Chapter 122: The Army Encircles Yanmen (8)
"The Turks are retreating!" soldiers on Wudelu's side cheered.
Cries of the Turks' retreat echoed throughout Wudelu's ranks. The joy of victory washed away the sorrow of fallen comrades, and the cheering even infected those maimed in battle, allowing them to momentarily forget their physical pain and share in the triumph.
After commanding his troops to pursue for a mere two miles, Wudelu withdrew to rendezvous with Li Wenyuan and report the battle's outcome. Nearly two thousand Turks had been eliminated, while the First Division suffered fewer than seven hundred casualties and remained fit for further combat.
Li Wenyuan nodded and remarked, "The First Division is the elite of your Fourth Army, isn't it?"
Wudelu nodded. "Yes. The bravery of these soldiers surpasses even the most valiant warriors of the grasslands."
"Good. Since they bear the name of elite, they must shoulder the burdens of the elite. I want you to continue as our vanguard, tearing through the Turkic lines and driving straight toward their main camp beneath the walls of Yanmen Commandery." As Li Wenyuan spoke, he traced the planned route on the map for Wudelu.
Wudelu nodded. "Clearing the path ahead is no trouble, but some of the wounded can no longer keep up with our marching speed. How shall we handle them?"
"A band of outlaws within Yanmen Commandery will take charge of them," Li Wenyuan replied calmly.
Wudelu, who had long known of Li Wenyuan’s strategic layout in the Central Plains, nodded. He ordered his men to hand over the severely wounded to the accompanying Night Owls, who escorted them to a nearby outlaw stronghold.
This band of outlaws had originally been funded by the Night Owls to annex other local insurgent groups, eventually becoming the largest outlaw force in Yanmen. Later, the Night Owls used various schemes to replace the outlaws' core leadership with their own agents. Thanks to dedicated financing, these outlaws refrained from raiding and pillaging, causing the local authorities to ignore their existence. Furthermore, if any marauders threatened the region, this group would strike them down before the official troops could, thereby securing their foothold. Although the entirety of Yanmen Commandery—save for the county seat and Guo County—had fallen, this outlaw group had utilized the precipitous terrain of their mountain fortress to shelter fleeing civilians and repel Turkic incursions. It now served as a perfect temporary sanctuary for the wounded.
Once the wounded were settled, Li Wenyuan and Wudelu led their troops out once more, following the pre-determined route.
"Are you saying your four thousand warriors could not defeat six thousand Han?" Shibi Khan asked, his voice tinged with anger as he looked at his brother, who was splattered with fresh blood. Since being used as a pawn by the Goguryeo people, nothing seemed to go smoothly, filling the Khan with anxiety. The surrounding Han armies were slowly converging, yet he remained stalled beneath the walls of Yanmen, suffering heavy casualties without breaching the city. Several times he had nearly broken through, only to find the Han possessed an inexplicable tenacity, driving the Turks back from the breaches. Then, while the Turks prepared for another assault, the Han would dismantle local houses to repair the walls, leaving the Turks to face a fully fortified city once again.
"They used short, thunderous rods that spewed thick smoke and fire. Any of my men pointed at by these rods would bleed profusely and die on the spot, without exception," Duobi replied, standing tall. "I could no longer control my men. To prevent further senseless deaths, I chose to withdraw. I am certain that even Tengri himself would have made the same decision."
"Enough! I care nothing for these rods. Where is that Han army now?" Shibi Khan struck the table, silencing the murmurs in the tent.
"Our scouts have lost track of them. When we sent scouts to investigate after the battle, they were gone. The battlefield held only the corpses of our warriors; there were none from the Han side. However, based on the remaining hoofprints, our men believe they headed toward the mountain fortress of that outlaw band to the north," Duobi said.
"Never mind. A force of six thousand Han cavalry will not change the tide. Our priority is to take Yanmen Commandery as quickly as possible; the Han reinforcements will soon arrive at Xinkou," Shibi Khan said, frowning.
"Khan, let me lead my troops to attack Yanmen tomorrow to wash away the shame of my defeat," Duobi pleaded.
"Forget it. Your men suffered heavy losses today. You should comfort them, not use their blood to wash away your own disgrace," the Khan said ruthlessly. He was not truly angry with his brother; rather, his own son was still young and needed a kinsman to help rule the vast Turkic empire. Duobi was that man. Though not skilled in warfare, his loyalty and high standing were what the Khan needed most. He had brought Duobi along to accumulate merit, yet the first battle had ended in failure. Upon learning that Han reinforcements had reached Xinkou, Shibi Khan had begun to contemplate retreat. He could not allow his brother to lead a doomed assault the following day, so he firmly rejected the request and instead chose a warrior from the Tiele tribe to lead the next day’s siege.
After finalizing the plans, Shibi Khan dismissed the others. Overcome by exhaustion, he lay down on a soft sheepskin rug and fell into a deep sleep.
"Superintendent, that is Yanmen Commandery. The camp beneath the walls is the Turkic headquarters. Look at that Golden Wolf banner in the center—that must be Shibi Khan's tent. It seems our gamble has paid off," the staff officer whispered, his voice trembling with excitement as he and Li Wenyuan, guided by a Night Owl, arrived near the city.
Li Wenyuan nodded and quietly retreated with the others toward their camp. "Do not let a single Turk know we are here," he instructed. "Deploy all scouts and Night Owls. Hunt down any Turk who might discover our presence. Then tell Wudelu: we strike the camp at the hour of Yin tonight."