Late Ming Dynasty: Starting with the overthrow of the county magistrate, a rebellion was launched to

At this moment, Zhang Dayue became increasingly frightened, and cold sweat poured down his body, soaking his inner shirt.

Although his troops numbered 13,000, their opponent was Li Dingguo! Li Dingguo was Zhang Xianzhong's elite old guard, a veteran who had fought his way through countless battles!

Moreover, in terms of terrain, it is situated between two mountains and a valley, making it an impregnable pass for even a single man.

No matter how Zhang Da thought about it, he felt he couldn't win.

"My lord..." Zhang Wen saw that Zhang Da's face was pale and he was trembling all over, so he quickly stepped forward and asked him if he had caught a cold.

These words suddenly jolted Zhang Da awake.

Damn it, how did it get like this before we even started fighting?

Moreover, the garrison commander might not even be Zhang Xianzhong!

So Zhang cheered himself up and waved to him to indicate that he was fine.

However, at this moment, Zhou Wenqu said in a deep voice

"Brother, things have come to this, what should we do? Should we take a detour... or launch a frontal attack?"

Taking a detour?

Absolutely impossible!

Huaqiao Pass was the only official road connecting Baoqing and Hengzhou. Both sides were the foothills of the Xuefeng Mountains, with towering peaks, ancient trees, cliffs, and narrow paths that were difficult to traverse, let alone a 13,000-strong army, ten small red cannons, and thousands of grain and supply wagons.

Historically, even the Qing army's Eight Banners cavalry dared not easily bypass the cities of Liaodong and Liaoxi to penetrate deep into the inland areas—going around meant that the supply lines would be cut off, the rear would be attacked, and the army would be attacked from both sides, resulting in the annihilation of the entire army.

Without high mobility, without being able to travel light, and without absolute intelligence superiority, taking a detour would be suicidal.

Even if the garrison at Huaqiao Pass is cowardly and dares not pursue, they are currently rushing to the aid of Hengzhou, and time is of the essence. Taking a detour would add at least five or six days to their journey, and by the time they get around, Hengzhou would have already fallen, and Feng Shuangli would have already expanded his army by hundreds of thousands with the prince's gold, silver, and provisions. At that point, they would be even less able to defeat him.

Taking a detour would be certain death.

However, instead of taking the detour, they would have to attack the perilous pass from above, but facing a general suspected to be Li Dingguo, their chances of survival would be slim.

Are we really going to have to withdraw our troops?

Retreat to Baoqing, hold out for the four counties and one prefecture, and wait for Zhang Xianzhong to annex Huguang, expand his army to hundreds of thousands, and then march south to kill him like a dead dog.

Because at this moment, all the soldiers were watching him. The lives of 13,000 people, and the safety of the entire Baoqing, rested entirely on his decision.

Zhang Da squatted in front of the map, his mind racing, countless plans flashing through his mind, only to be rejected one by one.

The terrain is too difficult to conquer; even if you were Zhuge Liang reincarnated, it would be useless.

Zhang Da felt a splitting headache, the lingering effects of the poison still present, and his mind reeling, his vision blurred. He gritted his teeth and dug his nails into his palms, the intense pain bringing him back to his senses.

We cannot retreat! Retreat means death!

We have no choice but to fight! We could...we could launch a probing attack first, assess the strength of the Chinese army, and then make further plans!

Zhang Da suddenly looked up, his eyes regaining their firmness, and sternly ordered the scout.

"Return to the vanguard immediately and order General Zhang Wen: The entire army shall set up camp five li in front of the pass and not make any rash moves. Tomorrow morning, send five hundred lightly armed infantrymen to probe the enemy's defenses. If possible, carefully observe the strength of the troops, their deployment, flags, and the depth of the trenches at the pass. Make sure you understand their situation thoroughly and report back immediately!"

"Yes, sir!"

The scout clasped his hands in greeting, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

Having made the arrangements, Zhang Da let out a long sigh, his mind still uneasy. He looked up towards Huaqiao Pass; the mountains stretched endlessly, shrouded in cold mist, like a giant beast opening its jaws, waiting for him to walk into its trap.

I hope... I hope I'm wrong.

Hopefully it's not Li Dingguo.

Hopefully, we can hold out until reinforcements arrive.

Zhang Da prayed silently in his heart.

