Song Xiu

Chapter 114 The Twin Tigers of Chanzhou Take Flight in Huainan
The setting sun, like blood, stained the bodies of the soldiers on both sides.

The Huainan army's "Xuanwu Formation" resembled a piece of black iron embedded in the terrain, with thousands of armored soldiers stacked layer upon layer.

The outer shield wall was as impenetrable as a tortoise shell, while the inner layer of spears stood in a menacing array, ready to await the Song army's demise.

Standing on the earthen slope, Cao Bin was able to overlook the entire battlefield.

His gaze was fixed on the Huainan army's Xuanwu Formation like that of a hawk. After observing it several times, he found the weakness in the Huainan army's Xuanwu Formation.

"The soldiers on the right flank of the tortoise formation are slightly too far apart; that's their Achilles' heel!"

Realizing this, Cao Bin raised the command flag high in his hand.

As the bleak autumn wind swept across the earthen slope, the crimson command flag fluttered in the wind.

Under the watchful eyes of numerous officers, Cao Bin swung his command flag sharply toward the right flank of the enemy's turtle formation.

Upon noticing the direction the command flag was pointing, Yang Ye let out a deafening roar:

"Great Song warriors, follow me into battle!"

His angry shout was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, piercing through the clamor of the battlefield.

After shouting angrily, Yang Ye, clad in silver armor, tightened the reins, and his mount shot off like an arrow.

This steed was a gift from Zhao Dexiu.

A fine horse is given to a hero.

A scholar dies for a confidant.

If not today, when?

As soon as Yang Ye moved, the hundred or so elite cavalrymen from Chanzhou behind him followed closely like arrows.

Hundreds of horses' hooves shattered the gravel, kicking up plumes of dust that coalesced into a silver torrent that surged toward the rebels' right flank.

Upon seeing several hundred Song cavalrymen approaching, Li Chongjin immediately issued the following orders:

"Fire arrows!"

As soon as the military order was relayed within the rebel ranks, a rain of arrows poured down from the rebels like a swarm of locusts.

Yang Ye, who was running at the forefront, brandished his long spear, and amidst the crisp sound of metal clashing, the falling arrows were all deflected.

However, even the most careful plans can go awry; a stray arrow grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark on his face.

A faint smell of blood reached Yang Ye's nose, but he didn't even blink; instead, he spurred his horse to go even faster.

"it is good!"

Cao Bin, who had been observing the situation on the battlefield, couldn't help but praise Yang Ye's fearless and courageous demeanor.

Then Cao Bin waved his command flag, signaling the hundreds of elite cavalry from Chanzhou to change positions.

Yang Ye caught a glimpse of the flag signal out of the corner of his eye, abruptly turned his horse around, and instead of charging straight ahead, he led hundreds of elite cavalry in a sudden turn, rushing towards the flank of the rebel formation.

Cao Bin's command allowed several hundred elite cavalry to avoid most of the rebel army's arrow barrage.

The distance of a hundred paces or so can be covered in no time with the help of a galloping horse.

Upon reaching the flank of the rebels, Yang Ye took the lead, thrusting his spear diagonally, and with the first strike, pierced the throat of a rebel in the front row.

As the spear tip was withdrawn, a large amount of blood gushed out from the hole in the rebel's throat.

Yang Ye's bravery greatly boosted the morale of the hundreds of elite cavalrymen from Chanzhou behind him.

Those who charge into battle, courage comes first!
Hundreds of elite cavalry followed behind Yang Ye, and amidst shouts of battle, they charged like a red-hot awl towards the right flank of the rebel army.

The rebels' originally tight formation began to tremble slightly under the charge of hundreds of elite cavalry.

Yang Ye's bravery caught Li Chongjin off guard.

Realizing that the Song army intended to break through the enemy lines by focusing on one point, and in order to prevent Yang Ye from continuing to act arrogantly in the ranks, Li Chongjin issued a series of orders, commanding the generals on the right wing to step forward and resist.

