“Order Han Donghu and Su Lie not to be too hasty!”

Han Qian stood before Eagle Beak Cliff, watching the changes in the battle situation ahead.

Such a thoroughly satisfying great victory caused Han Donghu and Su Lie to cast Han Qian’s pre-battle warnings behind them, personally leading several hundred elite armored soldiers charging forward from the eastern and western flanks.

With floodwater inundating the river valley north of Wujin Ridge and rugged terrain along the mountain slopes, armored soldiers couldn’t form battle formations. Han Donghu and Su Lie therefore took the lead, fiercely charging and fighting forward.

The routed troops along the way offered little resistance, but approaching Meitang Mountain, three to four hundred enemy soldiers formed an extremely stubborn defensive line before a dense forest. Han Donghu and Su Lie led their units charging twice, only to be repelled both times.

Han Qian worried that Han Donghu and Su Lie’s eagerness for victory would lead to unnecessary casualties—that would be too regrettable. He rarely directly issued orders interfering with forward camp command.

The advantage of the bronze telescope was not only that it allowed Han Qian to clearly grasp the battle’s dynamics, but that Han Donghu, Su Lie, and other military commanders leading units in the forward positions, even four or five li away, could also clearly see flag signal commands from this side without error.

This made transmission of military orders between upper and lower ranks and tactical adjustments extremely swift and effective.

Traditional methods of drumming to advance and gong-ringing to retreat were extremely difficult to adapt to complex battlefields and placed very high demands on junior officers—but Tangyi troops held even greater advantages in this regard.

Seeing Han Donghu and Su Lie slow their pace at the front, stabilizing their positions while waiting for support from the rear, Han Qian handed the bronze telescope to the impatient Yuan Guowei.

Han Daochang also wanted to snatch the bronze telescope, but considering the limited knowledge in his belly, even if the bronze telescope could clearly magnify the battle situation tenfold before his eyes, he might not be able to discern subtle changes. He felt it was better not to add confusion at this time.

Yuan Guowei had long known that Xu Prefecture could manufacture such bronze telescopes that made distant objects appear as if before one’s eyes, but quantities were quite limited. Currently, besides being issued to commanders at the Regional Commander level, the Military Intelligence Staff Office had some for use in reconnaissance of enemy conditions and terrain. No one else in the world had successfully replicated them. He hadn’t had the nerve to ask Han Qian for one.

But at this moment, with cloudless skies and clear weather for ten thousand li, using the bronze telescope to survey the battlefield, he thoroughly indulged himself.

“The blockage at Meitang Mountain pass has been washed downstream by water. Tian Cheng is ordering Zhao Wuji and He Liufeng to take light boats into battle—that bastard Xu Mingzhen is still on Meitang Mountain peak and hasn’t fled. If we capture Xu Mingzhen, we’ll have struck it rich!” Feng Yi, without a bronze telescope, could still barely make out the scene of the Meitang Mountain pass blockage being broken through. He shouted excitedly, wishing he could rush to the forward positions to replace Tian Cheng and Feng Xuan as battlefield commander, enjoying the feeling of commanding tens of thousands of troops.

Of course there were no proper warships in the mountains, but the main and tributary water systems upstream of South Fei River in the mountains were fairly developed, with quite a few mountain lakes occupying several dozen to several hundred mu. Some mountain villagers made their living by fishing and hunting. Before the battle, they had also requisitioned quite a few fishing boats, converting them into small oared warships to serve a crucial role at the critical moment.

Previously, blockage had formed at Meitang Mountain pass with water force accumulating below. Not knowing when the water force might undergo major changes, and with shuttle-shaped oared boats less than three zhang long having poor stability and unable to withstand large wave impacts, eight hundred elite combat soldiers and four hundred oarsmen had been on standby at the rear.

After the blockage at Meitang Mountain pass was broken through and water force from Meitang Mountain to Wujin Ridge stabilized, Tian Cheng had Zhao Wuji and He Liufeng lead their units in light boats to thrust straight forward, so they could use siege equipment and crossbows from the water to provide covering fire at the enemy’s rear, further disrupting enemy forces and expanding their gains.

