Chapter Twenty-Five: Complete Annihilation

As predicted, the very next day the Wuhuan began their assault on the city. Atop the walls, only a scant number of Han soldiers offered resistance.

“Haha! Brother, look—there are barely any men left on the walls, and those enemy generals we fought days ago have vanished. They must have been frightened by the valor of our Wuhuan warriors and fled,” one of the Wuhuan leaders laughed.

“That’s right, Qiuliyan. Put your back into it! Capture Juixi County for me as quickly as possible. The other detachments have probably plundered plenty by now, and only our force remains stalled. If we return empty-handed, how shameful would that be?” Qiulitu spat bitterly.

“Wuhuan warriors, forward! Don’t stop—strike them down!” Qiuliyan roared, utterly unconcerned for the lives of his men, thinking only of his own honor and merit.

Many of the Wuhuan soldiers secretly loathed these two brainless scions, yet they dared not disobey. Even if it meant dying, at least it would be a warrior’s death on the battlefield. Defying orders, however, meant certain execution at the hands of the brothers, and worse, dying branded as traitors.

“Run! The gate is about to fall!” a cry rang out from somewhere, and suddenly all the Han soldiers atop the wall vanished as if they’d seen a ghost.

“Juixi County is ours! Everyone, charge in!” Qiulitu commanded. Over ten thousand cavalrymen poured into the city, raising clouds of dust.

But what greeted them was not piles of grain, nor women, nor treasure, but instead a vast emptiness. Every building had been dismantled, leaving only faint traces.

More Wuhuan cavalry continued to enter, but before the leading brothers could react, the remaining horses suddenly tumbled to the ground. The earth was riddled with horse traps—pits just wider than a hoof, snapping legs as soon as the animals stepped in. The Wuhuan riders were thrown heavily to the ground.

Qiulitu had barely regained his feet, still dazed from his fall, when suddenly countless Han soldiers appeared atop the walls.

“Pour it!” Gao Shun’s command rang out, and the ready jars of incendiary oil were dumped onto the trapped Wuhuan below. The acrid stench filled the air.

Qiulitu sniffed, panic flashing across his face. “It’s oil—retreat, quickly! Out of the city!”

But getting in was easier than getting out. Over ten thousand Wuhuan troops surged for the gate, which was far too narrow, the ground now treacherous with pits—running was impossible.

“Fire arrows—loose!” Tian Chou ordered from the other side. Instantly, volleys of flaming arrows rained down upon the oil-soaked Wuhuan. The flames leapt skyward in a sudden inferno. Those fleeing for the gate were either shot dead or set ablaze, desperately tearing off armor and rolling on the ground in vain attempts to extinguish the fire.

The panicked, burning horses bolted wildly, flinging Wuhuan riders to the earth. Many were trampled to death by their own mounts. With four or five thousand archers firing from the walls, the city was soon carpeted with corpses. Screams and wails echoed beneath the flames, turning Juixi County into a vision of hell.

Yet, to everyone’s surprise, the two Wuhuan leaders—Qiuliyan and Qiulitu—though incompetent in battle, proved peerless in escape. Miraculously, the pair managed to stagger out of the blaze, suffering only minor burns.

Disheveled and battered, Qiulitu and Qiuliyan fled Juixi County, vowing never to return to the terror that was Youzhou, not even on pain of death.

But before they and their remaining two or three thousand cavalry could get far, a squad of mounted men burst from the woods to the left. “Ha! Zhang Fei of Yan, under the Governor of Youzhou, has long awaited you! Wuhuan dogs, your lives are forfeit!”

Before the Wuhuan could react, another cavalry force swept in from the right. “Huang Zhong, Colonel under the Youzhou Governor, also awaits you!”

The two Han detachments charged the panicked Wuhuan. Still shaken from the inferno, the Wuhuan had no will to fight.

Huang Zhong and Zhang Fei went straight for Qiulitu and Qiuliyan. The brothers, pampered scions and mediocre warriors at best, were knocked from their horses in a single exchange.

Seeing their commanders fall so easily, the remaining Wuhuan cavalry scattered in hopeless flight. This was just as Liu Yao’s cavalry brigade desired; they pressed the pursuit, cutting down fugitives as they fled. Soon, save for a handful who slipped away, all the Wuhuan were slaughtered by Han blades, and the battle was over.

The tally showed the Wuhuan force was nearly annihilated, with only the two brothers surviving.

Liu Yao’s side had suffered great material loss as well. Juixi County lay in ruins—every building torn down, the ground pitted and scarred. Restoring it would require time and treasure. But mercifully, Han casualties were minimal.

After the fighting, Liu Yao and Tian Feng descended from the walls, surveying the carnage—the charred remains of Wuhuan and the stench of burnt flesh. Liu Yao fought a wave of nausea, forcing it down for the sake of his dignity before the troops, though his face was deathly pale.

He ordered the soldiers to clear the battlefield, gather supplies, and dispose of the corpses to prevent plague.

By the time Liu Yao’s party returned to Ji County, it was already mid-September. Only Tian Chou and a battalion remained to help the people of Juixi rebuild their homes. For Liu Yao, the Wuhuan threat had been crushed in less than half a month. The Wuhuan lost nearly fifty thousand men, almost their entire force. Four generals were captured, while Liu Yao’s side lost only three thousand men, seizing thirty thousand fine horses and countless supplies, weapons, and armor—a resounding victory.

In the governor’s hall at Ji County, Liu Yao, Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Huang Zhong, Zhang Fei, Gao Shun, and Shi A gathered around a large table, drinking together.

“This victory over the Wuhuan is thanks to all of you. Allow me to offer a toast,” Liu Yao said, rising.

“Our lord is too kind,” the others replied, standing as well and raising their cups in camaraderie.

“Cheers!” With a tilt of the head, each drained his cup, savoring the bite of the fiery wine.

“With the Wuhuan on our front wiped out, all that remains is to await news from Gongsun Zan and Taishi Ziyi,” Liu Yao remarked as they sat.

“Honestly, if I’d known, I’d have switched assignments with Taishi Ci. He’s probably still out there enjoying himself—must be having a grand old time!” Zhang Fei grumbled enviously.

“Yide, mind your tongue. Do you take the lord’s orders so lightly?” Tian Feng reproved, stern-faced.

Zhang Fei, now used to Tian Feng’s rebukes, simply scratched his head and grinned foolishly, and the matter passed with little more than a roll of Tian Feng’s eyes.

“Report! Lord, urgent news—” A figure hurried into the hall.