Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 128 Fish Li
The poem "Fish and Carp" from the Book of Songs (Xiaoya) reads: "Fish and carp are caught in the net. The gentleman has wine, which is delicious and plentiful."

"Yuli" is an abbreviation of "Yuliyu yu liang". A liang is a tool for catching fish, also called a gou. It is made of bamboo with a rope as the bottom, so that fish can enter but cannot get out.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Zhuang of Zheng invented the "Fish Scale Formation," in which five infantrymen surrounded a chariot, making the chariot appear as if it were heavily wrapped in a fishing net by the surrounding infantry.

The scattered formation that Shang Rang assembled looked like a fish scale, but most of the infantry did not surround the chariot. Instead, they were divided into groups of five, with one person holding a large axe, one holding a long spear, one holding a sword, and two holding large wooden shields to protect the flanks.

If there are chariot soldiers among them, powerful crossbows are placed on the chariots to shoot at the enemy.

This is naturally the latest research result of Huang Chao, a master of formations. It's new wine in old bottles, yet it possesses power suitable for the present era.

The soldiers of the Grass Army were in high spirits. After they dispersed, they seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. As they sped past, dust billowed on the ground, giving the Pinglu Army the illusion that they were unpredictable.

They were originally selected brave and strong men, able to endure the scorching heat, fight in light armor, and move swiftly.

The new Yu Li formation rushed towards the Pinglu army besieging Meng Kai's chariot formation. Waves of attacks were like hailstones hitting the branches and leaves in winter. Under the swift assault, the government army's formation collapsed as if leaves were falling.

Normally, such a scattered charge would hardly break through the infantry's defensive formation. However, Meng Kai also ordered his men to abandon defense and launch a full-scale attack outwards, creating a situation where the attack spread outwards from the center.

Meng Kai, wielding a Xuanhua axe, charged straight into the enemy's center like a tidal wave. Ban Fanlang and Peng Baihu ordered their chariots to be driven, surging and attacking like fire from both flanks. Arrows rained down from the chariots, and some even fired heavy, armor-piercing arrows, each one hitting its mark.

The spearmen from the Lianghuai Mountains were even more formidable, shouting and hurling their spears with all their might. Many soldiers were instantly pierced through their armor and shields and pinned to the ground.

"The enemy has seized an empty camp, thus cutting off our retreat route. If we do not quickly defeat the enemy, outnumbered by the enemy, we will be annihilated here!"

In this desperate battle, the key to Han Xin's victory lay in his charisma and command abilities, which greatly boosted the morale of the Han army. Meanwhile, the rebel army, deeply resentful and having seized the initiative, already possessed higher morale than their opponents. Now, with Liu Xun's troops occupying their empty camp, Shang Rang cleverly used this opportunity to turn their seemingly hopeless situation into a victory!

The rebel soldiers showed no fear and fought bravely. The warriors, who had been carefully trained by Huang Chao before the battle, divided and regrouped their small formations of five men in an extremely orderly manner, cutting and weaving through the enemy lines like a fishing net.

Five men form a team; when the spearhead is forward, it can be used for a powerful breakthrough. When the spearhead is backward, it can be used to press and annihilate enemy soldiers. Long spears are advantageous for long-range engagements, great axes can sweep through sturdy shield formations, and swords are advantageous for melee combat.

The shield bearers' flexible cover not only shielded their comrades from stray arrows, but also provided solid protection for the combat team on both flanks.

Shang Rang was outside, and Meng Kai was inside; they were like fierce tigers, fighting to the death.

Faced with such a fierce attack from both inside and outside, the Pinglu army was completely unable to react. Soon their formation was thrown into chaos, banners fell, gongs and drums were scattered, and they fell into a situation of command failure.

The soldiers of the rebel army were all inspired and slaughtered the government troops, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing.

Shang Rang suddenly exclaimed, "The higher you look up to it, the more solid it becomes; the closer you delve into it, the more unbreakable it seems. It appears before you, and suddenly it's behind you. Commander Huang's mastery of formations has reached a new level. I fear that even if Shi Xiong, the master of the Fourth Commander, were to be resurrected, Commander Huang could still contend with him for a day!"

