Chapter 422: Skillfully Using Decoy Troops to Lure the Enemy

At night, in the Xiongnu encampment twenty li beyond Huamachi City, the Xiongnu chieftains were paying homage to the stars and moon.

It is Xiongnu custom to observe the stars and moon before undertaking any action: when the moon is full and waxing, they attack; when it wanes, they withdraw. They believe the waxing moon favors the Xiongnu, while the waning moon brings them disadvantage.

Now, by the calendar of the Central Plains people, it was the beginning of the tenth month of the Xia calendar, and the first-quarter moon hung high in the vast night sky beyond the frontier...

"The past few days were also under a waning moon. I feared the Qin had some trick, so I dared not advance rashly."

Gudu Marquis Huyan Lan tried his best to explain why he had not launched an attack against the thousand-odd Qin cavalry in recent days, but his voice grew quieter and quieter. The main reason he had failed to advance was that the lords of the various Xiongnu tribes each sought profit for themselves, preferring to plunder the weak Xuyan Rong nearby. Faced with the sudden arrival of Qin chariots and cavalry, none were willing to gnaw on this tough bone.

And the tall figure before him finally turned around, his face brimming with fury!

The newcomer was the Helan Grand Danghu, who had only recently arrived with his forces. He was also of the Xubu clan, one of the three noble lineages of the Xiongnu, named Xubu Sheng. As the "Right Grand Danghu," his status surpassed even that of the Right Gudu Marquis Huyan Lan, the Chanyu's special envoy, and he was the commander of this local war.

"Do not blame the waxing or waning of the moon, Gudu Marquis. You missed the only good opportunity to deal the Qin a heavy blow!"

Xubu Sheng knew full well that Xiongnu military campaigns could not be sustained for long, lasting roughly one month at most. Once that time passed, if there was no profit to be gained, the various tribes that had been gathered with such difficulty would scatter like birds and beasts.

This was true even in spring and summer, let alone now, when the foals had been released into the herds. By the Central Plains calendar, winter had already arrived. Waging war in winter easily led to horses dying, something to be strenuously avoided. When the first snow fell, if they still could not occupy Huamachi City and drive out the Qin army, they would have no choice but to retreat, letting the riders and herders return to their respective tribes for the winter.

In that case, this war would end in a Xiongnu defeat!

"Perhaps we can come again next year."

Huyan Lan had seen the Qin forces gathering in ever greater numbers, and the Qin general was cautious, not attacking the Xiongnu like some reckless youth but advancing slowly, setting up camp with their backs to Huamachi City. They had seized the lake's water source and blocked the Xiongnu from plundering the Xuyan Rong heartland. Looking at those dense wooden stakes and chevaux-de-frise, and the gleaming spears, halberds, swords, and pikes within the camp, the Xiongnu lost all desire to attack.

The common Xiongnu were already thinking of retreat. After all, over these days they had plundered over a thousand people and nearly ten thousand head of cattle and sheep from the Xuyan Rong, enough for each participating tribe to receive a considerable share. It was best to retreat quickly before they started taking losses.

"Foolish!"

Xubu Sheng was furious at the Gudu Marquis's shortsightedness and rebuked him: "The steppe has its rules, and betrayers must pay the price. The Great Chanyu ordered you and me to punish Xuyan, raze its settlements, slaughter its able-bodied men, and carry off its women, children, and livestock as retribution. Only thus can the tribes of the Henan region know that the Xiongnu are still the Xiongnu, and the masters are still the masters!"

This war was waged to display might. But if the Xuyan Rong, under Qin protection, held their city and were not destroyed, then by the following spring, a rumor would spread across the Henan region and take root among all the tribes enslaved by the Xiongnu: "The Xiongnu have grown weak, like the full moon waning, the mighty Xiongnu have become a feeble crescent..."

"Not to mention the Linhu, with whom we've already lost contact — even the Loufan and Baiyang might well develop disloyal thoughts!"

Submission imposed by force can only be maintained by remaining strong.

Only now did Huyan Lan realize the gravity of the situation. He prostrated himself and said: "The Grand Danghu's words are just. The rogue horse that betrays the herd must be killed! The Great Chanyu's pastures must never be trampled by others!"

But how was the coming battle to be fought? Huyan Lan was relatively young and at his wit's end. The Xiongnu lived on the steppe, fighting the Yuezhi, the Donghu, and the Qushe and Dingling of the far north. But all of those were bow-drawing peoples, with both sides competing on horseback. The Qin before them, however, were armored and sharp-bladed, hiding in their camp and stubbornly refusing to come out.

