Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3870 Swift as Thunder and Fierce Wind
Gong County.

Gongshui.

Although the imperial edict reached Fei Qian's hands, he acted as if he hadn't seen it and didn't stop. Instead, he ordered the Second Battle of Gongshui to proceed as planned.

On the one hand, it was to establish a forward base, and on the other hand, it was to determine certain things.

"Forward! Watch your formation!"

Huang Zhong, riding his warhorse, urged his soldiers forward from the earthen slope beside the ranks.

Fei Qian's order to Huang Zhong was to establish a forward position on the west bank of the Gong River before noon.

Scouts returned from the front frequently along the way. The Flying Cavalry no longer concealed their whereabouts, but instead relied on the mobility of the cavalry to quickly reach the combat zone, striving to annihilate Cao Cao's forces in the Heluo area and prepare for the capture of Sishui Pass.

To support Huang Zhong, Fei Qian also dispatched Huang Cheng as a backup force to assist in the battle.

Huang Cheng and Huang Zhong were old acquaintances and naturally had a good understanding with each other. There was no estrangement or wariness between them. Therefore, Huang Cheng's scouts also joined the front-line search and reconnaissance team.

At this moment, a scout rode back to report, "Cao Cao's army numbers about two thousand, and they are arrayed in defensive formation at the ferry crossing near Gongshui Bay! The General's intention is for you, General, to break through Cao Cao's army as soon as possible and seize the ferry crossing!"

"Understood." Huang Zhong replied briefly and immediately ordered the signalmen to give the order. He actually liked this battle plan very much; it was simple and direct, without any "messy" strategies.

Huang Zhong did not like Sima Yi's methods.

Huang Zhong was also completely baffled by the Cao army's movements of hiding and fleeing, and he was not quite clear about the changing situation of the war. However, one thing he was very clear about was that the Flying Cavalry had now become a force to be reckoned with...

As for the imperial edict...

To be honest, Huang Zhong didn't care much.

He was originally a hunter in the mountains.

When his child was sick, neither the emperor nor any powerful figure offered him any help.

In comparison, Huang Zhong preferred the Guanzhong model...

At least in Guanzhong, his children can get medical treatment when they are sick.

This is enough.

Huang Zhong's army consisted of 800 cavalry and 1,200 mounted infantry. Yes, that's right, the cavalry were transferred from the General of the Flying Cavalry, while Huang Zhong's original swordsmen were all infantry.

Now, there are less than 500 swordsmen left.

In addition, some scouts were assigned to his men, as well as scouts brought in by Huang Cheng.

To conserve energy and horsepower, the large group rested every twenty li (approximately 10 kilometers). After the horses drank water and ate a small amount of fodder, they continued their journey.

The team quickly crossed the earthen hills and plateaus and headed towards Gong County.

From Luoyang to Sishui Pass, it's roughly like traveling between the strokes of a crooked "eight" character, with Sishui Pass being the top of that "eight" character.

When they were less than a hundred li away from Gongshui, Cao Cao's scouts appeared. These scouts did not dare to approach, but only glanced at them from afar before turning around and running away.

On the contrary, the scouts of the Flying Cavalry were very proactive in their attacks. Whenever they saw Cao Cao's scouts, even small teams of three to five men would rush up to drive them away.

By this time, their whereabouts had certainly been exposed, but Huang Zhong's vanguard was also composed of cavalry, leaving Cao Cao's army with very little time to send a message and withdraw.

Huang Zhong understood the importance of cavalry speed, so he kept urging the marching column to move faster. At the same time, based on his own experience, he arranged rest periods between rides to prevent the horses from overexerting themselves.

Although he is still a guest general, he is actually only one step away from being placed under the command of the General of the Cavalry: a change of address.

Can't say...

Huang Zhongzheng felt a mix of emotions. Suddenly, he noticed that the procession ahead was somewhat congested and disorganized. He frowned and spurred his horse forward.

They found that the spokes of a supply wagon were damaged and the axle underneath was broken.

Several cavalrymen were frantically changing shifts, so the rest of the troops had to go around the wasteland next to them, which naturally slowed them down.

"Push it aside!" Huang Zhong shouted. "Have you forgotten the manuals?!"

The squad leader rushed over and kicked the soldiers in the buttocks of the supply wagons repeatedly, cursing them as he helped them lift the wagons and push them to the side of the road.

They know the rules, but when it comes to their own, they always end up choosing the method that's easiest for them.

Just like those who hate queue-jumping the most, and those who don't allow themselves to cut in line...

The larger the Flying Cavalry organization became, the more it needed constant correction and guidance.

……

……

At the ferry crossing in Gongxian County, a group of Cao Cao's troops are gathering.

