Chapter 84: Tu Ye Is Dead!

On the plains east of Jinyang, the protected citizens of Taiyuan watched as the gates of the eastern city swung open, the drawbridge lowered, and the city's defenders surged forth. Every man, woman, and child, regardless of age or strength, wore expressions of excitement and joy.

They remembered clearly that night when the city’s soldiers came to their villages, shouting for all the villagers to be relocated to the eastern city. In the end, they stood at the edge of their villages, torches in hand, blocking the way. Relying on their status, reputation, or the trust of others, they called out loudly, urging the villagers not to go.

“Don’t go! We, people of the country hamlets, have nowhere to stay in the city—why should we leave?”
“My family has someone working as an official in the western city; don’t panic, don’t trust the captain from the east city.”
“This is not the command of the Jinyang magistrate. Trust me, stay in the village…”

Yet they also remembered how, after most people had stayed, before dawn the next day, countless bandits swept into their villages, killing indiscriminately, pillaging grain and valuables from every house, and abusing the women…

But at least, in this moment, they felt fortunate to be alive, relieved that the city’s general dared not abandon them. After all, they were Taiyuan natives; their children, relatives, and acquaintances were inside the city. If the city’s defenders ignored them, they could stand beneath the walls and persuade their friends inside not to help the garrison.

As the Sui cavalry rode out from the gates, these villagers had already made up their minds: once the rebel army behind them destroyed the Sui troops and captured the eastern city, they would be spared according to the agreement.

Self-interest ruled their hearts. The rebel army behind them stretched across the plains, vast and unending, impossible for the eastern city to resist. They had no desire to die with the city.

Compared to the city folk, they cared more for their own lives, for the family members taken by the rebels, for their stolen property, and for the hope of returning to their peaceful village life. The fate of the eastern city’s residents, or its defenders, was none of their concern.

“Don’t let them fire arrows! Don’t let them charge!” The rebel captain saw the Sui cavalry pouring across the drawbridge, charging straight toward them, and hastily drew his sword, barking orders at the villagers.

The other rebel soldiers, no fools, knew the consequences of facing cavalry head-on. To protect themselves, they pushed the villagers forward.

“Don’t shoot! I am the clan chief of Bating!”
“Don’t charge! Stop, my sons are inside the city!”
“My son-in-law is a Jinyang official! I want to see the villagers from Baiyu!”

At the captain’s command, elders, men, and women raised their hands, shouting loudly, waving to signal the troops.

Soon, both villagers and rebels saw their wishes fulfilled: the Sui cavalry slowed.

Yet just as hope blossomed across their faces, suddenly, from under the city gates, bundles of thickly smoking grass balls were rolled out by the city folk.

Everyone stared, bewildered.

Likewise, at the front of the rebel army, General Zhen Zhair saw this scene and frowned. In a flash, he checked the wind.

“Thick smoke…”

Mounted on his warhorse, Zhen Zhair gazed across the battlefield with grave concern. His plan had been to use the villagers to undermine the city’s morale, but in that short time, the Sui defenders not only devised a rescue, they gathered hundreds of bundles of dry grass and wood from within.

This meant the city was fully prepared for defense, every order meticulously executed under the commander’s direction.

Zhen Zhair realized this city’s commander was no ordinary man, not an average military officer.

“If only he’d surrender to Lord Wei… what a talent wasted…” Zhen Zhair sighed, admiring the commander’s skill.

Behind him, Tang Zhenhao, Xiang Yifeng, Yang Boyue, Qin Guangzhi, and others were surprised by the use of smoke to shield a rescue. The eastern city’s commander was proving unexpectedly clever.

Yet recalling Tu Ye’s temperament, their eyes shifted to the thousand cavalry charging toward the battle.

On the field, Tu Ye hadn’t expected such tactics from the Sui defenders. As the distance closed and smoke thickened, he hesitated to charge, fearing ambushes hidden in the haze.

If he plunged into the smoke, his numerical advantage would vanish; victory would be costly, and the defenders might rescue the vulnerable villagers.

No! Such an outcome must not occur!

General Zhen Zhair and the others were watching, waiting to see him fail—he had spoken confidently before accepting his orders.

Tu Ye’s gaze hardened.

Rescue the villagers? Foolish dreams!

“Leave five hundred men! Fire at will, leave no survivors!” Tu Ye commanded, then led five hundred cavalry northward, intending to skirt the smoke and cut off the Sui cavalry’s retreat.

As for the soldiers guarding the villagers, their fate depended on luck.

“Fire!” The deputy drew his horse to a halt, signaling the cavalry behind. They loosed arrows into the smoky haze, aiming at the villagers’ position.

