Volume Two: With a Single Move, I Shake Heaven and Earth Chapter 26: Tokugawa II

Jin Depei learned from his past mistakes, having analyzed the reasons for his crushing defeat at Shuangcheng. The primary cause of that initial failure was his reckless pursuit of profit. He was never one to stake everything on a single gamble, and this full-scale assault had been a last resort; the fury he displayed was merely a performance intended to bolster morale for his subordinates.

Once he had recaptured the outer defenses of Dengshe and regained some semblance of honor, his anger naturally dissipated. While he had spurred his troops forward, he had no intention of pressing the attack further. He believed Dengshe to be a cunning strategist. The bloody battle at Shuangcheng had left him terrified, and he remained hyper-vigilant, fearing that Dengshe might use the cover of night to pull another trick, causing him to lose Dechuan while failing to rescue Mengshan.

He ordered a tactical shift: the rear guard became the vanguard, and the vanguard became the rear. They retreated slowly while maintaining a defensive posture.

This caught Dengshe off guard; if he simply let them retreat, the effort of mobilizing Zhang Daier’s troops would have been for nothing. Dengshe immediately ordered the drums to sound and flags to wave. The veteran soldiers of Zuo Che’er’s unit opened the western gate and deployed to strike the flank.

Zuo Che’er set up a "Triple-Layer Formation." Crossbows formed the front, long spears the second, and close-combat infantry the rear. The soldiers marched to the beat of the drums, shouting in unison with every step. Having practiced this formation more than any other over the past month, their movements were seasoned and fluid. The crossbows fired, the spears bristled like a forest, and the swordsmen struck their armor and shields, creating an incessant roar of battle.

Jin Depei dispatched two rearguard units to intercept them. Dengshe signaled with his command flag, and the eastern gate opened. Yang Wanhu led several hundred refugee officers and hand-picked brave soldiers in a wedge formation, coordinating with Zuo Che’er’s charge.

With this, the two Red Turban units on the east and west formed a pincer, like two long spears thrusting into the flanks of the Goryeo army. If he only had a unit of elite cavalry to strike from the center, it would have been perfect. Unfortunately, most of Lu Qian’s cavalry had been assigned to Wen Huaguo for mobility. Dengshe had only a hundred or two in reserve, insufficient to throw the Goryeo rear into chaos.

Jin Depei fought steadily, continuously deploying troops to reinforce his flanks, ensuring the main force remained undisturbed as it continued to retreat. He also sent out elite troops and hundreds of cavalry to circle around Yang Wanhu, attempting to strike from behind.

By now, the red sun was setting, and the late June sky was filled with crimson clouds. Dengshe and Huang Luge stood high on the watchtower, surveying the shifting formations of both sides.

"General," Huang Luge said, "Jin Depei intends to concentrate his forces to crush the relatively weaker Thousand-Man Commander Yang." Judging by the scale of the Goryeo troops surrounding Yang Wanhu, he added, "The Goryeo tactics are based on the principle of splitting forces into main and diversionary units: one to hold the front, one to attack the rear."

Yang Wanhu was trapped by over a thousand Goryeo soldiers, but he was not in immediate danger of collapse. However, looking at the battlefield as a whole, if he could not break free from the encirclement, his struggle would hinder Zuo Che’er’s offensive on the west.

From the direction of Ningyuan, Zhang Daier had still not appeared.

Dengshe grew anxious. He had three choices: first, send more troops from Yang Wanhu’s direction—if the Goryeo forces surrounded Yang, he would surround the Goryeo forces. Second, reinforce Zuo Che’er and concentrate on crushing the Goryeo left flank. Third, send the remaining veterans to strike from the center.

The first method was like wrapping a dumpling in layers of skin; it was not a superior strategy. Jin Depei might be hoping he would do exactly that, making him vulnerable to a counterattack. The second method was like a scale—if one side rose while the other fell, even if Zuo Che’er won, Yang Wanhu’s defeat would make the victory not worth the cost.

