Chapter 765: Calling at the Gate
"What? The Wuguan Pass garrison fled?" Lian Guoshi, the newly appointed Governor, still settling into his duties and processing documents in Xi'an Prefecture, felt his blood run cold at the news.
"Wuguan Pass is three hundred li from Xi'an Prefecture. Organize the troops immediately! If we hurry, we might still make it in time," Lian Guoshi urged, distraught. "What forces do we have available in Xi'an?"
His aide promptly reported, "Xi'an has four guard units: Left, Right, Front, and Rear. Five hundred men from the Left Guard are under the command of the Prince of Qin's Residence. The other three guards, we can mobilize."
Lian Guoshi swiftly mustered the Right, Front, and Rear Guard garrisons from Xi'an. Adding his own household guards and a contingent of local militia volunteers, he hastened towards Wuguan Pass.
However, they had barely set out when Lian Guoshi felt an unsettling premonition.
These three garrison units were utterly dismal! They looked more like farmers who’d spent their lives tilling fields than soldiers. Their armor hung haphazardly, their formations were ragged, and when a soldier occasionally brandished a blade or spear, their movements were clumsy, utterly devoid of training.
Not a single one of them seemed capable of fighting a battle!
Lian Guoshi’s heart sank, but he knew he had to press on. Wuguan Pass absolutely could not fall—
"The rebel forces are here!"
The entire Wuguan Pass instantly sprang to life.
Sentries hammered gongs in warning, and the gate guards strained at the winches, slowly pulling the massive gates shut.
The militia soldiers, resting in the barracks, scrambled up the city walls with utmost speed, taking their pre-arranged positions.
Even Squire Li, Li Daoxuan, who had been "napping" in his carriage, pushed open the door and hopped out. "Oh, perfect timing," he remarked, "Is the battle about to begin?"
Zheng Gouzi rushed over to greet him. "Heavenly Lord, the rebel troops will be here any moment."
"Hm! You go about your duties, don't mind me."
Li Daoxuan adhered to his guiding principle of "no uninformed commands," refusing to let an amateur dictate to professionals.
As long as he didn't interfere, the Gao Family Village Militia was formidable in battle.
The militia's deployment was quickly completed. Soon after, figures of rebel troops appeared on the distant main road to the east.
They arrived not in a trickle, but in a torrent, an overwhelming tide that seemed to cover the land...
At the head of their ranks, two large banners fluttered, emblazoned with the names "Sweeping King" and "Stars-A-Plenty."
Li Daoxuan mused, "Well, well, new faces this time. Haven't we encountered them before?"
Padi Tu chuckled. "Reporting to the Heavenly Lord, these two are indeed new. We definitely haven't fought them before."
Li Daoxuan grinned. "Alright, then let's give them a proper introduction. Make them fear us, make them weep, make them regret ever setting foot in Shaanxi again."—
Sweeping King and Stars-A-Plenty were merely the vanguard.
Throughout their lives, these two had only one guiding principle: "Always be the fastest." First to seize spoils, first to flee.
That way, all the good things were theirs, and they remained safe.
Thus, when the Dashing General decided on the grand strategy of advancing west through Wuguan Pass and re-entering Shaanxi, these two eagerly volunteered to lead the vanguard.
Sweeping King mused, "That's Wuguan Pass ahead. It's a critical military stronghold. The imperial garrison there must be quite formidable, wouldn't you say?"
Stars-A-Plenty burst into laughter. "No, no, no! I sent scouts ahead long ago. The garrison there is nothing but worthless guards, utterly incapable of resisting. They've probably already fled, hahahaha!"
His laughter hadn't even faded when he saw the main gates of Wuguan Pass tightly sealed. The ramparts were clearly manned, and the defenders were numerous; a quick scan suggested no fewer than a thousand men.
