Novel The Great Game - The Young Master (Ch.308) [finished]

“A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on.”
--Terry Pratchett, ‘The Truth’

Chapter 91 – The marshal moves

Marshal Gao Fang trembled with rage when he heard of the failed kidnapping attempt. Already, news of the assault on the Huang residence had spread throughout the city, and just as quickly there were rumours swirling about his own complicity in the matter. He summoned Nangong Xie to vent his anger.


“Tell me why I shouldn’t hang you out to dry,” the marshal snarled.


Nangong Xie’s was unperturbed. “I apologize for my incompetence, but there is still a way out of this.”


“Speak!”


“We can say that the men were actually Wei collaborators. Who doesn’t know the recent successes of Great General Huang? Perhaps Wei was desperate enough to use this underhanded scheme to demoralize the one who is rampaging through their country?” Nangong Xie asked rhetorically.


The marshal was not entirely appeased. “What a flimsy explanation. The entire city is talking about this, your suggestion would only make us look all the more suspicious,” he said gruffly.


“You have to act quickly, sire. If we tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth,” Nangong Xie urged.


“I suppose there is no other choice,” the marshal admitted grudgingly. He was about to call for a messenger when an aide rushed into his room.


“Apologies for the intrusion, Lord Marshal, but I think you should read this,” the aide said and presented a scroll.


One glance at the wax seal was enough for the marshal to know that it was yet another report from Huang Zheng. He impatiently took the scroll and tore it open, his eyes scanning through the document.


From the sidelines, Nangong Xie paid close attention to the marshal’s countenance, silently grateful for the interruption. The Handsome Scholar hid his smile when he saw that the face of the marshal was beginning to redden. The aide who had presented the scroll had quickly escaped, and that was how the Handsome Scholar knew that it was a piece of news that would distract the marshal. He was sure that the troubles with the kidnappers would soon be forgotten, or at least be pushed away.


“The man has the devil’s own luck!” the marshal swore as he slammed down the scroll in anger.


“What is it, sire?” Nangong Xie ventured to ask.


“Huang Zheng managed to defeat Wei in the field of battle,” the marshal spat.


“Then the path into Wei has truly been blasted open,” Nangong Xie said.


Marshal Gao Fang rubbed his forehead in exasperation. “Those Wei fools are idiots. How could seventy thousand lose to a mere forty thousand? If I knew that they were so incompetent, I would have gone there myself. Now they have become mere fuel to brighten Huang Zheng’s name!”


“Perhaps you should do so now, sire. Take advantage of this news and march into Wei with your forces and leave the troubles behind you. This coincides very well with the excuse we have formulated earlier,” Nangong Xie suggested.


“And if those men you hired should babble?” the marshal demanded.


“Please rest assured, I used many intermediaries. There is nothing to connect us to this matter,” Nangong Xie replied. “Besides, it is plainly obvious that such rumours were part of an enemy plot to sow discord between you and General Huang.”


The mere mention of the general’s name deepened the marshal’s ill humour. Nangong Xie saw this and quickly added, “There will be plenty of opportunities for the general to ‘distinguish’ himself. Since you will be directing the war hereafter, you may position wherever you wish during the decisive battle.”


Marshal Gao nodded in agreement. His appreciation for Nangong Xie grew slightly. Even though the marshal had been furious at his earlier failure, he saw that the Handsome Scholar was quick thinking and useful. The men and subordinates that the marshal had raised in the military were an unimaginative lot. He could not share his concerns and make schemes with them. Nangong Xie, for all his faults; had some measure of intellect and the viciousness to use it.


The marshal was aware that Nangong Xie came from Prime Minister Tong Xuan’s camp. Previously, he had discreetly sent men to investigate this particular relationship and was informed that the Prime Minister had only recommended Nangong Xie to follow Marshal Gao Fang’s expedition to sever the link between the scholar and his nephew, Lord Fang La. Apparently, the Prime Minister was not impressed with the weird stories surrounding the scholar.


This eased the marshal’s doubts somewhat, and perhaps this was why he readily agreed to Nangong Xie’s plans.


Within the same day, news of Huang Zheng’s dramatic victory over Fei Yue resounded in the city. People were cheering and honouring the Great General’s name. Then rumours came about Wei’s vicious attempt to harm the general’s family, and it soon drown out conspiracy theories about Marshal Gao’s own involvement just as Nangong Xie had predicted. Furthermore, the marshal announced that he was marching into Wei with a hundred thousand men to reinforce Huang Zheng. How could anyone not see that the terrible rumours were part of a Wei plot?


When she heard this, Madam Li curled her lips. She had the captured kidnappers thoroughly interrogated by a very wrathful Cao Shuang who acted as a law enforcement official. The governor’s son was enraged to learn of the attack on Cao Tianyun’s home, and was more than willing to use extreme methods, but it yielded nothing, just as Nanging Xie had promised the marshal. Though they were delighted at the news of Huang Zheng’s victory over Fei Yue, the timing of the marshal’s decision to march into Wei personally was much too coincidental for her liking.


