Liu Yao spent the night in armor and hardly slept well. He rose before dawn. To guard against a night attack, he had made thorough preparations. Not only did he order his soldiers to take turns on watch duty in three shifts, but he also didn’t set up tents to avoid obstructing their line of sight. It was almost November, and sleeping in the open like this, even in armor, was quite uncomfortable.
However, despite being fully prepared, there was no movement from Liang Mansion at all last night. Not to mention a night attack, there wasn’t even any drumming or signaling to disturb the enemy. The watchtowers on the fortress walls were eerily silent, and if not for the bright lights, it would seem like an empty city. As the sky was already getting light, and there was still no activity from inside, could it be that they had given up on a night attack?
However, Liu Yao didn’t let his guard down. Siege warfare takes time, and just because there was no night attack tonight didn’t mean it wouldn’t come tomorrow. The sooner they started the siege, the sooner they could gauge the enemy’s strength.
The fires in the nearby villages had burned throughout the night but were now extinguished. The smell of burnt wood and charred buildings lingered in the air, making the atmosphere heavy. Liu Yao paid little attention to these minor details and ordered his men to prepare a meal. After eating, the dawn was approaching, and the raiding party that had gone to capture laborers would soon return. It was a perfect time to begin the siege.
How many able-bodied warriors could there possibly be inside this fortress? It wouldn’t be surprising if there were several hundred household guards and even over a thousand young and able-bodied men. Defending the fortress would indeed be a tough challenge. If only he could lure them out into the open field for a pitched battle.
Thinking about how to crack this fortress, Liu Yao had a simple meal of meat-infused mixed porridge. He then ordered his men to get ready for battle.
Despite having a restless night, these elite Xiongnu soldiers quickly regained their composure, ready to unleash their pent-up energy. However, as the morning turned into broad daylight, there was still no sign of the raiding party sent to capture laborers. Liu Yao couldn’t sit still any longer and instructed a scout, “Go and find out where our rear guard is.”
Both Gaodu and Liang Mansion had engaged in scorched earth tactics, so there was no plunder to be had. They had entered as light cavalry without supply lines, and the group sent to capture people and supplies had taken the place of the rear guard. For this reason, he had sent a contingent of five hundred men. Even if they couldn’t capture many laborers, they should have returned by now.
Could they have run into some trouble?
Sure enough, half an hour later, a scout rushed back with a report, “General, Gaodu’s forces have intercepted our rear guard!”
“What?” Liu Yao shot up from his seat. These people had some guts to target the rear guard! Weren’t they afraid that he would change his mind and attack Gaodu directly, taking down the fortress walls?
“How many of them?” Liu Yao asked urgently.
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“It seems to be less than five hundred, currently engaging our rear guard!” the scout hastily replied.
“Liu Wei, take a thousand men to support the rear guard!” Even though anger burned within him, Liu Yao remained composed. This sudden abandonment of the siege was merely an attempt to cut off his retreat. Without supplies and laborers, their cavalry alone would be unable to capture the city. They might be forced to withdraw the next day.
This approach had its merits, but Liu Yao’s purpose in coming here was not solely to set fire to some villages. Abandoning the defense of Gaodu meant that Liang Mansion was even more critical for the county magistrate and the defenders of the city. The rear guard should not suffer a significant loss, but they also shouldn’t allocate too many troops there. The primary focus should remain on capturing Liang Mansion.
Liu Wei was one of Liu Yao’s trusted veteran officers, known for his calm and reliability, as well as his formidable combat skills. With him in charge, Liu Yao believed they could quickly defeat the five hundred troops engaging the rear guard.
Liu Wei accepted the order and led his troops toward Gaodu. Meanwhile, Liu Yao ordered his soldiers to dismount and continue guarding Liang Mansion. They needed to ensure that when the Jin troops were dealt with, whether by taking Liang Mansion or by posing a continued threat, they would have options and flexibility.
※
“Captain Zhu, we’ve lost about twenty brothers in the team, and there are over ten more with serious injuries.” Covered in bloodstains, a soldier reported to Captain Zhu with a weary expression.
