Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 103 Strong General
The dull, resonant sound of the bronze drum, one beat after another, growing ever more urgent.

At this moment, Duan Baolong wiped the sweat from his forehead with lingering fear. If he hadn't led five hundred Tonghai soldiers down in time, these chaotic Huichuan soldiers would have been almost overwhelmed by the Tang army's cavalry.

At this moment, Duan Baolong gained a true understanding of the fighting strength of the Huichuan Prefecture soldiers. These soldiers, who were once the pillars of the Nanzhao Kingdom, are now increasingly unable to fight.

As for why, Duan Baolong knew a little about it. It was simply because most of the land that had been allocated to these soldiers in the past had been seized by powerful clans in the country.

My grand ceremony! It seems we are about to follow the old path of the Tang Dynasty, as the Fubing system is becoming increasingly unsuitable for the present country.

But all of that was too far off. After recognizing the strength of this Tang army, he had to deal with the formidable enemy before him first.

Bao Yidu truly deserves to be called a rising star of the Tang Dynasty, valued even by the emperor. Despite being ambushed and cut into three sections, he was still able to form a battle formation on the spot.

Even the enemy's elite cavalry were incredibly brave and astute, seizing upon the Nanzhao army's apparent ferocity but actual disarray, and proactively crossed the river to launch an attack.

Honestly, at this moment, if he and the enemy weren't on opposing sides, Duan Baolong would have applauded the enemy general.

Fortunately, he arrived in time. At that moment, under the command of his Tonghai soldiers, the garrison soldiers began to form ranks.

At that time, the first seventy or eighty soldiers of the Nanzhao Huichuan Prefecture were slaughtered by the Tang army's cavalry. Behind them, the soldiers, still in shock, were whipped by the Tonghai soldiers with spears and lances and made into a line.

As a member of the high-ranking nobility of Nanzhao, Duan Baolong possessed sufficient military knowledge to deal with such situations.

In this terrain, no matter how fierce the dozens of enemy cavalrymen on the other side may seem, as long as his side forms a defensive formation and presses down, compressing the cavalry's maneuvering space, the enemy cavalry will be no threat.

As expected, after they formed their battle lines, the enemy abandoned their advance. Then, as the enemy advanced slowly in their large formation, the enemy cavalry abandoned their positions and rode back.

At this moment, watching the Tang army's cavalry flee in disarray, the Nanzhao soldiers in the square formation raised their spears and roared. But with just that roar, the previously orderly ranks immediately fell into chaos.

Some soldiers were shouting while brandishing their spears, while others turned around and cheered with their acquaintances. Some soldiers even broke away from the formation and ran straight out, then beat their chests and roared at the vanished Tang cavalry, showing off their bravery!

At that moment, Duan Baolong's heart sank to the bottom. He had committed a major taboo in military strategy: to launch an attack without understanding his subordinates.

Steadying his trembling heart, Duan Baolong turned to his bodyguard Gao Yitai and whispered:
“Bring all of us old brothers under control. These are the blood and flesh of the Duan family. We cannot let them perish here.”

Gao Yitai was cheering with the soldiers when he suddenly heard his chieftain say something that clearly stunned him.

But he nodded emphatically, then dismissed a few men, instructing them to move the five hundred marines aside and regroup.

The actions of Tonghai soldiers surprised the local soldiers, but they didn't think much of it, because Duan Baolong had already ordered the military drum team to beat the small bronze drums that the army carried with them.

For these soldiers in Nanzhao, the bronze drum is a symbol of the Thunder God Frog. At this moment, with the thunderous sound of the drums from behind, all the soldiers are filled with excitement. Some warriors have already stepped out of the ranks, raising their hands to boost morale.

At this point, Duan Baolong no longer pursued any strong formations. He simply waved his flags and immediately ordered eight hundred soldiers from Huichuan Prefecture to charge forward.

The drumbeats never stopped, and eight hundred soldiers, wading through the shallow stream, roared as they charged toward the opposite bank.

