Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

At this moment, on the west side of Longwei Weir, the Tang army camp was already a scene of intense and busy activity.

Before dawn, all the camps had already finished preparing their meals.

The soldiers ate their fill, stuffed the dried biscuits and jerky they carried into their pockets, and gave their weapons and armor one last inspection.

The torches on the drill ground were still burning, casting flickering light on the faces of the soldiers.

Some people bowed their heads and silently wiped the blades, while others tightened their breastplates again and again.

Some people squatted on the ground and wrote words on the inside of their boots with charcoal sticks. They were afraid that they would die unrecognizable, so they followed the old soldier's method and wrote their names and hometowns on the inside of their boots.

Chen An and Zhou Ping each led their captains and brigade commanders, patrolling back and forth in the camp. They would stop from time to time to give a few words of advice, straighten a soldier's crooked shoulder pad, or pat a nervous new recruit on the shoulder.

Chen An's face, unusually devoid of a smile, became solemn, yet his voice remained steady:

"Remember everything. When you're on the battlefield, advance when you hear the drums and retreat when you hear the gongs. If you see the rebels beating their drums, lend a hand and help your comrades put on their armor. Don't panic. When the 'Swift Thunder General' fires his arrows, fire in unison on command, no random shots!"

At 3:45 AM, three drumbeats sounded from the central army camp.

The troops in each battalion began to move according to the predetermined plan.

The Tang scouts within dozens of miles of Longwei Weir seemed to have received a command at the same time, and went berserk, harassing the rebel scouts.

These scouts were composed of elite cavalry from Shuofang Town and Xiazhou Dangxiang. Each of them was a veteran rider who had fought against the Tubo and Uyghurs for half his life on the northwestern frontier. Their horsemanship and archery skills were far superior to those of ordinary cavalrymen.

Their warhorses were all fine steeds carefully raised in the ranches of the Northwest, with strong frames and excellent endurance. They could carry a fully armored cavalryman charging into battle without any problem, let alone these lightly armored scouts.

These people risked their lives to hold Shang Rang's eyes and hands back.

Although many of the rebel scouts were surrendered Tang imperial guards, the difference between the imperial guards and the elite cavalry of the border towns was like heaven and earth.

Those men from the border towns who grew up on horseback could hide under a horse's belly, turn around and shoot arrows while galloping, and hit birds a hundred paces away with a strong bow.

How could the cavalry of Guanzhong and Guandong withstand such a head-on battle?

Small-scale skirmishes were breaking out everywhere in the fields on both sides of the official road, among the poplar groves, and in the shallow ditches and embankments.

The elite cavalry of Shuofang would often ride in groups of several. When they spotted rebel scouts in the distance, they would spur their horses and surround them. A few arrows would kill one or two of them, and the rest would scatter in a panic.

Occasionally, when rebel scouts formed ranks and put up a stubborn resistance, Tangut cavalry would rush in from the flanks, their scimitars gleaming in the morning light like silver arcs, cleaving through the morning mist and bringing up sprays of blood.

Within an hour, the rebel vanguard scouts were all driven away, some dead, some wounded, and some fleeing back to their own lines in disarray.

Those who had miraculously survived were all deathly pale, and when they reported the time to Liu Hong, they could barely speak coherently.

"General, the Tang scouts have gone mad! They've gone mad! We were chased and killed the moment we showed our faces, and they wouldn't stop even after we'd gone seven or eight miles! Judging from their formation, there must be a large Tang army ahead!"

Liu Hong reported these messages to Shang Rang one by one.

Upon hearing this, Shang Rang was not surprised at all; instead, he threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"Good! Good! The Tang army is panicking! The Tang army is panicking! Their desperate attempt to stop our scouts is just a classic case of protesting too much!"

Liu Hong was taken aback and blurted out:

"What the Grand Commandant means is..."

"Haven't you figured it out yet? Zheng Tian's main force is not far ahead, and they are hastily setting up their formation to deal with our army. He is afraid that I will discover his strength, so he is desperately intercepting my scouts. The more he does this, the more he is bluffing."

Shang Rang waved his hand.

"Keep urging the troops forward, don't hold back. I want to see the Tang army's formation with my own eyes within half an hour."

Meanwhile, on the high hill in front of Longweipi, squads of infantry were arrayed along the gentle slope.

This was the army that was used to lure the enemy into an ambush.

According to Zheng Tian's prior arrangements, this army consisted of 2,500 men:

One thousand were infantrymen under Li Cenji, commanded by Chen An, the Left Wing Commander, with five hundred men each led by Captains Zhao Shun and Zhang Yansi, and Li Changfu was also among them.

One thousand were infantrymen drawn from Fengxiang Longyou Town.

The remaining five hundred were Zheng Tian's newly recruited elite soldiers, the "Swift Thunder Generals," who were personally commanded by Zheng Tian.

The infantrymen lined up in formation on the high ground of Longweipo.

Their armor was hastily put on; some shoulder straps were not yet fastened, and some helmets were crooked.

