Chapter 164

Chapter 164

On the twelfth of July, under the half-moon that was almost full,

In Tai Yuan, ninety thousand troops stood in solemn silence inside the southern city gate, their expressions resolute as they awaited orders from the General.

Meng Jingye, clad in armor, instructed his son Meng Xi and two other deputy generals: "You lead fifty thousand soldiers to set out. Carefully observe the enemy camp and confirm there are no mistakes before launching a surprise attack. If you encounter an ambush, send someone back immediately to inform me, and I will personally lead the remaining forty thousand troops to come to your aid."

The enemy was only seventy thousand militia, without any ambush. A surprise attack with fifty thousand troops would surely succeed. If there were any ambushes, he would immediately bring reinforcements. With a total of ninety thousand elite troops, they could still annihilate the seventy thousand militia.

One of the deputy generals said, "General, your strategy is flawless. You are so cautious even against an unknown old general."

Meng Jingye replied, "Better safe than sorry. This battle concerns the safety of the capital and tens of thousands of soldiers. I would rather overestimate the enemy."

Meng Xi said, "Father, rest assured. I will not act rashly."

Meng Jingye nodded. "Very well, set out."

The city gates quietly opened, and the generals rode horses with their hooves wrapped in cotton, leading the way, followed by fifty thousand neatly arranged infantry.

Even a twenty-mile march would take an hour. When the city gates closed, Meng Jingye signaled the five thousand cavalry and thirty-five thousand infantry left behind to rest on the spot. He then entered the camp with his grandson, Meng Jitang.

Meng Jitang, at twenty, was in the prime of his life. Since it was already midnight, he advised his grandfather, "Grandfather, please go back and rest. I will wait for news here. If anything happens, I can lead the troops to support Father just as well."

Meng Jingye shook his head. "According to reports from our scouts, Xiao Mu and Qi Heng's hundred thousand troops are all young and strong. Even if they are just militia, we cannot underestimate their fighting power. If there is an ambush, your father's side will definitely suffer some casualties first. By the time the reinforcements arrive, our forces might outnumber the enemy, or it could be a stalemate. If the enemy is strong enough, both sides will be locked in a protracted battle. But don't forget that Qi Heng has another thirty thousand troops in Qu City."

"In other words, there are three possible outcomes tonight. The first is that your father's fifty thousand troops successfully launch a surprise attack and defeat Xiao Mu's seventy thousand troops. At most, there will be some small groups of fleeing soldiers, and even if they join forces with Qi Heng, they will not escape the pursuit of our main army."

"The second possibility is that your father falls into an ambush, and I have to lead reinforcements to successfully crush Xiao Mu's army."

"But there is also the third and most unfavorable possibility for us, which is that even my reinforcements cannot defeat Xiao Mu, and both sides will suffer heavy losses. We will retreat back into the city, and Xiao Mu will wait for Qi Heng's thirty thousand troops. Both sides will continue to be in a siege and defense situation. They have supplies from Shizhou, while our supplies are dwindling, ultimately leading to our defeat."

Meng Jitang felt a chill run down his spine. "Just seventy thousand militia, can they really stand up to us?"

Meng Jingye said, "From Xiao Mu's previous actions, he understands human nature and is skilled at boosting morale. We must be cautious."

Meng Jitang asked, "If that's true, how should we respond?"

Meng Jingye replied, "That's why I must lead the reinforcements tonight. If I find it difficult to win, I will lead part of the troops to break through and head southeast to Yu County. The defeated troops will retreat back into the city, and you must prepare to receive them. After I leave, you will lead the remaining troops to continue defending the city. Tai Yuan has high walls and strong defenses, and with the help of the people, even with only five thousand defenders, we can hold out for several months."

Meng Jitang asked, "What are your plans after reaching Yu County, Grandfather?"

Meng Jingye stroked his beard and smiled. "Han Zongping is taking the Yáo County route, aiming to capture Fen Zhou. Once he reaches Fen Zhou, he can either attack the capital directly from the southeast or take Chang'an from the southwest. I will go through Yu County, Wu County, and Yuan County to reach Zhi Zhou on the east side of Fen Zhou, reorganize the local troops, and continue to block him."

Meng Jitang said excitedly, "Grandfather is wise. Although Han Zongping left a month earlier, he has to capture each city one by one. Due to the mountains, he has no time to pay attention to the area between Yu County and Zhi Zhou. Grandfather will have a smooth journey and arrive there first."

Meng Jingye looked outside the city. "I am determined to pursue Han Zongping. How many troops I can bring depends on whether your father's side succeeds."

—

Meng Xi's army quietly approached Xiao Mu's camp.