This was the advantage formed after floodwater destroyed the enemy camp. Though enemy soldiers still appeared as a dense black mass, their command system had completely fallen into chaos. Any small elite Tangyi force thrown into the forward positions could create extreme confusion and casualties for the enemy army.

“Xu Mingzhen, seeing the overall situation lost, has finally fled…” Yuan Guowei returned the bronze telescope to Han Qian and said.

Han Qian pulled over the bronze telescope. From Meitang Mountain’s peak, Xu Mingzhen and the others could no longer be seen. The Shouzhou army on Meitang Mountain’s southern slope, leaderless as a group of dragons without a head, had now completely fallen into chaos.

Zhao Wuji and He Liufeng immediately adjusted their plans accordingly. Rather than stopping at Meitang Mountain’s southern slope, they led elite light boats directly through Meitang Mountain pass, apparently intending to circle to Meitang Mountain’s north side to establish positions intercepting routed troops.

No matter how calm Han Qian was, at this moment he couldn’t help excitedly gripping Wang Jun’s hand.

The Shouzhou army’s main camp had twenty to thirty thousand troops, currently piled in chaos on Meitang Mountain’s northern and southern slopes. If Zhao Wuji and He Liufeng could successfully establish intercepting positions on Meitang Mountain’s north side, it would mean the harvest from this battle would far exceed expectations.

The raiding forces had held out at Shenjia Stockade for so long, enduring extreme casualties before holding this line. Simultaneously limited by troop strength, their sustained combat capability in pursuing the defeated and fleeing was greatly weakened.

No matter how bold Han Qian was, at this time he didn’t dare extravagantly hope to use merely three to four thousand armored soldiers with severely depleted stamina to ride their victory and urgently attack Anfeng Stockade where enemy forces were already on guard.

This also meant that the key to determining how much gain the great Wujin Ridge victory could harvest was how many enemy troops at Meitang Mountain could be intercepted at this time. This would also directly determine the degree to which this battle would weaken the Shouzhou army.

After Zhao Wuji sent back confirmation that they had secured footing on Meitang Mountain’s north side and enemy forces were powerless to organize proper breakouts or counterattacks, Tian Cheng ordered small elite units on standby to depart in batches from both flanks of Wujin Ridge, pursuing routed enemies fleeing to hills and dense forests, further expanding their gains.

At this time, enemy forward camp soldiers and laborers who had been driven into the water were herded before the palisade walls. Defenders opened gaps to let them climb over and concentrated them in designated camp areas behind the palisade walls for supervision.

Inside the palisade walls and the reserve units on standby below Eagle Beak Cliff, over two thousand soldiers waved their arms in wild celebration toward Eagle Beak Cliff, raising earth-shaking shouts.

“Finally can sleep soundly for a few days,” Han Qian said, holding Wang Jun’s hand while striving to display an air of breezy nonchalance. “Leave everything that follows to Tian Cheng, Feng Xuan, and the others to handle. Standing here for half a day, my legs are also tired.”

Watching Han Qian and Wang Jun depart side by side, Feng Yi felt that as a qualified attendant, he ought to follow Han Qian. But he also felt that even just standing on Eagle Beak Cliff watching Tangyi troops pursue the defeated and fleeing was extremely satisfying. He hesitated for a moment. Then seeing Han Daochang and Yuan Guowei hadn’t moved, he slapped his forehead, thinking—Han Qian was embracing Wang Jun to sleep soundly, what was he joining in for?

He immediately snatched the bronze telescope from Yuan Guowei’s hands, saying, “I’ve recently started learning to deduce battle situation changes. At moments like this, I must study well.”

“What are you learning at this time? Kong Xirong can already handle things independently. Only now getting serious, can you catch up?” Yuan Guowei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But at his advanced age, he was too embarrassed to fight with Feng Yi over a plaything like the bronze telescope.

……

……

Fleeing in disarray back to Anfeng Stockade, Wen Ruilin turned his head to see routed troops hurriedly entering the stockade beside him. Unable to cry, he had never imagined they could be defeated so miserably.

