[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-320":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1223079,1620,"Chapter 320: Rain Falls, Yet One Can Still March Forward","overthrowing-han-chapter-320",320,"\u003Cp>The suddenly intensifying rain did not visibly stir Qiu Liju or Tadun, because when this uncle and nephew reached the banks of the Dalinghe and saw the ground littered with the red-and-white corpses of Wuhuan cavalry and the thousands of newly arrived Han reinforcements, they had already collapsed on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Liju on the river’s east bank could not cross in time and could only stand frozen on the bank, stammering wordlessly, while Tadun on the west bank, in panic and fury, immediately gave the order to attack, hoping to break through the Han army’s blockade and search for traces of Gongsun Xun. But after searching an entire night, the Wuhuan cavalry, already exhausted to the extreme and utterly devoid of any unit cohesion, simply could not organize an offensive in the steadily intensifying rain — not to mention that Wei Yue, confident that reinforcements still lay behind him, chose a fighting retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pattering spring rain was something everyone would ordinarily praise, for it represented all the vibrant life of the coming summer. But as the cavalry behind him kept reporting that advance was impossible, and the cavalry before him kept tumbling to the ground, horse and rider alike, because of the slippery terrain, causing non-combat casualties… in the end, even Wei Yue began cursing this suddenly fierce downpour!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was precisely because of the rain that Han Dang, originally only half a day’s march behind, did not manage to arrive until that very evening, bedraggled, leading five thousand cavalry with difficulty to the crossroads where Gongsun Xun was stationed, and set up camp there overnight. Correspondingly, the even more dejected and bedraggled Tadun, under Qiu Liju’s repeated orders, finally chose to cease battle in helplessness and withdrew to the riverbank crossroads to make camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This move clearly signaled that he believed his side still held a numerical advantage; if the rain stopped the next day, it would not be impossible to once more use superior numbers against inferior ones and seek a victory before the Han reinforcements arrived. In fact, by the morning of the second day, Qiu Liju’s forces had also crossed the river in full.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on that day, the rain, now heavier, now lighter, continued unbroken nonetheless. The ground was thoroughly soaked. The Wuhuan, who had barely assembled their main force, the Han army, who had fortified their camp and awaited reinforcements, and even the mixed Hu tribes living in the area — all were equally helpless… sighing at the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a good thing!” Unexpectedly, Xi Zhong was reinvigorated by this rain. “The Wuhuan cavalry have thus lost their mobility. Gao Suqing’s force on the opposite bank, Tian Yu and the others, and the other scattered troops — though they too will suffer hardship from this, they can ultimately escape and return!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Dang also expressed agreement, though he spoke from a military perspective: “It is indeed a good thing. The Dalinghe lies roughly between Liucheng and Guanzicheng. The Wuhuan, like us, face severe supply difficulties, but our logistics are more ample than theirs and can endure a war of attrition. So with this rain, Qiu Liju and Tadun simply cannot hold out. They may well withdraw at any moment, and the Lord will then be completely safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Xi Zhong said was entirely correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the rainfall and the many local mixed-Hu guides sent out earlier, more and more scattered Han units successfully made their way back. Although there were some casualties, the main elite forces of Tian Yu and Gao Shun were finally able to extricate themselves. In fact, by a careful count, the Han side had actually gained quite a few more people — Gongsun Xun’s act of pointing at the river and swearing an oath had terrified some of the mixed-Hu tribes. Who knew if those mixed Hu who had previously followed the Wuhuan, seeing the tide turn, had not all come running over here instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this matter, Gongsun Xun did not press the issue… nor could he press it, because many among these people were bound by ties as close as broken bones still connected by sinew — just like the twelve clans of the Sifen tribe, with members on both sides. Who knew if some within the Sifen clan were not still following Kebineng or even Yan Rou at this moment? But given the exemplary great merit of that scoundrel Heita Tianwang, were you going to pursue the transgressions of those people? And besides, this was not the time to press such matters — the Wuhuan main force was still present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Han Dang said was also correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain continued intermittently for yet another day. When Lou Zibo finally arrived, having endured extreme hardship from the rear, Tadun and Qiu Liju at last chose to withdraw in near despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like Mo Hukuan, before packing up camp and leaving, Qiu Liju wrote a letter of extremely earnest and humble wording, begging forgiveness. And Gongsun Xun’s reaction was the same — he tore the letter to shreds at his feet in public. What kind of joke was this? At this point, if Gongsun Xun could not thoroughly chastise the Wuhuan, or even purge the entirety of Liaoxi, how could he ever redeem the shame he had suffered on the river’s east bank?