Fierce Battle (Part 3)
I was startled and hurriedly said, "Take me outside to have a look!"
Ah Yuan came over and pushed the cart. When we reached the front gate, I lifted the curtain and saw soldiers running around outside. In the direction they were heading, there was a faint sound of commotion.
In the distance, the earthen mounds built by the Tan Army could be vaguely seen. The Wei camp was constructed according to the terrain, with defenses such as horse barriers and palisades. Although they were sturdy, they could only resist ground troops and vehicles, but were helpless against arrows raining down from the sky. The Tan Army had built dozens of earthen mounds near the Wei camp, each with an arrow tower on top. Soldiers on the tower rained arrows upon the Wei camp with great force. Every time the Wei soldiers launched an attack, they were blocked in front of the camp and unable to advance a single step.
"Furen," Ah Yuan's voice was tense, "Da Gongzi is not here. Do you want to leave immediately? I saw a sergeant who came with us. I can ask him to find a carriage for us."
I pondered for a moment and said, "No rush. The situation is still unclear. Let's observe a little longer."
At that moment, a general on horseback dashed past. As I looked closely, I saw that it was Wei Ci.
I quickly called out in a loud voice, "Zi Xian!"
Wei Ci turned his head and saw me. He immediately pulled the reins, galloping towards me.
"Zhangsao!" he smiled and dismounted, giving me a bow.
"Zi Xian, what has happened ahead?" I asked.
"There is nothing major," Wei Ci replied, looking dirty as if he had just been digging in the mud. "Tan Xi, that old PiFu sent men to launch a surprise attack from the side of the mountains, and a fight broke out. Zhangsao, don't worry. They are all reckless soldiers and commanders. ChengXiang has already sent people to deal with it."
Seeing his relaxed expression, I couldn't help but feel relieved as well.
"Does Xiao Shu know where Da Gongzi is?" I continue asking.
"XiongZhang?" Wei Ci was taken aback and shook his head. "I don't know."
At that moment, a soldier not far away called out to Wei Ci. Wei Ci acknowledged and said to me, "Di will go first."
I nodded and replied, "Take care, Xiao Shu."
***
As Wei Ci had said, it turned out to be true. The situation ahead quieted down. Soldiers relayed confirmed news that during the surprise attack by Tan's forces in broad daylight, a spy had infiltrated the camp and spread rumors that they are unable to hold the defense, causing some confusion among the soldiers in the rear. However, the spy had been captured and executed by Wei Jue.
The clamor outside had already dispersed, and Ah Yuan and I looked at each other, realizing that it was a false alarm. It had been a needless scare.
Wei Tan was still nowhere to be found. As evening approached, I lay down on the bed, still fully clothed.
In the midst of my slumber, it felt as if I had returned to the daytime chaos, with noise and commotion all around. However, it didn't last long before I was abruptly awakened.
"Furen!" Ah Yuan exclaimed anxiously, "Quickly get up, the Tan Army has truly arrived!"
My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly got up, throwing on my outer garments before standing. My injured foot had healed considerably, but there was still some pain when I walked.
"Furen," Ah Yuan suggested, "It's better for you to ride in the pushcart."
I looked around and saw the flickering light from outside casting a golden hue inside the tent. I inwardly lamented the situation. This was a matter of life and death, and who had ever heard of escaping in a pushcart?!
Just then, the tent flap was lifted and Wei Ci walked in.
"Zhangsao!" He bowed to me.
"Zi Xian," I hurriedly asked, "What is happening outside?"
"Zhangsao, don't be alarmed," Wei Ci smiled, showing his teeth. "The Tan' Army launched a surprise attack through underground tunnels, and our front lines are currently engaged in battle. The soldiers have surrounded the camp and are providing strong defense. Zhangsao will be safe staying here."
I looked at him with a mix of belief and doubt.
"Furen..." Ah Yuan, who had partially packed the belongings, looked at me, feeling uncertain.
"Very well," I nodded at Wei Ci and motioned for Ah Yuan to push me outside. The tent flap was lifted, revealing a camp filled with torches, soldiers rushing around, yet everything seemed organized and orderly.
"Where is ChengXiang?" I asked.
