Chapter 92: Yongshui Ambush
After the siege battle of Lao City ended, at the synchronized time point, on the Yongshui side, the Wei Guan group finally woke up from a big dream and took action after Wu Fei had been inserted there for such a long time.
On the 8th of November in the 32nd year of the Shu Tian Calendar, outside the checkpoint blockaded by the Wu Family Army, the wooden fence was slowly pushed open, then a figure covered in mud crawled out and immediately fled. Wu Fei was also staring at the messenger fleeing to the north bank of Yongshui.
This person pretended to be a merchant to arrive in the southern region, but Wu Fei’s patrol officers under his command were very familiar with merchants.
This person claimed to be a peddler. But in reality, real peddlers would accurately say they “sell dates” or “do medicinal materials business,” and when emphasizing that they do traveling merchant business with connections, they would say “carry messages.”
Moreover, this “peddler” did not know what goods should be sold on this road at this season, and then it was seen that although this person was dressed in rags, his teeth were straight and neat, without symptoms of exposure to wind and sleep outdoors. In these times, middle-class commoners’ meals all involve biting pebbles. Only disciples of noble families can enjoy sumptuous feasts.
Thus, Wu Fei put on a show.
After this peddler began entering the city, all the elite troops inside the city were withdrawn, replaced only by locally recruited vassal army to guard Lu City’s city gate.
These local vassal army soldiers were very lax without Wu Fei’s supervision; at some city gates equipped with five people, only one was dozing at the door, while the rest gathered in front of an earthenware pot fighting crickets. And this “peddler” was also skilled at fighting crickets, immediately placing bets and very “smartly” blending in with these big-headed soldiers.
Likewise disguised as a commoner, Wu Fei paused: “Is fighting crickets that fun?” The Wu Family personal soldiers following nearby immediately echoed their young master’s “refined pursuits”: No, fighting cocks is more exciting.
These big-headed soldiers, without accurate intelligence sources and blabbing away, let this “peddler” overhear the vassal army soldiers chatting on the street: Da Yao troops in the southern region are fighting, and their large forces are about to withdraw.
These local vassal army soldiers had no real contact with Wu Family Army high command, and after the Wu Family Army entered southern Yongzhou, they systematically extorted local families, putting the two groups in a barrier and unable to get information.
Thus, this scout obtained false intelligence and left.
…Wu Fei: This obvious bait, will there really be fish taking it?…
Ten hours later, the scout arrived at the military camp of the army assembled in Yongzhou in the north. Wei Guan Yongzhou Prefect Ji Fei listened silently to the intelligence brought back at the risk of death by the loyal righteous man sent by subordinate noble families.
Immediately under his command, a young general, Tang Du’ao, saw the prefect in difficulty, and other colleagues also eager to try, so he stepped forward first to volunteer, willing to lead elite soldiers, cross Yongshui, and launch a surprise attack on the south bank.
As this hot-headed youth jumped out, Yongzhou Prefect Ji Fei happened to have this intention at the time.
Ji Fei had not had good days these past few; he lost everything south of Yongshui and faced scolding from the entire Guan Dynasty court.
The once high-spirited Prince Bo was now extremely destitute and wandering, beaten down by reality and extremely sensitive. Upon hearing that Yao Army was coming from the south, Prince Bo immediately rolled up his wife and close ministers and retreated to northern Xingzhou backed against Hao State, looking ready to slip away if the situation turned bad.
Ji Fei, as an official bound to Prince Bo even before the rebellion, now could not get off the ride and wanted to invite local people on board. After all, only with more affinity with local noble families could his own family continue to survive in Yongzhou if things failed, with blame only on himself.
But due to Wu Family southern barbarian general openly abusing Yongzhou local scholars in southern Yongshui, now as prefect responsible for the people of one region, he had no response and faced harsh criticism from the local scholarly community.
With Tang Du’ao so “brave,” Ji Fei waved his hand and began warming wine for this young Tang general. Then personally draped a battle robe on him.
…Flags waving, an army began charging south…
Here, Wu Fei had obtained the news of the impending surprise attack from northern Yongshui three days in advance. Compared to the rotten intelligence work of the northern noble families, Wu Fei used “agents” according to military strategist regulations.
First, intelligence work must not carry emotions or discuss positions. Because once spies have relevant biases, and the commander believes the bias without filtering because it aligns with his own position, major misjudgments occur.
The current situation is such an example; Yongzhou’s intelligence operations were like that, using noble family disciples to transmit intelligence, which had biases in this war, and the Yongzhou commander needed noble family support, so also biased, hoping this young man of noble identity under him would achieve great merit. Thus, such an absurd result appeared.
