Chapter 30: Destination, Yellow Reed Ridge

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Xiangyang Road was far too important to be left without fortifications.

In the future, it would become the southern starting point of Northern Qi’s Great Wall, while the fortress guarding Huanglu Ridge would be the famed Golden Lock Pass of later generations.

For now, the predecessor of Golden Lock Pass was the mountain fortress of Huanglu Fort, built there by the Great Han. It could garrison two hundred elite soldiers.

Behind Huanglu Fort, the Bingzhou army had once stationed another eight hundred field troops in Fenyang County, who could rush to its aid overnight. Within two more days at most, reinforcements from Jinyang would arrive beneath the fortress walls.

It was a comprehensive, three-dimensional line of defense. So long as Huanglu Fort held, the barbarians from Xihe would find it nearly impossible to enter the Jinzhong Basin.

But now, because of the force Zhang Yi had led out and handed over to the Xiongnu, this entire defensive line had fallen into their hands. It went without saying that the Xiongnu would not abandon it.

At present, no one knew how many barbarian soldiers were waiting for reinforcements outside Xihe Commandery. Within Taiyuan Commandery, however, according to Jin Fangyan, there were still two fully staffed and rigorously organized raiding units of a thousand cavalry each on their way back. They would arrive there within two days.

They had already lost an entire day yesterday. Reaching the pass today before the barbarians could withdraw would be all but impossible, let alone taking the mountain fortress at Huanglu Ridge beforehand and sealing off Xiangyang Road...

“I’m taking Huanglu Ridge.” Su Yao raised his head and declared it.

Take Huanglu Ridge and seal off Xiangyang Road?

The young man certainly dared to dream. Zhang Yang pressed a hand against his throbbing temple.

“Brother, do you know how many men we have under our command?”

“Just over two hundred,” Su Yao replied.

“Do you know how many cavalry the Xiongnu still have in Taiyuan?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Just over two thousand,” Su Yao answered again.

“Do you know how far Huanglu Ridge is from here?” Zhang Yang pressed.

“About a hundred and sixty li.” Su Yao glanced at the map displayed by the system and answered with certainty.

“You really do know everything.”

Zhang Yang was at once surprised, relieved, and heartbroken.

“Fine! Then I won’t even mention that we are already more than a day behind, or that their forces outnumber ours by more than ten to one.

“Let us speak only of Huanglu Fort. It is a strategic border stronghold that the Bingzhou army of our Great Han has continuously reinforced and repaired for over a century. The terrain before the fortress is treacherous, and both men and horses can scarcely pass. Even if one attacked day and night with more than a hundred times its numbers, the defenders could still hold for several days.

“You wish to take that place? It is nothing short of a fool’s fantasy.”

“But what if I can do it?”

A glimmer flashed through Su Yao’s deep-set eyes. He understood now. This was the event’s hidden challenge stage, and it had to be triggered through a battle of words.

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“You can do it?”

As Bingzhou’s military administrator, Zhang Yang understood all too well what success would mean.

Simply retaking the mountain fortress would allow them to dominate the mountain road from above. A few dozen infantry archers could suppress any enemy transport and make movement nearly impossible. Without the fortress, the enemy would have no choice but to abandon its carts and horses and cross the mountains on foot.

That was the extent of Huanglu Fort’s control over Xiangyang Road.

But at this moment, the fortress was in the hands of the Xiongnu.

“Brother, do not speak nonsense. It is enough that you have the desire. Do not bring it up again.”

Su Yao glanced at Lü Bu and Jin Fangyan.

“Do you think so as well?”

“I admit that your martial prowess is unmatched, but Huanglu Fort? Impossible.”

Lü Bu shook his head. He had seen the stronghold standing atop the ridge. It deserved its reputation as the Iron Gate of Taiyuan’s western entrance—a fortress that was utterly impregnable.

Jin Fangyan, however, merely gave a faint laugh.

