Chapter 89
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After finishing his meal, Xue Yuan went out to see how the soldiers were assisting the disaster victims.
The famine-stricken victims, who had been hungry for a long time, queued up eagerly to receive food. Hope filled their eyes, and rows upon rows of people stretched across the entire open space. The queue seemed endless, with countless heads visible at a glance.
Xue Yuan asked, “Have you settled the group of famine victims following the grain delivery team?”
The officer in charge of distributing food replied, “We have settled these famine victims. However, they have been hungry for too long, and now they can only eat thick vegetable porridge. The kitchen is busy cooking this porridge.”
Xue Yuan nodded and said concisely, “Send someone to take me to the refugee camp.”
The officer dispatched a soldier to accompany him. Xue Yuan entered the refugee camp and saw that many people had already received their rations and were gathered around, cooking rice in earthen pots.
These famine victims were resettled in the northern frontier. Due to their large numbers, many of them were not even accommodated in proper houses. There were makeshift shelters hastily erected by General Xue amidst his busy schedule, but in the cold of the northern frontier, these shelters were insufficient.
The northern frontier was too cold.
Xue Yuan knew what this cold felt like and knew what snow in the north tasted like. The Emperor liked it hot, despised the cold, but even Xue Yuan, who was not afraid of the cold and had been accustomed to warmth, would be frozen stiff in the winter of the northern frontier, unable to move his limbs.
Now, nearing the end of October, if this continued, many famine victims would freeze to death even if they had food. These people’s lives were worthless; one freezing death was just a large area. However, after the cold and the locust plague, it might also lead to the spread of diseases among the people.
This was why the little emperor sent so many medicinal herbs and doctors.
After inspecting the area, Xue Yuan immediately set out with his men to find building materials, preparing to build at least the most basic shelters before the winter, which could keep people alive.
He acted immediately and with determination, working fervently with his men. After General Xue learned of his intentions, he allocated more manpower to him. With more people, the work progressed faster.
After obtaining the building materials, the famine victims in the northern frontier also learned of the army’s intentions. They silently stood up and began to help.
Xue Yuan threw the heaviest stone on the ground, clapped his hands, and then took a blade from his waist to sharpen some wood. A soldier chopping firewood nearby was sweating profusely and saw him, so he shouted, “Young General, lend a hand!”
Xue Yuan twirled the dagger in his hand a couple of times, flipping it up and down in a skillful display that made it seem like a flower blooming. The blade gleamed coldly, casting several bright reflections on the wood.
The soldiers and disaster victims working on building houses were drawn by the applause and turned to look, gasping in awe before joining in the applause.
These soldiers, stationed at the northern frontier, constantly faced the risks of locusts and nomadic raids. Externally, they witnessed the devastating effects of the disaster, and internally, they faced the crisis of dwindling food supplies. After subsisting on thin porridge for ten days, their morale was low, and they were deeply anxious. The food that Xue Yuan brought was a powerful blow that shattered their unease. But that wasn’t enough; both the soldiers and the numb disaster victims needed a thorough celebration to boost their morale and ignite new hope.
They needed a victory.
The northern frontier needed a victory to uplift the spirits of the people.
Xue Yuan pondered for a moment, lazily twirling the dagger into a final flourish before sheathing it elegantly.
The officers and soldiers watching nearby continued to cheer, with some even stepping forward to throw a few punches in the air in excitement.
Amidst the revelry, Xue Yuan lowered his head again, carving the wood with his dagger. At some point, without realizing it, he had inscribed three characters into the wood.
When the final stroke was completed, Xue Yuan couldn’t recall when he started carving the name.
He was lost in thought, his thumb brushing over the characters. Yang Hui, a general who had fought alongside him in the northern frontier, approached and looked down, asking in a booming voice, “Young General, what does this say?”
Xue Yuan’s fingertip happened to be on the middle character. He smiled, his voice carrying a mix of wind and undying nostalgia, “Yuan.”
Gu Lian, Gu Yuanbai.
General Yang suddenly understood, “Isn’t that your name, Young General?”
“Indeed,” Xue Yuan laughed, “it’s called fate.”
Xue Yuan, Xue Jiuyou.
It was a perfect match.
So perfect that even the heavens wouldn’t strike him down with lightning.
Feeling good, Xue Yuan added the characters “Xue Jiuyou” next to “Gu Yuanbai” with a flourish, admiring his work for a while and feeling quite pleased.
But the piece of wood with these six characters was now unusable, and it might need to be destroyed, which made Xue Yuan frown. Suddenly, he stood up, took the wood and dagger, and strode towards the military camp.
“Young General?” The calls from behind gradually faded away.
Xue Yuan’s heart was burning with enthusiasm, his youthful vigor soaring. He returned to his tent, strapped a large sword to his waist, mounted Lie Feng, and spurred the horse forward, shouting, “Hyah!”
Lie Feng galloped like an arrow, heading straight for the Khitan territory from the border.
Rilian’s tribe was the closest to the border among the Khitan tribes. Xue Yuan approached stealthily, avoiding the scouts, and stopped a hundred miles east of Rilian’s camp. Lie Feng reared up with a loud neigh, halting its swift run.
Xue Yuan straightened his robes, dismounted, and planted the piece of wood with his and Gu Yuanbai’s names engraved into the ground.
Covering the wood with thick soil, Xue Yuan stood there for a while, memorized the location, and smiled.
The first rays of sunlight from the east would bathe this land.
His sentiment was buried beneath the feet of the enemy, awaiting the day when this vast grassland would belong to Gu Yuanbai. Then, the Emperor of Great Heng would personally discover this secret.
