sbdcsierra Chapter 101 The Liao Army Seeks War, Takes in a Boy
Chapter 101 The Liao Army Seeks War, Takes in a Boy
Chapter 101 The Liao Army Seeks War, Takes in a Boy
Both Li Cangbai and the three hundred scouts he led had lived in Liaoyang for generations. Li Cangbai's method of deploying troops was extremely simple; with the exception of a few individuals, almost everyone followed the principle of "each returning to their hometown." Yelü Anyun was not only the deputy commander of the scout camp but also one of the personal female officials of the Shu princess. Standing atop the city wall, watching the 280 scouts depart in all directions, Yelü Anyun cautioned, "General Li, aren't you afraid these men won't return?" Li Cangbai, confident in his assessment, replied, "The Jurchens are sweeping across the land. If anyone's hometown is in danger, they will surely return to report. Otherwise, with their families destroyed and lives lost, where will they go?" Yelü Anyun agreed, saying, "What if someone's hometown survives but deliberately doesn't return by the appointed time?" Li Cangbai shook his head slightly, saying, "The most urgent task is to find the main force of the Jurchens, either annihilating or driving them away, and to restore stability to Liaonan as quickly as possible. Once this mission is accomplished, what harm is a few more deserters?" Yelü Anyun disagreed, saying, "Military orders are absolute; desertion is a capital offense!" Li Cangbai smiled and replied, "Then send men to capture them and kill them!" Yelü Anyun's face darkened with anger, and she warned, "As the commander, you are equally guilty of failing to manage your subordinates!" Li Cangbai said helplessly, "There are priorities. Right now, eliminating the bandits is the most important thing. If we cling to outdated rules and regulations, we will only regret it later!" Yelü Anyun solemnly said, "I will explain to the princess! I only hope that Commander Li can find the main force of the Jurchens as soon as possible to help Your Highness resolve this crisis!" Li Cangbai looked at the Khitan nobleman before him and said, "Thank you, Lord Anyun!" Yelü Anyun was slightly older than the princess of Shu. The two had been through thick and thin together for over ten years, nominally mistress and servant, but in reality, sisters. Li Cangbai was ordered to establish a scout battalion, which, if it lived up to expectations, would become the eyes and ears of the princess's residence throughout the entire Tokyo region. The princess of Shu knew the implications, and therefore appointed Yelü Anyun as the deputy commander.
The series of victories fueled the Jurchens' arrogance. When Li Cangbai's scouts silently returned to their homes, the three thousand Jurchen cavalry remained completely unaware. Two hundred and eighty scouts were divided into ninety-three small teams, scattered throughout the outskirts of Liaoyang. However, the Jurchens had been sweeping through southern Liaodong for some time, and by the time nineteen teams returned home, the once-thriving villages and fields were in ruins. The falling snow concealed the carnage, but the limbs gnawed by jackals served as a constant reminder to the returning soldiers that this was their homeland, where war had destroyed all hope. The soldiers trembled, dismounted, and knelt in the icy snow, weeping uncontrollably. "A man doesn't easily shed tears, unless he's truly heartbroken," their cries were heart-wrenching and filled with sorrow. Several hours later, the snow fell again, once more adorning the land. The scouts remained kneeling for a long time before the captain slowly rose. Three fingers' width of snow fell from the brim of his hat and landed on the instep of his feet. He shouted, "A blood feud, a fight to the death!"
Similar intelligence reports kept arriving back in Liaoyang Prefecture, and the calls for battle from within the army grew louder and louder. However, the Shu princess dared not relax her vigilance in the slightest; the formidable fighting power and cunning tactics of the three thousand Jurchen cavalrymen still made her extremely wary.