“Compared with Huanglu Fort, I am more curious how you intend to arrive ahead of them and appear in front of our army. You should know that King Xiutu has already issued strict orders. Three thousand-rider raiding units responsible for plundering Jinzhong were commanded three days ago to assemble in Fenyang County within five days and return to the royal court.

“If they obey those orders, you will run straight into the Huyan Jun tribe on the road. By tomorrow, the Buye tribe may already be waiting for you in Fenyang.”

Jin Fangyan shook his head again.

“And if you wish to bypass them, you can only abandon the main road and cross the wilderness, perhaps even climbing over the mountains. However you look at it, you cannot possibly make it in time.”

Su Yao swept his gaze over the three men and nodded, entirely confident.

“Administrator Zhang and the rest of you have spent half a day listing the difficulties. There are only three: first, time; second, strength; and third, the supposedly impregnable mountain fortress.

“But in my view, all of them can be resolved with a single sentence: fortresses are always breached from within.”

“What?”

The three men looked at one another, unable to see how that sentence had anything to do with the three difficulties.

Su Yao took two steps and stopped before Jin Fangyan.

“Since you claim to be a loyal subject of the Great Han, forced into the service of bandits, it is time for you to put that loyalty to work.”

“Ah?”

Jin Fangyan stared at him in bewilderment.

...

“You really are insane...”

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Several hours later, on the main road, Jin Fangyan rode at the head of the column. In the distance, they could already see scouts from the Huyan Jun tribe covering the rear.

Every so often, he glanced back at Su Yao riding beside him. He admired the audacious man, but he also feared him; his palms were slick with nervous sweat.

“I’m merely making full use of every resource, aren’t I?” Su Yao said.

His plan was actually very simple.

Everyone knew that the marching speed of an army was determined by its slowest unit. If the barbarian cavalry had been fleeing at full speed, catching them now might indeed have been difficult. But these raiders were returning with their spoils. They had to carry their baggage and valuables while escorting the civilians they had captured. As long as Su Yao sent out all his cavalry, he was certain to catch them.

As for the disparity in numbers and fighting strength, Su Yao had no intention of exchanging arrows with the fully equipped Xiongnu horse archers in the fields of the Jinzhong Basin.

Since he had an authentic Xiongnu eagle-shooter at his side, and the Tatala tribe had already fallen apart, Su Yao made perfect use of the barbarian clothing and equipment he had gathered. He also borrowed soldiers from Zhang Yang, bringing a total of eighty-three northern elites skilled in both the barbarian language and horsemanship. Each was given three horses, and they rode at full speed.

At their current forced-march pace, they could cover the hundred and sixty li and arrive that very night.

Thus, as long as Jin Fangyan could successfully deceive his barbarian countrymen, the plan would already be more than halfway to success.

Once Huanglu Fort was taken, the Xiongnu would have their route home completely severed. For the sake of this mission, Su Yao had engaged Zhang Yang in a fierce war of words before finally securing his agreement.

“For the sake of our future, I, Zhang, will take this gamble and trust you. Brother, you must seize Huanglu Fort and hold it for three days. By then, I will certainly obtain reinforcements from the governor of Jinyang.”

Afterward, Zhang Yang parted ways with Su Yao and hurried to Jinyang to seek aid. Lü Bu, whose old injuries had not yet healed, remained temporarily at the fortified settlement, while also guarding against the possibility that Jin Fangyan’s story might be a ruse.

“You know what to do next, don’t you? Never forget that our interests are aligned. Helping us is helping yourself.”

As the barbarians drew closer, Su Yao reminded Jin Fangyan in an even voice.

“If you dare betray us, I guarantee you will never have the chance to say another word.”

Jin Fangyan swallowed and was about to protest when he suddenly saw that the scouts of the Huyan Jun tribe had spotted them.

There were five barbarian scouts. They watched the approaching party warily, signaling from a distance for them to stop. Then one rider broke away and came forward to question them.

“Stop!

“Are you from the Tatala tribe?

“Stand over there. Do not interfere with our march.”

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