Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 246 Heaven blesses the Liao Dynasty! Heaven blesses the Liao Dynasty!
North of Liangxiang and south of Yanjing, Yang Keshi was filled with excitement as he led his more than 5,000 men toward Yanjing, including 700-800 cavalry and 4,000 infantry.

Recently, Yang Keshi has been spending a lot of money preparing for this opportunity to make a great contribution and advance several ranks. Even if he doesn't get promoted, just aiming to become like Liu Yanqing would be enough.

As Yang Keshi ran, he shouted, "Brothers, Guo Yaoshi has already broken into Yanjing City ahead. We should hurry over to support him. As long as we break into the city, we'll get a huge share of the credit!"

Those around him were also excited, whipping their horses and increasing their speed. The horses in the Northwest were even taller and stronger than those under Su Wu's command, and they ran incredibly fast.

Then someone came and asked Yang Keshi, "General, if we keep running like this, the infantry behind us won't be able to keep up!"

Yang Keshi also looked back, frowned slightly, and said in one sentence: "Don't worry, it's only forty or fifty miles. It's okay if the infantry is slow. The only problem is that Guo Yaoshi might not be able to withstand the Liao people's counterattack and lose the city gate again. The cavalry just need to follow me and run fast. As long as we can really hold the city gate, it will be a great achievement!"

It is also evident that Yang Keshi has been really holding back during this period. In his opinion, Commander Su was truly afraid of the Liao people and was too conservative and dull when fighting.

Then someone nearby said, "General, this disconnect between the beginning and the end is... not very safe..."

Yang Keshi retorted sharply, "How come you're just like that Commander Su? He's terribly afraid of the Liao people, and when it comes to fighting, he's like a woman, looking before and after, afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind. Is this the nature of us soldiers? If it were a different commander, we'd probably already be in Yanjing by now! The gates of Yanjing are already open, and if we're going to take it slow, we won't even be able to catch up with the hot shit..."

The person beside him also lowered his head and remained silent, simply following his General Yang as he urged his horse to gallop faster.

Just as Yang Keshi had said, Guo Yaoshi himself had already retreated to the city gate in Yanjing.

Seven or eight thousand resentful soldiers were fighting fiercely in the streets and alleys near the city gate, some had retreated into the barbican, and others had climbed onto the city wall. In short, they were fighting everywhere, and it was a complete mess.

One thing is clear: the Liao people's counterattack was extremely fierce.

Guo Yaoshi's face was filled with anxiety. He looked around the city wall and kept shouting into the city: "Charge over there! Come up the city wall from those steps!"

If you raise your gaze slightly, you'll see Liao people rushing in from all directions within the city. In fact, Guo Yaoshi even saw a richly dressed woman holding a long sword, raising her arms and shouting in the crowd!
If you look to the left and right, you can see Liao people rushing down from the city walls in the distance on both sides, a vast and endless stream.

Guo Yaoshi felt a chill in his heart and quickly turned to look at the other side of the city wall. He looked outside the city and for reinforcements, but at that moment, there was no sign of reinforcements outside the city.
Forty or fifty li is not far, but it is not close either. Even if an army marches at full speed and cavalry catches up, regardless of the horse's strength, it will take at least two hours.

Even Guo Yaoshi didn't know if the scouts had returned to report the news immediately, so Guo Yaoshi was anxious and shouted again: "Quickly, send someone to find the scouts outside the city and tell them to go back and report that our army has occupied the city gate and stabilized the situation. Please ask Commander Su to send a large army to reinforce us!"

The trusted soldier, upon receiving the order, immediately went out of the city to search.

If we wait until Pharmacist Guo reports at this point, it will take at least three or four hours, and by then it will be too late.

As for whether Guo Yaoshi had secured the city gate and stabilized the situation, that remains to be seen. All that could be seen was the horde of Liao people who had come to surround them, with armored men in front, followed by yamen runners and constables, and then even more able-bodied men, forming an impenetrable encirclement.

The steps leading up to the city wall were constantly being crowded, and countless people were also gathered around the left and right walls.

And the Imperial Concubine Xiao Puxian was also shouting, "Take back the city gates and drive these traitors out!"

