Chapter 124
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Everyone was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Youzhou soldiers.
As soon as the Youzhou soldiers arrived in Henei County, the news immediately spread among the other rebel forces and reached Li Li’s ears.
Upon their arrival, they learned of the devastating defeat of the Qin army and the news that Li Li had recruited the remnants.
Yang Zhongfa couldn’t help but laugh in frustration, “What heroes are they trying to be if they can’t win? They just let Li Li capture 30,000 prisoners for nothing. It’s making my heart ache with anger.”
Chu Hechao remained composed and nonchalantly said, “Isn’t that good?”
Yang Zhongfa was surprised, “General, do you think this is good?”
“It’s good,” Chu Hechao replied, his lips curling without a trace of a smile, “If no one is defeated, how can we demonstrate the might of our victory?”
Yuan Li nodded in agreement.
The more defeated armies, the greater the reputation of the victorious ones.
The rebel forces waiting in Jiyin County were overjoyed upon hearing about the arrival of the Youzhou soldiers. They hurried to Henei County and warmly welcomed the arrival of Yuan Li and Chu Hechao. Their eager attitude made Yuan Li feel like their arrival was akin to putting out a fire.
This group of people held a lively banquet for Chu Hechao and Yuan Li, during which they lamented the strength of Li Li’s army and the bravery of his generals.
Before Yuan Li and Chu Hechao had arrived, some of these people had tried to fight against Li Li, but they all ended up defeated. Yuan Li looked at the lazy and timid appearance of their soldiers and thought to himself, “Even if you argue, you can’t justify yourselves…”
Chu Hechao remained composed, but his mere presence reassured the rebel soldiers.
Unlike their reputations, which were inflated by boasting, Chu Hechao, the young Grand General stationed in the Northern Border, truly lived up to his fearsome reputation.
His countless achievements and notorious name gave him a commanding presence that surpassed other generals.
This aura even made the repeatedly victorious Li Li army somewhat apprehensive.
Of course, not all the forces coming to fight Li Li were unreliable. Lu He, the Governor of Liangzhou, had long been itching to attack Li Li.
However, he led fewer troops, and his supplies were scarce. No one was willing to join him in the fight. Finally, now that Chu Hechao and Yuan Li had arrived, after the banquet, Lu He approached them directly, saying, “When will you be launching an attack? Take Liangzhou with you!”
“In ten days at most, I will lead the troops,” Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow and said straightforwardly, “How many soldiers have you brought?”
“Twenty thousand,” Lu He said with a thick skin, not feeling embarrassed at all. He patted his chest and said, “Don’t be deceived by our small number. The fierce warriors of Liangzhou are not inferior to your Northern Border army. We often fight against foreign tribes, and each and every one of them is a valiant warrior.”
Chu Hechao asked, “How much food and supplies do you have left?”
Lu He blushed, “Only enough for half a month.”
No wonder this guy was so eager to attack Li Li.
Yuan Li found it both funny and exasperating and interjected, “We have indeed heard of the bravery of the Liangzhou soldiers. With Lord Lu’s assistance, we have a better chance of defeating Li Li.”
“Lord Yuan’s words are music to my ears,” Lu He laughed heartily, “But the problem is, we might not have enough food and supplies. At that time, I’ll have to trouble the General and Lord Yuan…”
He rubbed his hands, implying something.
Yuan Li smiled and looked at the other rebel leaders who were leaving the feast, supporting each other in a drunken state. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch. We risk our lives leading troops to attack Li Li, and it’s not reasonable for these people to station here, eat and drink, and expect to gain merit. I believe that when these heroes support us in attacking Li Li, they will be more than willing to provide the needed supplies.”
Lu He suddenly brightened up and admired Yuan Li as he raised his thumb. After agreeing with Chu Hechao on the date to launch the attack, he went to ask those people for food and supplies.
In late September, Chu Hechao led his army to set out, and Lu He marched with him to attack Li Li. The others didn’t dare to go and instead stayed in Henei County, providing a considerable amount of food for the two armies.
And Wan Liang had already stationed his troops ahead of Chu Hechao’s army.
Though Wan Liang had never directly confronted Chu Hechao in battle, he knew of Chu Hechao’s prowess and didn’t dare to underestimate him. When the scouts reported that Chu Hechao’s forces were approaching, Wan Liang raised his spirits and ordered his soldiers to be on high alert.
Yan Hui had hoped that Wan Liang would defeat Chu Hechao’s army in one battle, so he provided Wan Liang with 100,000 soldiers and horses. Chu Hechao also led 100,000 soldiers, and with such a large-scale battle, neither side could hide, and the terrain around them was flat, leaving no room for strategic maneuvers.
They had to face each other head-on, engaging in a direct clash of soldier strength.
In terms of soldier strength, Chu Hechao firmly believed that no soldiers could match the fierce Youzhou and Liangzhou soldiers.
Before the major battle, the two sides had engaged in brief skirmishes with their cavalry.
The Youzhou cavalry, nourished by Yuan Li, was robust and strong, wearing black armor and wielding long spears, looking like black bears on horseback. The stirrups secured their feet, freeing their hands to thrust the long spears. The Youzhou cavalry almost effortlessly defeated Wan Liang’s cavalry in a series of short battles.
Such encounters happened five times, and Wan Liang’s cavalry suffered unimaginable and crushing defeats.
Wan Liang was both shocked and fearful, unable to believe that he had lost five battles in a row.
