Chapter 28

Chapter 662: Battle of Huara Valley (2)

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In the land of Xiliang, near Huara Valley.

Thousands of men and horses were heading towards Huara Valley, raising clouds of dust. Another group of men and horses was chasing them.

They were none other than the Hufu knights, led by Daljin. The ones they were chasing were not Han people, but the Qiang tribes. In the conquest of Xiliang, battles with the Qiang tribes were inevitable. However, the Qiang tribes could not match the Xiliang conquest army and suffered continuous defeats.

Now, being chased like this, what more could be said?

Yanmu urged his horse to ride alongside Daljin.

"Xiongnu King! The bastards have entered Huara Valley."

"Yanmu, we will turn our horses around."

"What about those who fled into Huara Valley?"

"General Jia will take care of it. We only need to do what we are told."

Daljin held a long rope and turned his horse. Seeing the rope fluttering in the wind, the Hufu knights also turned their horses.

The Qiang soldiers did not realize that the Hufu knights had changed direction. The dust cloud obscured their vision. Of course, even without the dust, they would not have had the time to look back while being chased.

Unaware that the Hufu knights had stopped chasing them, the Qiang soldiers entered Huara Valley and caught their breath.

But those who were after them were not just the Hufu knights. There were others in the Xiliang conquest army.

Of course, there were more Qiang soldiers in Huara Valley besides those who had just arrived.

"Huang Chuhu!"

"Jili Chuhu!"

The two Chuhu leaders of the Qiang troops embraced each other.

Their names were Huang Shui and Jili Cheng. Jili Cheng was the Chuhu of the Binan tribe, and Huang Shui was the Chuhu of the Zongcun tribe.

Chuhu is the leader of a group of Qiang people, similar to a tribal chief. Like the nobles of the Wuhuan.

"Huang Chuhu, the Xiongnu soldiers will soon rush into Huara Valley. Are you ready?"

"Of course. Jili Chuhu, don't worry. The Xiongnu soldiers will bury their bones here in Huara Valley."

Jili Cheng's role was to lure the Xiongnu soldiers to Huara Valley.

After Jiahou and Huawu led the Xiliang conquest army into battle, the Qiang tribes in Xiliang suffered great calamities.

After all, Huawu, known as the first warrior of Xiliang, led the charge, with Daljin supporting him from behind, and Jiahou having full authority over military strategy. The defeat of the Qiang tribes was inevitable.

Therefore, a few groups of Qiang people decided to fight the Xiongnu soldiers. In Huara Valley, including Huang Shui's troops, over ten thousand brave Qiang soldiers had gathered.

"Jili Chuhu, the Xiongnu bastards haven't entered Huara Valley yet. Could they have noticed our ambush?"

"That's impossible. The Xiongnu bastards have been chasing me all along."

"But why...?"

Huang Shui and Jili Cheng felt a chill run down their spines at the ominous premonition.

* * *

"Attack! Shoot arrows and roll rocks! Set fire to the logs and roll them down!"

Suddenly, arrows rained down from the cliff above, and rocks rolled down.

"It's an ambush! Prepare for the arrows and falling rocks!"

Huang Shui drew his sword and shouted to his subordinates. However, due to the continuous rain of arrows and falling rocks, everyone was in a state of confusion.

Thud!

The sound of arrows piercing shields or bodies was not much different.

Screams echoed as the bodies of those hit by arrows and falling rocks piled up.

"Huang Chuhu! What's going on here?"

"I wish I knew."

"I thought Huara Valley was completely our territory. Why are the enemies on the cliff above?"

"I don't know! The soldiers of the Zongcun tribe should be up there..."

Huang Shui and Jili Cheng could not understand the current situation. Huara Valley was supposed to be a giant trap to swallow the Xiongnu soldiers, not for them.

"Jili Chuhu! I will take my men and climb up. Jili Chuhu, you should escape from Huara Valley."

"But there are Xiongnu soldiers outside. How can we leave?"

"If I can't suppress the enemies on the cliff, it's better to fight the Xiongnu soldiers outside."

The two men shook hands, perhaps for the last time.

After that, Huang Shui led his troops straight towards the cliff. However, the path was too steep to climb easily.

It was already difficult to climb under normal circumstances, let alone with arrows raining down. But there was no other way.

Outside Huara Valley, there was a gentle slope, but the Xiongnu soldiers would be waiting there.

"Move forward! There aren't many enemies! Don't retreat!"

Huang Shui urged his soldiers to keep pushing forward. He judged that the number of enemy soldiers on the cliff was not large based on the number of arrows flying.

Watching the Qiang soldiers climbing like a swarm of ants, Jiahou observed the battle.

He ordered Huawu.

"General Huawu, it's time to move."

Huawu's face lit up.

"I've been waiting for this."

He raised his halberd high and shouted.

"Follow me!"

With a thunderous voice, Huawu rode his giant horse and charged down the cliff.

Since the arrows they had prepared were running out, the soldiers switched to spears and followed Huawu, sliding down the cliff.

Some of the Qiang soldiers leading the climb suddenly felt a shadow. Was it a cloud covering the sun? No, it was Huawu riding his giant horse, charging at them.

"Ugh~!"

With a hearty battle cry, Huawu's halberd began to dance. Limbs were severed and blood splattered as the sharp halberd blade carved through the enemy soldiers, staining Huara Valley red.

