Handan!
Dragon Terrace Palace!
"The Qin army has already arrived at the gates of the city."
"General, can our Great Zhao hold the city?"
Although his ministers had previously assured him multiple times that with the unity of the army and people, Handan would remain unbroken, Zhao Yan couldn't help but feel uneasy upon seeing the Qin army at the gates for himself.
"This old general will defend the city to the death and live or die with Handan," replied Pang Nuan firmly.
Seeing the stern determination on Pang Nuan's face, it was evident that he had already resolved to face death.
Since the retreat from Wu'an City, Pang Nuan had been filled with remorse.
To lose a city defended by 300,000 troops to the Qin army in a single day was, in his eyes, an unbearable humiliation.
This time, he had made up his mind.
Even in death, he would ensure Handan did not fall.
"With those words, General, I feel more at ease," Zhao Yan said, but then added with concern, "However, we cannot underestimate the might of the Qin army.
"I hold no grudge against your defeat at Wu'an. Instead, I hope you can turn that loss into valuable experience and devise a better strategy to repel the enemy."
At this point, with Lian Po dead, Zhao Yan had no one else to rely on but Pang Nuan.
Though the loss at Wu'an left Zhao Yan worried, he understood that victory and defeat were part of warfare. For a loyal general like Pang Nuan, Zhao Yan could not be overly harsh.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty," Pang Nuan said.
"The defeat at Wu'an was due to the collapse of a single gate, which caused scattered troops to disrupt the defenses of the other gates."
"This time"
"This old general has devised a foolproof strategy."
"To deal with retreating troops, I propose establishing 100-man supervisory units within every battalion and 1,000-man units for every division."
"If there is any disorder, the supervisory units will immediately execute retreating soldiers."
"Additionally"
"The names, family records, and hometowns of every member of the supervisory units will be recorded. Should they dare desert in battle, their entire families will be executed."
Pang Nuan declared this plan loudly and confidently.
Hearing this, Zhao Yan's eyes lit up with approval. "General, you are indeed skilled in command. With such measures in place, the troops will not dare to flee in battle. Supervisory units stationed throughout the army will ensure there are no more panicked retreats."
"This plan is the result of much thought and deliberation," Pang Nuan said gravely.
"Only by ensuring unity of purpose among the Zhao soldiers can we hope to resist this formidable foe."
"Go forth and implement your plan, General."
"In Handan, we have nearly 300,000 troops."
"In addition to the 200,000 you brought back from Wu'an City, I also have 50,000 palace guards."
"At this critical juncture, I entrust you with complete military authority over the city."
Zhao Yan spoke with utmost seriousness.
Then, he stood up slowly, picked up a box from the table, and walked toward Pang Nuan in the hall.
Pang Nuan bowed respectfully.
"This tiger tally I now bestow upon you."
"With this token, you hold supreme command over the army and answer only to me."
"If anyone within the city dares disobey your orders, betray Zhao, or sow discord among the troops, you have my permission to deal with them according to military law."
As Zhao Yan placed the box containing the tiger tally into Pang Nuan's hands, the general knelt deeply.
"This old general pledges loyalty unto death to Your Majesty."
"In addition to the 300,000 troops in Handan," Zhao Yan continued, "I have issued a decree to summon 100,000 cavalry from the border regions of Dai.
"They are the elite of our Great Zhao."
"They should arrive within the next two days, and their deployment will be entirely at your discretion."
Hearing of the 100,000 cavalry reinforcements, a sharp gleam flashed in Pang Nuan's eyes.
"Your Majesty is wise."
"Our Great Zhao's cavalry, famed for its Hu-style armor and archery, is unmatched in the world."
"With these 100,000 border cavalry, I am confident that Handan can hold its ground and even inflict a crushing defeat upon the Qin army."
"Your confidence reassures me, General," Zhao Yan said, laughing heartily.
Then, turning to the civil and military officials gathered in the Dragon Terrace Palace, Zhao Yan's gaze lingered briefly on Zhao Yi before sweeping across the assembly.
