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Book 54 Chapter 11 – Unexpected Discovery

Translator: Foxs\' Wuxia

Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan were the last two persons to return to the mountain stronghold, all the trench bridges were completely engulfed in raging flames. Li Shimin also beat the gong to recall his troops, part of the battlefield near the outside trenches was still hidden in violet poisonous smoke, but the smoke was quickly dissipated by the blowing wind, the dead and wounded were brought back to their respective side.

Both sides suffered damage, the dead and wounded in the Tang Army’s side reached nearly a thousand, which was ten times more than the Shao Shuai Army; it could be considered Kou Zhong’s fierce victory, the first time that he pulled the gambling chips ahead.

When the two units of Tang Army’s cavalry attacked the two wings, the three units of infantry they were protecting have been in disarray after fighting at their rear. On the Kou Zhong’s side, Bing Yuanzhen and Ba Yegang’s disposition of troops, consisting lance-and-shield-wielders and the archers, already held their footing steady, they did not let the enemy attack toward the trench’s side, plus there was the three-thousand-man elite cavalry under Kou Zhong, Ba Fenghan and Ma Chang’s command that struck like lightning, charging into the enemy that they scattered and were cut off. The cavalry continuously went back and forth to charge, so that the Tang Army was unable to endure. Seeing the turn of events not too encouraging, Li Shimin personally let his Dark-Armored Elite Troops and two other light cavalry units, a total of nine thousand men, to rush out of the cart formation, most of which had been burned down; they attacked with toppling the mountains and overturning the seas momentum, while at the same time he ordered the cavalry, that had been under attack in the battlefield that they whined on for days.

Kou Zhong was well aware of the power of the Dark-Armored Elite Troops. If they took them head-on, they would be trapped in hard battle, and then when Luo Shixin and the others, over ten thousand infantrymen reorganized the footing of their troop disposition and reentered the battlefield, his own army would undoubtedly lose. Fortunately, he already had a plan; immediately the whole army moved the barrier, they put the poisonous smoke earth cannon all over the ground, and then they waited behind the earth cannon formation in tight formation.

Li Shimin had never thought that he would have this move. Three units of cavalry, like whirlwind, charged into the earth canon formation. Immediately, ‘Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!’ poisonous smoke sprang up everywhere, trapping the Tang Army’s vanguard cavalry inside the violet poisonous fog. The warhorses were the first to be unable to stand, they skipped around like they went crazy, the riders were thrown off the horseback in confusion, both men and horses all suffered the full power of the poisonous smoke.

The Shao Shuai Army released salvo over salvo of one thousand powerful arrows from the left and right wings, mercilessly killing the enemy, who no longer had any power to strike back. It was a spectacle too horrible to endure.

Li Shimin had no choice but to sound the gong to pull back his army. The originally charging over like a whirlwind, their momentum like a rainbow – army ended up as a sad, retreating army.

Kou Zhong knew when to stop, he pulled back his army in an orderly manner into the mountain stronghold.

Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan rode side-by-side into the stronghold gate. The returning-in-triumph-from-the-battlefield troops and the warriors staying behind to guard the stronghold’s thunderous cheers shook the heavens; they cried in chorus, ‘Long live Shaoshuai!’ They cheered and shouts for the beautiful victory, their morale rose to its boiling point.

No one knew where she came from, but Xiao He’er pounced out to welcome the two men; excited, her powdery face turned very red, she screamed, “Dage is really awesome, those bad guys outside are not Dage’s match.”

Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan flew off their horses, they looked at each other and laughed.

Kou Zhong turned to Xiao He’er and said with a smile, “They are not bad guys, but they are my mortal enemies.”

Chen Laomou, Wang Xuanshu, and Bai Wenyuan came up to congratulate them.

Bing Yuanzhen and Ba Yegang established great merit, they looked even more excited. This victory was not easy to come by; although they were unable to bring about fundamental damage to the Tang Army, but they had rendered serious blow toward the other side’s morale, and delayed the Tang Army’s launching their attack on the stronghold, therefore, it was extremely important.

Stretching out his limbs, Kou Zhong said, “We must have a good night’s sleep. I leave the full responsibility of guarding this place to Bai Jiangjun. Xuanshu can take Xiao He’er out to play.”

