Chapter 515: Piercing Ji Ge's Heart with a Beast's Mind

Some ferry north of Weinan County is where Ji Ge's command tent is, and also where the main army headquarters is.

Although Ji Ge need not do anything, his 60,000 troops are not just idle eaters!

In this advance on Chang'an, the army split into southern and northern routes.

The southern route, mainly infantry, is tasked with attacking Weinan County and the bandit camp, preventing them from returning to Chang'an.

The northern route will charge straight into Chang'an! The plan is to coerce and tempt the defenders to open the city gates and surrender!

Li Guangbi, as the overall commander of the southern forces, must stay by Ji Ge's side at all times and obey his orders.

The power is truly great, and the trouble is truly troublesome.

"Li Jiedushi, General Wang has led troops to breach the north gate of Weinan County and is fighting the bandits. According to your orders, they set the civilian houses ablaze; the fire is already raging!"

A messenger hurried up to him and, cupping his fists, saluted Li Guangbi.

Ji Ge, seated behind Li Guangbi, raised an eyebrow, said nothing, seemingly waiting for Li Guangbi's reply.

"Since the fire has been set, let Wang Silie withdraw from the city first; no need for a reckless push."

Li Guangbi, his expression calm, ordered.

After the messenger left, he stepped forward to report to Ji Ge:

"Your Holiness, although Wang Silie's unit has breached the north gate of Weinan County, the bandits still number many; if we press too hard, they may become desperate and fight like cornered beasts.

Tonight our forces will open a path on the west side, allowing the bandits to escape there.

General Gao's northern cavalry is sizable; dispatching one or two thousand to chase these fugitives will suffice.

Your subordinate has already placed an ambush at the fences and ditches south of Weinan County; when the bandits reinforce from the southern camp, our troops will strike from concealment, and the battle will be decided in one blow!"

Li Guangbi crossed his arms and saluted Ji Ge.

Logically, returning to Chang'an should make Ji Ge excited. Yet Li Guangbi noticed that Ji Ge now seemed listless, his physical condition appearing poor.

After waiting a long while, Ji Ge finally said slowly, "We can slowly crush them; no need to rush this night."

After speaking, only the sound of the Wei River flowing could be heard; Ji Ge never even looked toward Weinan County, but kept his eyes fixed westward along the river, where the unseen horizon led to Chang'an!

He has lived in Chang'an for decades!

There lie Ji Ge's memories from his youth, prime, and old age.

Although he was born in Luoyang, he is a true native of Chang'an.

"Chang'an, I have returned,"

Ji Ge said in a low voice, slowly, with an indescribable obsession.

Approaching his seventies, he has left countless footprints in Chang'an.

These fragments hidden in his memory stir even his otherwise cold heart.

It is akin to a homesickness, perhaps.

Li Guangbi stood beside him like a fool, watching the old emperor mutter to himself, saying nothing.

Finally Gao Lishi noticed his awkwardness and said to Li Guangbi, "General Li, attend to military affairs promptly; we must capture Weinan County quickly."

At the same time he stepped forward to Ji Ge, saying, "Your Holiness, the wind is strong outside; come into the command tent to rest."

"Rest assured, Your Holiness! Your subordinate will not disgrace the mission!"

Li Guangbi cupped his fists in salute and stepped back.

He walked far away from the riverside command tent, then clenched his fists hard, his eyes reddening with excitement!

"Adoptive father, this time I bring troops into Chang'an and will first collect some interest. When the chance arises, I will deal with An Zhongzhang."

Li Guangbi gazed at the Wei River, still remembering that Wang Zhongsi's vengeance remains unavenged.

Li Guangbi's achievements today are thanks to Wang Zhongsi's patronage.

It is as if one has boarded a carriage or a boat; already countless things are beyond one's control.

Not to mention that Li Guangbi himself seeks revenge; even if he does not, he must still adopt the posture of seeking revenge and act on it.

This is the spirit that gives a warrior his purpose and standing.

Just as he was contemplating the battle in his mind, the subordinate commander Zhang Boyi, his face excited, walked over, cupped his fists and saluted Li Guangbi, reporting, "Li Jiedushi, the bandit army has left the camp and is moving toward Weinan County; shall we…"

He made a motion as if wiping his neck.

The city gate was smashed, the north side ignited, and enemy troops poured into the city.

What this shows is self‑evident.

Yan Zhenqing sending reinforcements to Weinan County is also understandable.

Digging trenches, however, is a basic warfare skill. Soldiers in the outer camp can move through the ditches into the city, and vice versa. Within the ditches, they will not be struck by enemy cavalry.

Even if the enemy has many men, they cannot form formations.

It must be said that Yan Zhenqing's efforts, though futile, were indeed earnest.

"Let this wave of people pass; they are probably sent deliberately to die, testing our strength and weakness.

Tonight they will surely make a big move.

You take a thousand men to strike the camp's ditches and fences, test them, then withdraw.

