I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 325 A Villain in a Chaotic World
Zhang Liao led his heavy cavalry into Chunyu Qiong's army formation.

one more time.

The most brutal and powerful force to break through the enemy lines in the history of this land was once again being displayed before the eyes of the soldiers!

Chunyu Qiong was no stranger to such scenes. However, he was also by Yuan Shao's side during the Battle of Youzhou.

But at that time, he was on the offensive, an observer, and a lieutenant general who could talk big!

But this time, he was in the middle of the column, right at the forefront facing the heavily armored cavalry!

When the heavily armored cavalry sliced ​​through the enemy formation like a sharp knife, Chunyu Qiong's military strategies from childhood to university, and the battles he had experienced throughout his life, were all cut into pieces and crushed into dust, just like his soldiers and the army.

The way to be invincible is to defend; the way to be vulnerable is to attack.

But when these heavily armored cavalrymen charged fiercely to our side, what could we use to defend ourselves?
Even though Yuan's soldiers were desperately trying to dodge, the mountain-like iron hammer could still crush them!
Chunyu Qiong was completely stunned when he saw Zhang Liao, who was leading the charge, rushing towards him.

Zhang Liao was wearing an iron helmet and had a thick neck. Only his eyes were visible on his face, but Chunyu Qiong could still see the scarlet killing intent in them!
"withdraw!"

On the plains, even a few hundred heavy cavalry would be far beyond the capabilities of ordinary infantry to withstand!

Chunyu Qiong pulled on the reins, and the warhorse reared up, turned halfway around, and immediately headed north!

"Chunyu Qiong, don't run away!"

Upon seeing Chunyu Qiong's flag waving, Zhang Liao immediately realized the other side's intentions!

Heavy cavalry is good at everything on the battlefield! Their only weakness is their stamina!

At this moment, Zhang Liao was pursuing Chunyu Qiong and no longer bothered to conceal himself!

Even if a Han crossbow were to be fired, it would be blocked by the mountain-patterned iron chains and then penetrate the thick elephant hide, unable to completely pierce the armor.

The swords and thrusts of the other Yuan soldiers were completely ineffective against his defenses! Zhang Liao, now even more fearless, spurred his horse and charged toward Chunyu Qiong's position!

When Chunyu Qiong saw this invulnerable, fearless, and blood-soaked monster of a human-horse charging towards him, he instantly thought of Yan Liang and Wen Chou, who had been killed by Cao Cao in battle!
If that thing catches up with you from behind, you're really going to die!
At this point, Chunyu Qiong completely disregarded his own flags and banners, and immediately broke away from the group, galloping wildly northward!
"Go away!"

Zhang Liao could clearly feel his warhorse slowing down, obviously reaching its limit.

Seeing that he was only a few dozen steps away from Chunyu Qiong, Zhang Liao subconsciously reached for his bow and arrows at his waist, only to remember that the heavy armor was too heavy and that they had not been equipped with bows and arrows for these heavily armored cavalrymen.

Zhang Liao simply used his short halberd as a throwing weapon, stretching out his long arm and throwing it heavily at Chunyu Qiong, hoping that this blow would knock him off his horse!
Seeing that the short halberd had indeed struck Chunyu Qiong's back, Zhang Liao, under his iron armor, was about to rejoice, but then he noticed that Chunyu Qiong had only staggered and had not fallen off his horse. He widened his eyes in surprise: "How can he be so thick-skinned!"

When Zhang Liao was about to throw another weapon, he found that the distance between him and Chunyu Qiong was getting farther and farther. His warhorse also lowered its neck and gradually slowed down, losing its initial speed.

Xu Huang's infantry followed closely behind, gathering the defeated Yuan army soldiers and also supporting Zhang Liao, who had lost his fighting ability.

"It was so close! If we had a heavy bow and arrows, we could have kept Chunyu Qiong here!"

This has happened twice already!

Once Yuan Tan! Once Chunyu Qiong!

