Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 190 Entering the Walnut Grove Like a Mountain, Setting Up an Array Like a Sea (8K Long Chapter! Thanks to Alliance Leader Martial God Invincible1)

Overnight, the grasslands by Haizi Lake in Jining were transformed from pastures for cattle and sheep into hunting grounds for tens of thousands of Mongolian warriors.

The autumn grasses were withered and yellow, drooping low under the morning frost. On the vast plains, two armies stood facing each other, silent as mountains.

To the east lies the Chahar tribe, which came from afar via the Laoha River.

Ligdan Khan's banner fluttered in the wind, and the gold-painted wolf totem on the dark black banner seemed ready to devour its prey.

To the west, the allied forces of the Mongol right wing, including the Tumed Shunyi King, Kharachin Khan Ahai, and Boyan Huangtaiji, gathered together, their banners displaying different colors and totems.

The formations on both sides were exactly the same, both being the fish-scale formation passed down by Genghis Khan.

The central army steadily advanced to the rear, while the left and right flanks were positioned forward like outstretched claws, with the vanguard troops at the very front. The entire formation presented a heavy, convex-shaped structure.

(The attached image is from the paper "Mongolian Horses and the Art of War for Ancient Mongolian Cavalry." Of course, there would be many variations in actual combat, which I will discuss in more detail later.)
Outside the main formation, scattered like a swarm of bees, the Tolechi cavalrymen galloped back and forth, vigilantly watching all movements around them.

Further out was the battlefield of the Aljinchi (reconnaissance cavalry).

These people, in groups of five, fought and killed each other within a radius of dozens of miles.

In the most primitive way, they fought for vision on the battlefield, probing the opponent's strengths and weaknesses and their courage.

……

In the northwest corner of the battlefield, a small squad of Aljinchi under the command of the Shunyi King and a small squad of Chahar discovered each other almost simultaneously.

On the vast grassland, the third team was several miles away.

Without the slightest hesitation, the two scouts, two Mongolian men who had never met before, made mirror-like reactions.

"Om-"

The bowstrings vibrated, and each side fired a whistling arrow as a declaration of their challenge.

Immediately, they turned their horses around, spurred them on, and began charging at each other.

The riders leaned down, pressing close to their horses' backs, and the warhorses beneath them sensed their masters' fighting spirit and began to gradually increase their speed.

Slow walk, fast walk, running, darting!
The warhorses were breathing heavily, white steam billowing from their nostrils. Their innate competitiveness spurred them to sprint with almost all their might.

The sound of horses' hooves gradually increased in density, eventually becoming a continuous chorus, so fast that only two hoofbeats could be heard.

In just a moment, the speed of both sides increased to an astonishing level.

The distance quickly closed.

Both sides drew their bows and nocked their arrows again. The faster one fired two arrows, while the slower one could only fire one before having to draw his scimitar and grip it tightly in his hand.

However, under such lightning speed and adrenaline-pumping tension, the accuracy of the arrows was greatly reduced.

In this small skirmish, no one was hit by an arrow, nor did anyone fall from their horse.

It's still five against five!

Both sides are still accelerating! They're still hedging!

The breath of death was overwhelming.

The captain of the Shunyi Wang team, that young Tumote warrior, had his heart pounding and his palms were sweating profusely.

He unconsciously turned the horse's head to the left.

This is an almost instinctive reaction, allowing the entire squad to cut diagonally past the enemy from the right and attack with their dominant right hand.

In this way, the two sides pass each other, and even if there are casualties on both sides, they will not be turned into mincemeat.

However, in cavalry battles, courage is the sharpest weapon.

Turning the horse around first is to expose one's own cowardice.

Across from him, the captain of the Chahar squad revealed a sinister smile.

He saw through his opponent's cowardice.

He didn't change direction at all, and like an arrow released from a bow, he charged straight towards the Shunyi Wang team!

Wolves on the grasslands never retreat because of the number of their opponents, but only because of the gaze of the alpha wolf.

