Chapter 1563

Report! Reporting to the Grand Marshal, an enemy unit is approaching our main camp!

This was already the third report tonight. Li Yan hearing this news turned ashen-faced with anger, while yawning he strode out of the tent. Actually, there was no need for subordinates to report; he also heard the distant drum and horn shaking the night sky. Su Yuchi's true intention was merely to disturb their rest, not to raid the camp—otherwise why make such a fuss? As soon as our side moves, they will immediately retreat back to Yunyang City.

The Xichuan army had just arrived outside Yunyang City, intending to let the troops rest and recuperate, get a good night's sleep, and launch an attack tomorrow morning. But now it seems the enemy gives them no chance to rest; the harassment has continued all night without cease.

Deputy Commander Liang Jincheng hurried to Li Yan, bowed with fists clasped, and said: 'Grand Marshal, there's no need to worry. The troops Yunyang has dispatched are at most two thousand. If our vanguard makes any move, they'll immediately retreat back into the city. Their aim is not to attack our main camp; they simply want to use drum and horn noises to disturb our rest.'

Li Yan couldn't help cursing: 'Despicable and shameless, only using such petty tricks. This Su Yuchi is also fraudulent fame—does he dare to fight me openly and honorably?'

Liang Jincheng was about to speak when a chorus of bird cries rang out from the night sky. Everyone's attention was drawn to the sound; they all looked up, but due to the darkness they could see only a large mass of dark clouds moving toward the camp above.

Li Yan pointed at the sky and asked, 'What is that?'

A nearby officer said, 'Looks like a flock of birds…' Before his words finished, the dark cloud formed by the bird flock plummeted straight down, pressing toward their heads.

Yan Huacheng had seen this kind of bird‑flock attack before; earlier, the grain stores in Red Valley County were burned because someone had driven a bird flock to ignite the supply camp. Upon hearing the bird cries in the sky, he already guessed what was happening.

Yan Huacheng shouted loudly, 'Extinguish the campfires, archers ready, fire!'

Rows of feathered arrows shot up like rain; countless birds in the descending flock were struck, their cries rising and falling.

But not every camp had Yan Huacheng's experience and decisiveness. Some camps failed to extinguish their fires in time; birds flew into the flames, ignited themselves, then flew into the camps, and many camps have already caught fire.

Inside the camp chaos erupted—some were busy shooting down the birds, some were fighting the fire, and some soldiers had caught fire, rolling on the ground screaming.

The number of birds was not large; Xichuan quickly brought the situation under control, the burning tents were extinguished, the fire did not spread, and archers shot down the remaining birds. Commander Li Yan also joined the fight, raising his side‑sword he fiercely split a crow diving at him in two, snarling, 'Trivial tricks—how could they ever reach the hall of elegance?'

In the distance, the horn sounded again, drawing nearer.

Liang Jincheng cautiously said to Li Yan, 'Grand Marshal, they're harassing us again?'

Li Yan snapped, 'Knowing it's harassment, why bother with them? Hold the camp. Wait until dawn, muster the troops, and take Yunyang City in one go—no need to pay heed to their low‑down tricks.'

At this moment, Vanguard Commander Yan Huacheng also came to see him; seeing Li Yan's expression, he knew his mood was bad, yet Yan Huacheng steeled himself and said, 'Grand Marshal, I suspect there's something fishy about tonight's events.'

Li Yan retorted irritably, 'Do we really need you to say that?'

Yan Huacheng, rebuked before everyone, felt embarrassed but swallowed his anger and said, 'Su Yuchi's purpose in harassing us is merely to disturb our rest, to fatigue our troops; surely he hides a major move behind this. In my humble opinion, we should not rush to attack Yunyang City; instead we should withdraw the main force, leave a detachment to engage them, uncover Su Yuchi's plan, and then launch a full‑scale assault.'

Li Yan felt utter contempt, glanced at Yan Huacheng, and said, 'To retreat before the battle even begins—wouldn't that damage morale? This is a major taboo in the art of war. Yan Huacheng, have you read any military texts?'

Yan Huacheng's face flushed red at the question.

Li Yan declared loudly, 'Su Yuchi has no real chance of defeating us; he resorts to these underhanded tactics to disturb our rest only because he is afraid. Tomorrow at the chen hour, we will muster our hundred‑thousand‑strong army to assault the city, while the five‑thousand‑strong force from Xingzhou will strike from the rear, hitting the north gate, and take Yunyang in one blow! Speed is essential in warfare; the longer we linger here, the more we suffer enemy harassment. While our brothers' morale is high, let us swiftly seize Yunyang—do you have confidence?'

'Yes!' the crowd replied in unison.

Yan Huacheng sighed inwardly, thinking Li Yan overestimated himself, believing that merely having several times the enemy's numbers gave him overwhelming power, yet often victory is not decided by troop strength alone. After this night's harassment, our troops are worn out, far from peak condition; in such a state we should advance by retreating—first adjust the army's condition, send a detachment to probe Yunyang's true strength, and only after Su Yuchi exhausts his tricks will be the best moment to strike him. Yet Li Yan talks about speed, wanting to lead his hundred‑thousand‑strong army to crush the enemy and take Yunyang in one go, which is clearly too hasty.

