Chapter 120: Wei Yan Battles Gan Ning

Entering the mansion, the scholar bowed to Wei Yan and said, "Now that the General’s condition has improved, I have come to offer my congratulations."

"Any man would recover from an injury like this, provided he hasn't lost a limb," Wei Yan replied, his face flushed with anger. "I have told you before: if you ever appear in my residence again, I will have your head!"

The scholar bowed once more and said, "My master once said, 'I urge the heavens to reinvigorate, to summon talent without restraint.' Even if the General wishes to take my life, it is but a worthless life to me. If it can persuade the General to choose a better tree to perch upon, then this journey will not have been in vain."

"In the past, Han Xin abandoned Xiang Yu, broke the state of Chu, and became a founding general of the Western Han, ultimately receiving a royal title. It is like panning for gold in the sand—one eventually finds an enlightened monarch," the scholar continued. "Now, look at my master, who holds the east of the river, occupies Jingzhou, and commands Yuzhou, all with the grand ambition of uniting the realm. Across the four seas, he is a hero of his generation. How can he let a talent like you go to waste?"

"I have said my piece. Please consider it, General. Farewell."

After the man departed, Wei Yan closed his eyes.

***

At Han Xuan’s mansion:

"Reporting to my Lord, there are rumors spreading through the army again. They say it is not only General Huang, but General Wei as well who seems to harbor thoughts of treason. They claim that Jiang Wen released General Huang specifically to incite General Wei to defect!"

Han Xuan’s expression remained flat. "What about Baling?"

"There is no news of Jiang Wen moving his troops. He is currently stationed at Baling," the soldier replied.

"You may go."

***

Three days later, at Jiang Wen’s grand camp:

Taishi Ci stepped forward and said, "General, when shall we march? Han Xuan’s forces are weak; we should strike while the iron is hot!"

Jiang Wen nodded. "I have my own considerations. Jiang Qin, hear my order!"

"I am here!"

"Take ten thousand troops and move west toward Wuling. Act as the situation dictates; take Wuling this time."

Jiang Qin bowed. "Understood! However, General, we are currently attacking Changsha. Is it wise to divide our forces now?"

"Do not worry. When you arrive at Wuling, you need only send someone to speak with a certain individual, and someone will hand over the city willingly."

"General, you aren't joking, are you? Jin Yi’s father was captured and executed by us. He holds a deep grudge; why would he surrender the city?"

"It has nothing to do with Jin Yi, but rather his chief general, Gong Zhi. I have already made arrangements. This time, General, you will surely take Wuling without shedding a drop of blood!" Jiang Wen said with a faint, carefree smile, as if he were discussing a trifle. Yet, the absolute confidence in his tone was beyond doubt.

Jiang Qin smiled. Indeed, he had been muddled by the heat of the past few days. The man before him was the Prime Minister's incomparable strategist, a man of peerless talent who had never lost a battle.

"General Jiang Qin obeys the order!"

"Zhou Tai, hear my order!"

"I am here!"

"Take your five thousand men and remain at Baling to guard the prisoners!"

"I obey!"

"The rest of you, follow me to attack Changsha!"

The terrain outside Changsha was treacherous, filled with high mountains and steep ridges. It was a place easy to defend but hard to attack. Without proper supply lines and momentum, a rash advance would inevitably exhaust the troops.

***

At Han Xuan’s mansion, Han Xuan looked at the military report in his hand. "After being silent for so long, they have finally come. Someone, send word to summon Huang—"

Han Xuan choked on his words, his expression filled with hesitation. Did he really want to use Huang Zhong?

He put away the bamboo slips and paced back and forth. Jiang Wen’s momentum was great, yet there was still a chance to win...

Outside Changsha, the military camp lay sprawled across the wilderness, stretching endlessly. Tens of thousands of soldiers stood before the city walls. The air on the battlefield grew heavy with a killing intent, and the atmosphere was tense, like a bowstring pulled to its limit.

Jiang Wen gazed at the gatehouse. In front of him, a group of soldiers braced their shields and crouched low. Lü Meng’s horse paced slowly. "General, I don't see that old man. Doesn't Han Xuan suspect him?"

"The ancients say that if three people claim there is a tiger, one will believe it. Han Xuan hears rumors of Huang Zhong colluding with us day and night. He may accept him on the surface, but when it comes to the battlefield, he will never trust him." Jiang Wen looked at the wall, where a burly, broad-shouldered general stood tall. The curved blade in his hand was not quite like a crescent moon. "This must be Wei Yan."

***

"General, I request to lead the charge!" Gan Ning said from his horse, his eyes filled with arrogance and defiance.

He respected scholars, especially one like Jiang Wen, whom he held in the same regard as Sun Ce. It was precisely for this reason that he wanted to test just how formidable the soldiers under Han Xuan really were.

