Chapter 64

Yongjia first year. March. Jieyou.

Jieyou City is said to have been named after the virtuous man Jie Zitui, who died here during the Spring and Autumn period. It is a key town in the northeastern part of Xihexian. Although the city is small, it is very sturdy.

Last autumn, the Xiongnu army arrived here, and Jia Hun, the magistrate of Jieyou, defended the city. After the city fell, he refused to surrender and died, and everyone at the time praised his loyalty. After Yuanshi Gong defeated Liu Jing's forces, the Xiongnu's influence shrank, and this place became the southernmost point under the control of the Jinyang regime, facing off against the Xiongnu across the mountains.

To the southwest of Jieyou City, not far beyond Gaobi Ridge, lies the strategic pass of Que Shu Valley. This is a narrow valley carved by the Fen River through the mountains, with a perilous path that winds for dozens of miles, making every step a heart-stopping experience. It is said that only birds and rats can pass through safely, hence the name.

According to legend, the first of the nine great passes mentioned in the "Lüshi Chunqiu" is the Tai Fen, which is this very Que Shu Valley. If one travels north from the Hedong Plain to central Jin, this is the main route. After Liu Kun took up residence in Jinyang, he sent his general, the Commander of the Wild Plains, Lu Chang, with a thousand elite soldiers to garrison this place. He also appointed Lang Shuo from Pingyang as the magistrate of Jieyou to assist Lu Chang.

Lu Chang, whose courtesy name is Shize, comes from the Lu family of Fanyang. He abandoned his literary pursuits for a military career during the Taiyuan period, following Liu Kun in battles across the north and south, leaving his mark on both banks of the Yellow River. He is skilled in archery, able to shoot with both hands, and is also proficient with a large saber, often leading the charge in battles. A few years ago, during the Battle of the Yellow Bridge, he led the cavalry into the fray, defeating an enemy ten times his size, but was pierced through the chest in hand-to-hand combat. Liu Kun was greatly alarmed and invited renowned doctors to treat him, even personally overseeing his care.

Although Lu Chang eventually survived, his lungs were damaged, and he often suffered from shortness of breath and incessant coughing. As a result, he gradually reduced his direct involvement in battles and instead adopted the demeanor of a composed and strategic general.

Lu Chang is known for his steady and meticulous nature. Since taking up his post in Jieyou, he has organized the repair and reinforcement of the city walls, built numerous watchtowers, and dispatched elite soldiers to scout Que Shu Valley in shifts, traveling at least thirty miles each time to prevent the Xiongnu from crossing.

By the time spring arrived, hundreds of households began to return from the deep mountains. These people were originally local residents who had fled to the mountains to avoid the war. Seeing that the situation had stabilized, they returned to their homeland, which they found hard to leave. Lu Chang settled them one by one, and the small city of Jieyou gradually regained some vitality.

One noon, as Lu Chang emerged from the courtyard, he heard his subordinates making a commotion and went to ask what was happening. It turned out that the patrol sent out the previous day had not returned on time.

According to the usual routine, this patrol had set out at noon the previous day, camped in Que Shu Valley overnight, and should have returned to the city to hand over to the next patrol. This was a standard practice in the army, and for two months, there had been no issues. However, today, the handover time had passed by half an hour, and the previous patrol had still not returned.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chang became furious: "This is a major matter and must be reported to me immediately! How dare you argue among yourselves and delay the matter?"

He struck the most vocal soldier, sending him sprawling, and then ordered: "Today, I will lead the patrol! All soldiers in the city, prepare your horses and equipment immediately!..."

As Lu Chang issued his orders one after another, the entire city of Jieyou sprang into action. In no time, everything was ready, and dozens of elite soldiers were assembled. Lu Chang picked up a long spear and was about to lead the charge out of the city.

Suddenly, a hoarse shout came from the watchtower on the city wall: "Xiongnu! Xiongnu! A large Xiongnu army is attacking!"

Lu Chang quickly led the soldiers to the city wall to look. In the distance, wave after wave of cavalry emerged from Que Shu Valley, forming a vast army in no time. The army was adorned with hundreds of colorful banners, each depicting fierce beasts, making the soldiers and cavalry appear like wolves and tigers. The entire army was clad in armor, their weapons gleaming in the sun, exuding a fierce and murderous aura. The mournful and solemn sounds of horns echoed far across the vast wilderness. The number of soldiers in the valley was estimated to be no less than thirty to forty thousand, and more were still pouring out, seemingly endless.

