Sweep Yuan

Chapter 114 Backwater Formation on the Banks of the Luqian River

The next day at the fourth watch, the soldiers' cooks got up to prepare the meal.

Before dawn, the army finished breakfast and began dismantling the camp.

The main battle is still at least an hour away from officially starting, but between the two camps, scouts from both sides have already begun a fierce preliminary battle in order to find out as much as possible about the enemy's movements so that their commanders can deploy their troops accordingly.

"Report: The government troops have first breached the western camp wall, and some troops have already left the camp and are advancing westward."

"Luqian River?"

"Shilitang?"

As soon as the scout finished reporting, Shishan and Pu Daoren simultaneously guessed Dong Tuanxiao's intention—to form a battle formation with their backs to the river.

"Explore again!"

About four miles west of the government army camp, the Luqian River (a tributary of the Chi River) flows from northwest to southeast and empties into a lake two miles downstream, called Shilitang.

Dong Tuanxiao ordered the government troops to break camp and advance westward, his intention certainly not to escape.

At this point in time, with so many people, rushing across the river right under the noses of the Red Flag Battalion is simply courting death.

That would mean setting up the troops with their backs to the Luqian River and their right side to the Shilitang River. This way, they could leverage the advantage of having a large number of officers and soldiers while effectively avoiding the problem of low morale.

Shi Shan valued geographical information highly, always collecting and drawing maps wherever he went. Pu Daoren, as a military advisor, influenced by Marshal Shi, already had a mental map of the mountains and rivers. Recalling Dong Tuanxiao's scheme, he sighed:

"A reputation is well-deserved! Marshal, this scoundrel has indeed mastered some skill to remain undefeated in battle."

"Ah."

Shi Shan nodded, then laughed heartily:
"Only such an opponent deserves our Red Flag Battalion to go all out and test the effectiveness of our training!"

With the troops sent to aid Dingyuan, Shishan only left the Second Battalion (commanded by Zhou Shier) to defend the city, along with more than a thousand supplementary soldiers who were training. There was no need to worry too much about the safety of the rear in the short term.

The expeditionary force consisted of the Swift Cavalry Battalion (commander Li Wu), the Imperial Guard Battalion (commander Gong Wu), the Zhenshuo Battalion (commander Fu Youde), the Fenwu Battalion (commander Wu Liujin), and the Bashan Battalion (commander Hu Dahai).

In addition, there were four Class B battalions: Battalion 1 (commander Zeng Xing), Battalion 3 (commander Han Cheng), Battalion 4 (newly built, commander Tang He), and Battalion 6 (commander Geng Zaicheng).

The army alone numbered nearly four thousand soldiers, and with the addition of the supply battalion and accompanying civilians, the total number exceeded five thousand, a veritable all-out effort.

Inspired by Shi Shan's boldness, Pu Daoren's competitive spirit was ignited, and he stroked his beard and laughed:

"I also want to see whether this Butcher Dong is simply copying blindly or has grasped some of the true essence of the God of War."

Even though he knew that the government troops were at their weakest when they broke camp, Shi Shan never thought of urging his entire army to catch up with the government troops and start a battle.

After all, the two camps were nearly five miles apart, and the Red Flag Battalion was breaking camp. If they pursued hastily, they might not catch up with the government troops and instead get thrown into disarray.

But anything can happen, and such a good opportunity certainly shouldn't be let slip away.

"Summon Li Wu."

Before long, Li Wu arrived, and as soon as he lifted the tent flap, he asked for battle:
"Third Brother, with so many government troops moving camp in the dark, there must be many local militia who don't know what's going on and might think that Dong Tuanxiao is trying to escape."

"Let me lead my elite cavalry to catch up with them, and then shout 'The government troops have been defeated!' That will surely shake the morale of the local militia. If we can scare them into a rout on the spot, we can then pursue and kill them. Wouldn't that mean we've won this battle? Hahaha!"

Li Wu seemed to be recalling the scene of himself leading the elite cavalry to chase down the fleeing soldiers, and he laughed exaggeratedly.

Shishan and Pudaoren looked at each other, both seeing doubt in each other's eyes—when did Li Wu, this blockhead, become so clever?

"Who gave you this idea?"

Li Wu was laughing heartily when Shi Shan saw through his act and felt a little embarrassed. He habitually raised his hand to scratch his head, but forgot that he was wearing a helmet and scratched it so hard that it clanged loudly.

"Hehe, Third Brother understands me best. He's like Wang Bi from our battalion."

Wang Bi was from Linhuai (the seat of Sizhou Prefecture). After Shishan returned from Hong County and lifted the siege of Wuhe, he sent Li Wu to pursue the government troops to the territory of Linhuai County. It was at that time that Wang Bi led dozens of villagers to join Li Wu.

