Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 127 Ten Sweeps and Ten Decisions
Zhao Huai'an galloped on his horse, spear in hand, followed by more than three hundred elite cavalry.

Two hundred Baoyi Du cavalrymen brought by Guo Congyun joined the group, along with one hundred Luodiao Du knights from Zhe Zongben, and dozens of Chengdu generals, who were also led by Ren Tong and Song Yuan, and followed the cavalry.

More than three hundred elite cavalrymen galloped forward, raising dust with their thousand warhorses, their thunderous roar echoing across the ground.

Warhorses, as domesticated mounts, became dominant on the battlefield because of their speed, but their lack of endurance was a significant drawback.

Therefore, in order to obtain enough horsepower on the battlefield, knights would not ride their warhorses except when necessary. They would usually lead the horses with the army and only mount up and gallop when they reached the edge of the battlefield.

Some wealthy armies would equip their cavalry with multiple warhorses to compensate for the cavalry's lack of endurance with sheer numbers.

That's pretty much how Zhao Huai'an's team is now.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an brought all his belongings, a total of more than 500 warhorses, which were distributed equally among the Baoyi Dutu cavalry, with each of them receiving two to three horses.

As Gao Pian's unparalleled elite troops who fought in the north and south, and especially since these warrior families themselves raised horses, each of them had three to four horses.

The Chengdu generals, however, were few in number, so they managed to gather a force of forty or fifty riders and over a hundred warhorses.

At this moment, more than a thousand warhorses galloped along the mountain road and soon saw the valley entrance ahead, where the roar of the mountains and seas had already erupted.

Tens of thousands of people were shouting, crying, and wailing there. Even the warhorses were sneezing restlessly, hesitating whether to continue.

At this moment, Guo Congyun and Ding Huaiyi, who had been leading the scouts, galloped over with dozens of riders. They shouted at Zhao Huai'an from a distance, but the loud noise from the horses' hooves made it impossible for Zhao Huai'an to hear what they were saying.

Finally, the two ran to Zhao Huai'an and shouted at the top of their lungs:

"The entire Xichuan army has collapsed!"

Zhao Huai'an was stunned. He had arrived quickly enough, but how could the Xichuan army have collapsed even faster than he had expected?
He took a breath and shouted:
"Take me to the front lines!"

After saying that, Zhao Huai'an gestured to Zhe Zongben, who was not far away, indicating that he should lead more than a hundred eagles to follow him.

Zhe Zongben let out a whistle, then led the Fallen Eagle Knights away from the cavalry and caught up with Zhao Huai'an ahead.

Zhao Huai'an replied to Zhe Zongbendao:

"The Xichuan army has collapsed. We must rush in now and rescue Commander Yang! Then we should patrol the area and try to find our main army. With the protection of our formation, our cavalry can hold out until the arrival of the various vassal armies!"

Zhe Zongben didn't have many ideas, but since the envoy had said so, he would listen to Zhao Da's arrangements!

So he nodded, then turned and shouted to his eagle-like subordinates:
"Draw the bow and nock the light arrows!"

More than a hundred eagle-horse riders changed their bows and then drew a light arrow from their quiver. The hundred riders marched in unison, almost playing a melody.

Zhao Huai'an nodded secretly. Sure enough, the difference between cavalrymen was greater than the difference between humans and dogs.

My own men are decent riders, but only one in ten can match Luo Diao's skillful combat and perfect harmony between rider and horse.

After the eagles had all changed their equipment, Zhao Huai'an also ordered his four cavalry generals to change their equipment, but instead of bows, they raised their eighteen-foot lances.

Since they were all standard equipment, these lances were hardly needed in the second round. Apart from Zhao Huai'an and a few other cavalry generals who were carrying fine lances worth two or three hundred strings of cash each, the other cavalry mainly relied on maces and other weapons to kill the enemy.

After both sides had prepared, Zhao Huai'an took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. He raised his spear with one arm, pointed towards the battlefield of carnage behind him, and shouted:

"Gentlemen, see my banner! Wherever my banner is, point your bows and spears there! Today, we will fight to the death until our blood is spilled!"

