This time, none of the thousands of soldiers echoed the call.
Because the Third Prince of Anda laughed loudly, "You think I'll just leave because you tell me to? What makes you think you can tell me to leave? With this tattered Guan Jin line, and infantrymen without horses?"
"My soldiers have recovered from their panic. You have no city walls to defend you. What can you use to fight us?"
After saying that, he looked at Zhu Changyu with some approval, "Your Highness has stalled for time very well, I am very pleased."
The two armies were on the verge of battle, but their conversation usually lasted for half an hour.
The Third Prince of Anda had been holding back his emotions not out of shock, but to allow the Tartars to regain their composure.
He never gave up attacking the Guanjin line; he wanted enough military merit to seize the Khan's position. He manipulated the people of Dayu.
Zhu Changyu's expression changed slightly, and a subtle yet piercing feeling resurfaced in his heart.
Strangely, Fang Heng and Jiang Chengyuan on the other side showed no surprise.
The two young generals remained indifferent until they saw Jiang Yi waving the flag high above, at which point they finally smiled. "We really have to thank the Third Prince for successfully stalling for time."
"What do you mean?" Prince Anda's expression changed drastically.
Fang Heng smiled coldly and led his soldiers to make way for the Jiang family army on horseback.
The sounds of horses' hooves and fighting came from afar, indicating the arrival of reinforcements from other city defenses.
"All that talk you just did was to stall for time. Not only did you set up an ambush in the city, but you also called for reinforcements. You cunning people of Dayu!" The Third Prince of Anda once again displayed his double standards.
Fang Heng ignored this.
The words were spoken from the heart, the advice was given sincerely, and the delay was genuine.
The fact that both sides agreed on this actually brought a turning point to the war.
The Tartars have strong horses and are skilled in riding and archery. They are ferocious in battle and fast on the ground. Without any inside help, how can we weaken their strength?
"Let's meet the challenge, my men." Jiang Chengyuan mounted his horse. "Reinforcements have arrived; it's time to settle scores."
The army responded in perfect unison, displaying immense power and might.
Prince Adachi, however, looked hesitant and struggled to make a decision.
After several twists and turns, he was no longer sure whether he should believe the sound of horses' hooves in the distance.
What if the people of Dayu deliberately used a trick to force them to retreat?
Similarly, even if reinforcements from Chongqing did arrive, he could not afford the loss of total annihilation.
Seeing his inner turmoil, Zhu Changyu offered a suggestion: "Let's hide. We don't know how many people from Dayu have come. It's better to use some of them as a backup than to be wiped out completely. The Khan will be disappointed."
Where there is power, there is struggle.
Where there are people, there will be calculations.
Prince Anda quickly made up his mind, "Withdraw, the left wing will cover the rear, the rest of you follow me."
The strong horses spurred their hooves, their running speed unmatched. Countless people from Dayu tried their best, but could only barely manage to cut down the rear of the procession.
That's the difference, that's strength.
The Third Prince of Anda laughed heartily, as if he had vented all his anger. "You ugly people of Dayu, just wait! The breaking of the Guan-Jin line is just the beginning. The other lines will break one by one. The Central Plains will be ours sooner or later."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fang Heng, who was at the forefront, spurred his horse and actually overtook the army, joining the ranks of the Tartars.
Prince Anda felt a tightness in his back and quickly summoned several guards to shield him, while simultaneously increasing his speed.
Fang Heng's sharp blade could only be used to kill the nearby Tartars, each move deadly and each strike fatal.
The two sides chased each other, fighting until they reached the outer perimeter of the Guanjin Line, where the Dayu army, which had come to their aid, was encircling them.
"It's actually true." Prince Anda broke out in a cold sweat. "Thank goodness for the Second Prince's advice. You're very good, very clever."
Zhu Changyu became even more respectful, "This is all about mutual help... Prince, look, they haven't completely surrounded us yet, we can break through now."
The two exchanged knowing smiles and led their army to charge towards the breach.
Encirclement refers to overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers and absolute control of the direction. Although the reinforcements from Dayu arrived in time, they were slightly lacking in numbers, so much so that even with their best efforts, they could only leave some of the Tartars alive.
Everyone fought valiantly, and before they knew it, dawn had broken.
As dawn broke in the east, the soldiers were exhausted, and the wasteland was almost entirely covered in blood.
"They brought over 100,000 men, and it seems the entire left wing has been wiped out here," Jiang Yi reported. "However, because of the timely retreat, the main force has still managed to retain some troops."
“I heard it. It was the Second Prince who ordered them to retreat.” Jiang Wu frowned. “If they don’t retreat, they can kill even more people.”
Fang Heng had nothing to say about such a traitor.
To cut him down is the wish of all frontier soldiers.
"Let's clear out the spoils of war first." Jiang Chengyuan walked over, clutching his left shoulder. "The reconstruction of the Guanjin Railway is no small matter and requires the national treasury to allocate funds. The battle formation map in the hands of the Tartars is likely to be a disaster."
Both sides suffered losses in the attack on Guanjin Line, and the Dayu Dynasty's victory in defending the city was nothing more than a Pyrrhic one.
If Prince Adachi were to be petty and calculating, he might seek revenge elsewhere for the losses he suffered here.
Even if it's not for the sake of face, one must prepare for seizing power in the future.
"It seems we need to have a serious discussion about where we should focus our defense going next." Fang Heng frowned. "You're injured?"
"It's just a minor injury." Jiang Chengyuan lowered his hand, blood gushing from the armor on his left shoulder.
At this level, it's no small injury.
Fang Heng turned around to call for the army doctor, but only saw hurried figures and soldiers wailing all over the place.
He sighed, took out the wound medicine that Wen Zhiyun had personally prepared from his pocket, and threw it at him irritably, "Go find a guard to apply the medicine yourself."
Jiang Chengyuan didn't stand on ceremony and smiled as he reached out to accept it.
The army was carrying out its final disposal—capturing living enemies, collecting usable knives, leading away healthy horses, and burying fallen comrades.
The reconstruction of the Guanjin Line required not only money but also time. The original 90,000 wounded soldiers were insufficient, so Jiang Jizu transferred another 30,000 soldiers from nearby areas and set up simple defensive measures.
What remains to be considered is the harsh words spoken by the third prince of Adachi before he left.
“This prince is quite suspicious by nature. After suffering two losses on the Guanjin line, he will certainly not attack again.” Jiang Jizu circled on the map with his finger. “According to normal thinking, the Tartars will attack the other three defensive lines.”
In the past, Fang Heng and Jiang Chengyuan would have readily agreed.
But this time, after exchanging a glance, the two said in unison, "What about those abnormal ways of thinking?"
“Unconventional thinking is about catching the enemy off guard.” Jiang Jizu smiled, pleased with his two children’s growth. “As a general, it is important to understand the enemy’s thoughts. This third prince is quite capable and likes to show off his abilities.”
Most importantly, he seems to hold grudges.
These two times, it's less about him suffering on the Guan-Jin line and more about him suffering at the hands of Jiang's army.
"Could it be..." Fang Heng exclaimed, "Could it be that they're coming to attack headquarters?"
Attacking the headquarters would be the final battle.
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