Chapter 872: The Meaning of Victory

Before Baicao Pass, the clanging of weapons and the clash of iron horses had temporarily subsided, replaced by the cheers of the victors. Beneath the cheers lay blood-soaked ground and fields strewn with corpses. The two battlefields were starkly visible, the bodies of Han and Liao soldiers interwoven, testament to the ferocity and cruelty of the fighting.

Several hundred conscripted laborers, personally led by Wang Zuo, the Prefect of Yanmen, came out through the pass to help tend the wounded and clear the battlefield. Great numbers of torches were raised for illumination. In the summer night, the sight of severed limbs and scattered remains, with the stench of blood hanging in the air, was horrifying to behold. The victorious Han soldiers, emerging like warriors from purgatory, inspired awe.

Wang Zuo, the Prefect of Yanmen, came from a minor clerical background and possessed considerable administrative ability. He was the father of Wang Qiwu, the Fiscal Commissioner of Huai-dong. When the Liao army came knocking at the pass this time, he worked day and night, mobilizing laborers and supplies, giving full support to Yang Ye's resistance against the Liao. On the day of the great battle, he had dragged his aged frame to personally come to Baicao Pass. The qualities he displayed commanded respect. Of course, there was no small element of posturing—this was a man whose body was old but whose ambitions were not.

The victorious soldiers gradually withdrew to a clean open area before the fort to rest and recover. Having passed through the devastated battlefield strewn with severed limbs, Wang Zuo suppressed the slight nausea in his heart and sought out Yang Ye.

At this time, Yang Ye, bearing wounds and still in his armor, was hurrying about, comforting the soldiers and checking on the wounded. Wang Zuo stepped forward and bowed at once, saying: "General Yang is a true commander! Outnumbered yet overcoming the fierce foe, achieving outstanding merit—I am full of admiration!"

"Your Excellency Wang is an elder; Yang Ye does not deserve such praise!" Yang Ye appeared very modest at this moment, revealing an extremely infectious smile as he straightened Wang Zuo up, replying: "Yang Ye has received great favor from the Son of Heaven. Pacifying this region and slaying enemies for the state is my duty; I dare not take pride in my achievements!"

Seeing this, Wang Zuo was even more moved, nodding repeatedly. Gazing around in the night, he noticed that the Dingxiang soldiers, though exhausted from a day of bitter fighting, still maintained defensive vigilance in their sitting and standing postures. Wang Zuo could not help but sigh deeply: "With such loyal and brave warriors, such a fine and elite army, guarding the state and defending the borders, the realm may be at peace, and the northern barbarians may be destroyed!"

Shortly after, Kang Yanze returned leading the cavalry, escorting several hundred prisoners and driving along a considerable number of war horses, sheep, and camels. Having pursued the fleeing enemy far to the north, he had clearly reaped a substantial harvest.

Yang Ye personally went forward to greet him. Kang Yanze dismounted and, looking at Yang Ye, asked with concern: "How are the General's wounds?"

"All minor injuries, nothing serious!" Yang Ye shook his head. The armor he wore had been personally bestowed by the Emperor, of excellent quality, and had proven highly effective in protection.

"What of the Liao army's situation?" Yang Ye remained concerned about the enemy's movements.

Kang Yanze laughed: "They have all fled in retreat, without any lingering—clearly afraid we would continue pressing our advantage in pursuit, and not daring to look south again. Their camp was left completely intact. I only drove back the horses and livestock; there are still quite a few felt tents, weapons, and provisions left behind. To guard against any mishap, we can send men to take possession tomorrow morning!"

Kang Yanze clearly considered matters with an eye toward stability and safety. Upon hearing this, Yang Ye finally revealed a relieved expression and said: "At last, success is achieved. The soldiers have fought hard; they should rest and be rewarded, to recover their strength and energy!"

Kang Yanze then spoke with admiration: "In my view, after this defeat, the Liao army will not easily dare to come south again! In this battle, the General has greatly bolstered the prestige of our Han army. Your on-the-spot command, your remarkable use of troops, and your abundant courage truly leave this subordinate in awe!"

If Kang Yanze had been in command, he would absolutely not have dared to do as Yang Ye had done. As for such praise, Yang Ye naturally deflected it back, laughing: "General Kang's grasp of the battle opportunity was also the key to this victory. Had you not launched your sudden strike straight at the enemy commander, the outcome of this battle would still be unknown!"

Yang Ye was not a man skilled at flattering others, but he could tell that Kang Yanze's words of praise came basically from the heart. Kang Yanze understood this as well. The two exchanged compliments for a while, then soon looked at each other and laughed heartily.

The news of victory spread like the cool summer night breeze—refreshing and pleasant—blowing across the passes and mountains, spreading southward. Of course, the first to share in the joy were the Han garrison soldiers in the Yanmen Pass ridges; though the rest had not personally fought in the battle, they shared in the glory.

At the commanding height of the mountain ridges, atop the northern gate tower of Yanmen, Lady Feng stood at a high vantage point, gazing northward, like a steadfast stone of the waiting wife. The rugged, winding narrow road before the pass seemed to consume most of her attention, while her heart and mind remained constantly tied to the battle situation at Baicao Pass.

The previous night, Yang Ye had bid her farewell. A general cannot avoid falling on the battlefield. Yang Ye had not told her the specifics of his battle plan, but with Lady Feng's intelligence, she could discern that Yang Ye had made a dangerous decision.

However, understanding her husband and knowing his aspirations, Lady Feng from beginning to end did not try to dissuade or hold him back, only expressing her full support. After Yang Ye departed, she brought their three sons and remained in the gate tower, from the first light of dawn until nightfall descended.

