Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

After successfully landing on the north bank of the Xun River, the Wei army continuously harassed Wu's forces in an attempt to seize the initiative on the battlefield. However, the shrewd and calculating Wu Sangui remained unmoved, ordering his troops to hold their positions and refrain from attacking. The Wei army made several probing attacks, but all were thwarted by the deep trenches and fortifications.

Looking at the heavily fortified enemy camp, even the proud and arrogant Great Khan of Lotus couldn't help but sigh, "The old thief manages his army quite well. His camp is as solid as Mount Tai and not easy to shake!" His confidants clicked their tongues in amazement. The Great Khan always boasted that he was the best in the world in both literature and military strategy and rarely praised his opponents. This was quite a show of respect for Wu Sangui!

"Your Majesty, Wu Sangui is cunning. His army has been resting in Yunnan for several months, while our army has been fighting continuously for nearly two years. Although we have won many battles, our generals and soldiers are exhausted and homesick. We have persisted until now only because of our fighting spirit. If we stop our troops under the enemy's camp, our fighting spirit will be exhausted, and we will be in danger! But if we launch a strong attack on the enemy's camp, the casualties will be heavy. If the casualties are heavy, the morale of the army will be lost, and we will also be in danger!" Grand Secretary Bo Bei saw through Wu Sangui's thoughts and slowly offered his advice.

"I was naturally aware of this, which is why I repeatedly sent envoys to Wu's camp to challenge them to battle. Unexpectedly, the old scoundrel is like a tortoise, refusing to leave the camp for a decisive battle. He is clearly determined to wear down our army! How despicable!"

"Hasn't His Majesty already ordered the Prince of Jin to launch an offensive in Yunnan and Guizhou? If Wu Sangui wants to wait, you might as well wait with him. Yunnan is Wu Sangui's base. As long as the Prince of Jin can make a breakthrough, Wu Sangui will definitely not be able to sit still and will take the initiative to seek a decisive battle with our army!" Minister of Revenue Hu Lianqi said with a smile.

"Well, that's all we can do! War is all about who loses their temper first. If the old thief isn't in a hurry, why should I be?" The Great Khan chuckled. "Send out the order: all armies, hold your camps and send out more scouts. I want to see how long the old thief can hold out!"
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In the dense forest at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain, Liao King Sumur silently gazed at the garrison camp on the west side of Quanzhou. Inside the camp were only 15,000 surrendered troops under Hu Tongchun, the general of Wuzhou, and Li Yidi, the general of Pingle. Sumur himself led 45,000 troops to lie in ambush on the west side of Xiangshan Mountain, while ordering the 20,000 troops under Sangge, the newly arrived commander of the Huguang Army, to lie in ambush on the north side of Xiangshan Mountain.

"Father, why are you so sure that the enemy in Xiangshan will raid our camp soon?" General Qiao Ji asked, puzzled.

"Hmph! Gao Dejie and Ma Xiong refused to surrender even in the face of the Khan's hundreds of thousands of troops, proving they are men of unwavering resolve. How could such men remain unmoved upon learning of our army's departure? Our main camp is located west of Quanzhou, making it vulnerable to attacks from both the Xiangshan and Quanzhou enemies. These two traitors, Gao and Ma, are both knowledgeable in military affairs; they will surely launch a two-pronged attack on our camp. Once they make their move, our opportunity will arrive!"

"Eqige's plan is brilliant! The highest point in the whole prefecture is Xiangshan. If we can capture Xiangshan, taking the whole prefecture will not be difficult," Qiaoji chuckled. "However, the casualties of our soldiers in the main camp will inevitably be heavy!"

"Heh, they're just surrendered soldiers anyway, what's there to regret?" Sumur's eyes were icy as he sneered, "What merit do those two traitors have that they deserve to be ranked as second-class marquises? Their titles are actually above those of many hardworking and meritorious warriors, it's too unfair! Let them be the bait for fishing!"

At the summit of Xiangshan Mountain, Vice General Ma Chengyin excitedly approached Ma Xiong, the Governor of Guangxi, and said, "Father, the signal has been sent from Quanzhou City. General Zuo has ordered us to attack the enemy camp."

"What's the panic?" Ma Xiong smiled faintly and summoned General Zhao Yu. "You will lead five thousand men to guard Xiangshan. Be careful! The rest of you, come down the mountain with me to fight the enemy!"