Zhu Guo wiped the blood from his face and said, “Hurry and call the medics to treat the wounded. Move them to a safe place. The enemy might be sending reinforcements soon, and we can’t afford to delay.”
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The soldier immediately went to make arrangements, and Zhu Guo leaned on his longsword, exhaling heavily. Today’s battle had been a tough one.
He, too, was an old soldier from Liang Mansion, originally known as Zhu Er and a resident of the county. He had been serving in the force since its formation, and in a little over a year, he had climbed his way up to become a team captain. After attending the military academy and changing his name, he was a far cry from his former self.
However, despite his extensive combat experience, today was the first time he received such a battle order. Leading troops away from the fortified city of Gaodu, ambushing the Xiongnu rear guard, and subsequently luring the enemy deeper, leading them into the predetermined encirclement. Just thinking about it made him break out in a cold sweat.
Ambushing the enemy was no easy task. When infantry faced cavalry, the most terrifying aspect was the power of the horses. Whether charging or surrounding, as long as the horses could run, infantry of the same strength would find it challenging to resist. Nevertheless, this rear guard had brought along several hundred civilians, which was a burden, and the element of surprise had favored them. Even so, they had allowed quite a few enemy soldiers to escape without being completely intercepted.
However, these escapees were essential for the lure. Without these fleeing soldiers leading the way, how could they entice the reinforcements to attack?
A group of infantry, feigning defeat to lure enemy cavalry, was an extremely terrifying prospect. However, Zhu Guo showed no signs of hesitation, and neither did the soldiers behind him. The Xiongnu had dared to burn the villages outside of Liang Mansion, and that alone was enough to make everyone fight to the death.
Liang Mansion was their greatest reliance and their home. No matter who invaded, they would show no mercy! What did an ambush matter? What did luring the enemy matter? They were the elite soldiers of the Valiant Camp, after all!
Wiping the sweat from his forehead once more, Zhu Guo opened his water flask and took two hearty gulps. These cursed Xiongnu, let them come! Let’s see who would claim whose life!
Half a quarter-hour later, a scout came running to report, “Captain, the enemy is coming! There are at least a thousand riders!”
A thousand riders weren’t too many. Zhu Guo took a deep breath and ordered, “Full speed to the northwest! Maintain formation!”
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With this command, despite their previous exhaustion and injuries, the soldiers picked up their weapons and sprinted toward the designated ambush point.
“Liu Bei Jiang, that’s the Jin army up ahead!” A soldier who had just escaped said loudly at Liu Wei’s side.
Liu Wei looked at the fleeing soldiers dressed in cloth armor, carrying their weapons. He furrowed his brow and said, “Can they really scatter the rear guard?”
The soldier couldn’t help but feel ashamed and said, “The rear guard split into several groups to capture the laborers, and when they gathered, they ran into the ambush. We were caught off guard, and the presence of those laborers was indeed a hindrance, which caught us off guard. However, these people are quite capable in battle, so it would be wise for Captain Liu to be cautious.”
Liu Wei couldn’t determine whether this statement was to save face or a genuine warning. However, the speed at which the soldiers were fleeing in front of him didn’t seem like an act. With only a brief hesitation, Liu Wei ordered, “Catch up with them!”
How could two legs outrun four legs? They didn’t need to chase too fast; just keeping pace would exhaust this group of people. At the same time, their horses weren’t too fast either, so they wouldn’t rush headlong into an ambush. It could be considered a double benefit.
Hearing such orders from the captain, how could the cavalry below not guess his intentions? They followed suit.
As if driven to desperation, this group of people fled rapidly, showing no intention of stopping. Some were even so exhausted that they couldn’t hold onto their spears and dropped them. It wasn’t until they had chased for five miles, with a narrow and elongated mountain valley up ahead, that Liu Wei loudly commanded, ‘Increase the speed and cut them off!’
A valley like this couldn’t be traversed no matter what, and it was too dangerous for cavalry. As long as they didn’t enter the mountain pass, even if the enemy had an ambush, they wouldn’t be able to harm them. Whether it was encirclement or complete annihilation, it was all up to him!
