Chapter 38: Breaking Through One After Another

Without a moment to consider, Hou Chen led his hundred-odd cavalrymen in a charge. He roared as they surged forward; never before had the three brothers suffered such a humiliating defeat.

"Wei Gu, you brat!"

Hou Chen bellowed, his long spear pointing forward as he shouted to his left and right, "Kill!"

Just as he turned to face the front, an arrow pierced his mouth, cutting his cry short. Around him, his subordinates shouted and brawled; horses trampled the ground, and torches flickered in the chaos. Hou Chen fell backward, and the horses behind him, unable to dodge in time, trampled his armored chest. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth instantly. A second rider trampled over him as the majority of the cavalry reached the west side of the wagon train, stabbing with their spears and halberds. Most of these were tentative strikes; no one dared to come within three paces of the wagons. A dozen other riders drew their bows, firing high-arcing shots aimed at the center of the train.

Zhao Ji did not flinch, returning fire against the mounted skirmishers. When he had downed four or five of them, the raiders began to retreat, dismounting to engage in foot archery with fierce determination. An arrow struck Zhao Ji in the chest, yet he did not take a single step back. Two of his Tiger Guard personal guards climbed onto the wagon, crouching on either side of him to shield him from the arrows. After firing a dozen more shots, the enemy's foot archers finally broke, and their arrow fire dwindled.

Zhao Ji fired his last heavy crescent-headed arrow and realized his quiver was empty. He tossed his bow onto the wagon, leaped down, and took a long halberd from Han Shu. "Squad leader!" Han Shu cried. Zhao Ji gripped the weapon; the shaft was slick with blood, but he ignored it. With both hands, he strode forward and knocked a figure off their horse. Dodging an incoming charge, he turned to see a Tiger Guard pushed back against the wagon.

"Beat the drum!" he shouted, thrusting his halberd at another rider. The enemy's spear was deflected by the side blade of the iron halberd, and Zhao Ji struck again. As the horse rushed forward, the halberd's cross-branch caught the rider and pushed him from the saddle. As the man struggled to rise, Han Shu stepped in and pierced his face, leaving him motionless. Han Shu retreated immediately, glancing at Zhao Ji as if seeking praise; his face was covered in blood, and the reflection of the torches in his eyes made his expression unreadable.

Zhao Ji stepped forward and hurled his iron halberd, striking another rider ten paces away. A horse charged past, brushing against Han Shu’s arm, causing him to jump back in terror.

"Stay focused!"

Zhao Ji steadied Han Shu. Nearby, a Tiger Guard threw a spear at an approaching figure but missed. Another wounded Tiger Guard flung a torch, striking a horse in the head; the beast reared up, neighing in panic. A crossbowman nearby took aim, and as the horse’s front hooves touched the ground, he pulled the trigger, the powerful bolt instantly felling the rider. The squadron leader, Tang Xian, stood before Zhao Ji, swinging his halberd. "Squad leader! Step back a few paces!" A torch was tied to his halberd, and at that moment, an enemy spear flew past his shoulder, nearly striking him in the head.

Zhao Ji pulled a short spear from the pouch at his waist and yanked Tang Xian behind him, hurling the spear with his right arm. A scream followed. Two more guards moved up from the sides with shields, planting them in the dirt and leveling their spears. Seeing silhouettes in the firelight, Zhao Ji threw another spear. After five, his supply was exhausted, and Han Shu handed him half a bundle more.

The enemy cavalry was largely concentrated on the west side of the train, and the Tiger Guards, backed by the wagons, were able to focus their defense. Zhao Ji soon formed a protrusion, blocking off the road to the west.

The drumming suddenly ceased, and someone shouted, "Han Tao has been hit!"

"Do not stop the drums!" came the command, and the rhythm resumed, faster and more urgent.

The change in the drumbeat signaled Wei Xing, who was waiting at the rear of the train, to prepare. Everyone had torches tied to their spears and halberds. Sensing the shift, Wei Xing assumed it was an order to attack. He shouted to his men, "Those holding torches are our allies! Kill only the enemy riders, ignore the infantry!"

"Follow me!" He kicked his horse’s flanks and charged toward the enemy.

Several wounded riders stood their ground with torches. At this moment, Xiangli Bao and Wei Gu arrived on horseback, followed by county soldiers carrying torches, and further back, a second squadron with two torches per man. Wei Gu pulled his reins, watching as the enemy cavalry scattered in the firelight, while the Tiger Guards fought back stubbornly from their positions behind the wagons.

He roared, "Use the fire to kill the enemy!"

