Chapter 185 - Swans (Part 1)

The world was blanketed in a pristine white, with biting winds sweeping across the land, sending the salt-like snowflakes swirling and rustling. The horse tracks were in terrible condition, preventing the grain carts from reaching the battlegrounds. Xiao Chiye left Langtaoxue behind at Bianbo Camp and spent two days digging through the snow with his men.

Wu Ziyu buttoned his collar against the cold wind, covering his nose and mouth. His hands, frozen purple, rubbed against each other as he grumbled, "Damn it, this will just fill up again in no time. When will it end?"

Chen Yang, who never drank while on duty, couldn't resist now. He chugged down Maoshangxing liquor, burning his stomach in the process, and said, "It's colder the closer we get to the northeast. Fortunately, Lord Fu sent winter clothing over before October, or else many of our brothers would have frozen to death."

"Such bitter cold," Gu Jin crouched on the ground and shook his head. "The iron armor is too heavy; the horses can't endure it much longer."

The warhorses from Liubei were not as resilient to the cold as the short-statured horses from Biansha. During winter, the stables in the battlegrounds required meticulous attention, for the horses had it harder than the men.

"We'll keep digging," Xiao Chiye said. "We have to reach the battlegrounds tonight."

Xiao Chiye's breath formed invisible clouds in the frigid air, while his cloak flapped loudly in the gusts. The horse tracks leading north from Sanxia Camp were blocked, leaving him no choice but to take the long way around via Liuyang's three main camps. Supplies in Erxia Camp had run out, so they could only rely on supplies from Yixia Camp. Both these camps shared the responsibility of fighting in the battlegrounds, and their equipment was quickly depleted. After October, they had gathered a group of military craftsmen, swelling their numbers to over fifty thousand. The amount of supplies needed was staggering, and Xiao Chiye had to provide them continuously from both ends.

However, the most challenging part was Zhao Hui to the west of Tudalong Flag. The snow had been relentless for days, rendering the already collapsed horse tracks useless. The wooden plank road Xiao Chiye had repaired couldn't withstand such heavy snowfall. Moreover, the grain carts were too heavy, so he dared not risk crossing. All he could do was wait a few more days and bring the grain carts to Tudalong Flag after delivering them to the battlegrounds.

Gu Jin vigorously rubbed his palms together, then stood up and shouted, "Keep digging!"

The escort team had not rested for a single day in the past three months, but no soldier complained, for Xiao Chiye did not rest either. They were practically running circles around Beiqiu's entire territory. Xiao Chiye could now point out the fastest route with his eyes closed. His energy was astonishing; even while they were on the move, he had not forgotten to work on the recovery of his right arm. Just a few days before their departure, he had even pulled the Overlord Bow at Bianbo Camp, its piercing string-breaking sound leaving the Beiqiu Iron Riders dumbfounded.

Xiao Chiye arrived at the battlefield at the hour of the Ox, while Xiao Fangxu had only just retreated from the fray. Before the dimly lit tent, both father and son stood in matching disarray.

Xiao Fangxu removed his helmet, his forehead glistening with sweat despite the biting cold. He accepted a warm towel to wipe his face, nodded at Xiao Chiye, and then bowed slightly before entering the military tent. Inside, the two main commanders, Zuo Qianqiu and Jiang Sheng, were present, along with the lieutenants and captains of the two battalions, all appearing utterly exhausted.

"Damn, it's utterly bizarre," Xiao Fangxu tossed the handkerchief onto the table. "Their ponies' hindquarters are almost touching the ground, yet they can still race through the heavy snow at such a pace."

"We can retreat no further, no matter what," Zuo Qianqiu declared, standing before the map and pointing to the southeastern corner of Tuda Longqi. "If we fall back any more, this area will be lost, cutting off Zhao Hui's last supply route. In a single winter, Hason could starve them out in Tuda Longqi."

Spring arrived late in the North, and this snowfall would likely persist until next March. Even with Zhao Hui's permanent camp stockpiling food supplies, the entire army could not afford the depletion of their equipment, let alone the lack of skilled artisans in the camp.

