Chapter 542 Restore Our Mountains and Rivers, Fight to the Last Drop of Blood, Never Cease
The voice belonged to Zhang Liao, Zhang Wenyuan!
It was he who led the charge in the first round of volleys... and his declaration, "Insignificant barbarians, how laughable!" instantly ignited the fury of all the Wuhuan knights, including Tadun.
"Charge out!"
"The enemy attackers are no more than a thousand men. Kill them, and tomorrow, this Khan will bestow upon you the most beautiful women!"
Tadun, burning with extreme anger, roared as he organized the Hu cavalry to charge outwards!
"Thump-thump-thump!"
"Clip-clop-clip-clop!"
The thunderous sound of horse hooves and neighing shook the heavens... countless Hu cavalry galloped towards the Dragon Soaring Camp in the direction of Bai Lang Mountain.
But...
They hadn't gone far!
"Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!"
With a series of sounds, numerous Hu cavalry were thrown from their horses, trampled by the knights behind them, and spat blood furiously on the ground.
And this bloody path spread instantaneously!
— Whoosh!
— Whoosh!
— Whoosh!
Bolts of crossbow arrows shot out from the repeating crossbows. The eight hundred Vanguard Camp and the White Horse Volunteers were already skilled archers, and with the simple-to-operate repeating crossbows, in the pitch-black night, they were like deathly scythes, ferociously striking down the charging Hu cavalry.
Blood stained the earth. In just a quarter of an hour, the fallen bodies at the foot of Bai Lang Mountain already numbered in the thousands, and this number continued to grow!
There was no mercy in this battle. Either the Dragon Soaring Camp would be buried in the northern desert, and the borders of the Xia land would remain shrouded in darkness!
Or, the Wuhuan would be annihilated!
It was a show of force!
Or, it was to annex all the lands of the Wuhuan and forge a prosperous dynasty!
"Shameless Han!"
Seeing the Hu cavalry fall one by one, Tadun's pupils seemed on the verge of bursting. He couldn't understand why... the enemy's numbers were clearly not large, yet their arrows were so swift, like a swarm of locusts, unending!
Little did they know, the repeating crossbow was born to counter cavalry.
Direct, multi-shot, continuous crossbow bolts, on an open plain, could turn every charging cavalryman into a hedgehog!
And this northern expedition...
It was delayed by three months, waiting for these ten thousand repeating crossbows. Since they were produced by Zhuge Jun's workshop, the Dragon Soaring Camp called this repeating crossbow the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow!
"General... the Hu cavalry are still two hundred paces away from us!"
A副将 reminded Zhang Liao...
Although the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow had inflicted significant casualties on the Wuhuan cavalry, the Hu were martial and still had brave knights breaking through... they were about to approach the foot of Bai Lang Mountain.
This was dangerous...
Once the Hu cavalry closed in on the Dragon Soaring Camp, their numerical advantage would be infinitely magnified, and the Dragon Soaring Camp, let alone the repeating crossbows, would face greatly increased difficulty in engagement, even their cavalry.
One must know...
The Dragon Soaring Camp had also marched long distances, their stamina more than half depleted. Although all were elites, they were fewer than ten thousand...
More importantly, they traveled light, without any logistical support. Many soldiers carried the repeating crossbows over Xu Wu Mountain, and for speed, they hadn't even worn armor!
Once they got close, it would be extremely dangerous!
Unexpectedly, facing such a critical situation, Zhang Liao's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Beat the drums, blow the horns, fire the signal arrows, proceed as planned!"
As his voice fell...
"Woo—woo—woo!"
The orderlies blew the horns, and those holding bows immediately lit their signal arrows on the torches held by their nearby comrades.
Then, they released the bowstrings!
Numerous "marked" and burning "firebirds" ascended into the night sky... and as these firebirds fell, the Wuhuan cavalry were only a hundred paces away!
At this moment...
"Boom!"
"Rumble!"
At the foot of Bai Lang Mountain, amidst the sparse grass of the frontier, fierce flames erupted, quickly rising and merging into fire dragons, reddening half the sky!
Thick smoke choked the air!
The immense smoke enveloped countless Hu cavalry, flames all around... the flames quickly ignited them, men and horses alike, wailing and neighing, burning and running in all directions!
Firemen...
Countless firemen!
They charged about like headless flies, more collapsing to the ground, and gradually... in the flames, these firemen seemed to suffocate, falling to their knees... their entire bodies scorched black!
"Where did this fire come from?"
Tadun was almost consumed by the flames...
It was fortunate he wasn't at the front!
But... seeing countless Hu turned to ashes in the inferno, his pupils burst with rage. He was filled with grief... but his grief was useless!