"Ministers!"
"Our nation faces its greatest peril; the violent Qin army stands at our gates."
"I won't waste words: anyone who dares to collaborate with Qin, betray Zhao, or sow discord in these times will see their entire clan eradicated."
Zhao Yan's voice was cold and resolute.
While he may not have been a wise king in peaceful times, at this moment of national crisis, Zhao Yan exuded a monarch's commanding presence. After all, his survival was at stake.
If Handan fell, so too would his life.
Thus, he was exceptionally clear-headed.
"We swear loyalty to Your Majesty and Great Zhao unto death!"
The ministers in the Dragon Terrace Palace all proclaimed in unison.
"Your Majesty," Pang Nuan spoke again, "there is one more critical matter that must be addressed to ensure the defense of Handan."
"What is it, General?" Zhao Yan asked immediately.
"In addition to the 100,000 border cavalry and the horses they require"
"Handan must secure adequate supplies of grain and provisions."
"With over 300,000 troops in the city, daily consumption is immense. If the Qin army blocks our supply routes, Handan could become a besieged fortress."
"Therefore, I request that control of all grain and provisions within the city be placed directly under my authority."
Pang Nuan bowed as he made his request.
Hearing this, Chancellor Guo Kai grew anxious.
The management of grain supplies had always been under his control a position that came with substantial personal benefits. How could he willingly hand it over?
Besides, this could be an opportunity to further assist Qin.
"Does the General not trust this Chancellor's ability to manage the supplies?" Guo Kai asked, displeased.
"Chancellor, you misunderstand. It is not a matter of trust but of prioritizing the greater good."
"The grain supplies in Handan can last no more than three or four months. With Qin spies likely embedded within the city, we cannot afford any mishaps. If the grain is compromised, Great Zhao will be in grave danger."
Pang Nuan maintained an air of selfless patriotism.
"General" Guo Kai tried to argue further.
But the pragmatic Zhao Yan raised a hand to silence him. "The General is correct. In matters concerning the survival of Great Zhao, caution is paramount."
"I have already stated that all military authority in Handan is now under the General's command, including the responsibility for Zhao's survival."
"The grain supplies must be secured by the military to avoid any risk."
"Chancellor, you will continue to coordinate grain shipments from other cities. Once the supplies reach Handan, they will be handed over to the General."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Guo Kai replied reluctantly, bowing in submission.
Feeling the trust placed in him by Zhao Yan, Pang Nuan knelt once again. "This old general swear unwavering loyalty to Your Majesty and will not let you down."
"Chancellor," Zhao Yan continued, "thanks to the General's reminder, we now know that Handan's grain supplies will only last for less than four months.
"You must act swiftly to procure more supplies."
"Your Majesty, it is not that I refuse to procure more," Guo Kai explained helplessly, "but there is no grain left to gather.
"Zhao's prolonged wars including the campaign against Yan have consumed vast amounts of provisions. With the Qin invasion, much of our grain has fallen into their hands.
"Moreover, the autumn harvest has yet to arrive."
"In times of national crisis, every Zhao citizen must defend the nation."
"Proclaim my decree: raise taxes. The funds collected will be used to purchase grain."
Zhao Yan declared resolutely, leaving no room for objection.
"Your Majesty," Zhao Yi interjected, "our Great Zhao already imposes a tax rate of 70%.
"If we raise it any further, to 80%, the people will not survive."
Unlike Zhao Yan, Zhao Yi still harbored some compassion for the common people.
"Do I need to remind you of Qin's cruelty?" Zhao Yan retorted coldly.
"After the Battle of Changping, Qin massacred 400,000 surrendered Zhao soldiers a slaughter that shocked the world.
"If Qin conquers our capital, over 20 million Zhao citizens will be enslaved by Qin. How many lives will be lost then?"
"To preserve Great Zhao, every citizen must fulfill their duty."
"Taxes may be high now, but once we repel the Qin, I will compensate the people," Zhao Yan said without hesitation.
To Zhao Yan, the plight of the people was insignificant compared to his throne and power.
