Thank you to Nora7 for the ko-fi~
Standing in the woods, Zhang He raised the object in his hand and looked towards the distant capital city of Jingling. This place was at least seven or eight li away from Jingling, making it impossible to see things clearly. However, in the bronze tube he held up, not to mention the city walls, even the faces of the soldiers on the city walls could be seen clearly.
This was a newly developed item by the Liang family, called the “Thousand-Mile Mirror.” The lens was made of crystal, polished to allow observation of enemy movements from tens of miles away. However, the cost was exorbitant, and usable crystals were hard to find. Therefore, the family only made three in total, with one being kept by Zhang He himself.
Zhang He wouldn’t waste such a useful tool. After observing for a full quarter of an hour, he carefully opened the sable-skin tube hanging at his waist, gently placed the Thousand-Mile Mirror back into the padded case, and said to his subordinates, “Jingling has no intention of sending troops, and the defenders on the city wall haven’t increased. It seems the city is indeed empty.”
Jingling, Zhongdu, and Wuxian are three cities in the southwest of Qixian, each separated by only a dozen or so li, facing each other. After retaking Qixian, the three cities entered a state of alert. However, it was unknown which city the fleeing soldiers from Qixian had ultimately gathered in. After reaching the vicinity of Jingling, Zhang He did not rush to attack the city but carefully investigated the movements of the three cities.
On this clear morning, Wuxian had already sent troops to assist the garrison in Lishi. Jingling and Zhongdu, on the other hand, remained inactive. Leaving Zhongdu aside for now, Jingling had been captured and slaughtered before, and the population in the city was already pitifully low. If there were not many defenders, it would confirm the earlier speculation. This city was empty and could be attacked!
“Inform the defenders of Qixian, we attack the city tonight!” Without hesitation, Zhang He issued the command.
It’s unclear whether the front line has already begun the battle, but their objective has never been to reinforce a large army attacking Lishi; it lies right in front of them. These three cities, not a single one should be overlooked!
As the sky transitioned from light to dark and then brightened again, the defenders of Jingling City, after enduring a night, were more or less fatigued. As the long night came to an end, the moment before the sun rose, a change occurred on the city walls!
At some unknown time, the black-clad sharpshooters lurking beneath the city threw hooks with ropes, scaling the city walls. Hand crossbows fired in succession, and daggers moved like the wind, instantly claiming the lives of the bewildered defenders. Following this, the tightly sealed city gates were pushed open from the inside, and two thousand cavalry, like a raging wave, stormed into the city.
Kill, kill, kill!
There was no time for proper defense, not even the organization of street battles. The still groggy Xiongnu defenders encountered an unimaginably terrifying assault. In the blink of an eye, blood flowed like a river, as if the countless souls from the underworld had emerged, tearing at their lives. From loud shouts to desperate cries, and then silence. An hour later, a cavalry unit rode out of the city gates, galloping towards Wuxian.
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Before noon, beneath the walls of Wuxian, a bedraggled group of cavalry appeared. The leader rode up to the city and shouted loudly, “Open the gates! Jingling is breached, Zhongdu is ambushed, quickly open the city and let us in!”
His voice was filled with fear, his face and body covered in bloodstains. The defenders on the city walls were frightened and hurriedly rushed to report. Shortly after, the commander of Wuxian ascended the walls. With a glance, he saw five or six hundred Xiongnu riders, battered and bloodied, obviously having fought fiercely and now exhausted, not even bothering to sheath their waist knives. Upon closer inspection, the leading officer seemed familiar, and he quickly exclaimed in the Xiongnu language, “Isn’t this Brother Wuna below?!”
He used the Xiongnu language, and the man below immediately responded, “Indeed, it’s me! Liu Ran, quickly open the city gates! Let us in!”
Truly the defender from Jingling! Liu Ran’s heart skipped a beat. Had Jingling truly fallen? Was Zhongdu also ambushed? Weren’t the Jin forces supposed to attack Lishi? Why did they suddenly send troops to attack these cities? Do they still have spare forces?
Looking again at the people below the city, Liu Ran shouted, “Why are there only these few men and horses left? Where is your general?”
“General Huyan’s formation collapsed, and I led my brothers to break out desperately! Open the city quickly! Let us in!” Wuna was almost hoarse, nearly on the verge of crying. The fear on his face was vivid, and he frequently looked back as if wary of enemies behind him.
