Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

The messenger responded loudly, mounted his horse, and galloped off towards the rear.

Shang Rang passed on this military order, and soon after, bugles sounded repeatedly in the rebel army's ranks.

Two thousand infantrymen broke off from the main camp and climbed up the steep slopes on both sides of the hill.

The earthen slopes on both sides were much steeper than those in front, with jagged rocks and thorny bushes. Soldiers had to use both hands and feet to climb them with difficulty, and people would often slip and fall, bringing down a cloud of gravel and dust.

From the high ground, Zheng Tian, ​​Li Cenji, and others clearly saw the rebel army's movements.

Ma Huaisu, a veteran general who had fought for half his life, possessed incredibly keen insight and immediately discerned the rebels' intentions.

He walked to Zheng Tian's side, his hand on his sword, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:

"General, the enemy has split its forces; they intend to scale the slope and attack our flanks. Our flanks are currently lightly defended, and if they are breached, we risk serious injury. I suggest we transfer General 'Swift Thunder' to the flanks to stabilize the situation?"

Zheng Tian did not answer immediately, but turned to look at Li Cenji beside him.

"Jingzhi, what do you think?"

Li Cenji stood with his hand on his sword, his eyes fixed on the dark mass of people below the hill.

The rebels mobilized no fewer than five thousand men this time, three thousand in the front and two thousand on both flanks, densely packed like ants on the eastern slope of Longweipi, advancing wave after wave, one wave retreating and another rising up, crashing against the Tang army's lines like a tide.

Upon hearing Zheng Tian's question, he withdrew his gaze and uttered three words in a deep voice:

"Not enough."

Ma Huaisu was slightly taken aback, and his gray brows furrowed:

"Commander Li, what do you mean by that?"

Li Cenji raised his hand and pointed down the hill, saying:

"Commander Ma, please observe. Although the rebels have pressed forward with several thousand men and are launching a fierce attack, Shang Rang's main force still numbers thirty to forty thousand men, and they haven't moved an inch. Why haven't they moved? Is it because they don't want to? Not at all. It's because the terrain here limits their deployment to a maximum of five thousand men. Look down there; the rebels are already packed tightly together, shoulder to shoulder. If we send 'Swift Thunder General' forward to hold the line and stabilize the position, at most we'll just continue the stalemate with the rebels. Shang Rang won't and can't send any more troops because this place can't accommodate so many soldiers. Even if the battle is raging and ambushes from both flanks, Shang Rang can easily abandon these five or six thousand vanguard men and lead the main force to retreat while fighting, withdrawing calmly. If that happens, our battle will only hurt him, but it won't break his backbone."

He paused, then turned to Zheng Tian:

"General, my idea is: the reserves should remain stationary! Not only should they remain stationary, but the infantry on the front should continue to consolidate their formation towards the center of the hill, giving the rebels some space. Let them think they're close to victory, that they can take the hilltop with just a little more effort. As long as Shang Rang believes there's hope of victory, he will keep adding troops. We need to cook this pot of rice thoroughly before uncovering it."

Ma Huaisu remained silent after hearing this.

He stroked his beard and glanced at the rebels desperately climbing the steep slopes on both sides.

The rebels had climbed halfway up the slope, and the first few had even engaged in combat with the scattered Tang troops stationed on both sides.

If troops are not sent to block the breach soon, the rebels will climb to the top of the hill.

At that point, if we are attacked from both sides, even the most solid front line will be breached.

But he also understood that Li Cenji was right.

These five or six thousand rebels are merely the first pawns Shang Rang has deployed.

If the battle lines reach a stalemate and the ambush forces are all brought out, then Da Rang can make a drastic decision and lead the main force to retreat.

This battle turned from a war of annihilation into a chase, which was a losing proposition.

After listening to Li Cenji's words, Zheng Tian glanced at Ma Huaisu, taking in their thoughts.

What Ma Huaisu was worried about was whether the current front could hold out.

Li Cenji's plan was to drag Shang Rang's main force and elite troops into the quagmire of Longweipo and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

One seeks stability, the other seeks victory.

Zheng Tian naturally supported Li Cenji in his heart. He nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, and turned to look at Ma Huaisu, saying:

"Commander Ma, what do you think?"

Ma Huaisu pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands in a fist and said:

"General, after careful consideration, I believe Li Duxiao has a point. Instead of rushing to plug the leak, we should widen the net further and let more fish in. I agree with Li Duxiao's plan."

Zheng Tian nodded, no longer hesitating, and immediately passed on the order.

Military orders were relayed to the front lines one after another.

Under the command of Chen An and a commander from Longyou, the nearly two thousand infantrymen in front slowly retreated during the lull in another wave of rebel attacks being repelled.

The infantry on both flanks received the same order and silently retreated towards the center of the hill.

