Chapter 682

If the Great Yuan surrounds but does not attack, and cuts off Yanmen Pass's supply lines.

Ten or fifteen days might not be a problem, but prolonged isolation will surely breed unrest.

Moreover, according to the court's strategy, the next step of luring the enemy into the trap.

Is for Tang's elite forces to march north and raze their encampments.

In that case, it's likely no reinforcements will arrive for a long time.

How long can we hold Yanmen Pass?

Wang Xiaojie couldn't help but ache with headache, and inwardly criticized the decision-makers in Chang'an.

While pondering, a subordinate general entered to report,

"Grand General, scouts have just reported seeing Bolhu's army split off three thousand elite cavalry, advancing southward."

Three thousand elite cavalry certainly cannot be meant to attack Yanmen Pass.

After all, even if we're deliberately feigning weakness, Yanmen Pass still has ten thousand defenders.

To think three thousand elite cavalry could capture Yanmen Pass held by ten thousand soldiers is pure fantasy.

But Bolhu's intent is clearly a probe.

The question still returns to the earlier one: hold or abandon.

If we hold, we simply send a crack cavalry unit to harass and monitor the movements of this Great Yuan cavalry.

If we abandon, there's nothing more to say—gather the grain and supplies and retreat south immediately.

Seeing the subordinate general staring at him, Wang Xiaojie felt his head was splitting.

Just as he was about to dispatch elite cavalry to monitor them, a junior officer entered,

"Grand General, an envoy from Di Ge Lao is outside seeking an audience."

Although Di Renjie has remained in Youzhou due to the Lanruo Temple affair,

his official title is Tong Luantai Fengge Pingzhangshi—that is, Grand Chancellor of the Tang court.

Within the inner court, Shangguan Wan leads; in the outer court, Di Renjie leads.

Even to facilitate Di Renjie's operations, Wu Zetian granted him the post of Chuzhi Envoy over the twelve northern prefectures, empowering him to act at his discretion.

Thus, Di Renjie's envoy is nearly equivalent to an imperial commissioner arriving in the twelve northern prefectures.

Wang Xiaojie, already troubled by the question of abandonment, upon hearing Di Renjie's envoy had arrived, was overjoyed and personally descended the steps to greet him.

Following the junior officer to the official compound's entrance, he saw a Jin Wuwei General standing there, hand on his sword.

"Wang Xiaojie pays his respects to this General—may I ask your name?"

The man was young in appearance, with a stern expression, making Wang Xiaojie feel he had seen him somewhere before,

"I am Yuchi Zhen, favored by the court with the title of Lord Sikong, temporarily serving as Right Grand General of the Jin Wuwei, accompanying Lord Di."

Yuchi Zhen?

In the Tang, the surname Yuchi and holding the high rank of Lord Sikong—Wang Xiaojie's face changed drastically, asking,

"How are you related to Duke E?"

Duke E was Yuchi Jingde, one of the founding generals of Tang.

"He is my ancestor!"

Yuchi Zhen smiled and openly admitted it.

"I pay homage to Lord Sikong!"

Seeing he was Yuchi Jingde's descendant and under Di Renjie's command, Wang Xiaojie bowed deeply again.

"I come on Lord Di's orders to hold Yanmen Pass!"

After seeing the court's decision, Di Renjie realized Yanmen Pass had been omitted.

He immediately concluded that, regardless of the plan, Yanmen Pass must be held.

Otherwise, if it fell into Great Yuan hands, retaking it would be extremely difficult.

Yuchi Zhen was precisely the one he sent to deliver this order.

Wang Xiaojie, already indecisive about whether to hold or abandon, now heard Yuchi Zhen's words and finally exhaled in relief.

He then wondered: since Lord Di Ge Lao insists on holding the pass, how many troops, how many experts, how much grain and supplies has this Lord Sikong brought?

He peered behind him and found, besides a single sturdy horse, nothing else.

"My lord, if you intend to garrison Yanmen Pass, why come alone?"