Then, the six teams of the Baoyi Army on the opposite side unleashed three volleys of arrows, wiping out a large number of Nanzhao soldiers.

So, without any orders from Duan Baolong, the remaining Nanzhao soldiers turned around and ran back.

Duan Baolong and Gao Renhou and other generals on the opposite bank all fell silent.

But the next moment, a suona horn sound suddenly came from the south, and then Duan Baolong saw that the Baoyidu Sixth Team on the opposite bank also played a suona horn, echoing the sound from the south.

Before long, Duan Baolong saw an enemy army with a yellowish-brown flag bearing the three characters "Hu Baoyi". The first group consisted of several hundred armored soldiers, who, under the sunlight, seemed to surge towards him like a beam of light.

Instantly, Duan Baolong's mind began to buzz.

……

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an, holding a long-handled sword, led five teams of armored soldiers forward with great strides.

To his left, more than thirty elite cavalrymen, clad in iron armor, were scattered around, driving away the remnants of the Nanzhao army that had been previously defeated.

The tragic fate of this Nanzhao army, numbering around six hundred, is truly lamentable.

According to the previous military strategy, the troops of Huichuan Prefecture of Nanzhao were to be divided into two parts: one part of more than 900 men was responsible for intercepting the front of the Tang army, and the other part of 600 men was responsible for intercepting the rear of the Tang army.

The last two units launched a pincer attack, jointly besieging the central section of the Tang army, thus achieving their goal in one battle.

The original plan was fine. As soon as the smoke signal came from Dongshan, the six hundred men rode straight to the rear of the Tang army without stopping. They had already scouted the area and found that not only were there few soldiers, but the enemy's supplies were also scattered around.

What a fantastic opportunity! So, the soldiers of Huichuan Prefecture charged forward like hungry wolves descending from the mountain.

Unlike the good sons recruited from various prefectures in the past, the soldiers of Huichuan Prefecture at this time were actually just in disguise. In reality, they were all wandering and destitute people from various tribes.

Thanks to their previous looting of the Sichuan West Prefecture's treasury, these Huichuan Prefecture soldiers were well-equipped. Among them, there were as many as two hundred men wearing iron armor, and the rest were almost all wearing leather armor. At this moment, they rushed out of the western mountains, covering the entire mountainside, a terrifying sight.

Just then, Liu Zhijun was leading thirteen elite cavalrymen galloping here when they ran into the Huichuan Prefecture soldiers who had rushed out.

Upon seeing this, two of the cavalrymen were so frightened that they immediately took off their armor and prepared to flee on horseback, but Liu Zhijun threw two axes at them, knocking them off their horses.

The remaining ten cavalrymen were shocked and were about to scatter when they heard Liu Zhijun stop his horse and shout:
"You all suffered such humiliation in your respective fiefdoms, and now you are enjoying yourself in Baoyi. How can you run away at the sight of the enemy and abandon the kindness and righteousness of the lord?"

After saying this, Liu Zhijun grabbed his lance and charged into the enemy ranks, striking horizontally with his lance and killing six people in succession.

Spurred on by Liu Zhijun's words and seeing his unwavering courage, the remaining ten cavalrymen roared and charged into the chaotic crowd, some drawing their bows and shooting arrows, others drawing their short axes and throwing them left and right, and still others simply grabbing an iron mace and crashing into the chaos.

Husband fights with courage.

At that time, these Nanzhao soldiers were only focused on charging the Tang army behind them and did not expect that a dozen or so riders would come from behind, so they were not prepared at all.

If Liu Zhijun and his men had fled, or even hesitated for a moment, the Nanzhao army, with its numerical advantage, would have been able to form a small formation in the rear to repel Liu Zhijun and his cavalry.

But to their utter surprise, the Tang army had so many heroes. They killed two of their own men first, then charged into the enemy lines with spears between them, followed by ten riders. In total, eleven riders dared to charge at more than six hundred of their men.

