Sweep Yuan

Chapter 296 Burning the Camps - Yin Congdao

In early winter, the land of Huaibei was desolate and barren. The darkness before dawn was as thick as ink that could not be dissolved. The biting north wind howled across the empty plains, swirling up the frozen earth and withered grass, and lashing against the mottled brick walls of Xuzhou City, making a rustling sound.

Outside the city, there were Yuan army camps stretching endlessly around Xuzhou, like stars in the sky.

Xuzhou was the first stop on Tuotuo's southern expedition, which is of great significance.

He had to use the cruelest methods to destroy these Han Chinese who dared to raise the flag of rebellion and refuse to surrender, killing countless people and building mounds of corpses to serve as a warning to others and to thoroughly deter the villains in the southeast and even throughout the Yuan Dynasty.

He not only wanted to capture Xuzhou, but also to crush the will to resist of all the rebels with endless bloodshed and fear, so as to reduce the pressure of the subsequent battle and achieve a quick victory.

Therefore, although Tuotuo sent several detachments to capture cities such as Xiaoxian, Yongcheng, and Suining, he still left nearly 80,000 troops under the walls of Xuzhou. They set up more than 50 camps of various sizes, with the most densely packed camps having four layers, each camp forming a defensive perimeter, all to prevent the Han army from breaking out.

The atmosphere in Xuzhou was equally somber.

Yin Congdao, his hand on the hilt of his sword, stood in the shadows of the East Gate tower, his gaze sweeping across the layout of the Yuan army camp outside the city like that of a hawk.

He had been unusually patient these past few days, never sending troops out of the city to harass the Yuan army. Instead, he sent out a small number of elite troops to sneak out of the city to observe and record the Yuan army's deployment patterns, patrol gaps, and the strength and weakness of their camps, and drew a somewhat rough map of the enemy camp's situation.

"General, the brothers are all ready."

The subordinate general Zhou Xian's low voice came from behind, carrying a hint of barely suppressed excitement and determination.

Yin Congdao nodded slowly. The fate of nearly seven thousand Han soldiers rested on his shoulders, leaving no room for luck.

He knew that although there were considerable gaps between the Yuan army's camps, and small elite troops could infiltrate at night by taking advantage of the gaps in the patrols, he could not expect the enemy to be blind and deaf if he wanted to retreat with his entire army.

The only way for the army to break through is by force!

Timing is the key to life or death in this battle.

Launching a surprise attack in the middle of the night might catch the Yuan army off guard, but the risks are equally enormous.

Once engaged by the Yuan army, thousands of men fighting in the darkness would easily lose command and scatter. Even if they successfully broke through the Yuan army's encirclement, thousands of soldiers, after a bloody battle, might still wander off in the night.

At dawn, people are at their most tired and least vigilant. More importantly, the approaching light provides initial cover for a surprise attack and allows troops to quickly reorient themselves and regroup after breaking out.

"Open the city gates!" Yin Congdao's voice was not loud, but it was particularly penetrating in the darkness of dawn.

The heavy city gate hinges, which had been greased beforehand, were quietly pulled open without making a loud noise.

The Han soldiers surged out of the city gate in an orderly fashion, like a dark tide, and silently marched along the pre-reconnaissance route toward the Yuan army camp, where fires were lit to the east.

People gagged and horses covered their hooves, trying their best to make no noise.

The cold air filled their lungs, invigorating everyone. They gripped their weapons tightly, their palms slightly sweaty with tension.

When they were within an arrow's throw of the Yuan army camp, Yin Congdao, who was at the front, stopped, and the soldiers behind him also stopped in the dark. He quickly summoned key generals such as Zhou Xian and Tang Shengzong, and in the dim light of dawn, they made final tactical arrangements.

"Look ahead, these three camps are arranged in a '品' shape. Zhou Xian, you lead your troops to attack the northern camp; Tang Shengzong, the southern camp is your responsibility; and I will personally lead the central army to attack the largest main camp in the middle."

