Sweep Yuan

Chapter 171 Victory over the Muddy Lands Demonstrates Power

Lujiang County has a dense network of waterways, and most of its waterways are connected to Chaohu Lake.

For example, the Hangbu River in the west of the city was originally a waterway connecting Chaohu Lake, Caizi Lake (within Anqing Road) and even the Yangtze River. During the plum rain season, the water level rises and the river widens, making it wide enough for shallow-draft flat-bottomed warships to pass.

Shishan's westward advance relied on the advantages of this water network, and he divided his forces into two routes.

The Pengyue Guard and the newly joined rebel forces traveled by boat from Chaohu to the Hangbu River and arrived at the city of Lujiang; the Second Battalion of the Xiaoji Camp took the land route.

It wasn't that they didn't want to use waterways to save effort, but the navy's boats were mostly small fishing boats, barely usable for short ferries, and would cause serious accidents for long-distance horse transport.

However, in this kind of weather, traveling by boat was not a pleasant experience. The simple awnings were crowded and damp, and with the wind and waves, many soldiers suffered from seasickness, vomiting uncontrollably and enduring unspeakable misery.

Upon arriving in Lujiang and finally set foot on solid ground, some soldiers complained that they would rather march through the mud than suffer this ordeal again.

However, if it's just about transporting troops from the north to the south of the city, there's no need to worry about seasickness.

The danger lay in the fact that the western city wall of Lujiang was right next to the Hangbu River. The defenders were positioned on high ground, and the archers were hidden under the battle tents. Their range could cover most of the water surface. Using a large number of fishing boats without protective decks to transport troops and forcibly cross this dangerous river would be tantamount to suicide.

After carefully surveying the terrain around this section of the river, Zhang Desheng and his team came up with a relatively safe plan:

First, ferry Chang Yuchun and Feng Guosheng's troops to the west bank. The fleet, empty, quickly passed through the dangerous section of the river west of Lujiang City and arrived at the designated crossing point on the south side. Then, the Chang and Feng troops, who had walked there, were sent to the east bank.

Fearing that the garrison might lay sunken ships or hidden stakes in the nearby waters, only shallow-draft small fishing boats and light fast boats were used for ferry service to prevent accidents.

The next day, an annoying drizzle began to fall again, and the ground, which had only dried a little the night before, turned into mud again.

Feng Guosheng was heartbroken to see the Qingcong horse's coat, which he had just washed the night before, covered in mud again, but there was nothing he could do. The Qingri Guard infantrymen were even worse off, their legs covered in mud and water as they trudged through the mud.

"This damn weather, it's never going to end!" a soldier muttered under his breath, his voice filled with exhaustion and helplessness.

However, rainy days are not without their advantages; at least there's no need to worry about the Lujiang garrison firing rockets to burn the small boats passing through the west of the city.

The area north of Lujiang City, near the Hangbu River, is flat and open. The garrison troops standing on the city wall can clearly see the movement of the Red Flag Battalion's troops. The ground is also muddy and slippery, so Shishan's efforts were not in vain. He did not use any tricks to feign an attack to contain the enemy's forces.

As soon as Feng Guosheng led his cavalry to the boarding point at the southern end of the west bank, he saw a group of about four hundred men from the opposing Shushan camp marching towards the landing point on the east bank that they had chosen, seemingly trying to stop the Red Flag Battalion from crossing the river.

"Hmph! Your reaction time isn't slow."

Feng Guosheng wiped the rain off his face and snorted, but he wasn't nervous.

The deterrent effect of the garrison's move far outweighs its actual effect. The terrain along this section of the Hangbu River is not high, and there are not many suitable landing sites. The garrison's small force is simply unable to block the long riverbank.

At most, all they can do is delay and harass their own actions.

Not long after the navy finished transporting the Qingri Guards, the fleet quickly passed west of Lujiang City. Sure enough, the garrison had driven hidden stakes into the water. Three small boats were damaged, but it wasn't a big problem; at least they could still transport all the cavalry in one trip.

As boarding began, the riverbank was bustling with activity as soldiers shouted and urged their warhorses to board.

