Chapter 24: The Northern Xiongnu Flee Westward, One Battle Secures the Western Regions

The kingdom of Yanqi.

The clamor of battle erupted on all sides.

Although Gu Cheng's actions had indeed confused the enemy army.

But after several probes, the Left Lu Li Wang still refused to let this opportunity slip away, personally leading his vast army straight toward Yanqi!

This battle was destined to be exceedingly bloody.

Despite Gu Cheng having already ordered troop mobilization and defensive preparations in advance, standing ready in strict formation.

But unfortunately, the disparity in troop numbers was too great; the Han forces were clearly outnumbered.

Most critically, the Sheshi had also betrayed them!

This had an utterly fatal impact on the overall battle situation; the Sheshi's betrayal completely sealed off Gu Cheng's escape route.

Thus, the entire Han army was trapped in a pincer encirclement from front and rear.

The entire Western Regions had gradually spiraled out of control following Liu Zhuang's death.

But for the soldiers within the city, there was only one choice.

That was to fight to the death!

Surrender?

Who could bear the shame of that?

Who could bring disgrace upon their family and ancestors?

Under these circumstances, the commanding abilities of both sides' commanders were fully revealed.

Gu Cheng was indeed a natural-born commander.

He remained ever composed, handling every issue with calm precision.

Occasional feigned attacks made the enemy believe the Han forces were preparing for a desperate last stand; occasional small-scale raids;

These varied tactics left the Northern Xiongnu and Sheshi forces in great distress.

For the morale of the troops under such conditions, this was a natural safeguard.

Most crucially—

The soldiers trusted Gu Cheng.

They trusted that reinforcements would arrive.

Once reinforcements came, they could break open the encirclement formed by the Sheshi and the rear forces; at that point, the entire siege would be utterly reversed!

Gu Yi had been observing everything all along.

Compared to the original history he knew, far too many things had already changed.

Whether Gu Cheng could hold out until reinforcements arrived—

He himself was uncertain.

But Gu Yi would not dwell on matters beyond his control; what he truly pondered was another matter.

In the past, he had always believed that as long as he retained enough achievement points to manipulate events, he could resolve all problems.

But now Gu Yi suddenly awoke to the truth.

With history now completely altered, he could not guarantee he could resolve every crisis!

For the Gu family's ten-thousand-year plan, some form of artifact's assistance would surely be indispensable.

The family could not always remain so fortunate.

Without his manipulation, this generation's progress had already exceeded Gu Yi's expectations.

Yet the reason was simply because Gu Kang and Gu Cheng possessed extraordinary talent.

Moreover, within this,

A large part of the reason was due to his own early education, and the fortuitous encounter with Emperor Liu Zhuang.

Gu Yi had carefully observed Gu Liang and other third-generation family members.

Although Gu Kang also placed great emphasis on their education, even emulating Gu Yi's own past methods of instruction.

But no matter how extraordinary Gu Kang's talent might be,

Before the limitations of the era, he could never replicate Gu Yi's cross-era education.

And differences in innate attributes ensured that each person grasped different insights.

At least in Gu Yi's observations,

Among the family's third generation, none possessed the ability to shoulder the banner like Gu Kang and Gu Cheng.

Now it was Gu Cheng fighting external enemies.

But what if one day the family faced such a slaughter?

With history already altered, Gu Yi could no longer remain omniscient.

Liu Zhuang's death years ahead of schedule had already proven it.

Many dangers lurked unseen.

Whether it was a foolish ruler or an era of chaos—

Given the Gu family's current influence, could they still remain detached?

The only artifact Gu Yi currently knew of was the divine meteorological card; he still did not know the effects of other artifact tiers.

But he was certain that if all real-world preparations failed,

The only way to resolve the family's crisis would be through artifacts.

"It seems the importance of achievement points must be raised again—not only must I retain enough to manipulate events, but I must also ensure a sufficient reserve of artifacts."

"So the family won't truly face an unsolvable crisis!"

Gu Yi sighed inwardly, feeling overwhelming pressure.

