Chapter 945: The Battle at the Southern Foot of the Yin Mountains

North of Yunzhou, in the Yin Mountains region beyond the Great Wall, they were already at the eastern foothills. The mountain ranges still crisscrossed densely, and though the terrain was not as towering as the western section, it still served to separate north from south and cut across the plateau.

This area belonged to the border zone between Liao's Fengzhou and Fengshengzhou. The terrain was complex—mountains and hills undulating, ravines crisscrossing—with several plains scattered throughout and good water conditions. Compared to the bitter cold of Mobei, this could be called a fine place for nomadic herding.

On this land had originally lived a considerable number of Khitan tribes. However, with the outbreak of the Han-Liao War, decades of peace were shattered in an instant—especially after the Liao army's massive withdrawal northward.

Large numbers of tribal soldiers from the Yunzhou basin fled north, bringing crisis, tension, and chaos. And with the Liao emperor hastily returning north, what was left behind was a complete mess.

Learning that Yunzhou was under siege by several hundred thousand Han troops, one could feel the sharp edge and danger even from two hundred li away. During the southward march to resist the Han, these tribal soldiers had been conscripted and sent out in great numbers, but very few of those who left ever returned—which only added to the fear.

Surviving the harsh winter and entering spring was normally the season when horses, cattle, and sheep recovered, and in past years they could rest and recuperate in peace. But now, that peace no longer existed. The Khitan had dominated Monan and Mobei for decades, yet those decades of stability had caused the tribes under their rule to lose the wildness and ferocity of earlier years.

No matter how brave a person is, after prolonged comfort, they inevitably degenerate. And the Liao army's military capability had long ceased to rely purely on the bravery and bellicosity of the grassland people.

Thus, when twenty thousand Han infantry and cavalry, led by Shi Shouxin and Guo Chongwei, marched north through the Great Wall, the Khitan tribes living on these plains and waterways were thrown into complete panic.

With their soldiers heavily depleted and their draft animals exhausted, and now facing the Han army's blade, most people chose to follow their chieftains and clan elders in fleeing deeper into the Yin Mountains, hoping to evade the Han army's attacks.

Faced with this reaction from the Khitan tribes, Shi Shouxin and the other Han generals were somewhat surprised. After all, the Khitan were the overlords of the grasslands, having awed the north for decades. Even if they had suffered heavy wounds and losses during the Han army's northern campaign, they shouldn't be this cowardly.

Of course, the slight doubt in their hearts did not hinder the Han army's military operations. Against the Khitan tribes, they showed no mercy—driving them off, slaughtering them, plundering them. In a short time, they reaped substantial gains.

Under this dangerous situation, the Liao army was not entirely without response. Yelu Xianshi, entrusted by Yelu Jing with southern military affairs, was a capable Liao noble. Ordered to remain behind, his task was to consolidate Liao's military strength in the Yin Mountains and Hetao region to support the Yunzhou campaign.

However, with the Han army dispatching separate forces, Yelu Xianshi could no longer concern himself with Yunzhong. How to deal with the twenty thousand Han infantry and cavalry under Shi Shouxin and Guo Chongwei was the foremost priority.

A direct confrontation—Yelu Xianshi dared not make such a decision. Facing the Han army's burning, killing, and looting, he decisively gathered together all the able-bodied young men of the remaining tribes. Under the banner of resisting Han aggression, the various tribes raised no objection.

Then he adopted harassment and mobile warfare tactics to contain the Han army, achieving no small effect. In a head-on engagement, given the Han infantry and cavalry's strength plus Shi and Guo's command abilities, they would completely defeat the ragtag force Yelu Xianshi had hastily assembled.

But Yelu Xianshi also knew his own weaknesses, and so he strictly avoided direct confrontation with the Han army, focusing on harassment and exhausting the enemy—running a marathon race with the Han army at the southern foot of the Yin Mountains. Moreover, he lured small Han detachments out, concentrated his forces to annihilate them, or ambushed lone Han cavalry plundering tribal soldiers. If reinforcements arrived, he would decisively withdraw and abandon the full victory. Thus, over a period of time, the Han army accumulated no small losses.

During this mutual entanglement, the remaining Liao tribal forces gained the time and space to withdraw safely, avoiding the battlefield and preventing even greater losses.

Of course, this was also because the Han army had focused its attention on Yelu Xianshi's forces. The Han infantry and cavalry operating beyond the frontier had their overall mobility weakened—especially when they had captured substantial booty that needed guarding, further losing flexibility. But with infantry and cavalry coordinating, offense and defense as one, they could basically stand in an undefeatable position.

