Chapter 148. The Battle of Huanglong Prefecture
Section 2 — No Direct Assault
The Jin army did not charge the fortress.
They halted at the far edge of the plain.
They waited until the horses' breath settled, until the banners found their place and stilled.
When the dust sank, the form of Huanglong Prefecture emerged in full clarity.
Agolta looked upon the fortress from horseback.
The fortress stood silent.
The soldiers upon the walls did not move.
They watched one another.
Someone spoke.
"We strike now."
A young commander.
His momentum burned, his eyes held no hesitation.
"They are not yet fully prepared."
Agolta gave no reply.
Another commander continued.
"We must carry the momentum. If we delay, they will regain their breath."
The words held truth.
This was the moment to press advantage.
Yet Agolta remained silent.
He swept his gaze across the walls.
The spacing of arrow slits, the positioning of troops, the structure before the gates, the breadth of the moat.
He measured everything with his eyes.
"If we attack—what happens?"
A short question.
"We can break the gate. It will take time, but it can be done."
"How long?"
"At most ten days. At best, three."
"And during that time—our losses?"
Silence followed.
Agolta's gaze left the fortress.
It turned north.
"Liao forces will come."
With that single sentence, everything was decided.
A fortress ahead.
Reinforcements behind.
As at Chulhajeom, they would not be left alone.
The battle would no longer be a siege, but an encirclement.
The command tent was raised.
They moved inside.
A map was spread.
Roads drawn, rivers, forests, ravines marked.
All eyes gathered upon it.
"If we strike Huanglong, their army will descend along this route."
A finger traced the line.
"This path as well. Two routes."
Someone said,
"Then we block them."
"Can we?"
No answer came.
To block meant to endure.
To endure meant to fight.
From both sides at once.
That was not battle.
That was attrition.
Silence deepened.
Outside, the wind moved.
Banners stirred.
Horses struck the ground.
Inside, no one moved.
Then one man stepped forward.
Wanyan Nushil.
"We must not attack the fortress."
At once, heads lifted across the tent.
"Not attack?"
"We have come this far only to withdraw?"
Voices rose in anger.
Harsh, immediate.
But Nushil did not waver.
"Leave the fortress. Cut the roads."
His words were brief.
Agolta asked,
"Cut the roads?"
"Prevent all approach.
Stop their reinforcements.
We leave the fortress sealed, and we go out to destroy those who come.
We isolate them.
This is the first battle.
The objective of the first battle is to destroy the reinforcements.
Otherwise, we face enemies both before and behind."
He pointed to the map.
"This road. That road. All of them."
"And then?"
"We kill all who come."
Silence fell again.
No assault on the fortress.
Instead, sever everything that leads to it.
Simple words.
Heavy meaning.
Agolta looked at him.
"That will take time."
Nushil nodded.
"It will."
"And the fortress remains as it is."
"It does.
But everything else changes."
"Can we endure?"
Nushil did not hesitate.
"This is not endurance.
This is how we end it."
Agolta turned to Yeong-u.
"What do you think?"
When asked, one must answer.
One must be ready to answer.
This was no place for excuses.
Yeong-u thought deeply.
To take such a fortress required many times their strength.
Reinforcements would already be on their way.
Preparation was sufficient.
Defeat would not come.
But the cost—
the cost would be great.
Even if they won,
they would not be able to hold it.
"The plan is sound.
This fortress cannot be compared to Chulhajeom.
We cut the reinforcements.
We cut the supplies.
Then we strike.
That will be enough."
Agolta looked again at the fortress.
A fortress that would not fall easily.
And what lay behind it—
Grain. Silver. Horses. A state.
"Good."
The decision fell.
"We do not attack. We isolate."
That day, Huanglong Prefecture was not assaulted.
But from that day on,
it began to be cut off from the world.