Song Xiu

Chapter 60 Crossing the Taihang Mountains, Attacking Huguan (Please continue reading! Please vote with monthly tickets!)

Dark, heavy clouds pressed down on the spine of the Taihang Mountains, and the forests, fresh from a heavy rain, were filled with the smell of decay and danger.

Standing on a high ground, Zhao Dexiu looked at the winding stone road with its "seventy-two bends" shrouded in morning mist, and it seemed as if he were looking at a giant python that wanted to devour someone.

"Pooh!"

After two days of trekking, an exhausted Zhao Dexiu disregarded his manners and spat directly at the treacherous mountain path he was on.

A heavy rainstorm made the already rugged and difficult Taihang Mountain road even more dangerous.

Today, while passing through a plank road, Zhao Dexiu accidentally bumped into a protruding stone wall, and the impact left a bruise on his face.

During a short break, Zhao Dexiu recalled a scene from a few days ago.

On that day, after Zhao Kuangyin entrusted him with the task of launching a surprise attack, Zhao Dexiu did not hesitate at all.

No matter how eloquently you describe it, it's useless. To truly realize the ambition of "emulating Emperor Taizong of Tang," action is the most important thing.

In order to test Zhao Dexiu's military talent, Zhao Kuangyin assigned 5,000 Crane Control Army soldiers to Zhao Dexiu and then stopped interfering with Zhao Dexiu's military operations.

The Crane Control Army, named after the phrase "controlling cranes to soar to the clouds," was an elite force within the Song Dynasty's imperial guards and Zhao Kuangyin's personal troops.

Leading an army in a surprise attack is always a very dangerous undertaking, no matter the circumstances.

Zhao Kuangyin wanted to test Zhao Dexiu, but he also didn't want his son to go to his death.

With Zhao Kuangyin's focus solely on results, Zhao Dexiu began to consider his route of advance.

After consulting maps multiple times and drawing on the experience of his predecessors, Zhao Dexiu determined the following route for advancing his troops:

From outside Luoyang, they followed the Yellow River directly into Weizhou, and then led their troops into Baijing, one of the eight passes of Taihang.

Zhao Dexiu chose Baijing as the main route of advance because among the eight passes of Taihang, only Baijing could lead directly to the city of Shangdang.

In addition, the Baijing Pass is mostly mountain streams with dense trees, which can provide natural cover for the army's march.

With the route set, Zhao Dexiu, who knew the importance of speed in warfare, quickly led more than 5,000 elite troops into the Baijing Pass.

But as soon as we entered Baijing Pass, the weather turned against us, and a heavy rain fell. Fortunately, summer rain comes and goes quickly.

During his rest, Zhao Dexiu did not relax his mind. He placed his hand on the sword at his waist and observed the surrounding mountain terrain.

The place where Zhao Dexiu is now is the entrance to "Black Hair Gully," the most dangerous section of the Baijing Pass. The cliffs on both sides of the gully are as if cleaved by a knife, and when he looks up, he can only see a sliver of sunlight filtering through.

As Zhao Dexiu was secretly worried about the treacherous terrain, a report with a heavy tone reached his ears.

"My lord, the vanguard reports that the plank road is blocked by falling rocks!"

The voice of Tian Chongjin, the right commander of the Crane Control Army, was shrouded in mist, and his worried expression was obvious.

After reporting the news, Tian Chongjin observed Zhao Dexiu's expression from the side.

As Zhao Kuangyin's confidant, he knew Zhao Kuangyin's purpose in sending him to Zhao Dexiu's side.

The first purpose was to have him help Zhao Dexiu command the five thousand elite crane-controlling troops, and the second was to have him truthfully report Zhao Dexiu's actions in the future.

Upon hearing Tian Chongjin's report, Zhao Dexiu couldn't help but take a deep breath.

He also knew Zhao Kuangyin's purpose in sending Tian Chongjin to his side, so he didn't think of asking him about it.

From the day he led his troops into battle, he had to solve all the problems himself!

After calming down a bit, Zhao Dexiu led Tian Chong down the cliff.

Below the cliff, hundreds of the vanguard of the Crane Control Army stood quietly, their eyes revealing helplessness and exhaustion.

The key to a successful raid is to travel light; this time, they didn't bring much food with them.

The urgent need for food, coupled with the double hardship of heavy rain and falling rocks blocking the road, could easily shake the morale of the troops.

Upon reaching the foot of the cliff, Zhao Dexiu didn't even bother to accept the rattan cane that Huyan Zan offered; the somber atmosphere below the cliff had already made him extremely anxious.

Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of people, Zhao Dexiu stepped directly onto the waterlogged stone steps. As her military boots ascended the steps, layers of water splashed up beneath her feet.

