Military Preparedness Manual, Volume 39

Strategic Studies: Tang Dynasty, Part 3

Excerpts from the Comprehensive Mirror

Page 34

After ten engagements, he ○ urgently ○ broke ○ their ○ momentum. ○ But ○ the rebels' ○ attack ○ and siege ○ became ○ even more ○ urgent. Zhang Xun ○ was in ○ the city ○ center. At night, ○ he beat ○ the drums ○ and marshaled ○ the units ○ as ○ if ○ they were about to ○ go ○ out ○ to attack. The rebels ○ heard ○ this ○ and remained ○ on guard ○ until ○ dawn. Once ○ it was light, ○ Zhang Xun ○ then ○ went to sleep. The soldiers ○ stopped ○ the drums. The rebels ○ used ○ flying ○ towers original: "飛樓" (feilou). These were mobile siege towers used to overlook city walls and direct fire. ○ to look into ○ the city ○ center, ○ but they had ○ nothing ○ to see Zhang Xun's troops were hidden or resting after their nocturnal ruse. ○ and eventually ○ took a ○ rest.

Zhang Xun, ○ along with ○ Nan ○ Jiyun, ○ Lei ○ Wanchun, ○ and ○ other ○ ten ○ or more ○ generals, ○ each with ○ fifty ○ cavalry, ○ opened ○ the gates ○ and burst ○ forth, ○ charging ○ straight ○ into ○ the rebels' ○ camp. They beheaded ○ more than ○ fifty ○ rebel ○ generals ○ and killed ○ more than ○ five ○ thousand ○ soldiers.

Zhang Xun ○ wanted ○ to shoot ○ Ziqi Yin Ziqi, the commander of the rebel army. ○ but ○ did ○ not ○ recognize him. He shaved ○ mugwort ○ to make ○ arrows. Those ○ who were hit ○ were happy, ○ thinking ○ that Zhang Xun's ○ arrows ○ were exhausted. They ran ○ to report ○ to Ziqi; ○ thus ○ he obtained ○ his ○ likeness By watching where the messengers ran, Zhang Xun identified the enemy commander.. He ordered ○ Nan Jiyun ○ to shoot ○ him. The arrow hit ○ his ○ left ○ eye, ○ and they nearly ○ captured ○ him. Ziqi ○ then ○ fled.

The rebel ○ generals ○ Wu ○ Lingxun ○ and Tian ○ Chengsi ○ attacked ○ the Shannan ○ East ○ Circuit ○ Jiedushi A regional military governor with significant autonomy. ○ Lu ○ Jiong ○ at...