Although Huang Chao, the commander of the rebel army, did not personally attend the battle of Linqu, it is clear to everyone that Huang Chao was the one who made the greatest contribution to the Battle of Linqu.

As Sun Tzu's Art of War says: "He who calculates much wins; he who calculates little loses; and he who calculates nothing loses."

Huang Chao had meticulously planned the use of troops, personnel, camp selection, and formation in his strategic calculations, incorporating elements such as public sentiment, climate, and wind direction into his deductions.

In order to avenge his lifelong confidant Wang Xianzhi, "Salt General" Huang Chao's wisdom and courage reached unprecedented heights.

So, where are those five hundred Pinglu cavalrymen, who were like an iron torrent?
Since both sides deployed their forces along the Jumei River, which flows from north to south, the cavalry could only engage in battle in the hills on the east side of the battlefield.

The unofficial cavalrymen were all lightly armored, but their fighting spirit was high. They shouted insults and launched sharp provocations against the government cavalry.

"Now that old dog Song Wei is dead, does that mean your Pinglu Army isn't even a dog's offspring anymore?"

"They've been at a stalemate for days and haven't dared to attack our camp, but now they're jumping around like this? A bunch of spineless cowards!"

The light cavalrymen cursed and swore, but before making contact with the enraged Pinglu cavalry, they immediately turned around and withdrew, drawing the enemy to pursue them, thus taking advantage of the light cavalry's superior mobility.

Whenever the Pinglu cavalry, burdened by the weight of their armored horses and men, fell behind in distance, the enemy, who were itching to fight back, would stop, luring the Pinglu army to continue their attack. This cycle repeated itself, much like a cat toying with a mouse.

When Shang Rang and Meng Kai launched a thunderous offensive against the enemy, the grass army cavalry no longer avoided battle. With a determination to die, they roared in defiance and charged towards the enemy despite their weak equipment.

Only then did the Pinglu cavalry realize that, due to thirst and heatstroke caused by the heat, they could barely even swing their lances. Their horses, exhausted, were also struggling to support the weight of their riders. The grass-clad cavalry also endured the scorching heat, but with their high morale, they stubbornly regrouped after being scattered by the Pinglu cavalry's counter-charge.

They rode up to the enemy and smashed their helmets with spiked clubs. The heavily armored cavalrymen, who were dizzy from the heat, were often struck so hard that they suffered concussions, fell off their horses, and were captured.

Some warriors swung their swords at parts of the enemy's body that were not covered by armor or at the seams. Some warriors even jumped off their horses and used their waist knives to chop at the hooves of the Pinglu armored cavalry.

The Pinglu cavalry, who were still able to maintain their mobility, scattered in panic. The defeat of the main force was blatant, and it also caused them to completely lose their fighting spirit.

The Pinglu army stormed into the battlefield in a blaze of glory, only to flee in disarray, leaving behind nearly a thousand corpses and a large quantity of flags, drums, and supplies.

The loss of nearly a thousand men was not a significant number for the Pinglu army, which numbered as many as twelve thousand. However, for the Pinglu reinforcements, who had not received timely rewards from the imperial court and were pieced together based on the personal prestige of An Shiru and Wang Jingwu, it was impossible for them to regroup and launch another attack on Shang Rang and Meng Kai's forces.

Shang Rang and Meng Kai achieved a great victory in the Battle of Linqu, and were able to take advantage of the victory to quickly move south to support the battlefield at Muling Pass.

……

Upon reviewing the events, Lan Suting suddenly noticed a problem.

"When we fought the decisive battle against Commander Yan, almost all the cavalry generals of the Grass Army participated. So, in Linqi, who led the cavalry to hold back the Pinglu Army's iron cavalry?"

Zhu Wen looked satisfied and affectionately patted her little head.

