Chapter 80: The Battle Of Liu Zibei
“They’re here!”
Hooves thundered like thunder as Murong Yanchao’s five thousand cavalry charged, aiming directly for the vanguard’s weak point.
“Damned bastards,” Lu You shouted, “Yan Kunlunnu has sharp eyes!”
“Shut up.”
Xiao Yi was in a bad mood. He snapped, as the fellow was interfering with his ability to hear orders.
In an instant, the command flag, the camp flag, and the directional flags beneath the main banner of the central army sprang to life, waving in unison, and whistles sounded incessantly.
The vanguard followed closely with loud drums and horns.
Beneath Guo Chongwei’s large banner, the ‘warning’ flag was raised high, first pointing to the abatis in the center, then to the west and east flanks, and finally, it was sharply brought down.
Shouts passed from one layer to another.
“Enemy cavalry is attacking the center; cavalry on the west and east flanks, prepare to engage!”
A messenger cavalryman galloped over and said, “Twenty Command, receive your order: defend the west strictly, ensure the two layered formations are held until the central army provides support!”
“Prepare! Kill the enemy!”
The shouts were soon drowned out by the dense sound of hooves.
Xiao Yi’s heart tightened, and his muscles tensed instantly.
Beneath the Taining Army’s flags, the Shatuo cavalry charged forward, heading towards the archers behind the abatis. Hooves thundered, and the riders shouted loudly, appearing to attempt a forceful breakthrough.
Two hundred paces, one hundred and fifty paces, one hundred and twenty paces…
“Archers, fire!”
The Northern Army general commanding the archers roared the order.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.”
An arrow rain, like a swarm of locusts, shot towards the Southern Army cavalry.
The next moment, the enemy cavalry suddenly changed formation.
The five thousand cavalry split into three groups. The central group of five hundred cavalry quickly dispersed, advancing in a sparse formation, drawing their bows and nocking arrows on horseback as they shot towards the archers behind the abatis.
The left and right groups, however, each sent out over two thousand cavalry. They skirted the gentle slope at the foot of the ridge, attempting to circle behind the abatis.
The Shatuo cavalry charged in diagonally, some drawing their short bows, others raising their sabers.
This was the old tactic of “feigned attack from the front, flanking from the sides.”
Guo Chongwei’s military orders continued.
“Center archers, fire.”
“East and west routes, charge and block the enemy cavalry!”
“Wang Shenqi, hold the ridge crest. All other generals, follow me to support.”
“Anyone who dares retreat a step will be executed without mercy!”
“Yes!”
The red flags waved fiercely, and horns blared to the sky.
Xiao Yi received the order, raised his spear high, and shouted, “Nian Battalion, follow me and charge!”
At this time, the Southern Army cavalry had reached the foot of the ridge, only dozens of paces away. They had to increase their speed and use the advantage of high ground to deliver a heavy blow.
Guo Chongwei’s own cavalry was more than ten paces behind him. If they didn’t charge, they would block their allies.
“But we only have forty-something men, and they…”
“Scared of what!”
“Kill!”
Some soldiers were still hesitant, but they were soon drowned out by the shouts of killing.
The Northern Army shot out like a fully drawn arrow, and the Nian Battalion was the arrowhead.
Xiao Yi braced his spear against his elbow and charged downhill, leading the charge, creating a two-pace distance between himself and his comrades behind him.
At this moment, he thought of nothing.
“Pfft.”
Xiao Yi didn’t put his full strength into it, relying on the horse’s momentum. An inch longer, an inch stronger. The spear tip pierced the enemy soldier’s back armor, and blood instantly soaked the red tassel.
At the same time, he yanked the reins with his left hand.
Wuzhui reared up, its front hooves landing heavily on the chest of an enemy soldier’s horse charging forward.
Xiao Yi clamped his legs to the horse’s belly, his left hand holding only the reins, his hands gripping the spear. He pulled it out and spun it in one fluid motion.
“Clang, clang, clang.”
Enemy sabers and spears repeatedly struck the iron-hard zhe wood shaft, and he swept them away.
“Bang!”
“Kill!”
Zhang Mantun was the second to crash into the enemy formation.
The entire Nian Battalion charged in, followed by the vanguard cavalry of Liu Tingrang, Cui Yanjin, and Hai Jin.
The two sides’ cavalry collided diagonally.
