Chapter 796: A Vicious Defensive Line

The party continued westward. From time to time, government cavalry scouts appeared in the surrounding area, watching this group intently from a distance.

At the western end of the eastern plateau, near Yuanwang Gully, there were several fortified villages and quite a few beacon towers. By now, every village was empty of people, though beacon towers still held defending troops. These towers generally stood five zhang high with a circumference of over ten zhang, each resembling a watchtower or a small fortress. Without infantry, they were difficult to capture.

Because of the sharp-eyed scout cavalry they had seen earlier — who either used the beacon towers as strongpoints or fled into them — Li Zicheng's party kept well away from these towers to avoid being shot at from above, while their elite riders spread out on alert.

They stood on a plateau slope gazing into the distance. Many of the Chuang generals had been to or knew of Yuanwang Gully. Now, looking at it, the scene before them left them utterly dumbfounded.

Ant-like crowds were busy on the opposite side — digging trenches, building defensive lines, erecting earthen walls. Yuanwang Gully had many steep ravines, and many plateau slopes were precipitous and sheer. However, due to long-term civilian traffic, numerous small paths crossed the gully. After all, Yuanwang Gully was over twenty li long; it could not all be precipitous terrain. There were plenty of gentle, easy crossing points, as well as official roads connecting both sides.

But now, at those places easy to cross and ascend the plateau — roughly from the mid-to-upper slopes — the roads were lined with densely packed low walls. These walls were not just a single barrier at each crossing, but were layered and stacked according to the slope and road conditions.

Unlike the straight highways of later generations, the small paths of this time were, of course, winding and twisting, following the slope contours in zigzag patterns. The Shaanxi plateau's surface structure meant the slope land was mostly terraced, like tiered rice paddies, forming excellent natural defensive lines.

Those terrace cliffs were generally one zhang high, or about two to three zhang, and still basically presented a ninety-degree slope. Many small paths wound back and forth beneath these terrace cliffs, twisting their way up onto the plateau surface.

The low walls were built atop the terrace cliffs, reaching about chest height. Defenders could rest firearms and shoot arrows, or shield their own bows and firearms. If one's own side attacked up the slope, they would essentially be within the flanking fire zone of the defenders behind the low walls — at a natural disadvantage.

Because these were small paths, troops could not deploy in force. Climbing up from beneath the terrace cliffs was no easy task either. They could only crowd onto the path and take the beating.

Moreover, because of the wall construction, the crowds on the opposite side were digging earth from beneath the earthen cliffs, turning many of those spots into trenches, making them even harder to climb.

Not only that, but due to the plateau terrain, many places had internal gullies. Some small paths wound up onto the plateau from these gully beds. On both sides of the path were often ridge mounds and earthen knolls. The path passed below, with hillocks on either side, like a series of passes. If defenders held both flanks, it created a situation where one man could hold the pass against ten thousand.

On these gully paths, taking advantage of the favorable terrain, the defenders had likewise built many low walls. If one's own side attacked, they would face fire from both flanks.

At some wider road crossings, crouching-tiger cannons seemed to be set up, also protected by low walls on both sides, with chevaux-de-frise placed beside them.

Those layer upon layer of low walls seemed able to connect with one another. Li Zicheng and the others saw that at some terrace cliffs, earth had been piled into ramps, making it convenient for defenders on different lines to reinforce or retreat — and they could also use these points to counterattack.

The opposite slope bustled with activity. Behind the walls, banners of every color fluttered. Besides the busy crowds, there seemed to be some government troops drilling advances and retreats.

The group gazed north and south. It seemed that along the entire twenty-plus li of Yuanwang Gully, every passable road was arranged in this manner — layer upon layer of defense, each layer a self-contained system yet interconnected. A single gully had become a three-dimensional great city. With such an arrangement, such densely packed defensive lines, how could a great army cross the gully?

Li Zicheng's face turned ashen. Liu Zongmin muttered, "What damned scoundrel came up with such an arrangement... Since when did Sun Chuanting become so vicious?"

A trace of regret welled up in Li Zicheng's heart. Tongguan was not easy to attack. Even if they fought past Yuanwang Gully, there was still Tongguan city on the other side. South of the southern gate lay the even more impassable natural barrier of Jin Gully. Though the men could not see it, they could imagine the defenses there would be no weaker than here.

Gu Junen bit his lower lip. The strategy of pressing for an attack on Shaanxi had been his proposal. He had guessed at Chuang Wang and the others' thoughts, but he had not anticipated that Tongguan would be so formidably fortified, nor that the defenders' morale would be so high. Deaths were one thing, but he feared that if the pass and gully proved too hard to take, morale would ultimately plummet.

