A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 504 Where the enemy goes, so can I
The cold wind howled, and snowflakes fluttered down.

Li Yi led his army north to Dingzhou, the marching column stretching for more than ten miles in the wind and snow. The north wind was like a knife, and frost formed on their eyebrows.

He was wearing a swan down jacket underneath a mink coat, but his hands and feet still felt so cold they were almost numb.

at last,

Wuji City appeared and disappeared in the wind and snow.
The crimson Tang flag fluttered in the wind on the flagpole.

The south gate of Wuji County slowly opened.

Dugu Kaiyuan, the governor of Dingzhou, and Shuang Shilu, the prefect of Yizhou, led a group of defeated generals out of the city to welcome them.

Shuang Shilu's bright armor had several gaps, and the arrow wound on his shoulder was still oozing blood. This former Right Second Protector of the Prince of Qin's Mansion and the Governor of Dingzhou had suffered the greatest defeat of his life during this period.

First they lost Yizhou, then they lost Dingzhou.

Beside him was Dugu Kaiyuan, who had succeeded him as the governor of Dingzhou. This cousin of the emperor still had bloodstains on his purple robe, his face was pale, and he was still recovering from serious injuries.

Li Yi was surrounded by guards, including those from the wedding ceremony and the inner tent.
He spurred his horse to them and reined it in.

"This humble general deserves to die ten thousand times!"

Shuang Shilu roared and knelt on one knee, "Please punish me, Master Sikong!"

Li Yi surveyed the group of generals standing before the south gate of Wuji County. The two central army generals stationed by the imperial court in Ding and Yi prefectures, Xue Zhong and Liu Jun, also had their armor torn, looked haggard, and were wounded.

"You have contributed to the court's victory in conquering Luoyang and recovering Hebei. Old wounds have not yet healed and new ones have been inflicted. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Do not be discouraged. If Yizhou and Dingzhou are lost, we will take them back."

Qi Shanxing urged his horse forward and brought over the ebony box.

Open it, and inside is a bright yellow imperial edict.

"Dugu Kaiyuan, Shuang Shilu, and others receive the imperial edict!"

"I have heard that punishing crimes and recording merits is a common practice for rulers; holding people accountable and following their titles is a constant rule for military and national affairs. Dugu Kaiyuan, the governor of Dingzhou, holds a high position and is responsible for the border. However, the city has fallen, the army has been defeated, and the territory has been lost, which is contrary to the weight of his appointment. It is appropriate to rectify the laws and regulations on punishment."

Considering his past merits and achievements, he is granted leniency and may be demoted to the position of Prefect of Hengzhou, with his three promotions in official rank revoked.

Shuang Shilu, the Prefect of Yizhou, Xue Zhong, the Left General of the Martial Guard, and Liu Jun, the Right General of the Garrison Guard, were all entrusted with border duties and perished in the defeat. They should have been punished according to military law to maintain discipline. However, considering their past merits, I have shown leniency and demoted them by one rank. They should all be ordered to serve in Li Yi's army.

Those who can break through enemy lines and charge into battle will be rewarded with extraordinary merit; those who repeat past mistakes will be executed along with their families.

After Li Yi finished reading the imperial edict,

All four generals breathed a sigh of relief.

The emperor's punishment was not considered severe.

"Please invite Sikong into the city." Dugu Kaiyuan stood up.

After entering the city, we sat by a charcoal fire and drank hot tea.

How many soldiers are left in Wuji County?

“There are still more than five thousand men.” Dugu Kaiyuan answered cautiously.

Li Yi, holding his teacup, frowned upon hearing this. Each of the two prefectures, Yi and Ding, was garrisoned by a central army force of three thousand infantry and cavalry. Adding the twelve military districts, that made eighteen thousand. In wartime, local militia and militias numbered at least twenty thousand.

Now there are only five thousand left.

"How many armored figures are there?" Li Yi asked again.

“More than three thousand.” Dugu Kaiyuan’s voice became even softer.

"Humph!"

Li Yi slammed his teacup down on the table, clearly disappointed in them.

The fall of Dingzhou was largely due to Dugu Kaiyuan. Although he was the emperor's cousin, it was completely inappropriate for him to succeed Shuang Shilu as the governor of Dingzhou during the war.

He had some information about Dugu Kaiyuan. This man was the grandson of Dugu Xin, the third son of Dugu Xin's eldest son Dugu Luo, and had accompanied the emperor to Jiangdu, serving as the Crown Prince's bodyguard.

