Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 405 Conquering Qin Prefecture (A long chapter of 10,000 words)
"Kill! Don't let a single one escape!!"

"Crackling..."

As night fell, flames soared into the sky atop Maijishan Mountain, and countless soldiers retreated under the command of Wang Chongrong.

The soldiers from Longyou pursued them relentlessly, while also having to dodge the tents that had collapsed due to the fire.

The two sides chased each other for hundreds of paces until they retreated to the south gate of the camp. Only then did Wang Chongrong begin to reorganize his troops, but the number of soldiers he could gather around him was less than half of what it was before the attack.

During this time, some officers and soldiers were still trying to escape to this place, but many of them had their heads knocked off by the pursuing Longyou army.

The fire grew larger and larger, and since it was autumn, there were countless withered branches and fallen leaves on Maijishan Mountain, so the fire quickly spread from the camp to the surrounding areas.

The fire inside the camp grew higher, and thick smoke billowed into the sky, almost covering half the sky, making the already dim sky even darker.

Immediately afterwards, muffled cracking sounds began to emanate from the burning forests surrounding the camp. These were the sounds of pine resin exploding under high temperatures, causing tree trunks to split.

"Swish, patter, patter..."

The wind on Maijishan suddenly picked up, and the mountain wind blowing from the Wei River valley, carrying heat waves, howled away, causing the birds and beasts on Maijishan to flee.

Then, the front line appeared...

"Damn it, retreat down the mountain! Everyone retreat down the mountain!!"

"Withdraw! Withdraw!"

"Dang-dang-dang-dang..."

Watching helplessly as the surrounding wildfires ignited, Wang Chongrong felt the air itself grow scorching hot, and he ordered a swift and desperate retreat.

They fled for their lives, and Liu Jilong, who led his army to capture Maijishan, also sensed that something was wrong.

"withdraw!"

"Beep--"

Liu Jilong also ordered a retreat down the mountain, disregarding the already captured camp, and led his men in a desperate escape.

Human beings seem so weak in the face of nature, and the fire swept along the trees.

That was no ordinary flame, but a crimson wave cascading down the mountain ridge.

Flames licked at every inch of grass and tree, turning pine forests into torches in their wake, shrubs crackling and bursting into flames, and even rocks scorching hot.

The heatwave distorted the air, making the distant scenery appear blurry and grotesque, as if shimmering in water.

The wind fanned the flames, and the fire, fueled by the wind, seemed to come alive, transforming Maijishan into a roaring beast.

Flames shot up several meters high, black smoke spiraled upwards like a giant python, and ashes fell like snowflakes, burning tiny red marks on people's skin.

Wild beasts rolled in the fire, birds with charred feathers fluttered to the ground, and the air was filled with the smell of burning, mixed with the pungent smell of burning pine resin. Inhaling it felt like swallowing a handful of scalding sand.

The inferno poured down, unstoppable, and everyone could only flee for their lives.

The firelight illuminated the entire Wei River Valley, bathing everyone in an orange-red hue.

The half-hour uphill journey was completed in just 15 minutes, and they reached the mountainside in a quarter of an hour.

Thousands of soldiers from Longyou looked at the raging fire on the mountaintop. Due to the rising air currents in the Wei River valley and the fact that the trees within two hundred paces of the north gate of the camp had been completely cut down, the fire, despite its attempts to spread across the northern mountainside, could not break through.

Compared to the good fortune of the Longyou army, Wang Chongrong and his men were not so lucky.

The fire almost chased them down the mountain. Countless people used swords to cut through their armor and fled in disarray, but they still felt they were running too slowly and wished they had eight legs to escape.

Even so, many soldiers were still swept into the fire, either suffocating or burning alive.

The fire at Maijishan was soaring into the sky that even Zhao Qian's troops, stationed more than ten miles away at Mumen Pass, could see it, let alone the people of Shanggui City, which was only four or five miles away from Maijishan.

The moment the fire soared into the sky, Wang Shi was awakened and brought to the Drum Tower in the city, where he gazed at the ever-burning Maijishan Mountain.

His pupils flickered with fire, but his hands and feet were ice cold.

"Order all troops to assemble at Shanggui and engage the rebels in a decisive battle!"

Wang Shi's voice was calm. Upon hearing this, the generals of Changshandu beside him quickly bowed and agreed. They immediately dispatched fast horses to Luoshuidao and Mumendao to inform Li Hongfu and Zhao Qian's troops to withdraw to Shanggui.

"Damn it, this fire is huge! How much firewood is going to burn!"

"I thought I was going to be burned to death."

"Hehe, we're fine, but the government troops are definitely in trouble..."

On the north side of Maijishan, as smoke and dust billowed from the mountaintop, the tens of thousands of surviving soldiers from Longyou were still able to joke with each other.

Liu Jilong leaned against a tree trunk, his eyes fixed on the still-burning fire atop Maijishan Mountain.

