The Right Wise King, originally somewhat dejected,’s eyes lit up: “No matter the method, we must rally the troops to attack, and not let the enemy advance another mile! Thirty against fifteen, the advantage is ours!”
The barbarians estimated that the Da Gan army numbered around 150,000, and the enemy was unaware of their actual troop strength.
For the barbarians, having come this far, this battle was inevitable.
Once the Da Gan army approached Mount Helan and blocked the pass, the barbarian army would lose its advantage on flat and high ground, becoming even more passive.
The Left and Right Wise Kings, and indeed the entire barbarian army, supported a proactive offensive, launching a blocking battle first. Even if they couldn’t annihilate the Da Gan army, they could at least harass and deplete them, preventing them from advancing further and forcing them to establish their camps on the spot.
If not for the intelligence from the Da Gan side stating that the northern forces were no longer what they used to be, and the barbarians’ previous crushing defeat in Yanzhou, the 250,000 barbarians plus 50,000 allied troops from the Tianri tribe and the Guishuang Dynasty, totaling 300,000, would have been even more reckless.
As it was, their own assembled cavalry alone numbered 160,000, plus 20,000 mercenary cavalry from the Guishuang Dynasty. The 180,000 cavalry at Mount Helan were almost all deployed!
The Right Wise King immediately rushed out of the tent and ordered the messenger to spread the word throughout the army that General Tian had indeed died at the hands of the barbarians. The initially low morale was barely boosted.
Compared to Nan Jiyun, Nie Yuan, and others, General Tian was the true nightmare of the barbarians!
“All troops prepare for battle! Although we have lost a general, we still have thousands of usable generals; this will not affect the main army’s engagement!”
The Right Wise King, who had initially hoped to boost morale through duels, could now only diminish the importance of individual combat. The barbarian soldiers finally began to rally.
Meanwhile, the Da Gan army stood ready. Large numbers of heavy-armored spearmen, combined with war chariots, crossbowmen, and longbowmen, formed square formations, guarding key points. The 200,000-strong army formed a giant crescent, resembling the Que Yue formation.
While protecting the supply train, they could gradually advance. Even if the enemy attacked, the contact surface between the two armies would be reduced, weakening the enemy’s numerical advantage and cavalry shooting advantage.
“Even if the barbarians don’t attack, we must advance to the entrance of Mount Helan and block their passage!”
“We will not return until Mount Helan is conquered!”
Lu Yi was issuing commands to the army, conveying his resolve to the surrounding officers.
According to the plan discussed with Liang Xiao, advancing to the entrance of Mount Helan would effectively curb enemy cavalry harassment.
The grain and fodder brought by the Da Gan army were only enough for four months, but more military provisions were being transported from all over the country.
The expedition of 200,000 troops required massive logistics, including laborers and various supply carts.
Even with Da Gan’s large number of carriages, ox carts, and handcarts for transporting provisions, and even if the 200,000 troops carried their own rations, sustaining them for two years would require at least millions of laborers. The cavalry-dominated barbarians could not stand idly by and would surely dispatch troops to raid the supply lines, which would put the Da Gan army at a disadvantage.
Therefore, Liang Xiao waited for the right time, estimating the thawing period of the Tian River.
At that time, large quantities of grain would be transported by boats and carts from various locations along the Tian River, supporting the Da Gan army and establishing true military grain reserves, allowing them to engage in a protracted war with the barbarians!
However, to ensure the safety of these supply boats, the enemy needed to be contained within Mount Helan, preventing them from launching large-scale harassment campaigns. With the escort of 60,000 Da Gan cavalry, they could be at ease.
This was the most direct and effective method.
After receiving their orders, all departments took their positions, ready to advance at any moment!
Lu Yi was left with only Liang Xiao, the personal guards, and household retainers below the platform. He gazed westward with a stern expression.
The barbarians had invaded the northern border in three routes, with the Left Wise King personally leading nearly 200,000 troops.
According to their estimates, the Right Wise King had assembled troops for the invasion of Yunzhou and Shuofang, plus 10,000 remnants from the Left Wise King, totaling at least 250,000 troops, possibly over 300,000!
