PART I: The Bloodline and the Charter
The Divine Frostbreath Empire and The Snow Wolf Kingdom were, in fact, born from the same source. The current Imperial House of the Divine Frostbreath Empire was descended from the Snow Wolf Kingdom. It could be stated that an internal struggle within the Royal Family of the Snow Wolf Kingdom led to a schism of the bloodline. One branch journeyed northwest, entering the frigid plains of the continental interior. They subjugated the local nomadic tribes, introduced superior iron technology, and on this vast expanse of land, established a great empire spanning east to west.
Over the past two hundred years, the climate of the land had gradually warmed, pushing the arable agricultural line northward. Land that was once uninhabitable or untillable began to see cultivation. While the newly thawed northern soils and extensive wetlands were still difficult to sustain life upon, the living environment of the Divine Frostbreath Empire was vastly improved compared to the era three centuries prior when they first arrived.
Conqueror King Dipper Kui, the founder of the Divine Frostbreath Empire, had, after seizing the territory, enfeoffed six subordinate kingdoms. The entire Empire comprised one hundred and twenty counties. The Imperial House directly governed sixty, exactly half, while the six kingdoms each controlled ten. This established a semi-feudal, semi-county governance system. Furthermore, the sovereigns of these six kingdoms were granted the right to vote for the next Emperor—the Elector Kings system. A mandated four electoral votes was the stringent prerequisite for claiming the Imperial Throne.
In reality, there were seven Elector Kings. The seventh kingdom was the Snow Wolf Kingdom. Under the legal jurisdiction of the Divine Frostbreath Empire, the Snow Wolf Kingdom was currently controlled by the usurping Situ Clan (The Situ Clan), but legally, the Snow Wolf Kingdom remained an inseparable part of the Empire. Hence, recovering this ancestral, legal territory was an unshakable national policy of the Divine Frostbreath Empire.
The Imperial capital, Prime Lake City, was built beside an impossibly vast inland lake. The lake was monstrous in size; even sailing downstream north would take half a month to reach the northern shore. The east and west banks were comparatively narrower. Prime Lake City was strategically situated on a hill on the south bank, backed by the great lake, and fortified by two prairie rivers that flowed into the lake, forming a natural moat. Consequently, the Imperial "Naval" Defense Department was established here, making the Imperial Navy the primary defensive force of the capital.
This great lake had possessed many names throughout history, but the present official designation was Lake Dipper, named after the Imperial Royal Family. Lake Dipper was rich in inland aquatic products; high-quality fish ensured the capital's food supply remained secure. Even during a massive siege, as long as the Imperial House controlled the surface of the water, the Empire's fishing fleet guaranteed ample provisions for the capital.
Wheat, barley, potatoes, and wool were common produce south of Prime Lake City. Although the growing season yielded only a single annual harvest, the sheer scale of the land ensured astonishing output. Rock salt, various minerals, and peat found in the swamp regions after millennia of ice thawed meant the Empire suffered no lack of resources. Enduring an environment more rigorous than the south, the Imperial soldiers were consequently more resilient and capable of hardship.
The Imperial common language and the Southern Snow Wolf Kingdom language shared significant grammatical and lexical commonalities, having evolved from nearly the same language family. Differences lay mostly in intonation and tone. Though the Imperial language had incorporated more nomadic vocabulary, it did not impede mutual comprehension between the Imperial common tongue and the Kingdom language.
Thus, the Snow Wolf Kingdom viewed the Imperial common language as a barbaric Northwestern dialect derived from their own tongue, considering its vocabulary vulgar and unfit for diplomatic settings. They maintained that only the true Kingdom language was refined. Naturally, the Empire rejected this notion. However, within the Imperial upper echelons, the use of the Snow Wolf Kingdom language was still regarded as a symbol of aristocratic elegance, and it was preferred in formal diplomatic discourse.
The Snow Wolf Kingdom was the Empire's historical origin. With the milder climate, its resources had grown even more abundant. Although merely a kingdom, when its national power was consolidated, the Empire had failed to gain any lasting advantage for over a century. The Empire held one hundred and twenty counties: sixty by the Imperial House, and ten by each of the six vassal kingdoms. Though the Snow Wolf Kingdom claimed only twenty counties in name, these were ancient, highly developed regions. The strength of these twenty counties equaled that of forty Imperial counties. Consequently, the Empire desired to consume the fat prize of Snow Wolf, while Snow Wolf fiercely resisted. Thus, the conflict between the two had persisted for centuries.
The current Emperor, Dipper Huang, the twenty-fifth of his line, was aging. A new generation of heroes was about to step onto the stage, and this battle at Cold Well Gorge would raise the curtain.
