Chapter 77
Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume Three: Galloping Through Bingzhou, Troops Marching from Hedong Chapter 77: The Method of Releasing Life
“Zilong, heed my command!”
Those four resounding words made it clear at once that Qiao Yan had decisively chosen the latter option.
Should she entirely eradicate the Baibo bandits or take them under her wing?
If it were peacetime, or had she not been in Bingzhou, choosing the former might not have been out of the question.
One must consider the bandits in Baibo Valley; they operate quite differently from the Black Mountain Bandits nestled in the Taihang Mountains.
Be it their alliance with the Xiongnu for a joint invasion of Bingzhou and Hedong or their opportunistic antics amidst the conflicts among the warlords like Li Jue and Guo Si, there’s a short-sighted, bandit-like approach to their actions.
They could be eliminated without a second thought!
However, the current circumstances were different. Qiao Yan not only lacked the military achievements needed to establish her footing in Bingzhou and gain power in the court, but she also needed the essential manpower in these chaotic times.
Given that, why not consider adopting the same strategy with the Baibo bandits as she did with the Black Mountain bandits?
Even if needed to kill, it couldn’t be total annihilation.
Moreover, though she couldn’t judge them solely by historical accounts, it was undeniable that her multiple skirmishes with Chu Yan and the Baibo bandits had allowed her to discern that Xu Huang, who was still serving under Yang Feng, was indeed a potential talent.
As she prepared to step beyond Leping after two years of patience, bringing such a person under her wing was undoubtedly necessary.
So, a battle it is! But let’s make it a proper one!
Upon hearing Qiao Yan’s command, Zhao Yun immediately rose to take his place.
Qiao Yan continued, “You shall lead as the commander, with Yuanzhi as your deputy, rally a thousand men to attack Han Xian and his troops, and ensure Han Xian escapes while killing or capturing more than half of the Baibo bandits. Can you do it?”
Her tone was equally resolute.
Though Cheng Li didn’t offer suggestions like Xi Zhicai at this moment, his gaze never left Qiao Yan’s face.
As the one managing Leping’s affairs, he was aware of Qiao Yan’s pressing need for personnel, so it wasn’t surprising that she’d opt for the latter.
But this known choice, in her firm tone and electric gaze ordering them, still carried an invigorating power.
Even someone as seasoned and cautious as he, over forty, found it hard to remain unaffected, let alone Zhao Yun.
He immediately responded, “Zhao Yun obeys!”
As for why to let Han Xian go—
Having seen Qiao Yan place that five-zhus coin atop another coin, he could hazard a guess.
And the subsequent arrangements confirmed that guess.
Qiao Yan said, “Zhi Shu, heed my command!”
Zhang Yang immediately jumped up.
Suddenly realizing this wasn’t quite proper behavior, he promptly straightened up.
He had thought that his previous embarrassing encounter with Zhang Niujiao would temporarily push Qiao Yan to reconsider his role, but it seemed the Marquis of Leping was quite forgiving.
“You will lead five hundred to meet with Chu Yan, ambush Hu Cai, and ensure Hu Cai is killed while allowing over half of his comrades to escape. Can you do that?”
Just as Zhang Yang was about to reply “Command received,” he suddenly realized—
This order seemed a bit different from what she gave Zhao Yun and Xu Fu?
Zhao Yun’s task was to let Han Xian go, but his was to kill Hu Cai, leaving him a bit confused about the distinction.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Why kill Hu Cai and not let him go?”
Qiao Yan replied, “The goal of this ambush isn’t to eliminate the Baibo bandits but to gather them in one place.”
Zhang Yang was even more perplexed; if that were the case, wouldn’t it make more sense to let Hu Cai go seek refuge with his elder brother Yang Feng?
But then he heard Qiao Yan ask, “If all three ambushes result in allowing the Baibo bandit leaders to escape, do you think it would be seen as a blunder or a deliberate setup?”
True that!
Zhang Yang finally understood, but looking around, he asked, “So, does that mean the third group will let Li Le go?”
