Chapter 1 Xie Boan's Predicament

Xie Boan had no time to concern himself with the shift in public opinion in Yanjing, which had undergone a complete reversal in just a few days. He was undoubtedly the most successful and steadfast commander in recent memory. Not long ago, the civil and military officials of Yanjing were singing his praises, believing that he had curbed the momentum of the tribal coalition. They thought it was only a matter of time before he recovered Tianmeng City and drove the tribal coalition back into the mountains. However, without realizing it, his recent troop deployments began to be questioned. Yanjing's reaction lagged behind his troop movements at the front lines by several days, and it took several more days for news from Yanjing to reach him. Xie Boan understood that what he needed most now was to command a decisive battle undisturbed, a battle that could determine the fate of the northeast front in North Liao. He needed to prepare every detail meticulously. Two days after his contacts in Yanjing sent him urgent reports of unfavorable rumors, his military report and self-defense memorial were already on their way to Yanjing. In truth, he didn't care too much about the court's final decision, but even a simple reason was enough to ignite endless disputes among the ministers, who already held a variety of opinions. Xie Boan wasn't some simpleton who knew nothing but fighting. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been entrusted with the crucial task of salvaging the situation on the northeast front at this critical moment. He trusted that those who supported him would continue to protect his position.

The North Liao army, numbering over one hundred thousand, advanced in four columns abreast. The columns were very close to each other, less than a li apart in some terrain. Though the advance was slow, it was exceptionally steady. After studying Xie Boan's deployment, it was easy to see that his intention was to be able to engage in a decisive battle at any point along the advance. Should the four columns converge, they would immediately be in battle formation. Such organization and advance on the barren plains of the north was undoubtedly correct and difficult to counter. It completely nullified the tribal coalition's favored tactic of harassment. However, as the army advanced slowly, Xie Boan's heart grew increasingly uneasy. It was too quiet. Aside from tentatively occupying towns and villages that he had essentially abandoned, and deploying small units for defense, the tribal coalition and the elite troops of Dongping ignored his four advancing main columns, taking no action whatsoever.

When his forward scouts finally encountered scouts from Ye Tao's personal guard and a mixed squadron of Silverwing Army cavalry near the Chuixiang Forest, resulting in the annihilation of six hundred light cavalry in a single battle, Xie Boan's mind was put at ease. The scouts reported that the main force of the tribal coalition was gathering in the Chuixiang Forest, seemingly preparing to engage the main force of North Liao in a decisive battle near the Chuixiang Forest and the Boxian Sandbar. Reaching this stage, Xie Boan breathed a sigh of relief. He encamped a certain distance from the tribal coalition and prepared to send a formal declaration of war, as was customary. Such large-scale clashes always required a tacit agreement on time and place. As for the time, it went without saying that one side had to be in formation while the other couldn't shrink back. Otherwise, a decisive battle would be impossible. The location also had to be weighed carefully. Though there was always the desire to choose a battlefield advantageous to oneself, one also had to consider whether the other side was willing to accept it. Unless absolutely necessary, a decisive battle would never break out in a location clearly unfavorable to one side. The advantages and disadvantages of a location weren't limited to distance, slope, and visibility. They also included factors like lighting, whether it had been the site of a major battle before, whether it was suitable for the deployment of one's own troops, and so on. In any case, it was a maddeningly complex topic.

Ye Tao even felt that he was being too generous in his choice of battlefield. While the majority of his cavalry and light infantry came from the tribes, units like the heavy ordnance camp and heavy infantry camp had been transported from thousands of miles away. These units could only be deployed on wide battlefields with sufficient depth. The battlefield where they now stood possessed both sufficient width and depth. Aside from a slight, less than three-degree, gentle slope, it was hard to say that the forest offered any advantages to the tribal coalition. In fact, establishing a camp and forming battle lines within a forest was something that many generals tried to avoid.

Xie Boan's envoy initially carried a hint of disdain, but this was washed away when they arrived at the camp gate, bearing the banner of an emissary. They had never seen such a camp. Though they could only glimpse the camp from the gate, they could vaguely see the thick wooden outer walls. The tents, large and small, were neatly arranged. The fallen leaves on the ground had been swept away, leaving wide, clean roads within the camp. In one corner of the camp, a large area was covered with tarpaulins. Seeing the strict security around these objects, Xie Boan's envoy could guess that they were the terrifying armaments of the heavy ordnance camp. They were simply a little puzzled as to how the tribal coalition had managed to build such a large camp to such a high standard in just a few days. With a little more renovation, replacing the tents with simple plank houses, it would almost be a permanent military camp. It was much better than Xie Boan's hastily constructed camp. Under Ye Tao's leadership, the tribal coalition was starting to resemble the armies of Yun Province, at least in terms of basic camp construction skills. This was much more reliable than relying solely on soldiers who were originally artisans to do all the camp building work, as most armies did.

