The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 561 Defeat
Dian Wei roared and leaped out of the battle formation, his twin halberds whirling like a whirlwind, causing Xianbei cavalrymen to fall from their horses wherever he went. Xu Chu followed closely behind, his broadsword sweeping across the battlefield as if it were empty.

Qin Shou stood on the chariot, calmly observing the battlefield situation. Suddenly, his gaze sharpened as he noticed a slight shift in the Xianbei central army's formation.

"Zilong!" Qin Shou shouted, "Lead the Xuanjia cavalry and charge straight at Kebineng!"

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in greeting and raised his silver spear high: "Black-armored cavalry, follow me!"

Three thousand Xuanjia cavalrymen charged out of the Tang army like lightning, heading straight for the Xianbei central army. The Xianbei cavalry attempted to stop them, but this elite force easily broke through.

Seeing the situation was dire, Kebineng hurriedly gathered his personal guards to meet the attack. However, Zhao Yun was fast on horseback and swift with his spear, and in the blink of an eye, he was upon them. After only three exchanges, Kebineng felt his strength waning, and a bloody gash appeared on his shoulder from the silver spear.

"Protect the Great Khan!" The Xianbei guards rushed forward at the cost of their lives, using their flesh and blood to block Zhao Yun's path.

Just then, dust suddenly billowed up on the western side of the battlefield, and a troop of Tang cavalry pierced the flank of the Xianbei army like a sharp blade. The leading general, wielding a long sword, was none other than Wei Yan.

"Hahaha! Perfect timing!" Dian Wei laughed loudly upon seeing this. "Brothers, charge!"

The Xianbei army was attacked from both sides, and their formation was thrown into chaos. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Budugen hurriedly sounded the retreat. Kebineng glanced unwillingly at the Tang emperor's chariots that were so close at hand, gritted his teeth, and ordered a retreat.

As the sun set, the battlefield was littered with corpses. Qin Shou walked slowly across the battlefield, followed by his generals.

"Your Majesty, in this battle, we annihilated 20,000 enemy soldiers and captured 10,000. Kebineng led his remaining troops to flee to the northern desert," Xun You reported.

Qin Shou nodded: "Send out the order to reward the three armies. Also, send envoys to pacify the various Xianbei tribes; those willing to submit should be treated generously."

"Report!" A messenger rushed in, "Tufa Pigu has defeated Dou Bin and has taken control of Hexi!"

Upon hearing this, the generals all paled. Wei Yan frowned and said, "Your Majesty, if this bald-headed man is not eliminated, he will surely become a future threat."

Qin Shou, however, revealed a meaningful smile and said, "Let him go. The Western Regions are vast and need ambitious individuals like him to stir up trouble. Sooner or later, we will march there."

According to the course of history, who will be the greatest enemy of the Central Plains soon? It will be the dynasties established by the Xianbei, Qiang and Xiongnu people. They invaded the Central Plains and treated the Han people as sheep, slaves, or objects of their venting, resulting in countless deaths and injuries among the Han people.

For a long time to come, these alien tribes will be Qin Shou's enemies. The Tuoba tribe was quick to seize the opportunity and broke away from Kebineng's army a long time ago, entering Hexi and avoiding Qin Shou's military might. Qin Shou could only put them aside for the time being.

Qin Shou stood atop the high hill, gazing at the rising dust in the northwest, his eyes deep and unfathomable. Xun You appeared silently beside him and whispered, "Your Majesty, Tuoba Pigu is ambitious; after occupying Hexi, he will surely plot against the Western Regions. We should take advantage of his unstable foothold and attack immediately to eliminate this future threat."

"Gongda," Qin Shou said softly, stroking the sword at his waist, "Do you know the hunting principles of wolves? They first let the young wolves scare the prey, and when the prey is exhausted, that's when we attack."

Upon hearing this, Xun You's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he stroked his beard and laughed, "Your Majesty is far-sighted; I was short-sighted."

