Huangming

Chapter 439 A Blend of the Orthodox and the Unorthodox: Where Does Heaven Help?

Seeing that Wang Guoliang's brows were still furrowed and his eyes held a lingering melancholy, Hei Lian'er quickly took two steps forward and gently tugged at his sleeve.

Her earlier threat of suicide had largely dissipated, and her tone softened, becoming somewhat ingratiating:

"My husband, please don't be angry. I was just in a panic."

"As long as you can rescue that brat Yunlong from Lijialiang, I'll do whatever you say in the household matters from now on, and I'll never hold a grudge against you again."

Over the years, Wang Guoliang has been running his business in Xuanfu. She helped him amass wealth and win over military officers. The two are husband and wife, but also partners with interdependent interests. How could she not see his current predicament?
But the thought of her younger brother suffering in Lijialiang made her forget everything else.

Wang Guoliang didn't respond to her words, but slowly shook his head, his tone heavy:

"Your godfather, Wang Wei, has not replied yet."

The situation in Xuanfu is unclear now, and Ma Shilong's trap is just waiting for me to walk into it. I think...

"Tonight you will take the two children and leave."

Hei Lian'er's gentle expression froze instantly: "What do you mean by that, husband? I'm not leaving! If you want to leave, we'll leave together!"

"Take the Dushikou route and detour through the grasslands to Datong."

Wang Guoliang interrupted her, his voice very low.

“Wang Wei is the deputy commander of Datong Town. With him protecting you in Datong, you three can live on by hiding your identities.”

Back then, Hei Lian'er's father was the groom of Wang Wei, the deputy commander of Datong. During a sudden attack by the Tartars, he risked his life to carry Wang Wei out of the chaos, but was shot to death by a hail of arrows.

Remembering this kindness, Wang Wei not only helped the young Hei Lian'er and her brother, but also adopted her as his goddaughter.

Later, when Wang Guoliang sought to develop his career in Xuanfu, it was through this marriage alliance that he gained Wang Wei's secret support, gradually surpassing the Ma family, a prominent military family in Xuanfu, and securing his position as general.

Over the years, Hei Lian'er has also been busy.

Through Wang Wei's connections, she helped Wang Guoliang establish relations with Datong.

He also used the occasion of social gatherings at the mansion to win over the families of many mid-level generals, making those generals hesitant to side with the Ma family.

They even helped him manage his private property, exchanging the embezzled military pay for land and shops, accumulating enough wealth to support five thousand private soldiers.

Wang Guoliang valued her for two reasons: one was her appearance and temperament, and the other was her "ability," her "value" that could help him consolidate his power.

"How could I be afraid of death?"

Hei Lian'er abruptly pulled her hand back, her eyes reddening again, not from fear, but from feeling wronged.

"Back when you were being harassed by the Ma family in Xuanfu, who helped you borrow soldiers from your adoptive father?"
Now you want me to take the child and run away, leaving you here alone? I can't do that!

"It's not about letting you escape, it's about ensuring the Wang family bloodline survives."

Wang Guoliang turned around, reached out and pressed his hand on her shoulder, looking at her intently with a seriousness she had never seen before.

"If I lose, everyone in the Xuanfu General's Office will die, but the two children are innocent. They are the root of the Wang family and cannot be cut off in my hands."

Hei Lian'er looked at the bloodshot eyes and felt a pang in her heart.

Over the years, she has been scheming and plotting for him, but she has forgotten that he is also the father of two children and has his own worries.

"I do not!"

But she still shook her head, her tone stubborn.

"If you're going to leave, come with us! If you stay here, even if we reach Datong, my children and I won't be at peace!"

Looking at her like this, Wang Guoliang was both angry and helpless, and couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his temples:

"You're a mother now, why are you still acting like a stubborn, unmarried girl?"

He softened his tone, his voice carrying a hint of pleading.

“I will save Yunlong for you, and you will survive with your two children.”

This is our agreement, okay?

Hei Lian'er's tears finally fell, landing on the back of his hand, burning hot.

Looking into Wang Guoliang's earnest eyes, she finally bit her lip and nodded:

"Okay. But I have one condition: you must rescue Yunlong."

