Han Khan

Chapter 47, Provocation

"Everyone, come here." At the foot of a high hill a hundred miles outside Yizhou City, Zhang Sheng calmly asked the guards and centurions to gather around him.

Then, he lowered his head and stared at a hand-drawn map spread on the ground, and said in a deep voice: "Yizhou City is a hundred miles (50 kilometers) away from here. To the north is the East Tianshan hilly grassland, and to the right is the Huihe Road leading to the desert.

The terrain here is flat and boundless. No matter which side sends troops, it will be difficult to hide their whereabouts. Is there any news from the city now?"

"Your Highness, we didn't find anything unusual." The guard scout Yan Zhi replied with a bow.

"We have not found any trace of the enemy's main force. Our scouts and light cavalry have dispersed to the vicinity of the Yiwulu River in the northeast of Yizhou City. We have not seen any Uighur army. There are only many Sai, Han and Tibetan farmers farming beside the Yiwulu River." said the centurion Temugu.

"Your Highness, I have a plan." The commander of the imperial guards, Zhang Xibao, said at this time.

"Uncle Xibao, if you have any good ideas, just tell me!" Zhang Sheng said in a deep voice.

"Right now, our Jinhan tribe has tens of thousands of Uighurs, and the Uighurs in Yizhou City have not yet noticed our arrival!
So, can we pretend to be Tugerdagan's troops under the Qilian Mountains who have been wiped out by us?

In the name of going north to seek refuge with the Gaochang Uighurs, they entered Yizhou City and opened the city gates. This way, we can rush into the city."

"This... is indeed a method, but what if the Uighurs in the city are not allowed to enter the city and only rest outside the city?" Upon hearing this, the captain named An Julang said.

"If so, each hundred households will lead their people to burn, kill and loot the surrounding Uighur villages and towns. Our tribe is in urgent need of food and supplies, and among the many hundred households, there are less than a hundred people in the tribe. This way, we can not only obtain food and supplies, but also replenish the population and livestock.

Anyway, even the Uighurs would kill each other, and the Kucha Uighurs have not settled down yet. In the eyes of these settled Uighurs, we are no different from barbarians, right?" Zhang Xibao added after hearing this.

"Then, the defenders in the city will see that our Jin Han's centurions are wearing little armor and have simple weapons, so they will definitely go out of the city to pursue them. When the ambushed guards see the defenders leaving the city, they will immediately charge and defeat the enemy's pursuing army. Each centurion will lead his troops into Yizhou City!" Another guard commander, Yin Shanxiong, said in surprise after hearing this.

This is indeed a good idea, however, you must remember what I said before: if the enemy's forces are strong, once you find that the enemy is approaching, do not hesitate, and immediately order a retreat!

Avoid close combat with the enemy, and instead make full use of our advantages - retreat while riding and shooting back.

At that time, the Guards will take on the important task of launching a direct charge and facing the powerful enemy head-on! " Zhang Sheng concluded after listening to them.

"Then let's act! Tiemuge, An Shilang, and Hunziji will each lead 10 centurions to tell the Uighurs in the city that we are the Kucha Uighurs who came down from the Qilian Mountains to the south, and we want to go to Beiting to seek refuge with Yiduhu!
Guards, follow me, get ready for battle, and set off.

At the same time, the Imperial Guard sent scouts to Yizhou to search within a fifty-mile radius, and sent more light cavalry to report any movement immediately. Zhang Sheng ordered, "The Imperial Guard warrior Yan Zhi will handle this matter."

"I obey your command." Yan Zhi, the scout captain of the Guards, responded and then hurried out to dispatch troops.

Under Yan's command, there are more than 450 elite scouts and cavalry. Order them to advance north to search and kill the Uighur scouts and messengers, and also check whether there are villages or tribes that can be plundered. They should be able to perform this task.

“Your Highness, the Yizhou garrison commander Anpolela is a relative of the Biljiayiduhu. He is from a Sai family in Yizhou and has thousands of Han and Sai heavy infantry under his command, as well as thousands of Uighur cavalry under his control.

If the various hundred households go to attract the enemy, will they be in danger?" said Zhang Anzuo, the financial officer and chief priest.

Zhang Sheng said: "Don't worry, they are not the main force in the battle, they are only responsible for luring the enemy. If it fails, just withdraw the troops and plunder the area near Yizhou! Then lead the troops to continue migrating to Jinshan, and the guards will be responsible for the rear."

Zhang Xibao said worriedly: "Your Highness, and all the warriors, the infantry team led by Anpolara should not be underestimated!
They were all carefully selected through layers of screening. These soldiers were strong and sturdy, able to endure hunger and severe cold, and endure hardship and hard work.

Many of these infantrymen were over seven feet tall! They were fearless in battle, daring to charge into battle and kill the enemy bravely. It was because of this that they were able to successfully resist the fierce attacks from the Tatars and the Khitans from the east. "

"Oh?" Zhang Sheng was a little surprised. If he was seven feet tall, wouldn't that mean he was two meters tall? If he was also physically strong, hardworking, and well-equipped with armor and heavy weapons, then he could be a heavy infantryman!