Still, she and her daughters-in-law kept their suspicions to themselves. They had no evidence, and furthermore such accusation would do nothing but harm the military enterprise that Huang Zheng and his sons were part of. What they fervently wish for now is for the men of the Huangs to return safely.


Very quickly, Marshal Gao assembled his men outside of the city. The sight of a hundred thousand men gathered was a sight to behold: Governor Cao had no choice but to allow the citizens access to climb the city walls to witness the grand event and send them off.


The soldiers were smartly dressed in their uniforms, their weapons gleaming in the sun. All had been bolstered by the successes of Huang Zheng. Marshal Gao may been feuding with him, but he was not beneath to using his rival’s name to boost the morale of his own troops. News of Huang Zheng’s successes had encouraged the men and they became eager to make their own mark.


The marshal himself was in full battle attire. The gorgeous scaled armour with its flaring, winged shoulders and a helmet with stylized horns were impractical in actual combat; but it served as a flamboyant reminder of his presence. Its appearance demanded attention and it was what the marshal craved. Besides, he would be very safe in the middle of the army, there was no danger of him being in direct physical action.


With dramatic wave of his hand, the entire army shouted as one. The drummers began to play a marching beat, and the earth itself trembled when a hundred thousand Wu soldiers marched towards Wu. Those who saw it could not help but be thoroughly awed by the sight, and the rumours and ill news about the marshal were quickly forgotten. The citizens cheered lustily, throwing flowers and their handkerchiefs as the soldiers advanced. Some of the older folk were in tears as they feared for their sons and husbands; but the majority was enthusiastic and supportive of the war.


Marshal Gao sat straighter on his war horse and saluted his army, creating an inspirational moment. He drank in the euphoric atmosphere, his very hands trembled with excitement. It had been a very long time since he had actually led men into war.


He cast one last look at the city walls, where he imagined Madam Li would be spying on him. In the back of his mind, he thought she could be among those who are admiring him.



‘When I return…’ he thought darkly, imagining a scenario where he had to gallantly step in to comfort a grieving widow…


With a self-satisfied smirk, he turned away and urged his horse forwards.

A hundred thousand men shook the ground,
A sight that was sure to astound.
Dreams of glory did they yearn,
Yet how many of them would return?​

 

I encourage readers to point out my flaws. Since I refer a lot from my unorganized notes, there are times when I make mistakes in my posts. Reading the same thing over and over again makes my eyes swim.

 

Thanks for the chapter. That guy is just delusional...

 

Thanks!

 

“None but a coward dares to boast that he has never known fear.”
--Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France (1918)

Chapter 92 – Battle of Dashan Plains (1)

From Tianxin City, a hundred thousand men marched through Tigertrap Pass and stepped into Wei. Previously when Huang Zheng left the pass, he immediately swerved away from the walled cities and instead stormed through the Wei countryside. His quick movements and seemingly haphazard direction changes confounded Wei, for they were confused as to his objectives.


On the other hand, Marshal Gao Fang’s grand army advanced in a straight line. He relentlessly drove his way towards Dashan Plains, a major artery of Wei. It had main roads and thoroughfares leading all the way to the Wei capital of Daliang. Any serious attempt to assault Wei’s capital had to go through this fertile plain, and many historical battles had been fought in its vicinity.


The reports of Wu’s march alarmed the King of Wei, but when he heard that the Wu invaders were on their way to Dashan, he was relieved. It meant Marshal Gao Fang was sticking to the tried and true, unlike the unpredictable movements of Huang Zheng. The King of Wei quickly appointed Ran Wei to take command. After the dramatic failure of Fei Yue, the King of Wei was in no mood to listen to those who had voiced doubts about the young general. Having anticipated this scenario and made his preparations well in advance, Ran Wei immediately activated his forces and converged upon Dashan.


Forty days after Huang Zheng had started the invasion, the full might of Wei and Wu finally faced each other in the rolling plains of Dashan…


Wu’s camp,
Dashan Plains

When the two aged generals Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong and their troops joined the Wu camp, they were met with cheers from the Marshal’s grand army. Despite their dusty uniforms and unshaven faces from weeks of campaigning, the vanguard troops marched proudly into the camp with their chins up and their eyes still shining brightly with vigour. The marshal’s men looked at them with awe, knowing that these soldiers were true veterans who had made names for themselves.


Gao Fang the Wave-Queller’s displeasure deepened when he heard how well received his rivals were among his own troops. His plan to sacrifice the aged generals as martyrs had backfired spectacularly. He had an inferiority complex when it came to these two men, a feeling of inadequacy that originated from the days of the Chu invasion decades ago. Back then he took the credit for the accomplishments of others and reaped the rewards, culminating in his current rank of Marshal of the Army. Now he was their superior, but in his heart he knew he was still their inferior when it came to martial deeds.


