Chapter Ninety-Three: Roles Reversed in Offense and Defense

“Is this still the Turkic people? That was three thousand cavalrymen—cavalrymen! Against an equal number of infantry, they were annihilated in less than a day? What, did the horses under those Turkic riders turn to jelly when they faced Li Wenyuan’s army? Even if they were three thousand pigs, for Li Wenyuan’s troops to chase them over every mountain and hill, they still couldn’t be rounded up in a single day!”

After learning that the Turkic cavalry sent to delay Li Wenyuan had been wiped out, Li Gui flew into a rage in the command hall of Dunhuang Commandery, hurling abuse at the officers under him.

When the news first reached him, Li Gui had indeed been so shocked that his jaw nearly fell to the floor. At once, a nameless panic spread up from the depths of his heart. He knew that his greatest support at this point was the Turkic forces behind him; yet if even the Turkic army could not stop Li Wenyuan’s advance, then how long could his Great Liang Khanate possibly hold out?

This time, he had summoned every commander under his rule to Dunhuang Commandery for a meeting. On the one hand, he wanted to use the occasion to let his officers understand how grave the matter truly was. On the other, he also wished to seize the opportunity to cut down the arrogance of those proud Turkic men.

Sure enough, the Turkic officers who had so often challenged Li Gui at previous councils now kept their heads bowed and said nothing when he singled them out and cursed them by name. At once, the entire hall fell silent.

Just then, one of Li Gui’s advisers stepped forward to smooth things over.

“May Your Grace, King of Liang, temper this thunderous wrath. The cavalry sent to delay Li Wenyuan’s army has already failed to accomplish its mission. Meanwhile, Yumen County is already under siege by Li Wenyuan’s forces and will likely fall at any moment. What matters now is not assigning blame, but that we all join hands and keep Li Wenyuan’s army outside Dunhuang Commandery, so that the Great Liang realm may remain secure forever. I have a plan that can drive off the enemy and secure victory.”

Li Gui himself loathed the khan title bestowed on him by the Turks, but with the Turks still powerful and with much in their favor he had no choice but to swallow his dislike and accept their investiture. Those under him all knew his feelings, and so when addressing him they never used the title of khan as a form of respect; they always called him the King of Liang.

Li Gui had only half an anger and half a display of force to begin with. Now that his adviser had handed him a way down, he withdrew the anger he had been showing and instead let his gaze pass over the Turkic generals in the hall. Seeing that he had achieved his purpose, he chose to follow the slope down as well, resuming the same gracious, favoring manner he always used with his subordinates, and asked his adviser:

“What brilliant plan do you have? Speak quickly and let me hear it.”

“Your Grace, please look here. Li Wenyuan’s army has now already crossed into our Dunhuang Commandery. But his greatest weakness is that he lacks men. According to reports sent back by our front-line scouts, Li Wenyuan has at most thirty thousand troops. The rest are merely civilian laborers accompanying the army. So although he claims to have one hundred thousand men, in truth we only need to face those thirty thousand. We have now absorbed the armies of Qiemo Commandery and Shanshan Commandery, bringing our own strength to a full fifty thousand. On top of that, our army still has the Turkic warriors, long renowned for their skill in horsemanship. In this moment we are strong and well supplied. We can send out the full army and intercept Li Wenyuan’s forces within Guazhou. There is no need to keep those Turkic warriors, who excel at offense, inside the city to hold it at all costs; far better to let them use their advantages and destroy Li Wenyuan’s army in the open fields. Moreover, Your Grace knows the situation in Wuwei Commandery only too well. The two expeditions against Goguryeo have nearly stripped Wuwei Commandery of its able-bodied young men, and on top of that they must guard against attacks from the Eastern Turkic tribes in the north. At this time, it is impossible for them to march out with all their strength. Therefore, this thirty-thousand-man force in Li Wenyuan’s hands should already be the maximum he can muster. As long as we deal Li Wenyuan’s army a heavy blow, he will surely retreat to Zhangye Commandery. Then the crisis at Dunhuang can naturally be resolved without a fight. Better still, we may even seize the moment, while Li Wenyuan’s army is reeling and its morale shaken, to counterattack and retake Zhangye and Wuwei Commanderies.”

Seeing his adviser pointing here and there across the map spread before him, Li Gui understood that the main task of striking Li Wenyuan’s army had, in subtle fashion, been directed toward the Turks. Though inwardly pleased, he showed nothing on his face. He merely nodded, then turned his head toward the Turkic generals and said:

“This Khan believes the adviser’s words are entirely feasible. I only wonder whether you can shoulder the burden of the main assault and utterly destroy Li Wenyuan’s army in the open country.” At the proper moment, Li Gui brought out his khan title to suppress the Turkic generals in the hall.

“We were just about to ask you to let us fight,” said the Turkic general, rising to his feet and bowing toward Li Gui. “People of the steppe never leave a grudge to the future.”

“Good, then it is settled. Aside from the troops needed to pacify the local districts and maintain order, every remaining force from all the commanderies is to march at once to the Guazhou front. I will also go there in person to direct the battle.” Hearing the Turks volunteer for combat, Li Gui clapped his hands and said as much.

Just after Li Gui’s side finished its deliberations, Li Wenyuan had already taken Yumen County.

Yumen County itself was not a fortress of any great strength. The moment the city wall collapsed and the long-blade corps climbed the ruins onto the battlements, the outcome of the battle had become plain to see. The only question was how long it would take to bring the place down.

Li Wenyuan left one division behind to guard the supply line and keep the local population in check, then led the remaining troops westward toward Guazhou, riding on the momentum of their fresh victory.

“Commander, Yumen County is only the first stop. Once we continue west and take Guazhou, Dunhuang Commandery will stand before us with no barrier left at all.” Riding alongside Li Wenyuan, Zhang Juntai was in excellent spirits.

Since the western campaign began, the army had fought two hard battles. In one, they had annihilated the Turkic cavalry in the open field. In the other, they had taken Yumen County, the eastern gate of Dunhuang, without even bringing up heavy siege engines. In both battles, Zhang Juntai’s own troops had taken part. Two fights, two victories—he had won himself no small amount of honor.

“Yes, but the battle for Guazhou is likely to be difficult,” Li Wenyuan said. “Our scouts have reported that no sooner had we captured Yumen County than Li Gui transferred every troop under his command to the Guazhou front. That boy is quick to react. Although we can use the time gap to defeat them piece by piece, a single misstep will drag us into a war on two fronts. We did not bring many troops on this campaign to begin with. At present, our results are impressive, but the number of troops left behind to maintain the rear supply line keeps growing. The forces we can actually use at the front are now fewer than twenty-five thousand. Yet Li Gui’s army numbers a full fifty thousand. We need to think of a way. This time, Guazhou can only be taken by strategy; it cannot be stormed by force.”