Well, that’s good; only his group’s aim is to successfully repel the enemy leader, without needing to worry too much about messing things up.
For someone as straightforward as him, this was the perfect task; apart from teaming up with the scheming Chu Yan, everything else suited him just fine.
He couldn’t help but feel that following Qiao Yan was indeed the right choice.
Though he couldn’t compare in status to Zhang Liao, the military officer, he had seen quite a bit of action at the borders and still enjoyed privileges here in Leping that were unlike elsewhere.
Moreover, he already had a military leadership position to boot!
Just as he was thinking this, he heard Qiao Yan say, “Correct, I’ll take the third group myself and let Li Le go.”
Seeing Cheng Li furrow his brow briefly, as if to remind her of safety issues—especially not to raise new interests after the previous releases—Qiao Yan quickly added, “Dian Wei will accompany me.”
With that, aside from Zhang Niujiao, who was busy copying texts as punishment from Qiao Yan, all the capable individuals for this mission had been mobilized.
No, to be precise, there was still one more.
As Qiao Yan organized the 2,500 troops from the Black Mountain army and the county guards for this outing, and as she was about to swing onto her horse, a figure suddenly dashed in front of her horse.
Qiao Yan immediately reined in her horse, finally noticing that the person in front wasn’t anyone other than Fu Gan.
“Why is Yan Cai here?”
Though she knew that given the slow start of the horse, there wouldn’t be any issues, the sudden appearance still caught her off guard.
The young man tightened his face, looking up at her with a hint of pleading in his eyes. “My lord, can I join this battle? I’m capable enough to kill enemies and won’t cause trouble for you.”
At that point, he couldn’t help but glance enviously at those accompanying Qiao Yan.
He understood that following Qiao Yan’s plan—studying military strategies at Leping Academy and training according to her methods—would be the better choice to join the army after turning fifteen.
This was precisely why his father hadn’t let him participate in military affairs when he was younger.
But he also knew that any battle before engaging the Liangzhou rebels was essential; if he missed this one because of his age, he would undoubtedly regret it later.
Rather than risk that, he might as well take the chance and request to join Qiao Yan.
The girl on horseback had a long bow strapped to her back, with her long spear disassembled and at her side, its tips reflecting a sharp glint.
And her equally sharp gaze, at this moment, held even more authority than usual from her elevated position.
Fu Gan made sure to meet her gaze, signaling his determination to join her in this request.
Qiao Yan regarded him for a long time before she said, “It’s fine to join.”
Fu Gan breathed a sigh of relief but soon heard Qiao Yan ask, “But what if I need you to take a loss for me?”
A loss?
Fu Gan hadn’t participated in the earlier meeting with Qiao Yan and the others, so he couldn’t guess her intentions concerning the Baibo bandits.
But having followed his father through military campaigns for years, he knew some defeats were necessary; after all, you could learn even in defeat.
Furthermore, commands are absolute, and Qiao Yan was the leader of this troop.
He immediately replied, “Losing is fine; Fu Gan willingly serves as your front-line soldier.”
Qiao Yan pointed behind her, signaling him to return to formation.
Rather than being just a front-line soldier, being a scapegoat among the Baibo bandits wouldn’t be too bad either.
Just as she told Zhang Yang, even though her goal was to gather the Baibo bandits together, it wouldn’t do for any personnel sent from Leping to face a scenario where the bandits could successfully retreat or escape.
That would not be a plan but a blunder.
Thus, the three routes needed to be distinct, each with its own rationale.
Zhang Yang and Chu Yan’s route—
Chu Yan had clashed with Hu Cai several times prior; both sides knew each other’s strengths.
If Chu Yan, with external support, couldn’t secure a substantial victory in this assault, it would definitely raise suspicions.
So, Hu Cai must die!
Once Hu Cai perished, his subordinates would turn into a rudderless group, becoming resources to be contested.
When multiple commanding officers gather in one place, competition for this soldier resource would inevitably spark conflict.
Hence, Hu Cai’s death wouldn’t aid the enemy but catalyze internal rifts among the Baibo bandits.