But Yang Ye, who was called "invincible" by the Khitans who admired warriors, was a man whose personal bravery was something that ordinary generals could not match.
A traitorous general wielding a large sword charged forward with a roar, under Li Chongjin's command.

Facing the attacking traitor, Yang Ye remained calm. After dodging the traitor's sword, Yang Ye swung his spear and stabbed the traitor off his horse.

Yang Ye, a master of battle tactics, always aimed his spear at the enemy's vital points, leaving no way out for the enemy.

After Yang Ye successively defeated several rebel generals, and seeing that his own generals were easily killed by Yang Ye as if cutting melons and vegetables, the morale of the right-wing rebel army began to waver.

With Yang Ye as their valiant general, the offensive of the hundreds of elite cavalry from Chanzhou became even more ferocious.

Hundreds of men, like sharp knives, relentlessly slashed at the rebels' right flank.

Even though they were outnumbered and one after another the soldiers of Chanzhou fell, it did not affect their fighting spirit in the slightest.

Under the fierce attack of hundreds of Chanzhou soldiers, the rebels' right flank formation was quietly beginning to riot.

While hundreds of Chanzhou soldiers were engaged in fierce fighting with the right-wing rebels, more than a thousand infantrymen finally arrived in formation behind them.

Using the gaps created by the hundreds of breaches in Chanzhou, over a thousand imperial guards, armed with long spears, formed a chilling wall of spears and slowly pressed forward.

With every step forward this wall of guns takes, countless rebels perish beneath it.

Li Chongjin, positioned in the center of the formation, was extremely anxious as he watched the right flank formation become increasingly chaotic.

In terms of elite status alone, his Chiying Army was not necessarily inferior to the Song army.

However, with Yang Ye, a fierce general, leading the Song army, much like Wang Yanzhang and Zhou Dewei in their time, they managed to tear open a gap in the rear army.

Seeing that the right flank formation was becoming increasingly unstable under the attack of more than a thousand Song soldiers, Li Chongjin, in a moment of urgency, issued a general's order.

Under Li Chongjin's command, the rebels on the left wing immediately turned their guns around and surrounded the more than a thousand Song soldiers fighting on the right wing.

On the hillside, Cao Bin, who witnessed this scene, gradually smiled.

Having already seen the opportunity for victory, he once again waved his command flag, pointing it at the rebels' weak left flank.

At the sound of the command flag, the two thousand imperial guards who had been waiting immediately charged forward.

Although they had not yet entered the battlefield, Yang Ye's bravery had already made them excited.

Two thousand imperial guards surged toward the left wing of the rebels like a tidal wave, catching the left-wing rebels off guard.

As they were trying to encircle the right flank, the rebels' left flank was in disarray.

In infantry battles, the worst thing is for one side to have an in disorganized formation.

Under the relentless, tidal wave of attacks from the Song army, it was visibly clear that the rebels' left flank formation was also beginning to crumble.

Left with no other option, the left-wing rebels had to abandon their encirclement and fight back against the Song army's attacks.

With the battle situation having developed to this point, Li Chongjin was filled with regret.

If he had led his troops in a distant retreat before the two armies had even engaged in battle, then...
But as soon as this thought came to mind, Li Chongjin was filled with bitterness.

The rearguard must not retreat again.

Seeing that the rebel army's formations on both flanks had been broken up by the Song army, Cao Bin realized that the best time to crush the rebels' turtle shell had arrived.

The new signal flag was not issued from the hillside, but from a tall, magnificent horse.

Cao Bin, having mounted his horse, looked at the thousand-plus Song soldiers behind him and gave the order for a general offensive.

"Charge the rebels' right flank with the entire army!"

As the stirring war drums sounded, Cao Bin led over a thousand Song soldiers, charging headlong toward Yang Ye without hesitation.

As the third drumbeat sounded, Yang Yezheng cleaved open the throat of a rebel soldier with a single stroke.

In the chaos of battle, the spear was no longer effective, so Yang Ye switched to the long sword at his waist.

At this moment, Yang Ye had already suffered several injuries.

Yang Ye was completely oblivious to the pain. The enemy's scalding blood splattered on his face, but he was not aware of it. His eyes were fixed on every rebel soldier in front of him.

