Huangming

Chapter 462 Encirclement and Annihilation, A Decisive Move to Slay the Dragon (Bonus Chapter for 200 Monthly Tickets!)
the other side.

The valley on the western slope of Kaolao Mountain is like a crack cleaved by a giant axe, with steep cliffs on both sides. The shrubs on the cliffs shake their withered yellow leaves in the autumn wind, and occasionally a piece of gravel rolls down the cliff and hits the rocky beach at the bottom of the valley with a soft "tap-tap" sound.

The path at the bottom of the valley was so narrow that only two horses could pass side by side. Sun Chuanting and his breakout team squeezed through here, like a group of prey trapped in a cage.

With a precipice blocking their path in front and Liu Zhenbang's cavalry pursuing them from behind, and unclimbable cliffs on both sides, there wasn't even a sliver of space to escape.

"call out!"

A stray arrow suddenly shot from behind the ranks, striking a militiaman in the back.

The militiaman groaned, and the heavy shield in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter. Blood seeped out along the arrow shaft, quickly staining his coarse cloth jacket red.

The line instantly erupted into chaos, with officials' families screaming and pushing their way into the center. The previously orderly formation quickly fell apart.

Liu Zhenbang reined in his horse and stood at the entrance of the valley, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

His five hundred cavalrymen, like a pack of hungry wolves, circled around the exhausted army.

Sometimes he would rush forward and fire a few stray arrows, sometimes he would slash at the militiamen who lagged behind, but he never launched a general attack.

He didn't want a quick victory; he wanted to wear them down.

Among these people were officials from Datong, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dai, and the eunuch Zhang Wei. Those who were alive were more valuable than those who were dead.

"Commander Sun, we're almost out of arrows!"

An archer from the patrol station ran over, his quiver empty, his face filled with despair.

"The militia have also suffered heavy losses, and the remaining men are barely holding on!"

Sun Chuanting's hand gripping the sword hilt was sweaty.

He looked up and saw that most of the people in the group looked tired. Some soldiers were leaning against the cliff and panting, some officials were holding their families and trembling, and even Zhu Dingwei, the Prince of Dai who was originally quite calm, had a face as white as paper.

They had been surrounded in the valley for an hour. Their arrows had long been exhausted by Liu Zhenbang's harassment tactics. More than half of the militia and quick-handed men had been killed or wounded, and the remaining men were almost too weak to even lift their shields.

"Hold on a little longer!"

Sun Chuanting gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse.

"Xiong Jinglue's army is nearby. As long as we hold out until reinforcements arrive, we can survive!"

Even so, he was still unsure.

Signals couldn't get out of the valley, and whether reinforcements could arrive in time depended entirely on luck.

Liu Zhenbang clearly saw their predicament as well.

He spurred his horse forward a few steps and shouted into the valley, "Gentlemen, those who know what's good for them will surrender! My commander said that as long as you are willing to serve him, you will be spared!"

No one responded to him.

The only sounds in the valley were heavy breathing and occasional sobs.

after all
Who would be so bored as to dare to rebel?
Liu Zhenbang sneered, calculating in his mind.

In another half hour, this team will completely collapse. At that time, he can capture everyone and bring them back, which will allow him to report to Wang Wei and force them to reveal the whereabouts of the documents.

But just then, a faint tremor suddenly came from behind the cliff on the west side.

At first, there was only a slight "buzzing" sound, like distant thunder, but before long, the vibrations became more and more obvious. The gravel at the bottom of the valley began to tremble slightly, the bushes on the cliff shook violently, and even the sound of horses' hooves drowned out the panting of the group.

"what happened?"

Liu Zhenbang's expression changed drastically. He abruptly reined in his horse and listened intently.

The tremor was neither a landslide nor a disturbance caused by displaced people.

It's the sound of horse hooves!

And it was the sound of thousands upon thousands of horses galloping!

"They're Xiong Tingbi's men!"

One of the guards screamed and pointed to the mountain pass to the west.