“The time has come for a decisive battle with Wei,” the marshal said bombastically, sweeping his eyes over the assembled officers in the command tent. He saw their spirits were inflamed, their naked ambitions and greed were plain for him to see. Gao Fang knew full well the sort of characters that he had recruited and promoted over the years, filling the ranks with his own people that he could manipulate and control.


The obese marshal rested his gaze briefly on Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong, the two aged generals having chosen to lurk in the background instead of standing prominently in the front despite their seniority. Gao Fang did not know what they were thinking and did not care, this was his battle and his moment.


“No more flitting about, this time we will annihilate the enemy and march into Daliang itself!” the marshal continued, unable to resist inserting a verbal jab at Huang Zheng’s unorthodox tactics. The officers cheered enthusiastically, their excitement filled the air. Gao Fang allowed himself to bask in their fervour before beginning the strategy discussion proper.


Most of his officers were eager to give their suggestions for the upcoming battle, each wanting to secure their own moment of glory. After all, if Wei was terrorized by a mere forty thousand soldiers under Huang Zheng, what could Wei possibly do against a hundred thousand under Gao Fang? Thus there were many who asked to be placed at the forefront for the clash.


As the officers bickered among themselves, Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong stood at the sidelines to watch, not contributing to the discussion. Their faces were impassive but Gao Fang felt irritated by their silence, as if the two generals were quietly mocking the proceedings.


“Have the Great General no advice to add?” Gao Fang asked sharply.


Huang Zheng deliberately took a moment to stroke his long white beard before saying gravely, “We must not underestimate Wei in this battle.”


“Oh? We are on the cusp of achieving something great, why dampen our ardour with such words of caution?” Gao Fang asked with the barest of civility.


“Though Wei had suffered a defeat, they remain a force to be reckoned with,” Huang Zheng reminded him.


Gao Fang felt a rush of blood shooting up his head. It was if Huang Zheng was flaunting his recent success in his face.


“If you could defeat Fei Yue, surely we too can do the same,” Gao Fang said with a smile that was not a smile.


“The circumstances are different. Fei Yue was an incompetent, and we took advantage of his lack of ability. But I heard that the Wei commander this time is General Ran Wei. He is not the same as Fei Yue, and we would do well to err on the side of caution,” Huang Zheng said.


Such restraining words were unwelcome to the ears of Gao Fang and he snorted derisively. “I have heard of this Ran Wei. Truly, Wei must be desperate to have appointed him as a leader. He is just a bloodthirsty brute that slaughtered his way to the top.”


One of the officers stared fearlessly at Huang Zheng, a certain man called Du Fang. “It seems that the Great General is fearful of this Ran Wei. It is laughable for the Great General to be this afraid,” he said accusingly.


“Nonsense!” Huang Zheng roared. He turned towards Gao Fang and saluted. “Marshal, please give me the honour of leading the attack tomorrow!”


Marshal Gao hesitated. On one hand, he felt it was an opportunity to send Huang Zheng in a suicidal charge. Yet, he feared that Wei would be so feckless that they would crumble under Huang Zheng’s first blow, allowing him to get all the credit.


“Hold! You have already done enough, o’ Great General. If you were to lead the attack, what glory would remain for the rest of us?” Du Fang said, voicing out the marshal’s concerns.


“You are still young, you have your full life ahead of you. Do not be so reckless,” Huang Zheng said in a patronizing tone.


“When a tiger dies, it leaves behind its stripes. When a man dies, he leaves behind his name. I have no fear of death! Let me have the first merit of challenging the enemy!” Du Fang boasted.


“Well said, Du Fang!” Gao Fang exclaimed, his mind swayed. “Tomorrow you will have the first honour of challenging the enemy. We shall see if there’s anyone from Wei who would dare to fight you.”


Du Fang saluted, his face a mask of joy. His fellow officers looked on enviously, wishing that they too had prepared something dramatic to say and catch the marshal’s attention.


“As for you two veterans, you’ll be placed on reserve. Let the young ones get some experience, eh?” the marshal said mockingly. There will be plenty of other opportunities to send them to die, maybe at the walls of Daliang itself…


Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong held back their anger but saluted stiffly in acknowledgement, their faces were as if they had swallowed vinegar. Seeing their discomfort gave pleasure to the marshal, he thought they were utterly humiliated at being sidelined.


Little did he know that such arrangements suited Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong just fine. The ugly faces they had shown was just a facade, a show they had put on to inflate the marshal’s ego.


“The marshal’s first instinct would to throw us into a suicidal charge against Wei. You will need to prey on his insecurities, remind him of your victory over Fei Yue and volunteer to lead the fight. The marshal will be persuaded to put you elsewhere lest you steal his moment of glory,” Huang Ming had said.


Looking back, Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong marvelled at his prophetic words.

Eager to outdo,
Young ones take the cue.​

 

lololol Marshal Gao Feng is going to regret this.

