Chapter 534: Unbelievable

Puzhou, a key stronghold in Hedong.

It borders the Yellow River to the west and the Suishui River to the east, serving as a vital gateway from Hedong to Guanzhong; its strategic importance is immense. Capture Puzhou City, then cross the Puzhou Stone Bridge to the west, and you have already entered Guanzhong territory.

This place is one of the eastern gateways to Guanzhong, its importance undeniable. It is both a stronghold and a commercial port, with towering walls.

Fang Youde selected twenty thousand elite troops, led them to Puzhou, and set up defenses there.

As for Gao Xiuyan's unit, which had already pledged allegiance to Huangfu Weiming, upon hearing that troops were approaching from the Chang'an direction, they abandoned Puzhou City in advance and fled to Yuxiang, separated from Puzhou by a river.

They awaited Huangfu Weiming's reinforcements for support.

After Fang Youde's forces arrived at Puzhou City, Li Guangbi suggested that he dispatch five thousand troops to garrison Tongguan.

But Fang Youde flatly refused to hear any mention of "Tongguan."

Nevertheless, he agreed to Li Guangbi's proposal, allowing the latter to command five thousand troops to garrison Chaoyi City west of Puzhou as a rear force.

The order was odd, not entirely logical. Yet Fang Youde himself was not one to follow the ordinary path. Li Guangbi had no objection and thus led the five thousand troops away from Puzhou to station at Chaoyi, serving as the rear force.

Three days after Fang Youde and his troops reached Puzhou, Li Guiren arrived at Yuxiang with twenty thousand elite soldiers.

Confronted with Gao Xiuyan, who abandoned Puzhou, Li Guiren felt contempt but did not rebuke him. He simply accepted Gao Xiuyan's surrender and placed him under his command.

In truth, with the meager troops Gao Xiuyan possessed, defending Puzhou was tantamount to a futile stand; fleeing was only natural.

However, Gao Xiuyan's retreat handed the terrain advantage to the enemy, causing Li Guiren to lose the strategic initiative.

Before the Hebei rebels lies a seasonal river: the Suishui River.

At its peak, the river can be several dozen meters wide and over a meter deep.

Yet before the deep‑autumn freeze, it dries up early, becoming a ditch, so there is no issue of winter ice.

Now the Suishui River has receded, shallow enough for horses to wade through. Its deepest point is still no higher than a horse's knee, and its width is roughly a dozen zhang.

This distance, passable yet inconvenient, is rather tricky.

The day after arriving at Yuxiang, Li Guiren led a mixed infantry‑cavalry force to the Suishui Riverbank to form a battle line.

He came from Zhi Guan, with little grain left in his army, requiring a swift, decisive battle.

At this time, Fang Youde, already aware of the situation, also positioned his troops opposite the river.

Both sides faced each other across the river, neither making the first move.

"Commander Fang, the enemy numbers about twenty thousand; we can take our time, there's no rush,"

Gao Xianzhi rode forward on horseback and whispered,

Honestly, Fang Youde's force this time is somewhat small, though they are all selected elite soldiers.

If we brought all troops from Chang'an, assembling thirty to forty thousand men would be no problem. Yet Fang Youde only chose the brave and strong, promised generous rewards, and stopped once he gathered twenty thousand.

Seeing Fang Youde's expression as still as water, staring at the enemy across the bank, Gao Xianzhi continued, "The enemy came from afar, likely via Zhi Guan, making supply transport difficult. Twenty thousand is no small number and requires a lot of provisions. Our army should hold the Suishui River and delay a few days. Without food, they'll starve to death even if they're hungry."

One must admit Gao Xianzhi's suggestion is sound. Li Guiren arrived with a fierce momentum, leading twenty thousand troops at the height of their strength.

The clever approach is to avoid the enemy's spearhead, exploit their supply shortage, and buy time.

If we can hold for a few days, the Hebei rebels will inevitably show cracks.

"Send the order, raise the commander's banner!"

Fang Youde outright ignored Gao Xianzhi and directly instructed his nearby troops,

"Understood!"

The messenger quickly informed the flag officer, and a massive pole bearing a banner with the character "Fang" was raised.

It was highly conspicuous; even Li Guiren across the river saw it clearly.

"You hold the line, and after I break the enemy, you will follow."

Fang Youde casually gave Gao Xianzhi a command,

because at that moment a horse snorted, and Gao Xianzhi thought he had misheard.

"Commander Fang, what you're doing is…"

Gao Xianzhi was about to ask further, but heard Fang Youde order the messenger, "Deploy the Crane Guard to charge across the river, following me!"

"Acknowledged!"

The messenger hurriedly waved a five‑colored flag; the commanders of the Crane Guard's divisions saw it and began relaying the charge order.

Gao Xianzhi stared dumbfounded beside him!

"Commander Fang, is this a river‑crossing charge? Shouldn't you test first?"

Gao Xianzhi asked in a tone of existential doubt, feeling completely unsettled.

How should one describe Fang Youde's current behavior?