Gu Kang's political acumen was truly reassuring.

After Liu Da had firmly decided on this matter, Gu Kang made a series of arrangements.

The Han army, long poised and ready, finally moved!

Twenty thousand troops, fully equipped and stationed in Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang, marched straight toward the Western Regions.

All of this had been planned in advance by Liu Zhuang, discussed with him.

And this was merely the vanguard, sent solely to rescue the Han troops currently stranded in the Western Regions; more forces would follow.

But in this era, whether transmitting imperial edicts or marching large armies, nothing could be accomplished overnight.

Neither Gu Cheng nor Ban Chao could escape their peril in the short term!

Within the state of Yanqi.

The battle grew increasingly brutal.

Although Che Shi and the Northern Xiongnu had never breached the city walls, the Han army's situation grew ever more dire.

Casualties were one concern.

The most critical issue was that they were running out of grain!

The Western Regions were vast; provisions had always been one of the Han army's challenges.

Moreover, they were there to pacify the Western Regions, not to exploit them as the Northern Xiongnu did, so they would not overly harm the people.

As the siege dragged on, this problem naturally came to light.

Under such dire circumstances, Gu Cheng could not possibly restrict the soldiers' rations.

After all, how could they fight if they were hungry?

Under these conditions, Gu Cheng exhausted every possible means.

In the end, they resorted to "boiling armor and weapons, eating their sinews and hides."

Yet even under such conditions, the morale of the entire Han army remained utterly unshaken.

Because no matter what, Gu Cheng always led his officers by example, sharing hardship and hardship equally with the soldiers.

Added to this were the several hundred elite troops who had followed Gu Cheng for years.

They stood like anchors of the sea, stabilizing the core morale of the entire Han army.

Every soldier held back a surge of fury, waiting only for reinforcements to arrive so they could unleash it all!

During this time, the Northern Xiongnu naturally devised various strategies.

After their attempts at surrender failed, they cut off the Han army's water supply, hoping to cause chaos from within.

But they underestimated Gu Cheng.

Having served under Gu Kang for years, Gu Cheng, though not equal to Gu Kang in water management, far surpassed most of his contemporaries.

He quickly identified several locations.

He ordered men to begin digging downward.

When streams of clear spring water gushed forth from underground, thunderous roars erupted within the city, as if declaring their resolve!

The Han army would not retreat an inch!

Under these conditions, the Northern Xiongnu grew increasingly desperate.

News of the Han army's mobilization had reached them!

How could they not panic?

Before the iron hooves of Han, not even Che Shi dared stand firm, let alone the Northern Xiongnu.

But to withdraw their troops outright—

How could that be possible?

As for Che Shi, they had no path to retreat the moment they chose rebellion.

But for the Northern Xiongnu, withdrawing now would mean surrendering the entire Western Regions to the Han army.

This was a rich prize!

For the Northern Xiongnu of this era, whether they could revive their ancestors' glory hinged on the Western Regions.

If they could capture the city, they could hold it as Gu Cheng had, wearing down the approaching Han forces.

Even if they could not capture it—

The Han army would first face Che Shi; they could still use this time to retreat, leveraging their rear deployments to stretch the Han supply lines and exhaust them.

For a time, their assaults grew even more frenzied.

Gu Cheng keenly sensed this shift.

He knew: reinforcements were coming!

When the soldiers heard this news from Gu Cheng's lips, the entire army erupted!

Gu Cheng swiftly made tactical arrangements.

While ensuring the city could not be breached, he prepared constantly to coordinate with the reinforcements and shatter the Northern Xiongnu's encirclement.

Amid this stalemate—

Finally, the Han reinforcements arrived!

When he saw Che Shi's army collapse into chaos, Gu Cheng did not hesitate—he led his troops out in a full assault!

The tide turned instantly!

The reinforcements were led by Commandant Geng Bing.

Clearly, he had fully absorbed the lessons from the previous northern campaign, making meticulous preparations in advance.

He divided the entire relief force into three columns.

