xymnovel Chapter 25 Awe-inspiring Prestige in Youzhou
Chapter 25 Awe-inspiring Prestige in Youzhou
After arranging the armor, Jian Yong continued to unfold the bamboo slips in his hand and quickly reviewed the other contents.
"My lord, in addition to armor and helmets, we also seized more than two hundred horses from the Yellow Turban army. It is clear that all the horses belonging to the various departments and stables in the prefecture have been captured by the Yellow Turban rebels."
"Among them, there were more than one hundred top-quality horses with a shoulder height of five feet nine inches or more, strong teeth and a healthy body, capable of carrying knights into battle. The rest could also be used to transport grain."
"These draft horses are becoming increasingly important and should not be underestimated."
Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, Jian Yong closed the bamboo slips, chuckled, cupped his hands to Liu Bei, and said with a smile, "I congratulate you, my lord. Your family wealth has now far surpassed that of my cousin."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei couldn't help but shake his head. Jian Yong's mouth was truly unforgiving. With his unrestrained personality, he dared to joke with anyone and say anything.
He was clearly mocking the contemporary claim that he possessed the qualities of Emperor Gaozu.
When Emperor Gaozu first built Weiyang Palace, he held a banquet in the front hall and presented a jade cup to the retired emperor, saying, "In the past, Your Excellency always thought that I was a good-for-nothing and incapable of managing property, unlike Zhongli. Now, how much have I accomplished compared to Zhongli?" The officials in the hall all shouted "Long live the Emperor!" and laughed heartily.
No one else would dare to make such a wild analogy.
However, the people in the tent were already used to his unrestrained and outspoken manner, so they all burst into laughter.
Guan Yu stroked his beard and asked, "Just how much wealth does Xianhe possess to make him so reckless and dissolute?"
Jian Yong laughed and said, "How much wealth? It would take at least 500 carts to carry it all!"
"We captured more than 20000 pieces of military equipment from the Yellow Turban camp, including more than 5000 long weapons such as spears, halberds, and daggers, which can equip 2000 soldiers with new weapons. There are also reserves, which have been replenished after a hard battle."
"In addition, there are more than 4,000 short weapons such as knives, swords, halberds, and axes. There are also tens of thousands of miscellaneous weapons such as saws, chisels, shovels, and hammers."
"The army possesses numerous powerful weapons, such as over a hundred crossbows with extended arms and eighty crossbows with extended legs. These are all military equipment, with a power of three stones and the ability to shoot one hundred and twenty paces."
"The cavalry had over three hundred horn bows, each with a draw weight between one and a half to two shi (a unit of dry measure). They also had over thirty thousand crossbow bolts and bow bolts in total."
"Besides weapons, the provisions and supplies were piled up like mountains, with millet, wheat, and beans alone totaling about 20,000 shi (a unit of dry measure). There were also various gold, silver, cloth, military tents, weapons, and rare antiques, too numerous to count!"
Even though Liu Bei was known for his composure and ability to keep his emotions hidden, he was quite encouraged upon hearing this. With these supplies and equipment, his rebel army would surely be well-equipped and have high morale.
He immediately ordered: "Reorganize the troops at once, distribute military supplies and weapons to the soldiers, reward the troops for the night, and tomorrow we will advance on Ji County and wipe out the remaining enemy forces!"
The advantage of having a rich and capable team was that Liu Bei only needed to give an order, and each general and strategist would be able to transform that order into combat power.
Both Qian Zhao and Jian Yong were quite capable. They quickly distributed spears and leather armor, and the entire army soon had a new look and a neat and orderly appearance. Thousands of soldiers held neat halberds and spears and lined up in formation like a forest.
Tian Yu quickly reorganized the archers, selecting skilled archers from the entire army and equipping them with powerful crossbows.
With two hundred skilled crossbowmen, each wielding a crossbow with a range exceeding one hundred paces, Liu Bei's army finally began to form an archery formation.
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who had returned, each selected a magnificent warhorse and adorned it with horse armor.
This item is especially suitable for Zhang Fei, who always leads the charge in every battle, and this heavy armor is just right for him.
Then Guan Yu distributed three hundred suits of iron armor to the knights in the army, reorganized them into elite iron cavalry, and handed them over to Zhang Fei for command.
He himself selected brave and strong men from the army, especially those from Yuyang and Shanggu who were skilled in riding and archery and were brave and good at fighting, and organized them into the Jingse Army.