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a bad thing!” At noon that day, upon learning that the Wuhuan had already begun crossing the river en masse to withdraw, inside the army tent, as a crowd of mid-ranking officers and mixed-Hu chieftains departed, Lou Gui lowered his head to look at the ground already saturated by the pattering rain, clasped his hands behind his back, and offered an opinion starkly different from those of Han Dang and Xi Zhong. “In my view, this rain is a calamitous bad thing…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does Master Zibo mean by that?” Tian Yu, who had just returned with several hundred Volunteer Followers escorting Gongsun Xun’s White Horse Banner, asked out of momentary curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came from Guanzicheng, and the rain all along the way has been this unbroken. It is clear this rain likely spans an extremely wide area.” Lou Gui turned back, stroked his beard, and sighed. “And the terrain of Liaoxi is complex, always full of hills and rivers, and moreover, for hundreds of li there are no supply points. It was already difficult to conduct a rapid raid, and now with the rain soaking the ground, chariots and cavalry find it hard to move. I fear that in the short term, military operations will be even more difficult… Think, gentlemen: the terrain at Chengde is so strategically perilous — in this weather, how do we attack it? Liucheng is even more straightforward — never mind how to transport provisions, just consider that a mere ten-odd li ahead of us lies the Dalinghe, stretching for hundreds of li and screening Liucheng. If the rain intensifies and the Dalinghe’s water level surges, cutting off the roads, how can we possibly attack Liucheng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the tent, from Han Dang and Xi Zhong down to the newly returned Gao Shun and Tian Yu, and Zhao Yun, who for the first time had joined the White Horse Volunteer Followers as a squad leader on duty, all fell instantly silent. Or rather, they were already somewhat silent due to this setback, but without a doubt, after Lou Zibo spoke these words, even if they wanted to say something, they could not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the entire central army tent, it was as silent as if crows and sparrows had been struck dumb; only the rain pattering on the tent canopy overhead continued unceasingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xi Zhong, draped in a robe and seated before the brazier, seemed about to speak but stopped himself. This time, he finally kept his silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that being said, one could not ignore certain objective reasons why Xi Zhong and Gongsun Xun had chosen military adventurism simply because of the earlier mistake. In truth, even without Xi Zhong stepping forward to emphasize and analyze, everyone understood some things perfectly well. Such a situation did not mean military defeat, but it very likely meant that Gongsun Xun would waste time here in vain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A journey of several hundred li — just going back and forth takes over ten days. One must also account for military standoffs, battlefield casualties, and post-battle handling… Who knew if, by the time he turned back, the world would not already be turned upside down? And was the grain and fodder accumulated over years of military farming meant for Gongsun Xun to throw away in a wretched place like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, even setting aside whether he could turn around in time to demand the post of Jizhou Governor from He Jin, and considering only the situation in Youzhou, dragging out the war would only allow Liu Yu and Zhao Bao to gain greater political and military prestige — those two were already making something out of nothing, earning whatever they could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this reason could not be spoken aloud now, because this was a military council. Just moments ago during the council, Gongsun Xun had already formally and publicly issued a self-criticism, demanding that everyone take military matters as the foundation and set aside considerations beyond the military. It was not that political implications could not be discussed — in fact, without political reasons, there would be no war at all — but rather that political reasons must not be allowed to interfere with the formulation of specific military actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, when Lou Zibo had pointed at the rain in the sky and alerted everyone, what difference did having or not having political reasons make?