In this battle, Shouzhou had assembled front and back over forty thousand elite soldiers and over twenty thousand able-bodied laborers. Even before the rout, they still had thirty thousand elite soldiers and twenty thousand able-bodied laborers assembled south of Meitang Mountain—yet they lost like this?

Could it be that Han Qian was truly invincible?

More critically, they still didn’t know how all this had happened to this day.

Throughout autumn and winter there hadn’t been several proper rainfalls. They had also constantly monitored changes in water flow beneath the river channel’s ice layer. How had Han Qian managed overnight to accumulate enough floodwater to submerge the river valley from Nantang Mountain to Wujin Ridge?

Could Han Qian really possess supernatural powers of transformation?

Xu Mingzhen’s face was bloodless. His hand gripped the battlement wall edge, bulging veins seeming ready to crush the brick and stone between his fingers and palm.

Xu Jin and several subordinate commanders directed their pitifully few escorts and supply troops before the stockade, arranging row after row of barricades, chevaux de frise, and other obstacles on the riverbed before the south stockade gate.

To rally routed troops, they couldn’t close the stockade gates like frightened birds right now. But they also had to guard against Tangyi troops pursuing close on their heels.

Inside Anfeng Stockade, besides some supply troops responsible for transporting combat supplies, most were wounded and sick soldiers withdrawn from the battlefield in earlier stages. Therefore, although there were eight to nine thousand soldiers inside Yongfeng Stockade, they had little combat capability.

Moreover, because north from Meitang Mountain, the South Fei River was covered by ice layers that hadn’t yet melted, after upstream floodwater carrying large numbers of corpses, debris, and floating ice surged down and burst through and piled up river ice, more and more accumulated. Soon another major ice jam formed four li north of Meitang Mountain, causing turbid floodwater, after being blocked, to accumulate high, overflowing the hastily repaired post road on the east side, then continuing along the terrain to flood the river valley below.

Xu Mingzhen and the others had seized the opportunity to flee on horseback through water. Although they assembled two to three thousand troops en route, with roads destroyed by floodwater and new ice jams ready to collapse at any moment, they could only watch helplessly as Tangyi troops used merely six to seven hundred armored soldiers to thrust to Meitang Mountain’s north side, intercepting all their thirty to forty thousand troops to the south.

“The mountains and ridges north of Wujin Ridge are relatively gentle, lacking towering險 cliffs and deep ravines difficult even for apes and birds to cross that could divide the terrain. Even if Tangyi troops struck decisively, it’s absolutely impossible they could intercept all troops at Meitang Mountain. Most soldiers under Duke Huo are elite troops who should break through at any cost through mountain ridges and dense forests on both flanks…” Wen Ruilin consoled Xu Mingzhen.

“Let’s hope so?” Xu Mingzhen said in a hoarse voice. At this moment he seemed to have aged several decades. His pupils lacked their former commanding presence, filled only with regret and extreme painful entanglement.

Perhaps verifying Wen Ruilin’s prediction, after dark, routed soldiers gathering toward Anfeng Stockade began increasing again—this battle at least wasn’t so miserable as total annihilation.

“Send fast horses to inform Xu Sizhao and Zhao Mingting. Upon receiving military orders, there must not be the slightest delay. They must immediately withdraw troops from Chao Lake’s western shore north of Dragon Pool River to guard against changes!”

Xu Mingzhen summoned several escorts before him, handing them several sealed command letters, ordering them to immediately take fast horses to Chao Prefecture to transmit orders. Next, he signed another command letter for a messenger to immediately rush to Chu Prefecture, ordering Wen Bo to abandon Chu Prefecture and other cities and stockades upon receiving military orders and withdraw troops to Mopan Valley between the Wujian Mountain ranges to await orders.

Wen Ruilin knew Xu Mingzhen had lost confidence in retaking Wujin Ridge and driving Han Qian out of Huaiyang Mountain.

On one hand, to ensure troops stationed on Chao Lake’s western shore wouldn’t suffer pincer attacks from Tangyi troops and the Left Vermillion Bird Army, they had to withdraw north of Dragon Pool River at the first opportunity.

Otherwise, after Dragon Pool River’s ice layer melted and Tangyi navy warships forcibly entered Dragon Pool River, while Han Qian again led Tangyi elite troops out from Huaiyang Mountain’s eastern slope, what basis did they have to believe troops stationed west of Chao Lake and south of Dragon Pool River could break through?

