Chapter 263: Strangling The Throat Of Ganliang, Controlling The Gate Of Hexi
The sun hung high, scorching the vast land.
The golden sun and moon battle flag billowed in the wind, as the Northern Frontier Army surged forward like a tidal wave, charging from Liangzhou City.
This was precisely the First Division and Sixth Garrison led by Li Xiao.
After ending the Battle of Liangzhou, Li Xiao handed Liangzhou City over to the Fourth Garrison that arrived later to take control, while he himself led over ten thousand cavalry to continue the eastern expedition.
Preparing to venture into the Western Xia heartland.
After all, the elite main force of the Western Xia Army had been completely wiped out in the Battle of Hexi, leaving the Western Xia heartland vulnerable, with ample defense but insufficient offensive capability.
Meanwhile, under Li Xiao’s command were pure cavalry troops, swift as the wind, more than capable of stirring up the Western Xia heartland.
After the army had traveled about 150 li from Liangzhou City, scouts ahead galloped back: “Reporting to the Great Protector, Tiger Wolf Gorge is twenty li ahead.”
“Tiger Wolf Gorge?”
Li Xiao’s expression tightened, and he raised his head to gaze at the silhouette of the distant mountains.
It was already mid-afternoon, with the crimson sunset shining on the mountains ahead, presenting a scene like a golden mountain, radiating brilliant light.
But what truly caught Li Xiao’s attention was the name Tiger Wolf Gorge, also known as Tiger Wolf Valley.
Many dramatized novels had depicted it, with the most famous being the story of the Yang Family women generals.
After the Yang Family men died in battle, twelve widows went on the western expedition, only to encounter an ambush by the Xia Army in Tiger Wolf Valley, where eleven perished, and Lady She the Elder wept blood in grief.
Though it was a story fabricated by later generations, the perilous terrain of Tiger Wolf Valley was beyond doubt.
Moreover, in real history, the Northern Song Army clashed with the Western Xia Army in Tiger Wolf Valley, and after defeat, they completely lost control of the Hexi Corridor.
The Northern Song Army had no good horses left, causing their combat strength to rapidly decline.
Facing the infamous Tiger Wolf Valley, Li Xiao naturally did not dare underestimate it, and he gravely ordered: “Pass the order: camp the army outside Tiger Wolf Valley.”
“Enter the valley at dawn tomorrow.”
He then dispatched a large number of scouts into Tiger Wolf Valley for reconnaissance.
Although the elite main force of Western Xia had been utterly destroyed in the Battle of Hexi, Li Xiao still had to guard against potential threats.
After all, Tiger Wolf Valley’s terrain was extremely perilous, a true one-man choke point where ten thousand could not pass, requiring only a small number of troops to pose a massive threat to the Northern Frontier Army.
On the second day at dawn, as the sun slightly brightened, noisy sounds successively rose in the Northern Frontier Army Camp, with cooking smoke faintly ascending.
The aroma of millet porridge wafted outside Tiger Wolf Valley.
Having just finished morning training, Li Xiao, draped in a black single garment exposing half his chest, strode back energetically.
The morning breeze was cool, but Li Xiao felt no chill at all, his inner vitality surging and energy abundant.
His powerful aura was like a dormant fierce beast, exerting immense oppressive pressure.
“Great Protector!”
Outside the tent, Lin Dazhuang had been waiting, and upon seeing Li Xiao, he immediately saluted with hand to chest.
“Dazhuang, have you eaten?”
“Let’s eat together!”
Li Xiao asked softly, and without waiting for Lin Dazhuang’s reply, he waved his hand to have his personal guards prepare two breakfasts.
Although Lin Dazhuang had already eaten earlier, facing Li Xiao’s invitation, he claimed he could eat two more bowls.
Thus, he handed his helmet and saber to the personal guards outside the tent, followed Li Xiao into the tent, and sat behind the table at the lower seat.
