Chapter 125
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Li Li unexpectedly sent unarmed civilians to the battlefield, using them as human shields.
Yuan Li was so infuriated that his hands trembled slightly.
He knew that such things could happen on the chaotic battlefield, but witnessing it with his own eyes still felt absurd and enraging, leaving him with a deep sense of powerlessness.
This was how the world worked.
This was how the chaotic times were.
The lives of common people were of no concern to anyone. The ruling elite looked down upon the ants beneath their feet. If tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of peasants died, it didn’t matter as long as there were still more people alive.
No one cared about whether the common people wanted to die or were afraid. Even the value of a piece of armor or a big sword was deemed more important than the lives of two or three commoners.
Exploitation, plundering, indifference.
Taxes, corvee labor, wars, hunger, suffering… these were things that common people experienced from birth in turbulent times.
They were at the bottom of society, struggling just to survive. How could they think of rebellion? The farmers who died on the battlefield, used as human shields, might never have had a full meal or tasted salt that wasn’t bitter. They had never experienced the warmth of winter without the cold invading them.
This was the chaotic world, a world that left no room for the survival of the common people.
Lu He passed by and glanced casually, retracting his gaze without any concern. A vague remark was carried by the wind and reached Yuan Li’s ears, “Li Li is really stingy…”
Yuan Li found it funny and actually burst out laughing.
No one thought it was wrong, nor did anyone feel angry about it. They even thought those who would be angry about the deaths of these common people were just pretending for show; true emotions were seen as strange.
This was the battlefield; weren’t dead people a common sight?
Oh, it’s just ordinary farmers without armor or weapons. So what’s the difference?
Yuan Li said nothing. He calmly stood up and calmly looked at the mountainous pile of corpses.
Chu Hechao’s expression wasn’t good either, and he sneered, “Letting farmers come to the battlefield, no wonder Luoyang is running out of food.”
When the people who cultivate the land die, can the land not become barren?
Chu Hechao looked down on people like Li Li and despised such actions. But he had seen too much, and he had become accustomed to it, even losing any emotional response. He withdrew his gaze and quickly put his arm around Yuan Li’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze before lowering his voice, “Don’t be upset.”
Yuan Li shook his head, “Let’s go back.”
The battlefield was filled with corpses, and the stench of blood was nauseating.
As soon as they returned to the camp, they saw Yuan Dan and Zheng Rong, both pale-faced, retching in a corner.
It was the first time they had seen such a bloody scene up close, and they couldn’t handle the shock. Their legs were even trembling.
In comparison, Yuan Li remained calm. The previous excitement and exhilaration had disappeared when he saw the innocent deaths of the common people. At this moment, he felt that his mind was calmer than ever, understanding clearly that war was not something to be excited about.
Yang Zhongfa smiled when he arrived, pointing at Yuan Dan and Zheng Rong mockingly, “Looks like these two are going to have nightmares tonight.”
Yuan Li sighed, “If you can’t hold on, then rest first.”
Yuan Dan and Zheng Rong shook their heads and insisted on discussing the next strategic plan with the group.
Having come all this way, they didn’t want to waste such an opportunity.
After washing off the blood from their bodies, they gathered in the military camp to discuss what to do next. Yuan Li was not an expert in warfare, so he quietly listened to the others’ discussions, learning slowly in his mind.
Finally, Chu Hechao made the decision to seize the opportunity and continue the pursuit.
As long as they broke through Hulao Pass to the west, they could march straight to Luoyang.
The army didn’t waste any time and quickly attacked and advanced towards Hulao Pass. Scout riders spread out in all directions to gather information on the enemy’s movements.
Before Hulao Pass, Chu Hechao encountered the vanguard troops sent by Yan Hui multiple times.
These vanguard cavalry seemed to be cautious and engaged Chu Hechao’s forces in guerrilla warfare. They harassed from both sides, attacked when they could, and fled when they couldn’t, wearing down Chu Hechao’s scout riders and slowing down the entire army’s march.
Chu Hechao made a decisive decision to change the scout riders, and then set up camp in the same spot to calm the restless hearts of his soldiers day by day.
That night, Chu Hechao donned his armor, held a big knife in his hand, and sat in a chair in his tent, closing his eyes to rest.
In the middle of the night, Yuan Li woke up and cleared his throat, sounding a bit groggy, “Has Yan Hui’s men not arrived yet?”
“No,” Chu Hechao opened his eyes, showing signs of weariness. He lowered his head and rubbed his temples, “Le Jun, come here and kiss me to wake me up.”
Yuan Li walked over and sat down beside him. Chu Hechao pinched his chin and gave him a kiss, feeling as though this man was his magical elixir, reviving him instantly. With this thought, he couldn’t help but playfully bite Yuan Li.
Yuan Li frowned, and the last bit of drowsiness vanished, “Don’t bite me.”
Chu Hechao replied with a sound and reached out to touch his cheek. His fingers were rough, but the touch was earnest. He didn’t wear those ugly leather gloves, and now his even uglier hands were touching Yuan Li’s handsome face, making them look even more unsightly.
There were no candles in the tent, just faint moonlight filtering in, creating a hazy atmosphere. Yuan Li covered Chu Hechao’s hand with his own and spoke softly, “Are you tired?”
“It’s alright,” Chu Hechao replied in a hushed tone, “I feel refreshed just by touching you.”
Yuan Li chuckled silently, and Chu Hechao’s thumb touched the curve of his lips, causing him to curl them slightly. Chu Hechao smirked and bit Yuan Li lightly.