Because the small boats had rocked violently during the previous river crossing, some warhorses were afraid of this narrow and dangerous vehicle and refused to board, snorting loudly. Feng Guosheng had no choice but to leave nearly a hundred cavalrymen on the west bank and use the extra transport capacity to transport the Qingri Guard infantry.

After all the boats had been boarded, Zhang Desheng, who was in charge of commanding the fleet, stood on the stern of a fast boat and decisively gave the order:

"Set sail! Downstream! Maintain formation!"

Using the force of the current, the fleet quickly sailed away from the west bank, forming a long dragon on the wide river, heading downstream towards the safe crossing point.

Wearing iron armor and a straw raincoat, Feng Guosheng stood beside Zhang Desheng, watching the latter issue various boat handling commands. Before long, he got bored and looked up to see the four hundred-man garrison chasing the fleet downstream along the east bank of the river.

"what!"

A glint of light flashed in Feng Guosheng's eyes, and a bold and cunning idea instantly popped into his head. He slammed his hand on Zhang Desheng's shoulder and shouted:

"Brother! Slow down! Control the speed!"

Zhang Desheng immediately understood Feng Guosheng's intention and thought to himself:

"This 'Crazy Guosheng' wants to use the fleet as bait, leading the garrison through the mud like a dog on a leash? The idea is good, but the garrison isn't stupid. They won't fall for it so easily and let you lead them by the nose."

Feng Guosheng was the vanguard in crossing the river, and Zhang Desheng could only suppress his doubts and displeasure—especially at the condescending "brother" he was addressed. Both were commanders, but Zhang Desheng was five years younger and far less experienced than Feng Guosheng, so even though he was unhappy, he had no choice but to accept it.

Zhang Desheng gave a stern order to the flag bearer beside him:
"Lower the sails to half-mast, turn the wind to starboard, and tighten the sail ropes by three feet. Inform the rear of the column to slow down."

The boat's speed noticeably decreased, and it drifted slowly downstream.

Chen Tong, the commander of the garrison, who was chasing after them through the mud on the east bank, was panting heavily and about to give up when he saw this. He was stunned for a moment, then spat and cursed:
"Damn it, what are those traitors up to? Why have they slowed down?"

Suspicion arose in his mind, and he waved to his subordinates to slow down and watch the fleet of boats on the river warily.

"The garrison is indeed not stupid," Zhang Desheng thought to himself, looking at the hesitant expressions of the garrison on the shore.

The fleet drifted slowly downstream for about half a mile, maintaining a posture that seemed ready to dock at any moment, yet never actually did.

Chen Tong's doubts grew stronger. The muddy riverbank made the pursuit on foot extremely difficult, and the soldiers were full of complaints. He stopped, wiped the sweat and rain from his face, and looked at the leisurely fleet ahead. Suddenly realizing something, he cursed:
"Damn it, we've been tricked! Leave one team to keep watch, the rest of you, get out of here with me!"

The exhausted soldiers, as if granted a pardon, immediately turned around and, with heavy steps, trudged back the way they had come through the mud.

Seeing that its prey was about to escape danger, Feng Guosheng urged it repeatedly:

"Quick! Commander Zhang, get to shore! Don't let them escape!"

Helpless, Zhang Desheng gave the order:
"Hard to port! Target: East shore sandbar! Prepare for landing!"

With flag signals given, the fleet turned one by one, bows pointing directly to the shore, oarsmen rowing with all their might, ready to launch a beach landing.

Just as Chen Tong's troops breathed a sigh of relief and were preparing to retreat, they were suddenly shocked and furious when they saw the Red Flag Battalion's fleet making its movements.

"How dare you, you scoundrel, play such a trick on your grandfather!"

Chen Tong was so angry that he jumped up and down, cursing loudly:

"Go back! Stop them! Turn around now!"

The exhausted defenders had no choice but to turn around again and wade through the mud to the south, their formation becoming even more chaotic.

"Hehe, that's right."

Seeing that the defending troops had been tricked, Feng Guosheng patted Zhang Desheng on the shoulder and said:

"Brother Zhang, let's continue downstream south, and speed things up a bit."

Just as the bow of the ship was about to touch the soft, wet mudflats on the shore, Zhang Desheng changed the command flag on his flagship again.