Upon hearing the command, the cavalry immediately increased their speed, forming a fan-shaped formation, and pursued the fleeing group. It was as if they knew they couldn’t escape anymore. The group was forced to the side of a cliff, squeezed there, and they stood their ground, raising their remaining knives and spears, seemingly ready to fight to the death.
But did they still have the strength to fight? Liu Wei sneered coldly and also increased his horse’s speed. The wind howled, and he raised his bent bow at the same time. A charge? No need. Just a few rounds of arrows would be enough to deal with this group of remnants.
However, just as he raised his bow and arrows, the horse he was riding suddenly let out a long neigh and lost its footing on its front hooves. Terrified, Liu Wei desperately clamped down on the horseshoe, grabbing the mane as well. Relying on his excellent riding skills, he managed to roll off the horse just as it crashed to the ground, narrowly escaping being pinned under the horse.
Liu Wei had escaped, but others weren’t as lucky. All around him, there were cries of horses in pain and fear. Those extremely well-trained warhorses seemed to have gone mad, either falling to the ground or wildly bucking and tossing to shake off their riders.
What’s going on?! Liu Wei was alarmed and took a step forward, feeling a sharp pain beneath his feet. A metal caltrop had pierced through the sole of his shoe and deeply into his flesh!
This is bad! They had already entered the ambush!
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“It seemed that the fleeing enemy troops had formed a column in order to rush into the mountain valley. It was precisely this column formation that caught them off guard. All around the mountain walls, a full circle of iron caltrops had been scattered, leaving only a narrow passage. Hidden beneath the grass, they couldn’t detect it at all. With no protection on the horses’ feet, stepping on them naturally caused the horses to lose their front hooves. Even if someone managed to avoid them by luck, the chaos that ensued made it impossible to maintain formation!
And furthermore, could an ambush consist solely of inanimate objects?
On the nearby mountain ridge, Sun Jiao shouted loudly, “Draw your bows!”
They had ridden hard for a day and a night, risking their lives to return, all for this moment. Following his command, over six hundred archers from the Thunderbolt Battalion drew their bows simultaneously, and a rain of arrows was unleashed towards the disorganized group of Xiongnu cavalry! Taking advantage of the elevated position and the element of surprise, this volley of arrows immediately claimed numerous lives. Liu Wei desperately raised his wooden shield and shouted loudly, attempting to form a defensive formation. However, trapped within the ambush, it was far from easy to achieve.
Standing on the edge of the cliff, Zhu Guo and others leaned on their swords and spears, panting heavily, as they watched the exchange of arrows in front of them. They were accustomed to daily ten-mile runs, but this was a whole different level of intensity! Even standing still was exhausting. However, successfully luring the enemy into the ambush made it all worthwhile!
One soldier enviedly remarked, “Captain, this Thunderbolt Battalion is really something. They just need to stand and shoot!”
“Just standing my ass,” Zhu Guo gasped, “Battalion Commander Sun used to be my squad leader, and in his battalion, they not only need to shoot accurately but also be skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Their training is no less intense than anyone else’s!”
“Ah? Does that mean they’re even more formidable than the Valiant Camp?” another person remarked.
“Our Valiant Camp is the foundation of the Liang family! Without us, could this ambush have succeeded?” someone immediately retorted.
Zhu Guo couldn’t help but smile, “That’s the point! Let’s recover quickly; we still have to deal with this gang of bandits!”
The hands holding their knives and spears gradually tightened as they awaited the return of their strength to face the enemy…
※
This is too slow.
Watching the sun descend from its zenith, slowly sinking towards the western horizon. Those dispatched cavalry were still nowhere to be seen. Were they held up by the enemy? Or was this simply a way to divide his forces and gradually wear them down?
But how many troops could a mere Gaodu hold? Or did Shangdang have forces to face both sides?
Regardless of which speculation, it didn’t make sense. However, the more it defied logic, the more confusing the current situation became.
The camp behind him remained eerily quiet, as if they didn’t regard him at all. If it weren’t for Liu Yao’s ability to remain patient, he might have already organized his troops and begun the siege.
