Hot flashes

The smoke from the beacon fire in Wolf Valley flickered in the north wind, and the thick black smoke from burning grain and fodder was particularly glaring against the clear sky after the snow.

Huo Yi stood on a sheltered hillside outside the valley, watching the soldiers escorting prisoners and carrying some salvaged but undamaged weapons, quickly moving northeast.

The cold wind whipped his gray beard, and the frostbite on his cheeks throbbed, but the old general's spine remained ramrod straight.

The exhilaration of the successful raid lasted only a moment before being replaced by the heavier reality.

"General, the count is complete." Deputy General Wang Hui strode in, his face smeared with blood. "We killed about three hundred enemies, captured over a hundred, and burned enough provisions for about two thousand men for ten days. Our army suffered forty-seven dead, over thirty seriously wounded, and over a hundred lightly wounded. Zhao Ting escaped into the depths of the valley after being wounded, and we were unable to capture him."

Huo Yi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the assembling team.

Although the two thousand veteran infantrymen won the battle, the casualties were not to be underestimated. More importantly, after several days of diarrhea, marching through wind and snow, and fierce fighting, the soldiers' physical strength was nearing its limit, and many of them had undisguised fatigue and paleness on their faces.

"Order the wounded to gather together. Those who can walk should support each other. Those who really can't..." Huo Yi's voice paused, a trace of pain flashing across it, "find a secluded place to settle them down, and leave them some dry food and medicine."

The rest of you, set off immediately, following the original route, to meet you at the "Ghost's Sorrow" pass. He looked at Wang Hui, "How were your cavalry's losses?"

Wang Hui's face darkened: "This subordinate followed orders to make a show of force on the east side, but encountered a small group of enemy scouts and fought them off, losing more than thirty riders."

"On our way to meet the General after receiving his signal, we got lost in a snowstorm, which delayed us for a while." He paused, lowering his voice, "General, the brothers... are all very tired."

Much of the baggage was lost, arrows were nearly exhausted, and rations were only enough for three to five days. Xiao Ni's pursuers would likely arrive soon.

"I know." Huo Yi's voice was calm and even, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him. "That's why we need to hurry. Xiao Jue has suffered this loss, and he will definitely not let it go."

He won't pursue us out of the perilous Eagle's Beak Cliff with all his might, but he will definitely send elite troops to keep us pinned down, preventing us from safely rejoining the main force, and may even try to ambush us.

He mounted his horse with nimble movements, but a hint of stiffness typical of his age was still evident in the subtle details.

"Let's go. Tell the soldiers that the battle of Wolf Valley has shown our army's might! But this is not the time to celebrate. If you want to go home alive, you have to hold on to your last breath!"

"Hold on!" Wang Hui shouted hoarsely, his eyes red. A low chorus of response rang out from the exhausted ranks, not exactly uniform or loud, but carrying a fierce determination to survive in a desperate situation.

The group set off again, moving swiftly and laboriously across the snowfield like a wounded pack of wolves, leaving behind messy footprints and scattered bloodstains.

---

Eagle Beak Cliff, Central Command Post.

The atmosphere was as heavy as if it were frozen. Zhao Ting, supported by his personal guards, knelt in the tent, his armor tattered, his shoulders wrapped in blood-soaked burlap, his face ashen.

"This humble general...this humble general has failed in his duty! Please punish me, my lord!" Zhao Ting's voice was hoarse, filled with endless regret and lingering fear.

Although Wolf Valley was not a strategic location, Huo Yi's easy raid on it burned the grain and killed soldiers, and more seriously, dampened the morale of the army.

Xiao Jue stood with his back to him, gazing at the detailed map of the northern border hanging on the tent wall, his eyes fixed on the location of Wolf Valley, remaining silent for a long time. The crackling of the charcoal fire made the silence inside the tent even more pronounced.

Zhou Heng stood aside, looking at Zhao Ting's disheveled appearance, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

In warfare during the era of cold weapons, while the bravery of the commander was important, strategy and caution were even more essential for survival.

Huo Yi's precise and fierce counterattack undoubtedly served as a wake-up call for Xiao Juejun, who had been enjoying a smooth run of success.

"Do you know why Huo Yi was able to succeed?" Xiao Jue finally spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.

Zhao Ting's forehead touched the ground: "This humble general...this humble general was careless! The wind and snow obscured our vision, and our scouts were ineffective, failing to detect the enemy's approach in time..."

"Not entirely." Xiao Jue turned around, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Ting like cold lightning. "You are stationed in Wild Wolf Valley, and your responsibility is to protect the supply lines and guard the flanks."