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, apart from withdrawing the army back to Guanzicheng or even Lulongsai and quietly awaiting clearer skies, was there any other military option to choose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid an atmosphere of near-solidified stillness, Gongsun Xun suddenly rose to his feet. Then, under everyone’s gaze, he walked around behind Lou Gui, arrived beneath the main entrance of the army tent, tilted his head up to watch the lines of water sliding down at the tent opening… and remained motionless for a full quarter-hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zibo.” Gongsun Xun suddenly turned his head and spoke, his tone peculiar. “I believe this rain is a good thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui, who had been waiting quietly nearby, was taken aback for a moment, then cupped his hands and asked: “Please enlighten us, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if we cross the river right now?” Gongsun Xun’s expression remained unchanged, his tone grave and earnest. “Cross the river now — no, cross the river tomorrow. What then? Would we be unable to cross?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui hesitated, wanting to speak, but forced himself to answer: “Crossing the river tomorrow is certainly possible. The water from the tributaries has not yet come down. The Wuhuan are crossing; we can naturally follow behind and cross… But my lord, if after crossing tomorrow the water level surges, I fear we would be unable to return! And what if the Wuhuan discover us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am not crossing the river to seek a field battle. I am saying that after crossing, we march through the rain toward Liucheng.” Gongsun Xun replied with a serious expression. “And after crossing, we can wait quietly for one day before advancing on Liucheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui pressed his lips together and said nothing, instead turning aside to ponder deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about the baggage train?” Lou Zibo suddenly turned back and asked. “In this weather, how do we transport it? I was already in a wretched state just coming here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No carts, no civilian laborers.” Gongsun Xun answered rapidly, his face expressionless. “Leave all the wounded and the weak in the camp. Select fifteen thousand able-bodied men from the entire army, carrying only flatbread, clean water, armor, and weapons. Use the warhorses as packhorses, follow far behind the enemy, and advance with the whole army toward Liucheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, I understand your intent. You wish to catch the enemy off guard, to take Qiu Liju unawares. If we can follow on their heels into Liucheng, we can win with ease.” Tian Yu could not help but stand up to remonstrate. “But if we do this, I fear all our army’s warhorses will be ruined! Our cavalry will also have no battlefield to display their prowess! And many men will fall ill and drop out from the hardship of marching in the rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In this weather, do the Wuhuan cavalry have a battlefield to display their prowess? Marching the same roads in the rain, with even worse supplies, will the Wuhuan suffer fewer illnesses?” Gongsun Xun countered sternly. “As for all the warhorses being ruined… if we can trade horse lives for human lives, what is unacceptable about that? Just tell me whether such an action has any military flaw — do not speak of losses beyond human lives… Will there suddenly be reinforcements appearing at Liucheng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” Lou Gui answered in a deep voice. “The Dalinghe’s water level is about to rise. Never mind whether Kebineng has the boldness — even if he did, he would not make it in time to relieve Liucheng!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then if we truly can follow on their heels and arrive, would we fail to take Liucheng?” Gongsun Xun turned, walked to the center of the tent, slowly sat down, and continued pressing his questions without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we can follow them to Liucheng, how could we lose?” Gao Shun responded immediately. “What they rely on is nothing more than bow, horse, and sudden cavalry charges. Now with heavy rain, horses cannot be used, and bows will become stiff and warped. Once beneath the walls of Liucheng, our army need not use long weapons — just take ring-pommel sabers, scale the walls in armor with ropes, and we can take the city in one assault. Not to mention that in such a situation, we might even catch them completely off guard and succeed with a direct surprise attack.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then could they possibly set an ambush?” Gongsun Xun looked around the tent and asked again. “Just like their old trick before, using their own Wuhuan cavalry to set an ambush between the Dalinghe and the Xiaolinghe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” Han Dang suddenly responded. “Never mind that with Zibo’s arrival, our army’s strength is not inferior and we have no fear of ambushes… Let me say just one thing. In my youth, I traveled back and forth to Liaoxi with the Anli Trading Company to trade horses and had much contact with the Wuhuan. For these chieftains and clan leaders, their most precious possession is their warhorses — that is the very foundation of their survival. And in this weather, as Commander Gao just said, cavalry warfare is nearly impossible, and bows will warp. If they force a battle, even if they win, they will lose warhorses for nothing. Even if Qiu Liju had the boldness, the various clan leaders under him would absolutely not agree. And even if the clan leaders agreed, the ordinary Wuhuan cavalrymen would revolt!