Chapter 227: Border Army

It was the second shichen since Liu Chengzong had marched his troops from Pingliang Prefecture.

Cao Wenzhao spurred his horse along the riverbank, broke off a willow branch and tossed it into the current, watching it for a long while.

He ordered the Guan-Ning scouts to cease pressing the western army's outriders, and had the troops withdraw three li east to construct a camp on the southern bank's hill ridge.

"Ping'an, tell the brothers to stay sharp — load the firelocks, ready the light cannons, string the bows, don armor and prepare for battle. The enemy will attack within half a shichen."

Cao Wenzhao issued a string of commands in quick succession; Ping'an received the orders and went to alert the troops.

Cao Bianjiao watched from the side, utterly dumbfounded. The enemy would attack within half a shichen? His uncle hadn't been asleep, and their ancestors had no way to send him a dream!

Cao Wenzhao thoroughly enjoyed his nephew's wide-eyed, speechless astonishment. Smiling faintly, he pointed toward the riverbank three li away. "Go take a look."

Cao Bianjiao took the order and left, returning shortly after. His gaze at his uncle now held both admiration and bewilderment. "The river water's gone muddy... but General, that only tells us there are troops upstream. How do you know where they are?"

"The scouts clashed with the western army's outriders this morning, and then we pressed them thirty li westward."

Cao Wenzhao looked at the evening sky. "If the enemy marched two shichen ago, they are already very close to us now."

This was not an effect a small detachment could produce; this force was either massive in numbers or had a great many horses.

And the current hour, to Cao Wenzhao, ruled out the possibility of a large body of infantry advancing.

Unless they were fools, they would not have rushed all the way here — after all, sprinting fifty li, they'd be ready to sleep upon arrival. Wouldn't that be asking for a beating?

If cavalry were coming, they would certainly want to launch a surprise attack before nightfall.

And so the Guan-Ning army waited in tense battle readiness all the way until deep into the night.

Although Liu Chengzong lacked the experience to know that marching troops would be exposed by muddy river water, he had a complete and highly proactive outrider force.

When the Guan-Ning army advanced west, Dai Daozi had no ability to stop them; he could only screen as best he could, engage them, and delay.

But the Ningxia outriders under Dai Daozi were exceedingly bold. The moment the Guan-Ning army pulled back, they dared to press forward again, always keeping two outriders shadowing the army's formation from a single li away.

When Cao Bianjiao rode out of camp, the two outriders even tried to have a go at him.

But an arrow from forty paces knocked off a helmet, and the outriders promptly scooped it up and fled, not daring to advance further.

Cao Wenzhao had only sixty scouts who doubled as outriders, and their warhorses were all nags traded from the Shanxi guard posts — there were even two mules among them.

Dai Daozi, on the other hand, had been drawing in his outriders from across fifty li of ground. Each man had two or three horses, and the further they fell back, the more concentrated his outriders became — not to mention that their mission was not to fight a battle.

When the scouts came, they withdrew two or three li; once they had pulled back enough, they massed several times the number of outriders and surged forward, quickly seizing back their operating range.

When the Guan-Ning army dispatched a cavalry detachment in pursuit, Dai Daozi was even more delighted. He simply withdrew five or six li, and the cavalry dared not pursue further.

If they chased any farther, they risked running headlong into the main force, and they would not be able to escape.

So before long, the cavalry detachment had to withdraw to camp. Once the cavalry pulled back, at most the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Dai Daozi's outriders were back again.

His outriders completely suppressed, Cao Wenzhao truly had no way to deal with these men.

Because his vanguard commander had already returned home in glory and was comfortably serving as the Yan'an Assistant Regional Commander.

Fortunately, in this kind of through river-valley terrain, the advantage outriders could create for the main force was not great.

After all, their mission was just two things: on the one hand, locate the enemy's main force — know where they were and what they were doing; at the same time, prevent the enemy from finding our main force, denying them knowledge of where we were and what we were doing.