Under the bright moonlight, Meng Xi personally led a group to scout. Seeing the two rows of alert guards at the camp entrance and the patrolling soldiers inside, Meng Xi whispered to his subordinates, "It seems Xiao Mu is not lax in camp security despite the low morale of his troops."

"Even if they are not lax, except for these guards, the rest of the troops inside are likely asleep. It's perfect for our surprise attack."

Meng Xi nodded and made a gesture backward.

The archers crept forward and simultaneously fired arrows at the row of guards.

The arrows were too fast, and the guards fell before they could sound the alarm.

Meng Xi shouted, "Follow me!"

The cavalry led the charge, followed by fifty thousand infantry with spears, rushing into the camp and heading toward the nearest tents.

However, before they could get close, a row of archers suddenly emerged from the surrounding tents, unleashing a rain of arrows. After several rounds, the hidden infantry also rushed out, along with thousands of cavalry from both sides of the camp, cutting off the enemy's retreat.

Though surprised, Meng Xi remained calm, fending off the arrows while instructing the scouts, "There is indeed an ambush. Quickly inform the General!"

Several scouts rode away.

On the right flank, the generals who had been restrained for a month, like several wolf kings, led their respective packs into the enemy ranks.

Whether it was the seasoned veteran Xiao Shouyi or the young generals like Xiao Ye, Tong Gui, and the Qiao brothers, the enemy soldiers they encountered could only die. It wasn't until they faced off against Meng Xi and other generals that the tide changed.

The camp was situated at the foot of a low mountain. At this moment, Xiao Mu stood atop the mountain, accompanied by a girl in a dress.

Xiao Mu watched the night battle from above, his expression calm as if the life and death below were unrelated to him. When the reinforcements from Tai Yuan appeared, Xiao Mu ordered, "Light the fires!"

The soldiers behind him immediately lit their torches in the nearby bonfires and waved them down the mountain.

At the base of the mountain, Qi Yun, Sun Dian, Zhang Wengong, Pan Yong, and Jiang Tiankuo, who had been holding back, led another thirty thousand troops to rush out, blocking the path of the reinforcements. Sun Wei, who usually handled military supplies but also possessed considerable martial skills, and the three fierce generals secretly left behind by Qi Heng and his son, were also present.

A group of unnamed generals from the countryside, brave and fearless, stood up to the renowned General Meng Jingye's forty thousand reinforcements.

Meng Jingye, positioned at the rear of the reinforcements, did not personally engage. Watching the mingling soldiers and the fierce generals like Qi Yun and Sun Dian, who seemed to have emerged from nowhere and were no less formidable than his own renowned generals, his lips tightened.

"General Meng, I have been waiting for you!"

A thunderous voice echoed from the nearby hillside. Meng Jingye looked up and, under the bright moonlight, recognized the tall figure standing on the mountaintop, accompanied by a girl whose skirt fluttered in the evening breeze of July in Jin Province.

It was Xiao Mu and his ever-present archer, Sun's daughter-in-law.

Xiao Mu's triumphant shout still reverberated in the night air, the pride and satisfaction of a commoner outwitting a renowned general.

Meng Jingye sneered. This was undoubtedly a trap set by Han Zongping before he left. Does the old man from the Xiao family have the nerve to be arrogant?

His opponent, from beginning to end, was always Han Zongping.

"No need to linger, follow me and break through the encirclement!"

Meng Jingye raised his long saber and shouted fiercely.

Sun Dian laughed loudly, "Want to break through? You'll have to see if you have the skills for it!"

He was the first to charge at Meng Jingye.

Sun Dian was a fierce warrior, but he was still too inexperienced compared to an old general like Meng Jingye. After blocking for a while, he was forced to retreat. Fortunately, Qi Yun stepped in from the side and blocked Meng Jingye's saber.

After Qi Yun came Pan Yong, and after Pan Yong came Zhang Wengong. By the time Zhang Wengong was saved by Sun Wei, Meng Jingye had already led a group of men to charge forward.

"Run if you must, killing your subordinates is just as good!"

Tonight was both an ambush and a full-scale battle. Outnumbered, they all had to give their all!

At the military camp, Xiao Shouyi narrowly defeated Meng Xi and finally knocked him off his horse.

Xiao Ye saw the old general charging from behind and cut off Meng Xi's head, raising it to show Meng Jingye, "Hey, General Meng, right? This man just said he was your son, Meng Xi. Do you recognize him?"

Seeing this, Meng Jingye's eyes turned red with rage, and he charged with his saber.

Xiao Ye and Tong Gui joined forces to meet him, and the Qiao brothers also rushed over.

For a moment, Meng Jingye found it difficult to kill any of them. Looking at those young, fearless faces, Meng Jingye's heart sank, and he gritted his teeth, "Follow me and break through, don't linger!"

