Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 126 White Flag
Zhao Huai'an arrived at Canglong Ridge at the crack of dawn and it took him two quarters of an hour to request reinforcements.

Although he only had Xianyu Yue's thousand-odd elite troops and Zhe Zongben's hundred-man Luodiaodu, he could only take these reinforcements back.

After all, there is a fundamental difference between having reinforcements and not having them.

Zhao Huai'an had not slept all night. Although he had caught up on sleep in the afternoon, his eyes were bloodshot and his steps were a little unsteady when he came out of the tent.

Seeing Zhao Huai'an's state, Zhe Zongben, standing beside him, said with considerable concern:

“General Zhao, even if you go to Hanyuan like this, you will only be going to your death. Why don’t you rest here for a while?”

Despite his bloodshot eyes, Zhao Huai'an smiled and said to Zhe Zongben:
"It's alright, let's get there first. If the battle isn't urgent, there will always be time to rest. But if it gets urgent, every moment we linger here will be a missed opportunity."

Zhe Zongben did not try to persuade him further. He glanced at Zhao Huai'an with a complicated expression, a feeling he had never experienced before welling up inside him.

This Zhao Da was just a man from Shouzhou, yet he was willing to travel through dangerous mountain roads overnight to seek reinforcements for his comrades. Even though he only brought back a small number of reinforcements, he still went back without hesitation.

He Zhe Zongben had never seen such a person before. Not to mention that his former employer, the Hedong Army, had never seen such a person, even now, among the seven or eight regional armies gathered together, there was no such person.

This man is simply out of this era! Where does all that passion and boldness come from? Can this era still produce such a hero?
Unbelievable!

In fact, although the envoy ordered him to lead a hundred cavalrymen to accompany Zhao Da when he went to rescue the Xichuan army, he knew how to fight this battle without Zhe Zongben having to ask for instructions.

Just then, a man came down the slope. It was Pei Xing, the chief secretary. He jogged down, followed by eight Kunlun slaves carrying a palanquin.

Pei Xing came over, panting, and pulled Zhao Huai'an aside, saying:

"Zhao Da, the envoy will allow you to travel in a palanquin."

Then he pointed to the eight Kunlun slaves behind him and introduced them:

"Don't let their dark appearance fool you, these eight are just as fast as mules. Don't worry about them messing things up."

After saying that, Pei Xing muttered to himself:

"Zhao Da, you're a big shot, you have to come back. We'll have a drink together then. Didn't you say last time that there's a Monkey King in the East Sea? This script is great, I really like it, I'm waiting for you to come back and tell the story."

Zhao Huai'an looked at Pei Xing, feeling deeply moved.

This era is terrible. Zhao Huai'an knew this from the very first day he arrived. After meeting many people and experiencing many things, this thought did not change, but rather deepened.

Even in such a morally bankrupt world, Zhao Da still encountered some interesting people. They were flesh and blood, with their own loves and hates, and like him, they were outcasts of this era.

But it was these people who made me realize that this era was worthwhile. They prevented me from becoming like Yan Shihui and from being assimilated by this corrupt era.

How fortunate we are to have met these people!
Zhao Huai'an didn't say much, fearing his words might come true. He simply patted Pei Xing, smiled, and then lay down on Gao Pian's palanquin, teasingly remarking:

"Indeed, the envoy's palanquin is quite comfortable!"

After saying that, he said to Zhe Zongben:

"Let's set off once my elder brother arrives."

Zhe Zongben nodded, about to speak, when he discovered that Zhao Huai'an had already fallen asleep on the palanquin.

Looking at the envoy's palanquin, Zhe Zongben couldn't help but wonder:
"Could I have been wrong?"

Then, in the next instant, he nodded heavily.

Yes, the Prime Minister must be making me give it my all, so that we don't tarnish the reputation of Luodiao Capital!
As Zhao Huai'an was snoring softly, Xianyu Yue had already led over a thousand elite soldiers over. After seeing that Zhao Huai'an was asleep, he and Zhe Zongben exchanged a glance and nodded to each other.

Then the army, carrying the sleeping Zhao Huai'an, headed straight for the Hanyuan battlefield, twenty miles to the southwest.

……

On the 29th day of the third month of the second year of Qianfu, at noon, the central battlefield of Hanyuan Valley.

As one of the five commanders of the government, Yang Maoyan was stationed at the northernmost part of the central battlefield. He was surrounded by the forces of Li Shunzhi of Weizhou and Zhang Chengjian of Yazhou, with a total strength of less than two thousand men.