Suddenly, all the oarsmen on the boats rowed sharply in the opposite direction, the boats drew arcs on the water, the bows lifted rapidly, and then they accelerated downstream.

Human strength has its limits. The defending troops chased for less than a hundred paces before the fleet sailing downstream gradually pulled away. Chen Tong's face turned from pale to purple, his chest heaving violently. Finally, he gritted his teeth and fiercely waved his hand:

"Stop! We're not going to chase them anymore. Those traitors are cunning; they're deliberately trying to toy with us. We're already too far from camp. Let's go back to camp, quickly!"

The soldiers were already exhausted. Upon hearing this, they immediately turned around and walked back in silence.

Feng Guosheng, however, was not giving up. Looking at the retreating troops on the shore, he shouted to Zhang Desheng again:
"Brother! Let's get to shore one more time! Quickly!"

Zhang Desheng obeyed the order, and the fleet made a show of approaching the shore again.

This time, the garrison on the shore only glanced back warily, and instead of stopping, they accelerated their retreat under Chen Tong's stern urging.

"You're giving up so soon?"

As Feng Guosheng watched the defending troops retreat further and further away, he knew the enemy wouldn't turn back this time; the time to land had come! He raised his spear high and roared:

"Get to shore! Quick! Everyone, charge ashore!"

After shouting, Feng Guosheng didn't wait for the speedboat to fully dock. He took a running start and jumped straight off the bow. With a "plop," Feng Guosheng's tall body landed in the muddy water, which was knee-deep. He wiped the mud off his face and then smacked his lips and let out a loud and long whistle.

“Yu—!”

His magnificent blue horse neighed at the sound and leaped off the gunwale without hesitation, stirring up even larger waves of mud, before wading towards him.

"Quickly! Log in! Be quick!"

The entire riverbank instantly erupted in chaos. Flags waved, officers roared, and more than two hundred small boats, like sharks smelling blood, rushed headlong into the narrow mudflats.

In an instant, the muffled thuds of boat planks hitting the riverbank, the restless neighing of warhorses, the shouts of knights urging them on, the splashing of muddy water being violently stirred, the splashes of soldiers jumping into the water, and the rustling of boat timbers rubbing against each other due to the crowding and collisions all mingled together, creating a heart-stopping reverberation.

It was relatively easy for the small boats to run aground on the mudflats, and the soldiers jumping off the boats wouldn't take much time.

But the warhorses needed to be soothed after disembarking, and the riders had to struggle to pull and control them in the cold mud.

Many horses hesitated, stamping their hooves in fear, refusing to jump off the boat no matter how much the boatman and rider scolded, whipped, and dragged them.

Some of the bolder warhorses, or those that were forcibly pushed off, struggled violently upon entering the water due to fear or slipping, dragging down the sailors who were pulling them and even capsizing small boats.

Several warhorses that had already entered the water were kicking and struggling in the mud, trying to regain their footing. Their bodies were covered in mud, with only their terrified eyes showing.

The knights struggled to pull their mounts through the water, their shouts sounding particularly weak in the wind and rain.

The entire landing scene was chaotic, like a boiling quagmire, and the efficiency was far below expectations.

Feng Guosheng led his green horse onto the slightly firmer mudflats, anxiously surveying the chaotic landing area. He then turned to look at the distant backs of the garrison, a force of four hundred men desperately running through the mud toward the small camp on Shushan Mountain.

"You think you can just let the easy prey fly away?!"

Once the thought arose, it was impossible to suppress. Feng Guosheng abruptly pulled on the reins, leaped onto his horse, his wet raincoat clinging to the cold iron armor. He glanced around and saw the four cavalrymen closest to him who had already managed to climb onto their horses. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes:

"We can't wait any longer! You four, come with me and hold them off! The rest of you, get on board as soon as your horses disembark!"

The muddy, soft ground was not suitable for warhorses to gallop. The heavy hooves sank deep into the mud, and each step was more strenuous than usual, kicking up large clumps of mud.

But the speed and stability of a warhorse with its four hooves shod in iron on such ground are ultimately far superior to that of an infantryman whose feet are stuck in the mud.

"drive!"

