Although he and Pang De both served Ma Chao, the latter far surpassed him in seniority and standing, so it was necessary for him to offer a salute first.
Pang De smiled. "No need for such courtesy, General Li. The Young General heard that the fighting at Tong Pass was growing desperate, so he sent me with troops to reinforce you."
"How do things stand at Tong Pass?"
Upon hearing that Ma Chao had sent Pang De to reinforce Tong Pass, Li Kan immediately looked excited. "You could not have come at a better time, General Pang."
"The enemy has been attacking fiercely of late, and with heavy snow blocking the roads, transporting supplies has been difficult. Supplies within Tong Pass are running short again."
"Had you arrived another ten days to half a month later, I fear the troops' morale would have hit rock bottom."
Li Kan gave a rough account of the situation within Tong Pass.
Tong Pass had a garrison numbering tens of thousands. While this made its defenses as impregnable as walls of metal and a moat of boiling water, it also placed enormous demands on its supply lines.
Grain and fodder were manageable; the crucial supplies were warm clothing and firewood, things they could least afford to lack.
Yet successive heavy snowfalls had cut off supply shipments, and with the enemy attacking fiercely every day, complaints filled the army from top to bottom.
Now Pang De's arrival with reinforcements had brought them fresh hope.
"I see."
Pang De nodded slightly at this, then said, "Rest assured, General Li. The wind and snow have eased considerably. Supplies will arrive before long, and then the troops will no longer have to endure cold and hunger."
"But until then, we must not let our guard down. I need