For Cao Wenzhao, that this force — apparently foe, not friend — was to the west was already beyond doubt; as for what they were doing, he had already deduced from experience, observing the river water, that they were hurrying eastward.

But it still rankled him deeply. After all, in the valley and on the hill ridges, enemy outriders stood just a single li away. Even when he took a shit, the enemy would know whether his ass was pale or not — anyone would be irritated.

Liu Chengzong received word on the march that the Guan-Ning army had encamped. Knowing he had been exposed, he changed his plans, instead halting to set up defenses and deploy chevaux-de-frise at Xiaolu River, forty li east of Pingliang city.

They were far more at ease than Cao Wenzhao. Knowing the enemy was twenty-five li away, they ate a comfortable meal, those on defense duty setting up defenses, those on rest duty resting.

Liu Chengzong even gave Red Flag a full-body massage, making the big-headed horse so content it squinted its eyes and kicked its legs.

The Lion Camp's speed in reaching the front line was somewhat slower than he had estimated, because the unit's organization had grown somewhat bloated.

This was an old problem for the Lion Camp. Ever since He Huchen's Ningxia troops had joined, each outpost had held a strength of around seven hundred and fifty men. After a circuit around Guyuan, they had gained a large number of Guyuan soldiers as well.

And at Pingliang Prefecture, the skilled craftsmen of the eastern city who served the prince had been recruited in considerable numbers by Shi Chengwo into the engineering outpost, with their families all stuffed into Liu Chengyun's logistics outpost.

Now, aside from the rear outpost garrisoned at Zhenyuan, all seven outposts had become thousand-man units.

For this expedition, leading Yang Yao, Cao Yao, Gao Xian, Zhong Hu, and Liu Chengyun, combined with the outriders, the total strength reached over six thousand.

Encamping in the river valley, the several camps could even serve as tactical depth.

In truth, had Cao Wenzhao not arrived at such an opportune moment, after the military discipline rectification, it would have been time to split the Lion Camp into two battalions.

But war had come the moment it chose to, and Liu Chengzong could not possibly reorganize the unit structure and then go fight.

The next day, before the sky was even light, the Lion Camp was already lighting fires and cooking at their riverside camp.

Liu Chengzong and several outpost commanders held bowls of rice porridge in the tent as they received Dai Daozi's report from the front line: "Commander, the Guan-Ning army was building their camp on the hill ridge at the fifth watch. Right now they're digging trenches."

"What is with this army?" Liu Chengzong took a sip of porridge and asked those around him. "Don't they have horses? They're neither running nor attacking — they came all the way to Pingliang to dig trenches and build a camp?"

None of the outpost commanders knew the reason, but Dai Daozi's expression turned peculiar. "Their horses seem to be in poor shape. Yesterday their cavalry detachment came out twice, and I spotted several mules in their ranks."

Liu Chengzong asked, "Did you scout to the east?"

"Sent men east yesterday. There's no one to the east."

Liu Chengzong now had a solid sense of the situation. He said, "I suspect this has to do with those two, Yang Yanchang and Wang Ziyong. They should have been with Cao Wenzhao, but now they're nowhere to be found."

Although they hadn't sent word to him, he had been dashing about everywhere; Yang He had gone long stretches without knowing where he was, let alone anyone else. Even if Yang Yanchang had wanted to get a message to him, it would not have been easy.

In any case, as things now appeared, Liu Chengzong felt those two had very likely sold Cao Wenzhao out.

In truth, Liu Chengzong was quite curious about their method of escape — he wondered how they had managed to cut off both the head and the tail, slipping away from Cao Wenzhao in the middle.

Once they had eaten their fill and the sky was growing light, Yang Yao's cavalry detachment was the first to cross the Xiaolu River.

Liu Chengzong led the mixed central army of Cao Yao and Gao Xian close behind; Liu Chengyun and Zhong Hu struck camp as the rear formation and continued the advance.

By late morning, when they reached Jian'gou River, Liu Chengyun and Zhong Hu halted to set up camp and construct defensive lines.

