Chapter 58: All-Cavalry Charge

Xue Chengqian had long since led his brothers to the easternmost mountain pass of Mount Bagu, though it was not the same location where they had escaped into the mountains during their rescue of Wei Xiao and Su Youfang.

The Northern Barbarian commander was extremely cautious.

During that previous operation, they had specifically deployed over a hundred horsemen to keep a constant watch on that exact mountain pass.

Although Xue Chengqian’s military strength was no longer what it used to be, routing a hundred-odd cavalrymen in a frontal clash would be a simple matter for him.

However, striking them now would inevitably alert the enemy. Once the main force of the Northern Barbarian army grew vigilant, any subsequent surprise attack would be sheer suicide.

Fortunately, the terrain where they hid was complex. With their small numbers and no need to pre-form battle arrays, they could launch sorties from any narrow mountain pass.

Sun Fushan finally returned with his men to report.

They had succeeded last night. Taking advantage of the Northern Barbarians' carelessness and their own familiarity with the terrain, all six waves of their surprise attacks had succeeded.

Regrettably, they had failed to wipe out all the enemy forces within the mountains; they could only drive them down the slope, watching helplessly as they returned to the main camp to sound the alarm.

"Although we succeeded, the Northern Barbarian army must have received the news by now."

Luo Fang remained unconcerned, saying calmly, "Didn't our previous strategy aim precisely to have the Northern Barbarian army learn that their water supply was cut off, thereby sowing chaos among them?"

"Now it all depends on how the Northern Barbarian commander chooses to respond. Whether they fall into immediate disarray or are forced to dispatch troops to break the ice on the river, it will greatly strengthen their..."

Xue Chengqian instinctively felt that matters would not be so simple, but what Luo Fang expressed was precisely his own earlier plan, and at this moment, he could not simply refute it based on a gut feeling.

"Let us first observe how the Northern Barbarian army responds. If their morale is truly shaken, that will be the opportune moment for us to strike."

At this time, the various armies of the Northern Barbarian encampment had begun advancing toward the walls of Dongping City, pushing massive siege engines in accordance with their pre-arranged operational plan.

The Northern Barbarian army numbered over a hundred thousand strong. The larger an army was, the harder it was to easily alter a finalized battle plan. No matter how brilliant a commander might be, a single misstep could cause the entire host to collapse into disorder or even spark a mutiny.

The Northern Barbarian army had to carry on with the siege according to plan, at most sparing a portion of the troops left behind in the main camp to break the ice and fetch water.

This was the exact objective Xue Chengqian wished to achieve.

Seeing that the Northern Barbarian army was indeed acting in accordance with their predictions and creating the most favorable conditions for their surprise attack, Xue Chengqian felt all the more hesitant.

"Hear my orders, prepare to sortie!"

Luo Fang had "memorized" Xue Chengqian's previous analysis quite thoroughly, believing that the Northern Barbarian army, having just received the news, must be in their most panicked state.

Even if they possessed contingency plans for water collection, the failure to directly resolve the water crisis would constantly plague the minds of their generals, to say nothing of the immense anxiety the ordinary soldiers would feel upon hearing the news.

Xue Chengqian felt a jolt in his heart and hurriedly called out to stop him.

"Boss Luo!"

"Brother Xue, is there anything else?"

Luo Fang assumed he had thought of some new situation that required supplementation.

"In my view, our surprise attack must be conducted with even greater caution; we cannot throw in all our brothers in a single wave."

Luo Fang, Kang Yu, and the others were all greatly startled.

Luo Fang quickly lowered his voice and barked, "Kid Xue, will you stop changing your mind at every turn?"

"Our surprise operations in the mountains went smoothly, and the actions of the Northern Barbarian army are identical to your predictions. If we don't act now, are we waiting for the enemy to grow alert?"

"Since we are launching a surprise attack, and given the stark disparity in our forces, naturally we must commit our full strength to inflict the maximum amount of chaos upon the enemy and create an operational window for the defenders of Dongping!"

Xue Chengqian did not retort immediately.

In truth, purely from the perspective of military strategy, he had no grounds for refutation, as this was the very plan he himself had formulated.

Yet, the disquiet in his heart could not be erased; Xue Chengqian could never allow his own brothers to walk into a death trap.

Though the Zhenyi Camp had expanded rapidly in a short span of time, their foundation remained extremely fragile.

In particular, the majority of them were fresh recruits who had joined purely out of admiration for his prestige. A single major defeat would inevitably shatter their confidence. Even if they did not desert afterward, their hearts would be estranged, making it hard to ever rally military morale again.

However, if Xue Chengqian forcibly overturned a battle plan that he had devised and everyone had accepted without sufficient reason, the outcome would likely be no better.

Xue Chengqian pondered in silence for a moment before speaking, just as Luo Fang’s patience was about to run out.

"A surprise attack must still be fought, of course. However, we must not charge directly into the enemy camp; rather, we must use multiple fronts to deceive the enemy!"

"Daytime is not an ideal moment to launch a surprise offensive, but we must now turn the advantages of daylight to our use."

Luo Fang was quite perplexed.

A daytime surprise attack looked like a massive disadvantage no matter how one viewed it, didn't it?

Had Xue Chengqian's devised plan not already convinced them, most of them would probably have stepped forward to object.

How had it suddenly turned into an advantage in Xue Chengqian's mouth?

...

Although the Northern Barbarian army maintained a slight state of readiness, they never imagined that the vanguard to launch a surprise attack against them would actually be an all-cavalry force!

Based on their impressions and the experience of battling the Northern Barbarians over the past month:

The standing infantry of the Northern Barbarian army had their merits, but their cavalry tactics were unrefined and their numbers insufficient.

An ordinary Great Liang imperial garrison hardly possessed more than a few horses, save for the officers.

Yet this time, several hundred horsemen had been deployed all at once!

Small though their numbers were, given the inherent traits of cavalry, as long as several hundred horsemen concentrated on a single point for a charge, they could unleash the devastating might of a breakthrough force.

Even if the perimeter-guarding scouts could "instantly" converge, they would never be able to withstand the enemy cavalry's charge. Meanwhile, the soldiers who had fought in yesterday's brutal siege and were resting within the camp had yet to crawl out of their tents.

"Quick! Immediately concentrate our forces, enemy cavalry are raiding the camp! We must hold them off!"

"Charge!"

Just as this cavalry force was about to break into the main camp, a massive force suddenly surged out from the perimeters of the Northern Barbarian encampment!

Not only did the Northern Barbarian cavalry patrolling the other sectors rapidly wheel back, but they had even concealed a large number of soldiers beforehand amidst the tents, as if deliberately lying in wait for the enemy to walk into a trap.

"Boss Luo! The enemy really seems prepared!"

Wang Huzi cried out in alarm, hastily warning his boss, who was eagerly charging at the very front.

Luo Fang swept his hawk-like gaze across the scene, a smug smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Damn it, the kid Xue actually guessed right? What on earth manner of man is this Northern Barbarian commander?!"

"Do not panic, everyone, follow me and charge!"

"Remember! Under no circumstances are we to become entangled in prolonged combat; never slow our pace, kill them with all your might!"

Far from being afraid, Luo Fang grew even more exhilarated.

Hearing Boss Luo say this, the brothers behind him shed their remaining doubts and fears, knowing that every twist and turn was entirely within their leader's calculations.