Chapter 168: Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole

To the northwest of Guazhou lies a narrow gorge, over twenty li long, with the narrowest part being less than one li. This gorge is the famous Xingxing Gorge, located at the border between Beiting and Hexi. Beyond Xingxing Gorge lies the territory of Beiting.

Xingxing Gorge is about four hundred li from Yumen Pass, a journey of nearly three days by fast horse. Just ten days after Beiting’s troops arrived at Yumen Pass, a force of two thousand soldiers rushed in from the northwest, passing through Xingxing Gorge and heading toward Yumen Pass. This army was the Yiwu Army from Beiting’s three armies, stationed in Yizhou. Yang Zaicheng, the military envoy, received orders from Li Qing’an and led his troops to rush to Yumen Pass for reinforcement.

A day after the Yiwu Army crossed Xingxing Gorge, the scouts of Beiting’s troops at Yumen Pass finally detected something unusual—a group of cavalry appearing near the large marshes.

That evening, Li Qing’an stood on the city walls of Yumen Pass, gazing into the distance. The sun had set, and the remaining light painted the western sky red. A flock of geese flew in a V-formation from the south, heading toward a bright area in the northwest—that was the famous Dazhe Lake in the Hexi Corridor, slightly smaller than Qinghai Lake, formed by water from the Qilian Mountains.

“Qilang, do you think those bandits will appear tonight?”

Li Fei Yuanli slowly walked up to Li Qing’an. After more than a month of recuperation, his injuries had mostly healed, and he was fully recovered. Aside from missing two fingers on his left hand, he was no different from before, and his temperament hadn’t changed.

Li Qing’an smiled and said, “They should appear. If they don’t show up now, they’ll lose their chance. They want to attack us along the road, but I won’t give them that chance. I’ll force them to attack the city.”

“So how do you plan to deal with them? I mean, you must be prepared, right?”

Li Fei Yuanli’s old face turned slightly red—a blush typical of young men, yet it appeared on his orange-peel-like face.

During this time, Li Fei Yuanli hadn’t had the heart to concern himself with military affairs. He was in love—infatuated with a thirty-year-old female guard. He deeply loved her, the woman who had given him life twice. He regarded her as part of his own life. Thankfully, last night, Cangtian Chuiyan finally agreed to his twentieth—or perhaps thirtieth—proposal. He was immersed in happiness until this morning, when he learned from a soldier that bandits were coming to attack them.

Feeling as if he had done something terrible, he secretly approached Li Qing’an to ask about preparations for battle. He felt guilty, fearing that Li Qing’an would see through his infatuation, which would be embarrassing for him.

It was fine; Li Qing’an seemed unaware of his ignorance. Li Qing’an gazed at the gradually darkening sky, his eyes shining brightly. He smiled slightly and said, “Do you think I’d care about these bandits? How should we deal with them?”
“But they number three thousand, their origins unknown, far more than us. Oh! Maybe they’re just a ragtag crowd, but how can you underestimate them?”
Li Feiyuanli’s voice was very loud; he seemed to be trying hard to show that he understood military matters well, emphasizing “three thousand” especially.
“A ragtag crowd?” Li Qing’an glanced at him and laughed. “I doubt anyone but you would think of them that way. You’ve been a bit distracted lately. Are you planning to marry Shi Sanniang?”
Li Qing’an’s question was like stepping on Li Feiyuanli’s tail. He immediately jumped up and shouted, “Nonsense! When did I say I wanted to marry her? I just… I just…”
He repeated “I just” twice before his voice softened. “Alright! I admit it—I do intend to marry Sanniang.”
He sat on the battlements, his nose stuffed up as if he had a cold, his voice turning sad. “Ever since she carried me out of certain death twice on Chiling Mountain, I knew I owed her from my past life and had to repay her in this one. Do you know? She’s so petite, yet she carried my heavy frame up the mountain ridges. Good heavens! I really don’t know how she had such courage. When I lie on her back, I want to cry. I want to tell her that I’ll treat her well in the future.”
At that point, he sniffled loudly, wiping his snot and tears on his sleeve. His eyes were red as if he had an eye disease. Then, Li Qing’an suddenly noticed another change in him—he had become a bit sentimental. He patted his shoulder and laughed, “After arriving in Beiting, hold a grand banquet with over a dozen tables and marry her. That’s your fate.”
“I will. I swear! I won’t marry any other woman but her.”
Li Feiyuanli suddenly remembered something and asked Li Qing’an, “What about you? Qilang, do you really like the Qin Fairy or that Mingyue? You seem a bit fickle!”
“I like both women.”
“How can you like two at the same time?” Li Feiyuanli was very surprised. He shook his head and said, “I think having Sanniang alone is enough for me. There’s no room in my heart for another woman. Even though I once thought the Qin Fairy was breathtaking, now that I really have the chance to marry her, I don’t even consider it. In my heart, Sanniang is the most beautiful woman.”

