Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 251 Strange

While Murong Chui was preparing his troops, Tuoba Gui was not idle either.

He dispatched Chenliu Gong Tuoba Qian with 30,000 elite troops to garrison Pingcheng, blocking all roads leading from Hebei into Taihang, building passes, and establishing a formidable defensive position.

Tuoba Qian was also one of the top generals of Wei, with unparalleled martial prowess. He thought that ordinary long spears were too thin and short, so he had craftsmen make a large spear. He still felt it was too light, so he tied a bell to the spearhead.

The bow he used was also different from ordinary bows; one arrow could pierce three people.

In every campaign, he was always the first to charge into battle, his bravery unmatched at the time; no enemy, regardless of size, dared to stand against him.

The troops under his command were also elite warriors who had just won the Battle of Canhebei, and their morale was at its peak.

The Yan state had suffered a crushing defeat, losing all its elite troops and suffering from low morale; by any measure, it had no chance of winning this battle.

Tuoba Gui's intention was simple: to wear down the Yan army by using the Taihang Mountains and Dai Commandery, and to weaken Murong Chui. He would then lead 100,000 infantry and cavalry to Leshengle. Once the Yan army was exhausted, he would seize the opportunity to invade Hebei and fulfill his long-cherished wish.

Even if Tuoba Qian is at a disadvantage, Pingcheng can hold out for some time.

Tuoba Gui's reinforcements could then rush in from Shengle, launching a pincer attack from both inside and outside.

In the intercalary third month, the northern winds were still biting, but spring had already returned to the earth, with new green shoots emerging.

An eagle swooped down from the mountaintop, its wings sweeping over mountains, rivers, and cities.

With a "whoosh," a warhorse neighed and galloped after the eagle. Tuoba Gui on horseback drew his bow and nocked an arrow, which shot out, but lost its momentum when it was four or five feet away from the eagle and fell to the ground.

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The eagle let out a long cry, as if mocking Tuoba Gui's overestimation of his abilities. Instead of leaving, it circled above Tuoba Gui's head.

Tuoba Gui fired several arrows in succession, but they either missed or lacked power.

However, at this moment, more than a hundred riders rushed over, startling the eagle, which flapped its wings and flew away.

"This beast!" Tuoba Gui threw away his longbow, took out a pill of Five-Stone Powder from his pocket, and swallowed it in one gulp.

I suddenly felt excited all over, as if I were floating on air.

Having eaten this stuff for several years, his body doesn't seem as strong as before. If it were three years ago, that eagle would never have escaped his bow and arrow.

"Your Majesty, news from the front lines!" Wang Jian rushed over to report.

Tuoba Gui opened one eye. "Could it be that old man Murong Chui is dead?"

Wang Jian said, "Murong Chui has transferred the elite troops from Longcheng, with Murong Long and Murong Nong as the vanguard."

Liaoxi Longcheng is where the Murong family rose to power, and it is home to 20,000 elite troops.

In the Battle of Canhebei, 80,000 elite troops of the Yan Kingdom were wiped out, and Murong Chui brought out all his remaining strength.

However, Tuoba Gui sneered, "Eighty thousand men were helpless, so what can twenty thousand elite cavalry from Longcheng do? Murong Chui is courting death!"

The routes into Dai County from Ji, You, and Bing provinces were either blocked or heavily guarded.

The Yan army consisted entirely of cavalry and were not skilled at siege warfare; this was common knowledge.

Tuoba Gui was absolutely certain.

"Haha, Your Majesty is absolutely right." Congratulations rang out from all around.

"Old Murong is fighting despite his illness. The Yan Kingdom's national strength has been weakened and cannot last long. We will surely win this battle."

The great victory at Canhebei made them despise Murong Chui.

Tuoba Gui looked up at the eagle flying eastward into the distance, and suddenly felt a surge of heat throughout his body. "As long as that old Murong is alive, the Yan Kingdom will not be destroyed. This battle will surely shatter his decades-long prestige!"

The eagle flew eastward, through day and night, over mountains, rivers, and cities.

It landed on an old tree on Qingling, east of the Taihang Mountains.

Compared to the northern border regions, spring is more vibrant in Hebei. The spring sunshine is beautiful, and the earth is covered with a layer of green, with a few pale purple wildflowers blooming on the green.

A white hoof trod on purple wildflowers, while a black hoof was smeared with purple sap.

