Chapter Fifteen
At night, Mo Yinghuo ordered that the troops set up camp in the mountains, disperse to guard the area, and take turns resting.
In order to avoid the obstruction of the remaining soldiers of Dongliang Kingdom and to quickly reach Suzang, Mo Yinghuo led 100,000 iron cavalry and 20,000 archers along sparsely populated mountain paths, guided by several scouts.
Although the warhorses were well-fed with millet before departure, each one was sleek and spirited, its hooves poised and ready to pounce. However, after three days and two nights of continuous running, with brief rests along the way, both men and horses were exhausted. Moreover, 50,000 Ironclad Warriors awaited them ahead, so it was crucial to maintain the mental and physical condition of both. This was why Mo Yinghuo was leading 100,000 Iron Cavalry and two Phantom Archers; they needed to reach Su Zang as quickly as possible, where the 50,000 Ironclad Warriors were already prepared and waiting.
Mo Yinghuo knew very well that the 50,000 Iron Warriors were not to be underestimated. They had rushed here, and to achieve a swift victory, they had to outnumber the enemy.
One hundred and twenty thousand soldiers of Yunxiu Kingdom, a dark mass, silently lay hidden halfway up a mountain less than two hundred miles from Suzang, the capital of Dongliang Kingdom. In the darkness, Mo Yinghuo gave a clear and soft command, "Feed them millet, nothing left."
The soldiers silently took out all the remaining millet they had carried, and the warhorses immediately began to chew it up with gusto. As if sensing the soldiers' subdued and solemn atmosphere, they remained so quiet that they didn't even snort, as if afraid of alerting the enemy.
Mo Yinghuo ordered his soldiers to summon three captains.
Inside the general's tent.
Mo Yinghuo: "Three captains, do you have any suggestions on how to fight tomorrow?"
The three of them glanced at each other, but remained silent.
"General, forgive my bluntness, but tomorrow's battle will be difficult!" The speaker was none other than Commandant An. Commandant An was originally a military officer under the Marquis of Beiding. His name was An Wenbin, a perfect example of someone whose name perfectly reflected his lack of talent—a true military general. He was straightforward in his words and actions, never trying to guess his superiors' thoughts, always answering questions and speaking his mind. As for why An Wenbin had come to serve the Princess, it was also related to his personality.
An Wenbin had been stationed in the north for many years, watching helplessly as the northern barbarians preyed on the border people, while the Marquis of Beiding never sent troops. In a fit of anger, he went to the general's tent to argue. The Marquis of Beiding, who had been holding back his anger for a long time, shouted "Do you intend to disobey the imperial decree?" and drove An Wenbin out of the command tent.
An Wenbin was nearly forty, but he was still very healthy, and none of the younger generals in the army were a match for him. After being yelled at, An Wenbin burst into tears, feeling that his patriotic fervor had no way to be served. He wrote a letter to the Marquis of Beiding, preparing to single-handedly wipe out the northern barbarians, with a heart full of love for the people, willing to die for them. The Seventh Prince, Mo Chonghua, was already enough of a headache for the Marquis of Beiding; now, there was this brute An Wenbin.
Marquis Beiding was helpless; he couldn't just watch An Wenbin die in vain, especially since the Emperor would blame him if he found out. Suo Qian offered him a plan: to introduce An Wenbin to the Princess. But this was more of a way of getting rid of a hot potato.
Wasn't he obsessed with war? It just so happens that the Princess's side is currently engaged in a fierce battle. Sending An Wenbin over there would be a good idea. He's not young anymore, and he's full of passion. After suppressing his emotions for so long, he'll definitely be able to leave the enemy dumbfounded when he finally gets to show his skills.
Marquis Beiding and the Princess rarely interacted. One reason was that Marquis Beiding had been guarding the northern border for many years, and another reason was that the Princess had repeatedly reported victories, while Marquis Beiding, although also a general of Yunxiu Kingdom, ended up guarding the border to the death. The contrast was too obvious.
