Chapter 403: Han Xiao's Southward March to Hanzhong

"Fire the arrows!"

A signal rang through the valley!

In an instant, countless arrows poured down from the cliffs on both sides!

"Ambush! Raise shields! Charge out!" the Xiliang commander shouted, his face turning pale with alarm.

But the valley was narrow, the formation stretched, and the sudden rain of arrows threw the Xiliang troops into chaos.

Numerous men were struck by arrows and fell from their horses, and even more were trampled by panicked warhorses.

The arrow rain lasted a full fifteen minutes; the valley was filled with overturned men and horses, with countless casualties.

Even the Xiliang commander was hit in the shoulder; he struggled to rally his troops, trying to break out forward or backward, but found the valley mouth blocked by large trees and stones that, though few, were enough to slow the cavalry's charge.

"Retreat! Fall back the same way!"

Seeing the situation untenable, the enemy could only issue the painful order.

The surviving Xiliang cavalry abandoned a mass of corpses and wounded, retreating in a disordered rout along the way they came.

The ambushing Ming Army, after emptying most of their arrows, did not descend to pursue; instead they shouted thunderous cheers and jeers from the ridge.

Almost simultaneously, the Xiliang troops pursuing the Ming bait also heard shouts and faint wails from the rear valley, realizing trouble.

The Ming Army seized the chance, turning back for a fierce assault, arrows pouring out as if they were free.

The Xiliang vanguard, already impatient and in disarray, now faced a possibly cut‑off rear; morale collapsed instantly when Li Gan's counterattack threw them into confusion, leaving hundreds of corpses as they fled in panic back to the Hui Liu Ridge camp.

In just half a day, the Xiliang army lost over 1,500 men in the valley, most of them warhorses and elite cavalry.

The vanguard also suffered several hundred losses, whereas the Ming forces had only a little over a hundred casualties, and the valley ambush incurred almost no losses.

The news reached Shangluo, and He Lianbobo was furious, yet helpless.

He hadn't expected the Ming reinforcements, arriving just then, to dare such an ambush, and to master the terrain and timing so precisely.

Although the battle didn't shake his foundation, it severed the tentacle reaching Lantian with a harsh cut; in the short term, he will have to reconsider raiding Lantian as recklessly as before.

In Lantian City, Zhang Honghong received the good news, her face beaming with joy; she exclaimed that Tang Lin's mind was sharp, just as expected!

But Tang Lin also knew that Xiliang would not stop here; they must prepare for the upcoming Xiliang counterattack!

At this moment, on the other side in Hanzhong, the garrison headquarters.

Wang Ben, temporarily stationed in Hanzhong, paced anxiously back and forth in the hall.

"Report! West City Post attacked! Over two hundred Xiliang raiding cavalry, burned the post houses, seized thirty post horses, killed and wounded more than ten post soldiers and laborers!"

"Report! North of Dingjun Mountain, a large group of Xiliang cavalry spotted, driving away the mountain folk and looting grain!"

"Report! Several rice merchants in the city have closed their shops, claiming the roads are blocked, no grain for sale, and signs of unrest in the market!"

"Report! Last night, unidentified persons entered Zhao Manor to the west of the city; the manor workers seem to have changed..."

Bad news piled up, leaving this veteran who had guarded Shu for years, believing that after submitting to Beijiang he could enjoy peace, feeling exhausted and as if sitting on a bed of needles.

Although the Hanzhong Basin is famed as the "Heavenly Prefecture", it is bounded by the Qinling defensive passes to the north, connects to Bashu in the south, links to Kunxi in the west, and looks toward Jingxiang in the east; truly a crossroads of four war zones and a strategic hub.

Now the Xiliang army's ten thousand cavalry march south; although they have not launched a full siege, their raiding cavalry harass everywhere, spreading rumors, already unsettling the north of Hanzhong.

More troublesome, some powerful families within the region, already doubtful of the newly submitted Beijiang regime or still covertly linked with Xiliang, seem to be stirring.