As for Qiao Yan and Dian Wei’s route, they absolutely needed to let Li Le go.
Finding an excuse for this wouldn’t be hard.
With the Marquis of Leping personally leading the troops, her youth and inexperience would create plausible grounds for accidentally letting him escape during encirclement.
Now, with Fu Gan included, it made even more sense.
The main commander is young; the deputy is also young with no battle experience; they both happened to enjoy advantageous conditions for an ambush, allowing Li Le to escape in a fluster, causing casualties—a completely understandable situation.
What about Zhao Yun’s route?
He too would need to let the Baibo bandits escape.
Qiao Yan retained him for a moment, allowing Zhang Yang to meet up with Chu Yan first before seeking out Wang Yang after consulting with Cui Lie.
Earlier, to hook Mi Zhu, she had woven nitre-laced coals as bait to lure Wang Yang to her door, and the trade-off was for him to find a few people for her.
Given Wang Yang’s urgent need for the coals and the Wang family’s efficiency in Jinyang, achieving this goal within a couple of days wasn’t unreasonable.
Even before Qiao Yan spoke, he had already brought the individuals to her.
She instinctively fidgeted with her jade ornament, gazing at the people before her.
This guy strikingly had the kind of shifty, rat-like face that made Qiao Yan admire Wang Yang’s knack for finding people.
She inquired, “Do you know anyone among Han Xian’s troops?”
“Exactly,” the man replied, “Among my fellow townsfolk, a few have joined Han Xian, and before they left, they asked if I had any interest in seeking wealth with them.”
“But I think, while our lives aren’t easy, there’s still a glimmer of hope. Even the locust plagues that would definitely have caused severe losses in previous years were managed, no, under your command, my lord. Why would I discard my identity as a decent citizen and descend into banditry?”
“Last year, I secured a stable position in the Wang family shop, and I could eventually save enough coins to buy two more acres of farmland.”
The earnest excitement shining in his eyes easily overshadowed any flaws in his appearance.
But just because he wasn’t thinking like a thief didn’t mean he’d undertake any of the more dangerous tasks Qiao Yan needed.
Qiao Yan pressed on, “If I need you to send a message to your fellow townsfolk saying you saw the provincial government assembling troops against them, would you dare to do it?”
“Send a message? Why would I?” the man asked in confusion.
This was his first encounter with someone wanting to inform their enemy of their movements before a fight.
However, recalling that Wang Yang had mentioned a sum of money when bringing him to her, it indeed was an amount he wouldn’t earn in ten years of hard work.
Even just for the money, he felt no need to complain about the employer’s demands.
Moreover, merely sending a message rather than doing anything risky like assisting in battle or inciting rebellion didn’t pose much danger. He could always argue that he merely “delivered the message and departed.”
This made the transaction more viable.
So, without waiting for Qiao Yan to explain why to send a message, he quickly asserted, “Rest assured, I’m quite courageous; it won’t be difficult to deliver the message.”
Having a snitch relay information meant it was only natural for Zhao Yun’s side to let people escape.
But Qiao Yan still needed to consult with Zhao Yun and Xu Fu to see if they could withstand the known negative repercussions of an impending assault and still fulfill their original tasks.
But perhaps that question was unnecessary.
Both were relatively young, and now with this official training opportunity, how could they find Qiao Yan’s test daunting?
Especially Xu Fu, who, after a moment’s contemplation, caught onto Qiao Yan’s intent.
If indeed it went according to Qiao Yan’s plan—
The two youngest leading their squads let the enemy escape due to inexperience.
The slightly older pair accidentally revealed their position, leading to a warning that facilitated the enemy’s escape.
And the two most experienced would successfully eliminate the bandit leader.
Such three parties could converge on Yang Feng for various reasons, providing no incriminating evidence.
And once they gathered, there would still be empty leadership above them with Guo Si, below with territorial resources and even fleeing bandits to contest.
If Qiao Yan could slow the troops’ advancement, it would create an environment fit for “dragon fights and tiger struggles” among them!
