Chapter 87
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Tuoba Ren raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap to Chacha Qi’s face, snapping him out of his stupor. “You worthless fool!” Tuoba Ren berated him. “You’re completely useless in times of crisis. Quickly organize a counterattack!” He coughed, his health failing him. “Ah… If only it were a few years ago, I wouldn’t have made such a mistake. You might be brave, Chacha Qi, but you lack adaptability. You’re not fit to be an army general.”
The enemy was vastly outnumbered, with their forces being only a fraction of their own. There was no reason to fear them, and a minor mistake shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. What they needed was to remain calm, adapt to the situation, and organize another charge. With their overwhelming numerical advantage, they were certain to crush the enemy in one fell swoop.
Chacha Qi felt ashamed and embarrassed. He wanted to turn the situation around, but his youth and inexperience had left him ill-prepared for this kind of crisis. He hadn’t been able to stop his soldiers in time, and by the time he attempted to regroup them, it was already too late. Their initial panic had snowballed everthing in disarray.
“Report! Reinforcements from the Red Robe Army have arrived!” someone shouted in alarm. When Chacha Qisaw this, he could clearly see a rapidly approaching cloud of dust. It was a force clad in red clothing and silver armor, unmistakably the Red Robe Army.
“Wang Ye, what should we do now?” Chacha Qi asked, his composure slipping as panic set in.
The Red Robe Army had supposedly headed south, so their sudden appearance as reinforcements was perplexing. Seeing the enemy still causing significant casualties despite being known for their timidness and reluctance to engage directly with their cavalry, Chacha Qi was left bewildered.
Glancing in the direction of Ming Yu, Tuoba Ren sighed, feeling a sense of defeat and frustration. Finally, he uttered a single word, “Retreat.”
With the Red Robe Army’s unexpected arrival, any further resistance would likely result in the complete destruction of his forces.
The remaining barbarian cavalry began to retreat, but Xie Yixiu and Geng Shiqi clung tightly to the rear, determined to claim some kills. Mo Jiang was equally unwilling to fall behind. Now, with the barbarians in disarray, it was the perfect time to strike.
Li Man finished off one of the fallen barbarians with a swift strike and then turned to find his next target. Behind him, Zhou Dadan grumbled, “Brother Li, how come you always steal my kills?”
Li Man was speechless, casting a sideways glance at him. “Shut up! Aren’t there enough enemies for you to kill?”
The remaining men chuckled and continued their relentless assault. They moved in groups of four or five within the Guard Battalion, coordinating their attacks and defenses seamlessly. A small team acted as a single unit, advancing and retreating together.
In this way, it’s like sharp knives firmly thrust into the heart of the enemy. The enemy had no way to break through or scatter this formation. They could easily catch isolated enemy soldiers and cut them down, wherever they went.
The Red Robe Army that followed closely behind didn’t care about anything else at this moment. They couldn’t afford to miss the opportunity for war. Led by A Bing, they immediately joined the battle.
Ming Yu, looking coldly at Song Lian, who was following behind Tuoba Ren, harbored the deepest hatred for those who betrayed their country. Song Lian not only assisted bandits in killing innocent villagers but also defected to the enemy. Such a person could never be allowed to escape.
Ming Yu raised his crossbow, aimed at Song Lian in the midst of the chaotic crowd, and with a gentle movement of his finger, a bolt shot straight towards him.
“Be careful, Young Master!” Uncle Ping, who was always by Song Lian’s side, shielded him from some of the arrows and blades that came flying. These crossbow bolts were small but precise, with long range and greater force than regular arrows.
Uncle Ping sensed something was wrong when it was almost too late. The bolt had already flown to Song Lian’s side with incredible speed and strength. He had no time to think and pulled Song Lian aside just in time.
Song Lian’s heart raced as he felt the searing pain on his face. He touched it and found his hand smeared with crimson blood. Although he had managed to avoid a fatal wound, the sharp arrowhead had still cut across his cheek.
