Chapter 703: Ten Thousand Cold Knives

Is it snowing?

It’s really snowing.

Chen Xiliang, a scholar from a humble Jiangnan family who had risen to the highest echelons of Beiliang officialdom, stood shoulder to shoulder with Liuzhou Prefect Yang Guangdou on the city wall, both gazing at the sky, which was turning white with snow.

Compared to the tall and majestic walls of the central plains, Qingcang City’s low outer walls seemed laughably small. Yet this isolated city was located precisely on the northwest frontier, like a delicate woman pushed to the bank of a raging river, liable to be swept away by any wave. Chen Xiliang reached out to catch the still sparse and delicate snowflakes, murmuring, "Over in Taian City, when the snow recedes, those returning to court will be granted the highest noble titles."

Yang Guangdou nodded with a smile, "Indeed, it's quite different here. Our 'great snow' fills our bows and sabers, and our armor feels even heavier. The roughnecks here can't spout verses about dukes and marquises; at most, they'll shout a few lines of doggerel about a 'black hole in a wellhead'."

Chen Xiliang smiled slightly and asked, "I once heard that anecdote in Jiangnan. Does it have something to do with the General-in-Chief?"

Yang Guangdou rubbed his hands. "When the Prince was still the young heir, the General-in-Chief was with his family enjoying the snow by Listening Tide Lake. The young heir, however, insisted he write a poem. In a panic, how could the General-in-Chief compose a poem? After scratching his head for a long time, he finally managed to come up with one. If I recall correctly, the full poem was: 'Snowflakes as big as fists, a black hole in the wellhead. Yellow dog turns white, white dog...'"

Chen Xiliang asked with a smile, "And then?"

Yang Guangdou sighed helplessly, "It was obvious the General-in-Chief couldn't finish it. So our young heir chased him around and gave him a good beating for quite a while. But such absurd scenes were common on Qingliang Mountain back then; everyone in the Prince's residence was used to it."

At this point, Yang Guangdou became a little sad, his voice hoarse as he softly said, "Back then, the General-in-Chief was still agile on his feet; he could run like the wind when fleeing."

Chen Xiliang exhaled a puff of mist and chuckled, "Among all the imperial heirs in Liyang, only our Beiliang heir would dare to be so 'treasonous'."

Yang Guangdou laughed, "Exactly!"

Li Moban hurried onto the city wall. As a deputy general of the Dragon Elephant Army, he was indeed as unruly as rumored, never having set foot inside the Prefect's residence since arriving in Liuzhou. Yet today, he actively sought an audience with the Prefect, which greatly astonished the city's defenders. Recently, the Dragon Elephant Army had violated the Protectorate's military orders by splitting their forces and attacking without authorization, leading to visible tension between Liuzhou's military and civil authorities. Yang Guangdou turned to glance at Li Moban and chuckled, "Oh, what a rare guest! Does Deputy General Li also have the elegance to climb up here and admire the snow?"

Li Moban frowned, ignoring the Prefect's sarcasm. He said gravely, "The initial purple qi phenomenon and the sound of crossbow bolts breaking the air—I don't know the details, so I won't comment on them. But just now, a scout reported from the front that three cavalry units have urgently deployed from Liu Gui's main camp at Guyu Beach, all heading towards Linyao City. Generals Huyan Kechin and Yelü Zongtang each lead five hundred light cavalry, and Lin Fu, Liu Gui's trusted subordinate, commands ten thousand of Liu's main cavalry force. Even their only two hundred heavy cavalry are hidden among them, ready to armor up and charge at any moment."

Yang Guangdou's expression turned serious. He asked, "Are they heading towards your Dragon Elephant Army's commander?"

Li Moban grunted, rubbing his chin fiercely, his eyes dark. "It seems the Qiang cavalry that infiltrated between Qingcang and Linyao was a decoy."

Upon hearing this, Yang Guangdou flew into a rage, on the verge of uttering frustrated words about how this could have been avoided. Chen Xiliang, who held a lower rank and temporarily served as the Prefect's aide, pulled Yang Guangdou's sleeve. He stepped forward and calmly asked, "General Li, assuming the young Prince's Dragon Elephant Army has already engaged that ten thousand-strong Qiang cavalry, if the Qiang cavalry avoids a direct clash and intends to lure our forces deeper, can the Dragon Elephant cavalry achieve results in a pursuit?"

Li Moban sneered, "Once the Dragon Elephant Army gets hold of them, unless the Qiang cavalry turns and flees at first sight, they'll be completely annihilated within an hour!"

