Chapter 122: Chain Reaction

In Anxi, Dingzhou, after nearly half a month of sustained back-and-forth tugging and entanglement, Yelu An, the Khitan Military Governor of Dingzhou, finally retreated, leaving behind a small force to cover the rear while he fled north with only three thousand-odd remaining Liao troops.

For the Longqi Army engaged in battle, the Liao army's withdrawal this time was somewhat sudden and unexpected, though not entirely without signs.

The Liao troops left behind were also quite decisive, well aware that they were abandoned pieces, their fighting spirit low, without any resolve to fight to the death. After putting up token resistance for a while, they voluntarily surrendered. Without suffering excessive casualties, they were able to enter Anxi city, though the entanglement had ultimately bought the retreating Liao army in Dingzhou a certain amount of time.

"Keep all the prisoners under close watch, sweep the city thoroughly, and strictly guard against any petty thieves or remnant bandits causing trouble!" Sword at his hip as he entered the city, Li Yun shouted at the top of his lungs, issuing orders.

The fighting around Dingzhou had basically revolved around Anxi city. In the early stage, Li Yun led a thousand-odd troops north, but with insufficient numbers, he was stretched thin. So Liu Chengyou ordered Luo Yangui to lead the Fifth Army of the Longqi Right Wing north to assist, and only then did the balance of power even out. Over the course of half a month, their "Western Route Army" had suffered losses of over six hundred soldiers in total.

"So many brothers dead, and finally we've broken this cursed city for me!" Stepping onto the walls of Anxi in the posture of a victor, Li Yun spat, cursed once, then turned to ask his personal guard: "Where's Commander Luo?"

"He's interrogating the prisoners."

"Let's go see!" At that, Li Yun turned and headed into the city, issuing orders as he went: "Find some men to clear the city walls."

"Yes!"

In the fully visible government hall, the surrendered Liao junior commander was led away with his head bowed, while Luo Yangui sat buried in thought, seemingly having gained some insight.

"How is it, any results?" Li Yun asked as he entered.

"Those who surrendered are all miscellaneous Bohai troops, merely used by that Yelu An to cover the rear — they don't know the specifics." Luo Yangui replied.

Li Yun's brow furrowed just like Luo Yangui's, and after thinking it over: "The Liao army withdrew so decisively — something major must have changed in the north. Has Zhao Yanshou made a new breakthrough?"

He was speculating, and his tone inevitably carried a note of hesitation.

"Very likely!" Luo Yangui said: "It's just a pity that Commander Han's side still has no news."

With insufficient information, no accurate judgment could be made. Young as he was, Luo Yangui's eyes flickered as he looked at Li Yun: "General Li, Anxi has been taken, but the Liao army has withdrawn — what should we do next?"

There was a hint of suggestion in Luo Yangui's words. Hearing this, Li Yun raised his eyebrows, clenched his fist, and said forcefully: "Pursue! We've fought bitterly for so long — does the Liao army think retreating will be that easy!"

"Send men to report the situation here to Zhending!"

"Good!" Luo Yangui, who likely had the same intention in mind, agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Having made the decision, they didn't dawdle. Leaving one battalion of soldiers to tend the wounded, guard the prisoners, and defend the city, the two of them led their troops in pursuit northward, riding light and advancing swiftly.

The Liao army fled quickly, but they pursued even more urgently, chasing hard for nearly a hundred li before catching up at Baicheng Kang Village, south of the Ru River. By normal marching speed, no matter how hard they pushed, they wouldn't have caught up — but this Liao force from Dingzhou had been forced down by Han Tong's roving cavalry.

Blocked ahead, pursued from behind, and with the merciless eastward-flowing Ru River beside them, the Dingzhou Liao troops were compelled to occupy a high slope north of Kang Village, preparing for a desperate last stand. Having unintentionally achieved coordination and caught up with the Dingzhou Liao army, Li Yun and Luo Yangui were overjoyed. They immediately ordered their troops to rest, recover their strength, and prepare for the attack, while also contacting Han Tong to coordinate operations.

Before the attack was launched, another army arrived from the west. Their banners were in disarray, their armor and weapons incomplete, looking motley and irregular — very much like a ragtag mob — but the soldiers themselves appeared quite tough and capable, exuding a wolfish temperament.