……

……

Meanwhile, Huaqiao Pass was closed.

At this moment, Li Dingguo stood with his hands behind his back on the gate tower, wearing dark-colored fine-scale armor, with a long sword hanging at his waist. He had a handsome face and was looking down towards Baoqing in the north.

By this time, the defense line had been set up for two days and was already in place. If it were an ordinary general, with such a tight defense line, he would be able to rest easy, wait for Zhang Da's attack to fail, and suffer heavy casualties.

But Li Dingguo was no ordinary person.

Just as Zhang Da predicted, he fought throughout his life and never had the habit of passively defending himself. He was good at attacking, launching surprise attacks, fighting in the field, and killing with a single blow.

Therefore, even after the defensive line was set up, he was still not satisfied. Although occupying Huaqiao Pass could prevent Zhang Da from rushing to Hengzhou's aid, why couldn't they go further?

If we could use the pass as bait to lure Zhang Da's main force to attack, and then annihilate them in one battle, kill Zhang Da, and completely destroy the Ming army's will to resist in central Hunan, thus clearing the biggest obstacle for our adoptive father to annex Huguang, what a great achievement that would be!

In Li Dingguo's eyes, Zhang Da was Yang Sichang's sharpest blade and the only capable general in the Huguang Ming army. As long as Zhang Da was killed, Baoqing would be leaderless and fall into chaos without a fight, and the land of central Hunan would be within easy reach.

"To only defend and not attack is a terrible strategy, it will ruin my reputation," Li Dingguo muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over his trusted general beside him. "Zhang Da is cunning and resourceful; he won't just launch a relentless attack. Seeing that my passes are heavily fortified, he might retreat to preserve his strength."

Then Li Dingguo raised his hand and pointed to a place name on the side of the pass—Shanmu'ao.

This place is located on the east side of Huaqiao Pass, where the mountain slopes are relatively gentle. There is a hidden woodcutter's path that leads directly to the back of the pass, and is difficult for ordinary people to find.

"Issue the order!" Li Dingguo's voice was calm and decisive. "Take five hundred elite cavalry, and have them personally lead them to quietly move into the dense forest of Shanmu'ao. Keep quiet and do not reveal any trace of them!"

"General! You're going personally?" the general exclaimed in alarm. "Securing the defenses is of utmost importance; how can you leave so easily?"

"It is precisely because the defense of the pass is of utmost importance that I must go," Li Dingguo sneered, a fierce fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "If Zhang Da comes to attack the pass, he will surely launch a fierce attack from the front, while the central army supervises from the rear. Seeing that his army cannot break through from the front, he will surely become anxious and weary of war..."

"Shanmu'ao, that's where he died!"

"When his army's morale is low and his soldiers are exhausted, I will personally lead my cavalry to attack from the flank, charging straight at his center. With the defenders of the pass also attacking simultaneously, we will be caught in a pincer movement. His thirteen thousand men will surely be defeated!"

At that time... at that time, it will no longer matter if Zhang Da survives. I can then sweep through the entire Baoqing in one fell swoop!

The generals were thrilled and clasped their hands in a fist salute, saying, "General, your calculations are divine! We are in awe!"

Li Dingguo mounted his horse, brandished his spear, and pointed it into the depths of the dense forest: "Move out! Remember, without my order, even if the heavens and earth collapse, do not utter a sound, do not engage in battle!"

"General! You're going personally?" the general exclaimed in alarm. "Securing the defenses is of utmost importance; how can you leave so easily?"

"It is precisely because the defense of the pass is of utmost importance that I must go," Li Dingguo sneered, a fierce fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "If Zhang Da comes to attack the pass, he will surely launch a fierce attack from the front, while the central army supervises from the rear. Seeing that his army cannot break through from the front, he will surely become anxious and weary of war..."

"Shanmu'ao, that's where he died!"

"When his army's morale is low and his soldiers are exhausted, I will personally lead my cavalry to attack from the flank, charging straight at his center. With the defenders of the pass also attacking simultaneously, we will be caught in a pincer movement. His thirteen thousand men will surely be defeated!"

At that time... at that time, it will no longer matter if Zhang Da survives. I can then sweep through the entire Baoqing in one fell swoop!

Upon hearing this, the generals were naturally filled with fervor and clasped their fists in greeting.