His son was dead, but he still had the empire to defend and Han Zongping to pursue!

No matter how united the Xiao brothers were, they couldn't stop a seasoned general like Meng Jingye and his formidable troops. They could only continue to fight the surrounding enemies.

On the mountain, Zhou Gui watched the battle, her whole body trembling.

People were dying all around, and she couldn't tell who was friend or foe. Her sister had said that during the defense of the city, she truly understood what it meant to be as insignificant as ants. Now, Zhou Gui understood it too.

Would ants fight each other so recklessly?

Zhou Gui didn't know, but she saw that humans would.

"General, can you estimate how many have escaped?" Zhou Gui asked, her voice trembling. She had tried to count, but she couldn't.

Xiao Mu: "About twenty thousand, I'd say."

Tears streamed down Zhou Gui's face, "So many, can my sister and the others hold them back?"

Xiao Mu did not answer, for he did not know the answer either.

---

July 13th, morning.

Seven Pans Ridge, one hundred miles southeast of Tai Yuan.

Tong Sui took out a small, dry pancake from her bag, placed it in a coarse porcelain bowl, and poured water from a water bag into it.

The pancake gradually softened, and she stirred it with chopsticks until it became a paste.

Tong Sui leaned against a tree trunk, took a bite of dried meat, and then drank some of the paste.

Xiao Yan and Xiao She returned from relieving themselves. Tong Sui heard Xiao She ask, "Third Brother, does your butt still hurt? I think mine still hurts a bit."

Xiao Yan: "I didn't hit you that hard, why do you still hurt? Maybe you got bitten by a bug. Take off your clothes, let me check."

Tong Sui: "..."

Soon, the two brothers came to Tong Sui. Seeing that their second sister-in-law had already soaked the pancakes for them, they picked up their bowls and started drinking.

Tong Sui asked casually, "Are your injuries healed?"

Xiao She quickly replied, "They're healed, they won't affect our fighting."

Xiao Yan, who had just put down his bowl: "..."

Tong Sui: "From now on, unless necessary, no talking. If you must speak, keep your voice low to ensure that no one ten steps away can hear you."

Xiao She opened his mouth, then made it smaller, leaning close to Tong Sui and asked, "Second Sister-in-law, do you think General Meng is coming?"

Tong Sui: "Whether he comes or not, we must prepare as if he is. Otherwise, how can it be called an ambush?"

Xiao She nodded.

Xiao Yan, unusually, did not ask questions.

He felt uneasy. According to the information the old man gave them before they left, the general only planned to use the right flank to lure and then defeat the enemy. As long as they killed most of Tai Yuan's elite troops, their mission would be considered complete. It wouldn't matter if they couldn't stop Meng Jingye.

The general trusted them, and Xiao Yan wanted to trust his troops, but what if, what if the seven thousand soldiers weren't a match for Meng Jingye's ten thousand even with the ambush? What if something happened to the old man and the others? What if Meng Jingye didn't need to break through or take this path after winning, wouldn't they have ambushed in vain?

"I want to go back," Xiao Yan looked at Tong Sui. If something really happened to the old man, he would fight General Meng to the death.

Tong Sui said coldly, "You swore to Grandfather that you would follow my military orders."

Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with anger, "Aren't you afraid that Grandfather might be in danger?"

Tong Sui: "I am afraid. I'm afraid for my second brother, my maternal grandfather, my uncle, my cousins, and for Second Uncle and Fourth Younger Brother. But orders are orders. Grandfather trusts us, so we should trust Grandfather."

The two stared at each other, neither backing down.

Xiao She looked at one and then the other, then punched Xiao Yan on the shoulder, "Listen to Second Sister-in-law."

Xiao Yan clenched his fist and finally slammed it into the ground.

In the afternoon, Xiao Yan, who had been lying on the ground like a dead man, suddenly sat up.

Tong Sui met his gaze and immediately ordered, "They’re here, get ready!"

Xiao Yan raised his own military banner and waved it toward the opposite hillside. Seeing a response, he left Xiao She and Tong Sui to go elsewhere.

Tong Sui watched his retreating figure and said to Xiao She, "You should go down there and wait to intercept them."

Xiao She replied, "No, Grandfather told me to stay by Second Sister’s side without moving an inch."

Tong Sui smiled, "This place is all mountains. If anything happens, I can run. No one can catch me in the mountains."

Xiao She said, "Then I won’t go either."

Tong Sui said, "If they come, it means Grandfather has won. Let’s capture Meng Jingye together and earn merit for the right army."

Xiao She said, "We can earn merit this way too."

Tong Sui said, "What if I miss him? You are the only one here who can match him. Third Master can barely hold his own against him, and if you kill him, his men won’t dare come up the mountain to catch me."