If you're lying to me, even if my mother and I reach Datong, we won't live on."

Wang Guoliang was speechless upon hearing this.

Even now, the first thing she cares about is still her troublemaking brother-in-law!

But looking into her red eyes, he ultimately didn't utter those words, and simply nodded heavily:
“I, Wang Guoliang, always keep my word. Once I’ve made a promise to you, I will never go back on it.”

Don't worry, as long as I live, that kid lives.

He pleaded with her and even had Granny Zhang come over to help pack her luggage before he finally managed to persuade Hei Lian'er to leave the front hall.

Watching her somewhat uneasy figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Wang Guoliang leaned back in his tiger-skin chair and let out a long sigh.

Since he's decided to send troops to rescue his good-for-nothing brother-in-law, he needs to plan ahead.

otherwise
If Xuanfu City falls, then we're doomed.

He immediately summoned his confidants to the main hall to discuss matters.

It didn't take long.

All the generals of Xuanfu gathered together.

Wang Guoliang's gaze swept over the assembled generals below, suppressing his irritation, and he said in a deep voice:

"Please sit down. I've called you here today because I have important matters to discuss."

The generals took their seats.

Leading the group was Zhang Zhengtao, the military commander of Geyubao in the central route, who was Wang Guoliang's son-in-law.

Next to him was Wang Guoxiong, the military commander of Chaigoubao in the Lower Fourth Route. He was a cousin of Wang Guoliang and was a burly man.

Further down, Ma Chengxun, the magistrate of Nanshan, looked slightly somber.

He was from the Ma family, a local military family in Xuanfu. At this moment, his eyes held a scrutinizing look, clearly indicating that he had reservations about sending troops.

Tabunang, the minor lord of the Chahar tribe, wore a Mongolian robe with silver trim, a scimitar hanging at his waist, and his face had the ruggedness characteristic of the grassland people.

The Chahar tribe was thrown into chaos, and many tribes fled. One of them fled south to Xuanfu, where they were taken in by Wang Guoliang.

Liu Cheng, the leader of the Shanxi militia, was wearing simple armor. Most of the militia under his command were farmers who had fled famine and were poorly equipped. He was frowning at the moment, clearly worried that his brothers would die in vain.

Finally, there was Lu Chengzong, the guerrilla commander of Datong. He was sent by Wang Wei and could be considered "half a member of Hei Lian'er's family."

He was holding a teacup, but his eyes were secretly observing the expressions of the crowd.

Once everyone was seated, Wang Guoliang got straight to the point, pointing to the location of Lijialiang on the map:

"Hei Yunlong was surrounded by government troops in Lijialiang. Ma Shilong, with musketeers and cavalry, trapped him tightly. His supply lines were also cut off, and the situation was critical."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Zhengtao immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said:

"Is my father-in-law planning to send troops to rescue them?"

His tone was somewhat tentative.

Hei Yunlong is his mother-in-law's younger brother, so sending troops is inevitable. However, the strength of the troops in Xuanfu is currently difficult to predict. If they send troops rashly, they may fall into Ma Shilong's trap.

Wang Guoliang nodded, but then changed the subject.

"Saving lives is one thing, but not the most important thing."

He reached out and traced a line across the map, passing Bao'an Prefecture and Lijialiang, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"Ma Shilong dared to besiege Hei Yunlong because he had calculated that I would send troops to rescue him, and he wanted to fight a battle of besieging the enemy and attacking the reinforcements."

But he forgot that Xuanfu also needs a victory.

Only by defeating the government troops on the main battlefield once, and demonstrating our strength to the border towns of Datong and Shanxi, will they dare to respond to us, and only then can our foothold in Xuanfu be secured.

The room fell silent immediately after he said that.

Everyone knew that rescuing Hei Yunlong was just a pretext; Wang Guoliang's real purpose was to use this battle to establish his authority and consolidate his rule in Xuanfu.

After all, Wang Wei hasn't replied yet, and the Ma family is eyeing them covetously. If they can't even defeat the government troops, Xuanfu will inevitably descend into chaos sooner or later.