Their selection process was extremely rigorous; even the Wuhuan people in the army, who were born archers of the Hu tribe, found it very difficult to pass.
From nearly 2000 generous and heroic men from Yan and Zhao and thousands of Yellow Turban prisoners, he selected only 18 brave warriors.
However, once selected for the Jingse Army, their food and provisions are three times that of ordinary soldiers!
The benefits they received were so generous that even heroes would be envious!
Even the most ordinary soldier in the Jingse Army received a monthly salary of 900 coins, plus three bushels of millet, one dou of salt, one dou of soy sauce, five jin of dried meat and fermented meat, and two jars of wine.
Regarding clothing, each soldier was given four crimson battle robes, two thick and two thin, to prepare for both hot and cold weather. In addition, they were given six bolts of silk and three bolts of brocade each year. For spring and summer campaigns, they were given an additional battle shirt, a pair of battle trousers, a set of travel clothes, and three pairs of hemp shoes. If they were to go on campaigns in winter, they would be given additional warm clothing such as cotton-padded jackets, felt hats, and gloves.
In addition to such supplies, their equipment was also extremely robust and sophisticated.
Each soldier wore a leather inner armor and a double-layered outer armor, making them impervious to arrows, swords, and spears.
Each soldier was also equipped with a spear, a ring-pommel sword, two bows, and two quivers of arrows.
Every time they went into battle, their bows, arrows, and armor gleamed brightly.
To accommodate so much sophisticated equipment, each soldier was also equipped with two horses for battle and rapid advances, allowing them to take turns resting and maintaining their strength and endurance. In addition, they were provided with one medium-sized horse for daily riding, carrying armor, weapons, and personal provisions.
In this way, the Jingse Army could each have three horses and advance at the first opportunity, charging into battle with unstoppable momentum; when retreating, they could move swiftly like wind and rain, covering a thousand miles in three days.
Liu Bei also imposed extremely strict requirements on their military discipline, stipulating that in the prefectures and cities they passed through, apart from normal supplies, they must not commit any offenses and the streets and alleys must no longer be noisy.
Without a doubt, Liu Bei was imitating the Han army by implementing a system of recruiting soldiers.
They spent a lot of money to build this elite force, and the soldiers were all selected from brave and fierce warriors who were willing to die in battle.
The mere dozen or so soldiers of Jingse and three hundred elite cavalry could cost wealthy merchants enough gold, silk, and provisions to bankrupt them.
However, the benefits it brings are also extremely satisfying.
Guan Yu completed the initial selection and training in just three days, and by the time the army arrived in Ji County, its combat power was already awe-inspiring.
It was April, and summer had arrived in Youzhou. Under the scorching sun, Guan Yu led three hundred elite cavalry in a swift pursuit, and soon caught up with the fleeing Yellow Turbans in Ji County.
The Yellow Turban rebels regrouped here, numbering over ten thousand. However, the rebels had lost all their previous arrogance. The bandits were terrified when they saw the Han army's iron cavalry arrayed in the fields, their banners and armor shining brightly.
Especially the routed soldiers, who had witnessed the Han army's charge and unstoppable advance, were filled with fear.
Some couldn't help but whisper among themselves, "This is terrible! Even with our armor, we were no match for them before. Now, the Han cavalry's armor gleams in the sun; how can we possibly withstand them?"
"How strange! Why were we not so magnificent when we had armor?"
"Indeed. Previously, even when strongmen wore armor, they didn't seem particularly impressive; in fact, they appeared rather disheveled. How could they compare to a single, imposing army formation, so majestic and awe-inspiring?"
"The Han traitors are so powerful, how can we possibly resist them?"
While the bandits were in a state of panic, Liu Bei had already arrived with two thousand elite infantry and cavalry.
The Han army was impeccably disciplined, their square formations imposing, with soldiers lined up at intervals, stretching for over five miles, and countless crimson flags fluttering in the wind, creating an extremely majestic sight. It could be described as black armor gleaming in the sun, crimson flags painting the sky crimson.
Liu Bei rode his horse to a high earthen mound, overlooking the battlefield and gaining a clear view of the enemy's and his own forces' positions.
Although the Yellow Turbans numbered in the tens of thousands, their ranks were disorganized, and the crowds were dense and noisy. In terms of formation and depth, they were inferior to the two thousand infantry and cavalry of the Han army!
