The captives knelt before Liang Xiao, begging for mercy.
After understanding the situation from the cavalrymen, Liang Xiao sneered, "Helian Heng makes his subordinates call him Lord? No wonder he's fighting his way out of Jiange!"
Now he was certain. Helian Heng truly intended to seize Sichuan and declare himself emperor from the safety of its terrain.
Once Hanzhong was captured, the Sichuan region would be entirely under Helian Heng's control, making it difficult for the Great Qian forces to attack.
The captured scout captain pleaded, "We have elders and young ones at home. We were conscripted by force. Please, General Zhenxi, spare us!"
Liang Xiao paused, looking at the bewildered scout captain.
Facing the threat of death, this man not only begged for himself but also for his comrades. He was indeed a man of courage.
It was a pity that their horses were no match for the fine steeds of the Great Qian cavalry. Any elite cavalryman could have caught up to them, leading to their surprise capture.
However, what this scout captain said was true. Helian Heng's army had many soldiers who were forced to enlist.
These were all Great Qian people. He couldn't slaughter them all like he would barbarians. After all, the people of Sichuan would not support their men fighting against Great Qian like the barbarians did, nor would they help them purchase military supplies.
"The person standing before you is our Grand Marshal, General of Cavalry, Marquis Anguo!" Liu Fan said with a curl of his lip.
"What?!" All the scouts' pupils contracted, and they were terrified beyond measure.
Liang Xiao saw their reaction and couldn't help but chuckle.
If even Helian Heng's scouts didn't know that Liang Xiao was with the army, then Helian Heng's main forces certainly wouldn't.
However, the effect of him hiding his whereabouts had far exceeded expectations. It was enough!
These scouts mistook Liang Xiao's amusement for pride and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy.
"What is your name?" Liang Xiao asked the scout captain.
The scout captain replied, "Reporting to Your Lordship, my full name is Bian Lao San. My entire family, twelve people, and I were conscripted by Helian Heng!"
"Is your younger brother here?" Liang Xiao looked at a young man beside him who bore a striking resemblance to Bian Lao San.
The young man wailed, "I am Bian Lao Si. I have two elder sisters, and my third brother has a wife and children. We are all in one household. Please, Your Lordship, spare our lives!"
Bian Lao San also pleaded, continuously kowtowing, "If Your Lordship must kill, kill me alone. Spare my fourth brother's life. If there are no men left at home, they will be wiped out!"
Liang Xiao smiled and said, "Bian Lao San, I will give you a task. If you succeed, you will be richly rewarded. But if you fail, you will be torn to shreds. Do you dare to accept?"
Helian Heng's troops were stationed twenty li away from Liang Xiao's army, unaware of their presence.
The scouts sent out had not yet returned.
It was now late at night, and Helian Heng's army, exhausted, began to prepare their meals.
"My Lord, the scouts have returned!"
Upon receiving the news, Helian Heng spat out the meat he was chewing and rushed out of his tent, roaring at Bian Lao San, "Why are you only returning now?!"
Bian Lao San, with snot and tears streaming down his face, cried, "We ran into an ambush. All the others were annihilated. Only I managed to hide and eavesdrop on information! Please, my Lord, avenge my younger brother!!"
Helian Heng narrowed his eyes and said sternly, "Explain the details!"
"We encountered an ambush led by the Great Qian's Rear General Lü Changhe himself, with a cavalry unit. Their horses are fast. Fortunately, I was on patrol at the mountain pass and discovered the situation was bad. I immediately hid. My younger brother and over a hundred comrades all died under Lü Changhe's iron hooves. Lü Changhe's troops are resting twenty li away, and they might attack the camp tonight. Please, my Lord, be vigilant!"
Hearing Bian Lao San's heart-wrenching explanation, Helian Heng was startled, "Lü Changhe's troops dare to attack proactively?"
"This man was formerly the commander of the White Robe Army and is now the Great Qian's Rear General. He is skilled in cavalry warfare. It is indeed possible that he, relying on the strength of his cavalry, would attempt a night raid on the camp," Helian Ting reminded him.
