Jinting Han people

Guo Mo, Guo Cai, and their troops were positioned in ambush on the north side of the battlefield, while Wen Shuo, Fei Hei, Luo Yang, and their troops were positioned in ambush on the south side. They hid in the dense forest, sending their soldiers to climb to the treetops to observe the development of the battle in the distance and await Liu Xian's orders.

They had been waiting for a long time. Most of them couldn't see the battle unfolding outside the woods, only the deafening shouts of battle. But for them, such commotion was commonplace; even the loudest battle cries couldn't sway them. Excellent soldiers don't waste their energy on pointless contemplation; they only know to conserve their strength, waiting for their commander's orders, which they then execute flawlessly—this is the ideal state for an army. And until the commander gives the order, even if arrows are already at their feet, they should remain unmoved.

As time passed, the soldiers inevitably grew restless, which was only natural; waiting was exhausting. Moreover, unfamiliar flying insects would occasionally flit through the southern woods, raising concerns about unknown diseases. Furthermore, the soldiers had slept poorly for two nights lying on the ground, leaving them feeling somewhat dazed and confused.

Just then, the soldier in the woods suddenly shouted, "His Highness has given the order!" This abrupt shout startled everyone, but at the same time, it created a sense of disbelief, making them wonder if they had misheard. The soldier slid down from the tree and tumbled towards Guo Mo, saying repeatedly, "General, His Highness has given the order."

As this was said, people could hear the drums beating loudly again from the west, accompanied by mournful horn calls.

This was undoubtedly the order to send troops. The soldiers, who had been waiting anxiously for so long, all stood up and turned their eyes to Guo Mo. Guo Mo laughed loudly and brandished his sword, saying, "His Highness has given the order, all of you follow me into battle!"

After speaking, the soldiers formed ranks, and then, with a loud shout, Guo Mo led four hundred cavalrymen down the hillside. They were now only two miles from the flank of the battlefield. In a short while, the dense forest swept past, and the chaotic and vast battlefield finally appeared before Guo Mo and his men. They could see the billowing smoke from the camps, the rampaging elephants, and the devastation left by the barbarian army. More importantly, the crimson banners of the Han army on the main force still fluttered, faintly visible even from several miles away.

This scene greatly boosted the morale of the Han army's ambush troops. Guo Mo turned to Guo Cai and laughed loudly, "Haha, I knew it! What good are a bunch of pretentious barbarians no matter how many of them there are? Sure enough! We haven't even attacked yet, and they've already been routed!"

He added with resentment, "You must achieve merit in this battle. Do not be afraid of your life, otherwise, how can you maintain your position in the army as a lieutenant general? You will end up behind that brat Mao Bao, which is simply laughable!"

Upon hearing this, the men immediately and solemnly agreed. They spurred their horses forward, spears in hand, charging straight into the rout of the barbarian army. The barbarian army had never expected a cavalry unit to emerge from the flank, especially not one clad in full armor. Just as the Han army had never seen elephants marching on the battlefield, the barbarian army had never witnessed fully armored cavalry. The armored cavalry charged across the battlefield like invulnerable beasts, impervious to swords and spears. No matter who stood before them or what weapons they wielded, the knights stood firm, spears held high, trampling through the enemy ranks as if cutting grass, leaving a bloody path in their wake.

When the Yi people tried to encircle them from the rear, Yan Yi and his men launched a second attack. They formed a wedge formation and followed Guo Mo and his men in their attack. The Yi army, whose lines had not yet been properly regrouped, was powerless to resist and was torn to pieces once again.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Wen Shuo and his men led their troops down the mountain to break through the enemy lines. They attacked Guo Mo head-on, and although they were not as elite as Guo Mo, they were more disciplined. The Changsheng Army's advance was slower but more determined, like a boulder crashing into a swarm of ants. The Yi troops they encountered crumbled at the first touch, scattering like crushed sand in the crowd.

Logically speaking, an attack by several thousand men, in a normal battlefield, should not be unstoppable if the Yi army commander responds properly; at least, they wouldn't be utterly defeated in a single charge. However, the current battlefield is hilly, and most armies are unaware of each other's movements. This has thrown the Yi army's rear into chaos by Guo Mo and his men, while the troops at the front remain oblivious, still running backwards on their own.

This is like a turbulent current between reefs. Before the water crashes against the reefs, everything seems normal. But once it encounters the reefs, it immediately becomes chaotic and disorderly. The staggering crowd looks around blankly, not even knowing where to run. In addition, the basin is narrow, which makes Guo Mo and Wen Shuo's location a bloody slaughterhouse.

The Han army charged and fought amidst the chaos, like composed hunters chasing a fleeing herd of beasts—a skill the people of Longyou excelled at. Though the Yi people had previously disregarded them, the Han army now appeared as victors, shooting arrows and brandishing swords amidst the panicked Yi ranks, seeking to kill enemy generals in hopes of gaining merit.

