The Xianbei were terrified and fled for their lives.
However, exhausted from their overnight assault and lack of sleep, more and more Xianbei cavalry were overtaken by the Great Qian soldiers, meeting their end in the desert.
Liang Xiao led the pursuit, cutting down the enemy. Only the Xianbei King and a few generals, on their prized steeds and covered by their troops, managed to escape back to their main camp seventy li away.
Upon hearing that their fourteen thousand strong army had been annihilated, the remaining sixty thousand Xianbei soldiers were consumed by dread.
"General Tian is coming for us. I finally understand why the Left Worthy King feared him like a tiger back then…" the Xianbei King muttered, drinking hot wine and gnawing on dried beef, occasionally chuckling foolishly. "When I saw him on the earth mound, no one could stop him. He seemed to know exactly where to charge, always finding the enemy banner quickly…"
"Your Majesty! The enemy is coming! Let us flee back to Wolf City at once!"
The Xianbei King snapped back to reality, then angrily declared, "Of the remaining soldiers, fewer than ten thousand are fit for battle. We must repel the pursuers first before making any further plans!"
The generals who had escaped looked bitter.
If they abandoned this camp, the Great Qian cavalry would have a clear path and pursue them relentlessly.
Yet, they could not bear to stay in the desert for another moment!
Having witnessed General Tian leading his troops, charging through the enemy lines as if none were present, they had lost all will to resist.
Once I escape back to Wolf City, I will never come to the desert again…
The Xianbei monarch and his officials shared the same thought, filled with regret.
Why had they not maintained friendly relations with the Great Qian, and even formally offered tribute as vassals to the Great Qian Emperor!
However, none dared to voice this, as they had been the most fervent supporters of the Xianbei King's ambition to seize gold, rise to prominence, and live a life of luxury.
With the gold in hand, even if they were temporarily no match for the Great Qian, they could retreat to the harsh northern lands to regroup, trade with the Tianri tribe and the Izumo nation, hire soldiers from the Guishuang Dynasty, and grow their power. With money and weapons, anything was possible…
As the fourteen thousand Xianbei cavalry vanished like smoke, all their aspirations turned into fleeting dreams and an unbearable nightmare!
A somber mood permeated the entire camp. Some soldiers even secretly stole horses and fled east towards Wolf City, making discipline impossible!
"Your Majesty! The enemy is upon us!"
The scout's report finally jolted the regretful Xianbei from their stupor.
The Xianbei King rose abruptly, gritting his teeth, "Defend this position! We have ten thousand bows and arrows available, enough to drive back the enemy!"
"Your Majesty! A contingent of Great Qian cavalry is approaching from the northwest, possibly exceeding twenty thousand!"
Another report, delivered by a swift horse, caused the Xianbei King's heart to stop!
Ding Wu Yi, in the northwest, upon receiving Liang Xiao's urgent airborne message after mobilizing the final batch of gold transports, personally led his troops to reinforce and encircle the Xianbei main camp.
The two forces merged to the west of the enemy camp, gazing at the distant enemy encampment.
"Marquis, we may capture many of the enemy's logistics personnel. However, I believe our army should not accept their surrender!" Ding Wu Yi stated coldly.
Liang Xiao paused, then nodded. "We can accept surrenders, but from this day forward, everyone will understand that even if the Xianbei break their word and attempt to seize the foundation of our Great Qian, causing millions to perish in the desert, they can still be forgiven. This action will only encourage more potential traitors!"
The generals pondered this.
Lü Changhe said gravely, "Those not of our kind harbor ill intentions. Moreover, escorting prisoners requires a detachment of troops. Without sufficient manpower to guard the gold along the way, the transport of the treasure could face unforeseen complications, especially since the Tianri tribe might be in the northern desert, or even attack from the direction of the Guishuang Dynasty!"
Zuo Wuji added sternly, "If the Xianbei had merely broken their treaty and marched south, threatening our borders, we could have subdued them. But they sought to seize the gold. I heard tales of the Xianbei in the Great Liang capital; when they followed the barbarians, did they not raid and plunder our Great Qian? The 'moist and succulent' Great Qian women they spoke of were none other than the suffering people of Yan Province and Liaodong from those very years?"
