My father, King Chu, was besieged at Gaixia

Chapter 97: Grand Opening
Xiang Chang, who was in charge of the infantry formation, received an order from the cavalry that Kong Xi was leading 10,000 infantrymen to attempt to attack their rear. He sneered, handed over the command of the army to Qu Fu, and then with a whistle, he led 3,000 soldiers out of the formation and rushed towards Kong Xi's army under the protection of Xiang Xi.

As Xiang Chang's close bodyguard, Xiang Xi had not yet enjoyed his fill of the charge and had no choice but to retreat back to the formation to protect Xiang Chang's safety.

Unable to rush to the front line, Xiang Xi was as anxious as a monkey who had not obtained the right to mate. He scratched his ears and cheeks, and jumped up and down like a monkey who couldn't defecate.

And now seeing Xiang Chang leading them rushing towards Kong Xi's army, this surprise was no small matter. In an instant, he felt a sense of sudden enlightenment as if the clouds had been cleared and the light had been revealed. He couldn't help but want to find that thoughtful and knowledgeable hero and hug him and give him a big kiss.

When they were less than a few dozen steps away from the 10,000 Han troops led by Kong Xi, Xiang Chang urged his horse to jump out of the army formation first, raised his halberd and shouted: "Kill the Han army, and the great Chu will win!" He kicked the horse's belly hard, and the big black horse ran like a tiger, neighing loudly, and rushed into the Han army formation in the blink of an eye. Immediately, Xiang Chang swung his halberd and chopped and killed indiscriminately like chopping vegetables and melons.

Xiang Xi let out a strange cry, leading thousands of Chu troops to follow closely, and they engaged in a head-on confrontation with 10,000 Han infantry.

Now that Kong Xi was on the front line himself, he realized how fierce the Chu army's attack power was. He also understood why the 40,000 Han troops could not stand their ground and the front line that was being attacked was in danger.

Under the charge of thousands of Chu troops, the 10,000 Han infantry led by the commander felt as if they had crashed into a mountain. They were so shocked by the recoil that they saw stars and could not fall back!

The Chu soldiers fought desperately, and they even did some tricks. They kept talking to the Han soldiers with sincere faces and heartfelt advice:
“Brother, the battlefield is cruel. Before charging, think about your mother and father at home. If you die here, who will help you raise them?

"Brother, human life is worthless on the battlefield. Think more about your wife and children. If you lose them, you will ask a wild man to sleep with your wife and beat your children!"

"My little brothers, you are so young, you haven't tasted a woman yet, right? Tsk tsk, it would be so depressing to die here. Listen to my advice, shrink back and save your own life first. Victory or defeat is the business of those big guys, but our lives are our own!"

……

The Chu soldiers spoke heartfelt words one by one, and the Han soldiers fighting against each other were stunned. They instinctively felt that it made sense. As a result, they hesitated to take action. However, the Chu soldiers did not have martial ethics. Although they spoke moving words, their men were not idle, and they were more cruel and ruthless than each other.

Some Han army officers reacted quickly and shouted: "Don't be bewitched by them. Why don't they retreat? Don't they have parents, wives and children?"

However, these officers always received the most extra care and died in the shortest time.

General Kong Xi had naturally heard about the despicable tactics of the Chu army. In a rage, he stabbed with his spear like a storm, piercing through and killing the Chu soldiers one by one!
Just as he was charging forward like a tiger, his warrior instinct suddenly made him feel a warning. He looked up suddenly and saw a tall and strong young Chu general standing not far from him, staring at him intently with sharp eyes.

Although the Chu general was young, his entire body of armor, as well as the warhorse under him, were covered in bright red blood and broken flesh. A fierce murderous aura surged out of him, filled with unparalleled attack power. It seemed that no one could stop him.

With a ferocious smile on his face, the next moment the Chu general rode his horse and rushed towards him. His halberd drew a bright arc in the air and rushed towards his forehead with a sharp gust of wind.