Strengthening the defenses at the valley entrance was not a major mistake. The mistake lay in only guarding the entrance, neglecting to prevent Huo Yishe from scaling the cliffs.

He walked to the sand table and pointed to the almost vertical cliff on one side of Wolf Valley: "Huo Yi knows every mountain and river in the North. He expected that you would heavily guard the valley entrance, so he personally led his elite troops to climb up this 'Eagle's Sorrow Cliff' at night."

Although the terrain is treacherous and comes at a cost, it has penetrated directly into the heart of your camp. Your camp's layout is still designed to deal with a frontal attack; being struck from within, it naturally crumbles.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ting looked up abruptly, his face drained of color. He truly hadn't expected Huo Yi to choose such a treacherous path in that kind of weather!

"Huo Yi's military tactics include both righteous and unconventional methods. He is old, but his experience and courage remain."

Xiao Jue's tone remained calm, but every word felt like a whip lashing at Zhao Ting's heart. "I'll remember this mistake. Go and recover well. Your debts will be settled later. The defense of Wild Wolf Valley will be temporarily taken over by the deputy general."

"Thank you... thank you, my lord, for sparing my life!" Zhao Ting kowtowed heavily and was helped out by his personal guards.

Only Xiao Jue and Zhou Heng remained inside the tent.

"How do you plan to deal with this?" Zhou Heng asked. Huo Yi's move had indeed disrupted their rhythm.

Xiao Jue's gaze returned to the map, his finger tracing Huo Yi's possible retreat routes. "He's like a wounded tiger, eager to return to the mountains."

Wang Hui's cavalry was positioned to provide support from the northeast. His plan was to quickly regroup, then rely on the cavalry's mobility to either fight or retreat, thereby regaining the initiative.

He pointed to a pass on the map marked "Ghost's Sorrow": "This place is the only way to the northeast. The mountains on both sides are steep and the road in the middle is narrow."

If Huo Yi wants to meet up with Wang Hui, he must cross this pass. Wang Ben's cavalry should already be waiting on the other side of the pass.

"Should we intercept him at 'Ghost's Sorrow'?" Zhou Heng asked.

"No." Xiao Jue shook his head. "After this battle, Huo Yi is like a frightened bird. He will be extra careful when marching, and the outposts will be placed far away."

Although the terrain of "Ghost's Sorrow" is treacherous, his forces still remain. Wang Ben's cavalry can provide support from the outside. A direct assault would be too costly and might not even be able to hold him.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "What I want is not to force him into a desperate fight, but to make him... even if we reunite, he will no longer be able to pose a threat to me, and will only be able to retreat step by step."

He summoned a messenger, and a series of orders were quickly issued: "The first and third battalions in the direction of Black Wind Valley are not to pursue Huo Fei's main force any further."

"Immediately change course, target the outskirts of the area where Wang Ben's cavalry might be gathering. No need for engagement; simply make a show of force, feigning an attempt to annihilate their main cavalry force, deploying numerous feints and scattering scouts widely."

"Order the Fourth Battalion of Eagle Beak Cliff to select 800 elite troops, carrying three days' worth of dry rations, and travel lightly down the mountain via the secret passage on the west side, bypassing the main road, and heading straight to 'Luanshipo,' 20 li south of the 'Ghost's Sorrow' Pass."

Upon arrival, they immediately constructed makeshift fortifications, stockpiled bows, crossbows, and rolling stones, and blocked the next crucial passage for Huo Fei's troops to regroup with their cavalry and continue their retreat northeast.

"Order the remaining units on the cliff to strengthen their defenses and prepare for a large-scale attack at any time. Hang the few flags and armor of Huo Yi's army that we captured in a conspicuous place in front of the cliff."

As Zhou Heng listened, he gradually understood Xiao Jue's intentions. This was a multi-layered scheme to exert psychological pressure.

The feigned attack on the supporting cavalry forced Wang Hui to refrain from providing full support and may even lead to a retreat and avoidance of battle;

By blocking Huo Yi's retreat route after they regrouped, they ensured that even after he passed "Ghost's Sorrow," there would still be an obstacle ahead; by displaying the captured goods on the cliff, they demoralized Huo Yi's remaining troops.

"You need to make him feel like he's trapped even if he 'successfully' reunites with his former team, with no way forward and only able to retreat, without any chance to catch his breath and regroup," Zhou Heng said.

"Not bad." Xiao Jue looked at the snowflakes that had started falling again outside the tent. "In the winter in the North, marching itself is torture. I will use this wind and snow and constant threats to wear down his last bit of strength and will."

Huo Yi is a loyal and capable general, but how much support and time will the imperial court behind him give him?

His words carried a chilling sense of foresight.