He knew the might of the Youzhou soldiers, and the cavalry he dispatched were the elite of his army, the most formidable among the cavalry. Yet, in the face of the Youzhou soldiers, his best forces seemed powerless!
This overwhelming victory completely shattered the arrogance that had arisen among Wan Liang’s soldiers due to their consecutive victories, leaving his soldiers in low spirits and disarray.
Seizing this opportunity, Chu Hechao promptly led his army to attack Wan Liang’s forces.
The difference in leading soldiers between Wan Liang and Chu Hechao was like night and day.
This was not merely a difference in experience or rank but in how they commanded and arranged their troops.
Leading an army of 100,000 soldiers was a massive challenge for Wan Liang. Arranging such a large number of troops down to every detail, not wasting any soldier’s strength, avoiding redundant forces, and ensuring mutual cooperation was incredibly difficult.
Wan Liang was just a Zhongliang General, and he had led at most 50,000 soldiers in battle before. However, leading 100,000 soldiers was twice as much as he had ever commanded, and even simply directing the battle was enough to exhaust him, leaving him sweating profusely. Yet, despite his efforts, the coordination in his army still felt stiff and chaotic.
In comparison, Chu Hechao handled it with ease.
Eight years ago, Chu Hechao led 180,000 soldiers to defeat the Wuwan people. Now, leading 100,000 soldiers was a breeze for him. All the different units coordinated with each other seamlessly, showing no clumsiness in their actions. They surrounded Wan Liang’s army from all sides, not leaving any blind spots, pressuring them like Yama, the King of H*ll.
In less than five days, Chu Hechao forced Wan Liang’s 100,000-strong army into a disorganized retreat!
Upon receiving the news, Li Li was furious and slammed the table, cursing, “How can a 100,000-strong army be defeated within five days!”
The scout who brought the news was in a sorry state and said, “Chu Hechao has a special heavy cavalry unit. They are formidable and invulnerable, with our weapons unable to penetrate their armor. We don’t have any cavalry that can match them, and our shield troops couldn’t withstand their attacks. They repeatedly broke through our formation, causing heavy casualties among our infantry. Their momentum was too fierce, and after each assault, the soldiers where they charged would be scared and scattered, not daring to get close or resist, resulting in the army becoming more and more chaotic. In order to avoid greater casualties, General Wan had to lead the army to retreat.”
Li Li scolded, “Their armor is impenetrable? Are they covered from head to toe, leaving no vital spots exposed?”
“The General is correct,” the scout said with difficulty, recalling the heavy cavalry he encountered. He couldn’t conceal his fear, “They are indeed covered in armor from head to toe.”
Li Li couldn’t believe it, feeling stifled, “Even the horses under their crotches are fully armored?!”
The scout took a deep breath and nodded.
“This…,” Li Li was speechless and turned to Yan Hui, “If we send Wan Liang more troops, will he be able to win?”
Yan Hui’s expression was solemn as he said, “Chu Hechao is a master tactician. Even if we give Wan Liang another 100,000 soldiers, he won’t be able to match Chu Hechao. It will only lead to disarray. From this battle, it’s evident that Wan Liang is no match for Chu Hechao, and he won’t be able to win.”
Li Li was filled with fear and frustration, his face darkened, “What should we do then?”
Yan Hui made up his mind, “I am the only one who can be a match for him. Let me personally meet him.”
On the battlefield, Yuan Li and the others were clearing up the aftermath of the battle.
Chu Hechao sat on a stone covered in blood, using a piece of cloth to clean his ringed pike.
He had led the charge, and his ringed pike was now clogged with flesh. After wiping it clean, he realized that the large blade had been chipped by the impact.
Yuan Li brought him a jug of water, still filled with the heat of battle, and he had a smile on his face, “Have some water.”
Chu Hechao’s brow was still stained with dirt and blood, and his face still carried the lingering fierceness from the fight, making him look somewhat ferocious and intimidating. He took a sip of water and asked in a low voice, “Did I scare you?”
Yuan Li shook his head. He wasn’t scared; instead, his eyes were shining brightly, unable to conceal his excitement and exhilaration, “Brother, you’re so powerful.”
He probably understood why Chu Hechao’s subordinates both feared and admired him. On the battlefield, Chu Hechao truly lived up to his title of “War God.” His enemies were scared away, his banners repeatedly pushed deep into the enemy lines, and he mercilessly pierced through enemy flesh like a sharp knife.
Even when the soldiers were so tired they couldn’t lift their arms, Chu Hechao seemed like an indefatigable machine, getting more ferocious as he fought.
If Wan Liang hadn’t escaped quickly, his entire army would have been scattered by Chu Hechao, and Chu Hechao would have personally taken Wan Liang’s banner.
Chu Hechao couldn’t help but laugh at being observed like that. He felt a surge of energy in his body, and all his fatigue seemed to disappear. He stood up and followed Yuan Li to inspect the battlefield.
Cleaning up the battlefield was a tedious task, checking each enemy corpse, finishing off any survivors, and looting weapons and armor as spoils of war.
After a rough look, Yuan Li found something strange about the soldiers who had died at the forefront. They didn’t even have any spoils of war, not to mention armor. Instead, they held simple wooden sticks instead of weapons.
Furrowing his brows tightly, he casually turned over a corpse to take a look. This soldier was skinny and bony, with a sunburnt and yellowed complexion, his eyes wide with fear. He wore patched-up peasant clothes and had mud in his fingernails from working in the fields.
A surge of anger welled up in Yuan Li, and he took a deep breath, coldly saying, “These are not soldiers; they are farmers sent to die on the battlefield.”
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