"ChengXiang is in the main tent, overseeing the situation," Wei Ci replied. "When our front lines discovered the Tan Army launching a surprise attack through the underground tunnels, ChengXiang devised a plan and discovered the exit of the tunnels. He set up an ambush accordingly." He smiled, saying, "The daytime attack on the flank by the Tan Army was meant to distract us while they prepared for the night."
As he spoke, I couldn't help but remain uneasy, so I looked towards the distance. There was a mound of earth near my tent, obstructing my view. After considering for a moment, I asked Ah Yuan to push me up onto it. From there, my field of vision widened, illuminated by the torches, making everything clear. Just about a dozen yards away, the horse barriers firmly surrounded the tents, with soldiers standing in strict formation. In the areas where the firelight was brighter, I could see the flurry of figures and hear shouts and the clash of weapons.
The night breeze blew against my face, carrying the scent of smoke and the faint hint of blood.
"Furen," Ah Yuan whispered in my ear, trembling slightly, "Where is Da Gongzi?"
I looked in that direction but didn't answer.
When I saw Wei Ci in the tent earlier, I almost blurted out the same question. From last night until now, it felt as though he had disappeared, leaving no words or any mention of him. In that moment, I suddenly realized that I had placed Wei Tan in a position of reliance, but all along, I had always believed that I could only truly rely on myself.
"You go prepare the carriage," I whispered in a voice only audible to Ah Yuan, "If the situation changes, leave immediately."
Ah Yuan's eyes flickered, and she acknowledged with a nod. She called over a soldier to assist with the carriage and walked away.
*****
Wei Ci didn't stay for long before he was called away, and as he had predicted, the soldiers who emerged from the tunnels fell into the encirclement, leading to a chaotic battle. The Wei soldiers were on the verge of victory.
But at that moment, a bright light suddenly illuminated the distance.
I looked and widened my eyes in astonishment.
I saw flickering lights scattered in the night sky, but they were not like fireflies. They moved in a strange manner, emitting an eerie aura.
"It's the arrow towers on the earthen mounds!" a soldier shouted. The "Tan Army is about to unleash a volley of arrows!"
In the twinkling of an eye, a chorus of screams erupted from the frontlines. Illuminated by the firelight, I could vaguely see dark figures descending from the sky, resembling a flock of ravens swooping down for prey. I instinctively thought that those arrows were coming towards us and had the urge to take cover.
"Furen rest assured," a soldier behind me said, "We are too far away for the arrows to reach us."
"Shields! Shields!" I heard a general urging the soldiers to reinforce their defenses.
"Furen!" Ah Yuan hurriedly ran over and took the cart from the soldier's hands. She whispered in my ear, "The carriage is ready. Should we leave now?"
I was about to respond when suddenly, I heard a loud "thud" followed by a clamor erupting all around us.
I turned my head and saw, amidst the flames, something rising from the front camp, crashing into those airborne lights.
Being too far away, I could only faintly hear the muffled "bang" of impact, as if heavy stones had hit the ground.
The soldiers erupted into cheers.
"We hit them!" someone exclaimed excitedly. "It's the catapults of Si Gongzi!"
Catapult? As I looked more closely, several large stones were launched into the air, as if some colossal creature was playing with a slingshot, propelling them upwards and then letting them fall. And then, the firelight from several arrow towers suddenly extinguished.
"Da Gongzi has returned!" someone joyfully shouted.
I was startled by the words and turned my gaze in the direction of the voice.
First came the sound of galloping hooves. In the glow of the fire, several horsemen approached, covered in dust. Leading the way was a person with gleaming armor, none other than Wei Tan.
*****
The campfire burned throughout the entire night, and as the first light of dawn broke, there were still smoldering embers.
After daybreak, I could finally see the full extent of the carnage. The corpses were piled up like mountains, and the soldiers dug graves on the spot to bury them. The wounded lay in heaps of grass, crying out in pain, while the army's medical officers worked tirelessly, attending to their needs.
Wei An's catapult had broken through Tan Xi's arrow towers. It was only after this battle that I learned Wei Tan had gone to the Heye Riverbank, a hundred miles away, where Tan Xi's army stored their supplies. He had set fire to their military provisions.