Immediately Wang Xuanshu’s handsome face turned bright red, momentarily he stammered but could not say anything.

Xiao He’er excitedly asked, “Is there any fun place to visit?”

Wang Xuanshu, with a voice as little as a mosquito’s, said, “Shaoshuai’s order, I am going to take you to see the small waterfall in the mountain gorge.”

It was only then did everybody realize the subtle situation between Wang Xuanshu and Xiao He’er; they could not help looking at each other and laughed.

Kou Zhong laughed to his heart’s content, he said, “Xuanshu can take my Xiao Meizi sightseeing everywhere and in all directions without any worry, this spanning-over-two-li gorge path is rarely seen in the world, certainly there will be amazing sight everywhere. I never thought that not only we have roof over our head in the battlefield, there is even scenery that we can enjoy and we can bestow. Heaven really treats us not meagerly.”

For the first time Ba Fenghan looked at Xiao He’er up and down, he smiled and said, “Xiao He’er’s long hair is jet-black and shiny, why don’t you go to a clear spring and freshen up to your heart’s delight? It must be a touching enjoyment, while also to let Xuanshu see your good-looking lady-of-the-family’s long hair draped over your shoulders style.”

Xiao He’er finally realized that everybody was teasing her and Wang Xuanshu. She glowered angrily at Ba Fenghan, but she could not help pulling the sleeve of Wang Xuanshu’s combat robe and spoke in low voice, “Let’s go have some fun, no need to pay them any attention.”

Chen Laomou let out his weird laughter and said, “There are dry towels in the main building, Xuanshu must not forget to take some.”

As if he was running away for his life, Wang Xuanshu and Xiao He’er disappeared like a wisp of smoke.

Looking at their disappearing back, Kou Zhong shook his head and said with a sigh, “Anything unexpected can happen on the battlefield! How much firearms we have left?”

As if he was enumerating his family’s valuables, Chen Laomou replied, “Just now we did not use any poisonous smoke arrow, so not an iota changed. Kerosene bullets we still have three hundred and twenty left, the earth cannon’s wear and tear is comparatively large, the current number is less than three hundred.”

Ba Fenghan said, “That should be enough for us to resist another round of violent attack by Li Shimin’s whole army.”

Chen Laomou said, “Even if previously Li Shimin did not think about smoke attack method, this time our firearms must have warned him. Moreover, in the construction of another batch of siege equipment, they won’t be afraid of our poisonous smoke and fire bullets; therefore, the most convenient way would be something like smoke attack. Fortunately, we have a precautionary approach, if used properly, it may bring another great victory.”

Ba Yegang spoke heavily, “We must not miss any chance to seize victory, because we have limited resources, we cannot replenish any losses, while the enemy has inexhaustible resources and manpower; once our army is down, the situation will be unimaginable.”

Looking up to the sky, Kou Zhong said, “Hopefully the big snow will drop from the sky in a few days, otherwise, if it rains instead of snow, our situation will be extremely not good. Lao Ba, do you have any confidence? If it really rains, our kerosene bullets or whatever will be difficult to have any effect.”

Smiling wryly, Ba Fenghan said, “I am not an immortal, how I do know things like that?”

Kou Zhong laughed and said, “In that case we’ll have to see Laotianye’s will and imperial decree, so don’t bother to think, we just have to make all the preparations. I want to hold a simple and solemn ceremony for our fallen brothers, I will ask Wenyuan to handle this matter, I also want to personally greet the injured brothers, last night was a long night, but I feel like it passed in just the blink of an eye. It’s really a contradiction.”

A group of thirty Badong city defenders galloped out of the city gate. They roughly chased away the people who wanted to enter the city, and then they formed a line on both sides, as if to open the way for someone who was about to leave the city.

Er Wenhuan, Qiao Gongshan and their original team of riders spurred their rides out of the city, there was also a horse-drawn carriage in the middle, its curtain was pulled down low, giving up a mysterious impression.

Xu Ziling pulled off his mask and spoke in heavy voice, “Han Xiong, husband and wife are most likely inside the carriage, we will cut them off on the way to save people.”

Er Wenhuan and the others, upright and unafraid, galloped past at high speed in front of the four men, raising a clump of dirt and dust covering the sky.

“We chase after them!” Yin Xianhe said.

