Chapter 11

"Your lordship has summoned me." At this moment, a voice sounded in Lu Yao's ear. The speaker was the guard with the crossbow from noon.

Lu Yao was taken aback for a moment before he remembered to respond. He got up and followed the man.

Lord Pei had laid out carpets on a high spot dozens of yards away from the campsite, where he received Lu Yao. He had changed into a wide-sleeved robe of light yellow, with a white silk shirt underneath and a jade belt around his waist. Two pearls on the belt shone, exuding an air of grandeur and elegance. A beautiful maid was even holding an incense burner to serve him.

He reclined on a Hu bed, pointed at Lu Yao with the jade ruyi in his hand, and asked indifferently, "What is your name?"

The question was arrogant and rude. This was because in this dynasty, there was a clear distinction between the gentry and the commoners, and the status of soldiers was even lower. As a son of a gentry family, Lord Pei's willingness to converse face-to-face with Lu Yao was already considered a great courtesy. Before answering, Lu Yao had to perform a grand bow, or it would be considered a serious breach of etiquette, for which the gentry could punish him on the spot.

Lu Yao couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He had thought that his unbending character had been worn down by the harshness of life, but when he found himself in this feudal society with its strict hierarchy, he still felt extremely uncomfortable.

Despite his thoughts, Lu Yao's actions were not delayed. The memories of this era clearly told him what to do. He lifted the hem of his robe, knelt down, and bowed deeply, touching his head to the ground: "Lu Yao of Bingzhou, paying respects to Lord Pei. I am deeply grateful for your rescue."

The "tonshou" (kneeling and touching the head to the ground) was a formal and solemn form of bowing, second only to the "goushou" (kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground) used in the presence of the emperor or during ancestral worship. Lu Yao performed the bow with perfect form, his body as straight as a string, and every detail of his movements was meticulous. Since he had stated that he was bowing to express gratitude for being saved, such a grand bow did not make him appear subservient but rather conveyed a sense of dignity and respect.

Lu Yao was tall and had a face that could be considered handsome, though the scar on his face made him look somewhat intimidating. However, paired with his cold, stern eyes, it gave him a sense of firmness. His every move was naturally in accordance with etiquette, showing that he was far from an ordinary, ignorant soldier.

Lord Pei couldn't help but feel that he shouldn't treat this person too lightly. He straightened his posture, returned the bow, and his condescending attitude diminished: "It was nothing, General Lu, you don't need to be so formal."

"At noon, you were a man covered in blood, on the verge of death, and now you can move freely. It's truly a miracle," he said with interest.

Lu Yao replied casually, "Thank you for your concern. I have practiced martial arts since childhood, and my body is quite strong. Whenever I am injured, I recover faster than most people."

Lord Pei nodded slightly, "I see... General Lu, I am from Sizhou and have come to Bingzhou to visit relatives. On the way, I encountered the barbarian cavalry, and my journey was blocked. I now wish to return to my hometown. However, I am deeply concerned about the safety of my relatives in Bingzhou and cannot sleep. Could you tell me what the situation is like ahead? What is the state of Bingzhou... exactly?"

Lu Yao had no reason to refuse this request. He sighed and replied, "The current situation in Bingzhou is dire, like fish swimming in boiling water, with no certainty of survival from one day to the next."

"What?" Everyone, including Lord Pei, drew a sharp breath. They had already been pessimistic about the situation in Bingzhou due to the blockage by the barbarians, but Lu Yao's statement was still hard to accept.

Lord Pei asked doubtfully, "Bingzhou is a major stronghold of the imperial family, with tens of thousands of troops and the natural defenses of mountains and rivers. Although the Xiongnu are causing trouble, it is merely a minor issue. Is General Lu's statement not an exaggeration?"

"Lord, you do not know. Just a few days ago, the 30,000 elite troops of Bingzhou were annihilated at Dalin. The elite soldiers and generals gathered over decades were lost in a single day. Duke Dongying is besieged at Huguan, and his fate is unknown. The so-called tens of thousands of troops are a thing of the past."

A guard standing behind Lord Pei could not help but interject, "General Lu, did you witness this with your own eyes?"

It was no wonder he questioned it. Although the Jin Dynasty had frequent border troubles, a single battle resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of troops was extremely rare. Such a devastating defeat would inevitably lead to a complete change in the border situation. For the currently weakened central government, such a massive loss was almost irreparable.

For Lord Pei himself, if the Jin army had indeed suffered such a catastrophic defeat, he would not only need to return to Luoyang as soon as possible but also make many preparations. The truth of Lu Yao's statement was of great importance.

Lu Yao's expression turned serious, "Not only did I witness it with my own eyes, but I also experienced it firsthand!"

Lord Pei cleared his throat, stopping the guard from asking more questions. He smiled and said politely, "General Lu, as a military commander of Bingzhou, you must be familiar with the events of the Dalin battle. Could you recount them for me?"

Lu Yao bowed and said, "I will try."

