Chapter 83 Defeated (1)
Lin Qing couldn’t let her change her mind. He could only let Zhao Zimu go out of the city on a fast horse. However, it was impossible for him to let her enter a dangerous situation alone. There were six sturdy men following closely behind her. These people were Yue Yi, Yue Wu, Yue Liu, Yue Qi, Yue Ba and Yue Jiu.
Only when they protected with all their might at Zhao Zimu’s side would Lin Qing be at ease. Otherwise, he would never had let her go. Lin Qing even wanted to let Zhao Zimu bring the five thousand men he brought from the capital with her. However, that was impossible. Zhao Zimu wouldn’t agree.
Therefore, a few figures adorned in brown brocade uniform appeared beside the group of soldiers dressed in light yellow uniform. Everyone recognized the apparel on them. They knew that they were Jiu Qiansui’s people, so they didn’t mind. The group of people went majestically like this to Li City.
The first troop led by Situ Yuanxiao was a lot faster than Chen Jing’s troop. They were already on the way to Li City. Situ Yuanxiao didn’t have much understanding about the Xiongnu. Therefore, he only sent someone who served him to go ten miles ahead. But such a distance was far from being able to cope with the speed like the wind of the Xiongnu’s troop.
When the group was halfway, something had happened suddenly. When the person who served him became aware of it, it was already too late to notify. Like this, the Xiongnu suddenly appeared in front of Situ Yuanxiao on their horses. Using the sharpness of the cavalry, they cause the frontline of Situ Yuanxiao’s troop to be in chaos. Like mantis that had grown wings, they waved their shiny falchions, directly penetrating the frontline and attacked. In an instant, the lives of thousands of soldiers were reaped.
That they caused such a large casualty wasn’t because the soldiers of Great Liang didn’t resist. It was that the combat power was really not as good as these torrential people on horseback from the grassland.
What were the advantages of the Xiongnu’s cavalry? It was the speed and vigor. Moreover, the shock caused by the speed of their warhorse and their imposing manner would give their enemy a fierce hit. Greatly gaining the advantage in the beginning and weakening the morale of the enemy to the greatest extent. Furthermore, most of Great Liang’s soldiers were infantries. Besides, under the leadership of Situ Yuanxiao, the only cavalry of the troop was guarded in a formation of two wings. With the fierce attack of the Xiongnu and the cavalry of Great Liang unable to meet them in the first moment, that was why the troop led by Situ Yuanxiao suffered such a big loss.
After a period of panic, Situ Yuanxiao finally reorganized the chaotic troop and reinvigorated the morale to prepare for a battle against the Xiongnu. Unexpectedly, the Xiongnu didn’t intend to confront the soldiers of Great Liang at all and immediately retreated after they succeeded. They didn’t miss the battle at all, leaving only the numerous bodies of the solders of Great Liang.
Situ Yuanxiao was trembling from anger. The Xiongnu didn’t give him time at all to prepare the troop for battle. Furthermore, there were only a few cavalries in his troop and the combat power was simply incomparable to those of the Xiongnu who were accustomed with crisscrossing on the grassland. How could he go to battle like this?
Chen Jing’s troop caught up after a long delay. His mouth couldn’t close while looking at the bodies of Great Liang’s soldiers that was all over the place. After learning that Situ Yuanxiao was attacked by the Xiongnu just now, the two of them were speechless. They immediately sent someone on a quick horse to pass the news to Chen Jin.
Because they didn’t know whether the Xiongnu would make another sneak like this, no one dared to act without authorization. Two to three thousand people of the twenty thousand had been cut like this by the Xiongnu. If such a thing happens a few times more, their strength would be exhausted. Yet, the war between them and the Xiongnu was going to be very long. If it continues like this, how should their strategy be in the future?
Seeing the blood and corpses on the ground, the two fell silent. In the end, the soldiers reunited and continued to move forward.
To prevent the mistake of the last time, Situ Yuanxiao and Chen Jing put the cavalry in the front of the troop. However, not long after, with Situ Yuanxiao’s and Chen Jing’s tight watch and disposition of the troop, the army of about forty thousand soldiers met the attack of the Xiongnu’s cavalries again.
However, this time was different from last time. The Xiongnu appeared like a ghost behind Great Liang’s soldiers. Like a hound, they bit another bite from the troop. Despite the timely reaction of Situ Yuanxiao and Chen Jing, but because of the speed, they lost another thousand people. The morale received a hit again. this time, even the superiority brought by Chen Jing’s assisting troop was lost. Everyone was panic-stricken. They didn’t know from where the Xiongnu would appear and bite them.
In the hearts of many soldiers, these Xiongnu were no longer humans. They were wolves. Only wolves could be so savage and crafty and they had become a prey in the eyes of those wolves. This made them unable to not be afraid.
The morale had been lost. This battle could no longer be fought. Situ Yuanxiao and Chen Jing exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but see the frustration and indignation in the other’s eyes.
Zhao Zimu also saw how powerful the Xiongnu were. She finally understood why the war between Great Liang and the Xiongnu had been so difficult for so many years. With just the superiority in speed, the Xiongnu already let Great Liang unable to bear it. They couldn’t even catch up with the other party, how could they fight?
It was no wonder that Great Liang had always been defending in the fights with the Xiongnu for so many years. There were many cities in Great Liang and the soldiers were also good at defending a city. Therefore, the Xiongnu would only choose autumn and winter to go to the south each year, otherwise, if they were really so good, what was there to defend against?
Now, two cities were lost for no apparent reason. Zhao Zimu felt that it should be easy to take back. The Xiongnu had a small population. Even though, they conquered Great Liang’s cities, but what could they rely on to defend them?
The Xiongnu cavalry had a small number of a few hundred people. A bit bigger was a few thousand people. Unless they abandoned the grassland and move their court over, it would be impossible to defend the cities they had captured. Without a few decades of recuperation, they would definitely be unable to gather so many people to guard the cities for them. Therefore, Zhao Zimu guessed that the Xiongnu had no intention to hold onto Li City and Sha City.
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Ohh this unexpectedly had a war story.. fuunnn!!! And in better detail than those other CNs I’ve read… Thanks for the hard work!