Later we will send other detachments wave after wave to harass, giving the bandits no moment's rest."

Li Guangbi told Zhang Boyi, clearly confident.

Even if the enemy is a weak fish, they still number twenty to thirty thousand, occupying a county town and a sizable camp. Slaughtering tens of thousands of pigs would take half a day; a blind charge to break their formation is a poor tactic.

"Understood!"

Zhang Boyi took the order and left.

After he left, Li Guangbi, with a few personal guards, walked around the entire front line, now confident in his mind.

Yan Zhenqing is interesting, or rather, he also has capable men under him.

He knows most of his troops are rookies, prone to blowing up the camp.

【61】 Thus, when Yan Zhenqing built the outer camp, he arranged it like a grid, keeping each individual camp to about five hundred men.

One after another.

In this way, the soldiers who panic or flee in terror won't affect other camps when the camp is bombed, thus limiting personnel movement as much as possible!

"Heh, all effort for nothing; it's just a dying struggle."

Li Guangbi let out a cold laugh and muttered to himself.

He saw Zhang Boyi withdraw his troops, and then dispatched another wave to continue applying pressure.

"How's the situation?"

Li Guangbi, seeing Zhang Boyi's relaxed expression, asked.

"Jiedushi Li, those cowardly bandits are collapsing at the slightest touch. However, following your orders I dared not press deeper; after destroying the wooden fence we withdrew with the brothers."

Zhang Boyi said dismissively.

Li Guangbi nodded slightly, offering no explanation.

The core tactic need not be revealed so early. If the plan is not secret, it fails; we can issue orders later.

"Take a rest, prepare, the breakthrough comes tonight."

Li Guangbi waved his hand, signaling Zhang Boyi to let his troops rest; from his tone a major battle was expected that night.

After a short while, he ordered Hao Tingyu to lead a thousand men to continue attacking the junction of the camp and the county seat, and destroyed another section of wooden fence.

Hao Tingyu likewise did not advance alone; after repelling the enemy and destroying a fence segment, he withdrew.

The fighting continued until dusk, when Li Guangbi finally sounded the retreat.

After returning to the imperial tent, Ji Ge had just woken from a nap. Seeing Li Guangbi arrive empty‑handed, he frowned and asked, "After a day's fierce battle, haven't we taken Weinan County?"

That damn emperor, after a nap, completely forgot what he said before!

"Your Sage, the daytime was merely probing the truth and falsehood."

Li Guangbi felt helpless but still offered an explanation.

Ji Ge remained silent, watching him with interest, awaiting the next words.

"Sage, during the day my forces kept frightening those bandits. Whenever they tried to breach the line, we would pull the troops back.

Thus the bandits, constantly terrified, became like birds startled from a bow; at night they would surely flee under cover of darkness.

I have already placed ambushes on the essential road back to Chang'an; rest assured, Sage."

So that's how it is!

Ji Ge nodded slightly; although Li Guangbi's words were vague and some details unclear, his strategy was evident.

Since Yan Zhenqing has erected turtle‑like fortifications here, a head‑on clash would be unwise; even a strong assault would be more loss than gain!

Continuously crushing enemy morale makes them feel their dynasty is unsafe, and once night falls, someone will inevitably flee.

After all, intelligence shows that most of Yan Zhenqing's men were hastily recruited from Chang'an—street thugs and household servants—who have little will to fight.

When pressed into a corner, these men will fight like trapped beasts.

A scare first, then capture them all in one net—that's the best plan!

One must admit, Li Guangbi is capable; he doesn't act rashly on impulse.

"Then I shall wait here for your good news, dear minister."

Ji Ge said leisurely.

Li Guangbi felt a sudden shock; he now understood that this near‑septuagenarian Great Tang Sage not only had a bad temper but also could no longer tolerate any grain of sand.

If this battle cannot be settled in one strike, or if tonight we cannot eliminate these riffraff, then Li Guangbi's official career is likely over.

Time passed bit by bit, and the sky grew gradually darker.

Li Guangbi waited patiently outside the imperial tent.

Even though his heart was anxious and he feared miscalculation, he showed no sign on his face, appearing unruffled.

He kept waiting, and the battlefield fell into a dead silence as if no one were present.

Li Guangbi thus spent time dueling endurance with Yan Zhenqing, not even having dinner.

Midnight arrived, the hour of the Rat passed, and only the maddening chirping of cicadas filled the surrounding woods.

It was maddening.

Li Guangbi could barely contain himself; before he had taken a few steps, Zhang Boyi hurried over and whispered in his ear, "Jiedushi Li, the bandits have begun fleeing westward in groups of three to five! Another force is heading toward the Weinan County seat, apparently to reinforce."

At that moment, General Wang Silie's personal troops arrived at the camp and reported to Li Guangbi, "Jiedushi, General Wang says someone opened the west gate of Weinan County and is moving toward Chang'an. General Wang asks whether to launch a general assault?"