Although the two had no conflicts, there was always an awkward atmosphere when they met. Thus, when the Marquis of Beiding and the Princess sometimes encountered each other from a distance, they would consciously take a detour to avoid bumping into each other. Despite this strange relationship, Mo Yinghuo never refused to help the Marquis of Beiding whenever he asked.
Although very few.
Therefore, An Wenbin came to Yun Zhaojun.
People with An Wenbin's personality are not uncommon in the army, but few can reach the rank of captain, proving that he does have some ability. Indeed, although Captain An looks rough and unrefined, he still lacks experience in troop deployment. However, he has a special skill: An Wenbin often likes to study how to quickly kill different types of soldiers.
He held an unwavering belief that on the battlefield, time was of the essence, and speed was crucial for eliminating the enemy. By a twist of fate, a serendipitous stroke of luck unfolded, a stroke of pure luck after a long and fruitless search. Mo Yinghuo fully utilized An Wenbin's war philosophy, repeatedly combining it with the combat methods he proposed, catching the enemy completely off guard.
On one occasion, he somehow obtained some extremely sharp and thin silver threads, barely noticeable unless one looked closely. He precisely located the throats of enemy cavalrymen, pulled out several threads, and, taking advantage of the swift movement of his horse, slit the throats of the enemy soldiers on horseback in front of him, killing them instantly. This threw the enemy into disarray. Although he didn't kill many enemies, he caught them completely off guard at the start of the battle, greatly boosting morale and intimidating the enemy.
One has to admire this man; he's truly ruthless. No wonder he's earned several nicknames like "Cold-Blooded An," "Heartless An," and "King of Hell An," whether given by his own soldiers or the enemy. In any case, Captain An seems quite pleased with these nicknames, feeling that each one is more effective at intimidating and repelling the enemy than calling him An Wenbin.
Captain An was not only eccentric, but also had eyes that resembled those of a wildcat. On the battlefield, anyone who met those eyes would feel a chill run down their spine and become increasingly terrified.
In this way, An Wenbin thrived in the Princess's service and rose to the rank of Light Cavalry Captain.
The other two captains were Captain Chen, an archer, and Captain Pu, a light cavalryman.
Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow slightly and gave a soft "Oh." She wasn't afraid of Captain An's wildcat-like eyes; unlike the soldiers', he sometimes found them quite amusing. As if she had anticipated Captain An's response, Mo Yinghuo stared intently at him and smiled, "What do you mean?"
"A surprise attack with light cavalry, catching the enemy off guard. The 50,000 iron cavalry of Dongliang are clearly waiting for us. Facing the iron cavalry head-on is like handing meat to the chopping block. What good is a numerical advantage? Countless casualties are inevitable, and even if we win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory." Captain An said excitedly, his sharp eyes darting around, bluntly pointing out the crux of the problem.
Captain Chen clenched his fist and coughed lightly, intending to subtly remind An Wenbin to be mindful of the occasion and his words. He then secretly glanced at the general and, seeing that she showed no displeasure, felt much relieved.
Lieutenant An, unaware of Lieutenant Chen's meaning, took it as a normal symptom of discomfort in his throat and continued righteously, "And what about those 20,000 archers? So what if they're skilled archers! The enemy troops and horses are all heavily fortified; where can they shoot!"
Lieutenant Pu couldn't stand it any longer. He glared at Lieutenant Chen and said softly, "Stop coughing." He then looked at Lieutenant An, his bushy beard twitching with displeasure. His expression turned stern as he asked, "General An, are you about to deploy your troops?" Lieutenant Pu was originally a Hanlin scholar, but he had given up his comfortable position in the Hanlin Academy to go to war. Of the three, he was the youngest and had the longest beard. Although he had come to a place where swords and spears had no eyes, he still retained some of his scholarly air. It wasn't that he disagreed with Lieutenant An's actions, but he disliked Lieutenant An's lack of humility, his stubbornness, and his inflexible manner of speaking and acting.
