The pursuing cavalry troops were returning in succession. The soldiers on horseback were drenched in sweat, carrying bloodstained swords. Even so, everyone was basking in the afterglow of victory.
Most of the Shatu people in the Tuli Tribe weren’t riding on horses when they escaped earlier. Although the cavalry couldn’t kill everyone who fled, those who didn’t manage to hide well or manage to outrun them met their end.
It was night time now, but big groups of vultures that smelled death were hovering in the sky. They eyed the bodies strewn all over the grassland, ready to swoop down for a good meal.
Regardless of the era, victory was the best stimulant and highest form of encouragement to soldiers on battlefields. Although many of them had been following Yan Liqiang from the outside of White Stone Pass to the inside and fought the whole day, no one was complaining.
Yan Liqiang stood on the hill near the Tuli Tribe’s big tent as he watched the returning cavalry troops.
Tie Yunshan, Wang Naiwu, Peng Zhaohan, and Xiong Gungun came to report back to Yan Liqiang. Aside from Xiong Gungun, the other three people looked as though they were just fished out of a blood tank. It was no longer possible to tell the original colors of their armor and clothes. Peng Zhaohan sustained two injuries on his body, but he didn’t seem to care about them. All of them looked excited. Even the way they looked at Yan Liqiang changed.
Yan Liqiang gave them a thumbs up. “Let everyone know that we will have two hours to rest and collect the spoils of war. Take everything we can and burn the rest. We will withdraw from here in two hours!”
Tie Yunshan, Wang Naiwu, and the others looked at each other. They straightened their backs, then cupped their fists at Yan Liqiang respectfully. “Understood!”
Upon receiving the orders, the three of them went away to make the necessary arrangements except for Xiong Gungun.
Yan Liqiang glanced at Xiong Gungun, then asked, “What do you think of the battle today?”
Xiong Gungun smiled and scratched his head. “I always thought that the people from the Shatu Seven Tribes were very powerful. We’ve faced their caravans and I didn’t particularly feel anything about them, so I wanted to see just how powerful a proper Shatu soldier could be. However, after today’s battle, I still think they’re kinda weak.”
It wasn’t that the Shatu people were weak, but the battle tactics that the five hundred cavalry archers used were extremely effective against them. Xiong Gungun wasn’t able to find an opponent among the Shatu people. For both of the battles they engaged with the Shatu today, the latter suffered crushing defeat after being caught off guard. Under the combined effects of various factors, Xiong Gungun felt that today’s victory came too easy. Had it been for different people or situations, things might not necessarily be the same.
Yan Liqiang’s face turned stern. “If you think that way, you will suffer a great deal in the future. Do not be careless. There’s one crucial factor to our victory today — we didn’t take on the Tuli Tribe when they were at full power. They weren’t even prepared to fight us, and that was why we were able to catch them off guard. We will debrief as usual once we get back. Let’s not be complacent just because we have one or two victories!”
“Yes!” Xiong Gungun’s face immediately turned serious too, before he carelessly added, “I don’t care about the future. We will do whatever you want us to! We will kill and withdraw at your command! So I have nothing to worry about!”
Yan Liqiang didn’t comment further when he saw Xiong Gungun acting this way. He knew Xiong Gungun wasn’t a talented field commander so it was impossible for him to lead a troop. He probably wouldn’t be able to handle all the people. However, he would make an extremely loyal bodyguard commander who would be ready to die for someone. At the thought of that, Yan Liqiang softened the tone of his voice. “How many did you kill today?”
“Hehehe…” The smile on Xiong Gungun’s face broadened as he replied truthfully, “About seven or eight. There were a few times when we shot together, so I couldn’t tell if I was the one who hit the enemy since there were so many arrows…”
“Let everyone rest up immediately to recuperate. We will bring up the rear later. There might be another fight!” Yan Liqiang instructed Xiong Gungun.
Upon hearing the possibility of another battle, Xiong Gungun immediately straightened his back. “Understood!”
…
With Yan Liqiang’s orders, everyone began to work together. Tie Yunshan’s men and the young men from the Wind Border Stockade didn’t even bother to eat. They were busy clearing the battlefield to collect the loot. The gorgeous tents where the important people in the Tuli Tribe lived were filled with crates of gold, silver, and all sorts of treasures.