He hadn't had the chance at the Battle of Baling because the enemy had collapsed too quickly, but things were different now. And if the opponent turned out to be weak? Gan Ning touched his dual halberds and decided he wouldn't mind killing him directly.

Jiang Wen noticed Gan Ning’s expression. He looked at the gatehouse, where no hidden arrows were yet visible, and touched the hilt of his ring-pommel saber. "Go ahead. Be careful."

Gan Ning rode his horse forward alone, stopping after a short distance. "At Baling, only one old man appeared. I thought Han Xuan had no capable generals and needed men with one foot in the grave to lead his army. Today, I see men with all their limbs intact, but in the eyes of Gan Xingba, you are all still just swine and dogs! Today's battle will be just like the slaughter at Red Cliffs—I will leave you in total ruin!"

"How arrogant! The Battle of Baling was merely due to the terrain; there is nothing worth boasting about. Your general just happened to stumble upon it—it was pure luck!" Wei Yan retorted. "Looking at you lot today, I see no great might. Calling yourselves a 'tiger-and-wolf army' is merely because you haven't met me, Wei Yan!"

"Why waste breath on empty talk? Even the rats know the name Gan Xingba! Come out quickly, don't keep your grandfather waiting!"

"Open the gates!" Wei Yan commanded in a low voice. The soldiers beside him hesitated. "General, you are wounded. If you face the enemy general, I fear..."

"Open the gates!"

"General's orders: open the gates!"

Wei Yan gripped his great blade and descended from the tower. Gan Ning offered a contemptuous sneer. The other soldiers stood by to watch.

"Little brat, even though I haven't killed anyone famous, I've slaughtered plenty of arrogant fools. If you're afraid, get off your horse and kneel; I'll leave you an intact corpse!"

"Blah, blah, blah. If you were a water bandit, I would have hacked you to death before you could finish a sentence. Since you've come down from the wall, let's fight properly. Don't whine like a crying toddler—do you need your mother to hold you?!"

"You're courting death!" Wei Yan roared, pulling back his blade and charging. Gan Ning spurred his horse, hooves thundering and dust swirling.

Wei Yan swung his blade with the force of five stones. The edge was razor-sharp, descending with the weight of a thousand pounds. While it could be parried, meeting it head-on would surely put one at a disadvantage. This first strike wasn't a probe; it was a killing blow! "Testing strength? I've met people more terrifying than you!" Gan Xingba refused to retreat. As a commander, he knew he should dodge and parry, but he refused—partly out of pride. He thrust his right arm out, meeting the blow with a single halberd. *Clang!* The weapons clashed, blade against halberd. Wei Yan’s eyes flashed with ferocity. "How dare you be so reckless!" Wei Yan’s single arm sank under the pressure, his veins bulging, but he couldn't break through. His horse let out a pained neigh.

Gan Ning roared, thrusting his left halberd out like a finger pointing the way, aiming straight for Wei Yan’s face. Wei Yan retracted his blade to parry, swinging the shaft to lash out at Gan Ning.

Gan Ning crossed his arms. *Clang!* The momentum was briefly checked!

Neither had gained the upper hand. They immediately wheeled their horses around. Gan Ning’s face was fierce, his eyes filled with violence; Wei Yan’s expression was grim. There was no mutual respect here—only the struggle for life and death!

Gan Ning struck at the head with his halberd. His dual halberds, usually known for their speed and trickery, now hit with the force of war hammers. With Gan Ning’s strength, the blows were indeed heavy as hammers!

Wei Yan parried with his blade. No sooner had they collided than Gan Ning struck again, his right-hand halberd thrusting like wind. Wei Yan’s expression tightened as he leaned back. Gan Ning’s left halberd followed, and Wei Yan tilted his blade to block while simultaneously stabbing toward the horse beneath him!

Gan Ning immediately retracted his left halberd, and both weapons clamped onto Wei Yan's blade shaft. As their horses galloped, the two men exerted all their strength, each trying to overpower the other!

Wei Yan’s strength began to wane. He jerked his blade back, a shrill grinding sound of metal against metal erupting, throwing off sparks.

"Hiyah!" Wei Yan spurred his horse into a gallop, Gan Ning close behind. Blades flashed. Suddenly, Wei Yan turned and thrust—a "returning horse spear" maneuver! Gan Ning parried with his halberd, and Wei Yan withdrew his blade to continue the charge.

"Faster!" Gan Ning roared, chasing him down. Riding side by side, they clashed again and again. Every move was a killing stroke; a moment of relaxation meant death!

Sparks flew, and the clash of weapons rang in their ears. The ferocity of the warriors grew. Gan Ning slashed at Wei Yan’s waist, while Wei Yan thrust at his head—a life-or-death, no-holds-barred style of fighting that was terrifying to behold.