Wu Fei’s intelligence method is very simple: use heavy gold to promise some lone individuals, then have them scatter gold to bribe northern merchants and obtain intelligence through details. But Wu Fei never trusted them and never let merchants figure out his position and preferences.
So multiple key points on the route that Tang Du’ao prepared to lead troops through all had spies sending messages by homing pigeon—Wu Fei’s military deployment on the south bank of Yongshui moved accordingly. Wu Fei’s scout troops advanced along the northern branch of Yongshui; after marching to this place for a month, Wu Fei had already surveyed most of the river crossing paths here and almost effortlessly judged the enemy’s river crossing location.
Thus, Wu Fei personally led a thousand troops to arrive at the battlefield first, preparing an active ambush.
On the night of the 15th of the 11th, Wu Fei divided the soldiers into two parts: one part on the south bank of Yongshui, and his own part on the north bank of Yongshui.
About ten hours later, on the north bank of Yongshui, a troop arrived. Not many in number, only over eight hundred cavalry. It could be judged as the vanguard force, with the noisy dust-raising main force still several li behind.
Wu Fei crouched on a mountain at just fifty meters height slope, with dense grass and trees on both sides, making it unclear from below how many ambushers there were.
Wu Fei stared at the enemy army; although he believed the opponent lacked professional standards and would directly cross the river without scouting both sides of the crossing, he still had his subordinates prepare.
At this time, including an important operation: send someone to the upstream crossing to signal, indicating more main forces to come from upstream. Compared to this Wei Guan troop’s haphazard approach.
Wu Fei had collected a large number of ferry boats, allowing freer crossing of soldiers between river banks. And now his priority crossing troop was small in number, convenient for biting the opponent at swimming crossing spots.
Hiding on the north bank slope, Wu Fei instructed the nearby Wu Family disciple Wu Laifeng (non-commissioned officer): “In military strategy, when passing through dangerous terrain, formations are loose and most vulnerable to ambush; the correct operation is to first send scouts to explore high ground, then cross.”
When Wu Fei led troops, no matter how troublesome, he never skipped this step. While the opponent directly ignored this “scoring point” and crossed carelessly.
In Wu Fei’s eyes: this Wei Guan vanguard force indeed crossed the river carelessly; after they had crossed more than half, his ambush troops on the south bank charged out under Wang Feihao’s lead—this was a proper mid-river strike.
Among the ambush troops led by Wang Feihao, there was a cart-mounted ballista. This ballista had a direct firing range of only three hundred paces, far inferior to catapults and cannons, and lacked siege attributes, but it was very important in Wu Fei’s military system.
Because this cart-mounted ballista had excellent mobility, able to advance with crossbowmen, for example, now forming the renowned Moon-Quelling Formation.
The Wei Guan cavalry who had just crossed the river had not formed a battle formation; they just saw a whistling arrow fly up with a whistle, and then the cart formation slammed right in front of them.
…Battlefield mini-scene…
Wu Family Army ballista soldiers began bustling according to drill manual steps. Two strong men unfolded the folded bow arm on the cart like prying open a female hero’s thighs; the tung oil smell concentrated on the mechanism structure, with a snap, just like that round table turning square table folding structure, the bow arm straightened.
“Be careful, don’t get your hand caught! No time to suck your fingers now.” (Everyone whose hand gets caught sucks their fingers instinctively)
Veterans instructed new recruits nearby, fitting rigid copper pieces over the seam after unfolding the folding bow arm for reinforcement, then busily leading the horses aside to better aim the ballista at the river beach direction.
And on both sides of the ballista, crossbowmen had also set up; as a rocket firework sounded, the ballistae began firing.
One by one crossbow bolt penetrated two war horses, leaving the vanguard force in the shallows unable to advance or retreat, blood water flowing from man and horse wounds, immediately washed clean by the river, exposing pinkish-white flesh.
After completing one volley, this Wei Guan vanguard force changed from somewhat gathered but unformed to scattered and panicked.
On the bank, Wang Feihao deploying the Moon-Quelling Formation had sharp eyes, directly blasting the enemy cavalry’s formation benchmark point with one cannon.
On the south bank of Yongshui, Wang Feihao commanded the Wu Family Army to form several columns rushing toward the enemy crossing, the columns turning into lines at fifty paces from the river, beginning to encircle.
The Wei Guan crossing troops had boots stuck with silt, pants soaked, making steps heavy. Just out of the river beach and poked back in. Relatively, the Wu Family Army on dry bank had light steps, able to quickly form clusters and arrays, facing the Wei Guan soldiers just emerging from water with superior numbers.