Remember, our objective is to breach the camp, not to annihilate it! Once inside, simply cut the cables, set fire to the camp, and create chaos! After breaching the camp, immediately attack the second fortress; do not linger!

In this battle, Toqto'a adopted the tactic of "encircling three sides and leaving one side open," leaving the north side close to the Yellow River as a pretense. There were also Yuan army grain transport ships blocking the waterway on the Yellow River, which was actually a dead end, so there was no need to consider breaking out from this side.

The best route is south, which is both favorable to the wind and the road. However, the Yuan army has the strongest forces there, with four layers of camps. Furthermore, Wang Xuan's troops take turns covering the artillery bombarding the city walls all night, and there are always troops watching over the city. As soon as the Han army opens the city gates, the Yuan army will launch a counterattack.

Secondly, there is the west, where the terrain is relatively open, but this is where Toqto'a's camp is located, and the Yuan army is most vigilant there, so it is not worth considering.

Yin Congdao chose to break out from the east. This side was backed by the Yellow River, and the Yuan army had only set up two camps there. However, it was extremely dangerous to break through the Yuan army's camp to the east and then turn south to attack the Yuan army that might have reacted. He had to put himself in a desperate situation to survive.

His gaze swept across the young and resolute faces of his generals, and his tone already carried a hint of determination:
"After we break out of the camp, it will be almost dawn. You must quickly gather around my banner. If I am entangled with the Yuan dogs, I will cover the rear of the army. You must not turn back to rescue me. You must retreat south immediately to Suzhou. General Xue will come to meet you!"

Upon hearing this, both Zhou Xian and Tang Shengzong's expressions changed.

Knowing Yin Congdao's importance in Shishan's heart, they worried that if their commander were to fall into the Yuan army camp, even if the two of them were not held accountable by the Prince of Han, they would probably find it difficult to be trusted again in the future. So they quickly whispered their intention to stand with Yin Congdao through thick and thin.

"General! This won't do!"

Zhou Xian said urgently, his voice slightly choked:
"How can we abandon the general and flee alone?!"

Emperor Shengzong of Tang also hurriedly followed suit and expressed his opinion:
"Yes! General! We'll go together, we'll die together—"

"shut up!"

Yin Congdao waved his hand to interrupt the two, and said with a stern face:

"I was fortunate enough to meet a wise ruler when I was nearly fifty years old, and was able to command an army. I have no regrets in this life!"

But this battle concerns the survival of our army, not just the life or death of one person! Tuotuo is no easy opponent; whether our army can break through depends entirely on the fighting spirit in the hearts of our soldiers. We must go all out and charge forward without hesitation! Whoever is trapped in enemy lines, the rest must not hesitate or waver, lest they ruin our great undertaking!

His words were half true and half false. After betraying his former master, the Zuo family, and surrendering Hefei, his reputation was ruined. Under normal circumstances, he would hardly achieve anything significant in his life. Yin Congdao was already disheartened, but Shi Shan's kindness rekindled his fighting spirit. He was indeed willing to die for his cause.
But he was not seeking death in this battle. If he survived, he would continue to fight for the King of Han and watch the Han army's banners fly all over the Central Plains and Lingbei.

Seeing that Yin Congdao's mind was made up, Zhou Xian knew there was no room for negotiation. A resolute look flashed across his face, and he clasped his hands in a deep voice and said:
"Rest assured, General! If I fail to break through the enemy camp, I will cover the rear of the army!"

Emperor Shengzong of Tang was a beat slow to react, but he quickly followed suit and expressed his opinion:
"I...I am also willing to cover the rear for the general!"

Looking at his two loyal subordinates, Yin Congdao felt a warmth in his heart. He reached out and patted them both on the shoulders, forcing a hearty smile on his face.

"Stop talking nonsense! Today is the day we break through the encirclement and escape, and the day our army defeats the enemy and establishes its prestige. We must let Tuotuo see the bravery of the men of Huaixi! Go, and carry out the plan!"