 

Thanks for the chapter, well those guys are total idiot, being killed just for being famous for what, 2 months at most...

 

Thanks for the chapter.
Hope that guy dies in this battle.

 

“Why are the soles of a man's feet paler than his face and his hands?”
--Cao Cao of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 93 – Battle of Dashan Plains (2)

Huang Ming was not unfamiliar with war, he had experienced several lifetimes on many battlefields from the primitive to the futuristic; from a foot soldier in a shield wall to a general barking orders over a satellite phone.


But he had never experienced such a huge scale of ancient warfare directly, especially of the oriental variety. He had read novels and history books about ancient armies clashing in the field and found that there was a stark difference between the east and west.


In the west, ancient battles were described as punishing martial contests where the men were literally pushing against each other with their shields and long spears. It often boiled down to discipline and sheer strength to hold the centre of the battleground while the rest of the armies tried to outflank and ‘roll up’ each other. This sort of direct clashing persisted all the way to the 20th century on earth, where the spears and pikes were replaced by muskets and rifles, but still had thousands of men lining up in neat rows to fire face-to-face at each other. Such battles were really about seeing which side would break and run first.


In eastern history, warfare was all about mobility and trickery. Armies were said to have march here and there, only directly fighting once they have found an immediate advantage to exploit, or a city to besiege. Many military treatises and historical books have been written about their surprise attacks and stratagems employed, but the actual combat itself were not described in detail. Usually it would be ‘so-and-so lured this-and-that to this position using this trick, and won the battle’.


When comparing the two, Huang Ming was of the opinion that western military history was more concerned about tactical manoeuvring on the field of battle; while eastern history tend to focus on the strategical level. It meant a casual reader would generally know more about the western foot soldier than an eastern one. In fact, historians were able to reconstruct the tiniest of equipment used by a Roman legionnaire and even the martial tactics used: how they marched, how they threw their javelins, how they linked their shields, how they wielded their short swords.


Huang Ming was not sure about how an eastern soldier would fight beyond thrusting the spear or shooting the bow. Did they really just shouted and charged en masse towards the enemy? What sort of martial skills did they employ? What additional equipment did they carry, if any? Most of the stories he had read tend to focus more on the generals and their duels, strategists and their schemes… but there was precious little about the common soldier. The few skirmishes while he was with his father’s vanguard shed some light, but it was not today that he got the full picture. Even the battle with Fei Yue consisted of surprise attacks, this upcoming encounter was the first, true set piece battle that he would experience using the armies of this world.


Perhaps this was the reason Huang Ming found himself lost in thought as he stared at the battlefield. It was morning, and already the forces of Wu and Wei were drawn up against each other in the plains. Huang Ming and the rest of his father’s legions were stationed as the rearguard to guard the camps, but he could still see the entire field from his small hill.


Two huge forces were about to clash, but he was more fascinated by the individuals that made up the armies. He saw that the soldiers were slightly nervous, especially those standing in the frontline. The presence of their comrades on their sides as well as the veterans in their ranks helped to establish calm and order. Though these experienced men were valuable, Huang Ming was a little despondent when he saw there was little to distinguish them from each other; they were essentially of the same ranks. All wore the same unremarkable light scaled armour, all carried the same spears and shields. It showed just how little value was placed on them, something that Huang Ming had started to rectify with his father’s legions.


In contrast, the officers and generals were distinct in their clothing. Take Marshal Gao for instance. Now that he was actually at the battlefield, he was now using a chariot, sitting comfortably within its silk canopy curtains. Even from his distant position, Huang Ming could see the golden scales and twisting horns of the marshal’s suit of armour glittering in the rising sun. Most of his officers were similarly stylized to evoke images of fierce and mythical creatures. It seemed the more self-importance they felt they had, the more elaborate their costumes were.


Huang Zheng, Huang Ke, Zhao Tong and Sunli were more modestly dressed, their battlegowns were simple and moderately armoured to give the maximum mobility in close combat. In their eyes, Gao Fang and their creatures were like clowns unknowingly prancing about in a deadly stage.


Huang Ming smiled as he cast his eyes to his family and friends. As the rearguard, they were in the safest position and thus the furthest away from glory; just what they wanted even though Wei’s army was smaller than Wu’s. It was thought that Ran Wei’s hastily assembled force were still arriving piecemeal.


Then the drum rolls thundered in the air from both camps, a formal signal for the actual start of the battle. Huang Ming looked on with fascination. According to his father, this was the standard procedure. The hit and run tactics used by Huang Zheng earlier in the campaign were considered unorthodox, his father had initially complained that conservative historians would besmirch his name in the records. But the results spoke for themselves: his legions were intact and his men were extremely appreciative at the tactics that had minimized casualties.


Speaking of casualties, Huang Ming saw a man riding slowly forward to confront Wei. It was Du Fang, the man who had insulted his father previously.