The cavalry of the Yidu tribe raised their arms and roared:

"We will fight to the death until our blood is spilled!"

The Eagle Knights, including Zhe Zongben, weren't too impressed. After all, saying nice things and doing things in a way that convinces people are two different things.

Without further delay, Zhao Huai'an shouted to Liu Xin:

"Ah Xin, you protect my flag. As long as I live, the flag will live; even if I die, you must continue to charge forward with the flag!"

Liu Xin roared:

"Even if the banner of my Death Knights falls, they will not fall!"

Zhao Huai'an cursed:
"Die my ass! Today we'll drink under the dragon chieftain's tent!"

He then gave instructions to the cavalry generals Guo Congyun, Ding Huaiyi, Liu Zhijun, Ren Tong, and Song Yuan:

"Each of you lead your own troops, disperse and regroup, but remember, wherever you are, follow the guidance of my banner and come to reunite!"

The riders will sing out loudly!
Finally, Zhao Huai'an turned his head to look at the distant battlefield, then turned his horse around and bravely charged forward.

……

Throughout the valley battlefield, the figures of the Xichuan army collapsing and fleeing were everywhere, along with the cackling laughter of the Nanzhao army.

Yet, several positions remained steadfast amidst the chaos, even absorbing the fleeing soldiers from the surrounding area.

One was Hanyuan City, where Guo Qi was located. After Li Ting left the city, Guo Qi began to gather the remaining soldiers in the vicinity and strengthen the city's defenses.

However, as four or five Nanzhao armies began to surround Hanyuan City, Guo Qi had no choice but to stop gathering the defeated soldiers and begin to defend the city to the death.

The other force was the troops of the wandering general Xie Zaixing. His troops were mostly cavalry, so they were routed but did not scatter, and they continued to launch counterattacks in the process. This was a mobile rock.

The third position was the southern line where Bao Yidu was located. It was an unyielding Great Wall. Despite the Nanzhao army launching several attacks, they still could not shake Bao Yidu's chariot formation.

But none of this attracted the attention of the Nanzhao army. At this moment, countless Nanzhao soldiers, like moths, frantically rushed towards the embroidered golden banner.

That was where Yang Qingfu's banner was located.

The entire horizon was filled with the banners of the Nanzhao army. As victory became certain, the Nanzhao army leaders who had been hesitant on the nearby mountains began to frantically join the battle.

In this power struggle between the Crown Prince and the King of Nanzhao, Old Feng ultimately prevailed.

The continuous horn calls, interspersed with the sounds of bronze drums, fueled the Nanzhao army's growing ferocity. By this time, there were not many well-organized Tang troops left on the battlefield, so they ceased maintaining their formations and began to disperse to pursue the Tang army.

Tang warriors were always the best prisoners, and capturing one greatly enhanced the prestige of the manor where it was held. Therefore, these tribal leaders could not resist the temptation.

Even though the drums of the central army were beating more and more urgently, they still couldn't organize a final charge.

At this moment, Li Ting, the commander of the Yellow-Headed Army, led a hundred cavalrymen out from the rear.

In Li Ting's view, there were yellow and red battle flags of the Nanzhao army everywhere, especially the one in the very center, which was a rare pure armored heavy infantry.

Because of its location in the rainforest, the cost for the Nanzhao people to maintain a heavily armored infantry force was far greater than that for the Tang army, so such heavy infantry was still very rare in the Nanzhao army.

At this moment, the Nanzhao army was in high spirits. No matter how brave Li Ting was, he would not dare to charge against such an armored infantry. However, this infantry was pressing towards Yang Qingfu's direction.

Without time to think, Li Ting led his cavalry to patrol from the side and suddenly spotted a friendly force. Judging from the banner, it was the Chengdu Tu General.

That must be Zhao Huaiyi's troops!
At this moment, Li Ting sighed and said that Zhao Huaiyi, who had been silent, was actually a talented general. All the other armies had collapsed, but his formation remained intact. After thinking for a moment, he decided to move closer.

After all, on the battlefield, cavalry are like boats and military formations are like land. When a boat sees land, its first thought is to move towards it.

Li Ting and his men had been charging for quite some time, and they had rested and replenished their arrows at Baoyidu.