Amidst the chaos, order gradually emerged, and the two sides began to clearly distinguish themselves. The resentful soldiers who couldn't get onto the city walls were mostly surrounded and killed on the spot by people from all directions.

The soldiers who had tied up the woman with ropes as soon as they entered the city had already been hacked to pieces by the angry Liao people. The more Xu saw this scene, the more it fueled the anger of the Liao men.

Once inside the barbican and atop the city walls, the resentful soldiers numbered only four or five thousand. They were now completely surrounded, with the Liao troops relentlessly charging in…

Guo the Pharmacist shouted with all his might: "Hold on! Don't retreat! Absolutely don't retreat! We must hold the city gate! Reinforcements are coming soon! Commander Su's army is right behind us! Brothers, they'll be here soon! Hold on! Holding on is a great achievement! We'll have everything we want, money and women!"

The shouts could not be heard for long, but the soldiers who had been excitedly heading into the city were now mostly filled with worry, looking around anxiously.

Everyone now knew that this city was truly different. Back in Liaodong, when they broke through Qianzhou and Jinzhou, as soon as the city gates opened, tens of thousands of civilians and thousands of soldiers outside the city would tremble with fear, and the ground would be filled with people kneeling and begging for mercy.

Now that they've stormed into Yanjing, the soldiers and civilians there actually dare to fight back...

Logically speaking, it shouldn't be like this!

The crowd of disgruntled soldiers, their hearts and faces reflecting this same bewilderment and utter confusion...

Outside Yanjing City, about seven or eight miles to the south, there is a semi-dry riverbed. On the riverbed below the flat ground, there are two thousand seven or eight hundred cavalrymen. Two thousand of them are under the command of Yelü Dashi, and the other seven or eight hundred are reinforcements transferred by Xi King Xiao Gan. These cavalrymen have been here for some time.

This was Yelü Dashi's last chance to lie low, and he was waiting, waiting with a great deal of anxiety and helplessness.

A dozen miles further west, there was another half-dried riverbed, where more than ten thousand infantrymen lay in ambush. They were also waiting, though they didn’t even know what they were waiting for. Xiao Gan was there, his mind in turmoil, waiting for news from Yelü Dashi.

Yelü Dashi lay prone at the edge of the riverbed and the plain, looking south and east.

Every now and then, scouts would return, and each time they brought back news, Yelü Dashi felt even more panicked and confused. Even now, people dressed as commoners would occasionally come here, but the news they brought was mostly useless.

Yelü Dashi's most trusted confidant, Xiao Wulila, remained kneeling to the side, his face contorted with wrinkles, and said, "Lin Ya, are we still going to wait like this? Su Wu won't reveal any flaws now, we need to go back to the city!"

Yelü Dashi hesitated slightly, but shook his head: "What difference does it make whether we go back to the city or stay here? If we wait here, we'll die standing up; if we go back to the city, we'll die lying down! Even if the Southern bandits really besiege the city, most of the infantry can go back, but we will still have to stay outside the city. Whether we harass them or raid their supplies, only by staying outside the city can we have a chance to turn the tide!"

"Alas..." Xiao Wuli sighed repeatedly, truly reaching a dead end!
How tragic it is that the country has reached such a state.
Yelü Dashi also said, "As long as there is any way, as long as there is any chance, I will not run away. Death is perhaps my destiny! Alas... If you want to run away, then go ahead..."

Xiao Wulila gritted his teeth: "If Lin Ya doesn't flee, I won't flee either. My family is in the city. What's the point of me living if I run away like this..."

Yelü Dashi said softly, "My family is also in the city! Many of my brothers' families are also in the city..."

"Don't flee, just wait. Even if the city falls, we'll fight to the death!" Xiao Wulila, in his entire life, followed Yelü Dashi and never lagged behind!
Just as the two were talking, a horse suddenly came galloping from afar, ridden alone.

Yelü Dashi was not excited. He had lost count of how many scouts had returned, but he had never received the news he wanted. In fact, he had become somewhat numb and did not hold much hope.

But as the rider approached, he suddenly shouted, "Lin Ya, they've moved! The Song army has split up! One force is heading north to Yanjing, consisting of seven or eight hundred cavalry and four or five thousand infantry. The cavalry are galloping, and the infantry are following behind."

