Chapter 185
Pei Song knew that the other party was precisely...
Upon hearing this, Yuan Fang’s heart jolted in alarm, and he hurriedly asked, “What happened to the Marquis?”
The biting cold wind inhaled along the way seemed to have pierced countless holes in the Wei soldier’s lungs. He gasped intermittently, “During today’s siege, Bandit Pei feigned defeat and abandoned the city to flee. The young lord pursued the enemy and encountered danger... The Marquis personally went to rescue the young lord but fell into that scoundrel’s ambush...”
Yuan Fang instantly felt overwhelmed with anxiety and somewhat regretted that, fearing Wen Yu would arrive with the Liang troops too early and disrupt Wei Qishan’s grand plan to capture Luodu, he had deliberately delayed during the attack on Fengyang.
He urgently asked, “Where is the ambush location? How many troops did Bandit Pei command?”
The Wei soldier coughed up another mouthful of blood from his throat before struggling to say, “In the river valley twenty li south of Luodu. When Bandit Pei fled in defeat, he led just over two thousand Pei Army troops, but the ambushing forces in the river valley must number thirty to fifty thousand...”
Hearing this number, Yuan Fang’s expression abruptly changed.
It was clear that Pei Song had come fully prepared, showing no signs of having been deceived into seeking refuge in Luodu due to their earlier feigned exposure of their movements intending to attack Fengyang.
Instead, it seemed as though Pei Song was fully aware of their every move, turning their own strategy against them by setting a trap!
Realizing this, despite the severe cold, Yuan Fang broke out in a cold sweat down his back.
Wei Qishan had marched south with fifty thousand troops for this campaign. Twenty thousand were assigned to Yuan Fang to attack Fengyang, while the remaining thirty thousand were led by Wei Qishan himself to ambush Pei Song along the route to Luodu.
Now that Pei Song had used Wei Pingjin as bait to trap Wei Qishan in the river valley, Yuan Fang’s remaining forces—less than twenty thousand after the battle at Fengyang—stood little chance of rescuing Wei Qishan and his son from Pei Song’s grasp.
After ordering the Wei soldier to be carried to the medics for treatment, Yuan Fang quickly strode to the Liang Camp procession. Standing outside the carriage, he clasped his fists and earnestly pleaded to Wen Yu, “Your Highness, our Marquis marched to Luodu to attack Pei Song but inadvertently fell into that scoundrel’s treacherous scheme. He is now trapped in dire straits. This humble general implores Your Highness to join forces and send troops to rescue our Marquis!”
The iron-plated carriage window was pushed half-open. Inside, Wen Yu wore a dark palace gown of embroidered satin, her black hair half-bound by a white jade crown about three inches long. Beyond this, she wore no other hair ornaments, yet her presence was so imposing that one hardly dared meet her gaze directly. Her brows and eyes held a chill deeper than the accumulated snow on the towering mountains and trees lining the road.
Her brow slightly furrowed, as if puzzled, she asked, “Wasn’t the Marquis of Shuobian leading his army to attack Mozhou? How could he be trapped in Luodu?”
Yuan Fang’s expression turned somewhat awkward.
Their original Northern Wei plans certainly couldn’t be fully disclosed to Wen Yu.
But even omitting their intention to let the Liang Army and the Pei Army in Fengyang weaken each other so the Wei Army could reap the benefits, the fact that Wei Qishan was in Luodu—coupled with Yuan Fang’s earlier efforts to delay Wen Yu’s arrival and invite her to jointly attack Fengyang—made their motives all too clear.
Yuan Fang could only brace himself and say, “Perhaps some unforeseen event occurred in Mozhou, which led the Marquis to march toward Luodu.”
Maintaining his clasped fists, he bowed deeply, his embarrassment palpable. “The situation is critical. I beg Your Highness, for the greater good, to aid Northern Wei this once! If anything happens to the Marquis, the Northern Border will be in peril. When the barbarians break through Yanle Mountain and sweep south, all the common people within the borders will suffer! Once Your Highness helps us rescue the Marquis, should you wish to save the Princess Consort and the County Princess, our Wei Camp will surely spare no effort to assist!”Zhao Bai sat on horseback gripping the reins, casting an icy glance at Yuan Fang that held faint traces of barely concealed disgust.
Wei Qishan had schemed against them first, only to have his Fengyang plot deftly unraveled by the princess.
Now that he'd fallen into Pei Song's hands, he actually had the audacity to come begging for their help!