The enemy's cowardice greatly encouraged the squad, and everyone followed their captain closely, rushing towards the enemy.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Fear amplified rapidly in the hearts of the five cavalrymen of Shunyi Wang's squad.

Hedging is a game for the brave.

Once two high-speed cavalry squads collide, neither side has a chance of survival.

Galloping warhorses and fragile flesh and blood will crush everything into pieces, scattering them across this withered, yellow grassland.

Almost simultaneously, the entire Shunyi Wang squad jerked their horses around even more sharply, scrambling to the left in a disheveled manner.

They chickened out!

The situation is decided!
The riders from Chahar did not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They let out a beast-like roar and surged forward in succession, like a pack of wolves, relentlessly biting the left rear of Shunyi Wang's squad.

An asymmetrical massacre has begun.

The Chahar squad members wielded their weapons with their right hands, easily attacking the enemy's unsuspecting left flank.

Slash with a knife! Smash with a hammer!

In an instant, a Tumed cavalryman who was at the back of the pack was struck in the back by a heavy mace, screamed in pain, and tumbled off his horse.

However, cutting off the opponent's left rear ultimately caused the Chahar team to lose more speed.

The remaining four Tumed cavalrymen desperately spurred their horses, gradually escaping the range of the hammer and sword.

"Pah, a bunch of cowards!"

The captain of Chahar spat disdainfully. He did not order a pursuit because a new detachment of Aljinchi had already appeared in the distance.

He dismounted, stood still, held his breath, and fired several arrows at the fleeing figure.

Luckily, one of the arrows hit the hindquarters of a warhorse.

Unfortunately, the warhorse, though injured, became even more ferocious, accelerating rapidly and charging to the front with a neigh.

Well, bad luck.

The captain of Chahar didn't care. He mounted his horse and led his men back to the original battlefield.

The Tumed cavalrymen were knocked off their horses while galloping at high speed, but the blunt force and knife wounds they suffered were minor.

But his calf was twisted into a strange shape, with the white bone fragments sticking out.

He struggled to get up, but it was all in vain.

As the captain approached, a fierce will to survive ignited in his eyes. Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth as he struggled and pleaded, "Spare...spare my life...I surrender...I'm willing to surrender...for the sake of Buddha, for the sake of the Eternal Heaven!"

The captain looked down at him, then glanced at the blood bubbles that kept coming out of the corner of his mouth, and shook his head.

"You've damaged your heart and lungs; you won't live much longer."

The captain spoke calmly, as if stating a very simple fact.

With that, he dismounted.

Ignoring the cavalryman's futile pleas, he kicked him to the ground, drew his scimitar, placed it against the cavalryman's neck, and then pressed down hard.

A head was easily crushed off, and blood instantly stained the grass red.

"Amitabha, may you be reborn in the Pure Land." The captain murmured, then grabbed the braid on his head and tied it to the side of his saddle.

"Let's go back to camp and rest! With this head, we've accomplished our mission!"

"Hahaha! Let's go, let's go!"

The scout squad let out a wild laugh, then, with their commander in tow, they galloped back towards the main camp in the east.

Along the entire shore of Haizi Lake in Jining, on a battlefield more than ten miles wide, hundreds of such Alerjinchi squads took turns going out to fight each other.

Sometimes, it was the Chahar people who won.

Sometimes, it is the warriors of the Mongolian right wing who are more skilled.

More often than not, the two sides do not clash or fight each other, and there are no casualties.

Both sides merely fired a few arrows while galloping, engaged in some driving and counter-driving maneuvers around a certain area, and then returned to their own lines to change horses.

Even such empty runs are part of the battle for territory.

Each low, gentle slope and each inconspicuous puddle may not be relevant to the outcome of a battle involving tens of thousands of soldiers, but they determine the life and death of each squad of Aljinqi.

Of course, factors such as terrain, tactics, and skills combined are far less important than courage.