As he shouted, Xiangli Bao led the charge. The entangled enemy riders began to break and flee around the hillside. Throughout the mountain pass, Tiger Guard cavalrymen pursued them with torches. Only then did Wei Gu move forward, as the Tiger Guards from all parts of the train joined the hunt.

At the front of the train, Wei Gu saw four or five wounded horses lying on the ground and looked at Zhao Ji. "A-Ji?"

"I’m fine. We won!" Zhao Ji touched the arrow shaft in his chest, testing its resistance. Finding it loose and feeling little pain, he pulled it out. He held it up to the torchlight, saw no blood on the head, and tucked it back into his quiver.

"Tend to the wounded, clear the battlefield, and collect the arrows, bows, and armor." Zhao Ji instructed his squad leaders, then looked around and asked Han Shu, "Where is Yang Ji?"

"I don't know."

"You patrol the vicinity of the train; if you can't find him, don't worry. Get some rest." Zhao Ji patted Han Shu and the other guards on the shoulders before stepping aside with Wei Gu.

Wei Gu took out a water skin and asked, "How many of the Hou clan's men are there?"

"Counting those who arrived later, about three hundred." Zhao Ji took the skin, ignoring that it was raw water, took a sip to rinse his mouth, and spat it out.

"Brother, what is the total strength of the Hou clan?"

"Two thousand households," Wei Gu recalled. "They are split into three locations. The three Hou brothers each lead one—there is a manor, a smelter, and a pasture. The Hou Jing manor handles farming and weaving, less than two miles away."

"A-Ji, we are so close, and with the fire and the noise, we couldn't wipe them all out. Our strength is exposed, so a night raid is no longer an option."

Zhao Ji analyzed the situation. "We cannot delay. We can't let the Hou clan gather their strength, nor can we let them flee. If they escape, they will be an endless threat. I will take men to surround the manor now; once we gather more, we will attempt a forced assault." He paused. "Li Le will attack tomorrow; we must break the Hou manor tonight and secure their armor, equipment, and horses. To do that, we must use extreme measures."

Wei Gu asked, "You mean to set it on fire?"

"Yes. The Hou clan has been severely hit and is in a panic. If we drag out the siege, their morale will stabilize and make it harder to conquer. If our own spirit breaks and we then face Li Le, we might collapse." Zhao Ji’s voice was calm. "We must set the fire to increase the chaos and aid our assault."

Wei Gu bit his thumb, deciding after a few breaths: "We must break them in one go!"

"Agreed. I leave the care of the wounded to you, brother. Use the wagons to transport them back to the camp. Brother Liangdao will treat them well. Take the lightly wounded prisoners as well—let's have less slaughter. Our true enemy is the Xiongnu; if these people survive, they may be of use to us later."

"I will handle it. A-Ji, go drink and rest."

"Understood." Zhao Ji bowed, turned, and returned to the train, where small campfires were already burning.

Squad leader Tang Xian was sitting by a fire, cleaning a sword. He used the blade to roast pieces of pancake and horse meat over the flames. Seeing Zhao Ji approach, Tang Xian shifted. "Squad leader, how many heads did you take tonight?"

"They are Heshun people after all. I’d rather kill fewer."

Zhao Ji sat down and took a water skin from another guard; it was mixed with a little wine. He took a few deep gulps and handed it back. A guard sitting opposite him grinned. "Squad leader, you are too virtuous. How many good men are there in the Hou clan?"

Tang Xian added, "Exactly. Those who charged us and fought to the death without retreating are no longer just common folk."

The guard opposite Zhao Ji held up a severed head. "Squad leader, look at these features and teeth—this is a 'Hu' barbarian."

Another guard walked up, dragging a string of heads, and slumped by the fire. "That one is just a 'black-head.' I have a 'yellow-head' here." As if displaying a treasure, he picked one from the four and held it up. Blood dripped down his hand, seeping into the leather of his wrist guards.

Tang Xian noted, "The Hou brothers rely most on the 'miscellaneous Hu.' The riders who attacked later were mostly from the pastures. Killing them is fine, but the people in the mines know how to forge iron; those shouldn't be killed."

Zhao Ji nodded. "When I was in Jishan, I only heard that the Hou clan was wealthy and tyrannical, but I never heard they kept miscellaneous Hu."

"The miscellaneous Hu were bullied by the Xiongnu, so they sought refuge with the Hou clan just to survive," Tang Xian explained, handing Zhao Ji some roasted wheat cakes and meat.

Zhao Ji nodded. It made sense; those who were coerced could hardly become elite armed retainers. If the Hou clan were a sect, the armed retainers were outer disciples, the others were mere servants, and most were slaves. The "pledge of allegiance" existed in every era; it was just a matter of what they called it.