Chapter 982

Since Taiping Ling became the Imperial Tutor, Northern Mang's approach to assaulting formidable cities and strongholds, which cavalry found difficult to breach, has changed dramatically. The successful capture of Tiger Head City, the primary border town of Liyang, by Dong Zhuo in the first Liang-Mang war, and Zhong Tan's successive victories in breaking through Wogong and Luanhe, two cities in Hulu Pass, Youzhou, stand as clear evidence. Furthermore, the steppe cavalry, aiming to annex the Central Plains, have deeply researched methods to break through dense infantry formations in recent years. Tuoba Qiyun of Chunnabo, in particular, possesses profound insights into this. Before formally joining the military, during a "drawing ashes" council, he presented a ten-thousand-word treatise on cavalry-infantry warfare, detailing it with such meticulousness that it earned great praise from the Northern Mang empress, who was well-versed in military affairs.

Under Taiping Ling's strong advocacy, almost every myriad commander in the Southern Dynasty border army gained one or two military advisors from the Western Capital's Privy Council. These individuals were mostly young, remnants of the Spring and Autumn era brought to the Southern Dynasty by the Hongjia Northern Migration. They were scholars from families who, having settled on the grasslands, had passed down traditions of farming and scholarship for three generations. While a few young, robust members of the Kheshig Guard from the Northern Steppe court were also present, their numbers were small. Most senior border generals scoffed at them, viewing them as mere decorative supervisors. Among the top court officials in the Southern Dynasty, there were indeed some who genuinely valued these young men, such as General Yang Yuanzan, but he tragically died at Hulu Pass in Youzhou. At the time, Yang Yuanzan had brought a large contingent of over a hundred promising young talents, newly trained by the Western Capital's Privy Council, all of whom became bones piled high in a 'jingguan' (pyramid of heads). Although the empress ultimately exchanged the body of Liu Jinlun from Tiger Head City for the heads of Yang Yuanzan and others, her response regarding Yang Yuanzan's posthumous title after his battlefield sacrifice was uncharacteristically stingy and harsh. She didn't even perform the symbolic gesture of issuing an edict to comfort his family. It was rumored that the emperor, pointing to the unseeing eyes of the old general's head in a lime box, frankly told Taiping Ling, who stood beside her, that "Old Yang indeed deserved to die; he ruined My ten-year foundation!"

When the five Southern Dynasty myriad commanders met to discuss whether to engage in this battle, a low-ranking Privy Council official, relying on descriptions from the stables, strongly advised splitting their forces: thirty thousand cavalry would launch a frontal assault on the corridor, while twenty thousand would take a detour south to reinforce Old Woman Mountain. Of the five Northern Mang generals from different military garrisons and passes, only one agreed; the other four rejected this overly cautious proposal. The middle-aged cavalry general from Maolong Garrison, already known in the Southern Dynasty for his violent temper, leaned forward, pointed his riding whip at the young man's nose, and cursed him as an immature boy who knew nothing of the principle that "speed is the essence of war." He then sarcastically asked the young man if he was perhaps a spy from the Northern Liang border army, planted within their Southern Dynasty territory. The elderly myriad commander, the only one who endorsed the young man's prudent suggestion, felt a pang of sympathy and was about to intervene when the other three myriad commanders, whose ranks and actual power were equal or superior, burst into laughter. Steppe warriors, especially seasoned soldiers, have always believed in "death rather than dishonor." The young man, whose father had died fighting outside Northern Liang Pass, was so enraged that his eyes turned bloodshot, and he nearly ground his teeth. In the end, he voluntarily requested to serve as the cavalry vanguard. Before mounting his horse and leaving, he sneered, "When I die, I will watch from the underworld how you generals meet your end."

The four ambitious myriad commanders paid no heed. This young man, who had read a few tattered books and was now heedlessly seeking death, was unrelated to them, and these battle-hardened generals saw no reason to stop him. However, after only two thousand vanguard cavalry crashed against the formation and were repelled, all the myriad commanders began to realize the gravity of the situation. They knew well that sacrificing the cavalry's inherent mobility for a frontal assault on an infantry formation was unwise and that the lead cavalrymen would inevitably die during the charge. But none of them, including the oldest myriad commander, had anticipated the astonishing defensive capabilities of that infantry formation.

