There was no retreat.
Wasn't the Prime Minister standing here just like us?
He was second only to one, the Prime Minister, and he was already over seventy years old, past his prime, frail and sickly.
If he could endure this, why should we, young and strong men, fear death?
...
On the other side.
These Xiongnu warriors never expected the defending soldiers in Shanhai Pass to resist so fiercely. They began to tighten their formation, forced to turn back, some even jumping directly from the city walls.
Finally, when the last Xiongnu warrior was thrown off the city wall, countless defending soldiers erupted in cheers.
...
If there had been the slightest mishap during this night raid, Shanhai Pass would have fallen, and everyone within the pass, including Li Ning, would have faced certain death.
Now that they had finally fought their way to victory and repelled the enemy, everyone was jubilant, grateful to see another sunrise. How exciting it was.
...
But on the other side.
Li Ning, over seventy years old, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He knew his body was failing him, but he also knew he could not falter now.
For if he fell, Shanhai Pass would inevitably be lost.
And if Shanhai Pass fell, countless steppe cavalry would gallop freely across the plains beyond, burning, killing, and plundering, turning the entire Han territory into scorched earth.
...
As dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight touched the earth.
The bodies of Xiongnu warriors were unceremoniously thrown down from the city walls like dead cats and dogs.
The defending soldiers in Shanhai Pass had long prepared large quantities of boulders and incendiary oil, waiting to unleash them upon the steppe cavalry when they came to retrieve their fallen comrades. Thus, the Xiongnu dared not act rashly.
Across the vast plains, exhausted steppe cavalry lay or sat on their mounts, devoid of any military discipline.
They were truly weary.
After the initial ambition of roaring like tigers and conquering the world on horseback, they had never felt so tired.
Facing this seemingly impregnable city, they wished they could charge down and break open its gates with their own heads.
...
Yet, after curses and anger, they found themselves still powerless to conquer the city.
The provisions they had brought days ago were depleted, forcing them to slaughter their horses. Now, as time wore on, their horses dwindled.
If they continued to kill horses, they might soon have no mounts left.
Even more terrifying was the fact that their fodder was almost gone.
Without fodder, their warhorses would not be adequately fed, lacking the strength to fight, and would eventually starve to death.
Without their warhorses, the Xiongnu would cease to be the invincible horde of battlefield cavalry.
The morale of the Xiongnu began to waver with the passing of time.
To conserve food, they ate all the small and medium-sized mammals outside the city, such as deer, rabbits, and mice. In the end, they resorted to eating grass and leaves.
Driven to madness by hunger, they even resorted to consuming human corpses.
They were unwilling to kill more horses. With their steeds, they were fierce steppe cavalry; without them, they were merely skilled archers.
It seemed the only solace was that both sides, within and without the city, were at least engaged in mutual attrition!
Xiongnu warriors died daily, either in battle or from starvation. Of course, the same was true within Shanhai Pass.
These Xiongnu craved alcohol, especially potent liquor.
Unfortunately, the strong spirits they had brought were long gone.
They wished to find beautiful Han women to vent their frustrations, but alas, the Han women were all within this city.
The city held provisions, wine, and, of course, women.
If they could only capture this city, they would have everything.
Alas, after half a month, the city remained as steadfast as ever.
The Xiongnu Khan sat on his chariot, gazing from afar at Shanhai Pass. Since the battle had turned unfavorable, he had remained silent, merely sharpening his curved saber.
The Khan slowly picked up a piece of dried beef from his bag and began to chew it carefully.
With each bite, he realized how delicious this once unpalatable dried beef was.
He chewed slowly, his eyes fixed intently on Shanhai Pass.
The ten-thousand-man and thousand-man commanders beside him stared longingly at the bag of dried beef. The grass and leaves were not appetizing, and they had eaten too many of their comrades' corpses, which unsettled them.
After the bag of dried beef was finished, the Xiongnu Khan let out a satisfied burp. He cast a glance at Shanhai Pass, which still stood resolutely.
The intense killing intent in his eyes did not fade. Then, the killing intent vanished, and the Xiongnu Khan said to the commanders behind him, "Begin preparations for retreat. We cannot capture this city!"
The ten-thousand-man and thousand-man commanders around him turned pale, their morale plummeting.
Retreat?
Leaving behind hundreds of thousands of corpses and expending so many warhorses, what a colossal loss it would be to retreat now.
Seeing no reaction from the surrounding commanders,
The Khan swept his gaze across them again and roared sternly, "Execute the order, retreat!"
An hour later, countless steppe cavalry turned their horses and rode back towards the grasslands in unison.
...
The Prime Minister's temporary residence.