In an instant, the battlefield was swallowed by the thunderous hooves, the clash of weapons, roars, and screams.
The men and horses of both sides crashed violently together, twisting and flying.
“The Southern Army is encircling us!”
Amidst the melee, Xiao Yi looked up, his pupils contracting sharply.
They had blocked the enemy’s first wave of charge, but the two thousand enemy cavalry on the west route were not a single wave, but divided into four waves. At this moment, they were flanking from further west.
Among them, Murong Yanchao’s large banner was prominently displayed.
This man must have seen the flaw in Guo Chongwei’s two thousand-plus cavalry and wanted to quickly defeat Guo Chongwei with his five thousand cavalry to secure victory.
Murong Yanchao’s Shatuo elite cavalry, holding lances in the front rank and sabers in the rear, formed a formation to charge first and then slash, attacking diagonally.
Xiao Yi looked back at Old Pan and shouted, “Calrops!”
Five riders immediately galloped north.
The second wave of enemy cavalry approached within thirty paces, twenty paces, ten-odd paces…
“Hiss—”
On the west side, a hemp rope several feet long suddenly sprang from the snow.
Amidst the neighing of horses, the horses of the second wave of enemy cavalry tripped on their front hooves and fell heavily. The riders tumbled off, and before they could react, the subsequent warhorses trampled over them.
“Pfft.”
Small red beads splattered, and bodies were trampled into bloody mud.
“Fan Si, fire!”
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.”
The cavalry in the rear of the Northern Army fired arrows, the sound of the composite bows whizzing, temporarily halting the second wave of enemy cavalry.
But there was still a third wave, circling around the chaotic battlefield, heading northwest. After a slight adjustment, they were about to charge, cutting diagonally between Guo Chongwei and Xiao Yi.
Once cut off, the vanguard would be split in two, and both the Nian Battalion and the seven hundred archers would be surrounded.
“Kill!”
Just then, Chen Guang Sui’s over two hundred riders charged back from the west. The brand new Nian Battalion large banner fluttered in the wind as they charged towards the encircling third wave of enemy cavalry.
Guo Xin was at the forefront, wildly stabbing with his spear.
Tang Jin guarded Guo Xin’s left flank, fighting bravely. He wielded a massive wolf-tooth mace, attacking without much technique, smashing anyone he saw as if he were a god or demon.
In the moment it took Xiao Yi to issue an order, an enemy rider swung his saber to strike. Xiao Yi dodged sideways, and Zhang Mantun, guarding him on the left and right, cut down the enemy rider.
Seeing that the situation had temporarily stabilized, he then fought with peace of mind.
The scraping of iron against bone made a grating sound; sabers striking iron armor sent sparks flying; battle axes smashed shields with crisp thuds.
Arrows flew like locusts, crisscrossing each other, and people constantly fell from their horses. Blood soaked the accumulated snow, turning it into mud.
It was unclear how long passed, perhaps a quarter of an hour, or perhaps not at all.
Xiao Yi’s armor was broken, and the bloodstains on his body had turned a dark red.
He was not yet exhausted, but he began to worry about his own casualties, feeling that if the Nian Battalion suffered heavy losses in a battle that should have been won, it would not be worth it.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded, very urgent.
“Retreat!”
Murong Yanchao’s angry roar reached them like thunder.
The Southern Army cavalry quickly disengaged from the battlefield.
Xiao Yi looked around and saw that Murong Yanchao’s large banner had tilted south and was shaking continuously.
Beneath the large banner, Murong Yanchao’s figure was conspicuous, dark and bright.
He pulled the reins, looked back again, and saw that Guo Wei’s army had already pressed forward in time. If Murong Yanchao didn’t retreat now, he would be surrounded. His strategy of quickly defeating Guo Chongwei had failed.
Furthermore, the flags of Hou Yi and the Southern Army generals had not moved at all.
Everything was as predicted in the military council.
The entire battlefield was like a grand chessboard. With the movement of the Northern Army’s formations, they gained the upper hand, forcing the Southern Army to be separated at both ends, poised to capture Murong Yanchao, the great dragon.
The vanguard was merely a corner of the chessboard, and the Nian Battalion was just a piece.
However, the anger still burned in Xiao Yi’s heart. Even if he was just a piece, he would smash this chessboard.