Liu Ran scanned the surroundings, not seeing any hidden troops. Finally, he gritted his teeth and gave the order, “Open the city!”
At a time like this, theoretically, the city gates should not be opened. However, the garrison in Wuxian had just received military orders to march to Ping Pass to face the enemy. Currently, the defenders in the city numbered less than eight hundred, leaving the military presence truly vulnerable. If both Jingling and Zhongdu were to fall, the next target would undoubtedly be Wuxian, which Liu Ran defended. Adding five hundred cavalry would mean an increase of more than half the military strength. Just this fact alone was enough to sway Liu Ran’s decision.
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Anyway, those who could break out of the encirclement wouldn’t be weak soldiers. Let’s bring them into the city first and then figure out the next steps!
The massive wooden city gates creaked, and soon, the gates swung open. Looking at the dark entrance, Wuna didn’t urge his horse forward. Instead, he seemed frozen, trembling on his horse. In front, behind, left, and right, the accompanying Xiongnu riders simultaneously spurred their horses towards the city gates. Each one held a sword or knife aloft, the blade gleaming a menacing blood-red in the sunlight.
Inside the city gates, the defenders had not reacted, and the ferocious cavalry charged up. For a moment, the sounds of battle and desperate cries filled the air. Wuna trembled even more violently. When Jingling fell, he had actually been captured by those ominous Jin soldiers. However, they had offered him a way out under the condition of luring the enemy.
As long as he ordered the opening of the gates of Wuxian, they could grant him a way out. If he led this group of Xiongnu soldiers affiliated with Jin into Wuxian, there was a chance of survival. Let Liu Ran, who had once fought shoulder-to-shoulder with him, die in his place…
A gust of wind howled, carrying with it a strong scent of blood. The fierce fighting continued in the city. Trembling, Wuna pulled the reins and galloped westward, escaping from another battlefield haunted by ghosts.
On that day, Jingling fell, and Wuxian fell. The next day, along with Qixian, the three cities surrounded and attacked, and Zhongdu surrendered!
※
“Forward! Forward! Do not retreat! Stand firm!” Tian Yan stood in the midst of the troops, shouting loudly. However, only a few soldiers could hear his voice. In the ears of the majority were the thundering drumbeats and the shouts of the enemy in front.
Shields were held high, resisting the incoming arrows. Following the drumbeats, step by step forward! Engage the enemy! In battle, the army must not retreat; only by maintaining formation and advancing can victory be ensured.
As the vanguard, they were always the first to face the enemy. Behind them was a large camp with over ten thousand soldiers, but the commander wouldn’t rashly move the formation for their sake. Fortunately, the enemy’s numbers were comparable. As long as they held their ground, they should be able to stop…
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The shield formation in front flickered and disappeared. The soldiers in the front row moved, not engaging in individual combat to win, but rather forming teams of three to watch and attack. Their formation seemed a bit chaotic as if lacking in practice. But facing the skilled Xiongnu soldiers, this was the best strategy to stay alive.
Tian Yan also wielded a long knife, fighting desperately. He kept shouting something, but it was meaningless. Thankfully, the Xiongnu horses were somewhat deficient, choosing infantry warfare. Otherwise, if they faced cavalry, their morale would have suffered greatly. They could hold on; they had to survive!
“Kill! Do not retreat!” Tian Yan roared wildly, looking like a madman. Whether it was due to heightened morale or effective command, this unit surprisingly withstood the enemy’s attacks.
On a distant hill, a young Xiongnu clad in armor stood on horseback, watching the military formation below. “The Jin army’s vanguard is quite valiant. Send five hundred men to take a detour and attack the enemy’s rear supply route!”
The provisions and forage always move slower than the main army, especially considering safety concerns. They won’t be openly placed in the military camp. This slight distance is enough for the cavalry to excel. A unit of soldiers and horses followed orders, while Liu Cong patted his beloved steed and continued to gaze at the battlefield. As soon as the rear army is in disarray, his light cavalry can immediately join the battlefield and attack the central army. At that time, is there still a fear of not being able to eliminate the enemy commander with the surname Pei?
However, the chaos he was waiting for had yet to appear.
Before the supply camp, the sound of hooves was thunderous. The commanding officer shouted himself hoarse, “Enemy attack! We’re under attack! Hurry, prepare for battle!”
