Chapter 48 of 100

Chapter 48: The Enemy Surges Like a Tide, Resolve Unwavering (Part 2)

13 min read3,305 wordsMature

The battle was like a seesaw, with one side's momentum falling as the other's rose. As Wang Junwan was retreating, the sound of drums and horns echoed from the Western Xia camp. Two units of about a thousand Iron Hawks each split from the main force, flanking the Song army from both sides.

Zhang Shouyue glared at the charging Western Xia soldiers, then looked at his cavalry, which had no strength left to charge again in the short term. He snorted coldly, dismounted, and threw off his helmet, letting it clatter to the ground. He untied his cloak, letting it fly away in the wind. The old general from Gangu City removed his shoulder armor and discarded his armor, tying his inner robe around his waist, revealing his iron-like, scarred upper body. Despite the cold wind, Zhang Shouyue's robust body, not inferior to that of a young man, did not shiver. He stepped forward, pushed aside the drummer under the general's flag, and took the drumsticks, swinging his arms and striking the drum fiercely.

Boom! Boom!

The drumbeat shook the sky, and the entire army was invigorated by the sound of the drum struck by their commander. In rhythm, the shield bearers struck their shields with their swords, and the spear bearers pounded the ground with the butts of their spears.

Victory!

This was the resolute cry of two thousand soldiers! This was the desire for victory of the Han sons!

Zhang Shouyue's arms swung, and the drumbeat quickened, signaling the advance. His 1,500 infantrymen responded to the drumbeat, forming ranks and advancing. Row after row of swords and spears pointed forward, resisting the charge of the Iron Hawks. The crossbowmen in the rear released volleys of arrows in waves, making it difficult for the Western Xia soldiers to advance.

Although the Song infantry's individual combat strength was far inferior to that of the Khitans and Tanguts, once they formed an arrow formation, they could repel any army, even the Khitan cavalry would have to detour. The Tanguts were well aware of this, and the two flanking cavalry units stopped advancing, slowly retreating beyond the Song army's range, circling around but not daring to charge recklessly.

Arrows fell like rain, continuously scattering between the two armies. The Western Xia army could not break through the Song army's defense, and the Song army could not break through the Western Xia army's blockade, leading to a stalemate.

After leaving Fugang City, the supply convoy followed the official road north. The mountains on both sides gradually rose, actually part of the Liupan Mountains.

The upstream of the Gangu River originates from a hot spring. In this era, hot springs were called "tang," and mountains with hot springs were called "tang mountains," hence Gangu was also known as Tanggu. On both sides of the river, there were fertile fields. The Gangu Valley's vast fields were nourished by this river. The sixty-mile-long valley was bountiful, and looking around, one could see the deep black marks left by the burning of straw after the harvest, living up to the name of Gangu.

However, the Gangu River, being a river on the Loess Plateau, had very little rain in winter, making the water extremely clear. But during the summer rainy season, a heavy rain could cause a torrential flood that would inundate the entire valley. After the flood receded, boulders taller than a person would be scattered everywhere, and even the valley bottom could be eroded. The official road along the Gangu River was on the west bank, and in many sections, the difference between the embankment and the river surface was nearly ten zhang, showing the power of the flood.

After crossing a gentle slope, the official road descended, only two zhang above the river surface. Seeing the clear, shallow water, Han Gang's heart stirred, and he stopped the convoy's progress, descending to the riverbank with Wang Shunmin. He squatted down, reached out to touch the water, and immediately drew a sharp breath, "So cold!"

The early winter river was not yet frozen, but its temperature was almost the same as ice. Touching the water sent a chill straight to his head, and Han Gang felt as if half his body was frozen. He washed his face with the icy water but dared not drink it for fear of upsetting his stomach.

Beside Han Gang, Wang Shunmin knelt on the ground without a care, scooping up the river water and gulping down several large mouthfuls, his messy beard dripping water. He wiped his face with his sleeve, his actions bold and unrestrained. After drinking, he took a deep breath and suddenly looked up, cursing, "Damn it, I've been holding in this anger for so long."

Han Gang patted Wang Shunmin's shoulder. He knew why Wang Shunmin was unhappy. Being able to get angry for him meant their friendship was solid. "Why bother... Recommending someone requires mutual willingness. Since I don't meet Wang Jiyi's standards, that's that."

Wang Shunmin clicked his tongue, still feeling unhappy. To him, the Wang family father and son were unreliable: "Wang Yanei said everything was fine, and Wang Jiyi even came to the city gate. After a few words, he let you leave without a kind word. Isn't that just playing with people? I've never seen such nonsense!"

"Wang Chudao is Wang Chudao, and Wang Jiyi is Wang Jiyi; they can't be lumped together. After drinking all night, you should have a sense of Chudao's character. He genuinely wanted to recommend me, but he didn't get Wang Jiyi's approval. Otherwise, why would Wang Jiyi send Chudao away first?"