This man wielded two swords exceptionally well; with each flash of the blade, a dozen or so ordinary men could not get close. His horsemanship was also quite good. At that time, Shi Shan was concerned that Li Wu's bravery was limited and his ability to attack was insufficient, so he allowed Wang Bi to remain in the cavalry camp to assist Li Wu.

Unexpectedly, Wang Bi was not only exceptionally brave but also quite intelligent. Placing him as a squad leader in the elite cavalry was a waste of his talent.

"Dong Tuanxiao is most skilled at psychological warfare, how could he easily leave such a big flaw? However, it is not a bad idea to try this plan. If the local militia is indeed defeated, you should launch a surprise attack. If there is no such sign, just harass them, and never engage the government cavalry in a head-on confrontation."

Dong Tuanxiao's main force consisted mostly of cavalry (the remainder being mounted infantry), which was his key to victory on the battlefield.

On the battlefield, only cavalry can truly fight against cavalry.

Although the elite cavalry battalion was not as numerous as the government cavalry, it was the "ballast" of the Red Flag Battalion in the decisive battle. If it were lost before the battle, the battle would be much more difficult to win.

Li Wu understood better than anyone the importance of the elite cavalry to his third brother's cause, and he was equally unwilling to sacrifice his precious cavalry.

"I understand."

"Go."

After the elite cavalry had finished assembling, Shi Shan personally went out of the camp to see them off, watching them disappear into the twilight before dawn. However, he did not urge the infantry battalions to speed up their break-up—the soldiers were already moving very quickly, and urging them further would easily lead to problems such as losing equipment or disrupting formations.

The opponent in this battle is no ordinary one. It would be better if some schemes could succeed, but if they cannot, we will have to rely on battle formations to prove our strength. Only by defeating the powerful enemy head-on with a dignified formation can the Red Flag Battalion be considered truly transformed.

In Dingyuan City.

Scouts had already spotted the direction of the government army's camp, with a long line of torches moving westward toward the Luqian River and Shilitang. As the sky gradually brightened, the Red Flag Battalion could also be vaguely seen moving westward as well.

Dong Tuanxiao's decision to withdraw from the designated battlefield and choose to deploy his troops with their backs to the river was a risky move, a desperate gamble that also avoided the risk of being attacked from both sides by the Red Flag Battalion and the Dingyuan rebels.

For some unknown reason, Guo Zixing, despite knowing that both armies had already broken camp, refused to send troops, watching as Shi Shan and Dong Tuanxiao's forces were about to clash on his "home turf," while keeping the city gates tightly shut and remaining a mere spectator.

Shao Rong was so anxious he was jumping up and down. Ignoring Zhang Tianyou and the others' attempts to stop him, he forced his way into the Wanhu Mansion. "Brother Guo—Wanhu, the government troops have retreated to the Luqian River and Shilitang area. It seems they are going to form a battle line with their backs to the river. The Red Flag Battalion is short of troops. Although we have a chance of winning if we fight the government troops head-on, there are also risks. If we lose this battle, Dingyuan will surely fall. We cannot afford not to send troops."

"What are you standing there for! Quickly serve my brother Shao some tea."

Guo Zixing rubbed the teacup in his hand, his gaze dark and unfathomable. His title of commander of ten thousand households was forcibly bestowed by Shi Shan, and Shao Rong had made it clear that he was firmly aligned with Shi Shan. If the Red Flag Battalion won, Dingyuan would not be Guo Zixing's Dingyuan; if they lost...

"Brother Shao, don't worry. The Red Flag Camp is only seven or eight miles from the city. Scouts can get there in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Since Marshal Shi hasn't sent anyone to inform us to send troops, he probably doesn't need the Dingyuan troops."

Looking at Guo Zixing, whose eyes were blinded by power, Shao Rong sighed inwardly that they were ultimately not on the same path.

If I were Shishan, I would also be suspicious of the Dingyuan rebels, whose combat strength was questionable and whose stance was wavering. I would rather have more casualties in my own troops than have such teammates affect the rhythm of the battlefield.

But if you don't go unless the marshal invites you, you won't have made any contribution in this battle. After the battle, how will you have the face to sit in this position of commander of ten thousand?

Shao Rong had completely given up on Guo Zixing and no longer wanted anything else.

"If Commander Wan is concerned about the instability in the city, please give my men five hundred men. In this battle, the Red Flag Battalion is fighting for the Dingyuan Righteous Army. For both public and private reasons, we cannot be bystanders!"

"This? You know, most of my personal guards were reorganized and sent down to the lower ranks. Five hundred is a bit too many, so I'll give you two—"

Seeing Shao Rong's increasingly grim expression, Guo Zixing changed his mind before he could finish speaking.

“Here’s three hundred. The government troops are fierce and cannot be defeated by force. We are not like Marshal Shi. It’s not easy for us to acquire this much wealth. Brother Shao, you must not act rashly and ruin your own life. Dingyuan still needs you.”

Three hundred is three hundred. Adding our own troops and the fifty men Guo Xing brought, there are more than four hundred.

