Volume Two: My Arrival Shakes Heaven and Earth Chapter 11: Breaking the Deadlock II

Not long after dawn, the scouts returned with new reports.

The Koreans at the mountain pass were still fortifying their defenses. One scout risked his life to slip close, carefully observing; many of the banners were false, and the enemy appeared to number no more than two thousand. Judging by the command flag, this force hailed from towns on Shanxi’s border—Dechuan, Yunshan, and others.

The enemy’s encampment at the front had built seven or eight tenths of their fortifications and raised the command flag, which bore the words “Deputy Marshal of the Northwest.” From the mountains, overlooking the enemy camp stretching to Dingzhou, there were no signs of reinforcements.

Deng She summoned his generals to the city tower, finding a spot sheltered from the rain for an urgent council of war. In a few words, he relayed the scouts’ findings, spread out a map, and with an arrow pointed to the mountain pass and the front. “If the intelligence is accurate, the enemy at the pass comes from Shanxi’s cities, while those at the front are from the Western Capital, Pyongyang. It’s clear the enemy is attacking from two directions.”

—“Deputy Marshal of the Northwest,” as the name implies, is the officer responsible for Korea’s northwest military affairs; his headquarters are in Pyongyang, and his troops are the garrison forces of Pyongyang.

“Coordinating two allied armies, communicating and organizing them, takes time. We captured Twin Cities only seven or eight days ago.” The loss of the pass was hard to excuse, and fearing the city’s fall, his life might be forfeit. Luo Guoqi, abandoning his usual reserve, crouched over the map, disregarding the puddles on the floor, and was the first to ask, “General, could this be a deliberate ruse by the Koreans?”

“Accounting for our march north from Yizhou, crossing the river, and coming south, the Koreans had ample time to mobilize two armies.”

“So, General, you mean…”

The many banners at the pass were meant to deter Deng She’s night raid; now the enemy occupied the narrow ground, firmly holding the advantage, and had no need for further deception. Deng She said, “Perhaps, even when we camped at Yizhou, the Koreans were already preparing. Though they didn’t know our objective, which let us easily take Twin Cities, once news spread, their prior preparations were naturally put to use.”

His analysis was thorough and calm, but inside he blamed himself. Inexperience and insufficient caution—why hadn’t he foreseen this before the enemy arrived?

Luo Guoqi said, “Five thousand at the front, two thousand at the pass—seven thousand aren’t enough to storm Twin Cities….” He drew a sharp breath, looked up, and asked, “General, has Dingzhou’s report arrived?” Seven thousand might not be enough to take the city, but they were certainly enough to entangle Twin Cities’ six thousand troops, preventing them from reinforcing Dingzhou.

The generals all realized this and their expressions changed. Reinforcements from Twin Cities to Dingzhou could reach by the southern highway in a day; by the mountain pass, crossing rugged terrain, it would take three or four days. There was no third road.

The wind gradually abated, but the rain did not lessen. Heavy clouds pressed low, as if about to collapse. Though the day had broken, the distance remained obscure, dark and somber, making the young wheat in the fields seem all the more green.

Deng She did not answer Luo Guoqi, instead gazing south in silence.

The enemy situation was becoming clear: two thousand at the pass, five thousand at the front; neither force had reinforcements. Based on current intelligence, the possibility of the Koreans attacking Twin Cities could be ruled out. Their defense at the pass and fortifying the front was clearly intended to besiege Twin Cities, facilitating their main force’s attack on Dingzhou. Had they followed Wen Huaguo’s advice last night, sending a force to seize the pass amid the storm, perhaps it would have succeeded. But now, with enemy fortifications complete and daylight upon them, two thousand Koreans holding the narrow pass were formidable.

Still, Deng She did not regret his decision. The enemy’s strength was unclear last night; a rash attack was a greedy and foolish move. Thus, he could only say the Koreans’ feint was successful, not that his response was mistaken.

He was not discouraged—facing a formidable foe, his spirit rose. “General Luo is right: the Koreans’ main attack is Dingzhou, almost certainly. Dingzhou was likely surrounded last night. General Li sent word—whether he returns is unknown. Gentlemen, what are your thoughts?”

“Seven thousand is only a diversion; the Koreans’ main force attacking Dingzhou must number at least twenty thousand. Dingzhou has only five thousand defenders, and the city was recently breached; I fear it cannot hold long.” Luo Guoqi wracked his brain for solutions. “In my humble opinion, we must confirm the situation immediately and open a route to reinforce Dingzhou. Otherwise, if Dingzhou falls, Twin Cities cannot be held.”

Wen Huaguo snorted, “Nonsense!” He crouched down beside them.

“What does General Wen propose?”