"Xiang Chang!" Kong Xi shouted. He should have been overjoyed. After all, if he killed this kid on the spot, not only would he avenge his previous humiliation, but he would also win the battle. However, somehow, looking at Xiang Chang's murderous eyes and his surging fighting spirit, he suddenly felt a little timid. He didn't dare to take the halberd head-on. He jumped on his horse, dodged to the side, and used his spear to deflect it.

Xiang Chang's halberd failed, but he was not surprised. He did not retreat. He let out a long whistle and swung the halberd again and again, using the halberd as an axe. He kept chopping at Kong Xi's forehead.

Kong Xi blocked and blocked, swept and picked, and broke through them one by one. Not long after the fight, Kong Xi had already figured out his moves, and was one step behind him. However, Xiang Chang had a resolute face, staring at him with murderous eyes. Not only was he not afraid of him, but he was like a butcher meeting a fat sheep, with a mountain-like momentum that was determined to eat him and would not stop until he was chopped off the horse, which made up for his own lack of fighting skills.

Kong Xi's spear flew across the sky and found several opportunities to hit him. Every time this happened, Xiang Chang would directly use a strategy of mutual destruction. He did not block or stop his spear, but focused on wielding his halberd to chop him over the head, which in turn forced him into a panic.

In this way, one side was restrained and hesitated, while the other side was fearless and fought vigorously. Soon the winner was gradually determined.

Xiang Chang let out another sharp roar, and after a halberd strike missed, he pushed hard with his legs, half-stood up from the horse's back, and swung the halberd back with force, sweeping it towards Kong Xi's forehead again.

Kong Xi didn't expect him to use this trick, and hurriedly lowered her head, but was a little slow. With a "whoosh" sound, the halberd almost scraped past her scalp, missing her head but chopping off her helmet.

Kong Xi felt his head lighten, then turn cold. Just as he was frightened, he saw Xiang Chang looking at him as if he were a live fish jumping on a chopping board, revealing more and more joy. He swung his halberd and chopped at him again.

Kong Xi, a famous general who had fought many battles, could no longer hold on. He turned his horse's head, fell on the saddle, and ran away with his hair disheveled. As for the 10,000 Han infantrymen he led to charge the battle, everyone had to take their own fate.

Kong Xi rushed out over a hundred feet in one breath. Looking up, he saw another Han general in front of him also fleeing hastily with his horse's hooves leaning over the saddle. His horse's hooves hit the ground rapidly, raising a trail of fine yellow dust.

Kong Xi was surprised to find that the general looked very familiar. He blinked a few times and suddenly realized: Isn't this the cavalry commander Ding Li?
Only then did he remember the 10,000 cavalrymen under Ding Li's command. He looked towards the east in panic, and the next moment he felt as if he was stripped naked and thrown into an ice river, frozen solid from the inside out.

The 10,000 Han cavalry had been completely defeated by the 5,000 Chu cavalry, and they fled in all directions in a panic. The mountains and plains were filled with the fleeing Han cavalry.

Kong Xi felt his head buzzing: Ding Li led 10,000 Han cavalry to fight against 5,000 Chu cavalry, but was defeated more easily and thoroughly than himself?

Looking back at the battlefield for the last time, the line of 40,000 Han infantrymen had completely collapsed. Under the wanton slaughter of the Chu infantrymen, they fled in all directions like wolves and pigs. As for those who could not escape, they simply knelt down and surrendered. The situation on the battlefield was completely out of control and could not be salvaged.

Kong Xi had not expected that he would be defeated so easily in this battle. His face was ashen. At this moment, a sound of horse hooves like the compact beating of war drums sounded behind him. Looking back, he saw Xiang Changban, who was chasing him, standing on the horse's back. His left arm was like a mountain, his right arm was like a baby, and the big bow in his hand was stretched like a full moon. The next moment, an arrow shot out like a meteor breaking through the sky. The space of more than 20 feet seemed to disappear, and the arrow was accidentally pierced into his forehead...

