Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

"Go around, go around quickly!"

"do not come!"

As the soldiers rushed forward, it wasn't that no one saw the enemy formation ahead; some instinctively obeyed the shouts. However, while those in front were able to avoid the attack, those fleeing behind were just about to follow when a hail of arrows rained down from above, instantly igniting screams and cries from the crowd.

From both sides, knights clad in black armor galloped forward, dodging arrows from Zhang Shuye's formation while wielding their weapons to drive away the straying soldiers. The deserters let out desperate cries and resignedly charged towards the army formation ahead.

Under the banner bearing the character "Song," Zhang Shuye surveyed the battle situation ahead. His deputy and personal guards approached him, nervously observing the surging crowd, and said, "General, the Qi army is pressing too hard, I'm afraid..."

Zhang Shuye's hand, gripping the riding whip, turned slightly white. He suddenly spoke, "Give the order—fire the arrows!"

A group of people hesitated for a moment, their faces showing reluctance, but still began to relay the orders according to his command. Flag signals were issued, and orders were transmitted from various military formations.

A roar of "Archers, advance!" rang out from the ranks, and the Song army commander, seated on his horse, closed his eyes.

Several shouts of "Release!" rang out, and the army formation, stretching for miles, suddenly unleashed a thick cloud of black energy, piercing the air with a sharp whistling sound as it hurtled towards the figure dressed in crimson below.

A series of screams erupted from the routed soldiers ahead. Suddenly, a gap opened up in front of the running and scattered crowd, and many of those who had been running headlong looked in fear at their comrades lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

"This……"

"Stop!"

The fleeing crowd slowed down slightly, and the Qi cavalry following behind, without being ordered, all drew their bows and fired arrows at the stopped crowd.

Another series of pitiful screams rang out.

"Damn it, we're going to die whether we go forward or backward, let's fight them!" a man dressed in officer's armor suddenly roared.

"Let's fight!" the soldier beside him repeated, turning to charge into the Qi army's battle formation.

Someone nearby quickly pulled him back, saying, "What's wrong with you? You're going the wrong way!"

"what?!"

The fleeing soldiers were stunned. They turned around and saw the man who had just shouted leading the charge towards Zhang Shuye's army formation. Many of the soldiers who had abandoned their armor and dragged their weapons as they ran were shouting hoarsely with red eyes.

bang——

The soldier stumbled and nearly fell after being bumped into. He heard someone curse, "A good dog doesn't block the way!" When he looked up, he saw a man dressed in a thin shirt and holding an iron sword rushing past him. He was shot dead by an arrow.

"Damn it!"

He cursed viciously, then ran forward, grabbed the iron knife, and roared as he ran after his comrades.

In the rear cavalry group, Wanyan Loushi, who was watching the cavalry in front driving away the Song army, tilted his head and said: "Send a message to General Yao in the rear and ask if they still have the strength to charge again. These defeated soldiers in front may not be able to break through the Song army's defenses."

Tudan Hexi, one of the guards, responded and turned his horse around, leading his men to gallop away quickly.

Wanyan Loushi looked at the battlefield ahead for a while and saw some people kneeling down to surrender regardless of the consequences. He raised his long sword and said, "Order General Wulinda at the front not to take prisoners. Anyone who doesn't get up and continues to run will be killed."

Order Wanyan Huonü to run on the right flank and force the routed troops towards the Song army.

In the outskirts of the capital, the fighting continued, and the earth was shaken by the mournful screams and shouts in the autumn sunlight.

Many people wearing only light clothing ran while shouting "Why!" "Let us through!" They were shot to death on the ground by arrows. Occasionally, a soldier would escape the rain of arrows and rush forward even more irrationally.

"prick!"

Another shout erupted from the Song army ranks, and a spear thrust out into the chest of a deserter. The blood made the eyes of many more bloodshot, and they charged forward with frenzied eyes. Many men were stabbed in the chest and abdomen by the spears, but they clung tightly to the shafts, refusing to let the spears be pulled back, giving those behind them a chance.

These soldiers were originally drawn from nearby military prefectures. Their combat strength was indeed weak, and their morale was not high. The original plan was to use them as a force to exhaust the Qi army. Who would have thought that they would turn their guns around and become fearless of death under the drive of the cavalry behind them?

Near and far, the Qi army that had stormed into the center spread out in all directions like flowers in bloom. Cavalrymen in black armor charged one after another, scattering the gathered crowd and driving the surviving soldiers to flee. Shouts and the sound of horses' hooves became the main melody of this place.

Yao Gang calmly rode his horse, removed the iron armor covering his face, and looked around at the battle situation. The five hundred linked armored cavalry behind him suffered almost no losses, with only a few unlucky ones falling off their horses during the charge. However, the warhorses equipped with armor were intact, with only their originally shiny black armor covered in thick blood that was slowly dripping down.