In the dimness, the two silently kissed, accompanied only by the sound of swallowing as they waited patiently.
Waiting for the arrival of the attackers—
About two hours later, the camp suddenly became noisy. Torches flickered hurriedly outside the tent, and someone shouted, “General, enemy attack!”
Yuan Li’s eyes lit up, and he gave Chu Hechao a firm push.
However, Chu Hechao didn’t rush and slowly withdrew from his mouth after sweeping around the area for the last time. He wiped Yuan Li’s lips and decisively grasped the big knife before standing up, his eyes sharp, “Capture them!”
Yan Hui had not slept all night.
He was waiting for news from the vanguard cavalry.
Wan Liang, one of his subordinates, was also sleepless, anxiously waiting together in the tent.
Yan Hui, being older, didn’t have the same vitality as he did in his youth. In the early morning, he couldn’t help but snore, but was suddenly awakened, “What time is it?”
Wan Liang, looking exhausted, said, “General, it’s almost dawn.”
Dawn was approaching, and Yan Hui’s heart sank. His eyelids twitched, sensing an ominous feeling, and he immediately got up and walked outside.
His subordinates followed him out, and before they had gone far, a sentry hurriedly came over, fear still evident on his face, “Report! The enemy, the enemy outside—”
Yan Hui didn’t wait for him to finish and quickly walked towards the outskirts of the camp. From a distance, he saw a group of soldiers huddled together, their faces filled with fear as if they had seen something extremely terrifying.
Wan Liang angrily shouted for the soldiers to disperse. Yan Hui’s face turned solemn as he walked through the path cleared by the soldiers, and his pupils trembled.
Not far from the military camp, rows of long wooden sticks were fiercely thrust into the ground, with bloody heads hanging from them.
Blood trickled down the wooden sticks, and these heads were all too familiar; they were the vanguard cavalry that Yan Hui had spent much effort and wealth to cultivate!
Yan Hui’s hands trembled, a mix of anger and fear surging within him.
His vanguard cavalry was completely annihilated!
And when were those heads hung up there!
Cold sweat unknowingly covered him. Suddenly, scouts rushed in from outside the camp, still on horseback, shouting loudly to Yan Hui, “General! The enemy’s main force is attacking!”
“The enemy’s main force is attacking!!!”
Yan Hui’s heart trembled, and he turned around and roared, “Quickly organize the troops!”
The two armies clashed again.
One side was aggressive, while the other seemed somewhat fearful. Yan Hui’s soldiers were greatly frightened by the bloody heads they saw earlier in the morning.
Chu Hechao seemed to understand what they were thinking. He ordered the flags to be waved and the war drums to be beaten. The loud and urgent sound was like thunder, hammering at the enemy soldiers’ hearts, boosting the morale of his own troops while sapping that of the enemy.
Seeing this, Yan Hui knew it wasn’t good. He needed to break Chu Hechao’s momentum quickly. He immediately ordered, “Archers, fire!”
The disciplined archers stepped forward, protected by shield soldiers and civilian shields, and began to shoot arrows at the enemy.
However, after a few rounds of attack, a captain came to report, “Report! The enemy is beyond our range!”
Beyond their range?
Yan Hui’s brow furrowed tightly. If Chu Hechao was beyond their range, it also meant that they were outside the range of the Youzhou troops. What was Chu Hechao planning?
“Move forward,” Yan Hui decided that no matter what Chu Hechao was up to, he needed to interrupt it promptly and regain his side’s momentum. So, he didn’t hesitate and ordered, “Increase the density of arrows.”
The army moved forward, and Wan Liang stayed by Yan Hui’s side, closely monitoring the enemy’s movements. Soon, he noticed someone in the enemy’s formation pushing several objects resembling carts forward.
What were those?
Wan Liang felt uneasy and asked, “General, what do you think those are?”
Yan Hui followed his gaze and hesitated, “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
Of course, they had never seen anything like it because these were three-bow bed crossbows, weapons that had never appeared before.
The range was up to 800 paces, and it required a full thirty people to draw the three-bow bed crossbow.
To avoid alerting Yan Hui and others prematurely, Chu Hechao didn’t use the three-bow bed crossbows during their previous battles.
But now was the time to unleash this secret weapon.
Everyone who had witnessed the power of the three-bow bed crossbows believed that after this day, people across the world would be shocked and terrified by their might.
Hundreds of three-bow bed crossbows were pushed forward, and the well-trained soldiers expertly prepared them. Thirty people formed a team and strained to draw the thick strings of the crossbows.
“One, two… One, two…”
The thick ropes were pulled taut, and iron-like arrows were placed into the grooves.
Once these arrows were released, they would fly over the enemy’s archers and shield soldiers, deeply penetrating the heart of the enemy’s formation.
This powerful weapon was originally best used for siege warfare. After all, each arrow was like a spear made of iron, and it cost a huge amount of money and effort. Using it to kill enemies was considered a waste of arrows and manpower.
However, when a hundred three-bow bed crossbows were aimed at the enemy’s main flag, it was no longer a waste.
Because among those hundred iron arrows, one would undoubtedly pierce through the chest of the enemy’s commanding general.
Chu Hechao squinted his eyes, his lips curling up. He raised his hand and shouted in a deep voice, “Release the arrows!”
Strong soldiers held axes and ruthlessly cut the ropes to release the trigger. The iron-like arrows broke through the air with a crisp and sharp tremor, carrying a dazzling cold light. One hundred massive arrows ferociously shot toward Yan Hui’s position!
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