Neither wind nor rain could wash it away. Until Gu Yuanbai accepted Xue Yuan, that long piece of wood would remain standing forever. Only Xue Yuan and the heavens knew about it.
Mounting Lie Feng again, Xue Yuan rode back swiftly through the cold wind.
As he left Rilian’s territory, he looked back at the Khitan camp, now as small as ants in the distance.
Rilian.
So close to me, if you don’t die, who will?
***
Rilian believed that attacking the young commander should not be delayed, so two days later, he began sending troops to test the waters, launching several plains skirmishes against Great Heng’s patrolling soldiers.
Both sides had their victories and defeats, but due to the Khitans’ horses not having eaten well for days, they were extremely weak. The patrolling soldiers of Great Heng, following their commander’s instructions, did not exert their full strength, giving Rilian the impression of a balanced power struggle.
However, even this was an insult to the Khitans, who prided themselves on their combat prowess and cavalry.
After several skirmishes, Rilian understood the situation and prepared to organize a large-scale cavalry invasion ten days later, dividing his forces to approach Great Heng’s border from the east and west.
In Great Heng’s camp, General Xue received intelligence and ordered Xue Yuan to lead 3,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry to repel the invaders from the rear. Xue Yuan accepted the order, leading his 8,000 troops to the enemy’s target location to arrange his battle formation.
The 8,000 soldiers stood in neat rows, forming the battle formation Xue Yuan had devised. They wore fine armor and wielded sharp weapons that gleamed with a cold light. After ten days of recuperation, the soldiers were revitalized, their strong bodies hidden beneath their armor.
Great Heng’s ballistae were positioned at strategic points, their massive crossbows capable of firing volleys of arrows, creating a dense rain of arrows. Each ballista was operated by three to five soldiers.
In Xue Yuan’s eyes, the outcome of this battle was already decided.
The nomadic cavalry were fierce and formidable, but their horses were now too weak to charge or run. The nomads’ weapons remained rudimentary, relying on basic bows and arrows, and swords and spears. Isolated by the Great Wall, they had no means to learn advanced weapon-making techniques, while Great Heng’s soldiers each wielded a crossbow.
How could the Khitans win?
As Xue Yuan watched the approaching enemy cavalry from a distance, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, instructing his soldiers to prepare for the encounter.
***
Rilian personally led his troops to the east to confront Xue Yuan. Before the bulk of his cavalry arrived at the city, he already saw the soldiers prepared for battle below the city walls.
A cruel desire for slaughter flashed in Rilian’s eyes. “Is that the general sent by the imperial court?”
The deputy nodded, “It should be him.”
Their ambition was ignited by the sight of Great Heng’s provisions, their eyes blazing with fierce determination. All the tribesmen, in a massive formation, howled and charged forward, rushing straight towards Xue Yuan.
Such an imposing force usually made new recruits weak at the knees. Even before the cavalry reached the enemy, Rilian was already imagining the outcome of their victory, laughing heartily.
However, in the next moment, his laughter froze on his face. They saw the face of Great Heng’s leader. That face was all too familiar! The young general sent by the court was none other than Xue Yuan, who had once viciously wounded him!
It was Xue Yuan, the son of that old fox Xue Ping!
Rilian’s expression instantly twisted into a snarl.
Xue Yuan had already spotted Rilian. With a bloodthirsty smile, he shouted loudly, “Release the arrows!”
The archers moved in unison, cleanly and efficiently. Using the new crossbows developed by the engineering department, they unleashed a rain of arrows upon the Khitan forces.
Thousands upon thousands of arrows descended from the sky. The enormous ballistae targeted the enemy’s shocked and disbelieving faces, unleashing their deadly power.
Tragically, the Khitan warriors had moved within the range of Great Heng’s soldiers’ arrows, but the Great Heng soldiers were still out of reach of the Khitan archers.
They could only endure the assault, unable to retaliate.
The relentless barrage of arrows struck the bodies of the Khitan warriors and their horses. The horses, panicked by the arrow storm, bolted in all directions. Some riders were thrown off and trampled to death by the frenzied hooves. These horses, already weakened from lack of food, were on the verge of collapse. Their panic spread, leading to further chaos and casualties among the Khitan forces.
How laughable it was.
Rilian’s expression contorted in fear.
Before the Khitan warriors could even get close to Great Heng’s soldiers, Rilian’s forces were already on the verge of collapse. He roared, “Shield troops! Shields up! Advance and retaliate with arrows!”
The deputy, struggling to withstand the barrage, couldn’t move forward. He shouted in panic, “Chief, we can’t advance!”
Usually, an arrow barrage came in waves, allowing time for a counterattack. But this time, Great Heng’s archers seemed to have coordinated in layers, maintaining an unrelenting rain of arrows, making it impossible for the Khitans to move.
There should be an end to this!
The bodies of Khitan warriors and horses shot by arrows blocked the path of the remaining tribesmen. Rilian couldn’t believe the ferocity of the attack. Even his personal guards had died by the dozen to protect him. Caught between death and the shame of being defeated by Great Heng, his face trembled with rage. Finally, he shouted, “Retreat!”
Watching the Khitans flee in disgrace, seeing the ground littered with the bodies of men and horses, Great Heng’s soldiers paused for a moment before erupting in thunderous cheers.
The retreating Khitans rode faster, covering their faces in shame and humiliation.
The enemy suffered heavy casualties, while our forces had no losses—an overwhelming victory!
These were the Khitans, the ruthless invaders of the borderlands, now fleeing in disarray!
Were the Khitans really this weak?
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