Wang Xiaojie, astonished, could not help asking the young Lord Sikong.

With only ten thousand defenders, Wang Xiaojie was confident he could hold Yanmen Pass for a month.

But this plan calls for a full-scale strategic retreat.

Yanmen Pass has now become a lone city.

The difficulty of holding it is at least three times greater than under normal circumstances.

No reinforcements, no grain or supplies, not even a single expert seen.

Is Lord Di Ge Lao ordering me to die holding the pass—with only Yuchi Zhen here?

To die fighting for home and country is the warrior's destiny.

Wang Xiaojie has guarded the frontier for years and long ago resolved to give his life for the nation.

But to die so senselessly—where would one even go to seek justice?

More crucially, my death is small matter; the fall of Yanmen Pass is the great disaster!

"Relax! This battle is not about dying in place!"

Yuchi Zhen spoke with full confidence, walking straight toward Wang Xiaojie's command hall, saying,

"General Wang, issue orders to assemble the officers—I will now, per Lord Di Ge Lao's instructions, direct the army's movements."

Though full of doubts, Yuchi Zhen ultimately represented Di Renjie in coming.

As Lantai Fengge Pingzhangshi and Inspector for the Promotion and Demotion of Officials of the Twelve Northern Prefectures, Di Renjie's orders in this northern region of the Great Tang ranked second only to the Empress's imperial edict.

Wang Xiaojie could only forcefully suppress his questions, clasp his fist in salute and accept the order, then dispatch his Personal Guards to summon the defending generals.

Before long, the officers of every rank among these ten-thousand-odd defenders had all gathered in the great hall of Wang Xiaojie's official residence.

Facing Yuchi Zhen, who sat high in the seat of the commanding general, Wang Xiaojie personally explained,

"This is a special envoy sent by Di Ge Lao, holding the rank of Right Grand General of the Jin Wuwei, Lord Sikong Yuchi Zhen.

Lord Sikong Yuchi, bearing Di Ge Lao's command, has come to deploy you all. You must act according to the general's orders."

"Yes!"

The generals obeyed with solemn respect, and only then did Wang Xiaojie return to his place in the ranks.

"Gentlemen, Yanmen Pass is a vital stronghold on the Great Tang's frontier and must not be lost.

But this time, the court's decision is once again to feign weakness before the enemy.

Therefore, in order not to violate the court's intent, yet still hold Yanmen Pass,

Di Ge Lao specially ordered that only half the defending army be left within Yanmen Pass.

The remaining half of the defending army, under my personal command, will take on the appearance of routed troops and fleeing soldiers, withdraw from Yanmen Pass, and lie in ambush among the countryside.

When the great matter in Youzhou is settled, we shall strike from within and without together and crush these fifty thousand Yuan troops!"

Yuchi Zhen did not waste words either, directly laying out Di Renjie's plan.

In this battle, the Northern Great Yuan has raised fifty thousand troops marching south, led by the famed general Boerhu, with Bi Xuan, Meng Chixing and other retainers accompanying.

Perhaps compared to the central army under Mu Huali, they may fall somewhat short, but their strength is such that one cannot afford to look down on them.

Yet the so-called plan from Di Ge Lao that Yuchi Zhen brought actually directly split the already scarce defending army of Yanmen Pass in two.

One portion to hold the city, the other to feign routed troops and fleeing soldiers lying in ambush outside the pass.

Could Di Ge Lao, or this Lord Sikong Yuchi, not know that even with all ten thousand defenders present, it would be very difficult to hold the present Yanmen Pass?

Hearing this, the defending officers could not help but break into an uproar.

Even Wang Xiaojie wore a face full of incomprehension.

Listening to the defending officers whispering among themselves, most were uncomprehending.

Wang Xiaojie steeled himself, signaled the generals to be quiet, then turned to Yuchi Zhen and asked,

"Lord Sikong, my lord, could your order have been passed on incorrectly?"

"Of course not!"

Yuchi Zhen replied with an utterly calm expression.