But it was this decisiveness, this lightning-fast choice, that directly determined the battlefield situation.

Liu Zhijun and his ten elite cavalrymen charged through the loose ranks of the Nanzhao people, shouting and roaring, and faced no resistance.

They gained momentum and charged deeper into the enemy lines, the blood flowing from their lances making it almost impossible for the cavalry to hold onto them. Finally, Liu Zhijun roared, grabbed a Nanzhao general who had been shouting orders to reorganize the army, pulled him under his arm, and then threw the already broken lance at the Nanzhao flag bearer next to him.

Seeing that the Nanzhao people around him were still trying to seize the general, Liu Zhijun turned his horse around in circles, roared at his left and right, and then slammed the enemy general under his arm to the ground, killing him instantly.

Countless soldiers of the Nanzhao Prefecture witnessed this scene, and their already icy fighting spirit crumbled, causing them to panic and flee in all directions.

Having charged in all the way, Liu Zhijun and his cavalry were already drenched in sweat and panting heavily. At this moment, they saw Han Tong, Wei Jingang, and Kang Junyan, who had been guarding the rear supply depot, coming to their aid with banners rolled up, armor in hand, and battle formation.

From a great distance, Liu Zhijun heard a loud shout from the other side:
"Is it Liu Zhijun?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhijun immediately recognized Han Tong's voice. He glanced around and summoned his cavalry, displaying his arrogance.
"Well? Who doesn't know my name, Liu Zhijun, today?"

At this moment, fewer than six cavalrymen remained surrounding Liu Zhijun. Their armor was tattered, and they were covered in blood, but their heroic spirit was undeniable. They shouted at Liu Zhijun:
"Liu San's bravery is enough to make him the bravest in the three armies."

Liu Zhijun laughed loudly, pulled an iron mace from his saddlebag, and roared at the Nanzhao army, who were fleeing in panic like sheep and dogs:

"Gentlemen, are we still capable of fighting?"

The six riders were eager to fight again, and together with the three teams of Han Tong, Wei Jingang, and Kang Junyan who came from behind, they swept the fleeing Nanzhao soldiers northward.

As it turns out, if people lose their courage and turn their backs to the enemy, no matter how many there are, they are just a bunch of chickens.

The Nanzhao people hurriedly headed north, but along the way they died. Their corpses lay piled up, and severed limbs and heads were scattered all over the fields; it was truly a road to the underworld.

Meanwhile, Bao Yi was in hot pursuit, so there was no need for martial arts skills; they just had to chase after them and cut them down. As a result, everyone's battle achievements increased steadily. Liu Zhijun alone beheaded twenty-five enemies along the way, so many that even his warhorse's neck couldn't hold them all.

And so, the defeated Nanzhao soldiers fled further and further north, their numbers dwindling with each step, until they encountered Zhao Huai'an, who was preparing to engage Duan Baolong's troops at the front.

Without Zhao Huai'an giving the order, the cavalrymen surrounding the area rushed over and cut down half of the remaining Nanzhao army. The rest, seeing that they could not escape, were about to kneel down and surrender.

Zhao Huai'an was surveying Duan Baolong's troops ahead when he saw that their second wave of attack had already begun. The Nanzhao soldiers, carrying the shields and shields brought by the Tonghai soldiers, charged forward once again, braving the arrows.

This time, they broke through the shallow stream and rushed to the front of Gao Renhou's seven infantry and cavalry formations.

Then the two armies roared and stabbed each other on the riverbank, their blood staining the nearby stream even redder.

Despite the fierce fighting among the Nanzhao people, Zhao Huai'an immediately noticed that the opposing general had left behind a reserve force. At this moment, a force of over five hundred elite soldiers was stationed on the opposite bank of the stream, observing the situation.

This is a reserve force left behind by the enemy.

Zhao Huai'an had fought many battles, and he loved to summarize his experiences and humbly learn from veteran generals like Yang Qingfu. His military skills improved day by day.