While the volley of arrows from five thousand strong infantry bows and Liangzhou crossbows hidden behind the chevaux de frise, falling like a downpour, was expected, what was truly shocking to the battle-hardened myriad commanders was the sight of over a thousand cavalrymen, out of two thousand, reaching that wall-like formation, only to meet instant, bloody deaths, both men and horses. Those two thousand elite cavalrymen were undoubtedly two thousand death-seekers; almost everyone knew that charging meant certain death. They began their charge from the edge of the bow and crossbow range, accelerating forward. The more than a thousand cavalrymen who managed to avoid the arrow barrage had the greatest momentum and force during their impact. The terrifying power of a single cavalryman crashing into the line, driven by the inertia of a galloping warhorse, was self-evident.

As a result, over a thousand death-seeking cavalrymen, both men and horses, all perished beneath the long *suo* (pikes)!

No fewer than six hundred warhorses were directly impaled by the *suo*.

The most terrifying aspect, almost visibly, was how those strangely shaped, extremely long "spears" wielded by the second wave of cavalry displayed incredible, terrifying resilience. After piercing the bodies of warhorses in what amounted to a suicidal charge, most of them merely bent without breaking before being pulled free. In contrast, most ordinary cavalry in the Southern Dynasty border army were typically equipped with a single cavalry spear, which would often crack after one or two charges. Only the elite direct subordinates of great generals like Dong Zhuo, Liu Gui, and Yang Yuanzan had iron spears and cavalry lances of superior quality, enabling them to withstand multiple repeated impacts without breaking. Yet, even the seasoned steppe cavalry, who were proficient in archery and horsemanship, knew that not even the elite "Winter Thunder Cavalry" under Murong Baoding, the Commissioner of Orange Prefecture, possessed spears as... unreasoning... as those held by the Flow State monk infantry!

Though these two thousand cavalrymen felt a tremor of fear, not one dared to turn their horses and retreat without the signal to withdraw sounding from behind them.

It wasn't that these cavalrymen were indifferent to their lives or entirely fearless of death. Rather, while the Southern Dynasty border army's military law wasn't as strict as Northern Liang's Xu family's, retreating in the face of the enemy on the battlefield not only implicated their immediate superiors but also brought ruin upon their entire families. This left them no room for cowardice or self-preservation.

As the two thousand cavalry charged, the Flow State infantry formation in their sight slowly and orderly shifted backward by more than ten paces. The shield wall remained intact, the forest of *suo* remained, and the volley of arrows continued to rain down.

The young Western Capital advisor, who died in battle in his early twenties, was impaled, along with his horse, on an upward-sloping *suo* just before the infantry formation retreated.

Like a crimson *tanghulu* (candied hawthorn skewer), it was both grotesque and tragically poignant.

Before he died, his chest, along with his mount's head, pierced by the *suo*, the young man desperately reached out to grasp the pike. His lips twitched as if to speak, but no words came out.

If he had survived, he would have insisted even more strongly on taking the southern detour. He would have told the five border army myriad commanders, who mistakenly believed great military achievements were within easy reach, that this weapon was called a *changsuo*—a pike with an extremely resilient shaft, an incredibly sturdy haft, and a razor-sharp tip! When struck by sharp knives or heavy axes, it would clang like metal and stone but never crack or break. It had always been the most coveted bladed weapon for countless cavalry generals in the Central Plains. The Han family of Jizhou, who had contended with their steppe cavalry for nearly four hundred years, had a tradition of "sons inheriting their fathers' *suo*." This demonstrated that a *suo* that was extremely difficult to damage was far more suitable as a family heirloom for a general's household than a good blade that could cut hair or slice through iron like mud. When killing enemies from horseback, wielding a *changsuo* was universally advantageous; a general wielding one barely had to worry about the force of a thrust injuring his arm. How could it be any less effective when used in an infantry formation to repel horses?

