Right now!
The battlefield of Xia Prefecture.
Murong Chunhua led a thousand elite cavalrymen of the Murong tribe and two thousand warhorses to Xia Prefecture, which was like a shot in the arm for the Hedong army that had been fighting for a long time.
Lin Feng personally went out to greet them. Looking at the well-disciplined and high-spirited Murong cavalry and their herd of swift warhorses, his tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed slightly.
"General Murong, your timely help is greatly appreciated!" Lin Feng solemnly cupped his hands in thanks.
Murong Chunhua quickly returned the greeting: "Governor Lin, you flatter us! The Murong tribe has received much kindness from the Grand Commander, and it is our duty to fight alongside you!"
"Then please come into the tent, General Murong, so we can discuss the important matter of defeating the enemy."
"Governor Lin, please!"
Inside the military tent, Lin Feng's gaze swept over the general standing before him.
The quick-witted Li Mao, the composed Xi Sheng, the newly arrived Murong Chunhua, and the Right Army Commander Tong Gu.
Although Tong Gu and Lin Feng were both commanders-in-chief, Tong Gu was under Lin Feng's command due to the needs of the war.
There were also officers of the rank of captain or above, all gathered together.
Lin Feng took a deep breath, his voice resolute and determined: "The Prince of Jin and the Grand Commander have high hopes for us. Xia Prefecture cannot be lost. We can only win, not lose!"
"General Murong's arrival with his army is like adding wings to a tiger; the time for our decisive battle has come!"
"Please give the order, Governor Lin!" the crowd roared in unison.
Lin Feng slammed his hand on the table and immediately gave the order:
"General Murong Chunhua!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"I hereby appoint you to command all of my cavalry! The remaining thousand cavalrymen from General Dewey's original force will all be under your command, and they will all be equipped with the newest warhorses. Make sure they exert maximum impact!"
"Understood!"
A sharp glint flashed in Murong Chunhua's eyes. Taking over all the cavalry was a sign of immense trust placed in him.
"also!"
Lin Feng paused slightly, a hint of coldness in his voice, "There are still over five hundred warhorses in the army that were wounded in previous battles and are no longer fit to carry out the heavy task of charging. Organize them separately and assign them to daredevils... They will be put to important use in the decisive battle."
The tent fell silent instantly.
Everyone understood what this meant—these wounded horses would be sacrificed as sacrifices in the charge to disrupt the enemy's formation.
This move, though seemingly ruthless, was a desperate measure for survival in chaotic times.
The generals remained silent, and no one objected.
To command a large army and achieve the position of commander, one must have a heart as hard as iron.
Lin Feng continued to deploy:
"General Li Mao!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"I hereby order you to lead three thousand elite infantrymen as the vanguard, and you must withstand the enemy's first wave of attack!"
"General Xi Sheng, your Mo Dao Battalion will form the central army with mine, providing support from the center."
"General Tong Gu, there are still two thousand garrison troops in Xiazhou City. You will lead them out of the city to cover our rear and at the same time guard against enemy flanking attacks!"
"General Murong's cavalry, position yourselves on the flanks of the central army, await orders, and wait for the opportune moment to strike!"
"We obey!"
The generals responded in unison, their fighting spirit soaring.
......
The next day, the sun rose.
Beneath the walls of Xiazhou, war drums thundered and horns blared across the sky.
Lin Feng mobilized his entire army, along with the garrison of Xia Prefecture, totaling over ten thousand troops. They marched out of their camp in a grand procession, with their backs to Xia Prefecture City and facing Yang Fan's camp twenty miles away, setting up their battle formation.
Banners blotted out the sun, swords and spears were like a forest, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the entire field.
At the same time, the gates of Xiazhou were opened, and Tong Gu led two thousand fresh troops out of the city to form ranks behind the main army, serving as both reinforcements and blocking the enemy's route to Xiazhou.
The fact that the Hedong army had mobilized all its forces, intending to engage in a decisive battle, was immediately apparent.
At the Xijing army camp, Yang Fan received an urgent report from a scout, climbed the observation tower, and gazed at the Hedong army formation in the distance.
Seeing the enemy's well-disciplined army, especially the clearly elite cavalry on the flank, and the troops that had emerged from the city, a cold smile crept onto his lips:
"Lin Feng, you brat, you dare to challenge me to a decisive battle after receiving a few reinforcements? Very well, it will save me from attacking the city every day! Today, I will flatten Xia Prefecture in one fell swoop and open the southwestern gateway to Hedong!"
Whether he can capture Xiazhou is crucial to whether he can complete Yang Yan's strategic plan, and also to Yang Fan's illustrious military achievements.
This battle cannot be lost!
"Order! The entire army to assemble and form ranks!"
The gates of the Xijing army camp swung open, and 20,000 elite Xijing troops surged out like a black tide, quickly forming ranks opposite the Hedong army.
Heavy infantry were positioned in the center, their long spears forming a forest; cavalry patrolled the flanks, while archers held the line.
Their numbers were almost double those of the Hedong Army, and they were menacing and filled with murderous intent!
Soon, the two armies approached each other, and the war drums beat more and more urgently, as if striking the hearts of every soldier.
A heavy killing intent and oppressive silence filled the air; even the warhorses pawed restlessly and snorted heavily.
Lin Feng stood beneath the central army banner, his gaze coldly fixed on the "Yang" banner opposite him.
He slowly raised his right hand.
Yang Fan also kept a close eye on the Hedong army formation, especially the silent cavalry on the flank.
He snorted coldly and gave the order to attack: "Vanguard Battalion, attack! Crush them!"
"Waaaaah—"
The bugle call of the Xijing army to attack sounded mournfully!
"kill!"
Thousands of Xijing vanguard infantrymen, like a flood bursting its banks, roared and launched a fierce attack on the front lines of the Hedong army!
Li Mao remained unmoved until the enemy entered within two hundred paces of the third-generation composite bow, at which point he suddenly swung his sword:
"Crossbowmen, fire!"
"Buzz—!"
A dense rain of arrows rose from the Hedong army formation, carrying a deathly shriek, and fell into the Xijing army's charging ranks, instantly splattering blood and sending dozens of men screaming as they fell to the ground.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