Without another word, Feng Guosheng kicked the horse's belly hard, the soaking wet whip lashing the horse's rump. The horse neighed loudly, its hooves pounding the sticky mud, breaking free from its heavy restraints, and bolted forward.

In the drizzling rain, treading on the muddy riverbank, mud splashed like black waves under the iron hooves as big as bowls. The five cavalrymen were like five black arrows released from a bow, shooting towards the hundreds of enemy soldiers who were "fleeing" with a resolute momentum.

The rapid sound of horses' hooves broke through the rain, and a commotion broke out at the rear of the retreating garrison.

Chen Tong glanced back and immediately knew what the enemy cavalry was up to. Without hesitation, he pointed to a relatively well-organized group of soldiers beside him and shouted:

"You two stay here with your signs and block those riders! The rest of you, don't stop, keep retreating."

Feng Guosheng crouched low, pressed close to the horse's neck, ignoring the twenty enemy soldiers who were huddled together in fear. He squeezed the horse's belly with his legs, controlling the reins, and the warhorse skillfully drew an arc, its hooves kicking up large patches of mud as it quickly swept past the rearguard of the enemy.

"Follow me!"

Feng Guosheng's objective was crystal clear—the fleeing main force of the defending army!
The ground was muddy and slippery, and the defenders kept slipping and falling as they retreated. Their formation had long been torn apart. Chen Tong was extremely anxious, but he dared not order the troops to stop and regroup.

He knew that if he stopped, he would be surrounded by more and more cavalrymen, and then it would be truly over.

On a clear day, four hundred infantrymen, when arrayed, could easily repel these few cavalrymen with their bows and crossbows.

However, rain would significantly reduce the performance of the already poorly made bows and arrows, and even damage them. When Chen Tong went out to intercept the enemy crossing the river, he did not order his men to carry the precious bows and arrows needed for defending the camp. In fact, Feng Guosheng's troops also advanced lightly and quickly, without carrying bows and arrows.

Chen Tong believed he had been cautious enough. After discovering Feng Guosheng's intentions, he decisively retreated before the Red Flag Battalion cavalry could land, as he had hoped to use the distance advantage to retreat back to his camp.

Unexpectedly, Feng Guosheng was so fierce that he dared to chase after several hundred men with only five riders. Moreover, he cunningly bypassed the rearguard and relentlessly pursued the tail of the column, constantly causing casualties and panic.

The five cavalrymen were not a significant threat, but behind them, many more cavalrymen were rushing out of the riverbank and converging on this side. Once they were entangled, once the large cavalry force caught up with them, the three-mile journey back to camp would become an insurmountable death trap.

"what!"

Another piercing scream came from the rear of the column. Chen Tong turned around, his eyes wide with horror. A soldier who had fallen behind was easily cut down in the mud by the catching-up Red Flag cavalry, his blood instantly staining the murky mud red.

More and more of his comrades fell behind or stumbled, mercilessly slaughtered by the pursuing cavalry. Despair, like a cold, venomous snake, coiled around Chen Tong's heart.

"This can't go on like this!"

Chen Tong stopped in his tracks, his chest heaving violently. He steeled his resolve and shouted:

"Commander Huang! Take your men and stay behind. Do whatever it takes to hold those mad dogs back! The rest of you, forget about them! Run! Run back to the camp!"

Huang Baihu's family was all in the city, and he dared not shirk his duty. Overwhelmed with grief, he stopped in his tracks, turned to face the pursuers, and drew the javelin from his back.

Although the range of javelins is limited, they are still long-range weapons. If the Red Flag Cavalry dares to get close, a volley of nearly a hundred javelins can still kill them on the spot.

Unfortunately, Feng Guosheng had already noticed the short guns on the defenders' backs.

Upon discovering that the enemy force had halted, intending to ambush his main force, the man's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Want to stab Grandpa? No way!"

Feng Guosheng suddenly turned his horse around, and the green horse neighed loudly. With all four hooves exerting force, mud splashed, and it veered off course on the slippery ground, far away from Huang Baihu's squad. Like a sharp boning knife, it once again slashed fiercely at the rear of the chaotic and fleeing main force!

"Chirp—!"