During the Jiangdu Incident, he was quite loyal and fought bravely before being captured. After being captured, he surrendered to Yuwen Huaji and was not killed. He followed Yuwen Huaji northward. When Yuwen Huaji was defeated in Hebei, he took the opportunity to defect to the Tang Dynasty. He was first appointed as the magistrate of Xiagui County in Tongzhou, and later promoted to the position of Imperial Envoy and Governor-General of Liaozhou.

His promotions were incredibly rapid, within just two or three years.

If there were no war, he might not have been a problem as the governor of Dingzhou, but given the current situation, he is undoubtedly unable to control it.

Because of his lack of experience, Gao Kaidao attacked Dingzhou City three times. At first, he managed to hold the city, but later he became somewhat complacent. When Gao Kaidao feigned defeat and retreated, he fell into the trap and pursued him, resulting in a major defeat. Gao Kaidao even captured Dingzhou City.

If they stay in the city and don't come out, how will Gao Kaidao have a chance to capture it?

His demotion was deserved; he should have been demoted to a county magistrate. Shuang Shilu was a bit unlucky, though. Gao Kaidao launched a surprise attack on Yizhou, and as the governor of Dingzhou, he was powerless to stop it. Murong Xiaogan also died in battle due to underestimating the enemy, and Yizhou was lost in the process.

Generals Xue Zhong and Liu Jun, both high-ranking officers of the third rank, each commanded three thousand infantry and cavalry from the central army. Now, they have been reduced to only about a thousand men each.

Given the imperial court's troop deployments in Youzhou, Yizhou, Dingzhou, and Hengzhou, the fighting shouldn't have escalated to this point. Ultimately, it all comes down to each side having its own agenda. First, there was Wang Junkuo's inaction in Youzhou, then in Dingzhou, the Crown Prince took the opportunity to replace Shuang Shilu, who came from the Prince of Qin's household, with his own man, Dugu Kaiyuan, as the commander-in-chief.

Changing commanders at the last minute and underestimating the enemy led to the loss of Dingzhou.

Generals Xue and Liu, also acting on the Crown Prince's orders, cooperated with Dugu Kaiyuan's command, resulting in heavy losses of soldiers, generals, cities, and territory.

"Gather these three thousand armored soldiers and come with me to retake Dingzhou. The rest will remain to guard Wuji."

···
Willow branches on the moon.

Liu Heita's eyebrows and beard were covered in frost. He stood behind the trunk of a large willow tree, gazing at the manor in the distance under the night sky.

The manor was seized by the Turks a few days ago. After looting, burning, and killing, they used it as a base and have been plundering and looting everywhere for the past few days, resting there at night.

The smell of barbecue wafts on the wind.
There was also the laughter of the Turks and the screams of women.

This is the outskirts of Yifeng County, only seventy li from Dingzhou, not far from the south bank of the Kou River. The manor there doesn't look very tall, but it has high rammed earth walls.

“These Turks deserve to die. They burn, kill, loot, rape, and commit all sorts of evil deeds.”

"Dianjun, the southwest corner of the manor is the weakest point in terms of defense."

"Alright, let's wait until midnight before taking action."

The soldiers, smelling the aroma of roasted meat in the wind, couldn't help but mutter curses under their breath. It was too cold outside, yet those Turks were eating meat, drinking, and playing with women inside.

After Liu Heita finished chewing a handful of fried rice, he looked up at the moon.

It's almost time.

"Do it."

Under the cover of night, thirty elite Tang soldiers stealthily approached the southwest corner of the manor. The manor was silent.

Those Turks were sound asleep, having eaten and drunk their fill.

A group of Turkic soldiers on night duty also found sheltered spots to squat by the fire and doze off; this was considered the rear area.

The stables suddenly caught fire

The Turkic soldiers on night duty were awakened.

He saw many figures reflected in the firelight of the stables.

Oh no, it's an enemy attack! He quickly pulled out his horn from his waist, but before he could blow it, an arrow struck him in the face. He screamed and fell to the ground, the horn falling to the floor.

The manor gates were opened.

Liu Heita led three hundred cavalrymen into the city.

The Turks, who were in their sleep, were finally awakened. There was only one hundred men in the group.

They had raided and seized the manor in recent days, looting and plundering everywhere, taking a lot of valuables and women. They had originally planned to retreat to Dingzhou tomorrow.

The centurion, shirtless and carrying a sword, charged out.

They happened to run into Liu Heita, who had fought his way here.

The centurion roared, and Liu Heita, who knew Turkic, recognized the insult as a curse.

The horse spear thrust straight in.

The centurion swung his sword, but failed to cut through the heavy thrust.

The naked centurion was pierced through the chest by a horse spear.