At this moment, horns blared continuously from both sides of the battlefield, and scouts from both sides kept crossing the battlefield, some of whom collided with each other and immediately engaged in bloody battles.

Yang Maoyan had already set up his chariot formation. Just like Zhao Huai'an and his men, he had also led his chariots downhill. Two hours earlier, he had ordered the entire army to form ranks on the spot and not to continue their march.

He was still hesitating.

At this moment, his five hundred elite soldiers were chewing on dried meat, constantly listening to the earth-shattering sounds of battle from the nearby battlefield. Many of them hesitated and asked:

Why hasn't our army joined the battle yet?

These soldiers were all veterans with extensive battlefield experience. They understood that opportunities were fleeting, and if you didn't seize them, the enemy would. You couldn't just sit there and wait to live a peaceful life.

Battles have broken out in several surrounding military formations, and they must act immediately.

They could accept either attacking or retreating, but what did it mean to just sit there like idiots on the battlefield?
The many soldiers, seasoned by power struggles, seemed to understand something. Those who knew each other began to whisper among themselves, glancing occasionally towards the open space behind them.

Li Jichang, who had charged into the fray, saw all of this and felt deeply troubled.

Li Jichang was a soldier serving outside Yang Qingfu's tent. He had just been ordered by Yang Qingfu to scout the central battlefield.

At that time, when Yang Qingfu discovered the roars of the Nanzhao people erupting from the slopes on both sides, he dispatched a group of elite cavalry to various parts of the battlefield, partly to boost morale and partly to supervise the battle.

Li Jichang set off only after having a hearty meal at his main camp. He was still in high spirits and was not discouraged by the disadvantage the Western Sichuan army was facing on the battlefield.

But as he led a troop of cavalry through the battlefield, that optimism gradually vanished.

Along the way, they encountered three squads of Nanzhao scouts. After a bloody battle, of the five cavalrymen who set out, only Li Jichang and one cavalryman named Zhu Neng remained by the time they reached Yang Maoyan's side.

While the deaths of his comrades were certainly a cause for Li Jichang's distress, what truly worried him was that even though there were still over ten thousand troops at the front, enemy scouts could appear behind the battlefield. What did this mean?
This means that the Western Sichuan army has completely lost the initiative on the battlefield.

Sure enough, when Li Jichang and his companion arrived, they found that Yang Maoyan was indeed hesitant to move forward, and all the soldiers in sight were demoralized.

Li Jichang grew increasingly anxious. When he passed through the enemy lines, the soldiers recognized him and quickly opened the gates to let him in, but his warhorse was confiscated.

Li Jichang and his companion rushed along the military road. Suddenly, when they reached a curtained area, a flash of light appeared. They instinctively turned their heads away, and the blade struck their shoulders.

Li Jichang, caught off guard, roared, grabbed the knife on his shoulder, and rammed into the curtain. Zhu Neng rushed in after him.

Upon entering, the two discovered that four or five soldiers of the local army were lying in ambush inside. Li Jichang recognized one of them; he was Yang Maoyan's nephew, Yang Simin.

In a flash, Li Jichang did not hesitate to slash the neck of a soldier with his knife, and with a furious blow, the man's head was cleaved off.

Meanwhile, Zhu Neng grabbed two swords that were thrust at him, then used his injuries to exchange blows and killed the two men.

However, Li Jichang was dealt a heavy blow. When he was killing the soldier, Yang Simin directly drew his sword and slashed at his neck guard. Knowing that there was iron armor there, Yang Simin simply dragged the sword and slashed along the armor plate onto Li Jichang's neck.

Li Jichang screamed in agony, blood gushing from his neck. He frantically stabbed Yang Simin in the chest with his knife, the armor breaking off the knife in his hand, but he used the broken blade to stab Yang Simin in the eye.

Despite the excruciating pain, Li Jichang twisted the hilt of his knife, killing Yang Simin instantly.

But he felt no joy, only deep fear.

Who is Yang Simin? He is Yang Maoyan's nephew, and Yang Maoyan is a relative of Marshal Yang. Among the five families in the government office, there are three people with the surname Yang, all of whom are relatives or adopted sons of Marshal Yang.

This is also why Yang Shuai immediately sent him to find Yang Maoyan after realizing that the battlefield situation was not right. It was not because of how many troops he had, but because he could be trusted.