Moreover, because of supply constraints, the righteous army could not linger long before Tongguan. If they returned with broken wings, he feared his standing in Chuang Wang's estimation would drop dramatically.

Among the high officials of the Changyi government, all had marched to war except the Vice Minister of the Revenue Secretariat, who remained in Xiangyang to oversee provisions. Now, accompanying Li Chuang and observing the situation before the gully, Vice Minister of Rites Yang Yongyu and Chancellor Niu Jinxing remained expressionless, though inwardly they sneered.

Niu Jinxing, in particular, shot Gu Junen a sidelong glance. You proposed attacking Shaanxi — now you know how it tastes. Armchair strategist, a Zhao Kuo type.

Li Guo, Liu Xiyao, and the others were speechless. Even though they had learned of the situation from the scout cavalry, seeing it with their own eyes still made every one of them look deeply solemn.

Tongguan was not easy to attack. The severity of the situation exceeded their expectations. The eight-hundred-li Qinchuan was rich and alluring; the hope of returning home in silken robes haunted their dreams. Yet this deep gully before them, and that precipitous city of Tongguan on the plateau opposite, both blocked their aspirations.

Following Liu Zongmin, Li Guo also murmured, "Even if we fight across this gully, how many will die in the end?"

The group peered carefully and discovered that besides the arrangements on the plateau slopes, cannons large and small were placed at many spots along the plateau edge, protected by earth-filled baskets around them.

Because the distance between the two plateaus varied — some places a hundred-plus paces, some over one li, some two or three li — and the effective range of the great general and Frankish cannons was only a little over one li, those cannons were mostly deployed where the two plateaus were close together.

Looking several li to the north, on a small plateau opposite, there seemed to be a small fort near the gully edge, with the distance between the two plateaus no more than a hundred-plus paces.

Li Zicheng asked, "Is that Tao Family Village?"

Gao Yigong replied, "Yes, Chuang Wang. There is an official road there that can cross the gully directly and lead to the upper southern gate of Tongguan."

Li Zicheng pondered that if they seized Tao Family Village, they could attack the upper southern gate from the commanding heights. But seeing the strict security at the fort, with many cannons seemingly both above and below the fort, plus the plateau slope defenses, attacking from that direction would be too difficult.

Gu Junen ground his teeth the more he looked. With such terrain, their own side's numerical advantage could not be brought to bear in the first place. Advancing along each path, they could only attack in long serpentine columns. Combined with the government troops' defensive lines, it was even more like a piecemeal feeding tactic. If they attacked, heavy casualties were certain.

But no matter how many died, he would still urge Chuang Wang to take Tongguan.

For Li Zicheng and the others, they were riding a tiger and could not dismount; the arrow was on the string and had to be released. Their advantage was also numbers — lives were cheap. Wasn't it just death? The righteous army could afford to die.

Li Zicheng gazed at the opposite plateau for a long time without speaking. The other side seemed to have noticed this large force spying on them and stirred somewhat, with some relay cavalry galloping about. Li Zicheng and his party did not move. Not only were there no cannons directly opposite them, but even if there were, the two plateau faces here were over two li apart — their cannons could not reach this side.

"When can our righteous army's cannons arrive?"

Li Zicheng suddenly asked.

"At least five to ten days."

Tian Jianxiu answered, hesitating slightly. "Even when the cannons arrive, if we want to haul them up onto Niutou Plateau..."

"Have the famine refugees build roads!"

Li Zicheng said coldly.

Their side had the advantage in manpower. Wasn't widening the roads a simple task? If five thousand men weren't enough, then ten thousand; if ten thousand weren't enough, then twenty thousand. No matter how hard Yuanwang Gully was to attack, he would fight across it. Then he would haul the cannons over, set them up beneath the city walls, and bombard their walls and gates.

The party spurred their horses along the gully edge, finally reaching the southern end of Yuanwang Gully. Here, the drop between the two ends of the several-li-long gully was relatively gentle. The gully floor was broad, with quite a few small paths, but there were even more layered terrace cliffs, and the low walls opposite were even more densely stacked.

Li Zicheng actually breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the dozen-plus li at the gully's northern end, here they could deploy somewhat more assault troops.

He gazed at the opposite side for a long time, then finally said, "Let us return to discuss matters."