The mountain wind in the night swayed the flames, continuously spewing out new flames. The ashes left by the burning flames fell like rain, a thin layer, yet covering the faces of every Wuhuan knight who stood firm.
Fear...
They felt a deeper fear at this moment!
Heh...
Looking at the flames before him, Zhang Liao's face at the foot of Bai Lang Mountain remained stern, but the corners of his serious face curved slightly, revealing a momentary joy.
"The power of the white phosphorus from the refining workshop is truly terrifying!"
Zhang Liao sighed.
A副将 beside him added, "Wenyuan, have you forgotten that in the past, a group of imperial students used this white phosphorus to burn the thirty thousand enemy cavalry of that pig-eared fellow!"
"Haha!" Zhang Liao laughed, "Let me ask you, if you were the Chanyu Tadun of the Wuhuan at this moment, what would you think seeing this scene?"
This...
After a long hesitation, all the副将s fell silent. It was Cao Xiu who stepped forward, "If someone burned my people with fire, I would hate them, but... if I didn't even know how they started the fire, then... I think I would feel even more fear!"
Hearing this, Zhang Liao nodded.
"As expected of General Cao, who followed Commander Lu from the very beginning, your insight is unique!"
"Wenyuan," Cao Xiu added, "Now doesn't seem like the time to chat about this! White phosphorus can indeed annihilate the Wuhuan vanguard cavalry, but their numbers are not small. Even with fear, I don't think they will retreat!"
As he spoke...
A hint of worry flashed in Cao Xiu's eyes!
As expected...
After a brief pause, the urgent sound of hooves "Thump-thump-thump, Thump-thump-thump..." sounded again, and Tadun led the remaining knights charging forth once more!
They had no retreat in this battle.
However, Zhang Liao's expression remained unchanged, or rather... he had made thorough preparations!
He had waited for this day for too long!
Ever since the Nie family was forced to change their surname to "Zhang," the members of the Nie clan had been preparing for this day without respite.
"Blow the horn!"
He uttered faintly...
Immediately after, the deep drumbeats echoed, and several drummers vigorously wielded their drumsticks, transmitting a blood-boiling rhythm throughout the army!
"Woo woo— woo woo— woo woo!"
The sound of the horns rose and fell, like dragon roars and tiger cries!
In the Dragon Soaring Camp, the Vanguard Camp, the Advance Camp, and the Spear Camp, every soldier was on high alert, gripping their weapons tightly, arrayed to face the Hu cavalry head-on!
Bai Lang Mountain was the battlefield of this moment!
"Wenyuan... are you crazy? You want to fight head-on?"
Cao Xiu asked in astonishment...
Without heavy armor, fighting head-on would result in heavy losses!
Unexpectedly, Zhang Liao merely waved his hand.
"It is indeed a frontal assault, but it does not include your and my cavalry..."
This...
What did this mean?
Cao Xiu was bewildered...
Zhang Liao raised his command flag again, and all the cavalry retreated behind the infantry into Bai Lang Mountain, seemingly not intending to have their cavalry clash head-on!
"Wenyuan, you..."
Cao Xiu still wanted to say something, but before he could, Zhang Liao had already led the Bing Province Wolf Cavalry to retreat.
Who was he to question the commander-in-chief?
Cao Xiu reluctantly led his own Dragon Soaring cavalry into Bai Lang Mountain...
And when he stood at a higher vantage point again, he suddenly realized that the once formidable Hu cavalry had disappeared, replaced by slow-moving, disorganized, and numb-looking remnants of the troops!
This...
"Ah... ah..."
"Ah..."
Continuous Hu cavalry were thrown from their horses, as if the horses' hooves had stepped on something.
Caltrops...
That's right, Bai Lang Mountain was covered in caltrops!
Horses of this era did not have iron studs or horseshoes, and caltrops could cause them great harm, let alone within Bai Lang Mountain, with its dense forests and grasses. Who knew... how many hidden weapons lay beneath the grass!
But... even so?
It seemed that this charging Hu cavalry should not be so dispirited, right?
"General Wenyuan..."
Cao Xiu couldn't help but ask... "What is this!"
"General Cao has not spent time on the frontier, naturally, you do not understand the customs of the Hu!" Zhang Liao explained, "These Hu cavalry are accustomed to wildness. When fighting on the plains, they charge and hack wildly with shouts. Their individual combat ability is strong, but if they were to form ranks to attack in the mountains, that would be their weakness!"
"Let alone the Vanguard Camp, the Advance Camp, and the Spear Camp! Even the ordinary Taishan Army is far inferior to them!"
Uh...
As soon as he said this, Cao Xiu's eyes widened. He turned back to look at the Hu in Bai Lang Mountain in disbelief. Indeed... their combat effectiveness was far less than before!
So that's how it is...
So that's how it is!
