bookrandom Chapter 202: Double Whips Unleash the Power of the Chain Hoof, Leopard Head Stains the Battlefield w
Chapter 202: Double Whips Unleash the Power of the Chain Hoof, Leopard Head Stains the Battlefield w
Now, Hu Yanzhuo, the Double Whip Warrior, having received the emperor's command and the bestowed precious horses and armor, led eight thousand elite troops from Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital, and marched towards Shandong. His three thousand linked cavalry, their riders clad in iron armor and their horses in lion-shaped armor, moved in rows of thirty linked by iron chains, their movements shaking the earth and crushing all who stood in their way. When the army reached the territory of Jizhou Prefecture, they set up camp. The camp, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, was meticulously planned according to military strategy. It was fortified with deer antlers and moats, and equipped with crossbows and arrow towers. Patrols were constantly moving, making it a formidable and disciplined force, a far cry from the incompetent Gao Lian who only knew how to rely on sorcery.
Li Hanxiao had returned from his nighttime reconnaissance of the enemy camp, and he already had a plan in mind. He knew that if he were to confront this chained cavalry formation head-on on the open plains, it would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock, a suicidal act. However, Yuncheng had just been pacified, and the people's hearts were newly won over. If he were to back down before the battle even began and abandon the city, it would not only chill the hearts of the people but also tarnish Liangshan's reputation and severely damage morale.
That night, the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness was brightly lit. Li Hanxiao recounted everything he had learned that night to the other leaders.
“Huyan Zhuo is no ordinary man. His camp layout and defenses are based on the essence of military strategy, with almost no flaws to be found. His linked cavalry formation is even more unbreakable. If we were to fight him on flat ground, our chances of winning would be less than 10%.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Huanzhang stroked his beard and nodded. Instantly, the generals in the hall were filled with excitement and volunteered to fight.
Li Han smiled and raised his hand to silence the commotion.
Looking into those eyes burning with fighting spirit, he felt a surge of pride, yet also grew increasingly calm.
"I understand how you brothers feel. We absolutely cannot abandon Yuncheng! We must fight this battle!"
He paused, then changed the subject, his voice carrying a hint of cold decisiveness.
"But not now, and not here!"
"Huyan Zhuo is an arrogant and fierce general, confident in the invincibility of his linked cavalry. He must be looking down on us. We can use this to our advantage, feigning weakness to lure him deeper into our territory. We want him to believe that we, the Liangshan bandits, are nothing but a rabble, utterly vulnerable!"
"In this battle, only defeat is permitted; victory is not an option!"
These words shocked everyone present.
Guan Sheng asked anxiously, "Chieftain! What does this mean?!"
Li Hanxiao's lips curled into a cold smile, a smile full of hunter-like cunning.
"Even a tiger uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. Although Huyan Zhuo is arrogant, he is not stupid. If we keep avoiding battle, it will only make him more wary. Only by fighting him with real swords and spears, letting him see the power of the linked cavalry firsthand, and letting him 'personally experience' the 'vulnerability' of my Liangshan army, will he completely lower his guard, charge straight in, and walk headlong into the trap I have prepared for him!"
"In this battle, I want to ascertain the true strength of that linked horse formation, and more importantly, I want to make Huyan Zhuo make a complete misjudgment of the fighting strength of Liangshan!"
Upon hearing this, the generals suddenly realized the truth and were all completely convinced.
"The chieftain is wise!"
The next day, at the first light of dawn, outside Yuncheng County, the drums of the Liangshan camp sounded three times, and the gates opened wide. A troop of men slowly emerged.
Leading the four fierce generals, the first was none other than "Big Saber" Guan Sheng, riding Red Hare and wielding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, exuding a majestic aura; behind him was "Leopard Head" Lin Chong, riding Black Steed and wielding an eighteen-foot spear, his murderous aura soaring to the sky; following behind were "Iron Spear" Wang Yin and "National Protector Marshal" Si Xingfang, both spirited and brimming with killing intent.
Following the four generals were five hundred elite Liangshan cavalry, each with gleaming armor and an imposing presence.
