Chapter 6: Armored Cavalry
“Rumble~”
Heavy rain was pouring from the sky, with thunder and lightning flashing, the entire wilderness pitch black, and everyone’s eyes fixed on the figure at the gate.
This was Tie Tou’s father, Wang Wu.
He should have been out on campaign following Li Xiao’s father, yet at this moment he had actually returned to Hexi Fort.
Moreover, judging by his appearance, his clothes were tattered, his body filthy, extremely disheveled, and on the cloth strip wrapped around his arm, faint traces of dried blood were still visible.
Seeing Wang Wu’s condition, Li Xiao’s heart sank, feeling a sense of foreboding.
“Something happened.”
Sure enough, under everyone’s gaze, Wang Wu’s body began to tremble, tears flowed from his eyes, and he suddenly collapsed to the ground, bursting into loud cries.
“Wah wah wah~”
“Wah wah wah wah~”
No one had expected a man in his thirties to cry so miserably at this moment, catching everyone off guard.
The Old Master had fought in so many battles over the years, rich in experience, and instantly seemed to sense something.
His gaze immediately turned stern, his palm tightly gripping the hilt, and in a low voice he sternly rebuked.
“Speak, what happened?”
The Old Master stared fixedly at Wang Wu, his aura extremely intimidating.
“Wah wah wah~”
“We lost, we were defeated.”
Under the Old Master’s oppressive aura, Wang Wu spoke intermittently.
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding villagers instantly erupted in clamor.
“What? We lost?”
“What about the other children? How come only you came back?”
“Quick, tell us exactly what happened?”
Third Grandfather and the others looked urgent, all dismounting and surrounding Wang Wu to ask.
Among the hundred young and strong who had set out, there were their children too!
The Old Master also dismounted, stepping on the muddy land, walking heavily step by step toward Wang Wu.
Though he appeared calm on the surface, Li Xiao, following behind, could clearly feel the Old Master’s body tremble involuntarily a few times.
Perhaps he was afraid to hear some terrible news!
Surrounded by these elders, Wang Wu shook his head bitterly as he spoke.
“The situation was very chaotic at the time, Geluolu cavalry everywhere, we could only flee madly, many people got scattered.”
“Er Dan and I ran toward the village, and on the way we met Old Zhu and a few others.”
“With the heavy rain, we barely made it back to the village~”
While Wang Wu was speaking, a few more figures appeared in the courtyard, precisely the Er Dan and Old Zhu he had mentioned.
They had originally each gone home, wolfing down food, and hurried over after hearing the commotion.
Third Grandfather’s eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling, he turned to scan the group, and in a quivering voice shouted:
“Only you six came back?”
“Where are the others?”
A hundred sons set out? Could it be only six returned?
His voice was full of grief and despair, the others the same, staring fixedly at the six who returned, as if praying not to hear bad news.
“Third Uncle, I, I don’t know.”
Old Zhu and the others stood in the pouring rain, the bloodstains on their tattered leather armor washed by the rain, pooling in the courtyard into a pool of blood~
Old Zhu, the oldest among the six, looked pained and said bitterly: “Da He Chu Luo Duo doesn’t know how to fight at all, he was completely giving blind commands, not even scouting the enemy’s situation.”
“Seeing that the Geluolu troops were fewer than ours, he ordered all units to launch a major offensive…”
Da He Chu Luo Duo was a Khitan, his position was Jin Prefecture Bashihai!
After Yelü Dashi conquered the Northern Frontier that year, to facilitate management, he imitated the Tang Dynasty Governor’s Mansion system, redesignating the Northern Frontier into four prefectures.
Namely Jin Prefecture, Great Desert, Yin Mountains, and North Sea!
And in each prefecture, a Xiangwen Prefecture was established to manage the local herdsmen and common people.
The highest official of the Xiangwen Prefecture was called Bashihai, holding both military and political power, the highest local governor.
But the Han people of the Northern Frontier found the Khitan name too awkward, still calling the Xiangwen Prefecture Governor’s Mansion in Chinese language.
Da He Chu Luo Duo was the Jin Prefecture Governor’s Mansion Governor.
In Old Zhu’s description, this bastard was completely a noble playboy there to gild his resume, skilled in riding and archery but utterly incompetent at leading troops in battle.
Before a decisive battle, any general would send out large numbers of scouts to ascertain the enemy’s situation, hidden troops, etc.
But this Da He Chu Luo Duo seemed to completely disregard the Geluolu people, seeing their troops half ours, he ordered the whole army to press forward in a major offensive.
Then, an even bigger problem emerged: he gave no clear task assignments.
Which troops to wedge into the formation to break the enemy lines, which to advance to split and encircle the enemy.
These are classic cavalry tactics, but this Jin Prefecture Governor did none of it, merely thinking with double the enemy’s troops the advantage was ours, so they charged en masse.
The result goes without saying.
This was the Geluolu people’s trap, the frontal Geluolu army mere bait.
When the Western Liao army pressed on and engaged the enemy, on the verge of victory, two more Geluolu armies charged out from the flanks, instead encircling the Western Liao army.
Most deadly, the Geluolu army even hid a heavy cavalry unit.
On open grassland, heavy cavalry pose limited threat to light cavalry, as they can’t catch up and would just be kited to death by light cavalry.
But in that situation, the Western Liao cavalry were surrounded on three sides by Geluolu people in a narrow strip, with high soldier density.
So, tragedy struck.
The Geluolu heavy cavalry became merciless harvesting machines, many Western Liao soldiers fell under the Geluolu butcher knife.
“What? The Geluolu people actually fielded a heavy cavalry?” Third Grandfather said in surprise.