But now, Yang Maoyan's nephew actually attacked and killed him halfway, even inside the formation. Even if this was not Yang Maoyan's intention, it shows that there is a traitor in this army.

Blood kept flowing from his neck, and Li Jichang felt a little dizzy. He took a white cloth and bandaged himself up a bit, then told Zhu Neng to stay behind and cover their retreat. He then headed straight for Yang Maoyan's tent.

Even if there was only the slightest possibility, he had to carry out the commander's orders.

They had run all the way without any further danger, but Li Jichang was bleeding more and more. When he rushed into the tent that day, he saw Yang Maoyan, who had a long beard and a dignified appearance, staring at him in disbelief.

Li Jichang staggered to Yang Maoyan's side, but several nearby soldiers had already drawn their swords and rushed over. There was no time to lose.

He grabbed Yang Maoyan's clothes and roared: "The commander has ordered your troops to head northeast, intercept the Nanzhao army coming from the right flank, and protect the main force in the center."

Yang Maoyan replied subconsciously:
"Respect!"

He only realized what was happening when he saw several guards slowly stand behind Li Jichang and then cut off his head with a single stroke.

Looking at Li Jichang rolling on the ground, Yang Maoyan stammered:

"Why do this? Li Jichang is a good man!"

But what's the point of saying all this now?
A military officer with a scar on his face clasped his hands and said:

"General, isn't the situation clear now? Our army has been fighting fiercely for half a day, and Gao Pian still hasn't sent a single soldier from the rear. This is clearly using our army as a pawn! At this point, if we fight to the bitter end here, even if we win this battle, won't we end up like Li Yaya and An Junshi? They can find any excuse to kill us!"

Another officer over there roared angrily at Yang Maoyan:

"Old Yang, what are you still thinking about! We're on the battlefield right now. The Nanzhao army has already completed its encirclement from the north and will be here soon. If we hesitate any longer, will the Nanzhao people's previous terms still stand?"

"Yes, everyone, give the order. We're not surrendering to the Nanzhao people, but it would be foolish to do something we know is impossible. Our army has the tacit approval of the Nanzhao people. As long as our army doesn't fight, they will let our army go. This is to preserve the bloodline of our Xichuan warriors!"

Yang Maoyan remained silent for a long time, and then, just as the generals were about to lose their patience, he asked in a low voice:
"But Commander Yang is still behind us. If we don't fight, what will happen to him?"

The officers fell silent. In the end, they all knew they had wronged Yang Qingfu. Which one of them hadn't been indebted to Yang Qingfu? Four years ago, which of them was alive because of Yang Qingfu?
Not to mention their daily food and clothing expenses, who among them is short of what they need? So no matter how nicely they speak now, it's clear they are betraying Yang Qingfu.

But they wanted to live too. They had large families to support. Dying here would be satisfying, but who would remember their deeds? The people of Xichuan or Gao Pian? Wouldn't they all wish them dead?
Do you think these soldiers don't know their own reputation?

So they turned their attention to the general with the scar on his face and asked him to speak.

The man looked at Yang Maoyan and said this:

"The people of Nanzhao have always loved Commander Yang, so why would they kill him? We'll have to continue serving under Commander Yang in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Maoyan smiled and nodded, relieved.

"That is indeed the case!"

Therefore, in front of all the generals, he gave the order:
"Let's raise a white flag, but it must say 'No War' on it! We're not surrendering to the Nanzhao people!"

The generals present were all smiles and quickly sent people to do it.

As for what's written on the white flag, who cares?
At this moment, Yang Maoyan glanced at Li Jichang's corpse on the meadow and sighed:

"They're all brothers, let's give him a proper burial!"

The generals sneered, but still obeyed and went to carry it out.

A short while later, Yang Maoyan's troops raised white flags and withdrew from their positions, exposing the troops of Li Shunzhi of Weizhou and Zhang Chengjian of Yazhou behind them. Behind them were the other four troops of the Yazhou army who were engaged in battle.

Then, nearly 10,000 Nanzhao infantry and cavalry rushed into the central battlefield through this gap.

……

Since the start of the war, the two military commanders of the Yellow Head Army, Li Ting and Guo Qi, have been standing on the city tower watching the battle.

When they saw the Nanzhao army defeat the right wing of the Xichuan army, they knew they were in trouble.

In other words, at this time, the left wing of the Nanzhao army had already broken through to the right rear of the Xichuan army. Once the enemy turned around, the central army would be in danger.

What angered them even more was that Yang Maoyan's unit actually raised a white flag and even took the initiative to open a breach and withdraw.