PART II: The Cost of the Ambush
"Pursue them! Drive the Royal Army down the slopes!"
The Han Aureus Duke, Dipper Aureus, galvanized the emotions of his subordinates. Victory was assured; finesse was no longer necessary. All that was required was to incite the soldiers to bravely fight and maximize the spoils.
The start of this campaign had been difficult for Dipper Aureus, as the Royal Army had preemptively seized the strategic high ground. Moreover, the battlefield was entirely unsuitable for cavalry deployment. The Empire's main force consisted of nomadic light cavalry, but the narrow front offered no space for their maneuvers. Thus, large numbers of horses were held in the rear, and the cavalry dismounted to fight as infantry on the frontline. This was the primary reason the Royal Army had dared to commit their heavy cavalry so early in the battle. Had the battlefield been open plains, suitable for light cavalry to wear down heavy cavalry, the Royal Army would never have fallen for the trap.
Yet, the Royal Army had been tricked. Their heavy cavalry was annihilated, and their main infantry assault had been severely mauled. Thanks only to General Eisenhao and his loyal corps covering the rear, the bulk of the Royal infantry managed to escape. The cost was the untimely death of Eisenhao, the Kingdom's prospective Generalissimo, and the subsequent mourning of one of the Kingdom's great noble houses.
Ba Haoran knew the fate that awaited him back home. According to Kingdom tradition, a defeated general would face challenges from the families of the fallen. The bereaved families had the right to seek vengeance against an incompetent commander. Ba Haoran was certain to be challenged by the Eisenhao family, and his death was inevitable. But for now, he had to fulfill his duty: leading more men home. This was the task of an Expeditionary Force commander, and it would be his last.
Ba Haoran rallied his remaining archers. They re-supplied their arrows and positioned themselves to cover the uphill path, lighting bonfires along the sides. The sky was darkening rapidly, and the soldiers needed to see the path home. This was the plight of the remnants.
Survival is the end of the road. Defeat is like a landslide. If the vanquished live, they may prosper.
Alas, the defeated in this battle were dying miserably, so there would be no future prosperity.
The surviving soldiers had almost all discarded their armor. It was too heavy, a deadly burden when fleeing uphill. Fortunately, most of their weapons remained, a small consolation in the disaster.
With a total force of seventy thousand, the Kingdom had lost three thousand heavy cavalry and ten thousand of General Eisenhao's personal troops. Overall, the Royal Army was not yet incapacitated; they could still fight.
The anticipated pursuit force failed to materialize. The Imperial Army did not pursue. Looking down from the high ground, the Imperial camp was eerily silent.
This was bizarre. After such a massive victory, the Imperial Army should have been celebrating and counting their spoils. Yet, there was not a single flicker of light in their camp. Had something gone wrong? Had the Han Aureus Duke abandoned a complete and easy victory to retreat due to internal strife?
Ba Haoran constantly ran through the possibilities, arriving at a single, astonishing conclusion.
"The Empire's interior is in turmoil. Intelligence suggests the Emperor has been ill for the past year. Thus, the Han Aureus Duke's withdrawal is likely because the Emperor has died, forcing the Duke to return and handle the internal crisis!"
"This means he will only take his personal guard with him! The Imperial Army will slowly return without a commander. This is an unparalleled opportunity to strike a heavy blow against the Imperial forces!"
Ba Haoran found this conclusion plausible from every angle.
PART III: The Trap at the Pass
As a fellow nation of the Great Steppe, the Royal Army also had a large number of horses available. Ba Haoran ordered ten thousand archers to mount up, charging down the mountain under cover of night to pursue the Imperial Army. Concurrently, he commanded his deputy general to lead another twenty thousand light cavalry to set out the following morning as a second wave to reinforce him. The remaining remnants were to hold the position, preventing any potential Imperial advance.
Had Eisenhao not perished, Ba Haoran would not have made such a rash decision. However, Eisenhao's death had driven the old general to the brink. He had to achieve a great victory to vindicate his capability, thereby avoiding the vengeance of the bereaved families.
Upon entering the Imperial camp, they confirmed the hasty withdrawal. Battlefield spoils had been left behind. Ba Haoran also recovered Eisenhao's body and head, as well as the Kingdom's battle standard. Though these were mere remnants left by the enemy, retrieving them required a courageous foray into the hostile camp—an act of bravery and fearlessness.
Calculating the temperature of the campfires, the Imperial Army had departed in great haste, suggesting they could not have gone far. Ba Haoran became even more certain of his deduction, ordering his entire force to mount up and pursue at maximum speed!
Ba Haoran dispatched a messenger back up the mountain, instructing the second wave to depart earlier and the remaining remnants to descend and retrieve the abandoned equipment. The heavy cavalry gear was expensive and would be needed for future rebuilding.
