Volume Two: The Battle of Hulao Pass Chapter Thirty-Five: Li Shimin Arrived With Only Two Reinforcements

Li Mingyu and his disciple set out from the village, enduring meals in the wind and sleeping beneath the stars, traveling by day and resting by night, urging their horses onward without pause toward Luoyang in Henan. Li Xuanba, anxious about his second brother, cared little for conserving the horses’ strength, pressing them so hard that the two steeds, once fat and sturdy, arrived at the borders of Henan gaunt and exhausted, their vigor nearly spent.

After some days, the master and disciple finally entered Henan. Along the way, they saw flags of the Tang dynasty still flying high in every city, county, and district; only then did Li Xuanba feel half relieved, knowing his second brother must still be locked in stalemate with the kingdoms of Zheng and Xia—otherwise, these cities would long since have changed their banners. Li Xuanba slowed his war horse, seeking a place to rest and restore their mounts. He also changed back into his old Tang army armor, to avoid misunderstandings with Tang soldiers.

As they drew closer to Luoyang, they happened upon a group of villagers and militia transporting grain to the Tang camp besieging the city. The leader was a bailiff from a nearby county, named Liu Dashuang. Honest and straightforward, Liu Dashuang lacked guile; seeing Li Xuanba in Tang armor accompanied by a young child, he grew no suspicious. Upon Li Xuanba's subtle probing, he readily divulged all he knew.

It turned out that when Dou Jiande led his hundreds of thousands across the Yellow River, Li Shimin had already received word. The Tang commanders were divided: some, daunted by Dou Jiande’s mighty forces—fresh from defeating Meng Haigong and swelling with surrendered troops—argued that they should temporarily retreat and avoid his sharp edge. Others suggested abandoning Luoyang altogether to confront Dou Jiande with full strength. Both camps agreed on one thing: Dou Jiande’s approach was dangerous and required caution; Wang Shichong, with only Luoyang, posed little threat. Yet neither side could persuade the other, and the situation stalled.

In the end, Li Shimin, resolute and decisive, set forth his strategy: he ordered veteran Tang generals to assist his fourth brother, Li Yuanji, and maintain the siege of Luoyang. Meanwhile, he personally selected several thousand elite cavalry and formidable commanders to rush to Hulao Pass, relying on its natural defenses to block Dou Jiande.

By now, Li Shimin was a changed man; his reputation soared after successive victories, always leading by example, brave and wise, undefeated in battle. His unique charisma won the respect of all his generals.

Li Shimin’s strategy rested on two possibilities. On one hand, Wang Shichong’s isolated city could not hold for long; though Luoyang was strong, its fall was only a matter of time. On the other, Dou Jiande’s army, though vast, had just conquered Meng Haigong; his own troops were arrogant and weary, while the surrendered soldiers lacked resolve. Within Xia, factions were rife, and many defected generals harbored ulterior motives—their troops varied in quality. If Dou Jiande risked an assault, there would be opportunities to defeat him. If he hesitated, fearing to commit fully, then holding Hulao Pass would choke off his advance; Wang Shichong, cut off from Dou Jiande’s aid, would soon be starved out and Luoyang would fall without a fight.

Li Shimin led three thousand five hundred elite cavalry, each with three horses, traveling day and night to reach Hulao Pass, over two hundred li east of Luoyang. Dou Jiande, having just crossed the Yellow River, saw the Tang banners flying from Hulao and sent three thousand troops to probe the defenses. Yet, constrained by the treacherous terrain, his forces could not deploy effectively, and after half a day’s fighting, more than half lay dead or wounded without even touching the city walls.

Dou Jiande, seeing the initial defeat, was not vexed; he had his own calculations. He set up camp dozens of li east of Hulao Pass, sending only small parties to feign attacks each day—more as drills than earnest assaults. Thus, both sides remained locked in stalemate for several days.

Having learned the situation, Li Mingyu and his disciple turned toward Hulao Pass, finally assured of Li Shimin’s safety, allowing Li Xuanba’s anxiety to ease completely.

Soon, they approached the pass. Li Mingyu raised his eyes to behold a towering fortress rising amidst endless rugged mountains. Hulao Pass, also called Sishui Pass, named for King Mu of Zhou who once trapped tigers here, served as Luoyang’s eastern gateway—linked to Mount Song in the south and bordered by the Yellow River in the north. Cliffs on both sides soared, impossible to scale; before the pass lay the Sishui River, over ten zhang wide, forming a natural moat. The surrounding mountains interlocked endlessly, creating a formidable barrier. It was truly a place where one man could hold the pass against ten thousand, coveted by generals through the ages.