Because, in cavalry warfare, any of the above factors are, in a sense, merely meant to boost courage.

The more you believe in your ability to win, the more you see victory in the future, the more likely you are to win in the end.

There is no better means of boosting courage than the possibility of victory.

As a result, the control of the entire battlefield, or rather, the initiative on the battlefield, gradually shifted from the Mongolian Right Wing Allied Forces to the Chahar side through a series of small victories and defeats.

……

On a slightly elevated, gentle slope in the right wing of the Mongol army, a large banner painted with a hawk stands.

Under his command, the leaders of several right-wing tribes, including the Tumed Shunyi King Bushitu, the Kharachin Khan Ahai, and Boyan Huangtaiji, all had ashen faces.

Their gazes were fixed on the vast and chaotic battlefield ahead.

"We have no choice but to go into battle." Khan Ahai's voice was hoarse and heavy. "If this drags on, in less than an hour, Lindan Khan's scouts will be right in front of our formation!"

“If their scouts manage to get to the rear, this battle will be even more difficult.” Boyan Huang Taiji nodded in agreement. “I’ll lead the troops to charge into the Haraqin area. If we can inflict a painful blow on them today, this battle might be able to be delayed. They’ve come from afar; the longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for them.”

Shunyi Wang Bushitu took a deep breath of the cold air and nodded.

Just as he was about to send his trusted confidant Aobuyan Taiji into battle, his peripheral vision inexplicably caught sight of the arrogant face of Sunang Taiji not far away.

That was the face of his rival for the Khanate, a face he had hated for over twenty years.

Bu Shitu stopped moving.

A thought, like a venomous snake, crawled out from the depths of my heart.

He slowly turned his head to look at Sunang Taiji, forcing a stiff smile on his face.

"The Tumed tribe truly needs a real warrior to lead it."

“Sunang Taiji, it is time for you to prove yourself. You will lead your troops on the left wing and go into battle together with Boyan Huang Taiji.”

He paused, then added, "The dozen or so Taijis who came to our aid earlier have also been assigned to your command."

Sunang Taiji was taken aback at first, then chuckled.

He sensed the hypocrisy in Bu Shitu's words and saw through the scheming behind them.

But he did not refuse.

Intrigues on the grasslands will ultimately be resolved with a knife.

Faced with the flames of war, the Tumed tribe may reconsider what kind of king they truly need.

"That was a terrible fight." He glanced at Bu Shitu with disdain. "You'd better open your eyes and see how I fight!"

Having said that, he turned and left without hesitation, mounting his horse and galloping towards his men.

A moment of silence fell on the gentle slope.

Looking at the expressionless face of the Prince of Shunyi, Khan Ahai suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

—A bad feeling crept into his mind.

Khan Ahai pondered for a moment and had already made up his mind, but he did not show it on his face. He simply said, "I will also go down and make preparations. If we need to charge into the enemy lines, just send a message."

Having said that, he rode away on his horse.

The gentle slope was quiet, except for the sound of the large flag fluttering in the wind.

After a moment, Prince Shunyi, Bushitu, turned his head to look at his eldest son, Emubu, who had been standing behind him, and sighed.

"Go down and prepare the central army. Make sure to secure our retreat route to Qingcheng."

However, Emubu did not set off immediately.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally couldn't help but ask, "Abu, if you felt you couldn't win, why fight at all?"

Bu Shitu turned to look at his son and smiled, a rare occurrence, but the smile was filled with bitterness and helplessness.

“You’ll understand when you’re older.” He patted his son on the shoulder. “Some battles are simply unavoidable.”

"Stop asking so many questions, go and get ready."

“Yes, Father,” Omubu bowed and replied, then turned and left.

Bu Shitu then turned his gaze back to the battlefield, where the situation had already changed dramatically.

As the Mongolian right-wing coalition forces advanced, Sunang Taiji and Boyan Huang Taiji pressed forward.