Apart from those, the Tuli Tribe’s greater wealth was the oxen, sheep, and rhinodrake steeds they kept. By the small river where the Tuli Tribe settled, there were enclosures filled mostly by sheep. There were at least more than a hundred thousand of them, several tens of thousand oxen, and about ten thousand rhinodrake steeds. When Yan Liqiang arrived here with his men earlier, the sky had just darkened so the tribespeople had just herded them into the enclosures.
At a time like this, those oxen, sheep, and rhinodrake steeds were like freshly steamed dumplings that were waiting for someone to bring them away.
The cavalry which was here to clear the battlefield was stunned at the sight of those oxen, sheep, and rhinodrake steeds in the enclosures. There were so many animals here and they were rarely seen in the pass. Thinking that these things were now up for them to take, everyone was salivating.
“Release the rhinodrake steeds first, we must bring all of them. Then take the oxen. Get everyone who knows how to herd them over. Leave the sheep for now since they are slow. If we bring them, we won’t be able to return to White Stone Pass in three days…” Wang Naiwu shouted by the river, instructing his subordinates and young men from the Wind Border Stockade to bring out the rhinodrake steeds and yaks from the enclosures.
It had been too long since the soldiers from the Great Han Empire had gotten a taste of such windfall on the Gulang Plains. Although everyone clearly knew that these things were not theirs to keep and would have to be turned over to the higher authorities, rumor had it that the Protectorate General was wealthy and extremely generous. If he were to reward them based on merits, then everyone would definitely get something at the end of the day.
Morale was high as everyone rummaged through the Tuli Tribe’s camp. They took the steeds and oxen. The tents which they searched and found nothing were immediately set ablaze.
The five hundred cavalry archers dismounted and brought their rhinodrake steeds to the river for a drink. They also took out a cloth sack filled with kidney beans which they carried on them. After sprinkling wine on the beans, they fed handfuls of them to their rhinodrake steeds. The rhinodrake steeds loved to eat this kind of thing, so the cavalry archers had specially prepared it for them so that their steeds could recover their stamina faster.
Then the cavalry archers took out the dry rations they carried on them only after taking care of their rhinodrake steeds. They quickly ate the strips of beef jerky to restore their strength, then gathered arrows from the Tuli Tribe to replenish their supplies.
…
“Look, my lord…!” Tie Yunshan appeared in front of Yan Liqiang with a purple-red Horned Python Bow in his hands.
Yan Liqiang’s eyes lit up the moment he laid eyes on the bow. He accepted the bow, then studied it carefully before he exclaimed, “It’s a fine bow!”
“They found it in the big tent where Tuli lived. This fifty-picul Horned Python Bow was hung on the wall as decoration. I guess no one in the Tuli Tribe was able to draw this bow. Since I noticed you didn’t bring your bow here and were unable to put your amazing archery skills to use, I brought this to you!”
Yan Liqiang looked in the northwestern direction, then nodded. “Let’s see if I’ll have the chance to draw this bow today!”
“I’ll stay behind to bring up the rear. Please go ahead, Protectorate General!” Tie Yunshen spoke with his deep voice.
Yan Liqiang shook his head. “No need. Your task is to bring the people and things back. It’s not hard to bring up the rear, just my five hundred guards are enough!”
“But it’s too dangerous…!” Tie Yunshan’s countenance changed slightly.
“That’s exactly why I am staying behind!” Yan Liqiang firmly shook his head. “The reinforcements from the Bakeyi Tribe may not dare to come. Even if they do, they probably can only bring several thousand under such short notice. That’s no threat to me. Alright, say no more. My decision is final…”
Two hours later, Wang Naiwu and Peng Zhaohan led their troops as well as flocks of rhinodrake steeds and oxen toward White Stone Pass. The cavalry soldiers even had two sheep tied to their steeds and they brought nearly everything that they could.
Under everyone’s conflicted gaze, Yan Liqiang stayed behind on top of a slope beside the Tuli Tribe’s camp with his five hundred cavalry archers. They rested in silence while waiting for the arrival of the Bakeyi Tribe’s reinforcements.
It turned out that Yan Liqiang’s judgment was right. Just about an hour after Tie Yunshan and the rest left, sounds of iron hooves were heard coming from northwestern direction.
A cavalry of about four to five thousand Shatu men rushed over murderously under the moonlight…
