Chapter 23: Dividing Forces into Five Detachments

Zhao Ji struggled to fall asleep, only managing to do so after an intense bout of push-ups. Most of the other Huben guards in the camp were unaware that a battle might break out during the night. However, they were all young men, mostly under twenty, at an age brimming with restless energy. With the added bonus of mutton for dinner and the thrill of potential combat or skirmishes to keep their spirits high, there was no need to worry about them sleeping through an attack, and thus no need to notify them.

Zhao Ji’s sleep was light. Sensing movement in the room, he opened his eyes to see Yang Ji carefully placing a set of iron armor on the floor. Jia Kui stood at the entrance; seeing Zhao Ji roll out of bed, he entered and sat cross-legged on the pile of hay beside him.

Yang Ji tactfully withdrew, asking, "Are you thirsty, Commander?"

"No. Guard the door."

"Understood."

Yang Ji acknowledged the order, straightened his robes, and turned to leave, but hesitated. He bowed to Jia Kui, took two steps back, and then turned to head out with his head bowed. As the dilapidated door closed, the room dimmed.

Zhao Ji asked, "Brother, has Xu Huang changed his mind?"

"The man is incredibly slippery," Jia Kui replied with irritation. "Wang Zhi went to look for Commandant Ma; he truly wants to pool everyone’s strength to suppress the Jishan bandits. Jing Wenqing, who arrived today, just spoke with Qilang and Wei Zhongjian, warning them of a Xiongnu raid. Wang Zhi is so vulgar and negligent that he has yet to notice a thing."

"Ignore him," Zhao Ji said, finally asking, "Did Xu Huang confirm that the Xiongnu will strike from upstream?"

"Yes. Xu Huang was recruiting in Xiangling two days ago and saw a band of Xiongnu crossing the river to hide near the cliffs southeast of Xiangling." Jia Kui’s expression grew grave. "Barring any accidents, this band of Xiongnu will follow the Zijin Mountains to strike tonight."

"Understood."

Zhao Ji turned to the wall, drew his dagger, and sketched a rough map of the vicinity on the earthen wall. "A few days ago, I left the camp to bury a fellow countryman and noticed the area around the Zijin Mountains is thick with brush. It is unlikely to be suitable for large cavalry units to hide or maneuver. The Xiongnu will likely hide in the woods at the foot of the mountain and then charge the camp along the main road. At most, they will split into three groups to launch a pincer attack, with one unit held in reserve."

Seeing him analyze the situation so seriously, Jia Kui observed the map on the wall. After a moment, he replied with a blank expression, "A-Ji, you overestimate the Xiongnu. In my opinion, they will arrive in small groups in the dead of night, suddenly raise a clamor to startle our troops, and swarm the camp together. Dividing into groups and coordinating combat in the dark… if the Xiongnu were capable of such, they wouldn't have been driven here by the Xianbei."

Zhao Ji looked at him, puzzled. "Brother, are they truly that incompetent?"

"They are certainly not as elite as the Jishan bandits," Jia Kui assessed. "The Jishan bandits include many former imperial garrison officers; though few in number, they understand tactics. But the Xiongnu… their warfare has degraded significantly. Now, they rely on sheer numbers, horses, and speed. When it comes to sieges or pitched battles, the Xiongnu are weak, undisciplined, and lack fighting spirit."

"Then I am relieved," Zhao Ji nodded earnestly. "Let us assume the Xiongnu divide into two groups: one to assault the camp and one to observe and provide support. Our cavalry will then be split in two. One unit will be held in reserve to pursue them when they retreat; the other will act as a decoy. Each man will hold two torches to pose as reinforcements, startling the Xiongnu and sowing suspicion."

Zhao Ji explained his defense plan, using his dagger to trace the movement path of the decoy team on the wall. Jia Kui watched intently. Just as Pei Xiu had told him, he now believed that Zhao Ji had formed ties with the Jishan bandits during his time in seclusion. Having participated in real combat, he knew how to deploy troops. Regardless of the effectiveness of his strategy, the fact that he dared to allocate forces and devise tactics with such confident, calculated poise suggested that Zhao Ji held a significant position within the Jishan bandits. At the very least, he was a minor leader who participated in their councils.

The first requirement for a leader of a military organization was confidence. This was merely a discussion between the two of them; the actual deployment would still need to be negotiated with the likes of Pei Xiu and Wei Gu. As for Wang Zhi, he had been sidelined since the framework of the five offices and seven platoons was established.

