Chapter 124: "I Want Wei Qishan to Owe Me a Favor..."
Xiao Li collected his thoughts and lifted the tent flap to step outside, asking the guard: "How many troops are there?"
The guard replied: "It's hard to see clearly in the darkness. The horses' hooves are all wrapped, making it difficult to distinguish their sounds. But the army took over two quarters of an hour to pass through Wuli Bay, suggesting at least ten thousand soldiers."
Xiao Li frowned: "At least ten thousand? The Southern Liang coalition has besieged Jinzhou for many days. Are they planning a night assault?"
After a moment's thought, he said: "Send orders to Song Qin and Zheng Hu to muster three thousand troops and follow me on this night march."
One hour later, Xiao Li led his men along the trail left by the Wei army at Wuli Bay, following it all the way to Wushao Ridge.
To avoid detection, when they spotted Wei army scouts ten li away, Xiao Li led his soldiers through dense forests instead.
Dark clouds obscured the moonlight, with tree shadows blending almost completely into the thick night.
On the gentle slope of the ridge, Xiao Li reined in his horse to survey the terrain below. The area beneath Wushao Ridge was a flat basin, looking somewhat like a gourd-shaped pass from above.
Song Qin pushed aside branches as he hurried over, reporting to Xiao Li: "The latest intelligence from scouts indicates that Wei army has ambushed ahead at Guanmen Gorge. Pei Army's grain transport convoy was spotted fifteen li away. They've come tonight likely to raid Pei Army's provisions."
Xiao Li continued gazing at the basin below without responding.
Song Qin mused aloud: "When we escaped from Yongzhou earlier, I thought Zhou Sui had returned to Liang Camp and was discussing with Liang generals how to intercept Pei Song's grain supplies along the waterways. Little did I know they'd tampered with the cargo ships directly, causing most of Pei Song's grain vessels to sink in the river. Now Pei Song has no choice but to continue supplying Jinzhou via land routes."
Most of the cargo ships Pei Song used for grain transport had been requisitioned from Xu Jia. It would have been all too easy for Xu Jia to tamper with their own ships.
Perhaps because he'd had that dream just before departure, listening to Song Qin's words inexplicably reminded Xiao Li of that snowy day in Yongcheng when he watched Wen Yu and Madam Xu enter Fengqing Restaurant from a street corner.
It was hard to say whether Xu Jia's subsequent dominant position among merchants in Yongzhou and along the Huai River wasn't achieved through her guidance and approval.
That this hidden piece ultimately dealt a heavy blow to Pei Song through the grain ships, avenging Zhou Sui's slaughtered household, was eighty to ninety percent likely the result of her planning.
The arrow scar on his shoulder began aching faintly again. Xiao Li gently massaged that arm and stopped his train of thought.
She always planned ten steps ahead while seeing a hundred steps forward, so it wasn't surprising she'd scheme to this extent.
But he had personally experienced what methods she would employ once she determined an official was disloyal to her.
Noticing Xiao Li's slight shoulder massage, Song Qin recalled what Zhang Huai had mentioned earlier about him suffering a Poison Arrow wound to his left shoulder in Jinzhou that hadn't fully healed. "Is your old injury acting up?" he asked.
Xiao Li lowered his hand. "It's nothing."
Then he added: "We're less than fifty li from Jinzhou city. If the Wei army wants to seize the grain and retreat, Pei Army could still catch up by calling reinforcements from Jinzhou."
Song Qin said: "You mean the Wei army ambushed at Guanmen Gorge might be planning to burn the grain? Cutting off Jinzhou's retreat route?"
But Xiao Li didn't give a definite answer, saying instead: "Perhaps there's another possibility. We'll see soon enough."Three thousand troops lay concealed in the mountain ridges. After waiting for roughly another hour, the scouts returned with news: the Wei troops ambushed at Guanmen Gorge had indeed engaged Pei Army, seized their provisions, and were now hurrying back. It appeared they intended to return to the allied camp of Liang, Chen, and Wei via the Wuli Bay route.