“I am Du Fang of Wu! Who dares fight me!” he bellowed and shook his glaive in the air.


From Wei’s side, an officer appeared. Huang Ming was too far to see the details, but like Marshal Gao’s retinue this man was also splendidly armoured. He was carrying a spear, and he rode fearlessly to meet Du Fang in the middle of the two armies.


“I am Feng Liu of Wei!” he announced, and without further ado the two combatants met in the middle to duel.


The two riders exchanged several bouts, with Du Fang having the better of it. Feng Liu bravely fought on, but it was clear he was inferior to Du Fang in strength.


“Do you know the Wei officer?” Huang Ming asked his brother.


“There’s nobody worth remembering except for Ran Wei himself,” Huang Ke snorted. He was hugely unimpressed by the duel, having made snide comments about the combatants mistakes as he watched.


Huang Ming frowned.


Then Feng Liu broke off as if worsted. He was panting and sweating heavily, and he quickly retreated back to his side. The Wu soldiers jeered at him.


“Wei weaklings! Is this the best you have?” Du Fang said contemptuously. “Come forth, cowards! Who else dares to fight me?”


Another officer appeared, but before he could give his name; Du Fang roared and charged to initiate the duel. It was the height of arrogance, as it meant the officer’s name was unimportant.


Very quickly it was clear that Du Fang’s haughtiness was justified, the Wei officer became fearful and drew back.


Marshal Gao Fang was pleased. “Enough of this farce, we’ll crush them now!” he ordered. The drums beat once more and the Wu soldiers shouted as one as they advanced, the earth shuddering at their march.


The Wei soldiers put up a some resistance, but after a short exchange they actually turned tail and ran. The Wu soldiers cheered bloodthirstily and pursued, with Du Fang in the lead.


“Hah! Broken at the first blow!” the marshal gloated as he watched the Wei soldiers flee. His aides and officers quickly went to congratulate him.


In the rear, Huang Ke complained. “What are the those Wei fools doing? Where is Ran Wei?”


But Huang Ming was concerned. He remembered the day he met Qiong Ying in the Lichun long ago, when they had discussed about heroes of the day. Ran Wei’s name was mentioned… What was that about Ran Wei?


Brutal… and cunning…

They took to their feet,
What a quick retreat.​

 

Thanks for the chapter! (Sadly, @Lokumi is the first...)

 

Thanks for the chapter. I'm not sure if I'm correct but from what I understand you said that the Est war were more a form of free for all ?

 

Aiyah, you two were so fast. Thanks for the chapter!

 

Take for example the Chinese movies, the strategy is more important while the actual combat itself is over the top and stylized. You see soldiers marching in neat formations, but once the fighting starts it becomes a swarm tactic, it's every soldier for himself. Yet, nobody knows if they really fought that way. But what is important is how they got there, and much of Chinese military literature is about that. Once the fighting begins it's practically over, since all the setup and story is about the generals and strategists.

In the west, compare movies like 'Waterloo' or even '300', where the actual combat is more prominent than the strategy used. Even in military novels set in the Roman empire (eg 'Vespasian', 'Eagles of the Empire' etc), much is described about the fighting. This extends all the way to modern and futuristic warfare: descriptions of gory combat, the weapons used, the grunt's struggle in the mud and blood, the tough sergeants leading the charge. Once the fighting starts, it's all about the men and their tribulations on the battlefield. Even the famous battles of Alexander the Great were mostly about the grueling suffering of his men. The actual strategies themselves are quite vaguely described, often one side covets a city or a particular piece of land, therefore they fight over it.

This is just my personal observation. Of course, it is very generalized and hardly a critical study. There are many exceptions and contradictions to my opinion. But this is what comes to my mind if someone asks me the difference between East and West.

 

That feint retreat is so obvious that even the crows laugh at Marshal Gao.

 

“...because they are always hidden.”
--Cao Cao of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 94 – Battle of Dashan Plains (3)

On the crest of victory, Marshal Gao Fang ordered a general advance to pursue the fleeing Wei troops. In the front, Du Fang laughed with glee and urged his horse to chase after them; dreaming of the honours and rewards that would be heaped on him after the battle was over. The Wu troops around him cheered lustily, each trying to outdo the other as they rushed forward.


But in the rear, Huang Ming was less optimistic. He went to his father who was surveying the battle together with his colleague Zhao Tong. The two veteran generals were shocked at the brittleness of the Wei troops and were wondering if they had erred in duping Marshal Gao Fang into positioning them in the rearguard.


“This won’t end well,” Huang Ming said quietly as he looked at a hundred thousand men gambling with their lives.


Huang Ke was startled by his brother’s comment. “What do you mean?”


“It’s such an obvious feint. Surely there will be a trap ahead, and the marshal’s army will be disrupted. How can he keep his command intact when his forces are strung out apart from each other?” Huang Ming explained dispassionately.


“So this is all a scheme?” Zhao Tong demanded.


