If I made you cannon fodder, how did you manage to achieve your goal of conquering the wolf's l

In the early spring breeze, the frozen soil in the north gradually awakens, melting the surface frost and revealing vast expanses of dark brown wilderness.

Two thousand fully armed Black Wolf cavalrymen are advancing south along a wide dirt road.

The horses' hooves pounded the still-wet mud, and the rhythmic marching echoed across the open field like a continuous rumble of thunder.

At the very front of the procession, Ashina, the leader of the Black Wolf tribe, rode a magnificent black horse.

He was covered in thick, cold-forged scale armor, his face expressionless, like a piece of hard iron that had been weathered and hammered.

During his last southward campaign, the empty city of Blackstone Fortress and the poisoned well cost him hundreds of men and humiliated him among the various steppe tribes. This shame must be washed away with blood.

This time, he did not underestimate his enemy, nor did he bring those ordinary herders who would only follow behind to gather hay.

These two thousand men were the core elite soldiers of the Black Wolf tribe, each equipped with fine leather armor, iron helmets, sharp scimitars, and strong bows.

The wagons accompanying the army carried enough dried meat and provisions to feed the entire army for half a month.

Wherever the army passed, flocks of birds took flight. This massive force, capable of conquering any prefecture or state in the Great Qian Dynasty, was now only there to crush a single border garrison.

……

Inside Blackrock Fortress, the war drums had ceased, replaced by a chilling solemnity before the storm.

In the center of the inner fort's main hall, there was a huge solid wood wooden table with a detailed map of the border terrain laid out on it.

Xu Qingshan stood in front of the table, surrounded by Xiao Hongluan, Zhou Laoqi, Tie Niu, Liu Ruyan, Bai Zhi, and others.

"The scouts have sent back definitive news." Liu Ruyan pointed to a red line on the map, "Ashina's two thousand cavalrymen marched very steadily, without any rash advances. They brought ample supplies, clearly intending to encircle us within Black Stone Fortress and advance cautiously."

Looking at the red markers on the map, Zhou Laoqi frowned deeply: "Our infantry and cavalry combined only amount to a little over a hundred men. Two thousand against one hundred, that's twenty times the strength. If they really surround Blackstone Fortress completely, we won't even be able to get a single bird out."

Xiao Hongluan nodded in agreement: "Although the city defenses have been repaired and there are still three ballistae in place, Black Stone Fortress is surrounded by enemies on all sides. If two thousand cavalrymen are divided into four groups and scale the city from all four sides simultaneously without regard for casualties, our forces simply cannot defend against them. Once they reach the top of the city and we are engaged in hand-to-hand combat, we will surely be defeated."

The atmosphere in the lobby was somber and somber.

The vast gap in strength cannot be bridged by one or two powerful weapons.

Xu Qingshan's gaze was deep as he slowly moved his finger across the topographical map on the table, finally stopping at a location five miles north of Black Stone Fortress.

"Since we can't hold out in this isolated city, let's move the battlefield outside." Xu Qingshan pressed his finger slightly against the place name.

Luoyan Valley.

Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing.

Aman stepped forward and explained the terrain: "Luoyan Valley is a long and narrow valley. The entrance is wide, but if you go in for less than half a mile, the terrain narrows sharply. At its narrowest point, it can only accommodate a dozen or so riders passing side by side. The sides of the valley are all steep rock walls, which warhorses simply cannot climb."

Xu Qingshan took over the conversation, his voice steady and powerful: "Two thousand cavalrymen spread out across the desert, an unstoppable torrent. But if they enter Luoyan Valley, their numerical advantage will be completely neutralized by the narrow terrain. In the valley, they cannot deploy their charging formations, while we can concentrate our firepower and strike their vanguard hard."

"Ambush at Luoyan Valley?" Xiao Hongluan's eyes lit up, but she immediately raised a question, "But three ballistae have already been placed on the city wall. Without such heavy weapons, it will be difficult to block the enemy's heavily armored cavalry from breaking through with just repeating short crossbows."

"Then dismantle the ballista and move it to the rock wall in Luoyan Valley," Xu Qingshan said, looking at Bai Zhi.

Bai Zhi did not refuse and immediately replied, "Ballads are modular, and the base and bow arm can be separated. As long as there are enough pulleys and ropes, I can have people transport them all to the high ground of Luoyan Valley within half a day and reassemble and calibrate them."

"Alright." Xu Qingshan decisively issued the military order.

"Hongluan, take the infantry battalion and immediately head out of the city to Luoyan Valley. Dig a dead-end road for me at the valley entrance and the narrowest point inside the valley. Remove all the iron caltrops and wooden barricades outside the city and transport them into the valley to redeploy them."

"Bai Zhi, you and the blacksmiths are in charge of moving the ballistae. I want these three powerful weapons to be suspended at the highest points on both sides of Luoyan Valley, overlooking the entire valley."

