Cao Ba dared to fight hard battles and enjoyed fighting them. He also often personally led charges at the forefront. However, this did not mean he was simply a reckless brute.

Besides his eldest legitimate son Wang Mao, Wang Yuankui had many capable brothers, sons, and nephews skilled in warfare.

Among Wang clan descendants, Wang Lie, Wang Gai, Wang Zhong, Wang He, Wang Da, and Wang Ye were all famous brave generals in Heshuo.

Wang Yuankui relied on clan brothers, sons, and nephews to firmly control the Chengde Army’s military authority for over twenty years without it changing hands.

Having held military authority for so many years with good internal stability, the benefits of military power, like an addiction impossible to quit, had long been deeply rooted in their very marrow.

With negotiations failing, Wang Yuankui, his son Wang Mao, and other Wang clan descendants had their remaining courage stirred in their hearts. They fought desperately to intercept the Liang army from crossing the Wei River and Mo River from the southern shore and western bank, determined to preserve the forty to fifty thousand troops they would rather die than relinquish.

In the afternoon, Cao Ba personally led a cavalry contingent in rushing across the shallow beach to test the enemy’s interception strength on the eastern bank. On the eastern river beach, he encountered joint interception by the brothers Wang Gai and Wang He.

Escort cavalry from both sides clashed in fierce combat. Cao Ba was the bravest among the three armies. With a horse lance in hand, he had encountered only three to five worthy opponents in the army. Seeing the brothers Wang Gai and Wang He attacking together, he paid no heed, yet nearly perished there.

In terms of pure martial prowess, both brothers Wang Gai and Wang He had cultivated their sinews and bones to the point where their strength surged like a mountain avalanche. Cao Ba was only slightly stronger than them. Fighting two opponents while underestimating them, he was fortunate to escape alive rather than being wrapped in horse hide on the eastern bank of Mo River—this was thanks to his thick armor and his subordinate generals and escort cavalry fighting desperately to protect him.

The Wang clan generals and the entire Chengde Army were now fierce homeless dogs and cornered beasts still fighting. Not only did the cavalry forces exceed theirs, not only were there small numbers of naval warships in Mo River attacking the hastily constructed floating rafts, but hearing in the afternoon that three thousand Pingxia Qiang cavalry would move south before noon tomorrow, Cao Ba couldn’t help becoming anxious.

Even if Feng Xuan hadn’t come, Cao Ba would have sent someone to find Feng Xuan to discuss countermeasures. He didn’t expect Feng Xuan to arrive first, and to say that the Pingxia Qiang cavalry might not be able to exit the Jing River valley.

Cao Ba was slightly stunned. Completely disregarding the danger he had encountered in the afternoon, he asked in surprise: “What? The Pingxia people don’t dare come out to fight?”

Pondering the thoughts of enemy commanders was not Cao Ba’s strength.

What Li Yuanshou’s son Li Siqi was thinking as he led three thousand Pingxia Qiang cavalry in and out of the Jing River valley between Qing and Yuan, Cao Ba was really too lazy to ponder.

He was also more willing to be a charging general. He wouldn’t take positions like Army Commander or Commander-in-Chief.

“It’s not that the Pingxia people don’t dare come out—Supervisor Jing sent a messenger to cross the river this morning to report that three days ago, Han Bao confirmed there’s a wild path in the plateau valleys north of Tongguan County that can cross the northern ridge of Jiuji Mountain to enter Yongshou County territory. Han Bao has already personally led two thousand lightly armored elite troops rushing toward Yongshou territory,” Feng Xuan said. “Looking at the enemy’s movements, they apparently haven’t noticed this yet.”

“Wang Mao hasn’t reinforced Heiniu Beach with troops, clearly hoping the Pingxia people can arrive in time from Chiyang to reinforce Heiniu Beach, not fearing our assault from Heiniu Beach. But if that brat Han Bao can block the Pingxia people in Yongshou territory, Heiniu Beach will be our best breakthrough point! But can that brat Han Bao make it in time to block the Pingxia cavalry?” Besides his excitement, Cao Ba couldn’t help asking worriedly, “From Tongguan County, taking the small plateau valley path over Jiuji Mountain to Yongshou County—how many li is that?”

Yongshou County, which controlled the southern section of the Jing River valley, and the northern Chiyang County region were the main passes through which the forty to fifty thousand Chengde Army troops would escape to Qingyuan. Having some infantry directly insert into Yongshou County from the northern Wei mountains—the significance went without saying.

