Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 293 Suspended Whip Technique

A battle on the battlefield is completely different from finding a suitable place, getting into position, and fighting fair and square.

Especially in a surprise attack, the key is to strike unexpectedly and catch the enemy off guard. Even if the enemy general is highly skilled in martial arts, if he is caught off guard and has no time to mount his horse or even put on his armor, how can he possibly resist?
Even a martial arts master like Lü Bu, when his subordinates rebelled while he was sleeping, could only be forced to escape through the latrine.

Therefore, when Zhang Lin first stormed into Huang Chao's camp, he was overjoyed and truly believed that he could achieve a great feat like Guan Yu killing Yan Liang, taking the enemy commander's head amidst a vast army.

When the spear pierced the body, the sensation was completely different from when stabbing a person.

When the straw fragments flew out from the tear in his clothes, how could Zhang Lin not know that he had fallen into a trap?
Huang Chao, of course, had no idea when Zhang Lin would raid the camp.

He could choose to stay out of his command tent every night for a while.

Only Huang Chao's close confidants knew about this matter.

The key to a surprise attack lies in quickly striking and suppressing the enemy commander-in-chief, causing the enemy's entire army to lose command.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, achieved his most glorious victory in the Battle of Hulao Pass by using his elite Xuanjia cavalry to charge into the heart of Dou Jiande's army. He relentlessly pursued and attacked Dou Jiande's main force, preventing him from effectively transmitting military orders and reorganizing his rout-ridden troops.

Conversely, as long as the commander-in-chief and his personal guards remain calm and orderly amidst the chaos, they can stabilize their position, pacify the panicked troops, and launch a counterattack in the face of a surprise attack.

Zhang Lin believed the intelligence from the spy and kicked over Huang Chao's command tent, only to find nothing there.

The real Huang Chao, after proving that he was safe and sound, could naturally issue orders and restore order to the people.

The enemy, having restored order, will soon be able to encircle and attack from all directions!

Faced with this situation, Zhang Lin's mind raced as he considered countermeasures.

As Gao Pian's most trusted general, Zhang Lin was by no means a reckless and impulsive man. Now that he had fallen into the trap, he could only consider the next step based on this.

Zhang Lin thought to himself that he had divided his troops into multiple routes to raid the camp, and even if Huang Chao used straw dolls as substitutes, only his own route could be ambushed.

The raiding squad, personally led by Zhang Lin, was naturally composed of the elite of the elite. The fact that the rebel army was able to defeat this force was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Lei Shuai's army.

Conversely, if Zhang Lin could break out with minimal casualties and then fire a signal cannon to order a full retreat, this surprise attack could be described as a night raid on the enemy camp, breaking through enemy lines and breaching fortifications, beheading many bandits, and returning with the entire army intact, thus demoralizing the bandits.

However, Zhang Lin's raid on the camp this time relied on the coordinated efforts of spies from within and without to create immense chaos in a short period of time. The spies that Gao Pian had painstakingly planted in the rebel army over the past few months were all wiped out without any support.

Huang Chao's original intention was to draw out the spies that Gao Pian had planted within his own army.

"Let that old bastard Huang Chao claim victory with this!" Zhang Lin spurred his horse out of the tent, calling for his soldiers to follow, thinking to himself, "Isn't it common for both sides in a battle to claim victory?"

Such things were indeed quite common in the Tang Dynasty.

Border skirmishes between the Tang Dynasty and foreign tribes often resulted in several chaotic battles, after which the Tang Dynasty would announce that its three armies had fought bravely and decisively, crushing the barbarian invasions, beheading and capturing several, and achieving a great victory.

The foreign tribes claimed that we had plundered a number of people, wealth, and livestock from the Tang Dynasty and escaped unscathed, which was something to be proud of.

In short, it's a win-win situation; we're so happy with the wins.

Back then, the last Khan of the Uyghurs, Ujie Khan, fought such a messy war with the Tang Dynasty for several years. Later, Shi Xiong, the teacher of the four generals, stepped in and defeated Ujie Khan's 100,000 men with 3,000 cavalry, and brought back Ujie Khan's head.

The generals and soldiers of other units were very unhappy because they had no battles to fight, no merits to report, and no way to continue asking the imperial court for money.

For similar reasons, over the years, unless there was absolutely no other way, other generals and commanders did not want the four generals to lend a hand when something happened.

Zhang Lin considered himself Gao Pian's successor, was arrogant and boasted that he was a problem solver. He originally looked down on these guys who were just making a mess of things.

But after discovering that Huang Chao was more powerful than he had imagined, he quickly adjusted his mindset—so many famous generals of the empire had been defeated and killed by Huang Jutian, and it was something to be proud that I, Zhang Lin, could achieve a "win-win" situation with him!
Zhang Lin was not one to seek the middle ground. After making a decision in his mind, he became even calmer. He looked at the enemy soldiers coming from different directions in the dim light, counted their numbers and distances, and estimated his countermeasures.