Now, they both saw fear in each other's eyes.

They knew they were going to lose this battle.

Now, they must take immediate action.

Li Ting tied the crimson headband on his forehead, and with the help of his guards, put on his armor. Then he said to Guo Qi:

"Old Guo, you continue to guard the city. I predict that Gao Pian will definitely launch an attack. This time, he used the flesh and blood of us Xichuan officials and soldiers as bait. How could he let the Nanzhao army go? So you stay in the city and wait for Gao Pian's army to arrive. You will survive! However, please try your best to gather as many Xichuan officials and soldiers as possible. These are the blood and bones of our army!"

Guo Qi was uneasy, watching Li Ting fully armored and ready to fight, and anxiously said:

"Old Li, aren't you going to defend the city with me? With my two Yellow-Headed Army soldiers, we can hold the city and the Nanzhao army is nothing to fear! Why bother going out to fight?"

Li Ting, now wearing a crimson cloak, turned and smiled at Guo Qi, saying:

"I'm not going to be reckless this time, I'm going to rescue the General!"

After saying this, he took the helmet and went down from the city wall.

Old Deng was waiting there with over a hundred Yellow-Headed Army cavalry. When they saw Li Ting arrive, they cheered!
And so, Guo Qi on the city wall could only watch as Li Ting led more than a hundred cavalrymen straight to Yang Qingfu's banner in the rear!
There, Yang Qingfu's gilded banner still stands.

……

Meanwhile, on the southern front of the valley battlefield, Bao Yidu was also facing its most dangerous moment.

After Bao Yidu joined forces with the armies of Weizhou and Meizhou, he deployed his chariots on the slope.

The three battalions of Baoyidu formed a triangular formation to protect the central tent, with Zhang Zao's Weizhou troops and Shan Xingzhang and Xu Geng's Meizhou troops on the left and right wings respectively.

Apart from the four cavalry units led by Guo Congyun, Ding Huaiyi, Liu Zhijun, and Liu Xin, which were absent before the start of the battle, all 1,368 soldiers of the three battalions were present.

Originally, after Baoyi joined forces with Weizhou and Meizhou, they encountered the "flexible" Jianchuan army, so the pressure was not great.

But the battlefield situation can change in an instant, and no one expected that the central army would collapse.

Although the officers and soldiers of Baoyidu on the southern front did not know what had happened, it did not prevent them from understanding their current situation.

The collapse of the central army meant that their southern armies would soon be surrounded by the enemy.

As expected, more and more Nanzhao troops have marched south and are currently attacking the Meizhou troops on the right flank.

Under immense pressure, Shan Xingzhang and Xu Geng's troops could no longer hold out and sent a soldier to Zhao Huai'an's side to request reinforcements after half an hour.

But this hero from Meizhou, who had fought his way through the battlefield, didn't even get to see Zhao Huai'an; they only talked outside the tent.

Inside the tent, Wang Jin listened to the bloody and arduous struggles on the right flank described outside. He lowered his voice and said firmly:

"I will send reinforcements, but please tell your family that today is the day we brothers die. Don't even think about retreating. Once we leave the position, we will be slaughtered like pigs and dogs. But here, we can die like warriors!"

"Go back and tell your family that in this battle, only death awaits!"

Silence fell outside the tent. Wang Jin could hear rapid breathing. Suddenly, a sound rang out:

"Understood! If I can die alongside General Zhao, what is there to refuse!"

Wang Jin felt a lump in his throat, suppressing his emotions, and snorted:
"Good brother, then we'll meet again on the road to the underworld!"

Then, with the impact of the armor plates, silence returned outside the tent.

At this moment, Wang Jin and Zhao Liu's foreheads were covered in sweat, and their breathing was equally rapid as they listened to the sounds of fighting outside.

Suddenly, Zhao Liu slammed his fist on the table and said to Wang Jin:
"Old Wang, let's lead the troops down! If this continues, Lao Shan and Lao Xu will all be dead!"

Wang Jin was under immense pressure; it was the first time he had come to understand the responsibilities of a military commander.

He tried to suppress his agitation and said in a deep voice:
"Keep holding this position! We must trust General Du! He will definitely bring reinforcements!"

Zhao Liu nodded and looked south, where the Dadu River lay, the place where the soldiers and villagers of Lizhou had died in battle, and also the place where he and Zhao Dacheng had become sworn brothers!

He trusts Zhao Da!

(End of this chapter)