The setting sun, like blood, illuminated the re-rising banner of the Northern Barbarian wolf head atop Youzhou city.
Arahan, mounted on his horse, led ten thousand cautious Northern Di cavalrymen, walking slowly through the open city gate.
His eyes scanned every corner and shadow in the city warily, as if afraid that a deadly crossbow bolt might suddenly be fired or a deafening explosion might erupt.
However, nothing happened.
The city was deathly silent, a stark contrast to its usual bustling atmosphere, as if from another world.
The streets were deserted, with only the autumn wind swirling fallen leaves and ashes as they drifted by.
The once bustling market is now closed, with abandoned debris scattered on the ground, telling the story of the hasty departure.
The air was filled with a burnt and desolate smell.
"General, the city... seems to be an empty city."
The centurion returned to report, his tone tinged with disbelief.
Arakhan frowned and personally rode his horse to inspect several main streets.
The treasury was opened, and only some low-value miscellaneous items and a small amount of scattered grain remained inside.
Most of the houses were empty, with only a few elderly, weak, sick and disabled people hiding inside, looking at the returning Northern Di soldiers with terrified eyes.
"Zhao Muyun... what trick is he playing?"
Arahan muttered to himself, his unease only intensifying rather than lessening.
We've captured this formidable city at great cost, are we just going to give it up so easily?
They even emptied out almost all the people and supplies? That doesn't make sense!
Seeing his hesitation, his subordinate Wuchi stepped forward and whispered:
"General, Zhao Muyun is cunning in his military tactics; this move must have a deeper meaning. Perhaps... there are ambushes or traps hidden in the city? Should we temporarily retreat outside the city, search carefully, and then re-enter?"
Arahan was well aware of the risks involved.
But he knew even better that if he didn't even dare to enter an empty city, he would not only be ridiculed by his subordinates, but he would also be unable to explain himself to the Left Wise King Wuzhu.
Recapture of Youzhou was his only hope of redeeming himself.
"Send three teams to thoroughly search the entire city! Focus on key locations such as the treasury, granaries, and city wall passageways!"
"The rest of you, follow me to the city center square... no, gather there, and don't go into the houses yet!" Arahan made a relatively prudent decision.
The search lasted the entire afternoon, and the result was still the same:
No large-scale ambush or obvious traps were found.
There were only a few personal belongings that seemed to have been left behind during the evacuation.
Arahan's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but the feeling of being played became even stronger.
Zhao Muyun is like a ghost; you can never guess what he'll do next.
Did he seize Youzhou just to show off and then run away empty-handed like a thief?
"General, it seems that Zhao Muyun knew he couldn't hold out and was afraid of being attacked from both sides by us and the Yin army, so he fled in panic."
Another general said, "They are carrying so many civilians and supplies, their march will inevitably be slow. If we pursue them now, we might be able to catch them and recover some of their people and wealth!"
Pursuit?
Arahan was tempted.
If we can catch up with Zhao Muyun, even if it's just defeating his rear guard and capturing some supplies, it would be enough to salvage some face.
More importantly, I can finally vent my anger at being led around by the nose for so many days!
But Zhao Muyun's cunning made him uneasy.
“What if…this is a scheme to lure the snake out of its hole?” Arahan asked hesitantly.
Wu Chi advised, "General, Zhao Muyun's main force has been exhausted after a series of fierce battles and is carrying a lot of burdens, so its combat strength will inevitably be greatly reduced."
"Although our troops are also exhausted, they are all cavalry, and they come and go like the wind."
"As long as we are careful and avoid ambushes, even if we don't achieve a great victory, a safe withdrawal should not be a problem. If we allow them to return safely to Hedong, they will surely become a major threat in the future!"
These words completely moved Arahan.
Yes, Zhao Muyun is so formidable. If he were to return safely to Hedong with the spoils and people, his strength would undoubtedly increase even further, posing an even greater threat to the Northern Di!
We must strike while they are weak!
"Alright!" Arahan finally made up his mind. "Wuchi, you will take five thousand men and stay behind to guard Youzhou. Be on high alert, especially to prevent fires and thefts, and be wary of any spies hiding in the city!"
"The remaining five thousand warriors, follow me! Pursue Zhao Muyun! We will make these southern barbarians know the price for toying with the warriors of our Great Di!"
Five thousand elite Northern Di cavalry, fueled by the fury of revenge and the desire for plunder, charged out of the west gate of Youzhou like arrows released from a bow.
They followed the "clear" trails left by Zhao Muyun's army as they retreated, heading west in pursuit.
However, none of them noticed that in some inconspicuous corners of Youzhou City, several pairs of calm eyes were silently watching all of this.
Tang Yanhai and his most elite scouts, along with Shen Qian's "Night Scouts," were like spiders in the dark, having already woven a large net throughout the city, waiting only for the right moment to tighten it suddenly.
The empty city is not truly an empty city.
What it left behind was yet another "generous gift" that Zhao Muyun had carefully prepared for his greedy pursuers.
Arahan led five thousand cavalrymen, galloping westward along the official road.
Zhao Muyun's army, carrying civilians and supplies, left very clear traces: wheel tracks, hoofprints, and discarded broken debris, all indicating the enemy's "hasty" and "heavy" marching condition.
"Faster! Faster! They can't get far!" Arahan kept urging his troops on.
The thought of catching up with Zhao Muyun, taking a bite out of him, and perhaps even capturing and killing this powerful figure from Hedong who had repeatedly humiliated him, made Arahan's blood boil. The pent-up frustration of the past few days seemed to have found an outlet.
After chasing for about a hundred miles, the sun was already setting in the west.
A scout galloped up to report: "General! Enemy rear guard spotted! About two or three thousand infantrymen, escorting a large number of supply wagons, moving slowly!"
"good!"
Arakhan's spirits soared. "My men! The prey is right before us! Follow me and charge! Seize their baggage and slaughter all those infantrymen!"
Five thousand Northern Di cavalrymen let out excited howls, like a pack of wolves smelling blood, and suddenly increased their speed, rushing towards the seemingly chaotic "rear guard" in front!
Sure enough, when the rear guard of the Hedong Army spotted the pursuers, chaos erupted. They abandoned some vehicles and fled in panic towards a hilly area to the west.
"Haha! They're just a defeated and exhausted army! Chase them! Don't let a single one escape!"
Ararat, seeing this unusual behavior, became even more certain that the enemy had lost all will to fight, and led his troops in hot pursuit.
However, as he chased the "rout" into a narrow valley between two mountains, his heart skipped a beat and a chill suddenly rose in his heart!
This terrain... is perfect for an ambush!
"Halt! Slow down the vanguard! Be careful, it might be a trap!"
Arakhan quickly reined in his horse and shouted a warning.
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