With Wei An and Wei Tan both making significant contributions, Wei Jue was greatly pleased. The strategy to attack Heye Riverbank was proposed by Zhao Jun, and Wei Jue, in turn, expressed his admiration for me as well.
I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that my life was no longer in immediate danger.
"Tan Xi's military provisions?" Wei Tan returned to the tent, and I sat in the cart, taking off his armor. I asked, "I wonder how much of it was there?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but roughly estimating, there should have been tens of thousands of units of grain," Wei Tan replied.
Over tens of thousands of units... I recalled the grain prices I had heard when leaving the capital. One unit cost 150 Qian, so tens of thousands of units would amount to... at least 1.5 million Qian.
My heart silently bled, and I deeply resented Wei Tan for being unaware of the value of food and grain. It would have been better if he had saved me at least half of those provisions…
"Heart ached?" Wei Tan suddenly spoke.
I was taken aback and looked up at him.
"You're doing calculations again," Wei Tan glanced into my eyes, and after a moment, he shifted his gaze to my lips. "You're biting your lip."
A demon. Though I felt resentful deep down, I had long learned of his abilities and was not surprised.
I averted my gaze discreetly and hung up the armor. "It's just that I find it a pity," I said, "Even in the capital, there are plenty of people who struggle to have enough to eat. Why did Fujun has to burn all the grain and supplies? Wouldn't it have been better to bring them back?"
"En?" Wei Tan responded. "Furen is indeed compassionate."
"Fujun has overpraised," I replied.
"If that's the case, after I have been away on a raid for two nights, shouldn't Furen ask if I am injured?"
I was taken aback, turning my head. "Fujun..." Before I could speak, I suddenly saw Wei Tan's well-defined upper body, his muscular physique and sturdy contours.
Wei Tan hung his undershirt on a rack and glanced at me. "En?"
I looked at the dirty clothes and then back at Wei Tan, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Does Fujun want to take a bath?"
"I have to go to Fuqin's tent shortly, and there won't be enough time for a bath," Wei Tan said, bowing his head. "How about Furen help me clean up?"
He was trying to tease me again.
I looked at him and smiled nonchalantly, "Qie afraid Qie would disappoint Fujun. One's injured foot is still not fully healed, and Qie wouldn't be able to attend to Fujun properly."
*****
If the Battle of Wuzhi dealt a blow to Tan Xi's morale, the burning of the military provisions was an even heavier blow.
Wei Jue had spies infiltrate Tan Xi's camp to spread news of the incident, and Tan Xi couldn't conceal it. The soldiers became anxious, while the morale of the Wei army soared. With several successful raids, they defeated Tan's forces decisively.
Afterward, Wei Jue used Wang Ju's strategy, announcing plans to divide the army into two groups. One would capture Tan Xi's main camp in Weijun, and the other would cut off his retreat in Huazhou.
Tan Xi, disturbed and falling into the trap, immediately divided his forces to rescue the two locations.
Seizing the opportunity, Wei Jue mobilized a large force and launched a direct assault on Tan's camp. The morale of Tan's army had crumbled, and they scattered in defeat. Tan Xi hastily fled in the middle of the night, taking only around a thousand soldiers and heading north.
*****
With the situation in Wuzhi settled, Wei Jue wasted no time and planned to lead his troops northward for further pursuit.
As a woman, I knew that I had no further use after helping surrendering Zhao Jun. It was only natural that I would not continue following the army.
"Furen, for now, return to Luoyang with Si di," Wei Tan said. "Once the battles are concluded, I will join you there and bring you all back to Yongdu."
I nodded in agreement. After witnessing so much violence and bloodshed in recent days, I was eager to leave and find some respite.
However, maintaining a certain level of dignity was still necessary. I looked up at Wei Tan and asked softly, "How much longer will this battle continue?"
However, maintaining a certain level of dignity was still necessary. I looked up at Wei Tan and asked softly, "How much longer will this battle continue?"
"Fuqin is determined to completely eliminate the Tan clan, so it may take another three to four months," Wei Tan replied.
My heart skipped a beat. There had been no news from Li Shang since he went to Jiangnan. I had been hoping to return to Yongdu as soon as possible to ensure he could find me if he tried to send a message.