The second wave of two thousand cavalry also saw no survivors, but it finally loosened the *suo* chevaux de frise formation. A hundred cavalrymen crashed into and killed the standing shield-monk soldiers of Flow State in the front row, their blood splattering. In two repel operations, a thousand *suo* had a total of over three hundred broken shafts.

A poet saint of the Great Feng Dynasty once penned a frontier poem, still recited today, describing the illustrious military achievements of renowned border generals: "Facing the enemy at the front, conversing with laughter." This line is simple and direct, yet remarkably vivid.

The character "却" (que, meaning to repel or turn back) is the true masterstroke.

A myriad commander, seated on his horse, involuntarily shifted his weight, staring at the distant battlefield, dumbfounded and speechless.

Dying was not what they feared, but dying so quickly? How could this battle possibly be fought? Even if it were a clash between two cavalry forces, how long would it take for a charge and breakthrough over a mere three hundred paces?

The general from Maolong Garrison, who had earlier mocked the Western Capital Privy Council official, secretly swallowed hard, then stiffly turned to the aged myriad commander and asked, "Should we withdraw from this place and detour sixty *li* to Old Woman Mountain?"

The old general, who actually commanded only six thousand cavalry, shook his head and said in a deep voice, "Breaking an infantry formation with cavalry is hardest at the beginning. The initial chevaux de frise of these Flow State monk soldiers is the most powerful, causing us severe losses, which is to be expected. I believe that once we break through those first few rows of spears, it will naturally become much smoother afterward."

The other myriad commanders' expressions were uncertain. The old general, unconcerned, declared, "While it's not impossible to split forces and detour to the Old Woman Mountain battlefield, or even for the entire army to withdraw from here and detour south together, given this Flow State infantry's willingness to risk death to delay our southern advance, I believe either the Northern Liang border army has a conspiracy at Old Woman Mountain, or they fear us forming an encirclement. In any case, passing through this corridor as quickly as possible is the best option. There's no battle without casualties. The next charge will be led by me."

This old general had once been a moderately intelligent centurion under Huang Songpu. After Huang Songpu left the military to enter the Western Capital court, he rose steadily through the ranks until he became the King of the Southern Court. It was only then that the old general's fortunes also rose, barely managing to become the head of a small to medium-sized military garrison in the central hinterlands of Gucai Prefecture. Unlike the other four myriad commanders who had secretly accepted boxes of gold and silver before the battle, the old general had rejected generous invitations from three high-ranking "Yi" officials. Yet, he had actively volunteered to rush to Old Woman Mountain. Since he wasn't seeking wealth, outsiders likely saw it as an old man, still young at heart, striving for military glory.

When the four myriad commanders saw the old general spur his horse forward, the cavalrymen of Maolong Garrison looked astonished and asked, "Is the old general going to break the formation himself?"

The white-haired old general turned, a faint smile on his face, and said, "Many of my men are the same age as my grandsons. As a garrison commander, of course, I must..."

A young myriad commander frowned, interrupting the old man, and advised, "Old General, according to border military law, if the commanding general dies at the front, should the battle be lost, all centurions and chiliarchs will be executed afterward."

The old general merely smiled dismissively, glancing at the infantry formation in the southern corridor. "To break this formation, six thousand cavalry are certainly not enough. All eight thousand of my men, those who are not afraid of death, have already followed this old man here."

Perhaps these were the old man's last words.

Six thousand cavalry, divided into three waves, launched their charges sequentially.

After two valiant charges, they finally breached the Flow State shield and *suo* formations. The old general, leading the charge, covered in blood, crashed into the ranks of eight hundred *modao* (great swords)!

The monk soldiers wielding the special Northern Liang *modao* were the most physically imposing among the Lamudra Temple monks. Donning iron armor over their kasayas, they advanced in formation, swinging their blades to cleave horses with unmatched ferocity!