"Wang Jiyi is too short-sighted..." Wang Shunmin's expression was sullen as he hopped up the riverbank. They, as soldiers, valued life-and-death friendships the most. Fighting together meant a bond of life and death. In Pei Valley, he and Han Gang had fought together against the enemy. Han Gang's character, demeanor, and skills earned his deep respect. Moreover, with the relationship with Zhong Jianzhong, Wang Shunmin was very hopeful that Han Gang would get an official position. Even if he didn't help him, having a familiar official would be a matter of pride.

Han Gang followed behind, using Wang Shunmin's help to climb up the embankment. "Whether Wang Jiyi has good judgment is his business. I just want him to help get rid of Chen Ju. Otherwise, why would I give the captured heads and weapons to Wang Chudao?" He spoke frankly, believing that friends should be open and honest. Even if they couldn't be completely open, they should at least act as if they could talk about anything. "Without Chen Ju, I can study peacefully in Qin Prefecture. With my talents, I don't need his recommendation to get an official position."

"You're right! With your talent, you'll pass the imperial exams, no need for his recommendation..."

Wang Shunmin nodded, having seen Han Gang's abilities, which were far superior to some of the civil officials he had met. But Han Gang suddenly looked around, his expression becoming serious.

"Brother Han, what's wrong?"

"Don't you think something is off? It's too quiet!"

Han Gang's heart tightened. While walking, he hadn't noticed, but now that they had stopped, he realized that the only sounds were the rushing river and the occasional cry of a cold-weather bird.

"Right." Wang Shunmin also noticed the unusual quiet in the valley. Having grown up in the military, he had an extraordinary sense of danger. "Where are the Tibetan tribes in the valley?"

Gangu was originally the territory of the Tibetan Bili tribe, but to avoid war, the Bili tribe had moved south to the Qinling Mountains over a decade ago. The valley was then occupied by the more fierce Xinbo tribes. The Xinbo tribes, nominally three, were actually a single tribe united by marriage. They had always been opportunistic, sometimes fighting with the Song army against the Western Xia, and other times joining the Tanguts to raid the Han people.

Despite the Xinbo tribes' opportunistic nature, which had caused them many enemies in Guanxi, they could still lower their heads and act submissive when they were weak, making it difficult for the Song to decide to exterminate them. However, after Gangu City was built last year, their opportunistic lifestyle ended. The connection to Western Xia was cut off, and they had to become loyal subjects of the Song.

The Tibetan tribes in Qin Prefecture were no longer nomadic. Although they rarely built houses, they cultivated the land. The Xinbo tribes, settled in the Gangu Valley, were said to have four thousand tents, equivalent to four thousand households, making them one of the largest tribes among the hundreds in Qin Prefecture, capable of easily forming a large army.

With four thousand tents of Tibetans sandwiched between Gangu City and Fugang City, they had no choice but to farm and plant in the valley. However, as Han Gang and Wang Shunmin walked, they saw no Tibetan tents. Where had they gone? Han Gang and Wang Shunmin exchanged a glance. Where they went was not important; more people had sought refuge in Fugang City. The key was what they planned to do next.

Looking north, smoke signals rose from the mountain peaks, spreading the news of Gangu City's crisis, which could not be concealed, along the valley.

"If Gangu City falls... I wonder which side those bandits will choose?" Wang Shunmin stared at the smoke signals on the mountain peaks. He didn't think the Xinbo tribes would dare to attack Gangu City. If they had the courage, they would have been destroyed long ago. They only dared to take advantage of the chaos when the Western Xia attacked, never daring to face the Song army head-on. They might have retreated into the side valleys of Gangu, waiting for the outcome.

"Do you even need to ask?" Han Gang sneered. "Those who are not of our race, their hearts are different. These Tibetan tribes, if not assimilated and turned into Han, are like tumors on the Song's rule in the northwest. Whenever the Tanguts invade, many of these tribes join them in their atrocities. If a strong border general is in charge, they can be punished as an example. But if a weak civil official like Fan Yong is in charge, they will let the Tibetans run rampant in Guanxi."

Han Gang suddenly jumped onto a nearby mule cart, standing high in the cart and shouting to the laborers, "The last stretch! Everyone, give it your all. If we reach Anyuan Fort by noon, we can sleep in Gangu City's beds by nightfall!"

Over thirty voices responded in unison, and the rhythmic sound of the rolling wheels resumed, faster than before. After four days of hard work and a battle, the laborers were eager for the end.

Han Gang jumped down from the cart and walked back to Wang Shunmin, smiling. "No matter what, we can only rely on Old Supervisor Zhang now."

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