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墨書 Inktalez
Li Jian Cheng left the Provincial Governor's Office and immediately went to Dou Zhaoxian to report his achievements. After all, he couldn't run errands and do the work without saying anything; that would make him look foolish.
At that moment, he finally had the leisure to ponder Dou Kang's mindset in deciding to respond to Han Wang's call for rebellion. The likes of Wang Yi, Xiao Mohe, and Pei Wen'an on Han Wang's side were all individuals of humble origins who could not boast noble backgrounds.
As for Dou Kang, Li Jian Cheng called him uncle, while Dou Kang referred to the Predecessor Emperor as uncle as well. His mother was Princess Wan'an, and such a lineage spoke for itself. He inherited the title of Duke Chen and served as Governor of Youzhou, a position far more significant than the minor states Li Yan had governed in recent years.
However, he couldn't fathom Dou Kang's reasoning and decided to set it aside. Just as he was about to take a break and have a meal, he heard a report from outside that the Grand Marshal had summoned everyone to discuss the military situation.
With no choice but to put down his chopsticks, he joined Li Jing and hurried to the Provincial Governor's Office. Once inside, they stood in formation and took turns reading urgent reports on the military situation. After reviewing them, their expressions darkened.
They had never heard of Zhao Zikai before, but it had to be said that this person was quite steady. Despite having superior forces, he had adopted a defensive posture and ordered barricades at every mountain pass.
By blocking the direct routes and positioning his troops on elevated ground to wait for the enemy, he had extended this arrangement for a full fifty miles.
If they were to engage in battle like this, the Sui Army would suffer significant losses. However, avoiding confrontation was not realistic either; they still needed to deploy their forces as the court had already sent people to urge them on.
The next day, the army advanced. Li Jian Cheng and Li Jing refrained from further discussion and focused solely on their responsibilities, which improved the other generals' attitudes toward them somewhat.
The army set up camp facing Zhao Zikai's forces; one side held higher ground while the other was lower.
In terms of ranged attacks or cavalry charges, Zhao Zikai undoubtedly held an absolute advantage. Yet he showed no intention of launching an offensive; he didn’t even attempt any probing attacks but simply waited for them to come.
Every day, the Sui Army would charge forward as usual; if there were any casualties, they would retreat. However, they hadn’t seen Zhao Zikai show any signs of weakness for quite some time.
Li Jing wanted to say something but was stopped by Li Jian Cheng. With no conclusions reached in their discussions, someone suggested waiting a bit longer; in a few days, reinforcements numbering in the tens of thousands would arrive. If they were willing to wait, they could push through when that time came.
Seeing that no agreement could be reached, Yang Su took it upon himself to lead his guards out of camp. The others could only wait.
It wasn’t until evening that Yang Su returned with scratches on his hands and forehead. He summoned all the generals and calmly instructed them: "Tomorrow night I will lead my troops around. At dawn, we will launch a surprise attack on Zhao Zikai's main camp. This will surely cause chaos among them. If you see disorder in their camp, begin your assault from both sides; if not, retreat directly back to Puzhou City and await orders from the court."
Yang Su's words were clear; he had evidently found a feasible mountain path for flanking maneuvers. However, as the commander-in-chief, it was not wise for him to take such risks.
"The General requests permission to launch a surprise attack on the rebel camp. You can command as you see fit."
The others shared the same sentiment, but under Yang Su's gaze, they retreated and took their orders.
That night, Yang Su personally led over three thousand men toward the northeastern edge of Hoyi, stealthily making their way through the rocky valleys, stepping over various insects and snakes. They finally reached the rear of the rebel camp just before dawn.
After sending out scouts to ensure temporary safety, Yang Su ordered the soldiers to rest. The troops had climbed cliffs all night without rest and needed to eat and recuperate; otherwise, they would lack the strength to charge into battle, especially since they were still some distance from the main camp.
After a brief meal and rest, seeing that it was almost time, Yang Su commanded the Guardians to relay orders: "Leave three hundred men here for support; the rest will follow me to assault Zhao Zikai's camp. Rewards will be tenfold!"
Some brave warriors felt their blood boil with excitement at the chance for glory, while many others were filled with trepidation. What was the difference between charging into the main camp with just a few men and falling off a cliff like last night?
Yet no one dared defy Yang Su's orders. Eventually, they managed to select three hundred strong soldiers to remain behind. They felt proud of their choice, while the others gritted their teeth in frustration—how could they not resent being left behind when their lives were at stake?
Yang Su smiled and issued another command: "Those who fear for their lives shall be executed!"
Before those three hundred could plead for mercy or explain themselves, they were brutally cut down by their frenzied comrades. After the last wail faded away, four hundred corpses lay scattered in the valley, each weapon stained with blood, the metallic scent wafting far into the air.
Faced with this group of twisted faces filled with fervor and malice directed at him, Yang Su taunted, "Is there anyone else who wishes to stay behind?"
Seeing no one respond, Yang Su was satisfied and declared, "Rewards will be twentyfold! I will personally recommend those who survive for titles and lands!"
"Now, follow me into battle!"
...
Yang Su led his troops charging forth from the north of the rebel camp directly toward their stronghold. Drums sounded and fires blazed as chaos erupted among the rebels. They panicked and trampled each other in confusion. Meanwhile, Li Jian Cheng and his men disregarded casualties and launched an attack from both sides.
The morale of the rebels was already low; Zhao Zikai had little prestige in military matters. Thus, when disorder struck their camp, he found himself unaware of his own demise.
When they next saw Yang Su, everyone respectfully bowed and crowded around him as he took a seat in what had once belonged to Zhao Zikai. They then reported on their victories.
The old general, now over sixty, once again solidified his undefeated reputation with a victory, even though his methods were not widely praised.
Just as Yang Su was invigorating himself and preparing for subsequent deployments, the City Gate Captain reported, "Jiezhou Governor Liang Xiu Luo has heard of Zhao Zikai's great defeat and fled the city. General Li Lei has already occupied Jiexiu City."
Li Jing, Li Jian Cheng, and others saluted Yang Su, saying, "Congratulations, General! Your fame is resounding; the rebel forces have fled without a fight. Our army has taken another city, and the day of our return to court is not far off!"
Yang Su replied with a pale face, "The efforts of all the generals are commendable. I will present this good news and hope for a swift victory in the Suppression of Rebellion!"
...
Although Zhao Zikai was defeated, the number of captives from the Sui Army was minimal; most had retreated towards Jinyang. This news quickly reached Han Wang, who was still praying for divine protection.
In a fit of rage, he burned down the Buddhist Hall at Han Wangfu, igniting the last remnants of his fighting spirit. He ordered his troops to regroup; he would personally lead them to confront Yang Su.
This news was quite uplifting; Han Wang was finally willing to leave the city. Yang Liang had not left many people behind in Jinyang; he had taken almost everyone with him but had left a warning.
If anyone dared to repeat Dou Lu Yu's actions, he would spare no effort in retaliating and would destroy their entire clan.
Then Yang Liang gathered an army of one hundred thousand and headed to Haoze to set up defenses while praying that the emperor would quickly issue a ceasefire after receiving his letter. He no longer wished to rebel.
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