Wen Huaguo’s thick fingers jabbed at the southern part of the map. “What else? The whole city marches out—fight the bastards to the death! The Koreans have only been here a night; the front camp may be stable, but the rear surely isn’t. Crushing these scoundrels isn’t difficult!”

“March the whole city out? Aren’t you worried the pass garrison will attack from behind? If Dingzhou isn’t saved, our heads will be lost first!” Luo Guoqi, breaking his usual principle of avoiding conflict with Wen and Chen, protested loudly, turning to Deng She, “General, in my view, the best plan is to leave a small force to hold the city, using strong walls to block the enemy at the front.

“The main force exits the west gate, attacks the pass with lightning speed, and takes the mountain road to reinforce Dingzhou. I estimate Dingzhou’s five thousand elite, with inside help, suffered little damage to its walls and can hold for three or four days—enough for Twin Cities to aid them.”

Deng She nodded, agreeing with Luo’s reasoning. “General Chen is resilient and calm; though Dingzhou is newly taken, with Han support inside, it should be safe for now.”

He furrowed his brow and studied the map. Luo’s plan had occurred to him, but it felt incomplete, not entirely reliable. “Two thousand Koreans hold the narrow pass; difficult to break. Even if we succeed, after a forced march, we’ll arrive at Dingzhou exhausted.”

—Page 1/3

Zhao Guo interjected, “Korean troops aren’t strong; as long as Dingzhou holds, even if our troops arrive weary, theirs will be tired too.” He rarely spoke, and when tense, often stammered.

Wen Huaguo slapped his shoulder, “Well said, dog!”

“What’s your opinion?” Deng She asked Zhao Guo.

“In my humble opinion, General Luo is right. But even if we reach Dingzhou smoothly, Twin Cities’ enemy is only twenty or thirty miles from Dingzhou—half a day’s ride. We don’t have many troops in the city, can’t block them. The outcome is uncertain.” Increase our strength, the Koreans will do the same; the siege remains unresolved.

Strike the head, the tail responds; strike the tail, the head responds; strike the center, both head and tail respond. The Koreans have formed a formation, essentially a long snake array. To break it, there’s only one way: divide and surround, cut their connections, and defeat them piecemeal. But now, lacking terrain advantage and sufficient troops, without an unconventional approach, breaking the formation is hopeless.

Where is the unconventional approach? All at once, the group thought of two words: surprise troops.

But where could they come from?

For a moment, silence fell. All eyes fixed on the map, pondering.

The rain shelter was hastily assembled, water dripping through gaps, chilling the air. Deng She’s armor and clothes were soaked through, but his focus was so intense he felt no cold. His gaze moved ceaselessly across the map.

Wen Huaguo, uncomfortable from crouching, suddenly stood, bumping into He Guangxiu, who was craning over his shoulder to view the map. With an “ouch,” He Guangxiu fell to the ground.

Deng She’s thoughts stirred, and he glanced at He Guangxiu. An idea, hazy and indistinct, began to form, but he did not speak yet. He lowered his head and examined the map again. Slowly, he asked, “General He, when your troops attacked the sea islands, how were the waves?”

“The islands are close to shore, so the waves weren’t big.” He Guangxiu hurried to answer, standing up, his backside soaked, but too busy to brush it off.

“How many ships did you gather?”

“A hundred or so.”

At this point, Wen Huaguo, Zhao Guo, Luo Guoqi, Lu Qianshiyi, and others guessed Deng She’s intention. Wen Huaguo laughed, “From Twin Cities to the sea, it’s only a few dozen miles to Dingzhou—this could be a shortcut. The question is whether the Koreans have prepared for it.”

Luo Guoqi said, “Korean naval forces are few, and the coastline is long. With a hundred small boats divided into several groups, using the rainy night as cover, we should be able to slip through any gaps. … The only worry is, our surprise troops might not even get to sea. The enemy at the front is intimidating—not attacking, but blocking the way. I suspect they’ve stationed ambushes at the ports.”

Wen Huaguo glanced at him, “Scholar Luo, you’re too cautious. Back in the day, I followed the old commander—three or four hundred men ran wild along both banks of the Yellow River. Too much fear, and your rank keeps dropping.”

Luo Guoqi chuckled, saying nothing, and looked at Deng She. Deng She pondered deeply, frowning, and glanced at the rain outside.

Zhao Guo’s gaze followed him, seeing his intense contemplation and recognizing his difficulty. Compared to the others, Zhao Guo’s bond with Deng She was strongest. Childhood playmates, Deng She was always the brighter, and Zhao Guo admired him deeply. Their status differed, so Zhao Guo always saw himself as a follower.

Faced with crisis, the leader’s worry was the subordinate’s shame. He could not keep still. “I am willing to lead troops across the sea, to ease your burden, General.”