Without hesitation, he spurred his horse and galloped out.
“Fan Si, help me shoot him down!”
“Yes!”
Behind him, horns sounded.
Xiao Yi knew Guo Chongwei had ordered a pursuit, so he became even more reckless.
Beneath him, Wang Yin’s Wuzhui horse was magnificent. His riding skill was superb, and his coordination with the horse was seamless.
He quickly caught up to a Shatuo cavalryman.
“Pfft.”
His spear thrust out, piercing the enemy’s neck.
Xiao Yi twisted his wrist, flicked him off his horse, charged forward, pulled out his spear in one motion, and delivered a rapid three-strike combo, overturning three enemies.
“Cover the rear! Block the Northern soldiers!”
Five or six enemy riders turned back to attack.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.”
Fan Si and Wei Liang fired arrows, suppressing them.
The vanguard’s elite cavalry caught up one after another, shooting down any enemy who dared to resist.
With their cooperation, Xiao Yi fought with increasing ferocity, clamping his legs to the horse and galloping wildly, sweeping his spear horizontally, performing a spear twirl in the air.
He knew his movements were too flashy, but this was a skill honed over many years. It was better to act on instinct than to deliberately change it at the last moment.
The nearly ten-foot-long spear emitted a steady “humming” sound.
It was so fast that even the red tassel was barely visible.
As the spear tip swept past, an enemy rider was knocked off his horse.
The enemy riders ahead were greatly alarmed and turned their horses to flee to the sides.
Xiao Yi galloped through them.
About ten paces behind him, Liu Tingrang seemed to be galloping like lightning.
“Giddy up!”
“Giddy up!”
Many of the Southern Army’s irregular cavalry scattered and fled, while others followed the large banner, stumbling into snow pits and finding it difficult to accelerate.
The Northern Army, however, was already familiar with the battlefield, and their horses were much bolder, gradually catching up.
Murong Yanchao glanced back, saw Xiao Yi pursuing relentlessly, bent down, took a dagger from his boot, and fiercely stabbed his horse’s hindquarters.
Xiao Yi, wielding his impenetrable spear, finally lowered it, holding it steadily between his elbow.
He clamped the spear with his arm and, with a backward motion, drew his zhe wood bow from his back, the action fluid and seamless.
He nocked an arrow and fixed his gaze on Murong Yanchao’s warhorse.
They were still over forty paces apart, and both were moving rapidly.
He held his breath, his mind focused, and nothing else mattered.
One step forward, the arrow falls one inch… no, half a step is enough, his horse is faster.
Murong Yanchao’s warhorse was also magnificent, but its ornate armor hampered its speed, with only small gaps between the plates.
Xiao Yi’s body swayed with the horse’s back. At this moment, Wuzhui seemed to sense his calm and ran fast and steady.
The saddle was like a stool placed on the ground.
The bow was drawn taut, and the soreness in his arm muscles was palpable.
The iron arrowhead adjusted slightly.
A divine inspiration struck him, and he released his fingers decisively.
“Twang.”
The bowstring made a pleasant sound, and the arrow vanished in an instant.
“Hiss—”
The magnificent horse let out a earth-shattering neigh.
Murong Yanchao flew high into the air and crashed heavily onto the frozen ground with a “thud” that shook the earth.
Snow dust, blood mist, and panicked hooves obscured the dark figure.
“Protect the Commander!”
Figures rolled and struggled, injured horses whinnied and galloped wildly.
Xiao Yi seemed not to hear. He dropped the zhe wood bow, drew his spear, parried attacks occasionally, his gaze locked on Murong Yanchao.
Wuzhui, as if understanding his intent, weaved through the chaos.
Finally.
His spear shot out like a dragon, piercing Murong Yanchao, who had just gotten up from the ground.
“Who dares kill me?!”
Murong Yanchao roared with rage, rolled on the ground, picked up his eight-foot-long lance, and counter-attacked Xiao Yi. His moves were grand and powerful, his strength immense.
Xiao Yi, however, was composed. His spear calmly blocked each attack, not using brute force, but successfully parrying every blow.
“Marshal, go!”
“The Northern Army is catching up, you must leave!”
“Damn it!”
Although Murong Yanchao was not weak in martial arts, he feared being surrounded by the Northern Army. He had no intention of fighting, retreating as he battled.
