At the beginning of the Shen hour (3-5 PM), the sounds of fighting at Yishui River gradually subsided.
It's not that the battle is over, but that there are very few people left who can still stand.
Of the 200,000 Fengtian troops, 10,000 were routed, 20,000 were killed in battle, and 5,000 were captured. The remaining troops retreated to the last line of defense on the north bank of the Yi River.
On the other hand, the Yin army, with 90,000 men, also suffered 10,000 casualties.
The outcome of the first battle has been decided.
Wu Shangzhi stood on the riverbank, his battle robe soaked in blood, indistinguishable between the enemy's and his own.
He leaned on his spear, gazing at the scene before him: corpses piled up in the riverbed, the water almost dried up; on both banks, fallen banners, scattered weapons, and ownerless warhorses formed a hellish picture.
"General, the battalions are taking stock of their battle results," the lieutenant said in a hoarse voice.
"Where is the General?"
"He is inspecting the battlefield and said he wants to personally pay tribute to the fallen soldiers."
......
In the center of the battlefield, Zhao Muyun walked slowly.
He was followed by a squad of personal guards, but everyone was silent, with only the sound of boots stomping on the bloody mud.
The air was thick with the smell of blood and gunpowder, and occasionally the groans of wounded soldiers and the mournful cries of warhorses could be heard.
Zhao Muyun stopped under the fallen banner of the Fengtian Army.
A young Fengtian soldier, who looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, was pinned down by a man with an arrow in his chest and was already dead.
He was still tightly clutching a broken gun in his hand.
Zhao Muyun squatted down and gently closed her unwilling eyes.
"General, it's dangerous here..." a guard whispered a warning.
Zhao Muyun stood up: "Those who died were all citizens of the Great Yin Dynasty, how could there be any danger?"
He continued onward, ordering anyone he encountered to treat wounded soldiers, regardless of whether they were friend or foe.
If you encounter a dying warhorse, finish it off with a blow to lessen its suffering.
When he reached a high slope, he saw Xiao Cheyun.
He was sitting on the ground, having a medic bandage the wound on his shoulder.
Upon seeing Zhao Muyun, he struggled to get up.
"Sit down," Zhao Muyun pressed him down. "Are you badly injured?"
"It's just a superficial wound, nothing serious." Xiao Cheyun grinned, but the movement aggravated his injury, causing him to wince in pain. "General, we've won this battle!"
"Yes, we've won for now." Zhao Muyun looked north, his face grave. "But it's not over yet!"
He saw Xi Sheng.
The fierce general, covered in blood and dragging an injured leg, was directing his soldiers to gather the prisoners.
Upon seeing Zhao Muyun, he gave a military salute from a distance, his face showing a tired but bright smile.
Even the hidden eclipse came.
The Tangut battalion suffered minor losses, with only over 800 casualties, but more than half of their warhorses were lost.
He had a cut on his face from the blade, the flesh torn open, but he didn't seem to care.
"General, I have captured the Fengtian Army's banner!" Mozang Epang excitedly presented a tattered banner.
Zhao Muyun took it and unfolded it.
The flag is embroidered with the character "马" (horse), and it is Ma Zongliang's command flag.
The flag was pierced in several places by arrows and stained with blood.
"Keep it safe. After the battle, send it to Xijing and present it to His Majesty." Zhao Muyun handed the flag back.
At this moment, Wu Shangzhi rode up and said, "General, the Fengtian Army has retreated to the next defensive line on the north bank, and there are still 160,000 men left. Should we cross the river to fight?"
Zhao Muyun pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Order the entire army to set up camp and rest on the south bank of the Yi River. We will not fight today."
"But General, military strategy says never to pursue a cornered enemy, but..."
“But Ma Zongliang and Li Biao are still here, right?” Zhao Muyun interrupted him. “It is precisely because they are here that we cannot pursue them.”
He gazed at the Fengtian Army camp, which was faintly visible on the north bank: "Even a cornered beast will fight, let alone 160,000 men. Our army has fought hard all day, and the men and horses are exhausted. It is not advisable to fight again."
