Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 118: Breaking the Front
When the positions on Wang Jian's left and right were overwhelmed by the fierce offensive of the Cao army, his headquarters became an isolated island in the crowd, surrounded by the raging enemy forces and being washed away repeatedly.

Lan Suting's rescue and Chaoying's selfless act not only made the rebel soldiers lose their worries, but also boosted their morale.

"These idiot lackeys of the imperial court only know how to resort to such despicable tricks!"

"Brothers, kill these rats!"

Wang Jian had originally been completely clueless about Shi Pu's tricks, but the sudden change in the situation undoubtedly backfired.

After destroying Lei Yinfu's forces, Zhu Wen's army turned south and attacked Wang Jian's right flank from the north. The troops led by Qin Yan and Bi Shiduo also successfully defeated Wang Jian's northern position and attacked Wang Jian's left flank from the south.

Even though he was under siege from all sides, Wang Jian relied on his sophisticated formations and command to make the Cao army pay a bloody price for every advance.

"If there are five thousand people..." Wang Jian uttered a low voice from his chest.

If he could have 5,000 men to train for half a year, Wang Jian firmly believed that even if the enemy had tens of thousands of elite soldiers, they would never be able to break through his defense.

Even if he wins Marshal Yan's favor, he can only directly command a few thousand people!
Because he was neither the son of a noble family nor a military family. He was just a poor baker, a "thief turtle".

Shi Pu was certainly an outstanding talent. However, he was younger than Wang Jian, yet he commanded more troops than Wang Jian. This was because Shi Pu's father and grandfather were both generals in Xuzhou.

Throwing Shi Pu into the mountains and forests to be a hunter since he was young and relying on hunting wild animals to survive was just a way for the Shi family, whose ancestors were hunters, to train their children.

There is a famous question: why should the efforts of several or even dozens of generations of other people’s families be defeated by your ten years of hard work?
As a recognized young general of the Tang Dynasty, Wang Jian could naturally answer - his talents and achievements were clearly visible to anyone with a discerning eye.

But those descendants of powerful families, the sons of generals, don't they work hard? Like Shi Pu, the boys in his family were sent to live in the mountains, and less than half of them survived.

"Retreat, Brother Wang Jian!" The personal guard cried and hugged Wang Jian, shouting, "All our brothers are going to die!"

Even when facing an enemy with high morale, even if all friendly forces were defeated and he was fighting alone, the death of Wang Jian's soldiers came at the cost of at least one life of a Cao army soldier.

Sadness and helplessness finally changed the color of Wang Jian's iron-like face.

In order to break through his position, Zhu Wen has adopted more intense tactics.

The horses' buttocks were stabbed with long spears, and the mad horses crashed into the wooden fences pierced with swords and spears, and fell dead instantly. This was repeated many times, and the piled up horse carcasses formed a bloody slope in front of the wooden fence. The Cao army infantry then stepped on the horse carcasses and rushed into Wang Jian's position with roars.

In order to avenge Wang Xianzhi, the soldiers of the Cao army no longer cared about their own lives, let alone their horses.

In order to destroy Marshal Yan's army, no matter the cost!
"In this round, Zhu Saner won against us without Meng Juehai's help..." Wang Jian squeezed out cold words from between his teeth.

He knew that there was nothing he could do.

Even the elite soldiers in the rear tower sent to him by Jiedushi Cui Anqian, who were capable of fighting ten enemies at once, had been killed or wounded by more than half.

Wang Jian also fought in person and suffered several wounds, including those left by heavy arrows that pierced armor and the marks left by long swords.

Having fought to this point, he deserves the kindness of Marshal Yan.

"withdraw!"

Following Wang Jian's order, his soldiers quickly threw down their armor and weapons and retreated from the rear where the position had not yet been blocked by the Cao army cavalry.

Only a small number of soldiers remained, forming triangles with their backs to each other, relying on the chevaux de frise to fight the grass army in a final bloody battle. They had no complaints about being left behind, and everyone was ready to die. Some even tied themselves to the chevaux de frise with chains to show that they would not retreat even a single step.

It takes a thousand days to train an army and a moment to deploy it. But Wang Jian only needed a short time to make his soldiers willing to die for him.

The principle is very simple. Rewards and punishments must be clear, the army must be governed with integrity, and the general's authority must be enforced. If you get a cow or a sheep, you must share it with all the soldiers in the camp!

When this despicable guy finally retreated in despair under his attack, Zhu Wen felt a little moved.

Of course there is the pleasure of washing away the shame of the past, but there is also the mutual respect between the strong.

Zhu Wen believed that getting rid of Wang Jian decisively was the greatest respect for Wang Jian.

Wang Jian repeatedly targeted Zhu Wen, obviously not wanting him to grow up. So Zhu Wen's idea was the same as Wang Jian's!
Coming from the same humble background, Zhu Wen and his mortal enemy Wang Jian were, to a large extent, of the same kind.

A cavalryman, covered in blood, came flying over from the opposite side. "General Zhu, Mr. Lin Yan's troops, who are responsible for holding back Marshal Yan's headquarters, are about to collapse..."

He looked at the corpses scattered across the ground and the ruins of the fortress that was already engulfed in flames, and suddenly his worry turned into joy: "General Zhu, have you completely defeated the government troops in front of you?"

Zhu Wen nodded: "Including that thief turtle whose shell is harder than tempered steel."

Lei Yinfu was killed in the battle, and Wang Jian's troops lost more than half of their men and retreated. Now Zhu Wen and others rushed forward and attacked Yan Shuai's main camp from both sides together with Lin Yan's troops, so they no longer had to worry about anything.

The price was certainly staggering, but the faces of the surviving soldiers were filled with excitement and enthusiasm for victory.

They were about to attack the Flame Marshal's main camp, cut off his head, and complete the feat of revenge for the King.

If one of the Four Marshals, Zhen Ranyu, were to be killed, the Tang Dynasty would, as Huang Chao had predicted, be broken, with the sky tilting to the northwest and the earth sinking to the southeast. A new era of grassroots heroes would soon dawn.

Such a heroic emotion made the soldiers disregard life and death.

The rebels have been hunted down by the imperial court for too long and have been defeated too many times. They need a quick and complete victory, even at the cost of their lives.

Towards the direction where Wang Jian's troops were retreating, the soldiers of the Cao army charged forward bravely on horseback and on foot, while maintaining an orderly order and leaving no loopholes for the enemy to exploit.

Zhu Wen suddenly rode over and grabbed Tian Jun's left hand in public.

"Even though Marshal Yan is injured, he is still the most ferocious rouge tiger in the world. The real fierce battle is still ahead. Sister Jun, are you ready?"

"If you die, I will accompany you." Tian Jun's words were extremely heroic. He squeezed Zhu Wen's palm tightly, and the force of an iron clamp burst out from his tiger's mouth.

Zhu Wen felt a sharp pain in his hand when it was grasped, but he also felt extremely happy.

The opponent is the world-renowned Yan Shuai. Even if it is a fight between a trapped beast, he must be determined to die.

There were only two options before Zhu Wen.

Die a hero, or become famous.

(End of this chapter)