The cavalry appeared suddenly, their numbers and speed exceeding their expectations. The scouts had barely sent word when the cavalry appeared as if they had been there in an instant.

Those lined up at the riverbank ferry were naturally the elite, fully armored Cao army under the command of the Central Army.

Their weaponry and equipment are certainly not bad, but their morale...

That's a bit worrying.

There were rumors circulating among the troops that Cao Cao had been suffering heavy losses since he marched into the Heluo region. He kept saying he wanted to wear down the Flying Cavalry, but in the end, his own troops were being constantly depleted...

This rumor isn't entirely unfounded, after all, there are indeed fewer and fewer veterans left in Qingzhou.

The Qingzhou soldiers were indeed part of the Yellow Turban Army, but the Yellow Turban Army was also divided into different ranks.

The soldiers of Qingzhou were not ordinary farmers, but survivors of a chaotic era who had endured long periods of war and possessed real combat experience. Through their confrontations with government troops, they had developed skills in field warfare and mobile combat, and their fighting spirit and resilience far surpassed that of ordinary conscripts. Moreover, Qingzhou was considered a peripheral, undeveloped area during the Three Kingdoms period, where life was inherently difficult. Living year-round in the mountains and forests alongside wild beasts and poisonous insects naturally fostered a fierce temperament.

Even during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the Qingzhou area was known as the "Eastern Barbarians." This barbarity and cruelty persisted into later generations; for example, a certain notorious prawn killed without shedding blood...

Therefore, after Cao Cao provided these Qingzhou soldiers with relatively superior armor and weapons, they naturally gained a combat advantage over the peasant soldiers or conscripted soldiers in other regions.

Until these Qingzhou soldiers encountered the cavalry...

The Gong River appears docile and cold in winter; though not deep, it is still a formidable obstacle that requires serious attention.

The water flow near the ferry crossing was relatively calm, and the riverbed was wide, but it had already been occupied by Cao Cao's army.

Approximately two thousand Cao army infantrymen, relying on the existing simple wooden sheds, earthen walls, and various piles of debris at the ferry crossing, formed a square formation with sufficient depth, their backs to the water.

Swordsmen and shieldmen were in front, followed by a forest of spearmen, while archers and crossbowmen were positioned in the middle of the formation, either on higher ground or behind cover.

The formation was impeccable, and the armor reflected a cold glint in the thin sunlight.

This is Cao Hong's elite central army left behind in Gongxian, including many veterans from Qingzhou.

When Huang Zhong led his vanguard cavalry to the west bank, what they saw was this seemingly tough nut to crack.

Huang Zhong did not immediately order an attack. Instead, he first allowed the cavalry and infantry who had been traveling to rest and recuperate, drink water, feed their horses, and recover their strength. At the same time, he sent out more scouts to scout along the riverbank to find other possible crossing points or weak points in the enemy's formation.

Huang Zhong, accompanied by some guards, rode his horse up a slightly higher mound near the riverbank, squinted, and carefully observed the Cao army formation on the opposite bank.

Besides the Cao army formation at the ferry crossing, there were also Cao soldiers on the opposite bank of the Gong River, mostly archers.

The banner they raised was that of Cao Hong.

Huang Zhong stroked his beard, deep in thought.

The Gong River is not a wide river, so the archers on the opposite bank can cover this side of the ferry crossing.

The riverbanks nearby had been dug up and trampled by Cao Cao's soldiers, leaving them in a terrible state. Even infantrymen would inevitably slip and fall, let alone cavalry.

If they are overconfident and try to use close-range heavy arrows or cavalry charges, they will inevitably suffer a silent loss on the riverbank!
Crossing and charging...

That's also inappropriate.

Although the water level drops in winter, once it enters a section of the river, it will inevitably slow down and become a sitting duck for crossbows on the opposite bank.

Therefore, a direct confrontation is the best approach; there's no room for trickery. However, resorting to brute force would come at a much higher cost.

Huang Zhong observed Cao Cao's army formation...

Yes, the central part is solid, and the two wings extend slightly with the terrain, but the right wing is close to a withered reed bed, and the terrain is slightly low-lying and muddy.

Reed marshes?
The reeds were tall and dense; though their leaves were withered and yellowed, their stalks still stood tall, forming a natural barrier and blind spot. The right flank of Cao Cao's main force met this reed bed, seemingly an extension of their formation, but it seemed…

Huang Zhong squinted, pondered for a moment, and had already made up his mind.

"Cavalrymen, dismount, take your crossbows, and spread out along the riverbank to exchange fire with the enemy's archers and crossbowmen, suppressing their ranged attacks!" Huang Zhong ordered. "Sword-wielding soldiers, form ranks and prepare for a full-scale assault!"

Command flags fluttered, and the sounds of drums and whistles rose and fell.