The Han army chose an excellent time for the surprise attack. The Yuan soldiers on duty had been on high alert all night in the cold early winter night. As dawn approached, the cooks had already started cooking, and the Han army in Xuzhou City remained completely still. Their vigilance decreased, and fatigue set in.

Many people dozed off with their weapons in hand, while some patrol teams simply returned to their camps to avoid the wind. Even the cannon fire that had been going off outside the south city wall all night seemed to have a longer interval.

"What—ah?!"

As it was an operation involving several thousand people, Yin Congdao's troops were discovered by a confused sentry as soon as they approached the Yuan army camp. But it was too late. The man had barely uttered a sound when he was shot by more than ten arrows and immediately fell from the arrow tower to his death.

In the darkness, Yin Congdao raised his spear and shouted:
"Come in!"

There were actually more than ten heavy barricades in front of the Yuan army camp, but these defensive works were no match for the thousands of soldiers. Quick-witted soldiers bypassed the barricades and opened the camp gate. Then, strongmen worked together to move the barricades, and the army rushed in.

"Kill!"

Yin Congdao's troops numbered four thousand, of which two thousand were elites under his command. They cut the tent ropes and set the camp on fire, while the other two thousand men bypassed the camp from the left and right sides, shouting and throwing torches into the camp to exacerbate the chaos.

The Yuan soldiers were either burned alive or killed by the Han soldiers who rushed out of their tents in a panic. All that could be seen in the camp was raging fire and Yuan soldiers running around like headless flies. Screams, wails and crackling fire were all mixed together.

Fortunately, the Han army's primary objective was to create chaos, so the direct casualties were not many. By the time the Yuan soldiers who had survived gathered under the officers' flags, the Han army had already passed through the camp.

The Han soldiers who had previously bypassed the camp were now faster and had more energy, so they became the main force for attacking the enemy. They quickly broke through and rushed into the second camp. Yin Congdao and others passed through the first camp and followed closely behind, rushing into the camp.

If this had happened two years ago, the Yuan army would most likely have collapsed on the spot with such a fierce attack. However, the war has lasted for three years, and the warring parties have been eliminated or rapidly grown stronger in the frequent battles, making them incomparable to what they used to be.

The Yuan army in the second camp finally had a little time to react. Although they still failed to hold the camp gate, some quick-reacting officers gathered a small number of Yuan soldiers, either quickly moving towards the central army or forming ranks along the way to try to block the Han army's advance. The Han army's speed of advance immediately slowed down.

……

South of Xuzhou, on the Yuan army's artillery positions, a completely different scene unfolded.

Wang Xuan tightened his heavy fur coat, brought his numb hands to his mouth, and breathed out a few puffs of warm air.

He was in charge of guarding the artillery battalion, which the Grand Tutor regarded as a "weapon to breach the city." The intermittent roar of the twenty cannons made his eardrums buzz and his head spin.

The gunners at the front were utterly exhausted. In the cold early winter night, many wore only thin uniforms, their foreheads steaming from the continuous physical labor. The pungent smell of sulfur left by burning gunpowder lingered in the air for a long time.

A young junior officer approached, handed over a water pouch, and whispered:
"Marshal, have a drink to warm yourself up. It's almost dawn, and the bandits on the city wall probably won't even dare to show their heads."

Wang Xuan took the water pouch, uncorked it, and took a swig of cheap liquor. The pungent liquid slid down his throat, bringing a slight warmth. He glanced at the still deathly silent city walls of Xuzhou, then at the eastern sky that refused to lighten, and thought to himself:

"This Yin Congdao is quite composed. Despite being attacked so fiercely by the Grand Tutor, he has managed to endure this long. Today will likely be another arduous ordeal..."

Before the thought had even settled in his mind, his gaze inadvertently drifted towards the east of the city, and his pupils suddenly contracted!
On the eastern horizon, a strange, vibrant crimson had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere!