When An Pohu and Zhang Wu arrived, he told them, "With such a large fire and smoke, it might rain later."

"Send someone to fetch raincoats and tents. Once the fire is extinguished, we'll immediately go up the mountain and seize the ruins!"

"Yes!" The two men bowed in agreement, and then hurriedly sent someone to notify the laborers at the foot of the mountain to drive horse-drawn carts to transport raincoats, tents, and food.

It is now 4:40 AM, and there is no more than half an hour until dawn.

As time passed, the sky gradually brightened, while the billowing dust from the mountains completely obscured the sky for dozens of miles around.

As Liu Jilong had predicted, as a large number of trees were burned, the area of ​​the sky obscured by smoke and dust grew larger and larger, and a light rain began to fall shortly after dawn.

Liu Jilong personally led his three armies, donned raincoats, and climbed the mountain. They found that all the trees above the mountainside had been burned, and the camp on the mountaintop had been completely reduced to ruins by the fire.

Liu Jilong instructed Zhang Wu to set up camp on the mountaintop, while he himself wandered around and looked around.

Maijishan was almost completely burned down, especially the southern ridge, which was burned to ashes, and one could see Shanggui City located at the foot of the mountain directly from there.

Although he couldn't see what was happening in the direction of Shanggui, Liu Jilong guessed that Wang Shi was probably deploying troops, preparing to fight him in the plains between the Shanggui River Valley.

If he loses, he will most likely be forced to retreat, unable to hold onto the three cities of Shanggui, Qingshui, and Qinling, and will have no choice but to retreat to Anrong Pass east of Longshan.

At that time, Qin Prefecture and its more than 100,000 inhabitants will all belong to Longyou, and Liu Jilong will be able to easily march south to attack the Three Rivers region.

Of course, Wang Shi could also choose to defend Shanggui City to the death. With the city's defenses and food supplies, holding out for one or two months would not be a problem, but Qingshui County and Qinling County would still be lost.

Liu Jilong could have used several thousand cavalry to surround Shanggui, then led his cavalry and infantry to attack Anrong Pass, causing a commotion in Guanzhong, and then seized the opportunity to move south to the Three Rivers region.

In conclusion, for Wang Shi, after the loss of Maijishan, whether he chose to fight a decisive battle or defend it to the death, both Qingshui and Qinling counties would be lost.

Based on Liu Jilong's previous tactical arrangements for Wang Shi, it is highly likely that Wang Shi will choose to fight a decisive battle, but he will also leave himself a way out.

If Liu Jilong wasn't mistaken, this escape route should be the Ji River, which divides the Shanggui Plain in two...

With his thoughts settled, Liu Jilong gazed at the river on the Shanggui Plain.

As one of the tributaries of the Wei River, the Ji River originates from the western mountains, where the sounds of hundreds of streams converge into one river. It flows east past the south of Shanggui City and then eastward to join the Wei River.

Fighting by water is a much smarter strategy than fighting the Longyou army on the plains. It allows for both offense and defense.

Wang Shi's elite cavalry had been either defeated or captured by him. Fighting on the plains would have been tantamount to exposing his flanks, and he wouldn't be that foolish.

With this in mind, Liu Jilong turned back to the ruins of the camp, intending to rest well and recharge before confronting Wang Shi again to definitively decide the fate of Qinzhou.

"Um..."

"We're running out of herbs!"

"Wait, everyone, the herbs will be here soon!"

At the foot of the southern side of Maijishan Mountain, in Shanggui Plain, everyone who had followed Wang Chongrong down the mountain was in a terrible state, with many suffering burns.

Of the 7,000 soldiers, only less than 4,000 were able to safely retreat down the mountain after being ambushed by Liu Jilong and then pursued by fire. Among them, nearly 1,000 suffered burns of varying degrees.

Wang Shi immediately arranged for people to meet Wang Chongrong and his group, and all the doctors and craftsmen from Shanggui County were also transferred to the foot of Maijishan Mountain.

Wang Chongrong sat slumped on a small stool, looking utterly dejected. Beside him, Wang Chongyi had burned hands wrapped in thick coarse cloth.

"Si Lang, Liu Jilong is cunning. He used a feint to cover up his true intentions. Yesterday's fire must have killed many of them. You don't need to blame yourself."

Wang Chongyi tried to comfort Wang Chongrong, but Wang Chongrong shook his head and gritted his teeth, saying, "Last night the wind was from the northwest. The rebels are heading north, so they will be fine."

"With more than half of my seven thousand soldiers lost, my hopes of being promoted to the position of military governor of Hezhong are dashed. I can only avenge this defeat with this battle today!"

With Maijishan captured, Shanggui was left without any natural defenses.

If they do not want to lose Shanggui, a battle between the two sides is inevitable, and Wang Chongrong is prepared to use the next battle to avenge his defeat.

However, Wang Chongyi seemed somewhat distracted by Wang Chongrong's appearance.