Soon, two personal guards brought the breakfast.
The formal garrison soldiers of the Six Garrisons needed to engage in prolonged high-intensity combat, so their diet had to be fully ensured.
Unlike ordinary people with two meals a day, garrison soldiers had three meals.
The main meal was at noon, while breakfast was light.
Even Li Xiao himself had nothing too special: a bowl of millet porridge, a flatbread, and a small dish of pickles.
The noon meal would provide meat to the soldiers.
Li Xiao and Lin Dazhuang were both rough men who finished breakfast in a few quick bites.
Then, Li Xiao said gravely: “Dazhuang, Tiger Wolf Valley has complex terrain. Though we have locals as guides, you must still be exceedingly cautious.”
“If there’s danger, do not act rashly; wait for the main force of our army to support.”
Lin Dazhuang’s mission this time was as the vanguard of the Northern Frontier Army, entering Tiger Wolf Valley first to clear the path.
If possible, Li Xiao did not want to pass through Tiger Wolf Valley, but its geographic position was extremely unique, making it the essential route in and out of the Hexi Corridor.
Historically, there were three routes from Guanlong into the Hexi Corridor.
The northern route went straight west from Zhongwei west of Xingqing Prefecture, directly reaching Liangzhou City.
But this route was almost entirely desert, and extremely dangerous quicksand at that.
With scarce water sources, it could accommodate small caravans, but any large army entering would face near-certain death.
The southern route required detouring from Guanzhong through the plateau, then crossing the Qilian Mountains via Biandu Pass into the Shandan Military Horse Farm.
This path faced high altitude cold, oxygen scarcity, extreme weather, rugged terrain, and extremely high danger.
Thus, from ancient times to now, everyone chose the central route.
Most segments of this route were safe, except for Tiger Wolf Valley and Wushao Ridge, where both sides were high mountains, terrain perilous, and roads narrow.
Wushao Ridge was the eastern gate of the Hexi Corridor; passing it meant entering the Hexi Corridor.
In climate, geography, human customs, etc., it already showed clear differences from Guanlong.
Heading north from Wushao Ridge led to Tiger Wolf Valley, known as the ‘golden gate, silver lock’.
This was the natural barrier of the Hexi Corridor, praised since ancient times as ‘throat of Ganzhou and Liangzhou, gate controlling the Hexi’.
It was a treacherous area at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor, with cliffs on both sides as if cleaved by a heavenly axe, thrusting into the clouds, forming a natural pass.
About 60 li long, less than 1 li wide, narrowest at just over ten zhang, a key strategic site.
“Rest assured, Great Protector; this general will act with utmost caution,” Lin Dazhuang said in a heavy voice.
He was the Third Myriad Household Commander of the First Division, commanding over two thousand elite cavalry, equipped with twenty Tiger Zun Cannons, with formidable combat strength.
As long as they did not encounter the main Xia Army force, they could at least safely withdraw from the valley.
After further discussion, Li Xiao and Lin Dazhuang parted, and Lin Dazhuang led his troops away.
The Third Myriad Household cavalry all wore cotton armor, three horses per man, proceeding steadily toward Tiger Wolf Valley in grand array.
By evening, news came from the Third Myriad Household.
“Reporting to the Great Protector, our unit has safely passed through Tiger Wolf Valley and occupied the Wushao Ridge heights.”
In the golden tent, three cavalrymen in yellow armor stood before Li Xiao.
Li Xiao recognized them as Lin Dazhuang’s personal guards.
Hearing that Lin Dazhuang’s unit had safely passed Tiger Wolf Valley, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Tiger Wolf Valley and Wushao Ridge were the final barrier between the Hexi Corridor and Guanlong; occupying Wushao Ridge allowed the Northern Frontier Army to advance east at any time, threatening the safety of the Western Xia heartland.