Yelü Dashi suddenly leaped up from the low-lying part of the riverbed and ran forward, asking, "Is it really true?"

Before the horse could stop, the rider dismounted, stumbled, steadied himself, and galloped off, shouting, "It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!"

But then Yelü Dashi rushed over, took out a small map from his bosom, and before he had even stopped, he spread the map out: "Point to it, where is it?"

The knight, panting heavily, looked at the map, first at Yanjing City, then at Liangxiang City, and pointed: "When I saw it, it was here. It took me about three quarters of an hour to run back."

Yelü Dashi pointed to the map and said, "Let's go here! This is the perfect place to intercept him! Orila, quick, get on your horse!"

Just as Orila arrived behind him, he turned and ran again, shouting as soon as he reached the riverbank, "All troops, mount your horses! Quickly, mount your horses!"

That scream was surely heart-wrenching, as if it were trying to shout out one's internal organs from the throat...

Yelü Dashi also had military orders: "Quickly send two riders to inform King Xiao, and tell him to follow closely behind!"

On the riverbank, there were 2,700 to 2,800 cavalrymen, including Khitans, Xi people, a few Dadans, a few Han Chinese, and a few Mogeshi people...

They were all mounted on their horses, clad in armor, carrying spears and swords, and some even had bows and crossbows...

Yelü Dashi also mounted his horse and galloped off without saying a word. He was extremely familiar with the terrain outside Yanjing City. He had calculated with great precision where the Song army was now and where it would be in a moment, and where to intercept them.

Outside Liangxiang City, Su Wu sat in his large tent, silent, resting with his eyes closed. His officers and clerks occasionally came to report on the preparations of their respective units…

Su Wu kept his eyes closed, but his breathing was uneven and erratic, indicating that his mind was in turmoil, yet he was trying to calm himself down.

Whether it's victory or defeat, future prospects, or even life and death, it all comes down to this.

The Song people's century-long fear of the Liao Dynasty was finally brought to an end. Decades ago, the Liao Dynasty could easily double the annual tribute and force the Song people to accept humiliating terms of tribute by simply moving troops along the border.

After more than a century of humiliation, the Song people's fear of the Liao Dynasty had truly reached an unbearable level.

Perhaps it's not just fear of Liaodong, but fear of foreign enemies and fear of war; both need to be cured!

Su Wu was already wearing armor. He tapped his fingers lightly on the armor plates on his knees, making a tinkling sound, and then he uttered a seemingly random phrase: "To live, be a hero; to die, be a ghost of valor. Even now, I think of Xiang Yu, who refused to cross the Yangtze River!"

A scholar standing nearby was taken aback upon hearing this and asked, "General Su, from where is this poem from?"

Su Wu himself was taken aback; how could he have blurted out such a line? He then said, "A poem by Li Qingzhao!"

Zhong Shidao nodded and asked, "Li Qingzhao's poems are excellent; a man should be like her! Is Commander Su having any troubled thoughts at this moment?"

Su Wu nodded without hiding his opinion: "There's been a slight disturbance!"

Zhong Shidao actually understood, and in his life experience, he had empathized with the situation many times. So he offered words of comfort: "The situation has already reached such a favorable point. It's just one battle, and the battle will surely settle the score. Commander Su, there's no need to worry too much."

Su Wu did not respond to this, but instead said, "At this time, Yelü Dashi must have learned of the news and has already made a move."

Zhong Shidao calculated the time and nodded: "That's right!"

Suddenly, Su Wu opened his eyes, his body seemed to spring up, his gaze was forward, his head was straight, and his steps were firm and powerful as he walked out!
Once outside the main tent, one sees a continuous stretch of tents, with soldiers clad in armor gathered everywhere...

Su Wu first put the iron helmet tucked under his arm over his head, then straightened it, and lowered the iron mask, revealing only two sharp eyes through the iron gaps. He then took a long spear from his personal guard Yue Ge'er and shouted, "Beat the drums to gather the troops!"

The booming sound of drums echoed across the fields. On the walls of Liangxiang, countless eyes looked out, perhaps thinking that the Song people were about to attack the city.

However, upon closer inspection of the Song army's camp, a large number of cavalry were galloping out, with more than ten thousand horses and as many as six or seven thousand cavalrymen.