"This is bad!" Stars-A-Plenty exclaimed. "The terrain around Wuguan Pass is dreadful, wedged between two mountain ravines; it gives me a headache just to look at it. If the imperial forces hadn't chosen to defend it, that would have been ideal. But if they insist on holding it, we'll have a difficult fight on our hands."
Sweeping King scoffed, "How strong can mere garrison troops be? As long as Hong Chengchou doesn't show up, it doesn't matter who's there. We'll flatten this crumbling pass in a single assault, tear down its walls, and then the Shangluo Road will be ours to traverse freely."
Stars-A-Plenty laughed. "Haha, you're right. Garrison troops are utterly useless."
Sweeping King proposed, "Regardless, let's send a few men to challenge the gate first. Who knows, a good shout might be enough to make them flee, eh?"
Challenging the gate! It was a classic gambit used by superior forces against weaker opponents.
Sending someone to the city gates to shout a few taunts might just be enough to shatter the defenders' morale, saving both time and effort. Everyone would be happy then.
Sweeping King immediately dispatched a clever and articulate subordinate named "Bold King." He slowly rode his horse towards the outer gate of Wuguan Pass.
Bold King tilted his head back and bellowed up at the ramparts of Wuguan Pass, "Which general commands this pass? Our Great Brother has a few words he wishes to exchange with you!"
Luo Xi glanced at Zheng Gouzi...
Zheng Gouzi, however, smiled at Luo Xi. "General Luo, we are here to assist you, so naturally, you are the one guarding this pass."
Luo Xi stammered, "Huh? But I feel... I am without virtue or ability..."
Li Daoxuan chuckled. "You're the one! Go on."
Seeing that Squire Li, his hidden patron, had spoken, Luo Xi decided to step forward.
He gritted his teeth and stood on the ramparts, declaring, "I am the one guarding this pass. Speak your mind, whatever you have to say."
Bold King sneered, "Who are you?"
"Brigadier General... *cough*... Former Brigadier General, Luo Xi!"
Having the word "former" precede his military rank was even more awkward than having "deputy" precede a staff officer's title.
Bold King snorted with laughter. "So, you're just a foolish military officer who lost his official post? How did you lose your rank? Failed to suppress bandits, did you?"
Luo Xi bristled. "How I lost my rank is none of your concern! Just speak your piece, or get out of my sight!"
Bold King's eyes darted. "Since you've lost your official position, then those on the city walls must be your household guards and militia, right? Hahaha, do you truly think these 'shrimp soldiers and crab generals' can stop us?"
His voice suddenly sharpened. "Do you even know who we are? We are Sweeping King and Stars-A-Plenty, vanguard generals under the Great Chuang Wang! Our Great Chuang Wang commands an army of two hundred and fifty thousand—that's right, two hundred and fifty thousand! Your paltry Wuguan Pass, defended by a mere handful of household guards and militia, could be razed to the ground by my Great Brother's army with but a flick of his wrist!"
Luo Xi flinched, startled. He knew there were many bandits, but he hadn't realized their numbers had swelled to a quarter of a million. This revelation genuinely terrified him, and he stammered, "You're... you're... lying..."
Li Daoxuan found his timid reaction endearing and couldn't help but chuckle. He murmured from behind him, "General Luo, while two hundred and fifty thousand is a vast number, Wuguan Pass can only accommodate a few thousand attackers at a time. What is there to fear?"
"Oh! That's right!" Luo Xi exclaimed, his spirits soaring. He bellowed towards the outside of the city, "What good are sheer numbers? Only a few thousand can attack at once. Why should I fear you?"
Bold King looked surprised. "Oh? You're actually quite spirited! However, your local militias might not be as courageous as you."
He suddenly bellowed, his voice carrying clearly to the ramparts: "Hey, are you all so foolish? Are you really going to risk your lives for these gentry and landlords? Don't you know how they treat you? Are you well-fed? Are you warmly clothed? Now is your chance to abandon the darkness and embrace the light! Join the Dashing General, and we promise you a life of luxury and plenty. It's not too late!"
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