But I couldn't go, I realized. Dongfang Jibai wasn't a fighter, and I worried she wouldn't react in time if the rebel army suddenly attacked. So I sent Li Yuanba to investigate the Daxing direction.
About ten minutes later, Li Yuanba returned, reporting that the Ha Yachaku army was about seventy li from the Three Yin Hall, that the snow was heavier there, but their march hadn't stopped. They were expected to arrive in about five hours. The vanguard cavalry was about fifty li away from the Three Yin Hall, numbering twenty thousand, and expected to arrive in an hour.
It seemed we really couldn't wait any longer. I immediately left the city, skirted past the rebel positions, and went to the snow-covered mountain. Qin Shuyao and her group had just arrived. Lacking armor and outer clothing, they were shivering uncontrollably. Fortunately, many poems left behind by the rebel army during their earlier mountain assault were scattered on the snow-covered peaks. Qin Shuyao, disregarding the dignity of her Xuanjia soldiers, ordered them to strip the rebels of their clothes and put them on for warmth. This way, Qin Shuyao's Xuanjia soldiers were now dressed as rebels, which would be even more effective for a surprise attack.
I agreed with them that we would no longer wait and would launch our attack together in ten minutes.
"Attack?" Qin Shuyao asked in surprise. "Do you mean the Three Yin Hall army should march out?"
"Yes," I replied.
"Isn't that suicide?" Wu Zhao frowned.
I shook my head. "No. Although the Three Yin Hall army only has fifty thousand men, they are all cavalry, with strong mobility and shock power. If we play it right, we can completely defeat the two hundred thousand rebels below the mountain in one go. But I need your side to charge first, to attract the enemy's attention and disrupt their formation, so that the Three Yin Hall army can then sally forth and attack."
"That's fine, but... we're all infantry now," Xie Bi'an tactfully expressed their disadvantageous situation.
Right, I had forgotten about that. If I had known, I would have sent them a batch of warhorses before the rebels arrived. It was definitely too late now; we could only fight on foot.
But this wasn't the time to discuss these things. After all, the gap between us and the enemy was simply too great. I could only instruct them, "No matter what, just follow my orders."
We discussed the details and finally decided to proceed as I had planned. The Bai Jingang would attack first, drawing fire, while Qin Shuyao would lead over a thousand Xuanjia soldiers, using the heavy snow to approach from the flank. Once they reached the rebel camp, their main objective wouldn't be a direct assault, but rather to sow seeds of rebellion by spreading a message: the imperial army of three hundred thousand men was arriving immediately!
After spreading the rumor, they would then strike stealthily, targeting the enemy's central command camp and eliminating their command system.
When the Bai Jingang reached the rebel front lines, I would lead the fifty thousand cavalry from the Three Yin Hall, directly out of the South Gate, and launch a fierce assault.
After making the arrangements, I returned to the Three Yin Hall and, using the same tactic, briefed Dongfang Jibai.
After the discussion, everyone began to get busy. I stood on the high city gate tower, looking into the city.
All the soldiers of the Three Yin Hall were well-equipped, wearing armor, carrying swords, wielding spears, and equipped with bows and crossbows on their backs.
This was a very high-end ancient military configuration.
If we wanted to break through the rebel forces here, it would no longer be a simple breakout. We had to charge into the enemy's heartland. Only by defeating these two hundred thousand rebels could we ensure that all the soldiers of the Three Yin Hall would escape with their lives.
This was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous mission, akin to a pebble hitting a rock.
I stood on the city wall, gazing at the falling snow.
About ten minutes later, a commotion erupted from the rear of the rebel army. The snow was too heavy, and the Bai Jingang were white, making them difficult for even me to see clearly. I could only tell that there was a disturbance behind the rebel lines. Dongfang Jibai excitedly asked me if we should send troops out now, as almost all the rebels had left their tents to observe the situation behind them, with some even running back to check.
I said not to rush, to wait a little longer, and to strictly adhere to the original plan.
After waiting for about five more minutes, the rebel army finally began to mobilize and deploy their forces. They truly had no memory; I had used this same tactic on Black Wind Cliff before, only this time it was a feigned attack on the south rather than a direct assault.
Another ten minutes passed. I estimated that Qin Shuyao's troops had successfully infiltrated the rebel army, but the rumor hadn't yet taken effect.
Another ten minutes passed, and the entire rebel formation finally showed signs of disarray. The snow had lessened slightly, and I could see that the Bai Jingang in the rear could no longer advance. The rebels had found a way to deal with them, not by using siege engines, but by employing a large number of mobile cavalry who harassed the Bai Jingang with arrows. While the Bai Jingang could withstand arrows, they were forced to retreat under the relentless volley of arrows.
At this point, the entire rebel army's focus had shifted to the rear. Only then did I order the city gates to be opened and for the attack to commence!