There were light cavalry, one man with two horses; there were heavy cavalry, one man with three horses.

It roared and swayed, circling the city of Liangxiang, heading straight north.

Then, the infantry also began to move outwards, in columns and lines, continuously moving forward. Their steps were not hurried, but at a normal marching speed, it was unknown how many they would have covered.

However, within that large camp, there were still armored soldiers guarding the surrounding area.

Thus, the Liao people on the walls of Liangxiang felt relieved, as if they had been granted a pardon since it wasn't an attack.

At the gates of Yanjing, the fierce battle was still raging, and Guo Yaoshi had watched it countless times.

The Liao people inside the city had already stormed into the barbican, and the Liao people coming from both sides on the city walls were getting closer and closer.

Outside the city, reinforcements have been nowhere to be seen for a long time...

Guo Yaoshi was filled with remorse. He should have gone to ask for help from the beginning. The reinforcements had not yet arrived. He must have been taking chances and was too arrogant. He thought that as long as he entered the city gate, everything would be fine. He could plunder the whole city and its contents and make a fortune...

What good is it to regret it now?

Guo Yaoshi finally broke down and shouted, "Brothers, let's retreat out of the city first. Once reinforcements arrive, breaking through the city will be a piece of cake!"

He still had to say these words to stabilize the morale of the troops. Even Guo Yaoshi himself knew that his troops were only fierce and invincible when they had the advantage. Once the morale of the troops was slightly lowered, it was truly... indescribable!
Even the morale of the army could only be boosted by money, food, and women.

At this point, if we don't take the initiative to withdraw, a complete collapse of the army is inevitable.

Perhaps only Su Wu had foreseen this situation, because history had shown that when Guo Yaoshi's resentful army breached the gates of Yanjing, their first instinct was not to stabilize their position and expand their gains, but to plunder money and women...

How could this possibly break through Yanjing City? It would only incite the people of Yanjing City to resist even more.

Of course, this is not something that Guo Yaoshi can control; rather, it is something that has been in the genes of this army since its formation.

Resentful soldiers are never effective.

The only benefit that the resentful army brought to Su Wu was that it allowed the city of Zhuozhou to fall without bloodshed.

As soon as Guo Yaoshi issued his military order, the scene of retreat was already one of scrambling to get out of the way.

The Liao people were in a bloodthirsty frenzy; even after the resentful army left the city, many people still chased after them.

Before long, Xiao Puxian ascended the city wall. It was she who immediately gave the order: "There must be a gong inside the city wall. Sound the gong quickly and tell everyone to come back. Stop chasing. Close the city gates first, and then send the men to guard the city wall. Quickly! Also, have the Privy Council arrange for food to be prepared!"

On her very first day as a concubine, Xiao Puxian truly possessed the bearing of a general.

Those around him obeyed his orders without uttering a word.

On this side, Guo Yaoshi was retreating, while on the other side, about twelve or thirteen miles south of Yanjing City, Yang Keshi was also riding his horse, extremely anxious.

He had looked up and gazed into the distance countless times, hoping to catch a glimpse of the outline of Yanjing City. Finally, Yang Keshi could vaguely make out the outline of the magnificent city of Yanjing.

He was extremely excited: "We've arrived! We've arrived, brothers! We've arrived in Yanjing City! An unparalleled achievement awaits us today! Brothers, follow me to make our mark and receive our rewards!"

The riders on either side were like wolves and tigers, howling and whipping their horses' rumps with increasing force, wishing they had four legs instead of eight!

Suddenly, someone cried out in alarm, "General, to the west..."

Yang Keshi turned his head and glanced at it, and was immediately stunned. He saw a great number of riders approaching from the west. The rumbling sound was not loud in the already noisy caravan, but the dust raised by the horses was quite significant.

Yang Keshi was stunned for a moment, but he reacted quickly: "Meet the enemy! Meet the enemy! Brothers, turn your horses westward and meet the enemy!"

This reaction was indeed quick. If the direction of the car had not been adjusted immediately and the enemy had charged from the side, the consequences would have been unimaginable. It was better to charge head-on than to engage the enemy.

Everyone was turning around, but quite a few people were starting to panic, because the approaching smoke and roaring sounds indicated that there were quite a few enemy cavalry coming.

