"This mountain cannot be attacked recklessly," Cao Wenzhao said, calling his nephew back. He stood before Zhougong Mountain, eyes fixed on the slopes as he weighed their options.
The mountain bristled with defenses. Two cannons sat on the heights, supported by arquebusiers and repeating crossbows layered across the terrain. If they had possessed overwhelming numbers, a frontal assault might have been possible. But the reality was the opposite. The bandits on the mountain outnumbered the Guanning Iron Cavalry by a wide margin.
Without numerical superiority, and with the enemy holding such commanding ground, even the famed Guanning Iron Cavalry would suffer horrific losses in a direct attack.
His force of three thousand had already taken heavy casualties in previous battles. They now numbered fewer than two thousand five hundred.
To throw them into another brutal assault like this would be devastating.
Frankly speaking, he could no longer afford such losses.
"What about a night raid?" Cao Bianjiao suggested.
"They will be prepared," Cao Wenzhao replied immediately. "They have far more men than we do. They will rotate their watches through the night. There will be no opening."
Cao Bianjiao fell silent.
This was a deadlock.
That very night, Cao Bianjiao personally crept to the foot of the mountain and looked upward. Sure enough, torches flickered along the slopes as patrols moved methodically back and forth.
Forget sneaking to the summit. They would be discovered before even reaching the halfway point.
Uncle and nephew were completely out of options.
Early the next morning, Cao Bianjiao stood outside the camp with dark circles under his eyes, staring bleakly at Zhougong Mountain.
"Uncle," he sighed, "we can only wait for Lu Xiangheng to arrive. He has more troops and heavy cannons. We can bombard the summit first, then overwhelm them with numbers."
Cao Wenzhao nodded slowly.
At that moment, a scout hurried over. "General, Gao Jie has arrived."
Cao Wenzhao waved it off. "Gao Jie's arrival changes nothing. He has no way to take Zhougong Mountain."
The scout hesitated, then clarified, "Gao Jie did not bring his own main forces. He brought Mister Bai Yuan's militia."
"What?" Cao Wenzhao exclaimed.
That was completely unexpected.
He turned around and saw a large force approaching the outskirts of his camp.
At the front rode Gao Jie, accompanied by only a small group of personal guards.
Behind him marched the Gao Family Village Militia.
Cao Wenzhao knew this force well. He remembered clearly that when he and his nephew had been gravely wounded by the Dashing General and nearly killed, it was this very militia that had rescued them.
He also had a clear understanding of their combat strength.
Delighted, Cao Wenzhao hurried forward to greet them.
"Mister Bai, you are here as well."
"I heard General Cao ran into some trouble," Bai Yuan said.
Cao Wenzhao nodded and gestured toward Zhougong Mountain. "The bandits have mounted two cannons on the summit," he explained. "They also have arquebusiers and crossbow units everywhere. Any assault would come at an unbearable cost."
Bai Yuan smiled. "Then leave it to us."
Cao Wenzhao frowned. "Your troops are all arquebusiers. Attacking a mountain like this is not ideal. The enemy can hide behind rocks, immune to your fire, while shooting down at you from above."
Gao Jie suddenly laughed. "General Cao, don't worry. Mister Bai has artillery."
Cao Wenzhao froze.
A massive question mark seemed to appear over his head.
On Zhougong Mountain, the bandits had already noticed the movements below. Government troops were shifting formations, large numbers gathering at the mountain's base in orderly ranks.
Bandit scouts rushed to report to Meng Hu and Du Hu.
The two tiger commanders hurried to the edge of the slope and peered down.
Their eyes immediately locked onto Bai Yuan, standing out unmistakably in his white robes.
His dramatic bearing and carefully cultivated, slightly unkempt beard made him impossible to miss.
"Hey, isn't that the guy we ran into in Luoyang?" Meng Hu shouted. "What was his name again? Bai… Bai something."
"Brother," Du Hu said, "his name is Bai Yuan."
"That's it," Meng Hu roared. "The one who ruined our grand plunder in Luoyang. Hah. I never thought he would show up again. Last time he was defending Luoyang. This time, we are defending Zhougong Mountain. Perfect. Today we settle the score."
Meng Hu arranged fifty taunters, who lined up and shouted down the mountain in unison.
"Bai Yuan. We know you. Last time you had the high ground. This time, we do. You will not leave this place alive."
Bai Yuan calmly raised a metal megaphone and shouted back, "Your words are quite rude. I, however, am a man of culture. Among the six arts of a gentleman, I place great importance on rites."
Meng Hu burst into laughter. "What does politeness have to do with war?"
"As the saying goes, civility comes before force," Bai Yuan replied. "I will give you one last chance. Lay down your weapons and come down the mountain to surrender. It will count as voluntary surrender, and your term of labor reform can be reduced by forty percent. Miss this chance, and it will not be offered again."
"Hahahaha," Meng Hu mocked. "What nonsense are you babbling?"
Bai Yuan shook his head. "Since civility has failed, then we proceed with force."
He raised his hand. "Launch the reconnaissance hot air balloon."
The bandits stared in disbelief as, at the distant foot of the mountain, a massive object began to swell. It gradually rounded out, rising into the air with a large basket suspended beneath it, a man seated inside.
"What in the world is that?" the bandits muttered.
The hot air balloon ascended steadily, soon rising above the bandit positions. The rebels were not stationed at the highest peak of Zhougong Mountain, but rather on a lower ridge along its slope.
The balloon climbed higher still, reaching a position far above them, looking down from the sky.
The mountain fell silent.
Inside the basket, the observer raised a spyglass and surveyed the entire mountain, left to right, front to back. After finishing, he set the spyglass aside, took out paper and brush, and carefully sketched the bandits' deployments, defensive works, and all critical positions.
When he was done, he rolled the paper into a bamboo tube, tied it to a rope hanging from the basket, and released it.
The tube slid swiftly down and landed on the ground below.
Bai Yuan picked it up, unfolded the map, and smiled faintly. "Interesting."
Cao Wenzhao, Cao Bianjiao, and Gao Jie all gathered around him.
"Let us see," they urged.
Bai Yuan spread the map out for them. "The two cannons are here. Along the slope, here, here, and here, large numbers of arquebusiers are lying in ambush. The repeating crossbows are positioned here."
Gao Jie leaned closer, eyes wide. "Incredible. To see the enemy's entire deployment so clearly before the battle even begins."
Cao Wenzhao was less shocked. Bai Yuan had lent him a hot air balloon before, so he already knew its value. He studied the map carefully, silently calculating their next move.
Bai Yuan straightened and gave his order.
"The enemy's key positions are now fully exposed. Artillery battalion, move out. Reduce their makeshift defenses to rubble."