Although they were caught off guard last night, it is true that the two sides were deadlocked at the breach.

Back then, they had several thousand men but couldn't subdue less than a thousand rebels. Now that they've lost Maijishan and are fighting the rebels on the plains, are they really a match for them?
Before Wang Chongyi's thoughts could settle, he saw a team marching from Shanggui in the distance.

The drizzle lasted only half an hour, and the roads were not too muddy. Therefore, after receiving the news, the various armies immediately withdrew to Shanggui, where they regrouped and then rode with Wang Shi to the foot of Maijishan.

Wang Shi conscripted 30,000 laborers and used oxen, horses, and mules to transport grain out of the city. The procession stretched for seven or eight miles and headed towards the Jishui River east of Maiji Mountain.

The Ji River was only a dozen or so feet wide. Wang Shi had long ago ordered his men to build a moat bridge over the Ji River, so when he led his army to this place, he immediately looked at Li Hongfu, who was rushing back.

"Please, Governor Li, lead a thousand troops to escort these thirty thousand laborers and provisions to Anrong Pass."

"Rest assured, Junior Protector, I will definitely deliver the grain safely!"

Li Hongfu bowed in response, thinking to himself, "Only if you, Junior Guardian, can defend the Jishui River..."

Given the situation, even Li Hongfu knew that the best outcome of today's battle would be mutual destruction.

After four months of fighting with Longyou, the 100,000 government troops north of the Qinling Mountains were reduced to only 20,000, while Longyou lost no more than 20,000 troops.

After the loss of Qin Prefecture, the Longyou front was pushed forward. Even without capturing any grain or fodder, they were able to quickly regain their footing by relying on the autumn grain from Wushan and Fuqiang counties.

When the grain harvest in Qin Prefecture is harvested again next year, the starting point for transporting grain from Longyou will change from Wei Prefecture to Qin Prefecture, which will be at least 300 li ahead.

The significance of advancing the supply train 300 li (approximately 150 kilometers) before the start of military operations seems self-evident.

Sun Tzu once said, "If you eat one zhong of enemy food, it is equivalent to twenty zhong of mine; if you eat one shi of straw, it is equivalent to twenty shi of mine."

Judging from Li Hongfu's recent troop transfer of grain, in the Longyou terrain, within a distance of 300 li, only seven dou of one shi of grain could be transported to the destination, with the remaining three dou being consumed by the laborers transporting the grain.

Of course, if there are enough horse-drawn carts and no need for manpower to carry grain, then this loss can be reduced appropriately.

In Longyou, speed is of the essence, and so far, they probably haven't consumed much food. If the battle line were to advance another 300 li, the imperial court would likely have no choice but to deploy a large force to Anrong Pass.

While Li Hongfu was lost in thought, Wang Shi had already begun arranging for setting up camp and transporting grain across the Jishui River.

Li Hongfu mustered 1,000 soldiers from Jingyuan and then escorted 30,000 laborers across the river.

After they crossed the river, Wang Shi divided his troops into two groups. Changshan, who had rested for a night, went to the east bank of the Ji River to build fortifications, while Zhao Qian led 5,000 soldiers from various towns to build fortifications on the west bank of the Ji River, with a trench bridge connecting them.

When the time came to Chenshi (7-9 AM), the number of officers and soldiers on both sides of the Jishui River was clear: only more than 600 elite Tianxiong cavalry, 2,000 Changshan soldiers, and 12,000 troops from Yicheng, Heyang, Binning and other towns.

The army of 20,000 was reduced to 12,000. With such a small force, they were about to fight Liu Jilong at Shanggui. The generals' mood was written all over their faces, and it was a very ugly sight.

If this battle isn't fought, with the sheer number of soldiers in Liu Jilong's army, they will surely be able to catch up quickly with the grain transported by Li Hongfu and Yang Gongqing's two armies.

If Liu Jilong were to acquire these 200,000 shi of grain, he could skip the step of transporting the grain from Longxi and perhaps launch a direct attack on Anrong Pass.

Wang Shi waited in the main tent, while many soldiers slept in their armored tents, not daring to take off their armor.

Fortunately, the Longyou army had also fought a fierce battle last night and did not launch an attack this morning.

Time passed slowly until afternoon, and Liu Jilong had already gotten up and walked out of the camp ruins.

He arrived at the foot of the mountain path and looked out at the distant Shanggui Plain, where he saw that the government troops had already set up camps on both sides of the Ji River.

To the Longyou army, this kind of camp was no different from one made of paper.

However, Wang Shi's attitude made Liu Jilong think more highly of him.

In Liu Jilong's view, if a person experiences too many setbacks, those setbacks will wear down his spirit.

As one's initial vigor fades, they begin to doubt and hate themselves, eventually accepting their ordinariness. A feeling of helplessness will accompany them throughout their life.

Without extraordinary external intervention, this person would live a mediocre life.

This situation not only occurs in many people, but is even more common in many people who have had a smooth and successful life since childhood and are full of vigor.

