Chapter 799: North Liang Four Battles (7)

Over the past millennium, if one were to identify ten of the most stirring scenes in the history of warfare, perhaps excluding the siege by thousands of catapults during the late Da Feng Dynasty, and the Battle of Xileibi where Liyang and Da Chu confronted each other, the other eight would undoubtedly be those lightning-fast, massive torrents of cavalry, covering a thousand miles in swift raids or clashing in fierce combat. Cavalry, with their gleaming armor and powerful steeds, seemed to devour thousands of miles like tigers.

In Liuzhou, the Beimang Dynasty, possessing the largest cavalry forces in the world today, and Beiliang, whose border iron cavalry reigns supreme, clashed on the vast battlefield outside Qingcang City. They brought an exaggerated combined force of nearly 100,000 cavalry from the Four Garrisons of Longyao Prefecture and the Dragon Elephant Army, creating a crimson bloom of carnage.

Under Xu Longxiang's decisive commands, the Dragon Elephant Army, the strongest among Beiliang's various independent banner units, resolutely entered the battlefield in three echelons. The cavalry of Beimang's four border garrisons—Wazhu, Ligu, Maolong, and Junziguan—rebuilt after the war, arrayed on the left flank of the Longguan infantry. They directly confronted the swift charge of the first 10,000-man Dragon Elephant Army unit led by Wang Lingbao. Although the generals of the Four Garrisons' cavalry did not understand why Commander Liu Gui was so overconfident, completely separating the cavalry and infantry to fight independently, and failing to set up any chevaux de frise between the Four Garrisons' cavalry and the assaulting infantry, they knew that even mediocre generals who had not thoroughly studied military texts understood that to counter cavalry charges, measures to hinder cavalry mounts should be improvised in front of infantry formations to reduce casualties. However, as long as Beimang's God of War, Tuoba Pusa, did not voice doubts, no one dared defy the old commander's tactical arrangements.

Having suffered greatly in the first year of Xiangfu, the Four Garrisons' cavalry, faced with the Dragon Elephant Cavalry's astonishingly powerful charge, had no choice but to brace themselves and meet the challenge. Near Qingcang City, isolated beyond the old Beiliang Dao pass, there was flat terrain suitable for large-scale cavalry maneuvers, avoiding the awkwardness of being confined. But the Four Garrisons' cavalry still made full preparations, with the Junziguan cavalry, most adept at lances, forming the vanguard, and the Wazhu cavalry, with the finest armor, serving as the true resilient central force. Originally, some generals proposed that the Ligu and Maolong garrisons' cavalry act as flanking support, but considering Liu Gui's troop deployment, this was quickly rejected by the majority. If the cavalry formation lacked sufficient depth and was scattered by a single Dragon Elephant Army charge, then the utterly undefended Longguan infantry would truly be at the mercy of the enemy. Therefore, the Maolong cavalry, with the weakest combat power, became the rearguard, and the Ligu cavalry, whose skirmishing skills were second only to the Qiang cavalry, were divided into two, positioned on both flanks of the three garrisons' forces.

Even without counting Liu Gui's unmoving personal guard cavalry, the Four Garrisons' cavalry, clearly outnumbering the Dragon Elephant Army with nearly 40,000 men, still had to be so cautious, which was indeed frustrating.

As the loud, yet poignant, blast of a massive war horn echoed across the battlefield, and Wang Lingbao led 10,000 Dragon Elephant Army troops to slowly advance from their formation, the Junziguan cavalry, not rushing to charge, found their mounts exhibiting waves of uneasy agitation. War-hardened horses generally possessed a certain intelligence and an unexpectedly keen intuition for danger.

Wang Lingbao's 10,000 Dragon Elephant Army troops were uniformly lancers, meant for frontal assaults to break formations, with not a single archer cavalry among them to help tear apart enemy formations.

This meant Wang Lingbao and those 10,000 riders had resolved to either break through both the Beimang cavalry and infantry formations in one go, or die within the constantly resisting enemy formations.

Cavalry that lost its speed, once deeply entrenched within dense infantry squares, would be like a clay Buddha crossing a river—doomed to destruction.

This was like a one-shot deal: either you die, or I die.

Wang Lingbao turned to look back; all his subordinate cavalry had discarded their incredibly skilled use of bows and crossbows, possessing only an iron spear in hand and a Beiliang saber at their waist.

He hesitated, on the verge of speaking, originally wanting to give one last reminder that before charging into the Beimang Longguan infantry, they must not abandon their lances, even if it meant death. But ultimately, this illustrious Beiliang border general remained silent, probably deeming it unnecessary.

Ten thousand Dragon Elephant Army troops, mounted on at least Grade B Beiliang warhorses, slowly advanced.

