Chapter 128 Captured
At that critical moment, the Northern Liao man beside Yelu Anduan reacted extremely quickly, reaching out and pulling him back to avoid the startled horse's hoof. The hard iron horn of the horse's hoof almost grazed his eyes, and Yelu Anduan's face turned pale. Cold sweat rolled down his face from the excruciating pain and fear of death, sticky blood gushed out, and his whole body trembled.
He was almost killed by Zhao Xuanxu's arrow!
"Retreat!" Military flags waved, and the blasts of trumpets echoed. The Northern Liao cavalry, valiant and skilled in battle, quickly restored order and retreated, attempting to reach the plains. The Northern Liao men supported Yelu Anduan, feeling anxious. Yelu Anduan was the Holy Empress's most favored son, and she had even dispatched her trusted general, Dabale, to assist him. If Yelu Anduan died unexpectedly in the Southern Palace, these personal guards would likely be buried with him, much like the men who had served Yelu Huishi. They wouldn't even have a chance to survive, like Agu, with a broken arm.
The war horses around him kept colliding and fighting. Wen Yao lowered his upper body, raised his hand to hold down the Xingyi Sword, and suddenly turned to Zhao Xuanxu and said, "Leave Yelu Anduan alive and use him to negotiate with them."
Zhao Xuanxu's hand was already on the arrow, the second one poised for release. His forearm muscles tensed, his wrist bones bulged, the lines of his wrist sharp and clear. Wen Yao's words left his mouth, but he didn't react. His slender fingers remained firmly on the string, then the arrowhead deflected slightly, and he released it without hesitation!
The man from Northern Liao who was sitting next to Yelu Anduan was instantly pierced through the head by a long arrow. He no longer had to worry about whether he would be buried with Yelu Anduan.
Yelu Anduan snapped back to his senses, yanking on the reins and hastily retreating. He recalled Tianshui's plan to trap the Northern Liao cavalry on the mountain road. The only option now was to retreat, immediately, away from the vast grasslands and out of this narrow flat land in front of the mountain. Once they reached the plains, the Northern Liao cavalry would have room to re-charge, and he could overcome his disadvantage and regain control of the battle.
Gao Shaoshan was filled with energy and raised his arms, shouting, "Chase the Liao barbarians! Capture Yelu Anduan alive!"
The morale of the Tianshui people was greatly boosted, and the war horses rushed down the hills and mountains with a whistling sound. They were surrounded on both sides, and the Northern Liao cavalry, intentionally or unintentionally, gradually turned the corner and rushed in one direction.
Hunting was a stalemate of force and ingenuity. Northern Liao hunters on the grasslands would chase prey toward traps. The Tianshui cavalry, clearly in the lead, remained in pursuit, refusing to attack. This was highly unusual, but Yelu Anduan was oblivious. He led his men across the grasslands, intent on escaping their current predicament.
Wen Yao gently tugged on the reins. The horse beneath her understood her intentions, its four hooves swung out in a shadow, quickly breaking away from the Tianshui army and approaching the Liao cavalry ahead. Wen Yao drew her Xingyi Sword, unflinching and sweeping across, sending Northern Liao soldiers around her falling one after another. Like a dagger, she pierced through the vast Northern Liao army, closing in on Yelu Anduan.
Yelu Anduan's personal guards gritted their teeth, drew their swords, and surrounded him, beginning to fight. With one shoulder unable to move, Yelu Anduan glared at Wen Yao with a sinister look, secretly drawing a crossbow and aiming for a shot. Suddenly, a cry of alarm rang out from the front of the column. The horses of the Northern Liao cavalry, charging at the forefront, neighed, their knees suddenly giving way, and they fell to their knees.
This was just a precursor. Without orders, the charging cavalry wouldn't stop. From the front came a series of chaotic noises, horses falling to their knees and struggling. Yelu Anduan, startled and confused, turned to see what was happening when the warhorse under him leaped forward a few steps and suddenly stopped, slumping and neighing in panic.
Yelu Anduan looked down, his fingertips and horse hooves broke through the grass, and were completely swallowed up by the soft and muddy swamp.
"Swampland!" He finally understood what was happening. The surroundings looked like a normal grassland, but in reality, they were a swamp that had been covered with grass! No wonder the Tianshui people had been chasing them all the way. They were trying to force them into this place, where the mud would trap the hooves of the Northern Liao warhorses! Swamps are areas of solidified quicksand on the grasslands, extremely terrifying, swallowing everything in their path. By now, most of the Northern Liao cavalry had entered this vast swamp. Although the remaining few managed to stop in time, they were still forced to face the Tianshui army's encirclement and suppression.