The retreat was executed with great skill. The front ranks remained in a shield wall, while the rear ranks withdrew first, and then the front ranks took turns providing cover, retreating step by step.

If the rebels got too close, a burst of spear thrusts would force them back, and then they would continue to retreat slowly.

The battle raged on, the shouts of battle deafening, and wave after wave of swordsmen and shieldmen took turns fighting, so that ordinary people could not see anything amiss.

To the rebels, the Tang army's lines appeared to be gradually retreating towards the hilltop, as if they were being overwhelmed by the relentless attacks.

Meanwhile, on the steep slope to the north, the thousand rebels had begun to climb.

The slope was steep, with loose rocks and soil rolling down the slope. Many rebel soldiers tried to climb up using both hands and feet, but they slipped and fell halfway down, ending up with bruises and swelling on their faces.

But with so many people, those in front slid down, and those behind followed, and gradually about a hundred people approached the top of the slope.

On the gentle slope of the south lake shore, another group of rebels also reached the edge of the hill.

The Tang infantry on both flanks were already few in number, and having received orders to regroup, they fought and retreated, using only scattered arrows and spears to stab the enemy, rather than holding out to the death.

For a time, a delicate situation emerged on the high ground:

The Tang army's main line was slowly retreating, while the rebels on both flanks were struggling to climb up the hill, constantly approaching the summit.

This scene, witnessed by Shang Rang at the foot of the mountain, immediately invigorated him.

"good!"

Shang Rang slammed his whip heavily on the saddle, a look of urgency on his face.

"The Tang army can't hold on! Their lines are retreating!"

Several military staff officers nearby also showed joy on their faces.

Xu Jian, the former military commander, stared intently for a moment before cautiously saying:

"Grand Commandant, the Tang army's retreat was quite organized; it didn't seem like a rout..."

"Of course!"

Shang Rang waved his hand dismissively.

"Zheng Tian's Fengxiang troops, though not as formidable as our old camp, are not a rabble either. How could they crumble at the first encounter? But ultimately, their forces are outnumbered, and we have breached their flanks. They are attacked from both sides. What else can they do but retreat? No matter how good their formation, defeat is inevitable!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see Zheng Tian's banner being cut down and the Tang army collapsing completely.

Just then, another wave of attacks by the rebels at the front line retreated.

These soldiers had charged three times in a row, and each time they were driven back, suffering heavy casualties and their morale was severely depleted.

The soldiers who retreated were all covered in dust and dirt, many of them were injured, and they sat on the ground dejectedly, refusing to go back up no matter how much the brigade commander and squad leader scolded them.

Seeing this, Shang Rang snorted coldly and said:

"These useless cowards, they've only been fighting for a quarter of an hour and they're already like this. Order: withdraw the front lines and replace them with the main force."

Upon hearing the words "Old Camp," the expressions of the officers and soldiers beside him all turned serious.

The Old Camp was Huang Chao's most elite and trusted force.

Most of these people were old brothers who followed Huang Chao all the way from Caozhou. They fought for ten years, licking blood from the blade and crawling out of piles of corpses.

Their armor was the best, their weapons the sharpest, their pay the highest, and their treatment the most generous; they were all ruthless soldiers who killed without blinking an eye.

Shang Rang brought 50,000 troops this time, with only 5,000 of them being stationed in his old camp. These 5,000 men were Shang Rang's lifeline, and he was reluctant to use them unless it was a critical moment.

"Grand Commandant,"

Liu Hong said in a low voice,

"The old camp is our foundation, and we're deploying there so early..."

"Early what?"

Shang Rang interrupted him, his gaze fixed on the two large banners on the hill, his eyes filled with urgency.

"Zheng Tian is right before our eyes, within easy reach! If we don't seize him now, it will be much harder to take him once the Tang reinforcements arrive. Old camp, ignore the flanks, charge straight at the front! Break through that last line of defense of the Tang army and capture Zheng Tian alive!"

By the end, his voice was almost a roar, and the officers around him were so intimidated by his imposing manner that no one dared to utter another word.

Upon receiving the order, the exhausted rebel soldiers at the front lines were granted a pardon and retreated, dragging their weapons along.

Instead, there were squads of heavily armored, taciturn veteran soldiers.

These people didn't shout or yell; they simply checked their weapons, tightened their wrist guards, and then formed a dense charging formation, like a silent iron wall, slowly pressing up the hill.

On the hilltop, Li Cenji saw that the rebel army's vanguard had been replaced by a different kind of force. The soldiers were neatly armored and moved with steady steps, a stark contrast to the previous waves of rebel attacks.

He felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that Shang Rang had finally pulled out all the stops.

"General, Shang Rang has sent his elite troops up the front."

-----------------

When the old camp came out to battle, their momentum was completely different from the previous waves of defeated soldiers.