However, departing from Tongguan County territory to the Jing River valley in Yongshou County territory seemed to be only a hundred li direct distance. But if crossing the northern ridge of Jiuji Mountain via rarely traveled wild mountain paths, the distance would absolutely exceed one hundred li.

Hence Cao Ba’s question, worrying that Han Bao leading surprise troops would have no way to arrive on schedule at the Jing River valley south of Yongtai and north of Chiyang to intercept the Pingxia Qiang cavalry moving south.

“Initial survey puts it at about three hundred li,” Feng Xuan said.

“…How could he possibly make it in time to intercept the Pingxia cavalry?” Cao Ba gasped and said.

Two thousand elite infantry walking level post roads could possibly cover three hundred li in three days. But crossing mountains and valleys for three hundred li—Cao Ba suspected that even if he personally made this trip, he would cough up blood from exhaustion.

Of course, Feng Xuan also could not be certain Han Bao would definitely arrive in time at the southern section of the Jing River valley to block the Pingxia people. Making decisions, he had to leave some margin, saying:

“Perhaps we can’t block the Pingxia cavalry at Yongshou in time to prevent them moving south. Li Siqi may even successfully enter the eastern bank of Heiniu Beach by noon tomorrow to strengthen their interception there. But as long as Han Bao can lead forces into the Jing River valley tomorrow or the day after, the shock to the enemy army definitely won’t be small…”

Even without considering Han Bao leading surprise troops to assault the Jing River valley, seeing the enemy’s interception at the eastern bank of Mo River was so determined also prompted Feng Xuan to decide to choose the upstream Heiniu Beach as the breakthrough point.

In this case, even if the river crossing battle would be quite intense and might likely stalemate for quite some time, as long as they could successfully break through Heiniu Beach, they could directly head east to cut off the Chengde Army’s northern escape route from the southern entrance of the Jing River valley.

If crossing the river from the downstream shallow beaches of Mo River, once time dragged on, even if they successfully established a foothold on the eastern bank, they might still be delayed by the Chengde Army’s rear guard forces, unable to intercept the fleeing enemy from the head.

Of course, even without expecting Han Bao to enter the Jing River valley tonight, Feng Xuan hoped Han Bao would enter the northern Chiyang region tomorrow evening or night.

In that case, even if Han Bao failed to intercept the Pingxia people moving south, the shock to the enemy army would certainly not be low.

This would still help them break through from Heiniu Beach by concentrating forces while enemy morale declined and will wavered.

“Good…” Cao Ba said with excitement. “I’ll leave about a thousand cavalry here as feint troops to contain the enemy forces on the opposite bank. Other cavalry will withdraw tonight to the woods on the west and transfer to Heiniu Beach. Tomorrow at dawn, I’ll rendezvous with the main forces of Lu Ze, Houmo, and Li Zhi to attack Heiniu Beach together! I don’t believe that after biting all damn day, we can’t bite the damn bird off!”

“You need to stay here as feint troops,” Feng Xuan said. “You’re too conspicuous on the battlefield, both in manner and appearance. Only with you at Sanghe Bay will Wang Mao not dare relax defenses here, possibly mistaking this as our main attack direction. I’ve already ordered all units to transfer their wounded and sick here. The logistics camp that arrived earlier will also rush here to rendezvous…”

Unable to transport ready-made heavy siege equipment over, and with the logistics camp advancing first also having no way to erect simple bridges over Mo River overnight under the enemy’s strong harassment, nor able to construct hundreds or thousands of floating rafts to overwhelm the enemy’s small navy to freely choose crossing points along Mo River’s banks—better to first concentrate at Sanghe Bay to further confuse enemy commanders’ judgment.

Of course, to truly draw the main enemy cavalry intercepting forces downstream, Cao Ba, such an iconic figure, could not leave.

“…” Cao Ba never imagined he would one day be used as feint troops. He groaned in pain: “Li Zhi is still a greenhorn. Lu Ze and Houmo are both useless cowardly birds. Without someone taking the lead to tear through enemy formations, how will you take Heiniu Beach?”

Cao Ba wasn’t foolish enough to direct his criticism at Feng Xuan, but he emphasized that he was currently Feng Xuan’s only brave general available to enter the front lines to lead soldiers in bloody fierce combat.

