Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 51 The Great Banner Presses Down: The Mongol Cavalry's Last Song!

At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight shone on the earth, a battle involving hundreds of thousands of people was unfolding outside Datong City.

"kill!!!"

The 125,000-strong Daqian army and nearly 100,000 Mongol cavalry were completely bloodthirsty, it was a fight to the death.

General Niu Jizong, the Grand General of the Northern Expedition, personally commanded the central army, while Hou Xiaokang, Liu Fang, and others took the lead and fought bravely against the enemy.

The only sounds in the world were the clang of metal, shouts of battle, and the screech of blades piercing flesh. All language seemed pale in comparison to such a desperate struggle. One figure after another fell, only to be replaced by another. It had become the most brutal meat grinder ever.

Even the eldest sons of the founding nobles were no exception; each one fought to the death under the protection of their family guards.

Shi Bingyi, the head of the Duke of Shanguo's mansion and a hereditary first-class baron, was hit by several arrows. He looked up to the sky and roared, "Come on, I'm waiting for you here."

"Little father-in-law!"

The surrounding officers and soldiers watched helplessly as hundreds of Mongol cavalry surrounded and killed Shi Bingyi, but they were blocked outside and powerless to do anything.

However, this was only a small part of the battlefield. The more than twenty noble sons who had accompanied the army all died on the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide. The Mongol cavalry had long noticed these 'important figures' protected by their retainers, and they all became live targets.

"General."

"The front lines can't hold out any longer."

"If this continues, the founding noble line will all die out, and so will we."

The magistrate of Datong spoke with some reluctance.

"Yes, General."

The other officers and deputy officers all looked worried.

The most elite troops in Datong are here: 30,000 border soldiers and 20,000 cavalry from the capital. If they were to press forward, the situation would immediately turn around, instead of the current precarious state.

Although the Daqian forces numbered 125,000, they only had 10,000 cavalry. They were facing nearly 100,000 Mongol cavalry. It was a major taboo for infantry to attack cavalry, especially on flat ground.

"These Mongol barbarians are really patient!"

General Nian Gengyao, the commander-in-chief of Datong in the center of the army formation, clearly saw the scene on the battlefield through his telescope, and his heart was bleeding as well.

If the entire founding lineage were to die here today, then he, as the general, would have no choice but to surrender. But he had no choice but to endure it, since Niu Jizong had entrusted him with this most important task.

As long as the Mongol 50,000 Kheshig troops don't show up, the 50,000 troops here absolutely cannot easily reveal themselves; now is the time to test their willpower.

"The great banner is raised."

Niu Jizong, who was on the battlefield, naturally realized the deterioration of the situation and gave orders with a firm look in his eyes.

"Yes."

His personal guards carried the central military banner and advanced step by step.

"Brothers, kill!"

Liu Fang and Hou Xiaokang noticed this scene, and their eyes blazed with intense fighting spirit. With a roar, they fought even harder.

All the officers and soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty saw it, and a flame seemed to be ignited in everyone's heart. It was the confidence and domineering spirit of the Central Plains Dynasty. One by one, they charged towards the Mongol cavalry opposite them without regard for their own lives, and the originally defeated battle situation was turned around in an instant.

"Woo."

Just when everyone thought the situation had stabilized, a sudden bugle call rang out from the horizon, attracting everyone's attention.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

As the earth shook and a sandstorm rose in the distance, a white Sulde, five inches thick and thirteen feet long, appeared on the battlefield. At its tip was a one-foot-long gilded three-pronged iron spear, and a circle of silver-white horsehair tassels wrapped around the disc fixed beneath the spearhead. Furthermore, eight nine-foot-long companion spears stood upright on the four sides and four corners, connected to the main Sulde by ropes made of horsehair, remaining perfectly still even as the warhorses galloped.

"Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta!"

Following them came an overwhelming Mongol cavalry, each clad in leather armor and wielding a scimitar, sweeping across the land.

"Hahaha!"

Niu Jizong burst into laughter. He had finally waited for this moment. As soon as the nine-stripe white banner symbolizing the Great Khan of the Mongols appeared, 50,000 Kheshig troops charged out.

"Brothers."

"kill!"

After waiting for a long time, Nian Gengyao issued the order to attack and personally rushed to the battlefield.

"kill!!!"

Thirty thousand border troops and twenty thousand cavalrymen from the capital garrison charged towards the fifty thousand Kheshig troops that had just appeared. The clash between the two elite forces was like a thunderbolt striking the earth, completely igniting the battle and bringing it to its peak intensity, with both sides deploying all their forces.

Whether they were Mongols or soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty, they were all like wolves and tigers, ready to fight with swords and spears, their killing intent palpable.

"Are we just going to watch?"

On the walls of Datong, Chen Ruiwen, Ma Shang, Han Yu, Fan Yuan, Pei Zhe, and others watched the fierce battle that was so close at hand, feeling somewhat reluctant to let it go.

"Anyone who dares to open the city gates will be killed without exception!"

Prince Teng, the military governor of the capital, coldly issued an order, completely extinguishing their hopes.

From the moment they were ordered to defend Datong, this became their mission. As long as they held Datong, no matter how the fighting went on, they would ultimately be credited and blameless. But if Datong fell, their entire family would be punished by the emperor.

Time passed second by second, and the battle continued from dawn until dusk. As the sun gradually set in the west, the sunset on the horizon turned blood red, and both sides were nearing their limits.

Niu Jizong, Hou Xiaokang, Liu Fang, Nian Gengyao and others were on edge, covered in blood, and still hacking and slashing at the enemy. No one noticed the black shadow that appeared on the horizon.

"My lord!"

"We've finally made it!"

Dong Yong looked at the battlefield in the distance and said with great emotion.

"Ah."

With piercing eyes, Jia Yan stared at the battlefield, which was locked in a stalemate, and said in a deep voice: "All troops, head straight for the Nine-Arch White Banner."

"Yes."

More than 500 cavalrymen clad in black cloth armor unanimously focused their gaze on a corner of the battlefield, where thousands of Mongol cavalrymen surrounded a white banner with nine banners. If it was not the Mongol Great Khan Borjigin, then who was it?
Meanwhile, the Mongol Great Khan, Borjigin Nari, was extremely agitated. From the night raid at dawn to the current battle, his patience had been completely exhausted. He could not tolerate the end of the proud Golden Family's rule here.

"Boo! Hah! Hah!"

A sharp whistling sound interrupted Borjigin's thoughts that day, and small black dots appeared in the sky illuminated by the sunset.

A barrage of arrows enveloped the Khan's personal guards who were protecting the area, the triangular arrowheads piercing their skin and embedding themselves deep into their flesh.

"what!!!"

In an instant, hundreds of Mongol cavalrymen were shot dead on the spot, their shrill screams echoing everywhere.

The cavalrymen who accompanied Jia Yan on the expedition all carried short-barreled horsebows with a weight of one stone. At this distance, the penetrating power of the arrows was far beyond what the leather armor on the Mongol cavalrymen could withstand, making them easy targets.

(End of this chapter)