The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 80 The Battle of Liuzibei (Thanks to "Lu Liuyun" for the generous donation)

"coming!"

With thunderous hooves, Murong Yanchao's five thousand cavalry charged forward, aiming directly at the vanguard's weakness.

"Damn it!" Lü You shouted, "Yan Kunlun has such a vicious eye!"

"Shut up."

Xiao Yi was in a bad mood and shouted at the kid for interfering with his orders.

In an instant, the command flags, battalion flags, and directional flags under the central banner came to life, waving and whistles blaring.

The vanguard followed closely with a great chorus of drums and bugles.

Under Guo Chongwei's banner, the police flag was raised high, first pointing to the central barricade, then to the west and east flanks, and finally pressing down sharply.

The shouts echoed through the air, layer by layer.

"Enemy cavalry are attacking the central route; cavalry on the west and east flanks, prepare to meet them!"

A messenger galloped in and said, "Twentieth Commander, listen to my command: guard the west side strictly and hold both lines until reinforcements arrive from the central army!"

"Ready! Engage the enemy!"

The shouts were quickly drowned out by the rapid sound of horses' hooves.

Xiao Yi felt a chill run down his spine, and all the muscles in his body tensed up instantly.

Under the banner of the Taining Army, the Shatuo cavalry charged straight at the archers behind the barricades, their hooves thundering and the knights shouting loudly, seemingly determined to force their way through.

Two hundred steps, one hundred and fifty steps, one hundred and twenty steps...

"Archers, fire!"

The Northern general commanding the archers shouted an order.

"Swish swish."

Arrows rained down on the Southern cavalry like locusts.

The enemy cavalry suddenly changed formation in the next moment.

The five thousand cavalrymen split into three groups. The five hundred cavalrymen in the middle quickly dispersed and advanced in a sparse formation, drawing their bows and arrows on horseback and shooting at the archers behind the barricades.

On the left and right, more than two thousand cavalrymen each split off, following the gentle slopes of the ridge, attempting to circle around to the back of the barricade.

The Shatuo cavalrymen advanced diagonally, some drawing their short bows, others raising their swords.

This is the old tactic of "feigning a frontal attack while flanking from the side".

Guo Chongwei's military orders continued.

"The crossbowmen in the middle row, fire your arrows."

"Charge from the east and west to stop the enemy cavalry!"

"Wang Shenqi will hold the top of Longding, and the rest of the generals will follow me to provide support."

Anyone who dares to retreat will be executed without mercy!

"Here!"

The red flag was waved fiercely, and the bugle call soared into the sky.

Xiao Yi received the order, raised his spear high, and shouted, "Twentieth Battalion, charge with me!"

At this moment, the Southern cavalry had reached the foot of Longpo, only a few dozen paces away. They had to increase their speed and take advantage of their high ground to deliver a heavy blow.

Guo Chongwei's main cavalry was only a dozen paces behind them. If they didn't charge, they would instead block their own troops.

"But we only have about forty people, and they..."

"Afraid of a bird!"

"kill!"

Some soldiers hesitated, but were quickly drowned out by the shouts of battle.

The Northern army shot out like a fully charged arrow, and the Twenty Battalions were the spearhead.

Xiao Yi braced his spear against his elbow, swooped down, and took the lead, putting two steps between himself and his comrades behind him.

At that moment, he wasn't thinking about anything.

"puff."

Xiao Yi didn't exert any force; instead, he used the momentum of the horse's charge. With each inch longer and stronger, the tip of his spear pierced the breastplate of an enemy soldier, and blood instantly stained the red tassel.

At the same time, he suddenly pulled on the reins with his left hand.

The black horse reared up, its front hooves stomping down heavily on the chest of an enemy soldier who was charging forward.

Xiao Yi squeezed his legs tightly around the horse's belly, his left hand only hooking the reins, his hands holding the gun, pulled it out, and spun it around.

"Ding, ding, ding."

The enemy's single-edged swords and spears struck the mulberry wood handles, which were as hard as iron, and he swept them away.

"Oh!"

"Kill!"

Zhang Mantun was the second to charge into the enemy lines.

All twenty battalions charged forward, followed by the vanguard cavalry led by Liu Tingrang, Cui Yanjin, and Hai Jin.

The two cavalrymen collided at an angle.

