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April 18, 2021

Chapter 15

It was late at night.

Yuan Sikong was sleeping soundly when he was suddenly awakened by a loud noise. He instantly sprang out of bed and opened his eyes wide. His whole face was covered with sweat and his mind was somewhere between sober and fuzzy.

After a moment of silence, he carefully recognized that he was not having a nightmare. There was really a sound coming from outside.

Since the start of the war, Guangning Wei had been under night curfew to prevent spies from entering the city, so there shouldn't be any noise outside at this time, unless something was wrong!

Yuan Sikong rolled out of bed, quickly put on his clothes, and dashed out.

When he opened the mansion’s door, he saw a scene he would never forget.

Torches were like forests and people were rushing around. Countless wounded and disabled soldiers were looking like a mess and their expressions were filled with dejectedness. They were walking like corpses through the streets of Guangning City, leaving behind muddy and bloody footprints. A strong smell of blood, mixed with the eerie cold air, rushed into every pore of Yuan Sikong's body. He shivered and his legs went weak, and he had to hold the door with his hands to keep himself from going weak.

He saw people covered in blood, with missing arms and legs, with eyes hanging under their jaws, and lying in a blur on a wooden plank, not sure whether they were dead or alive.

It was the first time he had seen a defeated army, faced such disability and death, and felt the despair that could suffocate him.

"Sikong!"

A familiar voice penetrated his eardrums amidst the noise. He turned his head to see that it was Xu Hu.

Xu Hu ran over and pushed him into the mansion, "What are you doing out here? Go back!"

Yuan Sikong grabbed Xu Hu's chest armor, "Uncle Xu, what's happening!? What the hell is happening!?"

"General Han fought with the Jin at Maoer Valley and was defeated, except the midfielder, Chen Yulong, who escaped back to Guangning with two thousand soldiers ..." Xu Hu sighed heavily, "The whole army was wiped out."

Although he had already guessed it, the moment it was confirmed by Xu Hu, Yuan Sikong still felt a bone-chilling feeling hit him. He said in a trembling voice, "Where is my father?"

"Lord Qianhu is housing the wounded and deploying troops to reinforce the city's defenses."

"Where is he? I'll go and find him."

"Aiya, Sikong, you would be adding to the chaos if you go now. Why don't you come and help me with the wounded soldiers?"

"That’s also good."

Yuan Sikong was about to go out when he heard a call from behind him, "Second brother."

Yuan Nanyu came out on crutches at some point in time. Even Yuan Weiling came in a hurry.

Without letting him have an opinion, Yuan Sikong said, "Yu'er, go back and rest immediately. Your leg is not healed yet, don't ..."

"Are we defeated?" Yuan Nanyu grabbed Yuan Sikong's arm. His face was showing fear, "Are the Jin people going to fight their way into Guangning City?"

Yuan Weiling scolded, "Don't talk nonsense. Guangning is guarded by father. The Jin can't come in!" There was clearly a slight tremor in her clear voice.

Yuan Sikong took a deep breath, "Big sister is right, Guangning has father. Don't be afraid." He then turned to Yuan Weiling, "Sister, you must stay with Mother. Winter is the time when her asthma is going to strike. Don't let her think too much."

"Don't worry." Yuan Weiling pulled Yuan Nanyu over, "Yu'er, I'll take you back to your room."

"Where are you going, Second brother?"

"I'm going to save the wounded soldiers." Without looking back, Yuan Sikong ran out of the house and followed Xu Hu.

Yuan Mao placed the wounded soldiers in the people’s homes in the city temporarily and asked all the city's doctors to go and treat them. Yuan Sikong was not considered a doctor, and his medical skills were only rudimentary, but most of the soldiers' injuries were on the external and not the internal, so he could do what he had learned.

In addition to this, he also kept a record of all the 400 wounded soldiers' homes, injury conditions, injured locations, and the medication they were given. Based on the severity of their injuries, he categorized them and made several copies for the doctors to treat them.

When Yuan Mao found him, he had already been up all day and night.

Yuan Mao dragged him aside and said sternly, "Who told you to come here?"

"Kong'er wanted to come and help. With so many wounded soldiers, Kong'er ..."

"This is not a place where children should come!" Yuan Mao said in a stern voice, "Go home now."

Yuan Sikong was not afraid of Yuan Mao this time. He said boldly, "Father, everyone is in danger in Guangning, so if I can help, how can I stand by and do nothing?"

"You are still young. Do you know that war is not a joke!?"

Yuan Sikong glared with bloodshot eyes and retorted, "Yue Yun joined the army at the age of twelve, Gan Luo was an envoy to Zhao at the age of twelve, Luo Shixin suppressed a rebellion at the age of fourteen. Ambition is not based on age, how is Kong'er joking?!”

"You ..." Yuan Mao looked at the twinkle and unswerving determination in Yuan Sikong's eyes and was speechless for a moment.

"Father." Yuan Sikong took Yuan Mao's hand and said sincerely, "Kong'er wants to share father's worries. Kong'er knows no less than others. Doesn't father trust Kong'er?"

Yuan Mao lowered his eyes and whispered, "Father does not want you to see the cruelty of the world too soon."

"If Guangning city is invaded, Kong'er will not only 'see' it, but the whole city will not be able to escape the Jin’s sword." Yuan Sikong trembled lightly, "No matter what, we have to defend Guangning. Whatever Kong'er can do, I will do my best."

Yuan Mao sighed lightly and stroked Yuan Sikong's head, "You are a good boy. That's good too. You can stay here and treat the wounded, but do remember to rest. Don't wear yourself out."