Feng Xuan said: “It’s not necessarily impossible that you’ll be the first to break through enemy interception here, but remember to conserve your soldiers’ strength…”

Cao Ba was indeed a brave and fierce general. In terms of the battles he had experienced, his enemy kill record was unmatched. However, as a sharp blade, while bravely killing enemies, Cao Ba’s insufficient protection of flanks also often led to his unit’s casualty rates being much higher than average.

Because Cao Ba had already attracted enemy attention, Feng Xuan found it inconvenient to transfer him to the main attack battlefield at Heiniu Beach to command troops in battle. But he also worried that leaving him at Sanghe Bay to attract the enemy’s main elite forces, when battle lust arose he would forget that most forces filling in here as feints were wounded, sick, and logistics auxiliary troops.

“Victory should be bravely pursued. Merely conserving soldiers’ strength without leading them to overcome enemies and achieve victory—what use is that? However, I won’t forget that Sanghe Bay here is full of feint troops,” Cao Ba said.

“Good that you know,” Feng Xuan said.

He next gathered Cao Ba and his subordinate staff officers and commanders to finalize the deployment of reinforcing troops strengthening Heiniu Beach and creating deceptive formations. Only then, surrounded by escort cavalry, did he circle around to the west of a dense forest and, beyond the enemy’s line of sight, hurry north…

“Up ahead is Black Wind Gully. In autumn and winter, strong winds often pass through the plateau gully, stirring up black dust that spreads like black wind—hence the name…”

In the dim morning light, Han Bao rested his war sword across his knees, sitting cross-legged on the mud ground, listening to scouts report on the path conditions ahead.

The Loess Plateau where they were located was barren without tall trees. In this early summer season, as rainfall became abundant, wild grass grew long through plateau ridges and valley gullies.

Although Han Bao had led forces to recover cities and fortifications in Tongzhou without having combat missions to enter the western bank of the Jing River to intercept the Chengde Army’s northern flight, upon discovering a wild path from Tongguan to Yongshou that could cross the northern ridge of Jiuji Mountain, Han Bao directly decided to organize the personal guard battalion and troops from recovering Tongguan into a raiding force to penetrate westward through the mountains.

Speed was paramount in warfare. Han Bao could not wait to obtain Jing Zhen’s approval before deploying troops.

That would delay at least one day. He only dispatched someone to rush to Baqiao main camp to report this decision while simultaneously deploying troops.

When departing from western Tongguan County, Han Bao was unclear that three thousand Pingxia Qiang cavalry had already arrived at northern Yongshou County from Qingzhou. His determination to take the wild path to insert into the Jing River valley between Yongshou and Chiyang had a simple objective—to coordinate with the westward-advancing cavalry to directly seal off the northern escape route on the enemy’s necessary path from their must-pass road.

This was an arduous and outstanding march.

Besides swords, spears, light shields, crossbows, and arrows, the two thousand soldiers advancing westward in groups removed all heavy armor and left it in Tongguan city.

Besides the southern edge’s transition zone with the Guanzhong Basin consisting primarily of limestone mountains, the northern Wei plateau—what later generations would call the northern Shaanxi plateau—mainly featured loess hill and plateau topography with flat tops and steep slopes.

Intermittent roads extended along plateau tops and ridges or through river valleys carved by streams.

Black Wind Gully ahead was actually a valley formed by streams over thousands of years or even longer continuously eroding and depositing sediment along the loess hills. Advancing westward along the babbling stream through this valley over twenty li long, one could see the turbid Jing River passing through an even wider river valley, flowing toward the southern Guanzhong Basin until joining the Wei River.

Although when departing from Tongguan County, Han Bao was still unclear about Li Siqi leading three thousand Pingxia Qiang cavalry south from Yuanzhou, scouts and reconnaissance riders had now confirmed that a cavalry contingent was passing south through the valley south of Yongshou County.

Very clearly, this could only be Qiang cavalry or Mongol cavalry reinforcing from Yuanzhou or even from the Hetao Plain further north.

Over three days, traversing nearly three hundred li through plateau ridges and valley gullies, the two thousand troops had long since stretched into a sparse line nearly a hundred li long. The forward troops arriving at Black Wind Gully with Han Bao numbered only about three hundred men. At this moment, they were all exhausted. Many had even worn through their combat boots—the forward troops were originally a fully organized combat battalion of five hundred men, plus Han Bao’s fifty-some brigade headquarters personal guards as brigade commander, staff officers, and other accompanying personnel. But currently nearly half had fallen behind, truly unable to keep up with such marching intensity.