It wasn't dawn yet, and what they were seeing wasn't sunrise, but rather...firelight! And not just in one place! Wang Xuan tried his best to calm himself from the buzzing in his ears, trying to catch the clamor of voices from the east, like a swarm of bees stirring! "Something's wrong! Something's happened in the east of the city!"

Alarm bells rang in Wang Xuan's mind, and his remaining sleepiness and fatigue were instantly thrown to the winds.

He threw the water bag to the ground and shouted sternly:
"Personnel guards!"

Several guards immediately surrounded him, and Wang Xuan gave the order:

"Return to the main camp immediately and relay my orders! All soldiers must immediately don their armor, take up their weapons, prepare their horses, and get ready to engage the Han army!"

Wang Xuan spoke very quickly, indicating the urgency of the situation, and then pointed to a nimble messenger:
"You, rush to the central army camp in the west of the city to see the Grand Tutor and report that there is unusual activity in the east of the city. Flames are shooting into the sky, and the sounds of battle are faint. It is suspected that the Han army is making a big move!"

After giving instructions to the two men, he pointed to another person:
"Go and tell Commander Yu to have his men immediately stop firing, pack up their weapons, and retreat behind the camp fence!"

Yu Qianhu was originally from a crafts family, but he was promoted by Tuotuo because of his expertise in firearms manufacturing and operation. At this moment, he had just finished directing his men to load a cannonball and was covering his ears, which were numb from the sound of the cannon. He was still confused when he heard Wang Xuan's order.

He jogged over, his face blackened by gunpowder smoke, and asked with a puzzled look:

"Marshal Wang, what happened? Why do you want me to stop firing the cannons? It's almost dawn. If the Grand Tutor wakes up and doesn't hear the cannon fire, he'll probably blame me for being lazy."

Wang Xuanqiang suppressed his anxiety, pointed to the increasingly bright flames and clearer shouts of battle in the east of the city, and said urgently:
"Commander Yu, can't you see or hear? The Han army has left the city! They may be attacking our camp, or they may be trying to break out! You must immediately take all the cannons and gunners back to the camp for temporary shelter. These are vital military and national weapons personally supervised by the Grand Tutor, and we cannot afford to make any mistakes!"

Following Wang Xuan's direction, Commander Yu saw the commotion. He was initially startled, but then a glint of desire for military merit flashed in his eyes, and he excitedly said:
"Then what are we waiting for? Perfect timing! Turn the cannons around and blast them to smithereens! With so many barbarians gathered together, one shot will surely kill or wound a lot of them, right? That would be a huge achievement!"

Wang Xuan inwardly cursed this commander, who came from a humble background and clearly didn't understand the dangers of the battlefield, but on his face, he maintained the composure of an army commander and firmly rejected the idea:
"Absolutely not! The enemy's movements and numbers are unknown. Moreover, it is still dark and visibility is poor. If our troops make any rash moves, it could easily cause chaos!"

Wang Xuan's concerns were not unfounded. The various Yuan army units were not under each other's command. During the day, things were fine, but if they rushed together at night, they might panic and kill each other, mistaking each other for enemies. This was why Toqto'a ordered his troops to set up separate camps.

Furthermore, it was almost dawn, and the movements of the Han army would be clear after daybreak. At this point, the safest course of action was to remain unchanged in the face of all changes.

Seeing that Commander Yu still seemed somewhat bewildered, he became more stern and said:

"Cannons have limited range, are cumbersome to move, and slow to reload. They are simply useless in the chaos of battle and may even become a burden. If they are destroyed by the enemy in a surprise attack, neither of us can afford the consequences! If the Grand Tutor blames us, who can take responsibility?!"

Upon hearing the words "Grand Tutor," Commander Yu instinctively shrank back, recalling Tuotuo's stern attitude towards military equipment, especially these precious cannons. His desire for merit and recklessness was immediately suppressed by fear.