Xu Ziling knew that he was so anxious that he lost his usual patience; pulling him back, he said, “Let’s wait until they are a bit farther away, Yin Xiong, Xibai and I will catch up and immediately make our move, Lei JiuGe [ninth brother] drive the vehicle to follow.”

Lei Jiuzhi recognized Er Wenhuan and Qiao Gongshan, he coldly said, “When you make your move, don’t show any pity, it would be best to kill these two hunting dogs of Li Jiancheng. I really never have thought that Li Jiancheng would openly work for the Xiang family.”

Xu Ziling said, “Li Jiancheng not only colludes with the Xiang Family, he also gangs up with Zhao Deyan. Let’s go!”

Kou Zhong stepped into the commander room and slowly closed the door. He went to the bedside and held his head in his hands and lay down. He was sitting on the only bed in the entire mountain stronghold, Chen Laomou specially made it for him.

Ba Fenghan, who was lying on the other side of the bed, struggled to sit up and said, “What are you thinking?”

Kou Zhong turned his head around to cast a glance, he smiled bitterly and said, “You don’t seem to have taken off your shoes.”

Laughing involuntarily, Ba Fenghan said, “You are still in the mood to bother about whether to take off our shoes or not to take off our shoes? Under current circumstances, this should be the method that we have to adopt. When we reenter Luoyang via the Hou Zai Gate, we’ll think about the problem of taking off shoes!”

Groaning, Kou Zhong said, “You think we will have such a day?”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Ba Fenghan said, “If it rains instead of snow, Li Shimin may brave the rain to attack, our poisonous smoke and fire bullets won’t be able to show its skill, then returning to Luoyang may never happen!”

Kou Zhong sighed and said, “I wonder what his granny’s clouds are accumulating in the sky?”

Ba Fenghan smiled bitterly and said, “It is his granny’s black cloud that could be rain or could be snow. If we say the weather is cold, it’s not actually cold, so it seems like it’s not time for snow yet. We simply have to make adequate preparation.”

Kou Zhong spoke indifferently, “I wonder if every brother ought to be supplied with a bamboo rain hat?”

Ba Fenghan roared in bitter laughter and said, “You, this kid! You are really something.”

Kou Zhong lay down on the bed, boots and all, but the divine light in his pair of eyes was flashing, he spoke slowly, “So what if it snows? The firearms will be used up in less than half a day, all along we have to rely on real swords, real spears to deal with Li kid. Firearms can only help us occupied a bit of convenience in some kind of special situation. From beginning to end we have to rely on strength. His Niang’s! We have no choice but to counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir, and when the dirt comes the wood will subdue, the wood comes we set them on fire. His Niang’s! Hey! We seem to have missed a move.”

“Haven’t we already done everything that we should have done?” Ba Fenghan said in astonishment.

Kou Zhong said, “This move is called logs rolled down in defense of a city wooden formation. We have large quantities of chopped down tree trunks. As long as we move them up the city wall and throw them down, let them tumble down the slope, would you say their mighty power is formidable enough?”

Ba Fenghan’s spirit greatly aroused, he said, “That is indeed a marvelous move, so simple yet why hasn’t anyone thought about it?”

Kou Zhong said, “Because we are thinking that we are defending the City of Luoyang. Outside Luoyang City, there is no slope, when we were besieged on all sides, wood is more precious than gold. But in here, right now, this beating wood formation method is not afraid of being drenched by the rain, it is convenient and effective. As long as we push down several hundred of logs down the slope outside the stronghold, even if Li kid can successfully cross the border, they won’t be able to pass this beating wood formation. When the logs are drying in the sun, we can then burn his Niang’s to our heart’s content. Ha! This is called Heaven never bars one’s way, it only depends on whether you’re willing to use your brains or not.”

There was a knock on the door.

One of their men reported in a loud voice outside the door, “Reporting to Shaoshuai! Bai Jiangjun ordered Xiaoren to come to report, the Tang Army has started to pile up firewood and dried branches outside the stronghold.”

Kou Zhong laughed aloud and said, “Tell Bai Jiangjun: wake me up when the Tang Army light the fire!”

And then he turned to Ba Fenghan and said with a sigh, “Yang Gong once said that those who cannot sleep peacefully on the battlefield are not well-qualified commander-in-chief. Ay! If Yang Gong is still by my side, won’t that be much better?”