Could they at this time still have the capability to launch another large-scale battle with Tangyi troops on both banks of Dragon Pool River?

On the other hand, after they withdrew some troops north of Dragon Pool River, the passage between Tangyi and Huaiyang Mountain would be completely opened. They had to guard against Han Qian transferring more Tangyi elite troops to Wujin Ridge via Dragon Pool River and Huaiyang Mountain’s heartland—while their such disastrous defeat would also prompt large and small stockade forces in Huaiyang Mountain to accept Tangyi troop integration with even less struggle, causing Tangyi military power to increase.

Especially with the Left Wuwei Army also breaking out through the gap between Tongbai Mountain and Huaiyang Mountain, to preserve the fundamental territories of Huo, Shou, and Hao three prefectures, they had to assemble more elite troops in the region north of Huaiyang Mountain.

At this time they could only resolutely abandon Chu Prefecture city.

Honestly speaking, Xu Mingzhen had still hesitated. If they had abandoned Chu Prefecture city at the first opportunity and ordered Wen Bo to lead his troops at any cost attacking Huaiyang Mountain’s eastern slope along Dragon Pool River valley, they might not have today’s defeat.

But Wen Ruilin couldn’t blame Xu Mingzhen for hesitating. Surrounding three sides while leaving one open was originally orthodox military strategy. Moreover, until yesterday he too had firmly believed they had complete confidence in driving Tangyi troops out of Huaiyang Mountain…

……

……

“Xu Mingzhen, worrying his troops on Chao Lake’s western shore will have their retreat cut off by our army, will certainly order them to withdraw north of Dragon Pool River at the first opportunity. Order Kong Xirong to lead his troops out of Huaiyang Mountain, occupy Caizi Ridge to observe the enemy’s Quedian Stockade, but must not rashly advance and entangle with the enemy. Additionally have Lin Jingzong lead navy warships to observe Dragon Pool River, preparing to enter Dragon Pool River at the first opportunity after enemy troops withdraw north. The Military Intelligence Staff Office should send out scouts and reconnaissance cavalry to seal off passages on Huaiyang Mountain’s eastern foothills as much as possible…”

Han Qian had said he wanted to sleep soundly for several days, but in reality how could he relax?

The South Fei River valley north of Meitang Mountain had been flooded, with roads in complete chaos. In the short term they needn’t worry the Shouzhou army could counterattack, but they also found it difficult to deploy troops against Anfeng Stockade to the north.

Currently, besides stabilizing defenses along the Meitang Mountain-Wujin Ridge line and intercepting and detaining as many routed troops as possible, there was also inferring the Shouzhou army’s possible subsequent responses based on the degree of the great Wujin Ridge victory’s impact on them, thereby adjusting Tangyi troop deployment strategy on both shores of Chao Lake.

If Great Chu were an indivisible unity without so many internal contradictions, Han Qian at this time would certainly unhesitatingly transfer all navy and infantry elite forces he could muster to cut off the retreat route north for Shouzhou troops stationed on Chao Lake’s western shore from both ends of Dragon Pool River mouth and upstream valley at lightning speed.

Then, at any cost of casualties, together with the Left Vermillion Bird Army and Shu Prefecture forces, attack from north and south in a pincer movement, devouring this enemy force of approximately twenty thousand on Chao Lake’s western shore.

Only by accomplishing this step could they be said to have won thoroughly and satisfyingly, with even more devastating impact on the Shouzhou army, thereby completely reversing the confrontation situation between enemy and ally in Huaixi, improving Great Chu’s passive beaten position in the Jianghuai region since the Jinling Incident.

However, some people not dragging their feet previously was merely because they hadn’t realized the situation would suddenly reverse, wasn’t it? Merely because he hadn’t given them the opportunity to drag their feet, wasn’t it?

Han Qian didn’t believe that after news of the great Wujin Ridge victory reached Jinling, if Tangyi troops then assembled limited elite forces to cut off the retreat route for enemy troops west of Chao Lake along both banks of Dragon Pool River, there wouldn’t be complications.

