In fact, Danzhu did not even need to give the order. The moment the disturbance was detected, the scout commander had already dispatched riders to investigate.
The Tubo camp lay close to the northern side of the city. Knowing the urgency, the scouts galloped as though their lives depended on it and returned swiftly.
“Where exactly is the fighting in the north?” Wu Zhe asked.
“Reporting, sir: it is at Bao’er Mountain!” the scout replied.
“Jin Feng truly possesses fearsome methods!” Wu Zhe gazed northward and sighed in despair.
He had believed the captive uprising was Jin Feng’s ultimate goal. Only now did he realise it was merely the opening move.
Jin Feng still had more in store, and when he struck again, it was lethal.
Bao’er Mountain stood six li north of Xichuan prefectural city, the only route leading north from Xichuan.
To the south of the city ran a river that fed the moat before eventually joining the Golden Horse River.
Wu Zhe did not need scouts to tell him: the bridges over that river had certainly already been dismantled by Jin Feng.
By seizing Bao’er Mountain, Jin Feng had effectively trapped the entire Tubo army in the wedge of land west of the city.
Most critically, the garrison on Bao’er Mountain numbered only five hundred.
It was not that Danzhu undervalued the position. With only twenty thousand men at the start, and five thousand lost at Hat Mountain, he was left with fifteen thousand.
Too many vital points around Xichuan required garrisons. Fifteen thousand could never cover them all.
Each location received only a few hundred men.
According to the calculations of Danzhu and Wu Zhe, even if Jin Feng attacked, a few hundred battle-hardened veterans could hold out long enough for cavalry to ride from the main camp and relieve them.
Yet in all their planning they had never imagined Jin Feng would first orchestrate the captives to seize the horse camp.
Wu Zhe had fought many campaigns at Danzhu’s side over the years. This was not the most perilous situation he had faced, so he quickly regained composure and asked the scout, “How many enemy troops? Did you identify their banners?”
“Two sets of banners were seen: the Ever Loyal Army and the Peace and Prosperity Army!” the scout answered. “This subordinate did not get close enough to count precisely, because the captain ordered me back to report. But judging by the number of torches, there were at least five thousand!”
“Five thousand?!” Wu Zhe’s eyes narrowed.
Five hundred defenders, no matter how skilled, could not withstand ten times their number.
Wu Zhe was momentarily undecided. He turned to Danzhu and said softly, “General…
Danzhu was a veteran too. He rubbed his forehead, exhaled deeply, and forced himself to calm down.
Before he could speak, the guard who had left earlier returned.
He carried Danzhu’s sabre in both hands. Behind him a young soldier bore a tray.
On the tray rested something the size of a watermelon, covered by cloth, but everyone knew what it was.
“Oh no!”
Wu Zhe’s heart sank. He wanted to kick the guard senseless.
He had only been told to execute Ciji. Why bring the head back?
Others might not know the bond between Danzhu and Ciji, but how could Wu Zhe be unaware?
Was this not deliberately provoking him?
Sure enough, Danzhu glanced at the tray and his chest heaved violently.
He snatched his sabre from the guard and said coldly, “Pass the order: First, Second, and Third Banners are to assemble immediately!”
Though his voice was not loud, everyone could hear the fury within it.
After giving the order, Danzhu turned and strode into the command tent, commanding his guards to armour him.
Wu Zhe hurried in after him.
Before Wu Zhe could speak, Danzhu cut in first. “Sir, Bao’er Mountain must not fall, or the left flank of our camp will be exposed. Please do not try to stop me!”
“I know full well Bao’er Mountain cannot be lost, and I know you are enraged. I am not here to prevent you from marching, only to remind you of your position!”
Wu Zhe continued, “General, you are the backbone of this army. Have you considered what would happen to the entire force if anything befell you?”
“I will take three banners of Tubo warriors. What can those Da Kang cowards do to me?”
Danzhu gestured for the guards to fasten his armour while speaking like a sulking child.
“The Peace and Prosperity Army comes from Mianzhu and is nothing to fear. But the Ever Loyal Army has deep ties with Jin Feng. Scouts report that for some time they campaigned under Jin Feng’s subordinate Zhang Liang in Guangyuan suppressing bandits. They certainly possess heavy crossbows and trebuchets. In the darkness they could loose cold arrows, how will you guard against them?”
Wu Zhe pressed on, “Moreover, the main camp still requires your presence to make decisions. If another emergency arises, who will take command?”
“What could be more critical than Bao’er Mountain?” Danzhu asked while buckling his belt.
No sooner had he spoken than another guard rushed in. “General, Da Kang troops are descending Great Python Slope again!”
Danzhu was already seething. Unable to vent at Wu Zhe, the guard had walked straight into the storm. Danzhu kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying out of the tent.
“Do trifles like this need to be reported to me?” Danzhu roared. “Tell the patrols to slaughter them!”
Danzhu was a master himself. The guard spat blood yet struggled to his feet and gasped, “General, this time is different from before. A great many Da Kang troops are coming down and forming battle array!”
“They mean to assault the camp? Excellent! Saves me the trouble of looking for them!”
Ciji’s death had struck Danzhu too hard. He had already lost some of his reason. Ignoring his earlier orders, he shouted, “Beat the drums! Assemble every man! We surround and storm Great Python Slope!”
Seeing the situation spiralling out of control, Wu Zhe stepped forward and slapped Danzhu across the face. “Calm yourself!”
The guards immediately lowered their heads, pretending they had seen nothing.
Danzhu stood stunned by the blow.
Only after a long moment did he recover.
Yet he did not flare up. Instead he bowed deeply to Wu Zhe. “Many thanks, sir!”
As a seasoned commander, Danzhu knew Wu Zhe was right.
Rage had clouded his judgement. If he charged out recklessly he might well die without a burial place.
Only when he saw Danzhu behave thus did Wu Zhe finally relax. He waved a hand and said, “General, the situation is still unclear. It is unwise to act rashly. Let us first gather full intelligence, then decide our course.”
“You are right, sir!”
Danzhu glanced back at the tray, about to give instructions regarding Ciji’s head, when a sudden crackling burst sounded outside.
Danzhu no longer cared about the head. He hurried out of the tent with Wu Zhe.
On Great Python Slope to the west, streaks of light shot into the sky, then exploded overhead in brilliant bursts of every colour.
For some time the escort guards had tormented the Tubo night watch with flashbangs.
The ancients were superstitious. Faced with things they could not comprehend, they readily turned to the supernatural.
Whispers had already spread through the Tubo camp that the Divine Light Immortal had appeared, yet instead of protecting them, the deity now aided the enemy on Great Python Slope.
Some argued that the true Divine Light Immortal emitted seven-coloured radiance, whereas Great Python Slope produced only white light, so it could not be genuine.
Now the seven-coloured light had come!
In an instant, countless Tubo soldiers dropped to their knees and kowtowed toward the western slope, crying, “The Divine Light Immortal reveals himself! The Divine Light Immortal reveals himself!”
