Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 428 Guanzhong Belongs to Me (Seeking Monthly Tickets at the End of the Month)

"Kill! Whoever seizes the banner will be promoted three ranks! Whoever captures Zheng Tian and Wang Shi will be promoted three ranks!!"

"kill!!"

On the north bank of the Daxi River, Liu Jilong launched a surprise attack taking advantage of the Tang army's laxity. The Tang army's formation was broken, and the retreat of the vanguard was unstoppable.

Zheng Tian, ​​Wang Shi, and others looked extremely grim as they watched helplessly as the vanguard continued to retreat.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

"The front line has fallen! Retreat!!"

"No retreating! Anyone who retreats will be executed!!"

"You son of a bitch, you motherfucker!"

The former deputy commander and hundreds of soldiers, wielding long-handled swords, shouted sternly, only to be met with their comrades drawing their swords first.

In an instant, hundreds of deputy commanders wielding long-handled swords began to raise their swords and strike.

Hundreds of fleeing soldiers were killed on the spot. Even those who did not die immediately because of their heavy armor were still hurt by the force of the 15-pound heavy broadswords that slashed down, causing many to kneel on the ground in pain or faint directly.

Upon seeing this, the Tang soldiers who were about to flee stopped in their tracks, their faces showing hesitation.

"Get back inside, all of you!!"

In the ranks, a tall colonel, who was in charge of supervising the battle, shouted loudly, brandishing his long-handled broadsword to intimidate the crowd.

"Who is that person?"

Seeing that the routed soldiers at the front had been stabilized, Zheng Tian breathed a slight sigh of relief and couldn't help but ask those around him.

Upon seeing this, Li Changfu, the younger brother of Li Changyan, the Left Military Commander, immediately bowed and replied, "This is Zhu Mei, a colonel in the Binning Army."

“My brother had previously seen that he was tall and strong, so he summoned him to command the fierce and resolute men of the various towns.”

"Good!" Zheng Tian nodded in satisfaction: "He's a loyal and brave man too..."

Before he could finish speaking, the vanguard troops began to riot again.

"kill!!"

But the Han army on the battlefield was pressing forward in formation, especially the banner representing Liu Jilong, who was charging ahead like a soldier.

Liu Jilong's actions ignited the passion of the entire Han army. The warriors wielding long spears and those with blunt weapons and crossbows moved in perfect unison, advancing like a wall.

The vanguard, which had been holding its ground with great difficulty, completely collapsed as the Han army pressed forward.

"Damn it, we're going to die whether we go back or forward. They're only a few hundred strong, how can they stop thousands of us? Charge!!"

"Rush!!"

The officers and soldiers of the vanguard were terrified by the Han army and dared not turn back to form ranks and fight against them.

They preferred to fight these hundreds of garrison troops rather than the Han army.

More than a thousand fleeing soldiers began to charge the garrison's defensive line. Seeing this, Zhu Mei had no choice but to lead her troops to resist the fleeing soldiers' charge. The more clever fleeing soldiers bypassed the garrison and frantically retreated to the west.

Others followed suit, and those who were originally holding the front line, seeing that most of the people around them had run away, immediately abandoned their weapons and began to flee.

"Brother Xiao Nian!"

Zheng Tian's fingertips turned white, and he couldn't help but look at Wang Shi with despair on his face.

"withdraw!"

Seeing that the collapse of the vanguard was irreversible, Wang Shi immediately began waving his command flags, directing the central and rear armies to form ranks and retreat.

The vanguard has already collapsed and is unable to effectively command the troops. It would be better to use their lives as stepping stones for the retreat of the central and rear armies.

"Beep--"

The piercing sound of wooden whistles rang out, and nearly 20,000 Tang soldiers began to retreat step by step, not daring to loosen their stance in the slightest.

Upon seeing this, Liu Jilong immediately reined in his horse and waved his command flag, while the flag bearers also began to wave their military flags to relay the flag signals to the various armies.

Dou Jingchong and Wang Chongrong led 6,000 Han soldiers to halt their pursuit, while Liu Jilong led more than 2,000 cavalry and infantry to bypass the main Tang army and begin to hunt down the fleeing Tang soldiers.

The cavalry and infantry, armed with horn-handed crossbows, charged at the fleeing Tang soldiers from both sides, pulled the triggers, and shot them dead.

Liu Jilong did not order the surrender of these fleeing Tang soldiers because he wanted to use their lives to provoke the remaining nearly 20,000 Tang soldiers.

As they retreated in formation, these Tang soldiers could only watch helplessly as their comrades were mocked, pursued, and shot dead by the Han army, inevitably feeling a sense of shared sorrow.

Wang Shi's face darkened, and Zheng Tian, ​​having seen through Liu Jilong's methods, could no longer maintain his composure and roared:
"They are all subjects of the Great Tang Dynasty, how could they be so cruel?!"

To the Tang army, his words seemed plausible, but to Liu Jilong and the Han army, it seemed that the Tang army had never considered them as one of their own.

"Those who surrender will be spared!"

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Liu Jilong immediately waved his hand and ordered the surrender to begin.

The purpose of making an example of someone was to instill a sense of unease in the Tang army, causing them to lose morale.

Offering them a way out now would give them a glimmer of hope, letting them know that surrendering would mean they wouldn't have to sacrifice themselves, making it easier to defeat them.

Those who surrender will not be killed!

"Kneel down, everyone!!"

More than two thousand cavalry and infantry spread out and persuaded the thousands of fleeing Tang soldiers to surrender. Seeing that they had a chance to live, these Tang soldiers threw down their helmets and weapons and knelt on the ground, waiting to surrender.