Gao Xianzhi is lecherous and has some knowledge of handling women.

If one were to draw a parallel, Fang Youde now resembles someone who sees a stunning beauty, says nothing, ignores onlookers, and rushes straight to strip the woman of her clothes.

It's become so abstract I don't know how to describe it.

"Commander, wars aren't fought like this!"

Before Gao Xianzhi could speak, Fang Youde already led his cavalry into the Suishui River, hooves splashing water in bursts.

Like a raging tide, they surged forward without hesitation.

Across the river, Li Guiren watched the Suishui surface with puzzled eyes, observing the cavalry arriving from the opposite bank.

He had no guard nor concern, and for a moment was so startled he could not speak.

Goodness, after fighting for so many years, such a simpleton is a first sight!

"Infantry, form ranks and strike at half‑crossing!"

Li Guiren calmly ordered.

At this point, our cavalry's advance had stalled; charging across the river against enemy cavalry would be foolish. It is better to have infantry strike at half‑crossing.

Of course, Li Guiren knew this move could not possibly fail.

You think just charging across the river without a greeting makes you brave?

You think this makes you invincible?

Li Guiren sneered coldly in his heart, thinking that if war could be won by sheer recklessness, then selecting generals would only require picking those with well‑developed muscles and great strength, and no one would need to study any military strategy.

However, as if sensing his thoughts, a horn sounded. The enemy's charging cavalry, astonishingly, turned the front line into the rear, reversed their horses' heads, and fled toward the opposite riverbank.

The scene not only left Li Guiren staring dumbfounded, but also made Gao Xianzhi's scalp tingle.

Fang Dàshuài, this move is a showcase of extreme escape tactics—truly impressive.

But the bandit soldiers who have already crossed the river still need us to cover you; isn't that setting a trap!

Gao Xianzhi felt his heart sink repeatedly, fearing he might block Fang Youde's retreat, and dared not order a formation change.

His heart had already sunk to the bottom of a valley, while the soldiers of Li Guiren's troops chasing the cavalry were so excited they seemed ready to explode.

These infantry no longer cared about maintaining any formation; they let out excited roars and charged at the fleeing cavalry. After crossing the river, they would, in one surge, break through the formation where Gao Xianzhi stood.

The Hebei rebels' infantry formation was unfolding, about to flank and attack the infantry formation controlled by Gao Xianzhi.

In less than the time it takes a incense stick to burn, the vanguard of these infantry had already surged to the opposite bank of the Su River, their feet about to leave the water and step onto a riverbank strewn with stones.

At that moment, the cavalry under Fang Youde sounded the horn again!

The rear line again became the front line, charging back toward the river.

Eh?

Gao Xianzhi stared dumbfounded at the successive extreme maneuvers, his mouth opening into an O shape.

At this moment, the battlefield situation was completely beyond his expectations.

Or rather, Fang Youde's extreme tug turned the prey, originally in a 'half‑cross‑and‑strike' position, into the hunter in a 'half‑cross‑and‑strike'.

Meanwhile, Li Guiren's infantry were precisely the majority, all standing in the river, in a 'half‑cross' state!

The hunter and prey instantly swapped roles!

Now the Hebei rebels' infantry had long since scattered, forming small groups in a charging state. Because they needed to flank from behind, the overall formation was wide and thin, riddled with gaps.

Fang Youde's cavalry, accelerating again at the riverbank, would reach near‑peak speed by the time they plunged into the water.

"Kill!"

The towering Li Jiaqing, together with his eldest son Li Huaiguang leading the charge, instantly drove the enemy infantry into the river. The triangular cavalry formation, like a spearhead, pierced Li Guiren's infantry line.

At that moment, Gao Xianzhi finally understood what Fang Youde meant by "follow‑up" before setting out.

I created the battle opportunity; if you can't seize it, you might as well go home and farm!

Gao Xianzhi seemed to hear Fang Youde's uniquely mocking voice in his ear.

He hurriedly ordered his nearby guards, "Beat the drums, full assault!"

Dong dong dong! Dong dong dong!

Dong dong dong! Dong dong dong!

Dong dong dong! Dong dong dong!

The soldiers of the military band, who had been observing the battle, now felt their blood boil with excitement and gave it their all to start beating the drums.

"Kill!"

Gao Xianzhi shouted loudly.

Li Siyie was even faster; before Gao Xianzhi could move, he saw the brave general already galloping away on horseback.

The remaining few thousand infantry, the sword‑and‑shield troops even dropping their shields, lifted their ring‑pommel swords and sprinted toward the opposite bank.

Across the river, Li Guiren's mind was in a daze, staring stupidly at the crushing defeat before him.

His lips trembled, yet he could not utter a single word.

Damn, I haven't even exerted my power yet, and we're already losing?

Li Guiren trembled with anger, about to order a cavalry charge. Yet the valiant Liu Longxian beside him shouted, "General Li, the enemy's momentum is like a landslide and tsunami, unstoppable. Better withdraw the cavalry thirty li, evade their blades, and plan slowly!"