Following the cavalry were five hundred infantrymen. Leading them were four infantry commanders: "Flowery Monk" Lu Zhishen, "Pilgrim" Wu Song, "Red-Haired Devil" Liu Tang, and "Desperate Saburo" Shi Xiu. However, these five hundred infantrymen appeared somewhat disorganized; the majority were newly surrendered government troops, their ranks disordered, their expressions tense—clearly a ragtag group inexperienced in battle.
These thousand-odd men, arrayed on the plain, appeared so thin and shabby in stark contrast to the vast, imposing army of the government troops in the distance.
Huyan Zhuo, standing under the central canopy, immediately raised his whip and peered through his telescope at the Liangshan army's formation, and couldn't help but sneer.
"Hmph, a rabble, courting death!"
He turned to Han Tao and Xuan Zan beside him and said, "This Li Hanxiao is indeed a bandit who knows nothing of military strategy. How dare he confront my linked cavalry on the plains? He is truly courting death!"
Han Tao also laughed and said, "General, your might is divine, and the bandits tremble with fear at the mere mention of your name. In this battle, I am willing to be the vanguard and raz the enemy lines for you!"
Huyan Zhuo shook his head.
"Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Let me first meet his general and see what he's capable of."
Just then, a cannon blast rang out from the battle, and Guan Sheng charged out of the fray.
The red-faced man, with a booming voice, pointed his sword at the government troops' formation.
"You mere commoner on the battlefield, do you dare to fight me, Guan?"
Hu Yanzhuo could see clearly in the mirror that Guan Sheng's face was as red as a jujube, with a beautiful beard, and that he looked seven or eight parts similar to the statue of Guan Sheng Di Jun in the temple. He was secretly amazed.
Who is this person?
Xuan Zan, who was standing nearby, quickly replied, "This man is Guan Sheng, who recently joined Liangshan and claims to be a descendant of the Righteous and Brave King of Wu'an from the late Han Dynasty."
Upon hearing this, Hu Yanzhuo nodded, but a hint of contempt flashed in his eyes.
"Hmph, just a charlatan pretending to be a sage, seeking fame and fortune."
He initially intended to fight personally, but then he thought that as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, it would be an honor for such an unknown person to personally take action.
He glanced at Xuan Zan beside him and said calmly, "General Xuan Zan, go and meet him."
Xuan Zan felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that Hu Yanzhuo was testing his martial arts skills.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Xuan Zan spurred his horse forward, brandishing his steel saber, and charged straight at Guan Sheng.
The two horses clashed, their blades flashing. Guan Sheng saw that although the approaching general was ugly, his horsemanship was quite solid, so he dared not be careless. He brandished his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and engaged him in battle.
The two fought back and forth for more than ten rounds, neither gaining the upper hand.
However, what Huyan Zhuo did not know was that Guan Sheng had met Xuan Zan, who was then a junior officer in the palace guards, several years ago when he was still serving as the patrol inspector of Pudong. The two had even sparred in martial arts and were old acquaintances.
Guan Sheng's mind raced, and he changed his swordsmanship, using a move he had made when he fought Xuan Zan years ago: the "dragging sword technique".
Xuan Zan was shocked when he saw this; he recognized the move!
Xuanzan was immediately thrown into a state of utter confusion.
He knew Guan Sheng's abilities and knew he was no match for him. Moreover, the two had a past friendship, and if they were to fight to the death on the battlefield, wouldn't people laugh at Xuan Zan for not remembering their old friendship?
His mind raced, and he immediately created an opening, shouted loudly, and spurred his horse to flee.
Guan Sheng was unwilling to give up and spurred his horse to give chase.
Huyan Zhuo, who was in the central army, had a clear view of Xuan Zan's defeat and Guan Sheng's pursuit, and he sneered inwardly.
Even a grain of rice can shine brightly!
He waved the command flag in his hand.
"Chain attack, charge!"
From within the government army ranks, war drums thundered and horns blared. The three thousand linked cavalry, like a black torrent unleashed, moved slowly forward with a suffocating sense of oppression.
The iron chains rattled, and the sound of horses' hooves rolled like muffled thunder.
That overwhelming, earth-shattering force was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Upon seeing this, Guan Sheng's pupils also contracted.
