Volume Two: The Battle of Hulao Pass Chapter Fifty: Three Thousand Against One Hundred Thousand! (Part One)

Li Xuanba was deeply moved by his disciple’s words. To face a force of three thousand against a hundred thousand was perilous in the extreme; if his disciple truly had a clever stratagem to tip the scales, nothing could be better. He gave Mingyu’s head a hearty slap and rebuked, “Enough with the fancy talk—out with it!”

“Ow! Master, you hit me again! What if you knock the idea out of my head?” Mingyu cried, clutching his head in mock pain, for the blow had not been gentle in Li Xuanba’s excitement. “We have to explain things step by step.”

Seeing his master’s brows knit as if about to lose his temper, Mingyu dared not dally further and spoke confidently, “Do you know why I questioned Second Uncle so? Gentlemen, please watch closely!”

With that, Li Mingyu dashed to the campaign map, pointing to where Dou Jiande’s forces were arrayed. “Dou Jiande commands a hundred thousand strong, drawn up before the pass, their lines stretching for miles. If Second Uncle is to lead an attack, with five hundred left to defend the city, there are but three thousand men, one thousand of them elite armored cavalry. No doubt Second Uncle intends to use the cavalry to break up the enemy formation, then have the heavy cavalry strike at the heart of their lines, yes?”

Li Shimin nodded. “Correct. We are few, so must rely on surprise and cunning; a straight fight is folly.”

Mingyu nodded, his theory confirmed. “I only thought of this because Master once mentioned how much he and Second Uncle resemble one another. The stratagem I propose is a trick within a trick, true and false indistinguishable… a sleight of hand, a double safeguard...”

As his disciple rattled off a string of strange terms that only grew more confusing, Li Xuanba lost patience. “The situation is urgent—enough nonsense!”

“Er… alright.” Mingyu, admonished, got to the point. “The plan is simple: Second Uncle feints as planned, while Master and I secretly take troops around behind the enemy, then split our forces in two to strike from the rear. Thus and so, so and thus…”

Li Shimin burst into hearty laughter. “Well done, my boy! Truly impressive!”

Then, turning to Li Xuanba, he said, “Xuanba, this will be hard on you. I’ll assign you two hundred more defenders and a hundred more elite cavalry.”

Li Xuanba replied with a smile, “No need for such words, Second Brother! There’s no time to lose. I’ll prepare at once and circle around the rear. Let’s give Dou Jiande the shock of his life!”

“Good! Brothers united are like a tiger with wings. Together, we’ll give Dou Jiande a show he’ll not soon forget! All commanders, ready yourselves! In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, muster your men and await my command!”

“Yes, General!” The officers saluted as one, then withdrew to ready the troops, leaving only Fang, Du, the commander Li Shimin, and Mingyu in the tent.

Li Xuanba went to make his preparations, but Li Shimin, worried about Mingyu’s first time bearing such responsibility in battle, kept him behind for a few words.

According to the plan, Mingyu’s task would be light but crucial, demanding precise timing and flawless execution.

Li Shimin asked, “So young, yet you’re to take the field and shoulder this heavy burden. Are you afraid?”

Mingyu, inwardly thrilled to take part in a battle that would be remembered for generations, felt no fear at all. He grinned and replied, “Afraid of what? To fight beside you, Second Uncle, and have my name live on in history—what an honor!”

Li Shimin, pleased by the clever flattery, threw back his head and laughed. “Excellent! Truly, heroes are born of youth! If we win this day, you shall have great merit.”

“Then, General, I’ll take my leave. I must gather supplies in the logistics camp.” Mingyu clasped his fist in salute, imitating the gesture of a seasoned officer.

Li Shimin waved him off, then turned to discuss the details of the campaign with Fang and Du.

As Mingyu left the tent, a thought struck him, and he darted back to the entrance, poking his head inside. “Second Uncle, I just realized—if Master takes three hundred men and I take fifty with a hundred laborers, there’ll be little more than a hundred left in the city. If Dou Jiande discovers this, my trick will fail!”