The Aljinchi at the forefront of the battle line immediately dispersed to both sides like a tide, and everyone's attention turned to the two armies that were about to clash.

Some scout teams even stopped their individual battles and turned to watch the events unfolding in the center of the battlefield like spectators.

……

"Finally couldn't bear it anymore?"

To the east, within the Chahar's great formation, Lindan Khan smiled coldly, his eyes full of mockery.

He pondered for a moment, then spoke decisively:
"Send the order! Have the Sangharzhai tribe, led by the Arakchot tribe, and the Gongtu tribe, led by the Duoduorot tribe, each send their subordinates to attack!"

The messenger responded loudly and rode off swiftly into the distance.

Lin Danhan squinted at the battlefield that was beginning to boil over.

Come on, let me give you a little something to try first.

Don't be so reluctant to accept even this small reward!
……

At this moment, the sky finally brightened, the thin fog that had enveloped the grassland completely dissipated, and the situation on the battlefield suddenly accelerated.

There was no foolish wall-like charge as imagined by later scholars.

These Mongolians, who grew up in the cold Siberian winds, only believe in the tactics passed down from generation to generation—the most basic tactics, which also test the rider's instincts the most.

—Entering like a walnut grove, arranging like a lake!

Both sides made almost identical choices.

The four tribes and several thousand cavalrymen who were the first to go into battle automatically split into small teams of two to three hundred men each.

On the battlefield, there are no fixed battle lines.

All the squads were chasing their opponents' left rear flank, trying to attack their weakest point.

This pursuit is often interrupted, resulting in injuries or even retreat, due to the involvement of other teams.

Figure-eight formations rose and fell across the vast battlefield. Growing up on horseback and honed by hunting instincts, they were like flocks of swallows, able to converge into torrents with just a few turns from their leader.

When one side's cavalry launches a charge, the other side's cavalry often chooses to temporarily avoid the attack, retreat, and regroup with their reserves.

Meanwhile, another cavalry unit, having rested for a moment, would immediately step out from the reserve and launch a new charge to pursue the retreating soldiers who had fallen behind, reaping their lives with bows and swords.

Until the opponent's reserve team launched a counterattack again.

In the vast battlefield, the battle between thousands of cavalry from both sides resembled a spectacular yet cruel wave-like performance, rising and falling like tides.

There was no fierce clash of metal, no menacing, do-or-die charge.

All that could be heard was the endless shouting, hacking, arrows flying, and the deafening roar of horses' hooves.

A torrential downpour of arrows rained down haphazardly across the entire battlefield.

All human lives are like duckweed in the wind, not entirely determined by one's own bravery.

An arrow that appears out of nowhere, a pebble that causes a horse to stumble, a sudden drop in speed after a turn, an overly aggressive sprint or falling behind—all these can become the death knell that takes their lives.

After the battle had been going on for some time, the situation on the battlefield was almost even.

Even on the left wing battlefield led by Sunangtaiji, the Mongol right-wing coalition forces had a slight advantage.

Sunang Taiji was indeed brave and fierce. He took the lead and led his people to break through the formation of the opposing Arakchot tribe time and time again.

The Arakchot tribe on the Chahar side suffered repeated defeats, and the "range of waves" that could be radiated was gradually compressed.

Fewer and fewer cavalrymen returned to their main camp to rest and regroup; instead, more and more fled to unknown destinations after the rout.

Finally, Bu Shitu gave another order, and the remaining half of the troops on the left and right flanks joined the battle, while the original troops gradually retreated to the center to reorganize.

On the other side, Lin Danhan watched the battle with the same indifferent expression, as if those who died in the battle were just insignificant livestock.

He waved his hand again, coldly sending the other half of the outer tribes to the battlefield as well.

He is waiting.

He was waiting for the moment when Bu Shitu's entire army would press forward.

At least—or at least—that moment when half of the central army was deployed.