They only had a thousand soldiers, yet there were at least five hundred cavalry approaching. How were they supposed to defend against this? Why did the main army allow the enemy cavalry to attack the rear supply route?
The camp officer was exhausted from preparing for battle, and the three thousand laborers below were on the verge of madness. Who could have anticipated encountering such a situation as soon as they entered the battlefield? Wasn’t it said that supplies were the lifeblood of the army? How could the enemy easily launch an attack?
Among the laborers, however, someone shouted loudly, “The enemy is only a few hundred strong. As long as we hold the camp gate and don’t let them in, we’ll be fine!”
How to defend? Countless minds were in chaos, and there seemed to be no solution. However, dozens of strong men had already rushed out, pushing large carts filled with supplies, and blocking the camp gate.
“Use the carts! Quickly use the carts to block the camp gate! They are on horses and can’t jump in! Don’t kill them!” Zhao Da shouted loudly, rallying familiar laborers to help push the carts.
“We can’t sit back and wait for death. They want to burn our supplies! Without supplies, how will our wives and children at home survive?”
This statement was somewhat confusing; after all, the army’s supplies were meant for the soldiers, so what did it have to do with wives and children? However, these people had enlisted for the sake of their families, and hearing this, it proved more effective than others. More and more people got involved, pushing and pulling carts, attempting to create another line of defense.
In the supply camp, there were more than just provisions. Zhao Da grabbed a bewildered soldier beside him, “Soldier, we still have quite a few people. As long as we have guns and bows, we should be able to hold our ground!”
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The soldier opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Zhao Da shouted, “Quick, follow the officer to defend the camp!”
Dozens more people rushed out, armed with guns and bows, standing in front of the makeshift defense line. At this point, the Xiongnu cavalry had already driven away the defending forces and charged in, only to find this improvised cart wall blocking their path.
The leader frowned, “Dismount, charge through, and burn their supplies!”
The three hundred Xiongnu soldiers immediately dismounted, drew their knives, and charged forward. Zhao Da forcefully handed a long spear to his companion, saying, “Gou, hold onto this. As long as anyone dares to flip over, give them a hit!”
Wang Gou was scared out of his wits, but around him, more people raised their guns and bows. The sounds of battle erupted!
With a loud thud, an arrow flew over the cart wall and embedded itself in the soil in front.
“Ah, ah, ah!” Wang Gou screamed in terror. He had never seen such a scene! But how could Zhao Da be so adept at killing enemies? Wasn’t Zhao Da enlisted alongside them? Was killing enemies so easy?
“Kill! Kill them!” Zhao Da’s shout echoed, and the cart wall behind him shook. Wang Gou also trembled, raising the long spear in his hand and thrusting it forward with a determined “Ah.”
The spear tip seemed to have pierced something, and Wang Gou stared blankly at the fierce face in front of him. The spear tip had penetrated the Xiongnu warrior’s leather armor, seemingly shallowly, as the man grabbed the spear shaft with one hand, while the other hand raised a long knife high…
However, the knife did not come down. With a “pu” sound, another spear preempted it, ruthlessly stabbing the Xiongnu soldier’s throat. Zhao Da’s hand trembled as he pulled back the spear, saying, “Well done! More people, aim accurately, stab where there’s no armor!”
Wang Dog mumbled a response, but when another face approached the cart wall, it was as if something suddenly lit up in his mind.
I can kill enemies too! I can make achievements too!
His grip on the spear tightened fiercely. Emulating Zhao Da, he also raised the long spear and thrust it forward again!
A quarter of an hour later.
“General, the rear army is well-prepared and hasn’t been breached!” a messenger on a flying horse reported.
Liu Cong frowned. If the vanguard was so daring and the rear army was also quite prepared, it seemed that Pei Dun was not completely incompetent.
“Order to withdraw. We’ll fight again tomorrow!” Now was not the best time for action. Waiting for the Bai Xianbei forces to arrive and start besieging the city would be the moment when the morale of this Jin army would be in chaos, and they would collapse at the slightest touch.
He aimed for not just a simple victory!
“Commander, the enemy is retreating!” The central army also received the message.
The rear army’s supplies were intact, and the vanguard had repelled the enemy attack. It seemed that they could indeed fight this battle! Waiting for reinforcements from Shangdang had yielded no results. Finally, a smile appeared on Pei Dun’s face.
