Chapter 862: Wind and Snow Iron Cavalry South of the Yangtze (10)

As they traveled south, snow was almost entirely absent, except for the very tops of the towering mountains. The bitter spring chill was the most bone-chilling.

Another 120 *li* southeast, and the Beiliang cavalry would officially enter Guangling Province. While they were still some distance from the actual battlefield where the newly appointed Minister of War of Liyang, Wu Chongxuan, and his army were confronting the main forces of Western Chu attempting to break through to the west, the increasing number of Liyang local scouts and cavalry appearing around their march route was enough for the Beiliang cavalry to deduce the general situation, even without a reminder from officers and captains who had first-hand knowledge of the battle situation. Even the usually affectionate gestures of washing and feeding horses now involuntarily carried a hint of grimness. At dawn, half an *shichen* before the army was to break camp, Xu Fengnian, the Prince of Beiliang, who was temporarily serving as the commander of this iron cavalry, assembled all the generals and captains in the makeshift tent. A total of sixteen people were present, including Yuan Zuozong, Ning Emei, and Hong Shuwen. There were no tables inside the main tent. A map of Guangling Province, half a *zhang* wide and tall, hung on the canvas wall, with major passes and cities clearly marked. Even the number of troops stationed at each location was meticulously noted in tiny vermilion script, accurate to the hundred.

Xu Fengnian stood to the side of the map, still wearing "Guohezhu," the famous saber he had taken from Jiang Fuding years ago, though he had removed his Beiliang saber. He looked at the cavalry generals standing in a semicircle around him, raised his saber, and drew a line on the map—a map that would have astonished the Liyang Ministry of War. He smiled and said, "Next, we will pass through Luhe County, via Weishui and Baxia counties, and officially enter Guangling Province. Perhaps we moved too slowly in Huaibei and then too quickly in Huainan Province, catching the imperial army off guard, so they couldn't keep pace with us. Otherwise, the Jizhou cavalry should have arrived two days ago in the vicinity of Shanyin County, along the mountainous paths, to conduct an initial interception against us. They would have used Wufang and Songyun cities as strongholds, holding out and awaiting reinforcements, waiting for Xu Gong's imperial army from the Ministry of War, combined with local forces, to jointly defend this naturally advantageous defensive line to the death. This would force our army to advance another 80 *li* south, detouring east to enter Guangling. But in that case, we would inevitably clash with the rapidly advancing Qingzhou forces from the north. Even a slight delay would allow the 20,000-strong Western Shu army to arrive in full force."

Xu Fengnian paused, a slight curve to his lips. "It's a pity, though, that the Gu family's 'hairy-footed son-in-law' ran a bit too slowly. So, I expect Vice Minister Xu is already spitting in the face of the Jizhou general right now. But if I ever get the chance to stand before Vice Minister Xu, I'll definitely put in a good word for that Jizhou general. I'd tell him, 'Damn it, Xu Gong, you're just loitering on Jizhou's right flank. Why should our Jizhou cavalry, tired as dogs, rush in to fight the Beiliang iron cavalry? Doesn't everyone know that the Great Snow Dragon Riders are armored cavalry when mounted in Beiliang, and when dismounted, their infantry tactics are no less effective than Youzhou's? I came to the Central Plains to earn glory, not to rush into reincarnation!'"

With the exception of the usually solemn Yuan Zuozong, all the generals in the tent burst into laughter. The veteran cavalry generals who had fought in the Spring and Autumn Wars especially grinned widely. Although most of this group had earned their officer ranks at the Beiliang border, when they were still ordinary soldiers before coming to Beiliang, many had heard their respective old regimental commanders brag that the Grand General always found a way to mock the enemy during his pre-battle troop deployments. It was even said that during the toughest moments of the Battle of Xileibi, even Ye Baikui of Western Chu, hailed as the finest military strategist of the Spring and Autumn period, couldn't escape his jests.

