Chapter 372 - 366: Recovery
So, Ji Yuan transferred military supplies from Xiping, and the rear was so busy that they were running around frantically. Chen Si Niang and others had to gather women to sew military uniforms and make armor while also inventorying the weapons made from the Wushan Iron Mine and then sending them to Chen County.
But by today, only five thousand sets of military equipment had arrived. Ji Yuan instructed Wang Nai and Xie Shi to select five thousand men to equip and follow the main army’s movements, while the remaining would stay at the rear to "transport grain and act as reserve forces."
Wang Nai and Xie Shi agreed to this.
Just as the Xiongnu army rapidly approached Guan City, the Yu State Army launched a sudden attack on the Xiongnu in the area near Chen County, which had been stripped of many troops, forcing the Xiongnu to retreat and starting to reclaim lost territory.
Meanwhile, Zhao Hanzhang and Beigong Chun reinforced Guan City before the Xiongnu arrived, and when the Xiongnu army came, they kept the city gates tightly shut.
The Zhao Family Army’s banners were raised on the walls of Guan City, with soldiers standing atop, poised and ready for the enemy outside.
Liu Cong got injured, and the injury was to his chest. Because Liu Jing had died from a worsening chest wound, also inflicted by Zhao Hanzhang, Liu Yuan was quite worried about Liu Cong.
Having taken him back for recovery, among the remaining generals, he placed Liu Qin in charge of commanding the southern-advancing Xiongnu army, aiming to capture Chen County by the month’s end;
ordering Wang Mi and Shi Le to launch a northern pincer attack on Guan City from both east and west, determined to capture Zhao Hanzhang.
If they could also capture Beigong Chun, it would be even better.
What they did not know was that Gou Xi was also taking action, and Beigong Chun was not in Guan City, having already left the city to await the incoming Xiongnu army.
As it happened, a year ago, Gou Xi decisively defeated Shi Le, causing him to flee embarrassingly to Liu Yuan. This time, as Shi Le operated on the eastern battlefront, Gou Xi coincidentally was also on the eastern line, planning to encircle him back with Zhao Hanzhang’s internal and external cooperation;
Meanwhile, Wang Mi laid siege to Zhao Hanzhang from the west line. What a coincidence! A year ago, when Wang Mi besieged Luoyang, he was defeated, retreating in embarrassment after the first battle, led at that time by Beigong Chun.
Zhao Hanzhang first received the news that Beigong Chun successfully ambushed Wang Mi; then, scouts reported that Gou Xi had intercepted Shi Le’s forces.
Even she couldn’t help but click her tongue in disbelief, saying to Fu Tinghan: "This is so dramatic. If the battle strategy wasn’t personally devised by Gou Xi and me, I would have doubted my foresight, thinking I had predicted Liu Yuan’s deployments and prepared in advance."
Fu Tinghan said, "...Isn’t that the case?"
"Of course not. I guessed that Liu Yuan would definitely send forces to encircle me and presumed they would take the east and west routes, but I didn’t expect such a coincidence where Shi Le went east and Wang Mi west."
Each met their nemesis.
Zhao Hanzhang curled her lips and asked Fu Tinghan, "Now, with Wang Mi the closest to us, where do you think they’ll stock their grain?"
Fu Tinghan looked down at the map he had drawn over time, considering they had captured the surrounding areas with the help of Beigong Chun, thus having some understanding of the terrain.
Fu Tinghan hesitantly pointed at a spot and said, "This place is very suitable for encamping, easy to defend and hard to attack, so the grain should be nearby."
Zhao Hanzhang agreed, "Now that Wang Mi is blocked by Beigong Chun, the vanguard should return to aid; wouldn’t this mean only the grain is left here?"
Zhao Hanzhang curled her lips and summoned Zhao Erlang and Qiu Wu, "You two go and investigate this place. As soon as their vanguard returns to assist Wang Mi, you seize their provisions; if they don’t return, find the location of their supplies and set fire to it."
