Chapter 100: Natural Barrier

When Lin Yan saw that everyone had assembled swiftly, he turned his head toward Chu Yun and smiled with a touch of pride. “Earl Chu Yun, the assembly speed of the Tiger Regiment is quite impressive, isn’t it? From the moment I issued the order to when they had all gathered, it took only a quarter of an hour. This is the fastest assembling unit in the entire Great Qi Dynasty.”

Chu Yun smiled in agreement. “Indeed, it’s exceptionally fast. This unit is well-trained—their combat effectiveness must be considerable.”

Lin Yan’s pride grew as he began to introduce the regiment to Chu Yun.

The Tiger Regiment comprised a total of two hundred and fifty men.

When Chu Yun heard this number, he could hardly suppress a smile. He wondered what these men would think if they knew the rather peculiar connotation that “two hundred and fifty” would come to hold in the future.

Though the regiment numbered only two hundred and fifty, it was by no means a trifling force. It was a standing army, specifically trained for warfare. Their food, clothing, housing—every expense—was covered by the state. Not only that, but they also received regular stipends, and their families were exempt from taxes.

Even such a small standing force required a tremendous investment to maintain. In this world where civilization lagged far behind, having a standing army—even if only two hundred and fifty strong—was an extravagance.

The two hundred and fifty soldiers were divided into one hundred cavalrymen, one hundred archers, and fifty armored infantry. There were no shield-bearers, spear-men, or charioteers among them. Clearly, in actual battle, ordinary civilians would be conscripted to fill these other roles, thereby forming a larger, more complete army.

This also revealed that when commoners were conscripted into battle, they were generally used as cannon fodder. To achieve military merit and rise to nobility was, for them, an exceedingly difficult prospect.

After Lin Yan introduced the composition and numbers of each unit, he had the cavalry, archers, and armored infantry perform a brief drill.

It was evident that the cavalry rode at great speed, and the soldiers were able to perform various maneuvers on horseback with remarkable agility. The archers fired ten arrows in succession, each managing at least eight direct hits on the target. The armored infantry, though slow, marched in perfect unison, excelling in both offense and defense, their coordination seamless.

Having watched the demonstration, Chu Yun could not help but praise them. “This army is indeed well-trained and formidable!”

Lin Yan grinned in satisfaction. “Earl Chu Yun, now you shouldn’t have any worries. With us as your allies, the King of Qi will have no southern escape route left, don’t you agree?”

Chu Yun nodded with a smile. “Not the slightest worry remains.”

Lin Yan chuckled and continued, “Earl Chu Yun, earlier you expressed concern that if our valley entrance were breached, withdrawing the army from the Ravine of Constriction would be near impossible, risking complete annihilation. Let me take you somewhere, and you will see that such fears are unfounded.”

With that, he led Chu Yun into a military tent.

Strangely, the tent was empty—no beds for the soldiers, not even a pile of straw.

As Chu Yun was puzzling over this, Lin Yan lifted the tent flap against the rock wall, revealing a cave just large enough for a person to pass through.

“Earl Chu Yun,” Lin Yan explained, “apart from one or two genuine tents, the rest in this valley are decoys. The Tiger Regiment’s soldiers do not rest in these tents but inside the caves.”

He lit a torch and led the way inside.

Chu Yun followed, feeling as though he were climbing steadily upward, until a broad, dry platform appeared before his eyes.

In one corner of the platform, all sorts of military weapons were neatly arranged. On another side, beds, straw, tables, chairs, and daily necessities were laid out.

Clearly, this was where the soldiers truly rested.

Lin Yan, torch in hand, led Chu Yun further in until they reached a place where the wind could be felt.

He pushed aside a stone that shielded the entrance, and immediately a rush of wind and a shaft of light swept in.

“Earl Chu Yun, look out from here,” Lin Yan said.

“Very well,” Chu Yun replied, stepping forward to peer outside.

He discovered he was now midway up the cliffs of the Ravine of Constriction, overlooking half the valley below.

If one were to launch an attack from here, any enemies in the valley would be defenseless and unable to retaliate.

“What a superb natural stronghold!” Chu Yun could not help but exclaim. “No wonder you say that even if the valley entrance falls, the Tiger Regiment will never be caught off guard.”

Lin Yan smiled. “Indeed! The tents in the valley also serve to confuse the enemy. When they breach the entrance, charge in, and enter the tents, we can set them ablaze, burning them alive. Earl Chu Yun, can you set your mind at ease now?”

Chu Yun nodded but added, “Fire attacks, you say? Although this position is high, once you ignite the tents, won’t the temperature here become unbearable for the soldiers?”

Lin Yan replied, “There’s no need to worry about that, Earl Chu Yun. Come with me and you’ll see why.”

He turned and led Chu Yun to the opposite side of the cave.

Before long, they were bathed in bright light, the sound of rushing water growing louder.

Soon, Chu Yun saw that they had reached the edge of a precipice.

Far below, the river roared ceaselessly.

“That below,” Lin Yan said, “is the Nanhuai River. Its waters are a thousand feet deep. This is the main reason why the Ravine of Constriction is considered the first and greatest natural barrier guarding the southern gate of the Great Qi Dynasty.”

Chu Yun glanced at the river. “After employing fire, retreating here would indeed spare the soldiers from the flames. However, the opposite cliff doesn’t appear to be washed by the Nanhuai River, does it?”

“No,” Lin Yan replied, “but that cliff has no caves. Moreover, my father’s men have scouted the far side. It’s nothing but marshland and poisonous miasma—no one can pass through it.”

As he spoke, Lin Yan picked up a stick and drew a rough map on the ground. “The cliffs surrounding the Ravine of Constriction are all part of a single massive mountain. Though it’s a valley, its elevation is actually rather high. You may have noticed, as we rode in, a slope before the entrance. I believe your saying, ‘one man can hold the pass against ten thousand,’ owes much to that slope, doesn’t it?”

Chu Yun nodded. “Indeed. The terrain here is so complex and defensible that it truly deserves to be called the greatest southern gateway.”

He could not help but feel a certain fascination for this natural fortress.

Lin Yan smiled. “Earl Chu Yun, is there anything else you wish to know about the Tiger Regiment?”

“I would like to understand the regiment’s supplies,” Chu Yun replied.

Lin Yan did not hesitate, and he promptly detailed the stores of grain and equipment maintained by the Tiger Regiment, giving Chu Yun a much clearer grasp of their fighting capacity.

With this knowledge, Chu Yun began to formulate some plans of his own.