When the laughter subsided, Xu Fengnian's relaxed expression faded, and he spoke in a serious tone: "Our Great Snow Dragon Riders currently number over ten thousand, but as for our true combat strength, we know our own situation. In the battle at Hulukou, where Yang Yuanzan's western army was completely annihilated, our Great Snow Dragon Riders achieved the greatest merit, but our casualties were by no means small. Three thousand four hundred men died on the battlefield! And over twelve hundred soldiers later had to withdraw from the border army due to injuries! Out of ten thousand men, we ended up with barely half a contingent of veterans. I might offend the other two heavy cavalry units by saying this, but while their casualties were also severe, comparatively speaking, I could draw recruits for those two cavalry units from the Liangzhou Left and Right cavalry, or even from the elite Youzhou cavalry and a few local garrisons in Lingzhou. But for the Great Snow Dragon Riders, I haven't drawn a single cavalryman from Lingzhou, or even Youzhou! All recruits are selected from outside Liangzhou Pass. I, Xu Fengnian, can confidently say that every new recruit undergoes a double screening process by Qingliang Mountain and the Protectorate General's office. And for every new captain, I personally review their combat records. They can only take up their posts after I nod my approval, followed by the joint agreement of Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong. Yet even so, compared to the Great Snow Dragon Riders who marched to Hulukou, it's evident that the current Great Snow Dragon Riders..."

All the martial generals in the tent, renowned for their exploits outside the Pass, felt a stifling pressure. This wasn't merely due to the young man's title as Prince of Beiliang or his status as a martial arts grandmaster or 'land immortal.' It was also the personal prestige Xu Fengnian had gradually accumulated through his actions over the years. To be a supreme commander, one didn't need to be a warrior capable of facing ten thousand enemies in battle. This was true for Xu Xiao, and even for Gu Jiantang, a grandmaster, who rarely led the charge personally in the early Spring and Autumn Wars; the same applied to Chen Zhipao. Being able to win battles and withstand defeats was truly enough. And this young prince before them seemed to have never lost, whether on the battlefield, in the imperial court, or in the jianghu. Of course, it was rumored that in one particular battle, their Prince of Beiliang had suffered a crushing defeat. Even decorated generals like Yan Wenluan and Chen Yunshui, when they occasionally heard subordinates furtively mention it, never reprimanded them. Instead, they would share a knowing smile, the kind only true veterans understood.

After a brief, dramatic pause, Xu Fengnian said seriously, "It's evident that for the current Great Snow Dragon Riders, crushing any Jizhou elite cavalry or imperial capital army is still no difficult task."

Even Yuan Zuozong couldn't help but chuckle this time.

Xu Fengnian said, "This time, I'm bringing you all to stir up trouble in Guangling Province. The common people of Beiliang certainly won't know the truth. However, everyone in this tent has heard bits and pieces, and what you've heard and guessed is actually true."

Without waiting for the others to react, Xu Fengnian said in a deep voice: "Regardless, if anyone has complaints, or even if anyone wants to curse me, wait until we return to Beiliang territory to do so. On this southern expedition, apart from Cai Nan's Lianghuai border army, we have to put on a show. Before we face Wu Chongxuan's Northern Frontier army, my principle is to avoid battle if possible. Even if one of our Great Snow Dragon Riders here could take down a hundred imperial soldiers, it would still be a losing venture. Of course, if Xu Gong, Yuan Tingshan, and the like insist on blocking us to the bitter end, then we will fight, and we'll hit them so hard they'll be terrified for good! Before that, there's something else I need to make clear to everyone. The real tough battle will be against Wu Chongxuan. Because this thrust into Guangling Province, besides me picking up someone, you all must also take the opportunity to absorb a certain number of Western Chu 'stragglers.' The initial estimate is between two and three hundred, mostly young and able-bodied. They will appear on the battlefield as small teams of fleeing cavalry. At that time, we will provide them with Beiliang warhorses, light armor, and of course, Beiliang sabers, and quickly disband this force and integrate them into our army. After that, Commander Yuan will lead you away from the western front, and I will rejoin you within a day at the latest."