With each order issued, Blackrock Fortress, this sophisticated war machine, once again began operating at full speed.

As dusk approached, torches illuminated the fortress.

The heavy wooden parts were disassembled one by one and loaded onto the carriage.

Fifty infantrymen, carrying shovels and ropes, marched rapidly under the cover of night, heading straight for Luoyan Valley, five miles away.

Upon reaching the valley, the soldiers did not rest for a moment and immediately threw themselves into the intense earthwork.

In the throat area of ​​Luoyan Valley, a wide trench, half a person deep, has been dug out, with densely packed sharpened hardwoods stuck upside down at the bottom.

Behind the trench were rows of chevaux-de-frise made of thick logs. These chevaux-de-frise were connected to each other and their bottoms were weighed down with heavy stones, forming an indestructible wooden wall.

The rock walls on both sides were steep and difficult to traverse, so Bai Zhi led the craftsmen to build a simple pulley system using freshly cut trees.

Amidst the shouts of dozens of men, the heavy ballista base and the thick bow arm were slowly hoisted up the mountainside, dozens of feet high.

The cold wind whipped at everyone's faces, and sweat dripped down, freezing into ice before it even hit the ground. But no one complained; everyone was racing against time.

As dawn broke, the transformation of Luoyan Valley was finally completed.

The once peaceful valley has now become a deadly trap with its jaws wide open.

Three reassembled ballistae lay quietly hidden behind the bushes on the high ground on both sides, their heavy steel bolts already loaded, the cold arrowheads pointing straight at the only path to the bottom of the valley.

Xu Qingshan rode his warhorse and stood on the gentle slope at the mouth of the valley, surveying the battlefield that was about to become a meat grinder.

Everything is ready except for the prey.

"Hou San," Xu Qingshan called out.

"Here!" Hou San spurred his horse out of the ranks, his eyes gleaming with a warlike light.

"Take fifteen of your best riders, lightly armed, and head north to meet Ashina's vanguard," Xu Qingshan instructed. "Remember, your mission is not to kill the enemy. Once you see the barbarian formation, fire a few volleys of arrows, hurl some insults, and then retreat immediately."

"If they chase, you run. If they stop, you continue to harass them. In short, you must provoke the anger of their vanguard and lead them by the nose into this Luoyan Valley."

Hou San grinned and patted the repeating crossbow hanging beside the saddle: "Centurion, don't worry. I'm an expert at stirring up trouble. I guarantee those barbarians will be so angry they'll want to devour us alive."

After saying this, Hou San waved his hand, and fifteen light cavalrymen shot out of Luoyan Valley like arrows, galloping northward.

Three poles in the sun.

The Black Wolf tribe's two thousand-strong army had advanced to within fifteen miles of Blackstone Fortress.

The vanguard, consisting of about three hundred cavalry, was advancing in a defensive formation to scout ahead.

Suddenly, a dozen or so Daqian cavalrymen sprang out from behind the mound in front of them.

Without raising any flags, they faced a vanguard of three hundred men, and instead of fleeing, they brazenly stopped a few hundred paces away.

Hou San took the lead, took a short crossbow from his horse, and pulled the trigger at the barbarian vanguard.

Due to the great distance, the steel short arrows lost their penetrating power by the time they reached the barbarian lines, falling limply into the snow.

Hou San didn't care. He raised his voice and started shouting and cursing at the front in the half-baked barbarian language he had learned from Aman.

The insults were vulgar and offensive, and were all insults to the Black Wolf tribe's totem and its leader's ancestors.

The dozen or so veterans who followed him out did the same, not only joining in the commotion, but some even unbuckled their belts and urinated in the direction of the barbarian army.

The commander of the barbarian vanguard was already furious. Seeing that a dozen or so Great Qian soldiers dared to be so presumptuous in front of him, he felt greatly provoked.

"Charge! Chop up these stupid idiots who don't know their own mortality!"

With a roar from the vanguard general, the three hundred cavalrymen spurred their horses forward, charging like a herd of mad boars toward Hou San and his men.

Seeing that the enemy had taken the bait, Hou San deftly put away his bow and crossbow and pulled on the reins.

"withdraw!"

The fifteen fast horses immediately turned around and galloped south towards Luoyan Valley.

A thrilling chase ensues on the vast desert.

The barbarian vanguard relentlessly pursued Hou San, the distance between them sometimes closing and sometimes widening during the chase.

Whenever the barbarian soldiers tried to slow down, Hou San would have his men turn around and fire a few stray arrows, precisely provoking the enemy's nerves.

Unbeknownst to them, the terrain ahead began to change.

The open plain gradually shrinks, and the mountain cliffs on both sides rise abruptly from the ground.

The gaping maw of the giant beast, resembling the open mouth of a wild goose valley, had already come into view of the barbarian vanguard.

Driven by a thirst for revenge, the barbarian soldiers were oblivious to the unusual terrain and, with bloodshot eyes, charged headlong into this deadly place.