Han Bao removed his boots and socks. Both feet were covered in blood. His firm will kept his expression unchanged as he studied military intelligence while having escort guards apply medicine and wrap his legs, then enduring the pain as he stuffed them back into cracked combat boots.

With over three hundred exhausted troops passing through Black Wind Gully, besides swords, bows, and crossbow arrows, none wearing armor, wanting to intercept enemy reinforcements of temporarily unknown numbers from the front was unrealistic.

At this moment, should he occupy Black Wind Gully to create deceptive formations to alarm the enemy forces, making them worry their rear route was cut off so they dared not continue south? Or should he take advantage of the enemy not yet detecting them, hide in the plateau valleys east of Black Wind Gully to rest and reorganize, wait for this enemy contingent to pass, then seal their retreat route from behind?

The forward three hundred-some troops seized time to rest and reorganize. Han Bao stared at the combat map, deep in thought.

Choosing the former might prematurely alarm the enemy.

If the enemy divided forces to enter Black Wind Gully, they might block his route into the Jing River valley, making it impossible to directly enter the Jing River valley to seal off the enemy’s retreat route.

Choosing the latter, if the main forces on the southern and western flanks could not kill into Chiyang in time, their small force—exhausted and without strong armor and heavy shields for defense—might not be able to block forty to fifty thousand enemy troops fighting desperately to enter the Jing River valley.

What a difficult decision with trade-offs on both sides!

“Brigade Commander, Deputy Commissioner Feng has sent someone!” At this moment, several scouts dispatched forward crossed over from the southern plateau ridge. Sliding straight down the steep slope into the gully, they brought back two dark, lean men dressed as mountain folk hunters.

Nearly four days traveling through the loess plateau ridges winding like a labyrinth, Han Bao had no way to maintain contact with Baqiao main camp. He also didn’t know the situation of the Chengde Army’s northern flight and the southern line and western flank units intercepting the enemy. This was also the root of his difficulty making decisions just now.

At this moment, seeing Feng Xuan had sent someone to make contact, Han Bao stood up excitedly. Disregarding the piercing pain as his blood-covered feet were stuffed into combat boots, he limped over, urgently asking: “Has Feng Xuan led all cavalry brigades to kill over from Fengxiang?”

“Wang Mao, Wang Da, Wang He, and other commanders are leading over ten thousand Chengde Army cavalry and infantry deployed along Mo River. They plan to cross from Heiniu Beach this morning to enter Chiyang County…”

The arrival was a mid-level staff officer from the Longyou Pacification Commissioner’s Office. Han Bao found the face familiar, but the person had crossed mountains and valleys day and night, covering over a hundred li of mountain roads while disguising himself to pass through enemy-occupied territory. His appearance was even more wretched than theirs.

After verifying identity with no time to clean up, he came directly to see Han Bao. In the dim morning light, his face naturally couldn’t be seen clearly.

Only after hearing the name announced did Han Bao learn the arrival was Tian Mao, second son of Right Interior Minister Staff Member Tian Cheng. Having enlisted several years ago, he had always served as escort military officer beside Han Qian. Han Bao had met him twice before.

Tian Mao had requested before the new year to follow Feng Xuan leading cavalry brigades into Longyou to participate in combat, then followed Feng Xuan and other commanders advancing eastward from Tianshui along the Wei River, killing into Guanzhong.

Knowing Han Bao was leading two thousand lightly armored infantry crossing the northern foothills plateau valleys of Jiuji Mountain westward, Feng Xuan worried that during these three or four days, Han Bao’s inability to maintain contact with the southern line would make it difficult to accurately assess the battle situation south of Chiyang. He dispatched large numbers of scouts to reconnoiter, crossing the hills upstream of Mo River. On one hand, this harassed the Pingxia Qiang tribes moving south from the western line. On the other hand, it also facilitated messengers passing through the Jing River valley currently still under enemy control to wait for Han Bao in the eastern plateau hills to make contact.

Tian Mao was unwilling to receive preferential treatment due to his status. Having no experience commanding troops in battle and not expecting to charge at the front lines, he voluntarily requested to come contact Han Bao’s surprise raiding force.

Seeing the three hundred-some troops who had arrived first at the eastern side of Black Wind Gully with Han Bao, every one of them in wretched condition, Tian Mao couldn’t bear to ask him to immediately lead these remnant troops out of Black Wind Gully to contain ten times their number of Pingxia elite forces.

“How many scouts and reconnaissance riders has Feng Xuan dispatched into the plateau hills on the western flank of the valley?” After hearing Tian Mao’s verbal account, Han Bao marked the current troop deployments of southern line and western flank units on the combat map and asked.