But what should he do next? Continue sending reinforcements or simply give up on Liang Mansion and turn to Gaodu? Liu Yao was unsure. The delay of that thousand riders returning was truly causing anxiety.
Just as he was thinking, the sound of hoofbeats came from afar, like the galloping of four to five hundred riders. Liu Yao stood up and looked into the distance. He saw a troop of cavalry racing towards them. These people were wearing Xiongnu armor! Liu Yao couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Although their numbers were half of what they had sent out, they were indeed his own men and horses. Perhaps there had been some results in the battle over there, and they were returning to report.
But why had only five hundred returned? Had they suffered heavy casualties, or were they left behind in Gaodu? Or were they preparing the rear army again?
Liu Yao furrowed his brows, unable to guess the exact situation. His heart pounded like the rapid hoofbeats. He could only hope that they would bring back some good news. However, the pounding sound didn’t slow down; on the contrary, it accelerated. Liu Yao suddenly realized that this wasn’t a messenger; they were charging! They were charging!
“Mount up! Quickly mount up for defense!” Liu Yao shouted frantically.
His shouting didn’t have the expected effect but instead left many people puzzled. Defense? Where was the enemy?
Arrows informed them of the enemy’s direction. Those riders, wearing Xiongnu armor and riding Xiongnu warhorses, with Xiongnu faces, fired the first volley of arrows. Their equestrian archery skills were on par with any elite Xiongnu cavalry. This fierce attack immediately stunned the riders who were still waiting in formation. When the second volley of arrows was released, these people gradually mounted their horses and tried to face the enemy. However, it was too late!
Five hundred riders charged into Liu Yao’s formation. Even though it was unintentional, how could they resist? In the main camp, there was chaos with soldiers falling and horses stumbling! What was more frustrating was that these people’s attire was very similar to their own, and with the darkening sky, it was impossible to tell who the enemy was!
“Dismount! Dismount and fight on foot!” Liu Yao reacted quickly. Since it was too late to engage in mounted combat, they should all dismount and attack the enemies on horseback. As long as they could form a formation, their numbers would outnumber the enemy, and they wouldn’t be defenseless! No matter where these enemies came from, he would have to crush them to pieces!
“It’s time,” Zhang He, standing on the city wall, watched the chaotic Xiongnu camp below and said in a low voice, “The whole army, leave the camp and prepare for battle!”
With this command, the tightly closed camp gate slowly opened. Columns of soldiers marched out, their footsteps fast and almost silent. In no time, three thousand soldiers stood outside the camp, shield-bearers in front and spear-men behind, forming a compact square formation.
The camp was in chaos, but Liu Yao’s orders continued to be relayed. More and more cavalry dismounted, forming formations, and began to defend. It seemed that the enemy also realized the shift in advantage and urged their horses to flee towards the outskirts.
It’s working! Liu Yao felt a surge of joy. He was about to order a pursuit when the sound of drums echoed behind him.
Suddenly turning around, Liu Yao’s eyes widened in terror! In front of the previously quiet camp gate, there was a dense crowd of enemies, all holding spears, with shield-bearers in front. The drums thundered, accompanied by their equally loud and orderly footsteps. They advanced like an unstoppable, ferocious, and bloodthirsty beast, marching boldly towards their camp.
Behind the army formation was the brilliantly lit main camp. The sturdy camp gate rose into the sky, and the radiant torches illuminated the horizon, even outshining the fading sun. It was like the unextinguished flames of yesterday, burning fiercely and scorching the eyes!
At the same time as the drumbeat, horn blasts also sounded. Breaking out of the main camp, the group of riders of unknown origin reorganized, took out long arrows from their quivers. The arrowheads gleamed with a metallic and fiery light, sending shivers down one’s spine.
Three thousand foot soldiers, five hundred cavalry. What about them? What did they have left? Liu Yao’s teeth chattered, and he couldn’t help but tremble. How many soldiers did he have left?
“Kill! Kill! Kill!” The furious shouts were like a tsunami. The setting sun appeared blood-red, and the long spears were like a forest!