******
Hearing the roar coming from the direction of Xiang Chang's right army, not knowing the specific battle situation, Xiang Yu instinctively thought that the right army led by Xiang Chang himself had been defeated. He rode his black horse to the front and pounced towards the east.

"Chang'er, hold on!" Xiang Yu tightly gripped the halberd in his hand and urged the black horse under his crotch again and again, feeling extremely anxious.

After several years of fighting with Liu Bang, especially in the later period when Liu Bang attacked on several fronts, Xiang Yu had to try to put out fires everywhere, but the more he tried to put out the fires, the more they started. The fires grew stronger and stronger, and he was exhausted from constant defeats. Xiang Yu began to have great doubts about whether he could eventually rule the world.

In the previous battle of Gaixia, he suffered a heavy loss at the hands of Han Xin, which further shook his confidence. Therefore, for him now, the world is no longer as important as his son. He can die, but his son must not be in any harm, because the Xiang family is still counting on him to carry on the family business.

Not long after running eastward, they heard the sound of hurried hooves coming towards them. Hundreds of Han cavalrymen lay on their horses' backs and galloped towards them.

Xiang Yu was terrified, but before he could react, the Han army hastily turned their horses around, avoided the Chu army, and rushed to the northwest. Only then did Xiang Yu see that the Han cavalry had thrown away their armor and weapons, and their flags and drums were down. They looked panicked, and they did not look like they were showing off their victory.

"Your Majesty, could it be that Master Chang has won the battle?" Xiang Zhuang, who was following closely beside him, asked with inexplicable hope.

Xiang Yu's face was solemn. He said nothing and urged his cavalry to continue charging forward quickly.

The closer they got to the right army, the more defeated Han troops they encountered. At the beginning, there were only groups of Han cavalry, followed by large groups of Han infantry.

When the Han army saw Xiang Yu leading 10,000 cavalrymen rushing towards them, they thought they had fallen into an ambush by the Chu army, and that the Chu army was going to catch them all in one fell swoop. The Han army was terrified.

The Han cavalry, quick to see the opportunity, whipped their horses' buttocks like crazy, let go of their horses' hooves, and fled madly, and they actually managed to escape. But the infantry was in a miserable situation, two legs could not outrun four legs, and looking at the rumbling Chu cavalry, they knelt down and surrendered helplessly.

The escorting cavalry dragged a Han infantry officer over, and only then did Xiang Yu and Xiang Zhuang receive accurate news that Xiang Chang's right army had indeed won, and it was an undoubted victory that completely defeated the Han left army!

Xiang Yu and Xiang Zhuang looked at each other in surprise.

"God bless the Great Chu! Master Chang is mighty!" Xiang Zhuang's mood fluctuated greatly. He put his fist against his forehead, and his voice was choked with sobs.

"When did the right army led by Chang'er become so powerful that it could defeat the Han left army led by Kong Xi in one fell swoop? I have also heard of Kong Xi's name. He fought under Han Xin in the Qi area and made outstanding military achievements. But he was defeated by Chang'er twice. Is it true that he is just a name for nothing?"

Even though the right army's undoubted victory was right in front of him, Xiang Yu still found it hard to believe.

"Master Chang has made an indelible contribution to the implementation of the 'Great Chu Military Merit Reward System' in the military camp." Xiang Zhuang calmed down and said solemnly.

After a pause, he reminded softly:

"In the battle of Gaixia, the king clearly stated that he would reward the soldiers generously, and immediately distributed the rewards after the battle. Therefore, in this battle, 40,000 soldiers of the central army fought bravely. However, he did not implement the "Great Chu Military Merit Reward System" as resolutely as Master Chang did, and it was not widely spread to every soldier. The soldiers were skeptical, so although the fighting power is strong, it is still far inferior to Master Chang's right army."