Then he exchanged a glance with the Old Master, both feeling incredulous.
This was heavy cavalry!
Fundamentally different from light cavalry.
As long as one has a horse, a blade, a bow and arrow, plus proficient horsemanship, one can be a qualified light cavalryman.
Just like the male laborers of Hexi Fort, nearly all light cavalry.
Yet looking across all of Hexi Fort, they couldn’t even assemble one set of heavy armor.
Not just because heavy cavalry equipment is expensive, requires constant maintenance, forming a heavy cavalry unit consumes staggering amounts of money.
More importantly, the Western Liao Royal Court would never allow subordinate kingdoms, tribes, or villages to possess heavy cavalry.
Once discovered, they would face severe punishment from the Royal Court Army.
Yet Jin Prefecture’s Geluolu Tribe had quietly assembled a heavy cavalry unit.
This made the Old Master and others feel it absurd.
“Are the Governor’s Mansion people all blind?” Third Grandfather said through gritted teeth hatefully.
If they had known the Jin Prefecture Governor’s Mansion was so useless, Hexi Fort would have bankrupted itself to acquire heavy armor!
Not envy for the Geluolu having it, but anger at their own lack.
“The Geluolu rebellion isn’t that simple, there must be backers behind it!” the Old Master said with a grim face.
Under the Western Liao Empire’s strict oversight, Jin Prefecture’s Geluolu Tribe still managed a heavy cavalry-equipped force.
At this moment, everyone understood the Geluolu rebellion was premeditated.
Jin Prefecture Geluolu were likely proxies for other powers.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that, moreover it was for the Royal Court to worry about, the Old Master now only cared about Hexi Fort’s hundred sons.
“Continue.”
Hearing the Old Master’s low voice, Old Zhu took a light breath and continued:
“The Geluolu heavy cavalry weren’t many, only about a hundred riders, at that point we still had a chance to turn defeat into victory.”
“If Da He Chu Luo Duo had any sense, he would contract the forces, regroup, and fight again.”
“But he completely lost control of the situation, the units scattered like sand.”
“In the end, he ordered Da Hai Ge to lead the left wing camp to hold the Geluolu people, claiming he himself would personally lead the central army to flank from the other side and support our left wing camp~”
“But in the end~”
“In the end~ we lost many brothers in battle, never waiting for central army reinforcements.”
“Wah wah wah~”
Before finishing, Old Zhu and these men once again sobbed and shed tears.
They were all wounded, covered in blood, unable to tell if it was their own or the enemy’s.
Showing how intense the battle was then.
After hearing this, the Old Master suddenly staggered, seeming about to collapse, Li Xiao hurried forward to support him.
And comforted the Old Master: “Grandfather, don’t worry yet, things may not be at the worst.”
“The others might have scattered, they’ll return one after another in a few days.”
Anyway, Li Xiao didn’t believe Hexi Fort’s hundred young and strong were down to just six.
Even with heavy cavalry support, the Geluolu numbers were still fewer than the Jin Prefecture Army, hard to completely surround and annihilate them.
But Li Xiao’s comfort had little effect, the next second he was roughly pushed away, the Old Master’s gaze like a tiger about to devour, fierce and terrifying.
Staring fixedly at Old Zhu, he growled low from his throat: “And then?”
“And then~”
“And then~”
Old Zhu hesitated, not daring to continue.
Nearby Er Dan then spoke in a trembling voice: “I saw, I saw Da Hai Ge, he was hit by over a dozen arrows~”
Hearing this, the Old Master could no longer hold on, blood surged to his heart, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His body swaying, Li Xiao hurriedly stepped forward to support him.
At this moment, the Old Master’s frame seemed to collapse instantly, his spirit wilted, expression dazed, his mental pillar crumbled.
Nothing is more cruel than a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one.
“Da He Chu Luo Duo!”
The Old Master gripped Li Xiao’s hand tightly, gazing ferociously into the distant dark night, gritted his teeth and uttered this name.
It was Da He Chu Luo Duo who killed his son.
At this moment, Li Xiao’s heart was also a mix of emotions, very unpleasant.
His impression of this nominal father existed only in the original body’s memories, he had never met him in person, really just a bit better than a stranger.
So, for this nominal father’s death, Li Xiao shouldn’t grieve, yet there was still a sour sadness in his heart.
Perhaps the original body’s influence!
Thus, in this mournful atmosphere, Li Xiao’s eyes also reddened as he squeezed out a few tears.
“What about Second Master?”
The Old Master endured his grief and asked again about his second son’s situation.
Old Zhu said softly: “After that we faced more Geluolu cavalry pursuit and blockade, soon scattered, the last I saw Er Jiang also hit by several arrows, carrying Da Hai Ge’s cor~ corpse, fleeing west.”
Hearing this, the Old Master was expressionless, saying nothing more.
Eldest son dead, second son missing, fate unknown.
Today’s events struck this old man too hard.
In a daze, Li Xiao felt the Old Master’s body had hunched much more, with a sense of twilight decline.
But the Old Master, decisive and ruthless all his life, with a strong heart, wouldn’t be easily defeated.
Pushing away Li Xiao’s support, the Old Master walked firmly to his horse, stepped on the stirrup, and mounted.
In a low voice to everyone: “Go back and rest!”
“The Geluolu people are coming, we have many tough battles ahead.”
After speaking, the Old Master turned his horse, lightly spurred its belly, and slowly rode out of the courtyard.
Amid the pattering rain and the sound of hooves splashing water, his back gradually blurred in the rain curtain.
Lashed by the rain, though still straight as a pine, he seemed so lonely and desolate.