Often Wu Family Army crossbowmen formed up and ran over to shoot a barrage at the scattered soldiers coming ashore; ballistae skewered the clustered ranks hugging and carrying water while swimming across like candied haws. Finally, cavalry charged along the riverbank like shaving heads at those lucky survivors not dead, driving them back into the water.
Two hundred men completely suppressed eight hundred into downwind.
Regarding this, Wu Fei observing from the north bank mountaintop: “(Tang Du’ao) Too green, never fought a battle, huh?”
…Perspective shifts to the other side…
Upon hearing that the river beach was blocked by hundreds of Da Yao soldiers, Tang Du’ao immediately became urgent. He looked at the troops around and decided to rush forward to support. If there were other advisors nearby, they would remind him to worry about tricks, but now around him were all house generals hurrying on the road—who had such vigilance?
Moreover, even if someone advised, Tang Du’ao might not listen; in his view: “Just these hundreds of Wu Family Army, merely a lucky river patrol team; I can charge through undefeated, this is delivering merit to me! And speed is of the essence in warfare, what if I’m slow and they escape?”
Narrator: This is due to lacking a complete infantry drill manual; in Wu Fei’s non-commissioned officer drill manual, it is clearly recorded that after sending scouts, when reporting enemy situation, clarify numbers and weapon types.
Like the blocking troops Wu Fei deployed on the riverbank, having ballistae equipment, was very unusual.
Facing his vanguard being struck mid-river, Tang Du’ao was obviously anxious, worrying his forward unit would suffer too many losses, so hastily wanted to lead elites to charge over.
…Three quarters of an hour later…
Wu Fei saw Tang Du’ao leading over five hundred rushing over to cross to the south bank; nearby squad leader Wu Laifeng turned to Wu Fei asking: “Brother Fei, should we go up?”
Wu Fei knocked his head: “Wait a bit more, don’t be impatient.”
Another quarter hour passed, i.e., after half of Tang Du’ao’s reinforcement troops crossed, his horse creating V-shaped waves in the shallow river water, Wu Fei ordered Wu Laifeng’s troops to quick assault.
Thus, after the large flag was raised on the mountaintop, Wu Fei let the main force wait at rest on the mountain, had Wu Laifeng nearby lead a hundred cavalry to near the crossing feigning readiness to charge formation.
Wu Fei’s order to Wu Laifeng: Harass and maneuver; as long as the enemy doesn’t take initiative, don’t actively charge any spot! Our army’s combat objective is to ensure splitting the two enemy forces, not letting them regroup.
Among Wei Guan front and rear armies, any trying to cross the dividing zone, using themselves as benchmark to gather split queues from both armies into battle formation, your unit should strike while they haven’t gained momentum.
The battlefield was instantly split into front and rear.
Front battlefield: At the crossing, now struck mid-river by Wu Fei on both north and south banks.
Rear battlefield: Wei Guan follow-up main force now unable to directly cross the river mouth, must deal with mountaintop troops.
Wei Guan army could not split forces against mountaintop troops, because unknown how many troops Wu Fei left on the mountain. If few, mountaintop troops charge down directly routing the rear army. And if rout appears in rear while front is in stalemate, with Tang Du’ao not holding the rear, excessive rear casualties would chain react.
And if many troops left in rear, when surrounding the mountaintop, to support river beach, Wu Laifeng’s hundred cavalry are no pushovers. Could directly turn and first rout the support troops, still causing chain collapse.
So the choice left for Wei Guan’s current rear was to first smash the mountaintop troops!
Wu Fei’s deployment somewhat like Ma Su’s mountain defense arrangement in the Jieting battle, but the result different.
Wu Fei’s military strategist logic here: “The prerequisite for deploying troops on a mountaintop is to force the enemy to attack the high ground.”
And now Wu Fei through battlefield separation created such a must-fight reason; front army blocked at river crossing, rear army as the discarded rear must link up with front.
Moreover, Wu Fei wouldn’t be trapped on the mountaintop, as upstream reinforcements were already swimming across rushing over; Tang Du’ao couldn’t surround him.
…First describe rear battlefield situation…
On the high ground, facing Guan army charging up at once. Wu Fei’s ambush crossbowmen on the mountain rustled out weapons. Arrows fell, surrounding troops quickly prone on ground, struggling upward.
Wu Fei had no giant beasts deployed on the slope; his peacock mount too conspicuous, unsuitable for ambush combat, but Wu Fei still considered possibility of position being assaulted by large-volume giant beasts.
Slope positions divided into multiple sets, each fortified position burying large nets underground; as long as pulling the lever jumps, the large net suddenly stands up, then flips to scoop up the charging Guan army.
