Chapter 73

Chapter 707: Han Jin-ying vs. Jiang Yidan (3)

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20,000 Hanei soldiers.

By numbers, it's a considerable force. However, the problem is that they are inexperienced young men, a motley crew with no combat experience.

In contrast, Han Jin-ying's army, led by Gao Shun, numbers only a thousand at most. But each of Han Jin-ying's soldiers is a valiant warrior, one man worth a hundred.

The disparity in strength between the two forces was so great that Han Jin-ying's army was at ease.

The Hanei soldiers would lie on their backs and play with the snow whenever they got a moment's respite.

However, Han Jin-ying's soldiers would check their weapons and armor even during breaks, and some would even use the time to train their sword skills, showing monstrous stamina.

If not for the need to move together with the Hanei soldiers, Han Jin-ying's army would have already reached Hanguan.

"Lord Shan, it seems we need to change our approach."

"How so?"

Gao Shun took out a small map from his robe, spread it on the ground, and placed small stones as markers.

"Lord Shan, it should take only half a day to reach Hanguan from here."

"The Hanei soldiers are exhausted and need at least two hours of rest. I may not be well-versed in military strategy, but how can I not know that after a forced march of fifty li, only half the soldiers will reach the destination?"

Shan Ben expressed his concern about the consequences of exhausting the soldiers with a forced march. When he expressed his worry again, Gao Shun stepped back.

Of course, if it were up to him, he would choose to suffer for one more day and rest comfortably in Hanguan.

However, the Hanei soldiers, who had only completed basic training, could not move like Han Jin-ying's army. Acknowledging this difference, he proposed a compromise.

"Prepare for battle, but leave the rest of the baggage here. The rear guard is following for logistics. Let them collect the baggage. We should lighten our load and head to Hanguan quickly. What do you think?"

However, Shan Ben wanted Gao Shun to take one more step back.

"Please hear my proposal. Among the 20,000 Hanei soldiers, 5,000 can be considered regular troops."

Before he finished, Gao Shun nodded, having understood what Shan Ben was getting at.

"Are you suggesting that I send 5,000 agile soldiers with Han Jin-ying first, and you will bring the rest slowly?"

Gao Shun hit the nail on the head, and Shan Ben wiped his sweat, spreading his palms.

"Not slowly, but a bit more slowly. Just give the soldiers one hour of rest, and we will set off immediately. Please don't doubt me."

Shan Ben preempted Gao Shun's potential suspicion that he was lazy.

If he had wanted to avoid this expedition, he could have feigned illness. There were plenty of excuses to delay and avoid the battle, especially considering his age.

"How could I doubt Lord Shan's sincerity? Fine. We must set off after one hour."

"There's no other choice. The only concern is... what if the bandits launch a surprise attack? Without General Gao's formidable force, they are just a motley crew."

Shan Ben expressed his regret with a touch of self-mockery. Gao Shun had made a concession, but it still didn't put him at ease.

After all, the Hanei soldiers' command structure was not yet established. They merely relied on Han Jin-ying's army, guessing their strength.

In an emergency, Shan Ben doubted he could control and stabilize them.

Shan Ben was worried about this, and Gao Shun could not fail to understand his concern.

"I will leave 300 of Han Jin-ying's men here, so Lord Shan need not worry. My subordinates will assist you with scouting and command."

With this, Shan Ben clasped his hands together and sighed in relief.

"If you do that, what more could I ask for? Reassurance... and more reassurance."

"Why go to such lengths...?"

"No, no. General Gao Shun's soldiers are each as capable as a commander."

"Our commanders are not just anyone. If they were commanders in Lü Bu's army, they would be heard in other armies."

* * *

Han Jin-ying's army, led by Gao Shun, continued to advance with 5,000 of the 20,000 Hanei soldiers. However, Jiang Yidan's forces had already reached Hanguan ahead of them.

"Prepare plenty of arrows!"

Duan Wei led 5,000 Xiliang soldiers to defend the eastern side of Hanguan.