Clad in full armor and armed with weapons, Tian Yu stood beside Liu Bei, his spirit resolute and excited, and said, "My lord, this is the perfect time for us to rise up in righteousness and martial prowess! We can defeat them in one battle!"
Liu Bei nodded slightly. This battle was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of his troops' reorganization!
Without any schemes or tricks, relying solely on a dignified formation and upright banners, we are determined to crush the enemy in one strike!
He drew his sword from his waist, pointed it at the enemy, and resolutely ordered: "All troops, heed my command—beat the drums! Advance!"
"Thump! Thump! Thump—!!"
"Thump! Thump! Thump—!!"
The army's large cowhide drum was struck with a mallet by a bare-chested strongman, and the heavy drumbeat resounded, inspiring and uplifting the spirits.
Immediately, the command flag was waved, and the vanguard soldiers marched in formation, their steps thundering like thunder, their spears flashing like a forest. The entire army, like an impregnable fortress, slowly pressed towards the enemy.
The Sima Fa states: "In action, be sparse; in battle, be dense."
Now was the moment to engage in battle. The formation needed to be dense to enhance the momentum. The Han army's steps and drumbeats were in sync, making a rumbling sound as if the earth itself was trembling.
Soon the two armies approached each other, and two hundred skilled crossbowmen took up positions at the front of the formation, holding arm-drawn crossbows and foot-drawn crossbows, arranged in two horizontal lines.
Tian Yu stood on his horse beside the crossbowmen, his hand on his sword, overseeing the battle.
"First column—advance!"
At Tian Yu's command, the first row of crossbowmen stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and aimed their crossbows.
"put!"
With a powerful burst of arrows, a dense barrage of arrows shot through the air and immediately disappeared into the Yellow Turban formation.
A scream suddenly rang out.
The Yellow Turban soldiers, huddled together at the front, had nowhere to dodge. The crossbow bolts were powerful, piercing through their bodies, some through the chest, some through the abdomen, and some into the thighs. In an instant, more than ten men fell to the ground, howling and rolling in agony.
This group of crossbowmen was, after all, a newly formed operation, having only trained for a few days, and their accuracy was still lacking.
However, the greatest advantage of the crossbow is that it is easy to train and can be quickly deployed. It also has a sight for aiming, so as long as you aim roughly, you can cover a large area and always cause some damage.
This was also the Yellow Turban Army's greatest weakness. They had no formations or ranks and relied entirely on their large numbers to create an imposing presence. They were practically the perfect practice targets for this newly created archer force.
The Han army could fire at will, while the Yellow Turbans found it difficult to retaliate. Almost no Yellow Turban archers dared to step out and exchange fire with the Han army.
Hidden among the dense crowd, they could only unleash stray arrows during the battle, unable to form a rain of arrows at this time.
Tian Yu naturally wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip by. Although he was young, he already had the demeanor of a great general, calmly controlling the pace of the game.
"Second row, standing posture—advance!"
The crossbowmen immediately obeyed the order. Nearly a hundred crossbows were nocked and bolted by the soldiers as they bent over. The crossbows were now fired with even greater force, and those hit by them were sure to fall.
Instantly, seven or eight more bandits fell to the ground, howling in pain.
Two hundred Han crossbowmen calmly fired ten rounds in front of the formation! More than two thousand crossbow bolts rained down on the Yellow Turban army's ranks.
Although two thousand crossbow bolts are insignificant compared to the nearly ten thousand Yellow Turban soldiers, they still managed to strike the most valiant members of the Yellow Turban army on the front lines.
These people watched helplessly as their comrades beside them either died in the middle or fell with screams, struggling and wailing in pools of blood. Hundreds of them were killed or wounded by crossbow bolts.
How could they not be panicked?
The instinct for survival and the terror of death finally shattered their faith in the Yellow Heaven. Over a hundred Yellow Turban warriors lost their courage and turned to flee.
The collapse of morale among these bravest and most courageous soldiers immediately caused chaos.
Liu Bei decisively seized the opportunity and ordered, "Crossbowmen, retreat! All troops, advance!"
The command flag was waved rapidly.
The crossbowmen put away their crossbows and quickly retreated to the rear through the passage left in front of the formation.
At the same time, the eager soldiers roared and charged forward with their spears.
"The Han army is mighty!"
"Victory!"
"kill!"
More than two thousand people roared desperately, their voices echoing across the fields.
