Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

East of the capital city, west of the firearms workshop, and east of the earthen mound where armor is removed.

Just as Jia Cong finished lining up his troops, a large contingent of cavalry charged out from the swirling dust in the distance, their hooves thundering and their blades flashing, sweeping in like an overwhelming tide.

The three hundred shield-bearing imperial guards at the front, along with the spearmen in the rear, many of whom were inexperienced in actual combat, caused a slight unease in the entire army when faced with the dark cloud of cavalry.

Jia Cong spurred his horse and galloped at the front of the battle line, shouting loudly: "The enemy is attacking with fierce force. If we have any intention to retreat, we will die without a chance of survival. Only by fighting can we survive."

All spearmen and archers, listen to my command, form ranks and fire! If you respond properly, you can all survive!

Jia Cong galloped and shouted at the front of the battle. Facing tens of thousands of cavalry in the distance, he appeared fearless. His bright armor gleamed, and his expression was solemn, which was admirable.

As the soul of the army, Jia Cong's composure and the powerful confidence he exuded in the face of a massive army quickly stabilized the entire military town.

Three hundred spearmen formed a three-volley formation, while the rear guard nocked their crossbow bolts. All the soldiers were fully focused, waiting for Jia Cong's order to fire immediately.

……

The elite cavalry of the remnants of the Mongols set off from Wawu Town, bypassed the mountain roads, briefly formed ranks in an open area, and then began their usual rapid charge.

The distance of more than ten miles from the firearms workshop was rapidly shortened by the galloping horse, and the Zhou army formation could already be seen.

Surrounded by hundreds of guards, Man Hai galloped through the cavalry formation and shouted, "The Zhou army is only a thousand strong and outnumbered. There is no need to worry about them."

Each team charged forward with all their might, and the order was given not to fire arrows, lest Jia Cong be killed in the chaos.

Charge into the enemy lines, get close and kill them all! Leave no one alive except Jia Cong! Whoever captures Jia Cong alive will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and granted the rank of a ten-thousand-household military commander!

Man Hai's military orders were quickly relayed among the cavalry, who shouted excitedly, their blood boiling and their killing intent growing stronger.

The reward of a thousand taels of gold and the bestowal of a military rank of ten thousand households were a great temptation for every cavalryman, and all the cavalrymen bravely charged forward to seize this supreme military merit.

Furthermore, none of them felt that obtaining this merit would be too difficult, since the Zhou army at the front only numbered a little over a thousand.

They would crumble in an instant under the charge of ten thousand cavalry. Capturing Marquis Jia Cong of Weiyuan would be a piece of cake; it all depended on how fast they were.

……

After retreating to the Imperial Guard's shield formation, Jia Cong sat on his saddle and looked ahead. He drew his scimitar and shouted, "Hold the line and fire at my command!"

The vanguard of the elite Mongol cavalry charged forward with shouts, about to enter the range of muskets; the ferocious faces of the Mongol cavalrymen were already clearly visible.

The powerful momentum of ten thousand horses charging forward seemed capable of trampling and destroying everything. Jia Cong felt the earth tremble, as if a violent earth dragon was about to burst out of the ground.

But the earth-shattering roar did not distract him; instead, it made him even more focused, using all his energy to seize the opportunity to charge forward.

Just as the vanguard of the Mongol cavalry charged into musket range, the musketeers, poised to fire, finally heard Jia Cong's roar: "Three-round volley!"

Before he could finish speaking, hundreds of muskets fired simultaneously, unleashing a dense barrage of bullets that exploded with a thunderous roar, instantly drowning out the tremendous sound of horses' hooves.

The vanguard of the Mongol cavalry, who had just charged into firing range, saw dozens of riders fall from their horses in the first volley of musket fire, throwing the entire vanguard into chaos.

The tens of thousands of cavalry, who were originally charging at high speed, were trampled on each other because a large number of the vanguard cavalrymen fell from their horses and the rear cavalrymen did not have time to slow down.

Countless cavalrymen collided and fell from their horses, only to be trampled to death by the following cavalry. Many ownerless warhorses neighed in terror and ran amok, creating chaos at the front of the cavalry.

……

This was the first time the Mongol cavalry had encountered a volley of fire from muskets. It was an experience they had never had before, and they had no experience in dealing with it, nor could they understand the sharpness of firearms.

