Southwest of Luzhou, in the land of Yuzhang, was the first to suffer a fierce attack from a division of Jiaozhou's forces.
On the city walls of Yuzhang, one hundred trebuchets and two hundred three-bow siege crossbows were arrayed, with over three thousand longbows and divine arm crossbows.
The defending army within the city numbered thirty thousand. Facing the Jiaozhou army, which formed layers upon layers outside, they dared not be careless.
"The enemy forces seem to be continuously arriving from Jiaozhou as reinforcements!"
The general defending Yuzhang wore a worried expression.
While the stones and arrows within the city were temporarily sufficient, if the enemy were to attack relentlessly, day and night, like mad dogs, the consequences were unpredictable!
"Reinforcements from the Grand General of Pacifying the South have arrived!"
The north of the city finally welcomed twenty thousand reinforcement troops from Luzhou. The Yuzhang defending army finally gained a moment's respite.
"His Majesty is wise, and the marshals have foreseen this. Three years ago, they began constructing roads and establishing supply stations in various locations. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
The Yuzhang defending general felt a lingering fear.
Without these roads and supply stations providing efficient reinforcement, facing the armies of Jiaozhou and Daliang, the prefectural cities throughout Jiangnan would likely have to fight alone, making timely reinforcement impossible!
Because of these constructions, the Great Qian army's march efficiency far surpassed that of the enemy. Even with inferior numbers, they were still able to manage with ease.
However, if the enemy forces were to break through the defenses around Luzhou and destroy the supply stations and roads…
At the same time, Zhuo Ying, the Grand General of Pacifying the South guarding Luzhou, had a furrowed brow.
He had unexpectedly heard the news of his grandfather Zhuo Zifang falling ill but had not received a letter from home. It was clear his family did not dare inform him for fear of affecting his defense of Jiangnan.
However, this also indicated that Zhuo Zifang's condition might not be good.
"The Jiangnan cavalry has been dispatched to Jinling by the General of Chariots and Cavalry. Our current usable cavalry is less than ten thousand. We are unable to effectively counter the enemy's harassment," said the new Prefect of Luzhou, Liu Feng, with a dejected expression.
After Gongsun Ye had moved the Jiangnan cavalry away, he ordered the Luzhou area to hold the city defensively, greatly reducing the efficiency of reinforcements to Luzhou.
Because of this, Zhuo Ying decided to prepare for the worst and first dispatched an infantry force to reinforce Yuzhang, in case the enemy focused their attack there.
As everyone was deliberating, an urgent report arrived from outside.
"The enemy has suddenly dispatched a cavalry force of ten thousand men, bypassing from the west and heading directly northwest!"
Zhuo Ying stood up abruptly and said in a deep voice, "To the northwest lies the Heavenly Qin Mountain and other precious lands of Great Qian. The Qin Saint and her daughter also reside there. It absolutely cannot be lost! To be safe, we should dispatch cavalry to intercept them and simultaneously notify all regions to expel this cavalry force!"
With the military order issued, five thousand cavalry from Luzhou, armed with strong bows and crossbows, poured out of the city.
Liu Feng sighed, "General Zhuo, the enemy's cavalry seems to be gathering in increasing numbers, yet Jiaozhou is not a place for raising horses…"
"It must be the support of the Tianri tribe from the Peacock Dynasty. Those cavalry are all fair-haired and blue-eyed, with combat power no less than our own cavalry. However, if we do not send these five thousand men to harass and intercept, and if there are any accidents with the defending forces in the northwest, we will have no face to meet the old Marquis of Dingguo, and Great Qian will lose a gold mountain, with countless Qin musicians falling under the enemy's butcher knives."
Just then, a cavalry general returned from outside: "General!"
The usually composed Zhuo Ying flew into a rage: "Why have you returned? Did I not tell you that the Heavenly Qin Mountain cannot be lost!"
The cavalry general quickly explained, "General, after our army left the city, we suddenly discovered a cavalry force intercepting the enemy cavalry. Their banner was that of our Great Qian's Marquis of Anguo. Our army is rushing to their aid, and I was sent to inform you, General!"
"The reinforcements from the Marquis of Anguo have arrived?!" Liu Feng and the others exclaimed with joy.
Northwest of Luzhou city, Liang Xiao personally arrived on the battlefield, his spear held high, leading fifteen thousand Zhongzhou cavalry to successfully block the retreat of ten thousand Tianri cavalry.
"Fair-haired and blue-eyed? This is definitely not Jiaozhou's army. It's the Tianri cavalry that appeared outside Jade Gate Pass!"