But the precondition for achieving this was—
He and Zhao Yun must never fall into the enemy’s hands during this operation.
As for how to ensure this mission strikes true, gratitude is due for the fog bomb Qiao Yan had previously deployed.
The troops stationed at Zhiguan Pass, the border of Bingzhou, were Chu Yan and Zhao Yun, who had only been targeting the Baibo bandits brazenly crossing into merchant routes.
They presented themselves as short-handed, unable to do more than defend, not actively invading the enemy’s lair.
But the Black Mountain Bandits, nestled within the Taihang Mountains, initially entangled during their first year with planting yams, hadn’t been without mountainous training.
So, while we’re busy playing tag with the Baibo bandits, it’s actually not too hard to send a team into the mountains to scout their positions.
Right now, we’ve got plenty of manpower and the timing couldn’t be better!
“Don’t worry, my lord! We’re sure to take down those bandits!” Xu Fu and Zhao Yun chimed in unison.
With their promise, Qiao Yan finally felt reassured and let the two lead the way, taking along the messenger.
The thousand-strong troop they commanded, despite not wearing armor, still had a scrappy look to them from behind. But given Leping’s folks usually marched in formation, they were way more organized than your typical ragtag bunch.
Thanks to Leping’s ample food supplies, those once-skinny Black Mountain refugees now looked surprisingly sturdy, a fact evident from their silhouettes.
In this mixed-up era of chaos, such an advantage is especially crucial.
Plus, this troop had two exceptional leaders on hand.
With that thought in mind, she turned her gaze back to the situation at hand.
The guide, assigned from Chu Yan’s squad, had arrived, and this guy clearly had some of Chu Yan’s cleverness in him.
After they set off, he carefully and nimbly guided Qiao Yan toward Li Le’s camp, turning to explain, “Li Le is more cautious than the others. When he plunders a shipment, he immediately changes his camp location. Sometimes, he’ll even dig himself a hidey hole.”
“Of course, around our parts, a hideout can be quite cozy, especially nowadays; the elders say it’s a lot colder than it used to be.”
Realizing he had rambled off, he quickly got back to business. “Anyway, back to Li Le—the guys he sends out to raid are good at hiding, like mountain rabbits. Once they’ve grabbed something, they just disappear.”
“Thanks to the leaf-made outfits from Lord Qiao, ha, there was a time when I lay right next to them, and nobody noticed! But Chu Yan doesn’t like those things; it makes him frown. I heard Lord Qiao tricked him with that before?”
Qiao Yan chuckled, “Not entirely, right?”
Those outfits might help a bit for scouting, but they won’t decide the outcome.
After all, they’re just environmental camouflage, and with today’s production capabilities, no one’s making real camouflage gear yet.
But for bandits like the Baibo, they’re definitely effective.
They can’t take their fight from the valleys to a fortified position and still have to deal with the unique scouting method we’re employing against them.
The guide was quick-witted and a real chatterbox, which didn’t hinder him from guiding them skillfully around, completely avoiding Li Le’s surveillance and bringing Qiao Yan’s group to their destination.
He pointed to a valley ahead and said, “My lord, look, it’s right there!”
Even though it was autumn, there were still some evergreen trees in the Taihang Mountains, like this patch of fir trees.
In this little dip surrounded by firs, the Baibo bandits camping below had completely concealed themselves.
Qiao Yan couldn’t help but give props to this guy’s camp-selection skills.
If it weren’t for the guide pointing it out, they probably would’ve had to wait until the bandits came out to rob again to figure out their whereabouts.
He pointed out these three paths to Qiao Yan.
“If you want to let them slip away, just block off two.”
This was basically a method used in siege warfare. A different application of the same idea here.
However, Qiao Yan examined the area for quite a while, signaling Dian Wei to bring up the rear flank while turning to Fu Gan and asking, “What do you think?”
Fu Gan responded, “Maybe we should block all three paths.”
Qiao Yan smiled, “Exactly, that’s how it should be.”