He couldn't estimate how many enemies would come, but he guessed there wouldn't be many, as they would likely flank Hanguan from a wide detour.

"Remember the distance! From where I stand, when the enemy enters this range, start raining arrows."

Duan Wei's strategy was simple: use the wooden palisade as a defensive wall and rain arrows on the enemy as soon as they enter the effective range.

Simple as it was, it was effective. It had been used for hundreds, even thousands of years.

The problem was that Duan Wei couldn't estimate the enemy's numbers. His side had only 5,000, while Jiang Yidan's forces numbered 30,000, coming over the mountains.

Moreover, Jiang Yidan's forces were Huang Bochong's main army, far superior to regular troops.

Duan Wei was proud of his preparations, but a threat was looming.

"Where are the scouts? Why haven't they reported back?"

Duan Wei was one of the few commanders who understood the importance of scouts. It was natural, as he was under Dong Zhuo's command. Those who had mainly operated in Xiliang always used scouts extensively.

Many of the Xiliang soldiers were of Qiang descent or had Qiang parents, and their enemies were often Qiang forces.

Considering the Qiang's mobility and combat prowess, using scouts was essential.

So Duan Wei had deployed twenty scout teams. However, none of them had returned with reports.

'The sun is about to set completely...'

The sun, which had set behind the mountains, was still casting a faint glow. However, the world would soon be bathed in a blood-red light, which would quickly fade into deep darkness.

The surroundings soon became as dark as midnight.

Duan Wei, who had been there since morning, felt as if he were in a new place.

'If they want to launch a surprise attack, there's no better time than now.'

Duan Wei, without realizing it, thought from the enemy's perspective. This was the perfect time for an attack, with visibility severely limited.

Thinking this, a foreboding feeling crept over him.

Sure enough.

Whist!

A signal arrow shot high into the sky from the west of Hanguan, emitting a loud whistling sound.

In the distance, at the edge of the forest, an unknown group appeared. They were none other than Jiang Yidan's 30,000 troops, pouring out endlessly.

Despite the deep twilight, fortunately, the Xiliang soldiers were experienced in such battles. Their vision soon adjusted, allowing them to distinguish their surroundings.

However, their vision did not extend as far as their effective range.

"Fire!"

Duan Wei, realizing the archers couldn't confirm their range, gave the order to attack first.

Arrows rained down on the advancing Jiang Yidan soldiers. However, they were blind shots, not aimed at specific targets.

More arrows hit the ground than the enemy. The sheer number of arrows made the sound obvious. Duan Wei's face showed clear signs of frustration.

'If only we had oil for fire arrows...'

If they could mix in fire arrows, the accuracy of the arrow barrage would not be as poor.

But what could be done without them?

Hanguan's supply levels were at rock bottom. They had enough food, but no flammable oil, and arrows were in short supply. As a mobile force, Duan Wei's troops couldn't use fire arrows.

"Fire all you have! Keep drawing your bows!"

Duan Wei was anxious. If he could eliminate the enemy with arrow barrages, it would be ideal. However, the sound alone revealed the enemy's considerable numbers.

* * *

On the walls of Hanguan.

Wei Zhi, at Zhang Chao's request, had the archers fire fire arrows to the east. Although the Guanxi forces were surging from the west, a breach in the east would result in the same disastrous outcome.

Several fire arrows shot into the night sky at intervals.

The faint light was better than nothing. For Duan Wei's troops, it was like a pillar of light, a sign of hope. However, it also revealed the enemy's overwhelming numbers.

'What? There are so many enemies?'

With only 5,000 Xiliang soldiers facing tens of thousands of enemies, Duan Wei's resolve wavered. This was a dire situation, but as the leader of the Xiliang forces, he couldn't show it.

"Good! Show these enemies the prowess of our Xiliang archers!"

The fire arrows, though not his first choice, significantly improved the accuracy of Duan Wei's archers.

"Ugh!"

"Ah!"

The screams of the Qiang soldiers echoed as they suffered losses from this barrage.

The problem was that while Jiang Yidan's forces were still numerous