“To marry you is San Niang’s fortune. It’s a pity I’m not you!”
Li Qing’an leaned on the battlements, gazing at the vast expanse of land to the north. The night wind blew across his face, broadening his mind. He laughed loudly and said, “The moonlight on the dance dress—both women are equally important to me.”
Turning back, he saw Li Feiyuanli’s disdainful expression and burst into laughter.
…
Inside the tent, several scouts brought in two Shatuo leaders. The leader was a middle-aged man with a broad face, average height, and a strong build. He stepped forward, knelt halfway, and bowed to Li Qing’an, saying, “Ye Hu Gu Duozhi of the Shatuo pays his respects to Envoy Li.”
Li Qing’an quickly helped him up. “General Ye Hu, no need for such formalities. Please sit down!”
After seating Gu Duozhi, he ordered his guards to bring tea. Then he asked with a smile, “How did Ye Hu end up at Yumen Pass?”
Gu Duozhi bowed slightly and smiled. “I came to Yumen Pass this time to discuss grazing matters with the Qiang chieftain. Two years ago, a dispute over fifty sheep led to a tragedy. To prevent such a tragedy from happening again this year, I came to negotiate with the Qiang chieftain. By chance, I heard that you were here at Yumen Pass, so I rushed over to meet you.”
“It’s quite coincidental. We’ve temporarily stopped at Yumen Pass and may head to Beiting in a day or two. We were also thinking of talking to you. I wonder how many Shatuo people there are in Beiting and where they are located?”
“Reporting to you, Envoy, our Shatuo people are mainly distributed south of Jinshan and north of Zhe Luoman Mountain. There are twelve thousand tents and over sixty thousand people, who make a living by herding.”
Li Qing’an picked up his teacup and took a sip before asking calmly, “There are rumors that the Shatuo people rob passing merchants. Is that true?”
Gu Duozhi was shocked. “Who told you that our Shatuo people rob merchants? We’ve been in Beiting for decades and have never robbed a single merchant caravan. On the contrary, if merchants are in trouble, we always do our best to help them. Please don’t believe such slander.”
Li Qing’an smiled slightly. “I thought so too. Marshal An must have misunderstood the Shatuo people. In Liangzhou, he kept warning me to be careful of Shatuo people disguising themselves as bandits to attack my convoy. How is that possible? Would the Shatuo dare attack the convoy of the Beiting governor? Don’t they want to stay in Beiting?”
Anger flashed across Gu Duozhi’s face. He stood up, bowed to Li Qing’an, and said, “Thank you, Envoy, for your trust. An Sishun has asked several times for the Shatuo people to move to Hexi, but I never agreed. I never expected him to sow discord and try to force you to drive us eastward. What a despicable act.”
As soon as he finished speaking, urgent footsteps were heard at the entrance of the tent. A guard rushed in and reported urgently, “General, there’s urgent military news!”
“Speak!”