Yang Keshi kept shouting, "Brothers, don't panic! The Liao people have already suffered defeat after defeat, and they have been beaten like stray dogs. This shows how weak their fighting strength is. At this time, the Liao people have already lost their country and their families, and they have no morale. This is the last gasp of the Liao people. Just focus on winning one battle!"

Sure enough, after shouting these words repeatedly, the morale of Yang Keshi's cavalry was greatly stabilized.

They charged head-on, both sides racing wildly. In the winter of Yanjing, when there was no rain or snow, the billowing dust truly blotted out the sky...

Closer and closer, Yang Keshi could even hear the opposing general shouting, "God bless the Liao! God bless the Liao!"

Yang Keshi should also shout: "Kill!"

The Heavenly Blessing of the Liao Dynasty arrived, and the two armies clashed. The steel torrents surged forth, sparks flying everywhere.

Yelü Dashi, and even the soldiers under his command, charged in this way countless times, all for the sake of the Wanyan Jurchens!
With each charge, Yelü Dashi knew that defeat was likely...

Always losing...

If you can't beat them, you run away. But after a while, you have to come back and fight again. This goes on and on, and you lose every time!
every time!
It was either a major defeat or a minor defeat. A major defeat was reported to the court, but it was only described as a minor defeat. A minor defeat was reported to the court as a minor victory, and they would only say how many enemies were killed.

This vast Liao Dynasty, spanning thousands of miles, was wiped out by these minor defeats and victories. A nation with a million armored soldiers was thus destroyed, and the country was ruined.

Today, Xu is destined to lose again. Yelü Dashi, fully armored, fiercely wielded his spear, thrusting it forward and stabbing down a southern bandit cavalryman...

Today, Xu is destined to lose again...

Perhaps he was used to losing, Yelü Dashi swung his spear again and thrust it forward once more...

Before my eyes, I could see nothing but enemy cavalrymen, their horses clashing one by one.

I don't think about anything, I just subconsciously swing my arm around the spear, and I do it like this every time!
Each time, no matter how many enemy cavalrymen Yelü Dashi felled, he still could not win in the end.

In the past, the enemy cavalry was targeted; today, the enemy cavalry is targeted.

He just kept going, not knowing how long it took, how many times he poked, or how many people he poked, when suddenly the view opened up before him.

Yelü Dashi had no other thoughts in his mind. He subconsciously looked around, looking at the riders around him, to see how many horses were empty or how many of his comrades were slumped on their backs.

Not many, really not many... Yelü Dashi was startled and quickly turned back to look at how many empty horses the enemy had.

Yelü Dashi was even more shocked. What was going on?

He didn't even know what was going on for a moment!

Half of the Song cavalry behind him, with their backs to him, were now empty...

It wasn't just Yelü Dashi who was shocked; everyone around him was shocked...

Xiao Wulila was even more surprised, and even felt a sense of ecstasy. He spoke very quickly: "The Song dogs are too weak. General, quickly gather your troops and turn around. Charge again, and the Song dogs will surely be defeated!"

This ecstasy was beyond compare.

How could Yelü Dashi not be overjoyed? Without needing any further reminders, he immediately shouted to those around him, "Gather around! Run in circles! Turn around!"

Over there, Yang Keshi was also shocked. He didn't understand and couldn't comprehend how, after charging forward, only three or four hundred of his seven or eight hundred cavalrymen remained.
How could one not turn around and look, only to find that the Liao cavalry were... mostly sitting upright on their horses.

Although the Liao army had a large number of soldiers, it shouldn't have come to this...

How could Yang Keshi not know that the Liao army had already suffered defeat after defeat, to the point that the country was on the verge of collapse?
Such an army should not be like this!

Yang Keshi was no greenhorn either; he even had more cavalry combat experience than Commander Su. He had at least fought small-scale battles with the Tangut cavalry. The Tangut cavalry were strong, but not to this extent!

In an instant, Yang Keshi seemed to recall many things: stories he heard as a child, books he read when he was a teenager, and even the variety shows performed in the market...

They talked about Emperor Taizong's northern expeditions, how tragic the fate of the Yang family army was, how powerful the Liao people were, and how Empress Xiao was known for her aggressive and militaristic policies...

He remembered everything, and Yang Keshi didn't look back. He just spurred his horse and galloped away.