Just then, a mournful neighing of a horse and a muffled thud of a body falling to the ground came from beside me.

Feng Guosheng's heart tightened. He glanced to the side and saw that one of the cavalrymen following him had lost his balance when turning, and his horse slipped on its hind legs and crashed to the ground, throwing the rider on its back more than ten feet away.

The knight rolled several times in the mud, clearly badly injured. His warhorse also struggled and neighed in pain, unable to stand for a moment.

Feng Guosheng felt a pang in his heart, but there was no time to hesitate. He ruthlessly roared at his remaining three subordinates:

"Keep chasing! His comrades will come to his rescue. Hold on to the enemy and don't let go!"

On the other side of the riverbank, dozens of riders had already overcome the chaos of landing and successfully made it ashore. They were now struggling to control their horses and converge on this battlefield. This was the source of Feng Guosheng's confidence in pursuing hundreds of infantrymen with his five riders.

"The enemy dares to leave the camp to block us; today we'll make them pay the price!"

Just then, the heavy iron gate at the south of Lujiang City suddenly opened, and a cavalry force rushed out of the city like a floodgate bursting open, braving the drizzle.

"We're saved! Form the formation, quick!"

The fleeing defenders grasped at a straw, their desperate faces instantly brightening. They quickly stopped their frantic steps and, at the officers' shouts, began to try to assemble in the mud, attempting to form a defensive formation.

"unlucky!"

Feng Guosheng saw it clearly and couldn't help but spit out his anger. Seeing that the defeated soldiers had found their leader and were beginning to form ranks, and although his own cavalry had landed one after another, there were only a few dozen of them. Facing the defending cavalry rushing out of the city and the infantry that were gathering, it was obviously unwise to launch a strong attack.

"Damn it, all that work for nothing!"

Feng Guosheng reined in his warhorse, his eyes flashing with ferocity. He was about to turn his horse around and vent his anger on the scattered, defeated soldiers lying in the mud like lambs to the slaughter, hoping to gain some spoils of war.

But the moment he turned his horse around, his gaze swept over the cavalrymen leaving the city.

They discovered that although the enemy had nearly two hundred riders, their formation was rather scattered, and they were not charging out very fast. There was even a brief period of congestion in the city gate and the muddy ground outside the city, and the riders' handling of their horses also seemed clumsy.

"Ok?"

A thought flashed through Feng Guosheng's mind: No wonder they didn't come out of the city to intercept our landing force at the beginning; it turned out they were a hastily assembled cavalry unit, not yet fully trained. The flames of war in his eyes instantly reignited, and burned even brighter.

The Lujiang cavalry's exit point was about five li away from here, and it would take at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn for the cavalry to charge over. Looking back, sixty or seventy riders had already charged out and were striving to converge on this side, while more cavalry were landing and gathering further away.

"A hundred riders! We can gather a hundred riders!"

This number gave Feng Guosheng a thrill. Although the enemy had two hundred cavalry, their formation was scattered, clearly lacking training and coordination, and their equipment was probably not better than his own.

"An elite force can defeat a rabble, and even a one-against-two fight isn't necessarily unwinnable. Today, I'm going to take down this tough nut!"

Feng Guosheng immediately turned his horse around and galloped up a slightly higher, gentle slope nearby. The view was wide and the mud was shallow, making it an excellent position to assemble the troops, observe the enemy situation, and launch an attack.

"Commander Huang, come here quickly!"

The Red Flag Battalion cavalry abandoned the pursuit. Chen Tong took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and shouted loudly, ordering Commander Huang to move closer to the main force of his troops, prepare to form a large formation, and slowly retreat back to the camp.

On the gentle slope, rainwater washed away the mud splattered on Feng Guosheng's armor. He stood atop the slope like a cold, imposing statue of a war god, raising his mud-covered spear high and shouting sharply:
"Red Flag Battalion, move closer to me!"

The rapid sound of hooves converged in the rain, and the knights shouted as they struggled to control their warhorses, which were slightly tired after trudging through the mud, and moved closer to the conspicuous "Feng" banner at the top of the hill.