"So long?" My smile turned somewhat forced.
"It won't be too long," Wei Tan reassured me. "Someone needs to stay behind to maintain order in the rear. Fuqin will have me return to Yongdu next month."
Upon hearing his words, I felt greatly relieved. "So it is like that," I replied.
Wei Tan, however, kept his gaze fixed on me, his eyes penetrating. "Furen is truly pleased?" he asked, his tone full of subtlety.
I raised my eyebrows and maintained a composed demeanor. "Being reunited with One's husband as soon as possible, of course One is pleased," I replied.
Wei Tan narrowed his eyes and after a moment, he suddenly reached out and playfully flicked my nose.
"After tidying up, we'll set off in the afternoon," he said, then walked towards the entrance of the tent.
I was left sitting on the pushcart, dumbfounded, touching my nose and staring at his retreating figure.
*****
"Furen, why is your nose so red? Did you get stung by something?" In the carriage, Ah Yuan stared at my nose and asked curiously.
"Not really," I touched my nose and felt the warmth from rubbing it. "Just got flicked a bit.
Ah Yuan chuckled. "Madam, you don't actually believe that getting flicked on the nose will turn you into a pig, do you? That's just a prank the Er GongZi played on you!"
That was a prank my older brother used to play on me when we were younger. He enjoyed flicking my nose and proudly claimed that a certain number of flicks would turn me into a pig. I was terrified by it. There was one time when he held me down and flicked my nose twenty times. I cried uncontrollably and ran to my mother, telling her that I didn't want to turn into a pig. Naturally, my mother scolded my brother, but the fear had already taken root in my mind. Whenever someone touched or flicked my nose, I would feel an itchiness, and I couldn't help but constantly touch it…
Wei Tan that scroundel, I clenched my teeth secretly.
Ah Yuan handed me a wet handkerchief soaked in cold water and I applied it to my nose for a while. The discomfort gradually subsided with the cooling sensation.
As we traveled a distance, suddenly, Ah Yuan pointed outside the window and said, "Furen, isn't that Zhao Gong?"
I looked and indeed, there was Zhao Jun sitting on a horse, dressed in plain clothes. Behind him, there were a few attendants and a cart pulled by oxen.
I instructed the driver to top.
"Zhao Gong," I called out, lifting the carriage curtain to call Zhao Jun.
"Furen," Zhao Jun greeted me as he dismounted and bowed.
I returned the gesture from inside the carriage and glanced at the vehicle behind him. "Zhao Gong, are you leaving?" I asked.
"Indeed," Zhao Jun replied.
I was somewhat surprised. Zhao Jun had achieved great merits, and I had thought he would stay behind to serve as a strategist for Wei Jue.
"Where is Zhao Gong going?" I asked.
"To Yongdu," Zhao Jun replied, with a bitter smile. "Wei Gong has already taken my family to Yongdu. Jun have bid farewell to Wei Gong and am going to reunite with family there."
I nodded and said, "Qie thought Zhao Gong would stay a bit longer."
Zhao Jun shook his head. "Wei Gong has the victory within his grasp, and Jun departure will not hinder that," he said, sighing. "If it weren't for Furen's reminder, Jun would have almost forgotten that it has been two years since One last saw One's mother, wife, and children. One is very ashamed."
As I looked at him, I couldn't quite describe the emotions swirling within me.
"Jun bid farewell, Furen, take care." Zhao Jun bid his farewell with few words, bowing deeply to me.
"Zhao Gong, take care," I returned the gesture as I watched him mount his horse and lead the carriage onto a different path.
In the depths of my heart, there was a sense of melancholy.
With Zhao Jun's departure, it was possible that all the fame and fortune he had gained with Wei Tan would come to an end. However, he had his mother, wife, and children to reunite with. As for me, the one who used the prospect of family to persuade others to surrender, I had nothing behind me but emptiness.
So, I had no choice but to keep moving forward.
"Furen, are we leaving?" Ah Yuan asked me at that moment.
I gazed for a moment and nodded, saying, "Let's go."
The driver gave a loud shout, whipped the horses, and we left behind a trail of swirling dust as we journeyed far away along the road.