Liu Yao spent the night in armor and hardly slept well. He rose before dawn. To guard against a night attack, he had made thorough preparations. Not only did he order his soldiers to take turns on watch duty in three shifts, but he also didn’t set up tents to avoid obstructing their line of sight. It was almost November, and sleeping in the open like this, even in armor, was quite uncomfortable.
However, despite being fully prepared, there was no movement from Liang Mansion at all last night. Not to mention a night attack, there wasn’t even any drumming or signaling to disturb the enemy. The watchtowers on the fortress walls were eerily silent, and if not for the bright lights, it would seem like an empty city. As the sky was already getting light, and there was still no activity from inside, could it be that they had given up on a night attack?
However, Liu Yao didn’t let his guard down. Siege warfare takes time, and just because there was no night attack tonight didn’t mean it wouldn’t come tomorrow. The sooner they started the siege, the sooner they could gauge the enemy’s strength.
The fires in the nearby villages had burned throughout the night but were now extinguished. The smell of burnt wood and charred buildings lingered in the air, making the atmosphere heavy. Liu Yao paid little attention to these minor details and ordered his men to prepare a meal. After eating, the dawn was approaching, and the raiding party that had gone to capture laborers would soon return. It was a perfect time to begin the siege.
How many able-bodied warriors could there possibly be inside this fortress? It wouldn’t be surprising if there were several hundred household guards and even over a thousand young and able-bodied men. Defending the fortress would indeed be a tough challenge. If only he could lure them out into the open field for a pitched battle.
Thinking about how to crack this fortress, Liu Yao had a simple meal of meat-infused mixed porridge. He then ordered his men to get ready for battle.
Despite having a restless night, these elite Xiongnu soldiers quickly regained their composure, ready to unleash their pent-up energy. However, as the morning turned into broad daylight, there was still no sign of the raiding party sent to capture laborers. Liu Yao couldn’t sit still any longer and instructed a scout, “Go and find out where our rear guard is.”
Both Gaodu and Liang Mansion had engaged in scorched earth tactics, so there was no plunder to be had. They had entered as light cavalry without supply lines, and the group sent to capture people and supplies had taken the place of the rear guard. For this reason, he had sent a contingent of five hundred men. Even if they couldn’t capture many laborers, they should have returned by now.
Could they have run into some trouble?
Sure enough, half an hour later, a scout rushed back with a report, “General, Gaodu’s forces have intercepted our rear guard!”
“What?” Liu Yao shot up from his seat. These people had some guts to target the rear guard! Weren’t they afraid that he would change his mind and attack Gaodu directly, taking down the fortress walls?
“How many of them?” Liu Yao asked urgently.
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“It seems to be less than five hundred, currently engaging our rear guard!” the scout hastily replied.
“Liu Wei, take a thousand men to support the rear guard!” Even though anger burned within him, Liu Yao remained composed. This sudden abandonment of the siege was merely an attempt to cut off his retreat. Without supplies and laborers, their cavalry alone would be unable to capture the city. They might be forced to withdraw the next day.
This approach had its merits, but Liu Yao’s purpose in coming here was not solely to set fire to some villages. Abandoning the defense of Gaodu meant that Liang Mansion was even more critical for the county magistrate and the defenders of the city. The rear guard should not suffer a significant loss, but they also shouldn’t allocate too many troops there. The primary focus should remain on capturing Liang Mansion.
Liu Wei was one of Liu Yao’s trusted veteran officers, known for his calm and reliability, as well as his formidable combat skills. With him in charge, Liu Yao believed they could quickly defeat the five hundred troops engaging the rear guard.
Liu Wei accepted the order and led his troops toward Gaodu. Meanwhile, Liu Yao ordered his soldiers to dismount and continue guarding Liang Mansion. They needed to ensure that when the Jin troops were dealt with, whether by taking Liang Mansion or by posing a continued threat, they would have options and flexibility.
※
“Captain Zhu, we’ve lost about twenty brothers in the team, and there are over ten more with serious injuries.” Covered in bloodstains, a soldier reported to Captain Zhu with a weary expression.