He became despondent after the defeat and lived a mediocre life thereafter.

That's why Liu Jilong never found those geniuses who had everything go smoothly to be scary. On the contrary, he found people like Liu Bang, Liu Bei, and Wang Shi, who were repeatedly defeated but never gave up, to be more terrifying.

However, Wang Shi was always a subject of the Tang Dynasty, and every defeat he suffered would eventually be investigated and punished after the war.

Liu Jilong ignored him and instead ordered the laborers to cook a meal, preparing to go down the mountain to fight after eating.

At his command, the wooden whistles in the camp began to sound slowly, and the soldiers of the three armies, who had been resting for almost four hours, came out of their tents one after another.

The laborers had already set up their pots and started cooking early, but because this place was too far from Fuqiang, today's meal was nothing more than dried meat and dried vegetables soaked in water, boiled, and poured over the boiled millet rice in the military rations.

Aside from the taste of oil and salt, you can't taste anything else in a meal; that's the downside of portable military rations.

The taste of the millet had long since disappeared after being steamed and boiled repeatedly; only the feeling of fullness made everyone realize that they had just eaten.

After the three armies finished preparing, Liu Jilong led the marching column down the mountain with cavalry in front, followed by infantry, and the infantry at the rear.

Compared to the north side of Maijishan, the road on the south side is relatively difficult to travel.

The distance from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain is only two or three miles, but the elevation difference is nearly two hundred steps.

Fortunately, the fire last night destroyed many forests, so there was no place to set up an ambush.

Perhaps Wang Shi saw such a terrible environment, which is why he chose to rely on the Ji River to fight against Longyou.

Within a quarter of an hour, 2,500 elite cavalrymen were the first to descend the mountain, followed by 5,000 cavalry and 7,000 infantrymen.

Liu Jilong left behind a thousand infantrymen and several hundred wounded soldiers to rest and recuperate at the Nanchuan military camp on the north side. Even so, their forces were still larger than the current government troops.

As the army descended from Maijishan, the government troops' cavalry had already informed Wang Shi of the situation.

Wang Shi led his three armies out of the camp, and 12,000 men lined up on the west bank of the Ji River.

"Susu..."

A wind rises over the plains, causing banners to flutter and horses to neigh.
In terms of sheer numbers, both sides are indeed roughly equal, but the quality is worlds apart.

Compared to Liu Jilong's well-equipped army, Wang Shi could only field a large number of infantry and a few hundred elite cavalry.

From this point of view alone, Wang Shi has already lost half a point.

Under these circumstances, he still insisted on fighting the rebels, hoping to have enough time to transport food.

Liu Jilong had a clear understanding of his thoughts, and a mental model had emerged in Liu Jilong's mind.

The sand table showed the general terrain of Qin Prefecture, their confrontation on the Shanggui Plain, and the government army's supply train transporting grain back to Qingshui County or Anrong Pass.

After several encounters, Liu Jilong had already thoroughly figured out the marching speed of the various government troops.

Of the five armies besieging Longyou, the Shuofang Town, Pingxia, and Shatuo armies, which had already been defeated, were the fastest in terms of marching speed, covering at least fifty or sixty li per day.

Next was Gao Pian of Xichuan, followed by Wang Shi's 80,000-strong army, while Wang Duo of Shannan West Circuit and Li Fu of Dongchuan could only march forty li a day.

However, Shuofang Town has the most cavalry, so it's normal for them to march quickly. Of Gao Pian's 20,000 troops, only 15,000 are elite cavalry and infantry, with 5,000 of them still in the south.

Of the 20,000 troops besieging Gutao Pass, at least 10,000 were infantrymen. Their ability to march 50 li per day was already considered quite fast.

The marching speed of government troops was only between forty and sixty li, while the marching speed of civilian laborers was usually around thirty li.

As the general situation of each army was calculated, the troops in the sand table in Liu Jilong's mind were constantly moving.

It takes at least 100 li from Shanggui to Qingshui County, and at least 200 li to Anrong Pass.

Based on this calculation, the supply train that the government troops had previously transferred would take at least three days to reach Qingshui. After defeating Wang Shi, I could easily seize the grain that the supply train was transporting.

It's unclear whether Wang Shi had arranged for other troops to transport supplies to the interior before this.

Thinking this, Liu Jilong scanned the formation, but did not find any Shence Army soldiers.

"It seems that several batches of grain have already been shipped out."

Liu Jilong didn't know if he could catch up, but as long as he could catch up with the supply train that had just set off, the food they had would be enough to feed the 30,000 troops he had deployed in Qinzhou.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Liu Jilong took out a five-colored flag from in front of his saddle, used the colors to identify the five armies, and immediately began to wave it.

Twelve flag bearers stepped forward, their eyes fixed on Liu Jilong waving his flags, and immediately began to wave their flags to convey military orders.

