Chapter 78 Hidden Dangers Must Be Eradicated

In high spirits, Yang Xi made a wryly humorous complaint, then issued a command to his assembled generals: “Gentlemen, follow me to the west gate so we may welcome the reinforcements led by Dou Hua!”

After a day of fierce battle, the arrival of fresh troops at last brought relief. Though the reinforcements numbered only three thousand, their significance was profound. Their presence meant hope—for with Dou Hua’s three thousand men arrived, the five thousand under Zhang Jian would be at Tong Pass within an hour or two. Whether three thousand or eight thousand, the arrival of reinforcements brought new promise to the defenders of Tong Pass.

With these new arrivals, the fighting strength of the garrison would be greatly replenished, and morale lifted, as was evident on the faces of the generals accompanying Yang Xi to greet the reinforcements. All were in high spirits, and the rest of the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.

When Yang Xi, together with the incapacitated Ge Shuhan and a contingent of officers, reached the west gate of Tong Pass, Dou Hua and his three thousand men had already arrived just outside.

“Subordinate Dou Hua, commanding three thousand soldiers, has arrived at Tong Pass. Awaiting Marshal Yang’s orders!” Dou Hua, looking utterly exhausted, stood at attention before Yang Xi and reported loudly.

Seeing the battered Dou Hua and the three thousand behind him—disheveled, weary, but still maintaining a semblance of formation—Yang Xi offered a slight smile. He saluted Dou Hua before speaking in a loud voice: “General Dou, you and your men have endured much! The enemy has begun its assault, and your timely arrival at Tong Pass is a blessing for the Great Tang! With your addition, I am confident this city will remain in our hands!”

“Thank you, Marshal Yang, for not blaming your subordinate for arriving late!” Dou Hua, relieved but still standing tall, declared loudly, “Rest assured, Marshal, my men and I will fight with all our strength and will never allow the enemy to take the walls!”

“Good! Your resolve is most heartening!” Yang Xi, recognizing the exhaustion and determination of the troops who had rushed to Tong Pass, kept his words brief. After a few simple instructions, he ordered Dou Hua, “General Dou, let your men rest immediately. The enemy may attack under cover of night—we must be ready to fight to the end!”

“Yes, Marshal! I obey!” Dou Hua wasted no time, instructing his soldiers to find places to rest, restore their strength, and fill their bellies in preparation for the night’s possible battle.

In truth, Dou Hua felt a twinge of guilt. He knew that before his arrival, Tong Pass had endured several perilous trials, the enemy nearly breaching the walls. Had he arrived an hour or two earlier, perhaps the crisis would have been averted, and Yang Xi would not have struggled so desperately with troop allocation. It was the cursed rain that had delayed them, blocking their progress and setting them back nearly an hour from the planned arrival.

Dou Hua had braced himself for reproach from Yang Xi and the other generals, but none came, which eased his mind. Still, he felt compelled to prove the worth of his men. As he led his soldiers to rest and eat, he sternly admonished them to make the most of their time, preparing for the night’s battle.

If any soldier dared to shrink from the fight, military law would deal with them harshly!

Dou Hua’s contingent, elite troops from the Dragon Martial Guard, were renowned for their discipline and fighting prowess. Though exhausted from their relentless march, they did not disperse like a rabble when ordered to rest. There was no disorder or scrambling for food; instead, each followed their officer’s lead, settling in their assigned area for rest and meals. This orderly conduct pleased Yang Xi greatly.

With Dou Hua’s troops arriving just after nightfall, Yang Xi felt more at ease, and the worries of other generals diminished. When Yang Xi had arrived earlier with three thousand men, morale had soared. After a day of fierce fighting and the arrival of reinforcements, those who had doubted their ability to hold Tong Pass now regained their confidence.

With the steady stream of reinforcements and the natural defenses of Tong Pass, even large-scale assaults by the enemy could no longer inspire fear.

Night soon fell completely, and countless lanterns and torches were lit atop the walls.

Yang Xi ordered most of the soldiers to rest, leaving only a portion to patrol the ramparts, vigilant against any surprise attack.

After a day of intense battle, the defenders atop the walls were utterly spent—without rest, they could not recover their fighting strength.

Yet, to his surprise, during supper—just as dusk fell and the moon hung midway in the sky—the enemy, who had fallen back a few miles to the east and south gates, showed no signs of activity. No organized troops approached the city or prepared for an assault. It seemed the enemy, too, intended to rest and renew battle at dawn.

The enemy was unexpectedly “cooperative.”

About an hour and a half after Dou Hua’s arrival, around the hour of the Dog, Zhang Jian and his five thousand men reached Tong Pass.

Though these five thousand arrived worn down and weary, their presence after Dou Hua’s three thousand was like a shot of adrenaline to the city’s defenders, erasing most worries among the generals.

Originally, the city housed over ten thousand troops. With the eight thousand reinforcements arriving by night, the total now approached twenty thousand.

With twenty thousand men defending the walls, there was no longer any fear of insufficient manpower or fatigue from repeated enemy attacks. The garrison could rotate shifts, allowing for rest. If Chen Xuanli’s fifty thousand men could arrive soon, the defenders of Tong Pass would number over seventy thousand—ample strength, and no longer any worry of the city falling.

According to the latest reports, Chen Xuanli’s force was still a hundred miles from Tong Pass and would arrive, at best, by noon tomorrow.

“Damn it, Chen Xuanli must be deliberately dragging his feet!” Upon hearing the news, Yang Xi could not help but curse. He had a premonition: when Chen Xuanli arrived, although the defense would be reinforced, new tensions would arise. This commander of the imperial guard—who had publicly rebuked Yang Guozhong yet earned Li Longji’s trust—might refuse to cooperate and even quarrel with him.

This was a dangerous prospect. He must find a way to prevent such discord and eliminate any potential hazard beforehand!

With this thought, he immediately wrote a letter and dispatched a soldier to carry it to Chang’an as swiftly as possible.

Just as Yang Xi finished his letter, a soldier arrived with urgent news—under cover of night, the enemy was attacking!