12dz Chapter 2276 Catching Up
Chapter 2276 Catching Up
Xue Huaide's plan was clear and well-defined, making full use of the mobility advantage of the Xiliang cavalry and the attack and encirclement capabilities of his main force.
Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he acted without hesitation.
He had long been fed up with the suffocating feeling of being followed and chased, and longed for a thrilling interception and battle.
"General Xue, rest assured!"
Ma Chao clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice as firm as iron: "When it comes to charging into battle and long-distance pursuit, the men of Xiliang have never fallen behind!"
"Chu Xuan's remaining troops are like frightened birds; this humble general will now go and take the head of this defeated general!"
He spoke with confidence, but he also understood the deeper meaning behind Xue Huaide's "suffice to obstruct" approach, since the emperor seemed to have other concerns.
"General Ma, please remember this,"
Xue Huaide added, his tone grave: "His Majesty has decreed that if the traitor Chu Xuan resists, he shall be killed without exception."
"However, we must do everything in our power to ensure the safety of a scholar named Su Tingmei in their army."
"This person is of great importance. When the general intercepts and engages him, he should pay close attention and try to separate the traitor from the person he is holding hostage."
Ma Chao's expression turned serious, and he nodded to indicate that he had made a note of it: "This subordinate understands and will act accordingly."
"Very well! There's no time to lose, General, please set off immediately!"
"Order!"
Ma Chao said no more, abruptly turned his horse around, and galloped towards his troops.
A long and mournful bugle call from Xiliang pierced the night sky, and the impatient Xiliang cavalrymen, who had been waiting impatiently, moved at the sound and quickly gathered.
They didn't shout anything extra; they just silently checked the bowstrings and sabers.
Then, led by Ma Chao, they broke away from the main force like a black iron torrent that suddenly accelerated.
They sped off towards the flickering firelight to the south at a significantly faster pace.
The horse's hooves pounded the ground with a thunderous roar, and it sped away, displaying its astonishing explosive power and endurance.
Xue Huaide watched the dust kicked up by the Xiliang cavalry disappear into the darkness, and breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his brows remained furrowed.
He turned to his generals and sternly ordered, "Order the entire army to discard unnecessary loads and quicken their pace!"
"Target: Luoyan Gorge! We must arrive there as soon as General Ma Chao has engaged the enemy!"
The pursuit has entered a new phase.
Whether the interception and fighting ahead, or the rush and encirclement from behind, can be accomplished depends on the slightest difference in time and opportunity.
The night was dark and the future uncertain, but only unwavering determination and the rapid hoofbeats echoed across the wilderness.
When Ma Chao received Xue Huaide's orders, what surged in his chest was not only the solemnity of carrying out orders, but also the burning passion inherent in the warriors of Xiliang, eager to prove their bravery on the battlefield.
He knew that this interception was of great importance, not only concerning the capture of the rebel king, but also involving Mr. Su, whom even the emperor had specifically instructed to protect.
Time is something more urgent than a blade.
"My lads!"
Ma Chao raised his arms and shouted, his voice still clearly audible amidst the rushing ranks.
"Show off all burdens, and carry only bows, arrows, swords, and spears! Let the Southerners see what a true thousand-mile raid looks like!"
The Xiliang cavalry responded in unison, their voices not loud, but deep and resonant like rolling thunder.
They are known for their endurance and speed, and have honed their skills by traversing grasslands and deserts year-round, enabling them to drive long distances in extreme environments.
At this moment, they discarded their excess leather pouches, spare quivers, and even some heavy armor plates on the spot, seeking only lightness and speed.
This Xiliang cavalry force of about two thousand men, like a pack of black leopards suddenly unloaded, broke away from the relatively steady marching rhythm of Xue Huaide's main mixed infantry and cavalry force.
They no longer maintained a tight formation, but instead broke into smaller units, responding to each other with tacit spacing.
Like a giant net that spreads out quickly yet remains connected, it veers southward along the shortcut pointed out by Xue Huaide—an abandoned side road of a trade route.
The darkness of night is their cover, but also their challenge.
With the moonlight dim and the stars sparse, the guide relied entirely on his memory of the map and his instinctive ability to find his way.
Horse hooves pounded across the dry riverbed, startling the roosting night birds; they swept across the barren hills, rustling the grass and trees.
No one spoke; only heavy breathing, the rustling of leather, and the thunderous clatter of hooves echoed across the silent wilderness.
Ma Chao took the lead, his eyes sharp, constantly adjusting his direction and calculating the distance and time in his mind.
He knew he had to intercept Chu Xuan's remaining troops before they crossed Luoyan Gorge, otherwise it would be difficult to capture them once they entered the southern foothills of the mountain.
Sweat soaked through his inner shirt, which was then chilled by the night wind.
White foam spewed from the warhorse's mouth and nose, but the Xiliang warhorse, known for its endurance, still maintained its astonishing speed.
Along the way, they even overtook the scattered Youzhou soldiers who had collapsed earlier, but Ma Chao paid no attention to them. He had only one target—Chu Xuan's main force.
After about an hour of frantic driving, the terrain ahead gradually narrowed.
Two low but continuous mountain ridges appeared indistinctly in the darkness, with a narrow pass in the middle like the open mouth of a giant beast—we had arrived at Luoyan Gorge.
Almost simultaneously, to the side and in front, the fleeing "fireflies" became much clearer, their torchlight flickering as they accelerated toward the pass!
"We made it!"
Ma Chao's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Sound the horns! Form ranks! Block the gorge!"
"Waaaaah—"
The mournful and high-pitched sound of the Xiliang ox horn suddenly rang out, piercing the night sky with an undeniable declaration and murderous intent.
Chu Xuan's remaining troops, who were fleeing for their lives, were thrown into chaos upon hearing the sudden horn.
They thought they had shaken off their pursuers and were secretly rejoicing, with their escape seemingly within reach. But then, a horn sounded as if from hell, shattering their hopes in an instant.
A commotion erupted at the front of the line, with shouts and curses filling the air.
Ma Chao gave them no chance to regroup and force their way through.
Under his command, the Xiliang cavalry demonstrated extremely high tactical skills.
Before the bugle call had even faded, the vanguard of several hundred cavalrymen, like arrows released from a bow, used the momentum of the downhill advance to wedge themselves firmly into the open space between Chu Xuan's troops and the entrance to Luoyan Gorge. They quickly spread out laterally, forming an arc-shaped cavalry formation, bows drawn and swords unsheathed, blocking their path.
The cavalry then quickly spread out to the flanks, occupying the gentle slopes on both sides of the pass, taking up a commanding position, drawing their bows and arrows, and completing the initial encirclement.
Under the firelight, the black armor, cold faces, gleaming scimitars, and ready-to-fire arrows of the Xiliang cavalry formed a barrier of death.
They remained silent, with only the occasional snorting of their warhorses against their armor, but their chilling aura was more suffocating than any shout.
Surrounded by his guards, Chu Xuan rushed to the front of the column and saw the Xiliang cavalry standing ready in front of him.
Especially the general's flag with the character "Horse" fluttering in the torchlight; his face turned deathly pale instantly, and his body swayed almost imperceptibly.