Wang Shi's formation was simple: six or seven thousand soldiers were in the center, forming the three armies, with six hundred elite cavalrymen supporting the rear, and more than two thousand infantrymen on each side serving as the left and right flanks.

Upon seeing this, Liu Jilong immediately reorganized the five armies, placing An Pohu in charge of the elite cavalry on the left and right wings, with 1,000 elite cavalry on the left wing and 1,500 elite cavalry on the right wing. The vanguard and central armies were mainly composed of 7,000 infantrymen under the command of Zhang Wu, while the rear army consisted of 5,000 cavalry and infantrymen, all under Liu Jilong's personal command.

Within a quarter of an hour, the 12,000-strong army changed formation and lined up opposite the government troops.

Their rapid formation caused many of the government troops' generals to look grim, especially Wang Chongrong and Zhao Qian.

The government troops' battle formation was simpler than that of the Longyou troops, yet it took them 25 minutes to form, while the Longyou troops formed theirs in just 35 minutes without any adjustments.

The difference in strength between the two sides became apparent, and Liu Jilong waved his command flag after the formation was completed.

"Uuuuuu——"

When the bugle sounded, Liu Jilong had one less command available because he did not have a drum cart with him, but this did not prevent him from defeating Wang Shi.

"Enter!"

Zhang Wu, stationed in the central army, saw Liu Jilong order them to advance. Without hesitation, he waved his command flag, which was then relayed by the flag bearer. The vanguard and the central army began to advance, with seven thousand infantrymen steadily approaching the government troops.

"Order the vanguard crossbowmen to fire when they are 150 paces away from the enemy, and the archers to fire when they are 60 paces away from the enemy."

"If the enemy comes within twenty paces, the vanguard will advance first. Archers and crossbowmen will abandon their bows and crossbows, and each will first put on their arms, take up their swords and spears, and wait for the vanguard to break through the formation."

"If the enemy's formation is secure and the vanguard cannot penetrate it, then the archers and crossbowmen, armed with swords and clubs, should rush in and attack, preventing them from moving freely!"

Zhang Wu used the military command techniques he had learned from Liu Jilong in the past few days to command his 7,000 troops, and the results were remarkable.

Given the quality of the junior officers and soldiers in the Longyou army, as long as the orders remain unchanged and orderly, they can quickly launch an attack in accordance with the orders.

The vanguard of 4,000 infantrymen was organized into a vanguard unit, with the first three ranks consisting of spearmen, and the rest being replaced by crossbowmen, waiting to fire arrows at a distance.

"put!"

When the two armies were about 150 paces apart, the crossbowmen on both sides advanced and began to engage the enemy with their crossbows after passing the spearmen.

They shot as they marched, but the Longyou army had more crossbows; of the four thousand men in the vanguard, as many as sixteen hundred were equipped with crossbows.

In contrast, the government army, with its central force of seven thousand infantrymen, had only seven or eight hundred men equipped with crossbows. As a result, during the battle, the government army was suppressed by Longyou's crossbows as always.

"Kill, kill, kill—"

The spearmen of the Longyou Army roared incessantly, their voices gathering together to suppress the government troops at all times.

Even though Wang Shi ordered the drum cart to beat the drum, it still couldn't drown out this sound.

"Beep--"

When they reached a distance of sixty paces, except for the spearmen in the front row, the remaining two thousand soldiers switched to hard bows and used foot archers to suppress the enemy.

Wang Shi waved his command flag, ordering the vanguard and the central army to use arrows to suppress the rebels.

For a time, the vanguard of Longyou was indeed heavily suppressed by the government troops, but Zhang Wu's reaction was not slow either.

Under his command flag, the three thousand leaping soldiers in the central army changed to crossbows and launched a barrage to suppress the government troops. Arrows collided and intertwined in the air above the two armies, falling in countless numbers, but most of them hit the enemy.

Except for a few unlucky soldiers, most soldiers only appeared to be pierced by arrows, but in reality, it did not affect their combat effectiveness.

Zhang Wu was hit by several stray arrows. He punched them with his forearm and broke them off, then looked towards the rear guard.

Sure enough, the rear guard signaled for the troops to halt and engage the government troops with crossbows.

Upon receiving the order, Zhang Wu immediately waved his command flag, and the seven thousand soldiers from Longyou spread out in an arc, like a hand grasping the full moon, and began to suppress the government troops with bows and crossbows.

Apart from the 1,800 spearmen in the front row, the remaining 5,000 soldiers used crossbows to suppress the government troops.

Seeing this, Wang Shi could only curse the rebels for their wealth in his heart. He could only command his three armies to abandon their bows and crossbows and advance, attempting to limit the rebels' bows and crossbows through close combat.

The government troops pressed forward relentlessly. Zhang Wu, seeing this, was delighted and was about to launch an attack to engage them in close combat when another general reminded him:
"Captain, the commander has ordered a retreat of twenty paces, and forbidding any counterattack!"

