Song Dynasty: Yuan Dynasty, you didn't expect this, did you? I'm still alive.

Just as Yang Zhi's army was preparing to set up camp in the valley area fifty miles from Gualiaoer City, a dull tremor came from the ground—Mahmoud's eight thousand elite cavalrymen had launched a surprise attack from the northeast like hungry wolves, their iron hooves crushing the setting sun, and the dust they raised dragging a long gray-yellow dragon across the sky, blotting out the sun.

"Enemy attack!" On a high slope three miles outside the camp, a Song scout was lying in wait behind a bush. His pupils suddenly contracted as he stared intently at the surging black waves on the horizon, his fingertips unconsciously gripping the short knife at his waist.

Without a second thought, he quickly pulled a fist-sized signal flare from his backpack, forcefully ripped off the fuse with his fingertips, and launched the flare into the sky.

"Whoosh—Bang!" A sharp sound pierced the twilight as a cloud of indigo fireworks exploded against the darkening sky, its intense and striking halo resembling an eerie flower suddenly blooming in the night.

This signal flare is the result of the Gewu Academy's deep cultivation in the field of chemistry. Based on large fireworks, natural resin was added to reduce the burning rate, and minerals such as lapis lazuli were mixed in to create a unique military-grade color. Originally designed for celebrations, it was improved and became the army's "airborne alarm". It is bright, highly recognizable, and can be clearly observed from miles away.

Five kilometers away, beside the central command tent, Yang Zhi was standing on a slope examining a map, his fingertip suddenly landing on the river valley marker on the map.

He looked up and saw that the indigo firework was particularly dazzling in the twilight.

With the technology available at the time, the effective observation range of the telescope was only a little over three miles, making it impossible to see the specific enemy situation. However, this signal flare was enough to make him tense up instantly.

He raised his hand to his forehead and looked into the distance. Three more indigo signal flares rose into the sky in different directions. Based on the landing points and the order in which the fireworks lit up, he instantly deduced that the main force of the enemy was pressing in from the northeast and that it was a considerable force.

"Artillery, prepare!" Yang Zhi turned around, his voice steady as iron, without the slightest panic. The copper studs on his armor gleamed coldly in the twilight, and his right hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

"Yes, sir!" Artillery General Louis responded loudly, the sword at his waist clinking together with a crisp sound.

He turned and strode towards the artillery camp, his steps steady and powerful. With a command, twenty Shence General Cannons and forty Divine Might General Cannons were pushed by the soldiers and quickly seized a slightly higher, gentle hill beside the valley.

The soldiers moved with lightning speed, as if in unison. Some pushed the cannons with all their might, while others used dozens of grain wagons to create a makeshift barrier around the position and then placed the barricades in a staggered pattern. Two thousand pikemen quickly formed ranks behind the wagons, their spear tips pointing diagonally to the sky, the shafts of their spears forming a stable angle with the ground. One thousand elite Song soldiers, armed with rifled muskets, stood to the sides and rear of the pikemen, their muzzles held level, their eyes sharp as eagles, forming a tight protective formation.

Mahmoud's cavalry also spotted the colorful fireworks blooming in the sky. He raised an eyebrow and said with a hint of arrogance and curiosity, "What are those things? They're quite pretty."

After saying that, he raised his hand and fiddled with the gilded decorations on the saddle, his fingertips gliding over the cold metal, completely unaware of the impending danger.

The adjutant beside him, however, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot, with fine beads of cold sweat on his forehead. He spurred his horse closer, his voice trembling with urgency: "My lord! The Song people have always been known for their strange methods. This must be their warning signal! They have discovered us. We should withdraw our troops for now, avoid their sharp edge, and then make further plans!"

His mount sensed its master's tension, pawing the ground restlessly and breathing heavily.

"Avoid their sharp edge?" Mahmoud scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain. He spurred his horse, which reared up and neighed. "My eight thousand elite cavalry, are you afraid of their empty showmanship?"

He brandished his curved sword, the blade flashing coldly in the twilight. "Send scouts forward to ascertain the location of the main Song army force!"

Those damned Song people actually detected our presence before me! This inexplicably stirred up a sense of irritation and shame within me, and even the beard at the corner of my mouth trembled slightly with anger.

The scout spurred his horse and galloped away, the dust kicked up by his hooves disappearing in an instant.

A moment later, the scout reined in his horse and reported: "Sir! The main force of the Song army is encamped in the valley!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Mahmoud's eyes. He raised his scimitar high, pointing it at the Song army's position, and roared, "All troops, attack! Break through their lines and slaughter them all!"

When Mahmoud's cavalry were about two kilometers away from the Song army's position, Louis was lying on the earthen slope of the high ground, carefully observing through his telescope.

His pupils contracted slightly, his fingertips traced rapidly on the ground, he silently recited the ballistic parameters, and at the same time sensed the direction of the evening wind, his brows furrowing slightly: "Southwest wind, wind speed level three, correct the trajectory to the left by half a degree."

This artillery general, only twenty-five years old, was no ordinary soldier—he had studied at Tsinghua Academy, but because he could not bear the pressure of the countless geniuses in the academy, he dropped out after two years and joined the army.