"General, your calculations are divine! This humble general is in awe!"

Li Dingguo was a man of action. Having made up his mind, he naturally mounted his horse, raised his spear, and pointed it into the depths of the dense forest.

"Set off!"

Thus, the five hundred elite cavalrymen vanished silently into the vast, dense forest of Shanmu'ao, leaving only the pass with its banners standing tall and silent, like a lurking beast waiting for its prey to come to its door...

Night falls

In Zhang Dating's camp where his troops were resting, near the Zi River, the water was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see a person more than five steps away.

Zhang Da stood alone outside the tent, gazing in the direction of Huaqiao Pass, remaining silent for a long time.

Zhou Wenqu walked lightly to his side and whispered, "My lord, the scouts report that they charged several times today. The defenses are strong, and the gate is heavily guarded. They are definitely veteran soldiers. Their banners still bear the character 'Li,' and there are no flaws. We also don't know who their commander is."

Zhang Da stared intently at the terrain on both sides of Huaqiao Pass as the map was unfolded again in front of him.

A frontal, uphill attack is absolutely impossible.

Taking a detour won't work either...

Retreat is merely a reprieve from death...

Perhaps—a flanking maneuver?

Huaqiao Pass is strategically located, nestled between two mountains and a valley, making its frontal defenses undoubtedly the strongest. However, the area behind the pass must be vulnerable! If we can find a small path to bypass the pass and launch a surprise attack from behind, burning their supplies, disrupting their morale, and launching a pincer attack, there might still be a glimmer of hope.

Zhang Da stared at the map, his pupils suddenly contracting—he saw Shanmu'ao!

It is clearly marked on the county annals and maps.

Shanmu'ao is located east of Huaqiao Pass. The mountain slope is relatively gentle and there is a woodcutter's path leading to it, which can be accessed after passing through the pass!

This road is treacherous and difficult to traverse, making it impassable for large armies, but it is perfectly feasible for lightly armed elite troops and infantry to launch a surprise attack!

Zhang Da clenched his fist tightly, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Zhou Wenqu!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You will remain in the main camp. Tomorrow morning, command the vanguard to launch a feigned attack on the front of Huaqiao Pass. The greater the commotion, the better. Use all available firepower—cannons, arrows, shouts—to draw the entire attention of the pass!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Zhang Wen!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You lead eight thousand infantrymen and continue the feigned attack from the front. Do not retreat, and do not charge at all. Just keep shouting and creating momentum, so that Zhang Xianzhong will think that our main force is all on the front!"

"Yes, sir!"

Zhang Da took a deep breath, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"The remaining three hundred elite personal guards and five hundred elite infantry, a total of eight hundred men, will all be lightly armed and led by me personally. Starting at midnight tonight, we will quietly bypass Huaqiao Pass via the Shanmu'ao Woodcutter's Path!"

"Brother! You mustn't!" Upon hearing Zhang Da's words, Zhou Wenqu and Zhang Wen were both shocked and knelt down. "Your poison hasn't been cleared, and your wounds haven't healed. How can you venture into such a dangerous place? The path through Shanmu'ao is treacherous; what if there's an ambush..."

"There can be no 'what ifs'!" Zhang Da interrupted sharply, his eyes like knives. "This is our only chance of victory! If I don't go myself, the soldiers won't fight to the death; if I don't go myself, no one can make the decisive decisions on the spot!"

"If we win, Huaqiao Pass will fall, the enemy troops will flee, and Hengzhou will be safe; if we lose, I, Zhang Da, will die for my country, and I will have no shame before the elders of Baoqing!"

Zhang Da is used to taking risks.

He helped the two men up, his voice low and powerful: "Tomorrow morning, signal the attack from the front. If I succeed, and fire breaks out behind the pass, you will immediately launch a full-scale assault; if I fail... you will immediately retreat and defend Baoqing to the death, and do not worry about me!"

……

……

Eight hundred elite troops, lightly armed and unprepared, vanished silently into the vast cold fog and night.

Zhang Da walked at the front. His wound was still throbbing with pain, but his steps became more determined and his eyes brightened.

Perhaps we really will have to fight a battle against that invincible young general, Li Dingguo.

Then let's fight!

One battle to decide life or death, one battle to decide central Hunan, one battle to decide the fate of the world.