"Retreat?" Zhang Wu was puzzled, but he still retreated according to Liu Jilong's command.

They began to retreat, and the government troops, seeing this, thought they were afraid, which boosted their morale slightly, and they continued to pursue them as ordered.

Zhang Wu led his troops to retreat twenty paces. Just as they stopped, they saw the government troops pursuing them. Just as they were about to retaliate, Liu Jilong ordered them to retreat twenty paces and not to fight back.

Helpless, Zhang Wu could only order a further retreat of twenty paces.

"Damn it, the Longyou Army isn't as powerful as those useless Shence Army soldiers boast. They don't even dare to fight back!"

"Chase after them and show these bastards what the might of us heroes from Northeast China is like!"

Seeing the Longyou army retreating continuously and unable to even retaliate, the government troops, who had been meek and submissive, were now as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood.

Wang Shi sensed something was wrong and immediately ordered the three armies to garrison.

After he issued his order, the officers and soldiers of the various towns, though dissatisfied, still stopped in their tracks.

Seeing this, Liu Jilong waved his command flag, and the general beside Zhang Wu also reminded him: "The commander-in-chief has ordered our troops to retaliate with bows and crossbows. If the government troops pursue, retreat twenty paces and do not retaliate."

"What's wrong with the commander? Why are you keeping telling us to retreat instead of fighting back?"

Zhang Wu was puzzled, and his expression showed slight anxiety, but he still followed Liu Jilong's military orders and directed the vanguard and central army to fight back with crossbows.

Upon hearing their counterattack, Wang Shi couldn't help but frown and glance at the distance between his troops and the camp.

It's only a distance of sixty steps, which shouldn't affect anything major.

However, when Wang Shi turned to look at the rebel army, he saw that Liu Jilong's banner was still hanging high in the air, and he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

He pondered for a moment, then a thought flashed through his mind, and he said to those around him:

"Liu Jilong has ordered the army to retreat twice. As the saying goes, one should strike while the iron is hot, but the second time will be weak and the third time will be exhausted. He is probably trying to lure us into a third pursuit, and then launch a counterattack when the morale is low!"

"Pass on my military order: the entire army shall retreat sixty paces. Do not give Liu Jilong a chance!"

Wang Shi worried that Liu Jilong was luring the enemy deeper into his territory, and ultimately decided to order a retreat.

Upon hearing his words, the generals on both sides suddenly realized what he meant and immediately ordered the three armies to retreat.

But as their formation began to falter and they retreated, Liu Jilong, standing beneath the great banner, smirked: "I knew you'd think that way!"

Liu Jilong took out the five-colored command flag and placed it under his command. The twelve flag soldiers beside him also took down their command flags and blew their horns.

"Uuuuuu——"

"Beep--"

"All troops, attack!!"

Apart from the 5,000 infantry and cavalry in the rear guard, the remaining four armies all received military orders.

Zhang Wu, An Pohu, and others, who were originally anxious, immediately ordered the three armies to attack after receiving the military order.

"kill--"

Suddenly, shouts of battle rang out. The retreating soldiers of various towns narrowed their eyes upon seeing this, and Wang Shi behind them also reacted.

"Liu Jilong... the three armies must remain in position and not slacken their efforts!!"

Before Wang Shi could even scold Liu Jilong, he immediately waved his command flag, trying to regain his composure.

He wouldn't have the confidence if it were the Shence Army, but the various towns in Guandong had suppressed so many bandits, so they must have some skills.

As expected, although the government troops were in a panic, they still managed to gather together and form a defensive formation after the order was given.

Wang Shi broke out in a cold sweat, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as if he had just escaped a disaster. He was about to ask Liu Jilong how he planned to deal with the situation when he looked up and saw that the Longyou army had not stopped at all, but had directly attacked the government troops.

"kill--"

"Bang!!"

The spears clashed and felled countless government troops. The vanguard soldiers of Longyou were also shaken away by the force of the spears and decisively abandoned their spears, taking out blunt weapons to attack.

Although the government troops were well prepared, their formation inevitably shifted when the Longyou army charged into their ranks in "teams".

Upon seeing this, Liu Jilong waved his command flag, and five thousand cavalry and infantrymen behind him filed out and galloped toward the battlefield.

He did not stop, but continued to wave the command flag, directing An Pohu's 2,500 elite cavalry to infiltrate behind the government troops, attempting to cut off the army's retreat.

Although it was only a few dozen steps away, if the interception was successful, Wang Shi's 12,000 soldiers would be surrounded and annihilated.

"Withdraw on both flanks to protect the rear of the three armies!"

Wang Shi's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He thought he had anticipated Liu Jilong's thoughts, but he didn't expect that what he had anticipated was the thoughts that Liu Jilong had left him with.

"Liu Jilong is trying to cut off our army's retreat!"

As Wang Shi pondered, he couldn't help but wipe away a cold sweat, feeling that he had reacted quickly.