Zuo Wuji's remarks finally left the generals speechless.
Even if they wished to forgive, the people of Great Qian would never do so!
Firstly, it had only been a few years since the shame of Yan Province, and Great Qian could not afford to forget such pain.
Secondly, Great Qian had mobilized approximately one million people to journey to the desert to retrieve the gold.
Had it not been for the Xianbei threat, Great Qian would not have needed to fight this battle today, which had already resulted in losses exceeding five thousand soldiers!
This did not include the civilian laborers and soldiers who had died in the desert due to acclimatization issues, totaling over three thousand, nor the frostbite and serious illnesses that affected over twenty thousand. Everyone had gritted their teeth and persevered, solely hoping to recover the treasure soon, strengthen the nation, and thus provide better care for their families…
"What if the Xianbei had succeeded today? Our millions would have been annihilated, and Liaodong and the northern borders would have no peace. Please, Marshal, decide!" Even Nie Yuan, who had once roamed the land as a chivalrous hero, could not hide his deep resentment.
The generals harbored no more illusions of leniency. Liang Xiao finally issued his order: "Approach the enemy camp. If necessary, surround three sides and leave one open to lure them out. Take the fortress and annihilate the enemy completely!"
As the art of war states, "When tenfold the enemy's strength, surround them. When fivefold, attack. When double, engage."
The combat effectiveness of the remaining Xianbei troops was far less than one-tenth of the combined seventy thousand forces approaching them. Should they dare to sally forth from their camp to engage, they would surely perish!
Therefore, Liang Xiao decided to leave an opening, enticing the enemy to abandon their defenses. Even if they did not abandon their defenses, it would be enough to disrupt their morale and successfully divide them.
The Great Qian soldiers advanced with the remaining crossbows, spreading out. The Zhuge Repeating Crossbows had already been reloaded, ready to unleash a volley upon the enemy.
The Xianbei camp, housing sixty thousand men, was now devoid of any fighting spirit.
Upon learning that the Great Qian army was besieging their camp, the Xianbei King rose in anger, "We still have sixty thousand men. How dare he…"
As he spoke, the Xianbei King slumped back into his seat, muttering to himself, "In reality, less than ten thousand are capable of fighting…"
Originally, he had stationed one hundred thousand troops here, and later, forty thousand had gone to reinforce the battlefield.
Once the battle began, these fifty thousand logistics personnel might hinder the ten thousand fighting men, disrupting their morale!
And the ten thousand capable fighters actually only wished to escape back to Wolf City as soon as possible. The incident of desertion just moments ago had already resulted in the loss of at least a thousand men…
The tide had turned!
"Your Majesty, make a decision soon! If we don't run now, we may all become turtles in a jar…" the strategist whispered.
"What should we do?" the Xianbei King asked softly.
The strategist replied in a low voice, "The entire army should retreat. Disperse and abandon all supplies and livestock, letting the enemy fight over them. Then, have the sixty thousand men cover our rear, ensuring Your Majesty's safe return to Wolf City…"
The Xianbei King's eyelids twitched. He took a deep breath, then sighed several times.
"We cannot go to Wolf City either. The enemy will surely pursue us there. We can only retreat to our yurts in the northern desert if we wish to survive."
"But our wives and children are in Wolf City! Your favorite concubine and several princes are also there!" the strategist exclaimed in shock.
"There is an old saying in Great Qian: 'You cannot catch a wolf without risking your cubs'… Send someone to negotiate peace with Great Qian first and see if they will withdraw."
The strategist advised, "Your Majesty, how can the enemy accept peace negotiations? They will likely demand our surrender! But if we surrender, I might still become a vassal of Great Qian and continue to honor my ancestors. Your Majesty, however, would become the next Barbarian Chanyu, a prisoner for life. Escaping from here, Your Majesty remains the King. Losing to Great Qian is not a disgrace!"
Before Great Qian had even engaged in battle, the demoralized Xianbei monarch and his officials were already assessing the situation and preparing to flee.