Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 157 The Conquest of Yan
In July of the first year of the Tianyou calendar, during the summer, the conservative forces of the Hao Kingdom were still unwilling to give up on losing the Yan region; after all, it was the starting area they occupied after their initial arrival. The numerous artifacts they brought from the Haotian Realm were now placed in the palaces and cities built in the Yan region.

Ten years ago, they had fewer troops, yet they fought against more than a dozen armies led by Da Yao from this place to the south, winning more battles than losing. How did they end up "besieging the city" in just ten years?
As a result, the Dragonborn military leaders in Yan were all dissatisfied and indignant: "I don't understand why everyone is talking about fleeing westward with their families in disgrace, as if our Great Hao can only run away whenever it encounters any setback. No matter what, it's 50,000 troops against 10,000 troops, the advantage is on our side."

As the dragon-descended masters of Hao Kingdom rode their horses to various farms to issue orders, groups of laborers pushed wooden carts, lacking the protection of grease, and urged their horses toward the direction the generals had commanded.
After August, the forces of the Hao Kingdom in Yan, having been holding their breath, issued a mobilization order, gathering 40,000 to 50,000 people.

On Wu Hengyu's side, he also gathered five thousand men (not ten thousand) in preparation for a counterattack.

In this battle, the generals of the Dongshi Army and the Wu Family Northern Route Army gathered together, including Wu Fei himself, who also arrived in Yan to plan the logistics line.

…With Zhao Cheng gone, we have to eat our fill. …

Thang Long Fortress is a fortress in Yan territory. The entire fortress is surrounded by a "U" shape, with the opening on the east side. Although the terrain is flat, a river lies just 20 kilometers away, and the river then turns east for another 80 to 100 kilometers before flowing into the sea. Its inherent advantage is that it is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

However, Wu Hengyu took it down in ten hours. The hundreds of local farmers in Shenglong City had never seen Wu Hengyu, the humanoid Gundam.

Before entering Yan territory, Wu Fei repeatedly calculated the entire territory and finally determined that this was the best logistics point. Gongshu Wang's calculation of the "royal aura" point with a compass was consistent with Wu Fei's judgment.

Outside the city, the troops of Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu frequently interacted. Those under Wu Hengyu who needed rest would be accommodated by Wu Fei.

In the Thang Long City area, groups of wooden oxen and flowing horses were slowly entering the city. Wu Hengyu asked, "You chose this city to set up a stronghold, which is quite good." — Nearby, his troops were exchanging their worn-out warhorses with those brought by Wu Fei.

Wu Fei said to Wu Hengyu, "You should appoint a high-ranking official to garrison this city."

Wu Hengyu, who was about to leave with his troops, turned his head slightly and asked, "Oh?"

Wu Fei: "This place has the aura of royalty. Remember, in the future, do not be stingy with titles and rewards in this city, otherwise, if the soldiers here rebel against you, you will have a lot of headaches."

Wu Hengyu turned his head and glanced at the city, seemingly listening, yet also seemingly not listening.

The reason why this place is said to have "royal aura" is because Wu Fei discovered a characteristic of Shenglong Pass in his calculations - it is the closest to other reclamation and development fortresses. According to the principle of "concentrating resources in the most convenient area", this place will be the future capital of this place.

Of course, the reason why this place is still a fortress is that in the summer, the river branches have too much water and spread out, forming a large swamp that blocks the way.

Regarding this issue, Wu Fei determined that as long as more than 10,000 laborers were invested to build several irrigation canals, the water could be diverted into the river.

If the garrison commander of Thang Long City is not given a position as "a minister under the king" and the title of "garrison general", it will be impossible to win over the people of the city.

Zhao Cheng had once commented on this point, saying that if they held their ground, they could hold out for two years. But in reality, Wu Hengyu took it in just ten days, and Wu Fei felt that the city had indeed been taken far too easily.

Zhao Cheng's two years was indeed correct, but this was under the premise that Yao Jun did not have the buffs of Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu.

Wu Hengyu goes without saying; he's a humanoid monster who can charge up the city wall all by himself. If there are few people on the city wall and the defenders don't react in time, he can carry a whole team up to be the first to scale the wall.

Wu Fei's strategy was ingenious. He scouted all the cities in Yan and prepared various siege weapons for each city. The siege weapons were complete and each one was effective. There was no waste of supplies, and the surplus supplies allowed more troops to participate in the siege.

Wu Fei's intelligence was so precise that he knew exactly how many dog ​​holes were in which small cities in Yan. And the explosive wooden boxes Wu Fei had for attacking the cities were just enough to fill all those dog holes.

If there is a ditch in front of the city gate, the planks sent over to cross the ditch are just the right size for one person to carry and to cover the ditch.