"Look, sir! Dust! So much dust!"

Liu Zhenbang looked in the direction he pointed and saw a huge column of yellowish-brown smoke rising from the horizon of the western mountain pass, like a yellow dragon rushing towards the valley.

The plume of smoke drew closer, the sound of hooves grew louder, the ground trembled more violently, and even his warhorse began to paw restlessly.

"It's his mother's fault!"

Liu Zhenbang cursed fiercely, his composure instantly replaced by rage.

He never expected that Xiong Tingbi's army would arrive so quickly!
It's impossible to capture them alive now; if we delay any longer, he'll be doomed!
"Brothers! Leave no survivors! Kill! Slaughter everyone inside!"

Liu Zhenbang drew his saber from his waist, the blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

He spurred his horse and charged into the valley, leading the charge. With a swing of his saber, a militiaman who couldn't dodge in time was cleaved in two, his blood splattering all over him.

Seeing this, the cavalrymen also rushed in.

The saber struck the shield with a loud clang; the spear pierced the body, drawing out gushing blood.

Screams, cries, and the clanging of weapons instantly filled the entire valley.

Sun Chuanting drew his iron sword and stood in front of Zhang Wei and Zhu Dingwei, fiercely slashing at the charging cavalry.

A cavalryman swung his saber at Zhang Wei. Sun Chuanting dodged to the side, and the clash of sword and saber made his arm go numb. But he dared not retreat, for if he did, the people behind him would be slaughtered.

Zhang Wei hid behind Sun Chuanting, his face pale and his whole body trembling.

He watched as the officials around him fell one by one, and his family members were chased and killed by cavalry, but he didn't even have the strength to resist.

If it weren't for Sun Chuanting's desperate protection, he would have been a victim of the saber long ago.

Prince Zhu Dingwei, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dai, also drew his short sword from his waist. Although his hand was trembling violently, he still thrust it at the charging cavalry.

He watched as a guard was pierced through the chest by a cavalryman's spear while protecting him, and tears welled up instantly, but he gritted his teeth and didn't cry out.

Zhu Dingwei knew in his heart that crying was useless at this moment; only by fighting desperately could he survive.

But Liu Zhenbang's cavalry was simply too fierce.

Without the suppression of arrows and without a complete formation, the breakout troops fell like lambs to the slaughter.

Sun Chuanting's arm was slashed by the saber, leaving a deep, bone-revealing wound. Blood flowed down his arm, staining the hilt of the sword red, but he still stood firmly in front of it, not retreating a single step.

at this time.

A deafening shout echoed from the western mountain pass: "The Ming army is here! Rebels, do not flee!"

Liu Zhenbang's heart tightened, and he turned around to look.

A troop of cavalrymen dressed in Ming army armor had already reached the entrance of the valley. The general in the lead was carrying a large banner with the character "Cao" and was charging towards him.

It was Xiong Tingbi's vanguard!
"Retreat!" Liu Zhenbang dared not delay any longer and roared at his cavalry.

If we don't leave now, we really won't be able to leave.

He glared fiercely at Sun Chuanting in the valley, then reluctantly turned his horse around and led the remaining cavalrymen to flee towards Datong City.

Seeing their commander retreat, the cavalrymen turned their horses around and fled in panic.

The sounds of fighting in the valley gradually subsided, leaving only corpses and blood scattered on the ground, along with the gasps and sobs of the survivors.

Sun Chuanting watched Liu Zhenbang's retreating figure, then looked at the government cavalry rushing in, and finally couldn't hold on any longer, staggering and leaning against the cliff.

His arm was still bleeding, and he was covered in sweat and blood, but he let out a long sigh of relief.

They survived.

The reinforcements were led by Cao Wenzhao, the military commander of the Beijing Garrison, and his 3,000 cavalrymen.

One day ago.

This cavalry unit was resting at Xujiazhuang Fort with Xiong Tingbi, the military commissioner of the Nine Border Regions.

However, the Embroidered Uniform Guard delivered a secret letter informing them of Wang Wei's rebellion.