The Han army drove them to the stream, separating them from the main Tang army force, and then watched intently as the main Tang army force slowly moved and retreated.

"Our troops are firmly in position, and Liu Jilong will certainly not launch another forceful attack!"

Zheng Tian broke out in a cold sweat, but he still maintained his confidence.

He was still confident that the central and rear armies were mainly composed of veterans and soldiers from Fengxiang.

Despite his confidence, Wang Shi remained solemn, his gaze constantly shifting between the cavalry and infantry led by Liu Jilong and the Han army more than three hundred paces to the east.

The six thousand Han soldiers were sitting on the ground, recovering from their exhaustion and treating the wounded soldiers who had been fighting the enemy.

Regardless of whether they were from the Tang or Han armies, as long as the person was still alive, they took them all to Lingtai County for treatment.

As time passed, Liu Jilong remained calm as he watched the main force of the Tang army, numbering nearly 20,000, slowly retreat from a distance of about 100 paces away, close to the Lingtai Plain.

"Dismount, feed the horses, escort the prisoners to Lingtai County for confinement, and let the Tang army withdraw first."

He gave an order, and the left and right captains dismounted one after another, leading the soldiers to feed the horses and give them fresh water. They then sent more than a hundred men to escort the three or four thousand Tang soldiers back to Lingtai County.

He was unhurried and composed, while Dou Jingchong and Wang Chongrong were slightly anxious.

"What happened to the Prince of Han? The government troops are about to withdraw!"

Wang Chongrong was very anxious, as were the other captains around him.

A quarter of an hour passed, and the Tang army nervously withdrew two miles, but Liu Jilong still did not issue any military orders.

At this moment, more than 5,000 laborers leading 5,000 horses bypassed Lingtai County and appeared in everyone's sight along the Daxi River.

Dou Jingchong and others' expressions instantly changed from anxiety to joy. They immediately ordered the three armies to mount their horses, while the soldiers without horses were left behind to guard the prisoners in Lingtai County.

"King of Han!"

Dou Jingchong and his men rode up quickly. When Liu Jilong saw them, he nodded in response and looked at the Tang army not far away.

They were only three miles away; with a little effort, he could catch up.

"They should have left their laborers and carts about seven or eight miles to the west. You should take some men to intercept their laborers and carts, and then move them back to the northern part of Lingtai Plain. After you have divided your troops to guard them, return to the main road."

“This place is more than 30 li away from Baili City. An Pohu has already taken action.”

"If Yang Gongqing falls into the trap, the Tang army in Baili City will suffer heavy losses. Even if they don't suffer losses, with An Pohu's elite cavalry surrounding them, the government troops in Baili City will not be able to leave the city."

"Follow them for now, and strike when they are exhausted."

Liu Jilong calmly explained everything, and Dou Jingchong's face lit up with joy upon hearing this. He quickly bowed and said, "Yes!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he shook the reins and led his cavalry and infantry in pursuit to the west, while Liu Jilong followed behind with two thousand men at a leisurely pace.

"Hold your ground!"

"Beep--"

Seeing the Han army charging again, Zheng Tian, ​​who had taken over the command flag again, began to give orders. Nearly 20,000 Tang soldiers also set up camp steadily on the spot as the Han army approached within a mile.

They were currently positioned in a narrow valley on the north bank of the Daxi River, with 20,000 men arrayed there. The Han army could not pass through, and they only needed to defend one side.

Upon seeing this, Dou Jingchong immediately halted his horse and divided his troops.

However, the Daxi River, which is more than ten zhang wide, has seen its water level drop to less than waist-deep due to the long drought in Guanzhong.

Dou Jingchong dispatched 1,500 cavalry and infantry, led by his son Dou Xian, to cross the river and bypass the Tang army on the south bank.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Tian and the others' expressions changed drastically, and they realized what Liu Jilong was planning to do.

"The elite cavalry that were previously divided have probably not responded yet. We should send five hundred cavalrymen to intercept this rebel army. We must not lose our supplies and laborers."

Wang Shi reacted extremely quickly, and Zheng Tian, ​​upon hearing this, immediately looked at Li Changfu behind him: "General Li, you should lead five hundred elite cavalry and your brother back to the camp at full speed. You must protect the laborers and supplies!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Li Changfu agreed without hesitation, and then led five hundred elite cavalrymen to gallop westward.

Seeing this, Dou Xian, who was crossing the river, quickened his pace, leaving Zheng Tian's main Tang army and Liu Jilong's Han army to face off.

“This stalemate is not a solution. Our army consists entirely of infantry, all of whom are heavily armored. If this continues, the rebels will be strong while our army is weak, and they will inevitably waver.”

Wang Shi saw through Liu Jilong's tactics and then said to Zheng Tian, ​​"Right now, we can divide our troops into three armies. The three armies can take turns lining up here to rest and wait for the scorching sun to recede. The elite cavalry that we sent out earlier should also be withdrawn, and our army can take the opportunity to retreat to Baili City."

"At present, our army has lost 20,000 men, but the grain and fodder in Baili City are enough to feed our army and Vice Envoy Yang's troops for three months."

"If we can hold out for three months, we will surely be able to force the rebels to withdraw due to the winter."

After Wang Shi finished speaking, Zheng Tian couldn't help but nod in agreement. After all, Baili City had been reinforced, and its strategic importance was no less than that of Zhisheng Pass.

Thinking of this, Zheng Tian bowed and said, "This battle depends entirely on Brother Xiao Nian's command. If I had led the troops here, I fear we would have been defeated by Liu Jilong long ago."

"There's no need for Taiwan to do that; the priority right now is to mobilize our troops."

After Wang Shi finished speaking, Zheng Tian immediately mobilized his troops.