Wang Guoxiong was the first to react, slapping his thigh and standing up:
"Brother, stop beating around the bush!"
Just tell us what you want us to do!
My five thousand brothers from Chaigoubao are ready to set off at any time!

He was Wang Guoliang's cousin and always obeyed him. At this moment, he looked eager to fight.

"Gentlemen, sending troops to rescue people is not a gamble with our lives. We must first thoroughly understand the strength of the government troops before taking action."

Ma Shilong has more cards in his hand than we thought.

Qi Jin's five thousand cavalrymen from Jizhou were all tough guys who had fought the Jurchens to the death.

Cao Wenzhao's two thousand cavalrymen from the capital garrison were fast horses and heavily armored, and were elite troops personally trained by His Majesty.

Add to that Zhou Tong and Zhao Chengye's infantry, and countless firearms..."

"Their advantages are obvious: their cavalry can rush fast, their firearms are powerful, their breech-loading cannons can blast open fortress walls, and their volleys of muskets can suppress people so much that they can't even lift their heads."

If we act rashly and charge straight in to fight head-on, our chances of winning are at most 30%.

This isn't war, it's suicide.

"If you're going to fight, you have to figure out the enemy's strengths and weaknesses first."

Wang Guoliang bent down, picked up a charcoal pencil from the corner of the table, and sketched the deployment area of ​​the government troops on the map.

According to reports from scouts, the government troops number over 20,000 and are deployed in four routes:

The core of the Beijing garrison was led by Ma Shilong, while Zhou Tong and Zhao Chengye's former troops from Xuanfu guarded the inner circle, and Qi Jin and Cao Wenzhao's cavalry patrolled the outer perimeter.

In terms of equipment, there were thirty breech-loading cannons, all mounted on the earthen platform in the middle ring, with the muzzles facing the gate of Lijialiang Fortress.

Two thousand muskets were provided, with three musketeers working in shifts to fire them.

There were 15,000 warhorses, 8,000 of which were under Qi Jin's command, patrolling the outer perimeter day and night.

"They set up a 'three-layer iron barrel formation' to trap Hei Yunlong."

In the outer ring, within a range of about five miles, Qi Jin's cavalry was divided into ten teams, circling day and night, both to prevent Hei Yunlong from breaking through and to cut off our supply route.

The middle circle, within a two-mile radius, was entirely occupied by Ma Shilong's artillery battalion. Thirty breech-loading cannons would bombard the area every half hour, leaving gaps all over Li Jialiang's fortress walls.

Within the inner circle, a half-mile radius, Zhou Tong's infantry, armed with spears, camped close to the fortress wall. Even if Hei Yunlong managed to break through, he would have to get past this first.

"The most crucial thing is the grain supply route."

Wang Guoliang's charcoal pencil traced upwards along the Yanghe River valley, stopping at the location of "Jimingyi".

"The government troops' provisions and gunpowder all depend on the post road from Jimingyi to Xinbaoan. Every day at Chenshi (7-9 AM), three hundred cavalrymen escort the grain carts and gunpowder carts. If one cart is missing, the firearms battalion loses a bit of confidence."

This is their Achilles' heel, and also our opportunity.

After speaking of the government troops, he straightened up, his tone softening slightly, and began to assess his own forces:
"We're not without a chance of winning either."

The Datong border army has 8,000 elite soldiers. These men have dealt with the Tartars for many years, and their horsemanship and archery skills are no worse than those of the Jizhou garrison cavalry.

There are 15,000 Zhuang people in Shanxi. Although most of them are farmers, they were born and raised in Xuanfu. They know every fork in the road and every bush in Xiong'er Mountain. They can move through the mountains faster than rabbits.

There were also five thousand surrendered Mongol soldiers in Tabunang, each a master of surprise attacks; their skills in raiding caravans on the grasslands were perfectly suited for robbing grain routes.

He changed the subject and frankly admitted the disadvantage:

"But our shortcomings are also obvious."

The firearms were too few, with only twelve tiger-squatting cannons, whose range was less than half that of the breech-loading cannons.