The surrounding soldiers were left speechless; the duel of these great generals was breathtaking. Lü Meng and Jiang Wen’s generals watched with intense focus, not letting their guard down for a second. Gan Ning’s palms were bleeding, and Wei Yan was no better.

In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged a hundred blows!

Wei Yan struck three times with the speed of a whirlwind. As Gan Ning defended his head, Wei Yan shifted to attack his waist. But Gan Ning, anticipating this, leaned off his horse and kicked the blade shaft with his foot. He roared, shaking Wei Yan so hard that the general leaned precariously to the right, hanging off the side of his horse before pulling himself back.

Terrified, Wei Yan ducked just in time; a cold wind brushed his spine, and the red tassels from his helmet drifted to the ground.

"General!"

The soldiers on the walls and those below cried out simultaneously—one side in triumph, the other in alarm!

Gan Ning roared, slashing wildly. Wei Yan blocked with his blade, but the violent, heavy strikes came down like a rainstorm, giving him no chance to recover!

A sudden, sharp pain flared in Wei Yan’s spine. His eyes widened in terror. "Oh no!" Gan Ning’s repeated strikes had reopened his old wounds!

"Hmph!" His arm strength suddenly gave way. Gan Ning’s blow landed true; the blade shaft slammed into his back. Blood instantly soaked his armor, and the tearing of muscles sent a shockwave of pain through his entire body. Wei Yan tumbled from his horse!

"Die!" Gan Ning roared, wheeling his horse around to trample the fallen Wei Yan!

"Stop, Xingba!" Jiang Wen shouted, but Gan Ning seemed not to hear. He charged toward Wei Yan, a terrifying smile spreading across his lips. "Trample him!"

Wei Yan lay on the ground, his back injury making it impossible to escape. He had no strength left. Blood bubbled from his lips and stained the earth. He closed his eyes.

"Disobeying orders again!" Jiang Wen cried out in desperation. "Giddyap!"

"Protect the General!" Lü Meng shouted, and several personal guards spurred their horses forward.

But they were too far away, and it was clear Wei Yan had no strength to resist. Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air from the gatehouse, fast and fierce!

"Xingba, watch out!"

Gan Ning froze. Feeling the rush of air, he rolled to the side, falling from his horse and tumbling several times before coming to a stop.

Jiang Wen looked up at the gatehouse. An old general stood there, his eyes sharp, watching the field below. Taishi Ci also fired an arrow, severing the flag on the wall, which fluttered down to the ground!

The arrow hadn't been aimed at Gan Ning’s life; it had merely grazed his ear, forcing him to roll off his horse out of instinct.

Jiang Wen and Lü Meng reached Gan Ning’s side. As they approached, Gan Ning struggled to stand. "Kill him!" he shouted, running toward Wei Yan.

Lü Meng was shocked and quickly grabbed Gan Ning. "Brother, let it go! Brother!"

"Let me go! I’m going to kill him!!"

Jiang Wen’s brow twitched. He touched his saber and instinctively took a step back.

"General, if you could spare Wen Chang’s life, this old man would be eternally grateful!"

"Old General, though we are enemies, I have said before that I admire you. Since it is your request, I agree!"

Lü Meng dragged him away with all his might. After a while, Gan Ning finally calmed down. "Let go." Lü Meng ignored him and continued dragging him toward the army.

"Let go, I’m losing all face!"

Wei Yan still had a faint breath, but after Gan Ning’s strike, he would likely be bedridden for seven or eight months. "Someone, take him away and treat his wounds well."

On the gatehouse, Huang Zhong lowered his bow, letting them take Wei Yan away.

"General is mighty! General is mighty!"

The cheers echoed. Once they reached the camp, Lü Meng let go. Gan Ning glared at him and walked aside to take his horse from Jiang Wen.

***

In Jiang Wen’s camp:

"Well?"

"Reporting to the General, fortunately, he is a martial artist, and his cervical spine is stronger than an ordinary man's. However, he had old injuries on his back, and combined with the heavy blow from General Gan today, if he stays here, he will surely be dead within five days!"

"Old injuries on his back? So now I’ve won unfairly?" Gan Ning said, frustrated. He walked over and grabbed the physician by the collar, ready to strike.

"Stop, Xingba!" Jiang Wen barked. He looked at the unconscious Wei Yan on the bed, then at Gan Ning, Taishi Ci, and Lü Meng. "Everyone, I am thinking—"

"Don't even think about it!" Gan Ning roared. "I beat him! Whether he lives or dies is up to me!"

"I am the commander-in-chief."

"I don't care! I’m going to kill him now!" Gan Ning looked around, grabbed a ring-pommel saber from the side, and drew it. Taishi Ci and Lü Meng immediately stepped forward to restrain him. "Gan Ning has caused a disturbance in the camp. Confine him immediately; he is not to be released without my order. Furthermore, report this matter to the Prime Minister."