As long as Qin was repelled and his reign remained intact, any price was worth paying.
And if Zhao's kingdom ceased to exist, exterminated by Qin, what point would there be in caring for the people?
This mess will have to be handed over to Qin.
If not handled properly, the people of Zhao might one day direct their hatred toward Qin.
"Your Majesty, if we provoke public anger, it will harm our Zhao's resistance against Qin," Zhao Yi tried to persuade.
"Lord Chunping,"
"The nation is in peril. If the people must harbor resentment, let it be toward Qin. What has it to do with Your Majesty?" Guo Kai said loudly.
"Indeed, the Chancellor has the people's welfare at heart," King Yan of Zhao said with satisfaction.
"Enough, the matter is settled. Chancellor, you may proceed."
"This meeting is adjourned," King Yan said, leaving decisively.
"With the current state of affairs, even if we manage to hold Handan and repel Qin, it will take Zhao at least a decade to recover its strength," Zhao Yi sighed inwardly.
Inside the Zhao King's Palace!
"Why hasn't Li Mu returned yet?" King Yan asked Guo Kai.
"Your Majesty, Li Mu refuses to relinquish his military power," Guo Kai replied with a serious expression.
Hearing this, King Yan paused momentarily before letting out a cold snort, "Just as I expected."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty," Guo Kai reassured. "I have already dealt with him. General Yan Ju has successfully taken over his command, and we've replaced Li Mu's loyalists with officers loyal to you."
"The border forces are now fully under our control," Guo Kai said promptly.
"You've done well," King Yan said coldly. "Li Mu is dead, and so be it."
To him, Li Mu's death stirred no emotion. Li Mu had always been an obstacle to his authority.
"Your Majesty," Guo Kai suggested, "Though Li Mu is dead, his reputation in Zhao rivals even that of Lian Po. I propose blaming his death on Qin, inciting our soldiers to unite in hatred against them."
"The Chancellor's suggestion is sound," King Yan agreed. "This matter is in your capable hands."
After leaving the Zhao King's Palace.
At the Chancellor's Residence.
"Lord Dunruo," Guo Kai addressed cautiously, "I've seized control of Li Mu and Sima Shang's troops, and I sent people to kill them. However, there's been a change in circumstances."
"Li Mu and Sima Shang were rescued midway," he admitted. "But I've still reported to King Yan that they are dead, and he didn't ask further."
"As for who rescued them, I genuinely have no clue," Guo Kai confessed, lowering his head respectfully toward Dunruo.
"They were rescued?" Dunruo frowned slightly. "Was it someone from Zhao?"
"Impossible," Guo Kai replied. "The plan to execute Li Mu was top secret, devised solely by me. There's no way anyone else could've known."
"Moreover, the ones who saved Li Mu are no ordinary force. They killed over 500 of my county soldiers and withdrew without a single casualty," Guo Kai elaborated.
Faced with King Yan, Guo Kai had lied endlessly. But in front of Dunruo, who held his life in his hands, he dared not utter a false word. After all, he still desired wealth and power.
Listening to Guo Kai's account, Dunruo's expression turned grim. "How many people were there?"
"From what we gathered, no more than 500," Guo Kai responded.
"Five hundred people faced off against 3,000 county soldiers, killed over 500, and retreated unscathed?" Dunruo was visibly shaken. "What kind of force is this? How could they be so formidable?"
Even with his elite Black Ice Platform agents, achieving such a feat in direct combat would be impossible without suffering casualties. Yet these people had managed to retreat entirely unscathed.
"Investigate their characteristics, weapons, and any other details. Report back to me once you've found out," Dunruo instructed.
"Understood," Guo Kai replied promptly.
"This force couldn't have emerged out of nowhere. It must be a well-trained unit," Dunruo thought. "The question is, which nation trained them?"
As the head of the Black Ice Platform, Dunruo was naturally highly sensitive to the appearance of such a mysterious force.
Five miles outside Handan.
The Qin army was methodically setting up camp.
