Chapter 24: What’s Going On?

Yang Xi's predictions were accurate. The vanguard of the rebel army, advancing swiftly, encountered Li Fude’s force, who had just selected a suitable ambush point and lain in wait. Acting on Yang Xi’s orders, Li Fude had led his troops out of the city with haste. Upon receiving advice from Pang Zhong, he set up an ambush five li outside the city of Han Tongguan. However, before he could fully conceal his troops, scouts reported that the rebel vanguard was drawing near. Li Fude had no choice but to issue immediate orders to prepare for battle.

Li Fude hailed from Shu, an experienced commander brought to the capital through Yang Guozhong’s recommendation, and thus felt deeply indebted to Yang Guozhong. He was dispatched to the front at Tongguan to assist as per Yang Guozhong's command. Though Li Fude harbored some resistance when Yang Xi assigned him the task of leading troops into ambush, the authority in Yang Xi’s command compelled him to obey and leave the city.

Once outside, after finding a suitable ambush site, his earlier turmoil faded entirely, and he immersed himself fully in the battle mindset. The terrain here was perfect for a small-scale ambush; the roads leading to Tongguan were narrow, often only wide enough for a single wagon or two horses abreast, with a mountain on one side and river on the other, making it impossible for large units to maneuver. In such a place, it was not difficult to deal a sharp blow to the rebels and ensure a safe retreat for his own men.

In the morning light, Li Fude saw the rebels advance carelessly, without any precautions, not even sending out scouts. His conviction that the attack would succeed filled him entirely. As soon as a hundred rebel horsemen passed, he ordered his archers to fire.

Although retreating soldiers occasionally fled along the official road, Li Fude's hidden troops paid them no mind. When the rebel main force drew near and the fleeing soldiers disappeared, it was the perfect opportunity for battle.

Once the rebel vanguard entered the ambush zone, Li Fude decisively ordered the attack.

Five hundred soldiers immediately rose from behind the rocks, drawing their bows with a resonant hum, sending arrows raining down upon the rebel ranks. Countless rebels fell with screams, struck by arrows, and many horses were hit as well. Chaos erupted along the mountain path; those lucky enough to escape injury could only turn their horses and flee or look for shelter.

The rear troops, unaware of the calamity ahead, pressed forward. Fleeing horsemen collided with advancing troops, intensifying the confusion. The cries of men and horses echoed through the mountain valley, carrying far into the distance. Many rebels were knocked down by their comrades' mounts or shoved off cliffs and riverbanks, some even trampled to death.

Seeing the rebel vanguard thrown into disorder, Li Fude was overjoyed, ordering his troops to continue firing while shouting loudly. With their shouts, more arrows rained down on the rebels, and the echoes of battle cries reverberated off the hills, mingling with the rebels' own chaos. The tumult was so intense that no one could tell how many attackers there were or how many government troops lay in ambush.

With the rebels in the ambush zone nearly all killed, Li Fude decisively ordered his troops to mount and pursue.

The soldiers leapt from behind the cliffs, mounted their horses hidden on the other side of a clearing, and, led by Li Fude, charged after the fleeing rebels at full speed.

This ambush site, chosen by Pang Zhong for Li Fude, was ideal for a few hundred men, difficult for the enemy to detect, and easy for pursuit or withdrawal. If over a thousand troops tried to hide here undetected and then retreat or chase, it would not be so easy. This was likely why the rebels never expected an ambush in such a spot.

Victory is the greatest source of morale. When Li Fude led his troops out of Tongguan to set the ambush, he was anxious, fearing the battle might be a one-way trip. His men felt the same. Yet, the ambush succeeded effortlessly, the rebel vanguard quickly collapsed, and Li Fude gave the order to pursue without hesitation. There was no doubt or fear; he even forgot he commanded only five hundred, not five thousand.

Of course, Li Fude did not know that, amid the hail of arrows, he and his troops had inadvertently killed the rebel vanguard’s leading commander—the Zhonglang General—leaving the rebels without leadership and causing the chaos to worsen.

Once ambushed and after a few hundred horsemen were killed by arrows, the rebel vanguard swiftly collapsed, mingling with their rear forces. Already disordered, the panic grew when the sounds of pursuit and hooves approached. The panic of the defeated rebels infected the rest, causing many to turn and flee. The marching column became utterly disorganized, and even the commanders’ shouts could not restore order. Meanwhile, the Tang arrows continued to fly, less dense than before but still sowing greater confusion among the rebels.

Li Fude’s ambush site was the most treacherous stretch of the road; before and after were more level, so large units could pass without crowding, but here the fleeing and advancing troops mixed chaotically, and the rebel formation descended into even greater disorder. At this moment, Li Fude and his troops struck. Countless blades flashed cold in the dawn light, exuding murderous intent.