Chi Lei, who had been waiting at the camp gate, naturally accepted the declaration of war and sent the envoy back. A decisive battle would take place in two days. This was the agreement they had reached. As the envoy who accepted the declaration of war on behalf of the entire army, any attempt to avoid battle would ruin Chi Lei's reputation. As a young general with a promising future, making such a commitment was quite reliable.

Chi Lei really had no other intentions. Ye Tao had come and brought with him the determination to fight a decisive battle against the enemy. The excitement of the upcoming battle filled them with strength. Preparing for battle seemed to be what Tan Weiran and he loved most. It was much more interesting than constantly weighing gains and losses, constantly balancing combat and troop building, or even allocating resources for various civil administration tasks. It was just that no one could replace them in doing these things before. Ye Tao had come, and he had taken over the things that gave them a headache. The entire northeast border quickly became well-organized. The arrival of a large number of reinforcements, whether or not it was because of Ye Tao, had indeed strengthened the coalition's forces, making this battle somewhat winnable. They just hadn't expected that Ye Tao would not only make the decision to engage in a decisive battle, but also personally join it. Now, Ye Tao was chatting casually with the tribal generals in the camp.

No matter when or where, Ye Tao always seemed relaxed. He sat with some of the generals around a grill, each with a small table in front of them. The items on each table seemed to represent their different identities, interests, and habits. Several tribal generals, accustomed to being rough and unrefined, used their shields as plates and their short swords to cut meat. No one found this strange. Several generals who were originally chieftains displayed gold plates and silver bowls, and no one found this out of place either. What drew attention was Ye Tao's set of rough pottery and his unvarnished chopsticks, which revealed beautiful wood grain. These tribal warriors and chieftains couldn't comprehend the beauty of simplicity and naturalness. In the vast lands of the northeast, the level of luxury was directly proportional to one's status. No one dared to have any unnecessary thoughts about Ye Tao's preferences. After all, no one thought that Ye Tao couldn't afford such things. Although he had never overstepped the bounds of his position as the Northern Frontier Pacification Commissioner, and had always handled the complex administrative matters in a low-key and serious manner, constantly maintaining close communication with the king on various matters, this was simply his personality. He was, in reality, the ruler of the entire northern territory of the Dongping Kingdom. Ye Tao had no ambition, and was even reluctant to be the Northern Frontier Pacification Commissioner. Moreover, his relationship with the Dongping Kingdom and the Tan family was so close, but no one doubted that if he raised his arm, the entire Yun Province, the entire Benlang Plain, and the tribes on the northeast frontier would become his sharp blades, ready to fight any enemy for him.

Gathering and feasting with subordinate generals before a battle was a habit in the Yun Province army. A small amount of alcohol and a large amount of food wouldn't numb the minds of responsible generals. Through these gatherings, everyone could increase their understanding of each other, dispel any minor discords, and experienced commanders could fully mobilize the atmosphere, allowing everyone to relieve the pressure before a major battle. Chi Lei, watching Ye Tao chatting easily with the people around him, couldn't help but sigh. As a commander, Ye Tao was perfect in relieving pressure. He didn't need to say much. Just looking at his calm and composed demeanor, his subordinates would settle down. During the banquet, everyone laughed and joked, teasing each other about their shortcomings, and Ye Tao listened with great interest. The northern tribes were never a monolith, and there were always some conflicts between them. But with a powerful enemy before them, they faced life and death and had to unite. Now that they all belonged to the Dongping Kingdom, even old grudges had been diluted by the close camaraderie of their comrades. In this setting, they could tell old stories and even jokes about their past grievances, which were then completely forgiven. From now on, everyone would be comrades, brothers. The banquet was also open to ordinary soldiers. At first, they were all apprehensive, but the veterans of Yun Province were very familiar with this type of banquet. Soldiers who had finished training and preparations and weren't on duty would come to join the fun, some even bringing their hunting spoils to the barbecue. Later, the tribal warriors also mustered their courage and joined in, making the scene even more lively. The tribal warriors, skilled in hunting, had an astonishing amount of wild game hidden in the camp, quickly filling the open space in the center, causing the soldiers responsible for the barbecue to pale. Fortunately, Ye Tao ordered everyone to participate in the cooking, and then the entire army, every single person, had to receive a serving of hot meat, including those on duty and those still responsible for preparations. In addition, each person would receive a jar of rice wine. In reality, this was just a variation of the standard pre-battle reward for the entire army, but it did have some effect on boosting morale.