Including the old general, twelve hundred cavalrymen perished under the *modao* in their first appearance on the Liang-Mang battlefield.

The Northern Mang cavalry retreated after one battle, and retreated again after another!

The Old Woman Mountain battlefield had already witnessed two mutual breakthrough charges.

Of Flow State's ten thousand cavalry, only four thousand remained, and among the newly established Ramming Camp's six thousand cavalry, fewer than fifteen hundred survived.

In terms of casualty ratios, the casualties of the two wings of the Dragon Elephant Army were lower, with thirteen thousand cavalry still combat-ready.

The Northern Mang Southern Expeditionary Army, led by Commander Huang Songpu, initially had sixty thousand cavalry. At this point, forty-eight thousand cavalry remained.

This seemingly disadvantageous exchange for the Flow State border cavalry was precisely what the Northern Mang Imperial Tutor had most anticipated: "A minor loss for the main Southern Expeditionary force on the Flow State battlefield is a great victory."

If nothing unexpected occurred, after two more such exchanges, the Dragon Elephant Army, which had peaked at thirty thousand troops, and the Ramming Camp, which had just raised its banner to fight, would both become mere footnotes in history.

Kou Jianghuai, the Flow State commander who had remained atop Old Woman Mountain, showed no miraculous changes in formation during this extremely critical situation. He merely sent orders for the three thousand cavalry under the provincial governor's mansion, originally stationed outside the battlefield, to join the field army's main force, which had returned to its original position after two breakthrough charges. They were to form up behind Qifu Long Pass and participate in the third wave of assault.

Huang Songpu also ordered his heavy cavalry unit, numbering only five to six hundred, to prepare for deployment.

The old commander's only concern was that, at this point in the battle, Northern Liang's Flow State cavalry had suffered heavy casualties, while his own direct subordinates and the Wanyan elite cavalry had sustained far greater losses than the "Yi" cavalry. Had this not been the case, he wouldn't even have deployed the heavy cavalry unit originally reserved for taking the heads of either Kou Jianghuai or Xu Longxiang.

Chen Xiliang couldn't help but ask, "One more charge, and the Flow State cavalry will be all but gone. Commander Kou, shouldn't we pause?"

Kou Jianghuai shook his head, "We cannot pause. At this point, it's a matter of holding our breath. Even if Yuan Nanting's White Feather Light Cavalry and Ning Emei's Iron Pagodas can't reach Old Woman Mountain temporarily, even if they could join the battle immediately, I would still have the Flow State cavalry and the Dragon Elephant Army charge two more times. Otherwise, even if Xie Xichui's monk soldiers can hold off fifty thousand Southern Dynasty reinforcements, with Huang Songpu's skill in warfare, at least twenty thousand cavalry would escape. Once they link up with the remaining cavalry in the northern corridor, our previous three battles, including this one, would have been in vain. It would even mean I, Kou Jianghuai, dragged all three forces of Qingyuan Garrison into the quagmire of the Flow State battlefield."

Chen Xiliang sighed, saying no more.

Kou Jianghuai suddenly turned, speaking softly, "In the offensive-defensive battle at Fengxiang Garrison, the defending general publicly impeached Xie Xichui through the Flow State Governor's Office. You wrote 'not violating military law, but violating common sense.' I want to thank you."

Kou Jianghuai spoke directly and clearly that he wanted to thank the Flow State Administrator himself, not on behalf of Xie Xichui. In fact, Xie Xichui's balanced and moderate comments, though far less severe than Governor Yang Guangdou's strong wording, were still unfavorable to Xie Xichui, who was then in the eye of the storm. But the reality was quite the opposite: Chen Xiliang, who held a certain sway in the Northern Liang border army, was deliberately protecting the Flow State deputy general who had incurred public anger. If he had overtly favored Xie Xichui, it would only have further inflamed the fierce backlash from the Liangzhou border cavalry and the entire Youzhou infantry. At that point, even the young Prince might have found it extremely difficult to personally protect Xie Xichui. Ultimately, if Xie Xichui became a pariah in the eyes of the Northern Liang border army, then not only Kou Jianghuai, who was also young and an outsider, but even Yu Luandao, who had gained acceptance despite similar origins, would have been implicated.

