This was a ballad popular in the capital, singing of this very Western Liang Iron Cavalry led by Beigong Chun.
Although the Dajin Emperor and high ministers had not given Beigong Chun the glory he deserved, the common people had given it to him.
After he first saved Luoyang, this ballad began spreading in the capital. When he saved Luoyang a second time, the ballad became a children’s song that the youngsters of the capital eagerly sang.
Thus when this ballad rang out, the people fleeing in chaos gradually quieted. They glanced back, and in that single glance, they saw two banners whipping in the wind, sweeping past them from behind toward that patch of yellow dust.
“The great horses of Liangzhou, unmatched throughout the land. The owl-banners of Liangzhou dispel bandits; the owl-banners flutter, striking fear into men!” One person passed it to another, and everyone began singing. As they sang, they followed the crowd running, their hearts no longer quite so fearful.
Just at this moment, Fu Tinghan led over fifty cavalry galloping forward. Someone in their midst raised a spear shaft with a blue garment tied to it.
Fu An moved forward from behind Fu Tinghan and rode along the official road with the one holding the spear shaft, calling out loudly: “The Yuzhou Zhao Family Army comes to aid! All people follow the banner and retreat from the battlefield in an orderly manner! The Yuzhou Zhao Family Army comes to aid, all…”
After making two passes back and forth, those who heard these words turned their heads to look. Fu An then led the one holding the spear shaft and headed south. The common people hesitated briefly, glanced at the two forces engaged in battle not far away, shuddered all over, but still followed the banner running…
Fu An was overjoyed and rode back quickly. “Young Master, it’s working!”
Fu Tinghan nodded and said to the remaining men, “Raise all your banners. Each banner should guide about two thousand people, following the routes I’ve planned for you!”
“Yes!”
Wu Yue was held in her father’s arms, bouncing up and down. She lay on her father’s shoulder and happened to see behind them a large number of people running in another direction, with many horses behind them.
She tugged at her father’s hair.
Wu Hou held his daughter in one arm while running with his head down, his other hand pulling his wife along. When his hair was tugged painfully, he shouted loudly, “Yueyue, don’t be afraid! Once we get past this stretch, it’ll be fine!”
His wife beside him had tears streaming down her face as she struggled to keep her legs moving. She had already been running for a long time, and when she stepped on something unknown, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. She immediately cried out and pushed at Wu Hou: “Don’t worry about me! You two run quickly, run!”
“Father, they’re running…”
Wu Hou looked up with reddened eyes toward the rear and saw that through the swirling dust, someone had cut across to block the Xiongnu soldiers charging toward them.
Meanwhile, the crowd that had been falling behind them was now streaming in another direction, with cavalry apparently leading the way in front.
Wu Hou stood frozen. Just as he paused, a force of several dozen cavalry caught up. One rider slowed down and called out loudly: “The Yuzhou Zhao Family Army comes to aid! All people follow the banner and retreat from the battlefield in an orderly manner!”
The other riders quickly surged past them toward the front, and soon similar voices could be heard. Among the crowd, people began singing the ballad: “The great horses of Liangzhou, unmatched throughout the land. The owl-banners of Liangzhou dispel bandits; the owl-banners flutter, striking fear into men!”
The clever common people instantly understood. “It’s Zhao Hanzhang of Yuzhou and Beigong Chun of Western Liang! The two generals have come to save us!”
Without hesitation, everyone turned their steps and followed the cavalry holding the blue-gray garment…
In the open wilderness, originally only the official road had an endless stream of people. Now they scattered in all directions, in groups of roughly two to three thousand, leaving the official road and spreading out like the roots of a great tree extending in various directions.
Zhao Hanzhang and Beigong Chun didn’t cluster together. Once they crossed the official road, they split their forces in two and plunged into the Xiongnu army.
Wang Zhang was fierce but cautious. He had actually been closer to these Jin civilians than Zhao Hanzhang’s forces, but because he saw the suddenly appearing army on the opposite side, he stopped to assess the situation.