Over the past few days, Huyan Lan had sent out his most elite mounted archers, capable of shooting from galloping horses, to probe the Qin. He discovered that their weapons mixed long and short, their mounted crossbowmen darted back and forth, and their squads and companies advanced together, preferring to dismount and fight on foot in tight formations, clashing with swords and halberds.

This was an unfamiliar method of warfare. Even a shrewd hunter facing unfamiliar prey would be doubly cautious.

Not every Xiongnu could shoot from horseback either. After firing a few volleys, most of the herders still had to dismount for concentrated shooting, ultimately resolving the fight by closing in with blades and short spears.

But once dismounted, with their inferior equipment and poor order, they were clearly no match for the Qin army.

It was the veteran Xubu Sheng who spoke: "Jackals must eat meat, horses must graze. When the Xiongnu hunger and thirst, they slaughter cattle and sheep and drink fermented milk. Do these Qin, come from afar, neither eat nor drink?"

The Xiongnu's logistics, aside from the dried meat and hard cheese they carried, relied mainly on plundering locally. This was precisely why Huyan Lan had been frantically seizing the local cattle, sheep, and livestock.

Huyan Lan was still baffled: "What does the Grand Danghu mean?"

"What numbers have your scouts determined for the Qin army?"

"Over five thousand soldiers."

"With so many mouths to feed, will the stored grain in Huamachi and the slaughter of the Xuyan Rong's livestock alone suffice?"

Xubu Sheng smiled: "When I set out from Helan, I sent scouts far and wide to the south. They say that in the barren wastes two hundred li south of Huamachi, a massive column is marching north. By now it should be just over a hundred li away. The column is very long, full of oxcarts laden with grain, escorted by over two thousand Qin soldiers. If I am not mistaken, this is precisely why the Qin general is in no hurry to attack but waits in camp!"

"If we can dispatch a cavalry force to destroy this convoy midway, burn all the grain, and block any follow-up supply columns, then within a month, this Qin army will have exhausted Huamachi City's remaining grain. By the time the heavy snow falls, they will be too weak to lift their weapons, ready for the Xiongnu to slaughter!"

While the two Xiongnu commanders plotted an attack on the Qin supply convoy, inside the Qin army's main camp outside Huamachi City, Heifu was likewise speculating with his staff about the Xiongnu's next move.

"The Xiongnu truly advance when they see profit and retreat when they see none. Now that they have pulled back ten li to camp, they must fear our army!"

Heifu's retainer Gong Ao, on his first expedition beyond the frontier, saw the Xiongnu's seeming timidity and could not help but look down on them somewhat.

"But the Xiongnu mounted scouts' harassment has never ceased."

Yiqu White Wolf, however, dared not be careless. He said: "Especially since yesterday, Xiongnu scouts have continuously approached our army to probe. And just now, the reconnaissance riders urgently reported that a Xiongnu cavalry force of unknown size has left camp, making a great show and clamor as they galloped south!"

In warfare beyond the frontier, the battlefield was no longer confined to line of sight but extended to places a hundred or even several hundred li away. The destination of this Xiongnu force that had left camp became the Qin army's greatest concern.

Commandant Heifu nodded and asked: "Where has the supply convoy escorted by County Lieutenant Gongsun reached?"

"Yesterday it was a hundred li to the south; today it should be just over sixty li away!"

"Then the destination of that Xiongnu cavalry is clear — they intend to strike our supply convoy!" Heifu, however, was not worried but pleased.

It was a method he had learned from Wang Jian. His camp fortifications were extremely solid. Aside from sending outriders to establish a warning line several li away, he ignored all Xiongnu probes and provocations entirely.

In the eyes of the Xiongnu, the Qin army was like a pangolin covered head to toe in armor, with no place to strike.

And the Qin army's only weak point was the rear-guard supply convoy that had not yet arrived!

"This is also the only place the Xiongnu might actively attack in the near future!"

On a long-distance expedition, the supply line was the lifeline. Once the supply line was severed, these several thousand men would have to survive by slaughtering the cattle and sheep of the local tribes. Even if they could hold out for a while, it was no long-term solution.

