The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 181 The Chosen One's Nemesis, Defeated by the Jinzhou Army
The Drag River meanders like a ribbon, drawing a winding silver line across the vast grassland.

Li Xiao led 8,000 iron cavalry from the First Garrison, and after a five-day march, finally met up with Da Hu and Er Hu on this grassland.

The thunderous roar of iron hooves shook the surrounding land, and the golden sun and moon battle banner fluttered fiercely in the gale, the sun and moon totems on the banner seeming to break free of their restraints and soar into the sky.

The eight thousand cavalrymen resembled a surging golden ocean, raising dust wherever they went.

Li Xiao, dressed in a yellow cotton armor with red trim, rode a tall, dark red warhorse. His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and his cold gaze pierced through the flying dust as he looked at the opposite side.

On the horizon, two armies were advancing side by side, their momentum unstoppable.

One force consisted of troops from the Second Division, armed with red flags and red armor, while the other force consisted of troops from the Third Division, armed with white flags and white armor.

Da Hu and Er Hu spurred their horses and galloped towards Li Xiao, patting their chests and shouting:

"Grand Governor!"

"Grand Governor!"

The three armies met on this grassland, and the Jinzhou army's strength instantly reached about 13,000 men.

"How's it going?"

"Where is the main force of the Kereit tribe?" Li Xiao asked in a deep voice, his eyes sharp.

"The Kereit army is only forty miles away. Although our army has not continued to engage in direct combat with them these days, skirmishes between scouts and cavalry have been frequent."

"The information has been obtained."

"The Kereit tribe has a strength of about 15,000 men, and its commander is named Sangkun, who is Wang Khan's most valued son and is very likely to inherit the Kereit Khanate in the future," Da Hu said.

"Sang Kun? So it was him!"

"I heard this guy is pretty good at fighting," Li Xiao said with a knowing chuckle.

Historically, it was under Sangkun's persuasion that Wang Khan decided to break ties with Temujin.

Subsequently, Sangkun personally led a surprise attack on the Qiyan tribe, causing Temujin to flee in panic, leaving him with only more than two thousand men.

After the Kereit army suffered a crushing defeat, Sangkun, facing dire straits, resolutely led the remaining troops in a counter-offensive, ultimately turning defeat into victory.

After the Kereit tribe was destroyed, Sangkun continued to lead the remnants in resisting Temujin, vowing never to surrender, and was one of Temujin's archenemies.

Therefore, Li Xiao was actually a little reluctant to kill Sang Kun.

"Order the army to set up camp and rest for a day," Li Xiao said.

They then set up camp, and to prevent a night attack by the Kereit tribe, the Jinzhou army's camp was heavily fortified, with many barricades, horse traps, and so on.

On the other side, inside the Kereit tribe's main tent, the atmosphere was as heavy as the sky before a storm.

Sang Kun frowned, his eyes sharp as a hawk, and asked the scout, "Have you found out? Are all the Liao soldiers wearing armor?"

"That's right, Your Highness."

The scout knelt on one knee, his voice tinged with fear: "The Liao reinforcements number about eight thousand cavalry, but they are not wearing red or white armor as General Bieqi described. Instead, they are wearing a yellow armor that we have never seen before."

Recalling his previous experience, Tanqi was still shaken.

The entire scout team consisted of more than a dozen people, but in the end, only he escaped with injuries.

Those Liao soldiers were simply terrifying. Not only were their armor incredibly strong, but their archery skills were also superb. They even crushed the elite scouts of the Kereit tribe.

"Yellow armor?"

“It should just be a different color.” Sang Kun shook his head, looking serious.

Just as they had guessed, the entire Liao army was clad in armor, and it was a type of armor they had never seen before.

Its defensive capabilities are not much different from those of iron armor.

In that case, the Kreik tribe will be in big trouble.

Bileg Bechi suggested, "Your Highness, we can fight fire with fire."

Sang Kun glanced at him indifferently and said, "A night raid?"

“That’s right!” Bileg Begi nodded emphatically.

Sangkun gave a cold laugh: "You think everyone is as stupid as you?"

"Our army is only a few dozen miles away from the Liao army's camp. Unless the Liao army's commander is a fool, he will definitely be on guard."

"Moreover, our army has launched night raids on Liao army camps before."