He paused, then added, "Moreover... after the initial defeat, Li Jingang will definitely be even more anxious."
"But those who were providing support within the city will probably be arrested."
"We need to take stock of the prisoners so we can exchange them."
......
Fengtian Army Camp.
Ma Zongliang stood in front of the camp gate, watching the defeated soldiers supporting each other, covered in blood, his hands clenched into fists in his sleeves.
"General, the initial inventory of losses for each battalion has been completed." Li Biao walked in with a grim face, his armor stained with blood and mud. "The vanguard of 30,000 men has suffered nearly half its losses, the cavalry battalion has lost 3,000, and the right flank of the central army..."
"Enough," Ma Zongliang interrupted him. "Let's go inside and talk."
The atmosphere inside the central command tent was heavy.
Seven or eight generals stood with their heads bowed, none daring to look directly at Ma Zongliang's gloomy face.
The groans of wounded soldiers could be heard from outside the tent from time to time, each sound like a whip lashing at everyone's heart.
Ma Zongliang took off his sword and placed it heavily on the general's desk.
"Tell me, where did you go wrong in today's defeat?"
The generals looked at each other, none daring to speak first.
"Speak!" Ma Zongliang slammed his fist on the table. "Now you know how to play dumb? Before the war, weren't you all full of bravado, saying that Zhao Muyun was nothing special?"
Li Bao cautiously raised his head: "General, it's not that our soldiers are reckless, it's just that the Yin army is well-prepared and has been waiting in ambush..."
"Nonsense!" Ma Zongliang sneered. "The south bank of the Yi River is an open area, originally the site of a decisive battle for the army. Why has it become our burial ground?"
Li Biao sighed deeply and finally spoke: "Underestimating the enemy."
The tent was completely silent.
“We underestimated the enemy,” Li Biao continued. “We thought Zhao Muyun would be exhausted after his long march; we thought that with 90,000 against 200,000, we could defeat them with just one charge.”
"But Zhao Muyun was not only well-prepared, his formation was also ingenious—the seemingly weak center was actually a wall of long swords and spears; the cavalry on both flanks seemed to be patrolling, but were actually waiting for an opportunity to encircle them."
Ma Zongliang closed his eyes, and the scene of the battlefield today replayed in his mind.
Zhao Muyun's central formation was as solid as a rock, remaining unmoved no matter how the Fengtian cavalry charged.
As the Fengtian Army's offensive gradually weakened, the Yin Army cavalry on both flanks suddenly closed in, with the heavy cavalry charging in the middle and the foreign cavalry attacking from the flanks and rear, instantly disrupting the Fengtian Army's formation.
“Our army’s formation is too long.” Ma Zongliang slowly opened his eyes. “The disconnect between the units has given the Yin army the opportunity to defeat them one by one.”
He stood up and walked to the map hanging in the tent: "We need to change our tactics for tomorrow's battle."
All the generals looked up.
“Li Biao,” Ma Zongliang turned around, “what do you think we should do?”
Li Biao walked to the map and traced the Yi River with his finger: "Today, our army is fighting a decisive battle on the south bank of the river. In reality, we are using our weaknesses to attack their strengths. Zhao Muyun is good at defense, and his position is watertight. Tomorrow, we should lure him to attack."
"Tell me in detail."
"Our main force retreated to the second line of defense on the north bank, where they set up camp and held their ground, taking advantage of the terrain. We also dispatched an elite force to lie in ambush in the shallows upstream. When the Yin army crosses the river to attack, the main force will engage them head-on, while the ambush troops will strike from the flanks and attack them while they are halfway across the river!"
Ma Zongliang stared at the map, pondering for a long time.
Li Bao hesitated and asked, "What if Zhao Muyun doesn't cross the river?"
“He will definitely cross the river.” A cold glint flashed in Li Biao’s eyes. “If he had held Dengzhou before, we would have been anxious. Now that he’s taking the initiative to attack, it means he’s more anxious than we are!”
The generals in the tent all nodded in agreement.
Ma Zongliang suddenly asked, "On the battlefield today, did anyone notice where Zhao Muyun was?"
The generals were taken aback.
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