The cavalrymen skillfully took bows and crossbows from their saddles, found simple cover on the shore, and began to fire arrows at Cao Cao's army.

Cao Jun also launched a counterattack almost simultaneously.

The arrows from both sides exchanged a greeting in the air before separating again.

Comparatively speaking, the cavalry archers of the Flying Cavalry were at a disadvantage compared to the archers used by Cao Cao's infantry. However, the Flying Cavalry soldiers were scattered, while Cao Cao's soldiers could only form dense formations at the crossing points, so the two sides were basically evenly matched.

Arrows and crossbow bolts clashed, and the screams of soldiers could be heard from time to time.

In fact, long-range projectiles do not have much direct lethality.

Many people cite the example of a country's longbowmen defeating another country's fully armored cavalry, but this is merely a simplistic assessment of victory or defeat. In actual combat, it's not simply a matter of "archers defeating cavalry," but rather a classic example of a "complete defensive system" defeating a "single shock unit."

Furthermore, in that battle, after the enemy cavalry dismounted due to their inability to charge, the longbowmen immediately switched to heavy armor-piercing arrows for horizontal firing, rather than volleying them. At close range, heavy armor-piercing arrows were sufficient to threaten the vulnerable positions of plate-armored cavalry. At the same time, the longbowmen were also accompanied by melee-armored infantry as front-line guards, and were not simply an all-longbowman force.

Therefore, in the current battlefield, the projectile damage from both sides is not significant, and the insufficient density of arrows cannot create a coverage effect, so most of those who are injured are just unlucky ones...

Both sides have it.

After all, on the battlefield, there are always some people with particularly low SAN values ​​who can't pass the exemption no matter how they roll the twenty-sided die.

After this probing barrage of fire, Huang Zhong's five hundred swordsmen and some infantrymen let out a deafening roar and began to approach Cao Cao's army lines head-on!

The bayonet soldiers advanced, not by charging in recklessly, but by forming small teams and providing mutual cover. Although this slowed their advance, it prevented their formation from being disrupted.

The swordsmen and shieldmen raised their shields high to block the arrows, shielding themselves and their comrades, and gradually approached Cao Cao's army formation.

On the opposite bank, Cao Cao's archers also began to attempt to provide support, firing at Huang Zhong's advancing troops. A rain of arrows poured down, clanging and clattering against the shields. Occasionally, an arrow would pierce through the gaps, accompanied by muffled groans and splattered blood, but the cavalry's advance continued unabated, steadily pushing forward.

With the booming of war drums, the deafening clang of metal clashing suddenly erupted as the infantry of the Flying Cavalry clashed violently with the Cao army's swordsmen, shieldmen, and spearmen who were waiting in battle!
The swordsmen were fierce and brave, while Cao Cao's Qingzhou soldiers were vicious and stubborn. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle on the narrow contact line. Swords flashed and blood and flesh flew everywhere. For a time, the battle was so intense that it was difficult to determine a winner.

Cao Hong, standing on the east bank of the Gong River, witnessed this scene and felt a secret sense of smugness. He kept a close eye on Huang Zhong's men's movements, muttering, "A little more...closer..."

Cao Hong secretly ambushed a group of soldiers among the reeds on the riverbank.

About three hundred Cao army soldiers, their bodies adorned with dry grass and twigs as makeshift camouflage, armed with short swords and powerful crossbows, lay in ambush, holding their breath and awaiting the order to deliver a fatal blow to the cavalry's flank. Hearing the sounds of fighting at the nearby ferry, they stealthily began moving towards the edge of the reeds, preparing to launch a surprise attack, awaiting Cao Hong's command to deliver a delightful surprise to Huang Zhong's men…

The surprise came quickly.

However, just as Cao's ambush was about to move and the moment of victory that Cao Hong had been waiting for was about to arrive—

Huang Zhong, who had been paying close attention to the battlefield, especially the reed marshes, had already been on high alert and had given the order first!

The pre-prepared squad of archers from the Flying Cavalry placed arrows wrapped in oilcloth on torches, then immediately drew their bows. At a command, dozens of fire arrows trailing orange-red flames flew in an arc and landed in the withered reeds on the right flank of Cao Cao's army!
Dry reeds ignite instantly when exposed to fire!
Within a few breaths, fireworks began to appear, followed by bright little flames that leaped and hopped among the reeds!
The winter wind, always eager to join in the fun, came along, puffed out its cheeks, and blew a couple of times. The flames then quickly spread along the withered stems!
The small flame grew into a large fire, and the giggling laughter turned into a fierce roar!

Thick smoke billowed up and flames shot into the sky!
"ah--!"

"Fire!"

Run!

Panic-stricken shouts suddenly erupted from the reeds!
Cao Cao's ambush troops were completely caught off guard by Huang Zhong's preemptive act of setting fire!

