Chapter 206

Wolf Mountain is not an isolated peak, but a spur of the northern foothills of the Yin Mountains, with gentle slopes on three sides and a cliff on one side.

From the mountain base to the mountainside, scattered campfires linked into several bands of light—those are the positions of the Northern Yuan court's defending troops.

Because it is wartime, unlike usual, the Northern Yuan Privy Council Envoy Tuo Tuo Bu Hua and Crown Prince Ba Ya'er have taken half of the court's elite forces away.

This has left Wolf Mountain's defenses somewhat empty, so even at night the Northern Yuan garrison troops dare not relax their vigilance.

Fortunately, this morning the front lines sent a victory report from Crown Prince Ba Ya'er, saying the situation is smooth and they will soon capture Yulin.

After hearing the news of victory from the front, Wolf Mountain's guard relaxed a little, the tension in the soldiers' hearts eased, and from time to time laughter and chatter echoed on the mountain paths at night.

The third watch of the night is approaching.

The chatter has ceased, the cloud layer remains thick, and between heaven and earth there is a deep, inseparable darkness.

Jia Jing's six thousand elite Han cavalry have now arrived not far from the foot of Wolf Mountain.

Since several days ago, after Jia Jing gave the order,

The Han army's six thousand cavalry finished resting and assembling within seven hours, after which everything proceeded according to Jia Jing's plan.

Jia Jing led these six thousand Han elite cavalry, each with two horses, galloping swiftly all the way.

With the cover of Northern Yuan Crown Prince Ba Ya'er and the Han army's carefully selected guides showing the way, they reached the foot of Wolf Mountain in just four short days.

Afterward, the party rested under Jia Jing's command, quietly awaiting the start of that night's operation, destined to be recorded in history.

According to Jia Jing's conception of this operation, the most important thing is its suddenness.

Taking advantage of the Northern Yuan court not having received news of the front's defeat and the insider Ba Ya'er, they seized the court's core with the speed of a thunderclap.

Carrying out a beheading-plus-night-attack tactic, they caught the Northern Yuan main force off guard.

Although Jia Jing's strength alone would be enough to lead his six thousand Han cavalry in a direct night assault on the Northern Yuan court and surely win,

but Jia Jing does not intend to do that.

First, the Northern Yuan court still has tens of thousands of garrison troops, several times the number of the Han army.

If they were to storm up from the mountain base, even a night attack would inevitably inflict heavy losses on the Han army.

Second, a forced attack would inevitably take considerable time, likely giving the Northern Yuan Khagan and his myriad ministers a chance to flee when they saw the situation turn bad.

Even if they finally breached the Northern Yuan court, failing to capture the Northern Yuan Khagan would greatly diminish the victory's fruits.

That is not the result Jia Jing wants.

Jia Jing wants to pacify the steppe in the short term; the most important thing is to destroy the Northern Yuan court this time, capture the Northern Yuan Khagan, and root out the Northern Yuan completely.

Only then can resistance be reduced for later mopping up of other tribes, and only then can the headless steppe clans be cleared out one by one more easily.

Therefore, capturing the Northern Yuan Khagan and his myriad ministers is crucial; this is the strategic goal of this war.

Whether this strategic goal can be achieved depends on tonight's operation.

Under the night sky, time slowly approached the third watch, and the clamor of the Northern Yuan troops on distant Wolf Mountain gradually faded away.

In the bitter wind,

Jia Jing's cold face exuded firmness as he gazed toward Wolf Mountain, his eyes holding a stillness like death.

"My lord, the Northern Yuan scout patrols around Wolf Mountain have all been dealt with," Zhu Que reported, stepping forward with a calm, water‑like expression.

Feng Tang, Niu Jizong, Han Wu, Ma Guocheng, Zhou Yingyuan, You Shiyong and the others now gathered with fiery gazes around Jia Jing, awaiting his command.

"Hmm! Order the troops to get ready; tonight we will settle the steppe with one battle."

Jia Jing's face remained cold as ever.

"Yes!" Niu Jizong and the others replied in unison, clasping their fists.