Xu Fengnian pointed firmly with his Beiliang saber at the map. "Barring any surprises, Xu Gong's imperial army and Yuan Tingshan's Jizhou cavalry will converge here. Xu Gong will use Chaisang County, with its higher city walls, as a stronghold. Che Ye's Western Shu infantry and the Qingzhou army will be positioned to our rear and south, respectively, each using cities and passes as their bases. The enemy's entire front will form a semicircle. Although the terrain on both sides of Chaisang is flat, it's crisscrossed with waterways, making it unfavorable for large cavalry forces to charge through, because the only wide official road has already been collaboratively destroyed by the Chaisang local government using its populace. Specifically, trenches over a *zhang* wide have been dug at intervals of every two hundred paces. If there's a slightly heavier spring rain, it will be even more detrimental to our advance. It is reported that Xu Gong's army carries a large number of heavy crossbows from the Ministry of War's stores, and has 1,700 sets of heavy armor. Among them, the Great Bow Battalion and Divine Arm Battalion, totaling four thousand men, are naturally meant to hold Chaisang to the death while forcing us to dismount and fight. If we choose to bypass Chaisang City and get bogged down on that official road, we are highly likely to completely lose our inherent initiative as a cavalry force. Then, ten thousand men, losing their flexibility after being surrounded, would face over sixty thousand men whose battle lines can expand and contract at will. Moreover, the enemy commander is Xu Gong, one of Liyang's most renowned generals. Therefore, for us, whether we attack Chaisang City or not, both are inferior options."

Hong Shuwen cautiously said, "My Lord, from what I see of the terrain around Chaisang, if we detour north, it would be a huge roundabout, and there's also Beigu City, similar to Chaisang, in that direction. However, if we change our planned route and quickly head south, taking out the Qingzhou forces that haven't reached Chaisang yet, and then make it look like we're marching on Jing'an Province, I think that would be more interesting. Everyone knows that Jing'an Province, from Prince Jing'an Zhao Xun to the Military Commissioner and Governor—all three in charge—have significant animosity towards our Beiliang. Even if Xu Gong clearly knows our true intention is to change the battlefield, he can't risk widespread war in Jing'an Province, so he'll have no choice but to follow our lead. As long as they leave Chaisang, especially if the Jizhou cavalry and imperial army become disconnected, our opportunity will arise. The only thing to watch out for is our trailing light cavalry; they'll need to eliminate more of the enemy scouts hanging on our tail."

Xu Fengnian, with an innocent expression, asked, "Do I look like someone who would start a major conflict just to settle a personal grudge?"

Hong Shuwen grudgingly fell silent.

Yuan Zuozong was the first to give a peculiar smile and ask, "Doesn't he?"

The generals first exchanged glances, then burst into uproarious laughter, showing no respect.

Xu Fengnian had anticipated this reaction and quickly smiled, saying, "Since that's the case, let's carry this charade all the way through. Niu Qianzhu, you lead a thousand cavalry to intercept the Western Shu army. Spread rumors along the way, under the guise of 'reminiscing about old times'! Anyway, no one in the Central Plains believes we're here to suppress a rebellion. This will just confirm their wild speculations."

A burly, dark-skinned man asked in a booming voice, "My Lord, is a thousand cavalry a bit too few?"

Xu Fengnian pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Then let Pang Jianrui lead another thousand cavalry to support and bolster our presence."

The man, as dark as charcoal, quickly waved his hands and said, "My Lord, that's not what I meant. I'm just a measly captain; I've never commanded more than two thousand men in my life. I was just hoping to use this opportunity, accompanying Your Lordship to roam the Central Plains, to play the role of a general again. I wouldn't dare compare myself to Your Lordship, but two thousand cavalry would be enough. If not, even if old Pang lends me five hundred cavalry, that would be fine..."

The man's voice trailed off as he spoke, clearly feeling a bit sheepish.

Xu Fengnian lifted his leg as if to kick, and Niu Qianzhu, the captain of the Great Snow Dragon Riders, quickly hid behind Pang Jianrui.