Otherwise, even if the exhausted troops on the left and right flanks were defeated, Bu Shitu's main force in the center would turn and leave, greatly reducing the casualties he could inflict. The subsequent battle of Qingcheng would then be much more complicated.

This is the principle of "no pain, no gain."

Of course, the most crucial point is that it was the troops of the outer tribes who suffered, while Ligdan Khan naturally cared even less.

The more people died, the smoother his integration of the entire Chahar region would be.

After suffering repeated setbacks in Liaodong, he had come to a profound understanding of a principle.

Ten thousand Gushan soldiers trained by the headquarters are far superior to one hundred thousand wandering and dependent vassal tribes!
After this battle, it's likely that his six strongholds will be fully reorganized, or even expanded to eight strongholds.

As long as we take down the Mongolian right wing! As long as we annex these weak lambs!

Having controlled the entire grassland, he could naturally take whatever he wanted from the Ming Dynasty in the south!
At the very least, all the annual rewards from all the Mongol tribes should belong to him!

……

Reorganize, go into battle, reorganize again, go into battle again.

After more than a dozen long and protracted intervals.

Time was finally drawing near to noon.

The waves of this series of undulating mounted battles gradually subsided.

Several leaders of the Mongolian right wing withdrew from the front lines and regrouped at the foot of that gentle slope.

"Charge the entire army!" Sunang Taiji's face was flushed red. He wiped the blood from his face and roared at Bushitu through gritted teeth, "What are you waiting for?!"

"The defeat they suffered recently was simply because their scouts and Red Army were more elite! Now that it's a real battle, they've immediately shown their fear! Ligdan Khan is nothing to be proud of!"

Boyan Huang Taiji also said with a smile, "That's right. Lin Danhan came rushing in, but he was obviously out of steam and hadn't had enough rest! When we fought, we could really feel that they were much weaker."

Bu Shitu gritted his teeth, looking at the increasingly obvious advantage in the battle, his heart filled with inner turmoil.

Reason told him that Lin Danhan must have a backup plan.

But the advantages he had at hand, and the high morale of his allies, made it difficult for him to make a decision.

He ultimately chose a compromise.

"Wait a little longer," he said in a deep voice. "It's already midday. In two more hours, the sun will move behind us. At that time, the sunlight will be on our side, giving us a greater advantage. We can definitely fight with all our might in the afternoon!"

"Even if we lose, it will be night by then, and Lindan Khan won't be able to break through our camp. This way, we can be on the safe side."

Han Ahai opened his mouth, but then stopped himself from speaking.

He wanted to remind Bu Shitu that Lindan Khan's most elite six Gushan troops had not yet moved a single soldier.

But then I thought, aren't our elite troops also kept in the central army as reserves?

At that time, it will simply be a face-to-face confrontation, a real battle.

only……

Khan Ahai glanced at Bu Shitu's expression, but ultimately did not offer any advice. He simply turned his horse around and returned to his own camp.

Regardless, the interests of Haraqin come first!

……

This swift yet slow cavalry battle quickly lasted another two hours.

The battle, which had lasted for half a day, left all the participating cavalry units increasingly powerless and half-hearted.

There were even comical scenes where the two sides charged at each other, exchanged a few shots from a distance, and then turned their horses around and retreated back to their own lines.

Once it starts like this, it will continue to happen in every wave.

Both sides were waiting for the order to retreat—whichever side it was.

suddenly!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The dull drumbeats resounded from the central army formation on the right wing of the Mongol army!
Just as the right-wing coalition forces withdrew from another round of attacks, the main force of the central army, which had been lying in wait and had remained silent all morning, finally moved!
More than 10,000 cavalrymen burst through the gaps in the cavalry formation ahead, like a flood bursting its banks, charging forward with unstoppable momentum towards the Chahar tribe in the east!

At that moment, the sun was setting behind them, casting long shadows and shining golden light on their armor and blades, making them radiant as if they were gods descending to earth.

