Nanchong also had a station of the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce.
Knowing that Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess were coming, they had long prepared carriages.
After disembarking and a short rest, the group headed west the next day.
Though Nanchong had many mountains, the terrain was mostly gentle, and the official roads were much wider than those around Guangyuan. The column advanced at a satisfactory pace. In just ten days, they entered the territory of Xichuan Prefecture.
If all went smoothly, they would reach Xichuan in at most three more days.
It was on this day that the Ninth Princess suddenly received a message by pigeon.
After reading it, she immediately sought out Jin Feng.
“Gentleman, Brother Xinyao has already clashed with the Tubo forces!”
“When?” Jin Feng asked.
War between two nations was a major event for either side.
It was common for both sides to face off for one or two months before fighting began.
Jin Feng had not expected it to happen so quickly.
“Three days ago, the Tubo army crossed the border and marched straight for Xichuan. Brother Xinyao believed they could not sit idly by, so he sent the great general Meng Tianhai to ambush them at Mao’er Mountain west of the city, hoping to smash the Tubo main force in one blow. However, before the encirclement could close, the Tubo forces broke out.”
The Ninth Princess said, “The Tubo commander is named Danzhu, a major general under Gada Zanpu. After breaking out, he did not flee. Instead, he sent men to seize the official road and surrounded Meng Tianhai in the Mao’er Mountain area.”
“They set an ambush but ended up blocked outside the city…”
Jin Feng felt there were too many flaws to even know where to start criticising.
“From the battle report, the Tubo troops fought extremely fiercely, as if they had no fear of death. Just five hundred men forcibly seized a hilltop from Meng Tianhai’s forces.”
The Ninth Princess said helplessly, “I have met Meng Tianhai. He is not a pampered general, and his troops are not mere parade soldiers. I never imagined that, with the advantages of terrain and numbers, the result would be like this.”
“The Tubo tribes have been warring among themselves for years. Those who survive, from generals to soldiers, are all battle-hardened and ferocious. Of course they are brave… Never mind. Saying more serves no purpose. What is the situation now?” Jin Feng asked.
“Not good. Meng Tianhai leads Xichuan’s elite. They are trapped in the Mao’er Mountain area, and Xichuan’s city defence strength has been greatly depleted. Now Xichuan Prefecture city is surrounded by Danzhu!”
The Ninth Princess said, “Xichuan Prefecture city has walls and ample grain stores. Even if besieged for three months, there would be no major issue. But Meng Tianhai probably cannot hold out that long. They marched urgently to set the ambush and did not bring much food.”
“How many Tubo troops are there?” Jin Feng asked.
“The report says twenty thousand in total. Five thousand block the mountain paths to trap Meng Tianhai, five thousand blockade the gates of Xichuan city, and the remaining ten thousand plunder the surrounding areas of Xichuan Prefecture.”
The Ninth Princess took out a map and marked the locations.
“Brother Liang, what do you think we should do now?” Jin Feng turned to Zhang Liang.
The events had unfolded too suddenly, and Jin Feng was also unsure.
Zhang Liang did not answer directly but looked at Qing Mulian. “Miss Mulian, among the people you brought, is there anyone familiar with the terrain around Mao’er Mountain?”
“Is there?” Qing Mulian turned to Amei.
Alan and the others had stayed in Xihe Bay. On this return, Qing Xinyao had temporarily assigned Qing Mulian a personal guard team.
Qing Mulian paid little attention to it, so Amei had been managing them.
“There is one, a former scout under Lord Qing. He is very familiar with the areas around Chengdu,” Amei replied.
“Please bring him here, Miss Amei,” Zhang Liang said.
Amei nodded and soon returned with a soldier around thirty years old.
The veteran was indeed highly knowledgeable about the Chengdu area. He answered every question Zhang Liang asked.
Zhang Liang questioned him for a full ten minutes or more before turning to Jin Feng. “Gentleman, I think we should rescue Meng Tianhai first.”
“Why?” Jin Feng asked. “Xichuan Prefecture city lies between us and Mao’er Mountain. You heard earlier that there are fifteen thousand Tubo troops around it now. Do you think our thousand men can break through?”
“Of course we cannot break through directly, but we can go around!”
Zhang Liang pointed at the map. “We can skirt north of Chengdu Prefecture to the Jinma River. I just asked the scout brother. There is a transport fleet upstream on the Jinma River. We can requisition their cargo ships and take the water route directly to the rear of Mao’er Mountain.”
“You want to attack from behind?”
Jin Feng frowned in thought for a while, then pointed at the map. “If I were Danzhu, I would definitely leave men to guard here. The enemy holds the terrain advantage, and we have only a thousand men. I fear we could not even force our way through this pass.”
“Gentleman, my plan for going to the Jinma River is not to attack the Tubo forces via the official road, but to destroy the bridges!”
Zhang Liang said, “Did you not say, gentleman, that the highest form of generalship is to attack strategy, and the best is to attack the heart? If we destroy the bridges, we cut off the Tubo retreat. No matter how strong they are, they will grow wary in their hearts. Then we sail further downstream and attack from here!”
Zhang Liang pointed to several spots on the map in succession.
The Jinma River was a main branch of the Min River and a vital route for Tubo to reach Xichuan.
Destroying the two bridges over the Jinma River would force the Tubo forces to rebuild them if they wished to return.
With Tubo engineering skills, it would take at least a year or more.
“Destroy the bridges?!” Jin Feng pondered for a moment, his eyes gradually lighting up.
This was exactly what he wanted to teach Zhang Liang.
Zhang Liang had rich combat experience but lacked systematic training. Previously, many principles were only vaguely understood. After Jin Feng’s guidance, many things he had not grasped before suddenly became clear.
Lately, Zhang Liang rode with a map in hand, constantly thinking about the Thirty-Six Stratagems Jin Feng had taught him.
“I think this plan is feasible. What does Your Highness think?” Jin Feng turned to the Ninth Princess.
The Ninth Princess stared at the map for a while, then nodded. “It can work. Let us proceed this way first and refine the details on the road.”
The three reached a decision, and the column quickly changed direction, shifting from due west to northwest.
The day after altering course, Jin Feng’s group encountered large numbers of refugees, all fleeing east with their families after being ravaged by the Tubo forces.
On the third day, they passed a village.
The entire village had been plundered clean by the Tubo troops. On the threshing ground at the village entrance, Jin Feng’s group saw bodies scattered across the ground.
There were men, women, old, and young. Many corpses showed horrific deaths, clearly having suffered inhuman abuse before dying.
The Ninth Princess gazed coldly at the threshing ground, her expression impassive, but her hands tightly clenched her clothing.
The escort masters all gnashed their teeth in fury!
“Gentleman, shall we bury them?” Da Liu asked.
“We cannot. If the Tubo forces return, they will discover it,” Jin Feng shook his head helplessly. “Give me the map.”
This village was a full thirty li from Xichuan Prefecture. Jin Feng had thought the Tubo troops were only active near the prefecture city, not expecting them to ravage this far.
If their traces were discovered by the Tubo forces, it would be a disaster.
The previously planned route was no longer safe. They had to replan a more northerly path.
But what was feared came to pass. Before Da Liu could hand over the map, a scouting rider galloped back. “Gentleman, Tubo cavalry have been spotted five li away!”