"The Xianbei, Qiang, and Xiongnu are not of our kind, and their hearts are bound to be different. Gongda, these people will be our enemies sooner or later. But right now, we must pay attention to the enemies before us. As long as Kebineng and Budugen are not dead, the northern frontier will not be at peace." Qin Shou looked at the distant grasslands, where the enemy was now fleeing north.

"Your Majesty, shall we continue the pursuit?"

Wei Yan rode in on horseback, his face beaming with joy.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the entire grassland red. Qin Shou stood on the high hill, watching the dissipating dust in the distance—the traces of the retreating Xianbei remnants. A gentle breeze carried the heavy stench of blood; the battlefield was littered with corpses, and vultures had already begun circling overhead. "Your Majesty, our army has won a great victory in this battle!" Zhao Yun, his silver armor stained with blood, could not hide the excitement on his face as he loudly reported, "Kebineng was shot in the shoulder, and Budugen fled in disarray, abandoning his armor and helmet."

Qin Shou nodded slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the north. He wore gleaming armor, the sword at his waist gleaming coldly in the setting sun, his face resolute and sharply defined. This young emperor possessed a composure and decisiveness beyond his years.

"What about the casualties?" he asked in a deep voice.

Xun You, standing beside him, immediately stepped forward: "Our army suffered over three thousand dead and five thousand wounded."

"Give the fallen soldiers a proper burial and provide compensation to their families," Qin Shou said in a low but firm voice. "As for prisoners of war, those who are willing to surrender will be incorporated into the army, while those who remain stubborn will be exiled to the frontier to reclaim wasteland."

Dian Wei, carrying his twin halberds, strode forward, his face stained with the blood of the enemy, and shouted, "Your Majesty, allow me to lead the troops in pursuit! We will surely cut off Kebineng's head!"

Xu Chu followed closely behind, his broadsword still stained with blood, and quickly echoed, "This humble general is willing to go with General Dian!"

Qin Shou did not answer immediately, but turned to look at the generals behind him. Wei Yan, Gao Shun and other generals were all full of fighting spirit, their eyes burning with the desire to pursue.

"Your Majesty, I have a different opinion," Xun You said cautiously, stroking his long beard. "Although our army has won, we have penetrated hundreds of miles into the grasslands. Continuing the pursuit risks running out of supplies and we are unfamiliar with the terrain."

"Gongda, you're overthinking it!" Wei Yan interrupted magnanimously. "The Xianbei are already like frightened birds; if we don't pursue them now, when will we?"

Qin Shou raised his hand to stop the argument, his gaze deep and unfathomable, and explained, "As long as Kebineng lives, the northern frontier will never be at peace. If we allow him to escape back to the northern desert this time, he will return with renewed force within three years."

He turned to Xun You and asked, "How can we solve the problem of food supplies?"

Xun You pondered for a moment and then came up with a plan, saying, "We can collect them from the nearby Xianbei tribes that have submitted to us. I have also ordered the rear to expedite their transport."

"Very well," Qin Shou declared decisively. "We will divide our forces into three routes. Wen Chang will lead 5,000 light cavalry as the vanguard, Zilong and Gao Shun will each lead 10,000 troops to flank from the left and right, and I will personally lead the central army to follow. We must intercept Kebineng before he escapes back to his stronghold!"

The generals responded in unison, their voices echoing across the fields.

That night, the Tang army camp was brightly lit with campfires. Qin Shou stood alone outside his tent, gazing at the starry sky. The night sky over the grassland was exceptionally clear, and the stars twinkled like diamonds.

"Your Majesty, it is late at night and the dew is heavy." Zhao Yun approached, holding a silver spear, and respectfully offered a cloak.

Qin Shou took the cloak but did not put it on immediately. Instead, he asked, "Zilong, do you think my decision was correct?"

Zhao Yun pondered for a moment and said, "The Xianbei people are ambitious and treacherous; if they are not completely eradicated, they will indeed cause endless trouble. However..."

"Just what?"

“The grasslands are vast and boundless, and our army is unfamiliar with the terrain, so there may be an ambush,” Zhao Yun said bluntly.

(End of this chapter)