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In Mount Lüliang, a group of people silently gathered together, chewing on hardtack.
Han Dynasty hardtack was mostly made from unleavened dough, hard and dense.
This hardtack was specially baked with some salted water. Though cold, chewing it still yielded a rich wheat aroma.
Thirsty? They had water—mountain spring water from the hills, carried in bamboo tubes.
Tired? They huddled in sheltered spots, covered with brought furs, somewhat shielding against wind and cold.
This group had been hiding in these mountains for nearly three days since that day they attacked the White Wave rear camp, burning part of the White Wave provisions.
They were from Yangren. Close to Mount Lüliang, these men were also hunters, agile, often following the young lord hunting beasts in the mountains.
Only this time, the young lord brought them to hunt White Wave soldiers.
Mount Lüliang: high peaks, dense forests. Many places uninhabited, thus few mountain paths. But these men grew up playing in the mountains; traversing ridges wasn't completely impossible for them.
Yangren was a village southeast of Xiangling County town. The village wasn't large, just over a hundred households.
If Xiangling fell, relying on just these hundred-plus households, there was absolutely no way to resist White Wave plundering. Therefore, this mountain path raid on the White Wave rear camp, relieving pressure on Xiangling County town, was also proposed by the young lord and approved by the clan elders.
That grain-burning raid used pine resin from mountain pines to make fire arrows shot into the camp. Though effective, they only had a dozen men; coverage was too small. Otherwise, with White Wave negligence, they could have burned all provisions.
A middle-aged man took a bamboo tube, came to a young man, handed it to him, saying: "Young lord, not much left… we… must not crave merit too much…"
The young man took the bamboo tube, pondered a moment, then said: "One more day. If no opportunity, we leave."
The middle-aged man silently nodded, said no more, turned to leave…
Suddenly, across a mountain ridge, from the official road direction, came sounds of commotion, killing. The young man sprang up.
"Young lord, I'll go scout."
The middle-aged man trotted off along the ridge, then climbed an opposite hilltop, lay watching for a while, then excitedly waved here.
The young lord tossed the emptied bamboo tube into the valley, grabbed a long axe beside him, led the remaining men towards the opposite hilltop…
××××××××××××××
At Pingyang, though Pingyang City was dilapidated, though Wang Yi disguised as a common soldier, he still carried some dignity. But now, if you said this shriveled old man was a street beggar, many might pityingly toss a couple wuzhu coins.
Wang Yi couldn't remember how many days since he'd left the city walls.
Bodily waste?
Heh.
Eating and sleeping?
Heh.
After any normal person experienced such prolonged battle, how could there be flowing sleeves, neat garments?
Blood and dirt had glued Wang Yi's eyebrows and beard together. A small cut on his face, unknown when, had crusted into a blood scab.
Below the walls weren't just White Wave corpses but also coerced commoners' corpses, and of course, Xiangling soldiers' and commoners' corpses.
Days without clearing, though spring chill lingered, blood, entrails—the first to rot—plus previously poured "golden soup" (boiling feces/urine) for defense, created a composite smell Wang Yi and Xiangling's soldiers and commoners would never forget.
Actually, White Wave driving commoners to attack consumed defensive arrows, logs, "golden soup," bricks, stones, etc. But such cruelty also made Xiangling commoners clearly know their fate if the city fell, uniting more, spontaneously assisting Wang Yi transporting supplies, helping defend. Otherwise, relying solely on the original thousand-plus regulars, two thousand-plus auxiliaries, Xiangling truly couldn't be held.
Of course, also that inexplicable fire in the White Wave rear camp two days ago. Though not directly aiding Wang Yi's defense, it indeed bought Xiangling a full two days' respite.
Though just a fire, it gave Wang Yi and Xiangling's military and civilians more confidence, support—at least outside, there were reinforcements, there was hope!
Yet Wang Yi's heart sank daily.
A lone sun does not endure.
Even with heavy White Wave casualties these two days, a large portion were coerced commoners. Actual White Wave combat soldiers killed weren't that many.
His own forces dwindled daily; survivors often wounded. Continuing thus, Xiangling would fall eventually!
Once the city fell…
Wang Yi's brows deeply furrowed.
But he dared not sigh, fearing his sigh would affect Xiangling defenders' last shreds of morale.
Just as Wang Yi pondered, finding no way out, he suddenly heard commotion from behind the White Wave camp below, saw thick black smoke billowing!
Wang Yi hurriedly leaned over the parapet, straining to see into the distance…
Xiangling's Commandant also came to Wang Yi's side, watching the disturbance from the White Wave rear camp…
Xiangling's Magistrate unfortunately died earlier from a stray arrow, leaving only the Commandant.
"Commander, is this… reinforcements arriving?"
Wang Yi squinted, straining to see, then vaguely spotted a uniquely Han three-colored banner. First overjoyed, then gradually stop smiling.
Because he'd been to Pingyang, knew Fei Qian's forces there. Even adding Puzi County troops, insufficient against ten thousand White Wave. On flat land, not this special terrain, perhaps defeating White Wave was possible…
Xiangling held precisely due to terrain. Fei Qian seized weakness to attack the White Wave rear camp, also due to terrain. But also because of this terrain, when White Wave had nowhere to retreat, even a cornered dog jumps the wall, let alone humans?
Squeezing White Wave to the end, no retreat, no escape, they'd inevitably counterattack. If Fei Qian advanced too deep, once momentum stalled, entangled by White Wave, he might instead perish here!
Commander Fei!
Do not crave merit too much!