The third method was better by comparison. The only problem was that he did not have many veterans left. On the surface, the two sides were evenly matched, but more than half of his own force consisted of new recruits. Holding the camp was fine, but in a field battle, the outcome was uncertain.

Dengshe looked at the sky and made a decisive choice. He ordered Chen Paizi to lead the remaining veterans out of the camp, tasking them with tangling with the Goryeo rear to prevent them from slipping away.

Huang Luge shook his head repeatedly. "General, that is too risky. If the Goryeo forces harden their hearts, refuse to retreat, and turn to fight us to the death—especially if they bring out the trebuchets and crossbows from the city—the outcome is unpredictable. If they lose, they have the city walls for cover; if our army is defeated, our camp will be lost, and we will be a broken force with nowhere to hide! General, have you forgotten how the Goryeo forces were defeated at Shuangcheng? Today's situation is very similar to that day, only the balance of power has shifted."

"It has been half a day since we sent word to General Zhang. Within half a shichen, his troops will arrive. The main Goryeo force is outside the city; as long as we can drag them down, Dechuan will be ours for the taking. How can we abandon such a golden opportunity?" Dengshe adjusted his cloak, descended from the watchtower, and personally led a thousand new recruits to guard the camp.

Jin Depei keenly sensed Dengshe’s intention. Despite all his caution and care, he had still fallen into the trap! Jin Depei was frantic. When Shuangcheng was on the verge of falling, the sudden appearance of Tong Doulan and Wen Huaguo had left a deep impression on him. He didn't even need to think to be certain that this time, Dengshe surely had another trick up his sleeve! The urgent priority was to crush the Red Turban right flank as quickly as possible to ensure the main army could safely return to the city. As his command flag waved, ranks of soldiers were continuously dispatched to the right.

A cannon blast echoed from the Red Turban camp, followed by three rolls of the drum. The main gate slowly opened, and over a thousand veterans marched out in formation.

Each hundred-man unit was a team, with the most elite unit in the lead. Behind them, two units were arrayed horizontally, with ten paces between each man. Every team paused after advancing fifty paces. A dozen horn-blowers stood behind the formation; with every blast of the horn, the soldiers stood to attention, shouting and raising their weapons to warm up while adjusting their spacing.

Two blasts of the horn signaled an advance of a hundred paces, bringing them within forty paces of the enemy. Over two hundred cavalrymen charged behind the formation, maneuvering from the side under the direction of the military flags. With each advance of fifty paces, they leveled their spears and let out thunderous shouts.

Dengshe had learned this formation from ancient books. He had once seen Guan Duo use it in battle, and it had been highly effective. Like Jin Depei’s division of forces, this formation served both offensive and diversionary purposes, allowing them to react to the enemy’s changes.

Jin Depei, a scholar-general well-versed in military classics, understood it at a glance. He led his personal guard to suppress the soldiers who were panicking at the Red Turbans' approach, firmly establishing a defensive line and insisting that as long as the enemy did not move, they would not move either.

In the Red Turban camp, the drums sounded once more—bold and stirring. In the sunset, every soldier’s face was heavy with excitement. Their spears, halberds, and axes shone with a cold, piercing light, casting a chill over the warm summer dusk.

The two hundred cavalrymen suddenly surged, accelerating with mighty shouts. The commander of the hundred-man cavalry unit looked back, raised his blade, and screamed, "Fly like earth!" The two hundred men echoed the cry, "Chase the enemy!"

The infantry formation unleashed a dense rain of arrows at the Goryeo troops. The Red Turban cavalry transitioned from diversion to main force, charging out under the inspiration of the drums. Their hooves kicked up a sky full of dust. The front row of Goryeo soldiers crouched, bracing their spears. The swordsmen in the rear, whipped on by Jin Depei, rolled forward, attempting to hack at the legs of the charging horses.