Some flee, others go to reinforce.

Li Guangbi instantly understood that at a critical moment, different people make different choices.

But the distinction of choice mattered little, for he and Gao Xianzhi had already set a net covering heaven and earth.

When those bandits left the city and camp to retreat, they were stepping onto the road of death.

"Launch fireworks, full assault!"

Li Guangbi ordered in a deep voice.

After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, three fireworks blossomed in the sky above Ji Ge's imperial tent.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The brilliant fireworks faded instantly, and the Qiu Ba on the ground also began to stir.

…

In the deep night, north of Weinan County city, a thousand‑strong unit quietly gathered here.

The leader was Zhang Guangsheng.

These men were composed of elite members of the palace's Jinwu Guard and Qian Niu Guard, plus many retired frontier veterans.

They wore heavy armor, wielded long spears, carried horned crossbows on their backs, had quiver pouches at their waists, and were ready for a death‑defying strike.

During the day, these men risked moving from the outer camp into the city solely for this moment.

General Zhang, taking such a risk, can it truly succeed?

Yan Zhenqing lowered his stance and, unashamed, asked humbly.

"Is that even necessary? It's like striking a stone with an egg—just a gamble with one's life."

If you were serving under Fang Jiedushi, you couldn't even command a thousand troops.

Zhang Guangsheng made a half‑hearted jab, then realized his slip, immediately raised his fist in apology and said, "I, the junior officer, misspoke, Sir Yan, do not blame me."

At this critical moment, Yan Zhenqing wouldn't blame him; whether they survive tonight is uncertain!

Zhang Guangsheng continued to explain:

"I have seen the Retired Emperor's imperial tent on the high plateau of Luduang Village.

Near the ferry crossing on the south bank of the Wei River there is a very special tent; I guess that's where the Retired Emperor is. It's actually not far from Weinan County."

Our troops are few, but the enemy's forces are mostly gathered elsewhere, leaving Weinan City poorly defended.

Under cover of night we will rush straight to the imperial tent. If we can seize the Retired Emperor, the siege of Chang'an will be broken.

Zhang Guangsheng said with a hint of pride.

"So you ordered me, the current officer, to break out and let those soldiers leave on their own, to create chaos?"

Yan Zhenqing began to understand Zhang Guangsheng's plan.

He gave a slight hint to the recruited street thugs, telling them those who wished to leave could do so.

These men were originally in the army just to skim pay; during the day they were sent by Li Guangbi to charge, terrified to the point their souls left their bodies, their hearts already fled.

Now night falls, the chance to fish in muddy waters arrives; if those people don't run, are they hiding in the camp to lay eggs?

They will definitely run.

These deadbeats running is exactly what Li Guangbi expected; the ambushers were already in position. The troops cannot all be massed in one place.

Thus we can be sure that the forces near Ji Ge's imperial tent on the south bank of the Wei River are relatively thin, at least compared to daytime; the guard troops have greatly decreased.

With this back and forth, doesn't the opportunity arise?

"Indeed, Sir Yan, haven't you heard the saying 'Mercy does not command troops'?"

Zhang Guangsheng said confidently, as if he didn't feel at all that sending tens of thousands to die just to pave the way for a thousand elites was cruel.

As long as this assault succeeds, even if we can't seize him, killing Ji Ge is still a blood profit.

"Back then, when you commanded troops under Fang Qing, you really learned a lot,"

Yan Zhenqing sighed.

Fang Chongyong's subordinates are all so formidable; it's hard to imagine how strong he is now. Wang Zhongsi is Fang Chongyong's father‑in‑law; if he seeks revenge in the future, who can stop him?

Yan Zhenqing couldn't help a bitter smile.

At that moment, far away at the imperial tent, three fireworks lit up in the sky.

Zhang Guangsheng folded his smile, his expression turning solemn, and said, "The enemy's main assault has begun; someone will definitely attack the North Gate. Sir Yan, now is the moment when the narrow path meets the brave—go ahead, otherwise the brothers won't trust you. If you don't charge, none of us will, and we all fall."

Zhang Guangsheng ordered his personal troops to clothe Yan Zhenqing in armor; though it was only leather, it already pressed Yan Zhenqing so heavily he could barely breathe.

The weight of this armor truly exceeded imagination.

After he finished donning it, Zhang Guangsheng patted Yan Zhenqing's shoulder, disregarding rank entirely, with a carefree smile.

"Sir Yan, tonight the brothers are facing nine deaths to one life; when the time comes, don't be a merciful woman. The rewards due must not be withheld even a bit."

He patted his waist‑mounted sword, a flash of cruelty flashing in his eyes!

Zhang Guangsheng was hinting at 'regicide'! They intend to kill Ji Ge; these hill‑bastards have gone mad!

Yan Zhenqing's heart sank to the bottom of a valley; he silently gave a slight nod.

Will it really succeed?

Yan Zhenqing quietly asked himself that question in his heart, but he could not find an answer.