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If one were to observe from high above, pulling the viewing angle to an extreme height, the terrain from Han Hangu Pass to Xin'an would resemble a sharp triangle pointing from west to east. The two sides of the triangle, growing narrower toward the east, were formed by mountain ranges, while the interior of the triangle consisted of relatively flat land. The eastern tip of the triangle was Hangu Pass, and its base was Xin'an County.
Within this sharp triangle, there were four groups of soldiers. Closest to Hangu Pass in the east were Guo Pu's infantry and auxiliary troops, hurrying forward as fast as they could. Slightly to the west, due to the constraints of the terrain, stretched Guo Pu's seven hundred Xiliang cavalry in a long line.
Further ahead, a hundred Xiliang cavalry had already begun to scatter as they chased after a dozen or so enemy scouts. Meanwhile, ahead of these fleeing scouts, slightly off the main path in a field by the mountainside, Yu Fuluo waited quietly with four hundred of his tribesmen, all freshly clad in Han iron armor. They were like hunters waiting for their prey to stumble into a trap...
This was a field carved into the mountainside, where diligent farmers had already sown wheat seeds. But now, the hooves of the Southern Xiongnu warriors had trampled the loose soil into hard-packed earth, and the tender green sprouts had been crushed into the mud.
The field was conveniently shielded by a small hill on one side, blocking the view from the direction of Hangu Pass. Yu Fuluo had also ordered his men to cut down large branches and prop them up at the front. Even if a passing rider glanced back, they wouldn't notice—unless they looked closely—that behind those branches and leaves lay a fully armed cavalry force lying in wait.
The day before, Yu Fuluo had sent men to drag large stones back and forth along the path with horses, compacting the loose soil along the intended charge route.
Among the Xiongnu, when a person died, they were either given a sky burial or an earth burial.
A sky burial involved finding a hill, building a stone platform, and placing the deceased upon it. Sometimes a fire was lit, but often it was left to nature, allowing birds and beasts to carry out the final rites.
An earth burial was simpler—just dig a deep pit anywhere, place the deceased inside, cover it with soil, and then drive horses, cattle, or sheep over the spot two or three times. Even the keenest-nosed wolf would never find a trace...
Bater lowered his head, twisted his body restlessly, and occasionally touched the armor plates on his body, causing them to clink softly.
Yu Fuluo slapped him on the back and scolded, "What's wrong with you? Stop fidgeting!"
Bater chuckled and said, "The craftsmanship of the Han people is impressive. Look at these little armor plates—each one is exactly the same size..."
Bater had previously worn Han-style leather armor, but now he had been given a brand-new set of iron lamellar armor, which filled him with excitement and reverence. Even if he wasn't moving, he couldn't resist touching it here and there...
Just then, a sharp whistle sounded, and Yu Fuluo's expression turned serious. The sound of galloping hooves followed as a dozen or so horsemen raced down the road, turned a corner, and disappeared into the distance.
Hot on their heels came a group of Xiliang cavalry in pursuit. A few who prided themselves on their archery skills nocked arrows and fired, though their aim was poor. Still, with so many arrows flying, someone was bound to get hit by a stray shot.
"Aha! They're finally here!" Bater excitedly grabbed his horse's reins and prepared to mount, but Yu Fuluo seized his arm.
"Not yet! Wait a little longer!" Yu Fuluo glanced at the pursuing Xiliang cavalry and knew the numbers weren't right—there had to be more behind them. He held Bater back.
Guo Pu's forces were now split into three parts, creating a delicate situation. The vanguard commander knew the main force was behind him, so he chased ahead without worry. His goals were simple: kill the enemy scouts and locate the main body of the Yellow Turban rebels. With horses under them, they could always turn and flee if things went south.
Guo Pu's main force, following behind, assumed the road was safe since the vanguard had sent no warnings. Spurred on by promises of wine, meat, and rewards, they pressed forward eagerly...
Bringing up the rear, the infantry and auxiliary troops were already exhausted just trying to keep up the pace. The thought of an ambush never even crossed their minds.
Thus, Guo Pu's seven hundred cavalrymen charged right past Yu Fuluo's ambush site without so much as a glance to either side.
Yu Fuluo waited a little longer. When no more troops appeared behind Guo Pu, he licked his lips, gestured for the concealing branches to be moved aside, and then mounted his horse. Slowly, he drew his ring-pommel saber, raised it before his face, kissed the blade, and then lifted it high...
Behind him, Bater and the others also mounted their horses, drew their weapons, and fixed their eyes on Yu Fuluo's raised sword...
With a sudden motion, Yu Fuluo swung his blade downward in a feigned strike and charged out of hiding. Behind him, four hundred Southern Xiongnu cavalrymen—now clad in Han-style iron armor—surged forward like a spear aimed straight at Guo Pu's rear!
By now, Guo Pu's vanguard had already collided with the other half of the Xiongnu forces—disguised as Yellow Turbans—who had been lying in wait. The vanguard quickly tried to form a defensive line while sending messengers back to alert Guo Pu.
But the Xiongnu gave them no time to regroup. They pressed forward in a dense, overwhelming wave...
With little room to maneuver—mountains on one side and fields on the other—the Xiliang vanguard couldn't spread out or turn back without disrupting Guo Pu's main force. Though something felt off—since when did Yellow Turbans have so many cavalry?—the vanguard commander still ordered his men to form up and charge head-on...
Cavalry against cavalry came down to who was fiercer, whose blades were sharper, and whose armor was stronger. Now that the Southern Xiongnu had equipped themselves with Han weaponry—even if only a hundred of them had full armor—their combat power had increased dramatically. Against Guo Pu's vanguard, they had no trouble gaining the upper hand...
Guo Pu, upon receiving the vanguard's report, immediately ordered his troops to accelerate forward. The narrow path left little room to turn around, so their only option was to push ahead. Even if something was wrong, breaking through the enemy formation would give them more room to maneuver.
The rearmost riders in Guo Pu's force suddenly sensed an unusual vibration—something out of sync with the rhythm of their own horses. One of them glanced around in confusion before catching sight of a massive dark wave surging toward them from behind. His eyes widened in panic, and he screamed, "Ambush! Ambush! They're behind us—"
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