If not for the confidence gained from the decisive victory in Yanzhou, coupled with improved equipment and enhanced offensive and defensive capabilities, the Da Gan soldiers would not have dared to step out of the northern border cities!
“Do you think the barbarians will attack?” Lu Yi asked Liang Xiao in a low voice.
“They will! Judging by the Right Wise King’s formation, he understands military strategy and cannot be ignorant of troop momentum. He would never allow our army to seal the pass of Mount Helan and occupy the thawed Tian River source,” Liang Xiao said, then his tone turned sharp, “Our slogan is to retake Mount Helan, but in reality, we must also forever retake Yanqi Mountain and Qilian Mountain, depriving them of their grazing grounds and their passage for invading Mount Helan!”
In the biting cold, obtaining water became significantly more difficult.
Lu Yi nodded slightly, his eyes burning, “It’s a good opportunity to test the power of the longbows and divine arm crossbows you developed.”
A large number of longbowmen were assembled in the square formations at the front of the troops, with divine arm crossbows positioned in teams of three behind them.
The teams operating the divine arm crossbows could shift positions as needed to maintain stamina and efficiency.
These three-man teams also carried quivers to replenish arrows for the longbowmen whose arrows were depleted.
However, the true protection for these archers and crossbowmen came from the war chariots in the front row, supported by heavy shields, heavy armor, and long spears, effectively resisting the barbarian arrows and the charge of heavy cavalry.
The horses and soldiers of the war chariots wore armor, and heavy shields were placed beside them, providing effective defense against barbarian crossbow bolts.
The barbarians also stationed heavy cavalry at the front to prevent a sudden attack by the Da Gan cavalry and to target the enemy’s main force with archery.
The distance between the two armies was only “three arrows” apart. However, here, “one arrow” referred to a distance of about one li, which was the range of a typical ballista, not the ordinary hundred-pace bow and arrow.
Even at a distance of nearly three li, if either side initiated an attack, the other would have to engage immediately. The situation was extremely tense and critical!
The initiative for attack lay with the barbarians, but the overall initiative of the battle was actually in the hands of Liang Xiao and Lu Yi. The two stood ready, confident that the barbarians would not retreat without achieving their objectives.
At this moment, a messenger urgently arrived, reporting: “Marshal! The vanguard reports that the enemy has prepared a heavily armored heavy cavalry force of potentially over twenty thousand men and shows signs of an offensive!”
Lu Yi’s expression changed, and he immediately ordered: “Cavalry prepare for battle, war chariots prepare for battle! Inform the entire army: the Deputy Marshal, the Marquis of Anguo, and the Chariot and Cavalry General, Liang Xiao, have been with the army all along, deceiving the barbarians. He is now fighting alongside the soldiers!”
The four messengers, shocked and overjoyed, immediately relayed the orders to all directions. Numerous runners followed to inform the entire army.
“So the Deputy Marshal is with us?!”
The northern soldiers who knew the truth became spirited and immensely overjoyed.
Especially the soldiers from Yanzhou, who were even more invigorated, wishing the battle would begin immediately!
Meanwhile, the barbarian Right Wise King had also completed his mobilization. Less than two quarters of an hour had passed since the duels.
At this time, Nan Jiyun and Nie Yuan were resting in the army and could not lead the white-robed soldiers into battle. They were assigned to command the Da Gan Iron Guard and Qingtian Guard, respectively.
Lu Changhe and others had returned to their respective units, standing ready.
The sixty thousand Da Gan cavalry were arrayed on the rear flanks, ready to defend against enemy ambushes and to launch cavalry assaults!
Liang Xiao finally removed his helmet, took the command flag and sword from Lu Yi, and ascended the central platform. The officers from Yanzhou all paid their respects.
“The enemy will not attack head-on like they did in Yanzhou. The heavy cavalry should be waiting for the light cavalry’s probing attacks to conclude before deciding to attack. Generals, heed my orders: Longbows to short-range fire. Divine arm crossbow teams of three will temporarily use ordinary crossbow bolts, as during normal training!”
As the generals received their orders and departed, a messenger galloped from afar.
“Reporting to the Marshal and Deputy Marshal! Scouts have discovered enemy light cavalry sortieing, approaching from both flanks to encircle us!”