Xiao She finally wavered.

Tong Sui patted his head, "Go, capturing him will protect me."

Xiao She gritted his teeth and walked away.

Tong Sui and the archers on both sides of the mountain hid behind rocks and shrubs.

This was the only route from Tai Yuan to Yu County. The other side, Xu County, was already occupied by their own forces, so the fleeing soldiers from Tai Yuan could only take this path.

Meng Jingye led a thousand cavalry and twenty thousand infantry out of Tai Yuan. Worried that Xiao Mu or Qi Heng might send troops to pursue them, they dared not rest for long. From midnight to mid-afternoon, they had run eighty miles without stopping.

After entering the Seven Plateau Ridge, the sun was scorching, and the soldiers had eaten sand and dust all the way, their lips cracking.

A deputy looked ahead and asked, "General, could there be an ambush ahead?"

Meng Jingye said, "Impossible. If Xiao Mu could predict this, he would have sent his sharpshooting granddaughter-in-law. Since he kept her by his side, he must be certain we couldn’t escape. How would he set up an ambush?"

Another person said, "That’s true. He only has seventy thousand troops. To ambush our ten thousand, even with a hundred more men, he wouldn’t dare split his forces further."

On the hillside, Tong Sui couldn’t hear their conversation but signaled to the rear when the enemy approached.

A soldier opened a birdcage, and a dozen sparrows fluttered out. A few birds also flew out from the opposite hillside.

This was a common sight when a large army passed through the forest. If there were any ambushes, the birds would have been scared away long ago.

Meng Jingye said, "Speed up! Rest after we pass these mountains!"

He rode at the front.

Tong Sui followed his movements with her golden bow. When Meng Jingye’s horse passed a tree they had marked, a fist-sized rock suddenly rolled down from the opposite hill.

The enemy, like startled birds, all looked at the rock.

At that moment, Tong Sui released her arrow.

The whistling sound of the arrow startled the old general, who had spent his life on the battlefield. Even as he continued to scan the opposite hill, his body instinctively leaned backward.

But Tong Sui had anticipated his reaction and aimed for his left hand holding the reins.

As her arrow struck, the archers revealed themselves and began firing down.

On each side of the hill, fifteen hundred men were arranged in two rows. After the first row fired, they retreated to reload while the second row advanced to continue firing, alternating in this manner.

Meng Jingye had already started to flee, trying to break through the mountain road.

Suddenly, his horse’s hooves stepped into empty air. Reacting quickly, Meng Jingye lunged forward before his horse fell into the trap, rolling several times.

With the trap blocking their path, the enemy’s escape slowed, and they were hit by another wave of arrows.

Three thousand archers, each with twenty arrows, totaling sixty thousand. Even with many arrows missing, nine out of ten enemy soldiers were either dead or wounded.

Meng Jingye managed to escape with fewer than two thousand men, only to be intercepted again by Xiao Yan and Xiao She leading five thousand infantry.

These five thousand infantry were the original five thousand Acropolis Army soldiers, loyal to the Xiao family.

Meng Jingye pulled the arrow out of his left hand, tore off a piece of cloth to wrap the wound, and scanned the similar faces of the Xiao brothers. Another face flashed in his mind, that of a man holding his son’s head.

"You came just in time. I was worried I couldn’t avenge my son!"

Meng Jingye gripped his long saber with both hands, ignoring the blood gushing from his left hand, and charged at the two brothers.

Xiao She said, "I’ll deal with him. Third Brother, go kill the others. We won’t let anyone escape!"

Xiao Yan said, "Agreed!"

Meng Jingye sneered. So many young and valiant generals hadn’t stopped him last night; how dare these two brothers be so arrogant!

After a brief charge, Meng Jingye and Xiao She engaged in combat.

The archers on the hill put down their bows, picked up their long sabers, and rushed down to cut off the enemy’s retreat.

Tong Sui remained on the hill. Her quiver was empty, and going down would only cause trouble if she were captured by the enemy.

She kept a close eye on Xiao She.

Meng Jingye might be formidable, but he had been fleeing for a long time, and his left hand was bleeding profusely from the intense battle. How could he possibly match the well-rested and strong Xiao She?

With a *thud*, Xiao She knocked the long sword from Meng Jingye’s hand and thrust his spear straight at Meng Jingye’s chest.

Meng Jingye fell backward to the ground.

Amidst the chaos, there was a moment of utter silence.

He saw the azure sky between the two mountains and heard the young general’s simple shout: “Second Sister-in-Law, did you see that? I won!”

In the distance, a clear, spring-like voice replied with a smile: “I saw it! I’ll credit Fifth Younger Brother with the first merit!”

Meng Jingye smiled, but died with his eyes open.