Five hundred arquebuses were not enough to assemble two musket squads; the eight thousand warhorses were mostly Mongolian horses, which had great endurance but were slow to sprint, and were inferior to the Hexi horses of the Beijing garrison.

Therefore, we cannot compete with the government troops in terms of equipment or cavalry speed; we must compete with them in terms of terrain and strategy.

As he spoke, he used a charcoal pencil to draw a thick line across the Yanghe River Valley:
"Look at this valley, doesn't it look like a gourd?"

Lijialiang is in the middle, no more than two li wide.

The east and west sides are the foothills of Xiong'er Mountain, which are steep and rocky with shrubs taller than a person. It was difficult for the government cavalry to even turn around when they entered.

There was only one post road on the south side, so narrow that only two horses could pass side by side.

Upstream, it connects to Jimingyi, which was the supply route for the government troops.

Downstream, leading to Bao'an New City and Tumu Fort, lies an open plain where government cavalry could charge freely.

"This terrain is our support."

The government cavalry was formidable on the plains, but became "lame horses" in the mountains.

Our militia can fly in the mountains, which perfectly offsets their equipment advantage.

Therefore, my playing style is...

"Disassemble our forces into three groups: a feint to distract, a surprise attack to cut off enemy movements, and a main force to charge forward. These three forces will coordinate to break through his impenetrable defenses."

The generals below leaned forward, their eyes fixed on the map, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"The first force consists of 8,000 feint troops, led by Liu Cheng, all of whom are your Shanxi militia."

Bring as many flags as you can find in Xuanfu City and plant them all over the hills on the east side of Xiong'er Mountain.

Prepare a hundred gongs and drums, and every day at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM) and the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), beat the gongs and shout on the mountain, pretending that "the main force is going to launch a strong attack from the east side".

Remember, make a big show of force, hide yourselves well, and don't let the government troops see any flaws.

Your task is to draw the attention of the government troops to the east, causing them to move their firearms and cavalry there.

Liu Cheng stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and replied, "This subordinate obeys! I guarantee to make the spectacle even more convincing than the real thing!"

Then, Wang Guoliang continued:

"The second route, a surprise force of 10,000, will be led by Tabunang and Lu Chengzong.

Tabunang led 5,000 surrendered Mongol soldiers, while General Lu led 5,000 Datong border troops, carrying kerosene, firewood, and the twelve tiger-squatting cannons, and reached Wolf's Den Gully within three days.

That was the only route the government troops had to take to supply their provisions. The valley entrance was narrow, with cliffs on both sides, making it perfect for an ambush.

When the government troops' grain carts arrive at Chenshi (7-9 AM) three days later, first use the Tiger Crouching Cannon to blast away the escorting cavalry, then use kerosene to burn the grain carts, burning all their grain and gunpowder!

Without food and gunpowder, Ma Shilong's firearms battalion was nothing but a pile of scrap metal.

After a brief standoff, Ma Shilong will surely retreat!

Tabunang patted his chest and said in broken Chinese:

"Rest assured, General! My men are experts at robbing grain!" Lu Chengzong also stood up and agreed, his expression resolute.

Finally, Wang Guoliang solemnly said:

"The third route has 13,000 regular soldiers, which I will personally lead."

Three thousand elite troops from the Datong border army led the way, followed by ten thousand militiamen, carrying chevaux-de-frise and ladders. Three days later, they hid in the forests on the west side of Xiong'er Mountain.

Once Liu Cheng's feint has drawn away the government troops on the east flank, and Tabunang has successfully seized the grain, the government troops will be thrown into disarray. Then we'll charge out from the west, using chevaux-de-frise to hold off the government cavalry, and using ladders to break through the middle layer of artillery battalions, directly storming into Lijialiang to join forces with Hei Yunlong!

"Remember, the three routes must coordinate well."

Liu Cheng's feinted attack was launched first. Half an hour later, Tabunang made his move. Once the smoke from the burning grain carts started to rise, our main force charged in.

One wrong step leads to another; no one can afford to slip up.

The generals below responded in unison, "Understood!"

Wang Guoliang didn't stop there. He walked to the center of the hall, looked at everyone, and softened his tone:
"However, there is no such thing as a permanent victory in war."