The nearly 20,000 Tang soldiers, after being divided into three armies, took turns forming ranks on this mudflat less than 200 paces long, while the rest of the troops sat down to rest.

The already exhausted Tang army, upon learning that they could rest, saw 70% of its troops collapse and sit down, while the Han army was in no hurry, dismounting and lining up to wait.

Liu Jilong and Dou Jingchong reunited, and their combined force of over five thousand cavalry and infantrymen threatened the nearly twenty thousand Tang soldiers.

Time passed, and the troops that Liu Jilong had assigned were now shining brightly.

"Uuuuuu——"

On the upper reaches of the Daxi River, when the horn suddenly sounded, the atmosphere on the upper reaches of the Daxi River became somber, as if dark clouds were pressing down on one's heart.

An Pohu calmly led 8,000 elite cavalrymen, eyeing the western side menacingly, while Yang Gongqing had a grim face, followed by more than 15,000 Tang soldiers.

At dawn, he learned that more than a thousand elite rebel cavalry had appeared twenty miles west of Baili City, and he immediately guessed that the rebels were trying to cut off the grain supply route between Longzhou and Baili City.

To be on the safe side, he left 3,000 troops to garrison Baili City, and personally led 15,000 troops to besiege the rebels.

However, as soon as he led his army to appear, Anpo Hudang immediately led the remaining 7,000 elite cavalry to rush from the west. He could only form a battle formation to protect himself and dared not move his position even slightly.

At this moment, An Pohu was leisurely eating pears on horseback, while not far away were thousands of captured laborers from Longzhou and dozens of soldiers escorting grain.

“Governor, we only used a few tricks, and Yang Gongqing led his troops out of Baili City.”

"These soldiers won't last long, and we'll be able to win a great victory!"

The two captains behind An Pohu spoke excitedly, but An Pohu casually picked up the fragrant pear, put it in front of him, sniffed it, and smiled.

"These officers and soldiers are fine, it's just that the Northern Division's spineless cowards are incompetent, which is why they've become such cowardly soldiers."

"The Governor is right..."

Neither of them refuted An Pohu's words, and seeing that Yang Gongqing's troops were on the verge of collapse, An Pohu immediately began to eat the fragrant pear in his hand.

Juice splashed, and fructose exploded in the mouth, making Anpohu especially satisfied.

He devoured a pear in no time, and before he could even wipe his hands clean, he saw the government troops' formation begin to falter.

In an instant, he, who had been lazy, tensed up and suddenly pulled out the lance stuck beside him, urging his horse forward.

"Beep--"

"rush!!"

The two captains who were keeping a close eye on Anpohu's movements immediately blew their wooden whistles and shouted for a charge.

The momentum of the eight thousand elite cavalry charging forward seemed to shake the entire valley, and even the Daxi River seemed to boil.

"Form ranks! The battle cannot be retreated!!"

This was Yang Gongqing's first time leading troops alone. His courage is undeniable, but his strategic skills were only average.

"On my command, the vanguard shall hold their ground, the first five ranks shall switch to crossbows, and the rest shall switch to foot bows."

"Crossbowmen should fire when they are 80 paces away from the enemy, and archers should fire when they are 60 paces away. They should release their arrows upon hearing the whistle!"

He repeatedly shouted out military orders, relying entirely on the captain and flag bearers beside him to convey the signal by waving flags.

When the flag signal reached the ears of the vanguard, the elite Han cavalry had already charged within fifty paces.

"Beep--"

The wooden whistles sounded, and countless elite Han cavalrymen drew their bows and nocked arrows, while the Tang archers only received the order to attack at this moment.

"put!!"

As the Han cavalry approached, the Tang archers drew their bows and unleashed a barrage of arrows, like a dark cloud descending upon them.

The warhorse neighed as it was struck by an arrow, and the rider fell from his horse, howling in pain.

The soldiers on the battlefield had no time to react, as all sounds were drowned out by the deafening sound of horses' hooves.

The elite Han cavalry, who had launched a surprise attack, fired arrows in an instant, now only thirty paces away from each other.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Arrows flew like locusts, heading straight for the face of the Tang army's vanguard!
Although the warriors were protected by armor, their faces were completely uncovered.

The Han army's elite cavalry fired thousands of arrows at one point, instantly turning the soldiers arrayed there into pincushions.

A dozen or so soldiers were pierced in the head by sharp arrows and fell to the ground without even uttering a groan.

"Up the ranks! Hold the line!!"

Despite their panic, the Tang soldiers instinctively rushed forward to cover the exposed area, only to regret it later.

Seeing that the elite Han cavalry was only a dozen paces away, they closed their eyes in fear. But then the elite Han cavalry suddenly split into two, flowing like a tide to the flanks of the Tang army, without engaging in any direct confrontation with the Tang army's spear formation.

"it is good……"

Before Yang Gongqing could even cheer, the joy on his face froze instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply.

The moment the Han army's elite cavalry dispersed, Yang Gongqing and all the vanguard soldiers in the Tang army saw the heavily armored cavalry behind the Han army's elite cavalry.

"Buzz, rumble—"

The earth trembled, and three thousand heavily armored cavalrymen poured out like a torrent, crashing into the newly replenished position in an instant, giving the dozen or so soldiers who had temporarily taken over the position no chance to prepare.

"Bang!!"

"Hissing—"

"Uh-huh!"

"boom!"

In an instant, spears shattered, warhorses neighed in grief, and voices wailed in despair…

The Tang army's vanguard was torn apart like straw by the armored cavalry, and a gap was forcibly pierced through their formation.

"Fill the gap! Patch the breach!"