A locally born young deputy officer said cautiously, "Xiliang raiding cavalry are erratic, targeting weak spots; our forces are scattered and exhausted. Should we... should we again petition the Ming King of Chang'an for urgent aid, requesting a swift deployment of a large army?"

At least... we need a senior general to be stationed, to steady the people's hearts!

Wang Ben stopped, sighing deeply, "How could I not know? Three urgent reports have already been sent! Yet the Ming King is stationed in Chang'an, surrounded on all sides, and his forces are also stretched thin at times. General Han Xiao, though ordered to assist, faces a long journey; transporting supplies is difficult, and a large army cannot arrive overnight."

At present... we can only hold the city, strengthen defenses, and hope General Han arrives soon to deter the petty foes...

Before his words finished, a rapid, orderly clatter of horse hooves came from outside the hall, drawing nearer until it abruptly stopped at the mansion's gate.

Then, the gate guard, slightly panicked, shouted, "Report! Beijiang... Beijiang General Han Xiao's vanguard has arrived outside the city!"

"What? So fast?!"

Wang Ben was both startled and delighted, almost unable to believe his ears.

He hurriedly straightened his attire, led a group of officials, and strode out of the gate.

He saw, toward the north gate of Nanzheng City, a faint dust rose, and a cavalry unit of roughly three thousand men stood solemnly outside the gate.

Though the men and horses bore a slight dustiness, their military bearing was strict, armor bright, formation imposing, and a palpable aura of battlefield grimness swept toward them.

Han Xiao was not clad in full heavy armor; he wore only light leather armor suitable for movement, a black cloak over it, his gaze calmly scanning Wang Ben and the others who greeted him.

"Junior General Wang Ben, honored to welcome General Han!" Wang Ben stepped forward, bowed, feeling a great weight lift from his heart.

Han Xiao vaulted off his horse, stepped forward and helped Wang Ben up, "Wang, no need for formalities. By the Ming King's command, I, Han, lead twenty thousand troops to Hanzhong to assist the garrison in stabilizing the situation and jointly resist Xiliang. The main army and supplies will arrive later; I advance a step to steady the people's hearts."

"General Han, thank you for your effort! Please enter the city! Attendants, quickly arrange barracks for General Han and his soldiers to rest, and prepare hot meals!" Wang Ben stepped aside to invite him, his worried expression largely gone.

Upon entering the garrison headquarters, Han Xiao declined the offer to rest, proceeding straight to the council hall, asking Wang Ben to detail the current situation in Hanzhong.

He listened while consulting the detailed map of Hanzhong that had been brought.

"Fei Tingbu... the Xiliang Fei Ting Wu Jin, I have heard of him; a Qiang chieftain, brave and skilled in cavalry and archery, but his tactics are somewhat reckless, overly bold and fierce."

There are many fierce generals under the Xiliang king; Wang Hou had investigated early, so Han Xiao already had a clear picture.

Han Xiao, after hearing the report, mused, "Their ten thousand cavalry march south, yet only small raiding units harass; the main force lingers north of Dingjun Mountain, neither fully attacking our strategic passes nor penetrating deep into the basin to loot..."

What they aim for is likely not to capture cities or land, but to tie down our forces, test the strengths and weaknesses of Hanzhong's defenses, and even... lure our army out for field battle."

Wang Ben nodded repeatedly, "General, you are absolutely right! I also sense their movements are strange, not indicating a major invasion. Yet their raiding cavalry set fires everywhere, rumors spread, and the powerful families inside are restless; if this continues, Hanzhong will surely fall into turmoil."

My forces are limited; defending the city is manageable, but conducting an external sweep exceeds our strength, leaving us truly passive.

Han Xiao sneered, "To repel the outside, we must first secure the interior! These powerful families secretly colluding with Xiliang and harboring divergent ambitions are the real internal threat."

They know the land, control money, grain, and manpower; once unrest arises, they could become Xiliang's inside agents, and Hanzhong would be in danger.