Even their warhorses had never heard gunfire before. The deafening sound of hundreds of muskets firing simultaneously terrified these fine horses of the grasslands, causing them to neigh incessantly.

The interplay of all these factors allowed the first volley of musket fire to extend and amplify its destructive power to the maximum extent, causing the charge of tens of thousands of cavalrymen to come to an abrupt halt.

The initial volley of fire from hundreds of muskets only resulted in dozens of casualties among the cavalry, but subsequent collisions and trampling among the cavalry instantly turned hundreds of riders into fallen soldiers.

Even though Jia Cong had extensive experience with firearms combat, he was somewhat surprised by the effect of such a volley of muskets, and at the same time, he seized this valuable opportunity.

Although most of the three hundred musketeers were fighting for the first time, they were already thoroughly familiar with the three-shot musket training, as if it were deeply ingrained in their muscle memory.

As soon as the first round of over a hundred muskets finished firing, the second and third rounds followed closely behind, like waves crashing against the enemy cavalry formation, pouring bullets into them.

The immense damage from the first volley greatly boosted the confidence of all the musketeers, who moved forward, backward, loaded, and fired in one fluid motion.

Many of the fallen Mongol cavalrymen, some of whom managed to escape the trampling of the rear guard, died in the ensuing volley of musket fire, further increasing the casualties of the cavalry.

Jia Cong kept a close eye on the stalled Mongol cavalry front and ordered all the imperial guards' archers to fire, giving the cavalry front no chance to catch their breath.

The powerful crossbow bolts rained down, filling every gap in the musket fire and sealing it off completely.

The 800-man army formed a cohesive unit, unleashing highly efficient lethality and ruthlessly reaping the lives of the remaining Mongol cavalry in a very short time.

……

Amidst the remnants of the Mongol cavalry, Man Hai heard the deafening gunfire and saw the cavalrymen falling to their deaths, their cries of agony filling the air. His expression immediately changed drastically.

The lieutenant rode up to report, shouting in alarm, "Second Prince, these are Jia Cong's firearm soldiers. Their muskets can all spit fire, and the vanguard has suffered heavy casualties."

Man Hai asked urgently, "How many musketeers were fighting just now?"

The lieutenant said, "There are roughly three or four hundred men. Their formation is very strange, and the main force of the central army is blocked from charging into their formation."

Man Hai's eyes gleamed with a strange light: "Only three or four hundred firearm soldiers were able to weaken the vanguard cavalry's charge. The firearms of the Great Zhou are indeed very powerful."

Jia Cong is truly a remarkable man. If we could capture him alive and make such firearms for the Mongols, we would have no trouble dominating the world!
He only has three or four hundred firearm soldiers. Even if he can show off his power for a while and hold off my tens of thousands of Mongol warriors, he will eventually be mine.

Order the central army to slow down and retreat, avoiding their main force, and to flank them from both sides, attacking the other flanks and pinning them down. The goal is to capture Jia Cong alive!

……

The three hundred musketeers fired continuously, their movements becoming increasingly fluid, while the rear guard continued to fire crossbow bolts, keeping the remaining Mongol cavalry out of range.

However, Jia Cong's expression grew increasingly solemn, because eight hundred spearmen and crossbowmen alone could not possibly withstand tens of thousands of cavalry for long.

The Mongols encountered firearms for the first time and were somewhat at a loss, which put them at a disadvantage for a short time, but this situation could not be maintained for long.

The general who commanded 20,000 cavalry was no ordinary man; he would quickly devise a countermeasure if he suffered even the slightest setback.

Ellie laughed and said, "Yuzhang, their vanguard cavalry has slowed down their charging speed and is showing signs of retreating. The Mongols are really no match for them."

Ellie's unintentional words caused Jia Cong's expression to change drastically. He realized that the sudden retreat of the Mongol army must mean that the enemy commander had realized something.

If the central cavalry force were to charge, even if they broke through our own spear formation, they would suffer heavy losses. Therefore, it is better to avoid the main force and instead use a flanking maneuver.

Once the flanks of the 800-strong army are attacked, they will be surrounded in an instant. At that time, not only will they not be able to win, but everyone will die under the weight of ten thousand cavalry.

Jia Cong immediately mounted his horse and shouted, "All cavalrymen, mount your horses immediately and retreat to Shijiatushan to avoid the flanks of the remaining Mongol cavalry."