As the saying goes, "A skilled craftsman must first have the right tools," Wu Fei's various preparations ensured that the well-placed equipment saved hundreds of lives during the siege and greatly increased Wu Hengyu's speed in capturing the city.

…Because of its cold climate and soil, the Yan region always carried a rugged air…

After Wu Fei used this city as his base for stockpiling grain and fodder, the Hao Kingdom felt as if it had been slapped in the face.

The frequent movements of Hao Jun also led Wu Fei to predict that the decisive battle was approaching.

The day after capturing Thang Long City, Wu Fei transferred all the soldiers in the city, except for the wounded, to outside the city.

Wu Fei brought in a logistics team to help cut down the forests upstream. This was to prevent the Hao army from cutting down trees to build ladders, and also to ensure that the Hao army would have no firewood to burn when they attacked, forcing them to advance hastily.

Xuan Chongmen knew the current supply situation of the Hao army: The Hao army is currently short of food and fodder, so how could the generals possibly use animal power to carry "idle goods" on a raid?

Wu Fei was 90% certain that the Hao army wouldn't be able to breach Thang Long City, but he still calculated the defenses based on the city's map and geometric coverage, constructing temporary watchtowers and barricades and reinforcing all the walls of Thang Long City. This extra layer of security was to reassure the defending troops fighting outside the city.

Hao Jun doesn't have Zhao Cheng's intelligence-gathering capabilities using spies; when attacking Thang Long City, he will learn a lesson from Wu Fei about the model battle of "defense and counterattack on the plains".

Where is Zhao Cheng? The perspective shifts to the front line at the border of Shazhou and Yuhua Prefecture, thousands of miles away.

Zhao Cheng has completely given up on the Yan region.

…On the side of Haojun in Yan…

In Hao Jun's left flank, Wu Gao, a descendant of the dragon, was leading his troops south. He was stunned when he heard that Sheng Long City had been captured.

Between March and June, Wu Hengyu led 3,000 troops and rampaged through the Yan region, and the Hao army had already experienced the unparalleled bravery of ten thousand men.

Of course, it wasn't just Wu Hengyu who was brave; the soldiers under his command were all strong men selected from within the Great Yao region, elite troops.

No matter where you are, there are people who are large and people who are underdeveloped and small. This is because it is common for people to not have enough to eat in various parts of the Great Yao. Although the Hao Kingdom has gathered a large force, nine-tenths of them are serfs. Wu Hengyu has been leading a group of well-nourished and tall elites over the past three months, like a bulldozer! Moreover, Wu Fei's side provides thick armor and good medical care.

This difference is equivalent to a human-bred fighting dog wearing a barbed collar killing a coyote.

Wu Gao was originally stationed at the western mountain pass of Yan, fighting against the barbarian tribes of the desert. His troops were mostly made of fur, and you could tell from their clothing that his army's style was barbarianized. As for their food, it was the same.

Back then, he was also the most hostile to Zhao Cheng. Among the large group of people in Hao Kingdom who wanted to kick Zhao Cheng out of Gu Shou Guan, he was at the top of the list.

Because he supported his army through the fur trade, and in recent years, Zhao Cheng had seized all his fur goods whenever they arrived at Gushou Pass.

But as soon as Zhao Cheng left, his troops were routed by Wu Hengyu's iron cavalry in Yan, and he couldn't have been more regretful now.

Back to the present, after learning that Thang Long City had been captured by Wu Hengyu, the four scouts who came to deliver the news also brought another message: after capturing Thang Long City, Wu Hengyu did not rest, but directly handed the city over to another Yao army that "just happened to arrive", and then led his troops to continue north.

Wu Gao, who happened to be positioned in the direction of Wu Hengyu's northward advance, assessed his 6,000-strong force and, feeling uncertain of their chances, immediately sought help from Yuwen Li to the east. He was hoping his teammates would arrive with a large force.

…the gyrfalcon departed with a parchment letter dangling from its leg…

Meanwhile, on the right flank, Yuwen Li led his soldiers in a hasty advance. Having just learned that Thang Long City had fallen, he rode his jade lion and whipped the deserters at Thang Long Pass. However, upon hearing from the prisoners that the city gates were badly damaged by catapults, Yuwen Li suddenly realized: with such a short time, the city walls must not have been repaired.

He brought 5,000 troops with him this time, and it seemed that he could retake the city, but he was worried that he would be ambushed by Wu Hengyu when he attacked the city.

Just then, Wu Gao's gyrfalcon delivered a letter. After reading it, he laughed heartily and immediately replied that Wu Gao must wait for him to come closer.

However, after delivering the message, he decided to lead his troops straight to Thang Long City. "Opportunity knocks but once, and an unparalleled achievement lies ahead!" These thoughts, once they arose, consumed his reason like raging fire.

