Chapter 36: Forgetting Schemes (III)

“Hmm, order everyone to move silently and not make a sound!”
Looking at the bridge laid out before him, Dou Qing finally let out a sigh and gave his orders in a deep voice.
“Understood!”
The deputy general respectfully bowed and left to carry out the orders.
Under the bright moonlight, thousands of Tang soldiers moved quietly, stepping carefully across the bridge toward the other shore…
In the Yan army camp, the lights were bright.
In the center of the camp, several patrol teams walked back and forth, carrying torches.
Earlier that day, the Tang army had launched a fierce attack and captured Po Yuan, causing quite a stir among their troops. After discussing it, the Yan army commanders agreed to strengthen patrols across the river to prevent a surprise attack by the Tang.
But when the order was given, the soldiers were unimpressed.
Would the Tang try to launch a night attack?
Nonsense! Though the river had no water, it was far more dangerous than ordinary rivers. The riverbed was filled with sharp stones arranged in no pattern. If the Tang really tried to cross at night, their panic would surely lead to mistakes, and they would be crushed to pieces the moment they slipped. The Tang commander wasn’t a fool—he wouldn’t take such a huge risk.
With such a natural barrier, the Yan soldiers weren’t worried about a surprise attack, and the so-called patrols were merely for show.
Fire officer Wu Jiu’er and his subordinate Chen Nan had just finished their shift and went outside the camp to relieve themselves by the river. That afternoon, they had won quite a bit of silver together and were so proud that they even walked more carelessly.
“Brother Jiu, if we always had as much luck as today, we wouldn’t need to serve in the army. We could just open a gambling house—sure to make a fortune every day!”
Chen Nan rubbed his hands excitedly as he spoke to Wu Jiu’er. “Brother Jiu, what do you think? If I bet big on the last round, would Wang Sili and the others be so angry they’d jump for joy?”
Wu Jiu’er glanced at him disdainfully. “Look at your limited ambition! You think anyone can open a gambling house? Without proper connections or background, how would you dare? Without allies, you’d die before you even knew how!”
Chen Nan smiled brightly. “You’re right. I was just joking. Anyway, I’ll follow you, Brother Jiu, for the rest of my life.”
Wu Jiu’er was pleased by his words and nodded slightly. “That’s more like it. Don’t worry—as long as I’m here, you’ll never go hungry.”

The two of them chatted and laughed as they headed toward the broken river, and it wasn’t long before they reached the riverbank. Just as they were about to untie their belts to relieve themselves, Chen Nan suddenly pointed in shock at the deep valley, too stunned to speak. Wu Jiu’er, not knowing what Chen Nan was up to, frowned and looked in the direction he indicated. “Tang army… Tang army…” In an instant, Wu Jiu’er’s face turned pale, and she turned to run back toward the camp. “Thwack!” “Thwack!” Before she could take two steps, two arrows were shot at her, pinning her and Chen Nan to the ground. “Charge into the camp and kill them all!” Dou Qing leaped onto the riverbank, drew the sword at his waist, and shouted orders. … “The Tang army is coming!” “The Tang army is coming!” Chaos ensued in the Yan army’s camp. They couldn’t figure out how the Tang army had managed to cross the broken river in the darkness. If it weren’t for Chen Nan and Wu Jiu’er noticing something amiss and shouting, the Yan army might not have even realized the Tang army had reached their gates. “Charge in! Leave no one alive in the camp!” Dou Qing kicked over a Hu soldier who rushed forward, shouting loudly. With the rebels in disarray, this was the perfect opportunity for him to strike first. Missing this chance would make it much harder to seize the camp once the rebels regrouped. So he intended to use this opportunity to take control of the camp and pave the way for the commanders! Under Dou Qing’s leadership, thousands of soldiers from the Jianghuai army kicked over the wobbly fences in front of the camp and charged in. The Tang army was in high spirits and unstoppable at that moment. A group of rebels armed with spears met them, but the Tang army slaughtered them all. Another group of rebels with simple knives faced them, and the Tang army killed them all as well. Yet another group of rebels with grappling hooks approached, but the Tang army still wiped them out completely. This group of Tang soldiers feared nothing; anyone who dared to stop them would be reduced to dust. … Rebel commander Zheng Shanglun was in a deep sleep when the sounds of drums and fighting woke him up. Thinking some foolish soldier was causing a ruckus, he threw on his coat in a hurry and stormed outside in anger to investigate. But as soon as Zheng Shanglun stepped out of his tent, he was shocked to see thousands of Tang soldiers wreaking havoc inside the camp, while his own soldiers fled like scattered dogs.

Zheng Shanglun took a deep breath and shouted loudly, “Elders, come to this general! Come to me! Don’t run! The Tang army isn’t anything to fear. Gather around this general!” His shouts proved effective—many Yan soldiers who had been fleeing in panic came back to his side upon hearing their commander’s orders, and before long, more than three hundred of them had gathered. “That’s right, come to this general! Pick up your swords and knives. What’s there to fear? Use them to stop them—fight like men!” Zheng Shanglun roared loudly, constantly boosting the morale of the Yan soldiers. He originally came from the Zheng family of Xingyang and held a minor position in the local government, but he was dissatisfied with his life. After the Yan army captured Xingyang and Luoyang, he without hesitation joined the rebels. Rather than living a mediocre life as a minor official, he decided to take a risk and join the Yan army to start a new life. If he succeeded, he would become a founding hero with a bright future; if he failed, he would only face mild punishment from the Tang court. There were countless noble families from Xingyang alone who had joined the Yan army, so even if the Tang emperor wanted to punish them, he would have to think twice. As the saying goes, the law cannot punish the many—if everyone is united, what can even the Tang emperor do?