He summoned Yu Chengzhong, a military officer in charge of the Imperial Guards, and said, "I will lead the cavalry westward to draw away the main force of the Mongol cavalry. You must retreat to the city wall immediately."

As long as we enter the range of arrows from the city walls, we will most likely survive. If we win this battle and both of us survive, I will certainly recommend you for credit!

Yu Chengzong said solemnly, "We were able to save our lives entirely thanks to Marquis Weiyuan for drawing the enemy away with his own body. We are extremely grateful. Please take care, Marquis."

Jia Cong's three hundred cavalry and five hundred imperial guards scattered almost instantly, retreating in different directions.

Three hundred cavalrymen galloped away, moving as fast as the wind. Yu Chengzhong's five hundred imperial guards fled for their lives in perilous situations, their retreat speed comparable to that of warhorses...

Just as the five hundred Imperial Guards were retreating and passing the firearms workshop, they saw five carriages rushing out of the workshop and quickly catching up with the three hundred Divine Machine Battalion cavalry.

……

Amidst the massive Mongol cavalry formation, Man Hai was directing the central army to retreat, while his cavalry flanked the enemy from both sides, aiming to break through their flanks and ultimately encircle and annihilate them.

Just as he ordered the central army to retreat, before the left and right flanks could even launch their attack, he saw the enemy's eight hundred-strong army cease its attack and disperse without warning.

Moreover, after Zhou Jun's formation dispersed, it split into two different groups of people retreating in different directions, leaving people confused and unsure which side to pursue.

In particular, the three hundred cavalrymen moved like the wind, and in the blink of an eye, they rushed out of the right flank of the Mongol elite cavalry and retreated rapidly to the northwest.

Enraged, Man Hai threw down his whip. In an instant, he lost hundreds of cavalrymen in his central army, while the enemy escaped unscathed right under his nose.

Unable to contain himself, he shouted, "That damned Jia Cong! How cunning! Taking advantage of the gap in our troop movements, he managed to quickly change formation and escape. No wonder he was able to wipe out the Jurchen Three Guards in Liaodong. His insight and responsiveness on the battlefield are truly extraordinary!"

The adjutant beside him said, "Second Prince, the enemy has retreated in two waves. Which wave should we pursue, or should we immediately split our forces to pursue them?"

Man Hai said, "Of course we have to chase after the cavalry. Didn't you see the leader of the cavalry, wearing that very conspicuous bright armor? That's Jia Cong!"

There was no need to pay attention to the other group of stragglers who fled. Just now, five large carts rushed out of the workshop and followed the cavalry in retreat.

Could these carts be carrying something important, perhaps even the fine firearms manufactured in the workshop? The right flank advances, the entire army pursues! We cannot let Jia Cong escape!

As the barbarian navy issued its order, the 10,000-strong cavalry formation changed direction and swung to the right, causing the two flanks that had been flanking them to become disorganized in a hasty manner.

It took the entire cavalry formation a few moments to successfully correct its direction, like a black tidal wave, seemingly sweeping across the sky, tightly following the three hundred cavalry.

However, it took some time for the remnant Mongol cavalry to adjust their direction, which widened the distance between the two sides in the pursuit.

……

On the eastern city wall of Shenjing, a large number of archers from the Five Armies Battalion guarded every gap on the city wall, their bows drawn and ready for battle.

Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, led the officers defending the city, all of whom gazed down at the battle raging below. Although the two sides were vastly unequal in strength, they were fiercely matched.

When Jia Cong faced the enemy with a mere 800 soldiers, the vanguard of the remnant Mongol cavalry was thrown into chaos, and the crowd on the city wall couldn't help but cheer.

However, the disparity in troop strength between the two sides was too great. After only a short while, Jia Cong withdrew, drawing a large Mongol cavalry force in hot pursuit.

The generals watching from the city walls were all worried, and many volunteered to go out of the city to provide reinforcements, but they were all refused by Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding.

Wang Lin, the military advisor of the Fifth Army Camp, usually followed Shi Ding around, so he knew a bit about the root of the matter.

He praised, "General, although the Marquis of Weiyuan's forces are far inferior to the enemy's, he is extremely adept at seizing key opportunities and his response to battle formations is swift and decisive. He is truly a first-rate general."