At this point, Liu Chengzong, having crossed the river, could already see Cao Wenzhao's camp on the hill ridge and the dry-terraced fields.

He stood on the riverbank, raising his telescope to observe the hill ridge.

On the hill ridge, Cao Wenzhao was also raising his telescope, watching him.

The moment he saw the great banner — the character "Liu" in gold on a crimson field — he knew things had gone terribly wrong.

These bold, battle-hardened scouts really were Liu Chengzong's men... and so, the mistaken assumption that they were government troops had cost him the best chance to withdraw.

As Cao Wenzhao watched, he asked without turning his head: "Have you confirmed it — is there really a mountain road to the south that leads to Chongxin County?" "Yes, it's confirmed, but the mountain road is rough going."

Cao Bianjiao had barely finished speaking when he heard his uncle suddenly curse under his breath. He handed over the brass monocular and pointed at the army formation by the riverbank: "Look at that calf-fucker of a cannon — isn't it the same as the one the Chuang bandits had at Ziwu Ridge?"

Cao Bianjiao looked — of course it was, the same small bronze red-barbarian cannon.

Seeing such a cannon just once, Cao Wenzhao might have thought the bandits had defeated some government force and taken it as plunder.

But having first seen Gao Yingxiang's, and now Liu Chengzong's even greater number of lion cannons, Cao Wenzhao could not help but suspect: had the Shaanxi roving bandits already gained the ability to cast their own red-barbarian cannons?

After all, as far as he knew, cannons of this specification had never been seen anywhere else except with Liu Chengzong and Gao Yingxiang.

In just this brief moment, the forward outpost cavalry under Yang Yao split into five squads, swept across the river valley, and formed ranks due north of the ridge's terraced fields. They sent out several riders, all bold men, who galloped below the ridge and shouted: "Shameless rebels, surrender now!"

The Guanning troops on the ridge, who were using long spears as chevaux-de-frise, were shouted into stupefaction. They stared at each other, even forgetting to shoot arrows or fire their guns.

Cao Wenzhao was angered to the point of laughter. He raised his hand and jabbed twice toward the army formation, but not a single word came out.

He turned his head to look behind him.

Shifted back and forth four thousand li by the court, from the ridge down across the tier upon tier of terraced fields, stood weather-beaten Liaodong soldiers holding their horses, their armor and clothing tattered.

Men clutched their helmets; some had lost their head-wraps entirely, their hair disheveled; others had armor damaged in battle, patched with pieces of captured chainmail or lamellar plates.

Even where the cotton armor was still intact, it was covered in dark red bloodstains that left the cotton fabric dry and wrinkled.

Then look at the enemy.

Uniforms neat, warhorses robust and vigorous, weapons and armor each shinier than the last.

These bastards were more like a regular army than the damn regular army.

Cao Bianjiao said: "General, could there be some misunderstanding in between? Shall I go and ask?"

"Don't go. Can't you see it clearly yet?"

Cao Wenzhao stopped his nephew: "Bandit Liu has passed through so many places safe and sound — the local officials have mostly taken bribes and are in cahoots with him, and the Three Borders Governor-General even offered him amnesty. Now we've halted at Pingliang without transfer orders, and he's caught us dead to rights."

He turned his head, his expression dark, and asked: "If you were him, would you let this chance slip?"

Cao Bianjiao's thoughts drifted away with that. He nodded and said: "I think Yang Yanchang and Wang Ziyong might well have ties to him too. They're all from Yan'an."

"Don't talk nonsense."

Cao Wenzhao's tone was very calm. He said: "Generals Yang and Wang were merely displeased with us for killing the surrendered bandits. Though we've been at odds the whole way, they never shirked their bitter toil."

In truth, Cao Wenzhao harbored the same suspicion in his heart.

Liu Chengzong and Gao Yingxiang used the same cannons. Gao Yingxiang had let Yang Yanchang and Wang Ziyong go, and singled him out to trap west of Ziwu Ridge.

Rather than attacking Wang Ziyong to seize his baggage train when they were marching west.