He sneered, “Issue the order to withdraw. Set up the formation tomorrow. I want to completely drive off this enemy army!”
The Xiongnu cavalry was insufficient this time, and even the small team that attacked the supplies was repelled by the laborers. It seemed that the defenders of Lishi were ultimately not up to the task. With just the twenty thousand troops in his hands, he was more than capable!
As for the reinforcements from Shangdang… Hmph! If Liang Zixi dares to escape from the front lines, let’s see how he deals with this ambivalent character when he returns to Jinyang!
The sound of the war drums echoed across the battlefield. The two armies in a stalemate gradually ceased their attacks, retracting like some sticky, wriggling worms back to their respective camps.
The combat temporarily ceased.
Meanwhile, in a distant city, a piece of news also reached the desk.
“Liu Hu has mobilized, with ten thousand troops including the Bai Xianbei.” Liang Feng’s expression was ice-cold. He had anticipated that Liu Hu would seize this opportunity to attack the city. However, he didn’t expect the enemy’s actions to be so swift and the number of troops to be so substantial!
It seemed that Liu Yuan had no intention of letting go of Hedong. If things went awry, even Bing County would pay a significant price for this impulsive military expedition.
“Boyuan, lead the troops out of the city and station them in the Dragon Mountain to the west of the city. Take advantage of Liu Hu’s unpreparedness and attack his flank!”
“My lord!” Yiyan stepped forward abruptly, “The defense inside Jinyang is already thin. If I lead the troops out of the city, what about the city’s safety?”
“Leave six hundred soldiers behind, along with the young and strong men in the city. They should be able to hold it! If we let Liu Hu attack the city unchecked, the rear of the main army might be in danger.” There was no trace of retreat in Liang Feng’s voice. “This is the only way to protect Jinyang and the twenty thousand troops. You must go out of the city. You are only allowed to win, not to lose!”
The black and grayish-blue eyes collided. Yiyan saw the anger in those starry eyes, as well as the fierce unwillingness and determination. Clenching his fists tightly, he knelt down on one knee, “I, as your subordinate, obey your command!”
Thank you to Nora7 for the ko-fi~
Standing in the woods, Zhang He raised the object in his hand and looked towards the distant capital city of Jingling. This place was at least seven or eight li away from Jingling, making it impossible to see things clearly. However, in the bronze tube he held up, not to mention the city walls, even the faces of the soldiers on the city walls could be seen clearly.
This was a newly developed item by the Liang family, called the “Thousand-Mile Mirror.” The lens was made of crystal, polished to allow observation of enemy movements from tens of miles away. However, the cost was exorbitant, and usable crystals were hard to find. Therefore, the family only made three in total, with one being kept by Zhang He himself.
Zhang He wouldn’t waste such a useful tool. After observing for a full quarter of an hour, he carefully opened the sable-skin tube hanging at his waist, gently placed the Thousand-Mile Mirror back into the padded case, and said to his subordinates, “Jingling has no intention of sending troops, and the defenders on the city wall haven’t increased. It seems the city is indeed empty.”
Jingling, Zhongdu, and Wuxian are three cities in the southwest of Qixian, each separated by only a dozen or so li, facing each other. After retaking Qixian, the three cities entered a state of alert. However, it was unknown which city the fleeing soldiers from Qixian had ultimately gathered in. After reaching the vicinity of Jingling, Zhang He did not rush to attack the city but carefully investigated the movements of the three cities.
On this clear morning, Wuxian had already sent troops to assist the garrison in Lishi. Jingling and Zhongdu, on the other hand, remained inactive. Leaving Zhongdu aside for now, Jingling had been captured and slaughtered before, and the population in the city was already pitifully low. If there were not many defenders, it would confirm the earlier speculation. This city was empty and could be attacked!
“Inform the defenders of Qixian, we attack the city tonight!” Without hesitation, Zhang He issued the command.
It’s unclear whether the front line has already begun the battle, but their objective has never been to reinforce a large army attacking Lishi; it lies right in front of them. These three cities, not a single one should be overlooked!
As the sky transitioned from light to dark and then brightened again, the defenders of Jingling City, after enduring a night, were more or less fatigued. As the long night came to an end, the moment before the sun rose, a change occurred on the city walls!