Those with high emotional intelligence would read this as a strategic retreat; those with low would simply call it a "rinse".

Thanks to Liu Longxian's loud shout, Li Guiren snapped out of his daze. He quickly ordered the nearby messenger to strike the bronze gong hanging on the horse!

Dang dang dang! Dang dang dang!

Dang dang dang! Dang dang dang!

Li Guiren turned his horse's head and fled, while ordering the messenger beside him to sound the metal signal to recall the troops.

Having led the charge himself and sounded the recall, the morale of his troops naturally collapsed.

The cavalrymen were lucky; having not charged, they still had plenty of stamina. Seeing Li Guiren run, they also turned their horses' heads and fled.

Because the horses were strong, these deserters ran faster and faster, soon losing contact with Fang Youde's forces.

And the two‑legged Hebei rebel infantry fell into terrible misfortune.

Fang Youde rode his cavalry through the loose infantry formation, killing as easily as cutting wheat. Many infantry never reached the bank; they fell into the river and never got up.

Because of the sheer number of corpses, the Su River was blocked for a time; that stretch of channel was littered with floating bodies. The corpses that washed up on the bank piled up in thick layers, and from a distance the sight made one's scalp tingle.

The once‑calm river surface had turned crimson with blood, like water rising from hell. For the following year, the locals of Puzhou dared not eat the fish scooped from the Su River.

Some of Li Guiren's infantry still fled to the bank, heading toward Yuxiang.

Fang Youde gave the Hebei rebels no quarter, pursuing them all the way to Yuxiang, where the city gates were tightly shut and the enemy's defenses were formidable; only then did he lead his troops back to Puzhou.

Before departing, Fang Youde ordered Gao Xianzhi to plant a flag on the western bank of the Su River, bearing four characters: "Cross the river, die!"

……

"Achoo!"

Huangfu Weiming sneezed.

Standing beneath the Tongguan city tower at that moment, his mood was extremely sour, feeling embarrassed as if being teased.

In this assault on Tongguan, he—or rather An Shouchong—was thinking of the same single plan.

That is a detour.

This also counts as "great minds think alike."

The danger of Guanzhong actually lies mainly in the eastern passes; specifically, it is the narrow route from Tongguan to Hulao Pass.

From the pre‑Qin period all the way to the Han dynasty, the pass guarding Guanzhong was Hangu Pass, not Tongguan; later they chose Tongguan as the gateway to Guanzhong because soil erosion caused drastic topographical changes, rendering Hangu Pass unable to block the eastward armies' advance into Guanzhong.

Thus they had no choice but to select Tongguan as a "secondary option."

In other words, if Hangu Pass's terrain had remained, later generations would never have chosen Tongguan under any circumstances.

The hidden implication behind this is that, from a defensive standpoint, Tongguan's terrain is actually not impregnable.

Hangu Pass lies within the Chousang Plain, while Tongguan sits on the Linzhi Plateau at an elevation of 555 meters. Both sides of the Linzhi Plateau are deep gullies—one is the Yuanwang Gully, the other the Jingu Gully. The water flow in these gullies has eroded their walls to a knife‑sharp edge.

Tongguan's weakness lies precisely in these two gullies.

After the Tang dynasty was established, the government explicitly forbade traveling through the Yuanwang and Jingu gullies, and this rule became a mechanical memory in people's minds.

But the prohibition against entering them and the actual impossibility of doing so are two entirely different matters.

Especially the Jingu Gully—it can be traversed, and it's not difficult at all!

By taking a detour through the Jingu Gully to get behind Tongguan, the troops stationed on both sides of the Tongguan gate tower could launch a coordinated all‑out assault. Would capturing Tongguan still be an impossible task then?

I suspect it might not be.

To put it bluntly, Tongguan's supply lines were cut off at that time—how long could the garrison hold out? They would starve to death!

That was exactly what Huangfu Weiming thought, and he indeed led his troops around the Jingu Gully, even launching a pincer attack and capturing the Tongguan gate tower!

Yet what surprised him was that Tongguan hardly had any defenders.

Only a token force of five hundred men had been deployed!

With so few men, there was really no need to go around; a direct charge would have sufficed.

Standing beneath the gate tower at that moment, Huangfu Weiming felt as if fate were playing a trick on him.

"General, no matter what, Tongguan has been taken. After this, reaching Chang'an means there will be no more natural barriers."

An Shouzhong bowed his fists to Huangfu Weiming and said,

He too was ashamed and dared not raise his head.

This feeling is like two clumsy thieves planning a burglary: they scouted the place beforehand, prepared the tools to break in, and picked a moment when the homeowners were all away on vacation.

The result was that after painstakingly digging a tunnel for a month, they finally managed to get inside the house—only to discover the owner had carelessly left the door unlocked.

Not even cursing themselves inwardly as a blunderbuss counts as being thick‑skinned.

"So be it; what heaven does not grant will bring disaster."

Issue the order: march on Chang'an at once."

Huangfu Weiming gave the order to An Shouzhong, and neither of them mentioned the pointless detour that had wasted so much time.