Seeing that the guide was still somewhat puzzled, and realizing that this wasn’t the right time to attack, Qiao Yan didn’t hesitate to explain, “If what you say is true, Li Le tends to switch camps right after a plunder, no matter how hidden this place appears, he won’t act differently this time. It means there must be other retreat routes besides the obvious ones.”
“Moreover, only someone who doesn’t understand warfare would carelessly suggest blocking all possible exits.”
Once all common escape routes were cut off, those trapped would surely fight back fiercely, and in the balance between the Black Mountain Army and the Baibo bandits, that would be pretty unwise.
But since she was planning to let Li Le get away, what harm would it do to leave him with a false impression?
But that way, Fu Gan didn’t have to lose a fight either.
This alone was already enough.
Her gaze fell upon the treetops slowly engulfed by night and she whispered:
“We’ll strike before sunrise.”
From what Qiao Yan observed, the Baibo leader did care about his safety a lot.
The path the guide used to bring them over just happened to bypass the sentries.
But since Li Le had chosen a low-lying concealed spot, it was unlikely anyone up high would be keeping watch.
When Qiao Yan’s group stealthily climbed the mountain at dusk, she realized that nighttime probably wasn’t the best time to attack.
As she carefully peered around, she caught the faint sound of footsteps in the dimness—sentries patrolling nearby, crunching leaves underfoot.
By the time morning was near, those sounds gradually faded away.
Confident of her ability to capture the Baibo bandits, Qiao Yan felt no hint of drowsiness.
At least from Fu Gan’s perspective, this County Marquis, aiming for the best camouflage, didn’t just lead from the front. Her gaze was sharp, completely unfazed by a sleepless night.
To avoid detection on the way here, Qiao Yan left her fancy steed at the foot of the mountain and, since she wouldn’t be fighting on horseback, left her longbow there too, only taking a half-length spear and an emergency short bow.
But stripping down her weaponry didn’t make anyone think she’d be an easy target now.
When she raised her hand to signal her followers to move, she became as sharp as a knife out of its sheath!
Fu Gan wasted no time and dashed towards the direction where the sounds had faded.
Right before dawn, that was when the night watch would be their most drowsy and lax.
Li Le’s hidden spot was already concealed, and the guards above were rotating shifts after a supposedly safe night—
In such circumstances, how could they suspect anyone would come for an attack?
The sentry that should have raised the alarm didn’t even get to speak before Fu Gan had already slit his throat.
The other soldiers charged toward the next sentry post.
Fu Gan had thought only regular border guards could show such fierce combat spirit, but attacking alongside Leping’s soldiers, he suddenly realized their ability to act was just as robust as the soldiers of Liangzhou.
In the long wait overnight, they were brimming with explosive energy.
But perhaps it wasn’t just exhaustion from waiting long.
When Fu Gan reached one of the entry paths and waited for the soldiers behind him to gather, he looked back toward the direction they had come from, spotting a barely discernible light illuminating the figure of Lord Qiao, making it evident without saying a word.
She was observing these warriors.
Having maintained peace in Leping, this silent watch seemed to inspire a sense of devotion so strong that they were ready to give their lives for her.
No, it wasn’t silent.
She kept her eyes on Fu Gan and the others, and at that moment, pulled back on her bowstring.
Though there was still some lingering moonlight, that short bow bent like another full moon.
Or perhaps it could be viewed as the rising sun, who knows?
Fu Gan could only be certain that when Qiao Yan released that shot, the sound of the twanged bowstring echoed across the valley.
And in an instant, the cacophony of clashing steel erupted throughout the entire valley.
He had no doubt that this was a momentum that could swallow the entire Baibo bandit group whole, even if they wanted to fight to the death.
If it weren’t for the fact that there were vastly more Baibo bandits—over twice their number—Li Le wouldn’t have had a chance to wake up at all.
Still barely in a deep sleep, he was suddenly dragged awake by a hand as he heard the clamorous battle cries.
“Rebel Leader, enemy forces are attacking!” said a subordinate as he hurriedly shoved a weapon into his hands.
Li Le quickly snapped back to reality.
