My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

grasslands beyond the Great Wall

The sky is like a dome, covering the vast wilderness.

The wind blows the grass low, but no cattle or sheep are in sight; only the hooves of fleeing horses and the gasps of panic and despair can be heard.

Wu Yan lay on the horse's back, the sharp pain in his shoulder blade making his vision blur.

The arrowhead of the Xianbei eagle feather arrow was still embedded in his flesh, constantly scraping against the bone with each bumpy ride, and every breath brought a stinging pain with the smell of blood.

His once magnificent leather robe was now stained with blood and dust, his helmet was nowhere to be found, and his hair was disheveled, making him look like a madman.

"My lord! We can't go any further! Ahead... ahead is the boundary marker of the ranch of the largest Xianbei chieftain in the central region!" A soldier with bruises on his face pointed to a pile of stones with strange symbols that were faintly visible ahead, his voice trembling.

Wu Yan raised his bloodshot eyes and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

How could he not know?

Although the Wuhuan and Xianbei both originated from the Donghu, the rise of the Xianbei ruler Tanshihuai led to the unification of southern Mongolia and the division of the grasslands into three parts: east, central, and west, each governed by a chieftain. His power once surpassed that of the weakened and divided Xiongnu and Wuhuan.

The various tribes of Wuhuan suffered greatly from their oppression and aggression, and plundering and killing each other were commonplace.

Although Tan Shihuai was dead and his son Helian was incompetent, causing the Xianbei tribal alliance to split again, even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse. In particular, the tribes in the central region that had once been directly under Tan Shihuai were still fierce and good at fighting, and were not something that his newly defeated and remnant army was willing to provoke.

"Damn it... Han dogs are chasing from behind, and Xianbei dogs are blocking from the front..." Wu Yan's lips were cracked, and he let out a beast-like growl.

"If we don't go through Xianbei territory, we'll either run into the Han army or force our way through Juyong Pass! That's a dead end!"

He glanced back at the road he had come from; no dust or smoke rose, suggesting that the Han army had not pursued him.

But this did not reassure him; instead, it made him even more anxious. The fear instilled in him by the Han soldiers, especially the four killing gods and the strange crossbows that could continuously spit arrows, was too deep.

"The grasslands are so vast, I refuse to believe I'm so unlucky as to run into that old wolf Ke Zui's teeth. When I return to Youbeiping, I'll still be the Khan!"

Wu Yan gritted his teeth and roared, as if persuading his subordinates, but more like encouraging himself: "Go! Go along the edge! As long as we get back to Youbeiping, we can regroup!"

The remaining two thousand or so Wuhuan cavalrymen, exhausted and disheartened by defeat and fearful of the unknown, cautiously tried to bypass the edge of the central Xianbei pastures, like a herd of frightened antelopes.

Everyone knew this was a risky situation, but there might be Han troops pursuing them, and they couldn't get through Juyong Pass. It seemed there was no better option.

They could only pray for the blessing of the Eternal Heaven, that they might be allowed to pass through this dangerous region silently, like a drop of water merging into the ocean.

However, fate seemed determined to play a cruel joke on this desperate "King Khan".

Just when they thought they were about to slip across the border, a black line suddenly appeared on the horizon ahead.

The black line quickly thickened and spread, turning into countless galloping black dots, accompanied by the deep, thunderous sound of hooves, sweeping towards this side!

Fluttering in the wind is the large banner with a wolf's head painted with the totem of the central Xianbei tribes!

"Xianbei! It's Ke Zui's cavalry!" The scout's scream was drowned out by the sudden exclamations.

Wu Yan's heart sank into an icy abyss.

He saw that the Xianbei cavalry opposite him were well-organized and numbered at least three thousand. Their armor and weapons were clearly superior to his remaining troops, and their horses were also more robust.

The leader, a burly man clad in leather armor inlaid with iron plates, carrying a long spear, had a cruel smile on his broad face, like that of a grassland hunter seeing his wounded prey. He was none other than Ke Zui, one of the leaders of the Central Region!

