Jinting Han people

The morale of the Han army soared, while the morale of the Yi army correspondingly declined.

That evening, thirty-nine Yi chieftains from the three prefectures of Zhuti, Zangke, and Nanguang gathered in Tanzhi County to discuss launching an attack in order to resolve the issue.

It must be said that the thirty-nine barbarian generals present had very different appearances, and sitting together, they were quite an interesting sight.

Although the Han Chinese gave these Yi people a unified title, their cultures and customs actually differed considerably. For example, the Yi people of Zhuti County were semi-Hanified, their clothing mostly featuring right-fastening garments interspersed with silk fabrics. The Yi people of Zangke County, however, remained more primitive, retaining distinct shamanistic features; their faces were painted with snake, bird, and floral patterns made of grass and branches, and they wore specially made shamanistic grass rings on their hands. The Yi people of Xinggu County, located near Jiaozhi (present-day northern Vietnam), lived in a humid and hot region, hence their bare chests, topknots, and bare feet, with painted designs on their arms.

The three Yi chieftains, whose languages ​​were not mutually intelligible, eventually communicated in Chinese. The chieftain of Zangke Commandery, led by Bai Gui of Wanshou Yi, hesitated about engaging the Han army in a decisive battle. He said, "The Han army is small, yet they dare to provoke and retaliate so openly in broad daylight. I feel..."

Wei Dan, the chieftain of the Yi people in Xinggu County, asked, "What do you think?"

"Could it be a trap?" Bai Gui asked worriedly. "The Han people are the most cunning and deceitful; we must be careful!"

Wei Dan said, "We have 100,000 men now, and we're fighting against his 10,000 or so. It's like an elephant hitting a snake. Even if he's really bluffing, can he really swallow an elephant whole? He'll be overwhelmed!"

Yu Lingcheng supported Wei Dan, saying, "Brother Wei is absolutely right! The combined strength of our Southern forces is more than ten times that of the Han army. I don't believe the Han army is truly unafraid! What happened this afternoon was mainly due to our miscalculation. The King of Han was able to march south, so his elite troops must have been handpicked from the best in Bashu. In a one-on-one fight, we are indeed no match, but even the strongest can't fight against many. How can they possibly win in a head-on confrontation?"

Wei Dan laughed and said, "Don't exaggerate. We really brought all the elephants this time. I want to see if they can defeat our elephant corps, no matter how good they are."

The Yi people of Xinggu County were indeed barbaric in their customs. They not only tamed elephants but also practiced cannibalism. It is said that when they robbed travelers, they were not after their wealth but only to eat them. Human flesh was used to make delicacies, skulls were used to make wine cups, and even livers were not spared. Among the counties in southern China, they were the most difficult to control, and the Yi chieftains of the other counties held them in awe. The reason Yu Lingcheng insisted on coming to this remote and impoverished place was to win over the Yi people of Xinggu.

Seeing Wei Dan's stance, Bai Gui felt that what the two of them said made sense, so he stopped insisting on his own opinion.

Two days later, the allied forces selected their elite troops, totaling over 70,000 men, and launched an offensive against the Han army's camps, dividing them into three routes: south, north, and east. Bai Gui and Wei Dan personally supervised the battle, while Yu Lingcheng led the remaining 30,000 men as reserves, stationed west of the city.

The allied forces were numerous and powerful, seemingly without end. Even before the offensive officially began, they had already exerted immense pressure. As the war drums thundered, the 70,000-strong army launched an attack from three directions simultaneously. Liu Xian, standing on high ground, surveyed his surroundings and saw enemies everywhere he looked.

It was the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), and under the morning light, the enemy was densely packed on the rolling hills, stretching as far as the eye could see. They were dressed in various ways, some wearing animal skins, others in cloth, some carrying bows and arrows, others carrying wooden shields, their formation extremely chaotic; the enemies further away could only be seen as tiny specks of black, like countless ants in a swarm.

Hundreds of Yunnan horse riders charged at the forefront of the formation, followed by hundreds of yak riders. Liu Xian could clearly see the patterns on their faces, which, combined with their animal hide armor, made them look rather bizarre. Liu Xian found it somewhat novel, but also a little amusing. Nevertheless, the defending soldiers faced considerable pressure.

Because the enemy commander-in-chief was overseeing the operation, the allied forces launched an extremely fierce offensive from the very beginning.

Because Liu Xian's Han banners were clearly marked, their objective was extremely clear, and the three armies' attack directions converged at a very specific point, remaining unwavering. Fortunately, the outer perimeter of the camp was equipped with wooden dummies made by the Han army, which withstood the first and most intense wave of the allied forces' offensive.

A swarm of arrows and stones rained down unexpectedly, the allied forces relentlessly pelting the enemy in, felling rows and rows of dummies. The vanguard of the barbarian army also successfully breached the first line of defense.

The barbarian troops in the rear, unaware of the truth, believed they had defeated real people. Encouraged by their superior victory, they surged forward, eager to join the battle. However, the barbarian troops at the front were utterly bewildered. Seeing that they had defeated wooden figures and scarecrows, their minds were in turmoil. They wanted to stop and assess the situation, but the cheers and pushing from the rear, coupled with orders from their leaders, forced them to continue their advance. Yu Lingcheng, perched on a high point in the distance, was overjoyed. He waved his flag repeatedly and ordered his men to beat the drums even louder.