Song Lian glared at Ming Yu before being pulled away by Uncle Ping, following the main caravan as they fled.
Ming Yu watched them escape with some regret. Pursuing them further was unwise; there was a saying that you shouldn’t chase a beaten enemy too far. Although he was unwilling, he had no choice but to let them go. However, he believed that the next time they met, he would take Song Lian’s life.
This time, they had won with a smaller force almost effortlessly. The main credit went to Ming Yu’s innovative tactics. Shooting horses before men and capturing the leader first – without horses, what were these cavalrymen? They would be easy prey for anyone.
In addition, the newly developed Thunderstrike Bombs had been used for the first time. Their damage and power were not to be underestimated, no one had ever seen such a weapon before. The sudden and thunderous explosions left behind craters of varying sizes where they hit, with many losing limbs in the aftermath.
Such a brutal scene unfolding in an instant, it could only be attributed to divine punishment by the heavens. Humans always held a fearful reverence for the unknown, and from this point on, everyone had lost their confidence. This guaranteed the defeat of the foreign troops, who were now scattered like ants in a panic.
After a brief pursuit, Xie Yixiu gave the order for everyone to withdraw. After a final count on the battlefield, it was clear that they had annihilated more than half of the enemy’s forces. This was truly a rare victory. In the history of battles between the Great Yan and Suixi Kingdom, there had never been such a scenario where a smaller force defeated a larger one and inflicted such heavy casualties. This battle marked a historic first for the Great Yan.
Everyone cheered, Mo Jiang was so excited that he couldn’t find the words. They had won! Infantry against cavalry, and they had won decisively. It was almost unbelievable, it was just like a dream.
Ming Yu walked over, smiling as he playfully punched Mo Jiang, snapping him out of his daze. They burst into laughter. This victory would make the Guard Battalion well-known, and it was all worth it. The brothers of the Guard Battalion gathered around Mo Jiang, a sense of honor and responsibility swelling within them. The bustling streets of the capital were forgotten; they had chosen to dedicate their lives to the borderlands, where they could shed their blood for glory. They were determined to stay here for the rest of their lives, not for anything else but for this glorious passion.
Geng Shiqi watched this group of men and reflected on the battle just now. It was this formation, composed of these men, that had withstood the enemy cavalry’s onslaught and stood tall amidst the raging tide, laying the foundation for this victory. He hadn’t expected such tenacity and fiery spirit from the Guard Battalion, usually seen as a group of idle rascals. These men’s spirits had completely transformed; they had become elite soldiers, real warriors who had experienced the fires of battle.
A Bing arrived a step late, by the time he got there, only some scraps of food remained. He couldn’t help but feel unsatisfied.
He had been worried about the safety of Wang Ye all along. Seeing Ming Yu almost on the verge of tears, he struggled to hold back his own emotions. They say real men don’t shed tears easily, so he fought to keep them in.
“Wang Ye! A Bing, A Bing…” A Bing knelt in front of Ming Yu, wanting to say many things but not knowing where to start.
“It’s alright, Ben Wang is safe!” Ming Yu pulled him up, looking at the young man who had grown so much in stature during his absence. He felt immensely pleased; Xie Yixiu had taught him well. With time, A Bing would surely become a great asset.
Ming Yu ruffled A Bing’s hair and said, “A Bing, you did great.”
He then inquired about why the Red Robe Army had arrived. According to Mo Jiang, they should have led the enemy to the south, so their sudden appearance here raised questions. Without the arrival of the Red Robe Army, the victory might not have been so easy.
It turned out that A Bing and the others had been tasked with leading the majority of the enemy forces to the south. However, they discovered that the enemy hadn’t taken the bait and, instead, a large contingent was heading north.
Great General Wei had initially sent over a thousand troops to assist Wang Ye and General Xie, but if the enemy had discovered their whereabouts and pursued them, this small force would have been inadequate.
