Zhang Xin shot to his feet."What did you say?"
The "great river" referred to the Yellow River—known simply as He in ancient times. Back then, only two rivers had distinct names: the Yellow River as He and the Yangtze as Jiang. All others were generically called Shui, like the Luo River or the Wei River.
The Yellow River passed through Fuping, and to travel along its northern route into Bingzhou, one had to cross a narrow corridor near the Helan Mountains. With the mountains hemming in the west and the loess plateau and desert stretching to the east, there was no alternative path. That chokepoint was exactly where the rebels had now taken position.
The moment he heard this, Zhang Xin could no longer remain seated.
"My lord," Zhao Yun said, stepping forward with a clasped-fist salute, "allow me to lead the vanguard, strike the rebels, and carve out a path for the army!"
Zhang Xin said nothing. He unrolled a map and studied it in silence.
Time passed. Zhao Yun grew anxious. "My lord, the situation is urgent. Please decide quickly!"
Zhang Xin finally looked up, a faint smile on his lips. "You're getting impatient again. Go—summon all the generals to the command tent. And remember, do not mention that our retreat has been cut off."
"Yes, sir!" Zhao Yun hurried off.
Soon, the generals assembled. Zhang Xin called the roll.
"Zhang Liao, Jishu, Left Leopard."
"This humble general is present!" the three replied in unison.
"I've received orders from the Grand Commandant," Zhang Xin announced. "We are to advance south of the river and harass the Qiang rear."
He fixed his gaze on them. "You three will serve as the vanguard. Take two thousand mounted nomads and strike the Qiang tribes along the river."
"Yes!"
"The rest will follow me with the main force," Zhang Xin continued. "This campaign must be swift. We carry only three days' rations. We will sustain ourselves through battle—living off the enemy."
A murmur of excitement rippled through the tent.
"All spoils belong to you. I will not take a single coin."
"Understood!"
The generals dispersed, energized—but Zhao Yun lingered behind, confusion evident on his face.
"My lord… why are we heading south instead of north?"
Zhang Xin tapped the map. "The river corridor is too narrow. Our cavalry cannot maneuver there. If we're blocked in front and attacked from the rear by the governor of Beidi, we'll be trapped."
"We could leave a force in Fuping to guard the rear," Zhao Yun suggested.
Zhang Xin shook his head. "Fuping, Lingzhou, and Lian County all rebelled at the same time. And Lingzhou and Lian even sent troops to seize the river passage simultaneously. Do you think that's coincidence?"
Zhao Yun hesitated. "Then… someone is orchestrating this?"
"The Qiang and Han have lived together in Liang Province for generations," Zhang Xin said quietly. "When the Han are strong, these officials are Han. When the Qiang rise, they become Qiang."
He exhaled. "News of the Han army's defeat has likely spread. Our presence here is no secret."
Zhao Yun's expression darkened as understanding dawned.
"If you were the one behind this," Zhang Xin continued, "would you rush troops to Fuping now?"
Zhao Yun's eyes widened.
It would take at least three days to reach the river route—and by then, their rations would be gone. Worse, in that narrow terrain, their numbers would count for nothing. If another enemy force appeared behind them, they would be annihilated.
Heading north was a gamble with death.
Heading south, at least, offered a chance.
"I understand now," Zhao Yun said, bowing before departing to prepare the troops.
Once he was gone, Zhang Xin's calm façade crumbled. He pressed his fingers to his temples.
"Three days' rations…" he muttered. He had said it aloud to steady morale—but it was the truth.
Budugen would realize it soon enough.
"Let's take it one step at a time."
The army soon set out. Zhang Liao and the vanguard rode ahead with two thousand horsemen, while Zhang Xin followed thirty li behind with the main force. Cao Xing remained in the rear with a hundred men to guard against pursuit.
The very next day, a force of ten thousand Qiang cavalry reached Fuping—just as Zhang Xin had predicted. The governor of Beidi had long since allied with them.
Unable to locate Zhang Xin's army due to Cao Xing's rearguard wiping out scouts, they could only confirm one thing: the Han army had moved along the river.
Without hesitation, the Qiang forces gave chase.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xin's army advanced over two hundred li in two days, defeating scattered Qiang tribes, killing over a thousand, and seizing livestock to sustain themselves. With most rebels focused on Guanzhong, resistance was minimal.
Then Cao Xing reported: "Ten thousand Qiang cavalry are pursuing us—about one hundred li behind."
Zhao Yun was stunned. "My lord… your foresight is divine!"
Relief washed over him. Had they gone north, they would already be surrounded.
Still, Zhang Xin knew they couldn't keep fleeing along the river forever. After studying the map, he made a bold decision—leading the army into the foothills of the Liupan Mountains.
After a day's march, he ordered false tracks laid eastward, creating the illusion they were heading toward Sanshui and the Loess Plateau. In reality, the army veered west, concealing their trail.
The Qiang took the bait and pursued east.
Emerging from the mountains, Zhang Xin finally exhaled. "We've shaken them."
After a day of rest, the army advanced toward Zuli—a small but vital county between Anding and Hanyang. With no strong defenses, the city surrendered immediately.
This time, Zhang Xin wasted no chances. He placed trusted veterans in control of the city defenses and opened the granaries to resupply.
Once the army was settled, he summoned Yang Yi.
"You said you weren't familiar with Anding. What about Wuwei?"
Yang Yi smiled. "That, I know well."
"Good." Zhang Xin nodded. Then his voice dropped. "The imperial army… has been completely annihilated."
Yang Yi's eyes widened. "What?!"
"Keep your voice down," Zhang Xin warned. "Hanyang and Anding are already lost. I need the fastest route to Xi County."
After a moment's thought, he added, "Longxi is likely empty as well—Han Sui has taken most of the troops east."
Yang Yi pondered before replying, "In that case, we should pass through Yuzhong into Jincheng, then follow the Tao River south and enter Xi County via Di Road."
Zhang Xin studied the map.
It wasn't the shortest route—but the direct paths were crawling with rebels. Even a single victory could lead to encirclement.
Jincheng, however, was likely undefended. With rivers guiding the way, their march would remain steady—and water would not be an issue.
"Hanyang and Anding are overrun… but Jincheng and Longxi are exposed…" Zhang Xin murmured, eyes gleaming.
He looked up.
"Why not kill two birds with one stone?"
"On our way out… we take Jincheng."