The central column charged head-on, while the left and right wings blocked the Northern Xiongnu's reinforcements.

He had complete faith in Gu Yi's abilities.

It was to annihilate all resistance forces of Shishi here.

From the moment the Shishi army fell into complete chaos.

The pincer formation was fully established.

As for the Han troops inside the city, no further explanation was needed.

Though they were utterly exhausted in body and spirit, this was the time to vent their inner rage!

When are humans most courageous?

——When they go mad!

Now, these Han troops were exactly like that.

Even Gu Yi's eyes had turned red.

These past days, he had borne more pressure than anyone else!

He feared any mishap that might cause those who followed and believed in him to die because of him.

Now was the time to release his inner pressure!

The sound of hooves and cries of agony rose everywhere.

Facing the Han troops, whose morale was surging, the entire Shishi army crumbled like paper, and the ensuing chaos spread to all three divisions.

The battle was decided!

When Commandant Geng Bing saw Gu Yi, drenched in blood, he froze in place.

Gu Yi's transformation was so immense it made him feel like a stranger.

He looked much thinner, his demeanor had changed completely, and his eyes were filled with exhaustion.

But the aura of slaughter was astonishingly intense.

"Your General!"

Commandant Geng Bing instinctively bowed his head and clasped his fists in salute, "Your Majesty's decree: the General may command all troops!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yi simply nodded, a flash of brilliance in his eyes: "Good!"

"Immediately issue my orders."

"All troops prepare—follow me in pursuit of the Northern Xiongnu!"

Gu Yi seemed to have planned everything in advance, his expression grim.

Upon hearing this, Commandant Geng Bing froze in shock.

Pursue directly?

Now?

He swallowed hard and quickly spoke: "General, our troops are worn out—why not take this chance to rest and regroup before planning the next move?"

Though he too wished to earn merit.

But he truly felt Gu Yi was too hasty.

This campaign had already been a forced march.

Add to that this great battle—the Han troops were utterly exhausted; pursuing now would only hand the enemy an advantage.

But Gu Yi was resolute, shaking his head firmly: "Opportunity knocks but once."

"The Northern Xiongnu thought they could take advantage of our weakness and wipe us out."

"That's why they launched attacks against both me and Zhongsheng simultaneously."

"Now that Shishi has lost control, they can no longer supply them with grain."

"The Northern Xiongnu's supply line is their greatest flaw."

"We must not let them rest."

"We must strike with Lei Ting's force and sweep the Northern Xiongnu out of the Western Regions entirely!"

As he spoke, he turned to his soldiers: "Shishi has submitted to our Great Han multiple times, only to rebel again."

"This time, they plunged our army into peril."

"I order you to lead your brothers, slay the two Shishi kings, slaughter all who oppose our Great Han within Shishi's borders, and take full control of Shishi to prepare provisions for our army!"

"Tell the entire Western Regions: disloyalty to our Great Han carries a price!"

Gu Yi made no effort to hide his killing intent.

"Yes!" The soldiers bowed and departed.

Commandant Geng Bing silently swallowed hard.

Gu Yi's utterly different demeanor from his days in Luoyang weighed heavily on him.

But seeing Gu Yi's current state, he could not help but speak: "General, why not rest properly? Let me lead the pursuit?"

"No need!"

Gu Yi waved his hand dismissively.

It wasn't that he craved the glory—he realized how rare this opportunity was.

He couldn't trust it to anyone else!

Though still helpless, Commandant Geng Bing could only bow and agree.

All troops prepare!

During this time, Gu Yi had not rested; through scout reports, he stood before the map, brow furrowed, seemingly weighing every possibility.

Finally, when Commandant Geng Bing returned again.

Gu Yi had already planned everything.

He divided the entire army into three columns.

The route is:

——Pursuit Force.

This main force must pin down the Northern Xiongnu, leaving them no capacity to divert elsewhere.

The second route is the reserve force.

This pursuit differs from previous ones; the Northern Xiongnu's main army is no longer a broken remnant—though morale has sunk, it has not yet collapsed.