Like a god of death, Yang Ye led the Chanzhou army through the enemy lines as if they were nothing. Wherever his sword flashed, the rebel army was terrified and scattered.

Generals are the courage of the army; not a single general in the rebel army dared to meet Yang Ye's challenge, let alone ordinary soldiers.

Just as the morale of the right-wing rebels was waning, Cao Bin personally led the central army into the battlefield, becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back for the right-wing rebels.

Under the combined attack of the two armies, the rebel army's right flank Xuanjia Turtle Formation was instantly shattered.

When the right-wing rebels' formation collapsed, it triggered a series of deadly reactions throughout the entire rebel army.

The fleeing rebels, under the onslaught of the Song army, instinctively swept towards Li Chongjin's central army.

In a matter of moments, the somewhat orderly central formation of the rebel army was completely shattered. Thousands of rebel soldiers were thrown into chaos, trampling each other or dying by the sword, their cries of agony and pleas for mercy echoing across the land outside Chuzhou City.

Corpses piled up at the feet of the Song soldiers, and pools of blood bloomed under the setting sun.

After this battle, how many of Li Chongjin's proud Chiying Army soldiers will be left?
As night fell, the cries of agony on the battlefield gradually subsided.

Yang Ye, now covered in blood, sat exhausted on a dead warhorse.

Centered on Yang Ye, within a hundred paces around him, corpses lay strewn about, resembling a scene from hell.

After arranging the post-war affairs, Cao Bin came to Yang Ye and asked, "Commander Yang, are you alright?"

Cao Bin knew that Yang Ye had several wounds on his body.

In Cao Bin's mind, without Yang Ye's desperate fighting, they would not have won so quickly today.

When Cao Bin asked him a question, Yang Ye tried to get up and bow, but Cao Bin gently pressed him down with his hand.

After realizing Cao Bin's goodwill:
"The physician has already examined you. All vital organs are fine. As for the other wounds, they are not worth mentioning."

Yang Ye had suffered even more severe injuries during his battles against the Khitan in the past.

As long as it doesn't touch on the vital points, Yang Ye feels it's fine.

After answering Cao Bin, Yang Ye quickly asked:
"Has Li Chongjin been captured?"

Seeing that Yang Ye was injured but still concerned about this matter, Cao Bin was deeply moved.

No.

Li Chongjin must have escaped under the cover of night.

There was a hint of regret in Cao Bin's tone.

But his regret didn't last long, and Cao Bin continued:

"Although Li Chongjin managed to escape by chance, the elite rebel forces suffered heavy losses in this battle."

Yangzhou is like a ripe fruit, ready to be picked by the Prince of Taiyuan at any time.

Yang Ye nodded in agreement with Cao Bin's assessment.

"Fortunately, I have not failed the trust placed in me by the King of Taiyuan."

After saying that, Yang Ye thought of getting up.

At this moment, Cao Bin reached out and supported his body.

"I have already written the military report and ordered someone to send it to the Prince of Taiyuan by fast horse."

Upon hearing this, Yang Ye immediately replied as if on cue:
"Today's battle was entirely due to the Deputy Envoy's decisive command; the greatest credit should go to the Deputy Envoy."

Cao Bin was taken aback by these words. He was initially puzzled as to why Yang Ye would suddenly emphasize this point.

Then Cao Bin recalled the famous factional struggles of the Northern Han Dynasty and understood where Yang Ye's reaction came from.

"The King of Taiyuan will decide who deserves the greatest credit."

All I have to do is report the facts.

But in my personal opinion, Yang Sima should be credited the most.

Cao Bin's tone didn't sound like a test, which surprised Yang Ye and also touched him.

Having spent a long time in the Northern Han, Yang Ye had witnessed far too many power struggles and infighting.

Yang Ye did not want to experience that exhausting and sordid affair again in the Chanzhou army.

"The deputy envoy did indeed command well in this battle."

"Without your valiant charge into battle, the outcome of this battle would have been uncertain."

"otherwise."