He kept glancing behind him; the Liao army had turned around, they were coming, they were chasing, they were catching up...

Yang Keshi instinctively shouted, "Go south quickly! There are too many enemies. Quickly join up with the infantry!"

The Liao people were in pursuit, while the Song people were on the run.

The bowstrings began to hum behind the Song soldiers, and arrows flew swiftly, striking their armor and embedding themselves in their horses' hindquarters with a clanging sound.

Some Song cavalrymen fell, trampled by countless hooves.

The Liaoning people are still chasing!
The Liao general Yelü Dashi shouted, "Chase after them! Keep chasing! Don't stop, chase them to the ends of the earth without stopping. Don't worry about the horses, just run them until they are completely exhausted, then change horses and run again! When the horses can't run anymore, dismount and chase on your own two legs!"

This was the only chance, Yelü Dashi knew, and he focused on only one thing, hoping for only one thing.

Charge forward, chase the enemy, win again, chase the enemy again, and so on, hoping that the enemy will be startled, panicked, and routed...

I expect the enemy to collapse in a chain reaction, I expect the enemy to suffer a crushing defeat...

This is the only hope of turning defeat into victory.

Then we can only keep running, keep chasing and fighting. At this point, some of the enemy has already been frightened and is fleeing. We must take advantage of this momentum and make one last desperate attempt!
Throughout history, countless battlefields have been lost in this way. More than a hundred years ago, the Song people suffered countless defeats in this manner, with one unit collapsing and the entire army fleeing.

May God bless the Liao Dynasty! I hope it will be the same this time!

"May God bless the Liao!" Yelü Dashi, covered in blood, cried out in anguish.

Having won a battle, the morale of the army soared, and those around them couldn't help but shout, "God bless the Liao! God bless the Liao!"

Chase!
Yang Keshi looked back countless times, only to see the Liao people chasing relentlessly, getting closer and closer, and the incessant buzzing of their bowstrings filling the air...

Yang Keshi's mind was not in turmoil, only in a moment of panic and a moment of desperate running.

Perhaps there was still a glimmer of hope: if he could regroup with his infantry and stabilize the army, he might still be able to fight!
To the south, north of Liangxiang City, there were also six or seven thousand cavalry coming north.

Su Wu even knew that a fight must have broken out ahead, and roughly where it was taking place.

He also knew that Yang Keshi must have been beaten so badly that he was terrified and was running away in a panic.

But now, Yelü Dashi, who had been lurking in the shadows, was right in front of him, and Su Wu was about to capture him!
Beside Su Wu was a young soldier, none other than Yue Fei. He was fully armored, with a helmet on his head and armor plates covering his face, so Su Wu could not see his specific expression. However, Su Wu could see that Yue Fei, riding his horse, was taut all over, as if he were wound up.

Su Wu spoke up: "Brother Yue, when the fighting starts later, just stay close to me and don't fall behind!"

"Understood!" Yue Fei replied immediately, turning his gaze to his own commander, Su.

Su Wu even laughed heartily: "To see such a vast army rushing to the front is truly exhilarating!"

Yue Fei's initially panicked eyes suddenly brightened, and he said repeatedly, "Don't worry, my lord, I, Yue Fei, am not a coward! Although this is my first time on the battlefield, I will never let you down!"

"I believe in you!" Su Wu nodded, as if to encourage him.

Sure enough, Yue Fei's posture relaxed a bit and he was no longer as stiff as before.

Su Wu couldn't help but praise in his heart, this Yue Ge'er is truly a natural-born material for fighting on the battlefield!

Eleven or twelve miles ahead, Yang Keshi, who had fled in panic, finally saw his own infantry and shouted from afar, "Form ranks! Form ranks quickly!"

In fact, he didn't need to shout; the roar and dust were already a warning, and the infantry had already stopped and formed ranks.

Before, they couldn't see clearly and were mostly guessing. Now they could see it clearly and were watching their General Yang flee back with his head in his hands. The enemy cavalry behind him were closing in and attacking, while those in the distance were whirring with the clatter of bowstrings...

When General Yang left, there were seven or eight hundred riders, but now only two or three hundred have returned. The horses beside him, which used to number two or three per person, are now few and far between.