We must ensure the Han soldiers retain a certain level of combat effectiveness.

The third route is the ambush force, led by me personally.

This route is the most critical.

It must anticipate the Northern Xiongnu's path in advance, setting up ambushes and cutting off their retreat.

Naturally, this force should primarily consist of the troops who have long followed Gu Cheng.

But this time, Gu Cheng does not intend to take them.

The army is exhausted; these men must rest thoroughly, and securing the entire Sheshi region is vital—these plans must ensure no problems arise in the rear.

Even the several generals who have long followed him, Gu Cheng does not plan to take.

But this time, these generals refuse to accept it.

"General, I already wasted one opportunity before. Now, though weary, even you still mean to lead us into battle—how much more so we?"

This was Dou Gu speaking.

He now fully respects and submits to Gu Cheng.

Whether in boldness or ability, he feels the gap between himself and Gu Cheng.

"Correct! How can we let the General march alone at this moment? A true man dies when he must—what is there to fear?"

This was Geng Gong speaking.

"Yes! We vow to follow the General into battle—death before retreat!!"

Roars of determination echoed through the camp.

Commandant Geng Bing stared in surprise at Geng Gong.

What's going on?

Isn't my cousin always arrogant and proud? How has he become like this?

Having never endured a siege, he naturally cannot understand these generals' feelings toward Gu Cheng.

For them,

Gu Cheng has utterly conquered them.

"Good!"

Looking at the men before him, Gu Cheng took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening further: "Then let us go together."

"If we win this battle, we shall jointly carve our Merit Carved in Stone!"

"If we lose;"

"We shall return wrapped in horsehide together!"

The entire army roared in unison!

Gu Cheng swiftly settled everything.

Immediately, he mustered his troops and set out in pursuit!

The Northern Xiongnu's only retreat route is Kucha.

The Kingdom of Kucha is a vital crossroads of the Silk Road; whoever controls it controls the Silk Road's initiative.

Kucha is now fully under Northern Xiongnu control.

From Kucha, they radiate power in all directions, including to Shule, where Ban Chao now stands.

Before Ban Chao went to Shule,

King Douti of Shule was a Kuchan installed by the Northern Xiongnu.

Gu Cheng possesses profound mastery in flanking and encirclement tactics.

He plans to advance west along the Peacock River valley, crossing the edge of the Kuche oasis, and strike directly at Kucha City.

His aim is to completely trap the entire Xiongnu army at the edge of Kucha.

The risk is indeed great.

After all, Kucha itself harbors Northern Xiongnu forces.

But Gu Cheng has his own reasoning.

—Ban Chao is still inside Shule!

Shule has certainly not fallen.

If it had, the Northern Xiongnu would have already crushed it with overwhelming force—they could not have held out!

This is Gu Cheng's judgment of the overall battle situation!

Now that the Northern Xiongnu are retreating, their main force advancing toward Kucha, the troops besieging Shule must also withdraw.

As long as Ban Chao seizes this opportunity,

Once he moves, Kucha will have no capacity to divert elsewhere!

This is the best opportunity!

Will Ban Chao counterattack?

If they are brothers, how could he not understand him?

The events unfolded exactly as Gu Cheng predicted.

Ban Chao's military ability was never weak; upon sensing the Northern Xiongnu's intent to retreat, he immediately deduced the battle situation had shifted.

Immediately prepare to counterattack!

The drawbacks of the Northern Xiongnu fighting on two fronts were now laid bare.

Ban Chao is no longer merely thirty-six riders.

He commands the armies of the kingdoms of Shule and Yu Tian.

Though compared to the great Han, these two kingdoms' forces are naturally insignificant.

But do not forget—this is the Western Regions!

Gu Cheng pressed forward without pause, directly engaging the Northern Xiongnu forces preparing to retreat to Kucha.

Precisely because of this.

The entire kingdom of Kucha fell into chaos.

Gu Cheng seized this opportunity and truly blocked the Northern Xiongnu forces retreating back.