Su Yuchi stood silently on the western arrow tower, like a bronze statue; the strengthening cold wind tugged at his already washed‑faded reddish‑brown cloak, making him look like a banner fluttering, a flag flying over Yunyang City.

Deputy Commander Xu Guangdi completed the harassment mission, leading his two thousand troops back safely, then approached Su Yuchi to report the latest situation.

Su Yuchi listened, then smiled and said, 'They certainly won't get any sleep tonight.'

At that moment Yuan Qing Shan also hurried forward, clasped his fists, and said, 'Reporting to the General, the enemy's camps show no movement.'

Su Yuchi nodded and said, 'If they won't leave, they must be gathering strength to attack us—this Li Yan truly knows neither advance nor retreat.'

The two young officers looked at Su Yuchi, and Xu Guangdi asked, 'General, will Li Yan definitely attack the city tomorrow?'

Su Yuchi replied, 'He will certainly attack; Li Yan is extremely arrogant, touting himself as an ever‑victorious general, yet he has never fought a major battle, so naturally he has never tasted defeat—how can one who has never lost be entrusted with great responsibility?' He turned to Yuan Qing Shan and asked, 'Any movement from the Xingzhou side?'

Yuan Qing Shan said, 'There is no movement at all from the Xingzhou side; even their campfires have been extinguished.'

Su Yuchi nodded and said, 'Guang Guangbi is somewhat capable; holding Xingzhou for so many years is no coincidence, so for now we need not worry about him. If I'm not mistaken, early tomorrow morning the Xichuan side will come to attack the city. We will follow our plan: as long we deal a heavy blow to Xichuan's spirit, the Xingzhou side will naturally retreat when facing difficulty.' He paused, his voice low, 'In another half‑hour we will sally forth to meet them.'

The harassment continued, and Li Yan could bear it no longer; before dawn he began mustering the army, with Yan Huacheng's vanguard leading the way, as the hundred‑thousand‑strong force marched mightily toward Yunyang City.

When dawn arrived, Li Yan's army had already advanced to within less than five li of Yunyang; they could see the enemy's forces arrayed outside the city, banners flying, armor gleaming, the blades of swords, spears, and halberds flashing gold in the morning light.

Li Yan had not expected Su Yuchi to draw up a battle line for a reception; had it been him, he would never do such a thing—enemy strong, we weak, the forces vastly unequal, choosing to meet them in the field would be utter folly. Yet a grim smile curled Li Yan's lips as he imagined his army crushing the enemy like a dry stalk. Deputy Commander Liang Jincheng came to his side and reported the latest military situation: 'Reporting to the Grand Marshal, Su Yuchi himself leads twenty thousand troops deployed outside the city, apparently preparing for a head‑on battle!'

Li Yan chuckled, 'Utterly overreaching! Issue the orders: hold formation, stand by, and wait for the chen hour to launch the attack together with the Xingzhou side.' He told Liang Jincheng, 'Go tell Yan Huacheng to have his vanguard ready to strike the first blow at any moment.'

Su Yuchi gazed silently at the enemy camp; as the great battle approached he grew unusually calm—only a veteran of a hundred battles could possess such steady resolve and will as firm as stone. He made a gesture; his signal officer waved a small flag, and on the watchtower another signal officer replied. Two hundred sky‑shaking crossbows had already been emplaced on the city walls; although the enemy had entered range, they were only a fraction, and the volleys must wait until the opposing army fully closes in to achieve maximum lethal effect.

Su Yuchi said to Xu Guangdi, 'Guangdi, go forth and challenge! No need to cling to battle—make sure you stay safe!'

'Yes!'

Upon hearing that Su Yuchi's side had actually sent someone to issue a challenge, Li Yan relaxed, thinking the enemy had no remarkable tricks. Seeing no reason to fear a frontal clash, he issued the order for Yan Huacheng to step forward and meet the challenge.

Accompanied by a deep, powerful drumbeat, a fierce general burst from the Xichuan ranks—black helmet and armor, astride a black steed, gripping in one hand an iron‑jade serpent spear as thick as a child's arm, its shaft pitch‑black like ink, the spear‑tip tassel not the usual red but a snowy white—this man was Yan Huacheng.

As the vanguard of Xichuan, it was only natural for him to take the lead in probing the enemy.

Xu Guangdi was brandishing his goose‑feather saber in the field, issuing the challenge, when he saw Yan Huacheng swoop toward him like a wisp of black smoke; unwilling to yield, he spurred his reddish‑brown mount, raised his saber, and charged forward.

Both camps beat their drums to cheer, each exerting their utmost, striving to overwhelm the other in momentum.

In an instant the two generals clashed; Xu Guangdi raised his goose‑feather saber to cleave Yan Huacheng's head, intending to fell the enemy vanguard with a single blow, thereby crushing Xichuan's spirit and securing an opening victory for Yunyang. (To be continued~^~)