At this moment, Cao Xiu finally understood why Master Lu had unexpectedly appointed "Zhang Liao" as the commander for this northern expedition!
He understood these Hu people too well!
"General Wenyuan's deployment is impeccable, I am impressed!" Riding on his horse, Cao Xiu cupped his hands towards Zhang Liao, genuinely impressed from the bottom of his heart.
Zhang Liao's eyes narrowed...
He observed the battlefield situation... and after a long period of contemplation, he issued the final command.
"Beat the drums, sound the horns!"
Woo woo—
Woo woo—
The horns sounded as usual, this was already the fourth time they had been blown that night!
The first time was to have the light cavalry use fire arrows to lure out the enemy!
The second time was to lead the enemy into a specific area and ignite white phosphorus, burning the Hu cavalry!
The third time was to have the infantry form ranks and fight the Hu using the strategic advantage of Bai Lang Mountain...
And this fourth time, the last time, the opportunity for counterattack and victory had arrived!
"Woo woo— woo woo— woo woo"
The sound of the horns rose and fell, like dragon roars and tiger cries!
Between heaven and earth, it seemed as if hundreds of horns were echoing. On the slopes of Bai Lang Mountain, at its foot, and halfway up its side, countless torches were lit, and the tall "Dragon Soaring" military banners covered the sky!
The earth was shaking...
Bai Lang Mountain was also shaking!
The stars above seemed to be shaking as well!
A chilling sensation rose from the ground, instantly spreading through the bodies of the Hu cavalry, making them weak in the knees and pale with fear!
"General Cao, would you be interested in a competition to see who can behead more Hu?"
"Hahaha... I'd be happy to accept!"
Zhang Liao and Cao Xiu each uttered a sentence.
The sound of hooves "Thump-thump-thump" echoed once more...
And accompanying it was the passionate and heroic battle song from the soldiers' mouths!
— "How can it be said that there are no clothes? I wear the same robe as you!"
— "Restore our mountains and rivers, fight until the last drop of blood, never cease!"
— "Wearing iron armor and carrying a long saber..."
— "My hair stands on end as I lean on the railing... thirty years of fame reduced to dust and dirt, I raise my cup and drink the Xiongnu's blood!"
— "Dragon Soaring Camp, why fear death in battle?"
The bloody setting sun filled the night sky, and also filled this bloody battlefield.
This battle raged from midnight until dawn!
The entire foot of Bai Lang Mountain was almost stained red with the blood of the Hu...
...
...
A black-awning boat sped forward, churning through the rolling waves, rising and falling on the boundless river.
Sima Yi and Zhang Chunhua sat at the bow of the boat, gazing at the distant, ethereal green mountains on both banks...
Zhang Chunhua sighed softly, "I thought Marquis Baima would take my husband to the northern expedition. Who would have thought that after reaching Youzhou, we would eventually turn south."
"It matters not!" Sima Yi replied with a smile, "The scenery of Jiangnan is indeed enchanting, with spring all year round and green mountains like azure jade. The people in such a paradise must be willing to defend their peaceful homes with their lives, right? It seems that the northern expedition was easy, but heading south is not simple!"
Hearing this, Zhang Chunhua nodded, seemingly in agreement with Sima Yi's words.
"It's also fortunate that Marquis Baima thought of a unique method to unify these broken mountains and rivers. Otherwise, if we were to truly engage in armed conflict with the Jiangdong forces, we might not be able to capture it!"
As she spoke, Zhang Chunhua pointed to the busy fishermen on both banks. "Is the purpose of war not to achieve peace? The people here already have peace. To protect this peace, they are likely to become a nation of soldiers!"
Hearing this, Sima Yi's eyes narrowed slightly.
After a long period of contemplation, he uttered two words.
"Attack the heart, attack the heart!"
His purpose in coming to Jiangdong this time... was to attack the heart!
To be precise, it was to win over the hearts of the Shanyue people, the hearts of the various aristocratic families, and the hearts of the populace for the Jiangdong Lu clan...
At the same time, he also had to establish a Lu family army, a seasoned army.
Hoo...
Thinking of this, Sima Yi exhaled.
"Fortunately, Master Lu's maternal clan is one of the four great families of Wujun, the Lu clan. Otherwise... this Jiangdong would probably be the most difficult bone to chew!"
As he spoke, Sima Yi no longer spoke, but gazed at the surrounding green mountains, his heart filled with emotions!
The world was like a chessboard, and it seemed that behind every move, there was the invisible hand of Master Lu!
Respectable, and terrifying!
Fortunately, he was a master, not an enemy...
...
...
Xuzhou, Donghai Commandery, by the seaport!
The first ray of dawn in the morning cast its radiance upon the earth, also illuminating the shimmering sea surface outside Donghai Commandery.