Attacked from front and rear!

Another brutal battle erupted.

The Northern Xiongnu army was utterly disordered; the turn of events exceeded their wildest imaginings.

They never imagined the Han army would risk pursuit despite exhaustion.

They could not fathom why the generals on both fronts had not communicated yet made identical judgments simultaneously!

The moment morale began to waver, the outcome of this battle was already sealed!

After leaving over three thousand men behind.

The Left Lu Li King was forced to veer northwest, fleeing once more toward the kingdom of Gumo.

But how could Gu Cheng leave such an opening?

From the moment he cut off the Northern Xiongnu army, the battle's outcome was already decided.

He pressed forward without pause, swiftly pursuing.

At the same time, the army led by Commandant Geng Bing also did not halt for a moment.

The two armies advanced jointly against Gumo.

And when Gu Cheng achieved great victory, Ban Chao had already cleared all obstacles—he swiftly breached Kucha's eastern border and advanced to attack Gumo.

All three armies moved in unison!

The Left Lu Li King abandoned the city and fled under cover of night.

Gu Cheng personally led his troops in pursuit, slaying over ten thousand enemies and seizing countless spoils.

The Northern Xiongnu collapsed utterly in the Western Regions.

The Northern Xianbei Chanyu was filled with terror and abandoned all plans of westward retreat.

One battle—and the Western Regions were secured!

—————————

In the first year of Jianchu, eighth month, Commandant Gu Cheng guarded Yanqi; the barbarians attacked but could not take it.

The imperial court dispatched Prince Consort Commandant Geng Bing with twenty thousand elite troops to reinforce him; they raced day and night to Yanqi. Gu Cheng then opened the city gates and joined forces with Geng Bing, attacking from front and rear, decisively defeating the Che Shi army. The barbarian host scattered, abandoning armor and fleeing to Kucha.

Gu Cheng then assumed overall command of the armies and divided them into three columns for advance:

Prince Consort Commandant Geng Bing led the central army, commanding over ten thousand infantry and cavalry to press along Monan;

He personally led five thousand light cavalry, stealthily traversing the Gobi, circling around the northern pass of Kucha;

At the same time, the military commander Ban Chao, stationed in Shule, gathered over ten thousand troops from Yu Tian and Shule, emerging from the eastern side of the Pamirs to strike Kucha's flank and shake its resolve.

Gu Cheng personally braved arrows and stones to break through enemy lines, slaying six renowned kings under the Left Lu Li King; the barbarian host scattered, leaving over three thousand corpses behind, the remnants fleeing in panic toward Gumo.

At this time, Ban Chao had already breached Kucha's eastern border, cutting off its food and reinforcements, and now advanced to attack Gumo.

Gu Cheng ascended a high ground and rallied his troops: "In ancient times, Chen Tang slew Zhi Zhi; today, we shall emulate him!"

He ordered battering rams to breach the walls, while crossbows and catapults fired in unison. The Xiongnu, exhausted, abandoned the city under cover of night; Han troops pursued and slew over ten thousand, captured one hundred thousand cattle and sheep, blood soaked the sands, and the sound of Hu flutes ceased.

The Northern Xianbei Chanyu was terrified; his entire clan migrated westward, never again daring to gaze upon the Han frontier.

From Puli Sea to the Pamirs, merchants traveled without fear, camel bells ringing softly.

Emperor Zhang, hearing the victory, issued an edict: "Gu Cheng unleashed Lei Ting, proclaiming the Heavenly Might across ten thousand li." He ordered a stele carved at Chigu City, inscribed: "In Jianchu, we swept away the bandits; all three armies united in effort; the dust of the barbarians was forever stilled; Shanhe remained unbroken." Over fifty Western Regions kingdoms sent their sons as hostages, offering camels, horses, and precious treasures, bowing their heads and declaring: "The Heavenly Han does not abandon us."

——Records of the Later Han. Biography of Gu Cheng

Nearly six thousand characters. What a tense year—I've nearly exploded from thinking.

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(End of Chapter)