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墨書 Inktalez
Heaven never seems to enjoy watching anyone smoothly complete a task, perhaps that's where the saying "Heaven rewards hard work" comes from. Back in the day, the Qin Army racked their brains to cross the Dan Shui River, and ultimately succeeded in controlling the Zhao Army's catapult at Luzi before they managed to cross.
The recent emergency retreat of the Qin Army made them taste the bitter fruit of abandoning their armor. Meanwhile, the Zhao Army, having temporarily secured victory, now faced the same dilemma that had once troubled the Qin Army: how to cross the Dan Shui River. The swift currents of the river left both armies only able to watch each other's smoke signals from across the bank.
The main force that retreated subsequently moved all the ferries downstream on the Dan Shui River, while the bridges that had been built for convenience were now mostly destroyed. This was not because the Qin Army did not want to fight across but because they were forced into this situation. The Zhao Army's offensive at this time was different from their previous tactics; they charged fiercely and frequently executed flanking maneuvers, aiming to achieve a quick victory.
If the Qin Army hesitated even slightly during their retreat, their escape route would be immediately sealed off. Moreover, those Zhao Army soldiers blocking their rear were clearly following orders to fight to the last man. The Zhao Army's willingness to pay any price directly forced the Qin Army to suffer heavy casualties in order to break through.
If at first, the Qin Army was proud and confident, they were now taught a lesson by the Zhao Army and wore long faces. Just hearing the sound of Zhao's war drums behind them drained them of any fighting spirit. Even the elite troops of the Qin State could not escape this battlefield curse, praying desperately not to be blocked by anyone on their way. Yet, as always, results were unexpected; the thunderous drumbeats showed no intention of giving anyone a moment's peace.
Thanks to General Bai Qi repeatedly sending troops for support, many trapped soldiers of the Qin State might never have seen the waters of Dan River again otherwise. As more and more troops broke through and returned, not a single person showed a hint of a smile. The statistics still indicated that at least seventy thousand troops were unaccounted for.
According to reports from safely returned soldiers, their respective troops had no idea about the retreat order. If it weren't for a unit delivering messages everywhere, many would still be waiting in place for orders. Reaching the west bank of the river meant survival, but what did that prove? Although they had followed orders to retreat from battle, it left a heavy feeling in their hearts. Brothers who had been joking just yesterday would never be seen again.
As commander of the Qin Army, Bai Qi did not consider these feelings; he was deeply worried after hearing reports from returning generals. Meng Wu and Wang Jian lived up to expectations; they had already notified more troops than initially anticipated. However, this also brought forth an unavoidable issue: actions taken later would be increasingly dangerous.
Reports from the front indicated that the Zhao Army seemed to have discovered a small unit of Qin Army secretly operating behind them. Bai Qi understood Zhao Kuo's character; he was someone who believed in drinking heavily whenever there was wine available. He acted decisively without hesitation. If this junior discovered someone was sabotaging his plans, Meng Wu and Wang Jian would be in danger!
Bai Qi's concerns were not unfounded; at this moment, Zhao Kuo had indeed noticed small groups of Qin Army engaging in secret activities. If they were gathering at Zhao Dan Shui River, it would make sense not to pay attention. But the problem was that this group of Qin Army was clearly moving against expectations rather than heading west.
What could their purpose be!? The answer was obvious!
Several large units of Qin Army that had seemingly been stationed in place suddenly abandoned their positions and began destroying supplies while breaking through either westward or toward the south or north. Moreover, they chose directions that were Zhao Army's weakest points, allowing many spoils of war from Zhao Army to escape unscathed.
Zhao Kuo lowered his head to examine the map, pointing at the many markings above and quickly analyzing the situation. Hmph! It turns out that it was a communication unit sent by the Qin Army, whose purpose was to notify the army that had not received the retreat order to withdraw to the Dan Shui River. This Communication Camp also had another mission: to find the weak points in the Zhao Army's encirclement and inform the trapped Qin Army.
With various deductions leading to a conclusion, Zhao Kuo suddenly discovered an exciting result. This Qin Army Communication Camp must have a Military Map of the Qin State! This was the map he had longed for!
The last time Zhao Kuo participated in the Shangdang Campaign, he only managed to obtain a fragment of a map, which had already left him in awe. If he could get a complete version this time, wouldn't all of China's mountains and rivers be within his grasp?
No! He had to come up with a plan this time; he absolutely could not miss this opportunity again! Determined, Zhao Kuo formulated an action plan aimed at encircling and annihilating this Qin Army to acquire their military map.
Since the target had been confirmed, Zhao Kuo, accustomed to decisive action, immediately ordered some Qin Soldiers to be captured and brought before him.
Looking at the lined-up Qin Soldiers, Zhao Kuo quickly commanded them to be untied as a gesture of goodwill. "You are all soldiers receiving military rations, and so am I! The only difference is that you are Qin People while I am Zhao People. However, in essence, we are all part of Zhou Tianzi's army. If you have weapons, it is your duty as Qin People to fight for the Qin State. But if you do not have weapons, my Zhao Army treats prisoners of war well!"
Although this thought was not expressed in standard Mandarin, the written words were quite similar. There were distinctions, as each Feudal State had its own dialects. However, there was no need for a translator; simply slowing down the speech during communication would suffice.
Zhao Kuo did just that, removing fragments from the dialect and speaking slowly so that these Qin People could understand. Once he saw they comprehended his words, he continued articulating whether anyone was willing to do something for Zhao State. If someone agreed, they could later consider settling in Zhao State.
As for benefits! Whatever Qin State could offer you, my Zhao State can match it without issue. Not only will we provide everything in full, but there might even be a possibility of doubling your compensation!
In the Qin Army, there were several ways to determine ranks based on the armor worn and sword held according to Zhou's military hierarchy. However, Qin People added another element: their hairstyles and adornments indicated their ranks.
Moreover, this was not a secret; all Feudal States knew about this preference of Qin People. While some might see it as unnecessary embellishment, it was not so. Armor could be damaged or not worn for special reasons, and a General's Sword could be lost in battle.
If such predictable situations occurred, an Officer who lost their sword in combat would still need to command their troops! When things reached this point, the hairstyle atop a Qin General's head would take on the role of their armor and sword.
The benefits of the Hairpin are even more effective than those of Armor and Sword, as it allows everyone to easily identify each person's position in the chaos of battle by looking at the top of their heads. Unless it is knocked off by an enemy, it can be seen from a distance, enabling all Soldiers to know the general's location.
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