Breaking Through the Wolf Tribe's Stronghold

Yan and Julang's ambush and annihilation of the Wolf Tribe's Xueshou 900 cavalry in the Little Mountain resulted in fewer than 100 casualties. Most of the wounded were only lightly injured. Yan ordered some people to stay behind to clean up the battlefield and collect supplies while waiting for the Shinian to arrive. Yan himself and Julang led 1,200 cavalrymen to continue towards the Wolf Tribe's lair on the Stone Ridge Mountain.

After several days of marching, Yan and Julang finally led their men to the entrance to the Wolf Tribe's stronghold on Stone Ridge Mountain. Stone Ridge Mountain was very steep, with a gentle slope halfway up where the Wolf Tribe's main stronghold was located. From the foot of the mountain to the halfway point, only a narrow, winding path led uphill. The path was narrow, allowing only two or three people to walk side-by-side, and was lined with dense bushes and vines, requiring one to squeeze through in some places. Yan, mounted on his horse, tightened the Jiangsheng, his gaze sweeping from the foot of the mountain to the halfway point, seeing the path appearing and disappearing among the bushes. There were three relatively flat areas around the waist, which were probably the locations of the three checkpoints that Huibao had mentioned. He wrapped the Jiangsheng halfway around his finger and then released them, turning to Julang and saying, "Julang, you take four hundred cavalry and set up defenses at the foot of the mountain, guarding the entrances and exits. I'll take four hundred men and Huibao's men to go up the mountain first and capture the three checkpoints of the Wolf Tribe. After a while, you can send the other four hundred men to follow. Once we're up there, we'll change clothes, putting on the captured Wolf Tribe armor, weapons, and flags. If you hear no movement on the mountain, it means everything is going smoothly."

After listening, Julang nodded and said, "Young Chief, leave the foot of the mountain to me. Be careful going up. Although Huibao has surrendered, we don't know what he's thinking. Don't stand too close to the front. Let him knock on the door first, and your men follow behind. That way, you'll have time to react if he tries anything."

Yan nodded to him, then handed the Jiangsheng to the guard beside him, dismounted, and instructed the twenty-odd men led by Huibao and the four hundred warriors around him, "Everyone, prepare your weapons and equipment. We'll depart in half an hour! Put on the captured Wolf Tribe armor, raise the Wolf Tribe flag, and use the Wolf Tribe spears and swords. Put away the Fire Tribe insignia for now. Once we're up there, listen to my commands. If I say 'attack,' then you attack. If I say 'don't move,' then you stand still. Huibao will be knocking at the gate; you follow behind. Don't make a sound, don't look around, and don't give yourself away."

Yan and his men immediately changed into the captured Wolf Tribe armor, weapons, and flags. The armor was taken from the corpses on the battlefield in the valley; after cleaning, it was still wearable. Yan wore a black leather armor, and his personal guards also changed into the Wolf Tribe leather armor. They put away the Fire Tribe flag and replaced it with a black Wolf Tribe flag, embroidered with a wolf's head. The wolf's head wasn't embroidered very finely, but its outline was still visible. It fluttered in the wind and looked real from a distance.

The Wolf Tribe soldiers, including Huibao, were very eager to surrender. As soon as they reached the mountain, they started leading the way. Huibao walked at the very front. He had changed into a clean linen robe, washed off the scabs on his face, and covered the wounds with a strip of cloth, making them less conspicuous. He took long, fast strides, turning back to point the way to Yan and the others as he walked. He muttered to himself which fork in the road led to which corner had a sentry post, and which Shitou offered a good view. Yan followed three or four steps behind him, clutching the curved knife hidden in his robe. His gaze swept from the back of Huibao's head to the bushes on both sides of the road, then to the stone steps above. He tapped his fingers lightly on the hilt of the knife, pressing his fingertip against the brass buckle and then releasing it.

Upon arriving at the first checkpoint, they found a wooden stockade built at a bend in the mountain path. The stockade walls, constructed of thick wooden stakes, were two or three people high. The gate was made of thick wooden planks with a small opening. Beside the gate stood a sentry post, where a tall, thin leader stood. He wore a grayish-brown leather armor over a short hemp robe, with a hemp rope tied around his waist and straw sandals on his feet. He had a long face, high cheekbones, and deep-set eyes. Standing on the sentry post, he spotted Huibao from afar. He squinted, then shielded his eyes from the light with his hand, carefully examining the man's face. Recognizing Huibao's features, he called down, "Brother Huibao, weren't you supposed to be with Xueshou and the others to meet up with Xueya? Why are you back so soon? Where's Xueshou? Did they manage to meet him?"

Huibao stopped at the foot of the gate, looked up, and shouted in a loud voice, "Open the gate! Open the gate! We've met the leader! Xueya and his men have brought a lot of supplies and manpower, and there's a large force following behind. Xueshou ordered me to come back and take over the defenses here to prepare for the arrival of the main army. Open the gate quickly! This is Xueshou's personal bronze dagger!" He then drew Xueshou's bronze dagger from his waist and tossed it upwards. The dagger tumbled twice in the air before being caught by the tall, thin leader. He glanced down at the hilt, then looked up at the blade. It was Xueshou's personal dagger; the hilt was wrapped with old strips of cloth, and the blade had several small nicks. He recognized it; he had fought alongside Xueshou several times and had seen this dagger before.