Cao Bin helped the injured Yang Ye walk toward the newly erected tent under the moonlight.

The moonlight illuminated the blood-soaked battlefield, and also the figures of two future generals walking side by side.

Outside Chuzhou city, in the Song army camp.

Zhao Dexiu looked at Li Congjia across from him, who was staring at the poems on the table with a look of rapt attention, and his mind was full of thoughts of complaining.

If given another chance, he would never have uttered another word like "like a river of spring water flowing eastward" on that day.

After that one outburst, Li Congjia mistakenly believed that Zhao Dexiu was a kindred spirit to him.

Once this idea was finalized, Li Congjia's interest in Zhao Dexiu skyrocketed.

Whenever he had the chance, Li Congjia would bring his newly written poems to Zhao Dexiu for his appraisal.

The same will be true tonight.

Unfortunately, Zhao Dexiu had previously invited Li Congjia to the army under the pretext of "appreciating Li Congjia's talent."

You have to do the whole thing when doing a show.

They couldn't keep refusing Li Congjia's request to see them.

For example, tonight, Zhao Dexiu did not refuse to go over.

Of course, Zhao Dexiu had another reason for agreeing to meet with Li Congjia.

After casually appreciating Li Congjia's new poem, Zhao Dexiu inadvertently turned the conversation to the general Lin Renzhao.

The reason for my interest in this general is that Lin Renzhao was one of the very few Tang generals who performed reasonably well in the Battle of Huainan.

Having a capable general in an enemy country is not a good thing for the Song Dynasty.

When Zhao Dexiu mentioned Lin Renzhao, Li Congjia didn't think much of it.

Lin Renzhao has gained considerable fame in Jiangnan in recent years, and Zhao Dexiu is a military leader, so it is not surprising that he is interested in Lin Renzhao.

Of course, Li Congjia wasn't stupid; he didn't reveal any crucial information about Lin Renzhao.

During their conversation, Li Congjia mostly talked about his personal views on Lin Renzhao.

What Li Congjia didn't know was that this was exactly what Zhao Dexiu wanted to know.

After hearing Li Congjia's opinion on Lin Renzhao, Zhao Dexiu silently kept it in mind.

To avoid arousing Li Congjia's suspicion, Zhao Dexiu then asked him for his opinion on Li Chongjin.

Upon hearing Zhao Dexiu mention Li Chongjin, Li Congjia's expression became much more serious.

During the Zhou Dynasty, Li Chongjin was stationed in Huainan, constantly threatening Jinling. Li Congjia knew quite a bit about him.

"I have heard that Li Chongjin has an army called Chiying."

Li Chongjin once boasted that with the Chiying Army under his command, he could dominate Huainan.

When Chi Yingjun was mentioned, Li Congjia's face showed considerable apprehension.

In his mind, Chi Yingjun posed a great threat.

After Li Congjia finished speaking about his views on the Chiying Army, Lu Duoxun hurriedly entered the tent and handed Zhao Dexiu a military report.

After Zhao Dexiu finished reading the contents of the military report, he burst into laughter.

Zhao Dexiu's loud laughter aroused Li Congjia's curiosity.

Sensing Li Congjia's curiosity and recalling Li Congjia's earlier apprehension towards the Chiying Army, Zhao Dexiu, holding a military report, smiled and informed Li Congjia of some major news:
"Li Chongjin's elite troops were severely defeated by my two beloved generals, Cao Bin and Yang Ye, with equal numbers of troops, a dozen miles outside Chuzhou City."

Li Chongjin fled alone, and the Chiying Army was never seen again!

Upon hearing this news, Li Congjia was completely stunned.

The Chiying Army, which the Southern Tang had always feared, vanished from the world so easily?

Zhao Dexiu sent out two relatively unknown generals!

The fighting power of the Central Plains Imperial Guards is truly terrifying.

Li Congjia's shock only made Zhao Dexiu laugh even harder.

"I will be the one who struts across Huainan like a tiger in the future!"

Amidst Zhao Dexiu's laughter, Li Congjia, upon hearing these words, couldn't help but shiver.

(End of this chapter)