Before Li Shimin could respond, Fang Xuanling chuckled, “For one so young, you think things through well. Don’t worry—though only a hundred soldiers remain, along with a hundred laborers, we needn’t actually fight. Once they don armor they’ll be enough to fool the enemy. I’ll also have people make straw men and wooden dummies, dress them in armor, and set them atop the walls as decoys.”

“Heh, that’s perfect! Now I can rest easy.” Mingyu, reassured by Fang Xuanling’s thorough preparations, went off to make his own arrangements.

Before long, master and disciple were ready, each with a double mount, quietly leading their men out the rear gate. They set out on a long detour, racing against time at full speed.

As an incense stick finished burning, Li Shimin emerged from the command tent fully armed. Inside the walls, Tang soldiers stood in neat ranks, ready for battle. At his appearance, they struck their chests in salute and shouted, “Salute the General!”

Li Shimin nodded. At that moment, the Tang commanders arrived to report all was ready, awaiting his order to march forth.

By May, spring had yielded to early summer.

The Xia army had broken camp at the fifth watch and marched thirty miles, an exhausting trek. As they neared the city, a hundred thousand soldiers and horses spread out in an endless sea, stretching for dozens of miles. It took a courier on horseback the time of an incense stick to carry orders from one end to the other. Dou Jiande spent more than an hour arraying his forces.

After dispatching troops to challenge for a skirmish and losing, he ordered siege engines built and trenches dug to cut off the river.

By the time all this was complete, it was nearly noon—the last meal the Xia troops had was before breaking camp. Now they were famished, their chests hollow with hunger, after a busy morning. Exhausted, thirsty, and demoralized, their spirits sank even lower.

Dou Jiande had intended to attack at once once the siege engines were ready, but seeing his men so weary and hungry, he had no choice but to order a rest. Fires were lit for cooking, and the army was to eat in shifts before resuming the assault.

The soldiers, grateful for this rare mercy from their king, cheered and sat wherever they could. Those with little strength collapsed to the ground, limbs limp, weapons cast aside like useless junk.

At noon, the sun blazed mercilessly. The Xia soldiers, clad in heavy armor, sweated profusely, their bodies rank. The heat and thirst were unbearable, their mouths parched and tongues thick.

One soldier, desperate for relief, emptied his waterskin in a gulp but still felt parched. Seeing a comrade with half a jug left, he snatched it and drank it dry.

“Hey! Why’d you steal my water, you bastard?” The other, caught off guard, would not let it go. He too was dying of thirst, only pausing a moment before finishing his water—now it was gone in a flash.

“Sun Laosan, stop being so stingy! It’s just a mouthful of water,” the thief retorted.

“Give it back, or I’ll make you pay today!” Sun Laosan, tormented by thirst, seized the man’s collar in fury.

The other glared defiantly. “What are you gonna do, Sun Laosan? No water left, but I could pee a little if you want! I’ll give you that!”

“Damn you!” Sun Laosan, enraged by the foul talk, swung his fist.

The two began to brawl, only separating when the military police arrived and flogged them both. Yet even then, their anger simmered.

Such incidents were common among the one hundred thousand Xia troops.

From the city walls, the entire scene in Dou Jiande’s camp was laid bare.

Li Shimin, seeing the Xia soldiers sprawled on the ground, fighting over water, knew the time had come. He called out, “Is Li Shiji here?”

Li Shiji, armored and armed, stepped forth. “At your service, General!”

“Shiji, you are the most astute and adaptable in command. The task of luring the enemy falls to you! Lead your men out of the pass, ride through the Xia camp from west to south, feinting an assault to disrupt their lines. If they do not move, return to the pass and await further orders. If they do, head east at once, aiming to throw them into confusion, not to break their lines.”

Li Shiji saluted, “Rest assured, General, I understand!” With that, he led three hundred cavalry, bows strung and sabres drawn, galloping out of the pass straight toward the Xia formation.