Zhao Bai coldly averted her gaze just as her expression was about to betray her emotions.
Inside the carriage, Wen Yu lifted her eyes slightly after hearing Yuan Fang's words and said with measured calm: "General Yuan speaks as if it would be a grave sin for our Great Liang not to send troops today. Has the general forgotten that the Marquis of Shuobian now seeks to restore Jin?"
"Moreover, the general seems to have forgotten that when inviting our Liang army to jointly attack Fengyang, you already promised to subsequently join forces with our Liang Camp to attack Luodu and help us rescue my sister-in-law. By your current words, those previous promises sound rather like empty excuses."
Cold sweat trickled down Yuan Fang's temples. Never before today had he so acutely experienced this feeling of being under pressure. What made it stranger was that the woman in the carriage spoke in tones that could even be described as gentle.
He hurriedly said: "This humble general misspoke! I was so frantic to save my Marquis that I lost my head and spoke improperly to Your Highness. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness! My previous promise to join forces with the Liang army to attack Luodu—I dare not go back on my word. If only Your Highness would send troops to rescue my Marquis, you may set any condition. This humble general would even offer his own flesh to be sliced by Your Highness if it would appease your anger!"
Wen Yu merely said: "The general's loyalty is commendable."
Yuan Fang replied with shame and remorse: "The Marquis showed me recognition when no one else would, and has nurtured me for over twenty years. I dare not be disloyal!"
The battlefield was full of overt and covert schemes. When interests aligned, even competitors could temporarily become allies, unless they were mortal enemies with blood feuds.
Given the prior mistake at the Battle of Majia Liang, and with her sister-in-law and A Yin still not rescued, plus Xiao Li currently detained by Northern Wei, Wen Yu had no intention of completely severing ties with the Wei camp over their scheming in Fengyang.
In this arena of power, there was no place for righteousness—only holding one's nose while pretending not to see the stains of corruption, with all parties taking what they needed to maintain superficial peace.
Wen Yu said: "After all, the Marquis of Shuobian guarded our Great Liang's Northern Border for over thirty years. Though he has now betrayed us, having him die at the hands of a petty man like Pei Song is not something I wish to see. I can send troops, but I want one person from your Wei camp. I wonder if the general has the authority to grant this."
Hearing this and recalling Li Xun's earlier words, Yuan Fang guessed that the person Wen Yu wanted was likely Xiao Li.
Given Wei Qishan's high regard for Xiao Li, he wasn't certain whether Wei Qishan would ultimately release him. But now that it concerned the survival of Wei Qishan and his son, Yuan Fang had no room for refusal. He said: "Whoever Your Highness wants, this humble general will exhaust all efforts to persuade the Marquis to hand them over. If the Marquis refuses, I will gladly fall on my sword to apologize to Your Highness!"
As one of Wei Qishan's top generals, comparable to Liao Jiang as the Marquis's right-hand man, if it came to him threatening his own life, Wei Qishan might not refuse to release Xiao Li.
Wen Yu said: "The general's loyalty and righteousness command respect. With such a guarantee, I shall dispatch troops to accompany the general immediately."
Yuan Fang hurriedly bowed with clasped hands in profound gratitude: "This humble general thanks Your Highness."
After he hastily departed, Zhao Bai coldly uttered one phrase: "What a hypocrite!"Compared to Zhao Bai's hostility towards the people of the Wei camp, Wen Yu's expression appeared much calmer. Watching Yuan Fang's retreating figure, she said, "Everyone serves their own master."
The river valley, exposed by the winter drought, had become a death trap for the Wei soldiers. Covered in blood, they stood back-to-back, forming a defensive circle to protect Wei Qishan and his son at the center.
After prolonged fighting, even the Wolf Cavalry veterans from the Northern Border battles had exhaustion and numbness in their eyes.
Pei Song had chosen an excellent location for the ambush—both sides of the valley were exposed riverbed slopes against the mountains, rendering the Wolf Cavalry's prized steeds and horsemanship useless.
The Pei soldiers stationed on the high banks flanking the valley aimed their crossbows uniformly at the shield barrier erected by the Wei soldiers in the center, where the Wei father and son were located.
Further back, Pei soldiers rhythmically struck their rattan shields with swords, issuing intimidating shouts to demoralize the surrounded Wei troops in the valley.
"Father! Father! You must hold on!"
In the tightly guarded clearing under the raised round shields, Wei Pingjin knelt beside the arrow-stricken Wei Qishan, weeping uncontrollably. "It's my fault! All my fault!"