Even if the late Duke Rongguo were alive, he would hardly possess such decisiveness and courage. The Jia family of Rongguo truly has worthy successors.

……

Shi Ding was deeply worried when he saw Jia Cong leading a few hundred troops to confront tens of thousands of elite Mongol cavalry head-on. He even regretted his previous discussion.

He almost changed his mind and led his troops to open the city gates to rescue the city, but ultimately restrained himself from the impulse.

The enemy, the Mongol army, numbered a formidable force of 20,000 elite cavalry. Although Shenjing City was the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it only had a few thousand cavalrymen, making it unable to contend with tens of thousands of enemy cavalry.

If he rashly leads his troops out of the city to rescue the enemy, all that awaits him is the annihilation of his entire army, and it will also shake the safety of the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

When they saw Jia Cong leading an army of eight hundred men against the charge of tens of thousands of elite Mongol cavalry, he remained calm and composed in the face of danger, commanding with composure and seizing the initiative in battle thanks to the sharp and powerful firearms.

He breathed a sigh of relief, and his worries gradually subsided.

The Shi family and the Jia family were related by marriage, and he frequently visited the Jia mansion, where he heard many stories about Jia Cong.

But he was, after all, a military general. Although Shi Ding admired Jia Cong’s many achievements and accomplishments, he rarely felt the same way and mostly just listened and moved on.

As for Jia Cong's victory over the Jurchens in Liaodong, although his military achievements were remarkable, it was all hearsay; I had never personally witnessed his military talent and strategy.

Witnessing him lead his troops in a battle against overwhelming odds, facing life and death, and commanding with unwavering strategic brilliance, is a truly breathtaking spectacle I have never witnessed before.

……

Shi Ding was extremely envious that the Jia family could produce such a prodigy, and his heart burned even more with desire as he thought about the two families' tacit agreement to the marriage.

If the Shi family could obtain such a talented son-in-law, it would protect the family and enhance its reputation, which would be of great benefit to both the Jia and Shi families.

He thought that Jia Cong was still in the three-year mourning period. By the time he finished his mourning period, Xiangyun would be of marriageable age, and the marriage between the two families could then be arranged.

Even though Jia Cong possessed the honor of being betrothed by the emperor, as a trusted minister of the emperor, he might be able to ask the emperor for this imperial favor...

Just as Shi Ding was deep in thought, Wang Lin beside him said, "General, although the Earl of Weiyuan has gained the upper hand, he only has a few hundred cavalry after all."

If they are relentlessly pursued by a large contingent of elite Mongol cavalry, and their horses become exhausted, they may be surrounded. What will happen then?

Shi Ding smiled slightly and said, "Who said he only had a few hundred soldiers!"

Upon hearing this, Lieutenant General Wang Lin was slightly surprised, but considering Jia Cong's swift and unpredictable tactics, it wouldn't be surprising if there were other ambushes.

Shi Ding asked, "Are all three thousand archers in position on the side of the city wall closest to Shijia Hill?"

Wang Lin said, "According to the commander-in-chief's orders, everything was arranged by dawn, and enough arrows were deployed."

Shi Ding said, "When the time comes, listen to my command. If the enemy army approaches the back mountain of Shijia, immediately fire a barrage of arrows to repel them."

They must not be allowed to get close, as they are within archery range. If they have no such intention, harass them with upward-firing shots, depending on the situation…

…………

The two armies, vastly different in strength, were both in full pursuit of the fleeing Mongol army. Jia Cong led three hundred cavalrymen, creating some distance between them and the pursuing Mongol army.

Ellie's black horse, Chasing Wind, was a rare gem among horses, and Jia Cong's warhorse was also a Ferghana horse gifted by Noyan.

The two riders were two horse lengths faster than the other cavalrymen. To avoid being surrounded by a large Mongol cavalry force from behind, they changed direction at random.

The three hundred riders behind them maintained a suitable distance, allowing the cavalry to flexibly change their route and continuously approach the earthen hill.
The three hundred cavalrymen displayed exceptional maneuvering skills in dealing with the pursuing elite cavalry, which was inseparable from the tacit understanding they had developed through Jia Cong's frequent patrols.

When the three hundred cavalry finally approached Shijia Mountain, Jia Cong and Ellie led their cavalry in a circle, glancing diagonally across the road in front of Shijia Mountain, catching the pursuing troops off guard.