This pause fortunately gave the Jin civilians more chance at survival and also gave him a path of retreat.
Seeing the Zhao Family Army banner bearing down, he gnashed his teeth. “It’s actually Zhao Hanzhang!”
Then seeing the Western Liang Army banner, his heart went cold and thoughts of retreat arose. “How is Beigong Chun here? Isn’t he in Chang’an?”
Unfortunately, no one could answer this question, nor was there time. His deputy shouted, “General, they’re attacking!”
Wang Zhang gritted his teeth and finally gave the order: “Engage the enemy!”
If they turned and fled, not only would he be unable to answer to His Majesty, they might also be caught by Beigong Chun, and then they’d have no morale to fight at all.
But Beigong Chun’s reputation was too formidable. Although Wang Zhang gave the order, the Xiongnu troops remained apprehensive. When stirred by the battle cries of Zhao Hanzhang and Beigong Chun, their hearts grew even more panicked.
Beigong Chun charged in from the southeast while Zhao Hanzhang came from the southwest. Both forces pierced through like sharp blades. After just crossing swords with Beigong Chun once, Wang Zhang regretted his decision. He could only withstand one wave, then immediately ordered after Zhao Hanzhang and Beigong Chun had charged through: “Retreat!”
Zhao Hanzhang immediately called out, “Follow me!”
She didn’t re-enter the formation for another charge, but instead led her forces in a swift gallop past Wang Zhang’s army, directly cutting off their rear path, forming an encirclement with Beigong Chun at the front and her at the back.
Wang Zhang wanted to spit blood, knowing he could no longer retreat.
His personal guards surrounded him tightly, shouting: “General, we’ll protect you as you break through!”
This wasn’t the first time Zhao Hanzhang and Beigong Chun had cooperated, but it was the first time the Zhao Family Army and Western Liang Army had worked together so intimately. With coordinated commanders at the top, the soldiers below also worked in harmony, one at the front and one at the back leaving behind most of the Xiongnu troops, while some managed to break through the encirclement and escape.
Beigong Chun raised his fist to stop the soldiers who wanted to pursue. “Our goal is to rescue people. Don’t pursue a desperate enemy!”
Zhao Hanzhang also reined in her horse.
Beigong Chun turned to look at her and asked, “General, Wang Zhang has fled. Should we chase him?”
“No need to chase,” Zhao Hanzhang turned her horse’s head. “Let’s go to the front.”
Many common people had left the official road, dispersing into the wilderness and clearing the way. Zhao Hanzhang and her forces galloped forward swiftly.
Fu Tinghan’s group also encountered resistance. Those trailing at the rear were all ordinary common people, and Fu Tinghan only needed to call out once for them to follow.
But in the middle section, soldiers and civilians were mixed together, with soldiers even slightly outnumbering ordinary people. They only listened to their superior officers’ commands and paid no heed to Fu Tinghan’s orders to move the troops.
Meanwhile, at the front, Shi Lei had already engaged the Jin army. Things were chaotic there. At this very moment, a Xiongnu force came charging toward them.
Fu Tinghan took one glance and said, “They want to break through and scatter you all. Why aren’t you moving south quickly? With so many of you crowded together, if they unleash a volley of arrows, no one will be able to dodge.”
Yet no one listened to Fu Tinghan. However, some common people pushed their way out of the crowd, dragging their baggage to follow him.
Fu Tinghan had no choice. Unable to persuade them, he led those willing to follow him away. Just after running a short distance, the Xiongnu army had already charged over and, as predicted, began shooting arrows. Packed tightly together, the Jin soldiers immediately suffered massive casualties.
The sound of hoofbeats arose. Fu Tinghan looked toward the sound and saw Zhao Hanzhang and Beigong Chun leading troops in attack. Overjoyed, he immediately reached out to point them in the right direction.
Zhao Hanzhang swept past him, only managing to leave behind one sentence: “Stay far away…”
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