While heavy cavalry can crush and destroy the enemy's manpower, they ultimately lack the ability to launch sustained attacks and long-range attacks!
Zhang Liao sighed, "If we could have two heavily armored cavalry units, each equipped with two warhorses and two suits of armor! They would retreat in one wave, then advance in another, each wave heavier than the last! In that case, we would be invincible!"

Xu Huang never envied others, but at this moment he couldn't help but say sourly, "This heavy cavalry alone was something our lord managed to create by selling everything he owned."

"If we really want to maintain the cavalry force that Wen Yuan mentioned, even the combined strength of Jing and Yang provinces wouldn't be enough!"

Xu Huang patted the imposing armor of his warhorse: "But at least, we won this battle!"

But Zhang Liao was not happy.

"What effect can our heavy cavalry have on Yuan's army, and what effect can Yuan's heavy cavalry have on our army?"

"Moreover, Yuan's heavy cavalry must already outnumber ours... This battle is likely to be very difficult!"

Xu Huang's expression also turned serious upon hearing this.

"Yuan Jun's heavy cavalry..."

Even Xu Huang was somewhat puzzled as to why Liu Miao had chosen such a plain as the battlefield.

"I hope Yuan Shao doesn't keep his heavy cavalry hidden until the final battle. Otherwise, our infantry might really be unable to stop them!"

------

When Chunyu Qiong escaped back to Yuan's camp, he was lying face down on his horse, his fate unknown.

Several soldiers stepped forward and stripped off his armor so that a doctor could treat him. Only then was Chunyu Qiong able to speak.

"Lord Yuan, Liu Miao does indeed have heavy cavalry under his command!"

With just one sentence, Yuan Shao's expression changed drastically.

Because of Yuan Tan's repeated defeats, Yuan Shao's subordinates were extremely doubtful about whether Liu Miao actually had heavy cavalry.

But now, Chunyu Qiong has proven, at the cost of five thousand infantrymen, that Liu Miao did indeed have a trump card up his sleeve!

But Yuan Shao quickly regained his composure.

Not only did he regain his composure, Yuan Shao even wanted to laugh!
When Guo Tu and other strategists heard that Liu Miao had dispatched heavily armored cavalry, they exchanged knowing smiles.

Why is Lord Yuan laughing?

"Of course we're laughing at Liu Miao... He's reached his wit's end!" Guo Tu also laughed, "I thought Liu Miao had some other advantage in leading us to the plains. Now it seems it's just those heavy cavalry."

"But it's laughable that they used heavily armored cavalry in their first battle."

"According to General Chunyu's description, the force that attacked you today was no more than three hundred heavily armored cavalry."

"Admittedly, it is truly admirable that Liu Miao was able to assemble a heavy cavalry force, but those heavy cavalrymen were certainly his limit!"

"Right now, his only reliance is probably his heavy cavalry, and he even wants to use them to break through our heavy cavalry... Such tactics are nothing more than a cornered beast fighting desperately!"

With Liu Miao deploying heavily armored cavalry in his first battle, Guo Tu and others had already guessed Liu Miao's intentions.

It was nothing more than using this elite force, which was assembled at great expense, to break through the enemy lines and achieve a victory that leaped from the tactical level to the strategic level.

but……

Innocent!

Guo Tu looked at Yuan Shao: "Liu Miao's ostentatious display of his heavy cavalry is probably an attempt to lure you, Lord Yuan, into deploying your own heavy cavalry as well, so that you can find a way to defeat him."

"While I certainly believe that Liu Miao's newly formed heavy cavalry is unlikely to win, in matters of the battlefield, one should be wary of the unexpected."

Guo Tu has already come up with a solution—

"Since Liu Miao is so eager to use heavy cavalry to decide the outcome, then we will deliberately do the opposite of his wishes."

"Lord Yuan can order his heavy cavalry to disperse to various locations, luring Liu Miao to attack, and then immediately force him to retreat. In this way, within a month, Liu Miao's heavy cavalry will inevitably be exhausted and powerless. In this way, Lord Yuan can wait in comfort and defeat Liu Miao in one fell swoop!"