Sometimes risk-taking also needed to stop at the appropriate point.

What was needed now was to stabilize and digest the fruits of victory, avoiding having them picked away by others.

Night had deepened. Pursuing troops still hadn’t returned. Thousands of captured troops were herded to the open ground between Eagle Beak Cliff and the north palisade wall urgently awaiting organization. Tian Cheng, Feng Xuan, Zhao Wuji, Tan Xiuqun, Guo Que, Dou Rong and other commanders still couldn’t relax and rest until deep night. At this time they sat on both sides, listening to Han Qian arrange subsequent matters. Hearing Han Qian’s last statement, they all involuntarily looked toward Yuan Guowei seated on Han Qian’s lower left side.

Han Qian having the Military Intelligence Staff Office seal off passages on Huaiyang Mountain’s eastern foothills wasn’t to prevent the Shouzhou army from transmitting messages.

East of Huaiyang Mountain was currently the heartland still under absolute Shouzhou army control. How could they possibly prevent Shouzhou army scouts and messengers from traveling east of Huaiyang Mountain?

Han Qian saying this actually meant delaying as much as possible the time for Shu Prefecture and Jinling to learn of the great Wujin Ridge victory, especially delaying news reaching Lujiang City as much as possible.

Only this way could they, ahead of the Left Vermillion Bird Army, seize control of both banks of Dragon Pool River at the first opportunity while enemy troops west of Chao Lake withdrew north.

This would also directly determine whether post-war control rights over both banks of Dragon Pool River fell into Tangyi troops’ hands or the Left Vermillion Bird Army’s hands.

If the Left Vermillion Bird Army deployed first, or deployed simultaneously, entering the Dragon Pool River bank region, they could demand to take over the Dragon Pool River bank region after the war to ensure continuity between Tangyi and Huaiyang Mountain, but would necessarily also need to pay considerable cost to possibly persuade Lu Qingxia’s side to yield this region.

Now, by sealing off passages on Huaiyang Mountain’s eastern foothills, they limited as much as possible scouts lurking around the Privy Council or Huaixi Forbidden Army from transmitting messages.

Li Zhigao himself wasn’t in Shu Prefecture, having already gone to Sui Prefecture to supervise the war, leaving Shu Prefecture Administrator, Military Commander, and Left Vermillion Bird Army Vice Commander Deng Tai to guard Lujiang defensive line.

Deng Tai governed troops steadily and possessed exceptional martial courage, but lacked quick wit. Most likely he couldn’t immediately detect anything from unusual movements by enemy troops west of Chao Lake at the first opportunity.

The biggest problem lay with Yuan Guowei.

Yuan Guowei had come on imperial orders to comfort the troops. If he now sent people to report news, should they intercept or not?

Yuan Guowei laughed heartily, seemingly not understanding why everyone was looking at him at this time. He touched his face, turning his head to ask Han Daochang: “Did I get something on my face? Why is everyone looking at me?”

Han Daochang smiled awkwardly. Fortunately Han Qian quickly diverted the topic to other matters.

……

……

Over the following two days, pursuing units’ troops successively contracted to the forward camp newly established at Meitang Mountain. Han Qian had Zhao Wuji lead a unit of troops from Huaiyang Mountain’s heartland rushing to Dragon Pool River’s upstream valley to meet with Kong Xirong, preparing to move down Dragon Pool River ahead of the Huaixi Forbidden Army after enemy forces withdrew to take over defensive stockades and garrison stockades on both banks.

At this time, preliminary results of the great Wujin Ridge victory were also tallied. This battle altogether intercepted and captured twenty-five thousand Shouzhou army soldiers and laborers.

Additionally, the great Wujin Ridge victory killed over six thousand enemy troops.

Of course, over half of these enemy soldiers were swept into floodwater and drowned, or after soaking in ice water, froze to death en route during flight.

Laborers had much weaker will to resist or flee. Most people hadn’t even thought of escaping. Of the over twenty-five thousand prisoners, two-thirds were able-bodied men forcibly conscripted from near Gao City by Xu Mingzhen to serve as camp laborers. But they also captured eight thousand Shouzhou army elite combat soldiers.