Lu Duoxun, who was standing nearby, noticed Zhao Dexiu's intention and stepped forward to stop him, saying, "Your Highness is of noble birth, how can you take such a risk!"

Lu Duoxun's hand had barely touched Zhao Dexiu when he was violently flung away.

"His Highness is not in the army!"

After leaving those words, Zhao Dexiu arrived at a spot at the bottom of the cliff. There were two huge rocks intertwined there. Using the slight protrusions between the rocks and his good jumping ability, Zhao Dexiu climbed up the cliff about ten feet high – this was the starting point of the rock pile on the plank road.

After Zhao Dexiu leaped onto the cliff, some stone chips fell down with him, causing the expressions of many of the Crane Control Army soldiers to change slightly.

Even Tian Chongjin was starting to lose his balance. Just as he was wondering whether to persuade Zhao Dexiu to come down first, a promise echoed throughout the entire venue.

"His Majesty was able to lead you all across the Taihang Mountains back then, and I can do it today too!"

In the first year of Xiande, Zhao Kuangyin was ordered to lead an expedition against the Northern Han, and he traveled along the mountain road of Taihang Mountain.

Zhao Dexiu's words stirred up many memories for the Crane Control Army, and those memories made them look at Zhao Dexiu with more conviction.

After making a promise, action follows.

"Bring me the rope!" Zhao Dexiu shouted to Huyan Zan below.

A sharp shout jolted Huyan Zan out of his worries, and he quickly took out a hemp rope and threw it into Zhao Dexiu's hand.

After Zhao Dexiu grabbed the hemp rope and secured it to the rock, several soldiers from Chanzhou climbed up the cliff face using the rope.

After several soldiers from Chanzhou came up, Zhao Dexiu did not choose to go down.

Zhao Dexiu grabbed the long-handled axe from their hands and took the lead, forcefully chopping at a blue stone that was blocking the plank road.

Sparks flew as the axe struck the rock, and the debris stung his eyes.

The powerful force caused Zhao Dexiu's almost healed wound to reopen, and traces of blood from his palm splattered onto the pile of fallen rocks.

Remembering Zhao Dexiu's noble status, the thousands of Crane Control Army soldiers at the bottom of the cliff looked at that bright figure on the cliff, as if they had seen a radiant battle flag in the deep and awe-inspiring valley.

Gradually, a hint of respect appeared in the eyes of the thousands of Crane Controlling Army soldiers.

If even princes are so unafraid of hardship, how can we, as brave men nurtured by the state, lag behind others?

What stopped the thousands of elite troops just now was not the pile of falling rocks, but their increasingly demoralized morale.

Zhao Dexiu has now successfully boosted their morale.

"Clear the right side first!"

After giving this command, Zhao Dexiu suddenly noticed that there were more soldiers around him.

Many members of the Crane Control Army, who were not originally part of the vanguard, took off their long-handled axes and climbed up the path he had cleared, hacking at the pile of falling rocks that blocked their way.

They worked in shifts, and although manpower eventually ran out, the work of clearing the road never stopped.

After an unknown amount of time, when Zhao Dexiu, exhausted, sat down to rest on the edge of the cliff, a narrow path that could only accommodate one person had been successfully opened up.

Zhao Dexiu had never been so tired in his life, but the results in his eyes still made him grin.

Damn you, God! You think a downpour can stop me? No way!
Zhao Dexiu's smile brought bursts of laughter from below the cliff.

The laughter carried the ease and determination of someone who had already sailed through countless mountains.

"County Marquis."

After Zhao Dexiu finished resting, he was about to get up when he noticed a hand reaching out in front of him.

"Lead us forward!"

Having just observed Zhao Dexiu's behavior, Tian Chongjin took the initiative to show him goodwill for the first time.

After Tian Chongjin reached out, Zhao Dexiu discovered that the thousands of Crane Control Army soldiers below the cliff had already lined up in formation, looking at him with burning eyes, waiting for his orders.

Yes, it was waiting for him, not Tian Chongjin.

This subtle change made Zhao Dexiu jump up excitedly.

Zhao Dexiu suddenly drew his sword from his waist, a cold light flashing across it:
"Once we pass Baijing Pass and take Huguan Pass, I will treat you all to a feast!"

Set off! "

Leaving those words behind, Zhao Dexiu turned and plunged into the mist of the plank road.

His footsteps mingled with the clanging of armor from five thousand soldiers, creating a series of war drumbeats deep within the Taihang Mountains.

The "Seventy-Two Turns" in the distance still resembled a lurking giant python, but at this moment, this giant python was being ruthlessly trampled underfoot by this elite force that was arriving in droves.

(End of this chapter)