Huang Ming shrugged. “This is a battle for Wei’s very survival, do you think Ran Wei is the sort that would just flee at the first sign of trouble?”


The stout general was unconvinced. “How much damage could one ambush do against a hundred thousand men?”


Huang Ming chuckled. “What makes you think there will be just one ambush?”


His father was aghast. “Then we need to warn them quickly! They must be told to pull back!”


“Pull back? Why would the marshal want to pull back when he’s ‘winning’?” Huang Ming asked cynically.


“I don’t care about that old fart, it’s the men that I’m worried about!” Huang Zheng roared emotionally.


“If you go to the marshal now, he will not only ignore you; but he will also seize the chance to punish you severely for disobeying his orders to stay put here,” Huang Ming warned.


“It’s a hundred thousand Wu soldiers out there, we must try to save them!”


Huang Ming saw that the distress in his father’s face was real; this was a true leader who would treat his men as if they were his own sons. But he shook his head to dash his father’s hopes.


“It’s impossible to stop the momentum of such a huge force. What you can do now is save the rearguard, and we have our own troops as well the entire baggage train to worry about. You must take charge and make preparations for an orderly retreat, and have Ah Ke and Sunli scout the way back to Tigertrap Pass. If I’m in Ran Wei’s shoes I would have sent orders for some Wei units to cut off our way back and attack this camp too,” he said.


“But what of Marshal Gao’s men?” Huang Zheng asked.


But Huang Ming merely shook his head, and the general sighed.


***


In the front, there was little evidence to support Huang Ming’s hypothesis. Not that the likes of Du Fang nor Marshal Gao would be interested to hear such talk. To them, Wei’s rout was an obvious display of cowardice. Some distance away Du Fang could see Marshal Gao’s vainly decorated chariot and his entourage struggling to keep up with his pace; and he smirked. There was no other officer nearby to steal the glory from him.


A sudden shout drew him back to his present situation.


“Ambush! Enemy soldiers on our left flank!”


Alarmed, Du Fang quickly took stock of the situation. When he saw the onrushing Wei ambush, he laughed impetuously; for he recognized its leader. It was Feng Liu, the first officer whom he had defeated earlier.


“Hah! Coming back for another beating?” Du Fang laughed derisively.


Feng Liu did not respond but merely levelled his spear at him. The Wei ambushers roared with ferocity and charged fearlesslytowards the Wu soldiers.


Du Fang raised a hand and was about to call for his unit to wheel about and face this oncoming threat. But before he could shout his commands, another warning shook his core.


“Ambush! Enemies to our right!”


Shocked, Du Fang turned to see yet another Wei force coming towards him. It was the nameless second officer that he had duelled.


“I am Feng Dan of Wei!” the officer yelled, and he too led his ambush unit towards Du Fang.


Du Fang panicked, for now he was caught in a pincer attack by the two Feng brothers. His men were scattered and out of position; they had rushed ahead and were out of formation to meet the twin attacks.


“Treacherous curs!” Du Fang hollered as Feng Liu and Feng Dan descended on him. He attempted to flee, but the spears of the Feng brothers soon took his life.


Leaderless and left on their own, Du Fang’s men were quickly cut to pieces by the double envelopment.


***


“What the devil is going on there?” Marshal Gao demanded as he squinted his eyes into the distance.


As if on cue, a gasping scout arrived. “Report! The Wei forces have laid an ambush, they have trapped Du Fang!”


“Trifling tricks,” Gao Fang sneered. “Take your troops and go crush this pathetic ambush!” he ordered one of his officers, lazily waving his marshal’s baton.


In his mind, the ambush merely demonstrated Wei’s incompetence. If they had waited a little longer, the ambush could have been inflicted on himself and the bulk of the Wu army. Instead; he thought that the ambush was launched prematurely and only caught Du Fang and his unit.


He was still gloating about it when another scout arrived. “Sir! Enemy unit at our right flank!”


Gao Fang’s eyes bulged. Then his shock faded when he saw that the attacking Wei force was quite small. Despite its size, the approaching Wei unit was carrying a large banner.


“What does that say?” Gao Fang demanded.


“Sir, that Wei force is lead by Ran Bing,” an officer answered.


“Ran Bing? Who is that?”


“I heard Ran Wei has a sister who is beautiful and warlike,” the officer replied.


Gao Fang’s interest was aroused. “Ran Wei must be truly desperate, are his officers so useless that he had to resort to this? Go capture her alive, I want to see this amazon myself!”


The officers saw the avaricious look on the marshal’s face, and they competed to fulfil the task as to win his favour. With much disorder, several officers broke away with their cavalry to capture Ran Bing. Gao Fang could see Ran Bing’s soldiers slowing down when they noticed the excessive response. Indeed, Ran Bing’s banner itself seem to waver uncertainly. A smile spread on Gao Fang’s face as Ran Bing turned away, pursued by the enthusiastic Wu officers.