Furthermore, it must be said that Zhao Da is indeed a born general, because he has an exceptional sense of battlefield space.

When ordinary people arrive on the battlefield, they are surrounded by shouts of battle, and they feel dizzy and disoriented. But there are some people who are born knowing where they are on the battlefield and which enemy troops are in each direction.

This higher-dimensional perspective is the battlefield spatial awareness that an outstanding general must possess.

Just like when Bao Yi was ambushed, among so many people, Zhao Da was the first to discover the high slope in the northwest of the battlefield and used it as a retreat route.

Even though it may seem useless now, as long as the flags of Baoyidu are still flying on the earthen slope, the various Baoyidu teams around the battlefield will feel confident and grounded, because at the very least, they can retreat there.

It can be said that the Baoyidu flag flying high on the earthen slope greatly stabilized the morale of the entire army, calmed the panicked officers and soldiers, and then enabled the subsequent independent counterattack.

At this moment, Zhao Da noticed the reserve team on the other side. He knew very well that sometimes the game was about pushing cards, and in the end, it was about who had cards left.

On the battlefield, whoever had more reserves would ultimately win.

So Zhao Daming arrived at the battlefield with twelve squads of officers and soldiers, but still did not go to support Gao Renhou's seventh squad in the northeast.

Meanwhile, Gao Renhou's seventh squad was already engaged in fierce fighting with the enemy. Relying on spears, crossbows, and strong formations, they were killing the Nanzhao soldiers head-on, and it seemed that they did not need Zhao Da's reinforcements.

This change directly impacted the course of the war.

……

At this point, Duan Baolong on the opposite bank was already starting to lose his balance.

He saw that the Huichuan Prefecture troops across the stream were visibly losing ground. The Tang army on the riverbank was highly skilled in combat, using bows and crossbows from a distance and volleys of spears up close. Occasionally, cavalry would even flank out from the rear and launch a surprise attack from behind the Nanzhao army.

This superb combat skill in combined infantry and cavalry operations made Duan Baolong's previous ambition to achieve great deeds cool down considerably.

But this was not what made Duan Baolong most desperate. What made him most desperate was the enemy's main force, which had remained silent since arriving on the battlefield.

Judging by the flags alone, the enemy force numbered around five or six hundred, similar to the strength of their own core troops. Furthermore, their calm and composed demeanor, their well-organized formations standing like an abyss, suggested a formidable army.

At this moment, Duan Baolong was no longer facing the question of whether or not to fight, but whether or not to immediately abandon the Huichuan Prefecture soldiers on the other side.

He was conflicted. He knew that even if he played all his cards, he might not be able to win the war, but he was unwilling to give up.

This operation was specifically assigned by the ruler of Nanzhao, Chief Long. If he messes it up, and even abandons the Huichuan soldiers and runs away, the Duan family of Tonghai might really decline in his generation.

Just as Duan Baolong was hesitating to make a decision, his personal guard Gao Yitai suddenly turned pale and pointed to the north.

An army of Tang soldiers appeared there at some unknown time. They were arrayed in the field, their formations solemn and imposing, with banners bearing the characters "King," "Grandson," and "Party" fluttering above them.

At that moment, Duan Baolong felt parched and dizzy, but the next moment he suddenly thought of a way out.

So he immediately took off his armor and ran straight to the front of the battle, shouting at Zhao Huai'an opposite him:
"Chief Long is mediocre and immoral, while the Crown Prince is virtuous and agreeable. Young General Duan Baolong admires the Crown Prince and the Tang Dynasty, and has come to defect."

As he spoke, Duan Baolong knelt down on the riverbank.

This not only stunned Gao Yitai and the five hundred Tonghai soldiers behind him, but also dumbfounded the Huichuan soldiers who were still fighting with the Tang army.

Only Zhao Da, who was gazing at the front lines, secretly praised:

"A smart one."

(End of this chapter)