Chapter 136: Burning the Earth River

The Grand Preceptor of the Great Xia Kingdom also shared the royal surname of Li. Named Li Wantong, he was a Daoist priest who specialized in alchemy and was utterly devoted to the pursuit of longevity. Having heard that the ancestor of an ancient martial arts sect in the Great Song Kingdom had once ascended to the void with the aid of elixirs, he spent his days obsessively researching alchemy. The Emperor of Great Xia, likewise desiring eternal youth, invited Li Wantong into the imperial palace and bestowed upon him the title of Grand Preceptor.

Upon assuming his position as Grand Preceptor, Li Wantong brewed various pills for the emperor daily, mostly restorative medications meant to nourish vitality and enhance masculine vigor. Because the emperor's harem was filled with countless consorts, his constitution could hardly keep up. As time passed, his health steadily deteriorated, prompting Li Wantong to frequently concoct nourishing elixirs for him to consume. On occasion, he would also refine pills derived from his research into longevity and have the emperor ingest them to test their efficacy.

Naturally, the Emperor of Great Xia remained entirely unaware that he had unwittingly become a tester of Li Wantong's experimental drugs. Believing that Li Wantong had his best interests at heart and prioritized him whenever an elixir of immortality was successfully developed, the emperor held him in the highest regard.

This time, upon receiving a plea for help from the First Prince, Li Daocheng, the Emperor of Great Xia immediately thought of Li Wantong. After all, Li Wantong was not only skilled in alchemy; his swordsmanship was formidable, and he possessed various Daoist arts, such as plucking copper coins barehanded from boiling oil and drawing talismans to capture ghosts. According to Li Wantong's own claims, the martial arts he practiced were divine techniques capable of leading one to immortality, quite distinct from ordinary martial disciplines.

Consequently, in the eyes of the Great Xia emperor, Li Wantong was akin to a living immortal—a figure capable of achieving anything. With such a remarkably capable individual dispatched to aid his son, the emperor felt entirely at ease.

Li Daocheng and the frontline generals were well aware of the Grand Preceptor's prowess. Hearing that he was leading troops to reinforce them, they were naturally overjoyed.

While they were immersed in this jubilation, however, Dingbian City was actively preparing for tonight's raid to burn Tuhe Town.

Fei Wen believed that burning the barbarians' provisions was a magnificent opportunity to win merits—a credit he refused to cede to others, resolving to go personally. Yet, he was simultaneously terrified of death, prompting him to decide on taking ten thousand elite soldiers along.

Uncertain of how many troops guarded the enemy granaries in Tuhe Town, he reasoned that taking more soldiers was safer than taking fewer.

A dark moon makes for a night of slaughter; a fierce wind favors the setting of fires.

After a day of preparations, once night fell completely, Fei Wen personally led his troops carrying firewood, sulfur, and other incendiary materials, sneaking out through the quietly opened gates of Dingbian City.

Before departing, he repeatedly instructed Huang Wenlong and Magistrate Yang to guard Dingbian City securely and await his tidings of victory.

Shortly after Fei Wen's departure, Xiao Ding sought out Huang Wenlong and said, "Lord Huang, this subordinate believes that Lord Fei's arrangements are somewhat flawed."

"How are they flawed?" Huang Wenlong asked, looking at Xiao Ding.

"In my view, by taking such a large force to burn the enemy provisions, Lord Fei's target is far too conspicuous, making it easy for the enemy to detect him in advance. Furthermore, if the barbarian main camp learns of this and dispatches reinforcements, Lord Fei's ten thousand men might not be able to return at all," Xiao Ding replied.

Upon hearing this, Huang Wenlong broke out in a cold sweat. He cared little whether Fei Wen lived or died, but he cared deeply about those ten thousand soldiers! With their side already suffering from a shortage of troops and capable generals, losing another ten thousand men would feel like slicing flesh from his own heart.

"Then what should we do?" Seeing that Xiao Ding was capable of such deep analysis, Huang Wenlong knew he must have a remedial plan.

"I suggest that Lord Huang immediately dispatch two more units: one to Tuhe to rendezvous with Lord Fei and assist him in completing the mission of burning the provisions, and another to set an ambush along the route to intercept any barbarian reinforcements heading toward Tuhe Town," Xiao Ding calmly suggested.

"Very well, we shall do as you say," Huang Wenlong agreed, nodding.

Consequently, Huang Wenlong ordered Xiao Ding to lead two thousand soldiers to support Fei Wen at Tuhe Town, while dispatching another commander with five thousand troops to lie in ambush along the road and intercept the rescue force.

Xiao Ding and the other commander each received their orders and went to mobilize their troops. Soon, both detachments quietly slipped out of Dingbian City.