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is precisely what the Lord means.” Lou Zibo suddenly sighed. “We are willing to lose over ten thousand army horses, willing to abandon our cavalry advantage — but the Wuhuan are not. So we shall use these ten thousand army horses to trade for the swift pacification of Liaoxi. My lord, you are right. If we disregard the loss of army horses, this rain is a good thing… To cross the river now is, in military terms, a certain victory!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men in the tent were all stunned. This kind of military maneuver, turning conventional thinking on its head, clearly exceeded people’s habitual thought — yet they could not refute it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then prepare immediately. Tell the entire army, and those mixed Hu, that we are also withdrawing… But tomorrow at dawn, we shall head straight for the Dalinghe, cross the river, and march on Liucheng.” Seeing that the others no longer had grounds to object, Gongsun Xun indeed made an immediate decision. But halfway through speaking, he could not help turning his gaze toward Zhao Yun, who stood silent in the tent. “Zilong, you may accompany me among the Volunteer Followers. In this battle, I must also borrow your valor to eliminate Qiu Liju and Tadun and purge Liaoxi!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yun bowed and accepted the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, by the banks of the Dalinghe, the spring rain, which in truth was not all that heavy, still pattered on. Qiu Liju, Tadun, and Louban — none of them on horseback — stood on the very hillside where Gongsun Xun had previously stood, sighing at the heavens. And on the shallow ford below them, vast numbers of Wuhuan cavalry were laboriously crossing the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this scene in the heavens and on the river, Louban was one thing, but the true masters of the Liaoxi Wuhuan — that is, this uncle and nephew, Qiu Liju and Tadun — were at this moment filled with a tumult of mixed emotions. Tadun especially, who had been consumed with regret for not arriving in time to trap Gongsun Xun, had no idea whether this rain, not heavy but unbroken, was ultimately a good thing or a bad thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was a bad thing, it was naturally because the arrival of this rain had directly extinguished the Wuhuan’s last sliver of hope of capturing Gongsun Xun. If it was a good thing, it was naturally because the rain showed no sign of stopping, and the gradually accumulating precipitation would force the Han army to also abandon military operations, thereby granting the Wuhuan a brief respite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop thinking about it.” Qiu Liju, his face full of exhaustion, had clearly seen through his nephew’s thoughts. “This rain is a good thing. Since General of the Guard has escaped across the river and has reinforcements behind him, with or without this rain, we could no longer seize him. On the contrary, with the rain continuing, in a couple of days the water levels of both the Dalinghe and the Liaohe will rise. We can use the terrain to rest and reorganize for a while… Then, if we can send a surprise force to Liaodong to support Su Puyan and capture Zhao Bao, whose troops are slightly weaker… there might still be room to turn things around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tadun fell silent for a moment. If they could not capture Gongsun Xun, could they be certain of capturing Zhao Bao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But was there any other path to take at this moment? Why, when they had encountered difficulties in the first place, had they not simply gone to Guangyang to seek internal submission to the General of the Guard with their entire clan? Why had they felt, after the General of the Guard left, that they could accomplish something? Uncle had clearly said that the Han people were about to descend into chaos themselves, that the General of the Guard would be contending for better things in the south and would not turn back to deal with them. How had it turned into this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was the south like?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly were the Wuhuan people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grain, cloth, pottery… nothing is sufficient.” After letting his thoughts run wild for a long while, Tadun, who dressed very much like a Han noble, suddenly turned his head and spoke in the rain, revealing a face full of stubble. “For this ambush, we emptied our family reserves. And after this one rapid campaign, too many warhorses have died… My lord, we…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know.” Qiu Liju frowned, shook his head, and sighed. “Earlier, downstream, we were also forced into a backs-to-the-water battle by a Han army, and they killed quite a few of our men. And those mixed Hu, seeing the tide turn, have all scattered and fled. Even our own clansmen are complaining — some even say the campaigns are too frequent and want to return to their tribes… But Tadun, at this point, just manage what is before your eyes. You bring up the rear — no, it’s not really rearguard anymore. The main thing is to keep an eye on our own people, make them carefully tend to the warhorses. First, return to Liucheng in a unified body to rest briefly, then