Yang Ye could count himself fortunate—stationed at the frontier with family by his side, with his wife's unreserved understanding and support, and able to have a final farewell before battle. But the Dingxiang soldiers who went into battle with him, those who fought in blood and died directly on the field, left only death notices and grief to their families...

Beneath the night sky, robes fluttering, her slender yet resolute figure stood unwavering. When news of victory arrived and cheers rang out continuously within the fortress, Lady Feng's tightly strung heart finally relaxed, and her reddened eyes could no longer hold back the mist of tears.

Upon learning that his father had won a great victory, Yang Yanzhao cheered wildly and took the lead in running and leaping about on the fortress wall, while his two sleepy younger brothers also joined in the frolicking with their elder brother.

The news of victory swept southward at tremendous speed. Within three days, Hedong had heard of it; within five days, the report reached the Eastern Capital; within ten days, it spread thunderously across Hebei; within half a month, the whole realm knew.

Previously, when enemy cavalry had come knocking at the pass and Yanmen had raised the alarm, though the Great Han had been somewhat shaken, there had been no great agitation among the military and civilians, much less any situation of nationwide alarm.

The main reason was that the Liao army had mobilized too few troops. For the Great Han, could a mere ten thousand Liao soldiers break a strong pass and plunder Han territory? Not to mention the high-ranking military and civil officials—even the most ordinary commoner would not think the Liao army outside Yanmen Pass could accomplish anything. If the Liao had sent several hundred thousand troops in a great southern invasion, perhaps then ordinary Han people would begin to worry.

In recent years, the state had grown peaceful and increasingly prosperous and strong. Along with the Han army's continuous military victories, the morale of the Great Han's soldiers and civilians had steadily risen. Having emerged from the brutal chaos of the age, the soldiers and civilians of the Great Han did not fear war, still less did they fear the Liao. For decades, the people of the north, in resisting Khitan invasions and plundering, had always risen to the fight with righteous indignation, taking up their blades to slay the bandits. When had they ever been afraid of the Khitan?

Even after losing the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, during those years of bitter struggle between the Khitan and the Jin, the Jin army had fought tenaciously, battling to the bitter end. Let alone later, when the Khitan entered and ruled the Central Plains, imposing tyrannical policies, which provoked the people of the Central Plains and Hebei to rise up in resistance.

Thus, for three generations, the soldiers and civilians of the north had never known the concept of fearing the Hu barbarians. And during the time of Jin Prince Li Cunxu, when contending with Abaoji, the elite troops of Hedong had faced off against the Khitan's finest and had actually pressed them down.

However, since the rise of the Shi Jin, a feeling of pent-up indignation had also been suppressed in the hearts of the northern soldiers and civilians. Without the natural barrier of the Yan Mountains, the Hu cavalry from beyond the northern frontier could come and go at will, riding south to plunder as if entering their own backyard garden. Heroes and men of valor would gallop forth with sword in hand to strike the enemy, yet all too often their efforts were rendered useless by the folly of sovereigns, the incompetence of generals, and internal chaos.

As time passed, unease grew and resentment boiled over. This created a situation where the people did not fear the Hu, yet suffered repeated defeats in battle—the blow to popular morale and fighting spirit was severe.

It was not until Liu Zhiyuan and his son marched east and established the Great Han, and then through Liu Chengyou's ten years of reform and renewal—enriching the state, strengthening the military, consolidating northern defenses, and easing northern conflicts—that this sense of unease began to ease.

And the great victory at Yanmen held even greater significance for the present Great Han. This battle had displayed the might of the Han army, greatly boosting morale and inspiring the people. Moreover, it was another major victory of the Han army over the Khitan since the Battle of Luancheng, worthy of being recorded in grand detail.

Not to mention Zhao Yanshou's northern expedition of that time—though he had achieved surprise and inflicted heavy casualties on the Khitan, in the following years he had been continuously suppressed by the Liao army, and the Youyan region collapsed as a result. The Liao cavalry's wanton harassment forced the Yan army to huddle behind their city walls, not daring to face the enemy head-on, and for a time they could only barely hold on by relying on transfusions of support from Hebei.

As for the Battle of Luancheng, though its results were glorious, the element of chance was too great—numerous factors had coincided to ultimately produce a mythical battle that established the fearsome reputation of Emperor Liu Chengyou.

And in the court's subsequent propaganda, its mythic quality was further amplified. In the early period, mention was still made of Gaozu Liu Zhiyuan's strategic guidance and the protection of imperial majesty, but later it gradually evolved into a paean to the Qianyou Emperor alone.

In the view of most ordinary soldiers and civilians of the Great Han, the victory at Luancheng was because His Majesty the Emperor was favored by heaven, that the Mandate of Heaven was with him, that he was unmatched and invincible—and so he won. All the details—enemy analysis, the decision to strike, the grasp of opportunity, meticulous planning, the soldiers' fighting—were all blurred into obscurity.

But the victory at Baicao Pass was different. This was a victory achieved by the Great Han's frontier garrison soldiers through their own courage and fearlessness, facing the enemy head-on, overcoming the many with the few, relying on the Han army's tactics and hard strength. Compared to the untouchable myth of the Battle of Luancheng, this was an achievement that other soldiers of the Great Han could emulate and realize.

In terms of historical significance, compared to the Battle of Luancheng, this victory before Yanmen Pass could be called insignificant. But in terms of boosting morale and inspiring the people, it was even more effective.