Unlike the Han army, the Yi people were easily identifiable by their distinct clothing, especially those of higher rank. They either wore gold and silver ornaments or dressed in flamboyant styles. The Han soldiers would target those dressed differently and pursue them. From Yu Lingcheng down, the Yi leaders, elders, and scholars were either captured or killed, with almost no one escaping.

Yu Lingcheng, having witnessed the great victory of the elephants, was preparing to celebrate with a celebratory drink. However, he was suddenly struck by the rout of the vanguard. His reinforcements, sent out only to be ambushed and slaughtered by the Han army. This dramatic shift from heaven to hell chilled him to the bone. He led a dozen or so cavalrymen, intending to launch another attack, but the disadvantages of the allied forces' negotiations became glaringly obvious. The tribal leaders, eager to protect themselves, scattered like birds and beasts, each seeking their own escape.

Left with no other choice, Yu Lingcheng fled with the crowd. However, after only a few dozen steps, more than ten Han cavalrymen caught up with him, dismounted, and brandished their blades at him. Seeing this, the remaining Yi people scattered. Yu Lingcheng lost all courage and lay on the ground, covering his head without saying a word. Only his brother Hu Guidun remained by his side. He quickly threw down his weapon and identified himself in Chinese, thus escaping death.

Before this, Wei Dan, a Yi man from Xinggu County, had also been surrounded and knocked off his horse by the Han army. His turban, adorned with peacock feathers, and the gold knife inlaid with crystal, which he held, were now knocked off. Soaked to the bone, he knelt on the ground, his right hand reaching out to grab the tip of a spear thrust at his throat by a Han soldier. The Han soldier, wanting him alive, quickly pulled his spear back, the blade slicing through Wei Dan's palm, drawing blood instantly. Wei Dan seemed oblivious to pain, his eyes glazed over, and he collapsed to the ground. In half a day, victory and defeat, honor and disgrace, had been turned upside down; regret and sorrow intertwined, a pain perhaps more unbearable than immediate death.

The Han army's infantry and cavalry advanced, launching a fierce attack from both the front and rear. The fighting lasted from noon until sunset, until they captured Tanzhi County. Post-battle statistics showed that they captured 32 Yi leaders, 70,000 Yi soldiers surrendered, and more than 10,000 were beheaded or trampled to death. Countless weapons and supplies of the Yi were seized.

This even included the ten elephants brought by the Yi people. After expending their energy, these giant beasts were somewhat tired, so they went to a hill and formed a circle, heads down and curled up. No one dared to disturb them. After their victory, the Han army was also afraid that they would run around and cause trouble, so in the end, they had the Yi people's elephant trainers drive them to the foot of the mountain, build two fences around the elephant herd, and then feed the elephants again.

Besides these, there were also five tigers and more than ten leopards, all kept in cages. According to the captured Yi people, they were intended to be used to intimidate Liu Xian after the victory. However, it seems that they themselves are the ones who need to worry now.

After Guo Mo and his generals achieved their victory, they ordered most of their soldiers to guard the prisoners, and then bound the barbarian chieftains and elders and brought them to the camp to report the good news to Liu Xian. Seeing the battle scene before the camp, they realized just how fierce the battle had been. Liu Xian, who had already descended from the watchtower, remained as calm as if he had just experienced a great battle, smiling as he looked at his generals, as if he had only been out in the wind. Guo Mo immediately knelt before Liu Xian, then clasped his hands in a triumphant gesture and said, "Your Highness, I've captured the bandit leader! Now, I'm a general, aren't I?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian stepped forward, examined Guo Mo for a moment, patted him on the shoulder, and said earnestly, "Yuanxiong, you still need to temper your character and not become arrogant as soon as you achieve success. If you continue to act like this, how can I dare to entrust you with important responsibilities? People always grow old. Even my maternal grandfather, Marquis Zhang Huan, had to learn strategy. You can't be a fighting general for the rest of your life!"

Guo Mo was taken aback at first, only then realizing how high Liu Xian's expectations were for him. His smile instantly turned to shame, his voice lowered, and he didn't even know what to say. After holding back for a long time, his eyes reddened, and finally he said, "Guo Mo will certainly not fail Your Highness's expectations!"

Wen Shuo was greatly impressed by this. He had fought under Li Xiong for many years. Although Li Xiong would not blame others for his defeats, he would still celebrate with the entire army when he won. He did not expect that the Prince of Han could still win over the people at this time. He thought that the Prince of Chengdu was not unjustly defeated. He walked to the Prince of Han's side and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Your Highness, this humble general has a request."