"Has Lü Changhe really come to Hanzhong for support so quickly? It seems they are using only cavalry!" Helian Heng was filled with anxiety and quickly gave the order, "All troops be on alert and guard strictly against enemy raids!"
The army, already exhausted, had to remain vigilant after receiving the news, making it impossible to get a good night's sleep.
Liang Xiao did not send his troops to raid the camp.
His cavalry had been patrolling day and night, fully engaged in searching for enemy scouts, and were already considerably fatigued.
The remaining eighty thousand men had also marched forty li at a forced pace, equally exhausted. To march another twenty li would push them beyond their limits, making an engagement too risky.
Similarly, Helian Heng could not continue a forced march of twenty li to raid the camp while his troops were exhausted and he had no information about the enemy's disposition.
Helian Heng's army would be even more exhausted than his own nine thousand troops who were well-fed and cared for. Making them stay on edge, guarding against cavalry attacks, would prevent them from resting.
However, his troops could get sufficient rest early, prepare their formations in advance, and use scouts to watch. Once they estimated the enemy had advanced more than five li, they could engage with confidence, deciding the battle in one go!
By then, even if the enemy discovered they had been tricked, it would be too late to retreat to Jiange!
All ninety thousand troops ate their fill and slept well.
The next day, before dawn, the ninety thousand troops were already fed and rested. Nan Jiyun also arrived with five thousand men from Nanzheng to join them.
"We march in one hour. Whoever captures Helian Heng will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold, and those below the sixth rank will be promoted directly to the sixth rank, and those below the fourth rank will be promoted by one level!"
Liang Xiao's military order spread, and everyone was invigorated.
As the cock crowed, the ninety-five thousand troops had formed their battle lines. Fifteen thousand men guarded the camp, and eighty thousand marched out in good spirits, fully prepared.
In contrast, Helian Heng's army had traveled a long distance, and had to maintain vigilance all night. While they were fed, only twenty thousand elites out of one hundred and ten thousand received meat as a reward.
Furthermore, influenced by newspaper propaganda, many soldiers still doubted the righteousness of this war.
The Helian family occupied a large part of Sichuan and were essentially local emperors. Their military pay was self-sufficient, not relying on the central government, thus they could easily control the entire army.
Coupled with the promotion of the "tanding rù mǔ" (a tax reform policy), it made the local landlords and powerful families in Sichuan feel uneasy. These individuals wished for Helian Heng to declare himself emperor and cut off all contact with the outside world, thus increasing their financial and logistical support for the army to ensure it would not lack provisions.
However, a significant portion of this money naturally flowed into Helian Heng's personal coffers...
"Hanzhong has been developed for a hundred years and is now the wealthiest region in the land. Once Hanzhong is conquered, everyone can become rich by plundering it, and the land there will belong to you!"
Before setting out, Helian Heng was still trying to tempt his soldiers and boost their morale.
The two armies finally packed up their camps and advanced towards the northeast.
To guard against a surprise attack by the Great Qian cavalry, Helian Heng dispatched thirty scouts, led by Bian Lao San, to patrol ahead.
Bian Lao San led the scouts towards the northeast. The Great Qian cavalry stationed there rushed forward, apprehended them, and escorted them back to their main camp. Bian Lao San truthfully reported the situation of Helian Heng's army...
Liang Xiao's troops had formed small battle formations, ready to engage at any moment.
Helian Heng's army had only marched ten li at a forced pace when the vanguard suddenly stirred.
"What is this commotion!"
Helian Heng, already in a foul mood, was about to make an example of someone when the vanguard suddenly shouted in unison, "The Great Qian army is attacking!!"
Upon hearing this, Helian Heng's anger turned to joy, "They dare to deliver themselves to our doorstep? Attack immediately and annihilate the enemy!"
"Oh, right. What banner is the enemy flying? Is it Lü Changhe or Nan Jiyun?" Helian Heng suddenly remembered something and asked.
"Reporting to my Lord, the enemy's banner is... it is the Great Qian's Marquis Anguo, Liang Xiao!!"