Almost the instant the enemy came out to attack, the left and right flanks of Chahar, which had been locked in fierce battle for most of the day, vanished as if the snow had melted in the spring breeze.

No one would be foolish enough to engage in a head-on collision with such a large cavalry force, especially one that was already exhausted from fighting all morning.

The Chahar cavalry on both flanks turned their horses around and scattered far to the left and right before the enemy's advance arrived, clearing the central passage.

At the same time, Lin Danhan finally made his response.

This is the moment he has been waiting for!
"Order! All six fortified positions at headquarters, launch a full-scale attack!"

With his cold command, more than 8,000 of the most elite cavalry of Chahar's central army surged out like a volcanic eruption and swept forward!

The scale of the entire battlefield suddenly expanded from a combat distance of over a thousand meters to several thousand meters.

Beside Jining Lake, the largest all-cavalry battle since the end of the great Altan Khan era has officially begun!
Both sides are rapidly closing in.

Three hundred steps, two hundred steps, one hundred steps!

In that instant, when the distance was eighty paces, both sides simultaneously unleashed a rain of arrows that blotted out the sky!

Under the dense rain of arrows, it was difficult to have the same luck as a small-scale scouting battle.

The mournful neighing of warhorses, the screams of riders, and the muffled thuds of arrows piercing armor and flesh filled the air.

Horses, riders, armor, helmets, grass... everywhere you look, there are countless arrows.

But the chaos was only brief; the Chahar cavalry recovered from it much faster.

The riders gripped their horses' bellies with their legs, ignoring the casualties around them, and further spurred their horses forward, sweeping away like a surging tide.

The opposing Mongol right-wing cavalry briefly lost their composure.

Some were also speeding forward, but many more instinctively pulled on the reins and slowed their horses down.

In an instant, the entire orderly charging formation changed from a straight horizontal line into an uneven cone shape.

However, in cavalry battles, what use is a wedge formation unless it's the decisive moment?

The more organized the formation and the faster the speed, the more likely the side is to win that precious victory!

This is not only because the firepower on the battlefield can be more concentrated, but also because it represents the courage in the hearts of the knights.

Unlike infantry, who can form ranks and fight to the death, cavalry formations are difficult to regroup. Whether they advance bravely and diligently or retreat cowardly depends entirely on their daily training and the indomitable spirit in their hearts.

The Mongol Right Wing tribes had lived in peace for far too long beneath the border walls of Datong and Xuanfu.

How could they possibly be a match for the Chahar tribe, which had been fighting the Later Jin cavalry for more than ten years?
More and more people are feeling fear.

More and more people are beginning to doubt whether this charge can be successful.

More and more people are thinking that it would be better to let this period pass, just like that morning, to regroup and reorganize before making any further plans.

Until the first Mongol right-wing cavalryman could no longer withstand the immense pressure coming from the front, he suddenly turned his horse around, attempting to turn back from the side and escape the torrent of charges.

One, two, ten, a hundred...

Taking advantage of the sunshine, the 10,000 cavalry charged forward and, before even making contact, had already declared an initial victory for the Chahar tribe.

……

Unbeknownst to anyone, amidst the billowing dust raised by the clash of the two main forces, a cavalry force of over a thousand men, taking advantage of the initial turmoil caused by the Six Great Fortresses, shot forward like a straight arrow.

Lin Danhan has finally made his most crucial and fatal move!

Let's play another afternoon of wave-like offense and defense?
Why waste another precious day on this unfamiliar grassland?
No, Lin Danhan has received the signal he most wanted.

The military strategy passed down by the great Genghis Khan states:
Entering is like entering a walnut grove, arranged like a lake.

When attacking, one should fight as if digging through a tunnel!

Now is the perfect time!

Guiyingqia, fully armored, led Lindan Khan's most elite Baiya La troops, silently crossing the lines of his own Gushan forces.

Speed ​​up, speed up, and speed up again!
A hundred steps away, covered in the blink of an eye!

