Chapter 12: The Eagle and the Hare (Part 1)

  When the scout came back and reported that there was no battle on the side of the earthen city, Xiao Tienu's face sank involuntarily, it seemed that he had underestimated those Han people!

  "Head! Not a sound, could they have fled overnight?" one of the leaders said.

  "Escape?" Another leader said, "Where can they escape to? They have several hundred people, one or two thousand cattle and horses. We have ambushes on the north and west sides. If they pass through there, it's impossible that there won't be any movement."

  "Maybe they escaped to the east."

  "East?" Xiao Tienu sneered: "There are the Khitan's main tribal army on that side, if those Han people go east, they're looking for death!"

  "Good heavens! They are Han people, how could we know these things so clearly?"

  Just then, a report came from the front: "Xiao Ang has set up camp on the other side of the earthen city and is sending men over here."

  "One of the leaders said: 'Brothers, they have come to fetch water. Shall we lay an ambush?'"

  Xiao Tienu asked: "How many people have come?"

  "About two hundred people."

  Xiao Tienu said: "All of Xiao Ang's subordinates are pampered and spoiled in the capital, our 100 men can take on their 400 men, but fighting this battle is unnecessary, let's retreat."

  "Boss, where are you going? Going back?"

  Xiao Tienu hummed and said, "I won't rest until I see the outcome of those Han people. Let's head south first to rest and water our horses, then we'll make plans after finding out what happened to them."

  Xiao Tienu's Xiao Ang was the eldest son of Xiao Fengxian, a favorite minister of the Liao Dynasty. Xiao Fengxian was the brother of Empress Yuan, and when she gained favor, his whole family rose to prominence. Xiao Fengxian became the Chief Minister of State, was enfeoffed as Duke of Langling, controlled state affairs, and dominated the imperial court!

  This time, Xiao Ang was ordered by the king to lead 2,000 soldiers to attack Wu Gu's enemy, Liang Jun. Along the way, he "accidentally" discovered the trail of Xiao Tienu. Xiao Tienu had twice robbed Western Xia of heavy gifts given to Xiao Fengxian, and once even stole a rare treasure that Xiao Fengxian had bought with a large sum of money from the Western Regions to present to the Liao Emperor as a birthday gift, greatly embarrassing the Xiao family. However, Xiao Fengxian couldn't catch him! Therefore, when Xiao Ang heard about Xiao Tienu's trail, he didn't listen to his deputy general Mu Liya's opposition and chased after him all the way, wanting to capture Xiao Tienu in one fell swoop.

  At this time, Xiao Ang was resting in the earthen city. When the vanguard entered the earthen city, they found that not only were there nearly a thousand horses left inside, but also various daily necessities, all of which were very strange. However, when reported to Xiao Ang, he didn't take it seriously. Muliya sent out scouts, but they also didn't discover anything unusual. And the traces of Xiao Tieniu had completely disappeared.

  On the second day, they were about to break camp and head north when a wounded soldier suddenly rushed in from the south and reported: "The south! Xiao Tienu is watering his horse in the south! He killed or injured all of us who were left there."

  Xiao Ang angrily said: "I was wondering why I couldn't see him, it turns out he ran to the south!"

  Mu Ruiya called over the wounded soldier and asked: "How did you know that was Xiao Tienu's?"

  The wounded soldier said, "I was captured by them and heard them say 'Xiao Dawang' this and that. They also said the Great Desert Grassland is his backyard, even if the Ten Million Palace Account Army of the Great Liao were to be deployed, they wouldn't be able to capture them. That's how I guessed it."

  Xiao Ang was furious, and Mu Li Ao said: "Prince, this horse thief's movements have always been unpredictable, the important task of sending envoys is heavy, it's better not to take any more detours, let him go."

  Xiao Ang angrily said: "No way, you immediately bring two hundred elite cavalry to chase after him, our main army will follow up from behind, this time we must catch him!"

  Mu Liya tried to persuade him to stay, but he had no choice but to accept his fate.

  The movement inside the earthen castle was unclear to Xiao Tie Nu. He circled around and still came to this grassland in the south to water his horse. When he arrived, however, he found that it was unusually quiet here.

  "Halt!"

  "What's wrong with your head?"

  Something doesn't feel right here.

  "Not quite right? Nothing's wrong."

  "It's just that there's nothing, which doesn't feel quite right!" Xiao Tienu said: "It's too quiet, I always feel like something is off." Suddenly, he saw what seemed to be a metallic reflection behind the southeastern mound. He was startled and pointed in the directions of southeast, southwest, and due south, saying: "You few go take a look! If there's anything not right, turn back immediately!"

  A few ruffians rushed out not far away, and suddenly three directions shot out hidden arrows at the same time, knocking down two scouts. The remaining ones hastily retreated back, shouting: "Ambush! It's those Han people!"