Yang Gongqing's eyes were bloodshot with rage and fear as he waved his command flag, but it was too late.

Five thousand elite Han cavalry, having withdrawn from the main battlefield, circled around the Tang army from both flanks, constantly drawing their bows and unleashing a rain of arrows, which were aimed specifically at the faces of the Tang soldiers.

"Asshole!!"

Under the combined attack of elite cavalry charging close and heavily armored cavalry charging and crashing, the seemingly rock-solid Tang army formation was completely torn apart.

Yang Gongqing roared in despair, but his screams were quickly drowned out by the thunder of iron hooves.

With the vanguard breached, the central and rear guard troops were unable to react in time.

Fifteen thousand Tang soldiers versus three thousand heavily armored cavalry—a difference that appears to be fivefold.

But once the defenses were breached, all that remained was a one-sided massacre.

"kill!!"

"Run away—"

"No retreating! Anyone who retreats will be executed!!"

The Han army's heavily armored cavalry were still fighting in the Tang army's ranks. Every time they thrust out their lances, they would take away hundreds or thousands of fresh lives. No one could stop their advance.

When had the generals in the northwest of the capital, who had enjoyed peace for so long, and the Tang army, which had been trained for less than a year, ever experienced such a tragic scene?

Countless soldiers who usually appeared brave and valiant were now panicked and deserted.

In their haste, the disorganized vanguard inevitably turned and charged into their own central army. The central army, under the combined attack of the disorganized vanguard and the close-range assault by the Han army's heavily armored and elite cavalry, collapsed suddenly.

In an instant, the vanguard and central army collapsed and, under the deliberate guidance of the Han army, turned around and attacked their own rear guard.

"withdraw!"

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Yang Gongqing immediately turned his horse around and led more than a hundred mounted generals and officers to break through the encirclement, abandoning the army and fleeing towards Baili City.

The two armies faced off for three hours, but the actual time for them to engage in combat and break through each other's formations was less than 45 minutes.

Yang Gongqing's breakout gave hope to many Tang soldiers who had been coerced into following him and heading towards Baili City.

Disliking the heavy armor, they kept cutting the leather straps that held their armor together during their breakout.

Armor, skirt armor, iron helmet, and bow and arrows...

The heavy armor and weapons, weighing over forty pounds, were stripped away in just a dozen breaths, leaving only the breastplate, weighing a dozen pounds.

Those who surrender will not be killed!

Seeing that a large number of Tang soldiers were trying to break through the encirclement, Anpohu naturally knew that this Tang army was no longer a threat and also knew the value of these soldiers.

After he took the lead in offering surrender, the flag bearers behind him waved their command flags, so that all the generals of the various corps and brigades would know the military order.

Those who stop and surrender will not be killed!

"Those who surrender will not be killed!!"

Within a few breaths, the calls for surrender echoed through the valley, and Anpohu did not pursue Yang Gongqing.

Because Baili City has become an "isolated island," as long as he joins forces with the Han King's troops in the east, the government troops in Baili City will be trapped like turtles in a jar.

Upon hearing this, the Tang soldiers, who were still on the run, immediately abandoned their weapons and knelt down to surrender.

Upon seeing this, An Pohu waved his command flag and ordered his troops to surrender. After resting and regrouping, he marched eastward an hour later to besiege Baili City.

In contrast to his composure, Yang Gongqing was like a stray dog, fleeing to Baili City with dozens of mounted soldiers.

While An Pohu defeated Yang Gongqing, Dou Xian, who was attempting to intercept Zheng Tian's baggage train and laborers, also led his troops to the south bank of the Daxi River, four miles west of Zheng Tian's forces.

At this moment, five hundred elite Tang cavalry and over a thousand infantrymen lined up on the north bank of the stream, confronting Dou Xian's troops on the south bank.

Twenty thousand laborers lined up their supply wagons in a straight line, leaving a gap ten zhang wide, seemingly preparing to receive Zheng Tian's troops retreating from the east.

Upon seeing this, the left and right captains bowed to Dou Xian and said, "General, our army is about equal in number to the government troops. Why don't we dismount, form ranks, cross the river, and launch a strong attack?"

"That's right, we don't need to confront them. Even if our troops are out of sorts, we can still defeat them!"

The Han generals displayed great confidence, and Dou Xian nodded without hesitation, saying, "Order the three armies to dismount, form ranks, cross the river, and launch a strong attack on the government troops!"

"Whoever leads the troops to the north bank first will be the one to achieve the greatest merit in this battle!"

"Your subordinate obeys!!" The generals responded one after another, and Dou Xian was the first to dismount. He and the soldiers left their bows, crossbows and horses behind and began to cross the river with only long and short weapons.

The Daxi River here is undoubtedly shallower, only reaching the soldiers' thighs, less than three feet deep.

Fifteen hundred Han soldiers crossed the river, and Li Changfu on the north bank, seeing this, immediately gave the following order:

"Order the vanguard archers to form ranks and fire immediately. The vanguard must not retreat. Guo Yi will lead the troops to supervise the battle."

"If the enemy waits on the shore, the vanguard will advance first. The archers and crossbowmen will abandon their bows and crossbows, and each will first put on their arms, take up their swords and spears, and fight alongside the vanguard to break through the enemy lines."

"If the vanguard fails to penetrate the enemy's defenses, then they should launch a surprise attack with leaps and shoals, and the cavalry should not be allowed to move."

"If the vanguard is pressed by the enemy, the cavalry will rush forward and attack upon hearing the whistle, while the vanguard will leap back into formation to regroup and await orders."