A few days ago, before Li Xiao's main force arrived, Kereit's troops prepared to attack Da Hu and Er Hu's camp, but unfortunately, they failed.

As has been proven, when both sides have laid out their cards in the open, the effects of some underhanded tactics become less effective.

Therefore, Sangkun did not believe that the night raid would succeed and would only result in a pointless loss of troops.

“Well…” Bileg Beg was at a loss.

They hadn't been able to take them down when the Liao army only had 5,000 men; now that the main Liao army had arrived, their hopes were even slimmer.

"Our army has no way out now. No matter whether the Liao army is strong or weak, we must fight it."

"Issue the order: the army will assemble early tomorrow morning and attack the Liao army," Sang Kun said in a cold voice.

A man who could force Genghis Khan to flee in disarray would never lack the courage to confront his enemy, even if he knew the opponent was very powerful.

The next morning, as dawn broke, Sangkun gave the order, and the Kereit army surged towards the Jinzhou army camp like a raging tide.

The goal is to launch a decisive battle while the first town of Jinzhou has just arrived and its troops are exhausted and have not yet fully recovered.

The north wind, carrying sand and gravel, swept across the battlefield along the Dragh River like a sharp blade.

The Jinzhou army and the Kereit army stood like two fierce beasts facing each other, poised to strike.

The soldiers of the First Division of the Jinzhou Army, clad in yellow cotton armor, stood in the center of the army, resembling a surging golden wave under the sunlight.

On the left and right flanks, the Wanhu Army, led by Da Hu and Er Hu, with their white and red armor gleaming against each other, added to the somber atmosphere in the cold wind.

On the other side, the Kereit army pressed in like a dark cloud. Most of the soldiers were dressed in light leather armor, moving with agility and nimbleness.

A small number of elite troops were clad in heavy iron armor.

The Kereit tribe bordered the Jin dynasty and was one of the wealthiest and most Sinicized tribes on the grasslands.

Although the Jin Dynasty explicitly prohibited the transport of weapons to the grasslands, there were always ways to circumvent the rules.

Therefore, the armor rate of the Kereit soldiers was even higher than that of the Naiman soldiers.

In the midst of the army, Sangkun sat astride a tall black warhorse, his entire body encased in armor forged from fine iron, revealing only a pair of hawk-like eyes that exuded ferocity and determination.

"In this battle, we must capture some prisoners and extract the secrets of the Liao army's armor and weapons from them," Sangkun ordered his generals.

He was filled with curiosity about the Golden State Army.

Both the strange armor and the sharp spear blades captivated him.

One can't help but wonder, if the Kereit tribe could obtain this secret and then mass-produce armor and sharp weapons, could they break free from the Jin dynasty's control over the Kereit tribe and recreate the scene of the Turkic Khaganate dominating the grasslands in the past?

Immediately, his gaze pierced through the morning mist, fixed on the Jinzhou army camp, and he said in a deep voice, "Send orders to Suhelu and Hadagala."

"Order the two of them to each lead their elite troops to attack the left and right flanks of the Liao army, and make sure to break through the Liao army's formation."

"As ordered!"

The messenger shouted, then turned and dashed off like an arrow.

Moments later, Suhelu and Hadagala received military orders.

Suhelu, holding a long sword that reflected his rugged, dark face, roared at his soldiers, "Warriors, charge with me!"

"Let the cowards of Liao witness the might of the Kereit tribe! Kill them!"

Hadagala brandished his spiked club and roared, "For the Kereit tribe, kill!"

The two men, one on the left and one on the right, led their cavalry, like a black torrent, in a frenzied charge towards the flanks of the Jinzhou army. The sound of hooves was like a dense war drum, shaking the earth, and the shouts of battle soared into the sky.

Li Xiao stood on high ground in the central command post, taking in the entire battlefield situation.

Seeing the Kereit troops advancing aggressively, focusing their attack on both flanks, a look of realization flashed in his eyes.

"Is this the 'Black Tiger Steals the Heart' tactic commonly used by the Mongol army?"

First, use the mobility of light cavalry to launch an attack from both sides of the enemy army, attracting the enemy's attention and forces, and causing the enemy to disperse their forces for defense.

When the enemy's formation becomes loose or chaotic due to attacks from both sides, heavy cavalry or the main force should be dispatched to launch a decisive attack on the enemy's central area in order to break through the enemy's defenses and then divide and annihilate the enemy.