As a result, the enemy from the north, south, and east advanced like a tidal wave, one wave higher than the next, relentlessly surging towards the second line of defense.

This was actually the Han army's first line of defense. They had dug numerous traps in the trenches ahead and prepared excellent crossbows. Upon seeing such a densely packed group of people, the Han army immediately opened fire. This counterattack was clearly something the Yi army couldn't defend against. The Han army's arrows were obviously stronger and more powerful, while the Yi army's armor was far weaker. This resulted in a hailstorm of arrows, the damage of which was so great that the scene almost came to a standstill.

Almost every arrow struck the front-line barbarians; some crossbow bolts even pierced the flesh of more than one person, pinning them together like gourds. Limbs flew everywhere, and screams of panic and terror filled the air. In that brief instant, this volley of fire claimed the lives of nearly four hundred men.

This caused great panic among the Yi troops at the front. They had never seen such a horrific scene before. Their loved ones had fallen to the ground in an instant, blood gushing out and soon pooling into pools of bright red blood. This made them want to stop and examine the battlefield carefully, but the crowd behind them made it impossible for them to stop. Instead, it forced them to move forward. Then the Yi people stepped into the traps and fell in like dumplings, their feet pierced by the dry bamboo in the traps, and there was another chorus of wails.

In the first quarter of an hour, the battle became a one-sided massacre. The Han army hardly needed to aim; simply standing on high ground and leaning against the palisades, they could reap the rewards of the battle by constantly drawing their bows and arrows. Meanwhile, a dense pile of corpses had formed in front of the Yi army, forcing them to step over the bodies of their own kin to advance. Breaking through the Han army's fortifications was clearly not a matter of simply advancing; the battle cries quickly subsided.

The Yi army had absolutely no experience in this kind of warfare. They had previously thought it would be a one-sided victory, but in the blink of an eye, it turned into a one-sided beating. The difference in fighting spirit between the different tribes immediately became apparent. Most of the Yi people in Zangke County were having second thoughts, while the Yi people in Zhuti County were trying to regroup and launch an offensive, and the Yi people in Xinggu County were still advancing forward regardless of their own lives.

Liu Xian noticed this and said to Li Xiu beside him, "There are indeed brave warriors among the barbarians. It seems that this battle will not be as easy as I thought."

As they spoke, several sudden roars of colossal beasts echoed through the air, the sounds initially low and deep, then turning into earth-shattering roars. Liu Xian had never heard such a sound before, while Li Xiu's expression changed drastically. She grabbed Liu Xian's hand and whispered, "Your Highness, the elephant cavalry is coming!" Liu Xian looked in the direction of the sound, as did many of the Han soldiers. Behind the Yi army, ten enormous beasts charged forth. These beasts were incredibly tall, likely exceeding two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), making the people appear like mere playthings. These beasts flapped their ears, larger than lotus leaves, and forcefully swung their long trunks, which were bound with sharp blades. Their bodies were also covered in animal hides for protection against arrows. Guided by the tamers riding on their heads, the beasts roared deafeningly, their massive, roof-beam-like legs charging forward.

This was a colossal elephant from Xinggu County. The Yi people made way for it. The elephant trampled over grass, over corpses, over fortifications, and with a single crunch, everything collapsed in the blink of an eye. The beast's power was undeniable; everything before them crumbled. The difference between large and small was so stark and clear. At least for now, almost nothing that people had hastily constructed could withstand the elephant's trampling.

The Han soldiers were almost all somewhat panicked. Although their scouts had told them that the Yi people seemed to have brought elephants, seeing them actually on the battlefield was a completely different experience. These sudden monsters seemed almost like demons to them, and they began to waver. The packhorses in the camp's stables were even more terrified, running around in all directions, disrupting their formation.

In a very short time, the elephants broke through several gaps in the camp and continued to charge inward. The Yi army was greatly encouraged by this and cheered loudly, and followed suit and rushed in, while the Han army had to retreat to the third line of defense.

The third line of defense was only a few hundred paces away from Liu Xian's position. It was the height of the day, and the soldiers, who had been fighting fiercely for half a day, were now facing an unexpected and challenging situation. Liu Xian, on the high platform, was also on high alert. He hadn't expected the elephants to possess such power, managing to break through their previously advantageous lines in an instant. They had to find a way to stop them!

Fortunately, elephants have poor stamina. After breaking through the second line of defense, they rested on the spot, giving Liu Xian a very short time to think about a strategy.

According to the original plan, they actually had a strategy against the elephants. Based on what Huo Biao and others said, elephants are afraid of fire, so they could prepare fire arrows—not ordinary fire arrows, but the kind with pine torches attached, which would produce thick smoke when lit—to scare the elephants away. But now, the embarrassing situation was that although they had prepared the supplies, they hadn't had a chance to use them before being driven out. To stop the enemy again, they needed to lead their troops to recapture the second line of defense.