He felt incredibly grateful that he always kept his guard up, sleeping in his gear and that his men weren’t a bunch of fools.
Even if he didn’t know who was launching this sudden assault, at least he wasn’t at the end of the line just yet.
Clenching his long knife, he demanded, “What’s going on?”
“All three retreat routes are blocked! The attackers look similar to Chu Yan’s group, just led by someone else,” his subordinate quickly reported.
Inwardly, Li Le was cursing non-stop.
It was one thing for Chu Yan to have been dealt with by the Marquis of Leping; it was another to switch sides as well, showing precisely what the most dangerous enemy looks like—one who knows you inside and out.
If those four commanders had been able to unite and take out Chu Yan together, they wouldn’t be knee-deep in this mess today.
But he clearly couldn’t say that now.
Thank goodness he was following someone as cautious as Li Le, meaning he didn’t have to panic quite yet about all the exits being blocked.
Because just as Qiao Yan suspected, Li Le hadn’t moved recently not out of laziness but because he’d dug another escape route here.
A wave of ominous unease flickered in Li Le’s heart, but maintaining his composure, he replied, “Let’s go check it out!”
As he stepped out of the military tent, he saw the Black Mountain Army in a prime advantageous position, emerging from the fir forest in the morning light.
And the leader? A kid!
Fu Gan was at the forefront, charging ahead, allowing Li Le a clear view.
The feeling of being pushed down by a thirteen-year-old was instantaneously infuriating.
But then he noticed his subordinates were still strong enough to push back, which calmed him a little; he might’ve been tempted to jump in with his knife.
However, he quickly noticed another team rushing in from a different direction, bringing about a fierce atmosphere that would help even the odds back in this fight.
He instantly realized that despite their leader’s poor choice, their encirclement method had its own glaring flaws, but that didn’t change the fact he had to face—
They were at a disadvantage!
Everyone on the scene understood that the escape route they’d uncovered was now the priority for the startled Baibo bandits; they weren’t looking to fight to the last man but instead were rushing for their getaway route.
Li Le’s temples pulsed with rage.
From the current standoff, they clearly had the numbers advantage. After surviving the first wave of attack, they could’ve turned the tables easily.
As long as they struck back hard enough, they could reclaim the momentum.
But look at what these clowns were doing! They were practically handing victory over to that kid!
Just as he thought that, an inexplicable sense of crisis suddenly struck him.
He instinctively turned his head just in time to see an arrow swiftly zipping past the side of his face.
Looking in the direction of the arrow, he spotted a similarly-aged girl holding a short bow, aiming right at him.
The murderous intent in her eyes, illuminated by the brightening light, was shockingly intense.
Moreover, behind her was a hulking brute who looked like no ordinary person.
In a split second, Li Le’s mind raced faster than ever before.
Leping Marquis!
This was the Marquis of Leping!
Realizing that, he had no time to ponder why she was there; he immediately abandoned his counterattack and bolted towards the escape route.
With the Marquis of Leping personally showing up, how could she not have brought along some backup!
When faced with this imminent danger, running was the only option!
Luckily—
Thank goodness the enemy had blocked all pathways yet were still too young and naive to consider he had already prepared an escape route right behind him.
This underground passage he had dug could fit three or four people side by side and was perfect for making an exit right now!
Despite being cornered into this fleeing situation, Li Le couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, thinking how the Marquis of Leping might’ve underestimated him; it wasn’t just about having a few extra hideouts.
Pursuing this odd mix of self-comfort and smugness, he fled until dawn finally broke, whereupon he realized only half of his group made it out with him.
Bitterness crept into his mouth.
But after all, as a bandit, he quickly shook it off.
For now, he wasn’t completely defeated!
Among those who escaped with him, he still had over a thousand men; he just needed to regroup with the rest, and they could recover their strength!
But little did he know, not too far away, Qiao Yan was looking at the now-vanished trails of the fleeing bandits, slowly revealing a smile.
“Let’s round up the captured and head back for a good night’s sleep, then—”
“Sit tight and watch the show!”
