Chapter 24: The Strategic Maneuvers of a Brilliant General

The training ground at Hulao Pass was brightly lit, filled with the mingled aromas of wine and roasted meat.

Chen An strode toward a table occupied by several generals who were visibly avoiding his gaze, a ceramic bowl in his hand. "Gentlemen, you have defended the pass with honor. I toast to you all!"

He tilted his head back and drained the potent liquor in one gulp. The liquid trickled down his chin, soaking the armor on his chest. He had lost count of how many bowls he had consumed that night, yet thanks to his unique tolerance for alcohol, he remained remarkably clear-headed, standing out among the rest.

Zhang Xiaojing, Wu Ergou, Zhou Peng, and others stepped up to toast him one by one. After two or three rounds, Chen An remained as steady as a mountain, while those old veterans had already begun to sway in a drunken stupor.

In these times, drinking was the traditional way to foster camaraderie, especially among hearty warriors. Chen An’s ability to hold his liquor, combined with his eloquence, cemented his reputation as a man of both literary and martial talent that night.

Chen An made his way to the table of the squad leaders responsible for the lower-level military affairs of Hulao Pass, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. A burly, bearded general braced himself and stood up, his hand trembling slightly. "Commander Chen has an impressive capacity for drink. I... I must concede."

Chen An would not let it go. He pressed a hand firmly on the man’s shoulder. "What talk of conceding! Come, fill it up again!"

He tilted the ceramic jug, and the pale, rice-colored wine poured into the bowl like a stream, glistening eerily under the firelight. As the rounds continued, the bearded general’s eyes grew increasingly unfocused, and his tongue became thick and clumsy.

Chen An took the opportunity to lean in, lowering his voice. "I hear someone is planning to deliver a grand gift to the Jiuli Tribe. I’m a brother who’d like to get in on the action and share some of the spoils..."

Before he could finish, the general let out a drunken hiccup, slapped his chest, and blurted, "Just... just wait for the signal outside the city. Once the gates open, the Jiuli cavalry—"

He collapsed onto the table before he could finish his sentence.

"Hmph," Chen An sneered.

In the quarters of the Hulao Pass commander:

"Is what you say true?"

"With the enemy at our gates and the city under siege, to think there are those who would betray us for their own gain!"

"It is an absolute absurdity!"

Upon learning the full story, Fang Ping’s face turned dark, his expression one of uncontrollable fury. "Someone, bring that man to me in chains!"

Fang Ping truly cared for the security of the realm, and being a man of impatient nature, he kept speaking of having the traitor slow-sliced to death.

"It is not yet time," Chen An said, promptly restraining Fang Ping.

"Even if you execute the traitor now, it won't solve the underlying crisis."

"Then what do you suggest?" Fang Ping asked softly.

"Hulao Pass is currently besieged. If the truth were known to everyone, it would surely cause panic and shatter our own defenses."

"We must strictly seal off the news. Such matters can only be handled in the shadows."

"Very well," Fang Ping agreed naturally. "Your judgment is sound. We shall proceed as you suggest."

"Sealing the news and keeping our internal defenses tight while appearing relaxed on the surface is merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause." Chen An analyzed the situation while looking at the sand table layout. "Hulao Pass has an East and West gate. Given the heavy drinking tonight, I ask the Commander to arrange for specific personnel to guard and monitor them, just to be safe!"

"Understood, I will issue the orders immediately."

"The final step is to repel the enemy."

When Fang Ping heard this, even though he had been prepared, he could not help but be startled. "You have a way to drive them back?"

"I intend to use their own stratagem against them."

...

Leaving Fang Ping’s quarters, Chen An finally let out a sigh of relief. Although Fang Ping was not a man of exceptional talent, he was at least decisive. With his support, Chen An felt a bit more confident.

With the requisition order in hand, Chen An quickly found Zhang Xiaojing. Upon seeing the dense list of supplies, Zhang Xiaojing’s mouth hung open wide enough to swallow a goose egg.

"Chen An, are you joking with me? What did you say to Fang Ping to make him so readily hand over all these supplies?"

"This is no time for talk. Gather the men and prepare to head out of the pass with me."

"Head out?" Zhang Xiaojing paused for a moment before realizing Chen An's intent. "You’ve lost your mind! With just the few of us, you want to launch a night raid on the enemy camp?"

"It’s not a raid. It’s a trap."

Pretending to be unaware of the crisis at Hulao Pass, Chen An followed his pre-arranged plan, secretly selecting two hundred elites. Under the cover of darkness, they laid an ambush on both sides of the canyon between Huyang Pass and Hulao Pass. The canyon was treacherous, with cliffs on both sides as sharp as blades—the perfect place for an ambush.

And sure enough, the drunken state of Hulao Pass had led the Jiuli Tribe to sense an opportunity. Under the cover of night, a vanguard of over a thousand Jiuli soldiers marched toward Hulao Pass with swagger, the sound of their hooves echoing through the silent valley.

Chen An hid behind a thicket, staring intently at the leading general. The man was clad in black armor and wore a wolf-head medallion at his waist—it was Wa'er, the renowned vanguard general of the Jiuli Tribe under Hezhe.

When the entire Jiuli vanguard had entered the canyon, Chen An swung his arm downward.

"Strike!" Zhang Xiaojing immediately signaled the men.

In an instant, logs and boulders rained down from the cliffs on both sides, followed by a chorus of screams. The Jiuli soldiers were caught completely off guard, their formation collapsing into chaos.

"Don't panic! This is no time to panic! Hold your ground!" Wa'er shouted, desperately trying to maintain order.

Unfortunately, Chen An would not give him the chance. At the sound of his command, hundreds of elites poured down from the heights like tigers descending a mountain.

Though they had been caught by surprise, Wa'er soon regained his composure. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he drew his scimitar and decisively ordered his men to counterattack. However, the narrow terrain of the canyon prevented the cavalry from utilizing their advantages.

In the dimness of the night, the Jiuli soldiers trampled each other in the chaos, suffering heavy casualties. Chen An, wielding a modified crossbow, moved through the rain of arrows; every time he pulled the trigger, a Jiuli soldier fell.

The battle lasted for two hours. The vanguard of over a thousand Jiuli men was completely wiped out, though Wa'er managed to escape.

"We won! We actually won!" Zhang Xiaojing shouted with excitement.

But there was not a trace of joy on Chen An’s face.

"What’s wrong? This is a great victory!" Zhang Xiaojing said, gently shaking Chen An’s shoulder.

"Something is wrong. It doesn't feel right," Chen An frowned slightly. "How many men were there?"

"I’d estimate around a thousand."

Chen An paused. "According to Fang Ping, the enemy force was about three thousand strong. If there were only a thousand here, where are the other two thousand?"

Zhang Xiaojing’s face turned cold. "You mean to say...?"

Dark clouds descended, and a chilling wind began to howl. As they spoke, the bright moonlight was completely swallowed, and there was a sense that a torrential downpour was about to begin.

"BOOM!"

A thunderous sound drew everyone's attention. A roar of killing cries that shook the heavens and earth echoed in the distance.

Hezhe had begun the assault on the city.