Xu Fengnian pointed his saber sheath at Captain Niu and said exasperatedly, "Alright, I'll give you two thousand cavalry, and I'll even lend you my Phoenix Battalion along with them, how's that? If you're still not satisfied, I'll lend you Commander Yuan too."

Niu Qianzhu chuckled awkwardly, "Commander Yuan? No thanks, he'd only steal my thunder. Two thousand cavalry and His Lordship's Phoenix Battalion are enough, more than enough."

The saying "You can run from the first, but not the fifteenth" held true, as Captain Niu received a kick from Yuan Zuozong, who was standing not far away.

The short, sturdy Captain Pang Jianrui asked, "My Lord, the Qingzhou cavalry was almost completely annihilated when Zhao Xun first rushed to aid Prince Zhao Ying of Huainan. Now their infantry, around eight thousand men, is truly insignificant. I am willing to lead a thousand cavalry as vanguards to clear a path for the main army."

Niu Qianzhu eagerly interjected, "Old Pang, His Lordship has already promised to lend me your thousand men!"

Pang Jianrui turned and glared fiercely, making Niu Qianzhu shrink his neck in fear. Niu Qianzhu's physique looked like he could be two Pang Jianruis, but among the Great Snow Dragon Riders, despite both being captains leading a thousand cavalry, Niu Qianzhu always acted like a timid daughter-in-law facing a strict mother-in-law when in front of Pang Jianrui.

Just then, Yuan Zuozong suddenly spoke up, "I will be the vanguard. Five hundred cavalry will suffice."

Pang Jianrui scratched his head; even given ten times his courage, he wouldn't dare contend for glory with the Commander. Moreover, any veteran of the Great Snow Dragon Riders knew about the ten-year siege of Xiangfan City in Qingzhou. Yuan Zuozong, as the second-generation cavalry commander in the Xu family army, succeeding Wu Qi and Xu Pu, had endured such brutal and arduous fighting beneath Xiangfan City that his cavalry had to be used as infantry, swarming the city walls like ants. By the end, less than three out of ten remained. It was only after this that Chu Lushan's feat of taking Shu with a thousand cavalry occurred. It wasn't that the Xu family's iron cavalry didn't want to deploy more cavalry, but rather that there were simply no cavalrymen or warhorses left to use.

Xu Fengnian nodded, then raised his Beiliang saber and pointed at two locations on the Guangling Province map where the two armies were at a stalemate. "After bypassing Xu Gong's various forces, the Western Chu cavalry unit we are to assist will break out here, thirty *li* south of Guazizhou. The Wu commander in charge of this sector is Zhou Ran, whose total strength is twenty thousand, not to be underestimated. Zhou Ran is a seasoned and cautious commander, skilled in positional warfare, with no history of reckless advances for glory. He commands two thousand cavalry. At that time, our main force will halt and encamp briefly about twenty *li* northwest of Guazizhou, in the Xiangwei River area. Zhou Ran will certainly dispatch numerous scouts to monitor our movements. Not only that, but our arrival will surely prompt Wu Chongxuan to order a moderate southward shift of the northern Laixian front. Its commander, Yuan Jiade, although having less than ten thousand troops, has cavalry making up almost half his force, over four thousand five hundred cavalrymen. This unit was once the vanguard of the Southern Frontier army sent north to suppress rebellions, and its combat strength is clearly not weak. Yuan Zuozong, you will lead the main force thirty *li* east along the Xiangwei River towards Guazizhou, directly pressing on Zhou Ran's position. Wang Boyuan, you will then lead two thousand cavalry directly between Laixian and Xiangwei River, cutting off Yuan Jiade's main cavalry's southward reinforcement route. Coordinate with the main force, creating the impression that we intend to swallow Zhou Ran's twenty thousand men in one go. Song Jinshan, you will lead a thousand cavalry, maintaining a distance of three to four *li* from the central army's right flank, advancing slowly. Your main responsibility is to keep an eye on Zhou Ran's two thousand cavalry and sweep up all of Zhou Ran's scouts and spies to the south. Once the Phoenix Battalion's southward movement to assist that cavalry unit is exposed, or if Wu's forces at the front pursue them closely, and Zhou Ran's two thousand cavalry receive news and move south to intercept, you must engage them and absolutely secure a window for the Phoenix Battalion to fully receive those several hundred people!"