Zhao Ji’s planning and confidence instilled a sense of assurance in Jia Kui as well. After the discussion, he left Zhao Ji to don his new armor and went to find his brother-in-law, Liu Fu. If the camp remained unprepared for the Xiongnu, they would seize the opportunity to withdraw. Even now, Liu Fu had his pack ready, having discarded most of his excess baggage. If the battle went poorly, he would naturally lead Jia Kui in a breakout.

Jia Kui did not stop him. Although Zhao Ji’s marksmanship and martial prowess were exceptional and he understood military tactics, Jia Kui could not entrust his life solely to him. As for whether his preemptive withdrawal would trigger a total collapse of the camp… he would deal with that if the time came. In any case, Jia Kui did not want to die in obscurity; he still had family to care for. Coming to enlist as a Huben guard was already enough to satisfy his duty to the Emperor.

Once Liu Fu had finished packing, Jia Kui took a charred piece of wood and sketched the map on the wall to recount Zhao Ji’s plan. Liu Fu scrutinized it carefully. "He has quite an appetite. It would be enough to just repel the Xiongnu raid, but he wants to strike back."

According to Zhao Ji’s plan, the entire army would be divided into five combat units. The first consisted of the frontline fighters like Zhao Ji and Ximen Jian, who would engage the Xiongnu once they breached the camp. The second were the guards stationed at small camp areas, who would fire arrows, throw stones, spears, or torches at the mounted shadows from behind low walls. The third unit was the supervisory force, composed mainly of county soldiers responsible for overseeing the battle; if any Xiongnu cavalry jumped the walls, they would be responsible for surrounding and eliminating them. The fourth unit was the decoy force, mainly soldiers from the north of the commandery who were less skilled in cavalry combat.

When the counterattack began, they would follow the pursuit team out of the camp but refrain from melee combat. Instead, they would move toward the northwestern garrison and the direction of Jiangyi City. After five miles, they would light their torches—each man holding two—to masquerade as reinforcements, frightening the Xiongnu and boosting the morale of their own side.

The final combat unit was the pursuit team, composed of the best horsemen among the northern Huben guards. Once the frontline fighters and guards blunted the Xiongnu assault and the enemy retreated to regroup, the pursuit team would join the frontline fighters to strike. During this time, the twenty-odd members of the decoy team would retreat and circle back toward the core battlefield, again posing as reinforcements.

"Dividing into five units—this lad has a grand vision," Liu Fu stared at the deployment map Jia Kui had drawn. After a moment, he added, "I think this battle is feasible. Wei Gu only knows how to spend money to buy favor, and Pei Xiu and Guanqiu Xing are merely following the orders of Pei Mao and Guanqiu Yi; none of them are reliable. The northern counties are in dire straits; it would be wise to draw Zhao A-Ji into our fold."

If one were to look at the likes of Lu Bu, Zhang Yang, or Zhang Liao at eighteen or nineteen, they might not necessarily surpass Zhao Ji’s performance today. To resist the Xiongnu in the Pingyang region, one did not need a massive army; a few dozen brave riders would suffice. When the clash between the Han and the Hu finally came, with these dozens of elite cavalry as the core, they could naturally rally enough strength to stand against the Xiongnu.

Jia Kui also felt that Zhao Ji was suitable as a long-term partner. This man dared to charge into the fray; such a spirit of leading from the front and embracing combat was invaluable. Unlike Wei Gu, who was generous with money but would undoubtedly kill you if you threatened his family's profits, or Pei Xiu and Guanqiu Xing, who acted solely on the commands of their elders, Zhao Ji was someone who could truly choose his own fate.

Even the prospect of fleeing to the Xiongnu if things went wrong… Jia Kui felt that was no idle joke. If the attempt to surround and kill the Baibo generals failed, Zhao Ji would surely run, and the territory controlled by the Xiongnu would be well-suited for someone like him. To appease the fury of the Baibo generals, the Imperial Court would not hesitate to sacrifice a few lives. Pei Mao and Guanqiu Yi could be executed, and those involved, like Pei Xiu and Guanqiu Xing, could also pay with their lives; Zhao Ji’s life would be even less significant—no one would care about him. In such a scenario, Zhao Ji would certainly flee.

If things fell apart, he, Jia Kui, as one of the five Cao officials—the Granary Cao—would surely have to flee north as well. Anyone with a modicum of insight knew that the Baibo generals lacked a foundation and could not last long. It was only because they held the Emperor hostage that all parties were restrained. If they could not win this time, they would simply run. Once the Baibo generals faded from the stage, the Imperial Court would naturally record their past merits and summon them to court to employ them according to their talents.