But he was not dull-witted. On the contrary, he was a child prodigy who was famous in the village before he entered school. He had a photographic memory and could answer profound arithmetic problems with just a glance.

After becoming an artilleryman, he was able to accurately simulate the trajectory of the shells in his mind, and his shots were accurate every time. At the young age of 25, he became a general in charge of the artillery and was Yang Zhi's trusted general.

"Shence General Cannon, fire!"

Twenty silver-white Shence General cannons spewed flames from their muzzles, and thunderous cannon fire resounded.

Twenty exploding shells struck Mahmoud's cavalry with pinpoint accuracy.

Mahmoud could hear a sharp, piercing whistle from the sky—the sound of a shell cutting through the air.

A left-wing centurion instinctively looked up.

He saw a black sphere, trailing wisps of blue smoke, flying in a not-so-curved arc through the air, heading straight for his chest.

"What is that...?" His thoughts only flashed for a moment.

boom--!!!

Without any warning, the black sphere exploded in the very center of the cavalry formation.

There were no blinding flashes, no ear-piercing shrieks.

Instead, a dull, heavy thud resounded, as if someone had pounded a war drum right next to your ear.

A huge cloud of grayish-white smoke expanded instantly, like a suddenly blooming flower of death, engulfing more than a dozen cavalrymen in the surrounding area.

More than a dozen cavalrymen fell.

Some had their throats severed by shrapnel, some had their warhorses startled, and some had their bodies set on fire.

The cavalry behind had no idea what was happening ahead; they only heard a loud bang and then charged into the smoke.

"Ouch!"

The cavalrymen who charged into the smoke collided with their fallen comrades, and both men and horses fell to the ground.

One lucky cavalryman stood on the edge of the explosion and escaped fatal injuries.

But a piece of metal the size of a fingernail was stuck in his left arm, and blood was flowing freely from it.

What devastated him even more was that three pieces of metal were stuck in the rear of his warhorse, which had gone mad.

It doesn't need a shockwave to knock it down; the excruciating pain and the loud noise alone are enough to drive it mad.

It reared up on its front hooves, throwing the rider to the ground, and then charged into the crowd, triggering a chain of stampedes.

There were more than a dozen such scenes, resulting in the direct casualties of a hundred cavalrymen. This was nothing to eight thousand men, but the important thing was the riots it caused.

This distance is far from the distance of a cavalry charge; horses that haven't yet charged are easily startled and become disorderly.

Mahmoud ordered his cavalry to steady their mounts, but as soon as they were steady, another volley of cannonballs came crashing down.

"It (dog)."

Mahmoud couldn't help but curse loudly, then ordered his cavalry to disperse.

Although casualties have been reduced, soldiers are still dying every moment.

Mahmoud gritted his teeth and decided to continue the attack regardless of casualties.

800 m.

Mahmoud ordered preparations for an attack.

Louis ordered the Shence General cannon to be reloaded with solid shot and fired together with the Divine General cannon.

A full sixty cannons unleashed their firepower indiscriminately.

Mahmoud's cavalry were directly hit in the torso or head by the high-speed solid shot, resulting in either broken limbs or shattered bodies. However, their flesh and blood were far from being able to stop the solid shot, which often carved a bloody path through the air with its enormous kinetic energy.

The power of sixty cannons was terrifying.

Even armored cavalry, who were once considered invincible on the battlefield, could only be smashed into mincemeat by cannonballs.

In an instant, Mahmoud's cavalry suffered heavy casualties.

Morale collapsed.

Mahmoud had anticipated this; he knew the Song army possessed powerful artillery, but he had never heard of them having so many!

In the Battle of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan used 11 cannons to severely damage Nurhaci, achieving the "Great Victory of Ningyuan." If there had been sixty cannons, the Qing Dynasty would probably have been finished.

The Qing army was able to defeat the Ming army not because of cavalry archery, but because of its superior artillery.

This demonstrates the power of artillery.

Today, Mahmud is fortunate to receive treatment far exceeding that of Nurhaci.

The cavalry at the forefront were also hit by rifled gun fire, and many more fell.

Even though Mahmoud ordered the attack to continue, his soldiers were unwilling to continue dying and quickly turned their horses around and fled in all directions.

Mahmoud was so angry that he started cursing.

Louis, in the distance, gave Mahmoud a thumbs-up, not as a compliment, but as a gesture of aim.

boom!

Ten solid shot were fired.

A solid shot struck Mahmoud precisely in the chest, shattering his meticulously crafted armor like paper. The immense impact propelled Mahmoud several meters away.

"Our army has been defeated! Our army has been defeated!"

A lieutenant on the edge of the cavalry saw this and shouted.

The six thousand cavalrymen collapsed.

The Song army pressed their advantage and pursued the enemy.

Yang Zhi won a great victory in the open battle outside Gualior City!

. . .

In the same year, Guo Yun of the Gewu Academy invented a reflecting telescope, which increased the magnification to forty times, allowing a clear view of Jupiter's four moons.

This once again proves the correctness of universal gravitation and the theory of a spherical Earth.

The concepts of universal gravitation and the spherical Earth theory were gradually accepted by the people of Song Dynasty.

The Age of Exploration is about to begin.