The bodyguard glanced at Guduzhi and could only say, “Scouts have reported that about three to four thousand cavalry are advancing from east of Daze Lake toward Yumen Pass, less than fifty li away.” Guduzhi was shocked and stammered, “Lord, w-what’s going on?” Li Qing’an snorted and said, “This is what An Sishun meant—the Shatuo people are going to attack my convoy.” Guduzhi was so anxious that he broke into sweat. “But the three thousand men I brought are all west of Daze Lake. Without my orders, they wouldn’t dare approach.” Then, suddenly realizing something, he said, “Could it be that An Sishun wants to frame us, the Shatuo?” Seeing his quick reaction, Li Qing’an secretly nodded in approval. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Can your three thousand men fight?” “Sir, fearing that the Qiang might take advantage of the situation, I brought only the best Shatuo warriors—each a fierce fighter willing to serve you!” “Good! Then follow my instructions.” … Under the moonlight, a cavalry force of three thousand Qiang and Hu warriors, like a pack of wolves, surged toward Yumen Pass. These were tribes from the Ganzhou and Suzhou regions, important among the Qiang and Hu peoples in the Hexi Corridor. Both the Health Army of Ganzhou and the Yumen Army of Suzhou had members from these tribes serving in the army. The tribal leaders had a close relationship with An Sishun, who had tasked them with assembling three thousand warriors to attack Li Qing’an’s convoy in the Guazhou-Yumen area, a place where the Shatuo, Qiang and Hu, and Uyghurs often crossed paths. The leader of this cavalry force was named Jin De—seven feet tall, with a strong build like a tiger or bear. Yet he was a Han general, a brave warrior under An Sishun, highly trusted by him. Not only was he strong and skilled in battle, but he was also as cunning as a wolf. Knowing that Li Qing’an’s large force was hidden inside Yumen Pass and difficult to attack, he waited patiently, hoping to launch an assault once Li Qing’an set out on his journey. Li Qing’an stayed inside Yumen Pass for ten days, and Jin De endured for ten days as well. It wasn’t until news came from Xingxing Gorge that reinforcements from Beiting had arrived that he finally decided to launch a night attack on Yumen Pass. Unfortunately, he faced Li Qing’an, who came from the scout camp. As soon as they entered within a hundred li of Yumen Pass, they were detected by the Beiting army’s scouts. At the second watch, when all was silent, the Qiang and Hu cavalry were less than twenty li from Yumen Pass. The vast Gobi Desert offered clear visibility, and under the bright moonlight, the dark walls of Yumen Pass could already be seen from afar. In front of Yumen Pass, Jin De hesitated. His military instincts told him that the Beiting army was likely prepared, but An Sishun’s orders left him with no choice. He drew his sword, pointed it at Yumen Pass, and roared, “Attack!”

…In a poplar forest just two li away, 3,000 elite Shatuo cavalrymen were ready for battle. The Shatuo were a branch of the Turks, originating from the Chuyue tribe. In the second year of the Wu Zhou dynasty’s Chang’an era, Chuyue chieftain Shatuo Jinshan was awarded the title of Governor of Jinmanzhou for his contributions in fighting against the Tiele. Later, under pressure from the Tibetans, Jinshan’s son Fuguo led his people to Beiting, settling north of Zheroman Mountain and south of Jinshan. After Fuguo’s death, his son Guduzhi became the Shatuo leader and remained loyal to Beiting, living between the powerful Tang and Uyghur dynasties.

Shatuo men were known for their bravery and fighting skills, forming a formidable cavalry force. Along with the Abus tribe in the northern regions, they were considered the two strongest cavalry groups. However, due to their small population and underdeveloped economy, they struggled to achieve significant progress. It was not until the chaos at the end of the Tang dynasty that the Shatuo who had migrated to Hedong rose to prominence. Li Keyong and Li Cunxu established the Later Tang, Liu Zhiyuan founded the Later Han, and Shi Jingtang set up the Later Jin. The Shatuo dominated the Central Plains, bringing great suffering to the Han people.

Yet even ambition requires external conditions to flourish. At that time, Shatuo leader Guduzhi could never have imagined that his descendants would one day rule the Central Plains. It was the height of the Tang dynasty, and the Shatuo lived under the shadow of the powerful Tang state. Serving the Tang in exchange for land to survive was their only choice.

Guduzhi had a sharp gaze as he stared at the Qiang and Hu tribes rushing toward them, his eyes filled with anger. The Qiang and Hu warriors wore white cloaks, clearly pretending to be Shatuo. He turned around and ordered in a low voice, “Take off your cloaks and get ready to fight!”

The Shatuo cavalry neatly removed their cloaks, drew their long swords, and their eyes burned with a desire for slaughter. They eagerly awaited the final strike to hunt down their enemies.