Zhu Guo wiped the blood from his face and said, “Hurry and call the medics to treat the wounded. Move them to a safe place. The enemy might be sending reinforcements soon, and we can’t afford to delay.”
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The soldier immediately went to make arrangements, and Zhu Guo leaned on his longsword, exhaling heavily. Today’s battle had been a tough one.
He, too, was an old soldier from Liang Mansion, originally known as Zhu Er and a resident of the county. He had been serving in the force since its formation, and in a little over a year, he had climbed his way up to become a team captain. After attending the military academy and changing his name, he was a far cry from his former self.
However, despite his extensive combat experience, today was the first time he received such a battle order. Leading troops away from the fortified city of Gaodu, ambushing the Xiongnu rear guard, and subsequently luring the enemy deeper, leading them into the predetermined encirclement. Just thinking about it made him break out in a cold sweat.
Ambushing the enemy was no easy task. When infantry faced cavalry, the most terrifying aspect was the power of the horses. Whether charging or surrounding, as long as the horses could run, infantry of the same strength would find it challenging to resist. Nevertheless, this rear guard had brought along several hundred civilians, which was a burden, and the element of surprise had favored them. Even so, they had allowed quite a few enemy soldiers to escape without being completely intercepted.
However, these escapees were essential for the lure. Without these fleeing soldiers leading the way, how could they entice the reinforcements to attack?
A group of infantry, feigning defeat to lure enemy cavalry, was an extremely terrifying prospect. However, Zhu Guo showed no signs of hesitation, and neither did the soldiers behind him. The Xiongnu had dared to burn the villages outside of Liang Mansion, and that alone was enough to make everyone fight to the death.
Liang Mansion was their greatest reliance and their home. No matter who invaded, they would show no mercy! What did an ambush matter? What did luring the enemy matter? They were the elite soldiers of the Valiant Camp, after all!
Wiping the sweat from his forehead once more, Zhu Guo opened his water flask and took two hearty gulps. These cursed Xiongnu, let them come! Let’s see who would claim whose life!
Half a quarter-hour later, a scout came running to report, “Captain, the enemy is coming! There are at least a thousand riders!”
A thousand riders weren’t too many. Zhu Guo took a deep breath and ordered, “Full speed to the northwest! Maintain formation!”
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With this command, despite their previous exhaustion and injuries, the soldiers picked up their weapons and sprinted toward the designated ambush point.
“Liu Bei Jiang, that’s the Jin army up ahead!” A soldier who had just escaped said loudly at Liu Wei’s side.
Liu Wei looked at the fleeing soldiers dressed in cloth armor, carrying their weapons. He furrowed his brow and said, “Can they really scatter the rear guard?”
The soldier couldn’t help but feel ashamed and said, “The rear guard split into several groups to capture the laborers, and when they gathered, they ran into the ambush. We were caught off guard, and the presence of those laborers was indeed a hindrance, which caught us off guard. However, these people are quite capable in battle, so it would be wise for Captain Liu to be cautious.”
Liu Wei couldn’t determine whether this statement was to save face or a genuine warning. However, the speed at which the soldiers were fleeing in front of him didn’t seem like an act. With only a brief hesitation, Liu Wei ordered, “Catch up with them!”
How could two legs outrun four legs? They didn’t need to chase too fast; just keeping pace would exhaust this group of people. At the same time, their horses weren’t too fast either, so they wouldn’t rush headlong into an ambush. It could be considered a double benefit.
Hearing such orders from the captain, how could the cavalry below not guess his intentions? They followed suit.
As if driven to desperation, this group of people fled rapidly, showing no intention of stopping. Some were even so exhausted that they couldn’t hold onto their spears and dropped them. It wasn’t until they had chased for five miles, with a narrow and elongated mountain valley up ahead, that Liu Wei loudly commanded, ‘Increase the speed and cut them off!’
A valley like this couldn’t be traversed no matter what, and it was too dangerous for cavalry. As long as they didn’t enter the mountain pass, even if the enemy had an ambush, they wouldn’t be able to harm them. Whether it was encirclement or complete annihilation, it was all up to him!