Li Changfu relayed the military order, and a thousand Tang infantrymen immediately stepped forward and formed ranks, standing about ten feet away from the Daxi River. They immediately drew their bows and shot arrows at Dou Xian, who was crossing the river.

Li Changfu led 500 elite cavalrymen to the flank and rear of the Tang army's infantry, ready to launch a surprise attack on the Han army at any time.

"These rebels dared to cross the river and launch a strong attack despite their unstable formation. Let's see how I defeat them!"

Li Changfu stood arrogantly on his horse, believing that Dou Xian had undoubtedly made a fatal mistake. The Tang army was arrayed on the north bank, with elite cavalry flanking them.

Given this situation, the Han army had no chance of reaching the north bank; the only solution was to be pushed into the water.

However, faced with the arrogance of the Tang army, Dou Xian, who was crossing the river, shouted loudly in Tibetan:
“Each team shall select a number of horse catchers. If the enemy launches a flank attack with elite cavalry during the battle, the vanguard team shall intercept their advance, and the horse catchers shall form ranks to capture horses. Anyone who captures a horse shall be executed on the spot.”

"Yes!!"

Because they were speaking Tibetan, the more senior officers, brigade commanders, and squad leaders in the army could all understand them.

The Han army advanced under a hail of arrows from the Tang army, maintaining a dense formation even while wading through water.

As they advanced, the damage from the arrows increased as they closed the distance.

Even though the armor worn by the Han soldiers was all heavy double armor weighing fifty catties, they could not avoid being shot at a distance of more than ten paces. Some unlucky ones were even shot in the eye socket or vulnerable areas and died.

The Han army drew ever closer to the north bank, and the water level began to gradually recede.

The 1,500 men were arrayed in formation, with the vanguard at the front, the leapers in the middle, and the garrison at the rear, while each of the three armies had a hundred horse catchers temporarily drawn from their ranks.

Their physical attributes were naturally inferior to those of the fierce and resolute soldiers in the Han army, but they were still among the strongest in their respective units.

Positioned between the three armies, they can promptly rush to the aid of the left and right flanks to capture horses.

"Enter!!"

"Uuuuuu——"

Seeing that the Han army was about to land on the north bank, Li Changfu decisively gave the order, and the Tang army's bugle suddenly sounded.

At this moment, judging from the situation, the Tang army undoubtedly has the upper hand in every aspect.

Even ordinary soldiers who cannot see the situation clearly will not think they will lose when they see their own side waiting in full battle, in a state of rest and preparation, with elite cavalry flanking them.

However, this confidence did not last long. When the Tang army began to clash with the Han army, the Tang army's vanguard changed their expressions drastically.

"kill!!"

Even though they had to wade through water and their armor and clothing were incredibly heavy, the Han army's formation remained perfectly stable, as if they were walking on flat ground.

The Han army remained unmoved as the Tang army charged, and instead launched a counterattack after the Tang army had exhausted its strength.

Amidst the shouts of the Han army, countless Tang soldiers were struck and forced back by the 13-foot-long spears wielded by the Han soldiers.

Upon seeing this, the Tang army immediately fired their crossbows and arrows at the Han army, leaving their crossbows and arrows on the south bank, unable to retaliate.

Even so, they managed to force the Tang army to retreat despite the hail of bullets and arrows.

"Asshole!!"

Li Changfu's expression changed drastically. While angrily cursing his soldiers, he immediately picked up his trumpet and started playing it.

"Uuuuuu——"

As the bugle sounded, five hundred Tang cavalry followed Li Changfu's lead and charged swiftly toward the flank of the Han army.

The Han army has already set foot on the north bank. Although their frontal position is secure, their flanks are bound to be weak.

Li Changfu raised his arm and brandished his spear, and the elite cavalry behind him followed suit, gradually closing the distance between the two sides.

At this moment, the Han army numbered only 1,300 to 1,400, while Li Changyan had 500 elite cavalry behind him and 1,000 infantrymen to hold back the Han army's vanguard. Without thinking twice, he led his troops in an attack.

The distance between the two sides kept closing, thirty paces, twenty paces, ten paces...

"Beep--"

The piercing sound of wooden whistles rang out, and the Han army's left-wing infantry suddenly changed formation, forming a forest of spears, bending their waists and lowering their shoulders, and launching a charge.

If heavy infantry charges against elite cavalry without armor, and if they are not well-trained, they are very likely to be directly breached.

The fact that the Han army dared to launch an attack demonstrates their confidence in themselves.

"boom!!"

"Hissing—"

"Um..."

In an instant, spears shattered, warhorses neighed, and those who fell from their horses and those who were struck all cried out in terror.

The Tang army's elite cavalry broke through the Han army's charge, but suffered heavy casualties themselves, and their horses' speed was brought to a standstill.

"Uuuuuu——"

At that moment, the bugle sounded, and before Li Changfu could react, he saw more than a hundred Han soldiers wielding long-handled swords begin to seize horses and kill people.

They worked together seamlessly; one grabbed the horse, while the other wielded a long-handed sword. The Tang knight on horseback was no match for four hands, and in the blink of an eye, he was chopped off his horse and killed by the axe.

"It's a horse catcher!"

“Retreat!!”

Seeing that the Han army, numbering only a little over a thousand, could still find over a hundred "bold and reckless" horse catchers to capture horses, Li Changfu's original arrogance became a joke.

So what if I make mistakes in commanding troops, or if I have a shortage of troops?

No matter how fierce the close combat or how ingenious the schemes, defeat is inevitable.

"withdraw!!"

Li Changfu, despite his elite cavalry being used haphazardly, was able to turn his horse around and retreat before the horse catchers could catch him. However, those elite cavalrymen who had already been captured became Li Changfu's discarded pawns.