Once their presence was detected, there was no point in concealing it further. Great General Wei urgently dispatched five thousand Red Robe Army to support them.
They arrived just in time, but they hadn’t expected that by the time they got there, Wang Ye and General Xie, with only a thousand soldiers, had caught the enemy off guard. The enemy cavalry, unbelievably, had been defeated by just five hundred men in formation.
The Red Robe Army had sparred with the Guard Battalion before during training, but they hadn’t paid much attention to them. They couldn’t have anticipated that this battle would astonish everyone.
As the enemy retreated, and Wang Ye and General Wei were unharmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They tidied up and started their journey back home.
Upon receiving the victory report, Great General Wei had initially been dumbfounded, unable to believe it. He questioned the messenger in detail, verifying the entire account. Only then did he believe that Wang Ye and General Xie had achieved an incredible victory with just a force of one thousand five hundred soldiers. Such an unbelievable feat would undoubtedly boost the morale of everyone in the region.
When he saw Ming Yu and the others in person, Great General Wei’s restless heart finally calmed down. Now he could finally get a good night’s sleep.
Upon seeing Ming Yu arrive to greet them, people started offering their respects. Graet General Wei stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, you’ve been through a lot this time.”
Ming Yu had already dismounted, saying, “Thanks to Great General Wei’s timely assistance, you’ve worked hard too, Great General Wei.”
After some pleasantries, it was initially planned to let the weary Ming Yu and Xie Yixiu freshen up and rest before receiving further greetings. However, Great General Wei couldn’t contain his curiosity. He wanted to understand the details of the battle, analyze it thoroughly, and extract lessons to ensure that all his soldiers could apply them in future engagements.
Faced with Great General Wei’s impatience, Ming Yu couldn’t help but feel weary after their long journey. He decided to push Mo Jiang forward. “Alright, if you want to know the details of the battle, Commander Mo here was involved throughout. You can start by asking him. If there are any unclear points, we can provide additional information once he’s had a chance to rest.”
Mo Jiang, pushed forward to provide the information, had a look of eager curiosity but was also confused. Although he had been present for the entire battle, he himself didn’t fully understand how they had won.
Ming Yu, with a warm and affectionate smile, patted Mo Jiang on the shoulder and entrusted him with the task. “I will leave it on Commander Mo for this. I’ll take my leave.” He then boarded the waiting carriage and left.
Mo Jiang contemplated seeking assistance from Xie Yixiu, but it seemed Xie Yixiu had left long before…him. He couldn’t help but sigh; it seemed he had no choice but to jump into this pit himself!
When Ming Yu returned to the long-missed palace, Qingping was waiting at the gate. Since Ming Yu had gone missing, Qingping had been worried sick, causing her to lose weight and even cry to the point of swollen eyes.
Upon seeing Ming Yu, tears flowed once more. Ming Yu couldn’t stand seeing women cry and rushed to comfort her, though his actions seemed to make Qingping even more distressed.
“It won’t happen again in the future, I promise. I swear, alright? See, I’m back in one piece, aren’t I?” Ming Yu had an innocent expression. “I was wrong, truly wrong. I’ll behave myself from now on and won’t go out anymore, okay?”
Qingping wiped away her tears. Although she knew that Ming Yu couldn’t promise to stay in the palace forever, it still brought her some comfort. Wang Ye had returned, which was a good thing, and she shouldn’t be crying like this. But sometimes, emotions couldn’t be controlled.
Seeing Ming Yu’s pitiable appearance as he begged for forgiveness, looking all worn out, it was clear he had endured a lot during these days away from home. Qingping chose not to say much more and instead instructed the servants to prepare a bath for him. She even personally went to the kitchen to make Ming Yu’s favorite snacks.
After Ming Yu bathed and enjoyed his snacks, he finally began to feel like himself again. However, his heart was far from at ease. The matter had caused quite a stir, and he couldn’t help but worry about how he would explain it to his father, the Emperor.
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