The Divine Frostbreath Empire (神圣霜息帝国) and The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) were, in fact, born of the same entity. The current Imperial House of The Divine Frostbreath Empire (神圣霜息帝国) originated from The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国). It can be said that internal conflict within the Royal Army (王国军) led to a split in the royal lineage. One branch of the bloodline journeyed far to the northwest, moving into the interior of the continent—the frigid, cold plains region—where they subdued the local nomadic tribes and introduced superior ironware civilization. On this vast expanse of land, they established a massive empire that spanned from east to west.
Over the past two hundred years, the climate of the land has gradually warmed, pushing the arable agricultural line northward. Land that was once uninhabitable and uncultivable has begun to be converted into farmland. Although the newly thawed soil in the north still contains large wetlands unsuitable for settlement, the living environment of The Divine Frostbreath Empire (神圣霜息帝国) is far superior to what it was three hundred years ago when they first arrived on this land.
Conqueror King Dipper Kuí (征服王北斗魁), the founder of The Divine Frostbreath Empire (神圣霜息帝国), divided the land into six kingdoms after subjugating it. The entire empire comprised one hundred and twenty counties: the Imperial House retained sixty (half), while the six tributary kingdoms each governed ten. This established a semi-feudal, semi-county governance system. Furthermore, the kings of the six tributary kingdoms were granted the power to vote for the next Imperial Emperor—an Elective Monarchy System (选王制度). Securing four votes was the rigid requirement for ascending to the position of Emperor.
In reality, there were seven Elector Kings (选帝王). The seventh kingdom was The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国). In the legal tradition of The Divine Frostbreath Empire (神圣霜息帝国), The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) was considered to be under the control of the usurper Sītú Clan (司徒家), but legally, The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) remained an inalienable part of the Empire. Therefore, the recovery of this traditional, legal territory is an unshakeable national policy of The Divine Frostbreath Empire (神圣霜息帝国).
The Imperial capital, Prime Lake City (首湖城), was built beside a vast, boundless inland lake. The size of this lake is staggering; even sailing northwards along the current would take half a month to reach the northern shore, though the eastern and western sides are narrower. Prime Lake City (首湖城) was established on the hills of the southern shore, backed by the great lake, where two prairie rivers flowed into the lake, forming a natural moat. Consequently, the Imperial 'Navy' Defense Department was based here, and the Imperial Navy actually constituted the main defense force of the Imperial Capital.
This great lake has had many names throughout history, but now, Lake Dipper (北斗湖), named after the Imperial Royal Family, has become the official designation. Lake Dipper (北斗湖) harbors abundant inland aquatic products; various high-quality fish can ensure the capital's food supply. Even if subjected to a massive siege, as long as the water surface remains under Imperial control, the Imperial fishing fleet can guarantee sufficient food for the capital.
Wheat, barley, potatoes, and wool are common crops south of Prime Lake City (首湖城). Although the growing season allows for only one harvest per year, the vastness of the land ensures astonishing yields. Rock salt, various minerals, and peat found in the thawed marshlands of the permafrost regions ensure the Empire's abundant resources. In an environment harsher than that of the south, the Imperial soldiers are also more resilient and enduring.
The Imperial Common Tongue and the Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) Language share a great deal in common in terms of grammar and vocabulary, having evolved from nearly the same language family. The differences primarily lie in tone and accent. Although the Imperial language incorporated more of the nomadic people's vocabulary, this did not impede mutual intelligibility between the Imperial Common Tongue and the Kingdom's language.
Consequently, in The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国), the Imperial Common Tongue is regarded as a Northwestern barbarian dialect derived from the Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) language, its vocabulary deemed crude and unsuitable for diplomatic use; only the true Kingdom language is considered noble.
Naturally, the Empire rejects this notion. However, within the Empire's upper echelons, the usage of Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) language is still viewed as a mark of aristocratic elegance, and it is the preferred language for formal diplomatic occasions.
The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) is, after all, the source of the Empire, and with the milder climate, its resources are even more plentiful. Although The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) is only a Kingdom, when its overall national power is consolidated, the Empire has failed to gain any lasting advantage over the past century.
The Empire has one hundred and twenty counties, sixty belonging to the Imperial House, and ten each to the six tributary kingdoms. While The Snow Wolf Kingdom (雪狼王国) nominally possesses only twenty counties, these are all historically developed regions. The national power of these twenty counties is equivalent to the strength of forty Imperial counties. Thus, the Empire covets Snow Wolf (雪狼) as a piece of rich meat, and Snow Wolf (雪狼) resists being devoured by the Empire. This dynamic has resulted in a century of continuous conflict between the two sides.
The current, twenty-fifth Emperor, Dipper Huǎng (北斗晃), is elderly, and a new generation of heroes is about to step onto the stage. This battle at Cold Well Gorge (冷井战役) will raise the curtain.
"Pursue! Push the Royal Army (王国军) all the way down!"
