“Why attack Great Python Slope?” Danzhu asked.
“General, Gadha Zanpu sent us to Da Kang only for intimidation, not truly to occupy Xichuan City!”
Wu Zhe said, “The situation is now very unfavourable for us. It is time to withdraw!”
Tubo had been in continual internal strife for years and could not afford a war with Da Kang.
They had merely seen the weakness of the Da Kang court and wanted to extort money, like the Dangxiang and Khitan.
Danzhu’s expedition to Da Kang was in fact only for show, to intimidate while plundering a little on the side.
Even if they brought nothing back, during their time in Tubo these twenty thousand men could sustain themselves through war, sparing Gadha the need to provide provisions and pay.
After so many years of fighting, Gadha was truly short of funds. Saving where possible was essential.
Attacking the prefectural city of Xichuan had been Danzhu’s own decision.
He knew full well that twenty thousand men could hardly take the high-walled city of Xichuan. He had simply wanted to try his luck.
If fortune favoured them and they captured it, it would be a great achievement.
If not, there would be no real loss.
After all, Da Kang soldiers fled at the mere sight of them. With time on their hands, it was just practice, a game.
Moreover, it sent a stronger message of intimidation.
But who could have foreseen Jin Feng appearing out of nowhere, completely disrupting Danzhu’s plans.
Given the stance shown by the Ninth Princess, withdrawing now would surely mean Da Kang refused tribute.
The plan to extort Da Kang would fail utterly.
“Sir, I am unwilling!” Danzhu said.
Yes, he was unwilling.
Gadha had more than one trusted general. Danzhu had fought hard, defeating several rivals, to secure this lucrative assignment.
Returning in disgrace would surely invite mockery from his competitors.
“General, a great man must be decisive. Victory and defeat are common in war. Have we not suffered defeats before? Have we not been looked down upon?”
Wu Zhe knew Danzhu well and understood how to persuade him. “Yet those who mocked us then, who dares belittle the general now?”
“Sir, this time is different!” Danzhu said. “Before we left, Lord Gadha told me this campaign concerns the survival of the tribe. We absolutely cannot fail!”
“Of course I know we cannot fail, but now we have lost even our war horses. Bao’er Mountain and the east city gate have probably fallen to the Da Kang forces, and the north gate cannot be held either. We have already lost! If we linger in Chuanshu, once Chen Wen’er summons reinforcements from everywhere, we will not even be able to leave!”
Wu Zhe said, “General, as long as we live and hold troops in our hands, we have a chance to rise again. If we die, we have nothing!”
“Sir, we can no longer leave now!”
Danzhu sighed and said, “At this point, I will not hide it from you. Scouts report that boat patrols have been cruising the Jinma River constantly. If we try to return, Jin Feng will surely destroy the bridges!”
“General, I too know crossing the Jinma River will be difficult.” Wu Zhe said, “But what is truly fearsome is not destroying the bridges, but Jin Feng releasing the water!”
At these words, Danzhu’s face paled.
Yes, Jin Feng had done it once before.
Three thousand elite infantry, never even seeing the enemy, all swept away by floodwaters.
If Jin Feng could do it once, why not again?
“Since you understand, sir, why still urge me to withdraw?” Danzhu said. “Bao’er Mountain is lost, so the moat sluice gates must be lost too. The moat south of the city runs diagonally into the Jinma River. Southward is a dead end. Where else can we retreat?”
The moat of Xichuan Prefecture was fed by flowing water, with the upstream gates near Bao’er Mountain.
When Danzhu sent men to occupy Bao’er Mountain, they took the gates as well.
This allowed them to cut off the moat and drive civilians to assault the city.
The Changxin army, seizing Bao’er Mountain, would certainly take the gates too.
As if confirming his words, just as Danzhu finished speaking, a personal guard arrived the next moment to report that water was flowing in the moat again.
Danzhu waved the guard away and looked at Wu Zhe. “Sir, we have no path of retreat!”
“That is precisely why I urge the general to attack Great Python Slope!”
Wu Zhe said, “Now Chen Wen’er, Jin Feng, and Qing Xinyao’s sister Qing Mulang are all on Great Python Slope. Capturing them is our only way out!”
Danzhu slapped his thigh hard. “Yes, how did I not think of that?”
“As long as we capture Chen Wen’er, who would dare destroy bridges? Who would dare flood us? We could leave when we wish, stay when we wish!”
“It is said the Da Kang emperor dotes particularly on Chen Wen’er. We could threaten that dog emperor with tribute, or else I will strip Chen Wen’er bare and tie her to a flagpole for all to see what a Da Kang princess looks like!”
“I will also make Qing Xinyao compensate for my war horses, or I will send his sister to keep Chen Wen’er company!”
“And Jin Feng, I will hang him publicly, letting him fall into eternal darkness!”
Danzhu’s eyebrows flew up in excitement.
“The general has finally seen clearly!” Wu Zhe showed a relieved expression.
He had feared Danzhu would act rashly and insist on besieging Xichuan City to the death.
“I am but a rough man. Please do not take offence, sir!”
Danzhu cupped his hands and asked, “Then how does sir think we should attack Great Python Slope?”
“To take Great Python Slope, we must first destroy the black-armoured unit! The general can first send fast horses to the north city gate…”
Wu Zhe stroked his beard and slowly outlined his plan.
Danzhu nodded continually.
Moments later, several fast horses galloped out from the Tubo main camp.
…
On the pitch-black mountain road, a long procession of torches pressed onward.
“Brother Monkey, do you think Danzhu will send men to attack us?”
Chen Fengzhi turned his head and asked.
After the battle at Mao’er Mountain, the entire Iron Tiger Camp was convinced of the escort team’s fighting prowess.
Chen Fengzhi had also become good friends with Monkey.
Dazhuang, meanwhile, had hit it off with Chen Rui. The two now ate, trained, and sparred together whenever off duty, practically inseparable.
“How would I know? I’m not Danzhu,” Monkey said nonchalantly. “Besides, Brother Liang said if Danzhu sends men, we will hold them off. You just keep moving. What is there to worry about?”
With that, he adjusted his armour upward again.
Plate armour was mass-produced. Monkey was slight of build, so even the smallest size kept slipping down. Every so often he had to pull it up.
“Alright, we get it. Your armour is impressive. Showing off once or twice is enough. Doing it constantly is boring.”
Chen Fengzhi gave Monkey a speechless glance.
Monkey had originally found the armour issue annoying, but later discovered that whenever he adjusted it, it made a clanking sound, and the surrounding Iron Tiger Camp warriors immediately cast envious looks.
This discovery opened a new world for Monkey. The annoyance quickly turned to enjoyment.
Originally needing adjustment every five minutes, now he did it every few steps.
It drove Chen Fengzhi mad.
“Jealous? If you’re jealous, have your general issue each of you a set too!”
Monkey bumped Chen Fengzhi. “Your Iron Tiger Camp is supposed to be elite, yet your leader wears a shabby leather armour. Not embarrassing enough?”
Chen Fengzhi was about to kick Monkey when he suddenly saw a white light shoot into the sky ahead.
It was followed by a sharp whistle.
“Enemy attack!”
“All hands, prepare for battle!”