Guard soldiers spurred their horses to crowd around, forming a shield wall with their bodies, and forcefully dragged him up from the ground, escorting him to a spare warhorse.
Behind Xiao Yi, the Northern Army’s elite cavalry surged forward.
“Cover Commander Xiao, capture the Southern Army’s main banner!”
“Kill!”
The Nian Battalion charged, while Liu Tingrang directed Cui Yanjin, Hai Jin, and other elites to capture the large banner.
Soon, the Southern Army’s vanguard large banner swayed and then crashed down.
Xiao Yi calmly pursued, his spear like a venomous snake thrusting towards Murong Yanchao.
Hai Jin’s roar came from behind.
“Damn it, Commander Xiao is stealing my reward money!”
The Southern Army guards tried to stop them, but Zhang Mantun, Old Pan, and Lu You charged forward, fighting fiercely and cooperating with Xiao Yi.
Murong Yanchao glanced back, laughed in extreme anger, and said, “Mad dog, what are you raging about? Don’t you want to live?!”
Xiao Yi remained silent, urging Wuzhui forward. His silence was more threatening than curses, pressing forward like a sharp blade.
“Damned bastards, let me go, and I’ll give you ten thousand taels of silver each…”
“Haha, do you think I don’t know it’s fake silver?”
This reminded Zhang Mantun, and he immediately shouted.
“Idiots who use iron-cast silver, why are you fighting so hard?!”
“Why lose your lives for a few pieces of fake silver?!”
“Die.”
Murong Yanchao, enraged, turned his head and roared at the guards who had already ridden far away, “Tell Old Man Hou Yi that I’m going to fuck him!”
“Kill!”
“This battle, it’s not that I can’t defeat the enemy, but that I was defeated by a court full of pigs!”
At this point, Murong Yanchao decided to fight and shouted loudly, his voice so deafening it hurt people’s eardrums.
The long lance “clang”ed against the spear, and Xiao Yi felt his hand go numb. The spear was bent into an arc.
Murong Yanchao flicked his lance, scraping across Xiao Yi’s damaged armor, cutting a two-inch-long gash on his skin, sprinkling small dots of blood.
In comparison, Murong Yanchao’s black iron armor offered better protection, but it was too heavy, making his movements slightly slower.
At the same time, Xiao Yi leaned to the side, gathered his strength, and thrust his spear straight forward.
The spear tip gleamed in the setting sun.
“Pfft.”
Murong Yanchao’s eyes widened.
His dark face still held a look of rage, like a living Yama, but his entire body was frozen in place.
The spear tip had pierced deeply into his neck, submerging even the red tassel.
Murong Yanchao grabbed the spear shaft with his left hand, and his right hand still tried to swing his lance forcefully. The tip of the lance was slowly raised to Xiao Yi’s feet, but his strength failed him, and it fell to the ground with a “clang.”
“Uh… I, a hero of a lifetime… uh uh… how can I die at the hands of… an unknown soldier…”
“After today, I am no longer an unknown soldier.”
As Murong Yanchao was dying, he heard these words. His eyes widened, bloodshot, and he tried to roar.
However, he could only make gurgling sounds from his throat, blood continuously flowing out, and he died.
His face still held an expression of rage, like a dead Yama.
…
The spear was withdrawn, lifting a spray of hot blood.
Xiao Yi raised Murong Yanchao’s black helmet, adorned with golden wings, high into the air and shouted loudly. He shouted to the surrounding Southern Army soldiers and even louder to Wang Jun and others behind him.
“Murong Yanchao is dead!”
The fierce fighting around them seemed to stop instantly.
Panic, like a plague, like a prairie fire, erupted and spread through the Southern Army’s center.
“The Commander is dead!”
“Run!”
The fierce Shatuo cavalry’s fighting spirit collapsed like an avalanche. Some stood stunned, others shouted and turned their horses to flee.
The Northern Army roared with cheers, their voices reaching the heavens.
“Ten thousand victories!”
“Ten thousand victories!”
In the chaos, Xiao Yi held his spear steady, panting.
The anger was unleashed at this moment. He looked up, his first thought not to see victory or defeat in the direction of Chigang, but to turn back and see how many casualties his own men had suffered.
He charged and killed enemies recklessly, not for fame, but to vent his anger, and to forge a path for those comrades who were willing to follow him.