The deputy reasoned: if the Sui cavalry risked all to rescue the villagers, they would be there regardless of visibility.

At his command, rebel cavalry raised bows and fired without hesitation. Soon cries of pain could faintly be heard.

The wind carried the smoke, burning eyes and nostrils, but the rebels kept firing regardless.

To them, the general’s orders mattered more than the lives of those before them.

This scene was witnessed by the rebel army’s generals across the plains.

“Tu Ye is truly ruthless!”
“Yes, he doesn’t even spare his own men!” Tang Zhenhao and Xiang Yifeng commented snidely, making sure everyone heard.

General Zhen Zhair glanced at them, and they fell silent, wary of his authority.

Zhen Zhair watched the battle, satisfied with Tu Ye’s tactical caution. Cavalry are far more valuable than infantry; charging blindly into obscured terrain would be foolish.

But as a commander, Tu Ye’s methods made Zhen Zhair frown. The whole army saw, and such actions would breed anxiety among other captains and soldiers, fearing they might face the same fate.

Still, Zhen Zhair was confident he could handle the aftermath—publicly punish Tu Ye for discipline, privately reward him for merit.

He sometimes wondered whether this rebel army, with its lack of ties and regulations, was a blessing or a curse. In a regular army, such actions would spark mutiny, but these rebels, always scheming against each other, prevented such upheaval.

“Ready the troops! If the gates are seized, reinforce at once!” Zhen Zhair ordered.

Watching Tu Ye lead his five hundred north around the smoke, Zhen Zhair hoped he could seize the gates, saving time.

The eastern city’s commander was too vigilant; not only had he dug a broad moat, but he had laid hidden pits across the plains. These traps lay invisible until heavy siege engines pressed down, causing them to collapse.

Even the woods on the plains had been burned.

Had it not been for the arrival of the valiant officer as the eastern city’s commander, Zhen Zhair was confident he could have taken the city in five days, then marched south to attack Hexi and Linfen, encircling the western city and starving it out.

But all had been delayed by this commander’s arrival.

“Yes, sir!” A trusted subordinate took the order, rode off with the banner to notify the vanguard.

On the battlefield, the sheer number of smoking grass bundles forced Tu Ye and his five hundred cavalry to circle wide, reaching the moat’s northern banks, then riding south along the moat.

“Attack!” “Attack!” Tu Ye raised his sword, seeing the hundreds of archers behind the grass bundles, sneering as he signaled his men to charge.

These five hundred cavalry had been selected for strength and size, fully armored, even their horses protected.

Seeing the archers, Tu Ye was confident he could break them with a couple of volleys, then breach the gates.

“Attack!” “Attack!” The rebels surged forward, swords and bows ready, waiting to close the distance.

Behind the grass bundles, Sui soldiers saw the cavalry approaching. Hu Jingyuan frowned but did not retreat; Captain Fu Zihou was still in the smoke.

“Ready!” Hu Jingyuan drew his sword, ordering his men to aim at the oncoming rebel cavalry.

On the city walls, every soldier, every child hauling supplies, every woman, watched tensely as the cavalry swept toward the drawbridge.

“Hurry back!” Cui Wenjin gripped her sword, eyes filled with worry as she watched the smoke-shrouded battlefield, fearing Fu Zihou’s route might be cut off.

“Attack!” “Attack!” Amid the cries, everyone on the walls—soldiers, women, children—felt the rebel cavalry’s overwhelming force and superior equipment.

The cavalry sped forward, soon to reach the drawbridge.

In that moment, as all eyes watched, a rider suddenly burst from the smoky haze, followed by a host, charging the rebel cavalry.

“It’s the captain!” “It’s the captain!” Cheers erupted from the walls; everyone, young and old, soldier and civilian, celebrated.

“It’s him!” Cui Wenjin, unable to breathe, stared at the figure, mesmerized.

By the moat, Tu Ye was shocked to see Sui cavalry pouring from the smoke behind him. He could not comprehend how they appeared here—it should have been impossible!

“Attack!” “Attack!” As the Sui cavalry descended upon them, Tu Ye and the rebels were stunned, unable to turn their bows or horses in time.

“Die!” Fu Zihou struck with his lance, slaying a rebel. Sui cavalry joined in, using their lances to pitch smoking grass bundles into the rebel ranks, sowing chaos.

They drove the rebels toward the moat.

“Attack!” Hu Jingyuan ordered his men to encircle and slaughter the rebel cavalry.

“Damn!” Tu Ye, seeing Sui troops before and behind, broke into a cold sweat. He realized he’d walked into a trap—the Sui commander had baited him all along.

