stonecrandall Chapter 910: The Southern Border Army began to retreat, walking into a trap!
Chapter 910: The Southern Border Army began to retreat, walking into a trap!
"What are you panicking about?" Gao Yao shouted, interrupting Ying Bu's panic. His voice was not loud, but it had a calming power. "To lose your composure before the enemy arrives is a way to death. Your most important task right now is to go back and get a good night's sleep! Regain your strength!"
He glanced at the darkening night outside the tent and continued issuing orders: "Pass the order, all troops on alert, relax outside, tighten inside. When midnight comes, we will... withdraw."
"Withdrawing at midnight? Your Majesty, this...this is..." Ying Bu was even more confused, almost incredulous. At this critical juncture when the enemy might be about to encircle them, withdrawing at night was extremely risky and could easily lead to a rout and collapse!
Gao Yao's lips curled up into an inscrutable smile, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Don't worry, this isn't a complete, utter retreat. Xiang Yu wants to use his cavalry advantage to wipe us out here, but how can I let him do that? This camp has limited advantages, and it's hard to hold on for long in such a short time. What we need to do is actively move and retreat to a more strategic position I've already surveyed. It's more advantageous for our infantry to perform well, but will greatly restrict the mobility of the Chu cavalry!"
He stood up, walked over to the military map, and pointed to a valley pass. "That is the true grave we have prepared for Xiang Yu! Tonight's retreat is for tomorrow's advance, to completely reverse the roles of hunter and prey!"
Gao Yao's voice was resolute and filled with unquestionable confidence. This seemingly passive tactical shift was actually part of his more far-reaching strategy.
The night was as dark as ink, splattering across the endless rows of military tents. Inside Yi Xiaochuan's central tent, flickering candlelight illuminated his calm, slightly weary face. He had just finished inspecting the camp's defenses, ensuring that the sentries were properly guarded and that the cavalry had fed their horses and checked their saddles, ready to respond to any unexpected nighttime situation.
The faint clamor and rising smoke from the Gaoyao camp in the distance didn't alarm him. As he'd expected, building a fire and cooking at dusk was perfectly normal. He could even imagine the soldiers from the southern border gathered around the fire, silently devouring their likely meager meals, gathering strength for the upcoming action.
"General, there is a lot of smoke coming out of Gao Yao's camp, it seems they are having dinner earlier than usual." A deputy general came into the tent to report.
Yi Xiaochuan waved his hand, his gaze still fixed on the simple map before him. His finger unconsciously flicked across the direction of Yangping Pass. "It's alright. It's getting dark. If they want to act, there are only two possibilities: either they attack our camp at night and fight like a trapped beast; or... they find an opportunity to retreat and conserve their strength."
He paused, his tone firm, "A violent attack? Gao Yao doesn't have the courage or strength to confront my cavalry head-on at night. Therefore, the most likely scenario is a retreat. Take advantage of the cover of darkness and retreat towards Yangping Pass."
The deputy general was a little doubtful: "General, if they really retreat at night..."
Yi Xiaochuan raised his head, a smile that hinted at control. "Escape at night? That's the helpless move of the infantry. Darkness is a cover for the infantry, but it's also a yoke for the cavalry. But don't forget, we are cavalry. How fast can they run on two legs? Darkness can certainly conceal our whereabouts, but it also greatly slows down our march. Once daybreak arrives, or if our scouts discover our tracks, my cavalry will be here in a flash. They can't get far."
His confidence wasn't unfounded. Cavalry's mobility advantage was maximized during the day. Pursuing at night was inherently risky, prone to ambush and limited impact. Similarly, infantry's marching speed was significantly reduced at night, making it difficult to open up a decisive gap in a short period of time. This was the time difference, and Yi Xiaochuan had calculated it accurately. He needed to wait for the enemy to tire, allowing his soldiers to rest and maintain their spirits. Once he confirmed the enemy's movements and daylight had begun, he would launch a pursuit with unstoppable force, only then could he strike a fatal blow.
"Pass the order down. Send out more scouts to closely monitor Gao Yao's camp. The rest of the soldiers, eat well, sleep well, and conserve your energy." Yi Xiaochuan ordered, "But you must remain in your armor and saddles, and be ready at all times."
"Yes!" The deputy general took the order and left.
Silence returned to the tent. Yi Xiaochuan extinguished all but one candle and lay down on the couch, fully clothed. He closed his eyes, his mind racing with every possible scenario. Gao Yao's withdrawal was inevitable, but which route would he choose? Would an ambush be set? Where was Xiang Yu's main force now? Could they form a siege in time? These questions swirled in his mind, but overall, he still believed the situation was under control. He had absolute confidence in his own judgment and the combat effectiveness of his elite cavalry.
Time slipped away in the silent waiting. The moon reached its zenith, then gradually set in the west. Inside and outside the camp, apart from the regular footsteps of the patrols and the occasional snort of war horses, there was complete silence.
Suddenly, a burst of hurried and deliberately low footsteps broke the silence and headed straight for the central army tent. The guards outside the tent shouted and the urgent report of the newcomers sounded almost simultaneously:
"General Yi! Urgent military information!"
Yi Xiaochuan opened his eyes instantly, his eyes clear and bright without a trace of sleepiness. He sat up suddenly and said, "Come in!"
A dusty scout hurried into the tent, knelt on one knee, and spoke rapidly, "General! There's been a change in the Southern Border Army camp! About an hour ago, most of the lights in the camp went out. Men, silent and silent, horses, hooves wrapped, quietly left the camp, heading southwest! We've confirmed that the camp is almost empty, with only a few decoys and flags left to confuse the enemy!"
Here they come! Yi Xiaochuan's heart moved, but he didn't immediately show any urgency. The southwest direction was one of the routes leading to Yangping Pass. Although it wasn't the widest official road, it made sense. Gao Yao had indeed chosen to escape at night.
"Southwest direction? Have the specific route been explored?" Yi Xiaochuan asked in a deep voice while quickly putting on his armor.
"General, the enemy's movements are extremely covert. The scouts dare not get too close. We can only roughly estimate that their main force is moving along the path beside the 'Black Wind Gorge'. No obvious signs of an ambush have been found so far." The scout replied.
"Black Wind Ravine..." Yi Xiaochuan's finger traced the narrow, almost overlooked path on the map. The terrain there wasn't dangerous, unlike a common ambush site. Gao Yao had chosen this route, perhaps to create a surprise attack or to avoid the official route where Xiang Yu's main force might be encountered.
Everything seemed to make sense. Gao Yao just wanted to break away as quickly as possible and run back to Yangping Pass.
Yi Xiaochuan no longer hesitated, the last shred of doubt in his heart being covered up by Gao Yao's false impression of a "hasty retreat." He gave a loud order, his voice penetrating the tent and into the night sky:
"Send the order to the three armies! Assemble immediately! Prepare to pursue!"
"Order: All scout battalions mobilized, triple the manpower, to conduct reconnaissance. Make sure to track down the main force of the Southern Border Army and report their movements in real time. Be alert to possible ambushes!"