As the saying goes, plans can't keep up with changes, and if something goes wrong along the way...

For example, the supply route was not successfully seized, or the government troops were not attracted by the feint.

There's no need for you to fight head-on; preserving your strength is the best course of action.

We still have a foothold in Xuanfu. As long as we're here, we still have a chance.

These words acted as a reassurance, allowing the generals to relax their tense nerves slightly.

"Alright, everyone return to your camps and prepare for battle. We will depart promptly at midnight tonight."

Wang Guoliang waved his hand decisively.

The generals rose one after another, clasped their hands in acceptance of the order, and turned to walk quickly out of the hall.

Three days passed in a blink of an eye.

At dawn in Xuanfu, the sky was still shrouded in darkness, and the outline of Xiong'er Mountain resembled a lurking beast in the night.

On the eastern hillside, Liu Cheng, the commander of the Shanxi militia, was issuing orders in a low voice. The hands of the eight thousand militiamen behind him, gripping the flags, were trembling slightly.

These farmers, who usually carry hoes, are now playing the role of the "main force," using gongs, drums, and shouts to put on a show that can fool Ma Shilong.

"Plant the flags! Plant them high enough, you bastards!"

Two militiamen carried a tall wooden pole and planted a large flag embroidered with the character "王" (King) on ​​a boulder on the mountaintop. When the wind blew, the flag fluttered and stood out in the night.

On the mountainside, a hundred gongs and drums were divided into ten groups. Each group of drummers was holding their breath, waiting for Liu Cheng to wave his command flag before they started banging away.

Some of the banging was rapid, like a bugle call to charge.

Some of the drums were played with a steady rhythm, like the formation of a large army. The ten sets of drums and gongs intertwined together actually had a certain momentum of "ten thousand horses galloping".

"Shout! Shout it out loud!"

Liu Cheng drew his curved sword from his waist and pointed it at the government troops' positions below the mountain.

Two hundred militiamen, summoning their courage, brandished wooden sticks and hoes, and charged down the gentle slope, shouting at the top of their lungs:
"My Xuanzhen army is here! Release General Hei at once!"

"Brothers of Xuanfu, don't aid and abet evil!"

Their voices, tinged with a hint of awkwardness and nervousness, echoed loudly in the valley.

At the foot of the mountain, in the government troops' positions, Ma Shilong was patrolling in armor when he heard the sounds of gongs, drums, and shouts from the east. He immediately climbed the watchtower.

In the dim morning light, he saw that the hilltop on the east side was covered with flags bearing the character "王" (king), and there were figures moving about on the gentle slope.

Although the number of people was unclear, the sky full of flags and the deafening drums were enough to show that Wang Guoliang's "main force" had arrived.

Ma Shilong frowned.

"He actually dared to attack from the east!"

Although the eastern side of Xiong'er Mountain is steep, once it is broken through, it can directly penetrate the northern side of Lijialiang and coordinate with Hei Yunlong from the inside and outside. At that time, his three-layer encirclement will be torn open.

He dared not gamble and immediately gave the order:
"Transfer two thousand cavalrymen from the outer ring east side and five hundred musketeers from the middle ring to the eastern mountains to set up defenses!"

"Hold the pass at all costs and don't let them rush down!"

The guards obeyed and rushed off. Before long, the mobilization horns sounded on the government troops' positions.

The cavalry and musketeers who had been surrounding Lijialiang all rushed towards the eastern mountains, leaving only four thousand musketeers to guard the western and southern sides of the middle circle.

Every moment.

Just as the sun climbed over the top of Xiong'er Mountain, the sound of horses' hooves came from the direction of Jimingyi.

The government troops' supply wagons set off as usual.

Three hundred cavalrymen escorted ten grain carts and five gunpowder carts, slowly making a "creaking" sound as the wheels rolled over the cobblestones.

The cavalrymen looked relaxed, after all, nothing had happened in the past few days.

On the cliffs of Langwogou.

Tabunang was squinting at the post road below, while the five thousand surrendered Mongol soldiers around him were clutching stones and oil barrels, breathing very softly.

Once all the grain carts were inside the ditch, Tabunang suddenly waved his hand: "Push!"