Seeing that Li Changfu was attempting to abandon the battlefield, Dou Xian immediately shouted, "The Tang general is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed!!"

At his shouts, the Tang army realized that Li Changfu's banner was moving away from the battlefield. However, the Tang soldiers did not think that Li Changfu was retreating and regrouping, but rather that they had been abandoned.

After all, since the Tang army began fighting the Han army, it seemed to have become the norm for its generals and officers to abandon their soldiers.

"kill!!"

Those who surrender will not be killed!

The Han army launched a fierce attack on one hand and offered surrender on the other, which immediately caused some of the already wavering Tang army to abandon their troops and surrender.

Li Changfu had just led over three hundred cavalrymen out of the battlefield and had barely managed to regroup when he heard the Han army's calls for surrender.

Despite the setback, Li Changyan did not believe he would lose.

But when he turned around, he saw that some of the Tang infantry had already abandoned their troops and surrendered.

"Blow the horn!"

"Uuuuuu——"

Upon seeing this, Li Changfu hurriedly blew the horn, and only then did the Tang soldiers who had already abandoned their weapons realize that Li Changfu had not abandoned them.

They tried to pick up their weapons, but once their formation faltered, the Han army had already seized the initiative.

Seeing that they attempted to retaliate, without any orders, the surrounding Han soldiers began hacking and slashing, shouting: "Anyone who dares to pick up a weapon will be killed!!"

Those who surrender will not be killed!

In an instant, dozens or even hundreds of Tang soldiers were surrounded and killed by the Han army. Seeing that the situation was not good, the remaining Tang soldiers, led by several officers, immediately sounded the retreat.

The clanging of gongs rang out, and the Tang soldiers turned to retreat back to their supply wagon camp.

Seeing this, Li Changfu was furious that they had deserted their post, but he still had no choice but to lead his elite cavalry to cover their retreat.

This time, however, after leading his elite cavalry in a charge, he did not rashly engage the Han army in close combat. Instead, he used mounted archery to harass Dou Xian's troops.

At the same time, when Dou Xian saw Li Changfu leading his elite cavalry, he did not rush to pursue them. Instead, he continued to guard the riverbank and keep an eye on the captured Tang soldiers. At the same time, he sent people back to the south bank to bring back the bows and arrows to the north bank.

Hundreds of Tang soldiers withdrew to their camp, and Li Changfu also led his elite cavalry back to the temporary wagon camp formed by the supply wagons.

He surveyed his own troops, his face flushed.

Of the original five hundred elite cavalry, only three hundred remained, and of the thousand infantry, only five or six hundred retreated.

The riverbank was littered with the corpses of Tang soldiers, and the more than two hundred captured Tang soldiers had also removed their armor and abandoned their weapons under the supervision of the Han army, making them no longer a threat to the Han army.

Li Changyan's face flushed with anger, and at that moment, even worse news arrived from the west...

More than ten cavalrymen galloped from the direction of Baili City. When they saw the situation, their expressions changed drastically, but they were quickly brought before Li Changfu.

"Commander Li, Deputy Envoy Yang led his troops out of the city but were ambushed by the rebels. Our army lost nine-tenths of its men, and only a hundred or so escaped back to Baili City."

"The rebel army has nearly ten thousand elite cavalry and has already surrounded Baili City. Vice Envoy Yang requests Prime Minister Zheng to rush to Baili City's aid..."

"What did you say?!" Li Changfu's eyes widened, and the Tang soldiers around him looked at each other in disbelief.

They were planning to ask Baili City for help, but now Baili City is heavily damaged and surrounded. How can they ask for help?

More importantly, with Baili City surrounded and Lingtai County lost, they were trapped between Baili City and Lingtai County.

Thinking of this, Li Changfu's eyes flickered, and he immediately looked around. Seeing the situation, he immediately said, "Zhao Liexiao, you lead the infantry to camp here, and I will personally lead the elite cavalry to scout out the situation in Baili City!"

Despite his words, after giving the orders, he secretly sent someone to escort the wounded Li Changyan westward, and then led three hundred elite cavalry away from the battlefield.

"Wait, why did they split their forces?"

On the riverbank, the Han army saw that the Tang army had split up and that Li Changfu had led his elite cavalry to retreat to Baili City. They couldn't help but ask Dou Xian about it.

Dou Xian frowned slightly, but he didn't know what had happened. He could only order, "Report this matter back to our camp and report it to the King of Han."

"Yes!" The left and right captains bowed in response, and then sent men to the south bank of the stream to return to their camp.

For a time, the Han and Tang armies here were locked in a stalemate, while Zheng Tian and Liu Jilong to the east were also nearly at an impasse.

Seeing that the three armies had taken turns resting for more than half an hour, Zheng Tian immediately looked at Wang Shi and said, "We can withdraw now."

"Hmm!" Wang Shi nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the Han army about two hundred paces away.

At this moment, all the Han soldiers dismounted and stood beside their horses, holding flatbreads in their hands, eating them while observing them.

The Tang army was still not far from the supply convoy, and could only swallow their saliva as if quenching their thirst by looking at plums.

The flag bearers began to relay orders, and the Tang soldiers who had been resting all stood up. Liu Jilong, who was on the Han army's side, also saw their movements.

"They are preparing to withdraw their troops. I wonder if Dalang will intercept their supplies."

Dou Jingchong spoke somewhat nervously, but Liu Jilong replied calmly, "If we succeed, it will be icing on the cake; even if we fail, it won't affect the overall situation."

In Liu Jilong's view, the real big picture lies with the armies of Anpohu and Husiguang.