These five thousand fierce soldiers were divided into three parts: one thousand on each of the left and right flanks and three thousand in the center. They silently advanced toward the high ground without shouting or making a sound.

Only the heavy, thunderous footsteps, accompanied by the drums and bugles of the rebel army behind them, struck their hearts again and again.

The footsteps were heavy, as if it weren't people walking, but a mountain slowly rolling forward.

The first man was a burly fellow, easily over eight feet tall, with broad shoulders, a thick waist, and arms as thick as small tree stumps.

This man was Shi Meng, the military commander in Shang Rang's old camp. He was originally a butcher from Caozhou. He was born with immense strength and had once stopped a galloping horse at the Caozhou market. He was also skilled in boxing and martial arts.

He followed Huang Chao for ten years, fighting his way from Caozhou to Guangzhou, and then back to the Central Plains. At least dozens of Tang generals and officers died under his pair of golden maces.

Whenever Huang Chao faced a tough battle, he would always send Shi Meng as the vanguard, which he called the "Battle Hammer".

Now, Shi Meng is facing the enemy, wearing three layers of heavy armor.

The innermost layer was fine-scaled iron armor, the middle layer was lamellar armor, and the outermost layer was a thick, bright armor. He wore an iron helmet on his head, with cheek guards that covered his chin, leaving only his eyes and nose exposed.

Three layers of armor were stacked together, wrapping him up like an iron tower, with only a pair of copper bell-like eyes and two large, fan-like hands visible outside the armor.

Ordinary soldiers would find their steps heavy even with just two layers of armor, but Shi Meng, wearing three layers, walked with the same brisk strides as an ordinary person, and even carried a pair of golden maces in his hands.

The golden melon hammer head was no bigger than a fist, made entirely of refined iron, and the handle was about three feet long. In his hands, it was like a light wooden stick.

But those who know their stuff understand that such blunt weapons are specifically designed to break through iron armor; a slight touch will leave a dent, and a direct hit will shatter bones and mince flesh.

"Release the arrows!"

At the top of the hill, "Swift Thunder General" gave an order, and another wave of arrows rained down down the mountain.

Arrows whistled through the ranks of the old camp, clanging and clattering as the arrowheads struck the shields, sparks flying.

The leader, Shi Meng, wielded two hammers but didn't even bother to dodge. He simply lowered his head and pressed his helmet down, and several arrows struck his shoulder and chest, failing to penetrate even the outermost layer of his luminous armor before bouncing weakly to the ground.

Despite enduring three waves of arrows, the rebels' formation remained intact, and they continued their steady advance, holding up their large shields.

Upon reaching fifty paces, he shouted, "Follow me—slay the general and seize the flag!"

Shi Meng suddenly roared.

The sound was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, making people's ears ring.

The veteran soldiers behind him almost simultaneously pulled their large shields to the side and let out a deafening roar.

The shouts of two or three thousand people completely drowned out all the other noises on the battlefield.

The next instant, Shi stomped his foot hard, and his whole body slammed forward like a cannonball fired from a gun.

The veteran soldiers also launched their charge at the same time, and the entire line surged toward the high ground like a flood bursting its banks.

"Stay calm! Stay calm—"

Chen An roared fiercely at the front of the battle, but his voice was drowned out by the deafening battle cries.

Shi Meng charged ahead and reached the Tang army's shield wall in just a few steps.

Seeing his fierce attack, the first few Tang soldiers with swords and shields shouted in unison and simultaneously thrust their three shields at him. Several spears from the rear row pierced out from the gaps in the shields, aiming straight for his vital organs, chest and abdomen.

Shi Meng simply lowered his body, stretched out his left arm, and while avoiding most of the spearheads, he forcefully parried the remaining two spears with his arm guard.

The spear tip grazed his three layers of heavy armor, making two crisp "clanging" sounds, but stopped after piercing the outermost layer of luminous armor.

He swung his right hand, wielding the golden mace, and smashed it down on the shield in front of him.

"boom--"

The thick wooden shield covered with iron shattered into pieces like paper under this hammer blow.

The soldier behind the shield was struck squarely in the face by the relentless golden mace, falling to the ground along with his armor, coughing up blood and knocking over several of his comrades behind him. It was clear he was doomed.

Shi Meng, having gained the upper hand, pressed his advantage relentlessly, charging left and right as if entering an empty field.

Although the golden mace in his hand was small, it was more terrifying than any spear or halberd in his hands.

With one blow, the wooden shield shattered; with another, the iron helmet caved in; and with yet another, human bones were crushed.

No Tang soldier could withstand a single blow from his hammer without falling.

Taking advantage of the situation, the veteran soldiers behind him surged in, brandishing their swords and spears, and swarmed in through the breach.