"You mean that Ying Bu's defeat was caused by his arrogance and disdain for the 'Great Chu Military Merit Reward System'?"

"If not for this, even if we were defeated, it would not be such a complete and tragic defeat!" Xiang Zhuang said firmly.

Xiang Yu was silent for a while, then nodded slowly with a solemn expression.

The different levels of importance that the left, center and right armies attached to the "Great Chu Military Merit Reward System" directly led to completely different outcomes of the battle. Such an immediate effect made Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, attach unprecedented importance to it.

Xiang Yu suddenly reined in his horse and shouted to Xiang Zhuang, "Since Chang'er has won a great victory, there is no need for us to go to rescue him. Let's return immediately and join Zhongli Mei and Xiang Guan."

Xiang Zhuang was stunned and confused.

Xiang Yu narrowed his pupils and said, "Han Xin defeated Ying Bu, but he still has evil intentions. With the power of victory, he will definitely turn around and attack the central army."

Xiang Zhuang suddenly realized that he wanted to leave 2,000 of the 10,000 cavalrymen behind to gather the surrendered Han prisoners and escort them back to Gaixia, while the rest turned their horses around and rushed in the direction of Zhongli Mei's retreat.

Zhongli Mei led the infantry and retreated rapidly towards Gaixia under the protection of Xiang Guan's cavalry. Halfway through the retreat, Gaixia City was in sight from afar. Dust rose into the sky in the west, the earth shook, and a group of Han cavalry came with the sound of thunder and lightning.

In front, two big flags with "Han" and "Han" written on them were flying. In front, there was a tall and strong general with a full forehead and a long spear in his hand. It was Han Xin, the King of Qi, who had come to encircle the central army of Chu after defeating Ying Bu.

Zhongli Mei cursed, and felt panic in his heart. Han Xin's troops were so strong that the Overlord would suffer a great loss if he was not careful. Now he was coming for him, how could he be sure? Fortunately, seeing that Han Xin's cavalry was only more than 10,000, and Gaixia City was far away behind, he was slightly relieved and shouted to the messenger cavalry behind him:
"Blow the horn and let the remaining Sima Xiang Sheng be ready to provide support." Without stopping, he ordered the generals to continue retreating to Gaixia.

As one of the four great generals under the Overlord, Zhongli Mei was not as good as Ying Bu in commanding troops, but he was also experienced and steady. He saw that Han Xin's current military strength was insufficient, so he took the opportunity to retreat quickly. Once Han Xin's rear army caught up, his tens of thousands of troops would be unable to escape.

Han Xin urged the cavalry, like a pack of vicious wolves, to roam around the Han army, looking for flaws in the attack.

It was clear that the Chu army had an absolute advantage in numbers, but facing Han Xin, the "Military Genius", Zhongli Mei actually adopted a cautious defensive stance.

However, no one, no matter Xiang Guan, Ji Bu or Huan Chu, dared to laugh at them. The pressure brought by Han Xin made them feel uneasy and they were all on high alert.

Han Xin was also very angry at the moment!

According to the established strategy, he defeated Ying Bu's army, and Kong Xi defeated Xiang Chang's army. They immediately rushed to the central army from the east and west, surrounded Xiang Yu's army from the rear, and cut off his retreat.

In this way, Xiang Yu's army had no way to advance or retreat, and the only option was complete destruction.

However, he actually defeated Ying Bu's army and led 10,000 cavalry to rush to the central army without hesitation. After arriving, he found that he was still a step too late. The central army of Chu had already withdrawn from the battlefield.

It didn't matter if he withdrew from the battlefield. Han Xin was still confident that he could defeat Kong Xi's army by attacking them from both sides. What made him curse was that Kong Xi's army had not made any moves so far. Not only did they not arrive at the designated location at the specified time, but even the outposts had not seen their shadows.

"What is this bastard Kong Xi doing? He is so slow and procrastinating, he deserves to die!" Han Xin cursed.

(End of this chapter)