In an instant, the battlefield was engulfed by the thunderous hooves of horses, the clash of swords, the roars, and the screams.

The two sides clashed violently, twisting and flying through the air.

"The Southern army has surrounded us!"

In the midst of the chaos, Xiao Yi looked up and his pupils suddenly contracted.

They blocked the first wave of enemy cavalry charges, but the two thousand enemy cavalry on the western route were not just one group, but divided into four groups, which were now successively flanking from the western side.

Among them, Murong Yanchao's banner was prominently displayed.

This person must have seen the weakness in Guo Chongwei's two thousand cavalry and wanted to quickly defeat Guo Chongwei with five thousand cavalry to secure victory.

Murong Yanchao's elite Shatuo cavalry charged diagonally, their front ranks wielding spears and their rear ranks brandishing swords.

Xiao Yi turned to look at Old Pan and shouted, "Tripping rope!"

The five knights immediately ran north.

The second wave of enemy cavalry charged to within thirty paces, then twenty, then ten paces...

"Eh-"

On the west side, a hemp rope several meters long suddenly stretched out from the snow.

Amidst the neighing of horses, the second wave of enemy riders' horses were tripped and fell to the ground with a thud. The riders tumbled down, and before they could react, the following warhorses trampled them.

"puff."

Small red beads flew everywhere, and people's bodies were trampled and turned into bloody messes.

"Fan Si, fire the arrows!"

"Swish swish."

The cavalry in the rear ranks of the Northern Army fired arrows one after another, the horn bows whistling, temporarily halting the second wave of enemy cavalry.

But there was a third wave, bypassing the chaotic battlefield, heading northwest, making slight adjustments, and then charging over to cut diagonally between Guo Chongwei and Xiao Yi.

Once cut off, the vanguard will be split in two, with 20 battalions and 700 archers to be surrounded.

"Kill!"

Just then, Chen Guanghui's two hundred-odd cavalrymen charged back from the west, their brand-new 20th Battalion banner fluttering in the wind as they charged toward the third wave of enemy cavalry that had surrounded them.

The leader was Guo Xin, who was stabbing wildly with a long spear.

Tang Jin stood guard on Guo Xin's left, extremely brave, wielding a huge spiked club. He didn't follow any rules, smashing anyone he saw, like a demon.

The moment Xiao Yi gave the order, an enemy rider raised his sword and slashed at him. He dodged to the side, and Zhang Mantun, who was guarding him on either side, cut down the enemy rider.

Only when the situation stabilized temporarily did he feel safe to continue fighting.

The sound of iron scraping against bone is teeth-grinding; a sword cleaving through iron armor sparks; a battle axe shattering a shield makes a dull, cracking sound.

Arrows flew like locusts, crisscrossing and weaving, and people kept falling from their horses. Their blood melted the snow, turning it into mud.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe a quarter of an hour, or maybe not at all.

Xiao Yi's armor was torn open, and the bloodstains on his body stained dark red.

He was not yet exhausted, but he began to worry about the casualties on his side. He felt that if the 20th Battalion suffered heavy casualties in a battle that was sure to be won, it would be a waste.

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent whistle rang out.

"withdraw!"

Murong Yanchao's angry shout rang out like thunder.

The Southern cavalry quickly withdrew from the battlefield.

Xiao Yi looked around and saw that Murong Yanchao's banner had fallen to the south and was swaying incessantly.

Beneath the great banner, Murong Yanchao's figure stood out, dark and bright.

Pulling on the reins, he looked back again and found that Guo Wei's army had already pressed forward in time. If Murong Yanchao did not retreat, he would only be surrounded, and his strategy of quickly defeating Guo Chongwei had already failed.

Furthermore, Hou Yi and the other generals of the Southern Army did not move their banners at all.

Everything went as the military council had predicted.

The entire battlefield resembled a grand chess game. As the Northern Army's formation moved, it gained the upper hand, forcing the Southern Army to split up, aiming to capture Murong Yanchao's large dragon.

The vanguard is just one corner of the chessboard, and the 20th Battalion is just one piece.

However, Xiao Yi's anger was still burning, and even if it was just a chess piece, he was determined to smash the chessboard.

Without hesitation, he spurred his horse and galloped off.

"Fan Si, follow me and shoot him!"

"Here!"