Recalling Xiao Li’s earlier words, Song Qin turned to him after the scouts withdrew: "The Wei Army’s raid on the provisions… is it to lure the Pei Army from Jinzhou City here?"
Xiao Li slightly lifted his chin, gesturing for Song Qin to observe the dark basin below: "The Wuqiao Ridge and the opposing Majia Liang form two mountain ridges that pinch this gourd-shaped valley between them. Guanmen Gorge is the gourd’s mouth, while Wuli Bay at the rear is its base. Luring the Pei Army into this valley and ambushing them from both ridges would be like shutting the door to beat a dog."
The night wind swept through the mountains, rustling the trees.
Song Qin gazed down at the valley again, feeling a sudden chill as the night breeze brushed over him. He remarked, "Earlier, the Pei troops stationed in Tongcheng came up the mountain to win over Liu Biao, urging him to delay us, claiming Jinzhou would surely prevail in half a month. After we wiped out that batch of Pei troops in Tongcheng, we couldn’t extract any useful information from them—they only said they were acting on orders from Jinzhou. Now it seems Jinzhou feared we might also align with Southern Liang, using their strength to pacify the bandit-occupied counties in Tongzhou before jointly attacking Jinzhou, right?"
Xiao Li said, "That’s entirely possible. Inform Tiger to have the brothers stay well hidden. Since the Wei Army intends to lure the Pei Army into a trap here, Wuqiao Ridge and the opposing Majia Liang are bound to have ambushes laid."
After Song Qin left to find Zheng Hu, Xiao Li took another look at the valley below, his brow slightly furrowed.
—
Ten li away on the official road, Yuan Fang, the Northern Wei commander leading this operation, was leisurely returning with the seized provisions.
His deputy, riding half a step behind, laughed: "After we destroyed Jinzhou’s old Great Wall defense line and besieged the city for over a month, if these provisions don’t arrive on time, we won’t even need to attack—just maintaining the siege will starve them out. With Fan Yuan feigning an assault at Jinzhou’s south gate with the Liang troops tonight, once news of our raid reaches them, that brat Han Qi won’t suspect a thing. He’ll likely think Fan Yuan is covering for us. When his main force pursues us, our great achievement on the Southern Border will be secured."
Yuan Fang and his deputy were longtime friends and spoke without reservations. Yuan Fang laughed in response: "It’s all thanks to Li Zhongqing’s clever mind! Even my desperate plea for provisions due to shortages turned into a scheme to lure Han Qi into a trap! What a pity such a strategist isn’t serving under the Marquis—I feel regret on the Marquis’ behalf!"
Li Zhongqing was Li Xun’s courtesy name.
After Yizhou was scorched-earth fortified by Bandit Pei, Northern Wei only had Xinzhu on the Southern Border capable of sparing surplus grain for the army. However, to form an alliance with Wen Yu, they ceded Xinzhu as well, leaving their provisions insufficient to last long. The heartland of Great Liang was severed by Pei Song’s forces, preventing Wei Qishan from transporting grain from the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.
Yuan Fang had genuinely faced a critical shortage of provisions days earlier and had no choice but to approach the Liang Camp to borrow grain.
But the Liang Camp had also expanded its army this year. Had Wen Yu not secured 1.15 million dan of grain as a betrothal gift from Southern Chen earlier, the Liang Army would have struggled to endure until the autumn harvest.Although the provisions were currently sufficient, the Chen Army was watching closely, declaring that Wen Yu had promised the grain they, the Southern Chen, handed over to the Liang Army would later be used for their own Chen Army.
If the Liang Camp temporarily allocated some for their own troops and replenished the grain after the autumn harvest, the Chen Army might turn a blind eye. But if the Northern Wei wanted to borrow grain, they would have to renegotiate terms, with interest compounding.
After all, the Southern Chen and Northern Wei were destined for a future battle. With Jinzhou’s precarious situation, the Southern Chen’s main commander had grown increasingly arrogant. Friction between the Chen and Wei Liang armies was frequent—sometimes over camping grounds, other times over water sources...