Seeing their comrades' bodies torn apart, the Qiang soldiers were terrified. Those who tried to block with shields were cut in half along with their shields, and others were trampled by the hooves of the giant horse.

Those who followed Huawu and slaughtered the Qiang soldiers felt no fear.

They were the Bingzhou soldiers trained by Zhang Yang, who had no fear of the Qiang. They were a killing squad to deal with the Qiang, and the experienced ones were leading the charge. It was no wonder the Qiang soldiers were terrified.

The small number of Bingzhou soldiers was not a big problem. After all, Huawu was leading them.

* * *

Seeing Huang Shui's soldiers being slaughtered by Huawu's troops, Jili Cheng gathered his men.

"We will escape from Huara Valley!"

But his son, Biangai, objected.

"You can't do that, Chuhu! There are Xiongnu soldiers outside. How can we leave Huara Valley?"

His eldest son, Biangai, and his second son, Gudan, agreed.

"Brother is right. Chuhu, since there aren't many enemies, we should defeat them and retake Huara Valley."

It was natural for them to be obsessed with Huara Valley. It was a strategic location. Its value was proven by the number of Han and Qiang people who had died fighting here.

To the Qiang, Huara Valley was not just a strategic location. It was sacred land.

It was where their ancestor, Wuyuan Jian, became the Chuhu of the Yuelu tribe. In other words, it was where the Qiang began.

"There's no time to talk. The Xiongnu bastards are scary, but we can shake them off since we are on horseback. There will be some sacrifices, but..."

Jili Cheng's judgment was accurate.

There was no point in fighting further in a place where defeat was certain. It was a much better strategy to break through the Xiongnu soldiers and escape.

"By order of the Chuhu! Follow me!"

Jili Cheng's Binan tribe soldiers escaped from Huara Valley. But they encountered obstacles at the entrance. The Hufu knights were shooting arrows through the dust cloud.

"Return fire!"

Jili Cheng's troops charged into the dust cloud and drew their bows to shoot at the pursuing Xiongnu soldiers. The Xiongnu soldiers also charged into the dust cloud but turned their horses around inside it.

The Qiang cavalry needed to understand why the dust cloud outside Huara Valley had not settled. But they were too busy fleeing to suspect anything.

The Hufu knights entered Huara Valley directly. With only ten thousand Qiang soldiers, Huawu's forces were outnumbered, so they came to assist.

Squeak!

The sound of whistles echoed continuously in the valley. Daljin's plan to use whistles to indicate the direction of the attack was foiled. The sound was reflected off the cliffs, making it impossible to determine the direction.

Daljin used arrows with long ropes attached instead of whistles. This time, the Hufu knights accurately attacked in the direction Daljin wanted.

The Qiang soldiers, who were in disarray, fell in large numbers, and the Hufu knights began to break through the gaps.

* * *

Thousands of Zongcun and Binan tribe soldiers were kneeling with their hands tied.

Jiahou was looking down at them from the cliff. Daljin approached him and clapped his hands to make a sound. His clapping was a compliment to Jiahou.

"Master, you are truly remarkable. Do you have the ability to foresee the future?"

Daljin was amazed by Jiahou's military strategy.

From predicting that the Binan tribe would flee without much resistance to foreseeing that the Qiang soldiers would prepare an ambush in Huara Valley, none of his predictions were wrong.

Based on accurate predictions, Jiahou manipulated the enemies and set up an ambush to counter the ambush, executing a flawless military strategy.

To Daljin, Jiahou seemed almost divine.

But Jiahou waved his hand.

"I can't foresee the future. I can only make educated guesses. You must have many questions."

"Master, I have many questions, but I hate complicated things. Ah! If I had a strategist like you by my side, I could challenge the world..."

"That's a very dangerous statement."

"About challenging the world?"

Jiahou shook his head.

"My power is too weak. Even with many stars gathering around General Ye, our strength is still too weak."

"It sounds like you're telling me not to challenge the world because no stars will gather around me."

"You understand well. And you must always be careful with your words. You don't want to be hanged as a traitor."

"Ah! I must be careful with my words to protect my neck. Let's change the subject."

Daljin's gaze turned to the prisoners. Jiahou could guess what he wanted to ask.

"What will you do with them?"

Instead of answering, Jiahou raised his white feather fan. Huawu, who was below the cliff, gestured to his soldiers.

Hundreds of soldiers with spears simultaneously stabbed the prisoners in the back.

"Next!"

At Huawu's command, the bodies were removed, and other prisoners were made to kneel in their place.

Jiahou moved down the cliff, following the slope with the help of Miaofeng. Daljin also followed.

"Master, why are you executing the prisoners? Wouldn't it be better to use them for labor?"

"Does the Xiongnu King know about the Qiang?"

Daljin shook his head.

"I had no dealings with the Qiang. But I know they have been fighting the Han for a long time, just like us Xiongnu."

Daljin rubbed his chin and continued.

"Hmm...! Thinking about it, it seems you are executing the Qiang prisoners because you are Han."

Jiahou looked at Daljin with an interested expression.

"Is it like taking revenge?"

"No."

"The history of mankind is a history of struggle. Wherever people gather, there will be conflict. It doesn't matter to me how many have died. I only move to assist General Ye in his conquest."

"I hope you don't think exterminating the Qiang is the way to support General Ye."