Wang De, Shi Wengong, Wanyan Loushi, Yang Zaixing and others left two hundred cavalrymen to guard the perimeter, and together with the more than five hundred armored cavalrymen inside, this force of over a thousand men became the most relaxed people on this noisy battlefield.

"General Yao! General Yao!"

The light cavalry in front parted, and several cavalrymen galloped in. Tu Danhexi pulled his horse back and bowed to Yao Gang: "Greetings, General Yao Gang. The Song army ahead is resilient. Our General Wanyan asks if we still have the strength to charge into the enemy lines?"

Yao Gang turned his head: "Do you still have the strength?"

bang——

The armored cavalryman behind them slammed his chest armor hard and shouted, "We still have plenty of courage left!"

"Give the order, General!"

"I'd like to try ten more times."

Yao Gang laughed heartily, turned his head, and pointed his thumb behind him: "I heard that."

Tu Danhexi was overjoyed and quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "I knew that the general's men were the most valiant. Time is of the essence, please come with me." He turned his warhorse around, thought for a moment, and said to his entourage: "I will accompany General Yao back. You go back and inform the general first."

"Yes, sir!" Upon hearing this, the riders quickened their pace and rode away.

Yao Gang nodded to the light cavalry guarding him and raised his iron spear: "Armored Cavalry—", then pointed to the battlefield that was faintly visible to the south: "Advance".

Da da da--

The chain-armored cavalry began to turn, using one warhorse as a pivot point to circle around, and then slowly stepped out. The surrounding guard cavalry quickly formed a U-shaped formation to protect them in the middle.

On the battlefield with more than 70,000 soldiers, the Song army lost its command and ran around in all directions. Everywhere they looked, there were familiar but actually unfamiliar figures. They pushed and pulled, and were then knocked away by the cavalry that caught up with them. "Run south!" came the shouts from the back of the horses, and the people who cried out for their parents instinctively turned around and ran away.

Red Hare, which had been charging forward, came to a stop. The blade of the halberd was covered with dark red blood. Lü Bu stood up on his horse and looked around. In his field of vision, wolf riders and guards were chasing an infantry force that was almost twice his size. The banners of the Song army were barely visible in the air. Shouts and the sound of hooves continued to come.

"Yao Gang's side has made a move..."

Looking to the left from a distance, he narrowed his eyes slightly. With his amazing eyesight and memory of the battlefield, he could still tell who was where even from a considerable distance.

After a moment's thought, and once the personal guards had finished feeding Red Hare water, the beast squeaked and slowly moved forward: "It seems the Song army's central force is difficult to break through, and the armored cavalry needs to open up a new situation."

Behind them, Cao Ning frowned, tilted his head, and looked puzzled. Yu Cheng held a phoenix-headed axe and coldly watched a group of fleeing figures not far away, without making a move.

"Send orders to Wang Yin, Shi Bao, and Wei He: The Song army here is already terrified. A small force can drive them away. Order the three of them to immediately lead their troops to join me and attack the Southern army's central camp."

Red Hare trotted up and said, "Order the generals on the left to move closer to Yao Gang's rear. Wanyan Loushi's troops are in front, right? Order them to harass the enemy from both sides and create opportunities for Yao Gang."

"Yes, sir!" The messenger rushed out immediately.

The warhorses moved slowly forward, the sound of hooves gradually growing louder as they approached. Shi Bao, covered in blood, and Wang Yin, whose silver armor remained unchanged, galloped to Lü Bu's side. Wei He, who arrived a step later, wiped the blood from his face and bowed.

"Your Majesty, the rear army looks quite large. I questioned a prisoner earlier, and he said there are about 60,000 to 70,000 men, twice our number. The commander is Zhang Shuye, who I've heard is quite capable."

"Twice? Quite shrewd? Then be careful."

Lu Bu unscrewed his water pouch on horseback, took a sip, wiped the water off with the back of his hand, and pointed his halberd: "In a moment, follow me straight into the central army, protect my flanks, and kill Zhang Shuye as quickly as possible. Don't worry about his rear troops."

Shi Bao, Wang Yin, Yu Cheng, and Wei He exchanged a glance, then clasped their hands in greeting from their horses: "Yes, sir!"

Among the guards, Cao Ning's facial features were almost squeezed together, and he leaned back slightly. He subconsciously wanted to ask where to be careful, but seeing that the generals in front of him all agreed, he shut his mouth. He just looked around, as if he was racking his brains but couldn't figure it out.

"Walk--"

With a flick of the reins, Red Hare leaped forward, its halberd gleaming in its hand. The wolf riders and guards cavalry, now 1,500 men short, followed behind, the thunderous sound of hooves echoing across the battlefield once more.

The sunlight moved across the sky, and the brightness decreased somewhat.

High in the sky, the gyrfalcon soared and swirled, its sharp eyes watching the troops that stirred up the yellow sand, but even more so the crimson battle formation.