Three thousand Qiang and Hu warriors surged toward Yumen Pass like mercury pouring down from the sky. The thundering sound of horse hooves, shrill cries, swinging swords, and drawn bows created an atmosphere of murderous intent. Under the moonlight, clad in the white cloaks characteristic of the Shatuo people, they resembled a swarm of hungry wolves charging at Yumen Pass. Alarms were raised on the city walls; the guards shouted frantically, shrill bells rang, and night guards ran back and forth in panic. In an instant, the massive force of the Qiang and Hu warriors arrived, arrows raining down like hail on the city walls, accompanied by cries of pain as some were hit. After a barrage of arrows, the Qiang and Hu cavalry split apart, with dozens of riders dragging a huge battering ram slowly toward the city gates. At that moment, a bell rang on the city walls, and a sea of soldiers appeared among the battlements. They drew their bows and fired arrows in a downpour, targeting the Qiang and Hu cavalry preparing to attack. Caught off guard, the cavalry cried out in pain, and over two hundred of them were killed by arrows.

The sudden attack threw the Qiang and Hu forces into chaos. They turned and fled into the distance to escape the range of arrows. The cavalry scattered, breaking their formation. A Han man’s curse could be heard among them: “Bastards!” Soon, the curses turned into Qiang language: “Keep formation! Don’t panic! Use shields to defend against arrows!” But his shouts were instantly drowned out by the chaos among the Qiang and Hu warriors. No one obeyed his orders. The cavalry retreated five hundred steps away, and silence fell below the city walls, except for the groans of the wounded who were still alive, suffering greatly.

On the city wall, Yan Zhuang sat on a couch, supported by four soldiers. He gently waved a feather fan, reminiscent of Kongming’s style. Pointing at the wounded below, he said to Li Qing’an with a smile, “General, see? Even the wisest can make mistakes. An Sishun planned everything carefully, but never expected it to turn into a siege. A group of wounded soldiers exposed his lie of pretending to be a Shatuo.” Li Qing’an frowned, his scar on the forehead twisting into an ‘S’ shape. Although the Qiang and Hu warriors lacked siege experience, their fierce assault still exceeded his expectations. These Qiang and Hu cavalry were highly skilled in combat. Could his own army withstand them?

A burst of drumbeats sounded, and a thousand Qiang and Hu warriors dismounted to become infantry, rushing toward the city gates like a tide. Each held a shield, with five or six giant battering rams among them. Behind them, about two thousand cavalrymen surged forward, eagerly waiting to storm into the city. Unexpectedly, the Beiting Army on the city walls stopped shooting, and it seemed they had made a grave mistake— the drawbridge over the city gates hadn’t been raised, greatly facilitating the Qiang and Hu warriors’ attack.

Jiu Sanwei, the commander of Yumen Pass, was so anxious that his eyes turned red. He paced back and forth on the city wall, shouting, “The city gates of Yumen Pass are in poor condition and can’t withstand many hits. Raise the drawbridge quickly!”

But no one paid him attention. The drawbridge and the city gates were under the control of Li Qing’an’s men. Li Qing’an stood motionless like a stone statue, his eyes filled with a cold smile. Since An Sishun still harbored rebellious intentions, he wouldn’t blame himself for being ruthless.

“Prepare the gunpowder bombs!” he ordered. Dozens of his bodyguards skillfully took out five packs of gunpowder. Having experienced the horrors of the Chiling Battle, they knew well the properties of gunpowder and were highly proficient in using it. In moments, five gunpowder bombs were mounted on small trebuchets, awaiting the final command.

With a loud “Boom!”, the giant battering rams struck the city gates, causing the entire city tower to shake. The Qiang and Hu warriors were overjoyed—food, wealth, and women were almost within their grasp. More than a hundred Qiang warriors holding the rams roared as they retreated quickly to prepare for another attack. General Jin De was astonished—the drawbridge of Yumen Pass hadn’t been raised. What was going on? Could it be a trick by the Beiting Army? Just then, he suddenly heard drumbeats from the city tower. He saw several priests in white robes dancing frantically, with an elderly priest in the middle raising his hands to the sky, muttering prayers to the heavens. Not only him but all the Qiang and Hu warriors saw it—the dance the Qiang used to pray for rain to the thunder god. A strange fear seized their hearts, and they all looked up at the sky. The pale moon shone through a few gray clouds—a common night scene in the Hexi Corridor—but at that moment, it seemed eerily strange to them.

