xymnovel Chapter 58 The Eastern Barbarian Camp: The Arrogant Force
Chapter 58 The Eastern Barbarian Camp: The Arrogant Force
Qin Lin quickly spurred his horse back, reined it in beside Tian Heng, and calmly reported to his superior:
"Your Highness, the formation is basically in place, and all the generals are familiar with the tactics. They do not seek to advance rashly, but rather to remain as stable as Mount Tai."
However… the vanguard of the Eastern Barbarians is known for its ferocity and ruthlessness; their first wave of attack will undoubtedly be ferocious. I have already strictly ordered all units to withstand these initial three blows.”
Tian Heng nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the opposite bank:
"General Qin's concerns are quite valid. However, being fierce and desperate is a common problem among a mob."
A reckless charge lacking discipline and coordination is nothing but suicide in the face of the well-organized formations and powerful bows and crossbows of my Great Xia army.
"As long as we withstand the initial pressure, their momentum will naturally weaken, and then it will be time for my Dragon Riders to unleash their power."
Just then, Yuchi Wei's personal guards rushed over from behind the high ground to report:
The Dragon Riders are all concealed and ready, and scout posts have been set up on the high ground, providing a clear view of the entire ferry crossing and parts of the north bank. Everything is in place.
Upon hearing this, Tian Heng felt much more at ease. He looked up at the sky; the rising sun had fully risen above the horizon, casting its warm yet chilling light across the battlefield.
Time ticked by, second by second, waiting for that moment to arrive.
About an hour later, a scout galloped back from the north bank like a whirlwind, his hooves crushing the riverbed stones and splashing mud and water.
The scout dismounted, knelt on one knee, his voice slightly hoarse from excitement and exhaustion, yet crystal clear:
"Report! Your Highness! The vanguard of the Eastern Barbarian army has arrived at the ferry crossing on the north bank! They are cutting down trees, urgently building a pontoon bridge, and searching for ferries!"
Their main camp stretched as far as the eye could see, a cacophony of dust and the deafening neighing of horses and men! It seemed that their vanguard would begin crossing the river by noon at the latest!
A cold glint flashed in Tian Heng's eyes, like a drawn sword. He took a deep breath and gave a command in a deep voice, his voice echoing across the front lines:
"Give the order to the entire army! Stand ready! Bows drawn, swords unsheathed! No one is to leave their position without my command! When the Eastern barbarian troops are halfway across the river, attack them. Attack on my signal cannon, and strike them head-on!"
"Yes, sir!" the messenger shouted in response, spurring his horse along the battle line to deliver the highest order.
In an instant, the atmosphere on the entire Xia army's position became extremely tense, with only heavy breathing, the occasional soft sounds of armor and weapons, and the ever-flowing roar of the Onon River.
The camera shifts to the north bank, to the camp of the 300,000-strong allied army of the Eastern Barbarians.
The camp stretched out along the riverbank for dozens of miles, with tents clustered together like mushrooms growing wildly after the rain, in a chaotic and disorganized manner.
On the tents made of various animal hides and felt, flags representing different tribes were planted: ferocious wolf heads, soaring eagles, roaring bears, coiled venomous snakes... fluttering in the dry north wind, wantonly displaying the savagery and fierceness of the grassland tribes.
The outer fence of the camp was rough, and the barricades were sparse, serving more as a symbolic enclosure of land, which contrasted sharply with the well-organized camp of the Xia army on the south bank.
The air was thick with the pungent smells of animal dung, burning cow dung, charred meat, and a cacophony of body odors, filled with shouts and neighing horses.
The atmosphere was relatively relaxed inside the tallest central tent, covered with white lambskin and black yak felt.
Thick bear and wolf skins were laid on the ground, and a huge copper basin in the center was burning brightly with charcoal, dispelling the chill outside the tent and casting long shadows inside, with smoke and the smell of wine filling the air.