Afterwards, Wu Fei interrogated the prisoner, reviewing the reasons behind Yuwen Li's battle decision. Upon learning of Yuwen Li's decisive action, Wu Fei greatly admired the dragon descendant's bold and daring spirit, and encouraged the prisoner, saying: "If it weren't for me, he would have succeeded 99% of the time." ...Everything was reported by "Jian"...

Driven by his selfish desire to achieve great deeds, Yuwen Li led his entire army toward Thang Long City, only to find them all panting heavily.

However, just as they arrived half a mile from Shenglong Pass, preparing to catch their breath before attacking the city again...

The lead scouts of the Hao army discovered that the gates of the dilapidated city of Thang Long were wide open, and merchants were even driving donkeys out of the city, fleeing south. The "first come, first served" mentality had taken hold. After all, Wu Gao's troops had become barbarianized, and Yuwen Li's men had also learned the "principles of the steppe" over the past few months.

Yuwen Li's generals urged him to push harder and charge forward.

Yuwen Li, feeling that his arrival had thrown the city's garrison into chaos, laughed and ordered an attack. At this moment, his adjutant pleaded, "General, our army is utterly exhausted. We mustn't—"

But before he could finish speaking, he was lashed with a whip. Yuwen Li said, "The enemy is not prepared. If we miss this opportunity, how many soldiers will it take for us to achieve victory later? Anyone who dares to retreat again will be executed without mercy."

Yuwen Li then ordered the legion to assume an offensive posture. Cavalry were in front, infantry behind, and crossbowmen formed ranks, deploying from the flanks.

Of course, Yuwen Li didn't wait for his troops to deploy; he led his cavalry directly towards the city.

Just as his troops appeared five hundred paces from the city gate, the sound of war drums boomed from the southwest.
Just as an antelope encounters a tiger by the river, Yuwen Li's troops suddenly came to a halt.

Immediately afterward, from Yuwen Li's perspective, there was another thousand armored soldiers and crossbowmen coming from behind the "U"-shaped mountain, marching in a large square formation as they rushed over in unison.

The idea of ​​one thousand fighting five thousand seems unbelievable. But the five thousand were soldiers who rushed over in a hurry, leaving a trail that stretched for a mile; while the one thousand were men who had just eaten and were waiting in comfort.

Wu Fei did not station the main force in Thang Long City at all, because once they entered the city, it would take at least an hour to deploy outside the city; many places in Thang Long City are very narrow, and it would be like peeling silk to remove the troops.

After determining that the enemy's hasty march had caused their ranks to become scattered, Wu Fei positioned himself directly outside the city, allowing for a swift engagement.

As for why he dared to engage in direct combat? Because Yuwen Li's army marched haphazardly, much like bandits. They would charge forward recklessly whenever they found an advantage.

Sure enough, Yuwen Li's vanguard consisted of only one hundred men, and they were heading to seize the city gate.

Because this unrepaired city gate can only accommodate a hundred or so people fighting at most.

Yuwen Li's strategy wasn't wrong. After about a hundred men captured the city gate, the soldiers who arrived later could catch their breath. About an incense stick's time later, they would be able to recover enough strength to charge into the city. While the five hundred men were fighting to capture the city, more troops could catch their breath and gradually arrive in organized groups to join the battle.

Wu Fei: But why should I fight you "hundred against hundred" at the city gate? Why can't it be that my thousand men defeat your hundred men, without giving you a chance to recover?

Now, the thousand men that Wu Fei had ambushed on both sides of Shenglong City formed eight square formations and rushed over in unison, making sounds of battle, "Hey ha, hey ha."

"Hold on, hold on!" Yuwen Li ordered his troops to stop and halt their advance, preparing to hold off the first wave and wait for his numerous reinforcements to arrive before engaging in a proper battle.

But Wu Fei didn't give him a chance. A ghost car rose from the city, its claws gripping a huge "feather" banner as it ascended into the sky.

"Wu Hengyu?" Yuwen Li's subordinate's legs trembled. Then Yuwen Li shouted, "Wu Hengyu is skilled in mounted combat; he couldn't possibly be among these infantry!"

However, at that moment, on the flank of the battlefield, cavalry bearing the banner of Wu Hengyu appeared on the horizon, accompanied by a flying mount and a group of thirty-two dragon-horse cavalrymen.

Judging from their armor, this unit had been waiting for a long time, actually sitting and waiting since early morning, and eating a portion of dry rations along the way.

Yuwen Li wanted to turn around and leave, but the horse was exhausted and no longer obeyed his commands.

A thousand soldiers marched in formation from the front of the city, pressing in like a tidal wave; while two hundred cavalrymen carrying the "Wu Hengyu" banner charged directly from the flank, and Yuwen Li's vanguard of about a hundred men was routed.

Yuwen Li was extremely surprised that Wu Hengyu was here. Shouldn't he be with Wu Gao?