The Mongols used this tactic to rout Khwarazm's army.

In retrospect, this tactic was not unique to the Mongols, but rather a traditional tactic of steppe cavalry.

It was only popularized and developed by the Mongol army.

“Sangkun is indeed a man of both wisdom and courage, but unfortunately he encountered Temujin, the chosen one,” Li Xiao said with a sigh.

Otherwise, once Sangkun inherits the Kereit tribe, he might be able to unify the grasslands with his abilities.

"Order Commanders Luo Meng and Qin Chunsheng to lead their troops to support the left and right flanks, and cooperate with Commanders Li Dahu and Li Erhu to encircle and wipe out the Kereit cavalry!"

"As ordered."

The messenger rode off on horseback.

A deep horn sounded between heaven and earth, and two units of Kereit's troops rushed to the front of the Jinzhou army's formation. They first fired a volley of arrows, and then quickly engaged in a fierce battle with the Wanhu army under Da Hu and Er Hu's command.

At that very moment, Luo Meng and Qin Chunsheng's 10,000-household troops, like two sharp steel knives, fearlessly charged forward to meet the charge of the Kereit tribe.

Within a short period of time, the cavalry of the three towns completed the encirclement of the Kereit army.

"Your Highness, Generals Suhelu and Hadagala are surrounded by the Liao army," a soldier in the Kereit army urgently reported to Sangkun.

But Sangkun's expression remained very calm, and even a hint of excitement appeared deep in his eyes.

Looking at the battlefield, the two armies of the Kereit tribe were being attacked from both sides by four armies of the Jinzhou army.

Although the Kereit soldiers were not lacking in bravery, the Jinzhou army had sharper weapons and stronger armor.

In a direct confrontation, the Kereit soldiers were at a significant disadvantage.

In a short period of time, a large number of Kereit soldiers had been cut down from their horses.

Their shouts of battle, screams of agony, and neighing of warhorses mingled together. Blood stained the earth red, and severed limbs were scattered everywhere. The battlefield instantly transformed into a hell for the Kereit soldiers.

But this is exactly the situation that Sangkun needs.

"The Liao army generals are nothing special."

"They only defeated the Naimans by virtue of the sharpness of their weapons and the strength of their armor."

"If we disregard all of this, the Liao army is no match for the warriors of my grasslands," Sangkun said with a sneer.

Both of the Kereit troops were feigning an attack, but the Liao army commander fell for it.

By concentrating the central army's forces on both flanks, Sangkun encircled the two armies of the Kereit tribe, but also completely exposed the weakness of the central army to Sangkun.

"Warriors of the Kreik tribe!"

Sang Kun rode a tall black warhorse, his entire body shrouded in armor forged from fine iron, his spear pointing directly at the central army of Jinzhou, his voice booming like a bell.

"The Liao army's central command is empty and has no troops left to defend it, making it extremely difficult for them to withstand our army's attack."

"Warriors, charge with me! Kill!"

At Sangkun's command, the main force of the Kereit troops roared excitedly, gripping their spears, swords, and other weapons, and charged forward like a tidal wave.

"Break through the Liao army and kill all the Liao dogs."

"Capture them all and enslave them." "Charge!"

The cold wind raged, cutting like a knife onto everyone's face.

The thousands of elite Kereit troops surged forward, stirring up dust and sand that rose several feet high.

Seeing that the main force of the Kereit tribe had indeed come out in full force and was attacking his central army, Li Xiao slowly lowered his binoculars and smiled coldly.

This tactic may be very effective in this era, but it is completely outdated if used against oneself.

"Order the Shenji Battalion to prepare."

"After the shelling, the Black Armor Army will charge," Li Xiao said calmly.

On the grassland, the Kereit cavalry charged towards the Jinzhou army's central force like a surging tide.

The sound of horses' hooves was like a dense drumbeat, shaking the earth violently, and the dust they raised blotted out the sky, as if to swallow the whole world.

However, as he drew closer to the Jinzhou army's formation, a sense of unease gradually began to rise in Sang Kun's heart.

The Jinzhou army soldiers should have started to panic, and if the Jinzhou army commander was foolish, he might have hastily mobilized troops from both flanks to reinforce the central army.

But none of these things happened.

Strange things appeared in front of the Jinzhou army.

It was too far away to see clearly, but it looked like wooden stakes rooted in the ground, with one every ten feet.