"According to military reports," Jiang Sheng kicked off his boots, emptying the snow inside, "Hason has been drilling Zhao Hui's troops lately. He's banking on the fact that supplies won't reach them anytime soon, aiming to exhaust Zhao Hui first."

Xiao Chiye sat in a corner, enjoying his tea and bread. Despite his voracious eating, he didn't miss a single word of their conversation.

Xiao Fangxu fell silent for a moment, studying the map intently. "This is a sign that Hason is planning a surprise attack."

Xiao Chiye shared the same thought.

Hason's exhausting Zhao Hui was to tire him out, for the Northern Iron Riders were too demanding in terms of equipment. Their warhorses could not compete with the sturdy ponies in winter. Now that the horse road had collapsed, Sand Camp could provide little assistance to Zhao Hui, and there were no reinforcements behind their permanent camp. When Guo Weili was stationed here, Zhao Hui's three camps in Liuyang were his reinforcements. But now that Zhao Hui had taken over, all he had behind him were the remaining troops guarding the northeastern grain and horse route, which were still unable to reach him due to the heavy snow.

"Supply wagons have already arrived," Xiao Fangxu turned back and looked at Xiao Chiye. "Hason's assault will definitely happen within these two days."

If they waited any longer, Xiao Chiye would head north, and Hason would miss his chance.

"I'll lead three teams to set an ambush here tomorrow morning," Xiao Fangxu moved his fingers. "Qianqiu, guard the camp. Old Jiang will circle around from the back. We'll form a net here and at least quell Hason's offensive momentum. That boy is not only skilled in guerrilla warfare but also in offensive and defensive battles. We can't let him find a place to hide; we must trap him in the snow."

The Iron Riders were like moving walls. With them attacking from both sides, Hason would hit a dead end. As long as they restricted the speed of the Border Sand cavalry, it would be like cutting off their legs. Once they landed, the Northern Iron Riders would still be a wall, making it difficult for curved blades and prongs to break through.

After the meeting, Xiao Chiye did not leave.

Zuo Qianqiu came over and patted Xiao Chiye's right arm, asking, "Is your injury better?"

Xiao Chiye raised his arm and moved it around, saying, "No problem with holding a sword or drawing a bow."

"We'll have to thank Lan Zhou properly during the New Year," Zuo Qianqiu smiled. "This year's winter clothing is filled with real cotton. In previous years, all we got from Qu Du were scraps of paper. Your eldest sister wrote in her letter that she plans to cook personally to thank Lan Zhou."

Xiao Chiye glanced at Xiao Fangxu and modestly said, "It's what he should do. Why does he deserve thanks from my eldest sister? He even sent a letter a few days ago, saying that he's prepared New Year gifts and is just waiting for the festivities."

Xiao Fangxu sprinkled fine salt into his own bowl as if he had not heard their conversation.

Zuo Qianqiu continued, "Your father has been praising him for days. During the New Year, we—"

Xiao Fangxu confidently replied, "I didn't. I never praised him."

"Indeed, indeed," Zuo Qianqiu signaled at Xiao Chiye with his eyes. "It was all me!"

Xiao Fangxu asked Xiao Chiye, "Why haven't you returned to your tent to sleep?"

Xiao Chiye waited until he finished his milk tea before saying, "Are you going to wear heavy armor when you launch the ambush tomorrow?"

"How else can we stop Hason?" Xiao Fangxu set down his bowl. "He's even better at warfare than Amar."

"Then take off your helmet," Xiao Chiye suggested. "There might be scorpions hidden within Hason's troops."

"How can it be an iron wall without a helmet?" Xiao Fangxu mused while warming his hands. "This is the only way to block them on the snowy plains." After a moment of contemplation, he added, "According to your reports, there are very few scorpions left. It would be too difficult for them to resist the current Northern Iron Cavalry. Even if there are scorpions in Hason's forces, they would only be stragglers."