He didn't know that the Uighurs, a loser from the grassland, actually had such elite infantry. With the cooperation of Uighur cavalry, it would be difficult to fight them. But could it be that they were afraid of him?
"Give the order, all hundred households should set out immediately to Yizhou City to knock on the gate. If they don't come out, immediately start plundering the surrounding villages, towns and tribes. Disperse and attract the Uighur garrison returning to Yizhou City to the vicinity of the Black Water River east of the city. If the enemy does not chase you, continue to plunder and set fire." Zhang Sheng ordered.

"The fourth regiment of the Royal Guards, follow me to the east of Yizhou. Wait for the enemy. I want to see if that Anpolat will go to battle." Zhang Sheng said. Yan Zhi, led the scout group to conduct a reconnaissance of Yizhou City and its vicinity.

Don't engage in confrontation with the enemy. Your mission is to scout out how many villages and tribes there are near Yizhou City, and then retreat immediately."

Zhang Sheng emphasized to the assembled captains that his plan was very simple. He would pretend to surrender, and if the enemy was not allowed to enter, he would launch a feint attack. If the enemy pursued him, he would pretend to be defeated and flee.

Let the defenders in the city mistakenly believe that these centurions are weak, but have a large number of troops, and the enemy will definitely pursue them. Draw the enemy defenders to the location of the guards, and then each centurion and the guards will surround and attack the pursuing Uighurs. Heavy infantry is fine, since they can't run fast anyway."

"Yes, Your Highness." Everyone responded in unison and left.

An hour later, the scout group led by Yan Zhi returned and captured many prisoners.

"How did the interrogation of these people go?" Zhang Sheng asked, looking at several captives who were tied up tightly and had pigtails in the Guards camp beside the Blackwater River.

“They were all small leaders from some villages and tribes outside Yizhou City. They lived nearby and were caught by scouts, who got some intelligence about nearby tribes.

Then, just as Your Highness expected, the city of Yizhou was not opened, and the centurions were not allowed in. Now, under the leadership of the centurions, the centurions are plundering the villages, towns, and tribes near Yizhou."

Zhang Sheng looked at the Uighurs who were tied up, with pigtails and kneeling in front of him, with bruised faces and noses. They were looking at him with horror. Zhang Sheng signaled Yan Zhi to continue.

"I have learned from these Uighurs that there are nearly 2,000 households of Uighurs, Han Chinese, Sai people and Tibetans in the city, with a total of nearly 10,000 people. Almost every household has one soldier, so there are about 2,000 soldiers.

Outside the city, there were also 2 households of Tatars, Karluks, Basmids, and Shatuo tribes, as well as Sai and Han villages. These were all slaves of the Sai and Uighurs in the city, working for them and herding livestock.

"Arrange people to investigate whether there are any troops coming out of Yizhou City." Zhang Sheng said seriously.

"Yes, Your Highness!" the men responded in unison.

At this moment, the city of Yizhou was already in chaos. It was not because they were blind that they could not see the tens of thousands of Uighurs who came to ask to open the gates and surrender.

Instead, he had people stand on the top of the city wall and shout loudly that Yizhou City could no longer accommodate so many people, and they could rest outside the city first.

However, what happened next surprised everyone. They saw this group of so-called "barbarians" running towards the villages near the city like crazy, burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of atrocities wherever they went.

Village after village was engulfed by raging fires, and countless slaves, livestock, and food were loaded onto horse-drawn carts and driven away by these barbaric "Kucha Uighurs"!
Seeing this horrific scene, the extremely angry Sairen Anpolla could no longer bear it. His eyes were full of bloodshot, as if they were about to spew out flames.

He completely ignored the advice of the Han Chinese garrison commander Chen Yunde, and had only one thought in his mind: these hateful barbarians must pay the price! Regardless of whether they were Uighurs or not, even if they were Uighurs, he was thinking about killing them all.

He personally led the cavalry and the heavy infantry guarding Yizhou, and rushed out of the city like a raging torrent.

The sound of horse hooves resounded through the sky, and the shouts of the soldiers were deafening. They were majestic and full of anger, vowing to catch those "barbarians" who had plundered so much that they knew what fear was.

Anpolat waved the sword in his hand and shouted loudly: "Warriors, charge with me! For our homeland, rescue our slaves, and let these barbarians taste our power!" His voice was like a war drum, inspiring the soldiers under his command.

After leaving the city, they quickly launched a pursuit. Anpolat vowed that once he caught these invaders, he would cut off their fingers so that they would never be able to hold a sword or a bow again, and would have to become slaves of Yizhou to atone for their crimes.

At this moment, a scout from the Jinhan Guards camp ran over and said to Zhang Sheng excitedly, "Your Highness, they are coming out. The enemy troops have left the city and are chasing our people. The captains are leading their troops towards this side!"

Zhang Sheng hurriedly ordered: "Notify all the centurions to spread out in a semicircle. When you see the Royal Guards coming, immediately disperse back to surround the Uighurs and guerrilla warfare against them. There is no need to engage them in close combat. The Royal Guards will be here soon!"

(End of this chapter)