  Xiao Tiannu met with a change and was not startled, saying: "Leave!"

  Leading the troops to retreat northward, they withdrew more than ten miles, and in the distance, a massive dust storm was rising, it turned out that the Imperial Army had killed them!

  "One of the leaders was shocked and said: "It's surrounded! There are people in front and behind, what should we do?""

  Xiao Tienu said: "It's not surrounded again! What's the panic? Besides, those two families aren't in cahoots with each other!"

  "That leader said: 'But we're stuck in the middle! Even if they exchange fire from both sides, it's us who'll be unlucky!'"

  Xiao Tienu gazed at the distant dust and said, "The Han army's formation is strict, and they have set up many ambushes! There aren't many soldiers in front of us, it seems their main force hasn't arrived yet! Let's charge over!"

  Zhe Yan Chong and others lay on one side, watching as Xiao Tie Nu led his troops to the north. Zhe Yan Chong smiled and said: "It seems that in Xiao Tie Nu's eyes, we are stronger than the Imperial Guard."

  Cao Guangyi said: "He doesn't know our true situation, and this group of Khitans is obviously not large in number."

  Zhe Yan Chong said, "The troops sent by Xiao Ang have arrived. It seems that these people are the elite. Let's see how they fight." They had already learned from the captured soldiers that there were two thousand men in this group, led by Liao Guo Lanling Wang Shizi Xiao Ang and his deputy Mu Li A. As for what they were going to do when they went north, those captured soldiers didn't know because their ranks were too low.

  Xiao Tienu's troops had eighty-seven cavalrymen. At this time, there were ambushes behind them and the only way to survive was to break through the Khitan cavalry in front of them, so everyone fought desperately. Murong Yanchao arrived here in a hurry under Xiao Ang's urging, but his men and horses were already exhausted, and they were actually broken through by Xiao Tienu's formation.

  Zhe Yan Chong sighed in disappointment: "How can Liao Guo's cavalry dominate the world with such a character?"

  Cao Guangyi sighed, "I have seen the military preparations of our dynasty on the border are slack, and I often fear that when the Liao people come south, we will be unable to resist. Now it seems that the Liao people are not much better than us!"

  "Since it's like this, why don't we take advantage of the situation and make a move?"

  "Take advantage of the fire to loot?"

  Zhe Yan Chong said, "The enemy's formation is already in disarray. We have about a hundred elite soldiers. You, I, and Alu Man will each lead thirty men to launch successive attacks, while Mr. Di leads the rest of our troops to press forward. We can definitely defeat this group of Khitan soldiers."

  Cao Guangyi said: "The chances of winning are great, but is it necessary to fight this battle?"

  Zhe Yan charged forward: "That group of palace guards is blocking the north, and our constant eastward and westward dodging isn't a solution. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to settle with a batch? Hmm, let's use Xiao Tienu's name."

  Yang Yingqi remained silent until now, nodding and saying: "Good, this is called driving out wolves and hitting deer!"

  Cao Guangyi also said: "Okay!"

  At this time, Zhang Yan led thirty cavalrymen to charge forward, shouting: "Follow Xiao Lao Da, annihilate the Imperial Army!" The thirty men shouted in unison: "Follow Xiao Lao Da! Annihilate the Imperial Army!"

  Muriya knew that if he let Xiao Tienu go, Xiao Ao would be extremely unhappy. Therefore, despite the formation being almost split in two by Xiao Tienu's charge, he gritted his teeth and held on, leading his trusted followers to desperately block him, thinking: "As long as we can hold out until the Crown Prince's main force arrives, we will win!"

  Just then, a group of about 100 people suddenly emerged from the bushes between the hills, shouting "Exterminate the Imperial Army" and charging forward. Behind them, row after row of neatly arranged troops gradually appeared, and for a while, it was unclear how many more enemy soldiers there were.

  Mu Rong's heart was greatly shocked: "How can Xiao Tie Nu have so many troops? Could it be... could it be that the Su Bu tribe has rebelled again?"

  Although he was old on the battlefield, he wasn't great enough to be willing to die for his country at any time. Moreover, this battle came out of nowhere, and if he died here, he couldn't even say that he had died for his country. At most, it could only be said that he had been buried with the absurd orders issued by Xiao Ang's ancestor. He immediately turned his horse's head and retreated to the north. The soldiers saw their commander fleeing and were not willing to stay behind, so they also fled northward.

  Xiao Tienu was about to take advantage of the chaos to rush out, when suddenly a rain of arrows flew in from behind, and the last seven or eight people fell off their horses. Unable to do anything else, he could only follow the tail of the Imperial Army's banner and charge forward.