The man on horseback had a broad forehead and piercing eyes, his temples were white with age, and he wore a suit of fine black armor, exuding an imposing and extraordinary aura. However, his face showed signs of illness and exhaustion. This man was none other than Murong Chui, whose fame shook the world.

However, contrary to Tuoba Gui's expectations, Murong Chui did not choose to attack Feihu Pass or Jundu Pass. Instead, he advanced from Qingling, further north, bypassing the heavily defended Feihu Pass and Jundu Pass, and went straight to the heart of Dai County.

In the deserted valley, tens of thousands of laborers were hammering rocks and cutting down thorns and vines.

"It's connected! It's connected!"

The laborers suddenly cheered.

A gust of cold wind swept by, and Murong Chui's body swayed. His warhorse neighed uneasily, "Advance!"

"His Majesty has ordered: Advance!"

With the command flag waved, a group of black-armored cavalrymen were the first to rush up the mountain path, like a pack of impatient tigers and wolves.

After the crushing defeat at Canhebei, the morale of the Yan army plummeted, and they turned pale at the mere mention of the Wei army.

However, the arrival of this elite cavalry from Longcheng quickly boosted morale. Moreover, with Murong Chui personally leading the battle, the Yan soldiers were in high spirits, and almost every one of them had a burning desire for revenge.

The reason is simple: Tuoba Gui broke the rules that had been in place for over two hundred years.

Even the tyrannical Shi Hu of yesteryear, as long as one surrendered to him, would not have to worry about his life. Fu Hong, Yao Yizhong, Duan Liao, and other heroes from the north were all Shi Hu's rivals back then, and only after their defeats did they seek refuge with him and were settled in Hebei.

Fifty thousand surrendered to the Yan army, even if they were captured and enslaved, would be acceptable to the Yan rulers and ministers.

But Tuoba Gui was ruthless and cruel, and he actually had them all killed...

It was precisely because of his cruel methods that Murong Chui realized a reality: none of his sons knew his opponent. Therefore, he had no choice but to endure his old age and illness, and travel over mountains and rivers to eliminate the biggest hidden danger for his children and grandchildren.

After marching for two days, the army crossed the Taihang Mountains without anyone noticing and entered Dai County.

When they were about to reach Pingcheng, Tuoba Qian realized that the Yan army had arrived.

However, he commanded 30,000 infantry and cavalry, and had 30,000 households under his command, making him a formidable force. Dai County was the birthplace of the Tuoba family, and he had both geographical and popular advantages.

The Wei army achieved a great victory at Canhebei, and their morale soared.

The Yan army's vanguard numbered only 18,000.

Tuoba Qian did not hesitate to choose to go out of the city for a decisive battle. With 30,000 infantry and cavalry, plus 10,000 able-bodied men, he could quickly annihilate the Yan army's vanguard and dampen their morale.

"kill--"

The sound of horses' hooves shook the earth, and shouts of battle echoed through the mountains.

The two cavalry forces clashed on the plain, blood splattering into the sky.

With national and personal grievances compounded, the Yan army was already a desperate force. Facing an enemy several times their size, they showed no fear and instead fought with increasing ferocity.

Murong Long charged ahead, inspiring his soldiers to fight with great enthusiasm. The armored cavalry surged forward, knocking Wei soldiers away and cutting through the Wei army like waves.

The warhorses turned into blood-soaked horses, and the corpses of Wei cavalrymen were scattered all over the ground.

Enraged, Tuoba Qian charged at Murong Long's armored cavalry, brandishing his large spear.

However, he was surrounded by light cavalry, with less than 20% of the cavalry wearing armor, and their warhorses were unarmored.

The State of Wei rose to prominence beyond the Great Wall, and its strength was naturally inferior to that of the State of Yan, which occupied the land of Hebei. This elite cavalry from Longcheng had been preparing for many years, and its armored cavalry numbered two thousand.

The wind and clouds rose and fell in the sky, and the Wei army's infantry and cavalry were like a large net surrounding the land.

But no matter how big the net is, it can't catch Murong Long's armored cavalry.

With a scream, five or six long spears pierced through Tuoba Qian's body at the same time and were flung into the sky.

Blood splattered into a mist.

As they landed, countless hooves trampled over them, and flesh and blood were crushed into the mud...

"Tuoba Qian is dead, why not surrender quickly!" Murong Long roared to the sky.

(End of this chapter)