It was godsend when, General's wife had send loads of rations. The granary was depleting, it was cause for concern but not more then losing at this stage. When the rations and weapons were in place. All they had to form was an formidable battle tactic and the rest will was set for play
Everyone deployed as planned. General and Commander Chen charged war at Juyong pass. The siege of the Juyong pass went on for a week and each time a fraction of the Guoqiang's army would lessen. This made the Shenzhou army, General Gu into believing that Guoqiang's army was dwindling. Guoqiang and Chen fought tremendously they were skilful evading attacks. They lost their horses and were fighting on foot. After losing his vanguard commander Chen, Guoqiang purposefully got himself alienated, from the rest of his army. In an act of losing the battle at the Juyong pass. This defeat made Guoqiang declare retreat to Zijin Pass.
Seeing Guoqiang's small army retreat, General Gu was delighted and boast the moral of his army. Guoqiang had quite a reputation around. He has faced defeat before but never so ignobly. With their engagement with Guoqiang in these four months, he was just sitting duck. This was a bad remark in his military career. General Gu, with the elated feeling, decided to not let their momentum dy and ordered his army to rush to Zijin Pass. He declared reward for who every marched their before Guoqiang army. And the Shenzhou army without any rest from last week, galloped to Zijin. They were under the impression, that the small army of Guoqiang won't have enough time to replenish themselves and get aid. Gu assumed that his army will catch Guoqiang before Zijin, who had fled from the battle field when he was outnumbered. This report also reached the two nation's capitals. This hasty decision of General Gu, would turn into disaster, no one could have predicated.
When the novices troop in Shenzhou army, reached the Zijin pass first, under the greed of receiving the reward, General Gu promised. They could not comprehend the situation at the pass. When General Gu and the rest of the army reached the pass. They met with an abandoned pass. With no single soul wandering about, no guard at the gate or at the walls. Confused general Gu send scouts for scanning the area. The scouts returned with the news that the nearby villages were empty to. No sign of anyone. And from the looks of it, it was abandoned days ago. He started to realise what a complex ploy Guoqaing played. Every moment during their battle at the Juyong pass, Guoqiang's army decreased, he assumed that they were killed in battle. What he didn't realise was Guoqiang was sending them slowly to evacuate this pass and the villages. Despite what lied in front of him General Gu was still on his high horse, he thought that Guoqiang was indeed going to be defeated. If he had already send troops to evacuate this premises that means he has escaped himself. Gu found it reassuring that he still had the upper hand. "Go search for Guoqiang, capture him at all cost, alive," ordered General Gu. Concerned general called in commander-in-chief of his vanguard. "What has our informant said?" To which the commander-in-chief replied "I think he is dead. He hasn't given any update since the burning of the rations."
"Hmm, contact with the token, to see what is unfolding in the capital." Said General Gu. General gave his token to convey the message. Somehow commander-in-chief hasn't figured out that is token was stolen. Had he known this before, they could have had a better chance against Guoqiang, but this time luck was on Gouqiang's side. They set the camp at the Zijin pass, awaiting orders from the capital, for next expedition. Three days later a tired soldier rushed to the general announcing bad news. They received a devastating report. 'General Guoqiang attacked the Yanmen Pass with all his troops. Ninth prince Wu Liang has departed from the Shenzhou capital for Yanmen pass and has demanded General Gu's presence.' This no one could have foreseen. One could see panic in Gu's eyes.
Meanwhile at the tent, close to Yanmen pass, General and his commanders held meeting. Their surprised attack shock Shenzhou. A report regarding the situation at the Shenzhou court and at Tianxia court had arrived. Guoqiang had send a deployment map to Tianxia, only after he had already set this play. It was a little to inform the emperor and the court will definitely send someone from the capital to monitor and take control of the battle. Guoqiang was hoping that the one who arrives from the capital would be the real mastermind. By the time Shenzhou forces gain understanding of this situation and depart their army at Yanmen pass, the other two passes will be in control of Tianxia. When Shenzhou's army leave Juyong and Zijin pass to battle in Yanmen pass, Superintendent Wan will regain Juyong pass and Zijin pass. Therefore losing at Juyong made for a good strategy by Guoqaing.
The situation was hopeful in Guoqiang's camp, They had defeated the guarding forces at the Yanmen pass. By the time army comes to battle with them at the Yanmen pass they had time.
Commander Chu noticed something strange on general. "General why are you wearing a sword tassel on your girdle instead of a jade pendant." Asked a curious Commander Chu. "It's my glaive tassel, it fell out the glaive during combat," replied general.
Commander Yang : "Its dirty, you should throw this. You should buy a new one."
General : "No need I like this one." And left the tent, he stood outside his own tent over looking at the preparation for the battle.
Commander Chen : "Don't question it, he swooped it during battle. I was surprised to see that the general, went to such lengths to retrieve that tassel."
Commander Yuan : "What did he do?"
Commander Chen : "We were off our horses, engaging in close combat on ground. When he dodged an enemy soldier's slash, but that spear cut the tassel string of his glaive. If it was me, i would have let it stayed on the ground, it is just a trinket. But general, swopped down to grab it even before the tassel hit the ground, and stumbled on one knee. Clasping the tassel he slashed his glaive in an upwards, killing the enemy soldier. General must be fond of that trinket, so much to forgo combat!"
Commander Yan : "It was given to him, by his wife."
Commander Chen : "He met his wife? He was there for the wedding!? I heard that he wasn't present for the wedding, and she was all alone at her own wedding with nobody congratulating her."
Commander Yang : "She send it with a letter"
Commander Yuan : "You all will not understand, when you have the love and care of your partner, it is equivalent to you having the entire world. Small gestures like this make you feel safe." Commander Yuan explained fondly while taking of his neck pendant his lover gave him, stroking it gently.
Commander Chu : "Like general needs to feel save with a good luck tassel."
Commander Yuan : "Men also want security even if they are militants. We all need a sense of security, it maybe different for each one, but knowing that someone shares your thoughts and concerns, gives you a profound purpose. You will understand when you have someone to share it with." The rest remained silent, they had been in the battle field and doing expeditions for so many years, they have not settled. Chu is someone who frequents courtesans house, Yan has been following general since he lost his tribe. Yang has been serving general for the sack of his family wellbeing and honour and Chen has been trying to rise in ranks. All were far away from achieving affection. But they did not see it as necessity. General was also one of them, when he was forcefully married due to imperial decree. But now general's idea of marriage has changed, he did not think he would need it. But that is something that will make sense to him in the future.