Chapter Eleven: Night Escape (Part One)

  It's impossible to go east and it's also impossible to go north. The water sources in both places are controlled by the enemy, is this group of 500 people doomed to perish here?

  Seeing everyone was in a state of panic, Zhe Yan said, "Don't rush, there must be another way."

  Yang Kaiyuan said: "Why don't we make a concerted effort and rush to the water source in the northwest overnight. If Xiao Tienu is still occupying that place, we will have a fierce battle with him!"

  Di Yu said, "Impossible! If Xiao Tienuo wants to trap us to death, how can he not be on guard? This man is particularly ruthless in a night raid - it's fine during the day, but if it's at night, we'll definitely suffer heavy losses."

  Yang Kai said: "Then let's rest well tonight, set off early tomorrow, launch a strong attack on that water source, replenish our supplies and then cross the desert, how about it?"

  Ouyang Shidao said: "If he sets up an ambush at the water source, we will still suffer heavy casualties."

  Yang Kaiyuan said, "When the vanguard of the Khitan army arrives tomorrow, the situation will become even more complicated. If we get stuck with them, although we may not lose for the time being, once the follow-up troops of the Imperial Army arrive, we will surely die. Weighing the pros and cons, I think launching a strong attack on the northwest at dawn tomorrow is the best plan."

  Ouyang Shidao said: "If Xiao Tienu was poisoned in the water..."

  Everyone was shocked. If the 500-strong crowd had spent so much effort occupying the water source, only to find that it was undrinkable, they would fall into an even greater crisis - not only would they fail to get supplies, but also most of the earthen city walls that relied on resistance would be occupied by the vanguard troops of the palace account army.

  Di Yu shook his head and said, "Poisoning... that shouldn't be it. The tribes on the grasslands value water sources the most, contaminating water sources is a great sin for them! However, even if Xiao Tienu didn't poison, I don't think launching a strong attack on the northwest is the best strategy!"

  Yang Yingqi suddenly said: "Actually, now we are so bewildered and at a loss, the most crucial point is that we don't know the reality of the other side."

  Cao Guangyi listened to this sentence and nodded in his heart, glanced at Yang Yingqi and said: "That's right! We are completely unaware of the number, combat effectiveness and purpose of the Khitan people, and compared with Xiao Tienu, it is even more enemy darkness and my brightness! Therefore, to break through this dilemma, we must first reverse this situation of lack of intelligence!"

  Ouyang Shidao said: "Xiao Tienu is very familiar with the terrain around here, and every cave and sand dune could be their hiding place. We are new to this area, except for Mr. Di who knows the road, everyone else is in the dark! Even Mr. Di may not be as familiar with this terrain as Xiao Tienu. To break through the enemy's hidden situation, it's not that easy!"

  Yang Yingqi said: "There is a place where the terrain is actually quite clear to all of us."

  "Where?"

  Yang Yingqi said: "It's just this block southwest - that is, the road we came from!"

  All along the way they were on their guard against surprise attacks and examined the surrounding terrain with extra care.

  Ouyang Yi sighed and said: "Young Master Yang, what's the use of being familiar with this road? It has all been occupied by the Khitans!"

  "What if the Khitan people are gone?"

  Ouyang Yi was taken aback, and Cao Guangyi exclaimed with great joy: "That's right!"

  Ouyang Yi always argued with people, his thinking was far ahead of Yang Yingqi's quiet listening. At first, he couldn't turn around, but after hearing Yang Yingqi and Cao Guangbi mention it, he also seemed to have some thoughts.

  Yang Yingqi said: "Actually, we all made a mistake just now."

  "What's wrong?"

  Yang Yingqi said, "Here, except for Aru barbarians, everyone is Han people. Therefore, we all have the innate thinking of Han people - as soon as we enter this earthen city, the first thing that comes to mind is to rely on this earthen city to defend against Xiao Tienu or Gongzhai army. This is a 'defensive' mentality! Defense is what my clan is best at, but also what limits us! Kaifeng brother advocates for occupying water sources, but the purpose is only to obtain drinking water and then retreat back. Compared to Xiao Tienu, we are all too 'static', not as 'dynamic' as them. Because they are dynamic, that's why we can't grasp their direction, so we're always at a disadvantage."

  Yang Kai nodded, and Yang Yingqi continued: "But we forgot, we have already walked out of the Great Wall, we have already ridden on horseback! From now on, we need to change, from infantry to cavalry, from a walking nation to a riding nation! We also need to move!"

  Yang Kaiyuan said: "But we are not as familiar with the terrain as Xiao Tienu, and I'm afraid that even if we move quickly, we won't be able to catch up with the enemy."

  Yang Yingqi said: "That's right. Our mobile force is indeed not as good as Xiao Tienu, but everyone must remember that the current situation is not a two-sided game, but a three-sided one!"

  Di Yu nodded and said, "Ying Qi is right! Xiao Tienu is a horse thief. He may have some connection with the Liao nationality army, but it's unlikely that he has any relationship with the Imperial Guard Army. Xiao Tienu is just using the Khitan soldiers, not cooperating with them."

  Yang Yingqi said, "That's right. For Xiao Tienu, we are in the light and he is in the dark; but for the Khitan people, we are in the dark and they are in the light. The Khitan army may be the strongest, but they are also the most unclear about the overall situation. Xiao Tienu seems to be in control of the entire situation, but his power is actually the weakest - that's why he dares not attack us recklessly, and instead uses the trick of borrowing a knife to kill."

  Ouyang Zidan said: "Can't we turn around and use the Khitan people to fight against Xiao Tienu?"

  Cao Guangyi said: "I'm afraid it's unlikely. The biggest characteristic of Xiao Tienu is that they come and go like the wind, if not, they would have been annihilated by the Khitan government long ago."

  Yang Yingqi said, "In the long run, we must deal with Xiao Tienu. Otherwise, we will not be able to live in peace on this vast grassland. But for now, as long as we can eliminate the Khitan Imperial Guard, our greatest crisis will have passed."

  Everyone nodded in agreement. Yang Yingqi continued, "We need to head north, but we don't have enough water, and we need to deal with the Khitan army, but we don't know their strengths and weaknesses. So for now, the most important thing is to solve these two problems. How can we solve them?"

  He pulled out a knife and hastily drew a simple diagram on the dusty ground: "The strange plan of attack and defense lies in change, concealment, and deception. We must hide ourselves before we know the reality of the palace army, not only to avoid conflict with them but also to prevent Xiao Tienu from knowing, otherwise he will definitely think of ways to bring the palace army against us again. But how can we hide when we are not familiar with the local terrain like Xiao Tienu? Since we cannot control the geographical advantage as well as him, we can only use the blind spot of human nature to hide ourselves."

  "What is a blind spot of human heart?" Ouyang Shu smiled and said: "This is indeed a good word, but I don't know what kind of law it refers to."