The Winter Duke (寒公爵) Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) rallied his troops' spirits. The outcome was clear; no meticulous maneuvering was needed, only the encouragement of soldiers to fight bravely and maximize the gains.
The initial deployment for this campaign was disadvantaged because the Royal Army (王国军) had occupied the high ground. Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) faced a difficult opening. Furthermore, the battlefield was unsuitable for cavalry deployment; the Imperial main force was nomadic light cavalry, and the narrow front was not suitable for their movement. Therefore, a large number of horses were held in the rear, and the soldiers in the front were dismounted to fight as infantry.
This was the main reason the Royal Army (王国军) dared to commit their heavy cavalry so early in the battle. If the battlefield had been an open plain, a terrain where light cavalry could easily wear down heavy cavalry, the Royal Army (王国军) would never have fallen for the trap.
Yet, the Royal Army (王国军) did fall for the trap. Their heavy cavalry was annihilated, and the main infantry assault was severely hit. Thanks to Eisenhāo (艾森豪) and his direct corps covering the retreat, most of the Royal Army (王国军) infantry escaped, but the cost was the death of Eisenhāo (艾森豪), the potential future Marshal of the Kingdom, and white mourning banners for one of the Kingdom's great families.
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) knew the fate awaiting him back home. The Kingdom's tradition dictates that a defeated general must face challenges from the families of the fallen soldiers. The families have the right to seek vengeance for their relatives against an incompetent commander.
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) would inevitably be challenged by the Eisenhāo (艾森豪) family and was certain to die. But now, he had to fulfill his duty: leading more men home. This was the task of an expeditionary commander, and it would be his final one.
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) gathered the remaining archers, resupplied their arrows, and ordered them to cover the path up the mountain. They lit bonfires along the sides of the road; the sky was darkening, and the soldiers needed to see the way home.
Such was the state of the remnants of the army. Surviving is the end of the road; defeat is a landslide. If the vanquished escape death, they will prosper like mountains in the future.
Unfortunately, the vanquished this time died terribly, so there would be no future.
The returning soldiers had almost all discarded their armor; it was too heavy a burden during a panicked uphill retreat. Fortunately, most of their weapons remained, which was a small comfort in the misfortune.
Out of a total force of seventy thousand, the Kingdom lost three thousand heavy cavalry and ten thousand of General Eisenhāo's (艾森豪) personal troops were wiped out. Overall, the Royal Army (王国军) had not completely lost its fighting capability; they could still fight.
The expected pursuit forces did not appear. The Imperial Army (帝国军) was not chasing them. Looking down from the high ground, the Imperial camp was strangely silent.
It was eerie. After such a great victory, the Imperial Army (帝国军) should be celebrating and tallying battle merits. Yet, there was not a single flicker of fire in the Imperial camp?
Had something gone wrong? Could internal strife in the Empire have caused The Winter Duke (寒公爵) to abandon this easily obtainable total victory and withdraw?
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) continuously speculated on possible developments in his mind, arriving at an incredible conclusion.
"There is a change within the Empire! According to intelligence, the Imperial Emperor (帝国皇帝) has been in poor health this year. Therefore, The Winter Duke's (寒公爵) retreat is very likely because the Emperor has died, and he must return to deal with the internal issues!"
"This means he will only take his personal guard back first. The Imperial Army (帝国军) will slowly return home without a commander! This is a golden opportunity to strike a painful blow against the Imperial Army (帝国军)!"
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) reasoned that this possibility was likely from every angle.
As a great prairie nation themselves, the Royal Army (王国军) also had a large supply of available horses. Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) ordered ten thousand archers onto horses to pursue the Imperial Army (帝国军) down the mountain overnight. At the same time, he instructed his second-in-command to depart the following morning with another twenty thousand light cavalry to serve as the second wave to reinforce Bā Hàorán (巴浩然). The remaining surviving soldiers were to hold the position and prevent the Imperial Army (帝国军) from passing through.
Had Eisenhāo (艾森豪) not died, Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) would not have made such a reckless decision. However, Eisenhāo's (艾森豪) death left the old general Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) with no retreat. He had to secure a major victory to prove his competence and avoid the revenge of the fallen soldiers' families.
Entering the Imperial Army's (帝国军) camp, it was indeed obvious that they had left in great haste. They had no time to take the spoils of war from the battlefield. Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) recovered Eisenhāo's (艾森豪) head and body, and also reclaimed the army banner. Although these were left by the enemy, retrieving them still required the courage to break into the enemy camp. It was a brave and fearless action.
Checking the temperature of the campfires, the Imperial Army (帝国军) had left very quickly and must not have gone far. Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) became even more certain that his deduction was correct. He ordered the entire force to mount up and pursue at maximum speed!
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) sent a messenger back up the mountain, urging the second wave to depart early and instructing the remaining soldiers to descend and haul the equipment back. The heavy cavalry gear was expensive and would be needed for future reconstruction.