Heifu made an immediate decision and swiftly issued orders: "Yiqu Company Leader, take one thousand Dàyuan Rong cavalry plus one thousand Xuyan Rong cavalry and head south at full speed. Be sure to coordinate with Colonel Gongsun and strike this grain-plundering Xiongnu force from both sides! Rout them!"

At the back of the tent, Fu Zhi and Qiang Hua, hearing that the rear guard where their good friend Gan Chong was stationed might be attacked by the Xiongnu, grew extremely tense. Qiang Hua was frantic with worry, both concerned for Gan Chong's safety and furious that he could not go to the battlefield himself. Fu Zhi, meanwhile, was rubbing his fists and eager, feeling that at last there was a chance for a real, major battle with the Xiongnu!

But Heifu did not follow the expected script. He summoned Yiqu White Wolf, whispered a few instructions in his ear, and then assigned Qiang Hua to accompany Yiqu White Wolf south. Fu Zhi and his hundred Liang Family Sons, who had repeatedly clashed with the Xiongnu, were instead kept with the army...

Qiang Hua was overjoyed. He immediately led his hundred subordinates, who had long been itching to stretch their limbs, out of camp and onto their horses, galloping south with Yiqu White Wolf. Fu Zhi, watching the dust left by their hooves, was gloomy and displeased but helpless. He could only return to his own camp and vent his frustration by shooting arrows at the target.

"Fu Guokui, do you have a grudge against that target?"

An hour later, when Gong Ao came over, he saw the target densely bristling with arrows and could not help but laugh involuntarily. He told Fu Zhi that the Commandant had summoned him for something.

When Fu Zhi entered the command tent, he happened to run into Wushi Yan hurrying out. Entering the inner section, Heifu was busy giving Wang Wei some instructions. Wang Wei assented obsequiously and strode out with a grave expression, accidentally bumping into Fu Zhi by the tent door. He merely nodded apologetically at Fu Zhi before quickly departing.

Once finished, Heifu finally turned his gaze to Fu Zhi, who had entered the tent and prostrated himself.

"Are you feeling resentful? Thinking you've missed this rare chance to fight a great battle with the Xiongnu?"

"This subordinate would not dare." Though Fu Zhi said he dared not, inwardly he still had some complaints.

"The reason I kept you here is that in recent days, you have repeatedly clashed with Xiongnu mounted scouts and achieved many kills. You are relatively familiar with their tactics. Staying to guard the main camp, you may yet be of great use..."

"Great use?"

Fu Zhi raised his head, a little puzzled. According to the Commandant's plan, as long as they held Flower Horse Pool and kept the supply route secure, they would naturally be considered victorious once the heavy snows fell. He was stationed here to guard the camp — aside from the occasional patrol and watch, what other great use could he possibly be?

Heifu, however, said, "If the Xiongnu truly wanted to raid the grain, why not break their riders into scattered groups, slipping out at nightfall or dawn to reassemble in the south? In that case, it would take our army at least one or two shichen longer to discover their movements — more than enough time for the Xiongnu to deal a heavy blow to the grain convoy."

"But the Xiongnu did not do that. Instead, they made a grand display, blowing their horns as they rode out, as if afraid our army would not notice their actions. Though their numbers looked immense, a force of two thousand riders, the distance was great and our scouts could only estimate by sight. They may well have counted the dust deliberately kicked up into the total as well…"

As he spoke, Heifu walked to the edge of the command tent and said to the dumbstruck Fu Zhi, "Warfare is the art of deception. The form of a soldier is to avoid the solid and strike the hollow. The Xiongnu may not have read military treatises, but through years of encirclement hunts and battle, they have grasped this principle. Chen Ping told me that the Xiongnu are most skilled at using decoy troops to lure the enemy…"

"This grain raid may be a Xiongnu decoy tactic, meant to make me dispatch the bulk of our forces to protect the supply route, so they can then strike our main camp! Of course, it could also be a genuine raid. The hollow is made to seem solid, the solid hollow. Their next attack might instead be a feint, a mere bluff. But whether true or false, our army must be prepared for both!"

Fu Zhi was stunned. He felt the Commandant's thinking was truly profound and far-reaching; he simply could not keep up with his train of thought!

As they were speaking, the sound of gongs and war drums suddenly erupted outside!

"It really is an enemy attack!"

Fu Zhi sprang to his feet with a start. Heifu broke into a smile and said to him, "Don't stand there gaping. Go quickly and order your soldiers to prepare to meet the enemy with your Commandant!"

(End of chapter)