"Hahaha! I thought it was someone's stray dog, but it turns out it's Khan Lu Wang!" Ke Zui laughed loudly in a broken mix of Han and non-Han languages, his voice echoing across the surrounding area.

"What, you're not being a prince in Han territory anymore, but have run back to the grasslands to beg for food? And you've brought such a generous gift?" His gaze swept greedily over the warhorses, weapons, and exhausted soldiers behind Wuyan, which, though disheveled, were still assets.

In the laws of the grasslands, defeated tribes are the most lucrative prey.

How could Ke Zui possibly let go of meat that was delivered right to his mouth?

"Ke Zui! We've kept to ourselves! Make way, and I, Wu Yan, will surely repay you handsomely in the future!" Wu Yan shouted, his voice trembling with barely suppressed pain in his shoulder.

"A generous reward?"

Ke Zui sneered, pointing his spear forward: "Your life, your men, and your horses are the best reward! Men, kill! Leave no one alive! Whatever you seize is yours!"

"Kill—!" Three thousand Xianbei cavalrymen roared with bloodlust, like wolves that had caught the scent of blood, and charged forward with a thunderous roar!

"Scatter! Scatter quickly! Run to the hills on both sides!" Wu Yan shouted, making a last-ditch effort.

But it was too late.

The Xianbei cavalry, like a rapidly tightening net, surrounded them from three sides.

Their horses seemed stronger, their riding skills more refined, and their charge formation more solid.

Ke Zui looked at Wu Yan's group of defeated soldiers from afar, like a flock of frightened sheep, his eyes revealing undisguised greed and cruelty.

"Damn it! Why am I so unlucky?!" Wu Yan cursed in despair, his last glimmer of hope extinguished as he watched the Xianbei cavalry surge towards him like a tidal wave.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, we are in a desperate situation.

After despair, a ferocious, trapped beast-like ferocity bursts forth.

"The Eternal Heaven does not protect me, the Han people bully me, and even the Xianbei dogs come to plunder my misfortune!"

When a person dies, the bird flies to the sky; if they don't die, they live for ten thousand years!

Wu Yan abruptly drew his curved sword from his waist. The force caused his shoulder wound to reopen, blood staining half his body, but he seemed oblivious, his face contorted in a monstrous grimace: "Ke Zui! Even if I die, I'll tear a piece of your flesh off! I'll show you that the warriors of Wuhuan are not lambs to the slaughter!"

"My lads!"

He turned and roared at his men, who were also cornered and whose eyes were bloodshot: "Turn your horses around! We can't beat the Han people, but are we afraid of these Xianbei dogs?! Pick up your swords, grip your bows! Let these opportunistic bastards know that the blood of Wuhuan men is hot too! Kill—!"

"kill!!"

The pent-up anger, the humiliation of fleeing, and the resentment towards the Xianbei for taking advantage of the chaos all erupted at this moment!

These two thousand or so Wuhuan soldiers, whose morale was originally low, suddenly unleashed astonishing fighting power in their desperate situation.

Instead of fleeing, they charged forward with bloodshot eyes and incoherent roars, facing the Xianbei cavalry who were superior in both numbers and equipment.

The two groups of nomadic cavalry clashed violently!

In an instant, shouts of men and neighing of horses filled the air, swords flashed, and blood and flesh flew everywhere!

Scimitars and spears clashed, arrows were fired at close range, and people kept falling from their horses, trampled into a bloody pulp by the hooves.

The Wuhuan people's fierce fighting to the death temporarily held off the Xianbei people's charge, and the two sides were locked in a brutal melee on the grassland.

Ke had not expected that the remnants of Wuyan's forces would have such a strong counterattack. His offensive faltered slightly, but he immediately ordered his men to encircle and surround the enemy. Relying on their superior numbers, they slowly tightened the noose.

"A desperate fight! Let's see how long you can hold out! Surround them and slowly wear them down!"

The battle descended into a brutal melee. The Wuhuan people, fueled by sheer willpower, temporarily held off the Xianbei offensive, but the disparity in numbers and strength was undeniable.