“Boom!” Another loud noise echoed as the city gates shook violently once more. The dilapidated gates creaked open slightly under the impact. Despite his doubts, the excitement of breaking through the gates made Jin De forget all his worries. He swung his sword and shouted, “Cavalry, charge!” The cavalry rushed forward at full speed toward the drawbridge. With a third “Boom!”, the city gates finally gave way under the force and burst open.

The Qiang and Hu warriors were overjoyed and charged at the city gates with wild shouts. The cavalry rushed forward bravely, waving their long swords and shouting loudly. It was the infantry who first reached the gates, but as soon as they arrived, they saw rows of fully drawn crossbows, with sharp arrows aimed coldly at them. The leading hundred were terrified and turned to flee. With a clang, thousands of arrows were shot from inside the city—powerful and swift. Screams filled the air at the gate; large numbers of Qiang and Hu warriors were shot down, their corpses piling up into small mounds. Those in front ran back, while those behind surged forward, creating chaos.

The cavalry was less than a hundred steps away from the gates when suddenly a shrill cry came from the city walls. Everyone looked up and saw the old shaman trembling, pointing at the sky and shouting, “The Thunder God! The Thunder God has come!” He spoke in Qiang, and his cries filled everyone with panic. Dark clouds covered the moon, darkening the sky instantly.

Suddenly, five gray packets flew out from the city walls and exploded above the Qiang and Hu cavalry and among the crowd. The deafening explosions echoed beneath Yumen Pass. Nearly a hundred people were torn to pieces, their limbs flung high by the force of the blasts. Thick plumes of smoke rose, forming a huge black cloud. Amid the explosions, the Qiang and Hu horses became chaotic, neighing frantically and fleeing in terror. The Tang soldiers also screamed hysterically, “The Thunder God! The Thunder God has descended!” The Qiang and Hu cavalry turned and fled, each one utterly terrified.

The psychological impact of the five gunpowder bombs far exceeded the explosions themselves. Coupled with the shaman’s actions, it caused great panic among the superstitious Qiang people, who believed it was the Thunder God who had arrived. Their only thought was, “Flee!”

The Qiang and Hu forces were utterly defeated. The cavalry fled ahead, with the infantry following. A Tang cavalry unit rushed out through the gate. Nan Jiyun swung his iron spear like a fierce tiger descending the mountain or a golden snake dancing wildly, hitting targets with every strike. In moments, he knocked down dozens of Qiang infantry. Next to him was Lei Wanchun, the giant warrior, wielding two large iron hammers, each weighing fifty pounds. His hammering was masterful and fierce like that of a bear. Wherever he passed, Tang soldiers had their brains burst out, dying in horrible ways.

“Excellent! Truly worthy of being the Two Tigers of Beiting.”

Li Qing’an smiled faintly. He took the Flaming Arrow Bow, loaded a rocket onto the string, drew the bow back to full tension, and released it. The bright flames stood out sharply against the night sky. As the rocket soared, the sound of galloping horses suddenly came from the northwest—real Shatuo cavalry were charging, in overwhelming numbers, like an avalanche. Gu Duozhi was determined to prove himself before the new governor of Beiting, as it concerned the survival of their people. Waving his battle axe and shouting fiercely, he said, “Charge! Eliminate these Qiang and Hu who pretend to be our Shatuo!”
The sound of bells signaling the withdrawal came from Yumen Pass. The Beiting army obeyed orders immediately and retreated to the city without exception. The drawbridge was raised high, and the city gates were shut with a loud crash, restoring the peace before the battle. But the fierce fighting outside had just begun. The Shatuo had lost a battle over pastures the year before, with over a hundred herders killed. They harbored deep hatred toward the Qiang. Now, old and new grudges erupted in their battles. Three thousand Shatuo soldiers split into three groups, like three sharp blades plunged into the disorganized Qiang forces, instantly scattering them. They rode like the wind, swinging their swords like lightning. Wherever their horses passed, heads rolled and limbs flew, turning the ground into a river of blood. In this battle, almost all three thousand Qiang and Hu were killed, with less than a hundred escaping. Even their commander, Jin De, was torn to pieces by the Shatuo swords, leaving no trace of his body.
Li Qing’an stood on the city wall, watching the Shatuo fight. Their bravery and ferocity made him smile with narrowed eyes. As soon as he arrived in Beiting, he found a fine sword.
Volume 6: Governing Beiting