Just as he was wiping his sweat, he suddenly felt something was wrong, looked up, and his expression changed drastically.

But as his infantry retreated on both flanks, thousands of cavalry and infantry from the Longyou army suddenly appeared and began to encircle him from both sides.

Despair flashed in Wang Shi's eyes. He had realized what was happening when he was wiping away sweat, but it was too late.

The real purpose of the cavalry cutting off their own retreat was to lure the left and right flanks to retreat, and then use cavalry and infantry to encircle and annihilate them.

Even though this wasn't the first time Wang Shi had lost to Liu Jilong, he still felt a strong urge to commit suicide and die for his country.

"The outcome is decided..."

Under the banner, Liu Jilong confidently placed the five-colored command flags back into his saddle.

The two sides faced off for half an hour, but countless changes occurred in the quarter hour following the exchange.

Compared to the cavalry, which is difficult to capture, dealing with infantry with a large number of cavalry is a piece of cake for Liu Jilong.

He watched the two armies locked in fierce combat, and although a hint of regret for the lives of the soldiers in Longyou flashed in his eyes, his gaze remained resolute.

"Hahahaha... The General is amazing!"

In the midst of battle, Zhang Wu commanded his three armies to launch a fierce attack. Seeing Wang Shi's army being broken up, he finally guessed what his commander was thinking.

"If this stalemate continues, these government troops will be ours for the taking!"

Zhang Wu took a bow and arrow and threw it into the government troops, laughing heartily, showing more confidence than Liu Jilong.

Now Wang Shi is faced with two situations, but there is only one path for each situation.

The retreating troops were pursued and killed, resulting in a major defeat.

After a stalemate and fierce fighting, the Longyou forces were decisively defeated, and their army collapsed...

Wang Shi looked several years older, as if Liu Jilong had completely destroyed his spirit.

However, the court's neglect of him during the middle years of his reign made him more resilient than ordinary people. Therefore, he was only depressed for a short while before he quickly rallied.

"The three armies shall rush to the aid of Changshandu on the left flank. Once the situation stabilizes, they shall immediately withdraw to Changshandu and have it garrison the camp gate. The three armies shall then withdraw in an orderly manner to the east bank of the Ji River!"

"Yes!!"

The generals were now in despair, but seeing that the king was as steady as Mount Tai, their initial panic gradually disappeared.

At this time, Zhao Qian was being besieged by cavalry and infantry in Longyou, but Changshan was, after all, a force that had followed Wang Shi from Annam to the Central Plains and then from the Central Plains to Longyou.

Compared to ordinary regional military officers and soldiers, Changshandu's fighting strength was not bad, and unlike Wang Chongrong on the right wing, he was not directly surrounded and wiped out by cavalry and infantry.

Seeing the three armies slowly moving towards him, Zhao Qian looked towards the central army and indeed saw the military order issued by Wang Shi.

To avoid being surrounded, the cavalry and infantry of Longyou had no choice but to abandon the encirclement of Changshandu. However, Anpohu, who was leading elite cavalry, saw this and immediately led 1,500 elite cavalry to attack Changshandu from the flank.

"Are they trying to cut their losses and survive?"

Liu Jilong also saw through Wang Shi's idea, narrowed his eyes slightly, but did not think that Wang Shi could realize this idea.

Retreating from Jishui to the Qinling Mountains would take at least fifty li, and retreating to Qingshui would take a hundred li. Apart from leading a few hundred elite cavalry to retreat, Wang Shi could hardly hold onto any of his remaining troops.

Just as Liu Jilong said, the overall situation is already decided, and no matter what Wang Shi does, he can no longer save these more than 10,000 soldiers from the Guandong region.

"kill!!"

"bump--"

As Liu Jilong had predicted, An Pohu led 1,500 elite cavalry in a flank attack on Changshandu, almost cutting Changshandu in half. An Pohu even reached the central army, where Zhao Qian was stationed.

"These barbarian rabble from the Hexi Corridor dare to be so arrogant!!"

"Kanto dogs bark!!"

Zhao Qian and An Pohu met and clashed with spears, but Changshan only had two thousand men.

It would be almost impossible for two thousand infantrymen to withstand a flanking attack from fifteen hundred elite cavalry.

Soon, Zhao Qian and An Pohu were overwhelmed by the elite cavalry of Longyou, and Changshandu, which Wang Shi had built up over many years, was completely wiped out in the encirclement and suppression by the elite cavalry and infantry of Longyou...

"Young Guardian?!"

The crowd watched in horror as the banners of Changshan fell, and all turned to look at Wang Shi.

Although Wang Shi remained composed, his lips had turned somewhat pale.

He treated Zhao Qian like his own son, and now that his eldest son and adopted son are both missing and their fates unknown, how could he not be heartbroken?

Faced with this situation, he calmly ordered: "The three armies move to the right flank, and the left wing commander Wang Chongrong is ordered to withdraw to the camp gate to cover the retreat of the three armies to the east bank."