Drawing near, they saw Hulao Pass in its full majesty—the walls over three zhang high, built of blue stone, complete with battlements and arrow towers, crowded with armored soldiers. The Tang dynasty’s blood-red banner, with black characters, fluttered in the wind.

Before they could approach, a soldier atop the wall shouted, “Stop! What business do you have here? This is a vital military post—come any closer and arrows will fly!”

Li Xuanba called out in a clear voice, “I am an old friend of the Prince of Qin, come to see him! Please report my arrival.”

The sentry atop the wall eyed him suspiciously. “An old friend? Which one? State your name before I report!”

Li Xuanba, reluctant to reveal his real name, replied, “I am Li Sanlang.”

“Sanlang? There are many Sanlangs. Do you have any token to prove it?”

Li Xuanba knew his second brother maintained strict discipline and took no offense. “I left in haste and forgot to bring one. Call the Prince of Qin to see me and he will know at once!”

Hearing he had no token, the soldier sneered, “No token? The commander is busy with military affairs—he has no time for unknown visitors!”

Li Xuanba frowned, thinking to himself, “To see my own brother, must I really provide proof? If not for my wish to keep my ‘feigned death’ secret, you would never dare be so insolent.”

Seeing Li Xuanba silent, the soldier grew more wary, shouting, “You’re dodging questions—clearly, you must be a spy sent by Wang Shichong!” With a command, a dozen archers appeared at the battlements, bows drawn and aimed at Li Xuanba.

Li Xuanba, helpless, said again, “Then call Changsun Wuji. Tell him Li Sanlang is here.”

The soldier noticed Li Xuanba remained calm despite the drawn bows, his voice earnest and not feigned. “Looking for Lord Changsun?”

Li Mingyu, growing impatient beside his master, silently blamed him: “He’s not Li Shimin or Li Jiancheng, famous throughout the land—why not just give your real name? Do you think every soldier knows you’re the third son of the Li family? All this secrecy is tiresome.” So Mingyu spoke up, “Just tell Lord Changsun that Li Mingyu and his master have come.”

The soldier, seeing the speaker was a child, eased his suspicions. He thought, “If they were spies, they wouldn’t bring a child. Maybe they really are old acquaintances.” He replied, “Why didn’t you say your names earlier? I’ll report for you, but whether Lord Changsun sees you is not up to me!”

Li Mingyu laughed, “Just go ahead—you never know, Lord Changsun might reward you if he’s pleased.”

“Wait here.” With that, the archers withdrew, and the soldier turned to descend and report.

Li Mingyu said to his master, “They say it’s easier to deal with the King of Hell than his minions. If you’d revealed your identity earlier, they’d have opened the gates and rolled out the red carpet!”

Li Xuanba shook his head. “I have no wish to be so conspicuous. I’ve been struck from the Li family’s records; that identity is best left forgotten.”

Li Mingyu, knowing his master’s temperament and his enduring resentment over the matter, changed the subject: “Master, just now the soldier mentioned Lord Changsun as ‘chief clerk.’ What sort of official is that?”

Li Xuanba replied, “The chief clerk is a civilian officer in the army, usually assisting the commander with paperwork, correspondence, and administrative affairs.”

Li Mingyu, enlightened by his master’s explanation, thought it sounded impressive—only to realize it was just a ‘secretary.’

While the two were speaking, Changsun Wuji arrived atop the wall, calling out loudly, “Is Sanlang below?”

Li Xuanba replied, “It is I! I’ve come from Guanzhong.”

Changsun Wuji was overjoyed, quickly ordering the soldiers to open the gate and let Li Mingyu and his master in.

The earlier soldier, seeing the pair truly were old friends of the commander, explained apologetically, “Lord Chief Clerk, these two refused to give their real names or show any token—it wasn’t my intent to be difficult.”

Changsun Wuji waved a hand. “You did your duty well. In times like these, strict checks are necessary. After your shift, go to the registrar and collect an extra month’s pay as a reward.”

The soldier was delighted, thanking him profusely. By now, Li Mingyu and his master had entered the gate, overhearing Changsun Wuji’s words. Li Mingyu winked at the soldier, as if to say, “See, I told you there’d be a reward.”

The soldier clasped his fists in apology to Li Mingyu and his master, then went off to his post in high spirits.