Shao Rong had no more interest in listening to Guo Zixing's nonsense. He glanced at the tea brought by the maid, sneered, and strode out of the government office.

"Don't worry, Wanhu, I'm tough. I won't die so easily!"

Dong Tuanxiao lived up to his reputation as a famous general and did not give Li Wu a chance to intimidate the local militia.

However, the repeated harassment by the elite cavalry still slowed down the march and formation of the government troops. By the time Shi Shan led the main force to the banks of the Luqian River, the government troops were still adjusting their formation.

Dong Tuanxiao cleverly utilized the terrain, setting up a crane wing formation with his back to the river. A large army of 12,000 was deployed in an embracing formation, with the east bank of the Luqian River to the west and the northern edge of Shilitang to the south.

Although deploying troops with their backs to the river puts them in a desperate situation, it was a last resort for Dong Tuanxiao. The local militia of Dingyuan were inexperienced in battle and their morale was low. Only by cutting off their retreat could they be forced to fight to the death.

Instead of adopting the relatively conservative diagonal straight line formation ("\"), Shishan set up a diagonal wedge formation ("<"), with the "wedge head" like a sharp knife piercing the center of the government army's crane wing formation. The goal was to break the formation with elite troops and defeat the central army before the government army could encircle it from both flanks.

The wedge was formed by the Bashan Battalion, followed by the Third Battalion, the Sixth Battalion, and the Fenwu Battalion on the left, and the First Battalion, the Fourth Battalion, and the Zhenshuo Battalion on the right.

Unlike the "dead formation" that was set up and could not be moved once it was set up at Chulan Station, the wedge formation in this battle could not only be moved, but each battalion also had to be able to flexibly change positions and fill empty spaces during the battle.

Therefore, the camps were spaced about thirty paces apart, and the gaps between them were not open spaces, but rather traps blocked by bows, crossbows, and spears.

Inside the wedge-shaped formation were the Guardian Battalion and the Cavalry Battalion, which protected the safety of the stone mountain.

To keep abreast of the battlefield situation, Shishan specially ordered the supply battalion to build a steel-clad chariot about ten feet high, which, along with a bright red banner, ensured that all soldiers could see the marshal behind them at all times.

The downside is that doing so also allows the government troops to clearly see the location of the Red Flag Battalion's command center.

"Sizhong, are you confident you can kill the bandit chieftain?"

In the ranks of the government troops.

As soon as the bandits set up the "wedge", Dong Tuanxiao guessed Shishan's intention.

The rebel army attempted to use its elite troops to break through the thickest part of the government army's formation in the middle, crush the government army's morale in one fell swoop, and then drive the defeated soldiers to charge and kill the government troops on both sides.

However, he deployed this Crane Wing Formation to take advantage of his superior numbers, lure the enemy deep into his territory, and then encircle them from both sides.

Morale was a major problem for both government troops and rebel forces.

Once the encirclement is complete, the enemy army will be thrown into chaos. If we can take advantage of their confusion to kill their leader, then the outcome of this battle will be a foregone conclusion.

After all, while forming a battle line with their backs to the river could offset the disadvantage of the local warriors' low morale, it could not cover up their lack of training and poor equipment. Once they got into a tough battle, the outcome would be unpredictable. This battle had to be won quickly.

Yu Sizhong stared intently at the Red Flag Battalion's formation, which was still being adjusted, for a long while before saying:

“The bandit leader is cautious and has the most troops around him. His formation is also very tight. The troops I lead are all light cavalry, which cannot break through the strong formation. We must at least mobilize a part of them before we can try.”

Even the fierce generals who charged into battle dared not make any promises, and a shadow fell over Dong Tuanxiao's heart, but his face still showed confidence.

"it is good."

Just before the Red Flag Battalion's final adjustments were made, Shao Rong's troops finally arrived at the battlefield and immediately apologized to Shi Shan.

"Your subordinate is late; please punish me, Marshal!"

"Haha, it's not too late! As long as you make it in time, it's never too late!"

Shishan did not order the Dingyuan rebels to assist him, but that was because he knew Guo Zixing was not a true hero and did not have high expectations for him, not because Shishan was arrogant and insisted on taking risks when he clearly had troops available.

It was ultimately a good thing that Shao Rong was able to lead his troops to arrive in time.

After all, mid- to high-ranking officers, having been tested in battle, can still barely maintain their composure.

The lower-ranking soldiers couldn't think that much. Even though the officers repeatedly emphasized that the government troops were mostly local militia, the psychological pressure of facing an enemy force that outnumbered their own three to one and having to "dive headfirst into the encirclement" was unimaginable.

At this moment, every bit of extra strength gives the soldiers a significant boost in confidence.

Knowing that the Dingyuan rebels were poorly trained, Shishan did not rashly add them to the "wedge," but instead left them on the left flank of the Jiaowei Battalion within the formation.

(End of this chapter)