"Kong'er understands." Yuan Sikong asked in reply, "Father, what is the military situation now?"

"Han Zhaoxing was ambushed in the Maoer Valley. His life or death is uncertain. The soldiers accompanying him are either dead or captured, and those who have returned to Guangning are only these two thousand soldiers. A lot of them are wounded and disabled." Yuan Mao's gaze involuntarily drifted to the north, "The Jin are marching towards Guangning with a large army and the military situation is worrying."

Yuan Sikong bit his lips that were trembling, "How many soldiers and horses does the Jin have?”

"It is said that there are 100,000 soldiers and horses. The scouts reported that it is at least 70,000."

Yuan Sikong clenched his fist: "How many more troops can we mobilize?"

Yuan Mao lowered his head and did not answer.

"Father, what's the use of hiding it from me?"

"Together with the two thousand soldiers Chen Yulong brought back, there are only four thousand."

Seventy thousand against four thousand, Yuan Sikong only felt a chill run through his body.

"Lord Li has already sent reinforcements, and the Zuotun Wei* may be able to bring in another two thousand. If we have six thousand soldiers, and I have a city to defend, we will not be afraid of the Jin."

"Father, as long as the city has enough rations, we will be able to defend it!"

Yuan Mao nodded: "There are enough rations in the city to last a year."

Yuan Sikong was slightly reassured. There were many examples of battles where isolated cities with few soldiers had forced back large armies. Although the situation was critical, it was not desperate.

-----

Although the city was full of wounded soldiers, Yuan Mao managed it well and it remained in good order. Just that the rumors sprang up everywhere and fear filled the air, making the people alarmed and uneasy.

A few days later, they received even worse news. The 2,000 reinforcements sent by the Zuotun Wei had been ambushed and wiped out by the Jin.

On the 28th of October in the 16th year of Zhaowu, Zhuo Letai, the Eldest Prince of the Jurchen, led an army of 70,000 soldiers across Huangshui and marched into Guangning Wei with the intention of unifying Liaodong like tigers and wolves.

No one could have imagined that this battle would take place in the history of the magnificent Dasheng Empire.

On the day when the large army was approaching the border, a snowstorm fell from the sky and the cold wind raged, covering every inch of the frozen soil in Liaodong, yet the only thing it could not cover was a large number of pressuring people. It was not only 70,000 people, but rather 70,000 sharp blades, hungry wolves, and devils. Once they breached the city gate, Guangning would be dyed with blood, and no one would be left behind.

Yuan Mao stood at the top of the city, staring at Zhuo Letai's blood-colored banner flying unsightly in the wind and snow, and did not move for a long time.

"Lord Qianhu." A soldier climbed the city wall, arched his hands, and said, "The scouts have reported that Zhuo Letai has set up a camp 5 kilometers outside the city."

"Continue to keep an eye on it."

"Yes."

Yuan Shaoxu said, "Father, we don't know how many days it will snow, but I'm afraid that once the snow melts, Zhuo Letai will attack the city."

"With his military strength, an attack on the city is bound to cause numerous casualties. I have heard that this man is brave and scheming. He probably would not be so reckless. Let's wait and see what happens."

"Where else can we go to ask for help other than the Zuotun Wei ..."

Yuan Mao knitted his eyebrows. He could hardly have any extravagant hope of getting reinforcements. In fact, the attitude of the imperial court could be seen from giving up the seven states in Liaobei. If Liaodong can be defended, it will be, but if not ... it will be lost like a discarded child.

What the country wanted was a territory. When the imperial court could already retreat from its territory, its fate would probably soon be over. Of course, Yuan Mao only dared to think about it in his mind. He was only a fifth-ranking guard and did not dare to surmise the emperor's mind. He only wished to guard Guangning, his homeland.

-----

This heavy snowfall may have been a blessing from the heavens. It was so determined that the snow fell for 3 days. The thickness of the snow was knee-deep, making it hard to walk.

Yuan Mao and Yuan Shaoxu have not returned home for several days, and Yue Qingshuang was worried about her husband and son, so she prepared a hot meal and asked Yuan Sikong to send it to them.

Stepping through the snow, Yuan Sikong passed by the liveliest street in Guangning. Last time, the shops here were like scales of a fish, and there was a constant flow of people, including the blind man's bun shop, which had been open for more than 20 years and was doing great business. His family loved it. Nowadays, almost all the shops were closed. Those who had friends and relatives to seek shelter from had already left the city to seek refuge. The streets were desolated, which made people feel bad.

When Yuan Sikong found Yuan Mao, he was discussing the military situation, and there was a map of Liaodong on a huge platform.

Yuan Sikong walked in quietly, but Yuan Mao only gave him a glance before continuing to talk to Chen Yulong.

Although Chen Yulong's rank was higher than Yuan Mao's, he was a general in Han Zhaoxing's army and could not interfere with the defense of Guangning. Li Boyun was absent, and Qian Anrong was a civilian official who did not know how to lead troops in battle. The actual supreme commander of Guangning Wei was Yuan Mao.

Yuan Sikong put down the food and went over to take a look at the map. No one noticed him due to his short height.

At that moment, a soldier shouted "report" and rushed into the room.

"Lord Qianhu, Han ... Chief Soldier Han is back!"

Everyone in the room was stunned.

 

----

Zuotun Wei*[左屯卫]---like Guangning Wei (广宁卫), these places are locations of the garrison.

These are legit places in real life, you can have a look here:

Guangning Wei ---- https://baike.baidu.com/item/广宁卫

Zuotun Wei  ---- https://baike.baidu.com/item/左屯卫 

 

Edited on 17 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

Edited on 3 Jul. 21 (Ari)

 

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