If An Pohu could surround Baili City, then even if Dou Xian failed to intercept and seize the Tang army's supplies, Zheng Tian would be cut off from his retreat and forced to retreat to Lingtai Plain.

With their meager supplies, they could hold out for at most half a month, while I could easily surround them and capture these 20,000 Tang soldiers without firing a shot.

"Mount!"

Liu Jilong finished the flatbread in his hand, then mounted his horse.

Seeing him do this, the Han soldiers followed suit, all mounting their horses and awaiting orders.

Just as they mounted their horses, fast horses from the Han army appeared on the south bank of the Daxi River.

More than ten fast horses deliberately shouted across the south bank of the Daxi River.

"The government troops' supplies have been captured by our army!!"

"The government troops' supplies have been captured by our army!!"

They kept shouting, their flags fluttering in the wind, conveying different flag signals.

"They surrounded them, but failed to defeat the government troops..."

Liu Jilong narrowed his eyes, then looked at Dou Jingchong: "Your eldest son does have some ulterior motives."

"Hehe..." Dou Jingchong smiled sheepishly, but his eyes were full of satisfaction.

Compared to the Han generals who could understand the unique flag signals of the Han army, the Tang army was somewhat horrified at this moment.

"The supplies were hijacked? How is that possible?!"

Zheng Tian was incredulous, as was Wang Shi, but Wang Shi was more composed.

"Taiwanese people, don't panic. The most important thing right now is to confirm the information!"

“Yes!” Upon hearing this, Zheng Tian immediately wanted to send someone to investigate, but Wang Shi said, “The rebels did not send out many troops before. Even if they can defeat our army, they will not have many troops stationed in the rear. Our army can defeat them in one fell swoop.”

"Right now, we only need to retreat step by step, and we must not send out troop foes to shake the morale of the army."

After Wang Shi finished speaking, Zheng Tian understood his thoughts and nodded, "The retreat of the three armies is nothing but a trick by the rebels!"

Seeing Zheng Tian's composure, the Tang generals, who had been in a state of agitation, also calmed down one after another.

The Tang army began to retreat, unmoved by the news spread by the Han army.

Seeing this, Dou Jingchong couldn't help but feel anxious. He then looked at Liu Jilong and said, "King of Han, Dalang only has a little over a thousand men. If the government troops retreat and find that the situation is not as our army says, they will definitely use a large army to defeat them in one fell swoop. Shouldn't we attack?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "If they launch a strong attack, our army can also launch a strong attack."

"I reckon Anpohu has already clashed with the Tang army in Baili City. If our army can hold out until dusk, Anpohu will definitely send troops to join forces with our army for a pincer attack."

“If things become unmanageable, I will naturally order my eldest son to retreat to the south bank.”

"Thank you, Prince Han!" Dou Jingchong quickly bowed, after all, Dou Xian was the most promising of his sons at present.

If Dou Xian were to perish, their entire family would be nothing more than a fleeting moment of glory.

With the promise from his own King of Han, Dou Jingchong gradually felt at ease.

"Follow them, keep a distance of two hundred paces..."

Liu Jilong gave the order and then led his troops to follow.

For the Tang army, clad in lamellar armor and needing to maintain their formation, the distance of four li (approximately 2.5 kilometers) took them more than half an hour to finally see the situation to the west.

The elite cavalry that Zheng Tian had originally sent to harass Liu Jilong's rear had been recalled, which was why Dou Xian did not break into the chariot camp.

At this moment, Dou Xian was facing a situation where he was simultaneously facing more than 2,000 Tang troops from the west and nearly 20,000 Tang troops from the east.

Of course, this situation can also be described as Zheng Tian being surrounded by more than a thousand Han troops to the west and more than five thousand Han troops to the east.

Whether it's who surrounds whom or who wins or loses remains to be seen.

"As expected, this was nothing more than a rebel trick!"

Seeing his elite cavalry retreat and facing off against over a thousand Han soldiers on the main road, Zheng Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However, compared to him, Wang Shi saw it more clearly. He frowned and said, "No, the number of elite cavalry is wrong!"

"Hmm?" Zheng Tian looked over upon hearing this and saw that the number of his elite cavalry was indeed somewhat reduced.

Before they could react, a piercing wooden whistle suddenly rang out from the west.

"Beep--"

"Buzzing, rumbling..."

Shortly after the wooden whistle sounded, a dull, rapid thud of horses' hooves also rose from the west.

"This momentum...something's not right!!"

Wang Shi's Adam's apple bobbed, and his face turned ashen, as if he were thinking of something.

Zheng Tian was about to ask a question, but when he looked to the west, he saw dust rising high as elite cavalry bearing the banners of the "Han" army galloped towards them, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"The great undertaking is accomplished..."

Liu Jilong and his men naturally heard the thunderous sound of horses' hooves. In the north, only the Han army could command so many troops and appear in the Liangmao area of ​​Longdong.

"Damn it! If we hadn't captured him, we wouldn't have known the fighting here was so urgent!"

Anpohu, panting heavily, cursed and reined in his horse to look ahead. He saw that the Tang army was arrayed in supply wagons, with no more than a thousand elite cavalrymen in the formation, at most two thousand.

"It's a pity that the guy surnamed Li got away!"

The captain behind An Pohu couldn't help but speak up, and the person they were referring to was Li Changfu, who had claimed to be going to Baili City to investigate military affairs.

Li Changfu feigned an expedition to gather intelligence, but his true intention was to retreat south to Fengxiang Town before the Han army could block all official roads.

As it turned out, he made the right gamble. Despite being pursued by the Han army's cavalry all the way and suffering many casualties, Li Changfu still managed to break through the encirclement to the south with more than a hundred men by crossing the ridges.