"The iron cavalry is too heavy," Xiao Chiye looked at Xiao Fangxu. "After next spring, we must make changes to the iron cavalry. If we want to push the Border Sands cavalry back to the east, we have to be prepared for any possibility."

"You want to lighten the Iron Riders," Xiao Fangxu finally turned his head, "but you can't keep up with their pace."

Xiao Chiye remained silent as he met Xiao Fangxu's gaze.

"You trained infantry in Qidu, and your experience with cavalry warfare comes from Lu Guangbai. But Lianbei doesn't have the same natural advantages as the border regions. We can only rely on heavy armor if we want a wall." Xiao Fangxu threw a few pieces of charcoal into the brazier. "Your older brother reduced the weight of the Lianbei Iron Riders, but we still haven't breached that line in the east."

Xiao Fangxu gazed at the brazier.

"Amur's reforms have been too swift. He has thoroughly understood the Lianbei Iron Riders in the past few decades. Simple additions and subtractions won't be enough to resist such border cavalry. The Iron Riders must undergo changes they've never had before."

This was the predicament of the Lianbei Iron Riders. Amur had trained the Scorpion Unit, and based on their last clash, this unit's sledgehammers were the nemesis of the Lianbei Iron Riders. But would removing their helmets be enough? It meant that the cracks in the Lianbei Iron Riders' heavy armor were already showing, leaving Xiao Fangxu at a loss. Yet, he had no choice but to continue taking risks because this was the only advantage the Lianbei Iron Riders had left. If they abandoned this advantage, they wouldn't even be able to compete with ordinary border cavalry.

Amur was truly a genius, and Hason was also quite outstanding. The borderlands now exuded a vibrant vitality. Xiao Fangxu could even envision that by next winter at the latest, Amur would fully unite the twelve tribes, and the entire eastern front of the Great Zhou would become a battlefield.

This was the key reason Qi Zhuyin refused to go north and exacerbate relations with Lianbei. She had seen this behemoth in Qidu as well, so she couldn't force Lianbei's hand over the conflict in Qidu. They would inevitably stand on the same battlefield in the future, and the external enemy had become terrifyingly powerful.

What should he do?

Xiao Chiye lay on his bed with his arms propped under his head, asking himself repeatedly in the darkness.

They possessed the finest craftsmen in the world, and their numbers were staggering, but they were helpless against A'muer. This was becoming a humiliation.

A'muer was by no means invincible.

The Border Sand Cavalry had weaknesses, though they were concealed by their incredible speed. He needed to tear away at these veils and find a new breakthrough. Yet, Xiao Chiye was acutely aware of his unfamiliarity with them. He had fought the Border Sand Cavalry too few times, and all his strategies against them were mere theories on paper. He could not continue to imagine the situation from afar like this.

Xiao Chiye couldn't sleep. He got up, put on his cloak, and left the tent. In the camp, he saw Xiao Fangxu conversing with the soldiers. Upon noticing him, Xiao Fangxu patted the spot beside him. After Xiao Chiye sat down, he passed him a bowl of milk tea.

"Going into battle without sleep is a cardinal sin," Xiao Chiye sipped his hot milk tea.

"When I was your age, I could still be lively and energetic even after three days without sleep," said Xiao Fangxu. His cloak was old and worn at the edges, mended repeatedly by Lu Yizhi. Despite this, he refused to replace it because it was made by his wife.

Xiao Chiye swallowed the tea and frowned. "That was many years ago."

The fire crackled, and the two men sat side by side in silence for a while.

Xiao Fangxu asked, "Feeling the strain?"

Xiao Chiye did not respond.

Xiao Fangxu turned his gaze to his youngest son. After a moment, he said, "Back then, you wanted to soar and thus stubbornly clashed with Meng Si. Now, you still want to win, and you're still clashing head-on."

Xiao Chiye sighed. "Whose problem is this?"

Xiao Fangxu chuckled. "Not mine, but your mother's."