Zhao Erlang and Qiu Wu readily accepted the order.
Zhao Erlang was eager to set off, but Zhao Hanzhang called him back, solemnly saying, "Erlang, in warfare, one must not be reckless, but act with careful planning, understand?"
Zhao Erlang, having been drilled by his sister and Fu Tinghan alternately these days, already remembered well, and now being reminded again, he nodded reluctantly, "Understood."
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang let him leave, nodding at Qiu Wu.
The two led a contingent from another city gate, heading straight to the location Zhao Hanzhang had pointed out.
As the Xiongnu forces were drafted from various divisions, their arrivals differed. Some Xiongnu troops gradually converged outside Guan City, but with their Great General Wang Mi not yet arrived, they merely encircled without attacking.
Zhao Hanzhang, seeing them gather, sneered coldly, turned around, and went downstairs to mobilize troops for a charge.
This wave mainly consisted of Jiehu who had surrendered and were now integrated with Zhao Hanzhang’s forces, making them fairly obedient.
The opposing side lacked a commander but had superior numbers, maintaining caution and keeping a distance. Unexpectedly, Zhao Hanzhang boldly led her troops in a charge, catching them off guard and quickly organizing a defense formation in response.
However, Zhao Hanzhang charged in like a ferocious tiger, breaking through a gap, plunging in for a slaughter, throwing the Xiongnu army into chaos, forcing them to retreat.
When Zhao Hanzhang withdrew, the Xiongnu troops no longer dared to camp nearby, instead observing cautiously from afar.
Zhao Hanzhang, having demoralized them, didn’t pursue relentlessly, thus led her troops back into the city.
The gathered Assistant Generals couldn’t help but angrily ask, "Why hasn’t General Wang arrived yet?"
Unbeknownst to them, Wang Mi was currently being passively beaten not far from Guan City.
This was Beigong Chun’s second time confronting Wang Mi. In their first encounter, he had caught the enemy completely off guard with a frontal assault.
In a direct confrontation, with only a few hundred against thousands, he had managed to throw them into disarray. Now in an ambush, he once again caught them unprepared. Despite Wang Mi’s cautious bravery, at this moment, he was chased until his face turned pale.
He decided to temporarily avoid the confrontation, thus withdrew along with his disordered troops.
Beigong Chun did not pursue, but stopped, sneered, and then left with his men.
He also did not return to Guan City. Zhao Hanzhang had assured that she could hold Guan City for ten days, so within these ten days, what he needed to do was maneuver behind Liu Yuan’s forces, waiting for Gou Xi’s troops to form a pincer, with Zhao Hanzhang attacking from within, to coordinate internally and externally in three directions.
If Gou Xi’s forces did not arrive, then he would lead his Xiliang soldiers back to Xiliang around Luoyang, and Zhao Hanzhang... she would be surely doomed.
This was also something Zhao Hanzhang agreed upon; if Gou Xi’s reinforcements did not arrive, with Shi Le and Wang Mi joining forces, he and Zhao Hanzhang would certainly stand no chance against them, leading then to disperse and flee, saving whoever could.
Truth be told, Beigong Chun did not trust Gou Xi much, so he fought this battle with great caution, restraining the enemy while maintaining his strength.
Beigong Chun’s communication was slightly delayed, unknowing that Gou Xi had already launched an attack on the gradually encircling Xiongnu forces, cutting off Shi Le’s army heading towards Guan City.
In just two days, the Xiongnu lost 18 strongholds in various places, with the most rapid counteroffensive in Chen County, recovering ten towns in one go, but the fiercest battle was fought by Gou Xi, who annihilated the most Xiongnu soldiers;
However, the most frustrating for the Xiongnu was Beigong Chun. He kept maneuvering to attack, elusive and untouchable, even more fierce than Zhao Hanzhang. This familiar tactic left the Xiongnu troops facing him infuriated and dizzy but unable to do anything about it.