One by one, ships leisurely returned to the harbor amidst the sparkling waves...
"My son, this trip seems to have been quite fruitful."
The speaker was Huang Zhong...
Ever since his son, Huang Xu, came to Xuzhou's Donghai Commandery to manage the salt production and fishing affairs, Huang Zhong had voluntarily requested to come here as well...
To be honest, he was old, and his desire for meritorious deeds had faded!
His only wish was to be by his son's side... to watch him grow!
Of course...
For Lu Yu, considering that the "Jiangbei Alliance" also needed a formidable figure to hold the fort, Lu Yu simply agreed...
He appointed Huang Zhong as the Prefect of Donghai Commandery!
For more than a year, Huang Zhong, with nothing else to do, went out fishing with his son Huang Xu, and gradually became familiar with the water, even becoming an expert at catching large yellow croakers.
"This boat of large yellow croakers must weigh several thousand jin!"
Huang Xu looked at the boat laden with fish and replied to his father with a smile.
The daily excursions on the boat had tanned Huang Xu's skin dark, but his physique had become much sturdier. The six-pack abs bulging at his waist were particularly eye-catching, no longer the sickly boy who was always taking medicine from Changsha Commandery!
And this was what made Huang Zhong most pleased.
"Haha, tonight it's still large yellow croaker soup... eat less sea salt, it's good for your health!" Huang Zhong patted Huang Xu's shoulder and said with a smile.
This method was suggested by his sworn brother, Zhang Zhongjing...
This good brother mentioned that salt should be eaten sparingly, as it was not good for the stomach!
While Huang Zhong and Huang Xu were chatting...
Countless merchants and laborers on the shore had been waiting for a long time...
As the boat docked, countless people pushed small carts to transport the large yellow croakers!
Not far away, numerous fish farms had already been established. As soon as the large yellow croakers were unloaded, countless laborers began their work!
Now, in Donghai, thanks to the prosperity of the fishing industry, the common people no longer had to worry about starvation.
Consequently... they had many new ideas!
For example, fermenting the unsold large yellow croakers into fish oil...
This fish oil had a good market, whether for military or mess hall use!
For example, boiling oil to make wax!
Some villagers also studied how to make various localized salted fish...
Such as "large yellow croaker heads," "dried large yellow croaker fins," etc. In short, some were pickled, some were dehydrated and dried, all forming a scale, and each earning a fortune.
And more large yellow croakers, after being processed into dried fish, would be transported to the Central Plains and the Northern Territories...
This was an important food supply for the Cao army!
What's more, it was particularly nutritious.
It could be said that the small area of the Donghai Commandery sea had such vast interlocking interests, and Huang Xu, as the person in charge, was almost universally sought after for favor!
Huang Xu was about to carefully instruct the clerks to record the weight and money of the salvaged and sold yellow croakers, and report them to the Jiangbei Alliance!
Unexpectedly...
Suddenly... the sound of "clang, clang, clang" echoed. This was an alarm...
There were clan members standing on high towers, watching over the sea, specifically responsible for this. And this alarm had only one reason: pirate invasion!
"Clang, clang, clang!"
"Ding, ding, ding!"
"Ding, ding, ding!"
"Ding, ding, ding!"
One ring and three light rings, this indicated an unknown vessel had invaded the sea area...
Instantly, countless soldiers near the port became agitated, gathering themselves.
Most of them were local militia, because this sea area not only provided them with enough to eat, but everyone had become extremely prosperous and wealthy.
Pirates?
How could they allow pirates to disrupt the happy life they had finally achieved?
"Prefect Huang, Young Master Huang... quick, look, it seems to be pirates... many ships, as many as seven or eight."
Someone reminded Huang Zhong and Huang Xu...
Huang Zhong strode forward, reaching the coast and gazing at the ships on the sea with a frown.
"Assemble, everyone assemble!"
"Divine Arrow Camp! Form ranks!"
He dared not be careless...
Nor did he dare to go out to sea to meet the enemy. It was most prudent to use a volley of arrows from the shore.
Huang Xu, however, his eyes narrowed...
He shook his head, feeling that something was not right!
After all, since he came to Donghai, he had never encountered pirates. How could pirates suddenly appear?
...
The unknown vessels stopped offshore, and on the ships were hundreds of ragged sailors, all tanned dark!
And their purpose...
Was not to plunder here!
"Queen, we have arrived..."
"Ahead is the Great Han country!"
A lady-in-waiting said in extremely broken Chinese, pointing towards the harbor ahead...
And before her, a woman wearing a black veil and a sun-shaped headdress on her forehead narrowed her eyes.
Her Chinese seemed more fluent.
"Send a Han person, by small boat, to deliver the拜帖 from Yamatai State!"
...
...