The army was scattered and disorganized, as if they had just rushed in from the rear and had not yet had time to form ranks.

There weren't even any professional archers in the army. Only the "Swift Thunder General" had practiced archery, but as for accuracy... what skills could a good kid who had only practiced for two months possibly have?

However, being on high ground and able to unleash a barrage of arrows does create a certain degree of deterrence.

A flag was unfurled in the morning breeze.

Besides the battle flags and identification flags of each brigade, the most eye-catching thing is the two large banners in the center of the high hill.

One side reads "Commander-in-Chief of the Military Camps on All Sides of the Capital," while the other side simply bears the large character "Zheng."

Two large banners fluttered in the morning breeze, and the large characters on the crimson flags were clearly visible even from a mile away.

Zheng Tian was right under that big banner.

Today he did not ride in a carriage or a sedan chair, but instead wore a gleaming silver armor and sat astride a chestnut horse.

He wore a helmet and had a sword hanging at his waist.

The spring chill was biting, and the morning breeze ruffled the few strands of gray hair that peeked out from under his helmet. His thin face was expressionless, but his old eyes were fixed on the distance, on the east where the morning mist had not yet dissipated.

To his left stood an old general in his fifties, tall and thin, with a vigorous spirit. His white beard was braided into several small braids, and a flag with the character "Ma" (horse) on it stood beside him.

This veteran general was none other than Ma Huaisu, the Infantry Commander of Longyou.

When they discussed matters at the military governor's mansion, Ma Huaisu sat to the left of Li Cenji.

He was one of the most senior infantry officers in Longyou Town, having served in the army for over thirty years, fighting from Hexi to Longyou, from Tubo to Uyghur, and fought hard battles his entire life.

The thousand infantrymen under his command were elite troops drawn from Longyou Town, all of whom had followed him for many years.

Li Cenji gripped his sword and spurred his horse, closely protecting Zheng Tian on his right.

Today he changed into the fine-scaled inner armor given to him by Zheng Tian, ​​covered with a bright armor, with a horizontal sword hanging at his waist, and a personal guard carrying his lance behind him.

Behind the hill, Zhou Ping's thousand cavalry and Li Changyan's two thousand cavalry had already hidden themselves, their horses' hooves wrapped in cloth and their mouths gagged, quietly concealed behind the earthen slopes and bushes.

The eastern sky gradually turned from a pale white to a light gold, and then the light gold was tinged with a thin layer of red.

The morning mist completely dissipated, and the view suddenly opened up.

The mountains, rivers, and vegetation surrounding Longwei Weir are all clearly visible in this clear morning light.

Ma Huaisu tucked the whip into the side of the saddle, crossed his arms, and squinted as he gazed eastward. His face showed no sign of tension; he appeared as composed as an old farmer watching his crops grow on a field ridge.

Seeing that Li Cenji's fingers gripping the knife had turned white, he turned his head and chuckled softly:

"Commander Li, is this your first time facing battle?"

Li Cenji was slightly taken aback, then said frankly:

"To be honest, Commander Ma, this is indeed the first time I've ever been in a sedan chair. The feeling of training troops on the drill ground is completely different from the feeling of actually facing the enemy in battle."

Ma Huaisu smoothed his braid and chuckled:

"Scared?"

Li Cenji shook his head and said:

"It's not fear. It's an indescribable feeling."

Ma Huaisu nodded, his eyes showing more approval:

"To be able to say you're not afraid is already better than many others. Saying you're not afraid is a lie; whose flesh and blood aren't afraid of knives and guns? The key is that no matter what you think in your heart, your legs can't go weak, your hands can't tremble, and when you should charge, you have to charge; when you should stand firm, you have to stand firm. You'll see in a moment; when the fight really starts, you'll forget everything."

Li Cenji said seriously:

"I will do my best."

Zheng Tian smiled slightly, looking at Li Cenji and Ma Huaisu, but did not speak, simply letting Ma Huaisu impart his experience.

Time passed quietly, and far away, at the end of the eastern official road, a wisp of yellow dust began to rise.

The yellow dust started as a thin line, but it quickly grew wider and thicker, soon obscuring half the sky, like a long yellow snake slowly surging towards Longweipo along the official road.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of thunderous hooves and footsteps came from the horizon, making the earthen mound beneath their feet tremble slightly.

Zheng Tian stood on his horse beneath the great banner, his hand on the hilt of his sword, watching the approaching yellow dust. His face remained expressionless, though the fingers on the sword tightened slightly.

-----------------

Meanwhile, Shang Rang's army marched westward, with his valiant general Xu Jian leading three thousand elite cavalry to clear the way.

As Xu Jian was traveling, a scout on horseback suddenly rode up to report:

"General, two li ahead, on the high hill of Longweipo, there are Tang troops arrayed in formation!"

Upon hearing the report, Xu Jian reined in his horse, shaded his eyes with his hand, and looked westward.

In the distance, a mound about a hundred feet high stretched across the official road, with flags faintly visible and figures moving about on it.