So Li Ting went ahead as usual, galloping away on his horse.

The wind blew on his face, and Li Ting suddenly thought of a possibility. His expression changed drastically, and he prepared to turn his horse around and pass through the sides of the army formation.

Almost simultaneously, countless arrows shot out from the general's square formation, and the unsuspecting Yellow-Headed Army cavalry fell from their horses one after another.

Li Ting was also shot down by the second wave of arrows, rolled on the ground, and looked up at the sky in confusion.

Then, a troop of Nanzhao cavalry suddenly broke out of the general's formation and chased after the remaining Yellow-Headed Army cavalry.

Li Ting tried to stand up, but his body went limp, and he discovered that an arrow had just slipped through a gap in his armor and burrowed under his armpit.

As his strength drained from his body, Li Ting stared blankly ahead, where a Nanzhao knight, carrying a lance, galloped towards him.

Then, with a sharp pain and a flash of black light, Li Ting's head was shoveled away by a horse spear.

With the death of Li Ting, the general of the Yellow Head Army, the Western Sichuan Army was powerless to turn the tide!
……

Looking at the chaotic battlefield, Yang Qingfu sat blankly under the banner. Below, his soldiers were forming a strong formation, desperately holding off the Nanzhao army's attack with their spears.

Where did this battle go wrong, and when did the defeat begin?

If it were him giving the feedback this time, Yang Qingfu would have many answers, but at this moment, he really doesn't know.

He no longer looked at the hopeless battlefield, but instead focused his gaze on the soldiers ahead.

Yang Qingfu saw Song Xingneng lead a small number of cavalrymen out and then never return.

He also saw Li Jiyong leading a squad of heavily armored infantrymen, stubbornly holding their ground, tirelessly pounding with their iron maces, the corpses of the Nanzhao people piling up at his feet.

But an arrow, which came from who-knows-where, struck who-knows-where.

In short, Li Jiyong, wearing three layers of armor, fell down.

Oh, and there's Fei Cun, his trusted lieutenant, who's leading his men toward him. At this moment, Yang Qingfu's eyes are blurry and his ears are ringing.

Until Fei Cun shook him awake, and then Fei Cun said anxiously:

"General, let's retreat! Young Master has just sent men over with his elite cavalry. Let's break through together!"

Yang Qingfu nodded subconsciously, but then he suddenly remembered something and shook his head:

"No, as the commander, I cannot leave. If I leave, the brothers on the battlefield will lose their will to fight. Zhao Da is still on the battlefield!"

Fei Cun cried. He hugged Yang Qingfu and sobbed:

"General, where are our brothers now? Most of those still alive have defected to the Nanzhao army! Those beasts!"

Yang Qingfu looked bewildered, but he said firmly:

"How could Zhao Da betray me? He's not that kind of person!"

At this point, Fei Cun was too tired to argue anymore and was about to retreat with Yang Qingfu when suddenly a deafening roar erupted outside. Then they heard Yang Shifan, the military commander, roaring from outside:

"I am Yang Shifan, disperse at once!"

Then the soldiers of the central army saw a ball of fire burst out from the formation. It was still riding a chestnut horse, wearing a crimson cloak, and a vermilion armor. The horse spear in its hand was also as red as fire.

Yang Shifan was brave enough to sweep away a group of miscellaneous soldiers with his lance, which flew up and down.

Immediately, the soldiers cheered and shouted, chanting Yang Shifan's name.

But at that moment, an arrow shot out from the Nanzhao army formation. Yang Shifan subconsciously shrank his neck, and the arrow knocked his helmet away.

Trembling all over, Yang Shifan turned his head and saw a warrior about to hide within the formation. Upon recognizing the person, Yang Shifan roared in fury:

"You treacherous dog, Zhao Huaiyi! You actually betrayed my father and me!"

Indeed, the one who repeatedly killed Xichuan generals with hidden arrows was none other than Zhao Huaiyi, the Left Chengdu General, a key figure in the army promoted by Yang Qingfu.

But Yang Shifan hesitated for a moment before giving up on chasing Zhao Huaiyi. He turned around and headed straight for his father, preparing to break through the encirclement with him.