Descending the mountain and exiting the narrow pass, Ba Haoran drove his troops onward. The ground was thick with cavalry hoof prints, confirming that the Imperial Army had mounted up and retreated. The old general, riding at the head, was jubilant and majestic in his perceived reversal of fortune.
The turning point of the war was imminent. If they could just engage the Imperial Army's rearguard, a great victory would be the inevitable result.
After three hours of relentless pursuit, the Royal Army captured a small detachment of Imperial supply train servants. The Imperial soldiers had all fled, leaving only these civilian laborers behind.
Ba Haoran now had absolute confirmation of the Imperial withdrawal. He pressed the army to increase their pace. The battle to reclaim his honor depended on this pursuit.
Ba Haoran led the charge, estimating that cresting the next small hill would bring the Imperial Army into view. As he topped the rise, he did indeed see the Imperial Army.
Only, they were deployed in full battle array, waiting for him!
"Retreat! It's a trap!"
The old general's experience instantly confirmed the ambush. Imperial cavalry began encircling the small hill from both flanks. The Imperial horses were fresh, while his ten thousand troops were riding animals already gasping for breath.
However, advancing was easy; retreating was near impossible, especially with exhausted cavalry. All Ba Haoran could do was command a hasty withdrawal, which resulted in more horses collapsing dead on the road and stragglers falling into captivity. The entire cavalry force had lost all organization. He could only pin his hopes on the incoming support force. If they could link up, he might still escape.
Finally, after severe losses, Ba Haoran rendezvoused with the twenty thousand supporting cavalry. At this point, fighting a desperate battle was pointless; a full retreat was the priority. But the Imperial cavalry clung to them like maggots to bone, relentlessly herding the Royal Army's withdrawal.
Despair descended!
The pass leading back home was held by Imperial infantry, who had established a fortified, unbreakable encampment. The twenty thousand plus Royal cavalry were trapped in a pincer movement, pursued from the rear and blocked in the front. Ultimately, after Ba Haoran committed suicide, half the cavalry surrendered to the Imperial Army, and the other half fought to the last man and were annihilated.
The Imperial cavalry continued through the infantry lines to reclaim their original main camp. The Royal infantry who were hauling the spoils of war up the mountain were no match for the fresh Imperial cavalry. This pursuit was a total collapse. In the end, the Royal Expeditionary Force was completely wiped out. Except for those who surrendered, none survived.
In the century-long warfare between the Empire and the Kingdom, never had a victory been so absolute. Han Aureus Duke Dipper Aureus had forged a military myth, achieving a height of glory unprecedented by his predecessors.
The scent of blood at Cold Well Gorge lingered long after the battle. The setting sun, like blood itself, shone upon the banners of the Imperial Army, which snapped loudly in the wind, announcing an unprecedented, glorious victory. Han Aureus Duke Dipper Aureus stood on the high ground, looking down upon the battlefield—a vision of hell—his face devoid of joy, only a profound composure. Just one day prior, this had been the Royal Army's main base.
Dipper Aureus's voice was low and solemn, conveying the victor's clemency and respect.
"Clear the battlefield. Give the fallen soldiers of the Royal Army a dignified burial. It must be honorable."
"All spoils of war, aside from military equipment, are to be used for the immediate reward of the entire army, as compensation for this campaign."
Dipper Aureus's decision further boosted his prestige among the troops. Rewards were always welcomed, and few generals were willing to share so generously with their soldiers.
"The Duke's action is to consolidate support and purchase the army's allegiance."
The astute advisors had already guessed Dipper Aureus's true ambition. The news of the Emperor's failing health was no secret among the high-ranking staff, though it had not reached the soldiers. This great victory earned Dipper Aureus immense popular support, giving him a strong foundation among the populace for the upcoming Elector Kings' conference. But regardless of the shifting political landscape, military authority would always be the first priority.
After conducting a memorial service here to pacify the spirits of the fallen on both sides, and arranging for a monument to commemorate Dipper Aureus's great achievement, he took only a hundred of his personal guard and rode relentlessly toward Prime Lake City without rest.
The intelligence Dipper Aureus had actually received was that Emperor Dipper Huang had already passed away, and the news was being kept secret. He had to return to the capital and seize control of the situation in the shortest possible time.
The very day the victory was confirmed, he had dispatched a team of propagandists. They rode through the Empire, passing every city and along all major thoroughfares, loudly proclaiming the "Han Aureus Duke's Great Victory." He wanted the indelible impression of the Duke's triumph to be burned into the mind of every Imperial citizen.
"Has that old rogue truly died?"
Dipper Aureus silently questioned himself.