Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 160 Fire Attack
Among the southern armies, the Zhenhai Army was considered to have a relatively high level of discipline due to its numerous fierce battles with the rebel armies of Yuan Chang, Wang Ying, and Cao Shixiong over the past few years.

With the advantage of being well-rested and ready to fight, their initial all-out attack did put considerable pressure on the enemy forces.

However, having no way to counter Huang Chao's well-trained chariot formation, the Zhenhai Army quickly lost its initial advantage and collapsed in disarray, with shields and banners scattered all over the ground.

Huang Chao had already issued strict orders, so no one stopped to pick up the equipment left behind by the enemy. The soldiers of the Grass Army launched a fierce pursuit and killing of the enemy in an orderly manner.

The Zhenhai infantry, who were in a panic and retreating state, were thrown into chaos.

The brave soldiers of the grass army chased and killed, just like cutting grass.

Seeing the retreating Zhenhai naval swordsmen about to break through the main force as well.

But at that moment, the sound of crossbow bolts raining down filled the air.

Many of the routed soldiers who abandoned their armor and dragged their weapons back to their own lines were immediately struck in the face and chest by arrows and died on the spot.

The defeated soldiers of Zhenhai were terrified and dared not turn their backs to the enemy anymore. They mustered their courage, turned around, and tried their best to reorganize their lines.

These crossbowmen certainly wouldn't just kill their own people.

They lined up in several rows, each with a crossbow and fifty arrows, and also carried a long-handled sword on their backs.

After the first volley of arrows is fired, the archers crouch down, nock and load their crossbows, and the second volley follows with a burst of fire. After the second volley is fired, the archers quickly crouch down, nock and load their crossbows, and the third volley follows with a burst of fire. After the third volley is fired, the archers stand still, nock and load their crossbows, and the first volley resumes firing. This cycle repeats continuously, with the crossbow bolts firing without stopping.

"Xuanrun crossbowmen..." Zhu Zhen, a general under Zhu Wen who was leading the cavalry in a swift charge, covered a crossbow wound on his shoulder that had pierced his armor and murmured in pain.

The arrow was not fatal, but his warhorse was also wounded and could hardly fight anymore.

The Jianghuai region is renowned for its crossbowmen, and among them, those from Xuanzhou and Runzhou are considered the most skilled. Eighteen years ago, General Wang Shi quelled the rebellion of Qiu Fu in eastern Zhejiang, and the crossbowmen from Xuanzhou and Runzhou played a crucial role in his success.

Previously, the Cao army had been intercepted and killed by Lei Shuai Gao Pian in Xuanzhou, and had already suffered some losses at the hands of the Xuanzhou crossbowmen.

Unexpectedly, Pei Qu, the military governor of Zhenhai, also had a group of top-notch Xuanrun crossbowmen under his command. The troops in western Zhejiang were originally weak, which was naturally the result of Pei Qu's efforts to strengthen military equipment during the past few years of campaigns.

Crossbows have a slower loading speed, and can only fire three shots in an engagement. Therefore, although they are more powerful and can penetrate armor, their adaptability is far less than that of bows.

However, true elite crossbowmen are not only extremely accurate when defending a city, but also in open field battles they can use the tactic of "repeatedly firing and firing, shooting and firing again" to make "no enemy troops stand in front and no enemy formations stand in front".

Pei Qu also prepared carriages loaded with crossbows to replenish the arrows of these elite crossbowmen who formed a line battle formation.

If the enemy manages to reach the front, these elite crossbowmen, who receive double pay, can engage in close combat with their long-handled swords and will not be helpless and killed.

Caught off guard, the elite soldiers of the Grass Army, eager for a pursuit, were immediately felled in large numbers. The crossbow bolts, far more powerful than bows and arrows, also killed some of the cavalry's warhorses and the draft horses of the chariots on the spot.

Faced with such a dense barrage of crossbow bolts, the rebel army had no choice but to disperse their pursuit formation to reduce casualties.

Cheng Qianxi and others also led the Zhenhai cavalry back to reinforce, putting pressure on the Cao army from the side.

"That old scoundrel Pei Qu remained composed even in defeat, which is somewhat better than Xue Chong of the Tianping Army." Zhu Wen stood on the watchtower, looking down at the battle situation and sighed, "Fortunately, our army's strength is not comparable to what it used to be."

The Battle of Yunzhou was Zhu Wen's first battle under Huang Chao's command. To be precise, it was after that battle that Zhu Wen officially joined Huang Chao's army. This battle naturally left a deep impression on Zhu Wen.