He dared not insist any longer, and quickly turned around, shouting in heavily accented Mandarin:
"Cease fire! Cease fire! Don't just stand there, hurry up and push all your equipment back to the camp! Quickly! Quickly!"

Upon hearing this, the artillery soldiers, though puzzled, hurriedly began to pack up, laboriously pushing the heavy artillery carts. The wooden wheels creaked and groaned as they slowly retreated behind the relatively safe fence of the rear camp.

West of the city, in the central command tent of Toqto'a Timur.

The tent was warm and cozy, the flickering firelight from the charcoal brazier illuminating the hanging maps and weapons. Tuotuo lay fully clothed on a simple camp couch, not in a deep sleep. Years of military service and court intrigue had kept him alert even during his rest.

A series of hurried but deliberately light footsteps came from outside the tent, followed by a report from a guard in a hushed voice:
"Grand Tutor, Marshal Wang Xuan has sent an urgent report!"

Tuotuo immediately opened her eyes. There was no trace of the confusion she had felt upon waking in her deep eyes, only a calm and clear gaze.

"Speak," he said, sitting up in a steady voice.

"Multiple fires have appeared in the east of the city, and the sounds of battle are deafening, suggesting that the Han army has made a large-scale evacuation from the city!"

Upon hearing this, Tuotuo got up and quickly left the tent. The firelight in the east of the city was already quite bright, but he did not immediately order the army to move out. Getting tens of thousands of troops up and forming ranks would take a lot of time, and going around from the west gate to the east gate would be time-consuming and exhausting.

By then, the Han army might have already changed its attack direction.

More importantly, he needed to first understand the tactical objectives of the Han army's counterattack today, saying:
"What time is it now?" he asked in a deep voice, for details often determine judgment.

"Grand Tutor, dawn is about to break!"

"breaking Dawn?"

He pondered for only a moment, then a knowing look appeared on his lips.

"The north side of the empty road is a dead end, the south side is a trap, and the two sides where I am are iron plates... I choose the east side to seek a glimmer of hope in this desperate situation, and take advantage of the time when our army's vigilance is most relaxed at dawn."

"That Yin Congdao! He certainly chose a 'good' time! He's not attacking the camp; he's trying to break out!"

The enemy's strategic intentions are now clear; all that remains is to respond swiftly and decisively.

Tuotuo made a decision instantly, his voice suddenly turning stern:
"Order Darba to immediately lead five hundred elite troops, armed only with short weapons, to launch a swift attack on the west gate of Xuzhou! Make sure to break down the gate before the enemy can react!"

For his generals, the most important thing in this battle was the heads of Han soldiers and the spoils of war, but for Tuotuo, it was the city of Xuzhou.

His first priority was to secure the capture of Xuzhou. Regardless of the Han army's actions, once he had this strategic location and symbol of the court's prestige in his hands, he would be invincible and could immediately sever the connection between the remaining enemy forces inside the city and the breakout troops.

He paused, then continued giving orders, his tone regaining its composure:
"The rest of the troops, assemble in your camps and strictly guard your positions. Without my order, no one may leave the camp to launch an attack! Wait until dawn to see the main force of the enemy and their exact movements before following the orders of the central army!"

He shared the same concerns as Wang Xuan, or even deeper ones.

The composition of his army was too complex. In the darkness, visibility was poor and orders were difficult to communicate. Hastily mobilizing a large army to encircle and blockade could easily cause panic, leading to misjudgment and trampling among different units. The consequences of a mutiny would be more terrible than letting some of the enemy escape.

Moreover, dawn will break soon!

The best course of action is to maintain composure, remain calm and observe, and take advantage of superior troop strength and favorable circumstances.

Wang Xuan acted even faster than the 500 elite troops that Darba had been ordered to assemble. After personally confirming that Commander Yu's artillery had safely returned to camp, he immediately dispatched a 100-man team to quickly approach the eastern city wall of Xuzhou.

