Just as Zhao Muyun was arranging for reinforcements to march north to Yinzhou, far away in Hejian Prefecture, Hebei, a much larger battle, one that would determine the fate of the entire Hebei region and even the Central Plains, was brewing.
The main force of the Northern Di, led by Wuzhu, retreated from the front line in Xiangzhou.
Although the losses were considerable, the main force remained intact, with over 100,000 soldiers still capable of fighting.
As they retreated northward, morale inevitably wavered and spirits waned.
Although Ma Zongliang's 140,000-strong army, which was following closely behind, was cautious and did not pursue with all its might, the constant pressure still made the Northern Di feel suffocated.
However, amidst this oppressive atmosphere, news of Arahan's recapture of Youzhou reached Wuzhu's army like a ray of light in the darkness.
At first, Wuzhu didn't believe it at all.
Having gone to great lengths to capture Youzhou, how could Zhao Muyun easily give it up?
This must be another trick!
He repeatedly questioned the messenger to confirm the details, and even sent his trusted scouts to Youzhou to verify.
When multiple sources confirmed that the banners of the Northern Barbarians had indeed been replaced on the walls of Youzhou, and that Arahan was cleaning up the mess and trying to consolidate the defenses, Wuzhu could no longer contain his elation!
"May Heaven bless the Great Di! May Heaven bless the Great Di!"
Wuzhu burst into laughter inside his golden-roofed tent, the gloom of the past few days vanishing in an instant.
"Youzhou has been lost and regained! Zhao Muyun ultimately lacked sufficient troops and supplies, and dared not hold out for long! This is a chance given to us by Heaven to turn defeat into victory!"
He immediately ordered the entire army to halt its retreat, establish a fortified camp on the vast plains north of Hejian Prefecture and south of the Xutuo River, and convened a meeting of all senior generals.
Inside the tent, Wuzhu, his dejected demeanor vanished, and his gaze swept intently over his generals:
"Gentlemen, Youzhou is back in our hands! Zhao Muyun has been forced to flee west! Now, all that's following us are Ma Zongliang's hundreds of thousands of sheep-like troops!"
Upon hearing this, all the generals were invigorated.
The news of the recovery of Youzhou was undoubtedly a shot in the arm.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean..." a general asked tentatively.
Wuzhu walked up to the huge sheepskin map and pointed heavily at their current location:
"This place stretches as far as the eye can see, making it the perfect battlefield for my Great Di Iron Cavalry to unleash their power!"
"Ma Zongliang, relying on his superior numbers, has followed us like a madman all the way. Does he really think our Di cavalry are made of clay?"
His voice turned sharp, filled with chilling killing intent: "Now that our worries are gone, it's time for us to turn around and teach these arrogant southern barbarians a lesson!"
"Make them pay a bloody price, so they'll never dare to look north again!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" The generals were filled with excitement, their frustration from days of defeats and their desire for victory were ignited at this moment.
"Yes! We must teach them a lesson they won't forget!"
"Let them see the true might of my Great Di Iron Cavalry!"
"This place is a vast plain, perfect for our army to charge into battle! We will make sure that the Yin army never returns!"
With virtually no objections, the plan for a counterattack was quickly finalized.
Wuzhu decided to take advantage of the terrain of this plain and set up a huge pocket formation.
A portion of the troops were used to lure the enemy deep into the territory, while the main cavalry force was ambushed on both flanks. Once the main force of the Fengtian Army entered the pre-arranged battlefield, a thunderous attack would be launched from the flanks and rear to try to defeat or even annihilate Ma Zongliang's troops in one fell swoop!
After the chaos of the retreat, the Northern Di army resumed its efficient operation.
The cavalry units began to secretly move to the flanks, while the camps deliberately created the illusion of continuing their northward retreat. Small groups of troops were sent out to harass the vanguard of the Fengtian Army, enticing them to speed up their pursuit.
Meanwhile, dozens of miles away in the Fengtian Army camp, Ma Zongliang also received news that the Northern Di army had stopped retreating and set up camp on the spot.
"Oh? Wuzhu isn't running away?"
Ma Zongliang stroked his beard, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. "He should also know that Youzhou has been recaptured by Arahan... Could it be that he intends to use this advantageous terrain to wage a decisive battle against our army?"
Niu Desheng shouted, "Old Ma, who cares what he's thinking! It's good that he's not running away! We'll send 140,000 troops to press him down, what are we afraid of? We can wipe them out in one fell swoop and recover Hebei!"
Li Biao and Li Bao were also eager to participate and expressed their agreement.
Ma Zongliang pondered for a moment.
He also believed that after learning of the "recovery" of Youzhou, Wuzhu was confident and attempted to use his cavalry advantage to fight a decisive battle on the plains, which was logical.
Moreover, with superior troop strength and high morale, there seemed to be no reason for them to avoid battle.
"Pass down the order: the main force shall advance steadily, with the vanguard on alert for enemy ambushes. All units shall maintain formation and prepare for field battle!"
Ma Zongliang finally issued the order.
He also wanted to take this opportunity to truly defeat the main force of the Northern Di and establish his unparalleled achievements in the court.
Thus, the two massive armies, one meticulously laid an ambush while the other steadily advanced.
On this vast autumn plain, they slowly approached each other like two towering waves about to collide.
The fates of more than 200,000 people are about to clash tragically on this land.
The air was thick with the suffocating tension of the eve of a major battle.
Wuzhu's rage and Ma Zongliang's ambition are about to be finally settled on this battlefield of blood and fire.
......
Right now.
The reinforcements led by Murong Chunhua braved the north wind and marched swiftly all the way, finally arriving at the border of Yinzhou.
Even before approaching the city, one could feel the tension and bloody stench permeating the air.
In the distance, Yinzhou City resembled a lone boat tossed about in a storm, surrounded by densely packed Northern Di army camps.
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