Inside the main general's tent:
"General Zhao, you're here," Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe looked up as Zhao Feng entered the tent.
"Generals," Zhao Feng greeted with a smile.
"Have a seat," Wang Jian said warmly, his gaze toward Zhao Feng full of appreciation.
Wang Ben, Zhao Feng's brother-in-law, looked at him with admiration, while Yang Duanhe smiled and said, "General Zhao, the first credit for breaking through Wu'an City belongs to you. I had originally planned to congratulate you, but you immediately led troops in pursuit."
"General Yang flatters me. Breaking through the enemy city is merely my duty," Zhao Feng responded modestly.
"Ah," Yang Duanhe waved dismissively. "Wu'an City was fortified with 300,000 troops. Based on my initial calculations, it would've taken at least a month to breach it, with no fewer than 100,000 casualties. But thanks to your breakthrough, the enemy's defenses collapsed, allowing us to capture the city in a single day."
"Your contributions are undeniable," he added.
"I've already reported your achievements to the king," Wang Jian said with a smile. "After Zhao is conquered, rewards will be bestowed."
"Thank you, General," Zhao Feng replied courteously. While the recognition was deserved, proper decorum had to be maintained.
This victory not only bolstered his standing as a general but also strengthened his case for a higher noble rank.
"Enough," Wang Jian said. "With our three main forces gathered outside Handan, we must now discuss breaching the city."
"Handan is a fortress, even harder to take than Wu'an," Wang Jian said gravely. "Unlike Wu'an, which was isolated, Handan is well-defended. Simultaneous attacks on three fronts are almost impossible."
"Besides, Pan Jian surely hasn't concentrated all his forces inside Handan. If I'm not mistaken, Zhao's border troops must be on the move," Zhao Feng added.
"You're correct," Wang Jian confirmed. "The border troops are indeed mobilizing. I've also received intelligence Li Mu is dead," he said gravely.
At these words, Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe's expressions shifted. After a moment of shock, a gleam of joy appeared.
"Li Mu was one of Zhao's top generals. Without him, Zhao is like a crippled beast. This is fantastic news for Qin," Yang Duanhe said.
"With Lian Po gone and now Li Mu dead, Zhao has only Pan Jian left," Wang Ben added. "This is excellent. Without Li Mu, Zhao's border forces will struggle to maintain their effectiveness."
While the others celebrated, Zhao Feng was deep in thought.
"It seems Guo Kai reported Li Mu as dead and didn't mention his rescue," Zhao Feng speculated. "Guo Kai, always cunning."
"But could it be that Guo Kai is now under the control of the Qin king?" Zhao Feng pondered. "Back then, I handed Guo Kai over to Tu Sui, who in turn delivered him to the king. He must've been turned at that time."
"The legendary Qin 'God of War' truly belongs to Qin," Zhao Feng mused. "First targeting Lian Po, and now ambushing Li Mu. There's no way Qin isn't behind this."
"History proves that the Qin war machine is unmatched."
When Lian Po had been forced to defend outside the city, Zhao Feng did not believe it was without someone manipulating things behind the scenes.
All of this was undoubtedly the work of Guo Kai.
"This is intelligence I just received," Wang Jian said, his voice steady.
"General Yan Ju has led 100,000 border troops from Dai to Handan and is now stationed east of the city."
"In addition," he continued, "Pang Nuan has implemented a strict 'supervisory army' policy. Take a standard battalion of 1,000 troops as an example there are now 100 supervisory soldiers assigned to oversee them. These supervisors are tasked with executing any deserters on the spot. And should any of these supervisors themselves attempt to flee, their entire families will be executed as punishment."
Hearing this, the three Qin generals in the room fell silent.
After a long pause:
"The Zhao border troops are the strongest force in their military, renowned for their mastery of light cavalry and horse archery," Wang Ben said gravely.
"Even though our Qin elite soldiers are formidable, if it comes to facing the Zhao's mounted forces head-on, especially in a cavalry battle, we stand little chance."
"Indeed," he added. "Even in siege warfare, should Zhao cavalry strike unexpectedly, our infantry would find it nearly impossible to withstand them."