Feng Xuan clearly knew that even if they arrived at the eastern side of the Jing River valley in time, they would be in wretched condition. He hoped even more that they would first let Li Siqi’s Pingxia Qiang cavalry pass through, then kill into the Jing River valley from the rear flank at an appropriate time to shake enemy morale at Heiniu Beach and reduce the difficulty of their forcible breakthrough of the Heiniu Beach defense line.

However, arranging things this way, the battle at Heiniu Beach would be unimaginably intense.

After all, once the Heiniu Beach assault battle began, the Chengde Army would inevitably realize Feng Xuan’s breakthrough focus was there. Besides Li Siqi’s reinforcement contingent, the Chengde Army could transfer large numbers of reinforcements from Liquan and Chiyang.

Once the Chengde Army utilized heavy shields and long spears to form battle lines east of Heiniu Beach, merely using cavalry to assault across the beach—how many lives would it take before possibly routing the enemy?

“Currently west of the valley, we have over two hundred scout troops,” Tian Mao said.

“Over two hundred scout elite troops are enough!” Han Bao said. “The Pingxia people know that small contingents of troops in the western flank plateau hills can only be scout units. Numbers won’t be many. They only need to leave small defensive forces on the western flank. This can’t draw their forces. But if we kill out from Black Wind Gully, they will definitely contract forces to Black Wind Gully’s entrance and absolutely won’t dare easily move south! We can pin down these three thousand Pingxia Qiang cavalry!”

“This…” Tian Mao looked at the three hundred-some troops sprawled about. If not for the newly manufactured crossbows from the weapons bureau mainly using winches to cock, he would doubt how many of these people could still draw crossbows, let alone pick up swords and spears to face the fierce Pingxia people in battle formations in plateau valleys.

“The Pingxia people dragged until this moment before deciding to move south to reinforce the Chengde Army’s northern flight. Speaking plainly, they’re unwilling to assume much risk,” Han Bao gathered several staff officers and battalion commanders who had advanced with him to his side and said. “We don’t necessarily have to nail ourselves at the western entrance of Black Wind Gully to face them in battle formation. More importantly, we need to let the Pingxia people know that continuing south means bearing the risk of having their retreat route blocked. Li Yuanshou has great ambitions but the Pingxia tribe has sparse population—they can’t support such great ambitions. With over two hundred elite scouts coordinating on the western flank, as long as we confirm the Pingxia people stop moving south, we can completely fight while retreating in Black Wind Gully, waiting for troops behind us to arrive…”

The once muddle-headed slave youth had now become a high-level Great Liang commander tested by the fires of war.

Although three days and four nights of forced marching left Han Bao looking quite wretched, his tone revealed firm confidence.

He understood deeply that if they could now successfully pin the Pingxia people in the Jing River valley, this would mean the Chengde Army forces deployed to intercept on the eastern bank of Heiniu Beach would be only forty to fifty percent of the plan. The first wave assault offensive Feng Xuan organized on the western bank would very likely punch through that defense line, which was much thinner than anticipated, without using cavalry to batter enemy heavily armored infantry formations at the narrow Heiniu Beach.

Cavalry’s advantage lay in flanking maneuvers. Battering heavily armored infantry formations head-on was difficult to gain advantage.

“No need to send someone to report. Just light three bonfires at high points on the plateau. Seeing them, the western flank will concentrate scout troops to coordinate!” Tian Mao said with excitement.

The western flank’s mountain forces weren’t numerous, but the situation was much better than this side. The only problem was that Li Siqi knew they only had small numbers of scouts on the western flank climbing over mountains and couldn’t pin down the main Pingxia Qiang cavalry forces.

However, contingency plans had long been formulated for various tactics. Tian Mao only needed to rendezvous with Han Bao and use bonfires or wolf smoke to transmit simple signals.

Han Bao immediately divided the three hundred-some troops first arriving at Black Wind Gully into front and rear units. The hundred-some in slightly worse condition would remain in Black Wind Gully to rest and reorganize, ready to provide support if they needed to retreat. The other two hundred with slightly better physical condition would follow him to kill toward the Jing River valley to attract the Pingxia people’s attention.

To create a show of strength with strong troops and horses, Han Bao deliberately divided the two hundred-some men into three groups—one group walking the bottom of Black Wind Gully, two groups walking the plateau ridges on both flanks of Black Wind Gully…