When Ma Xiong and Ma Chengyin led over ten thousand elite troops to attack the Wei army camp, the camp was already in chaos. Gao Dejie, the Left Wing General of the Imperial Guards, Tao Jizhi, the Right Wing General of the Imperial Guards, and Lin Xingzhu, the Right Wing General of the Imperial Guards' Navy, led thirty thousand Wu troops into the Wei army camp from the west gate of Quanzhou. Gao Dejie charged ahead, his broadsword cutting down all who stood in his way, causing Wei soldiers to fall and their horses to tumble.

Hu Tongchun and Li Yidi fought desperately, hoping Sumur would send reinforcements, completely unaware that His Highness the Prince of Liao only wanted Xiangshan and had no interest in rescuing the main camp. After more than an hour of fierce fighting, Hu Tongchun was killed by Gao Dejie. Li Yidi fought desperately for another hour before being captured, exhausted.

"General Zuo, spare my life! This sinner is willing to atone for his crimes through meritorious service!" Li Yidi pleaded desperately, sustained by his will to live. "Atone for your crimes through meritorious service? Do you think you can bring the Jin Fuyuan back to life?" Gao Dejie sneered and ordered him to be taken out and beheaded.

"General Zuo, something's not right! The scouts said that when the false Khan left, he left tens of thousands of elite troops in Quanzhou, but there are only about ten thousand guards in the camp. Where did the rest of the enemy go?" Veteran general Tao Jizhi sensed something was amiss.

"Huh?" Gao Dejie suddenly looked towards Xiangshan and was shocked to see flames shooting into the sky from the mountaintop. "Oh no! We've fallen into a trap!"

Xiangshan is lost!

Upon seeing the campfire, Liao King Sumur immediately ordered two armies to attack Xiangshan. Leading the vanguard were five thousand Xiangxi native soldiers, commanded by the Xiangxi chieftains Peng Zhaoxiang (Yongshun Pacification Commissioner), Peng Ding (Baojing Pacification Commissioner), Qin Hongdao (Shinan Pacification Commissioner), Qin Xunlin (Sanmao Pacification Commissioner), Tian Yangmin (Zhongjian Pacification Commissioner), and Xiang Changgeng (Sangzhi Pacification Commissioner). These soldiers had grown up in the Xiangxi mountains, traversing mountains with ease, and were natural-born mountain warriors.

To demonstrate their loyalty to the Kingdom of David and receive rewards, the chieftains worked with great zeal. Qin Fanchu, the son of Qin Chengguo, the Pacification Commissioner of Zhonglu and a local official under Qin Hongdao, the Pacification Commissioner of Shinan, was the first to reach the summit, where he was killed by an arrow. Xiang Changgeng, the Pacification Commissioner of Sangzhi, witnessed his son Xiang Guodong being pierced through the chest by a Wu soldier with a spear. With bloodshot eyes, he rushed up the mountain and killed his enemy. More and more guards rushed up the mountain, and the Wu general Zhao Yu could no longer hold them off. He tried to escape down the mountain, but was cut down by the bloodthirsty Xiang Changgeng.

The valiant general of the Wei army, Teguschoktu, the Kazakh chieftain, strode to the Wu army's banner, slashed it down with his sword, and then personally raised a fishing rod-shaped flag of the Great Wei Kingdom, slamming it into the ground. Banners fluttered, and Xiangshan changed hands!

"Haorui~ Haorui~ Haorui~" A thunderous cheer from the guards echoed from the mountaintop.

"Quickly! Take Xiangshan back for me!" After realizing he had fallen into a trap, Gao Dejie became extremely determined.

Ma Xiong, Tao Jizhi, Lin Xingzhu, and their respective forces launched successive attacks on the mountain. Su Mu'er ordered his third son, Halachi, the third son of the General of the State, to lead 10,000 archers, while the commander of a thousand households, You Siteng, led 3,000 musketeers to fire down from the high ground. Arrows rained down, felling wave after wave of Wu soldiers. Occasionally, survivors would reach the summit, only to be cut down and stabbed by the guards' swordsmen, shield bearers, and spearmen. The heavy casualties demoralized the Wu army, who disobeyed orders and retreated down the mountain.

"Warriors, follow me to kill the enemy!" Sumur laughed heartily, disregarding his princely status, and personally led his soldiers in pursuit. The morale of the Imperial Guards soared, and they slaughtered the Wu army, leaving corpses strewn across the battlefield.

"General Zuo, the Wei army has many soldiers and occupies a strategic position. Attacking the mountain will only result in casualties. We should return to the city and hold our ground," Tao Jizhi pleaded, seeing the heavy casualties.

"Alas! I underestimated the enemy. Let's retreat to the city." Gao Dejie knew that continuing the fight would bring no advantage, so he sighed and ordered his troops to retreat and hold the city. (End of Chapter)