Upon hearing the command, the cavalry immediately increased their speed, forming a fan-shaped formation, and pursued the fleeing group. It was as if they knew they couldn’t escape anymore. The group was forced to the side of a cliff, squeezed there, and they stood their ground, raising their remaining knives and spears, seemingly ready to fight to the death.
But did they still have the strength to fight? Liu Wei sneered coldly and also increased his horse’s speed. The wind howled, and he raised his bent bow at the same time. A charge? No need. Just a few rounds of arrows would be enough to deal with this group of remnants.
However, just as he raised his bow and arrows, the horse he was riding suddenly let out a long neigh and lost its footing on its front hooves. Terrified, Liu Wei desperately clamped down on the horseshoe, grabbing the mane as well. Relying on his excellent riding skills, he managed to roll off the horse just as it crashed to the ground, narrowly escaping being pinned under the horse.
Liu Wei had escaped, but others weren’t as lucky. All around him, there were cries of horses in pain and fear. Those extremely well-trained warhorses seemed to have gone mad, either falling to the ground or wildly bucking and tossing to shake off their riders.
What’s going on?! Liu Wei was alarmed and took a step forward, feeling a sharp pain beneath his feet. A metal caltrop had pierced through the sole of his shoe and deeply into his flesh!
This is bad! They had already entered the ambush!
Advertisement
AD
“It seemed that the fleeing enemy troops had formed a column in order to rush into the mountain valley. It was precisely this column formation that caught them off guard. All around the mountain walls, a full circle of iron caltrops had been scattered, leaving only a narrow passage. Hidden beneath the grass, they couldn’t detect it at all. With no protection on the horses’ feet, stepping on them naturally caused the horses to lose their front hooves. Even if someone managed to avoid them by luck, the chaos that ensued made it impossible to maintain formation!
And furthermore, could an ambush consist solely of inanimate objects?
On the nearby mountain ridge, Sun Jiao shouted loudly, “Draw your bows!”
They had ridden hard for a day and a night, risking their lives to return, all for this moment. Following his command, over six hundred archers from the Thunderbolt Battalion drew their bows simultaneously, and a rain of arrows was unleashed towards the disorganized group of Xiongnu cavalry! Taking advantage of the elevated position and the element of surprise, this volley of arrows immediately claimed numerous lives. Liu Wei desperately raised his wooden shield and shouted loudly, attempting to form a defensive formation. However, trapped within the ambush, it was far from easy to achieve.
Standing on the edge of the cliff, Zhu Guo and others leaned on their swords and spears, panting heavily, as they watched the exchange of arrows in front of them. They were accustomed to daily ten-mile runs, but this was a whole different level of intensity! Even standing still was exhausting. However, successfully luring the enemy into the ambush made it all worthwhile!
One soldier enviedly remarked, “Captain, this Thunderbolt Battalion is really something. They just need to stand and shoot!”
“Just standing my ass,” Zhu Guo gasped, “Battalion Commander Sun used to be my squad leader, and in his battalion, they not only need to shoot accurately but also be skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Their training is no less intense than anyone else’s!”
“Ah? Does that mean they’re even more formidable than the Valiant Camp?” another person remarked.
“Our Valiant Camp is the foundation of the Liang family! Without us, could this ambush have succeeded?” someone immediately retorted.
Zhu Guo couldn’t help but smile, “That’s the point! Let’s recover quickly; we still have to deal with this gang of bandits!”
The hands holding their knives and spears gradually tightened as they awaited the return of their strength to face the enemy…
※
This is too slow.
Watching the sun descend from its zenith, slowly sinking towards the western horizon. Those dispatched cavalry were still nowhere to be seen. Were they held up by the enemy? Or was this simply a way to divide his forces and gradually wear them down?
But how many troops could a mere Gaodu hold? Or did Shangdang have forces to face both sides?
Regardless of which speculation, it didn’t make sense. However, the more it defied logic, the more confusing the current situation became.
The camp behind him remained eerily quiet, as if they didn’t regard him at all. If it weren’t for Liu Yao’s ability to remain patient, he might have already organized his troops and begun the siege.