Ignoring the crowd’s astonished look, Xu Ziling, Yin Xianhe, and Hou Xibai ran after their target. From Badong to the River Huai’s main dock, the distance was only about one li. If Er Wenhuan and the others boarded the boat one step ahead, or perhaps they met another group of the enemy’s men and horses, they would have to waste a lot more time and effort. If they could intercept the carriage and the group of riders midway, they could definitely eat up the other side.

Ahead, the dust was rising, the sound of hoofbeats was rumbling.

Xu Ziling had just thought about increasing his speed, his person has already shot forward, his intention arrived, his qi also arrived. Like moving clouds, flowing water he cut off the distance with the two riders protecting the rear. The most brilliant part was that his clothes were sticking close to his body and did not flutter, so that the sound of the gust of wind was pressed down to the minimum.

Hou Xibai and Yin Xianhe, one in front of the other, increased their speed to catch up. The former fell behind a zhang or so, and by time Xu Ziling started to attack, Yin Xianhe was still about two zhang away.

The two enemies had their back kicked by Xu Ziling from high up in the air. Were it not for his benevolent heart, it could be guaranteed that the two enemies would immediately die on the spot. This moment, only their meridian was sealed, they fell off the horse.

The crowd of the enemy looked back in horror, Xu Ziling tapped one of the warhorse’s back with the tip of his foot, he soared high into the air and flew toward the roof of the carriage.

Er Wenhuan shouted loudly, “What little thief? How dare you rob Laozi’s carriage? Kill them without mercy!”

One after another the enemy riders pulled out their weapons and rushed forward to fight back. The riders on both sides of the carriage jumped on the roof at the same time, to attack Xu Ziling from both sides, showing their extraordinary skills.

Any one of them roaming the Jianghu could be called first-class martial art master, however, compared to Xu Ziling, whose name shook the world, they were still quite some distance away. As soon as they met face-to-face, they were struck down to the ground. Not only they did not have a chance to set foot on the roof, they did not even know with what technique the other side defeated them. And once they landed on the ground, they could not climb back up.

It was only this moment that Er Wenhuan and Qiao Gongshan found out that other than the enemy on the roof of the carriage, there were also two other men killing away at their tail. Neither one of them had even seen Xu Ziling’s true identity, hence they did not recognize him. However, in Chang’an, no one did not know Hou Xibai, Er and Qiao, two men had even met him many times before. Seeing that one of the enemies was him, immediately their countenance changed, they knew the turn of events was not too encouraging.

Hou Xibai, calmly, as if he was taking a stroll, caught up. ‘Clack!’ the Fan of Beauty opened up, he displayed a relaxed, leisure manner of fanning himself, and said with a laugh, “Er Daren, Qiao Daren, how are you? Only you, two guys who consider everyone else beneath yourselves, dare to call Xu Ziling a little thief. My admiration! My admiration!”

‘Dang!’

The folding Fan of Beauty blocked a slash of a rider’s sword strike backhandedly. Fully using a twisting force, immediately the enemy’s long sword fell off his hand, and was flung far into the dense forest by the road.

Amidst another shout, another rider’s sword was snatched away by Yin Xianhe using some exquisite beyond compare technique, he even had his shoulder blade pulled and snapped.

This moment Xu Ziling jumped down to the empty seat next to the driver of the carriage, the driver has not yet had a chance to make his move, he was knocked over by Xu Ziling’s shoulder that he tumbled sideways from his seat and rolled down to the ground.

Xu Ziling grabbed the reins and gradually pulled the carriage to a stop.

Hearing the name Xu Ziling, the color of blood drained completely from Er Wenhuan and Qiao Gongshan’s faces, the former shouted loudly, “Pull back!” Unexpectedly they ignored their companions, and spurred the horse to full speed to escape in the direction of the Huai River. Seeing how their leaders were this stupid and cowardly, the seven or eight big men, who have not been knocked down, did not dare to show off, in flash they all ran away neat and clean.

The carriage rushed forward seven or eight zhang before slowly stopped.

Hou Xibai rushed to the door of the carriage, grabbed and pulled it open, his pair of eyes revealed a cannot-believe expression, he spoke in shock, “Unexpectedly it’s Yun Bangzhu [gang leader]!”

Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan stood on top of the wall. On the field outside the trenches, there were three piles of firewood and dry branches, as high as a small hill, burning in flames, sending out billowing smoke, blown by the wind, engulfing the mountain stronghold in suffocating smoke.

The entire Shao Shuai Army evaded into the gorge path and inside the main building.

The Tang Army formed their battle array behind the bonfire, waiting for the best time to attack.

Yet the two men looked calm, they did not mind the fire bits and the thick smoke hitting them on the face at all.

Ba Fenghan said with a smile, “Shaoshuai’s saber method has made great progress, it has already reached the realm of saber and intention fused into one.”

Stretching out his limbs, Kou Zhong looked at Ba Fenghan, who, in the midst of the smoke, appeared to be in-between reality and fantasy, and said, “You are the one who’s really formidable. On the battlefield, in you live, I die situation, you still have the time to pay attention to my saber method. However, my Moon in the Well has already surpassed the saber and intention fused into one, rather, it reached the saber is the intention, the intention is the saber realm. Until recently, I began to understand the meaning behind what Song Que said, ‘apart from the saber, there is no other thing’.”

Ba Fenghan’s imposing body shook, he repeated it twice, and then he met Kou Zhong’s eyes and said, “What exactly is the special meaning of that?”

Revealing a smiling expression, Kou Zhong said, “Just what it says, ‘apart from the saber, there is no other thing’, even self does not exist, there is only the saber, and the saber is everything. At that time Song Que also said that when you understand it, then you really understand, if you don’t understand then you don’t understand. Ha! Funny that at that time I thought I understood, only today I knew that at that time I only understood his granny’s bear; I practically did not understand.”

Ba Fenghan revealed a deep-in-thought expression; shaking his head, he said, “I wonder if you just exaggerated? That is not possible. If you think deeply, you will sense the existence of ‘self’.”

Kou Zhong spoke with serious expression, “There is really not the least bit of exaggeration. The saber is me, I am the saber, the saber senses on my behalf, thinks deeply, and moves according to the situation, because of the change in the momentum, therein a subtle point, it really is indescribable.”

Ba Fenghan nodded and said, “Your personal experience in this realm has been very enlightening to me. The saber is the intention, the intention is the saber.”

A burst of long wind was blowing, the thick smoke rolled and dance. On the opposite side, not a shadow was to be seen. When the smoke dispersed, Ba Fenghan reappeared before his eyes. Kou Zhong spoke cheerfully, “While we still have a bit of time, I wonder if you could continue your story of the second meeting.”

Ba Fenghan did not understand, “What story of the second meeting?” he asked.

As if nothing had happened, Kou Zhong said, “Naturally the touching, sad-beyond-words story about Badai’er and you, Laoge.”

“Get lost!” Ba Fenghan spoke crossly, “Laozi already made an exception by telling you the painful past events of my childhood, yet you are still unsatisfied? Well, excuse me! In this aspect, Xiongdi is not going to accommodate you.”

Kou Zhong laughed and cursed, “I care about you! Good intentions met by lightning strike.”

Laughing involuntarily, Ba Fenghan said, “There’s a secret in everybody’s heart that he won’t want to tell, not to mention that no matter how detailed I am describing them, there will be parts among the real course of events that I am bound to subjectively distort. Try telling me about what happened between you and Song Yuzhi or Shang Xiufang, there must be a side that you won’t want to reveal.”

Kou Zhong was dumbstruck and unable to reply; the matter between he and the two women, a lot of them he did not even want to think of, he did not want to mention.

Smiling wryly, Ba Fenghan said, “Do you understand it now?”

Kou Zhong responded with a wry smile of his own, he spoke dejectedly, “I understand.”

‘Dong! Dong! Dong!’

Battle drums were sounded, from behind the thick smoke came the sound of men shouting and wheels grinding. The Tang Army took advantage of the moment while the mountain stronghold was locked up in smoke and trapped inside the fog to carry out their work of filling the trenches.

Kou Zhong took out the Piercing the Sun Bow and spoke heavily, “Let’s see my arrow is the intention, the intention is the arrow – skill; how about I am asking Lao Ba to hang and ignite the kerosene bullet for me?”