But that's not right!
Yelu Anduan turned to look at Wen Yao. Wen Yao was clearly among them, yet unaffected by the swamp. His muscular horse paced briskly around them.
"An old horse knows the way." Wen Yao smiled at him. "Sometimes, foreign horses are not as good as local horses."
A moment later, dozens of miles away, Dabale, who had a thick beard, received the news that the Tianshui army had launched a surprise attack, and Yelu Duhan had led his troops to attack despite dissuasion and was then captured.
If he were not a subject and Yelu Anduan was not the master, Dabal would have thrown away the sturdy bull whip in his hand and cursed loudly.
Idiot! Idiot! Absolutely idiot!
Dabale's facial muscles twitched, his tiger-like muscles tensed. With a wave of his hand, he whipped the messenger hard, his skin ripping and tearing, a hideous bloody color. The messenger dared not utter a word, letting Dabale vent his fury.
"Your Highness is reckless!" Dabale angrily asked, "Didn't Yelu Duhan stop you?"
"They stopped him," the messenger said, reluctantly. "The Xianyin Division had a brief argument with His Highness, and His Highness immediately led his troops out."
Balak replied, "You didn't stop me?"
This time no one spoke. His expression clearly told Dabal that with Yelu Anduan's decisive character, even if they stepped forward to dissuade him, it would not have any effect.
Before Dabale could recover from the bad news, the clatter of horses' hooves reached him from afar. A blood-stained figure appeared on his face, and he loudly requested Dabale's next instructions. They were still engaged in battle at Tianshui, led by Zhongli He. That man was incredibly sharp and decisive, possessing exceptional tactical prowess and measured moves. They had been held hostage for quite some time, unable to defeat or escape the other.
Dabale's expression darkened upon hearing this. He had initially felt that Zhongli He's marching style was odd. With such a powerful enemy at hand, why would he retreat instead of attack? Now, upon hearing the news that Yelu Anduan had been captured alive, he finally understood Zhongli He's purpose.
What a good strategy of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west to lure the tiger away from the mountain!
"Sir, what should we do now--" Dabale suddenly raised his hand, and the man immediately shut up.
Dabale raised his head, his gaze long and sharp, fixed on the distant battlefield. In the opposing camp, Zhongli He, clad in silver armor, looked imposing. His gaze met Dabale's with a straightened jaw, a mocking smile playing on his face.
"Move troops from the frontier camp," Dabale said coldly. "Send them all over here. Capture Zhongli He alive at all costs." The Zhongli clan was a longtime rival of Northern Liao. Upon arriving in Xijin City, he had heard that the Zhongli clan's only son had joined the Yan prince of Tianshui in rebellion, wielding a tiger talisman to mobilize border troops. Dabale's mind raced, realizing that capturing Zhongli He alive in exchange for Yelu Anduan was the only way to break the current situation.
Zhongli He didn't bring many people with him. As long as he mobilized troops to surround and attack him now, Dabale was sure that he could capture Zhongli He!
The messenger came and went in a hurry, his face dark and green as he said, "The Xianyin Division does not agree to the troop deployment."
Dabale's eyes widened, and he turned his head and said, "What?!"
"At this critical moment, Lord Xianyinsi said he would lead his troops to prevent the Tianshui army from attacking the city. He asked you to take care of yourself."
Dabale was in disbelief. Furious, he struggled to break free from Zhongli He, who was clinging to him, and rushed back to the tent with the remaining troops before Yelu Duhan. He looked at Yelu Duhan, who sat motionless at the head of the table, his eyes filled with neither respect nor contempt, but deep fear and suspicion.
"Why didn't you send troops?" Dabale stared at Yelu Duhan, trying to discern any reaction from his face. He stiffly squeezed out each word through his teeth: "Without hostages, we can only agree to more conditions from Tianshui in exchange for His Highness!"
Yelu Duhan looked at him indifferently, and the expression in his eyes made Dabale feel cold in his heart. He could only suppress the fear in his heart and said slowly and threateningly: "What do you mean? You don't plan to save His Highness from the hands of Tianshui people? Don't forget the Queen and His Majesty!" Yes, if something happened to Yelu Anduan, the situation would not only benefit Tianshui, but also benefit Yelu Duhan in some ways.