This "Wu Hengyu" team was actually led by Zhao Xianzhong. There was a significant difference in combat strength between Zhao Xianzhong and Wu Hengyu; they wouldn't have been able to break through under normal circumstances. However, the morale of Yuwen Li's troops had collapsed.

The morale of the Heavenly Dragon Guards at the forefront crumbled like snowflakes, but the swarm of arrows did not spare them. They died one after another on their escape route. As the vanguard of the entire army, they were like butter hitting a red-hot iron plate, melting instantly. Two hundred paces behind, the Hao Army's Jade Warriors, who had originally come running to charge into the city, inexplicably sensed the defeat at the front, and their morale also collapsed.

Defense? Constructing defensive formations on the spot? Having fought barbarians many times, they no longer have this "building fortified villages and fighting tough battles" style; they've long since developed a "guerrilla warfare mentality."

Yuwen Li's men were all watching closely when the cavalry with the "Wu Hengyu" banner on the left charged forward.

These Haotian generals, after six months of bloody and tearful experiences, concluded that with fewer than five hundred men, even if they formed a defensive line, they wouldn't be enough to withstand Wu Hengyu's charge. If Wu Hengyu were to unleash his massive, murderous hammer of military formation, everyone would be swept away like bean sprouts.

As for escaping? How could they escape, and where could they escape to? The wooden oxen and flowing horses that had charged out from the ambush outside the city had already used their musket teams to kill the flag bearers. The entire force was in disarray, forced to retreat haphazardly with Yuwen Li. This retreat was met with pursuit by the Wu family army. The army advanced at a constant jog, their phalanxes crushing any slower groups. Within these phalanxes, crossbowmen, divided into twenty platoons of twenty men each, moved in columns through the close-combat phalanxes, then immediately opened fire in line upon exiting.

Two hours later, Yuwen Li dragged his two-mile-long marching column through the entire army, stripping it clean from beginning to end. The troops that had "rushed over" were reduced to a "scattered mess," and then turned into "constantly fleeing and retreating."

Yuwen Lihao's army barely exchanged a few blows; and as for rest? They didn't take a single breath off the ground, they were constantly running.

Finally, Wu Fei mounted the arriving Jiu Feng, raised his banner, and led five hundred men to block Yuwen Li at the river mouth.

When Yuwen Li realized that it was not Wu Hengyu who had come to attack him, but Wu Fei, the Dragon Descendant was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Yuwen Li pointed at Wu Fei and cursed, "Wu Yuanchang, you are a famous general, aren't you ashamed to use someone else's name?"

These days, top-tier generals all have self-respect. For example, Zhang Fei would not impersonate Zhao Yun when fighting, and Guan Yu would never reveal Zhuge Liang's banner.

But Wu Fei didn't think so. He was known for his wisdom and strategy, but he was far inferior to Wu Hengyu in charging into battle. If he revealed his own banner and counter-charged, some hotheads might take the lead and fight against him. If that happened, it might inspire many people to rise up and fight back. But if he revealed Wu Hengyu's banner, he wouldn't even have the courage to fight.

For the past six months, Wu Hengyu has been riding his black steed, rampaging through the north and severely punishing all the unruly troops of Hao Kingdom and Yan territory. They are all left scratched and killed. Such a reputation is not to be wasted.

Faced with the defeated general's indignant accusations, Wu Fei pointed at him and said, "Who told you to be a coward? Why didn't you dare to fight my big brother? Men, tie him up."

The rolling river water lapped against the bank, recording Wu Fei's arrogant laughter from Jiu Feng's back.

Groups of soldiers tied him up tightly with ropes. And what happened after they were tied up?
Wu Hengyu couldn't possibly keep them alive, and Wu Fei didn't want to kill prisoners either. A sailing ship was sailing in the distance; that was Yu Li's fleet. Wu Fei instructed his sister-in-law to leave these dragon descendants on an island, and that he would return in a few days to bring them back to the Southern Frontier in batches. He already had various ethnic groups under his command; one more wouldn't make a difference.

…Li Kui, Li Gui…

On the other side, Wu Gao, who was waiting for Yuwen Li to join his troops, waited and waited but no one came. Suddenly, a soldier lay on the ground, listening to the ground, and then suddenly stood up and told Wu Gao, "General! There are cavalry attacking from the north."

Upon hearing this, Wu Gao quickly grabbed the soldier: "Did you hear that clearly?! Isn't it west?! (West is the direction Yuwen Li's army is heading)"

The soldier stammered fearfully, "Yes, yes, it's from the north, sir, I heard you right."

At that moment, dust rose on the northern horizon, and the banner with the character "羽" (feather) appeared, fluttering in the wind on the horizon. This time, the real leader had arrived.

(End of this chapter)