In an instant, countless boulders rolled down the cliff, the rumbling sound shaking the valley.

The wheels of the grain cart were hit by rolling stones and broke with a "crack". The grain cart overturned instantly, and rice, sweet potatoes and flour were scattered all over the ground.

Before the government cavalry could react, dozens of oil barrels were thrown down the cliff, shattering and splashing oil onto the grain carts and the grass.

The Mongol soldiers then threw down their torches, and with a "whoosh," flames instantly shot up. The damp grass mixed with oil, and thick smoke billowed, quickly enveloping the entire valley entrance.

"There's an ambush!"

The cavalry commander shouted and was about to lead his troops in a charge when a group of men suddenly rushed out from both sides of the ditch.

Lu Chengzong's five thousand Datong border troops, wielding chevaux-de-frise, blocked the entrance to the ditch in a flash.

The spikes of the chevaux-de-frise were aimed at the cavalry, and the warhorses retreated in fright.

Immediately afterwards, twelve tiger-squatting cannons were pushed out and bombarded the grain carts with a series of bangs. One of the cannons hit the gunpowder cart with a loud bang, shattering it into pieces and killing more than a hundred cavalrymen on the spot.

"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

The remaining government cavalry dared not linger in battle and turned their horses to flee towards Jimingyi.

The Mongol soldiers and the Datong border troops did not pursue them. They just kept throwing kerosene and firewood onto the grain carts until all ten grain carts and five gunpowder carts were burned and thick smoke billowed into the sky before they stopped.

This grain raid lasted no more than half an hour.

The news quickly reached Ma Shilong's ears.

At that moment, he was inspecting defenses in the eastern mountains when he heard that the supply route had been hijacked, and his expression changed drastically.

"Wang Guoliang!"

He gritted his teeth as he pronounced the name, astonished by the other person's decisiveness.

but
He wasn't afraid at all.

On the contrary, they were full of fighting spirit.

after all
His plan has succeeded.

The Black Cloud Dragon was used to lure out Wang Guoliang.

Therefore, he snorted coldly and said:

"Fine, Wang Guoliang, if you dare to come to my rescue, I dare to make sure you never leave alive!"

He immediately ordered the defensive line to be contracted.

Chen hour and five quarters.

Black Cloud Dragon was leaning against the fortress wall, panting, with only eight hundred men remaining in his remnant force.

要说
In order to allow him to hold out longer, Ma Shilong also gave up Li Jialiang and left ten days' worth of food and water in the village.

That's incredibly considerate.

but
You, Ma Shilong, look down on me, but I, Hei Yunlong, am going to take my revenge!
Early in the morning, when he heard shouts of battle coming from the mountain, he knew that his brother-in-law had arrived.

Now, seeing the thick smoke rising in the eastern sky, my eyes lit up instantly.

He immediately rallied his spirits and shouted:

"Reinforcements have arrived! Brothers, follow me and charge out!"

He drew his saber from his waist and was the first to rush out of the west gate of the fort.

The inner circle of government troops and infantry were caught off guard by Hei Yunlong's attempt to break through and retreated in disarray.

Although exhausted, the remnants of Hei Yunlong's army were determined to die. They swung their sabers and quickly tore open a gash.

at the same time.

In the mountains on the west side of Xiong'er Mountain, Wang Guoliang waved his hand:
"rush!"

Thirteen thousand regular soldiers surged out like a tide.

The Shanxi militia, carrying barricades, quickly formed a "mobile defense line" at the foot of the mountain.

Seeing the situation was not good, the cavalry on the western side of the outer ring of the government troops tried to rush over to stop them, but they were blocked by the chevaux-de-frise. The local militia relied on the rocks of the mountain to draw their bows and shoot arrows. Although the arrows were not very accurate, they still managed to shoot down many warhorses, and the cavalry's charge was thrown into chaos.

The Datong border troops followed closely behind, splitting into two groups:
One team charged toward the western side of the fortress wall in the middle ring.

At this moment, the government army had only one thousand musketeers left and ten breech-loading cannons. After firing three rounds, they ran out of gunpowder and could only retaliate with bows and arrows.