Listening to Dabale's questioning and sensing the increasingly peculiar looks from the surrounding Northern Liao generals, Yelu Duhan's face remained expressionless. His brows were furrowed, revealing a sense of intense repression. He was wearing military uniform today, the fabric so dark it resembled blood, the hem embroidered with black lines. His hair was tied back, a headband pressed against his forehead, and golden armbands adorned his muscular arms.
As soon as Dabale finished speaking, the wooden armrest under Yelu Duhan's palm was crushed by him, revealing spider-web-like cracks.
Dabale shut his mouth, looked at him warily, and slowly placed his hand on the long sword at his waist.
After a moment, Yelu Duhan spoke in a low, slow voice, his emerald eyes fixed on Dabale with a gloomy stare. "Of course we must save him. No matter how foolish he is, he is still a prince of Northern Liao. It would be a shame to be captured and killed by the people of Tianshui in battle. I will not let the people of Northern Liao and the whole world laugh at me."
Bale asked, "Then why didn't you send troops?"
"Because Xijin Prefecture is more important than Yelu Anduan." Yelu Duhan sneered, "The people of Tianshui are cunning. My dispatching troops to help you might be part of their plan. If they take this opportunity to bypass the camp and capture Xijin, we will lose the entire Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun! I can't bear this responsibility, you can't bear it, and neither can the Queen!"
After he finished speaking, even though the other Northern Liao generals remained silent due to Dabale's presence, their expressions clearly reflected their agreement. Yelu Anduan's own recklessness had led to his capture. If they had acted rashly and lost Xijin City, the Emperor would likely have chopped off their heads and fed them to the wolves. A Northern Liao warrior would die for their tribe, for their brothers and sisters, but not for a reckless and foolish prince.
Yelu Duhan was a gifted speaker, and his words left Dabale speechless. He was deeply disappointed with Yelu Anduan. However, he had no other choice but to find a way to rescue Yelu Anduan.
He slowed down his tone and spoke again, "So how does the Xianyin Division plan to rescue His Highness?"
The solution Yelu Duhan came up with was simple. The next day, a letter from Northern Liao requesting a ceasefire and prisoner exchange was delivered to the Tianshui garrison.
Gao Shaoshan took the letter and read it over again, somewhat surprised. He sighed, "Yelü Duhan wants to make peace with us? Just because we captured Yelü Anduan? Is this true? It's too easy, isn't it?"
Zhongli He stared at the thin piece of paper, its handwriting sharp and penetrating. He was a military commander, with keen senses, but now he frowned, feeling more and more that something was not right, very wrong. This battle they were fighting was not right.
The development was too smooth.
Yes, they had pulled off a surprise attack and captured the enemy's chief general, a prince himself. It was understandable that Northern Liao wanted to make peace with them. However, according to information he knew, the Northern Liao official's background was unusual, he harbored a deep hatred for the Empress, and his ambitions were evident. Yelu Anduan's death in Tianshui would have benefited the official, so why was he so compliant and proactive in reaching out to them?
I'm afraid there's something fishy going on.
Zhongli He looked at Zhao Xuanxu and Wen Yao, who was sitting beside him, slicing fruit with a Xingyi sword. He carefully analyzed his concerns and said cautiously, "Could it be that they have abandoned Yelu Anduan and are mobilizing troops to prepare for a surprise attack when we let our guard down?"
Wen Yao listened to Zhong Lihe's thoughtful considerations, her face calm and composed, her hands peeling the wild fruit steadily. But her eyes turned, wanting to secretly check Zhao Xuanxu's expression.
Then she met Zhao Xuanxu's eyes directly.
Zhao Xuanxu didn't know how long he stared at her. After meeting her gaze, he leaned over and took the fruit from her hand. He cut it into pieces with his dagger and placed them on a plate. Then he stuffed it back into Wen Yao's hand and said calmly, "Send someone to investigate the movements behind the Northern Liao. If there are any signs of troop movements, report back immediately."
This means negotiating terms with Yelu Duhan.
Zhongli He was a bit surprised, but then thought it made sense. The King of Qin had recently assembled several armies and marched towards Gyeonggi Province, and the Qiu family of Suzhou had openly provided him with money and food. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that, regardless of whether the King of Yan was rebelling or not, the King of Qin was doing so under the guise of purging the court.
Currently, Bianliang had limited troops to mobilize, and they could not afford to waste too much time with Northern Liao. They had to quickly stabilize the situation and resolve Bianliang's troubles. If Yelu Anduan fell into their hands, it would be an opportunity for them to break the deadlock.
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