When Xiong Tingbi learned of this, he realized the seriousness of the matter.

If Datong falls, a gaping hole will be torn in the Shanxi defense line, and if the Mongol tribes to the north take the opportunity to move south, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Xiong Tingbi made a decisive decision and ordered Qi Jin and Cao Wenzhao to lead their cavalry to attack first.

When the two armies reached the western foot of Kaolao Mountain, the sun was already setting.

Cao Wenzhao was reining in his horse to observe the terrain when he suddenly heard faint shouts of battle coming from the valley ahead, mixed with the cries of women and children.

He immediately ordered the entire army to be on high alert! And he sent out a vanguard to scout the situation!

Before the forwards could report back, the battle cries grew closer and closer, and the crisp sound of sabers slashing could even be heard.

Cao Wenzhao made a decisive decision and led three thousand cavalrymen from the capital to provide support.

Fortunately, they arrived at the scene in time.

now.

Zhang Wei, the eunuch in charge of Datong, was in a terrible state: his python-patterned robe was torn in several places, revealing a blood-stained lining underneath, and his hair was disheveled and stuck to his face.

When he saw Cao Wenzhao approaching, he paused for a moment, then staggered forward and gave Cao Wenzhao an awkward bow, his voice trembling:
"General Cao...we've been waiting for you!"
"Thank goodness! If we had arrived any later, we would all be dead by the rebels!"

Cao Wenzhao helped him up, his gaze sweeping over the horrific scene in the valley, his brows furrowing even more deeply:

"Zhang Zhenjian, what's the situation in Datong Prefecture?"

"It's fallen!"

Zhang Wei sighed, his face full of lingering fear.

"Wang Wei colluded with Zhang Tianlin's refugee army to trick their way through three gates. Now the city is under their control, with all four gates tightly shut and heavily guarded! General, you must be extremely careful on your journey!"

Cao Wenzhao nodded, then turned and gave orders to his cavalry:

"Leave five hundred cavalrymen here to escort Zhang Zhenjian and the survivors to Xujiazhuang Fortress. The rest of you will come with me to Datong Prefecture City to meet up with General Qi!" After making the arrangements, Cao Wenzhao mounted his horse and led two thousand five hundred cavalrymen at full speed toward Datong Prefecture City.

Along the way, they frequently encountered small groups of refugee soldiers and Wang Wei's infantry.

These people are here to pursue Zhang Wei and his group.

Seeing the cavalry of the capital garrison charging, these men were terrified. Some tried to resist but were pierced through the chest by horse spears; others knelt down and surrendered, and were ordered by Cao Wenzhao to be tied to the back of the horse for later disposal.

As the sun completely sank behind the western mountains, the outline of Datong City finally came into view.

Torches flickered on the city walls, and the rebel flags could be vaguely seen fluttering in the wind. The four gates were tightly closed, and many rebels with bows and arrows stood on the walls.

Cao Wenzhao reined in his horse and looked into the distance. He saw a troop of cavalry lingering in the east of the city. It was Qi Jin's troops.

He immediately spurred his horse forward to meet them.

"General Cao!"

Upon seeing his arrival, Qi Jin spurred his horse forward to greet him, his face showing a hint of solemnity.

"I have already scouted the area. The rebels have deployed troops at all four gates and set up cannons on the city walls. We only have cavalry and lack siege equipment. A direct assault would probably not be to our advantage."

Cao Wenzhao nodded, his gaze falling on the tightly closed east gate:
"That's right. Cavalry are not good at sieges, and a forced attack will only increase casualties."

"It would be better to set up camp and rest ten miles east of the city first, and send someone to inform Commander Xiong. Once the main army arrives, we can then devise a strategy to attack the city."

Qi Jin expressed his strong agreement.

The two immediately ordered to set up camp in an open area ten miles east of the city.

The cavalrymen removed their saddles and let their horses graze on the grass; the cooks lit campfires and began to cook rations.