"I am Liu Heita, commander of the Imperial Guard of the Prince of Wu'an of the Great Tang Dynasty, from Zhangnan, Hebei!" he said in Turkic to the centurion who was spitting blood.

The manor was in chaos.
One hundred Turkic soldiers were ambushed and trapped in the manor, where they were killed.

Most of the Turkic soldiers were sleeping with the women they had captured, and they didn't even have time to put on their clothes, let alone their armor.

Some of the alcohol hasn't worn off yet.
That persimmon wine is delicious, but it also has a strong aftereffect.

Faced with Liu Heita's three hundred fully armed elite cavalry, they could only be slaughtered.

If they were on a plain, even if their hundred riders couldn't defeat three hundred Tang riders, they could at least run away. But now, they're trapped and being beaten like dogs.

The sounds of fighting gradually subsided.

The Tang army cut off the heads of the Turks one by one, led back their scattered warhorses, and collected their armor and weapons.

In the courtyard, heads, equipment, and other items were piled up in several heaps.

They also looted a great deal of money and valuables.

The women they had abducted were also brought along.

Liu Heita wiped his weapons and said, "Hurry up and start a fire to cook for us. After we finish eating, each of you should take some food and money and then disperse."

Facing hundreds of young women, Liu Heita, who had just finished a massacre, did not act recklessly.

He knew Sikong Li Yi's character well and valued military discipline highly.

"Commander, several injured wolf cubs have run northwest," reported Luo Dagui, the commander of the Imperial Guard.

"Okay, Commander Luo, you take the brothers to count and register all these heads and supplies."

The soldier Yun Hongsi came over carrying a bloodstained sword, and his body reeked of blood.

"Military Advisor Yun, you're more formidable than a military officer, even though you're only a civilian official!" Liu Heita beckoned him over to warm himself by the fire.

Yun Hongsi sat down. "How long will it take for those wolf cubs who escaped to bring their men? Are we just going to wait here?"

Liu Heita took off his boots and started roasting his feet, the smoke billowing out and the smell pungent, but Yun Hongsi didn't react at all.

Liu Heita was amazed by his performance. He was Yun Dingxing's eldest grandson, and his sister was even a concubine to Li Yi. Yet, he endured all kinds of hardships in his army and fought so fiercely.

I heard that when his grandfather Yun Dingxing was the Grand Commandant of Wang Shichong in Luoyang, Yun Hongsi was also a sixth-rank Thousand-Niu Beishen.

He originally thought that Li Yi was just placing a cheap brother-in-law in his place, like Luo Dagui, and even with the intention of monitoring him. He didn't expect that Luo Dagui, who came from an ordinary background, was hardworking and capable, and Yun Hongsi, who came from a noble family, was the same.

"It's only seventy li from here to Dingzhou. The enemy will arrive in less than half a day. Let's have a good meal here, take a nap, and wait for them to come."

However, there are many spoils of war here, and I would like to have Military Advisor Yun lead a small team to transport them back.

Yun Hongsi also took off his boots and warmed his feet.

“Dianjun, you should send someone else to handle this. I’ll stay and fight alongside you. I just killed two Turkic wolf cubs, and I’m still not done.”

Liu Heita laughed heartily, "Alright, I'll make arrangements for Brother Da Gui."

The women quickly cooked the rice.
The sheep that Tang Jun helped slaughter were chopped up and stewed, with noodles added. Eating it while it was hot warmed the whole body on this cold night.

The women added extra ginger,

After eating, I sweated slightly all over, feeling completely refreshed and free of any chill.

"Brother Da Gui, once you've eaten your fill, hurry up and take these heads, equipment, money, and provisions with you and leave."

Luo Dagui obeyed military orders completely, wiping his mouth and leaving.

Yun Hongsi ate three large bowls of mutton soup with noodles, patting his belly contentedly. "I wonder how many Turkic wolves those wolf cubs will bring."

Liu Heita laughed and said, "There must be at least two or three thousand cavalry."

"Isn't Liu Dianjun afraid? We only have three hundred men."

Liu Heita said, "Aren't there seven hundred brothers lying in ambush behind them?"

"That's only a thousand. If two or three thousand cavalry come, can we win? What if three or five thousand cavalry come?"

Liu Heita said confidently, "If there are fewer than three thousand cavalry, we'll annihilate them. If five thousand come, we'll take them down before we leave. If ten thousand or eight thousand cavalry come, we'll run as far away as possible."

Of course, there are only 15,000 Turks in Hebei so far, and they are still looting everywhere. It's impossible for them to come all over for the hundred or so cavalry that were wiped out. There are probably only two or three thousand cavalry, which is just enough to wipe them all out.

(End of this chapter)