"Ma Guocheng, Zhu Que, and You Shiyong will each take three hundred elite cavalry to follow me and Ba Ya'er up the mountain first, bringing the supplies we prepared earlier."

"Niu Jizong, Feng Tang, Han Wu, and Zhou Yingyuan, you will lead the remaining troops, wait for the opportunity, and when you see chaos and firelight rise on the mountain,"

"then seize the moment to charge out, rush straight to the mountainside, and attack from inside and out; today we will make the Northern Yuan a thing of history."

Jia Jing had already obtained from Ba Ya'er the detailed situation and military deployment specifics of Wolf Mountain.

It must be said that the Northern Yuan still places great importance on the safety of its own court.

The Wolf Mountain court still hosts nearly thirty thousand Northern Yuan troops, layered in defenses from the mountain base to the mountainside.

The outermost layer, within five li of the mountain base, has Northern Yuan scout patrols riding day and night—this is the court's first line of early warning.

Of course, this has already been cleared out point by point by Zhu Que.

Next come the east and west valleys, where the tents of the families of the various Northern Yuan deployed units are scattered, with herds of cattle and sheep, each occupying its own area.

There is a defensive line at both the mountain base and the mountainside, each garrisoned with two thousand troops.

Each defensive line is not a solid wall like that of the Da Han Empire, but rather consists of outposts, anti‑horse obstacles, and encampments set up according to the terrain.

Every li there is also a beacon tower, mutually signaling.

And the central area of the mountainside is where the Northern Yuan court's golden tent is located.

Within five li of the golden tent are stationed twenty thousand of the Northern Yuan Khagan's most elite personal guard, the Qixue Army.

This army is directly under the Northern Yuan Khagan's military force; every soldier is a steppe warrior capable of fighting five opponents, and they obey only the Khagan's sole command.

Inside the Qixue Army lie the encampments of the Northern Yuan's various commanders of ten thousand, commanders of a thousand, crown prince, left and right chancellors, and other high officials, layered in defense around the Khagan's central golden tent.

Jia Jing's strategy for this battle is to first use Northern Yuan Crown Prince Ba Ya'er to deceive and open the two defensive lines at the mountain base and mountainside, then lead three hundred Han elite cavalry straight into the core of the Northern Yuan court at mid‑mountainside.

Then, seeking an opportunity, they will capture the Northern Yuan Khagan and his myriad ministers, strike from the center outward, seize the enemy leader, and cause the Northern Yuan forces to lose their command system and organizational ability.

Then let the three hundred men on the mountain seize the moment to set fires, sowing chaos among the Northern Yuan troops.

Finally, Niu Jizong and the others will take advantage of the Northern Yuan troops' great confusion, charge out from the mountain base, coordinate inside and out, and crush the court's garrison with minimal cost.

This plan fully exploits Jia Jing's personal martial prowess and the insider role of Crown Prince Ba Ya'er to the utmost.

Moreover, it is launched while the Northern Yuan troops are asleep during the third watch, striking exactly at an unexpected moment.

"Yes!" Niu Jizong and the others replied in unison, clasping their fists, then each went to deploy according to the orders.

When heaven and earth sank into utter darkness, the open ground at the foot of Wolf Mountain became as silent as hell.

Five thousand seven hundred Han Army elite cavalry arranged a tight formation and completed their gathering, like ghost riders in hell.

A dim flame radiated from the eyes, and a cold battle sword was held.

Under the command of Niu Jizong and others, they scattered into several mountain ravines not far from the foot of the mountain, with horses bridled and hooves wrapped in cloth, holding their breath and concentrating, waiting.

At the same time, at the foot of Wolf Mountain, a cavalry force of three hundred men also appeared.

Over three hundred riders, all dressed as Northern Yuan soldiers, bearing the white wolf‑head banner of Crown Prince Ba Ya'er, moved slowly toward the foot of Wolf Mountain.

Northern Yuan Crown Prince Ba Ya'er rode his horse at the front; his previously fair face had grown even paler, his gaze flickered uncertainly, and he seemed weighed down with thoughts.