He picked up a branch and drew a simple map of Bingzhou on the ground: "The turmoil in Bingzhou originated with the Xiongnu. The great chanyu Liu Yuan raised an army in the first year of Yongxing. His sphere of influence roughly included the western part of Xihedao, centered around Lishi, and the southern part of Shangdang, centered around Liting. These areas are mountainous and forested, with complex terrain, which Liu Yuan used to resist the court. Although he styled himself the Han King, he was essentially a mountain bandit."

"This year, Bingzhou suffered a great famine, and the Xiongnu's supplies were insufficient. Liu Yuan had no choice but to move his army to Liting to rely on the stored grain in the granaries. Duke Dongying took this opportunity to launch an attack on the Xiongnu. The armies of Bingzhou were all mobilized, totaling 42,000 troops, but they claimed 200,000, with a military might not seen in the north for decades."

"Duke Dongying personally led 10,000 elite troops to garrison at Huguan, sending the general Pumo to lead a force of elite cavalry south to threaten the Xiongnu chanyu's court at Liting. The general Nie Xuan led 10,000 troops, and the general Chen Yong led another 10,000, advancing from Taiyuan to attack Xicheng and other areas, cutting off the Xiongnu reinforcements from Lishi. The general Chunyu Luo led 10,000 troops through Qixian and Jingling to capture Jieyou, aiming to split the Xiongnu Han state in two."

Lord Pei pondered, "This three-pronged attack was indeed designed to exploit the Xiongnu's weaknesses. If I were Liu Yuan, I would be in a panic. With such a strong force and effective tactics, why did it fail?"

"Our three-pronged attack seemed formidable, but the commanders did not coordinate, and the armies did not cooperate. The large force was spread out over a wide front from Dalin to Xijian, making it difficult to control effectively. Duke Dongying exaggerated the number of troops, setting up a trap to intimidate the enemy and make them lose their nerve before the battle. However, Liu Yuan, who was skilled in military strategy, easily identified our weaknesses and launched a fierce counterattack. His strategy was to concentrate superior forces and defeat the enemy one by one."

"Although Liu Yuan's forces were far fewer than the total number of Bingzhou troops, they had a significant advantage over each of our three routes. He used his inner-line advantage to concentrate all his forces for an offensive. First, he feigned defeat to lure Nie Xuan into an ambush at Dalin. After defeating Nie Xuan, he pressed on to attack Chen Yong's forces."

"Because Nie Xuan was defeated so quickly, when the Xiongnu cavalry attacked, Chen Yong's troops were not even in a combat-ready state..." Lu Yao himself was a subordinate of the general Chen Yong. Chen Yong's 10,000 troops were so focused on marching that they did not even send out scouts, and they were caught off guard by a massive Xiongnu attack, leading to a swift defeat. The scene was truly laughable and heartbreaking.

He said helplessly, "With the situation so dire, as a minor commander, I could only lead my troops in a fighting retreat. We broke through to the east along the Zuzhang River, planning to head for Huguan. On the way, we learned that the forces of the general Chunyu Luo had also been ambushed and defeated by the Xiongnu, with only a few survivors. The bodies of the fallen soldiers piled up like mountains, which I saw with my own eyes. At night, packs of wolves roamed the plains, gnawing on the corpses!"

As he spoke, Lu Yao's tone grew heavier. In the process of recounting, he also recalled the deaths of his comrades, which was a psychological burden that others could not understand. Perhaps a seasoned commander of the Bingzhou army could face such pain calmly, but for Lu Yao, a company employee who had just regained consciousness, it required great willpower to suppress his emotions.

"Except for Duke Dongying's forces at Huguan, most of the Bingzhou army has been annihilated. After that, the Xiongnu launched a large-scale pursuit, and we, the remnants, were entangled with the enemy for several days, suffering heavy casualties. The situation after that is unclear." Lu Yao threw the branch away and sighed deeply.

Lord Pei and his guards were affected by Lu Yao's words and fell silent. After a long while, Lord Pei slowly spoke, no longer discussing the situation in Bingzhou, but said, "General Lu is indeed a knowledgeable person, and your analysis of the battlefield is insightful and clear. Even though I know nothing about military affairs, I understand it clearly."

Lu Yao clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, indicating that he did not deserve such praise.

"If what General Lu says is true, then the Xiongnu's power has greatly increased, and the situation in Bingzhou will soon become uncontrollable. Lord, we must return to Luoyang as quickly as possible," a guard said anxiously.

Everyone knew that what Lu Yao said was true. In the current dangerous situation, any delay could lead to being trapped in the Xiongnu's net. If anything happened to Lord Pei, they would be unable to atone for their sins.

Lord Pei stroked the jade ruyi, his eyes thoughtful, but did not respond.

No one dared to speak, waiting in silence.

Just as it was completely quiet, the sound of metal clashing suddenly came from the distant mountains to the north!

"There are enemies!" The guards were alarmed.