"What it is?"

Sangkun was puzzled, but his sense of crisis grew stronger.

Actually, this thing is called the Tiger Cannon.

Both were forged by the Hexi Armory, but the Tiger Cannon was much lighter than the regular cannon.

It was only a little over a meter long and weighed less than 100 kilograms. Its function was similar to that of a mortar in later times, used to make up for the shortcomings of artillery in close combat and the inconvenience of movement.

The cannons of the Golden State Army were too heavy to be transported from Tannu Turian to the Dragh River basin within the next few days.

Therefore, Li Xiao brought all the Tiger-class cannons in the army.

However, the Tiger Cannon was much less powerful than a regular cannon.

Its range is less than 600 meters, and the shells it fires do not have the destructive power of a cannon.

But it was enough cavalry to fight the Kereit tribe.

At this moment, in front of the Jinzhou army, forty Tiger-shaped cannons stood like small steel behemoths, neatly arranged, their dark muzzles pointing directly at the direction where the Kereit cavalry was about to charge, exuding a chilling aura of intimidation.

Beside each Tiger-shaped cannon stood several gunners dressed in yellow cotton armor.

As the Kereit cavalry gradually approached, the commander of the Shenji Battalion waved his command flag and shouted, "Fire!"

Instantly, the gunners lit the fuses, which hissed and crackled.

"Boom boom boom~"

With the first salvo, forty Tiger Cannons fired their shells almost simultaneously.

Like shooting stars, they hurtled towards the Kereit cavalry, trailing blazing flames and billowing smoke.

"哐哐~"

The iron bullets slammed into the charging cavalry, catching the front-line soldiers off guard and directly hitting them.

A cavalryman was struck hard in the shoulder by an iron bullet, his collarbone shattered instantly, and he flew several feet backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground with a painful howl.

His companion was unable to dodge in time, and his warhorse was grazed by the iron bullet. In pain, it reared up, throwing the soldier off and struggling in the chaotic crowd.

The fallen soldiers and their frightened horses tangled together, and the charging cavalry behind them were unable to dodge in time. Their horses tripped, and both men and their horses crashed to the ground.

In the Kereit assault force, men and horses fell in chaos, screams and neighing mingled together.

Chaos quickly spread through the ranks, completely disrupting the cavalry's charging rhythm.

Sangkun, who was behind him, saw this scene and his pupils suddenly contracted, looking incredulous.

"what?"

"How could this be?"

"Damn, what the hell is going on?"

Sangkun's expression was one of terror and furious roar, his hands gripping the reins so tightly that the veins bulged.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The once unstoppable Kereit cavalry army was thrown into chaos in a short period of time.

Sangkun's gaze was fixed on the wooden stakes in front of the Jinzhou army's formation.

As the successor of the Kereit tribe, he had fought for many years and had never seen such a weapon before, let alone expected the Jinzhou army to use this deadly move at a critical moment.

"What the hell is this thing?" Sangkun roared angrily.

Unfortunately, the shouts and screams of the surrounding soldiers completely drowned out his roar.

After a brief moment of shock, Sangkun quickly regained his senses, brandishing his spear and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Stay calm, don't panic, keep moving forward!"

However, a second round of artillery fire from the Golden State Army followed.

The deafening roar enveloped the entire battlefield in smoke. Dust billowed where shells landed, and Kereit cavalrymen fell to the ground, their screams echoing across the battlefield.

Under normal circumstances, the Tiger Cannon has a range of only about 500 meters.

The speed of a cavalry charge at full speed is approximately 15 meters per second.

In other words, if the Kereit cavalry could withstand the artillery fire and charge forward recklessly, they could reach the Shenji Battalion in less than a minute.

The Shenji Battalion will likely only be able to complete two rounds of artillery bombardment before facing a massacre by the Kereit cavalry.

Unfortunately, this was the first time the Kereit soldiers had ever seen artillery.

They were completely stunned by just the first round of shelling.

Like many ignorant herders, they subconsciously believed that this was the wrath of Ahala, and that the Golden State Army was to be used to punish them.

In the midst of the chaos, few could hear Sangkun's commands.

Seeing this, Sangkun looked extremely anxious.

It was clear that if things continued this way, the Kereit army would only collapse.

Sangkun then turned his gaze to the Tiger Cannon in the distance.

