Chapter 232: Ambush
The fierce battle to defend the city had passed more than half a month ago.
Inside and outside the city gate, above and below the city wall, deep marks of the aftermath remained, with the bloody smell lingering. The city gate was still closed, and the common people were not allowed to leave the city.
Regarding this strict regulation, the common people of Guangning Prefecture had no objections. The Prefectural Governor also fully supported it with both hands raised.
If not for the Pei Family Army and Guangning Army desperately defending the city, preventing the Xiongnu barbarians from breaking into the city, no one knows what tragedy this city would have suffered, or how many people could have survived safely. With one order from Pei Qinghe, the city gate had been blockaded until now.
The Pei Family Army was defending the city.
After Yang Hu lowered his head and surrendered, he adopted a humble attitude everywhere. Before leading troops out of the city, he had given up the key position of defending the city.
The leader defending the city was a spirited youth of sixteen or seventeen, none other than Zhai Sanlang, whom Pei Qinghe had rescued from Anle County that year.
Zhai Sanlang suppressed his admiration in his heart and carefully stepped forward to ask, “Has the General’s injury healed?”
Pei Qinghe smiled faintly: “It’s already fine.”
The worry Zhai Sanlang had carried for over half a month quietly eased.
Shi Yan’s status in the Pei Family Army was incomparable, and his position by General Pei’s side was unshakable. Whether the Yang Family or the Lu Family, none had been able to dislodge Shi Yan from his son-in-law position. Everyone in the Pei Family Army knew this fact.
Zhai Sanlang admired General Pei and also admired Steward Shi. He never dared to hope for more, and was content just to occasionally steal an extra glance at the General.
Pei Qinghe inspected the city gate defenses and pointed out oversights.
Zhai Sanlang immediately stood at attention to listen to the order.
A fast horse galloped to below the city. The man riding the fast horse waved a Pei character flag in his hand.
Pei Qinghe had excellent eyesight and recognized the person at a glance: “It’s someone under Captain Sun.”
The city gate could not be easily opened, so Zhai Sanlang went to open the side gate that allowed two people to pass. The soldier delivering the letter had run who knows how many hundreds of li, exhausted to the point of nearly falling off his horse. Zhai Sanlang supported him to see Pei Qinghe: “General, this is Captain Sun’s letter.”
It could be seen that the warfare was going smoothly. Otherwise, how would Captain Sun have the spare time and mood to write such a thick letter?
A smile flashed in Pei Qinghe’s eyes as she quickly opened the letter.
Captain Sun and Yang Hu had pursued all the way and indeed caught up to the Xiongnu barbarians. The Xiongnu barbarians’ morale had already dispersed; they only thought of taking money and grain and captives back outside the passes, with no will to fight at all, fleeing while fighting.
Yang Hu continued the pursuit, while Captain Sun led people to take another shortcut and set up an ambush on the road the Xiongnu barbarians must pass.
Pursuers behind and ambush ahead. The Xiongnu barbarians suffered a great defeat, fleeing on horseback. They abandoned more than half of the money and grain and all the captives.
The Xiongnu barbarians had skilled horsemanship; once they abandoned the money and grain and captives, their fleeing speed was truly too fast. Captain Sun, Yang Hu, and the others could not catch up and returned with the money and grain and captives.
The soldier delivering the letter had rushed back on a fast horse nonstop. The main force was behind, needing to consider the common people rescued back, so their speed was slow; it would take at least seven or eight days.
“General, have we won a victory?” Zhai Sanlang asked, his face full of expectation.
Joy danced in Pei Qinghe’s eyes and eyebrows as she nodded: “Captain Sun and the others have made great contributions, pursuing the Xiongnu barbarians, recapturing money and grain, and rescuing the common people back.”
Zhai Sanlang and the others cheered together endlessly.
Pei Qinghe took the letter to the Guangning Army barracks and told Yang Huai the good news.
Yang Huai’s injuries were quite severe; he would need at least half a year to recover. Hearing such good news, Yang Huai beamed with joy, forgetting even the pain in his wounds: “That’s great! If Great Uncle knew in the underworld, he would be overjoyed.”