Adjusting the course of a cavalry force of tens of thousands is much more difficult than adjusting the course of a force of hundreds of cavalry. By the time the Mongol contingent approached the earthen hill, Jia Cong had already crossed the Shijia earthen hill.

The remnant Mongol cavalry force has nearly 20,000 elite cavalrymen. If Jia Cong guides and adjusts their forward direction, they will fall into a huge inertia and will be unable to flexibly adjust the forward route of the force.

Tens of thousands of cavalrymen, like a surging tide, galloped past close to the earthen mound, while seventeen hundred musketeers in the pine forest of the earthen mound were already poised to attack.

A barrage of gunfire erupted without warning, tearing a huge gap in the flank of the charging Mongol cavalry, seemingly severing the ranks of tens of thousands of riders in an instant!
Many cavalrymen were caught off guard and shot off their horses. Even those cavalrymen in the rear who were not hit were swept along by the charging cavalry and, unable to slow down, collided with each other and fell off their horses.

There are 1,700 Shenji Battalion spearmen on the earthen hill. Even if they are divided into three volleys and fired in formation, each round fires 500 spears, which is several times more powerful than the previous 300 spearmen.

The massive cavalry force of ten thousand men was thrown into chaos in the middle. The continuous volleys of five hundred muskets left the galloping cavalry's flanks, which were caught completely off guard, severely damaged.

Man Hai, leading the vanguard of cavalry in hot pursuit of Jia Cong, had already crossed the Shijia Tushan a step ahead. Suddenly, he heard gunfire like rain and turned around to see the rear guard of the cavalry falling to the ground.

His face turned pale instantly, and he flew into a rage: "Damn Jia Cong, he is too cunning and shameless! When did he set up an ambush here? Why didn't the scouts find out!"
Immediately, orders were given to the cavalry center to hold their ground, avoid musket fire, and counterattack with arrows!

However, a cavalry force of 18,000 men was simply too large. By the time the barbarian navy's order was delivered, the musketeers on the earthen hill had already completed three rounds of three-shot volleys.

Compared to musketeers firing in a frontal formation, this kind of large-scale flanking attack, when the dense cavalry is caught off guard, causes significantly more damage.

Nearly two thousand musketeers fired more than three thousand rounds at the remnant Mongol cavalry, causing more than two thousand casualties and tearing a bloody breach in the cavalry in an instant.

Once the remnant Mongol cavalry had regained their footing and began to fire arrows at Shijiatushan in retaliation, the more than a thousand spearmen had already withdrawn from the pine forest, and the dense rain of arrows could not cause any damage.

……

On the walls of Shenjing East City, Shi Ding and many other generals who were defending the city witnessed the ambush on the earthen hill. Everyone was shocked and amazed.

Shi Ding nodded repeatedly and laughed, "Well done, Jia Yuzhang! The ambush on the earthen hill was used in such a way. By striking in the middle and cutting off its head and tail, the use of troops is quite ingenious."

The commander pointed to the earthen hill and the woods and said, "General, after three rounds of three consecutive attacks, the spearmen on the earthen hill have retreated, which is just enough to push away the enemy's arrows."

Shi Ding said, "Haven't you noticed that every time the Mongol cavalry is attacked and retreats, the musketeers immediately put away their guns and withdraw, cleverly avoiding a counterattack each time?"

This is because Jia Cong fully understood the shortcomings of musket fire and the strengths of cavalry's rapid response, which is why he dared to use two thousand musketeers to face tens of thousands of remnant Mongol cavalry.

This is the profound principle of warfare, subtle and profound. If the Great Zhou had more generals like this, it would be no difficult task for the whole world to submit and for all nations to pay tribute.

The generals of the five armies around him were secretly shocked upon hearing this. After today's battle, Jia Cong would surely become famous throughout the world once again.

Since he pacified the Jurchens in Liaodong, he has once again demonstrated his astonishing military strategy and tactics, which may allow him to establish an unshakeable prestige in the military of the Great Zhou.

Shi Ding observed the battle situation below the city and said in a deep voice: "Order the three thousand archers on the city wall to unleash a rain of arrows at the enemy troops outside the earthen mound."

"To hinder the enemy's approach to the earthen hill, allowing the firearms-wielding cavalry on the hill to withdraw smoothly..." (End of this chapter)