He sneered inwardly:

Just as the Grand Commandant had predicted, the Tang army was right ahead.

He immediately ordered the three armies to halt, and sent a messenger to report to the central army commander Shang Rang.

Before long, Shang Rang spurred his horse to the front, followed by dozens of his personal guards and generals.

He stopped his horse on a slightly higher mound beside the official road and looked into the distance.

The sun was already high in the sky, and the bright spring sunlight shone on Longwei Weir, revealing every detail of the earthen mound.

Upon seeing this, Shang Rang was slightly taken aback, then the corners of his mouth turned up, and he threw his head back and laughed loudly. His laughter echoed along the official road, startling the guards beside him who looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Ha ha ha ha--"

After Shang Rang had finished laughing, he raised his hand and pointed with the tip of his whip at the distant Dragon Tail Weir, and said to those around him:

"Look at that! Is that the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty? Is that the army led by Zheng Tian?"

The officers on either side looked in the direction his whip was pointing.

On the high hill of Longweipo, the Tang army's formation was crooked and disorganized.

The soldiers gathered in small groups, some frantically putting on their armor, some squatting on the ground tying their leather sashes, and some even sitting on the grass, as if they were not there to fight but rather to enjoy the spring scenery.

The formation was so haphazard that it was completely disorganized, with neither barricades nor antlers, and the most basic queues were not even neatly arranged.

Several brigade commanders and captains ran around the formation shouting and waving their arms, as if they were herding a flock of disobedient sheep.

In this situation, let alone battle-hardened elites, even the training level of ordinary state soldiers is far inferior.

Shang Rang grew increasingly pleased as he looked at it. He turned the tip of his whip, pointing it at the two large banners fluttering in the center of the hill, and said:

"Look at those two flags again!"

Everyone stared intently as the flag fluttered in the morning breeze. One side read "Commander-in-Chief of the Military Camps of the Capital," while the other side bore only the large character "Zheng."

"Zheng Tian!"

Shang Rang slapped the riding whip in his palm and sneered.

"That old scoundrel actually came in person. His banner, that of a commander-in-chief, has no power over the military governors of the western regions. Which of the likes of Cheng Zongchu and Tang Hongfu would truly obey his orders? He received news of our approaching army and, unable to mobilize other troops in time, had no choice but to lead his own forces from Fengxiang and Longyou to block us first."

A lieutenant general beside him chimed in:

"The Grand Commandant is absolutely right. Those military governors in the Tang court are all harboring their own ulterior motives. How could Zheng Tian, ​​a mere exiled prime minister, truly command any authority?"

Shang Rang nodded, then looked up and carefully examined the Tang army's formation, his expression becoming increasingly sarcastic.

He pointed at the hill with the tip of his whip and said to those around him:

"Look at his formation! He's arrayed in the roadside, seizing the high ground—he's got the terrain advantage, after all. But his soldiers are standing here crookedly, unable to even form a basic square. Is this the army a scholar-official is leading? This is the ridiculous thing about a scholar commanding an army!"

He became increasingly smug as he spoke, and his voice rose several decibels:

"That old scoundrel Zheng Tian is fine for writing memorials and wielding his pen in the court, but on the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes. How can his pen possibly protect him? And how can he learn how to deploy troops by reading a few military books? Now he hastily sets up his troops, the soldiers don't know their generals, and the generals don't know their soldiers. They don't even have time to put on their armor properly. This is a golden opportunity!"

These words drew laughter from the officers around him.

Before the laughter subsided, a man rode forward on horseback, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Grand Commandant, this humble general has something to say."

Shang Rang turned his head and saw that the speaker was Peng Zan, the deputy general of the vanguard. He was also an old brother who had fought with Huang Chao from Caozhou. He was burly and had a fierce face. He was fearless in battle and was known in the army as "Crazy Peng".

"Speak," Shang Rang said.

Peng Zan pointed to both sides of the high hill at Longwei Weir and said:

"Grand Commandant, please observe: the Tang army is arrayed in the road, focusing only on the front, while their flanks are undefended. I am willing to lead my troops to bypass them from the north, encircling them from behind the high ground and cutting off their retreat. Then, Grand Commandant, we can launch a fierce frontal attack, attacking from both sides. Even if Zheng Tian had wings, he would have no chance of escape!"

Upon hearing this, the officers and soldiers nearby all nodded in agreement.

Shang Rang did not answer immediately, but turned to look at Liu Hong:

"Liu Hong, how well have your scouts surveyed the terrain around Longwei Pond?"

Liu Hong was prepared, and immediately urged his horse forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, this subordinate has already sent men to carefully survey the area. The terrain of Longwei Slope is quite treacherous. The dense forest on the north side extends northward and connects to the foothills of Qishan Mountain. The further north you go, the denser the forest becomes, and the ground is covered with a thick layer of decaying leaves. When cavalry enter the forest, it is like being stuck in a quagmire, making it extremely difficult to pass. Even for infantry, it would take at least half a day to go around the dense forest and cross the mountain."