The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

The army marched north, passing through the Great Wall passes, and officially set foot on the grasslands.

The grasslands in early spring were far from the idyllic scenes depicted in poetry. The snow hadn't completely melted, leaving the ground a muddy mess. Beneath the withered grass roots lay dark blue-black frozen earth. The biting wind still whipped up sand and gravel, stinging one's face.

The sky was gray and low, giving people an indescribable sense of oppression.

However, the morale of the Great Yan army was exceptionally high.

Xiao Jingchen's pre-departure speech had already spread throughout the entire army. In the heart of every soldier burned the flames of revenge and the desire to achieve glory. Looking at this vast and desolate land, their eyes held no fear, only greed.

This is the land they are about to conquer with knives and swords.

"Your Highness, we have entered the grassland by fifty miles. Scouts report that they have spotted a small group of grassland cavalry, numbering about three thousand, thirty miles ahead."

Inside the central command tent, Chen Jing pointed to the map and reported the latest military intelligence to Xiao Jingchen.

"Three thousand men?" Lei Lie scoffed, "Ashina Sun underestimates us. That's hardly enough to fill a gap in our teeth. Your Highness, give the order! I'll lead five thousand iron cavalry; one charge and we'll crush them to dust!"

"No." Xiao Jingchen shook his head, his gaze falling on a piece of terrain on the map.

It was a narrow valley with high sides and low middle, called "A Line of Sky".

"Ashina Sun isn't looking down on us; he's testing us," Xiao Jingchen said slowly. "He wants to see how our army differs from the Great Yan army he remembers."

"Since he wants to see it, let's show him something he's never seen before in his life."

A cold smile curled at the corner of Xiao Jingchen's mouth.

"Lei Lie".

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I will give you eight thousand cavalry. You shall set out immediately to meet this enemy force in battle. Remember, defeat is the only option; victory is not permitted."

"What?" Lei Lie was stunned, thinking he had misheard. "Your Highness, what did you say? Only defeat is allowed?"

How could he, a mighty general, lead eight thousand elite cavalry to lose a skirmish? If word got out, where would he put his face?

"That's right." Xiao Jingchen's tone brooked no argument. "You will not only lose, but you will lose miserably. Lead them to this 'One Line Sky' for me."

Although Lei Lie was extremely unwilling, he never disobeyed Xiao Jingchen's orders.

"Yes! Your humble servant obeys!" He held his breath and left to take the order.

"Chen Jing".

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You will immediately lead two infantry battalions, totaling ten thousand men, carrying five thousand crossbows, on a forced march to the hillsides on either side of 'The Narrow Gorge' and lie in ambush." ​​Xiao Jingchen's eyes gleamed with a hunter's light. "Remember, without my order, even if the sky falls, you are not to be exposed."

"Yes, sir!" Chen Jing excitedly accepted the order and left.

He knew that the first real combat use of the Yuanrong crossbow was about to arrive. He eagerly anticipated what kind of "surprise" this epoch-making weapon would bring to those proud steppe cavalry.

Half a day later.

Lei Lie's eight thousand Great Yan cavalry met the three thousand grassland cavalry on the vast grassland.

"Hahaha! It's the cavalry of the Great Yan! Brothers, the time has come to make our mark!"

The leader of the grassland cavalry was a fierce general named Batu. When he saw Lei Lie's well-disciplined cavalry, he was not afraid at all; instead, he excitedly licked his lips.

In his view, the cavalry of the Central Plains were nothing but a bunch of showpieces. Although their equipment was excellent, when it came to horsemanship and fearless spirit, they weren't even worthy of carrying the shoes of the steppe warriors.

"My lads! Follow me! Charge them!"

Batu roared and charged ahead, leading three thousand cavalrymen like arrows released from a bow, towards Lei Lie's army formation.

Lei Lie looked at the enemy troops charging towards him, feeling so frustrated he wanted to curse.

If it were up to his usual style, he would have already led his brothers and charged straight in. But the prince's order was "defeat is the only option."

"Brothers, hold on! Hold on for me!" he shouted, but his hands were a beat slower than usual.

The two cavalry forces collided violently.

The clanging of weapons, the neighing of warhorses, and the screams of soldiers instantly echoed across the entire grassland.

Lei Lie feigned defeat and led his troops in a retreating battle.

His northern cavalry were all veterans who had fought alongside him for ten years, and they understood their general's intentions perfectly. They acted better than anyone else, fighting while pretending to be in a panic and retreating.

Batu was even more pleased with himself when he saw this.

"See that?! Han cavalry are so utterly vulnerable! Chase them! Don't let a single one escape!"

Three thousand grassland cavalry, like sharks smelling blood, relentlessly pursued Lei Lie's "defeated army."

Lei Lie led his troops in a "disarrayed" retreat, seemingly running in a panic, but in reality, they were following the route specified by Xiao Jingchen and retreating towards the "One Line Sky".

After chasing for about ten miles, Batu finally saw the narrow valley.

One of his lieutenants, somewhat hesitantly, said, "General, this terrain seems a bit off. Could there be an ambush?"

"An ambush? Are you out of your mind?" Batu scoffed. "When have the Han people ever dared to do something like that? We chased them so hard they were running for their lives, how could they have time to set up an ambush? Even if they did, so what? Our three thousand warriors could drown them with a single spit from each of us!"

"Pass on my order! Full speed ahead! Charge into the valley and slaughter them all!"

Urged on by Batu, the three thousand grassland cavalry charged into the mouth of the "One Line Sky" valley without hesitation.

The valley was narrow, only wide enough for a dozen or so riders to ride abreast. They had to slow down and lengthen their formation.

Just as they all entered the valley and were halfway through the chase...

An unexpected change occurred!

"put!"

A cold command came from the hillsides on both sides of the valley.

Immediately afterwards, Ba Tu and his men heard the most terrifying sound they had ever heard in their lives.

It wasn't the buzzing of a bowstring, but a dense, strange sound, like a downpour hitting a banana leaf, or like countless venomous snakes simultaneously flicking their tongues.

Then they saw two black "clouds" rising from the hillsides on either side.

It was a dense, impenetrable curtain of death made up of countless crossbow bolts!

"Ambush! Raise your shields!" Batu's pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints in an instant. He let out a shrill roar with all his might.

However, it was all too late.

Their leather shields were as fragile as paper against the barrage of crossbow bolts.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The sound of crossbow bolts piercing flesh was so frequent it sent chills down one's spine.

The steppe cavalry at the forefront were shot into a pincushion before they could even scream, and fell to the ground along with their horses.

A soldier might be struck by seven, eight, or even a dozen crossbow bolts at the same time. Blood instantly stained their leather armor.

This is not the most terrible.

The most terrifying thing is that this rain of arrows didn't stop!