Of course, counting from Tangyi troops’ northward thrust from Fucha Mountain in early December, including the great Anfeng Stockade victory, the tug-of-war lasting over a month at Shenjia Stockade, and the most brilliant and dazzling great Wujin Ridge victory, the entire campaign had lasted three months front to back. Tangyi troops had altogether captured, killed, or seriously wounded nearly thirty thousand Shouzhou army soldiers. This also included that portion of enemy soldiers who had suffered severe frostbite or frozen to death since the tug-of-war began.

Under Han Qian’s leadership, Tangyi troops, with so few elite forces penetrating deep into enemy heartland, achieved such brilliant results—even more dazzling than all battles he had previously participated in or directed.

However, although troop morale was usable, they were ultimately limited by available forces being too limited. Han Qian temporarily still lacked power to ride victory and launch offensives toward Anfeng Stockade, Gao City, and other places to expand their gains.

Of course, although after the battle Xu Mingzhen withdrew to Anfeng Stockade and successively rallied large numbers of routed troops, such devastating casualties, plus massive losses of supplies and military equipment, dealt such disastrous blows to Shouzhou army morale from top to bottom that Xu Mingzhen might not even dare have courage to defend Anfeng Stockade to the death, let alone assemble troops to attack Meitang Mountain or Wujin Ridge again.

The twenty thousand Shouzhou troops on Chao Lake’s western shore confronting the Left Vermillion Bird Army defending Lujiang defensive line also, as Han Qian predicted, all withdrew north across Dragon Pool River at maximum speed in mid-February.

Throughout the entire spring opening season there had been no precipitation, yet after the great Wujin Ridge victory, Huaiyang Mountain received several days of continuous gentle spring rain. Fortunately the rain wasn’t heavy and didn’t seriously affect troop movements.

At this time, streams and rivers across the Jianghuai region successively thawed.

Warships of the Left Tower Ship Army consistently cowered in South Fei River channels, not daring to enter Chao Lake.

Lin Jingzong led Tangyi navy warships driving straight into Dragon Pool River waterways. Kong Xirong also led his troops down along Dragon Pool River, ahead of Deng Tai reacting, first occupying defensive stockades along both banks of Dragon Pool River abandoned by the Shouzhou army, effortlessly opening the connection between Tangyi and Huaiyang Mountain.

Only at this time did Han Qian send someone to deliver the first victory dispatch to Jinling.

Considering that Liang Emperor Zhu Yu might mobilize elite troops from Liang Kingdom’s heartland to reinforce Shou Prefecture, throughout mid-to-late February, Han Qian still couldn’t rest. Working tirelessly, he fortified the Wujin Ridge line’s defenses and adjusted Tangyi troop force deployments along defensive lines extending over four hundred li from east to west.

After Wen Bo led his troops withdrawing from Chu Prefecture city, Han Qian only ordered Zhou Chu to lead a small elite force to garrison it, not even temporarily considering dividing troops to enter Shiliang County.

Tangyi was still constrained by troop strength, unable to suddenly forcefully seek maximum gains. They could even only watch helplessly as Huaidong army seized Shiliang County ahead of them.

Han Qian on one hand escorted over eight thousand Shouzhou army prisoners through Huaiyang Mountain’s heartland and Dragon Pool River back to Puyang, Shiquan, Tingshan and other fortified camps, incorporating them into supply battalions to supplement shortages in eastern line reserve forces. On the other hand, from captured able-bodied laborers he selected the strong, incorporating them on site into the army to supplement troop shortages along Wujin Ridge and Dragon Pool River.

After the great Wujin Ridge victory, those observing stockades and civilian stockades in Huaiyang Mountain almost all surrendered at the mere sight of the wind. Impoverished commoners and servants at the bottom enthusiastically enlisted with high spirits. This also greatly alleviated Tangyi troops’ shortage of forces defending Huaiyang Mountain.

However, new recruits’ organization and training, repair and replenishment of armor and siege equipment, and sorting through registered households in Huaiyang Mountain’s heartland all required time.

Additionally, Han Qian still needed to, before the rainy season truly arrived, build a real water-blocking weir dam at Meitang mouth…