The Battle of Tangju

Living and sharing meals with Zhang Fei day after day, I could see his strengths and weaknesses with my own eyes and hear them with my own ears.

As for his strengths, contrary to the image most people held of him, he was not a man obsessed with drink. He did drink, but he knew how to moderate himself. In truth, the one with catastrophic drinking habits was Sun Quan.

When his subordinate officers occasionally had a cup at night, he did not particularly restrain them so long as they did their jobs properly. Of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠course, the officers drank with restraint. If they got drunk and made a mistake, thunder would fall on them at once.

So I never got the sense that this man would drink and cause trouble.

And one more thing. Surprisingly, he had something of a model student's side to him — every night he would set aside a little time to study military treatises with me.

In truth, rather than studying the texts himself, Zhang Fei was closer to teaching me. I learned this later, but it was because of an order Liu Bei had given him. The instruction was to teach me even a little about military strategy and army management through this campaign, and Zhang Fei faithfully followed it.

Thanks to that, I became his model student and absorbed various know-how, strategy included. Because of it, while the other officers finished their duties and shared a drink to unwind, the scene of Zhang Fei and me reading military treatises in the tent played out more than once.

During the day we also walked the surroundings, and I learned the terrain.

I had studied strategy and tactics with Pang Tong before, but the situation then had made it hard to focus on learning. So being able to learn step by step from the battle-hardened veteran Zhang Fei was a great help to me.

Ah — I still haven't mentioned his weaknesses.

His weakness was that even without drinking, he behaved like a drunk man.

"Hey, you bastards! Why haven't you brought the late-night snack! How long has it been since I ordered it!"

"H-here it is, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sir…!"

"You sluggish worms! I don't need it! Take it away!"

"Your voices are too quiet! How many of you are there, and you're quieter than me alone? Can't you be louder!!!"

"Y-yes! General!"

"Wait! You little shit! Get over here! You were badmouthing me, weren't you?"

"N-no, General…!"

"No, my ass! Who do you think you're fooling? You think I'm an idiot!"

There was hardly a day when that thunderous roar did not echo through the camp. And that roar was mostly used for chewing out soldiers and junior officers — a considerable portion of it consisting of seemingly pointless nitpicking and spite.

In the Romance there is a passage about Zhuge Liang killing people with words, but wouldn't that description fit Zhang Fei here better? Truly a man who beat people to death with his mouth.

Even so, up to this point was still mild. Up to this point.

If anyone violated discipline even slightly, he was utterly merciless.

"Who is it? Who managed the supplies like this? Gather the officers responsible at once! And bring the clubs. I'll fix those rotten minds of yours!"

At times like these, for those on the receiving end it was nothing short of a disaster. Punishing men who broke discipline or caused accidents was one thing — but the severity was far too much.

In the official histories, too, Liu Bei was said to have spoken of this Zhang Fei like this.

Considering Zhang Fei's end — assassinated by Fan Jiang and Zhang Da — it was, in the end, the truth.

So I, stuck in the middle, had to sweat bullets trying to stop him and soothe him. Still, Zhang Fei tended to listen to me somewhat, so I could barely manage to reduce the punishments or let things slide.

But this was a problem in its own way. Besides my own exhaustion, now whenever Zhang Fei lost his temper the officers and soldiers would glance at me with eyes pleading for me to intervene.

Stopping him was one thing — but I also worried that people might end up following me more than Zhang Fei. Having subordinates favor a lieutenant over their commander would be a problem of its own.

Ha. I need to drive this Zhang He bastard out soon.

After being defeated by the joint attack from Zhang Fei and me last time, Zhang He had taken up position on that high ground and had not budged an inch. More precisely, we could not tell what he was scheming.

Zhang Fei occasionally went out to provoke him, but he remained silent. Charging head-on would likely cost us no small number of casualties.

However, small units would occasionally appear in the rear areas, forcing us into skirmishes. They never escalated into large-scale engagements.

"What the hell is that bastard thinking? I'd like it if he just came out and fought us cleanly."

"There's nothing to gain from just holding that position, so he clearly has something he's after."

As the tedious standoff continued, a scout brought one piece of news.

"Zhang He's army has shown movement."

Some units had left the camp. But it was not an attack directed at our army.

"What's the bastard's goal?"

"Could he be trying to occupy nearby regions first, like before?"

