Chapter Twenty-Five: A Poisonous Scheme

Yanmen Pass remained under the relentless fire of war, just as it had been for the past few days. Han soldiers were seen falling helplessly from the ramparts, while Xiongnu warriors wailed as they collapsed during their charges.

Although the casualty rate had climbed further with the arrival of the new reinforcements, Wanyan Aguda felt no relief; his supply of "cannon fodder" was running thin.

"Brother, this is the last batch. If we continue like this, we will have to deploy our elite forces. Is it not yet time to initiate that plan?" Wanyan Wuqimai asked, his expression grave.

After a long silence, Wanyan Aguda finally made his decision. "Very well. Warriors of the grasslands must fight bravely, but they must also possess the resolve to hunt by any means necessary. So be it—let us execute that plan."

"Ha! Brother, it should have been this way from the start. Had you agreed sooner, even the sturdiest walls of Yanmen Pass could not have withstood the iron hooves of our Xiongnu sons," Wanyan Wuqimai exclaimed, clearly exhilarated.

Though he knew this plan was unbecoming of a true warrior, Wuqimai believed that for the children of the Wolf God, survival and victory justified even the most despicable acts. Besides, as the Han people said, history is written by the victors.

Turning to Wanyan Liang, Wuqimai ordered viciously, "Push them all out. Drive them to the front lines. I want to see if the Han army still dares to loose their arrows."

Before long, waves of ragged, gaunt, and malnourished Han civilians were driven forward. Some were captives long held by the Xiongnu tribes, while others were locals who had been unable to escape the latest offensive. Now, prodded by the curved blades of the Xiongnu, they were forced toward the front, compelled to march until they reached the very gates of the fortress.

"General, this is disastrous. Look ahead!" Zhang Liao said, his face etched with shock.

Meng Tian needed no reminder; he had already grasped the situation. A commander’s duty was to observe everything, and as a brilliant strategist, he should have made the most rational decision. Yet, the order that would follow such a choice left him paralyzed with hesitation.

"General, what should we do? Should we fire or not?" Zhang Liao asked anxiously. In the short time they had spoken, the enemy had drawn even closer to the walls.

Zhang Liao was torn. He longed to fire, knowing it would secure the pass, yet he desperately wished to open the gates and save those civilians—many of whom were his own townsfolk from Yanmen. But the cost of such mercy would be catastrophic; one misstep, and the fortress they had defended for over a month would fall.

Meng Tian was no less conflicted. He had not come to Yanmen for titles or riches, but to protect the borders of the Han and the lives of its people. Yet, he could not bring himself to slaughter these defenseless civilians. It was something he could never do, not in his entire life.

He stared fixedly at the ground below, silent, ignoring the anxious gazes of his subordinates. The officers, left with no choice, turned their eyes to Li Ming, the true supreme commander of the pass.

Li Ming cursed under his breath. Was such an order easy to give? If they dared not make the decision, how could he? A wrong move would leave a stain on his reputation for ten thousand years.

"Xiang'er, my brother told me to consult you on all matters and heed your advice. What is your take on this?" Li Ming promptly passed the burden to Li Xiang—or rather, to Wang Meng, who stood behind him. Let those clever minds handle such troublesome matters.

However, the Xiongnu’s move was a blatant "open conspiracy." A hidden scheme might be countered, but a naked, daylight trap left one helpless. To Wang Meng, it was merely a matter of choice.

Li Xiang did not bother asking Wang Meng. Having gained some insight into how such strategists thought, he already knew what the answer would be. Honestly, he did not want to take the risk, and he knew that tactical caution was the most "correct" choice. But military commanders were different from strategists. While following a strategist’s cold logic might earn their respect, the ramparts were filled with generals. If he chose to fire, winning their true loyalty later would be impossible. Sometimes, an act that appeared foolish but was fueled by passion would win their hearts completely.

Though it seemed as if Li Xiang had pondered for a long time, it had only been a fleeting moment. Ultimately, he decided to attempt the rescue. Taking the risk was worth it to lay the foundation for winning over these fine generals and commanders.

"Colonel Gao Shun, I previously granted you permission to hand-pick your soldiers from the hundred-thousand-strong army. It has been over a month now—is your 'Camp-Breaker' battalion ready for battle?" The question was posed as a statement, spoken with an unquestionable tone.

Hearing this, the generals realized Li Xiang's decision. They were instantly invigorated, their eyes burning with intensity as they stared at him.

"Naturally, we are ready. And not only ready to fight, but ready to win," Gao Shun replied, his voice filled with fervor.

"Good. Gao Shun, you are to lead the Camp-Breaker battalion to hold the gates firmly until the generals have safely returned. Can you do this?"

"Rest assured, General. As long as I draw breath, not a single Xiongnu savage will breach the gates," Gao Shun declared loudly.

"General Meng Tian, you must remain here to command the overall situation and lead the armies. You must prevent the enemy from seizing this opportunity to launch a full-scale assault."

"Understood." Meng Tian’s reply was brief, yet his tone was resolute and convincing.

"Colonel Xue, I have always known that your martial arts are peerless, and your command ability is no less than General Meng’s. With General Meng overseeing the grand strategy, you are the only one among us with the capacity to lead this sortie. Are you willing?" Li Xiang turned to Xue Rengui.

Xue Rengui was stunned; he had never expected Li Xiang to name him the lead commander. Deeply moved, he replied with all his might, "If I fail to complete this mission, I shall forfeit my head!"

Since arriving at Yanmen, Xue Rengui’s position had been awkward. Unlike the others, he had achieved no merit, yet he had been appointed Colonel. Since then, the Yanmen army had remained on the defensive, leaving him no opportunity to prove himself.

Though the other generals were puzzled by Li Xiang’s high regard for Xue Rengui, the urgency of the situation left no room for debate. Only Meng Tian was full of confidence in him; after days of observation, he had long realized that Xue Rengui’s talent surpassed even his own.

"Xingtian, Xiong Kuohai, Qin Qiong, Meng Wu, Zhang Liao—heed my command! Follow Colonel Xue out of the gates. You must obey his orders and save the civilians outside at all costs!"