The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 563 Ambush
The north wind was like a knife, whipping fine snowflakes against the mottled city walls of Yunzhong County. Wei Yan crouched behind the arrow emplacement, a thin layer of frost forming on his iron armor. The white breath he exhaled was torn to shreds by the gale as soon as it left his lips.

"General, the scouts report!" The personal guard braved the wind and sand to climb the city wall, his hands, purple with cold, presenting a bamboo tube, and shouted, "The Xianbei vanguard has crossed Baidao and is less than thirty li from here."

As Zhao Yun took the bamboo tube, the silver wrist guards clashed against the iron armor, producing a crisp sound. He unfolded the silk cloth soaked with snow water and suddenly chuckled, "Kebineng did indeed choose this path." The map stained with ink on the silk cloth was exactly the same route drawn by Qin Shou during his sand table simulation half a month ago.

Xu Huang was sharpening his axe blade with a whetstone when he heard this. He looked up, icicles hanging from his beard falling off in a flurry, and said disdainfully, "That madman really dares to come? If the Blackwater Grassland is burned to the ground, what will he feed his horses?"

Wei Yan grinned menacingly, revealing his gleaming white teeth. He pointed to the rolling hills outside the city and said coldly, "This is a desperate counterattack. He thinks we're unprepared, but he doesn't know that we've actually been preparing for a long time, just waiting for them to take the bait."

The conversation abruptly stopped, and the three of them simultaneously turned to look north.

On the horizon, a black line is slowly creeping along.

"Pass on the order!" Wei Yan abruptly brushed the snow off his shoulder armor. "According to His Majesty's plan, let them into the barbican!"

The city gates of Yunzhong County burst open in the twilight, and dozens of elderly, women, and children rushed in panic toward the granaries outside the city. Behind them, arrows haphazardly fired by the city guards lay crookedly stuck in the snow.

When Kebineng reined in his warhorse, its iron hooves scraped deep furrows in the frozen ground. He squinted at the open city gate, a look of surprise and uncertainty on his face.

The city gate before him seemed like a man-eating monster, waiting for him to willingly walk into its trap. For a moment, Kebineng's face showed a hint of hesitation.

He stared at the city wall, trying to find something, but the wall was completely silent, as if there were no soldiers guarding it.

"Chanyu, charge in!" Budugen's eyes gleamed. The city gates were already open, with no defenses whatsoever. If they didn't attack now, were they going to wait for the enemy's reinforcements to arrive?
Kebineng looked at the other party with disdain. He wondered what kind of means this person used to become the Chanyu. If he had known that the other party was so stupid, he should have annexed him earlier.

"The vast Cloud City is now wide open, seemingly without any defense. Don't you find that strange?" Kebineng said with a cold snort.

"This?" Budugen also noticed the problem, and a look of panic immediately appeared on his face. He wasn't stupid, he just hadn't noticed these things.

"Is there an ambush in the city?" Kebineng took a deep breath, a hint of hesitation on his face.

He received news that when the Tang army returned home, they left a large amount of grain and fodder in Yunzhong, preparing for their next expedition. If they could plunder Yunzhong, the herders on the grasslands could safely get through the winter.

However, if he were to be surrounded and hunted by the enemy, he would probably be unable to head south for several years.

Kebineng gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. He stared at the dark city gate, as if he were seeing a gaping maw.

"Chanyu, why don't we send a small team first?" Before the commander beside him could finish speaking, Kebineng raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Order the rear guard to become the front guard, retreat!" Kebineng suddenly shouted sharply. He abruptly turned his horse around, the iron armor screeching in the wind and snow, and coldly snorted, "It's a trap!"

Budugen gazed unwillingly at the city gate so close at hand: "But what about the grain?"

"Fool!" Kebineng's eyes flashed with cold light. "Look at the snow on the city wall. If no one was defending it, how could the snow be so neatly piled up? Clearly, someone just cleared the arrow slits!" Just then, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from the city tower. The previously open city gate slammed shut, and the drawbridge rose rapidly, crashing onto the frozen ground with a dull thud. Instantly, countless banners were erected on the city wall, and a dark mass of archers emerged from behind the arrow slits.

"Release the arrows!" Wei Yan's roar pierced through the wind and snow.

A dense rain of arrows poured down, and the Xianbei vanguard was instantly thrown off their horses and men. Budugen's mount was hit in the eye by an arrow and, in a frenzy, threw its master off.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" Kebineng brandished his scimitar to deflect the arrows, but his heart was filled with coldness. He should have realized that the Tang emperor, who was a master strategist, could not have left such an obvious opening.
In the wind and snow, Zhao Yun, his silver armor gleaming like snow, stood atop the highest point of the city wall. Gazing at the fleeing Xianbei cavalry, he murmured, "What a pity."

Xu Huang, carrying a large axe, walked over and laughed heartily, "Your Majesty's strategy is brilliant! These barbarians indeed dare not enter the city!"

Wei Yan coldly wiped his longsword, and sneered, "If they dared to come in, they'd be sitting ducks."

Outside the city, Kebineng led his remaining troops on a ten-mile mad dash before stopping. He looked back towards Cloud City, a desolate expression on his face.

"Issue the order to all tribes," Kebineng said in a hoarse voice, with a sense of helplessness, "Starting today, all tribes shall migrate three hundred li to the north." He took one last look at the majestic city walls in the clouds, his eyes filled with resentment.

Finally, he gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and with a long sigh, he turned his horse around and led the remaining troops into the vast grasslands.

On the city wall, Zhao Yun's silver armor reflected the faint light of the snow, his gaze deep and unfathomable. He slowly withdrew his gaze and said to Wei Yan and Xu Huang beside him, "Although Kebineng has retreated, he is cunning and resourceful and will not let this go easily. Pass down the order to strengthen the city's defenses, and have the scouts continue to monitor the Xianbei's movements."

Wei Yan sneered, a fierce glint in his eyes, and said, "If he dares to come again, I will make sure he doesn't leave alive!"

Xu Huang, carrying a large axe, grinned and said, "Don't worry, Zilong, the brothers have been holding back for a long time, just waiting for these barbarians to come to us!"

Zhao Yun nodded slightly, turned and walked down the city wall. Although the wind and snow had stopped, the chill was still biting.

Three days later, thirty miles outside Yunzhong City, in the Blackwater River Valley.

A lightly armed cavalry unit moved silently, their horses' hooves wrapped in thick cloth, treading through the snow without a sound. The leading general was Zhao Yun, who, on the orders of the Tang Emperor, had led his elite cavalry out of the city to investigate the remnants of the Xianbei tribes.

"General, we've spotted hoofprints ahead, seemingly left by Xianbei scouts," a scout reported in a low voice.

Zhao Yun raised his hand, signaling the troops to halt, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings like that of a hawk. The mountains on both sides of the valley were steep, covered in snow, and eerily silent. He said in a deep voice, "This place is easy to defend but difficult to attack. If there's an ambush, our army is in grave danger. Order the rear guard to become the front guard and retreat immediately!"

However, no sooner had the order been given than a sharp horn blared from both sides of the valley!
"kill--!"

Countless Xianbei cavalrymen leaped from the snow, their scimitars gleaming coldly, surging forward like a tide. Arrows pierced the air, plunging the Tang army into chaos.

"Form ranks! Defend!" Zhao Yun shouted sharply, his silver spear flashing like a dragon, deflecting several incoming arrows.

(End of this chapter)