The Han army's formation was imposing, with rows of soldiers advancing and soon engaging the enemy in close combat.
The soldiers in the front ranks roared and fought fiercely, spears thrusting and blades flashing, and dozens of moth bandits were pierced through the body, their blood splattering everywhere.
The Yellow Turban rebels were no match for such a fierce attack and collapsed immediately. Their formation quickly became loose and began to disintegrate.
At that very moment, the iron cavalry on both flanks seized the opportunity and launched a fierce attack from the flanks of the Yellow Turbans.
Guan Yu personally led 18 elite cavalrymen from Jingse to be the first to charge into battle. These were the most valiant and elite soldiers in the army; if they were willing to transfer to another unit, they would at least be candidates for platoon leader or centurion.
Now, clad in heavy armor and wielding long spears, they followed Guan Yu to defeat the enemy. Their iron hooves trampled and their spears pierced, leaving only a pile of corpses.
The two sides fought from dawn until midday, with the Han army killing over 800 enemy soldiers. The Yellow Turban army was thus routed and fled in panic.
Liu Bei led his troops in a surprise attack, pursuing the fleeing enemy for over thirty li, capturing more than a thousand people, and in one fell swoop recapturing the prefecture's capital, Ji County.
However, the Yellow Turbans had only captured the prefecture for half a month, killing Guo Xun, the governor of Youzhou, and Liu Wei, the prefect of Guangyang. The prefecture was devastated and its capital was in ruins. Liu Bei knew that staying any longer would be of no use, so he only sent Colonel Zou Jing into the city to appease the people.
He himself led two thousand elite infantry and cavalry north to Changping and Jundu to quell the remaining bandits.
Youzhou was bitterly cold, and its population was much smaller than that of Ji, Qing, Yan, and Yu. The number of rebels could reach over 100,000, while the total number of Yellow Turban followers in Youzhou was only about 60,000 to 70,000.
The main force of the Yellow Turbans in Guangyang numbered only over 30,000. After they captured the prefecture capital in April, the Yellow Turban army began to raid counties and prefectures. Li Damu personally led 20,000 of his main force south, while another 10,000 went north.
Liu Bei passed through the prefecture without entering, fearing that his defeated troops would join forces with the Yellow Turbans in the north. So he led his army swiftly to attack them in the north of the prefecture.
The two sides resumed fighting at Changping. Liu Bei donned armor and spears, leading the charge. As soon as the blades clashed, the enemy forces were routed, and the Han army beheaded more than 500.
In the Battle of Jundu, five thousand bandits gathered their defeated soldiers and fought like cornered beasts. Liu Bei led his cavalry to attack them, and Guan Yu led his troops to charge into the enemy lines. With swift and decisive action, they broke through the enemy's vanguard. Thus, you all took advantage of the victory and inflicted a great defeat on the enemy army!
These remarkable military achievements, with three consecutive victories, not only proved the effectiveness of Liu Bei's military training and recruitment of brave and strong soldiers, but also greatly enhanced his reputation.
The powerful and influential families of the prefectures and counties, as well as the famous scholars and noble clans, all praised his troops upon seeing them.
Zou Jing was particularly notorious for this. Whenever he talked with officials and clerks of the prefecture and county, he would sigh and say, "I have been in the prefecture for several years and have seen many soldiers from various prefectures and kingdoms. But I have never seen a force as disciplined and well-equipped as Liu Bei's."
Moreover, Liu Bei was well-versed in the principle of blending in with the crowd. After winning three battles and decisively crushing the main force of the Yellow Turbans, he resolutely withdrew his troops south and returned to the prefecture. He entrusted the credit for wiping out the remnants of the Yellow Turbans to the Commandant of Yuyang and the Commandant of Shanggu in the north, allowing all the counties to share in his achievements.
As a result, the officials and heroes of various counties praised Liu Bei highly, some praising his magnanimity and generosity, his ability to recognize and treat people well; others praising his brilliant military strategy, which ensured victory in every battle; still others praising his disciplined and orderly organization, which ensured that no one was harmed in the slightest.
As the people began to praise Liu Bei highly, his achievements in Zhuojun were discovered and spread to the north of the prefecture. Throughout the prefecture and county, everyone was amazed. He had led two thousand righteous soldiers and won several battles in a month, beheading over ten thousand. The enemy forces scattered at the mere sight of him, and thus his power shook Youzhou!