Just then, Zhao Huaiyi, who had his back to the enemy and was about to disappear into the enemy formation, suddenly turned around and shouted:

"Xiao Yang!"

Yang Shifan turned around subconsciously, because that was how Zhao Dachang addressed him, and he thought Zhao Huai'an had arrived!
Then, in the next moment, an arrow pierced Yang Shifan's neck, sending him flying.

Just a dozen paces from Yang Qingfu, his son, Yang Shifan, collapsed to the ground. Yang Qingfu went mad; he rushed over and caught his son in his arms. Yang Shifan was already on the verge of death. Looking at his father's hair, which had turned almost completely white overnight, he smiled bitterly:

"Father... I... have been... unfilial!"

After saying this, Yang Shifan gripped his father's hand tightly, but it eventually slipped away.

Holding his son's body, Yang Qingfu was completely enraged. He roared and charged forward, brandishing his sword.

Behind him, Fei Cun and his soldiers protected him fiercely as they charged into the Nanzhao army's formation!
……

What is this sound?
At first, only a few people heard it, but then more and more people heard it. Some of the Nanzhao people who were holding prisoners looked eastward in confusion, where a sandstorm was rising.

The Nanzhao people, who lived in the mountains and forests, were puzzled. Why was there such a strong wind in the valley? For some reason, they shivered and then kept trembling.

It was only then that they realized a massive cavalry force was charging towards them!
You can't blame these Nanzhao people; they've never seen a cavalry charge before!

Almost the instant they saw the sandstorm, a cavalry unit in crimson robes charged out. One of them, wielding a long spear, had his armor gleaming brightly.

The sun is right overhead, so why is that person even more dazzling than the sun?

"Boom, boom"

By the time the Nanzhao army hastily prepared to form ranks, it was too late.

The flood roared past, leaving behind a trail of severed limbs and broken bodies.

Zhao Huai'an, who was in the lead, was wielding a fine spear and was invincible. He didn't need to use his spear much; he only needed to knock anyone standing in front of him away.

Yes, anyone!

Zhao Huai'an grew increasingly anxious. Fortunately, the embroidered gold banner was still standing not far away, so he spurred his horse on again, increasing his speed by two points from ten.

Seeing Zhao Huai'an charging faster and faster, the Baoyi Dutu cavalry behind him no longer cherished their warhorses and spurred their horses to gallop wildly.

At the same time, the archers on both sides were patrolling extensively, rotating almost clockwise, firing arrows and mercilessly slaughtering the Nanzhao army on the periphery.

As the most elite cavalry, the Eagle Shooters were skilled in this tactic; they could gallop around the enemy formation and then turn around on horseback to fire their arrows.

Of course, they can only turn clockwise, since most people can only draw the bow with their right hand.

The butcher's millstone has already started turning, and it will not stop until it has fed enough flesh and blood to the people of Nanzhao.

As for Zhao Huai'an, he and his group of Baoyi Dutu cavalry did not have such riding skills, and they would never be able to learn such riding skills in their entire lives, but they had one thing, and that was courage!
Courage is the highest praise for mankind!
Amidst a relentless barrage of arrows raining down from the outer perimeter, Zhao Huai'an, clad in gleaming armor, led his equally armored men in a fierce charge.

Amidst the earth-shaking roars, Zhao Huai'an charged forward relentlessly, like a storm, like thunder, raging and crashing through the Nanzhao army ranks.

These already scattered Nanzhao people offered no resistance in such a mass charge.

More than two hundred elite cavalry, with more than six hundred warhorses, plowed the battlefield like an iron plow, leaving behind trails of blood and flesh.

Zhao Huai'an was not a born cavalry general, but he understood physics and knew that the pressure is greatest when force is concentrated at one point.

Therefore, he always led his cavalry in a fierce attack, breaking through the formation, tearing apart the lines, scattering the Nanzhao army, and finally beheading the generals and taking down their flags.

This move, however, was surprisingly skillful, and the Nanzhao army that stood in Zhao Huai'an's way collapsed one after another.

Finally, the last of the Nanzhao army's formations collapsed amidst the rampaging and charging of the Baoyi Dutu cavalry.