The three armies continued their arduous struggle in the fighting, and soon helped Wang Chongrong's troops repel the cavalry and infantry who were besieging them. However, Wang Chongrong's soldiers from Hezhong suffered heavy casualties, with only a little over a thousand surviving.

After receiving the military order, Wang Chongrong hurriedly led his troops to the battlefield and stationed them at the camp gate before waving his command flag and responding to the main force of the Wang army.

Upon seeing this, Wang Shi immediately ordered his three armies to begin their retreat, while Liu Jilong, standing under the banner, couldn't help but shake his head.

"Back to camp! Retreat to camp!!"

"You son of a bitch, retreat!"

"Don't run! Form ranks and retreat!"

As Liu Jilong had expected, the already tense officers and soldiers of the various towns, upon receiving the order to retreat, almost none of them thought of covering the rear; they all wanted to retreat back to their camps first.

Even though the supervising team, wielding long-handled swords, slashed down one fleeing soldier after another, they could not conceal the fact that the front line was in complete disarray.

Seeing this, Wang Shi involuntarily hunched over, knowing that his last gamble had also failed.

"kill!!"

The Longyou army continued to advance, and Zhang Wu even personally charged into the government troops with a spear, fighting left and right, killing more than a dozen people before calmly retreating.

The government troops broke formation and countless people began to flee.

"Damn it, how did it collapse?!"

Wang Chongrong, his face covered in blood, stared wide-eyed at the scene before him in disbelief. They were, after all, the elite of Guandong, so how could they have been so easily defeated?!

"Shiro, retreat quickly!!"

At that moment, Wang Chongyi's voice came from inside the camp.

Wang Chongrong looked back and saw that Wang Chongyi, who was stationed on the east bank, had abandoned his troops and come to find him.

"Si Lang, the army's defeat is a fact. The only way to save us now is to retreat! Retreat quickly!"

Wang Chongyi dragged Wang Chongrong away, and the soldiers in the river at the camp gate also abandoned the gate and fled to the east bank.

"Young Master, the troops in Hezhong have abandoned the camp gate. We must retreat quickly!"

Several generals immediately noticed the change at the camp gate, and this change dealt another heavy blow to Wang Shi.

The wind from the plains blew towards him, and already exhausted and covered in sweat, he swayed and almost fell off his horse.

"Young Guardian?!"

His attendants quickly steadied him, and after exchanging surprised glances, they all shouted, "Retreat!!"

Without the slightest hesitation, hundreds of elite cavalry escorted Wang Shi to the east bank, while the soldiers on the battlefield were completely surrounded by the Longyou army.

With infantry in front, followed by cavalry and elite cavalry, the thousands of soldiers on the battlefield were already in despair when An Pohu's figure reappeared.

"Zhao Qian is dead; those who abandon their troops and surrender will not be killed!!"

An Pohu, his face covered in blood, held a spear in one hand and raised the severed head of Zhao Qian in the other, raising his arm and shouting.

Upon seeing this, the elite cavalrymen around him shouted in unison.

Shouts soon echoed across the plains. Everyone who survived knew Zhao Qian's identity, so the sound of weapons falling to the ground increased, and countless soldiers began to surrender.

Upon seeing this, Liu Jilong, who was under the banner, immediately looked towards the camp and waved his command flag a few times.

Upon seeing this, the flag bearers immediately waved their flags to relay the signal. An Pohu, who was still immersed in the act of beheading the general, soon saw several other generals rushing over.

"Captain, the commander has ordered our elite cavalry and infantry to pursue Wang Shi towards Qingshui County and seize the government troops' supplies!"

“Alright!” An Pohu readily agreed, then tossed Zhao Qian’s head to the elite cavalrymen beside him.

"By presenting this head to Commander Jie, I have done what Commander Jie did in the past—slay a general. Haha..."

He didn't have much of a plan; he just wanted to show off.

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his horse around and led his elite cavalry and infantry towards the government army's camp.

Wang Chongyi originally intended to destroy the trench bridge, but due to the elite cavalry covering Wang Shi's arrival, he had to order the three armies to halt their actions.

After several hundred elite cavalrymen entered the east bank, Wang Chongyi ordered his troops to destroy the moat bridge, but they could only destroy the moat bridge on the east bank of Fuzhou. Then he hurriedly led his army to follow Wang Shi to retreat to the Qinling Mountains.

After An Pohu led his army to the scene, he immediately ordered his soldiers to repair the trenches and bridges, preparing to march on Qingshui County once the trenches and bridges were repaired.

Half an hour later, the moat bridge was repaired, and they immediately headed towards Qingshui County.

At the same time, the fighting on the battlefield came to a complete end, with thousands of officers and soldiers killed and thousands captured.

Liu Jilong, standing beneath the great banner, looked at the devastation on the battlefield and calmly turned his horse around.

"Qin Prefecture has been captured, and next up is Sanchuan..."

(End of this chapter)