Li Moban placed his hand on the top of the wall. "Now, what I fear most is that the Qiang cavalry, who are experts at circling, will persistently avoid battle, allowing them to hold out until they link up with Lin Fu's main army."

Li Moban turned to face Yang Guangdou, the highest-ranking official in Liuzhou in name. "I came into the city not to request to join the battle, but merely to inform you. I will dispatch ten thousand of the Dragon Elephant Army to follow Lin Fu. If Liu Gui's main army, remaining at Guyu Beach, takes the opportunity to push south, I will personally lead the remaining ten thousand Dragon Elephant cavalry to resist the enemy. Qingcang City will not fall."

Yang Guangdou finally exploded in anger, "A major battle is imminent, and you dare to split your forces repeatedly despite being at a disadvantage! Li Moban, it's a shame you were a general highly regarded by the General-in-Chief during his lifetime. Even I, Yang Guangdou, an outsider who hasn't read many military texts, know that splitting forces is a grave military taboo. The importance of Liuzhou lies not only in our stubborn defense of Qingcang City to tie down Liu Gui's main army but also in the thirty thousand Dragon Elephant cavalry maintaining a poised, unengaged stance to act as a deterrent to the entire Northern Mang Southern Dynasty. Both are indispensable. If either is lost, this first great battle between Liang and Mang will already be lost, no matter if your Dragon Elephant cavalry achieves a two-for-one exchange, no matter how many merits you, Li Moban, accumulate, the Prince of Beiliang will still chop off your head! Your death would not be regretted!"

Li Moban's expression was cold as he stiffly stated, "Prefect Yang, I've said Qingcang City won't fall! Even if, hypothetically, all ten thousand of my Dragon Elephant cavalry were wiped out, as long as the commander and Wang Lingbao return safely to the vicinity of Qingcang City, Liu Gui will still be forced to cower like a turtle. Right now, the most important thing is to ensure that our Dragon Elephant Army's commander faces no surprises whatsoever on the battlefield east of Linyao."

Yang Guangdou took a step forward. "You, Li! The Prince of Beiliang has granted me, Yang Guangdou, the authority to act as I see fit in Liuzhou. Do you really think I wouldn't dare execute first and report later?!"

Li Moban's face showed undisguised contempt. He tilted his head slightly and pointed to his neck. "Go on, try it, old Yang. With your meager abilities, can you really chop off my head?"

Chen Xiliang did not intervene as a peacemaker. Instead, he gazed into the distance towards Guyu Beach and slowly said, "Both Prefect Yang and General Li are not wrong. However, there are matters of urgency and priority. For now, let's consider the worst-case scenario: that the appearance of the Qiang cavalry was a trap set by Northern Mang from the beginning. Now that our Dragon Elephant Army has taken the bait, and if we assume Northern Mang's target is not just a few thousand Dragon Elephant soldiers, but a far more crucial objective—Commander Xu Longxiang—then I believe Northern Mang's Southern Dynasty will certainly deploy a sinister counter-move. This might involve a small group of Northern Mang's most elite martial arts experts, capable of at least challenging the young Prince. If Northern Mang succeeds, the loss would be something Qingcang City, Liuzhou, and even all of Beiliang cannot bear."

Chen Xiliang continued, "Given this, I believe deploying ten thousand Dragon Elephant soldiers as support is not too much, but rather not enough. We should also include all available scout archers, the White Horse Yi Cong from the city, and even, if possible, the hidden elite agents within Qingcang City should be urgently dispatched."

Li Moban nodded.

Yang Guangdou remained silent, looking stern.

Chen Xiliang turned his head and looked at Li Moban. "General Li, I don't want you to make any military pledges, nor do I want to hear any grand words about bringing back your head if you lose the battle. I only have one question for you now: with only ten thousand Dragon Elephant cavalry at your disposal, if Liu Gui's main army resolutely pushes south, can you guarantee that Qingcang City will hold until the twenty thousand Dragon Elephant soldiers return!?"

Li Moban's eyes were exceptionally resolute. He stated in a deep voice, "I can!"

Li Moban smiled, slapping the Beiliang battle saber at his waist heavily, and with his other hand, pointed outside the city. "Chen Xiliang, it's fine if you don't trust Li Moban, but please trust this Liang saber of mine! If one isn't enough, there are ten thousand more outside the city!"

Chen Xiliang nodded, and Li Moban turned and strode away.

Chen Xiliang suddenly spoke to the back of the fierce Beiliang border general, "General Li, the soldiers of the Dragon Elephant Army are people of Beiliang, and so are the citizens of Liuzhou."

"I never thought so before, but from now on, I'll remember that!"

After saying this, the general, whose back was to the two "officials," suddenly raised his hand and extended his thumb.