Behind them, bugles sounded.

Knowing that Guo Chongwei had ordered the pursuit, Xiao Yi became even more reckless.

Beneath him rode the magnificent black horse given to him by Wang Yin, a testament to his superb riding skills and perfect harmony between rider and horse.

They quickly caught up with a Shatuo cavalryman.

"Thud." The spear thrust out and pierced through the opponent's neck.

Xiao Yi twisted his wrist, knocking them off their horses. He charged forward, drew his spear, and unleashed a rapid three-pronged thrust that felled all three men.

"Cover the rear! Stop the Northern troops!"

Five or six enemy cavalrymen turned back and attacked.

"Swish swish."

Fan Si and Wei Liang fired arrows, suppressing them.

The vanguard cavalry caught up and shot down any enemy soldiers who dared to resist.

With their cooperation, Xiao Yi fought with increasing ferocity, galloping wildly with his legs gripping the horse, sweeping across the long spear, and spinning it in the air.

He knew his movements were too flashy, but these were skills he had honed over many years. Instead of trying to change them on the spot, he decided to follow his instincts.

The nearly ten-foot-long gun emitted a uniform "buzzing" sound.

So fast that even the red tassels were barely visible.

The spear tip swept across, and an enemy rider was knocked off his horse.

The enemy cavalry ahead were greatly alarmed and turned their horses to flee to both sides.

Xiao Yi sped away from them.

About ten paces behind him, Liu Yanrang seemed to be galloping towards him at breakneck speed.

"drive!"

"drive!"

Many of the Southern Army's cavalry scattered and fled, while others who were following the banner were frequently tripped by snow holes, making it difficult for them to accelerate.

The Northern army, however, had become familiar with the battlefield beforehand, and their horses were much bolder, gradually catching up.

Murong Yanchao glanced back and saw Xiao Yi chasing closely behind. He bent down, took out a dagger from his boot, and stabbed it hard into the horse's rump.

Xiao Yi wielded his impenetrable spear, which finally came down and landed steadily on his elbow.

He tucked the spear under his arm, then drew the mulberry bow from his back in one fluid motion.

He nocked an arrow and fixed his gaze on Murong Yanchao's warhorse.

They were still more than forty paces apart, and both sides were moving very quickly.

Concentrate and hold your breath, without any distractions.

He took one step forward, and the arrow fell an inch... no, half a step was enough, his horse was faster.

Murong Yanchao's warhorse was also magnificent, but its ornate armor hindered its speed, with only small gaps between the armor panels.

Xiao Yi's body rose and fell with the horse's back. At this moment, Wuzhui seemed to sense his calmness and ran fast and steadily.

The saddle is like a stool placed on the ground.

The bow was drawn as straight as a full moon, and the soreness in the arm muscles was incredibly clear.

The iron cluster was slightly adjusted.

A sudden inspiration struck, and he decisively released his grip.

"Om."

The bowstring made a pleasant sound, and the arrow vanished in an instant.

"Eh-"

The horse let out a heart-wrenching, mournful neigh.

Murong Yanchao flew high into the air and crashed heavily onto the frozen ground with a loud thud, shaking the ground.

Snow dust, blood mist, and frantic hoofbeats obscured the dark figure.

"Protect the commander!"

Human figures rolled and struggled, while wounded horses neighed and galloped wildly.

Xiao Yi seemed not to hear, discarding the mulberry bow, drawing his spear, parrying attacks from time to time, his gaze fixed on Murong Yanchao.

As if sensing his thoughts, the black horse weaved through the chaos.

at last.

The spear shot out like a dragon, piercing towards Murong Yanchao, who had just gotten up from the ground.

"Who dares to kill me?!"

Enraged, Murong Yanchao rolled on the ground, picked up a ten-foot-long spear, and counterattacked Xiao Yi with wide, sweeping moves and unparalleled power.

Xiao Yi, on the contrary, remained calm and composed, parrying with his spear with ease, blocking every attack without using brute force.

"General, let's go!"

"The Northern army is catching up, we have to go!"

“Fuck!”

Although Murong Yanchao was not weak in martial arts, he was worried about being surrounded by the Northern Army and had no intention of fighting. He fought and retreated at the same time.

The soldiers spurred their horses forward, forming a shield with their bodies, and struggled to pull him up from the ground, then thronged around him as they moved him to a spare warhorse.