“It seems the Xia Kingdom army’s defeat was too sudden, leaving no time for the Western Xia Court to send men to seize such a strategic point,” Li Xiao said calmly.
Since Lin Dazhuang’s unit had occupied Wushao Ridge, it naturally meant the valley was safe.
For caution’s sake, however, Li Xiao questioned the three personal guards in detail.
Throughout, the three personal guards showed only fatigue, nothing unusual otherwise.
Li Xiao nodded slightly: “You’ve worked hard. Each of you, go collect ten taels of silver.”
“Rest now; tomorrow at dawn, advance with the main army into the valley.”
Ten taels of silver was considerable, enough for two oxen.
The three personal guards’ faces lit up with joy: “Thank you, Great Protector.”
Then, led by Li Xiao’s personal guards, they went to rest.
Li Xiao turned to generals like Qin Chunsheng and Li Donghe, saying gravely: “Tomorrow at dawn, the army enters the valley and exits east to Hexi.”
“Let those fools in Xingqing Prefecture personally feel the might of our Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry.”
Qin Chunsheng and the others were stirred, chorusing gravely: “Understood.”
On the second day, the main army entered Tiger Wolf Valley. Despite Lin Dazhuang’s prior path-clearing, Li Xiao proceeded very cautiously, dispatching scouts to the ridges on both sides at every dangerous spot to check for ambushes.
By sunset, they had covered the 60 li.
This pace was just right for infantry, but slow for cavalry.
Though much time was wasted in the valley, safety was assured.
“Worthy of the famed Tiger Wolf Valley.”
After exiting Tiger Wolf Valley, Li Xiao looked back at the valley behind, sighing in awe.
This day’s experience further solidified his resolve.
Such a perilous place as Tiger Wolf Valley must be held in his own hands.
“One man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot breach.” Thin Monkey, following beside Li Xiao, also marveled.
But then he grew solemn: “Great Protector, building a pass here would completely sever ties between the Hexi Corridor and Guanlong.”
“The Xia Kingdom would have no chance to reclaim the Hexi Corridor.”
Hearing this, Li Xiao glanced at Thin Monkey, nodded slightly, and praised: “You’ve gained some insight.”
He then looked toward Tiger Wolf Valley, saying gravely: “You’re right.”
“To keep the Hexi Corridor stable and free from Xia Kingdom troop incursions, a pass must be built in Tiger Wolf Valley.”
Just like the renowned Jiayu Pass and Hangu Pass.
Tiger Wolf Valley was already a natural choke point; a pass there would lock east-west connections.
For Western Xia to reclaim the Hexi Corridor, they would first have to take Tiger Wolf Valley.
With a pass, capturing it would be far harder, requiring at least ten thousand casualties.
Historically, few dynasties built passes in Tiger Wolf Valley, mainly due to differing defensive priorities.
In Han and Tang times, the western border was in the Western Regions, so Tiger Wolf Valley was internal, needing no pass.
Western Xia was similar; building a pass would hinder Hexi Corridor-Guanlong links, wasting resources and risking greater independence for Hexi.
Thus, Tiger Wolf Valley remained open.
But now, Li Xiao coveted the fertile lands of Liangzhou and Ganzhou, with their annual 400,000 shi grain output.
To control the Hexi Corridor, a pass must be built in Tiger Wolf Valley.
“Tiger Wolf Pass!”
Gazing at the slanting sun in the valley, Li Xiao said resolutely: “Once the army returns, we begin building Tiger Wolf Pass.”
Hearing this, Thin Monkey smiled, pleased his suggestion was adopted.
“The Great Protector is wise.”
By evening, the Northern Frontier Army camped to rest south of Tiger Wolf Valley.
The next day, Li Xiao left Lin Dazhuang to garrison Tiger Wolf Valley and secure the army’s rear.
He then led troops onward, but at Wushao Ridge, turned a ninety-degree bend along the Kaluo River Valley, known as Zhuanglang River, heading east.