This... This is clearly the main Xiongnu force! A chill ran down Lu Chang's spine. He knew that the Jinyang army and the Xiongnu were mortal enemies, and that a series of bloody battles were inevitable. Therefore, since taking up his post, he had been preparing for war day and night. However, he never expected the Xiongnu to launch such a large-scale attack in the early spring, when the weather was still cold.

In spring, horses are weak and prone to disease, so historically, the northern nomadic tribes have always launched their campaigns during the autumn when the horses are fat. Not only Lu Chang, but even the high-ranking officials of Jinyang, including Yuanshi Gong, did not expect the Xiongnu to be so impatient.

Lu Chang carefully identified the numerous banners in the Xiongnu army, muttering the names and titles of the leading generals: "Fu Han General He Tuyan!... Champion General Qiao Xi!... Extermination General Liu Jing!... Pacification General Huyan Hao!... Wu Ya General Liu Qin!... Conquest General Huyan Yan!... Grand Marshal Huyan Yi!"

These were all famous Xiongnu generals whose reputations were so fearsome that even children would cry in fear. Over the years, they had wreaked havoc across the vast lands from the Yellow River to the Yin Mountains, leaving a trail of dead and wounded. The mere mention of their names felt like a heavy weight, making it hard for Lu Chang to breathe. The soldiers standing beside him were pale with fear.

Before Lu Chang could finish identifying them, a massive white banner was raised high in the Xiongnu army. At that moment, the Xiongnu army, numbering in the tens of thousands, erupted in a deafening roar, which could be heard even from Jieyou City.

Lu Chang raised an eyebrow and gritted his teeth, announcing: "Xiongnu Great Chanyu Liu Yuan!"

Liu Yuan, the number one rebel, the ruler of the Xiongnu Han state, and the self-proclaimed Han King, had personally led the army!

Lu Chang leaned on the parapet, carefully observing the enemy's formation. The sound of hurried footsteps approached, and it was Lang Shuo, the magistrate of Jieyou, who had rushed over.

Lu Chang asked: "We did not expect such a large-scale attack by the Xiongnu... What do you think of the enemy's strength, Lord Lang?"

Lang Shuo pondered and replied: "The Xiongnu have come with their entire army, and their formation is formidable. They have brought their best soldiers and generals, and we cannot underestimate them."

Lu Chang glanced at Lang Shuo and said: "It is early spring, and the grass is sparse, making the horses weak. Liu Yuan has launched this attack to take advantage of our unsteady position in Jinyang and to strike while we are unprepared. However, Jieyou is the key to Jinyang, and as long as I am here, the Xiongnu will not dare to look north."

At that moment, a rider from the Xiongnu army galloped forward. It was a Han official who had surrendered to the Xiongnu, sent to persuade them to surrender. The messenger stopped a hundred paces away and shouted a few times, but a silver arrow shot out and struck him in the throat, causing him to fall off his horse. Lu Chang's archery skills were among the top five in the Jinyang army, and this shot was both swift and deadly.

On the city wall, Lu Chang put down his specially made strong bow and sternly addressed the soldiers: "Since I joined my lord, I have fought in over sixty battles, always fighting bravely and hoping to die on the battlefield. I have been entrusted with the defense of Jieyou, and I will stand or fall with the city. All soldiers must strive, and those who动摇军心 (undermine morale) or fight poorly will be executed!"

Shortly after, several messengers galloped out of the north gate of Jieyou, and the city's residents and soldiers worked together to block the four gates with mud, stones, and wood.

In fact, the key to defending a city is to maintain a balance between defense and offense, keeping a strong reserve force and reliable counterattack routes. If the enemy and the defenders are not too far apart in numbers, the gates are usually kept open to allow the city's forces to launch counterattacks. However, given the overwhelming disparity in numbers, Lu Chang decided to adopt a defensive strategy and not venture out.

Lu Chang's arrow also caused a commotion in the enemy ranks. The Xiongnu army quickly reorganized and sent troops to surround Jieyou City.

******

It seems that the book has fallen off the new book list and the strong recommendation list... Is this what they call "naked running"? Ah, the crab has a round and plump body, so please do not mock it.

Naked running is a good opportunity to focus and write slowly and well. The prelude to the great battle of Jinyang is about to begin, and I hope you will join me in following this historically significant but rarely recorded war.

Also, I continue to seek red votes, collections, and thank glz565 and Feibing Wuqing for their support.

[AD begins]

[AD ends]