After the banquet, the generals gathered in the central command tent to await Ye Tao's orders. This battle would determine the fate of an entire region.

"Chi Lei, are your troops ready?" Ye Tao asked.

"Ready. I'll set out in a moment and meet up with them tomorrow morning," Chi Lei said easily.

The generals present were confused. Could it be that Chi Lei wasn't here at this critical moment? Could it be that Ye Tao was sending Chi Lei out as a detached force? And with a numerical disadvantage, Ye Tao dared to divide his forces?

"Haha, don't be surprised. Everyone is concentrating their forces to prepare for the decisive battle, which means that there will inevitably be gaps in the deployment of forces in other areas. Chi Lei will lead an elite cavalry unit to support our main battlefield operations. And this unit is currently located at..." Ye Tao pointed to a location on the huge map hanging in the central command tent. Those generals who were familiar with Ye Tao's deployments gasped. It was Fuyu Port, a small northern town that had once been an important hub for shipping trade. But with the two countries at war, trade had ceased. Also, because new ports had sprung up in the tribal territories, Fuyu Port was now almost deserted. But this place was in a very delicate position. If the North Liao army won the battle, then it would be fine. But if they were defeated and routed, this elite cavalry unit ambushed in Fuyu Port could easily strike from the flank, appearing in the rear of the retreating army and creating a pincer attack with the main battlefield. Ye Tao's deployment clearly showed that he had great confidence in winning the battle, and also that he didn't want to fight a war of attrition. The best solution was to eliminate as many enemy troops as possible in one fell swoop.

"General Ye, how many men are in this unit?" Chief Enkaka, who was also one of the main commanders of the tribal coalition, hesitated before asking.

Ye Tao smiled and said, "Chi Lei, why don't you tell them yourself?"

Chi Lei nodded and said in a deep voice, "This unit is entirely from Dongping. After the elite troops of various families were rushed here some time ago, General Ye ordered the construction of a military camp on an island to stockpile troops because he felt that there were enough troops on the main battlefield. Then, when the North Liao army began its frontal advance, we took the opportunity to land at Fuyu Port and blockaded all news from the surrounding area. The enemy is still unaware that Fuyu Port has been occupied by us. Currently, there are units of the Dongping navy stationed at Fuyu Port, along with 16,000 elite light cavalry, and a supply unit of 3,000 logistics soldiers. In addition, the navy has dispatched 3,000 new cavalry for auxiliary operations, which are also undergoing live combat training. In Yicheng, there are several units being prepared, which will be shipped to Fuyu Port later to take over the defensive duties."

Ye Tao nodded, and at his signal, an officer unfolded a map on the wide table. The map depicted the Chuixiang Forest battlefield where they were currently located. "Now, I will begin the battle deployment." Ye Tao waved his hand, and several officers began to lay out rows of small chess pieces on the map. This was a habit in the Dongping army. Since the game of army chess had become popular, more and more generals, almost all of them, had used it as a tool for tactical exercises, or at least to assist them in making combat decisions. These detailed maps and chess pieces representing various types of troops had become essential items for officers of all levels. This trend had even spread to Chunnan, North Liao, and Xiling... But as the officers skillfully laid out the entire battle formation, the expressions of the generals watching attentively became more and more solemn. The atmosphere in the central command tent became even more serious. This was the responsibility that each of them had to bear.

"General Ye... This is..." A battalion commander of the Frost Wolf Army stood up and asked, "You've placed us so far back, it's not conducive to attacking."

Ye Tao smiled and began to explain. "You all know that I don't want to fight a war of attrition, but if we follow our previous methods, it would be too difficult to achieve this. Cavalry clashes are fast and intense, which means that the intensity of a battle is high, and the state of casualties and victories is decided in a very short time. I think I need to change that. I want to keep Xie Boan's army on the battlefield, so they can't get away so easily. To entangle them... It sounds simple, but it's actually a bit difficult to put into practice."