At some unknown time, the black-clad sharpshooters lurking beneath the city threw hooks with ropes, scaling the city walls. Hand crossbows fired in succession, and daggers moved like the wind, instantly claiming the lives of the bewildered defenders. Following this, the tightly sealed city gates were pushed open from the inside, and two thousand cavalry, like a raging wave, stormed into the city.
Kill, kill, kill!
There was no time for proper defense, not even the organization of street battles. The still groggy Xiongnu defenders encountered an unimaginably terrifying assault. In the blink of an eye, blood flowed like a river, as if the countless souls from the underworld had emerged, tearing at their lives. From loud shouts to desperate cries, and then silence. An hour later, a cavalry unit rode out of the city gates, galloping towards Wuxian.
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Before noon, beneath the walls of Wuxian, a bedraggled group of cavalry appeared. The leader rode up to the city and shouted loudly, “Open the gates! Jingling is breached, Zhongdu is ambushed, quickly open the city and let us in!”
His voice was filled with fear, his face and body covered in bloodstains. The defenders on the city walls were frightened and hurriedly rushed to report. Shortly after, the commander of Wuxian ascended the walls. With a glance, he saw five or six hundred Xiongnu riders, battered and bloodied, obviously having fought fiercely and now exhausted, not even bothering to sheath their waist knives. Upon closer inspection, the leading officer seemed familiar, and he quickly exclaimed in the Xiongnu language, “Isn’t this Brother Wuna below?!”
He used the Xiongnu language, and the man below immediately responded, “Indeed, it’s me! Liu Ran, quickly open the city gates! Let us in!”
Truly the defender from Jingling! Liu Ran’s heart skipped a beat. Had Jingling truly fallen? Was Zhongdu also ambushed? Weren’t the Jin forces supposed to attack Lishi? Why did they suddenly send troops to attack these cities? Do they still have spare forces?
Looking again at the people below the city, Liu Ran shouted, “Why are there only these few men and horses left? Where is your general?”
“General Huyan’s formation collapsed, and I led my brothers to break out desperately! Open the city quickly! Let us in!” Wuna was almost hoarse, nearly on the verge of crying. The fear on his face was vivid, and he frequently looked back as if wary of enemies behind him.
Liu Ran scanned the surroundings, not seeing any hidden troops. Finally, he gritted his teeth and gave the order, “Open the city!”
At a time like this, theoretically, the city gates should not be opened. However, the garrison in Wuxian had just received military orders to march to Ping Pass to face the enemy. Currently, the defenders in the city numbered less than eight hundred, leaving the military presence truly vulnerable. If both Jingling and Zhongdu were to fall, the next target would undoubtedly be Wuxian, which Liu Ran defended. Adding five hundred cavalry would mean an increase of more than half the military strength. Just this fact alone was enough to sway Liu Ran’s decision.
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Anyway, those who could break out of the encirclement wouldn’t be weak soldiers. Let’s bring them into the city first and then figure out the next steps!
The massive wooden city gates creaked, and soon, the gates swung open. Looking at the dark entrance, Wuna didn’t urge his horse forward. Instead, he seemed frozen, trembling on his horse. In front, behind, left, and right, the accompanying Xiongnu riders simultaneously spurred their horses towards the city gates. Each one held a sword or knife aloft, the blade gleaming a menacing blood-red in the sunlight.
Inside the city gates, the defenders had not reacted, and the ferocious cavalry charged up. For a moment, the sounds of battle and desperate cries filled the air. Wuna trembled even more violently. When Jingling fell, he had actually been captured by those ominous Jin soldiers. However, they had offered him a way out under the condition of luring the enemy.
As long as he ordered the opening of the gates of Wuxian, they could grant him a way out. If he led this group of Xiongnu soldiers affiliated with Jin into Wuxian, there was a chance of survival. Let Liu Ran, who had once fought shoulder-to-shoulder with him, die in his place…
A gust of wind howled, carrying with it a strong scent of blood. The fierce fighting continued in the city. Trembling, Wuna pulled the reins and galloped westward, escaping from another battlefield haunted by ghosts.
On that day, Jingling fell, and Wuxian fell. The next day, along with Qixian, the three cities surrounded and attacked, and Zhongdu surrendered!
