xymnovel Chapter 27 Iron Cavalry Charge
Chapter 27 Iron Cavalry Charge
According to his original plan, the troops under the Prince of Laiyang should have set up an ambush in a dangerous place to surround him. At that time, Anxin's rear army could then attack from the flank and take the opportunity to counter-encircle and catch the enemy off guard.
But now, the convoy is stopped in this open field, making an ambush impossible.
There are only two possibilities in this matter.
First, he was incredibly lucky and received a windfall.
Secondly, the army of the Prince of Laiyang is plotting something even more sinister! He must send An Xin ahead to ensure coordination between the two sides and prevent any unforeseen events.
"promise!"
The soldiers responded in unison and quickly loaded the valuables onto the carriage.
"All troops, depart immediately! Do not delay for even a moment!" Wang Guodong roared again, his eyes fixed on the wooden crates, fearing that any delay would lead to unforeseen events.
At this moment, the soldiers hurriedly jumped onto the carriage, whipped the horses, and galloped towards Changyang. The wheels rolled and the horses' hooves pounded. But they had only gone less than two miles from the open field when a sudden change occurred!
The animals pulling the cart and the thousands of warhorses suddenly slowed down, their limbs went weak, and heavy breathing came out of their nostrils. Many of the warhorses even collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth and having diarrhea. No matter how the grooms whipped them, they could not move.
Without warhorses, this cart full of gold and silver treasures could not be transported away in a short time by manpower alone.
Moreover, those thousands of warhorses were the most valuable spoils of war, strategic resources that could replenish the Han family army's cavalry!
Although Wang Guodong was greedy, he was also a trusted confidant of the Han family head. He still had a sense of the big picture and would never disregard the interests of the army and the family head for his own selfish gain.
"What's going on?!" Wang Guodong asked in a mix of shock and anger, his unease amplified instantly.
"General, something's wrong with these horses! They've probably been poisoned! We've been tricked; we should abandon them and retreat immediately!"
At this moment, Deputy General An Wei, his face pale, urgently tried to persuade Wang Guodong, his voice filled with barely concealed fear.
"What utter nonsense! We're not going to give up the prize we've already got!"
Wang Guodong, his eyes bloodshot, roared, "Pass on my orders! Have An Xin slow down the march, maintain high alert, and send scouts to search the surrounding area. Make sure to find any trace of the enemy!"
He couldn't bear to lose his gold and silver treasures, and as for the thousands of warhorses, he was even more unwilling to give them up.
Although the Han family is one of the six great families of Laizhou, it still lacks warhorses. After all, this is a force that can change the course of the war, and it cannot be handed over to others so easily!
At this moment, if Wang Guodong were to climb to a high vantage point and look down, he would see that, centered on his and An Xin's troops, countless cavalry units were closing in from all directions.
Iron hooves trampled the earth, stirring up clouds of dust, shrinking the encirclement ever smaller, like an impenetrable iron wall.
Wang Guodong's judgment was actually correct. If the King of Laiyang's army wanted to sneak into Changyang silently, its forces could not be too large, otherwise its whereabouts would be exposed sooner or later.
But he overlooked one person: Chen Yun.
This is why intelligence is so important.
Chen Yun never intended to hide his tracks. He relied on the iron cavalry of the Cangming Dynasty, whose unparalleled speed was incomparable to that of ordinary armies.
Not long after Wang Guodong led his troops out of the city, Chen Yun's three thousand iron cavalry had already quietly set out, moving swiftly with their mouths gagged, like lurking tigers. By the time Wang Guodong happily swallowed the bait, the iron cavalry were already close at hand, waiting to close the net.
………………
"Report! General Wang, something terrible has happened! General An's troops have been attacked. The enemy cavalry is unstoppable, and our vanguard has been routed!"
Another scout urgently reported that a large cavalry force had appeared on our left flank, advancing in overwhelming numbers! A scout rushed over, his voice filled with despair.
Wang Guodong's face turned ashen. Looking at the warhorses lying limp and whimpering on the ground, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He had finally fallen into the trap carefully laid by the King of Laiyang!
Unfortunately, he realized it too late.
If they didn't make a decisive evacuation at the beginning, now it's too late to leave!
Although his army was also elite, most of them were infantrymen. How could two-legged infantrymen possibly outrun four-legged cavalry?
Once they collapse, they will only become targets for the enemy!
"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of? Immediately form ranks and prepare for battle!"
[Ding-dong, Wang Guodong's skill 'Rally' effect 3 has activated. When personally participating in battle, it will increase the morale of his own forces to a certain extent. The closer the enemy is to him, the stronger the increase.]
Wang Guodong was a seasoned general who remained calm in the face of danger. He knew that fleeing at this moment would only lead to the collapse of morale and leave the army vulnerable to attack.
Therefore, he made a decisive decision and ordered his soldiers to use wagons and supplies to build a simple wagon defense line on the spot, and also ordered archers to board the wagons to prepare for long-range interception.
The King of Laiyang held the title of Laiyang, but in reality, he only controlled Laiyang; the rest of the territory was none of his own.
As long as they can hold the line and buy time, Zhao Qiao of Changyang will definitely lead his troops to reinforce them. The reinforcements will eventually arrive!
"Brothers, kill...!"
Just then, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted, and the torrent of Laiyang cavalry, carrying the force of a thunderbolt, charged in, the sound of their iron hooves shaking the earth!
Although Wang Guodong managed to set up a defensive line with a few broken chariots and scattered barricades, these hastily assembled and crude obstacles were nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot in the face of the overwhelming iron cavalry.
Soon, the iron hooves crushed the wooden stakes of the barricades and smashed through the wreckage of the chariots. The hastily assembled infantrymen had no time to react and were knocked over by the surging iron torrent.
The flashing of swords, the clashing of hooves, the screams of agony, the clash of weapons, and the neighing of warhorses mingled together, echoing across the entire wilderness.
In no time at all, Wang Guodong's troops were routed by the Laiyang army. The soldiers abandoned their armor and weapons, crying and fleeing in all directions, only to be caught up by the galloping iron cavalry and killed one by one.
Blood stained the withered grass, and severed limbs were scattered everywhere. As far as the eye could see, it was a scene of utter carnage.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
A sudden, sharp clang of metal clashing rang out from the Laiyang cavalry formation, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly drowning out the noise of the battlefield.
Wang Guodong's heart skipped a beat, and his grip on the spear tightened involuntarily. Looking up, he saw a rider suddenly charge out from among the rows of iron cavalry clad in black iron armor and exuding a murderous aura.
Seated on horseback is a young man, wearing a bright silver chainmail and a silver-white cloak. In his hand is a bright silver spear with a chilling gleam, the tip of which reflects the pale sunlight, making one's eyes sting.