Although the tall, thin leader was somewhat puzzled, Huibao was a high-ranking leader under Xueshou, usually in charge of scouts, and his words carried weight. He dared not offend him. Moreover, Huibao had brought over four hundred men up the mountain this time, all of whom wore Wolf Tribe armor and carried Wolf Tribe flags, so they seemed to be doing well. His hundred or so old and weak men were no match for them, so he dared not disobey orders. He sheathed his short sword and shouted down, "Open the gate!" The gate was pulled open from the inside, and the two thick wooden doors swung open to the sides. Huibao was the first to walk in, followed by Yan with four hundred men. As soon as they entered the gate, Yan ordered the hundred or so old and weak men to assemble. Some of them were still eating lunch, and some were dozing off. They were called out and made to stand in several rows. Yan's men went up and confiscated their weapons, then herded them to squat in the corners of the village. This first checkpoint was taken down in an instant, in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Then the second checkpoint was also captured. The second checkpoint was about half a mile above the first checkpoint. The guard was a middle-aged leader, younger than the first leader, but also simple-minded. Huibao went up and knocked on the door, saying that he had brought back the Xueya leader with a large number of men. The middle-aged leader recognized Huibao and saw the wolf head banner and hundreds of people wearing Wolf Tribe armor. Without thinking much, he opened the door. After the Yan people went in, they disarmed the guards and drove them to a corner. The whole thing took less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

After capturing the two checkpoints, the remaining four hundred members of the Fire Tribe arrived and met up with Yan at the second checkpoint. Yan reorganized the group, assigning the newcomers to take over the defense of the two checkpoints, while the original four hundred followed him further up. Yan and Huibao continued leading the four hundred men towards the third checkpoint, located slightly above the second. It was a small village built at a fork in the road, with thicker walls and a sturdier gate than the previous two. A slightly overweight chieftain stood guard on the village wall. Looking up, he saw Huibao leading his men up. The first question was tossed up by Huibao, who, as usual, tossed Xueshou's dagger, saying they had brought back Xueya leader with a large force and were preparing a welcoming ceremony. The slightly overweight leader caught the dagger, examining it twice before speaking, his voice hesitant, as if he'd been pushed into a corner, his speech slower than usual. "Huibao, where's Xueshou? Why didn't he come back with you? Should I send someone to the lair to inform Qinglang leader and have him make arrangements?"

Upon hearing this, Huibao's face immediately darkened. His brows furrowed, and the lines around his eyes tightened. He tilted his head back and shouted, his voice filled with the anger that only comes after being offended. His speech was faster than usual, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "Are you deaf or blind? Xueshou is leading a large force behind the main camp. He sent me back to make arrangements, and you still want to inform Qinglang? Who is Qinglang? He's in charge of the main camp's defenses, and I'm in charge of the scouts. We each manage our own affairs. You, a mere Xiaotou, dare to use Qinglang to pressure me? If you delay the arrival of the main army, can you bear the responsibility? Xueshou's knife is in your hand. What are you afraid of? Open the gate now!"

The slightly overweight leader was initially stunned by Huibao's tirade, but his expression softened. He sheathed his short sword and shouted down, "Open the gate!" The gate opened from the inside, and Yan led four hundred men inside. Upon entering, he gathered the hundred or so elderly and weak men, confiscated their weapons, and put them under control. Yan left one hundred men there and continued on with Huibao and over three hundred men towards the Wolf Tribe's lair.

As soon as Yan and Huibao's group of over three hundred arrived outside the Wolf Tribe's lair, Huibao hurriedly called for Qinglang to open the gate. The main stronghold of the Wolf Tribe was built on a flat area at the top of the mountain. The walls were constructed of large Shitou and thick wooden stakes, making them much sturdier than the three checkpoints below. The gate consisted of two thick wooden planks joined together, covered with a layer of copper plating studded with copper nails, which gleamed darkly in the afternoon sun. Qinglang, having heard the news, also came to inquire. He wore a black leather armor over a dark gray linen robe, and a bronze-buckled leather belt with a bronze dagger hanging from it. Standing on the wall, he looked down and saw Huibao leading over three hundred people below, carrying a wolf-head banner and wearing Wolf Tribe armor. He called out, his voice not loud but clear, his speech a beat slower than usual. "Huibao, you're back? Where's Chief Xueya? Where's Xueshou? Have they reached him for backup?"

Huibao looked up and shouted loudly, "Got it! Xueya and his men are right behind us, with a large amount of supplies and manpower. Xueshou sent me back first to have you prepare a welcoming ceremony. Open the gates, prepare the food and wine. The leaders will arrive tonight, so open the gates quickly. I have something to tell you; Xueshou asked me to speak with you privately!"

When Qinglang heard Huibao say, "Chief Xueshou asked me to speak with you privately," he didn't think much of it. Xueshou was now his direct superior, and Huibao usually relayed important messages. He walked down from the stockade wall and headed towards the gate, shouting to the guards, "Open the gate!" The gate opened from the inside, and Huibao went in first. Qinglang took two steps forward and stood in front of Huibao, about to ask a question, when Huibao suddenly lunged forward, drawing the bronze dagger he had taken from Xueshou from his waist. The blade grazed Huibao's sleeve, and before Qinglang could react, Huibao's knife was already slashing at his neck, the blade cutting from left to right. Qinglang's eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth to scream but couldn't utter a sound. He clutched his neck, stumbled forward two steps, his knees buckled, and he fell to his knees, his face hitting the stone steps.

Then Yan led about three hundred men in a massacre. The hundred warriors of the Wolf Tribe's stronghold were scattered and slaughtered before they could even organize themselves. The area quieted down in less than the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn. Yan stood in the open space in the center of the main village, drew his scimitar from its sheath, the blade stained with blood. He shouted to his left and right, "Search the entire village, see if anyone is still hiding. Seal off the warehouses and houses. We'll make arrangements when the Julang comes in."