They were like wounded bison trapped in a pack of wolves; though they could still use their horns to knock down a few hungry wolves, it was only a matter of time before they were completely torn apart and devoured.

About three miles to the side and rear of the battle group, behind a low grassy slope.

Eight hundred cavalrymen of the Jingnan Army, both men and horses with gags in their mouths, quietly lay in ambush.

Xiang Yu, Ran Min, and Yang Zaixing calmly observed the fierce battle ahead.

"Report—!"

A scout, covered in grass clippings and moving like a cat, swiftly sneaked back to report: "General, the enemy ahead is indeed the remnants of Wuyan's forces, about two thousand cavalry, currently engaged in battle with approximately three thousand Xianbei cavalry. The Xianbei leader should be the Central General Ke Zui. Wuyan himself is in the midst of the chaos, wounded in the shoulder, yet still commanding!"

"Xianbei people? Kezui?" A hint of surprise flashed in Yang Zaixing's eyes, which then turned into excitement.

"When dogs fight, they get all messy! Second brother, we..."

Ran Min stared intently at the faintly discernible banner belonging to Wuyan in the distance, his eyes bloodshot, his knuckles white as he gripped the double-edged spear, but he did not make a move, waiting for Xiang Yu's command.

Xiang Yu's double pupils were deep and unfathomable as his gaze slowly swept across the entire battlefield.

The remaining Wuhuan soldiers fought desperately, while the Xianbei cavalry took advantage of their strength to launch a siege. The two sides clashed and fought fiercely, and the number of casualties increased rapidly.

This is precisely the situation of the snipe and the clam fighting.

"Wuyan must die, and his followers must not be spared either, to prevent future troubles."

Xiang Yu's voice was deep and clear, carrying a cold and decisive tone: "However, the Xianbei Kezui is an unexpected enemy. His troops are elite and fierce. If we launch a full-scale attack now, we can take advantage of the chaos to win. However, with eight hundred against five thousand, even if we are sure to win, the casualties will be considerable, and some of the routed soldiers may escape in the chaos."

He hesitated for a moment, then his gaze fell on the crossbows mounted on the saddles of his soldiers behind him. A cold, efficient smile curved his lips. "Order: The entire army advances slowly. When we are about one and a half miles from the enemy, we will split into three teams. I will lead three hundred men on the left, Yongzeng will lead three hundred men on the right, and Zongxing will lead two hundred men to provide rear support. They will also be responsible for using crossbows to snipe at any enemy attempting to break away from the battle. The left and right teams, upon my signal, will simultaneously unleash a barrage of crossbow fire, indiscriminately targeting all enemies within range, regardless of whether they are Wuhuan or Xianbei!"

Yang Zaixing instantly understood: "Second Brother wants to...let them fight even more fiercely, and then we'll clean up the battlefield?"

"Exactly."

A cold glint flashed in Xiang Yu's eyes: "They are all enemies, not of our kind. Since they are already fighting each other, let them slaughter each other even more! When they are both exhausted and weakened, our army will strike with lightning speed and rout them in one fell swoop. This will allow us to achieve complete victory and minimize our own casualties. Wu Yan's head must be taken!"

Ran Min nodded slowly, having no objection to this ruthless yet most effective tactic.

In his eyes, all Hu people should be killed, and there was no difference between the Xianbei and the Wuhuan.

The order was passed on silently.

The eight hundred cavalrymen, like a pack of wolves scattered in the dark night, split into three groups and, using the terrain and the undulating grass as cover, slowly approached the flanks of the deafening battlefield.

Sunlight shone on the cold body of the divine crossbow, reflecting a faint, eerie glow, like the eyes of death quietly opening.

At the top of the hill, Xiang Yu slowly raised his arm, and the trumpeter behind him gently put the horn into his mouth.

Within the double pupils, the bloody carnage in the distance was reflected, calm and undisturbed, except for a single flame called "victory" burning calmly in the deepest part.

The oriole is already in position.

The bowstring is about to reach its full length.