Their defeat was not unjust, because Bao Yidu's attacks were never a single wave, but rather a continuous series.

After cutting in diagonally, they rushed out of the formation to regroup, then broke through from a different direction again. This repeated attack and destruction terrified the Nanzhao army, causing their formation to collapse.

At this point, Zhao Huai'an finally saw the embroidered golden banner, but the next second he panicked.

Because Yang Qingfu was holding the banner tightly, using his body strength to support it from falling, the soldiers of the shogunate around him were lying in various positions, embracing the corpses of the Nanzhao army.

Zhao Huai'an panicked and spurred his horse forward, but the long gallop had taken its toll on the warhorse, and it could no longer run.

However, it was loyal. In its last moments, it let out a neigh before its front legs buckled and it collapsed completely to the ground.

Zhao Huai'an jumped up the moment the warhorse neighed, but even so, he still rolled several times on the ground.

Ignoring the pain, he quickly crawled to Yang Qingfu's side. At this moment, this veteran of Xichuan was no longer the spirited soldier he once was, but an old man, a brother and father who had just lost all his brothers and sons.

In his final moments, Yang Qingfu saw that it was Zhao Da who had arrived, and he smiled.

He looked at Zhao Huai'an, whose face was streaked with tears, and smiled:

"Zhao Da, it seems Old Yang's luck isn't so good either!"

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an could no longer hold back and burst into tears, because he saw that Yang Qingfu's thigh had completely disappeared.

He grabbed Yang Qingfu, slapped his own face, and burst into tears:
"General Yang, I'm such a beast! How could I have slept a little longer on the way? I'll take you with me, General Yang. I have a skilled doctor in the army who can definitely save your life."

Suddenly, Yang Qingfu, who had just been smiling, grabbed Zhao Huai'an and said seriously:

"Zhao Da, kill Zhao Huaiyi for my father and me, and offer his head as a sacrifice at our graves!"

After saying that, Yang Qingfu looked up at the banner in his hand and glanced at it with lingering affection. It represented his entire life!
Looking at these green hills and clear waters, he inexplicably thought of Huang Jingfu, the prefect of Lizhou, and so, with his last strength, he said to Zhao Da:
"Remember, rely on yourself! Gao Pian is unreliable!"

After saying that, Yang Qingfu felt extremely tired. He struggled to hold onto his son's body, pulled him into his arms, and then slowly leaned into Zhao Huai'an's embrace.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an felt as if he had lost something, and it hurt terribly!

He shouted loudly, needing to vent his boundless anger.

Slowly, Zhao Huai'an rose to his feet, cradling Yang Qingfu's body, and roared at the knights present:

"Search! Find that Zhao Huaiyi for me! No one is allowed to kill him!"

Almost simultaneously, a massive army appeared on the battlefield from the northern river valley of Hanyuan Valley, the same route Zhao Huai'an had taken to escape.

They immediately plunged into the quicksand, completely cutting off the main force of the Nanzhao army in the valley battlefield.

……

On this day, the outcome of the battle changed far too quickly.

When the Tang army appeared in the rear and completely cut off the Nanzhao army's return route, the Nanzhao people lost all will to fight, rolled up their flags, and knelt down to surrender to the Tang army.

Because Long Shun was in the army and was buying these prisoners at high prices, the foreign troops that appeared on the battlefield all chose to accept the surrender of the Nanzhao army.

In an instant, surrender spread like a disease. The Nanzhao people, who had just embraced victory and kissed it with joy, were now tasting the bitterness of defeat.

Meanwhile, for generals like Yang Maoyan, who were caught in the middle, the regret and bitterness in their hearts reached their peak as they watched the overwhelming force of the foreign troops charging out.

Yang Maoyan, in particular, stared at the banners of the foreign armies and cursed angrily:

"You scoundrel, why couldn't you have come any faster? If you had come any earlier, I would never have done such a thing!"

He glanced around at the equally desperate generals and said bitterly:
"Now, if I want to avoid implicating my clan and family, I have no choice but to commit suicide as an atonement!"

