The once dazed Zuo Xian Wang finally awoke with a shudder, tears threatening to fall.
"Indeed, we cannot return to the great desert, otherwise, we would have no explanation for the Chieftain! Let's head to Yun Zhou first and send word to the You Xian Wang to retreat to the Helan Mountains, lest the Yan Zhou garrison launch a surprise attack and leave us vulnerable from both front and rear!"
The surviving defeated soldiers, with Zuo Xian Wang, turned towards Yun Zhou. When their dry rations ran out, they simply slaughtered the horses they had mounted.
In the military camp, the Great Gan cavalry counted their provisions. Most of them were too exhausted to do anything but take turns seeking shelter and rest in the camp, while a portion were sent back to deliver the message.
In the biting wind, Liang Xiao personally tended to Bai Ye Fei Ying, while Lü Chang He, with Zhuo Ying and others, arrived to pay their respects.
Even Lü Chang He, who knew Liang Xiao's true identity, could not hide his excitement.
This battle had been so exhilarating, truly living up to the name of the White Robe Army!
The White Robe Army had not suffered a single casualty out of ten; their losses were less than ten percent, an astonishing victory!
"General Tian, if we estimate, our army, combined, might have beheaded over 170,000..." Zhuo Ying said, then suddenly covered his mouth, as if even he, the one responsible for the count, could not believe it.
Everyone's joy was undeniable!
Liang Xiao smiled, "Is this little victory enough?"
Zuo Xian Wang's escape left him feeling deeply frustrated.
He had wanted Zuo Xian Wang's head to commemorate his father and uncle, and to bring solace to the hundred thousand soldiers of Helan Mountain.
Everyone present froze.
General Tian was not satisfied with such a victory?
Liang Xiao said solemnly, "First, for the achievements we have today, besides our own bravery, we cannot do without the support of His Majesty and the entire nation. Continue to work hard and do not become complacent."
Everyone suddenly understood and pledged, "We will never forget General Tian's teachings!"
"But this victory alone is far from enough," Liang Xiao paused, then looked towards the northwest. "We must prepare ourselves to hasten to Yun Zhou's aid, march into Shuofang, and fight the decisive battle at Helan Mountain. Only by retaking Helan Mountain can we restore the prestige of Great Gan!"
"Retake Helan Mountain!" Everyone cast aside their weariness and echoed with excitement.
"Afterwards, we must gather supplies, and once fully prepared, march into the great desert, water our horses in the Han Hai, and let the world understand that those who offend Great Gan will be punished, no matter how far they flee!"
Listening to Liang Xiao's grand pronouncements, everyone felt their blood boil, and they responded solemnly, "We are willing to water our horses in the Han Hai!"
"General Tian, will you be able to manifest again in the future..." Zhuo Ying finally couldn't help but ask.
At this moment, Zhuo Ying was somewhat puzzled: why did General Tian's voice during battle sound so similar to his brother-in-law Liang Xiao's voice when he reviewed the troops?
Liang Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "The Grand Anping Marquis of Great Gan, with sincere devotion, prays to heaven, and then I can appear to fight."
"General Tian is truly an envoy from the Deputy Commander, invited from the heavens!!" Exclamations erupted from all around, increasing their reverence for the Anping Marquis.
Liang Xiao simply smiled.
He suddenly realized that it seemed better for the soldiers to regard General Tian as a deity?
In this era, people still believed in spirits and deities. Having a divine General Tian lead them into battle would be more powerful and boost morale more than when General Tian was still considered a mortal leader in their hearts.
With this thought, Liang Xiao reminded them, "Although I say this, you must remember that the future of Great Gan rests on your shoulders, not mine. What you must do is ensure that even without General Tian, Great Gan is invincible in the world, and all nations pay tribute!"
"As for military merits, fame and fortune are of no use to me. How could I be unworthy of the people's incense offerings? My merits can be equally divided between the Anping Marquis and yourselves."
Everyone's minds were enlightened, and they all knelt to thank Liang Xiao.
Zhuo Ying quietly listened to General Tian's teachings, his gaze occasionally falling on Lü Chang He beside him, a sense of confusion in his heart.
When Lü Chang He had first witnessed General Tian's manifestation, he had been even more distraught than Zhuo Ying, weeping profusely.
Yet now, he only showed reverence and a smile?
Zhuo Ying frowned, realizing that things were not as simple as they seemed.
Liang Xiao gazed at the group of smiling soldiers, feeling a surge of emotion.
Yan Zhou had a small reserve of sulfur for emergencies, which could be combined with saltpeter and charcoal to make gunpowder barrels.
However, these gunpowder barrels were to be saved for the decisive battle at Helan Mountain, as the quantity of sulfur was extremely limited.
Liang Xiao had scoured ancient texts and foreign records and discovered the problem.
