"Your Savage Iron Cavalry lost a plains battle??"
Inside the military tent, Harmuqi stared blankly at the Right Virtuous King, disbelief etched on his face.
The Savage Iron Cavalry, especially the heavy cavalry, was a force even the Tianri and Kuishuang dynasties had to respect!
And yet, out of twenty thousand heavy cavalry, fifteen thousand were lost, with countless captured!
"The enemy was equipped with two bizarre giant bows and crossbows. Their power was immense, and with tens of thousands of archers and crossbowmen, they inflicted immeasurable losses on our army..." The Right Virtuous King felt his face burning with shame.
"You truly learn nothing. You should have understood after the crushing defeat in Yanzhou that pride precedes a fall!" Harmuqi lamented, pained.
The mercenaries from the Kuishuang Dynasty, sent by the Right Virtuous King to spearhead the assault, had been almost entirely wiped out!
The Right Virtuous King retorted impatiently, "If your Kuishuang cavalry faced those bows and crossbows, they would have been defeated even more thoroughly! It was remarkable that our army could cut its losses in time and prevent the enemy cavalry from pursuing further! What good does blame do now? Can it bring back those soldiers? My Savage Iron Cavalry sacrificed their lives to sound an alarm for your Kuishuang and Tianri dynasties!"
Harmuqi fell silent.
He had already questioned the surviving mercenaries. It was true that the Great Qian had deployed bows and crossbows of astonishing power.
Helplessly, Harmuqi advised, "Since you've suffered a defeat, you must prepare to face the Great Qian army's offensive. Regardless, Helan Mountain must not fall! The grain stored within Helan Mountain should be enough to sustain you for at least a year, right? The Great Qian army is engaged in a long expedition; once their food runs out, they will retreat without a fight. You can pursue them then!"
"That is precisely my intention. We will defend Helan Mountain to the death and wear them down! Unlike those shrimp soldiers and crab generals from the Great Qian back then, who were lured out of Helan Mountain into our ambush." The Right Virtuous King grew more animated as he spoke, finally regaining a sliver of pride.
He had been the deputy marshal to the Left Virtuous King back then, and the battle of Helan Mountain was the peak of their lives.
Harmuqi then relaxed, saying, "As long as your kingdom can conquer the Northern Frontier and keep the Great Qian occupied, my country can seize the Western Regions and even the western territories of the Great Qian. Then, our two nations can cooperate deeply!"
The Right Virtuous King merely nodded, his expression dejected.
He was currently preoccupied with defense and had no mind to consider attacking the Northern Frontier!
"Our country has manufactured a large number of siege engines, including cloud ladders, following the Great Qian's designs. When the time is right, your kingdom can use them too! I hope both Your Majesties and your Chanyu understand: we must unite our hearts and ensure the annihilation of the Great Qian!" Harmuqi couldn't help but remind them.
"What about the Tianri? They boast of ruling the Central Plains, yet they only sent thirty thousand slave soldiers for defense?" the Left Virtuous King expressed his displeasure.
"The Tianri are for you to negotiate with. Our Emperor is merely one of the many children of the Tianri King and is not favored!" Harmuqi finally showed his annoyance.
The Left and Right Virtuous Kings were taken aback.
At night, Great Qian scouts returned with reports.
"The savages are entrenched five li east of the Helan Mountain entrance, their encampments are vast, numbering at least another hundred and twenty thousand! Their camps are already on a grand scale!"
Upon receiving the intelligence, Liang Xiao and Lü Yi pondered.
Just then, a messenger on horseback arrived from outside, delivering a secret letter to Liang Xiao.
It was a secret letter from Zuo Wushang, sent under the name of Liang Ke.
Liang Xiao opened it and frowned, "Liang Ke reports that the savage army in Helan Mountain exceeds two hundred and fifty thousand, with enough provisions for over a year. They may also be receiving covert support from the Kuishuang Dynasty!"
Lü Yi was shocked, "Where did he get this intelligence from?"
"It was provided by the Yuntian Guard, along with Liang Ke's own generals who have been to Helan Mountain before. We can be sure it's not false," Liang Xiao said with a wry smile.
"The Yuntian Guard, that mysterious unit from the Great Liang, why would they assist Liang Ke..." Lü Yi was perplexed.
Seeing that no one was around except Lü Changhe, Liang Xiao replied, "Before he pledged allegiance to me, he was the elder brother of Zuo Wuji, the leader of the Yuntian Guard. Although they have fallen out, their connection is not entirely severed. This matter must not be spread, lest Zuo Wuji be pushed entirely towards the Great Liang..."
After hearing Liang Xiao's explanation, Lü Yi looked aghast.
The Marquis of Zhenbei from the prestigious Great Liang was actually a refugee from the Great Heng, living under a false identity!
Liang Xiao and Lü Yi stared at the secret letter, lost in thought.
Zuo Wushang was undoubtedly reliable, but the Yuntian Guard and Zuo Wuji had broken ties with Zuo Wushang. Their sudden reconnection was suspicious, and he had to treat this intelligence with caution.
It was entirely possible that the Yuntian Guard had fabricated their lifespan to deceive Zuo Wushang.
He and Xiao Qing had not given Zuo Wuji or the Yuntian Guard any favors; there was no reason for them to provide such crucial intelligence.
Yet, Zuo Wushang stated with almost certainty that this intelligence was true...
"Lin'er, have you been in the Northern Frontier all this time?" Liang Xiao mused inwardly.
Regardless, Liang Xiao had at least confirmed that the savages possessed the means for a protracted standoff with the Great Qian army, and therefore, the possibility of a long-term war of attrition must be considered.
Blockading the Helan Mountain entrance was imperative!
During the war, Liang Xiao did not sleep. Instead, he personally ascended a high platform to observe the surrounding terrain while remaining vigilant against a sudden counterattack from the savages.
The next day, after a hearty meal, the Great Qian soldiers finally advanced towards the Helan Mountain pass.
"The Great Qian soldiers have truly come to fight!!"
Upon receiving the scouts' reports, the savage soldiers were all tense, frantically arranging their defenses.
They no longer dared to take the initiative. If their camps here were lost, their situation would become increasingly perilous and passive!
For safety, the Right Virtuous King ultimately did not divert troops outside the mountain, but he prepared a large number of anti-cavalry barriers, heavy shields, and ballistae in front of the stockade.
After advancing twenty li westward, the Great Qian army directly selected a site twenty-five li east of Helan Mountain, established camp, and rapidly constructed various defensive fortifications.
The savages' camp was located ten li east of the Helan Mountain entrance, stretching for dozens of li in a vast north-south configuration.
The Great Qian army, numbering two hundred thousand, also had encampments stretching for dozens of li, but they were oriented east-west. This was to protect their supply lines and prevent being attacked from multiple fronts by the main savage army to the west.
Liang Xiao again ordered the construction of a giant elevated platform to facilitate his observation of the distant enemy at any time.
Upon learning of the Great Qian army's chosen location, the Right Virtuous King flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the table, "How dare Lü Yi establish camp so close! Does he think we dare not launch a surprise attack?!"
His generals were speechless.
The Right Virtuous King then seemed to recall something and slumped back into his seat dejectedly.
They truly didn't dare to right now!
But the Great Qian army was mostly infantry. How could they dare to confront them at such close range? They, with their predominantly cavalry force, still had the opportunity to launch a surprise attack at any time and catch Lü Yi off guard!
Just as the generals were feeling dejected, the herald arrived with another report: "Marshal! The enemy cavalry, escorting our prisoners, has arrived outside the mountain!"