These two light cavalry captains are quite interesting. Captain An has a refined face, yet he is more military than any general; Captain Pu has a fierce face, but he comes from the Hanlin Academy and unconsciously reveals a scholar's integrity in his bones.
No matter how skilled An Wenbin was, he could still hear the sarcasm in Captain Pu's tone. His cat-like eyes swept over the man with a sinister look, as if trying to capture his very soul. Captain Pu, however, kept his eyes sharp and didn't even glance at the man beside him. Whenever these two light cavalry captains discussed matters, they always engaged in a fierce eye-to-eye exchange.
Mo Yinghuo looked at the three Yunzhao Army captains without saying a word, a helpless smile playing on her lips. She was used to this kind of scene. Then, she straightened her expression and said, "So, how do we fight?" She repeated herself.
The three men exchanged glances. The general's words were crystal clear: the war would begin tomorrow, so there was no point in talking nonsense.
Seeing their silence, Mo Yinghuo suddenly said with his hands behind his back, "Have you ever seen a situation where two countries are at war, and the capital is the only one defended, instead of the border cities?"
Ignoring the three captains' doubts, Mo Yinghuo looked at Captain An and asked, "Iron Cavalry, is there really no place where archers can hit?"
Upon hearing this, An Wenbin paused, then suddenly remembered something and exclaimed excitedly, "Horse eyes and legs!" The only weakness of heavy cavalry was that their horses' legs were unarmored. Thin armor was useless, while thick armor would hinder the horse's movement and greatly increase the load on the warhorses.
Captain Pu's bushy beard twitched with excitement.
Mo Yinghuo turned to look at Captain Chen and said, "Captain Chen, tomorrow order all archers to shoot arrows at the horse's eyes and legs. Those who hit the horse's eyes will be rewarded. Also, remember, if any cavalry attacks the archers, run. Don't fight them head-on. I'm not sending you to charge into battle on horseback, but to kill the enemy and save yourselves."
Then, she looked at Captain An and Captain Pu, "The light cavalry don't need to fight the Dongliang iron cavalry head-on. Are you two captains confident you can hold them off for an hour? Remember, although the light cavalry's equipment isn't as complete as the iron cavalry's, their advantage lies in their speed and agility. We outnumber them, so we can split up and attack quickly. Remember, don't linger with them. Attack them and then retreat, taking turns. In the instant swords clash, the light cavalry's rapid advance is enough to compensate for any shortcomings in weaponry. Now you know how to fight this battle, right?"
Upon hearing the general's arrangement, the three captains immediately understood that the general had never intended to engage the 50,000 Iron Cavalry in a direct confrontation from the beginning. So why did she rush towards Suzang without stopping after entering Dongliang territory? No protracted fighting, defeat them and retreat, take turns attacking—even if the Iron Cavalry wanted to pursue, how could they possibly outrun them?
This is indeed a good way to stall the enemy.
Lieutenant Pu: "We can hold them off for an hour, but..."
Mo Yinghuo knew that the three had guessed her general intentions, so she spoke up, "That's right. Tomorrow, I will lead my soldiers straight to the palace where the King of Dongliang is. At that time, the three captains should cover me according to the situation. There is no need to fight the iron cavalry head-on. Remember, just hold them off for an hour."
Captain Chen frowned, puzzled, and asked, "And what about an hour later?"
Mo Yinghuo: "They will surrender."
Afterwards, Mo Yinghuo continued to arrange some important matters for tomorrow's battle, and then instructed Captain Pu to set up more hidden sentries and keep a close watch. After the discussion, the captains bowed and left. As Mo Yinghuo stepped out of the tent, she caught sight of something dark and faintly reddish in the dim moonlight not far away. Using the moonlight, she slowly walked towards it.
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