Chen Xiliang smiled wryly, shaking his head and sighing, "These are all situations painstakingly created by the Prince. You don't need to thank me. If you truly want to thank someone, find an opportunity to thank the Prince next time you're in Jubei City."

Kou Jianghuai curled his lip. "Why thank that Xu fellow? Since he's the Prince of Northern Liang, this is his duty and responsibility. When I next go to the Prince's residence in Jubei City, it'll be generous of me if I don't demand to be the supreme commander of the Northern Liang cavalry."

Kou Jianghuai suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly, "But I probably can't beat Yuan Baixiong either. This is the only bad thing about Northern Liang: the generals are all fiercer than the last, a whole bunch of martial arts grandmasters. Before, in Guangling Dao, my swordsmanship was decent, and I had confidence in debates and quarrels at court. But now, alas, I'm no match."

Chen Xiliang, whose mood had been heavy, finally managed a slight smile.

The two men looked out at the Old Woman Mountain battlefield. Xu Longxiang, the commander of the Dragon Elephant Army, had personally killed three hundred enemies. This was while ensuring the cavalry's charge formation remained intact; if he had fought without restraint, the Northern Mang cavalry commanders would likely have crumbled.

Kou Jianghuai's gaze shifted to the largest "Yi" cavalry formation, a cold smile playing on his lips as he muttered, "Let them get fat before we slaughter them."

Three cavalry forces entered the Flow State battlefield. Among them, Liangzhou General Shi Fu personally led eight thousand cavalry from Qingyuan Garrison. They did not go to Old Woman Mountain but instead rushed directly to the corridor, not to rescue anyone, but to intercept the Northern Mang Southern Dynasty cavalry, perhaps thirty thousand, possibly twenty thousand, from continuing their southward advance through the corridor.

In Shi Fu's view, Xie Xichui and the Lamudra Temple monk soldiers were doomed.

Ning Emei's Iron Pagodas had suffered heavy losses and were severely weakened on Dragon Eye Plain earlier. However, the young Prince had allocated all eight hundred White Horse Volunteers to the Iron Pagodas and even ordered all martial generals above the fourth rank outside Liangzhou Pass to draw upon their personal guards and cavalry retinues. This allowed the Iron Pagodas to recover to a strength of four thousand cavalry in just one month!

Ning Emei, wielding a great halberd, led four thousand iron cavalry in a furious charge. He intended to cut off their retreat, directly striking the area between Old Woman Mountain and the northern corridor. If Shi Fu was blocking the southern advance of the Southern Dynasty border cavalry, then Ning Emei needed to sever Huang Songpu's main Southern Expeditionary force's northern retreat route.

The last cavalry unit consisted purely of light cavalry, displaying an elegant flair. Each man carried a composite bow and a light crossbow, with quivers hanging on both sides of their saddles, and only a Northern Liang saber at their waist. The snow-white fletching of the arrows protruding from the quivers resembled two clumps of white snow, creating a beautiful sight as the warhorses galloped.

General Yuan Nanting led twenty thousand White Feather Light Cavalry, charging directly towards Old Woman Mountain!

Imagine: when the wind rose, a dense volley from twenty thousand cavalry would be like a torrential downpour, twenty thousand drops of rain falling upon the enemy's heads.

A force of eight thousand elite cavalry, which had originally penetrated into Gucai Prefecture, suddenly turned south, crossed the border, and drew a diagonal arc, desperately galloping towards the corridor battlefield.

A short, weary young cavalry general continuously murmured to himself, "Don't die, don't die."

They say good things come in threes, but you, even including the battle at Miyun Pass, have only had two close calls. The King of Hell certainly won't be pleased to take you yet.

If others seek death, that's none of my business, but if you, Xie Xichui, lose your will to live, I'll have to beat you up myself.

This person was Cao Wei.

His nickname was Cao Benlei (Cao Thunder Runner)!