To their astonishment, the city walls, which should have been filled with garrison troops, were now completely deserted! Only a few tattered flags fluttered forlornly in the wind.

They swiftly used grappling hooks to climb up the wall without firing a shot, capturing the section without bloodshed and quickly opening the gate from the inside.

At the same time, the main force of the breakout, personally commanded by Yin Congdao, had already broken through two Yuan army camps.

They strictly adhered to the tactic of "creating chaos and penetrating as the main objective," avoiding excessive entanglement with the assembled small groups of Yuan troops. Instead, they used their numbers and the momentum of their charge to forcefully break through a bloody path, heading east without stopping, and then turning south!

When Darba finally managed to open the west gate to welcome the Grand Tutor into the city, he was embarrassed to find that nearly a thousand of Wang Xuan's troops had already rushed into Xuzhou City and were advancing deeper into the city.

These river workers were overjoyed, thinking they had won the first merit in breaching the city. Some of them had already begun smashing the doors of houses along the street, preparing to loot extensively to vent the pent-up frustration from the days of attacking the city.

However, their revelry was interrupted by an even more horrific sight just as it began.

From the north of the city, several thick black plumes of smoke suddenly rose up, followed by crimson flames that shot into the sky like demons from hell!

The crackling sounds of burning quickly merged into one, the fire fueled by the wind, the wind fanning the flames, the dry north wind of early winter becoming the best accelerant, the raging fire spreading wildly, devouring wooden houses, warehouses, and everything else that could burn.

The north of the city was quickly transformed into an unapproachable sea of ​​fire, with the scorching heat even forcing the approaching Yuan soldiers to retreat repeatedly.

The defending troops were clearly well-prepared, having carefully arranged incense sticks and other time-delaying ignition devices at important locations such as granaries, armories, and government offices, and had also poured large amounts of kerosene, saltpeter, and other excellent accelerants.

This fire served both as a scorched-earth policy, leaving the Yuan army with no valuable supplies, and as a death barrier to block pursuers and cover the retreat of the main force.

Surrounded by a group of generals, Tuotuo had just stepped into the still relatively intact barbican of the west gate when he witnessed the out-of-control scene of flames burning the city.

A wave of scorching heat hit him, mixed with the crackling of burning wood and the faint smell of burning, reflecting on his face, which instantly turned ashen and so gloomy it seemed to drip with water. Taking the empty city of Xuzhou was by no means the final result he desired.

"Where exactly are the rebel army's main granaries and armories located in the city?"

His voice was icy, the question almost squeezed out between clenched teeth, his gaze sweeping across Wang Xuan and the other generals who had entered the city like a knife. What he cared about most was whether the city contained enough grain and weapons to sustain his army's continued southward advance.

Seeing that the fire was extremely fierce and spreading very quickly, Wang Xuan quickly ordered his troops who had entered the city to withdraw from the main streets and gather in open areas to avoid being engulfed by the sudden sea of ​​fire and causing unnecessary casualties.

At this moment, the eastern sky was already showing the first light of dawn, and the faint light of day dispelled the last darkness, illuminating the ravaged land.

It can be clearly seen that in the two Yuan army camps in the east of the city that have been breached, the chaos is gradually subsiding. The surviving Yuan soldiers are beginning to regroup under the command of their officers, putting out fires, treating the wounded, and taking stock of the losses.

Further away, a huge cloud of dust, kicked up by thousands of soldiers galloping at high speed, skillfully bypassed the edge of the army camp in the south of the city. Like a giant python breaking free from layers of nets, it sped southward with a resolute momentum, without looking back!

Seeing that his eldest son, Wang Xin, had led over a thousand cavalrymen out of the camp, Wang Xuan roared:

"The main force of the rebel army has broken through and fled south! Pursue them immediately! Do not let Yin Congdao escape! Today is the day to kill the enemy and gain merit!"

(End of this chapter)