The two commanders viewed each other with disdain, often slamming the table in disagreement during meetings in the central military tent, relying entirely on Fan Yuan, Li Xun, and other Liang officials and generals to mediate.
The plan to seize grain was a clever stratagem Li Xun devised after the Southern Chen commander refused to yield on the grain loan. He deliberately leaked news to Han Qi, Jinzhou’s defending general, about the Wei Army’s grain shortage, then set their sights on raiding the Pei Army’s supplies—making everything fall into place.
If Han Qi dared not send troops to reclaim the grain, the Wei Camp would use it to alleviate their urgent needs. If he did send troops in pursuit, it would suit their plans even better—tonight, Guanmen Gorge would become the Pei Army’s death trap.
The deputy general remarked, “Your Highness’s proposal to seek Princess Han Yang’s hand for the young master came too late. Otherwise, those capable ministers and valiant generals of the Liang Camp could now be at the Marquis’s disposal.”
Yuan Fang did not respond. If Wen Yu hadn’t gained influence in Pingzhou with the Liang officials, threatening their newly captured Xin and Yi provinces, Wei Qishan would not have humbled himself to seek favor with Southern Liang.
Every move of those maneuvering for power was driven by profit, though sometimes misjudgments occurred due to fate and timing.
He said, “Princess Han Yang has already married into Southern Chen. Let’s not speak of this again. Keep the men alert. Once the Pei Army passes the gorge entrance, slaughter them mercilessly! We must not let those Southern Chen bastards steal the credit!”
The deputy general, annoyed that Southern Chen troops were lying in ambush behind them, grumbled, “Why didn’t Marshal Fan assign the Liang Army to assist in this siege?”
Yuan Fang snorted coldly. “You think he didn’t want to? But would those Southern Chen bastards willingly take the thankless task of feigning an attack on Jin City and give up the chance to seize grain and earn merit?”
With that, the deputy general understood everything. Failing to capture a city brought no merit—it was a fruitless endeavor. But tonight’s ambush offered both grain and the annihilation of the Pei Army—solid achievements. Since the Wei Army had to be sent for the grain seizure, Southern Chen would fight tooth and nail for the ambush assignment.
The deputy general cursed and ordered his personal guards to relay the command.
The convoy advanced slowly through the night with the grain carts. As they reached the gorge’s depths, the ground trembled faintly. Yuan Fang raised a hand to halt the troops, listening intently to the night’s sounds before declaring, “They’re here.”
Simultaneously, a scout galloped urgently from the rear: “General! The Pei Army is attacking!”
Yuan Fang wheeled his horse around and roared to the soldiers, “Abandon the grain carts! Follow me and kill the enemy!”The terrain of Wushao Ridge was extremely high, and the observation point Xiao Li had chosen offered a panoramic view of the scene below.
When the Pei Army's reinforcements clashed with the Wei Army, the piercing sounds of battle echoed across the wilderness, causing the Tong Prefecture Army hiding on the mountain with Xiao Li to break into a nervous sweat.
Zheng Hu, who had been lying in the grass for most of the night, was growing restless and asked Xiao Li, "Second Brother, should we go assist them?"
In the darkness, the two armies were indistinguishable, their presence discernible only by the clashing of weapons and cries of combat.
Xiao Li gazed at the distant battlefield and said, "Wait a little longer."
Zheng Hu was puzzled. "At a time like this, military merits won't wait for anyone..."
Song Qin cut off his complaint. "Scouts have detected ambushes on the eastern side of Wushao Ridge and opposite at Majia Liang. The Northern Wei must have prepared for this in advance. If we charge out recklessly, we might be mistaken for bandits trying to plunder supplies in the chaos and be wiped out along with the rest."
Zheng Hu felt disheartened upon hearing this and turned to Xiao Li. "Second Brother, did we come all this way in the middle of the night just to stand by and watch?"