Zhang Shuye opened his eyes early, looking with some heartache at the fleeing soldiers who kept crashing into the front lines. These were all soldiers of the imperial court, and even if they were useless, they should not die at the hands of their own people. For a moment, he wanted to order the front lines to make way for the deserters, but his rationality kept him shut, and he just kept scanning the battlefield around him.

Blood, severed limbs, and corpses came into view, while wails and curses filled the air. At one moment, Zhang Shuye's pupils suddenly contracted, and he sat up abruptly on his warhorse.

In the distance, the troops carrying Wanyan's banners parted ways. The thunderous sound of hooves was no longer simply to drive away the defeated soldiers on their side. Black-armored cavalrymen, moving to the left and right, crossed the crowd and fired arrows from both sides towards the central army formation.

"Order the troops on both sides to retreat, and don't let the northern bandit cavalry tear open a gap and break in."

"Order the archers to load the rockets and aim them at the cavalry within the range of those flags."

"Send an order to Li Jingliang of the rear army to lead his troops forward."

"Beat the drums and cheer!"

Someone galloped out from the ranks, and the stirring drumbeats immediately began. Arrows and javelins flew out from the herd of horses from time to time, and arrows were also thrown out from within their own ranks. Screams rang out from three sides.

Then more hoofbeats came from afar, the ground began to tremble, and people's expressions changed.

The banners swayed slightly in the evening breeze.

"Hold on—"

"Don't panic, kill the traitors ahead first!"

In the 20,000-strong army formation ahead, the voices of Song soldiers and generals were shouting, and the sounds of battle were growing louder. The figure behind the shield in the front row gritted his teeth and looked at the figure charging towards him without any order. He swung his iron bar-like hand blade and smashed the person to the ground. Then, he was hit by the charging figure and slammed into the shield, causing the large shield stuck in the ground to shake.

On the left and right sides, military commanders from the ranks stepped forward to request permission to fight, but Zhang Shuye rejected them.

This was unavoidable. Although the Qi army was not as strong as their own, it consisted entirely of cavalry. If they were to attack rashly, the fate of the troops on the left and right flanks would be clear. At this moment, the most important thing was to hold their ground and wait for the Qi army to tire and retreat.

The northern bandits have already fought one battle, and they've come on a forced attack; they must be exhausted...

Zhang Shuye silently considered the matter, but then rejected the idea. He couldn't place his hopes on the enemy's weakness; it was better to prepare for a tough battle.

Ahead, the thunderous sound of hooves subsided, and screams once again became the main melody. Zhang Shuye glanced at one side and then looked to the left and right.

The cavalry galloped forward, arrows raining down upon them.

The swarm of arrows from their own side kept the enemy at bay, but it had little effect. In fact, because their side stood still, their casualties were even greater than those of the cavalry galloping outside.

"General, ahead! Ahead!"

A soldier beside him pointed into the distance and shouted anxiously. Zhang Shuye quickly looked up, his eyelids widening and his eyeballs bulging slightly. In his line of sight, the steel monster came into view.

"Archers, forward! Cover the area and fire! Quickly!"

The roar rang in everyone's ears, but it was too late...

Yao Gang put the iron mask back on his face, steadied his slightly swaying body, squeezed his legs against his warhorse, and Zheng Huai next to him also took a breath and swung the iron rod outward.

The warhorse pawed wildly, breathing heavily, and a powerful figure on its back pressed down with a long spear. The warhorse accelerated, and a deep "Kill—" came from behind the iron mask.

"kill--"

Behind them, the linked cavalry urged their mounts on, and the wide and narrow warhorses suddenly stepped off the ladder and galloped forward, the iron chains rattling as they moved.

Upon hearing the commotion, the fleeing soldiers ahead instinctively turned around, their eyes widening instantly. They let out a howl, but before they could escape, Yao Gang and his mount's massive shadow enveloped them.

bang——

Human bodies flew straight out, and five hundred armored warhorses and the iron chains connecting the mounts repeatedly dragged the unarmored figures to the ground, then trampled them into mud.

Seeing the carnage, Zhang Shuye suddenly shouted, "Shoot them! Quickly—"

The messenger waved the flag in his hand vigorously.

Before the rain of arrows could even rise, another voice called out from the side: "General, General—"

"What are you doing?" Zhang Shuye's mouth was dry, and the unfavorable battle situation made him somewhat anxious.

"To the northwest, that's the Lü flag!"

The guard's voice made Zhang Shuye raise an eyebrow and turn sharply to look.

The bright red color immediately catches the eye.

At the same time, the archers fired their arrows, and the flying black shadows pressed down.

"what--"

Screams erupted from the surrounding routed soldiers, while muffled clanging sounds echoed from the steel monsters within range.

Yao Gang glanced at the crossbow bolt embedded in his armor from behind his iron mask. It hurt slightly, indicating that it hadn't penetrated the armor.

His gaze returned to the panicked faces ahead. He pointed his iron spear at a man's head and roared, "Die!"

Boom—(End of Chapter)