Faced with this situation, Li Feng panicked and said to Liu Xian, "Your Highness, should we send General Guo and his men out to fight our way out? Otherwise, if the elephants attack again, we may not be able to do anything."

Liu Xian's forehead was also covered in cold sweat, but he glanced at the surrounding situation and pointed into the distance, saying, "The enemy's reserves have not yet moved, and the main attacking units have not fully mobilized. If I send out the ambush now, it will not achieve the effect of encirclement."

He ignored Li Feng's expression and instead called Zhang Bao over, saying, "To win, we must use a surprise attack. Zhang Jun, I've heard you're known for your extraordinary courage. Do you dare to retrieve the lost fire arrows and repel the giant elephant?"

Zhang Bao was not tall, but he appeared very capable. Even in such a critical moment, he did not show the slightest worry. Instead, he asked about his future, "I have heard that a great reward will surely bring forth brave men. I wonder what Your Highness will reward me for if I defeat the giant elephant for you?"

What an unruly man! Liu Xian secretly admired him. Zhang Bao was the first person to dare to bargain with him at this time. Seeing Zhang Bao's composure, his mood eased considerably, and he said, "If you can defeat the giant elephant, fifty percent of the credit for this battle will be yours. I plan to establish two governors in Ningzhou in the future. How about this, the area east of Wei County will be yours?"

Zhang Bao laughed heartily, immediately descended from the watchtower, mustered three hundred warriors, equipped them with long swords, and launched a counter-charge against the outside of the fence without looking back.

This was truly unexpected. The Yi army had assumed they outnumbered the enemy and that the enemy would only dare to cower in fear, but suddenly a long swordsman charged out, all fighting to the death. They formed a dense formation, their swords flashing, and the Yi army's ranks crumbled, almost shattering at the mere impact of the long swordsman. This was the same long swordsman personally led by Li Xiong during the decisive battle of Chengdu, a force even Li Ju found extremely difficult to handle, let alone these Yi and Yue people from the south. They quickly carved a bloody path through the enemy lines.

However, a mere three hundred people were insignificant in the crowd and were quickly overwhelmed by the barbarians. Even though Liu Xian was on the high platform of the watchtower, he could not see the specific situation clearly and could only stare at the elephants not far away, quietly waiting for the outcome.

But as time passed, the people who remained in their posts heard no sound. They felt extremely tormented. Looking at the elephants in the distance, they felt that it was their death knell, and when it was tolled, it would be their death day.

Li Xiu was already struggling to hold on. Her voice trembled slightly as she whispered to Liu Xian, "Your Highness, should we withdraw from the camp first?"

Liu Xian shook his head, glanced at Li Xiu, and said calmly, "Shuniang, I've kept track of the time. Let's wait another quarter of an hour. If there's still no movement after that, we can leave."

Liu Xian was indeed keeping track of the numbers. He tapped his fingers repeatedly, observing the situation on all sides, while simultaneously directing the troop movements between the defensive lines. The enemy's offensive was extremely fierce, especially as they got closer to Liu Xian's position; their fighting spirit grew stronger then. A force of over three hundred Xinggu Yi soldiers, shields in hand and ladders in hand, charged towards a line south of Liu Xian, shouting as they rushed. They were clearly the elite of the Yi army, having unleashed their bravest warriors in their quest for glory.

This group of Xinggu warriors were all strong and skilled fighters, wielding long spears and fearless in the face of death. In just two charges, they had killed or wounded dozens of Han soldiers guarding the fortress. The defensive line was on the verge of collapse, and Huo Biao hurriedly ordered Lei Zhao to go and hold it off…

Just then, a loud clamor of gongs and drums suddenly erupted in the distance, shattering the atmosphere of the battlefield once more. Plumes of smoke and fire streaked through the air, then ignited more smoke within the camp. The smoke rose slowly amidst strange cries, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.

Zhang Bao had retrieved the fire arrow! They led their men to the elephants, and with the clamor of gongs and the flying flames, the elephants could not withstand it. One of the fire arrows landed on the hide of one of the elephants, ignoring the shouts and curses of its handler, and twisted its massive body, running back into the crowd.

Elephants are social animals, and the other elephants followed suit, standing up and turning to chase after it. This terrified the surrounding barbarians; those who couldn't escape were immediately trampled underfoot and turned into mincemeat. The barbarians were helpless against the elephants in this situation; they could only panic and run around in disarray, resulting in chaos and the entire formation being thrown into chaos.

But this chaotic atmosphere only intensified the elephants' fear. Who would have thought that such enormous beasts were actually as timid as mice? They ran wildly and frantically, trampling countless people in their path. The elephant handlers on their heads were also thrown off, screaming and perishing in the chaotic crowd.

With the scene in such disarray, Liu Xian's pressure on the front lines was suddenly relieved. The Yi army's offensive was in complete chaos. Seeing this, Yu Lingcheng, who was in the distance, had no choice but to send the remaining troops forward to fill the gaps in the battle line and stabilize the chaotic situation.

Liu Xian immediately sensed the change in the enemy's situation. Knowing it was time to strike, he promptly ordered, "Beat the drums, wave the flags! Launch the ambush!" (End of Chapter)