※
“Forward! Forward! Do not retreat! Stand firm!” Tian Yan stood in the midst of the troops, shouting loudly. However, only a few soldiers could hear his voice. In the ears of the majority were the thundering drumbeats and the shouts of the enemy in front.
Shields were held high, resisting the incoming arrows. Following the drumbeats, step by step forward! Engage the enemy! In battle, the army must not retreat; only by maintaining formation and advancing can victory be ensured.
As the vanguard, they were always the first to face the enemy. Behind them was a large camp with over ten thousand soldiers, but the commander wouldn’t rashly move the formation for their sake. Fortunately, the enemy’s numbers were comparable. As long as they held their ground, they should be able to stop…
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The shield formation in front flickered and disappeared. The soldiers in the front row moved, not engaging in individual combat to win, but rather forming teams of three to watch and attack. Their formation seemed a bit chaotic as if lacking in practice. But facing the skilled Xiongnu soldiers, this was the best strategy to stay alive.
Tian Yan also wielded a long knife, fighting desperately. He kept shouting something, but it was meaningless. Thankfully, the Xiongnu horses were somewhat deficient, choosing infantry warfare. Otherwise, if they faced cavalry, their morale would have suffered greatly. They could hold on; they had to survive!
“Kill! Do not retreat!” Tian Yan roared wildly, looking like a madman. Whether it was due to heightened morale or effective command, this unit surprisingly withstood the enemy’s attacks.
On a distant hill, a young Xiongnu clad in armor stood on horseback, watching the military formation below. “The Jin army’s vanguard is quite valiant. Send five hundred men to take a detour and attack the enemy’s rear supply route!”
The provisions and forage always move slower than the main army, especially considering safety concerns. They won’t be openly placed in the military camp. This slight distance is enough for the cavalry to excel. A unit of soldiers and horses followed orders, while Liu Cong patted his beloved steed and continued to gaze at the battlefield. As soon as the rear army is in disarray, his light cavalry can immediately join the battlefield and attack the central army. At that time, is there still a fear of not being able to eliminate the enemy commander with the surname Pei?
However, the chaos he was waiting for had yet to appear.
Before the supply camp, the sound of hooves was thunderous. The commanding officer shouted himself hoarse, “Enemy attack! We’re under attack! Hurry, prepare for battle!”
They only had a thousand soldiers, yet there were at least five hundred cavalry approaching. How were they supposed to defend against this? Why did the main army allow the enemy cavalry to attack the rear supply route?
The camp officer was exhausted from preparing for battle, and the three thousand laborers below were on the verge of madness. Who could have anticipated encountering such a situation as soon as they entered the battlefield? Wasn’t it said that supplies were the lifeblood of the army? How could the enemy easily launch an attack?
Among the laborers, however, someone shouted loudly, “The enemy is only a few hundred strong. As long as we hold the camp gate and don’t let them in, we’ll be fine!”
How to defend? Countless minds were in chaos, and there seemed to be no solution. However, dozens of strong men had already rushed out, pushing large carts filled with supplies, and blocking the camp gate.
“Use the carts! Quickly use the carts to block the camp gate! They are on horses and can’t jump in! Don’t kill them!” Zhao Da shouted loudly, rallying familiar laborers to help push the carts.
“We can’t sit back and wait for death. They want to burn our supplies! Without supplies, how will our wives and children at home survive?”
This statement was somewhat confusing; after all, the army’s supplies were meant for the soldiers, so what did it have to do with wives and children? However, these people had enlisted for the sake of their families, and hearing this, it proved more effective than others. More and more people got involved, pushing and pulling carts, attempting to create another line of defense.
In the supply camp, there were more than just provisions. Zhao Da grabbed a bewildered soldier beside him, “Soldier, we still have quite a few people. As long as we have guns and bows, we should be able to hold our ground!”
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The soldier opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Zhao Da shouted, “Quick, follow the officer to defend the camp!”
Dozens more people rushed out, armed with guns and bows, standing in front of the makeshift defense line. At this point, the Xiongnu cavalry had already driven away the defending forces and charged in, only to find this improvised cart wall blocking their path.
The leader frowned, “Dismount, charge through, and burn their supplies!”
The three hundred Xiongnu soldiers immediately dismounted, drew their knives, and charged forward. Zhao Da forcefully handed a long spear to his companion, saying, “Gou, hold onto this. As long as anyone dares to flip over, give them a hit!”
