Chapter 211 Operation Mountain Hammer - The Ambush (1/2)
Chapter 211 – Operation Mountain Hammer - The Ambush
The operation ”Mountain Hammer” did not end with just Lu Bu force and the battle at Shangdang. The plan also involved the Julu Army in Jinyang's territory.
Jia Xu wanted an army with at least 50,000 men to set an ambush in this designated location. Jia Xu specified that they had to use the rolling-boulder tactic when Liu Ping and his first couple battalions passed their ambush site.
The stones and rolling rocks had to stack and disconnect the Imperial Army in half, which Liu Ping would be isolated in the frontline. The troops in the back would not be able to assist Liu Ping, who led the march on the front.
From that point, his neck would be on the chopping board. Zhang Xiu and his troops had to take over the role as the finisher to kill Liu Ping and end this war once and for all.
In the case that Liu Ping did not lead the troops on the front, Jia Xu also affirmed that they could also continue their plan, but they had to retreat after the frontal Imperial forces were wiped out.
Fortunately, Liu Ping's action was favorable to the ambush plan. He led the troops in the very front and was an easy target to the hiding Julu Army.
Before Liu Ping arrived, Hua Shi, who had been appointed as the grand commander of this army, had taken 30,000 men to the designated location.
Unfortunately, Julu could not recruit or prepare the 50,000 men that Jia Xu had required on time, so they had to complete the job with only 30,000 men.
Hua Shi divided the troops into three parties. The first group was the ambush party, which consisted of 5,000 men and Zhang Ji. They had to hide on top of the east hill, which was only a hundred meters away from the road. Should they spot Liu Ping, they would have to roll all the prepared boulders to severe the front battalions and the back.
The second unit with 20,000 infantries, led by Zhang Xiu, had to hide in the trenches and wait for the incoming Imperial Army five hundred meters away north of the boulder ambush point. They were in charge of clearing the front battalions.
And the last unit, the back-up unit which Hua Shi was the leader, she and 5,000 men would provide artillery and arrow support to the other groups if they required.
Xiao Wu, AKA Friday, however, was the wild card who could only square with Liu Ping in direct combat. Thus, she was appointed as the assassin in this operation.
Alas, Friday failed to confirm her kill and sent Liu Ping into the boulder landing areas. She clicked her tongue in frustration since she knew that the cockroach Liu Ping would not die from those injuries Hua Shi inflicted.
…
Zhang Ji, the commander of the Boulder unit, looked at Liu Ping Army from the top of the hill.
As an abandoned commander of Dong Zhuo, he was more than happy that he could continue working as a thousand-man commander again.
His promotion came a few months after Tong integrated him into his army. Zhang Ji's position title changed into a colonel, and he could command over 10,000 men. His nephew was also the same, he was also appointed as a colonel.
To Zhang Ji, this position was no different than the standard general in the military. It was a huge promotion!
He was glad that his family was forsaken and sent to Julu. The pay was good. The food was delicious, and his fiancé had more friends.
Julu was his family's paradise!
Yet, he did not understand a few strange things in Julu City as a part of it shrouded in mystery.
First, the government somehow magically procured large stocks and a variety of unique food out of nowhere. He had never seen a caravan of these stocks or transportation that took care of these products anywhere.
Secondly, Dong Bai seemed to disappear and reappear randomly within Tong's Manor. He heard that Dong Bai had become a permanent resident in his young lord's house and disturbingly became one of his concubines.
Zhang Ji cringed every time he thought about this relationship between his young lord and this little girl. She was only 5 years old, which was not old enough for this yet. Alas, it was his lord's business that he could not interfere.
Third, the lady, Hua Shi, seemed to be famous in the city. All men fantasized her in their dreams as if she was a goddess of purity. In contrast to the local men, the veteran who survived the battle of Anping said Hua Shi was the ”Goddess of Death” as her arrows never missed. At the same time, the maids who worked in the government houses claimed that Hua Shi was the ”Goddess of Lust” because the maid heard the sounds of Hua Shi servicing Tong every night when he was at home.
This young lord's mistress had so many nicknames that confused Zhang Ji. He did not know why an ordinary noble's wife could get so famous.
And the last mysterious was the existence of Xiao Wu, who appeared out of nowhere. She claimed herself as one of Tong's concubines and also had a close relationship with the lady Hua. From the rumor, Xiao Wu was a combat maid who was also Hua Shi's personal bodyguard.
However, Zou Shi usually complained to Zhang Ji at home that every time she appeared, Dong Bai always disappeared. Furthermore, both Dong Bai and Xiao Wu seemed to talk in the same tone and style. Zou Shi even suspected that Xiao Wu was the one who taught Dong Bai vocabularies.
Then, his career led him to this place, the battlefield.
Before he came here, he was skeptical about having a pregnant young mistress being the grand commander of the army. To his surprise, several of Julu soldiers did not bother with it. In fact, many sergeants who had survived the Battle of Anping spoke highly of her.
Although he doubted her ability, he could not protest the order from the higher up as Hua Shi was Tong's wife. Defying the young lord would spell a disaster for him and Zou Shi, so he kept his mouth shut.
All doubts that he had proved him wrong when the Xiao Wu and Hua Shi started preparing the ambush.
Xiao Wu's supernatural strength terrified all soldiers as she could lift a massive boulder with her finger grips. She often threw the stones around and got scolded by the mistress.