Whatever Liu Miao wanted to do, they deliberately prevented him from doing it!

Since Liu Miao had dispatched heavy cavalry, Yuan's army deliberately refrained from engaging Liu Miao in battle!
The strategy of exhausting the enemy, though slow, will be like a poisonous thorn that slowly pierces Liu Miao's heart and lungs. By the time Liu Miao realizes it, he will find that his hardest bone has become soft as silk!
Yuan Shao adopted Guo Tu's strategy and began sending small cavalry units to various places in order to lure Liu Miao's heavy cavalry.

Liu Miao always fell for the trick, allowing Zhang Liao to spare no effort in pursuing him.

After several days, even Zhang Liao, a man of iron, could not withstand the pressure and went to Liu Miao to plead for mercy.

"My lord, this is Yuan Shao's strategy to wear down his troops!"

Zhang Liao said earnestly, "If this continues, the warhorses will be exhausted and the soldiers will be weary. How will we deal with Yuan Shao's army then?"

Liu Miao chuckled and doubled the treatment of Zhang Liao's main force, adding an extra meat meal every day. Yet, Zhang Liao still tirelessly pursued the small groups of troops sent by Yuan Shao, ignoring Zhang Liao's advice.

Seeing that Liu Miao refused to listen to his advice, Zhang Liao simply came to block Liu Miao's door!
Zhou Tai stepped forward and nudged Zhang Liao, saying, "Our lord is not here! Really!"

"What do you mean 'not here'? Where is our lord, and where are you, Zhou Tai? Do you think I don't even know that?"

Zhang Liao was furious: "I don't believe our lord can't see through Yuan Shao's superficial strategy! Or is it that our lord is truly out of options and can only be led by the nose by Yuan Shao?"

Zhou Tai continued to shove Zhang Liao: "How would I know any of this? Wen Yuan, as a general, you should obey orders! Since the lord has ordered you to go, then go! Do you think the meat we're giving you isn't enough? How about this, I'll pay out of my own pocket! I'll send you ten more chickens every day, how about that?"

"Is this a matter concerning meat?"

"Not meat? Then it's a woman? Hmm... Good Wenyuan, this really isn't enough for you. How about when we return to Jinling, I'll treat you to a good meal?"

"you you……"

Seeing that Zhou Tai remained unmoved by either persuasion or coercion, Zhang Liao stamped his foot in anger and shouted towards Liu Miao's tent, "If this battle continues like this, I'm afraid we won't have a chance to return to Jinling!!!"

Zhou Tai quickly led his personal guards to push Zhang Liao away, who was begging and pleading, before returning to Liu Miao's tent, looking exhausted.

"Phew! That Zhang Wenyuan is more stubborn than a donkey! My lord, I think you should just call him in!"

Inside Liu Miao's tent sat Zhou Yu, Jia Xu, Huang Zhong, and others.

Everyone had obviously heard the noise Zhang Liao had just made.

Zhou Yu shook his head and said, "No."

“Yuan Shao is not a fool. Only by making Wen Yuan more and more angry can we make Yuan Shao feel that we are now at a dead end. Before that, we still have to wrong Wen Yuan.”

Liu Miao also said, "Give Tian Yuan whatever he wants, don't mistreat him."

"What if he wants a woman?"

"You have to give me a woman, even if you want one! And do you think Wen Yuan is like you?"

Liu Miao rolled his eyes at Zhou Tai, but then his expression turned solemn as he looked at Jia Xu and Huang Zhong.

At this moment, Jia Xu was not dressed as a scholar as usual, but had changed into military attire.

"Lord Jia, General Huang, this battle will depend entirely on you two."

Jia Xu remained calm, while Huang Zhong appeared somewhat nervous.

"We are afraid that there is not enough time before we depart..."

"It's alright, someone will delay this for us."

Liu Miao looked up and gazed northward, as if he could see the majestic city of Xuchang, and as if he could see the people in that city.

"Cao Mengde, how long are you going to be suppressed by Yuan Shao, a cunning and treacherous hero in this chaotic era?"

(End of this chapter)