Wang Lingbao suddenly raised his long spear, its tip tilted, pointing to the sky.

The entire cavalry force, with unspoken understanding, simultaneously raised their lances.

The Junziguan cavalry on the opposite side also began to emerge from their formation.

Wang Lingbao softly exhaled, "Let me die fighting on horseback."

This Dragon Elephant Army deputy general lowered his lance and began to accelerate into a charge.

During the charge, subtle changes occurred within the 10,000 Dragon Elephant Cavalry. The central cavalry increased their horses' speed, while the two flanks fell back slightly, forming a wedge formation for the breakthrough.

Behind these 10,000 riders, Deputy General Li Mofan squinted, reaching out to stroke his mount's mane. He led 5,000 riders, also holding spears, poised for action. However, compared to Wang Lingbao's vanguard, his unit also carried light crossbows and a cavalry bow. Slung from the side of the saddle was a *hulu* (quiver), a less common sight among Beiliang border cavalry. This *hulu* contained forty arrows, a quiver traditionally exclusive to the White Crossbow Feathered Forest, renowned as Beiliang's premier archer cavalry. It held ten more arrows than a typical cavalry quiver. Back then, after Chen Zhibao's trusted confidants Wei Fucheng and Dian Xiongnu both defected from Beiliang to Xishu, both the White Feather Guard Cavalry and the Iron Futu (a unit somewhere between light and heavy cavalry) had their commanding generals replaced. Yuan Nanting, a veteran from the Lianzi Camp, commanded the entire White Feather Guard, while Xu Xiao's adopted son Qi Dangguo and Ning Emei, one of Beiliang's Four Fangs, served as the general and deputy general respectively for the 6,000 elite Iron Futu.

Li Mofan watched as the first rows of cavalry from both forces had already passed each other, though naturally, many had failed to pass each other. Under the penetration of massive lances, men and horses fell, dying instantly. Li Mofan's expression was stern as he silently recited in his heart, "Old friend, we had an agreement. If you dare to die like a coward before the Longguan infantry, even if I survive, I won't collect your corpse."

On that battlefield, the Junziguan cavalrymen, whose garrison Liu Gui had ordered disbanded if they lost, after the initial apprehension of facing the enemy, had their ferocity completely ignited during the charge. Not only did they not crumble at the first contact, but they also displayed combat power exceeding their usual level amidst the interlocking cavalry front lines. The battle-hardened Li Mofan was not surprised by this in the least. Of course, there were few truly fearless people in the world, but on the battlefield, especially one where Liang and Mang faced off, the more you feared death, the faster you died. This was almost the first thing every new recruit was solemnly told by veterans upon entering the Beiliang border army: "The Beimang barbarians will not show mercy because of your cowardice." Perhaps many Beiliang recruits initially didn't feel this deeply, but once they experienced battlefield combat firsthand, they would quickly discover that dying was a very simple matter: to be pierced by arrows, cut down by sabers, or brought down by spears. Over time, the recruits who survived naturally became veterans. Perhaps they still feared death deep down, but at least they knew how to prevent fear from weakening their combat effectiveness. On such a vast battlefield, there was no room for anyone to be sentimental or melancholic. As long as you were covered in blood, watching your comrades fall one by one, sometimes even dying in your place, how could you fear death?! How could you face those brothers who fought alongside you, willing to die so you could live?!

Li Mofan weighed the heavy iron spear in his hand, looking down.

Then Li Mofan turned his head and looked toward Liangzhou.

"Great General," he thought, "I, Li Mofan, have a strange temperament; to put it nicely, I'm arrogant due to my talent; to put it bluntly, I'm conceited. Over the years, I've done many unsavory things on the border that couldn't see the light of day. If I were in the Liyang army, I would never have made a name for myself in this lifetime. Yet, here I am, serving as a powerful third-rank military officer in the world-renowned Beiliang Iron Cavalry, wielding the finest sabers, riding the swiftest horses. Across this vast northwest desert under the wide sky, leading ten thousand riders through a thousand miles of yellow sand. Beneath our horses' hooves lie the piled bones of fallen border comrades. The dramatic and splendid experiences of this life are incomparable to what others might accumulate over several lifetimes."

"In a magnificent era, let the heroes die gloriously on their respective battlefields. Let the cunning strategists scheme and calculate in the imperial court. Seeking fame, seeking profit, seeking benevolence, seeking righteousness—each has their desires, each has their gains, and each has their unfulfilled hopes. All figures of distinction, friend or foe, display their distinctive character to the fullest."

This was said by Li Yishan.

Li Mofan felt that even someone like him, notorious in the Central Plains, could be an unhesitating hero for once—it was worth it.

Li Mofan raised his long spear, and as the strong wind brushed his face, he softly said, "Then let us face death calmly."

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