Just by looking at the ostentatious "Sun" banner, one could identify who had arrived. Coming from the west, within Dingzhou's borders, there was only one army surnamed Sun. Sure enough, the other side sent an envoy to report: Sun Fangjian, the Roving Patrol Commissioner, having learned of the Liao army's northward flight, had specially led his troops to assist in battle.

"This Sun Fangjian — while we were fighting bitterly at Anxi, he was watching from Boling without sending a single soldier. Now that the Liao army has withdrawn, he's suddenly so eager. Come to pick up easy pickings?" In front of the envoy, Li Yun sneered, contempt written all over his face.

"Hey, you can't say that. We're all fighting the Hu barbarians — what does order matter? Army Commander Sun has led troops to assist; we should naturally welcome him." It was Luo Yangui who tugged at Li Yun's sleeve, then said to the envoy in a mild tone: "Go back and tell Army Commander Sun that we'll launch the attack in half an hour!"

"Yes, yes!" Li Yun's face, combined with his sarcastic tone, was full of ill intent, and the envoy was clearly somewhat embarrassed. Hearing Luo Yangui's words, he said "yes" twice in succession and hurriedly withdrew.

"General Li, they're allied troops after all, and His Highness intends to win them over — we should give them some face." In the shade before the village, Luo Yangui chuckled and said to Li Yun.

"Bandits and thieves, petty scoundrels — how can they stand alongside us?" Li Yun remained disdainful.

Luo Yangui shrugged his shoulders and said no more. Though his military rank was not lower than the other's, before Li Yun he was still of the junior generation. Spend a little time with him and one would quickly discover that Li Yun, though brave and fierce, was arrogant and eccentric — not an easy man to get along with.

"We need to move quickly and finish the battle before dark!" Waving his hand, Li Yun said confidently.

The sun had already sunk toward the west, its light no longer so blazing. The temperature had dropped, and the weather was no longer so unbearable — quite suitable for combat.

When the war drums and horns of attack sounded, they struck from three sides simultaneously. Of course, attacking a fortified height, Han Tong's cavalry was only used to pin down the enemy and mop up those who slipped through the net. The result was unsurprising — the Liao army was completely annihilated. Apart from a few who fled for their lives, not a single organized unit escaped.

During this process, the combat effectiveness displayed by Sun Fangjian's army was quite eye-catching. Truly like desperadoes, they were ferocious beyond measure, wading through blood as they advanced, sweeping all before them. One should recall that when Sun Fangjian had originally established a fortified camp in northern Dingzhou, he had faced several sieges by the Khitan and could not be overcome.

Apart from lacking in discipline and equipment, they could indeed be called an elite force. After the victory, their bandit nature came to the fore — looting the battlefield as if plundering, wanting everything, which directly sparked conflict. Li Yun in particular, who looked down on them when they met, provoked Sun Fangjian's fury. Fortunately, the conflict remained within controllable bounds, and Sun Fangjian, seeing that his own forces were few, restrained himself. In the end, they parted on bad terms.

On Li Yun and Luo Yangui's side, when they met up with Han Tong, they learned that all the Liao troops in the various prefectures and counties south of You had already contracted northward. He hadn't dared to range too far north in his area of operations, but he could roughly guess that Zhao Yanshou must have achieved a major breakthrough.

A question now faced the three of them: whether to advance north. After discussion, they decided to play it safe. Li and Luo would lead their troops back to Anxi with the prisoners to report the situation to Liu Chengyou, while Han Tong would continue leading troops on reconnaissance.

As for Sun Fangjian, they basically paid him no attention. But the man was bold — he led his men across the river northward, seemingly wanting to see if there were any more pickings to be had.

Compared to the western route, the eastern route's main commander, Murong Yanzhao, reacted much faster and was far more decisive. When the Liao army chose to withdraw, he and He Fujin resolutely chose to lead troops in pursuit, not caring in the least about the abandoned cities.

Of course, the Liao army at Mozhou moved just as swiftly, without any hesitation. The two armies fought in a running battle northward along the Hutuo River, all the way until the Southern Yi River joined it. Only when a detachment of Liao troops came to their rescue and they saw no further advantage to be gained did they finally break off the engagement.