"This is the thing; it must be destroyed."

Otherwise, given the Kereit soldiers' fear, they would not have been able to continue the charge.

"Warriors, Ahara will protect us."

"Charge with me and cut down those stakes!" Sangkun roared angrily.

Although many Kereit soldiers were terrified by the cannon fire, many loyal confidants of Sangkun ignored the artillery barrage and their fear, and continued to charge the Jinzhou army.

The cavalry were incredibly fast, covering a distance of only a few hundred meters in the blink of an eye.

The roar of the Tiger Cannon abruptly ceased, while the smoke of battle still rose in wisps across the battlefield.

The artillerymen of the Jinzhou Army sprang into action, shouting in unison as they quickly pushed the wheels of the Tiger Cannons to gather nearby, clearing wide passages in front of the position.

Just then, a muffled rumble of thunder came from behind the Jinzhou army formation, growing clearer and clearer as it approached.

That was the sound of heavy cavalry charging, their hooves striking the ground.

Zhang Xianfeng, clad in full armor covered in warts, rode his powerful black warhorse faster and faster.

The armor-piercing spike in his hand gleamed coldly in the sunlight, its sharp edge pointing at the chaotic Kereit cavalry in the distance. He roared, "Black Armor Army, charge with me!"

"Hoohoho!"

The heavy cavalry roared in unison, their voices echoing across the land.

They surged forth like a black torrent of steel, flowing through the path cleared by the Tiger Lord Cannon.

The soldiers were completely encased in armor made of refined iron. Beneath their helmets, only their eyes were visible, their gazes cold and piercing, like evil spirits from the deepest hell, devoid of any emotion.

Sang Kun led several hundred elite cavalrymen in a charge, and when they were less than a hundred paces from the Jinzhou army's position, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the anger and killing intent on his face were instantly replaced by shock.

Within the Jinzhou army ranks, an armored cavalry force surged forward like an unstoppable black torrent, carrying unparalleled momentum.

"What? Armored cavalry?"

Sangkun gasped in disbelief.

Having traversed the grasslands for many years and witnessed countless battles, he had only ever seen such a large number and elite number of armored cavalry in the Jin army.

The long spears, like a forest, gleamed coldly; the heavy armor was indestructible; the galloping warhorses were menacing.

All of this made him feel an unprecedented sense of pressure.

The armored cavalry arrived in an instant, and Zhang Xianfeng roared, "Kill!"

The sound was as loud as a bell, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly sending a Kereit soldier flying.

The armored cavalry behind him followed closely, like an incomparably sharp spear, piercing straight into the Kereit cavalry formation.

Under the overwhelming onslaught, the Kereit cavalry were like withered leaves swept by a raging wind, utterly powerless to resist.

The screams of soldiers, the neighing of warhorses, and the agonizing howls of pain were incessant.

Seeing this scene filled Sangkun with despair.

Can't stop it, can't stop it at all!
Bileg Beqi rushed to his side, his pale face filled with terror, and shouted, "Your Highness, leave quickly, or it will be too late!"

"I'll cover your retreat."

There was no time for idle talk on the battlefield. Before Sangkun could reply, Bileg Beqi grabbed his spear and charged towards the Black Armor Army.

Sangkun could only faintly hear Bileg Beqi's loud shouts.

"The Kereit tribe can do without Bileg Beki, but it cannot do without Prince Sankun."

"Leave quickly."

As soon as he finished speaking, Bileg Beqi charged towards Zhang Xianfeng.

"Bilge!" Sangkun shouted in shock and anger, his eyes filled with shock and despair.

Although Bileg Beqi suffered heavy losses due to a surprise attack by the Jinzhou army, Sangkun only temporarily relieved him of his military command, keeping him by his side and giving him the opportunity to make meritorious contributions.

And Bileg Bechi did not disappoint his trust.

He stepped forward at the most dangerous moment, risking his life to cover Sangkun's retreat.

"Your Highness, retreat immediately."

"Don't let General Bileg die in vain."

Under the forceful drag of his guards, Sangkun turned and ran away.

The last thing I saw on the battlefield was the image of Bileg being pierced through the chest by a piercing spike from a Liao heavy cavalry general who was as big as a bear.

"Bilge~"

"My brother~" Sang Kun cried on the battlefield, and had no choice but to turn around and run away.

(End of this chapter)