He knelt, pounding the ground in anguish.
Where Wei Qishan's armor had been pierced by the arrow, the blood was thick and congealed. The shaft had been broken off, leaving only a short stub visible. His lips were pale, but his gaunt face retained its usual sternness as he admonished, "Why weep? If I fall today... you will become the ruler of Northern Wei, bearing the weight of sixteen provinces. How can you show such weakness?"
His unstable breath made the words less harsh than usual, carrying instead a tone of final instruction.
"No! I cannot bear it!" Wei Pingjin shook his head wildly, using his blood-stained armguard to wipe his tear-streaked face, smearing the grime further. He choked out between sobs, "You shouldn't have come to save me, shouldn't have taken that arrow for me..."
Overwhelming grief made it hard for Wei Pingjin to breathe. He broke down completely, crying, "I've always been worthless, bringing you shame, and now I've caused your..."
"I shouldn't have constantly competed with Elder Brother, shouldn't have been so ambitious chasing after Pei Song..."
"Forgive me... Father, forgive me..."
Wei Pingjin pressed his forehead against the cold, muddy ground, his sobs rendering his speech incoherent.
A broad hand came to rest on his hair, damp with sweat and melted snow.
Wei Pingjin lifted his red-rimmed eyes to see his father gazing at him with a complex, gentle expression. "You are a good child," Wei Qishan said.
He had been a good son, a good brother.
But he was not suited to be the young lord who would shoulder the sixteen provinces of the Northern Border.
Perhaps his expectations for this child had been misplaced from the start.
Wei Pingjin seemed stunned by these words, then buried his face again, his sobs deepening.
While father and son shared this sorrowful moment, the surrounding Wei soldiers, still fending off the fierce attacks from Pei's troops, knew escape was impossible today, their morale sinking lower by the minute.
Wei soldiers on the outer perimeter fell continuously, shrinking the protective circle around the Wei leaders.
On a high slope overlooking the valley, Pei Yuan stood beside Pei Song, observing the battle below. "The Wei father and son are turtled up in their shell. Why not bring a few more Catapults and smash their shield roof to pieces?"Pei Song, his shoulders weighed down by a heavy cloak, spoke with detached mockery, "Have you ever seen a cat toying with a mouse?"
Pei Yuan replied, "No, I haven't."
Pei Song curled his lips as he watched the Wei army below, their casualties mounting and their defensive circle shrinking. "Isn't it more amusing to watch the famed Northern Wei Wolf Cavalry being worn down, struggling like ants?"
Pei Yuan burst into laughter, praising, "Our lord truly has a refined taste for amusement."
His gaze returned to the Wei army below, and he sneered, "Once we break through that turtle shell protecting the Wei father and son, we'll likely see the young master of Northern Wei crying like a child!"
As he finished speaking, the snow-covered ground beneath their feet began to tremble with vibrations.
"Woo—"
"Woo—"
Deep horn blasts echoed from both sides of the river valley. Standing at a high vantage point in a natural amphitheater, the sound seemed to reverberate throughout the entire valley.
When the battle cries were carried by the icy wind to the high cliffs on both banks, Pei Song watched the reinforcements bearing Wei banners pouring into the valley from one side. Frowning slightly as if his plans had been disrupted, he muttered, "Has the Wei army from Fengyang arrived so quickly?"
It should have taken the Liang army at least five days to capture Fengyang. The Wei forces outside the city, after reaping their benefits, should only have arrived in time to collect the bodies of the Wei father and son.
As this doubt crossed his mind, he saw another wave of reinforcements surging into the valley from the opposite riverbank, carrying the Azure Dragon Crimson Cloud Banner of the Liang's Wen family.
Pei Yuan beside him looked as if he'd seen a ghost: "Have the Liang and Wei camps formed another alliance?"
Pei Song seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up toward the opposite cliff.
The cold wind howled, snow falling like scattered salt.
On the ice-covered cliff face hundreds of feet high, an armored carriage stood at the end of the mountain path.
A young woman clad in a white fox fur cloak stood at the cliff's edge like a lone bamboo in the snow, with over ten green-clad guards behind her.
The distance was too great to make out her features clearly, but Pei Song knew she was looking directly at him.
The biting northern wind sweeping across from the opposite cliff seemed to carry a restrained yet overwhelming killing intent, cold and sharp.
For some reason, Pei Song suddenly remembered the moonlit night after Xiao Huiniang's death, when Xiao Li had come alone to intercept and kill him.
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