Tan Weiran understood after looking at Ye Tao's deployment carefully for a while. After all, he and Ye Tao were old friends, and they knew each other very well, especially Ye Tao's ideas on army building and combat. "General Ye, are you planning to have infantry formations fight against cavalry?"

"Yes!" Ye Tao said appreciatively, "That's right. I want to reduce the intensity of the battle and release it over a longer period of time. This will make it easier to bleed Xie Boan's army."

A buzz of discussion arose in the central command tent. The tribal generals were somewhat alarmed. In their minds, the confrontation between cavalry and infantry was almost a foregone conclusion. But they quickly became quiet and curious. They saw the officers from Dongping rubbing their fists and looking eager to try.

"Look, in the front line, I've placed three battalions. From the left flank to the right flank, they are the Ouyang family's heavy infantry battalion, the Tan family's Iron Character Battalion, and the Zhuo family's Crouching Tiger Battalion. They are all top-notch in battlefield defense. Behind these three battalions, I've arranged five battalions in a staggered formation to allow the enemy to interlock with our lines, attracting them to continuously commit troops. This means that the Ouyang Heavy Infantry Battalion, the Iron Character Battalion, and the Crouching Tiger Battalion will face tremendous pressure from the front and flanks, but I believe you can withstand it. Your most important task is not to kill the enemy, but to maintain the stability of the lines and withstand the enemy's attacks in sustained defense, minimizing our casualties as much as possible. Wounded soldiers should be evacuated immediately. Before the three battalions reach 30% casualties, I will arrange for troops to rotate. The five battalions behind them are the Duanmu family's Iron Guard Battalion, the tribal heavy infantry battalion, the Xu family's Red Robe Battalion, the Lu family's Great Sword Battalion, and the Peng family's Wind Character Battalion. Your task is also to prioritize defense, but I also require you to maintain a considerable level of lethality. The enemy that rushes at you must not form an absolute numerical advantage, nor can they allow the number of enemy troops to accumulate and put more pressure on the flanks of the three battalions in front. You must not collapse. Behind you are four heavy ordnance camps and a unit from the Ye's Workshop Research Institute's experimental camp. You know what will happen if these units encounter enemy cavalry or infantry attacks. I've assigned four battalions of tribal cavalry to protect your flanks, launching short, sharp attacks when the enemy's numbers form an advantage, and then withdrawing. I want to emphasize that if any general disregards the order to retreat and insists on acting independently, I will not hesitate to enforce battlefield discipline." Ye Tao's eyes swept over the tribal generals. The tribal generals immediately stood up straight and bowed in agreement. Ye Tao wasn't targeting them... In fact, once they got into the heat of battle, the tribal warriors and generals often had this problem. Tan Weiran and Chi Lei rarely actually punished them, aside from scolding them. But Ye Tao didn't intend to continue tolerating this. "This isn't aimed at anyone. I hope everyone understands that this is a battle that will determine our fate. I want the best possible outcome, and I won't hesitate to eliminate anyone who prevents me from getting the outcome I want. At the same time, I hope that the tribal armies can understand what kind of war we will be fighting in the future."

"Behind the heavy ordnance camps, most of the cavalry will rest in place. For the first three hours of the battle, your task is to rest well. I will order you to attack at the appropriate time. If you can't break through the enemy lines by then, then the pressure and sacrifices we endured in the first three hours will be wasted. At that time, I won't give you new tasks. Your task is to break through the enemy lines and deploy behind enemy lines."

"The airship units report that the weather will be good that day. It's conceivable that there will be a major battle between the enemy's airships and ours. I'm quite confident about this. The aerial combat has little to do with you. After the enemy airship fleet is dealt with, I will notify you, and then I will grant you partial command authority for ground support. You've all learned a bit about this in the past few days, and I hope you can make good use of it. My personal guard will be on standby in front of the command platform. I've ordered my entire personal guard to prepare three sets of equipment: light infantry, heavy infantry, and cavalry. Whichever side is faltering, that's where we'll go to reinforce them. I will fight alongside my personal guard," Ye Tao said calmly.

In the central command tent, everyone slapped their chests and shouted loudly, "As you command!"

The final preparations unfolded immediately... For the Dongping army, which had meticulously refined its combat operations to this level, whether the preparations for a major battle were sufficient almost determined half the outcome. And the night was the best cover for them to hide their secrets from the enemy.