Xiao Ding led his two thousand soldiers straight toward Tuhe Town. As they drew near, the sounds of battle drifted over from the direction of the town.

Before any flames could be seen rising, Xiao Ding deduced that Fei Wen must have been discovered prematurely by the barbarians.

His suspicions were entirely correct. Fei Wen had led his ten thousand soldiers toward Tuhe Town, only to be spotted by enemy outposts the moment they arrived. Tuhe Town was garrisoned by five thousand barbarian troops, led by an officer named Huali Shao. Realizing that someone had designs on their provisions, Huali Shao ordered an immediate sortie to defend the supplies to the death.

Knowing he had been exposed and could no longer burn the provisions covertly, Fei Wen brandished his spear and ordered a direct charge, resigning himself to burning them openly if stealth was impossible.

However, Tuhe Town possessed a low defensive wall. The barbarians stood behind this barrier, drawing their bows and raining arrows down upon the provincial forces, preventing them from drawing close. With no other option, Fei Wen ordered his own men to return fire.

The two sides began exchanging arrows outside the walls of Tuhe Town. Fortunately, Fei Wen's troops included shield-bearers who could fend off the enemy volleys; otherwise, the casualties would have been catastrophic.

After a brief stalemate, Fei Wen ordered the shield-bearers to provide cover at the front and slowly advance, inching closer to the low wall.

Just as the provincial troops were about to reach the wall, barbarian cavalry suddenly surged out from behind the barrier, plunging directly into the provincial ranks with ferocious momentum.

Unable to withstand the charge of the cavalry, the provincial infantry scattered in disarray, and casualties mounted sharply.

Trapped within the ranks, Fei Wen broke out in a cold sweat of terror, thinking to himself how fiercely aggressive these barbarians were, charging headlong on horseback wherever they pleased. Cries of agony echoed wherever the enemy cavalry trampled.

This recalled the dreadful scene of his previous crushing defeat, and a wave of regret washed over him—he deeply regretted coming here to court danger in person. Gazing upon the carnage before him, his heart failed him, and the urge to flee arose once more.

Just as he was about to make his escape, battle cries erupted from behind him. He looked back hastily to see a fresh detachment of troops plowing into the barbarians.

Realizing that reinforcements had arrived to save him, his spirits surged, dispelling the desire to flee. Brandishing his spear, he shouted, "Charge! Tonight we shall burn the enemy's provisions!"

Bolstered by the reinforcements brought by Xiao Ding, the morale of the provincial troops skyrocketed, and they began fiercely counterattacking the barbarians. Taking the lead, Xiao Ding charged forward with his spear directly toward the enemy commander, Huali Shao.

Approaching Huali Shao without a word of greeting, Xiao Ding whipped out a repeating crossbow and fired a volley of bolts straight at the man's face.

At such close range, the crossbow bolts traveled with blinding speed. It was nighttime, and though there was the pale glare of snow, visibility remained limited. Huali Shao had never expected the enemy commander to launch a sneak attack the moment they met; before he could even react, two or three crossbow bolts had embedded themselves in his face and neck.

*Shouldn't opposing generals exchange names before fighting? Why doesn't this fellow play by the rules? What kind of weapon did he use to ambush me?*

Huali Shao died without ever understanding how he met his end.

With the barbarian commander dead, the soldiers lost their backbone and fell into complete disarray. Lacking leadership, they were routed and heavily defeated by the provincial troops.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Ding shouted, "Quickly ignite the granaries, or it will be too late when the barbarian reinforcements arrive!"

The soldiers rushed forward, tossing the firewood and sulfur they had prepared all around the granaries before launching fire arrows to ignite them.

A massive fire blazed to life.

Once the granaries and haystacks were thoroughly ablaze, Xiao Ding waved his spear and gave the single command: "Retreat!"

Only then did Fei Wen clearly recognize that the officer who had come to his rescue was none of the others, but Xiao Ding.

"Commander Tian, what brings you here?" Fei Wen asked, stepping up to Xiao Ding.

"I came to receive Lord Fei upon the orders of Lord Huang," Xiao Ding replied. He had no desire to converse with this incompetent fool, but the man remained his superior.

"Ah, Lord Huang is truly far more thoughtful than I," Fei Wen said with an awkward laugh.

"Lord Fei, the provisions have been ignited, and we must fall back. It will become troublesome if the barbarian reinforcements arrive!"

"Reinforcements? Will they dispatch reinforcements?" Fei Wen gasped in shock. The possibility had completely slipped his mind; if enemy reinforcements were to cut off his escape route, how could he possibly survive? In an instant, his clothes were drenched in cold sweat.