Military operations involve both strategic planning before battle and mental calculations on the spot.

Many renowned generals could discern the strength of an enemy formation with a mere glance and formulate appropriate countermeasures. To outsiders, they were practically like gods.

In reality, they engaged in a complex mental calculation process, but this calculation was often difficult to express to others. Therefore, it appeared to rely on intuition and instinct. The mental energy expended in this process was also impossible to explain to outsiders. Many renowned generals died young, not only from old battlefield wounds but also from the mental exhaustion caused by intense strategic maneuvering.

Zhang Lin exhaled a breath of stale air, and the world he saw was now in a completely different dimension from that of others.

The path to life and the path to death were clearly distinct. In Zhang Lin's eyes, those directions that might become breakthroughs shone with an exceptionally bright light.

He turned his horse to the northwest and shouted, "My men, follow me and charge into the enemy lines!"

A dozen or so knights followed on horseback, with foot soldiers close behind.

Coming from this direction was Song Hao, a chivalrous hero from the Jianghuai region who had recently joined the rebel army.

Although Song Hao was born a chivalrous hero, he was fond of military affairs and had been training his servants with military tactics for many years, waiting for the opportunity to display his heroic spirit in the chaotic world.

Song Hao was quite wealthy and crafted weapons and armor for his troops, striving for excellence. He also had great confidence in the troops he trained.

Zhang Lin did not know Song Hao, but he immediately recognized Song Hao's troops as the weak flank of the rebel army.

Enraged, Song Hao spurred his horse forward, brandishing his spear, and led his troops straight ahead, determined to devour the brat Zhang Lin and show Commander Huang his skills.

Because Zhang Lin's troops had come over mountains and valleys for a surprise attack, they didn't have many horses. Song Hao, having received orders from Huang Chao's army, made preparations and came to encircle and attack. His own force alone had more cavalry than Zhang Lin's.

Zhang Lin caught Song Hao, and the two spears clashed like two dragons fighting for a pearl. Soldiers on both sides were locked in a fierce battle.

After fighting for more than ten rounds, Song Hao feigned an opening, turned his horse and fled, with Zhang Lin spurring his horse in hot pursuit.

Song Hao put the gun on the slingshot, took out a hard bow with his left hand, and pulled an arrow from the bag behind his back with his right hand. He nocked the arrow, turned around, and shot an arrow at Zhang Lin's chest. Zhang Lin fell backward and lay on his horse.

Song Hao's mind raced. His bow was incredibly powerful; a successful shot could pierce even the toughest armor. Fearing Zhang Lin might be feigning injury, he immediately ordered his riders to surround him.

The two sides were about ten feet apart when Zhang Lin suddenly sat up and pounced on Song Hao with a loud shout.

Song Hao was prepared. He used his spear-seizing technique to meet Zhang Lin's spearhead and snatch it away in one swift motion. Seeing that Zhang Lin had lost his spear, he was extremely pleased and thrust his spear straight at Zhang Lin's chest.

Zhang Lin straightened his chest. After being shot by Song Hao, he immediately turned slightly to the side, and the spear tip slid past his armor. Zhang Lin then tucked Song Hao under his arm, and Song Hao immediately fell into Zhang Lin's arms.

With a water-polished steel whip dangling from his wrist, Zhang Lin used the momentum of the charging warhorse to swing it in his hand, smashing Song Hao's head to pieces.

Song Hao's cavalry were already very close and were about to join forces with Song Hao to capture Zhang Lin when they saw Song Hao die on the spot.

Zhang Lin's soldiers cheered loudly.

"The bandits have been fighting for years, and their armor is worn out. Only this bandit's troops are dressed in brand new armor. They must be cunning new recruits. Their men have never fought a major battle. They have high morale but lack coordination. They must rely on their commander to charge ahead to boost their morale. I can use the method of 'suspending the whip' to lure them in and kill them."

After listening to Zhang Lin's analysis, the troops admired his wisdom, and their morale, which had been shattered by the trap, was immediately restored.

As the saying goes, an army is not good if it is not well-matched. There are many masters in history who can combine spear and whip skills. For example, Yuchi Gong, a famous general who was the founder of the current dynasty, was a master of both.

The iron whip hanging from Zhang Lin's left wrist was only two feet long and weighed less than two pounds, but it was his deadly weapon.

Song Hao was killed by Zhang Lin with a single whip strike, causing his troops to panic and retreat like a receding tide. The encirclement of Zhang Lin's forces was suddenly breached.

When Zhu Wen arrived, this was the scene described above.

Zhang Lin's words, of course, also reached Zhu Wen's ears.

Zhu Wen stroked his chin and smiled slightly: "Very good. If it were all about beating dead dogs, it would be too boring."

"Killing a wise and brave general is definitely more interesting than killing a hundred mediocre generals."

(End of this chapter)