“War is no business for women,” Gao Fang said condescendingly.


Another cry of alarm rocked the air.


“More Wei troops, at our left flank!”


“What? Do they have no other ideas besides petty ambushes?” Gao Fang snorted. “Take some men and deal with this nonsense!” he exclaimed, more in annoyance than anything.


“It’s Ran Wei! Ran Wei is attacking!”


Now that had Gao Fang’s full attention. He stood up in his chariot and parted the silk curtains to have a better view. Unlike the previous attempt by Ran Bing, this oncoming mass was much larger. It was a force of tens of thousands, with a large banner proudly proclaiming ‘Ran Wei’ in its midst.


The front ranks were entirely of horsemen, all wearing red sashes on their waists. At their head was a man who exuded a menacing aura as his armour gleamed in the midday sun. He wielded a halberd known as a ji: a spear with an additional crescent blade attached.


Who else could this man be but Ran Wei? After this battle, his name would be celebrated as ‘The Onslaught’.


“Charge!” he roared, and his troops shouted bloodthirstily. The horsemen rode full tilt towards Gao Fang in a wedge formation and the pounding of their hooves shook the earth.


“Block them! Block them!” Gao Fang shrieked. He glanced around wildly and saw that he only had infantrymen under his direct command. Most of his cavalry had been drawn away to pursue Ran Bing, and earlier on he had dispatched various forces to assist Du Fang.


Several of his more able officers took the initiative, screaming at the men to hold and extend their spears in a ‘porcupine’ formation, a standard counter against a cavalry charge. But it was too late, for Ran Wei’s attack was as swift as the wind.


The Wei horsemen crashed into the unprepared Wu soldiers and inflicted great damage. Then the Wei infantrymen arrived to exploit the breach, causing great slaughter to their dazed enemy. Screams filled the air and blood stained the earth, and Gao Fang saw that the Wei horsemen were still coming towards him.


Ran Wei himself was coming towards him!


The marshal was so stricken with fear that he struck his chariot driver with his baton.


“Get us out of here! Drive! Drive!”


“But sir! Your guards!” the driver exclaimed, pointing at Gao Fang’s personal bodyguards who were still around the chariot.


The marshal was enraged. “Damn you!” he screamed. He kicked the driver off and seized the reins; the horses neighed in protest as he whipped at them ferociously. Soon there were more shrieks and screams assaulting his ears, for he had forcibly drove his chariot over his own guards in his haste to escape. The limbs of the hapless men were ground into paste underneath his chariot’s wheels, and soon blood and viscera splattered its wheels and silk curtains.


Together with a handful of his mounted officers, Gao Fang fled in great confusion.


This was how Wu lost a hundred thousand men on the plains of Dashan.

The armies met in Dashan Plains,
Where Wei feigned retreat,
And Wu thought it was fun and games,
But it was all just to deceive.

Ran Wei the Onslaught,
His name was made that day,
For Gao Fang’s defeat did he wrought,
And the marshal was made to dearly pay.​

 

If he don't lost his post, I will be disapointed, such a fool...
Thanks for the chapter!

 

As I said, the crows laugh at him, but now the vultures thank him.

 

Thanks for the chapter! Just to confirm, the reason the pig dislikes Huang Zheng is because of Madam Li, or did I miss something?

 

Well, Marshal Piggy wants Madam Li in his bed, even though she'd rather die. That's one problem, but Huang Zheng actually has achievements, fame, and respect from the populace, things he lacks. And Marshal Piggy is in the plot against the royal family while Huang Zheng is a patriot.
So, it's about romance, egotistical, and career issues.

 

“Anything you can do I can do better; I can do anything better than you.”
-- Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, ‘Annie Get Your Gun’

Chapter 95 – Aftermath


The plains of Dashan were littered with the corpses of the Wu soldiers. After Gao Fang had fled the battlefield, the leaderless army of Wu were easily crushed. Those who fled threw aside their weapons and armour to avoid capture. Indeed, it seemed that Wei spent more time gathering their loot than on the actual decisive action itself; such was the swiftness in the collapse of Gao Fang’s army.


Yet, there were those who were already looking forward for more. As Ran Wei scanned the horizon whilst still atop his warhorse, a troop of his officers came to see him. Among them were the brothers Feng Dan and Feng Liu, as well as his sister Ran Bing. All showed signs of exertion, their armour and uniforms bloodied, their weapons still dripping with blood from the carnage that they had wrought.


“General, you have scored a great victory here; but shouldn’t we push on?” Feng Dan asked.


“Yes, we can take this chance to seize Tigertrap Fort back,” Feng Liu added.


Ran Wei smiled coldly at the young brothers. They were part of his carefully raised cadre, the next generation of Wei leaders for him to command as if they were his hands and feet. He had taken the opportunity of Wei’s desperation to call up these young men and given them responsibilities, directly over the heads of some of the older officers.