"Oh? Wenjun, please speak freely." Wen Shuo was much more taciturn than Guo Mo, and he took the initiative to make a request to Liu Xian, which surprised Liu Xian.

Wen Shuo said sincerely, "Your Highness, I no longer wish to accept the position of Prefect of Yuexi that you previously promised me. I humbly request that Your Highness allow me to accompany you so that I may further hone my skills."

Liu Xian had previously made an agreement that whoever captured Yak Valley first would be made the governor of Yuexi. Wen Shuo won this opportunity and was quite pleased with himself. After all, he wasn't one of Liu Xian's trusted followers, and being a governor of a prefecture was already a great achievement. But now, Wen Shuo thought to himself, having encountered such a wise ruler, how could he only seek the wealth and status of a prefecture? Wouldn't he become a laughingstock in the future? It would be better to serve Liu Xian and achieve merit, where his future would be much brighter.

Wen Shuo's words were tantamount to being willing to die for Liu Xian, which greatly pleased Liu Xian. He helped Wen Shuo up and said, "Good! After Yuan Xiong becomes a general, my Imperial Guard will still need a lieutenant general. You, the Ghost Commander, will be the one!"

In addition, Fan Ben, Li Feng, Zhang Bao, Luo Yang, Huo Biao, Zhang Jun, Lei Zhao and others also arrived one after another. Liu Xian, dressed in robes and holding a fan, greeted them, and everyone offered their congratulations.

Overall, this battle was a collective achievement, but Liu Xian, as the lord, dared to use himself as bait, holding off tens of thousands of enemy troops with only four thousand men. He held firm with great perseverance, keenly sensed opportunities, and trusted his newly recruited generals, ultimately achieving a great victory. The soldiers of the Changsheng Army and Ningzhou Army were now completely convinced of Liu Xian's abilities, and a bond of life and death had been established between them. From now on, Liu Xian could use them with complete confidence.

Zhang Bao presented the heads of some of the barbarian chieftains he had killed, and then Liu Xian led the generals to inspect the prisoners.

At this moment, Yu Lingcheng and his men were bound to the spot, their faces covered in dust and grievances. Dozens of them were hurling insults and accusations at each other, all saying that the other side was to blame for their defeat. But when they saw the King of Han arrive with his men, these burly men immediately hung their heads in dejection and fell silent like defeated roosters.

Liu Xian asked, "Who is Yu Lingcheng?" Yu Lingcheng was immediately pulled out, his headscarf fell to the ground, his hair was disheveled, and he could not even stand steadily. His previous arrogance was completely gone.

Liu Xian first had someone untie him, then, while fanning himself, asked with a smile, "I told you to come to Wei County to find me before, but you weren't willing. How about it? Are you convinced now?"

He lowered his head and whispered like a lamb to the slaughter, "This sinful subject, a foolish subject of a small country, was unaware of the might of the King of Han, and deserves to die a thousand deaths!"

Guo Mo, Zhang Bao, and Wen Shuo all burst into laughter. Liu Xian pressed his palm down, signaling them to be quiet, and then said to the Yi commander behind Yu Lingcheng, "Do any of you still have any objections? If you are not satisfied, I can release you, and the two armies can set up their formations and fight again."

Clearly, Liu Xian was paying homage to Zhuge Liang's seven captures of Meng Huo, but Yu Lingcheng and the others couldn't withstand seven such blows, and they waved their hands repeatedly. At the same time, they sensed that Liu Xian was prepared to spare their lives, and they were overjoyed. Half flattering and half sincere, they kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty is too kind. You are the Holy Ruler of the Celestial Dynasty. We are completely convinced and will never dare to rebel again!"

Liu Xian nodded, untied all the Yi chieftains, and then let them treat the wounded, take inventory of their followers, and have them name their leaders. He then temporarily handed over the affairs of the tribe before making further decisions.

The tribespeople, having suffered such a crushing defeat, believed that even if they escaped death, they would be enslaved for generations. Unexpectedly, they regained their freedom and were deeply grateful to Liu Xian. Nearly 100,000 people offered no further resistance, obeying Liu Xian's every command. Liu Xian then summoned the tribal leaders, instructing them to send most of their people back to their hometowns, but to leave behind trusted sons and able-bodied men—700 from large clans and 400 from smaller clans, totaling approximately 20,000—to return to Wei County with the Han army. Liu Xian planned to use this force to rebuild the Wudang Flying Army.

As Liu Xian returned to Wei County, news of Tan Zhi's great victory spread throughout the south, and Ningzhou was awed by it.

Throughout April, the various tribes of the former governor's office and the powerful clans of Ningzhou all sent envoys to offer their greetings. The remaining tribes from Yunnan and Yongchang counties, which had not participated in the war, also spontaneously came to pay tribute. Thus, Ningzhou regained its peaceful state. (End of Chapter)