"Would he use the same method again? If it were me, I don't think I'd reuse an operation that already failed."

"The enemy commander might be counting on that. The enemy still has more troops than we do."

Zhang Fei and the officers offered their opinions, and I quietly shared my thoughts as well.

"Since the enemy has moved either way, I believe we must respond. If we sit still here, we might lose other regions — and even if not, the tedious standoff will simply continue."

"I agree with General Jin. Nothing gets solved by just being suspicious. If we do this well, we can drive Zhang He out for good this time."

"Then what should we do?"

I offered another suggestion.

"We show our army an opening. That's what Zhang He wants, after all."

The council continued, and eventually an operation was established — one that, if successful, could drive Zhang He out at once.

"General Zhang He. Movement has been detected from Zhang Fei's army."

"Is that so? Tell me."

In Zhang He's camp somewhere high on Mount Palmong, Zhang He brightened at his aide's report.

"Units are continuously leaving the enemy camp and moving somewhere. Judging by their path, it seems they are going to guard Tangju, Mengdu, and the like, as before."

"Is that so?"

For now, Zhang Fei was showing the behavior he had hoped for. Already more than half the units were said to have left the camp.

"This is our chance. Prepare to sortie. Now is the opportunity to crush Zhang Fei's camp."

"General. However, it could be a trap."

His officer Lu Chao tried to dissuade him.

"There may be that possibility. But we cannot delay any longer either. Our supplies are already running out, are they not?"

Though Zhang He's army occupied the high ground, the situation was not entirely favorable. Failing to gather nearly any of the necessary supplies in the previous battle had been a painful blow.

This time I must make up for it without fail.

Having already drunk the bitter cup of defeat once, he was secretly growing impatient.

"The moment night falls, we drive our army and strike Zhang Fei's camp. If we take only the main camp, the rest will scatter on their own."

Zhang He decided to divide his forces into three to strike Zhang Fei's army. His judgment was that even if enemy ambushes hit the flanks, the follow-up units could provide support.

"I will take the vanguard. Lu Chao takes the center, Yu Jian the rear — follow after me."

At last, Zhang He's army, which had only been crouching for dozens of days, drew its sword.

"Hurry. Advance swiftly."

According to consecutive scout reports, more than half the troops of Zhang Fei's main camp had already left.

This is the chance. I'll flatten that bastard Zhang Fei's nose.

With two whole units following from the rear to join him, Zhang He was not greatly concerned. However, as the mountain path was narrow and they were hurrying the advance, Zhang He's army stretched out longer and longer like a snake the more they moved.

"General. The enemy camp."

How long had they walked? Zhang He finally discovered the target he had been aiming for and ground his teeth. He would repay the humiliation of last time.

"Good. Charge in at once."

"Waaah!"

War cries filled the black sky, and Zhang He's army began its charge. They crossed the wooden palisade and drove deep into the camp. But inside the enemy camp, only empty tents and masterless banners fluttered, keeping only silence. Only then did Zhang He feel a sense of foreboding.

What? Even if the defenses were poor, this is…

Then a familiar roar was heard — a roar that called to mind a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

"What were you doing that you only crawl out after the sun goes down, you bat-like bastard! Do you know how long this old man has been waiting here! Everyone out! Seize that bat bastard at once!"

With the command, Zhang Fei's army that had been hiding behind the empty tents revealed themselves.

"Loose!"

Whoosh whoosh—!

"Aaagh…"

A rain of arrows flew, and Zhang He's soldiers fell helplessly. As Zhang He's formation crumbled and gaps appeared here and there, the charge order fell.

"Charge! Sweep them all away!"

But this time Zhang He did not retreat either. He too was a battle-hardened veteran general forged on the battlefield. Moreover, having dragged the war this far, he could not withdraw without any results.

"Hold on just a little! If you just hold on, our allies from the rear will ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠come! We have greater numbers! Once we join with our allies, sweeping these bastards away will be nothing!"

"Hahaha. So this bat bastard isn't running away today?"

"Shut up! Today I'll tear that mouth of yours apart!"

At his venom-laced cry, Zhang He's army also gathered their spirits and began responding to Zhang Fei's attack.

Zhang Fei's camp had become a melee where both armies tangled and battered each other. The light cast by clashing weapons embroidered the quiet night sky.