“Kill!” The battle cries continued relentlessly.

Li Fude’s troops had not suffered defeat at Lingbao, and their training was excellent; they harbored little fear of the rebels, and their recent victory made them all the more spirited. As blades rose and fell, many slower rebels were cut down beneath the horses, while others threw down their weapons and surrendered, kneeling on the ground.

After two waves of assaults, seeing that the rebel formation was even more chaotic and no effective resistance was organized—yet the road was blocked by rebel corps, preventing further charges—Li Fude decisively ordered his troops to retreat.

Amid the ongoing cries of battle, Li Fude and his five hundred elite cavalry cut down numerous rebels before finally withdrawing in triumph.

The commander of the rebel vanguard was none other than Cui Qianyou, who had achieved great merit in the battle of Lingbao. After that resounding victory, he was showered with glory, praised by An Qingxu in person, and even An Lushan in Luoyang sent prompt commendations, promoting him several ranks. Brimming with ambition, he thought that if he could seize Tongguan as the government forces collapsed and the defenders were overrun, An Lushan might reward him further—perhaps even with a princely title.

After only a brief pause to sweep the battlefield, Cui Qianyou marched swiftly toward Tongguan. According to his scouts, at most five to eight thousand government troops had escaped to Tongguan, and with the garrison, ten thousand would be the limit. Though previous months' attempts to storm Tongguan had failed, not even capturing the outlying Han Tongguan fortress, this did not dampen Cui Qianyou’s confidence. He dreamed that after easily taking Tongguan, An Lushan would reward him again, and then he could lead his army toward Chang’an—the first to seize the imperial capital.

He believed the government forces were utterly routed. Even if Geshu Han managed to escape to Tongguan, he would be a frightened bird. How could the battered remnants possibly hold the gate?

According to his forward scouts, after retreating to Tongguan, the Tang immediately closed all four gates, disregarding the later arrivals, and even abandoned the forward Han Tongguan fortress. This only boosted Cui Qianyou’s confidence; once his army reached Tongguan and began the assault, the defenders would surely collapse or even open the gates and surrender.

As he rode, lost in these grand dreams, he suddenly heard shouts and screams ahead, snapping him to attention, a foreboding dread washing over him.

“What’s happening?” Cui Qianyou pulled up his horse, loudly asking his guards.

“Deputy Commander, I do not know. I’ll send someone to investigate at once!” the chief guard reported nervously.

Before his men could investigate, louder screams, shouts, and the cries of horses echoed from ahead, and the sounds of battle rang out. “Not good, it’s an ambush!” was the first thought that flashed through Cui Qianyou’s mind.

But it seemed impossible—how could the government forces still have the strength to ambush along the route? Would Geshu Han really have such tactics?

Still, as a seasoned commander, he immediately ordered the army to prepare for battle. As his subordinates spread out and readied their units, someone from the vanguard rushed back to report.

“Deputy Commander, our vanguard was ambushed by Tang forces, suffering heavy casualties. They are pursuing us!”

“What? The Tang actually ambushed us here and dare to pursue?” Cui Qianyou was stunned, as if hearing a ludicrous joke, unable to believe it.

Then the guards he sent returned, reporting that over four hundred vanguard soldiers were dead or wounded, troops were fleeing en masse, the front ranks were in chaos, Tang forces were in pursuit, cutting down more rebels, and the Zhonglang General who commanded the vanguard was killed, leaving the rebels leaderless. The chaos in the ranks hindered the Tang pursuit; after a brief charge, the government troops withdrew rapidly toward Tongguan.

Hearing these reports, Cui Qianyou frowned deeply. Though he couldn’t believe the Tang still had the strength to ambush, the events were undeniable. The vanguard had suffered heavy losses, the formation was a mess, and the army could not advance. He immediately ordered the entire force to halt and defend in place, wary of a larger government attack.

“Whose troops were those?” Cui Qianyou asked the reporting soldier.

“Deputy Commander! The Tang army bore banners with the character ‘Yang.’ Their fighting was fierce, nothing like the remnants fleeing from Lingbao!”

“‘Yang’ banners, fighting fiercely, orderly retreat and advance!” Cui Qianyou frowned even deeper. Who could be leading these troops?

In the Tang court, the only notable Yang was Yang Guozhong, but he would not be commanding at Tongguan, and according to previous intelligence, none of the Tongguan commanders bore the name Yang. Who could it be?

Faced with such sudden developments and mysteries, Cui Qianyou dared not advance further. He ordered the army to rest in place and immediately sent word to An Qingxu in the rear.

An Qingxu was the commander-in-chief attacking Tongguan, while Cui Qianyou had been promoted to deputy commander for his achievements. Such matters had to be reported.

The end.