Almost simultaneously, Yu Shan, the highest-ranking civil official in Shanhai Pass besides Li Ning, and Guan Xiang, the Marquis of Huaiyang and the highest-ranking military official, rushed to Li Ning's residence as if competing for credit.
Li Ning, looking utterly exhausted, gazed at them weakly. Seeing their excited demeanor, he asked after a long pause, "What is it that makes you two so pleased?"
Li Ning, a Prime Minister who had served for decades, was the steadfast pillar of Shanhai Pass, even in his critical illness.
Lord Chancellor Yu Shan said with great emotion, "Esteemed teacher, the Xiongnu have retreated. They have retreated."
As he spoke, his eyes turned red with emotion, and he choked, continuing in a somewhat muffled voice, "We have defended the Han Dynasty's territory and saved tens of millions of our people behind us."
Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang was also flushed with excitement. "Indeed, Prime Minister, the Xiongnu have all withdrawn. Just half an hour ago, I personally ascended the wall to see clearly. Shanhai Pass has truly been preserved."
Upon hearing this, Li Ning's clouded eyes instantly became sharp. Overwhelmed with emotion, he coughed violently, only stopping after expectorating several mouthfuls of blood.
"The Xiongnu have truly retreated?" Li Ning asked, still uncertainly.
After exchanging glances, Lord Chancellor Yu Shan and Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang both nodded, confirming the truth of the matter.
...
At this moment, Lord Chancellor Yu Shan and Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang felt a complex mixture of emotions.
Li Ning, a powerful and at times treacherous minister, had committed many wrongdoings, but when it came to matters of great importance, he had never erred.
If Li Ning had not held the reins of power for over a decade, disrupting the court, the Han Empire would not be facing both natural disasters and man-made calamities simultaneously.
However, if it were not for Li Ning's principle of dealing with external threats before internal ones, and his unwavering decision to dispatch troops to Shanhai Pass, the pass would undoubtedly have fallen.
The north would have faced a massive invasion by the Xiongnu, and countless citizens would have perished under the curved sabers and longbows of the steppe cavalry.
Looking at the old man before them, who seemed as though he could be blown over by a gust of wind, both the powerful Lord Chancellor Yu Shan and Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang sighed silently in their hearts.
Judging by his appearance, Prime Minister Li Ning would not live to see the end of winter this year.
...
"Now that the Xiongnu have retreated, our lives will be a little easier."
A moment later, Li Ning said to the two, "Come, accompany me outside to see."
With the assistance of his servants, Li Ning walked ahead, followed closely by Lord Chancellor Yu Shan and Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang.
...
Li Ning gazed at the ravaged scene outside the city walls, the corpses strewn everywhere, the rivers of blood. His heart ached as if being pierced by a thousand needles.
He remained silent, questioning himself in his heart, had his life truly been a mistake? Was he truly someone destined for infamy?
Enduring the biting wind, Li Ning felt the warmth within his heart gradually chilling. He knew his end was near; he was about to die.
Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang, standing nearby, spoke excitedly, "Prime Minister, should we pursue them? The Xiongnu are in panicked retreat now. If we pursue them, our merits will increase further."
"Then perhaps our names will appear in history, and we will achieve eternal fame and lasting legacy."
His words piqued the interest of Lord Chancellor Yu Shan, for a person in life seeks not only profit but also fame.
Lord Chancellor Yu Shan couldn't help but chime in, "That's a good idea. Esteemed teacher, what do you think?"
...
"No one is to leave the city. Those who defy this order shall be executed without mercy!"
Upon hearing this, Li Ning's stooped old back gradually straightened. An aura of commanding the world, brooks no defiance, returned to him.
"Foolish! To pursue the Xiongnu on the plains, how unwise! What if this is a Xiongnu ploy?"
"Moreover, with external threats pacified, internal unrest still persists. Rebel forces across the land are continuously eroding the empire's foundation. At this juncture, every single unit of strength is incredibly vital to the empire, let alone an army of a hundred thousand."
"The hundred thousand troops in Shanhai Pass must be returned to the capital intact, and their command must be handed over to the central government. Otherwise, I dare not imagine what will happen later..."
"Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang is no longer fit to be the chief commander defending Shanhai Pass. Given his hard work and distinguished service, I shall promote him one rank and have him serve as a Grand Commander in the Imperial Guard in the capital."
Marquis of Huaiyang Guan Xiang, eager for military glory, became somewhat anxious. "Prime Minister, this is a great achievement..."
Li Ning glared fiercely at Guan Xiang, then silently turned around and, with the support of his servants, descended from the city wall.
Guan Xiang, now somewhat sheepish, dared not say another word.
To be continued...
(Newcomer updating, please collect, request recommendation votes, request reposts, give more, thank you friends, your support is my motivation!)