This defied common military sense, and even more so defied the plundering aims of starving bandits — unless their goal was precisely to keep him pinned in the west.

But without proof, such matters had to be buried in the heart and left unsaid.

At this thought, Cao Wenzhao cursed inwardly. Damn it. In Liaodong he had been on tenterhooks every day, afraid of spies at his side — he never imagined that back inside the passes, he would still fear spies at his side.

Then he cast everything from his mind, put on his helmet, and said to his nephew: "Prepare for battle!"

Behind him, Cao Bianjiao, Cao Dingjiao, and the young officers of Ping'an all donned their helmets and mounted their horses.

At once, the Guanning cavalry on the terraced fields also put on their helmets, remounted, and under their squad commanders' leadership, rode downhill in orderly succession.

Watching from his distant formation, even Liu Chengzong could not help but sigh in admiration at their gallant bearing.

He had thought he would be launching a grueling infantry assault up the ridge and its terraced fields.

In truth, the whole way here, Liu Chengzong had been pondering how to boost morale.

After all, the Guanning Army was probably the strongest opponent he had faced so far — it might not go as smoothly as past battles, where one engagement settled the fight. That was why he had left Zhong Hu behind to set up defensive lines.

Boosting morale had thus become a matter of great importance.

But now that they had actually met, Liu Chengzong discovered his subordinates needed no morale boost at all.

The moment they saw the Guanning Army swaggering arrogantly down the hill, they were already furious.

No matter when the Lion Battalion fought, before encountering the enemy, the soldiers never broke ranks to whisper among themselves — except this once.

Discipline broke.

No one knew who started it, but in the span of a few breaths, a curse first burst from the ranks.

Then even the officers could not control it, because the officers standing at the very front of the formation had all turned to face the soldiers, pointing back at the enemy, their faces flushed with rage as they spoke.

It was not just Liu Chengzong's mixed unit — Yang Yao's side was the same, even more chaotic, with men now and then riding out five or six paces from the formation alone, reining in their horses and turning back to rant at their comrades, pointing at the sky and cursing the earth.

Gao Xian clenched his jaw, his eyes rimmed red. He drew his saber from his waist, weighed it in his hand, then slid it back into the scabbard. From his horse he pulled out a melon hammer and held it aloft, pointing forward as he said: "I thought I'd never see them again in this life. These are the men who spent our pay! Who cost me my wife and scattered my children!"

To be honest, Liu Chengzong reckoned his men would barely be this angry even if they met the Chahar Khundulen Khan himself.

The court had diverted the pay that belonged to them to the east, leaving them to endure hunger and cold for years, until wives were lost and families destroyed, and they themselves became rebels.

Not even the northern barbarians could resolve a grudge like this — unless a Later Jin army showed up on this battlefield too.

Liu Chengzong grinned, shook his head, and muttered to himself: "Sixty-two taels and five mace of silver, equal to forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty official exchange tongbao coins... Brother Cao, bring the cannon out!"

"I've been waiting ages, Grand Commander!"

A hearty reply came from Cao Yao's side. The very front of the mixed infantry-cavalry-artillery unit parted to both flanks, revealing Cao Yao's great thousand-catty treasure.

The surrounding soldiers cleared to either side. The red-barbarian cannon had long been loaded with shot. The gunners took brief aim, then lit the fuse toward the Guanning troops filing out onto the mountain path.

Boom — a single shot, so loud the nearby soldiers all covered their ears. Gunpowder smoke rose flat from the ground; through the billowing dust and haze, the cannonball flew straight for the mountain path.

This was the order to attack.

The moment the cannon roared, the two hundred riders of Yang Yao's forward cavalry, split into five squads, charged straight at the Guanning troops descending the hill.

Liu Chengzong's own units, seething with righteous fury, also spurred their mounts into long-striding motion, forming ranks and spreading forward.

Even Liu Chengzong himself, at the very center of the formation, leaned down to pat the red banner horse and drew his blade: "Soldiers just the same — let me see where you're stronger!"

Good afternoon!

(End of chapter)