On the first day of the fifth month, Li Zicheng's army streamed continuously onto Niutou Plateau. Their intent was now clear: they were determined to cross via Yuanwang Gully, not enter through Jindou Pass to Tongguan's eastern gate.

Sun Chuanting was somewhat disappointed at this, though on reflection it was within expectations. The Chuang bandits were all battle-hardened and tactically adept. They would indeed not fall into an ambush so easily, and they had also seen the disadvantages of attacking the eastern gate area. Therefore, the ambush troops placed along the Huangtuxiang slope and beside Niutou Plateau were now meaningless. Sun Chuanting ordered them withdrawn.

At the same time, the defenders at Jindou Pass also withdrew. The Chuang army had occupied Niutou Plateau and could monitor this five-li perilous road from the commanding heights. They could also charge down from the plateau and cut off the Jindou Pass defenders' retreat. Defending the pass itself was now pointless.

That day, the Chuang camp's forces occupied every part of Niutou Plateau. They also deployed surveillance troops on the plateau's northern face to prevent government troops from sallying out via the official road to attack their critical supply areas on the flatlands.

Now the situation was reversed: if government troops came out, it would be the Chuang forces ambushing them from the heights.

After discussion, Sun Chuanting also withdrew the defenders from the beacon towers on Yuanwang Gully's eastern bank. Reinforcing across the gully was difficult, and with the Chuang army continuously streaming in, the beacon towers on the eastern bank would soon be isolated and helpless. Better to abandon them and preserve effective strength.

For Sun Chuanting, concentrating forces to defend the western bank of Yuanwang Gully was more important.

The government troops' voluntary withdrawal was proclaimed by Li Zicheng as a victory for the righteous army. The Chuang army's morale soared even higher — something everyone in the Chuang camp was pleased to see.

While advancing to occupy Niutou Plateau, the Chuang camp also sent troops across Tie Gully, or in through Gu Dong Gully, to occupy the plateau area around Daiziying in batches. Though they suffered harassment and ambushes from Ming scout cavalry along the way, their overwhelming numbers and combined cavalry-infantry advance soon allowed them to seize key points all along the eastern side of Yuanwang Gully.

This situation was also within the expectations of Sun Chuanting and the Jingbian Army commanders. No matter how many gullies there were or how complex the terrain, the Chuang army simply had too many men. Under their blanket search, ambushers and harassing troops had nowhere to hide. A gradual retreat was inevitable — this was the norm in large-scale campaigns. In the end, both sides would be pitting their true strength against each other.

While occupying the areas east of Yuanwang Gully, the Chuang camp's dense logistical and labor personnel also vigorously widened the various village roads ascending the plateau from Xibei Village and Gu Dong Gully, facilitating the passage of their supplies. Looking down from the sky, dense Chuang forces covered the land.

Sun Chuanting had been closely monitoring ever since the main rebel force arrived. Now, with a great battle imminent, he had been convening daily councils with his generals and inspecting the defensive lines.

What comforted Sun Chuanting was that all the various garrison troops had now arrived. The new army had reached Tongguan as early as the sixteenth day of the fourth month, giving them over ten extra days to repair fortifications. Under the planning of the hired army's advisors, every defensive line could be described as layer upon layer of fortification, as impregnable as a moat of molten metal.

But Sun Chuanting dared not slack off. He inspected the lines several times a day, tirelessly asking about every detail. On the second day of the month, seeing the rebel troops massed thickly on the opposite plateau, with the assault trenches right before their eyes, he again summoned all officers before nightfall to discuss matters and boost everyone's morale.

After the meeting dispersed, the hired officers of the Jingbian Army also gathered in their own command post to confer — on a tower platform atop Mount Qilin, not far from the Viceroy's headquarters.

Aside from Wu Zhengchun and Gao Xun, all officers down to the Squad Commander level were present, along with the battalion staff advisers, provosts, and morale officers. The hall was packed, and everyone sat upright, listening to the report delivered by Wen Shiyan, who served as battalion staff adviser.

Finally, after thoroughly discussing the details of every defense line to ensure nothing was overlooked, Wu Zhengchun looked around at the assembly. His dark, lean face was full of resolve: "Gentlemen, if Shaanxi cannot be held, Shanxi will be lost. If Shanxi and Shaanxi cannot be held, the Protectorate's screen will vanish. The crux of all this lies at Tongguan. Holding Tongguan is the hope of countless common folk, and the hope of the Grand General. Gentlemen, do your utmost."

Everyone rose to their feet, the clatter of armor plates ringing out in unison as they shouted: "Loyalty!"