Of course, only a little over a year has passed. But so much has happened in that time; looking back, it all seems like a dream.

Xuanrun's elite crossbowmen alone could not completely crush the rebel army's counterattack, but they could effectively curb the rebel army's pursuit, allowing Pei Qu to take the opportunity to reorganize his army.

Huang Chao did not answer, but stroked his beard and smiled, then waved his flag and gave the order to move the central army banner forward.

Zhu Wen knew his master already had a plan, so he said no more. The battlefield, thick with the heat of battle, seemed to be filled with the smell of burning embers. The two armies advanced and retreated, attacking and clashing like wind and dragons, but the Zhenhai Army, with its tight organization, gradually turned the tide and was able to regroup.

Just as the rebel soldiers were about to temporarily withdraw, a sudden burst of sharp, alarming cries erupted from the government troops' ranks.

Then they saw raging flames rise into the sky.

Faced with Pei Qu's counter-strategies, how could Huang Chao be without any plans?

In an instant, the soldiers of the Grass Army cheered loudly, their morale soaring, and they launched a swift and fierce attack on the enemy.

But suddenly, a strange wind howled past, and it seemed to carry wisps of black smoke.

The stench of blood, carried on the wind, assaulted people's noses and mouths, making them want to vomit.

Huang Chao's expression changed slightly.

"A malevolent wind is ominous..."

Even a renowned general like Huang Chao, who was knowledgeable in feng shui and geomancy, could not predict all celestial phenomena.

The battlefield is ever-changing, and there are always unforeseen variables that cannot be planned.

Zhu Wen certainly knew that Huang Chao's "ominous wind" was not only because the wind seemed to contain evil, but more importantly, because the wind direction changed abruptly, which was extremely unfavorable for his fire attack!

Before long, a group of routed soldiers, their bodies blackened by smoke, fled in disarray from the flank and rear of the enemy lines, their formation broken. Lin Yan, Huang Chao's nephew, rode among them, struggling to maintain order.

The retreat of the surprise attack force triggered a chain reaction across the entire front. The grass army's offensive immediately weakened, and they were forced to retreat and regroup to confront the enemy.

Lin Yan wrapped the wounded veteran general Chai Cun in his battle robe, rode his horse to the banner, and told Huang Chao what had happened.

They set fire to the enemy's deer antlers and baggage with burning oil in the middle of the formation, launching a fire attack. At first, it went very smoothly, but then the wind suddenly changed, and the flames burned their own army instead.

The half-drunk old scoundrel Pei Qu, eyes squinting, spurred his horse forward, brandishing his sword, and charged in with the wind. Chai Cun raised his spear to meet the attack, but unexpectedly, this drunkard was quite cunning. While he appeared to be drawing his sword, a meteor hammer suddenly appeared from his sleeve, and with the help of the wind, he struck Chai Cun, causing him to spit blood and fall from his horse.

Huang Chao knew that his nephew Lin Yan was not skilled in military affairs, so he sent the veteran general Chai Cun to assist him. However, it was Chai Cun's side that was ambushed.

Lin Yan's ability to fight and retreat while bringing the raiding force back relatively intact is already considered a good performance.

But this surprise attack was already considered a failure.

When the head coach personally takes to the field is crucial. Pei Qu clearly seized the right moment this time; this sixty-year-old man still possesses the agility of his youth.

Huang Chao's expression darkened slightly, and he lowered his head in deep thought.

Lin Yan comforted him, saying, "Our army and Pei Qu fought to a draw, with one win and one loss. In fact, our army killed more enemies. Uncle, there's no need to worry."

But Zhu Wen had already discovered the real problem.

The key to victory in this battle lay in the failure of the fire attack due to a sudden change in wind direction. As for Pei Qu's performance on the spot, that was simply the old man's duty as a good general.

Now that Pei Qu had reorganized his army, he abandoned his arrogance and greed for merit, erected wooden stakes, dug trenches, and shifted from an offensive to a defensive posture. Faced with the defenses of Xuanrun crossbowmen, a direct assault would not be so easy.

Meanwhile, Cui Qiu's troops had already launched a pincer attack from the rear of the Cao army, not to mention the pursuing troops sent by Commander Lei.

If Pei Qu cannot be completely defeated as soon as possible, the grass army will be in a predicament of being attacked from three sides.

Faced with such a critical situation, how will Huang Chao respond?
(End of this chapter)