Chapter 632: The Battle of Huanghua Valley

Huanghua Valley—narrow at the mouth, wide in the belly, with a high ridge on one side and a sheer cliff on the other. The valley mouth had no deep trench or hard fortifications, only a row of wooden palisades and two chevaux-de-frise, yet it had become an impassable chasm for the attacking Shu army.

Before the mouth of Huanghua Valley, miserable screams rang out without end. The Han army's crossbowmen, hidden on the flanks and within the valley, struck down from their commanding heights at the attacking Shu troops, launching a relentless barrage, firing arrows with the utmost concentration and the greatest speed. Shi Shouxin had ordered that every arrow in every quiver be spent.

The five hundred assault troops personally led by Han Jixun suffered a fierce blow from the very first moment—before they could even reach the stockade's entrance, several waves of concentrated Han arrow fire had already stunned them senseless.

The one saving grace was that these five hundred men were elite Shu soldiers. Amid the chaos they kept their composure, swiftly taking cover—some behind trees, some against rocks, raising their shields to resist.

"Governor, the Han army was prepared long ago—they've set an ambush on the mountainside!" Several sturdy Shu soldiers joined shields together to form a protective wall before Han Jixun, while a junior officer under his command, face full of panic, crouched low and shouted to him.

Han Jixun's face had gone somewhat pale, his shock not yet settled. The sky had already grown dim; around him the whistling of arrows mingled with the screams of soldiers, and heavy shafts thudded into the shields with force, every sound striking against Han Jixun's heart.

Hot sweat beaded on his forehead. He glanced around—the sky had darkened further—but what drew his eye most was the scattering of lamplight burning within Huanghua Valley, brilliant and bright. It was no beacon guiding him, but rather brought him only frustration and despair.

"How many men does the Han army have? What of their rear formations?" Han Jixun tried his best to calm himself, observing the situation while pressing for information.

"There are enemies both within the valley and on the ridge—banners waving, drums beating, men shouting—we can't make out their strength. The Han army is simply slaughtering our men with dense arrow fire!" The junior officer at his side could hardly hide the fear in his voice as he answered quickly: "Governor, please think of something—how are we to face the enemy?"

The attacking Shu troops had already marched a full day and were utterly exhausted. The main column, which had been advancing in a cautious combat formation, was quickly scattered by the Han army's powerful bows and crossbows. Shi Shouxin had also dispatched two battalions of soldiers to lie in ambush on the mountainside, and though these now only waved banners and raised shouts, they projected more than enough intimidation.

On Han Jixun's side, sweat continued to drip from his brow as he stared at the increasingly dark and indistinct forested slopes, where shadows flitted among the trees and arrows fell like rain—instruments of death loosed from the abyss itself.

His mind raced wildly. Though he was astonished that the Han army had anticipated their move and laid an ambush, he had no time to ponder it now. In this dire emergency, Han Jixun knew he had to make a decision.

Of course, he did not deliberate long. Seeing the Shu soldiers crammed in the mountain pass, being butchered by the Han army like headless flies, Han Jixun said directly: "Quickly pass the order—have every battalion commander restrain their men and withdraw!"

Though Han Jixun knew that under the present circumstances, once the retreat order was given, it might well precipitate a rout, he had no choice. The Han army had been prepared all along; without knowing the enemy's strength, dragging things out would only plunge them into a greater crisis. Breaking free in time, cutting losses by escaping the encirclement—that was the best option.

In truth, though the bows and crossbows were deadly, given the disparity in numbers, aside from the initial strike against unprepared troops, the direct casualties inflicted on the Shu army were not that heavy—only the vanguard and the center column had suffered severe losses.

But under ambush, the scattering of morale and the collapse of fighting spirit were the greatest blow of all. After Han Jixun's retreat order was issued, the rear guard quickly turned about and withdrew along the original path, the center column retreated while dodging, and as for the vanguard—they had no choice but to flee in utter disgrace.

Shi Shouxin's troop deployment, however, had never intended to annihilate the Shu army completely. He only planned to achieve the greatest results at the smallest cost. After springing the ambush, he had remained atop the valley ridge the whole time, observing the battle from his commanding height.

Standing aloof on the heights, the autumn wind rustling his campaign robe with a snapping sound, Shi Shouxin stood with his saber at his hip, eyes stern and cold, quietly surveying the battlefield. What showed in his gaze was a callous indifference to life. At his side, more than half of the setting sun remained, a swath of crimson serving as his backdrop.

"General, the Shu army is retreating!" The retainer beside him suddenly pointed down excitedly and spoke.

"This Shu general—he attacked the stockade when the moment favored him, and withdrew when he saw the situation turn. He's not lacking in decisiveness! Had I not seen through his movements in advance, he truly would have caused my army no small trouble!" Shi Shouxin offered his assessment.

Then he raised his hand and gave his orders decisively: "Light the fires, send the signal! Have the hidden troops charge out and drive off the Shu army!"

"Yes!"

With a loud acknowledgment from his retainer, several bursts of signal fire erupted above Huanghua Valley, clearly visible beneath the dim sky. The Han soldiers hidden in the valley and on the ridge saw it and immediately charged out under their officers' leadership, their battle cries seeming almost to solidify in the air.