Behind Xiao Yi, the elite cavalry of the Northern Army surged forward.

"Protect Commander Xiao and seize the Southern Army's flag!"

"kill!"

Twenty battalions launched a surprise attack, while Liu Tingrang commanded elite troops such as Cui Yanjin and Hai Jin to seize the banner.

Soon, the Southern army's vanguard banner swayed and crashed to the ground.

Xiao Yi calmly caught up, his spear thrusting straight at Murong Yanchao like a venomous snake.

Hai Jin's loud shout came from behind.

"Damn it, Commander Xiao stole my reward money!"

The Southern Army soldiers tried to stop them, but Zhang Mantun, Lao Pan, and Lü You rushed forward and fought fiercely, cooperating with Xiao Yi.

Murong Yanchao glanced back, his anger turning into a mocking laugh, and said, "Mad dog, what's wrong with you? Don't you want to die?!"

Xiao Yi remained silent, urging his steed, Wu Zhui. His silence was more threatening than any insult, pressing down like a sharp blade.

"You damned scoundrels, let me go, and I'll reward each of you with ten thousand taels of silver..."

"Haha, do you think I don't know you're a fake?"

This reminded Zhang Mantun, and he immediately shouted.

"You stupid idiots with latte-filled silver, what are you risking your lives for?!"

"Why risk your life for a few taels of counterfeit silver?!"

"Go to hell."

Murong Yanchao was furious. He turned around and shouted at the soldiers who had already run far away, "Tell that old man Hou Yi, I'll fucking kill him!"

"kill!"

"In this battle, it was not because I could not defeat the enemy, but because of the entire court of idiots!"

Only then did Murong Yanchao decide to fight, letting out a furious roar that made people's eardrums hurt.

The long spear slammed into the long spear with a clang, and Xiao Yi felt a numbness in his hand as the spear was bent into an arc.

Murong Yanchao flicked his long spear, slicing through Xiao Yi's damaged armor and cutting a two-inch gash in his skin, splattering small drops of blood.

In comparison, Murong Yanchao's full-body black iron armor provided stronger protection, but it was too heavy, which slowed down his movements.

At the same time, Xiao Yi turned to the side, gathered his strength, and thrust his spear straight forward.

The tip of the gun gleamed in the setting sun.

"puff."

Murong Yanchao's eyes widened.

His dark face still held a simmering rage, making him look like a living Yama, but he stood frozen in place.

The spear tip had already pierced his neck, even the red tassel was embedded in it.

Murong Yanchao gripped the spear shaft with his left hand, still trying to swing the long spear with all his might in his right. The spear tip slowly rose to Xiao Yi's feet, but finally, he was exhausted and crashed to the ground with a "bang".

"Uh... I'm a hero of my generation... uh... how could I die... from some nobody..."

"From this day forward, I am no longer an unknown nobody."

Upon hearing these words as he was dying, Murong Yanchao's eyes widened, his eyeballs filled with bloodshot veins, and he roared hoarsely.

Unfortunately, he made a gurgling sound in his throat and kept gushing blood, eventually dying.

His face still bore the mark of anger, like that of a dead Yama.

……

The spear was drawn, raising a spray of hot blood.

Xiao Yi raised Murong Yanchao's black helmet, adorned with golden wings, high and shouted. He shouted not only to the surrounding Southern Army, but also to Wang Jun and the others behind him.

"Murong Yanchao is dead!"

The fierce fighting around them seemed to come to an abrupt halt.

Panic, like a plague, like a wildfire, exploded and spread in the central route of the Southern Army.

"The general is dead!"

"Run!"

The fierce Shatuo cavalry's fighting spirit crumbled like an avalanche; some stood frozen in place, while others shouted, turned their horses around, and fled.

The Northern Army roared in approval, their cheers deafening.

"Wan Sheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

Amid the chaos, Xiao Yi halted his horse, spear in hand, panting heavily.

His anger was released at this moment. He looked up, but his first instinct was not to look at the victory or defeat in the direction of Chigang. Instead, he turned around to see how many casualties he had suffered.

He charged ahead relentlessly, cutting down enemies without regard for his own safety. His goal was to achieve great things, to vent his anger, and to create a way out for his comrades who were willing to follow him.

(End of this chapter)