Some soldiers with good eyesight vaguely discerned the enemy's attire and were filled with indignation.
Why had the Tianri cavalry managed to reach the heart of Great Qian's Jiangnan?
Liang Xiao, mounted on his horse, holding the Setting Sun Bow, angrily ordered, "This is the first battle. Yue Qingtian, Zuo Wuji, each lead a contingent and annihilate the enemy completely!"
The White Night Flying Shadow was still en route. It was inconvenient for him to disguise himself as General Tian, so he could only attack with the Setting Sun Bow, and if necessary, use the Silver Dragon Golden Spear forged by Pu Yuan to engage the enemy.
With his extraordinary eyesight, he could see the formation of the Tianri cavalry from afar. He could be sure that they were a well-trained, even battle-hardened, elite force. Facing them, he might not be at a disadvantage.
Moreover, judging from the armor and long sabers faintly visible beneath their gold-trimmed battle robes, they should all be of excellent quality iron armor, leather armor, and sabers.
Zuo Wuji and Yue Qingtian, their faces alight with excitement, each led seven thousand men with spears and sabers, carrying strong bows and crossbows, and charged towards the enemy a mile away.
At this moment, the Tianri cavalry were all looking enraged: "Which cavalry unit is this again?"
They were already familiar with the White Robe soldiers, the Jiangnan cavalry, and the ordinary Great Qian cavalry.
But this cavalry, all in white robes and black armor, was clearly different.
However, their demeanor and formation were the same.
Liang Xiao led a thousand cavalrymen with longbows, holding strong bows and crossbows, following behind.
Fifteen thousand men swiftly charged towards the enemy, and in a blink of an eye, the distance between the two sides was less than fifty zhang!
Dragon Tooth arrows were nocked, and the Setting Sun Bow was poised, aiming at an enemy cavalry general.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow broke through the air. The cavalry general only saw a golden glint shooting towards him. He hastily dodged, but it still pierced his breastplate, and he fell from his horse, struggling for a moment at the horse's feet before breathing his last!
"Sals!"
Before even engaging in combat, a great general was lost. The Tianri cavalry commander was shocked and enraged. Raising his long saber, he roared, "Cut the enemy to pieces!"
Despite his words, the first round of engagement between the two cavalry forces was an exchange of arrows and bolts as they continuously closed in.
In the exchange of archery, the Zhongzhou cavalry used strong crossbows on the front lines and Great Qian bows in the middle. Arrows rained down like locusts, quickly killing over two hundred Tianri cavalry.
In contrast, the Zhongzhou cavalry suffered minimal losses, but the horses of both sides were rapidly approaching each other!
At this moment, the five thousand Zhongzhou cavalry in the front lines put away their strong crossbows and instead retrieved large Zhuge repeating crossbows from their massive saddlebags, pulling the triggers.
"Puff puff puff!"
Ten arrows fired simultaneously, and thousands of crossbow bolts covered the sky, instantly engulfing the Tianri cavalry in front!
A large number of Tianri cavalry were shot and fell from their horses, their cries of agony filling the air.
Behind them, another thousand Great Qian cavalry dismounted, drew their longbows, and fired a volley upwards.
From a hundred zhang away, the longbows' residual force was still strong, killing over twenty enemy soldiers in the middle!
Before the two sides had even engaged in close combat, the Tianri cavalry had already lost over fifteen hundred men!
This group of Tianri cavalry, accustomed to rampaging across the land, suddenly encountered such strong bows and crossbows. Enraged and filled with bloodlust, they roared and charged towards the Great Qian cavalry, determined to kill them and seize their bows and crossbows!
The Zhongzhou cavalry in front put away their bows and crossbows, while those behind continued to provide fire support with Great Qian bows and longbows, suppressing the enemy's middle and rear formations.
The two sides finally engaged in close combat!
The long sabers of the Tianri cavalry swept horizontally towards the men and horses of the Zhongzhou cavalry, but were easily deflected by the Zhongzhou cavalry's long sabers. From the moment they clashed, it was a fight to the death.
At this moment, the Tianri cavalry finally discovered that the enemy's strength was not just in their bows and crossbows, but also in their close combat!
The battle was fierce, and the Tianri cavalry was continuously pushed back under the coordinated efforts of the fifteen thousand Zhongzhou cavalry, who attacked both at range and in close quarters.
The Tianri cavalry generals, thinking quickly, suddenly saw Liang Xiao under the distant command flag and were filled with joy. They roared and charged towards Liang Xiao.
"That is the banner of Great Qian's Marquis of Anguo! Just like General Tian of Great Qian, capture the king first to capture the rebels!"