Han Jixun hurried ahead at the front, but seeing the dense glint of blades reflecting from the forested slopes and the pursuing Han troops charging out of the valley behind him, he wished he could tear apart the scouts who had failed to detect the enemy's movements...

As the Han army's hidden troops burst forth, the Shu army's rout became an accomplished fact. The soldiers quickened their desperate flight—their bodies seemed no longer tired, the mountain paths seemed easier to traverse—but casualties began to mount as they scattered in panic, running wild without any order.

The Han troops in the valley gave chase swiftly, while the ambushers on the ridge had to descend carefully and with some effort. Attacked from front and rear, roughly a thousand or more Shu soldiers were cut off, several hundred were slaughtered, and the rest surrendered entirely.

Han Jixun fled quickly, catching up and retreating to the center column to "reorganize" it—otherwise he would inevitably have been left behind, killed in battle or captured. Of course, the thousand-plus Shu soldiers he had abandoned, though they lost quickly and surrendered quickly, still served to slow the Han army's pursuit somewhat.

But even so, there was still not much time or space to reorganize the troops. Though he made the effort, a routed army collapses like a mountain toppling—the tide of defeat could not be stemmed. Han Jixun could only gather a few hundred soldiers to escort him in retreat.

Perhaps Han Jixun possessed a remarkable talent for retreat—from the very rear, he made it to the very front, taking whatever path appeared and diving into whatever woods he found along the way. Among the Shu army, those who died from trampling, falling off cliffs, or fighting over the road were beyond counting, and many soldiers simply got lost. Of course, there were also plenty who, utterly spent, sensibly and readily chose to lay down their arms and surrender.

Night had fully fallen. Amid the forested hills, the exhausted Shu soldiers finally halted their steps.

"Is the Han army still pursuing?" Han Jixun, disheveled from head to toe, his helmet lost somewhere, asked his subordinates.

"Reporting to the Governor—the Han army's pursuit has slowed!"

"Let the men rest where they stand!" Han Jixun looked around and gave the order with some weariness: "Take a count—how many men do we have left?"

"Yes!"

Soon, amid a chorus of groans, the physically and mentally exhausted, famished Shu remnants collapsed to the ground to rest as they pleased. A few fires flickered in the woods—the autumn night was cool and a chill wind crept in, and some soldiers couldn't help but light fires to warm themselves.

This immediately drew curses from the Shu officers: "You idiots—are you afraid the Han army can't find the way? Are you lighting the path for them?"

With that came kicks and punches, and a frantic scramble to stamp out the campfires. As the flames died, in the dim darkness one could faintly make out wisps of smoke rising. Before long, the sound of mournful sobbing arose from all around.

"Governor! This officer has taken the count—adding up all the battalions, just over a thousand soldiers remain, with units scattered and men not knowing their commanders. The rest are dead, missing, or surrendered!" The junior officer reported to Han Jixun in a low voice.

Hearing this, Han Jixun's face couldn't help but twitch several times. This battle had been lost too stiflingly—they hadn't even touched the Han army before collapsing. The Han army had been cunning too, merely driving, killing, and accepting surrenders, letting the Shu army scatter itself.

"I shouldn't have retreated so rashly—I should have concentrated our strength and fought the Han army to the death. Perhaps we could have found life in death and turned defeat into victory..." Han Jixun couldn't help but sigh.

"Governor, we've fled over ten li along this road, abandoned all our baggage, and have barely any rations left on us. The men can hardly hold on. And the Han army still pursues without cease—what are we to do?" The voice of his subordinate carried a note of despair.

Han Jixun himself had little confidence left, but he did his best to reassure: "Night has fallen and the mountain paths are hard to traverse. The Han army has won a great victory—they won't recklessly press the pursuit. The darkness is our best cover; otherwise, how would we have any chance to catch our breath? Tell the men to hold on a little longer—once we return to Tangcang, we'll be safe!"

The Han army seemed to have stopped pursuing. After resting for half a shichen with no sign of movement, Han Jixun and his men, though still uneasy, dared not risk traveling the ridge roads in the dark—too dangerous.

Trembling with fear, they waited until the next morning's dawn, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, before the ragged remnants dragged their starving bodies back onto the road toward Tangcang.

The soldiers were utterly dejected, but Han Jixun's inner turmoil was even richer. The defeat at Huangniu Stockade had been clean and quick, and now Huanghua Valley was another complete disaster—in these two battles he had lost nearly ten thousand troops of the Later Shu. Beyond endless frustration, there was anxiety and humiliation. This crime could not be excused; he had half a mind to kill himself in atonement, yet he could not bring himself to do it...

Driven by the will to survive, Han Jixun finally led his remnant troops back to Tangcang Town, with fewer than eight hundred soldiers following him. But what he saw were the traces of fierce fighting—and flying atop the military stockade was the glaring banner of the Han army.

"Tangcang has fallen too!" The stunned cry was almost squeezed out of Han Jixun's throat, his face full of terror: "How could the Han army react so quickly? How do they know our movements so clearly?"

Soon, a detachment of Han troops burst out from within Tangcang Town, heading straight for Han Jixun's remnant force.

"Governor, what do we do?" The men around him cried out in fright.