No sooner had he spoken than a scout rushed back to report: "Prefect, the ambush forces on the eastern side of Wushao Ridge and opposite at Majia Liang have remained inactive."
Xiao Li turned his head and asked, "Are the troops engaging the Pei Army of Jin Prefecture below still the same Wei Army unit as before?"
The scout nodded.
Song Qin and Zheng Hu both looked at Xiao Li, sensing that something was amiss.
Xiao Li decisively ordered the scout, "Continue monitoring the ambush forces on the mountain and the movements of the battle below. Report back every half-quarter of an hour."
After the scout withdrew, the ever-impatient Zheng Hu was the first to ask, "Second Brother, what game are the Northern Wei and their ambush forces playing now?"
Xiao Li pondered for a moment before replying, "Perhaps they intend to let others fight while they reap the spoils."
Song Qin and Zheng Hu exchanged glances, both startled. Considering the allied forces attacking Southern Liang, Southern Chen and Northern Wei had never been on good terms. Without further explanation from Xiao Li, they already had a rough understanding of the current situation.
Half a quarter of an hour later, the scout returned to report: "The Wei Army looting the supplies has been completely surrounded by the Pei Army. The ambush forces on the mountain remain inactive."
This time, Zheng Hu dared not act rashly. Earlier scouts had estimated the Wei Army crossing Wuli Bay to number at least ten thousand. Now, locked in combat with the Pei Army and with ambush forces waiting on the mountain to mop up after both sides were weakened, their own three thousand troops would be nothing more than a snack if they charged in.
He looked at Xiao Li and asked, "Second Brother, what should we do?"
Instead of answering, Xiao Li continued questioning the scout: "How many troops does the Pei Army have passing through Guanmen Gorge?"
The scout replied, "The night is too dark to see clearly, but the Pei Army's formation stretches beyond the gorge entrance. I estimate around forty to fifty thousand."
Forty to fifty thousand?
Song Qin was inwardly alarmed at the number, feeling certain that the Wei Army looting supplies tonight had no hope of survival.
Yet Xiao Li pressed on: "Are the ambush forces on the mountain from the Chen Army or the Liang Army?"
"I don't know, sir. The mountain is too dark, and the ambush forces aren't flying any banners. The scouts feared detection and didn't dare get too close."
Seeing that no further information could be obtained, Xiao Li waved his hand to dismiss the scout.
Song Qin sensed something and asked Xiao Li, "Do you intend to rescue them?"
Xiao Li stared at the flickering battle fires in the valley below and said, "Whoever wants the Southern Border Wei Army dead surely includes Southern Chen. I want Wei Qishan to owe me a favor."The blaze from the burning grain carts dispelled the darkness within a hundred meters, illuminating the corpses and congealed blood strewn across the wilderness.
Yuan Fang’s helmet had been lost somewhere in the earlier fierce battle, his face smeared with blood and grime. Leaning on his spear beside his lifeless deputy, he roared with visceral fury: "Where are the reinforcements? Dou Jianliang! You beast worse than swine!"
Dou Jianliang was the Chen Army commander responsible for this ambush.
As Yuan Fang’s cry echoed through the night, several more Wei soldiers fell to enemy spears.
A Pei Army soldier attempted to strike the defenseless Yuan Fang, but was cut down by a guardsman standing closest to him. Yet these Pei Army soldiers swarmed like disturbed black ants—endless and inexhaustible.
After prolonged fighting, the Wei troops were utterly exhausted. The guardsman who saved Yuan Fang had just gasped "General, be careful" when charging Pei soldiers thrust their spears into his torso, forcing him backward until the bloody tips emerged through his back. He died with blood foaming at his mouth, eyes wide open.
Another guardsman witnessing his comrade’s death lacked even the strength to raise his blade in retaliation. Weeping to Yuan Fang, he choked out: "General, we can’t break through."
Driven beyond grief, Yuan Fang tore loose his half-undone general’s topknot. Gripping his spear with bloodshot eyes, he let out a harrowing battle cry and charged straight at the soldiers who had killed his man, aiming for their necks.
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