The sentries were scattered around the camp, keeping a watchful eye on the direction of Datong City.

They also gathered intelligence from various parts of Datong Prefecture.

As night deepened, the light from the campfire illuminated the faces of Cao Wenzhao and Qi Jin.

Cao Wenzhao wiped the long sword in his hand, the bloodstains on the blade were wiped away with a cloth, revealing a cold, sharp glint.

Qi Jin stood beside the map, pointing to the location of Datong Prefecture, pondering the next day's plans.

The two exchanged a glance and both saw fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

Wang Wei's rebellion was a disaster for the people of Datong, but for these seasoned warriors, it was an excellent opportunity to make a name for themselves.

"Once General Xiong's army arrives, we must be the first to storm into the city and capture Wang Wei alive!"

Cao Wenzhao gripped his long sword tightly, his words filled with ambition.

Qi Jin smiled and nodded, drawing his long sword from his waist, and said, "Alright! We'll see who kills more rebels then!"

The next day.

Xiong Tingbi's main army arrived at a location ten miles east of Datong Prefecture and set up camp.

The continuous camps resembled a blue ocean, with banners fluttering in the wind. The "Bear" banner, the commander's flag, stood prominently atop the central tent.

Inside the central command tent, a huge map of Datong Town was spread on the floor.

Generals Chen Ce and Qi Jin, commanders-in-chief of the border region; Ma Shilong, commander-in-chief of Xuanfu; Cao Wenzhao and Cao Wenyao, assistant commanders of the Beijing garrison; Zhang Wei, eunuch in charge of Datong; Zu Dashou, deputy commander-in-chief of Datong Prefecture; and Sun Chuanting, assistant commissioner of the Shanxi Provincial Surveillance Commission, were all in the tent.

The generals inside the tent stood or stood, each with a different expression.

Xiong Tingbi sat upright behind his desk, dressed in a black military officer's robe with a jade belt around his waist. His face was calm, but his eyes were sharp.

He had just finished listening to the scouts' summary.

Wang Wei occupied the prefectural city, Liu Zhenbang led the troops of Polubao to join him, Sun Zhen and Ma Rong's forces seemed to be involved in the rebellion, Zhang Tianlin's refugee army looted the city incessantly, and clashed with Wang Wei's direct forces from time to time...

The situation has developed in a way that has exceeded Xiong Tingbi's expectations.

Previously, he had stood by and watched the situation in Datong deteriorate. His original intention was to find fault with Wang Wei for corruption and false reporting, so that he could use this as an excuse to rectify Datong Town, remove this "nail," and make Datong as obedient as Xuanfu.

Unexpectedly, Wang Wei went so far as to rebel, which not only made the situation more chaotic, but also put the life of the Prince of Dai in jeopardy.

But on the other hand, besides Xiong Tingbi having to take some blame, this incident wasn't without its benefits.

At least
The rebellion actually made things simpler.

Once the rebellion is quelled, Datong Town will have no reason to resist, and the subsequent reorganization will be even smoother than in Xuanfu.

The only problem now is how to wipe out Wang Wei's rebel army at the lowest possible cost.

"Everyone."

Xiong Tingbi spoke, his voice not loud, but it instantly silenced the whispers inside the tent.

"Wang Wei plotted a rebellion, and Datong Town fell. This matter concerns the safety of the nine border regions and must be quelled as soon as possible."

His gaze swept over the generals, finally settling on Zu Dashou.

“Zu Xiezhen has been in Datong for a long time and is familiar with the military situation here. Tell me first, what is the background of the rebels?”

Upon hearing this, Zu Dashou stepped forward and bowed in respect.

He fought a bloody battle at the North Gate yesterday and was slashed on the left arm. Although it is now wrapped in thick bandages and the bloodstains are faintly visible, he is in high spirits.

Offering advice to Xiong Tingbi was a good opportunity for him to demonstrate his abilities.