Still in place, the Tumed cavalry, serving as the central reserve force, had just received the vanguard that had retreated from the front, or rather, "returned" back, and were in a state of chaos.

The vanguard of the Baiyala Central Army, led by Guiyingqia, was already close at hand!
"shoot!"

At a distance of ten paces, powerful shots rained down!
The first three cavalry ranks fired arrows as they charged, sending the Tumed reserve troops flying and crashing to the ground.

The remaining hundreds of cavalrymen, while galloping, gradually expanded their ranks from the vertical formation they had used when crossing the main camp at Gushan into a horizontal formation.

When the Tumed cavalry finally saw the fine armor on this cavalry unit, which reflected the sunlight, they realized what it was.

This cavalry phalanx, which served as the last reserve force, collapsed almost instantly on the spot!

There was no organization, training, or equipment to support them in this doomed confrontation!

Perhaps some Han Chinese groups in the Central Plains could.

Perhaps the Mongol warriors of Genghis Khan's time could.

But it is definitely not the current chaotic and panicked Tumed cavalry.

Except for a few brave but foolish individuals who spurred their horses forward, everyone else was desperately whipping their warhorses, fleeing towards the northwest or southwest without regard for anything else.

There was no formation, no organization, and no purpose.

The only option is to escape, escape, escape!
Bai Ya La ruthlessly hacked at the defenseless lambs from behind, amplifying their fear and driving them away from the battlefield.

Guiying burst into hearty laughter, but did not order the pursuit of the fleeing soldiers.

On the battlefield, once a cavalry unit loses its organization, it is no different from being annihilated.

It's not worth wasting even a fraction of your energy on it.

He turned his horse around and charged sideways towards another position of the Haraqin cavalry, which was still wavering between wavering and holding on.

It was still the same set of skillful tactics.

Slowly, as they advanced, the scattered Baiya cavalry gradually regrouped.

Once everyone had gathered, it was the same old routine that had been practiced countless times.

Quick steps, darting steps, front row cuts diagonally and fires! Back row charges straight in from the side!
One round is over! Two rounds are over!

No unit could withstand this fully armored cavalry force—even though most of them were only wearing leather armor.

All the cavalry turned to look back at their main camp.

—They are waiting for the reserve force sent by the central army.

However, Ligdan Khan reacted even faster than the Mongol right-wing coalition.

From behind, within the Chahar army's great formation, came the rapid and high-pitched sound of drums.

That's a signal to advance! It's a signal to launch a full-scale attack! It's a signal to stop hesitating, to bet everything, and to seize final victory!

The remaining central army troops swarmed out!

The Chahar cavalry from the Six Gushan Mountains are charging with all their might!
The foreign cavalry scattered on the left and right flanks also flanked and swept in from both sides!

They seemed certain that they had won the victory!

And it was precisely because they were so certain that the Mongol right-wing tribes lost even more confidence in victory!

The cavalry waves, which had been locked in a stalemate for most of the day, seemed to freeze for a moment.

But in just a moment, this towering wave crashed heavily onto the west side!

The banners of Busitu and Sunangtaiji moved westward, while the banners of Khan Ahai and Boyanhuangtaiji moved southward. The other tribes also scattered in all directions, retreating in all directions like Brownian motion with a directional jet.

The Mongolian right wing has been defeated!
Lin Dan laughed heartily, galloping on his horse, his heart filled with boundless pride.

After planning for half a year and leading his troops across thousands of miles, he finally won the victory he had dreamed of on the shores of Haizi Lake in Jining!

That was a complete and exhilarating victory that he had never experienced against the Ming army or the Jurchens!

The great, god-of-gods, all-wise Genghis Khan is about to join this grand game of chess!

……

however,
Just when Lin Dan Khan was feeling triumphant.

Little did he know that a tiny but vital force was beginning to sprout in a humble house in the Forbidden City.

In a way, it doesn't matter if he doesn't know.

Because this power was never designed for him.

(End of this chapter)