Ran Wei was pleased at their performance, for it was their trickery that had inveigled Du Fang to his death and started the destruction of Wu’s army. They were eager to prove themselves and had none of the prejudices of the establishment that had so often stymied Ran Wei’s path to power in Wei.


However, they were still young and their question revealed their lack of experience.


“Has Du Fang’s idiocy infected you two?” Ran Wei growled.


The two brothers hastily bowed, more out of fear than actual understanding. Ran Wei saw this, and allowed them to tremble a few seconds more.


“We may have defeated Gao Fang, but did any of you see Huang Zheng? Or Zhao Tong?” he demanded.


The officers shook their heads.


“Those two veterans must have avoided the calamity that we have caused. It meant somewhere out there, there are two very experienced Wu generals lurking about,” Ran Wei said, waving his bloody halberd at the distance.


Various looks of enlightenment dawned on the officers. But not all were convinced. Some of the older officers who were previously not under his command were still belligerent, even though they had taken part in Ran Wei’s stunning victory.


“But when will we have another chance to retake the fort and wipe away our previous shame?” one of them spoke up.


“The enemy is in a full rout and we’re at the full height of morale, we should take advantage of this timing!” another insisted.


Ran Wei narrowed his eyes, these two men were named Zhe Chou and Yan Bei respectively. These two officers were part of the old guard, sent by the competing factions within Wei to check him. Even in Wei’s moment of crisis, there were selfish factions looking out for their own interests. Ran Wei had won, but these factions could rightfully say that they too had contributed men and material to his victory. But if he was defeated, then these factions would be the first to discredit him and push forward their own agenda.


Zhe Chou pressed on, saying, “Besides, we should make every effort to pursue Gao Fang himself. He have slipped pass us, but we might still be able to capture him!”


“Indeed, think of Wu’s humiliation if their marshal was captured and paraded for all to see,” Yan Bei added.


There was a none too subtle criticism in their words; it gave the impression that Ran Wei had made a mistake by allowing a prize like Marshal Gao Fang to escape.


Ran Wei quelled his annoyance from surfacing and instead rubbed his chin, as if seriously considering their proposal. “Fine,” he said at last. “You two may do as you wish and strike towards Tigertrap Fort. I’ll support you once we are done here.”


Zhe Chou and Yan Bei did not hide their delight, they quickly saluted and ordered their men to begin the quick march.


Feng Dan and Feng Liu were dissatisfied, why did Ran Wei denied them and but allowed two others to have this opportunity for glory? Yet they did not open their mouths for fear of angering their general.


“Brother, why?” Ran Bing asked, her own curiosity just as great as theirs.


“Those two will not return,” Ran Wei said ominously.


“What do you mean?”


“Do you recall what I had said about Huang Zheng and Gao Fang previously?” Ran Wei asked.


Ran Bing frowned, causing the scar on her nose to deepen. “You mean, about how Gao Fang tried to send Huang Zheng to his death by ordering him to attack our country without support?”


Ran Wei nodded. “Those two officers will never submit to my authority. Since they are so eager to die, so be it.”


“Now I understand, but what if they do manage to capture Gao Fang?” Ran Bing asked.


Ran Wei sneered. “So what? The marshal counts for nothing, we all saw his folly today. He would just be a trophy, nothing more. In fact, it would benefit us more if he manages to return home safely, for he will do anything to save his reputation, and this would mean uprooting anyone who would dare to bring up his shameful defeat. This will inevitably cause more chaos in their military and weaken them even further.”


“And should Zhe Chou and Yan Bei do manage to capture Tigertrap Fort and return victoriously?” Ran Bing continued.


Ran Wei barked harshly in laughter. “Gao Fang’s mistake was that he gave free license to Huang Zheng to preserve his own reputation, and the general did as he pleased and thus avoided all the death traps. But those two idiots are heading directly to Tigertrap Fort. Even if they had somehow managed to defeat both Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong on the way, how are they going to assault the fort itself? In the small chance that they dare to return with their tails between their legs, I’ll just execute them for their failure!”


He then turned his glowering eyes at the Feng brothers. “You two are worth too much to be thrown aside like them,” he said.


The Feng brothers eyes glowed with fanaticism despite the chilling ease at how Ran Wei had revealed his murderous intentions earlier. This was a decisive man worth following, unlike the self indulgent and prejudiced Wei leaders like Fei Yue.


Ran Wei did not allow himself bask in their adoration, he turned his gaze once more towards the horizon.


“Still, I did not expect Huang Zheng and Zhao Tong to have seen through our plans and kept their own troops intact. I had only heard of their martial prowess, but this campaign had showned they are also shrewd. It would have been a perfect victory had these two veteran generals fallen into our hands,” he said.


Ran Bing shrugged. “There is a saying about how old dogs can learn new tricks,” she said casually.


“Yes, but who are they learning from?” Ran Wei muttered.

The same tricks,
Used as a quick fix.​