"Reporting to the General, Wang Wei actually doesn't have many loyal followers. Apart from his 10,000 to 20,000 men, the only ones who are truly devoted to him are his son-in-law Liu Zhenbang's force, which numbers about 3,000."

“Sun Zhen and Ma Rong were originally subordinates of Yang Zhaoji, the former general of Datong. After Wang Wei took office, he suppressed them. In this rebellion, the two were most likely coerced. Many of their soldiers complained and the morale of the army was very low.”

As for Zhang Tianlin's army of refugees

Zu Dashou's tone was tinged with disdain.

"They were just desperate people, untrained and undisciplined, who relied entirely on robbing grain to survive."

Their cooperation with Wang Wei is merely a ploy to use Wang Wei's name to plunder more resources. Once there's no more food to steal, or if we offer them some benefits, they'll surely turn against us immediately.

Ultimately, the rebels were just a rabble; their morale was completely broken.

"Therefore, I believe that it is not advisable to launch a direct attack on the rebels."

The city of Datong is high and the moat is deep; a direct assault would only increase casualties.

It would be better to start by disintegrating the rebels from within, and then cut off their supply lines.

Datong's provisions depend entirely on Shuozhou, and the rebel army only knows how to plunder. As long as we besiege the prefectural city and cut off their food supply, it won't be long before the rebels themselves fall into chaos!

Xiong Tingbi nodded slightly, but didn't speak immediately. He then looked at Zhang Wei:
"Zhang Zhenjian, you've been in Datong for many years. Do you agree with what Zu Xiezhen said?"

Zhang Wei quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said:

"General Zu is right, General Commander!"

Seeing that Zhang Wei and Zu Dashou both shared this view, Xiong Tingbi stood up, walked to the map, and traced the passes and post stations around the prefectural city with his finger, his gaze gradually sharpening:

"Alright! In that case, let's proceed along these lines!"

He suddenly raised his hand, his voice resounding:

"First, launch a public opinion offensive!"
Have people shout around the city that the imperial court will only execute the three ringleaders Wang Wei, Liu Zhenbang, and Zhang Tianlin, and that all the others who were coerced into following the rebels will be pardoned and their crimes will be forgiven as long as they lay down their weapons and surrender!

Then send the captured rebel soldiers back to relay the message and demoralize their troops!

The generals all nodded in agreement.

This tactic of cutting off the source of the problem is most effective at undermining morale.

"Second, cut off their retreat and supply lines!"

Xiong Tingbi looked at Qi Jin,

"Commander Qi, you lead three thousand cavalry to immediately seize the northern pass of Yanmen Pass, dismantle the post road and bridges from Datong to Shuozhou, and absolutely do not allow Wang Wei to escape south into the heart of Shanxi!"

Leave one thousand men to guard the pass, and the remaining two thousand men must quickly return to join the main army in besieging the prefectural city!

"The last general takes command!"

Qi Jin bowed and agreed, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

"Cao Wenzhao!"

Xiong Tingbi then looked at Cao Wenzhao.

"You will lead two thousand cavalry to launch a surprise attack on Gaoshan Fortress west of Datong City."

That was the main road to Yansui Town, cutting off Wang Wei's escape route to the west!

Leave one thousand men to garrison, and send another thousand back to encircle them!

"The general will obey the order!"

Cao Wenzhao responded loudly.

Xiong Tingbi finally looked at Chen Ce, Ma Shilong, and the others:

"The rest of the troops shall depart immediately with this strategist and surround Datong City. Besiege but do not attack; wear them down first!"

His tone was full of confidence.

"Although Wang Wei has many men, they are not united and their fighting strength is weak."

If they dare to venture out of the city for open battle, that's perfect! We brothers from Liaodong will show them what a real border army is like! What it means to be utterly defeated!

The generals inside the tent instantly perked up and shouted in unison:
"We obey General Jinglue's order!"

Xiong Tingbi nodded slightly as he looked at the group's spirited demeanor.

A battle to encircle and annihilate Datong City has begun.

王威
Then just wait to be beheaded!
PS:

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(End of this chapter)