In this world, natural sulfur deposits were almost non-existent, and even "pyrite," which could be used to extract sulfur, had little mention.
Liang Xiao himself had sent people to search the surrounding areas for pyrite, but it was scarce.
Was this the misfortune of Great Gan, or the good fortune of this world?
Recalling the firearms and cannons of later generations that brought devastation and caused hundreds of millions of casualties in numerous wars, Liang Xiao ultimately did not wish for gunpowder to be passed down.
Whether Great Gan could still dominate the world without gunpowder was not important; what mattered was whether the people of Great Gan could live good lives.
The Mongol Empire, which had once swept across Eurasia, was merely a fleeting moment. The people of this land were innocent and should not become sacrifices of war.
However, if barbarians invaded, they should rise up and resist without mercy!
When the scouts returned with news that all was safe in the distance, Liang Xiao finally felt at ease and left the camp. Lü Chang He personally escorted him, leaving Zhuo Ying in charge of resting and awaiting reinforcements from the rear.
The great battle and the pursuit had lasted for a day and a night, and many warhorses were scattered across the land, requiring recovery.
The flesh of fallen warhorses could be used to reward the soldiers, and their hides could be used to make leather; nothing should be wasted.
In the severe cold, even after a day, there was no need to worry about the warhorses decaying too quickly.
At this moment, Lü Chang He was in high spirits, greatly relieved.
This battle had finally avenged the shame of Helan Mountain!
Last year's battle had merely driven away the barbarians, with the greatest achievement being the beheading of nearly 100,000 enemies, but Great Gan soldiers had also lost tens of thousands.
If General Tian had not led the seven thousand White Robe soldiers to charge, disrupting the formation of the hundred thousand barbarian cavalry, Great Gan's losses would have been even more severe, and they might not have even won the decisive battle.
But this battle was completely different!
Lü Chang He had estimated that their casualties would not exceed ten thousand!
With less than ten thousand casualties, to have beheaded 170,000 enemies, such an astonishing casualty ratio was rarely recorded in historical texts.
The Prince of Donghai of the previous dynasty, the Marquis of Dingguo of the current dynasty!
But Lü Chang He was certain that the value of this battle should be even higher.
Firstly, the number of enemies beheaded, 170,000, was an extremely rare occurrence. In ancient wars, killing tens of thousands was enough to rout an enemy.
Secondly, the enemies killed were barbarian cavalry, not a weak force, but indeed elite troops, primarily cavalry. To achieve such results without strategy would be incredibly difficult, as they could simply escape if they couldn't win!
Of course, the military equipment of Great Gan soldiers was far superior to before, but all this equipment had been replaced and modified at Liang Xiao's request.
From the very beginning of the barbarian invasion, Lü Yi and Lü Chang He had been informed by Liang Xiao: they must deliver a painful blow to the barbarians in a single battle.
Therefore, no matter how Liang Xiao held his ground, Lü Chang He remained calm, only he had not expected Liang Xiao to truly lure the barbarians into a forced assault.
According to Liang Xiao's plan, the Kingdom of Chuyun provided false intelligence, deepening Zuo Xian Wang's conviction that Liang Xiao intended a surprise attack. Of course, this was merely the icing on the cake; Zuo Xian Wang would not easily give up on conquering Yan Zhou.
Secondly, while consolidating defenses and clearing the surrounding areas, Liang Xiao also sent White Robe soldiers to eliminate barbarian scouts, ensuring that the troop deployments would not be exposed to the enemy's sight.
When the cavalry returned from raiding the camp, it was already night, obscuring the enemy's view of the Yue Array and the Yan Zhou garrison's formation. The enemy, eager to breach the city under the cover of darkness, rushed forward blindly. The darkness brought blindness, leading many barbarian cavalry, unaware of the situation on the front lines, to eagerly rush to claim credit, charging forward one after another.
The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans. Everything was laid out, like slowly baiting the barbarians, who were eager to avenge Yan Zhou, into the trap, ultimately achieving victory through the tactics of the battle formation!
If not for the constant presence of others nearby, Lü Chang He would have prostrated himself before Liang Xiao, performing a full kowtow.
It was damn exhilarating!
Knowing Liang Xiao's identity, Lü Chang He did not ask any questions, but tacitly accompanied Liang Xiao back to Yan Zhou, preparing to cover for Liang Xiao's identity.
The people of Yan Zhou were all tense, and by evening, there were less than half the usual number of pedestrians on the streets.
People spoke in hushed tones, for fear of disturbing the patrolling Yan Zhou garrison and causing them trouble.
"In the battle outside the city, our army achieved a great victory, beheading 170,000! The barbarian Zuo Xian Wang narrowly escaped with his life!!"
At this very moment, the news of victory from the front lines exploded like thunder, shaking the entire city!