"As you command!!"
Led by Lü Changhe, the white-robed soldiers were all energized, not even bothering to question why the Heavenly General's voice sounded so much like the Marshal's.
Breaking formations, slaying enemies, achieving fame, and etching their names in history – this was their destiny!
Mu Hong accepted Liang Xiao's appointment, temporarily overseeing rear command, while Nie Yuan led the troops to prepare for departure.
From the highlands, Mu Hong gazed at the city wall, nearly six feet thick, in endless awe.
"To think the Marshal could use water to freeze sand and build such a wall! It's truly a divine miracle! The Xianbei cavalry indeed dared not advance!"
Nie Yuan added with deep emotion, "After the Marquis conquered Langjuxu, he still sent men to transport a pile of desert soil back. There were many types of soil, and he personally tested them. Any that could freeze when water was poured on them could successfully build fortifications in icy and snowy conditions. He even demonstrated it to us!"
The surrounding soldiers were equally amazed, almost prostrating themselves towards the distant main camp.
Liang Xiao and the white-robed soldiers were resting and feeding their fine steeds on the distant highlands.
Just then, a fierce north wind began to blow.
The cold wind was like a knife, eroding all things.
Only the city wall appeared even more solid.
"The northwest wind has arrived, it's time to strike," Liang Xiao said from atop his horse, his gaze sharp.
He did not want to miss the opportune moment presented by favorable weather, terrain, and the will of the people!
"The Marshal has ordered that, no matter what, the cavalry must ensure the warhorses are not hungry before the Chen hour!"
As the military order spread, a total of fifty thousand cavalrymen assembled, including seven thousand white-robed soldiers, and countless soldiers armed with repeating crossbows and longbows on the city walls.
The "Great Wall" that Liang Xiao had hastily constructed in the desert not only deterred the enemy but also greatly boosted the morale of the Great Qian soldiers.
"The Marshal is truly a divine being, and we have the Heavenly General's protection! Our army is destined to win!!"
"The Marshal's message: Those who offend our Great Qian, even if far away, will be punished! Even the strong will be slain!"
The entire army's fighting spirit soared, eager for battle against the Xianbei.
No one craved more than them for their nation to reclaim this shipment of gold.
This was the foundation for their nation's continued prosperity, and their nation was their guarantee against invasion by foreign races, protecting them and their families!
Smallpox prevention, high-yield land cultivation, the implementation of the 'Tan Ding Ru Mu' tax system, pacifying the four seas, the return of the Nine Cauldrons… countless policies and achievements of the Great Qian nation had repeatedly reinforced the national consciousness of this land, finally manifesting in the army at this very moment.
The Great Qian soldiers, who were successively assembling, showed fierce expressions and no fear upon hearing that they were about to fight the raiding Xianbei.
"The gold belongs only to the Great Qian nation, not a single iota can be lost!!" Everyone in the army was enraged, sharpening their weapons and gazing towards the distant Xianbei cavalry.
In contrast, the Xianbei cavalry, from their initial intimidating advance to their frustrated retreat, had their morale plummet.
The moonlight only allowed them to see the outline of the city wall, but not its thickness.
If the wall was thick enough, and they could not breach it quickly after reaching it, they would face a hail of arrows from the Great Qian.
The true capital that made the Great Qian nation renowned among all states was the Marquis of Anguo and his crossbows.
In the military camp, the Xianbei ruler held his forehead, filled with remorse.
"I cannot understand why my scouts failed to detect this city wall in time, and why Liang Xiao, disregarding his own safety, insisted on traveling to this frigid desert from afar..."
"Even without this wall, would we have been able to break through Liang Xiao's defenses?"
The soldiers listened to the Xianbei ruler's regretful mutterings and felt equally depressed.
A nighttime surprise attack, primarily cavalry, with the enemy needing to protect their civilian contingent… (138 reading network)
A mere city wall that appeared out of nowhere had completely nullified their absolute advantage, catching them completely off guard.
What if Liang Xiao attacked their unpreparedness again?
They had marched a long distance to intercept the gold convoy, and were now exhausted, not daring to sleep for fear of having their heads lopped off in their dreams!
They even believed it was not impossible for Liang Xiao to have their heads cut off in their sleep.