Some wore crooked armor, others had their robes torn by thorns, but their eyes burned with a thirst for battle. Feng Guosheng's gaze swept over the faces covered in mud and rain, silently counting in his mind:
Seventy-five…eighty…eighty-one. That's enough! We can't wait any longer!
In cavalry battles, both formation and speed are crucial. It is essential to increase the speed of your main force before the Lujiang cavalry gets close.

"Wedge formation! The spearhead follows me!"

Feng Guosheng's thunderous roar echoed across the hillside, and the cavalry behind him quickly formed a wedge formation.

"Target—enemy cavalry! Crush them! Giddy up!"

"Giddy up!" The eighty-one riders responded in unison, their voices piercing through the rain and reaching the ears of Chen Tong and the rapidly approaching Lujiang cavalry, causing the guards' hearts to tremble.

Feng Guosheng slammed his legs against the horse's belly, and the green horse neighed loudly. Sensing its master's boiling fighting spirit, it turned its four hooves and charged down the gentle slope first. The eighty-one riders followed closely behind, quickly spreading out to form a sharp cone-shaped formation with Feng Guosheng as the spearhead.

The horses' hooves pounded the soft, wet mud with a dull, resounding "plop," splashing mud like black waves.

The entire cavalry formation, though accelerating at a moderate pace, coalesced into an invincible and resolute momentum, like a torrent of steel cascading down a hillside, rushing straight towards the oncoming Lujiang cavalry.

The Lujiang cavalry left the city, originally to support their own small infantry camp. Relying on their superior numbers, they came with great momentum.

It was originally thought that the Red Flag cavalry, with insufficient troops, would give up and at least avoid their sharp edge, and then fight back after gathering more men.

Unexpectedly, the Red Flag Battalion cavalry not only did not retreat, but instead launched a counter-charge!
However, in rainy weather, ranged attacks are limited, and the decisive factor is close-quarters combat. Even if the opponent is more elite, they will not gain any advantage in a one-for-one battle. With the victory right in front of them, why would they be afraid?
Two hundred against eighty, the advantage is in my hands!

"Hahaha!"

Upon seeing the enemy cavalry engage, Feng Guosheng was overjoyed. Before they even clashed, his slightly manic laughter reached the Lujiang cavalry formation on the opposite side.

As the distance between the two sides rapidly closed, the Lujiang cavalry general finally saw the front of the enemy's wedge formation. The bandit general, whose iron armor was covered in mud, showed no fear on his face, only an almost insane bloodlust and excitement. The way he looked at him was just like a beast pouncing on its prey!
A chilling coldness instantly shot from his tailbone to the top of his head. His palms, gripping the reins, were drenched in cold sweat. As the two armies were about to clash, his survival instinct kicked in, and he yanked the reins sharply. His warhorse neighed and veered to the side, attempting to strike the enemy's sharpest "point."

Not only him, but also the cavalry and warhorses that had not undergone long-term and rigorous training, when faced with a "madman" charging at high speed and clearly intending to charge and fight to the death, their first reaction was to instinctively dodge—the Red Flag Battalion cavalry actually had the same fear.

However, Feng Guosheng chose a cone formation, with himself as the "point" of the cone, directly facing the most violent impact. This would significantly reduce the psychological pressure on his comrades behind him. To avoid becoming the point of impact, they could only closely follow behind the commander and kill the enemies on their sides.

The Lujiang cavalry, which were marching in a column and whose formation was already scattered, were thrown into even greater chaos as their commander took the lead in giving way.

In the chaos of dodging collisions, soldiers jostled and bumped into each other, horses neighed in fright, completely disrupting their already loose formation. Even the few brave cavalrymen who tried to attack the enemy were thrown into disarray by the chaotic jostling of their comrades, making it impossible for them to coordinate their attacks.

"kill--!"

When the two armies clashed, the Lujiang cavalry took the initiative to give way, allowing Feng Guosheng's troops to penetrate the enemy's lines directly, like a red-hot dagger piercing solidified butter without any resistance.

Immediately, the muffled thud of iron hooves striking flesh, the cracking sound of blades slicing through bone and flesh, the dying screams, the painful neighing of warhorses, and the ear-piercing scraping sound of metal colliding erupted instantly.