After saying that, he gave his soldiers a wink, and then two of them, one on each side, strangled the officers who had just forced him to defect to the enemy with white silk.

At that moment, looking at the group of people who had died tragically with their tongues sticking out, Yang Maoyan laughed and then cried. He then cursed, drew his knife, and slit his own throat.

How hateful! How cruel fate is to me!

……

At this moment, Zhao Huai led his cavalry in pursuit. Liu Zhijun had just said he had seen Zhao Huaiyi, so the cavalry rushed over.

But as they ran, they discovered that an army was moving north in front of them, towards Baixi Pass, where Ren Kezhi had previously been stationed.

By the way, I wonder how Lao Ren is doing now? He still owes us a drink!
He noticed that the army was still flying a flag that read:

"The mind makes the Buddha, the mind is the Buddha."

Zhao Huai'an couldn't understand, and cursed:

"What utter rubbish! Charge!"

Having said that, he brandished his spear, spurred his horse, and led his men to gallop forward.

At this point, the morale of the Nanzhao army was already wavering after discovering that Tang reinforcements had arrived. When they encountered a Tang cavalry charge, their morale plummeted even further.

But they are Luo Juzi, the one chosen by all. How could they possibly escape?

So they formed ranks and tried to fight against the charging Baoyidu cavalry.

But what good is high spirits when suddenly encountering such a large cavalry force in the wild? Despite having several times the strength of Zhao Huai'an and his men, they were still routed by Zhao Huai'an and his men.

Blood stained the meadow red, and corpses and severed limbs were everywhere.

Among the Nanzhao army was a special guard called the Feathered Guard, composed entirely of sons of high-ranking officials, who were responsible for protecting the chieftain.

At this moment, in order to open a passage for the chieftain dragon, this feathered chariot charged headlong towards Zhao Huai'an and his group.

But Zhao Huai'an was already thoroughly annoyed. He still had to kill that traitor Zhao Huaiyi, so why bother fighting these people?

So Zhao Huai'an took out a crossbow from his satchel and fired at the enemy troops.

The cavalry behind them followed suit and fired their crossbow bolts.

In just one breath, the charging Imperial Guards on the opposite side fell from their horses with cries of pain.

At the same time, a cavalry force from Hedong also rushed over. Unlike Zhao Huai'an, who was ignorant, they knew as soon as they saw the Buddhist banner that the greatest achievement of the battle had occurred.

So they roared and charged into the Nanzhao army from behind.

At this moment, the Nanzhao army, caught in a pincer attack, completely collapsed.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an realized that something was wrong. He keenly noticed the madness of the Hedong Army and thought of something in a flash.

So he held back and, with Liu Zhijun and Liu Xin as his two elite generals, charged into the fray. In the distance, he saw the prayer flag and a middle-aged nobleman kneeling under it in prayer. Without hesitation, he shot two arrows.

The first arrow struck the prayer flag squarely, the heavy arrow, as heavy as an iron shovel, severing the flagpole in two; the second arrow struck the middle-aged nobleman squarely, pinning him firmly to the flag, rendering him unable to move.

Then Liu Zhijun and Liu Xin rode forward and, before the Hedong army arrived, seized the flag and cut off the heads.

Just then, about ten riders came galloping from the side, dragging a person with a lasso.

Leading the group were Ren Tong and Song Yuan, who were furious when they learned that the one who betrayed Marshal Yang was none other than their own comrade-in-arms.

Because they were more familiar with Zhao Huaiyi, they spotted him earlier and pursued him relentlessly until they finally intercepted him nearby.

Knowing that Zhao Huai'an needed to be alive, they used iron maces to break his limbs and then dragged him over like a dead dog.

Upon seeing Zhao Huaiyi, Zhao Huai'an didn't even glance at the severed head that Liu Xin had sent over before spurring his horse and galloping over to him.

Zhao Huaiyi was already dragged and bloodied. He glanced at Zhao Huai'an in a daze and sighed.

Looking down at him, Zhao Huai'an said nothing, but pulled the reins with one arm and dragged the man all the way to Yang Qingfu.

At this moment, the embroidered gold banner belonging to the Xichuan Army still stood tall in the wind.

It won't fall!
(End of this chapter)