Yes! He had thought to circle north, but the Sui commander anticipated this.

“I shouldn’t have assumed the Sui commander would stay with the villagers!” Tu Ye finally understood his error, but it was too late; he needed to break out.

“Retreat!” Tu Ye shouted. Brave as he was, once surrounded, he knew pointless fighting was futile. He rode toward the grass bundles, lance in hand.

With a grunt, Tu Ye, strong and powerful, hoisted a smoking grass bundle aside, only to be struck in the thigh by an arrow. Ignoring the pain, he plunged into the smoke.

If he could cross the haze, he’d reach the open plain.

Behind him, other rebels tried to follow, but the Sui archers, prepared, fired at once, giving them no chance. Many were shot down before they could clear the grass; only a handful escaped, heedless of the arrows.

Soon, Sui soldiers slung their bows, drew swords, and engaged in close combat.

“Die!” Fu Zihou, after slaying a rebel, spotted Tu Ye escaping and turned his horse into the smoke to pursue him.

“Hyah!” “Hyah!” Within the smoke, Tu Ye, ignoring his wounded thigh, urged his horse faster.

As the sounds of battle faded behind him, Tu Ye felt relieved—he had lost face, but next time he would seek vengeance on the Sui commander.

Moments later, a scream echoed close behind; Tu Ye wondered why it sounded so near, given he’d escaped.

He turned, met only choking smoke, coughed, and was struck in the shoulder by an arrow.

“Ah!” Though armored, the force drove the arrow deep; Tu Ye cried out, realizing his cough had betrayed his position to his pursuer.

He veered his horse slightly, speeding up.

After some time, as the smoke thinned and the rebel army appeared on the plain, Tu Ye reined in his horse, raising his lance in readiness.

Staring into the haze, he waited—if the Sui commander emerged, he would strike.

“Tu Ye!” “Why is Tu Ye alone?” From the rebel front, Zhen Zhair, Tang Zhenhao, Xiang Yifeng, and all the generals and officers stared in confusion.

They couldn’t fathom what had happened.

Suddenly, as everyone watched, a figure burst from the smoke. Tu Ye swung his lance, but the other rider, prepared, dodged and in a flash struck, severing Tu Ye’s head.

“What?” “What!” In the eyes of Zhen Zhair, Tang Zhenhao, Xiang Yifeng, all the rebel generals, officers, and tens of thousands of soldiers, a lone rider halted on the plain and stared straight at them.

One man against an army of ten thousand.

Behind him, a headless body tumbled from its horse—Tu Ye’s corpse, known to all.

And that figure…

“It’s the valiant officer!” Cai Ran and Dou Lichuan, who had seen Fu Zihou in the eastern city, recognized him as its commander.

“It’s him!” “What, him!” Zhen Zhair, Tang Zhenhao, Xiang Yifeng, Yang Boyue, Qin Guangzhi—all the rebel generals—stared in shock at the youth.

For the first time, Zhen Zhair faced the officer once mocked by Jinyang’s elite, now the commander blocking his army.

Then, before all eyes, the youth turned, raised Tu Ye’s head on his lance, and entered the smoke.

Everyone held their breath.

To chase the enemy to the army’s front—what audacity! To return with Tu Ye’s head before ten thousand—what contempt!

But seeing the smoke-covered battlefield, the lonely horse, Tu Ye’s headless corpse, not one dared give pursuit.

………………………

Inside Jinyang’s western city.

“Smoke?”

Upon receiving reports that thick smoke blanketed the east bank of the Fen River, all the generals and officials—Wen Dayou, Zhang Pinggao, Liu Wenjing, Pei Ji—grew anxious in the Eagle Banner Hall.

None expected news from the eastern city so quickly.

With over a hundred thousand rebels camped outside, everyone knew the smoke meant battle had begun between the rebels and the city’s defenders.

“This can’t be! According to estimates, the rebels shouldn’t be able to attack so soon!” Jiang Baoyi expressed his doubts, knowing something of the eastern city’s defenses.

The rebels would need time just to fill the moat; an attack should be impossible this early.

“Yes, it should take at least ten days!” Zhang Pinggao nodded, worry and confusion etched across his face.

It had been less than three days; how could the rebels attack?

“Then why so much smoke from the eastern city?” Xu Shixu asked, puzzled.

Faced with his question, all the generals and officials fell silent, uncertain what had happened in the eastern city.

“What is happening in the eastern city…” Wen Dayou’s breath quickened, his face filled with concern as he stared at the map, eyes fixed on the eastern city across the Fen River.