Feng Guosheng's spear flew left and right, and he was unmatched in front of anyone. When he felt his spear knock down an enemy rider, the view suddenly opened up before him—he had broken through the enemy formation!

In just one charge, sixteen or seventeen cavalrymen from Lujiang fell, writhing in agony in the mud. On Feng Guosheng's side, only four men fell from their horses due to impact or combat.

"Hahaha! Come again!"

Feng Guosheng felt his blood boiling. With his superb horsemanship, he controlled his warhorse to draw a beautiful arc in the mud, splashing up fan-shaped waves of mud.

With eyes like a hawk, Feng Guosheng locked onto the group of Lujiang cavalrymen not far away, who were still in shock and trying to regroup. He licked the rainwater that had splashed on his lips and tasted of rust, and waited for his soldiers to regroup into a cone shape before decisively spurring his horse forward.

"kill!"

Inspired by the commander, the seventy-seven riders behind him were also filled with fighting spirit, shouting in unison:

"kill--!"

The Lujiang cavalrymen had just recovered slightly from the dizziness of the first collision when they saw that the evil star turned around and attacked again. They were immediately terrified and scattered in fear without waiting for the officers' orders, trying to avoid this deadly edge.

The Lujiang cavalry were already inferior to Feng Guosheng's troops in terms of equipment, training, and morale. After they dispersed, their local forces were actually outnumbered by the Red Flag Battalion cavalry, making them even more vulnerable.

This charge was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. The Red Flag Battalion cavalry gained an overwhelming advantage in the local area. With the flash of their spears, eleven more men fell from their horses with screams.

"Hahaha, that's great, that's great! Keep going!"

Feng Guosheng was covered in blood (from the enemy), his raincoat torn, but he was still in high spirits and showed no signs of fatigue. He regrouped his troops and wanted to charge a third time.

However, the Lujiang cavalry on the opposite side were already poorly trained, and his relentless and continuous charges had instilled psychological trauma in them, causing them to consider retreating.

Meanwhile, on the south side of the battlefield, new Red Flag cavalrymen kept breaking through the rain and joining the fray, further terrifying them.

Seeing the Red Flag cavalry charging again, the instinct for survival overwhelmed everything. Ignoring the officers' orders, the Lujiang cavalrymen shouted and turned their horses to join their own infantry, who were retreating through the mud.

The brave hope that the combined forces of the two will deter the enemy. The cowardly, on the other hand, only want to hide in the crowd, relying on their comrades to shield them from harm, seeking a sliver of safety.

"Want to run? No way!"

Seeing this, Feng Guosheng's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he instantly changed his tactics.

"Drive away the enemy cavalry and break through the infantry formation! Stay close!"

With his stern command, the cavalry no longer pursued direct combat, but instead drove the terrified Lujiang routs, carrying them along at an even faster speed, directly crashing into Chen Tong's barely assembled infantry formation!

"Idiot! Stop! Don't come any closer!"

With the camp gate in sight, Chen Tong thought he could escape and was desperately directing his infantry to form ranks. Unexpectedly, his own cavalry, leading the enemy cavalry, charged straight at their lines like a runaway herd of wild bulls!

Chen Tong felt a sudden darkness engulf him, a chill running from his feet to his head, as if the sky had collapsed! He waved his arms desperately, his voice hoarse from screaming:

"Scatter! Scatter quickly! Don't bump into each other!"

But it was too late! The fleeing cavalry were only thinking about escaping, and they didn't care about the infantry's formation at all. The infantry, seeing their own cavalry and the torrent of death rushing towards them, were terrified and instinctively wanted to hide.

"boom--!!!"

A dull, deafening roar, a mixture of countless impacts, trampling, screams, curses, and horse neighs, suddenly erupted across the muddy plains southwest of Lujiang City!

The Lujiang infantry, fleeing in panic, collided violently with their own routed cavalry! Men and horses fell, trampling each other! The barely maintained formation crumbled instantly, turning into a chaotic quagmire of despair and infighting!
The mud, churned to a dark red by countless feet and horses' hooves, filled the air with the earthy stench of blood mixed with the smell of rain. The camp gate, so close at hand, now seemed like an insurmountable chasm...

(End of this chapter)