Descending the mountain and passing through the defile, Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) urged his troops to advance quickly. The ground was covered with the hoof prints of cavalry, confirming that the Imperial Army (帝国军) had mounted up and retreated. The old general led the pursuit, his spirits high and his presence magnificent.
The tables were about to turn. As long as they caught the Imperial Army's (帝国军) rearguard, a great victory would be the result.
After three hours of pursuit, the Royal Army (王国军) captured a batch of Imperial laborers transporting supplies. The Imperial soldiers had fled, leaving these civilian laborers behind.
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) was now fully convinced of the Imperial retreat and pushed his army to accelerate further, chasing the Imperial Army's (帝国军) rearguard. The battle to save his reputation depended on this fight.
Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) led the charge, increasing his speed. He expected to see the Imperial Army (帝国军) once they crested the small hill. When he reached the summit, he did indeed see the Imperial Army (帝国军).
However, they were standing in strict formation, waiting for him!
"Retreat! It's a trap!"
The old general's experience immediately told him this was an ambush. Imperial cavalry began to envelop the small hill from both sides, and the Imperial cavalry's horses were fresh, while his ten thousand soldiers' horses were already panting heavily.
However, advancing was easy, retreating was difficult, especially for exhausted cavalry. All Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) could do was order a rapid withdrawal, which resulted in more horses collapsing on the road and straggling soldiers being taken prisoner. The entire cavalry force had lost all organization.
Their only hope lay in the second wave of reinforcements. If they could link up, he might still escape.
Finally, after severe losses, Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) rendezvoused with the twenty thousand cavalry of the second wave. At this point, there was no need to fight to the death; the priority was to retreat. But the Imperial Army's (帝国军) cavalry clung to them like maggots to bone, driving the Royal Army (王国军) to retreat as if herding them.
Despair!
The defile leading back home was blocked by Imperial infantry, who had established an unbreakable, fortified camp. The twenty thousand-plus Royal (王国) cavalry were caught in a siege, with pursuers behind and blockers ahead. Ultimately, after Bā Hàorán (巴浩然) committed suicide, half of the cavalry surrendered to the Imperial Army (帝国军), and the other half fought to the end and were annihilated.
The Imperial cavalry continued through the infantry lines, reclaiming their original main camp. The Royal (王国) infantry who were busy hauling spoils up the mountain were no match for the Imperial cavalry. This pursuit turned into a complete rout, and ultimately, the Royal Army (王国军) expeditionary force was completely annihilated; aside from those who surrendered, no one survived.
In the centuries of warfare between the Empire and the Kingdom, never had a victory been so decisively clear. The Winter Duke (寒公爵) Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) had created a military myth, achieving a height previously unattained.
The bloody stench of the Cold Well Gorge (冷井隘口) lingered. The setting sun, red as blood, reflected on the banners of the Imperial Army (帝国军) snapping in the wind, as if proclaiming an unprecedented, glorious victory. The Winter Duke (寒公爵) Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) stood on the high ground, overlooking the battlefield—a scene like a human purgatory—his face devoid of any joy, showing only profound calm.
Only a day ago, this had been the Royal Army's (王国军) main base.
Dipper Aureus's (北斗煜) voice was low and solemn, conveying the tolerance and respect of a victor.
"Clear the battlefield. Give the fallen Royal Army (王国军) soldiers a proper burial. Make it dignified."
"The spoils of war, aside from military equipment, are to be used entirely to reward the entire army as a bonus for this campaign."
Dipper Aureus's (北斗煜) decision further elevated his prestige in the military. There are never too few rewards, and few generals are willing to distribute spoils to the soldiers.
"The Duke of Cold (寒公) is consolidating support and buying the loyalty of the army."
The insightful staff officers had already guessed Dipper Aureus's (北斗煜) intentions. The information about the Emperor's illness was no secret among the high-ranking staff, but it had not reached the soldiers. This great victory earned Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) immense popularity, providing him with a strong popular base for the next Elective Monarchy (选王) meeting. But no matter how the situation changed, military power would always be the first priority.
After holding a ceremony here to appease the souls of the fallen from both sides, and arranging for a monument to be erected to commemorate this great achievement belonging to Dipper Aureus (北斗煜), Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) took only one hundred of his personal guard cavalry and rode straight for Prime Lake City (首湖城) without rest.
The intelligence Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) had actually received was that Emperor Dipper Huǎng (皇帝北斗晃) had passed away. His death was being kept a secret, and he had to return to the capital as quickly as possible to take control of the situation.
On the very day the victory was confirmed, he had already dispatched a troop of propaganda soldiers to the four corners of the Empire. Passing through every city and major road, they loudly proclaimed, "The Winter Duke (寒公爵) has won a great victory." He intended to brand the impression of The Winter Duke's (寒公爵) great victory onto the heart of every Imperial citizen.
"Is that old villain truly dead?"
Dipper Aureus (北斗煜) silently asked himself.
End of 1-2.