Several squad leaders in Guan army led the charge; Wu Fei slightly startled: Good grief, strange beast mounts! Not simple. These head “deer-type” mounts, incomparably divine and handsome leaping in the mountains, hooves light as goats running on cliffs.
Several more large nets fell, rolling stones tumbling down crackling; squad leaders trapped in nets soon stopped flailing, deer began head-butting ground, while deer riders still relentlessly tore at net, but weapons already dropped from hands while tearing.
Guan army reaching mid-slope saw leaders trapped, tried to rescue, while mountaintop Wu Fei grinned watching these gourd babies saving grandpa, ordering crossbow teams to shoot at clustered spots.
Whoosh, one volley of crossbow bolts later, these personal soldiers trying to rescue their squad leaders suffered heavy losses! —Per the saying personal soldiers are squad leader’s property, this wave the opponent lost big time.
…Front battlefield also changing at this time…
In Wu Fei’s view, quarter hour after splitting battlefield, the Guan army side entangled dead at crossing finally reacted; on mountaintop Wu Fei saw a young general very outstanding—actually Tang Du’ao about same age as Wu Fei.
He led thirty cavalry abandoning front team, began returning, preparing to bring some rear army troops over.
Wu Laifeng waiting below mountain immediately led cavalry to intercept, large cavalry surging toward Tang Du’ao.
This was righteous gang-up, but Wu Laifeng in one clash was unhorsed by Tang Du’ao’s lance; thanks to surrounding Wu Family cavalry timely encircling, plus his on-spot realized “wild boar roll” skill, dodged that strike sparking on stone, Tang Du’ao failed follow-up. But let Wu Fei confirm this guy was this army’s general, thus called over Nine Phoenix draped in straw mat from rear mountain.
Tang Du’ao held lance blocking arrowheads, at one hundred zhang from mountaintop shouted loudly: “Bandits on mountain cease your arrogance, watch me charge and slaughter you all!” Then patted mount; originally unremarkable mule-like mount instantly expanded to two zhang long, shoulder height one point eight meters, pair of great horns length comparable to two halberds, incomparably majestic.
And on the other side, mud-covered Wu Laifeng remounted, shoved aside personal soldiers, face red neck thick preparing to chase and kill this enemy general; facing family military master big brother’s first task, he dropped the chain, face very red, wanted death match with enemy. Immediately chased to continue entangling Tang Du’ao. But he had wits, ordered cavalry to remote bow shoot.
Tang Du’ao riding deer like a tank, facing countless arrow rain assaults, lightly swept, knocking them all aside, momentarily making his rear unit cheer loudly.
As he challenged, Guan army soldiers below mountain being suppressed had morale greatly boosted, began shouting at Yao Army on slope.
But hero only three seconds; as Tang Du’ao continued charging forward preparing to link with main army, mountain emitted nine long cries.
As for Guan army below charging upward, suddenly felt a heart-palpitating wave ahead, then like watching missile launch skyward, a giant bird shot straight up from dry ground.
Wu Fei riding Nine Phoenix appeared, beginning to respond to enemy general’s duel challenge.
Tang Du’ao seeing this huge evil bird overhead diving, hurriedly prepared to dodge, but Nine Phoenix’s under-hung grenade launcher sprayed.
Tang Du’ao facing these metal projectile-like things flying over, instinctively flung lance, but soon felt lance entangled. Then a flexible force covered him.
Correct, this was Wu Fei’s invented spiderweb grenade (code name Immortal-Binding Rope), using gunpowder power to spin the projectile, then unfolding a tough large net from air to cover the target.
After limiting enemy’s dodge space in pre-pounce, Wu Fei unleashed killing intent, like a big truck descending from heaven directly pouncing Tang Du’ao; horns-entangled Nine-Colored Deer suddenly twisted head trying to break free—to speak of it, Nine-Colored Deer body size also giant beast level, facing Nine Phoenix assault immediately bowled over to ground, skidded three meters, then faced Nine Phoenix’s proficient claw technique, constant stomping.
Speaking of, if not absolutely confident in his three axe strikes, Wu Fei wouldn’t jump out responding to such challenge.
Just like crane, serpent eagle such long-legged birds dealing with ground snakes rats, Nine Phoenix’s claws stomped through large net one after another; in combo, Tang Du’ao and his mount soon fainted.
At the instant he fainted, Wu Fei fully released killing intent. Unrestrained killing intent diffused like shockwave, and across entire battlefield, army killing intent overwhelmingly turned to Wu Family Army side.
Both battlefield segments collapsed simultaneously; front army dropped weapons and surrendered on river beach, rear army in large rout, abandoning all carts, horses, and military supplies.