Yuan Zuozong and the two cavalry generals bowed their fists and accepted the order.

Suddenly, a light cavalry scout arrived to report military intelligence, leaving Xu Fengnian and the martial generals somewhat dumbfounded and amused.

They had intercepted a military order from Xu Gong's scouts to Qingzhou, ordering them to retreat along their original route back to Huanglu City, a major town on the northern border of Jing'an Province, and strictly forbidding them from leaving the city to advance north.

Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "If there are no surprises, it's probably similar on the Western Shu side. It seems Xu Gong isn't willing to give us a chance to bluff."

Xu Fengnian didn't assume victory just because they intercepted one secret message. For a military order that held no fear of being leaked, it was natural that more than just a single rider would be dispatched to deliver it; 'the more the merrier' wouldn't be an exaggeration.

But Xu Fengnian quickly scoffed, "It's hard to say about Western Shu; perhaps they will obey the order and withdraw, then retreat tacitly and wait for an opportunity. But a dignified Prince Jing'an should have more sway than a mere Vice Minister. That Qingzhou army might not obey Xu Gong's 'unreasonable' deployment. Zhao Xun's use of troops on the battlefield, regardless of victory or defeat, is only about showing loyalty. The commander of that force is a trusted sub-general from Prince Jing'an's manor; before deploying, he must have received secret orders from Zhao Xun. The gist of it would be that even if they incur suspicion for being overly ambitious and their entire army is annihilated, they absolutely must not leave the impression of being cowardly in the eyes of the imperial court. This young Prince Jing'an truly lives up to his reputation as the most praised virtuous prince in both court and country, doesn't he?"

Niu Qianzhu and the other officers looked a bit bewildered. After all, for these valiant Beiliang generals who had fought for so long outside the Pass, the situation in the Central Plains was something they neither cared about nor deigned to pay attention to.

Only Yuan Zuozong nodded, sneering, "There's a high probability that the Qingzhou army will insist on advancing north. From now on, Zhao Xun's nickname, 'The Prince Who Sends Himself to Death,' will be well-deserved."

Old General Song Jinshan, who like Commander Yuan Zuozong had experienced the Battle of Xiangfan City, sighed with emotion: "I hear the current Qingzhou navy is quite disgraceful, but looking at the Qingzhou cavalry's brief appearance on the Guangling battlefield last year, regardless of their combat strength, their bravery and ferocity were quite like how they used to be. Thinking back, no matter how much we hated Qingzhou and that Xiangfan City, we still had to give a thumbs-up to the Qingzhou soldiers. Such opponents deserve respect. It's a pity, a great pity, that they ended up with such a profligate prince."

A brief silence fell over the tent before Xu Fengnian suddenly quipped, "General Song, you're not implying anything about me, are you?"

Song Jinshan abruptly tilted his head and spat on the ground.

This audacious act of insubordination made Niu Qianzhu, Pang Jianrui, and the others hold their breath in apprehension.

Soon, Song Jinshan said with a bright smile, "That little bastard Zhao Xun isn't even fit to carry His Lordship's shoes!"

Xu Fengnian clapped the old general heavily on the shoulder, "Truly a veteran brought up by Xu Xiao! You fight without question, and your flattery is just as impressive!"

Song Jinshan's old face was contorted in an exaggerated grin. He didn't forget to glance sideways and raise an eyebrow at Niu Qianzhu and the other younger officers. The old man had a somewhat provoking demeanor, clearly telling the younger cavalry captains to learn from him: "This is what real flattery looks like, you're still too green!"

Xu Yanbing lifted the tent flap, and Xu Fengnian nodded at him.

Xu Fengnian dismissed all the generals from the tent, then stood shoulder to shoulder with Xu Yanbing outside.

Xu Fengnian furrowed his brow, a premonition of unease washing over him.

A guest was coming from afar.

Coming extremely fast from an extreme distance.