These Cao army ambushers were instantly engulfed in flames and thick smoke. Their crude camouflage became death warrants, and many of them, covered in sparks, immediately turned into rolling firecrackers.

The instinct for survival overrides all military orders. The Cao army ambushers in the reeds can no longer care about hiding or attacking. They rush out of the reeds frantically, crying and rolling around, trying to extinguish the flames on their bodies, or simply heading straight towards the direction where there is no fire...

They fled for their lives!
The direction without fire is either Gongshui or the Cao army formation at the ferry crossing that is currently engaged in a fierce battle with Huang Zhong's swordsmen!

This completely reversed the situation!

The raging reeds not only engulfed the ambush troops but also became a terrifying wall of fire. Thick smoke drifted with the wind toward Cao Cao's main camp, choking the soldiers and causing them to cough, tear up, and have their vision obstructed.

Even more deadly was that the Cao army's ambush troops, their bodies ablaze with flames and in a state of panic, were like a herd of frightened fire oxen...

Oh, the swarm of fireflies, buzzing around, blindly crashed into the rear right flank of Cao Cao's main force!
"Don't come over here!"

"Hold on! Stop them!"

"Smoke! Ahhh! I can't see it!"

The right flank of Cao's army was thrown into chaos instantly!
The Cao army soldiers in front were fighting a fierce battle with the Flying Cavalry, but suddenly their own men charged from behind!

Thick smoke billowed, and flames drew near!

The well-organized formation began to crack, and the Cao army soldiers in the ranks began to turn their heads in panic, some even instinctively dodging backward.

"The enemy is in disarray! All troops, charge! Kill!"

Huang Zhong had been waiting for this moment. He drew his sword and charged forward, his voice booming like a bell.

The infantry of the Flying Cavalry, who were engaged in fierce fighting with Cao Cao's army, saw fire and chaos breaking out in the enemy's rear and their morale soared, unleashing even greater fighting power.

The swordsmen roared, their blades flashing even more fiercely as they slashed forward with all their might.

The cavalry infantry that followed also seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, widening the breach.

Cao Cao's main force on the right flank, under the onslaught of routed soldiers from within and the fierce attack of the main force of the Flying Cavalry, finally could not hold on and began to collapse.

Once Cao Cao's army's dense formation is breached at any point, panic quickly spreads to the flanks and the central army.

Although the military officers at the Cao army's front line tried their best to shout and suppress the fire, it was all in vain under the multiple attacks of the fire, thick smoke, fleeing soldiers, and the Flying Cavalry.

"Retreat! Sound the retreat!"

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Cao Hong, on the opposite bank of the Gong River, could only shout, "Hold the line! Quickly! Hold the line!"

Cao Hong, who originally intended to steal chickens, not only failed but also suffered heavy losses, losing more than just a handful of rice...

Huang Zhong would not allow them to escape so easily.

He immediately ordered his troops to seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack and pursue the fleeing Cao army.

The routed Cao army trampled each other and scrambled to cross the narrow pontoon bridge, with countless soldiers falling into the water.

The cavalry pursued them to the riverbank, firing their crossbows at them with abandon, leaving behind layers upon layers of Cao Cao's soldiers' corpses on the pontoon bridge.

Some of Cao Cao's soldiers couldn't wait for the opening on the pontoon bridge and tried to wade back. However, their heavy armor, the soft mud in the riverbed, and the water that almost reached their chests in the deepest part of the river made it difficult for these soldiers to escape.

Many of Cao Cao's soldiers who tried to wade back often only went a short distance before they lost their footing and fell into the water, struggling to get up no matter what they did...

Ultimately, most of the three hundred Cao soldiers who were lying in ambush in the reeds perished in the fire.

Cao Hong's main force of Cao's army on the west bank also suffered heavy casualties, with only half of the defeated soldiers fleeing back to the east bank of the Gong River in disarray, abandoning their armor and weapons.

Cao Hong had no choice but to angrily order the destruction of the pontoon bridge, and then, with his defeated troops, retreated in disarray back to Gong County.

The cavalry successfully captured the Gongshui ferry crossing, but they couldn't cross directly for the time being and had to rebuild the pontoon bridge.

Therefore, Huang Zhong did not order the cavalry to forcibly cross the river to pursue them. Instead, he ordered the battlefield to be cleared, avoiding the remaining fire in the reed marshes to prevent it from affecting his own forces. He also ordered the defense of the crossing point to be reinforced, and a solid bridgehead to be established, while waiting for the main force to arrive.

In war, victory or defeat may be separated by a single hair, a difference that can last a moment. Yet, this slight difference can mean the difference between heaven and earth...

(End of this chapter)