bookrandom Chapter 2046 Failure, A Daring Plan!
Chapter 2046 Failure, A Daring Plan!
Seeing that Tang reinforcements were coming, Zhao Yu knew that he could not charge head-on, so he immediately ordered a turn, trying to use the mobility of the cavalry to find a new breakthrough.
But Gao Xianzhi was clearly experienced, and his troops followed them closely, keeping them pinned down and constantly reducing their space to maneuver.
An even more brutal and chaotic infighting within the camp was about to begin!
Although the White Horse Cavalry were brave and well-armored, their advantages were greatly reduced when they lost their space to charge and were surrounded by infantry.
They were forced to engage in brutal close-quarters combat with a Tang army that outnumbered them several times over.
Swords clashed with spears, and knights and infantry locked in fierce combat. Every step forward came at a heavy price.
The Tang soldiers were also bloodthirsty; they knew that if they couldn't drive these Chu cavalrymen out, they would all die!
The battle lasted from the afternoon until nightfall, a full three hours of fierce fighting!
The camp was littered with corpses, and flames soared into the sky.
Zhao Yu led from the front, felling countless Tang generals and officers with his silver spear, but he himself was also wounded in several places, his white armor already stained red with blood.
His White Horse cavalry suffered heavy losses, with nearly half of them killed.
With darkness falling and the risk of total annihilation if the fighting continued, coupled with the Tang army's increasingly tight encirclement, Zhao Yu had no choice but to issue the order to retreat.
"Retreat! Follow me and fight your way out!"
Led by Zhao Yu, the remaining White Horse cavalry, like wounded tigers, unleashed their last strength and charged back in the direction they had come from.
Ultimately, under the encirclement of Gao Xianzhi's troops, who also paid a heavy price, they retreated from the Tang army camp in a sorry state and returned to their own positions.
Looking at the retreating white figure and the devastation of the camp, with corpses piled up like mountains, Gao Xianzhi leaned on his spear, panting heavily. There was no joy of victory on his face, only the relief of surviving a disaster and deep exhaustion.
In order to repel this cavalry, more than a third of his 20,000 elite troops were killed or wounded, and the camp's logistics facilities were also severely damaged.
On the watchtower, Li Jing learned that Zhao Yu had been defeated, and he only breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his brows remained furrowed.
Repelling Zhao Yu only temporarily alleviated the immediate crisis; the pressure on the right flank and the front remained unabated.
Wang Zhongsi, on the left wing, still failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough.
The battle raged on, with both sides suffering heavy losses, and the Tang army's situation became increasingly precarious.
Night once again enveloped the bloody battlefield like a giant, dark curtain.
The daytime hustle and bustle faded away, replaced by a chilling atmosphere thick with the stench of burnt metal and blood.
Zhao Yu removed his blood-soaked, torn white armor, leaving him in only a blood-stained shirt.
Ignoring the lingering pain from his wounds, he led a few guards through the ravaged front lines of the Chu army and went straight to the garrison area of Ran Ming's troops.
The atmosphere in Ran Ming's camp was equally heavy and somber.
The soldiers leaned against their weapons, taking a quick rest, the campfire illuminating their tired yet resolute faces.
During the daytime onslaught, the Ranming tribe, as the main force in the frontal assault, also suffered considerable casualties, but their fierce and wild killing intent did not diminish due to exhaustion.
Zhao Yu's arrival attracted the attention of the sentries.
When the sentry saw that it was General Zhao, who had once led the White Horse Cavalry to bravely charge into the enemy camp and become famous throughout the army, he immediately became respectful and quickly led him to the central army.
Ran Ming was sitting next to a whetstone, personally sharpening his giant axe, which was as big as a door panel. His shiny bald head gleamed in the firelight.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Zhao Yu. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He then put down his giant axe and stood up.
"General Zhao? You're injured, why aren't you resting in the camp? What brings you here to my place, Old Ran's?"
Ran Ming's voice was still loud, but with a hint of concern.
Zhao Yu walked up to Ran Ming. Without any pleasantries, he took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Ran Ming, his voice slightly hoarse from exhaustion and excitement.
"General Ran, Zhao Yu suffered a setback in battle today, failing to expand his gains and instead incurring losses among his men. He feels guilty and resentful! He has come to earnestly request your assistance!"
Ran Ming was taken aback by Zhao Yu's sudden and grand gesture. He quickly stepped forward, extending his large, fan-like hands to firmly grasp Zhao Yu's arms, stopping him from continuing the bow, and said loudly:
General Zhao! What are you doing?
"We are both ministers in the same court, serving His Majesty, and both striving to win this battle, wipe out the Tang Dynasty, and complete the great cause of unifying the world! Why perform such a grand ceremony? Wouldn't that be too much for me, Old Ran, to bear?"
He forcefully helped Zhao Yu up, his tiger eyes wide open, looking at Zhao Yu's pale face filled with resentment, feeling deeply empathetic.
He was exhausted from fighting on the front lines today, but he still failed to break through the Tang army's defenses. He was also filled with resentment.
"General Zhao, speak your mind! As long as we can break through this Tang camp and kill that old man Li Jing, I, Old Ran, will definitely cooperate!"
Ran Ming patted his chest, his voice resolute.
Seeing Ran Ming's straightforwardness, Zhao Yu felt reassured and, without further formalities, cut straight to the point, his eyes sharp as knives:
"General Ran, today I led my cavalry into the enemy camp. Although we were forced to retreat, we were able to observe the enemy's defenses and weaknesses."
"In order to resist our forces, Li Jing has transferred Gao Xianzhi's reserve troops to our breakthrough direction for defense, which will inevitably leave the other areas on his front even more vulnerable!"
He stepped closer, lowered his voice, and laid out his plan in detail:
"My intention is that tonight at midnight, General Ran, you should lead all your capable troops and, regardless of the cost, launch an unprecedented and fierce attack on the place where I broke through today!"
"The bigger the show of force, the better! Let's make it look like we're going to fight to the death!"
Ran Ming's eyes flashed, as if he understood something: "You mean you want me, old Ran, to draw the main force of the Tang army?"
"Not bad!"
Zhao Yu nodded heavily: "General, your troops are strong and your offensive is fierce. Once you launch a full-scale attack, Li Jing will surely think that our army is going to seek a decisive battle here."
"He will definitely mobilize all available forces, including troops possibly drawn from the left flank, to surround the general! At that time..."
A startling light flashed in Zhao Yu's eyes: "Their other weaknesses in their defenses will be exposed!"
"I then led my cavalry, and under the cover of night, broke into the enemy camp again through their lax defenses!"
"This time, the target is the central command tent; burn its provisions and disrupt its command! With attacks from both inside and outside, the Tang army will surely collapse!"
This plan is bold, adventurous, and even a bit crazy!
They used Ranming's troops as bait to draw fire, while Zhao Yu risked everything to deliver a fatal blow.
If successful, we will surely be able to storm into the Tang army camp!