This was known as the Wushao Ridge Ancient Path.
Though also perilous, it was much wider than Tiger Wolf Valley, accommodating more troops.
It was now midsummer; Wushao Ridge was cool due to high elevation, but the sun was scorching.
The blazing sun heated the rocks underfoot; over ten thousand Northern Frontier iron hooves trod the heat-waving mountain path, advancing slowly.
After another day, by the afternoon of the next, the Northern Frontier Army main force finally left the Wushao Ridge Ancient Path.
“Report~”
“Reporting to the Great Protector, a village has been spotted ahead.”
“About seven or eight hundred people.”
The golden sun and moon battle flag billowed under the blazing sun; hearing the scout’s report, Li Xiao smiled faintly, squinting toward the front.
He then glanced at the surrounding Northern Frontier Army; after continuous marches, the soldiers’ morale was somewhat low.
Li Xiao prepared to brew another pot of chicken soup.
“Clang~”
Riding his war horse to a high ground, he slowly drew his dragon head cavalry saber, pointing at the heat haze on the horizon, his deep voice carrying across the wasteland: “Warriors.”
“Do you see that land ahead?”
“That is the land of Guanlong, the land of the Central Plains.”
The blade scorched hot, refracting dazzling light; Li Xiao’s voice grew ever more fervent.
“The Hexi Corridor is just an appetizer; beneath Guanlong’s fertile soil lie countless gold, and the granaries’ wheat ferments in the summer heat.”
“The wives of those Xia Kingdom nobles wait in their steamer-like courtyards for us Northern Frontier men to cool them down!”
Li Xiao’s words drew laughter from the soldiers, quickly turning to beast-like howls.
Soldiers tore open sweat-soaked collars, faces flushed and necks thick, roaring loudly: “Roar roar roar roar~”
Li Xiao’s gaze swept over the surging heads below the mountain, laughing heartily: “Win this battle, and Hexi’s women are yours to choose, cattle, sheep, and horse herds yours to take.”
“If we lose…”
He licked his cracked lips, his voice turning icy amid the heat: “Then we brothers die together in Guanlong.”
“Die together.”
“I, Li Xiao, will never survive alone.”
As Li Xiao’s words fell, Northern Frontier soldiers erupted in earth-shaking war cries, pounding chests, sabers scraping armor with harsh sounds.
“Roar roar roar roar~”
Li Xiao stood on the mountain peak, his war horse rearing high on forelegs, neighing with battle intent.
“Northern Frontier warriors, we are grassland eagles, wasteland wolves, born to plunder.”
“Follow me to trample Guanlong, loot everything they have!”
“On the day of triumph, I’ll have Northern Frontier bonfires burn from grassland to Great River’s edge, every warrior’s tent piled with gold and silver, a woman warming the bed each night!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
Northern Frontier soldiers’ battle fervor surged, unleashing roaring waves.
War horses charged wildly; in moments, they breached the village, then looted rampantly, venting days of pent-up frustration.
As the sun set, the village’s clamor faded, everything returning to calm.
Li Xiao ordered the army to camp in the village and rest.
At dawn the next day, they continued southeast.
His goal was Yuanchuan Granary!
The Northern Frontier lacked grain, and this expedition had looted at least 500,000 people from Hexi, making the food issue ever more severe.
Though Li Xiao planned to disperse them in the Northern Frontier to reclaim wasteland and grow grain.
With the Northern Frontier’s vast lands, it could suffice for their rations.
But that would take time; at least for a year, the Northern Frontier Governor’s Mansion needed to provide grain to feed over 500,000 mouths.
This was a massive undertaking; grain from the Great Desert and Gaochang alone could not meet the demand.
Though the Northern Frontier Army had looted 400,000 shi from Ganzhou and Liangzhou, as the saying goes, grain in hand brings peace of mind.
More grain was always better.