decide whether to return to the various tribes to reorganize. No one is to leave the column without permission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these words, Qiu Liju, supported by Louban, walked straight down the slippery hillside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was the uncle who had raised him. Watching the man’s retreating figure, Tadun ultimately swallowed the question he had originally wanted to ask — did the so-called Wuhuan, a mere twenty to thirty thousand souls, truly have the right to stand independent in this world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain continued, neither hurried nor slow, certainly nothing that could be called a downpour. But after a night of pattering, the Dalinghe had already begun to show a marked rise in water level. This was not the direct effect of a single night’s rain, but the effect of the previous two days’ rain gathering into the Dalinghe through countless tributaries. And over the next few days, because the ground’s moisture content was already saturated, the water level would continue to rise sharply, ultimately making what had been an easy river crossing extremely dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, on the morning of the second day after the entire Wuhuan army had turned and left, when the Han army crossed the river, they suffered several dozen non-combat casualties — something that, for a Han army that had assembled the strength of five commanderies, brought over ten thousand army horses, and crossed in good order, was simply unimaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would the water level rising from below the waist to above the waist cause people to die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gongsun Xun knew that this was an inevitable consequence of large-scale army maneuvers — the unavoidable casualties that come when the base number is expanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not just the river crossing. In the days to follow, many more would fall ill and die on the march from simple problems with drawing water. Brave warriors would lose their lives in almost farcical ways because of slippery roads. And thousands of warhorses were destined, after this campaign, to completely lose their qualifications as battle mounts... This soft, persistent rain was fated to be far more formidable than one might imagine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But all of this was worth it, because it could prevent even greater casualties!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is there truly no danger this time?\" As the one left to hold the rear, Xi Zhong, soaked through, watched Gongsun Xun and his main force slowly disappear behind the slope on the opposite bank. Unable to contain himself any longer, he seized Lou Gui's sleeve right there by the riverbank and asked with a solemn expression. \"This isn't the Lord's impatience getting the better of him, a rash decision made in haste?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhicai, don't let one snakebite make you fear a well-rope for ten years.\" Lou Gui, equally drenched, couldn't help but laugh derisively at the question. \"In my view, this rain is not only a good thing — it is Heaven itself aiding our Lord, a manifest sign of Heaven's Mandate! The Liaoxi campaign is as good as settled today! The pent-up frustration in our Lord's heart will be swept clean as well!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xi Zhong was utterly distraught, still staring at the river, unable to comprehend... How was it that the earlier rash advance had led to such a disastrous outcome, yet now, crossing the river to launch a raid under even worse conditions, was a manifest sign of Heaven's Mandate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you not going back to camp to play cards?\" Lou Gui had taken a few steps before realizing Xi Zhong had not followed. He turned back helplessly and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——————I am the dividing line of Heaven's Mandate manifest——————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Great Ancestor of this dynasty once campaigned against the Wuhuan and encountered hardship, laboriously crossing the Dalinghe. Relying on Zhao Yun's valor, he broke the enemy before him. Just as he was about to withdraw, he suddenly heard that the Wuhuan Tadun had arrived with over ten thousand cavalry. He sighed inwardly that he lacked Heaven's Mandate. Before long, rain fell like swirling threads, the ground turned slick and muddy, and the Wuhuan cavalry could advance no further, so he escaped. After traveling another ten-odd li, he saw Lou Gui leading over ten thousand troops arriving, and thus was secure. Hearing of the earlier events, Lou Gui pointed to the heavens and said: 'This is Heaven aiding the Illustrious Lord, a manifest sign of Heaven's Mandate. You may cross again and break them.'\" — *Miscellaneous Notes of the Scholarly Grove*. Yan. Recorded by an Anonymous Author.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Special thanks to the new Alliance Master Qiligu's book collection... the twenty-second Alliance Master... Why did I say \"especially\"?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4154,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","18ef71dabb5b0320c15e75c3ea31866007602ff8b65754d20ee37d8596da8630","overthrowing-han-chapter-321","overthrowing-han-chapter-319",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]