Rumor had it that the Great Qian's Marquis of Anguo could also perform rituals to summon heavenly lightning… Mother!
As dawn approached, some Xianbei cavalry in the camp had already started wailing.
The military advisor, with a troubled expression, said, "Your Majesty, the soldiers at least have rations, but the two hundred thousand warhorses do not have enough fodder… I suggest we should withdraw as soon as possible. Otherwise, if the enemy amasses too many cavalry, our army will suffer immeasurable losses."
Ten thousand Xianbei cavalrymen, of course, did not each have only one horse.
Normally, cavalry had at least two, even five, spare horses for rotation.
But these warhorses, having been rotated during the long march, were also extremely tired.
Hundreds of thousands of warhorses, even if they devoured all the grass in the surrounding grasslands, could not be fully fed!
These were the warhorses that the Xianbei people had painstakingly bred and expanded over generations, meant to shine brilliantly in this battle, to awe the world, and declare their qualification to replace the barbarians of old, even to defeat the Great Qian!
Now, even with his heart full of unwillingness, the Xianbei ruler had to dejectedly accept reality: "Gather the troops, prepare to withdraw, and strictly guard against enemy surprise attacks…"
As the military order spread, the Xianbei cavalry retreated rapidly in a chaotic manner, their fighting spirit gone. In some areas, there were even instances of men and horses trampling each other.
Less than fifteen minutes after the Xianbei cavalry began their urgent withdrawal, a thunderous sound of horns erupted from the west.
As dawn broke, the Great Qian cavalry, assembled at the massive gap in the central city wall, finally emerged in an orderly fashion.
"Rear General Lü Changhe, willing to expand the territory for our Great Qian!"
"General of Expedition East Nie Yuan, willing to fight and slay enemies for our Great Qian!"
...
The generals, filled with high fighting spirit, inspired the soldiers behind them, leading the charge, and moving out one after another.
The vanguard cavalry wore iron armor, holding large oak shields covered with steel on their left hands, and cocked strong crossbows in their right, protecting themselves and the vital parts of their horses, while also blocking arrows for their comrades. Long spears were slung across their backs.
"Your Majesty! The enemy is pursuing us! The white-robed soldiers might also be in their army!"
The Xianbei ruler, upon receiving the news, was both shocked and enraged: "Duoshe! Can our army meet the enemy?"
Duoshe said with difficulty, "The men and horses are tired, and Your Majesty has just ordered a retreat. Organizing a counterattack again now might cause even wider chaos. I request to lead the troops to cover the rear, allowing Your Majesty to consolidate the forces and turn back to kill both Nie Yuan and Liang Xiao! Even if we fail, as long as our army retreats and joins forces with the rear army, the enemy will retreat on their own!"
"Magnificent! After this battle, I will officially appoint you as the Grand Marshal of Military Affairs, a position unprecedented!" the Xianbei ruler promised on the spot, then ordered Duoshe to lead the troops, fighting and retreating.
Duoshe accepted the order and immediately led the rear guard, holding strong bows and crossbows, ready for battle.
Ten thousand Xianbei cavalry, who had come with such imposing momentum, ultimately retreated in defeat.
Most of the soldiers had not dared to sleep all night, utterly exhausted.
At this moment, the sound from the distance shook the mountains and rivers, the iron cavalry charged, directly aiming for the Xianbei rear forces!
The northwest wind brushed against their faces, and the Xianbei rear-guard soldiers, looking at the tide-like Great Qian iron cavalry, felt as if the sky and earth were collapsing, and the winds and clouds were shifting!
"The Marshal's order is to sweep through the Xianbei!!"
"Marquis of Anguo's bounty: Ten thousand taels of gold for capturing and killing the Xianbei ruler, and starting from five hundred taels of gold, up to five thousand taels, for capturing and killing a Wanfu Shi (Commander of Ten Thousand) or above!"
The fifty thousand elite cavalry of the Great Qian poured out, each carrying strong bows and crossbows, their faces filled with rage, roaring in unison, exuding an aura that seemed capable of destroying the world.
"Fight and retreat, awaiting our army to turn back and engage!"
Duoshe made a decisive move, leading his troops to draw their bows and set their arrows, firing volleys in an attempt to suppress the formation with their crossbows, preventing the Great Qian soldiers from approaching.