Wang Gou was scared out of his wits, but around him, more people raised their guns and bows. The sounds of battle erupted!
With a loud thud, an arrow flew over the cart wall and embedded itself in the soil in front.
“Ah, ah, ah!” Wang Gou screamed in terror. He had never seen such a scene! But how could Zhao Da be so adept at killing enemies? Wasn’t Zhao Da enlisted alongside them? Was killing enemies so easy?
“Kill! Kill them!” Zhao Da’s shout echoed, and the cart wall behind him shook. Wang Gou also trembled, raising the long spear in his hand and thrusting it forward with a determined “Ah.”
The spear tip seemed to have pierced something, and Wang Gou stared blankly at the fierce face in front of him. The spear tip had penetrated the Xiongnu warrior’s leather armor, seemingly shallowly, as the man grabbed the spear shaft with one hand, while the other hand raised a long knife high…
However, the knife did not come down. With a “pu” sound, another spear preempted it, ruthlessly stabbing the Xiongnu soldier’s throat. Zhao Da’s hand trembled as he pulled back the spear, saying, “Well done! More people, aim accurately, stab where there’s no armor!”
Wang Dog mumbled a response, but when another face approached the cart wall, it was as if something suddenly lit up in his mind.
I can kill enemies too! I can make achievements too!
His grip on the spear tightened fiercely. Emulating Zhao Da, he also raised the long spear and thrust it forward again!
A quarter of an hour later.
“General, the rear army is well-prepared and hasn’t been breached!” a messenger on a flying horse reported.
Liu Cong frowned. If the vanguard was so daring and the rear army was also quite prepared, it seemed that Pei Dun was not completely incompetent.
“Order to withdraw. We’ll fight again tomorrow!” Now was not the best time for action. Waiting for the Bai Xianbei forces to arrive and start besieging the city would be the moment when the morale of this Jin army would be in chaos, and they would collapse at the slightest touch.
He aimed for not just a simple victory!
“Commander, the enemy is retreating!” The central army also received the message.
The rear army’s supplies were intact, and the vanguard had repelled the enemy attack. It seemed that they could indeed fight this battle! Waiting for reinforcements from Shangdang had yielded no results. Finally, a smile appeared on Pei Dun’s face.
He sneered, “Issue the order to withdraw. Set up the formation tomorrow. I want to completely drive off this enemy army!”
The Xiongnu cavalry was insufficient this time, and even the small team that attacked the supplies was repelled by the laborers. It seemed that the defenders of Lishi were ultimately not up to the task. With just the twenty thousand troops in his hands, he was more than capable!
As for the reinforcements from Shangdang… Hmph! If Liang Zixi dares to escape from the front lines, let’s see how he deals with this ambivalent character when he returns to Jinyang!
The sound of the war drums echoed across the battlefield. The two armies in a stalemate gradually ceased their attacks, retracting like some sticky, wriggling worms back to their respective camps.
The combat temporarily ceased.
Meanwhile, in a distant city, a piece of news also reached the desk.
“Liu Hu has mobilized, with ten thousand troops including the Bai Xianbei.” Liang Feng’s expression was ice-cold. He had anticipated that Liu Hu would seize this opportunity to attack the city. However, he didn’t expect the enemy’s actions to be so swift and the number of troops to be so substantial!
It seemed that Liu Yuan had no intention of letting go of Hedong. If things went awry, even Bing County would pay a significant price for this impulsive military expedition.
“Boyuan, lead the troops out of the city and station them in the Dragon Mountain to the west of the city. Take advantage of Liu Hu’s unpreparedness and attack his flank!”
“My lord!” Yiyan stepped forward abruptly, “The defense inside Jinyang is already thin. If I lead the troops out of the city, what about the city’s safety?”
“Leave six hundred soldiers behind, along with the young and strong men in the city. They should be able to hold it! If we let Liu Hu attack the city unchecked, the rear of the main army might be in danger.” There was no trace of retreat in Liang Feng’s voice. “This is the only way to protect Jinyang and the twenty thousand troops. You must go out of the city. You are only allowed to win, not to lose!”
The black and grayish-blue eyes collided. Yiyan saw the anger in those starry eyes, as well as the fierce unwillingness and determination. Clenching his fists tightly, he knelt down on one knee, “I, as your subordinate, obey your command!”