“Sometimes you can only believe in miracles. Remember Cao Shixiong, Wang Chongyin, and Xu Tangju who covered the rear in Qizhou? After holding out for three days, they actually broke through the chaos of the army when the Flame General’s army arrived in person.”

"After fighting in Jiangxi and Zhejiang, they raised a new army based on their reputation. Lei Shuai had just wiped out Yuan Changyi's rebel army, which had been rampant in Jiangdong for two years, and now the land of Jiangdong is no longer peaceful."

Lan Suting exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that the one commanding this light cavalry is actually Lord Cao?"

Zhu Wen nodded: "After the battle, he did not claim credit, but rode back to Liangzhe to continue leading the southern rebel army in battles with Xu and Wang. Eunuch Yang Fuguang, along with the leader of the Kunlun Sect, Tie Mole and others, are desperately trying to annihilate them."

Lan Suting said softly, "Although Yang Fuguang is a eunuch, he is also a capable general. If he hadn't been tied down in Jiangdong, the outcome of the Battle of Muling Pass would have been very different..."

In the Battle of Qizhou, which annihilated Wang Xianzhi, Yang Fuguang led his personal guards in fierce fighting, braving arrows and stones, a stark contrast to the typical style of supervising eunuchs who mobilized heavy troops for self-defense and refused to send reinforcements. If General Zhen Ranyu and Prefect Zang Zimian of Yingzhou respectively deserve the primary and secondary credit for the Battle of Qizhou, then Yang Fuguang's contribution can be ranked third, even surpassing that of Li Fu, Mu Renyu, Ming Shiyin, and others.

“Even after the pacification of Yuan Chang and Wang Ying, Commander Lei’s troops are still resting and regrouping, and Brother Cao and the others are in a very difficult situation right now.” Zhu Wen said, “I only hope that Master can join them in time.”

After the Battle of Muling Pass, Qi Kerang, the military governor of Taining, led his troops to attack, but was forced back by Huang Chao, who relied on the mountain terrain. Subsequently, Huang Chao withdrew from the southern Shandong mountains due to lack of food. Now, the main force of his army has arrived in the territory of Zhi Xiang, the military governor of Ganhua Army, and is besieging Xuzhou City.

The camp Zhu Wen had previously left behind was merely a small military camp left by Huang Chao for guerrilla warfare in the mountains. His stay here was precisely to keep his appointment with Zhuoying at the Five Peaks Incense Gathering.

In retrospect, it was clear that the rebel army won this great battle by a hair's breadth. Both Huang Chao and Zhu Wen had calculated the opportune moment, the favorable terrain, and the support of the people, but it was still due to a number of accidental factors that they managed to snatch the chestnut from the fire. Zhu Wen killed a god with a single blow, and his name became known throughout the world.

Since the rebel army did not obtain the body of Marshal Yan, the imperial court announced that Zhen Ranyu, the former commander of the various campaigns and military governor of Pinglu, had died suddenly from a stroke while pursuing bandits. The court ordered him to be given a grand funeral and posthumously awarded the title of Grand Commandant.

But the undeniable truth continues to spread across the ten Tang territories. The fall of Marshal Yan, a star of yesterday, is accompanied by the ascent of the wise and courageous young general Zhu Wen, who is rising to prominence and radiating an unbearable brilliance.

Even in its decline, the empire's vast and intricate governing machinery was not something a mobile rebel army could directly confront. But after the bloody battle of Muling Pass, one of the empire's pillars collapsed, the northwest tilted, and the southeast sank. The balance between the common people and the court shifted, a trend that would become increasingly clear to many.

"With unity of purpose, even Mount Tai can be moved. What seems accidental has its own inevitability." The white tiger in Zhu Wen's heart murmured again in his mind, but this time it was very calm.

True heroes are not afraid of storms; they become the storm themselves.

Zhu Wen chuckled to himself. This time, on his trip to Mount Tai, he would probably run into his wolf king friend with pure white fur again.

Zhu Wen named it "Xiao Bai" when he was a child; it was the name of the white dog that lived next door.

Zhu Wen really missed Xiao Bai again.

(End of this chapter)