However, his actions caught Zheng Tian and his men completely off guard. Originally, Zheng Tian could have organized a large army to try to cross the Daxi River and break through, but now that An Pohu has led 6,000 elite cavalry, he has no chance at all.

An Pohu stretched his shoulders, then raised his lance: "Sound the horn and wipe out all these chickens and dogs!"

"Uuuuuu——"

As the bugle sounded, six thousand elite cavalrymen immediately launched a charge.

The Tang army only defended the east with supply wagons, leaving the west completely undefended.

Seeing 6,000 elite Han cavalry charging towards them, 1,500 elite Tang cavalry had no choice but to launch an attack and look for an opportunity to break through.

The laborers could only eke out a living in a corner, hoping to save their lives, while the more than 600 Tang infantrymen were filled with despair, stuck at the gap in the supply wagon camp, unable to advance or retreat.

Seeing An Pohu leading his army towards them, Dou Xian immediately cheered, "Brothers, the day is now to annihilate the government troops!!"

"Roar--"

The thousand-plus Han soldiers, who were originally facing a pincer attack, were now in high spirits. Wang Shi, disregarding Zheng Tian's feelings, hurriedly seized the command flag and waved it, saying, "Let's break through these thousand-plus rebels in one fell swoop and still have a chance to survive!"

The flag bearers waved their command flags, and although the morale of the Tang army was low due to the unfavorable situation, they still attacked westward according to the flag signals.

Taking the opportunity, Wang Shi looked at Zheng Tian beside him, then at the south bank of the Daxi River, and said with a solemn expression, "If things cannot be accomplished, Taiwen will lead the army across the Daxi River and break through to the south."

“But the south is all high mountains and steep ridges…” Zheng Tian felt a bitter taste in his mouth: “Although I am not talented, I am willing to sacrifice myself for my country.”

“No!” Wang Shi shook his head: “Although it is a mountainous area, if we abandon our troops and escape by climbing the mountain, there is at least a glimmer of hope.”

No sooner had Wang Shi finished speaking than Liu Jilong suddenly divided his forces to the east.

He divided his forces into two thousand cavalry and infantry, who are currently crossing the Daxi River to garrison the south bank.

Upon seeing this, Wang Shi's breath caught in his throat for a moment, then he gave a bitter smile: "Now even the slightest chance of survival has been cut off..."

"Uuuuuu——"

The bugle call of the Han army sounded, echoing melodiously through the valley of the Daxi River.

"kill!!"

Nearly 10,000 of the 20,000 Tang troops were stationed on the east side for defense, while nearly 10,000 troops on the west side formed a battle formation to ram into Dou Xian's force of over 1,000 men.

Faced with a Tang army ten times their size, even the valiant Han army led by Dou Xian had no choice but to retreat under intense pressure.

Even though it only delayed the Tang army for half an incense stick's time, it created an opportunity for An Pohu.

Without any suspense, Anpohu led his elite cavalry in a sudden split on the charge, revealing more than a thousand armored cavalrymen who had just donned their horse armor.

When the Han army's heavily armored cavalry charged in, the Tang army's 1,500 elite cavalry were torn apart in an instant. An Pohu was also aware of the current situation, so he did not linger in battle and simply abandoned the remaining Tang army elite cavalry, letting them break through and leave.

"Kill!!" he shouted, raising his arm, and led his cavalry to continue charging towards the Tang army at the gap in the supply wagons.

The five or six hundred Tang soldiers who were originally holding the pass dared not resist when they saw this situation. They all hid on both sides of the supply wagons, skillfully dropped their weapons, and knelt down to surrender.

"kill!!"

An Pohu's momentum showed no signs of slowing, and he immediately continued his charge forward. Seeing this, Dou Xian gritted his teeth and roared, "Break through!!"

The thousand-plus Han soldiers began to retreat, which caused the Tang army's formation to change from a straight line to a curved line. Seeing this, Dou Xian concentrated his forces in one place, using a point to break through the surface, thus shaking the foundation of the Tang army's formation.

Before the Tang army's vanguard could even rejoice at the relief they felt, they looked up to see a massive, charging Han cavalry force.

"Bam—"

"kill!!"

The neighing of warhorses, the clash of armor, and the muffled sounds of bones shattering mingled with screams of agony.

In the midst of the Tang army's advance, those soldiers who had not yet regained their footing were brutally knocked away by the heavily armored cavalry.

The heavy iron hooves trampled over his chest, and the crisp sound of his ribs collapsing was clearly audible.

"Patch the hole!!"

The captain of the vanguard roared the order, but the next second he was struck in the chest by a long spear, flew more than ten feet away, and fell heavily to the ground.

His eyes widened, blood gushed from the corner of his mouth, and before he could struggle, his body was twisted into a bloody pulp under the hooves.

The Tang army's left flank was completely thrown into disarray, while the nearly 10,000 Tang soldiers on the right flank watched helplessly as the left flank went from having the upper hand to being at a disadvantage in an instant. The fear caused them to waver.

"Uuuuuu——"

The bugle suddenly sounded from the right, and with Liu Jilong's keen sense of the battlefield, he naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.

Before they knew it, three thousand cavalry and infantry had approached them, less than a hundred paces away, and dismounted to form a battle line, blocking their retreat to the east.

Beneath the iron helmet, Liu Jilong's eyes blazed like torches as he raised the command flag high and swung it down heavily.

"Enter--"

This scene was witnessed by Wang Shi and Zheng Tian. Their faces turned ashen, and they took a deep breath as they looked at each other.

Even with Emperor Taizong's arrival, the Tang army's current predicament could not be reversed.

"Guanzhong is lost..."

(End of this chapter)