"That said," Zhao Feng interjected, "not all 100,000 border troops could be cavalry. If they have 30,000 cavalry among them, that would already be the maximum."
When Zhao Feng read historical war novels in his past life, the stories often described tens of thousands of cavalry charging across the battlefield. But now, as someone who had personally commanded armies, he understood just how rare cavalry forces were.
Not to mention Zhao the entirety of Qin's cavalry forces combined, including those stationed on the northern frontier, likely numbered no more than 80,000.
Zhao might have slightly more cavalry, but the difference wouldn't be significant.
The border troops stationed in Dai had about 70,000 cavalry.
All of those forces couldn't be sent to Handan.
Raising and maintaining a cavalry unit was no small feat. The resources required far exceeded those needed for infantry. And the horses especially in this era posed an additional challenge. Without modern breeding and care methods, a warhorse typically served only a few years before needing to be retired.
"Still, even 30,000 cavalry is a fearsome number," Wang Ben sighed.
"Furthermore," he added, "Pang Nuan has learned from the defeat at Wu'an. By establishing this supervisory system and leveraging threats against soldiers' families, he's effectively eliminated the risk of a large-scale rout. Zhao troops will likely fight with renewed resolve."
"The forces stationed within Handan, including Zhao's elite royal guards, number no fewer than 200,000. Adding the 100,000 border troops, plus the fact that Handan is their capital with extensive fortifications..."
"Breaking through the city will be extraordinarily difficult," Yang Duanhe said, a note of frustration in his voice.
Back at Wu'an, both generals had brimmed with confidence and vied for credit in the battle. Now, faced with the challenge of Handan, a heavy silence weighed on them both.
It was clear they had little confidence in their ability to take the city.
"What's wrong?" Zhao Feng asked, glancing at the two of them with a faint smile.
"Have the two of you lost your appetite for the glory of taking Handan?"
"Breaking this city would be a far greater accomplishment than Wu'an," he said with a chuckle.
"This battle will be a true bloodbath," Yang Duanhe muttered grimly.
"Taking Handan won't be easy."
"I still remember vividly how General Wang He once led 300,000 men to besiege Handan, losing nearly 100,000 troops without breaking the city. In the end, he took his own life before its walls."
"This memory remains as vivid as if it happened yesterday."
Wang Ben sighed heavily.
He, too, was well aware of that event. At the time, he had served as a commander under Wang He, though only at the rank of a 10,000-man commander.
The sheer brutality of that campaign rivaled even the Battle of Changping.
However, while the massacre at Changping was a humiliating stain on Zhao's history, the failed siege of Handan was a bitter memory for Qin a humiliation Qin rarely discussed.
It was even regarded as one of Emperor Ying Zheng's greatest shame.
After all, that campaign had also involved Lü Buwei.
Fueled by anger, Ying Zheng had launched the invasion of Zhao, initially achieving a string of victories and advancing to Handan. Yet, in the end, they were defeated.
The failure drained a significant portion of Qin's national strength.
It was because of this history that Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe both harbored a lingering shadow of doubt.
"That was then; this is now," Zhao Feng declared with a grin.
"A Qin general does not fear defeat."
With that, he rose to his feet, bowed deeply to Wang Jian, and said, "I request to lead the vanguard and attack Handan!"
Hearing this, both Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe looked at him in surprise.
At that moment, they couldn't help but feel Zhao Feng was like a "young calf unafraid of the tiger."
Although Zhao Feng's record was impressive, based on the current disposition of forces in Handan, breaking through would be no simple task.
Pang Nuan had learned his lessons from Wu'an's fall and made meticulous preparations.
Handan would be ten times more difficult to capture than Wu'an.
"Zhao General," Yang Duanhe said, his tone cautious, "you are still young and may not fully understand the peril of this campaign."
"Though your forces have suffered the fewest losses among the three main divisions, this battle could easily result in the complete annihilation of your troops if not executed carefully."
"We must plan thoroughly before launching an attack on Handan."
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