The border troops quickly engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the government troops.

The other team circled around to the south side of the middle circle, cutting off the retreat of the government troops.

Not long after.

The remnants of Hei Yunlong's forces joined up with the regular troops on the west side of the middle circle.

When Hei Yunlong saw Wang Guoliang, his eyes instantly reddened:
"Brother-in-law! I thought..."

Wang Guoliang was also surprised to see that his brother-in-law was still alive.

He actually preferred to see a corpse.
However, since we are alive, this is all we can do.

"Let's not talk about that now!"

Wang Guoliang pointed to the main camp of the government troops on the east side and said:

"Ma Shilong has run out of supplies and gunpowder, he's at his last gasp. Follow me, charge and capture Ma Shilong!"

"Yes!"

Although Black Cloud Dragon was exhausted, his eyes were filled with vengeance.

He will avenge the humiliation of the defeats at Baoanzhou and Lijialiang today!
With the two armies joining forces, their morale soared, and they charged toward Ma Shilong's command center.

"Come on!"

"Kill!"

Seeing the situation was dire, Ma Shilong knew that continuing to resist would only lead to total annihilation, and immediately gave the order:

"Retreat! Retreat to Bao'an New City!"

The remnants of the government troops fled in disarray, abandoning their armor and weapons, towards the new city of Bao'an Prefecture.

Wang Guoliang was not about to let this opportunity slip by, and led his troops in hot pursuit, chasing them all the way to the narrow bridge over the Yanghe River.

This is the only road leading to the new city of Baoan Prefecture; the bridge is so narrow that only two horses can pass side by side.

It's the beginning of time.

Just as half of the government cavalry had crossed the bridge, horns suddenly sounded from the reeds on both sides of the bridge.

Five thousand Shanxi militiamen rushed out of the reeds, carrying iron chains. With a "clatter," they locked the chains to both ends of the bridge, completely cutting off the government troops' retreat.

Immediately afterwards, the militiamen set fire to the reeds.

The reeds along the Yanghe River were taller than a person, and the fire, fueled by the wind, quickly ignited, engulfing the narrow bridge in thick smoke and flames.

"Surround them from three sides! Don't let Ma Shilong escape!"

Wang Guoliang led his regular troops in pursuit from behind, while the surrendered Mongol soldiers of Tabunang outflanked them from the mountains on the east side of the bridge. The government troops were caught in the middle, and cries and screams filled the air.

Wang Guoliang stood by the bridge, looking at the government troops surrounded by flames, and a smile finally appeared on his lips.

He won this battle!
However.
He hadn't been happy for long.

A deafening sound suddenly came from the direction of Baoanzhou New City, and the ground trembled slightly.

A scout rode up on a fast horse, his face pale.
"Commander-in-Chief! Something terrible has happened! The main force of the Jizhou Garrison has arrived! Chen Ce is leading a large army and is heading this way!"

Wang Guoliang's smile froze instantly. He turned his head sharply towards the direction of Baoanzhou New City and saw a huge cloud of dust rising on the distant horizon.

That's the kind of scene that only occurs when tens of thousands of soldiers are on a raid.

He had planned everything meticulously, but he hadn't anticipated that Chen Ce's reinforcements from Jizhou would arrive so quickly!

"Damn it!"

Wang Guoliang cursed under his breath and immediately gave the order:

"Tabu Nang! Take five thousand Mongol cavalry and intercept the Jizhou cavalry!"
"We must buy them time. I want to annihilate Ma Shilong's entire force before they arrive!"

"it is good!"

Tabunang mounted his horse and led the Mongol cavalry towards the direction of the dust cloud.

Wang Guoliang took a deep breath, gripped his saber tightly at his waist, and stared sharply at the government troops on the narrow bridge.

Now, it's time to see who can kill faster!

If he could eliminate Ma Shilong before the reinforcements from Jizhou arrived, he would still have the strength to fight Chen Ce.

If it's too late, he will be in a desperate situation, attacked from both sides.

The narrow road meets the brave to win!

It all depends on whose side this damned God is on.

ps:
A long chapter of 7400 words!
(End of this chapter)