Two years ago, the Guangning Army had been greatly defeated and dispersed by the Xiongnu barbarians, a pain in the heart of everyone in the Guangning Army. This year, this month, this day, this moment, they had finally avenged that defeat.
Pei Qinghe smiled: “The army is already on the return journey. Don’t get agitated; recover from your injuries with peace of mind.”
Pei Yan was Pei Qinghe’s closest and most beloved cousin sister, so by extension, Pei Qinghe was also very gentle toward Yang Huai, her future brother-in-law.
Yang Huai repeatedly agreed and then asked about Pei Yan’s injuries.
“The arrow wounds on her back and legs have improved considerably. However, Doctor Lu instructed that she still needs to lie prone to recover.”
Before, Pei Yan had come to see him every day. Later, Pei Yan was injured, and he couldn’t move either; it had been over half a month since they last met.
He really missed her!
Seeing the eagerness in Yang Huai’s eyes, Pei Qinghe rarely softened: “If you have any words, I’ll pass them to Pei Yan for you.”
He really couldn’t say sappy words out loud. Yang Huai said softly: “Tell her to recover well and get better soon.”
Pei Qinghe nodded with a smile, returned to the military tent, and relayed Yang Huai’s instructions to Pei Yan.
Pei Yan was bored lying prone and pouted: “All nonsense. If I don’t recover, am I going to run out and court death?”
Pei Xuan and Pei Feng both grinned.
Pei Qinghe had no way with the heartless Pei Yan, smiled as she took out Captain Sun’s letter, and told Pei Yan and the other two: “In this pursuit and ambush battle, we achieved a great victory.”
Everyone was overjoyed.
“It’s a pity that most of the Xiongnu barbarians still escaped.” Pei Yan was somewhat regretful.
Pei Qinghe’s gaze flashed: “Pei Yun and Gu Lian have already led troops waiting ahead for them. At the very least, they’ll take a good bite out of them.”
……
“We’ve waited seven days.”
“Why haven’t the Xiongnu barbarians come yet? They must have changed routes!”
“The military rations we’ve brought are only enough for three days. If we keep waiting, the rations won’t last until we return.”
Youzhou grew more desolate the further north one went; the so-called official road was full of pits and uneven. The farmland near the official road had long been abandoned, with no one farming. Even villages were hard to find.
Pei Yun had brought five hundred cavalry and had been lurking in the mountain forest for seven days.
Pei Yun could endure, but Gu Lian and the others were somewhat unable to restrain themselves and muttered in front of Pei Yun. Gu Lian even volunteered to take people into the mountains to hunt some prey.
Pei Yun raised an eyebrow: “No moving around recklessly. The Xiongnu barbarians aren’t fools; if we move, we’ll leave traces to be detected by their scouts. If they change routes, all our waiting these days will be for nothing.”
Five hundred elite soldiers were fine for an ambush battle, but far from sufficient for open combat against the Xiongnu barbarians.
Pei Yun was calm and clear-headed, making the most advantageous decision.
Gu Lian sighed softly: “In my life, I admire General Pei the most, and then Miss Yun.”
Pei Yun glanced at the flattering Gu Lian: “Have your subordinates all wait obediently.”
Pei Yun had been in Beiping Commandery for over half a year, recruiting and training soldiers, soothing popular support, intimidating officials, squeezing magnates, and dealing with soldiers who violated military regulations—none of it lenient. Such iron-blooded methods quickly established prestige. Gu Lian was completely convinced by Pei Yun and obediently agreed.
They waited another day.
At noon this day, dull horse hoof sounds faintly echoed on the official road.
Pei Yun pressed her ear to the road and listened for a moment, a smile appearing on her face: “At least thirty or more horses. It should be the Xiongnu barbarians’ scouts arriving first. Everyone hide well, don’t let them discover our tracks. A battle will start soon.”
Hearing there would be a battle, the crowd felt no fear and all showed joy on their faces.