Helan Cangfeng, the commander-in-chief of the Dongyi Allied Forces, wore a finely crafted gilded chainmail adorned with golden wolf heads and gemstones, over which was a flawless, rare snow fox fur coat, exuding both elegance and the sharpness of a warrior.
He leaned back on the commander's seat, which was covered with a complete white tiger skin, and toyed with a silver wine pot inlaid with turquoise in one hand.
With his other hand, he unconsciously tapped the rough sheepskin map on the low table in front of him, his gaze lazily sweeping over the tribal chiefs and generals gathered in the tent.
His face carried a smug arrogance.
This is understandable, as it was he who orchestrated and successfully ambushed Su Han, the governor of Youzhou of the Great Xia Dynasty, and the famous general Huangfu Tianyang, who had dominated the northern frontier for decades, resulting in the near annihilation of the main force of the Youzhou border army.
Such illustrious military achievements were enough to bring his prestige in Dongyi to its peak, and also filled him with contempt for the attack that was about to cross the river.
"Gentlemen," Helan Cangfeng said, taking a sip of the spicy milk wine. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
"The kites we sent out have returned."
The Xia people to the south have already deployed their forces on the opposite bank of the Onon River, seemingly intending to use the river to stop our horses.
A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips. "You've got quite the courage."
A buzzing sound, mixed with sneers and disdainful discussions, immediately filled the tent.
These tribal chiefs were mostly burly, with rugged faces, wearing all sorts of clothes, adorned with bone and tooth ornaments, and exuding a strong, fishy smell.
They had just experienced a great victory and were at the height of their arrogance.
Bayan, the leader of the Ula tribe, a burly man with a full beard, spoke first in a rough voice, which caused the dust on the tent ceiling to fall in a rustling sound:
"Marshal! Forget about formations! Just tell me, who's leading the troops on the other side of the river? If it's someone like Su Han or Huangfu Tianyang, I, Bayan, would respect them a bit, but unfortunately, they've all become my victims!"
"If it were just some Tom, Dick, or Harry, the warriors of our Ula tribe could stretch their muscles and chop off some heads to use as drinking vessels!"
Upon hearing this, many leaders in the tent burst into laughter, echoing his sentiments. Their words were filled with disdain for the Xia army and a desire to acquire more spoils of war.
Helan Cangfeng raised his hand and gently pressed it down, and the tent quickly fell silent. He put down the wine pot and said slowly and deliberately:
"Chief Bayan is commendable for his bravery. However, according to reports from our spies in the south, the Xia army commander who is currently defending the opposite bank of the river has been replaced."
He's the third son of the Great Xia Emperor, what's his name... Tian Heng? A little baby who hasn't even grown all his hair yet, supposedly only fifteen years old this year.
He paused, his sarcasm deepening.
"As for that somewhat famous old fellow Wang Kong, he's still cleaning up the mess behind the scenes, reorganizing those terrified county soldiers, and hasn't even gone to the front lines yet."
On the other side of the river, besides the ten thousand or so men the prince brought, the rest are just the garrison troops at Beique Pass that we decimated.
"Tian Heng?" Bayan was taken aback at first, his leopard-like eyes widening, then he let out a thick sneer from his nose, wiped his wine-stained beard haphazardly with his large, fan-like hand, and spat a thick wad of phlegm near the campfire in the tent, his disdain overflowing:
"Which grassland did this brat come from? I've been chopping heads on the grasslands for thirty years and I've never heard of such a bird! A mere infant with not even all its milk teeth yet dares to block the path of my 300,000 Dongyi wolf cavalry with a fire poker?"
He suddenly raised his voice, spittle flying everywhere, "Back then, Su Han and Huangfu Tianyang, their names were quite famous, right? But under our Dongyi swords, they still became headless ghosts!"
"What can a mere child like him do against us? He'd probably wet his pants at the sight of blood, wouldn't he? Hahaha!"
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