General Yang was defeated?

Undoubtedly, what we are seeing now is a crushing defeat and a desperate escape.

Many infantrymen, lined up in front of them, swallowed hard in unison, gripping their spears tightly, their palms sweating after a moment.

They're here! They came right away!
General Yang returned, but he could no longer use his horse to charge his own army formation. He could only run around the formation, trying to get behind it.

The enemy cavalry didn't bother to give chase; instead, they charged straight into the infantry formation.

In an instant, countless men and horses fell to the ground, and the battle broke out without any gaps, without any warning, and without any pause.

The enemy cavalry, like sharp blades, instantly sliced ​​through skin and pierced into flesh, charging and hacking relentlessly forward!

Just like Su Wu in Jiangnan in the past, charging into the enemy ranks.

A moment later, Yang Keshi reined in his horse at the rear, finally able to catch his breath, and immediately shouted: "Hold on! All battalions, hold your ground! Don't panic!"

But then they saw the Liao cavalry enter the formation, seemingly unstoppable, with arrows flying one after another. Where the arrows were flying, there must have been a few generals leading the charge, charging forward without hesitation.

That Liao general was incredibly brave and fierce!

Yang Keshi's brows, which had just relaxed, immediately furrowed again. How could the Liao people, with such a strong army and such brave generals, have suffered such a crushing defeat in the north?
Yang Keshi himself found it hard to describe the feeling in his heart, which was that his worldview had collapsed...

All Yang Keshi could do was keep shouting, "Hold your ground! Don't panic or retreat, all battalions!"

The shouts echoed back and forth, over and over again, and Yang Keshi even ran back and forth, wanting more people to hear his cries.

But the Liao cavalry, advancing into the formation, continued to push forward through the crowd, their ferocity undiminished. Their cavalrymen entered the formation as easily as needles pricking fine cotton…

Of the two thousand and several hundred riders, not one failed to press forward with valiant courage. Perhaps, like Yelü Dashi, they had lost too many times, losing again and again, failing time and time again...

It had been a long time since I had enjoyed the feeling of victory, but now, facing the Southern bandits, I was truly having a blast.

Just now, the army's morale was high, and now it seemed like a release and enjoyment. They were no longer aware of their pent-up frustration, helplessness, or sorrow. Now it seemed that all of it had been released and placed on these southern bandits in front of them.

How wonderful!

These treacherous southern bandits, these opportunists who take advantage of others' misfortunes, deserve to be killed, and no amount of killing would be too much!

Just look at the approaching Liao cavalry, their dark iron armor, their powerful horses, and their valiant generals...

Yang Keshi suddenly felt as if his vision was about to go black, then it cleared again. At this moment, everything was beyond his control...

Countless foot soldiers' faces turned deathly pale with terror...

Most of them were not new recruits; they were seasoned veterans who had clashed with the Tanguts many times. Their campaign against Fang La in the south was also a very easy one.

Even this veteran soldier was truly terrified at this moment. He couldn't stop the enemy cavalry that had broken in, and he couldn't help but look back and wonder if he should retreat.
The veterans had also suffered defeats; they had clashed with the Tangut army, winning and losing as they went...

The general seemed to still be shouting, still calling for the troops to hold their ground.

But this foot really couldn't stay steady; it seemed to be moving backward involuntarily, not intentionally, but somehow it pushed the people behind it backward as well...

The army formation was already in disarray. How could a formation of over four thousand infantrymen be kept stable when two thousand cavalry charged in? How could it possibly remain completely orderly?
Yang Keshi ran back and forth shouting, his eyes going from dark to bright again. He was somewhat tired at this point. Standing behind the formation, he felt a mix of emotions. He watched as the Liao cavalry charged into the formation, and they were really about to get close to him...

Yang Keshi looked around, but where could he find a strong horse?
Hurry up and get on your horse, or you'll die here!
If I die here, what's the point of talking about my merits and promotions...?

Why is this so?

In a daze, Yang Keshi was mounting his horse when a question arose in his mind: How did things come to this?

Mounting the horse, pulling on the reins, turning around—these were all seemingly unconscious actions performed in a daze. Go, go faster!
(Brothers, if we write about it from both sides, we can accurately reflect the true historical context!)
(End of this chapter)