Although he was brave and fierce, he was not reckless. Seeing this formation, he knew he could not defeat him by force.
He abruptly reined in his Red Hare, ceasing his pursuit of Xuan Zan. Instead, he turned his horse around and charged forward alone towards the seemingly impenetrable chain of cavalry!
"You thief, don't run! Take this!"
With a roar, Guan Sheng and his horse became one, transforming into a streak of crimson lightning.
With immense force and a piercing whistle that tore through the air, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade slashed fiercely at the front of the linked cavalry formation!
"clang--!"
A deafening clang of metal clashing!
Sparks flew everywhere!
Guan Sheng felt an overwhelming force coming from the handle of the sword, which made his arm go numb and he almost lost his grip on the sword.
He looked closely and saw that the heavily armored cavalryman who had been struck only swayed slightly, and only a shallow white mark was left on his thick iron armor!
The twenty-nine riders beside him, connected by iron chains, remained completely still!
Guan Sheng was greatly alarmed.
His strike was powerful enough to split stone tablets and shatter rocks, yet it couldn't harm this armored warrior in the slightest!
In the brief moment he was stunned, the chain of horses had already crashed into him!
Guan Sheng dared not take the attack head-on, so he hurriedly urged his Red Hare to take the risk and narrowly avoided it from the side.
Even so, the strong wind generated by the cavalry formation made his cheeks sting.
He turned around and saw that the knight he had just struck had been dragged off his horse, and another prepared knight had filled the gap. The entire formation was in perfect order!
"What an amazing formation!"
Guan Sheng secretly praised him, but he also knew that he had no chance of breaking the formation on his own.
He no longer wished to continue the fight and turned his horse to return.
Just then, Lin Chong arrived on horseback to meet Guan Sheng.
"Brother Guan Sheng, don't panic! I'm here to help you!"
Lin Chong was a master of warfare with a keen eye. He immediately saw that the strength of this chained cavalry formation lay in its iron armor and chains, while its weakness must be at the point where the horses' bellies connected to the riders.
The eighteen-foot spear in his hand was like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave. Instead of clashing head-on with the iron armor, it aimed at the weak points in the knight's armor, such as his ribs and thighs, through the gaps between the horses.
"Pfft!"
With a muffled thud, a government soldier knight screamed as Lin Chong pierced his thigh with a spear and fell from his horse.
But the warhorse, pulled by its iron chains, was not in control of its own destiny and continued to charge forward with the army, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground as it dragged the wounded knight.
Upon seeing this, Lin Chong frowned.
This chain of cavalry formations is not only incredibly defensive, but even if one of them is injured, their formation cannot be broken.
Just as he was about to go forward again, he heard Huyan Zhuo give an order from the central army.
"All troops advance! Crush them!"
The three thousand linked horses no longer advanced slowly, but began to trot at a steady pace.
Three thousand heavily armored warhorses, plus three thousand heavily armored knights, that weight must be more than ten thousand catties!
When he started running, the earth shook and the mountains trembled; his momentum was unstoppable!
The five hundred Liangshan cavalrymen were like a small boat in a raging storm before this massive, armored torrent that resembled a giant war machine.
One glance, and it crumbles at the slightest touch!
All that could be heard were screams, the cracking of bones, and the mournful neighing of warhorses, all blending together.
Dozens of Liangshan warhorses were knocked off their feet by the chain of cavalry, and both men and horses were instantly trampled into mincemeat by the huge iron hooves!
Blood and flesh flew everywhere; the scene was horrific!
"Retreat! The entire army retreats!"
Li Hanxiao saw everything clearly from behind. Although he knew it was a trap, he was still horrified.
He immediately ordered the retreat.
Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and the others had already received orders to protect the five hundred infantrymen and take the lead in retreating.
Si Xingfang was hot-tempered, and seeing the heavy casualties on his side, he could no longer restrain himself.
He shouted loudly and instead of retreating, he advanced, intending to flank them and disrupt their formation.
"You treacherous general, cease your arrogance!"
Unexpectedly, the government troops were already prepared. Han Tao waved his jujube wood spear, and hundreds of archer cavalrymen behind him had already drawn their bows and nocked their arrows.