Chapter 38: Dragged into the Deep End

"Position the archers in front and the soldiers without bows in the rear. Advance along the hillside to provide support!"

Xue Chengqian had spotted a flaw in the Northern Barbarians. They seemed truly convinced that those who had fled up the mountain were mere stragglers who had abandoned the "bulk" of their force. On the battlefield, even if routed troops could be rallied, it required a charismatic and fierce general to steady them, along with time to restore morale.

It was no wonder the Northern Barbarians held this misconception. It was not that they lacked intelligence, but rather that in their tactical doctrine, the cavalry was the primary force. Both for the Liang Kingdom and the steppe, warhorses were the most precious assets, never to be discarded. Had all the Liang soldiers abandoned their horses to climb the mountain, the enemy might have been less certain. But because some had fled up the slope while others remained on the mountain path on horseback, the Barbarians were convinced that the cavalry below was the Liang army's "main force."

Xue Chengqian’s swift tactical adjustments were, in truth, a gesture of respect toward Luo Fang, intended to rescue Su Youfang’s men. He had not expected Su Youfang to be so dissatisfied.

"How can you move along the hillside so slowly? My men are being slaughtered by the Northern Barbarians right now!"

Xue Chengqian replied coldly, "You have armor and blades; you are welcome to slide down the slope yourself and rescue them from below. How we deploy our troops is none of your concern!"

Luo Fang opened his mouth, initially not wishing to embarrass Su Youfang, but hearing Xue Chengqian respond first, he held his tongue. In truth, Bearded Wang and the others also felt that Xue Chengqian’s caution was unnecessary. They did indeed fear the reputation of the Northern Barbarian iron cavalry, but since forming the Zhenyi Battalion, they had repeatedly bested the Barbarian forces. Especially tonight, having successfully completed two surprise attacks, they began to overestimate their own strength. Facing a Barbarian force that barely outnumbered them, they still felt confident in their ability to defeat them outright. While Young Master Xue might have had clever ideas, he was not a military man raised on the frontier; his boldness was lacking.

Following Xue Chengqian’s orders, they clung to the terrain as they approached, then, from their elevated position, rained fire down upon the Northern Barbarians. Originally, there had been many Imperial Guard soldiers below, but they had long since been overtaken and scattered by the Barbarian cavalry. The remnants of the Liang soldiers had all dismounted. Now, they could only use their horses as shields, barely holding their ground behind the carcasses of their mounts.

However, the Northern Barbarians had cut them off and were surrounding them at will. If the engagement dragged on, total annihilation was inevitable. Yet, the cowardice of the Imperial Guards actually removed any hesitation for Xue Chengqian’s men. The Liang stragglers were hiding behind their horses, while the Northern Barbarians, mounted and charging, presented much larger targets. They fired without reservation, dealing a massive blow to the Barbarians in an instant.

Luo Fang’s men demonstrated why they were superior to the other troops. Compared to their horsemanship, their marksmanship was even more refined, nearly matching that of the elite Barbarian warriors. A few volleys claimed the lives of over a hundred Barbarian horsemen.

Yet, the Barbarians’ response was lightning-fast. Not only could they lean quickly to the side while mounted to minimize their target profile, but they could also draw their bows and fire back even in the heat of the moment—and their arrows never missed.

Initially, the Barbarians were caught off guard because they had not expected the fugitives to turn back and rescue the remnants. But once they steadied their nerves and began to counterattack, they immediately displayed their terrifying prowess. In terms of individual combat capability, the Northern Barbarian soldiers truly outclassed the newly formed Zhenyi Battalion by a wide margin.

"Use the trees! Charge down!"

"Archers, keep providing suppressive fire from the mountain!"

"You, Su! Order your men to counterattack immediately! Only by coordinating from inside and out will we have a chance to drive them back and pull your men up the mountain!"

Su Youfang, left with no choice, obeyed his command and shouted from the heights, ordering his men to charge out and fight the Barbarians to the death. But then, a scene of utter humiliation unfolded. The Liang soldiers, having suffered a crushing defeat the night before and fled in a rout, were already on the verge of collapse. Even with their officer’s orders, they huddled behind their horses, waiting for others to come and save them. By comparison, they hardly resembled the Imperial Guard; their discipline was inferior even to the village militia of the Zhenyi Battalion.

The arrows from above had already thrown the Barbarian formation into disarray. With the advantage of charging from high ground, the Zhenyi Battalion managed to gain the upper hand. Though the Barbarians had horses, they could not maneuver on the rugged mountain terrain, and the narrow path below provided no space for them to pick up speed.

"Hurry! Don't get bogged down in the fight! Get the Imperial Guard soldiers out and let’s retreat up the mountain while fighting!"

Xue Chengqian had specifically arranged for Luo Fang to lead the archers in the rear, hoping that the precise marksmanship of his men would cover their collective retreat. However, Su Youfang now saw an opportunity for greater glory.

"Why retreat? Can’t you see we’ve already driven the Northern Barbarians back?"

"They pride themselves on their cavalry, but they never expected to be unable to utilize that strength in the mountains. The mountain pass is narrow, and they cannot run—this is the perfect chance to annihilate them in one stroke!"

"A great victory awaits us! Men, follow me and charge!"

Su Youfang acted as if he were the supreme commander, completely ignoring the fact that those charging down were the men of the Zhenyi Battalion. The Imperial Guard soldiers they had just rescued hesitated for a moment, but seeing their own commander charging at the front, and witnessing the Barbarians being pushed back, they followed suit, hoping to scavenge a glorious contribution for themselves.

Xue Chengqian was horrified. He shouted repeatedly, "Retreat quickly! Do not get bogged down!"

But only those closest to him instinctively moved toward him. As for Su Youfang and his men—and even the brothers of the Zhenyi Battalion who were already at the front—they were too far away. Seeing the "allied troops" around them fighting fiercely, they too charged down to engage the Barbarians in a life-or-death struggle.

Once they reached the flat ground below, the momentum of their charge from the mountain was neutralized. The Northern Barbarians began to reorganize their formation, turning back to engage them in close quarters. Although the narrow valley still prevented a full cavalry charge, the Barbarians had no fear of hand-to-hand combat.

The victory Su Youfang had imagined, where they would crush the enemy in one blow, was now impossible. Instead, they were the ones being pushed back by the Barbarians.

"Quick! Move up and provide support!"

"Signal Elder Luo to lead the remaining fighters down the mountain!"

Xue Chengqian was filled with bitter regret, but at this stage, he had no other choice. As for Su Youfang and his Imperial Guards, he would feel no pity even if the Barbarians slaughtered them, but his own brothers were down there. A chaotic, tangled battle had broken out in the valley. Luo Fang’s archers were no longer effective; it was better to commit everyone to the fight and use their numbers to force the Barbarians back.