Li Xiao had originally planned to stop after taking Liangzhou City, but learned from Western Xia captive generals of crucial intelligence.
Yuanchuan Granary still held at least 300,000 shi of grain.
Western Xia had four major granaries.
Respectively: ‘Lingzhou Granary’ in Lingzhou City, ‘Ganzhou-Liangzhou Granary’ in Ganzhou and Liangzhou, ‘Imperial Granary’ in Xingqing Prefecture.
The last was ‘Yuanchuan Granary’ south of Zhuoluo City.
Among the four, Xingqing Prefecture’s ‘Imperial Granary’ was largest, claimed to hold ‘a million shi’.
‘Yuanchuan Granary’ was smallest, usually just over 100,000 shi.
But due to its location at the eastern Hexi Corridor.
300 li southeast from Wushao Ridge was Yuanchuan.
Perfect as a logistics base for the western expedition army.
Thus, at war’s start, the Western Xia Court transferred massive provisions from ‘Imperial Granary’ and ‘Lingzhou Granary’ to ‘Yuanchuan Granary’.
Clearly, Western Xia rulers planned a war of attrition with the Northern Frontier, but never anticipated the Battle of Hexi’s utter and swift defeat.
The grain in ‘Yuanchuan Granary’ naturally became fat meat laid before the Northern Frontier Army.
Li Xiao felt uneasy without devouring it.
So, the Northern Frontier Army came.
But seizing Yuanchuan Granary faced one obstacle: Zhuoluo City.
Located north of Yuanchuan Granary, less than 100 li away.
Once home to one of Western Xia’s twelve military commands, the Henan Military Command, in Zhuoluo City.
To guard against southern Tubo and Song Dynasty.
But at Northern Song’s fall, Western Xia also invaded south, seizing vast territories from Northern Song.
Including lands south of Zhuoluo City, incorporating later Qinghai’s capital Xining into its rule.
The Xining area was the famed Hexi Valley, fertile soil with boundless fields.
Western Xia further developed it, opening vast grain fields, then built ‘Yuanchuan Granary’ to store Hexi Valley grain.
Plus massive military grain from Xingqing Prefecture, ‘Yuanchuan Granary’ now held 300,000 shi.
Now, the Northern Frontier Army advanced south along the Kaluo River Valley, bypassing villages unless necessary.
No temptation could deter Li Xiao’s craving for grain.
“Great Protector, scout report.”
“Zhuoluo City is now less than twenty li from our army.”
That day, the Northern Frontier Army reached outside Zhuoluo City.
According to Imperial Guard spies in Xingqing Prefecture’s Bureau of Military Affairs, after Western Xia took Xining Prefecture, Zhuoluo City’s defenses shifted south.
To guard against Tubo threats and looting from the southern plateau against Hexi Valley.
The Western Xia Emperor decided to relocate the main force of the Henan Military Command from Zhuoluo City to Xining Prefecture to hold the frontier.
Plus losses in the Battle of Hexi at Liangzhou City.
Thus, though Zhuoluo City remained nominally the Henan Military Command base, actual troops were down to just a few thousand.
Main tasks: guard against Jin Dynasty south of the Great River, and watch Yuanchuan Granary.
Yet, a city with mere thousands posed minimal threat to the Northern Frontier Army.
Li Xiao even planned to bypass Zhuoluo City and strike straight for Yuanchuan.
“Order the Sixth Garrison to surround Zhuoluo City and protect the main army’s rear.”
“This Protector will personally lead the First Division south to seize ‘Yuanchuan Granary’.”
Under the setting sun, Li Xiao gazed at Zhuoluo City, his low voice coldly commanding.
His goal was always Yuanchuan’s grain; everything else yielded to it.
Meanwhile, Zhuoluo City’s garrison spotted the Northern Frontier Army, and piercing gong sounds rang from the city wall.
“Northern Frontier barbarians are coming~”
“Northern Frontier barbarians are coming~”
