But it was too late!
Suddenly, a series of wooden clapper sounds rang out from the hillsides on both sides of the valley!
Immediately afterwards, countless logs and rocks poured down like a waterfall, instantly blocking most of the valley entrance!
At the same time, rockets were launched from the mountains and forests into the dry grass and pre-sprinkled oil in the valley!
"boom--!"
Flames suddenly shot into the air and spread rapidly, turning the entire entrance to the valley into a sea of fire!
The Northern Di cavalrymen charging ahead were immediately thrown to the ground, their screams echoing everywhere!
"We've fallen for their trap! Retreat! Retreat now!"
Arakhan's eyes were bloodshot as he roared at the top of his lungs.
He turned his horse around, wanting to return the way he came, but found that his way back was also blocked by burning obstacles and rolling stones!
Just then, the sounds of battle erupted from both sides of the valley!
Wu Shangzhi and Guo Luo led the well-rested and heavily armed cavalry of Hedong and charged down from the flank!
Although they had lost the absolute advantage of cavalry charges, they were still unstoppable killing machines in this chaotic terrain, clad in heavy armor!
At the same time, Xi Sheng's Mo Dao battalion pressed in from the front like a moving city wall, the gleaming Mo Dao flashing with the light of death under the firelight!
"Loose the arrows! Covert fire!"
Liu Yi's Shenji Battalion occupied the high ground and accurately fired their limited arrows at the Northern Di officers who were trying to organize resistance.
An ambush! A complete and utter ambush!
Zhao Muyun had long anticipated that Arahan would not be able to resist pursuing him, and had carefully chosen this place for his burial!
The Northern Di cavalry were trapped in a narrow valley, blocked from the front and rear, attacked from both sides, and separated by fire. They were unable to make use of their mobility advantage and were immediately in dire straits.
Men and horses trampled each other, and fell in droves under the coordinated attack of the Hedong army's infantry and cavalry.
Arahan, under the desperate protection of his personal guards, fought fiercely in an attempt to break through the encirclement.
His heart bled as he watched his men fall like harvested wheat.
He knew that he had fallen into Zhao Muyun's trap again, and this time, the price would be extremely high!
"Don't linger! Charge out with me!"
With red eyes, Arahan found a gap in the fire where the flames were weaker and rushed forward without regard for anything else.
His personal guards fell one after another, and in the end, less than two thousand men followed him as they fled in a sorry state from the sea of fire and the ambush, turning their backs and fleeing eastward.
As for the more than three thousand cavalrymen who were trapped in the encirclement, he was powerless to turn the tide.
...
Just as Arahan suffered a severe blow in a valley a hundred miles away, Tang Yanhai and Shen Qian, who had been lying in wait in Youzhou City, also received the agreed signal.
"Let's do it!"
With Tang Yanhai's order, the skilled scouts and elite night watchmen hidden throughout the city launched their attack simultaneously, like ghosts!
Taking advantage of their familiarity with the terrain and the fact that the Northern Di garrison was somewhat lax due to the absence of their main force, they split into several groups and launched a direct attack on several key targets:
A team sneaked into the vicinity of the granary and used the fuel canisters they carried to set fire to the seemingly scattered but actually tampered-with grain and fodder!
Fueled by the wind, the fire spread rapidly!
Another group sneaked into several military camps and officers' quarters, and used poisoned crossbow bolts and short blades to carry out precise assassinations of the unsuspecting lower and middle-ranking officers of the Northern Barbarians!
Several centurions and commanders lost their lives inexplicably in their sleep or while on patrol.
Another team detonated the last few precious thunderbolts that had been pre-planted near the city wall passageway and city gate!
Although the city wall was not destroyed, the enormous sound and tremor were enough to cause great panic!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"The granary is on fire!"
"The general is dead! Many generals have been killed!"
Chaos erupted instantly within Youzhou City!
Wuchi, who was left behind, never expected that there were so many enemy spies hidden in the city, and was caught off guard.
He was busy sending people to put out the fire, suppressing the chaos, and chasing down the elusive attackers. He was overwhelmed and exhausted.
When Arahan led his defeated troops back to the walls of Youzhou like stray dogs, he saw the still-burning fires inside the city, the acrid smell of burning food in the air, and the terrified faces of the soldiers guarding the city walls.
"What's going on?" Arahan asked, both surprised and furious.
Wu Chi, covered in soot and dirt, came running over with a mournful face to report:
"General...not long after you left, a large number of spies appeared in the city. They set fire to the granaries, assassinated several of our officers, and detonated firearms to create chaos...the losses...the losses are heavy!"
After hearing the report, Arahan felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, his blood surged, and he could no longer hold on. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell off his horse!
"General!" The guards rushed forward to help him up.
The pursuit resulted in heavy losses, their stronghold was captured, their supplies were burned, and their officers were killed...
This series of blows completely destroyed Arahan's psychological defenses.
When he woke up, his face was ashen, and he remained silent for a long time.
He knew he was finished, completely finished.
Even if the Left Wise King did not kill him, his future in the army was already ruined.
He could only force himself to stay alert and clean up the mess in Youzhou.
He reported this even worse news to Wuzhu, who was retreating, and at the same time urgently sent people to the border to procure food and supplies, hoping to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.
However, after this series of upheavals, his 10,000 elite troops were severely weakened, and their morale had plummeted to rock bottom.
Although Youzhou was nominally "taken back" by him, it had become a hot potato, an empty shell that had bled dry.
......
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