Deng She shook his head. Luo Guoqi’s analysis was sound—the enemy came prepared and would never neglect the port. If surprise is impossible, the whole purpose of the surprise troops is lost. Worse, it would alert the enemy to their real intentions.

So, what could be done?

Rain pattered on the shelter like beans frying, soaking the air with chill and damp. The group fell silent, waiting for his decision. Deng She thought through everything from the start, finding no viable solution, but he was neither impatient nor anxious. He paced, continuing to deliberate.

With each battle commanded, he had grown more composed. The more setbacks he faced, the more strong enemies he overcame, the more he believed that fate always provided a way. For every difficulty, there must be a solution. Success and failure are separated by a single wall; the only difference is that the victor found the answer, and the loser did not.

This route being blocked, he set it aside and started again.

—Page 2/3

For now, ignore the difficulty—suppose the coast is clear. The surprise troops cross the sea and ambush the enemy at Dingzhou. The main force breaks through the western mountain pass and takes the long detour to reinforce Dingzhou. At the agreed time, both forces move out, one orthodox, one unconventional, with a response from within Dingzhou.

But as Zhao Guo said, the enemy opposite Twin Cities would soon hear and rush to aid Dingzhou—our elite troops would be hard-pressed to stop them. At Dingzhou, both sides would be plunged into chaos, outnumbered, and unable to win quickly. Even if not defeated, if the battle dragged on, enemy reinforcements could arrive at any moment, while our forces would have none, and supplies would run low. Defeat would be inevitable.

Deng She halted, pausing a moment.

How to win?

There was only one way: decisive, swift action. How to achieve it? Circling back, the answer was surprise. Yet now he saw more clearly—not only surprise, but also overcoming the disadvantage of divided forces and insufficient numbers, breaking the enemy’s long snake array.

Long snake array? Suddenly, a thought flashed in Deng She’s mind. He looked at the gathered generals, all watching him intently, and took a few more steps, deep in thought. When his plan was clear, he smiled and said, “I have an idea—let’s hear your opinions.”

He then outlined his plan. Wen Huaguo slapped his thigh in approval, Zhao Guo and Lu Qianshiyi nodded repeatedly, and Luo Guoqi let out a long breath, his tense heart finally eased. His admiration was heartfelt: “General, you are wise. With this plan, defeating the Korean army should not be difficult.” The group discussed, each adding details and refining the strategy.

The plan was set; all measures fell into place.

Deng She issued orders in succession: “Zhao Guo, select five hundred men, all with strong bows and crossbows; leave the city and cross the sea. If there are enemy ambushes at the coast, do thus and thus; if not, do thus and thus.

“Wen Huaguo, Luo Guoqi, Lu Qianshiyi, take your troops and lend me part of my own force, totaling four thousand five hundred, to launch a night assault on the mountain pass. The enemy are local troops from Shanxi cities and counties, not elite soldiers. As an allied force, their coordination is likely flawed. Bring three cannons and plenty of bows, arrows, and siege gear—break through with all strength.

“Lu Qianshiyi, dispatch a squad of cavalry to guard the pass and the southern road. Do not let any Korean scouts or messengers escape.

“The enemies at the pass and the south are fifty miles apart. With tonight’s storm, our attack on the pass, if well planned, will at least keep the southern enemy unaware for a time. I will personally remain at Twin Cities, using their own tactics—like the Koreans last night, make a show of strength and let the enemy believe our main force is still in the city.”

The generals accepted their orders.

Deng She said, “Since we took Yongping, we have not faced such danger. The enemy came silently and split us in two. Gentlemen, ‘to survive, place yourself in death’—this is our situation now.”

He looked at each of them, his voice slowing, “General Wen, you are brave, in past battles you have broken strongholds and never failed; General Luo, you are careful, your troops are the most disciplined; General Lu, your cavalry is swift as wind, with distinguished achievements in two major battles.” At last, his gaze fell on Zhao Guo—between them, words were unnecessary. Simply, “General Zhao, you are steadfast, diligent, and strong….” Raising his voice, impassioned and bold, “The stronger the enemy, the stronger we become; their sharpness only makes us sharper. Gentlemen! If we lose, there is no retreat; if we win, Korea will be ours. Dare we not strive?”

All responded together, “We swear not to fail!”

Wen Huaguo asked, “When do we act?”

“General Li said he’d return Dingzhou’s report within a day. Go prepare your troops; regardless of whether he returns, we move out tonight at the hour of the Dog.”

—

1. Local troops: Korean military structure largely followed the Tang dynasty’s system, so the scattered troops in cities and counties were also separately organized.

2. The hour of the Dog: Between 7 and 9 p.m.

—Page 3/3