But what should he do next? Continue sending reinforcements or simply give up on Liang Mansion and turn to Gaodu? Liu Yao was unsure. The delay of that thousand riders returning was truly causing anxiety.
Just as he was thinking, the sound of hoofbeats came from afar, like the galloping of four to five hundred riders. Liu Yao stood up and looked into the distance. He saw a troop of cavalry racing towards them. These people were wearing Xiongnu armor! Liu Yao couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Although their numbers were half of what they had sent out, they were indeed his own men and horses. Perhaps there had been some results in the battle over there, and they were returning to report.
But why had only five hundred returned? Had they suffered heavy casualties, or were they left behind in Gaodu? Or were they preparing the rear army again?
Liu Yao furrowed his brows, unable to guess the exact situation. His heart pounded like the rapid hoofbeats. He could only hope that they would bring back some good news. However, the pounding sound didn’t slow down; on the contrary, it accelerated. Liu Yao suddenly realized that this wasn’t a messenger; they were charging! They were charging!
“Mount up! Quickly mount up for defense!” Liu Yao shouted frantically.
His shouting didn’t have the expected effect but instead left many people puzzled. Defense? Where was the enemy?
Arrows informed them of the enemy’s direction. Those riders, wearing Xiongnu armor and riding Xiongnu warhorses, with Xiongnu faces, fired the first volley of arrows. Their equestrian archery skills were on par with any elite Xiongnu cavalry. This fierce attack immediately stunned the riders who were still waiting in formation. When the second volley of arrows was released, these people gradually mounted their horses and tried to face the enemy. However, it was too late!
Five hundred riders charged into Liu Yao’s formation. Even though it was unintentional, how could they resist? In the main camp, there was chaos with soldiers falling and horses stumbling! What was more frustrating was that these people’s attire was very similar to their own, and with the darkening sky, it was impossible to tell who the enemy was!
“Dismount! Dismount and fight on foot!” Liu Yao reacted quickly. Since it was too late to engage in mounted combat, they should all dismount and attack the enemies on horseback. As long as they could form a formation, their numbers would outnumber the enemy, and they wouldn’t be defenseless! No matter where these enemies came from, he would have to crush them to pieces!
“It’s time,” Zhang He, standing on the city wall, watched the chaotic Xiongnu camp below and said in a low voice, “The whole army, leave the camp and prepare for battle!”
With this command, the tightly closed camp gate slowly opened. Columns of soldiers marched out, their footsteps fast and almost silent. In no time, three thousand soldiers stood outside the camp, shield-bearers in front and spear-men behind, forming a compact square formation.
The camp was in chaos, but Liu Yao’s orders continued to be relayed. More and more cavalry dismounted, forming formations, and began to defend. It seemed that the enemy also realized the shift in advantage and urged their horses to flee towards the outskirts.
It’s working! Liu Yao felt a surge of joy. He was about to order a pursuit when the sound of drums echoed behind him.
Suddenly turning around, Liu Yao’s eyes widened in terror! In front of the previously quiet camp gate, there was a dense crowd of enemies, all holding spears, with shield-bearers in front. The drums thundered, accompanied by their equally loud and orderly footsteps. They advanced like an unstoppable, ferocious, and bloodthirsty beast, marching boldly towards their camp.
Behind the army formation was the brilliantly lit main camp. The sturdy camp gate rose into the sky, and the radiant torches illuminated the horizon, even outshining the fading sun. It was like the unextinguished flames of yesterday, burning fiercely and scorching the eyes!
At the same time as the drumbeat, horn blasts also sounded. Breaking out of the main camp, the group of riders of unknown origin reorganized, took out long arrows from their quivers. The arrowheads gleamed with a metallic and fiery light, sending shivers down one’s spine.
Three thousand foot soldiers, five hundred cavalry. What about them? What did they have left? Liu Yao’s teeth chattered, and he couldn’t help but tremble. How many soldiers did he have left?
“Kill! Kill! Kill!” The furious shouts were like a tsunami. The setting sun appeared blood-red, and the long spears were like a forest!