Tong Doulan was skilled in mounted archery, and the Jurchens had their own set of tactics. After he arrived, Dengshe had frequently consulted him, and the things he learned had been put to great use in the training of his cavalry. The two hundred cavalrymen did not crash directly into the formation; with a whistle, they turned and veered off. Sometimes they would draw their bows and fire, striking and retreating; other times they would gather to attack a single point.

Jin Depei had moved all his cavalry to Yang Wanhu’s position and was momentarily unable to cope. The Goryeo soldiers’ morale was already low. Within moments, their front line was a tangled mess. Many who were struck by arrows cried out in agony.

Dengshe watched Yang Wanhu for a while. He was truly fierce; even under the encirclement and attack of a superior enemy, he was still able to contract his defensive line. The two hundred refugees, just as they had during the siege of Shuangcheng, stripped off their armor and fought the enemy bare-chested.

"These are the true warriors of our army!" Dengshe’s blood boiled. No matter how polite and cultured he appeared in front of Hong Jixun and others, ten years on the battlefield had long ago buried the seeds of martial spirit deep within him.

"Bring the flag!" He reached out, and a member of his "Brotherhood Team" took a small green flag from his waist, along with a brush and ink, and handed them over. Right there in the midst of the chaotic battle, Dengshe wrote three large characters on the flag: *Yang's Banner*. The brushwork was sharp and filled with murderous intent. He handed it back. "Beat the drums, pass the flag."

The specially selected flag-bearer hoisted the small flag and jumped onto his horse. Guarded by four or five men, he charged into the right flank, shouting all the way: "Order from the Great General: Yang Wanhu has shown merit in battle, he is awarded the banner."

This was an ancient system Dengshe had painstakingly selected when he reformed his military, used specifically to reward merit during battle. The banner was inscribed with the surname of the recipient. For Yang Wanhu, it was the *Yang's Banner*; for Zuo Che’er, it would be the *Zuo's Banner*. After the battle, different rewards were granted based on the color of the banner.

He chose the ancient system over a medal system because it had a precedent, making it less abrupt and easier for people to accept. Furthermore, flags could be awarded on the battlefield, which was conducive to boosting morale.

Yang Wanhu laughed heartily as he took the flag. He was bare-chested with nowhere to put it, so he tucked it into his hair. With the green flag on his head and his body covered in tattoos, he danced his giant axe like a tiger. Wherever he went, blood splattered five paces away. The morale of his several hundred men surged instantly.

Dengshe felt relieved and focused on the front. To stabilize his lines, Jin Depei kept pulling archers from the rear to suppress the Red Turban cavalry charge. By now, the melee was fully engaged, and he had abandoned the idea of retreating to the city—he couldn't retreat even if he wanted to. More than six thousand soldiers from both sides were slowly intermingled and locked in combat.

Compared to previous battles, this was the first time Dengshe had attempted a head-on field battle, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. Gripping his sword hilt tightly, he studied the Goryeo formation and felt the moment had arrived. With a wave of his hand, his command flag fluttered.

The drum rhythm changed; the horns sounded a low, humming drone. The infantry shifted from diversion to main force, shouting with every step and killing with every two. They began to advance slowly. The cavalry suddenly broke off from the front line, retreated, and shifted to patrolling the infantry’s flanks to ensure they remained secure.

As the cavalry retreated, the Goryeo front line also pulled back, revealing the infantry formation they had already laid out. The front row of archers was sparse—for range; the rear row of shield-bearers and pikemen was dense—for stability.

Infantry in battle did not seek the speed of cavalry or individual martial prowess; they emphasized discipline. To act as one man, to wield ten thousand as one arm, to advance at the sound of the drum and retreat at the sound of the gong, to move left or right on command—only by achieving this could a force be called elite.

The squad leaders shouted constantly to maintain the ten-pace distance. The company commanders watched the Thousand-Man Commander’s flag, adjusting their positions according to the signals. Thousand-Man Commander Chen Paizi kept his eyes on the Goryeo formation, searching for their weak points.