This was undoubtedly a provocation, and the generals were enraged. One of the men volunteered, saying, "These barbarian thieves, relying on their numbers, dare to insult our army like this! Your Highness, I request to go out and fight!"

Liu Xian was overjoyed upon hearing this. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man as tall as an iron tower, with dark skin but extremely strong limbs. It turned out to be Lei Zhao, a subordinate of Huo Biao. He asked Huo Biao, "What do you think of this man? Can we fight him?"

Huo Biao laughed and said, "Lei Zhao is known as a man of iron and bronze in our army. Your Highness, please rest assured that he will surely win the battle!"

Liu Xian stepped forward and patted Lei Zhao on the chest, finding him indeed capable. He then personally held up a horse spear for him and encouraged him, "Good man! In that case, go and ride my Flying Mountain Steed to fight. I'll be waiting for your victorious return."

He then said to Li Xiu, who was standing to the side, "Shuniang, go and warm a pot of wine. When Lei Yamen returns victorious, we can celebrate for him!"

Upon hearing this, Lei Zhao was deeply moved. He accepted the spear, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, please wait in the camp for a moment. This humble general will go and retrieve the head of the barbarian bandits!"

Then the drums of the camp sounded loudly, and Liu Xian climbed to the top of the hill to watch Lei Zhao lead several dozen cavalrymen out of the camp. When they reached the front of the barbarian army, he heard Lei Zhao loudly taunt them, saying that the barbarians were all pigs and dogs, only daring to come because of their numbers, and that they had no brave warriors who dared to fight one-on-one. These words immediately aroused the anger of the enemy, and some people immediately shouted insults at them. Then, not long after, a tall and strong barbarian stepped forward, who looked to be about the same size as Lei Zhao.

As soon as the barbarian appeared, cheers erupted from the crowd, indicating that he was quite renowned among the enemy troops. Liu Xian also felt a bit worried, after all, he didn't know Lei Zhao's true abilities, and now only the battlefield would tell.

Seeing the two sides locked in a stalemate for a moment, the barbarian warrior, appearing as an insignificant black dot before the two armies, circled and observed them briefly. Suddenly, the barbarian warrior let out a shout and charged forward on horseback. However, the Yunnan horse was not fast enough, nor was its impact strong enough. Lei Zhao thus remained motionless, standing rooted to the spot like a pagoda, watching helplessly as the enemy charged. He raised his long spear, ready to block the attack.

Perhaps it was Lei Zhao's unwavering composure, coupled with the fact that the Flying Mountain Steed was clearly no ordinary horse, that intimidated the barbarian, causing him to hesitate. In the midst of the struggle, the barbarian unexpectedly pulled on the reins, riding in circles around Lei Zhao, trying to observe and find his weakness. Lei Zhao, however, remained unmoved, readily offering his back to the barbarian, his ears carefully listening to the horse's hooves, his entire body tense like a tiger or leopard, ready to pounce and kill at any moment.

Not long after, a sharp whooshing sound was heard. Lei Zhao immediately lowered his head and bent down, quickly dodging the flying knife thrown by the barbarian. Then he turned around and drew his lance in a wide arc, blocking the blade that the opponent was trying to swing.

The barbarian thought that the combination of throwing knives and a broadsword, one at a distance and the other at close range, one fast and the other slow, would surely lead to victory. He was shocked to find his opponent had easily dodged the attacks. In a flash, the blade clashed with the spear shaft. The shaft snapped, but the force of the broadsword's blow was dissipated. Lei Zhao swung the broken shaft, striking the barbarian's arm in retaliation. The barbarian, writhing in pain, lost all strength in his broken arm and was forced to drop his broadsword!

With the outcome decided, the barbarian dared not fight further and hastily used his remaining left arm to urge his horse back. But how could a Yunnan horse outrun a Longxi horse? Lei Zhao first let him run for several dozen paces, then spurred his horse, and his steed, the Flying Mountain Steed, immediately galloped away. It didn't take long for it to reach its full speed; the difference in horsepower between the two mounts was clearly visible. Before the barbarian even reached the center of the formation, Lei Zhao caught up with him from behind. Lei Zhao struck him in the back with his broken spear, and the barbarian instantly collapsed. Lei Zhao dragged him off his horse in front of everyone, beheaded him, and dismembered his body.

This scene was witnessed by soldiers of both armies; almost everyone saw it and learned of the outcome. The Han army cheered upon seeing this, while the Yi army looked at each other in dismay, speechless.

Yu Lingcheng was clearly enraged. He shouted and cursed loudly in the enemy ranks and sent out dozens of cavalrymen to make a show of surrounding and killing Lei Zhao. But Lei Zhao paid no attention to him. He took the severed head and rode back. His swift horse galloped away without stopping and easily shook off the pursuers, returning to his camp.

After Lei Zhao entered the fortress, he dismounted and went straight to Liu Xian. He threw the severed head he was carrying on the ground, knelt down and said, "Your Highness, this humble general has beheaded you! I have heard that this man is the son of the chieftain of Guangtan, but I do not know if this is true or not."

Liu Xian laughed loudly, pointed at Lei Zhao, and praised Fan Ben, "I have gained another valiant general under my command!"

He then asked Lei Zhao, "I lent you my flying steed, so why did you deliberately create such a fuss, instead of engaging the enemy head-on, and instead try to strike back later?"

Lei Zhao honestly replied, "This humble general is not skilled in horsemanship. Forcing myself to fight on horseback would only tarnish Your Highness's reputation."

Everyone laughed. Liu Xian took a cup of warm wine from Li Xiu and encouraged him, "Then you must practice more. When we conquer the Central Plains in the future, we will need you to fight on the spot!"

Having said that, he handed the warm wine to Lei Zhao, who solemnly accepted it, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp, greatly boosting the morale of the army. (End of this chapter)