After suffering several setbacks under Yelu Xianshi's tactics, Shi Shouxin and Guo Chongwei discussed the matter and decided to counter. This area had abundant water and lush grass—a natural place for grazing—but it was ultimately mountainous terrain, a transitional zone from plateau to basin, not an endless expanse. Thus, fighting in this region imposed certain limits on the Liao army, while the Han army was not so ill-adapted either.

At that time, word arrived that along the Baishui River at the eastern foot of the Daqing Mountains, a considerable number of Khitan had gathered. Shi Shouxin immediately judged this to be a Liao trick and decided to turn it against them. He had Guo Chongwei lead three thousand cavalry to attack. Sure enough, when Guo Chongwei arrived at the Baishui River, he faced a Liao ambush. After a string of small victories, Yelu Xianshi wanted to pull off something big.

To deal with this detached Han force, Yelu Xianshi gathered over seventeen thousand Liao troops to surround and attack. Though their fighting strength was not high, if the Han army was unprepared, that many men could bury them through sheer numbers—even if not completely annihilated, the losses would be severe.

Of course, Guo Chongwei, knowing what was coming, led his men in desperate fighting, retreating while battling, seeking favorable terrain to hold out, waiting for Shi Shouxin's reinforcements. To avoid detection by the Liao, Shi Shouxin had hung back a full sixty li behind. Only when word arrived did he lead his forces forward.

When Shi Shouxin arrived with the main force, Yelu Xianshi realized he had been outmaneuvered. This man was also decisive—without a moment's hesitation, before the Han main force could engage, he ordered the siege lifted and withdrew.

The Liao army wanted to leave, but how could the Han army let them go? Guo Chongwei led his men in turning from defense to attack, while Shi Shouxin also led men to intercept and slaughter. In the Battle of Baishui River, at the cost of over a thousand casualties, the Han army killed more than three thousand Liao troops and captured nearly two thousand.

This was the result of Yelu Xianshi withdrawing quickly and decisively enough, and scattering his forces in flight. Otherwise, the longer he tangled with the Han army, the greater his losses would have been.

After the Battle of Baishui River, Yelu Xianshi was severely mauled. He fled to the Ninety-Nine Springs area southeast of Liao's Fengzhou to rest and regroup—this was the assembly point he had established. There he gathered his defeated troops and continued to scout the Han army's movements, but dared not act rashly again.

On the Han side, despite winning a great victory, Shi and Guo were not satisfied. They had neither annihilated the Liao army nor slain the Liao commander Yelu Xianshi on the battlefield. Through their exchanges, they had also discovered that he was a troublesome opponent—cunning and alert, reading the situation, adept at playing to his strengths and avoiding his weaknesses.

However, having missed such a rare opportunity, finding another would not be so easy. Thus, the two generals Shi and Guo felt somewhat helpless. With the Hu barbarians all fleeing north, achieving major gains again would be difficult. As for continuing deeper into Liao territory, the two only entertained the thought—first, they had no preparation; second, venturing deep rashly was courting danger.

Of course, this was also because Shi and Guo were somewhat unsatisfied. After all, the field headquarters had only tasked them with containing the Liao army to prevent it from affecting the Yunzhong campaign. In this regard, the two had already exceeded their mission.

"This Yelu Xianshi is truly cunning. The scouts have searched a hundred li in every direction and still found no trace of him—he's completely gone to ground!" Inside the military tent, Shi Shouxin and Guo Chongwei sat cross-legged, eating meat and drinking wine, when Guo Chongwei couldn't help but sigh.

"The Battle of Baishui River really hurt him. Now this man is like a rat or a snake hiding among these vast foothills—he probably won't come out lightly!" Shi Shouxin chuckled lightly. "But Old General need not worry. Since coming beyond the frontier, we've reaped plenty. We have something to show the field headquarters!"

Guo Chongwei shook his head: "It's just a bit unsatisfying! If I had twenty thousand cavalry, driving the Khitan completely out of the Yin Mountains wouldn't be impossible!"

"That may be so, but the court has no strength to continue the northern campaign!" Shi Shouxin shook his head.

Guo Chongwei, of course, understood this reasoning as well. Take the twenty thousand infantry and cavalry that had come beyond the frontier with them—many of the soldiers had already lost most of their fighting spirit, unwilling to continue fighting, their hearts set on returning home.

"I wonder how the situation at Yunzhong is? With over two hundred thousand troops besieging it, the enemy shouldn't be able to hold out much longer!" Guo Chongwei said again.

Speak of the devil—that very afternoon, an envoy arrived from the field headquarters, reporting on the Yunzhong situation and, at the same time, conveying orders for the entire army to withdraw south. Receiving the orders, the two had no objections. The next day they led their forces southward. In addition to the captured cattle, sheep, horses, camels, and prisoners, they also brought along some Han people who had been forcibly relocated north. These people were more than willing to return to their homes in Yunzhou—altogether, more than two thousand of them.