12dz Chapter 2010 A Minor Victory
Chapter 2010 A Minor Victory
As the sharp horn sounded, the Blood Eagle cavalry, like wild horses pulled on their reins, slowed down and came to a stop.
They stared at the Chu army ahead, which was still retreating at a leisurely pace, and would even occasionally turn around to fire a few arrows in a provocative manner. Their faces were filled with frustration and anger, but they were powerless to do anything about it.
Huyan Ying was panting heavily, his chest heaving as he looked around.
The original five thousand elite Blood Eagle cavalrymen now appear significantly sparse, with at least seven or eight hundred corpses of men and horses left on the ground, and countless wounded.
The enemy, apart from expending some arrows, suffered almost no losses.
It wasn't until this moment that he fully realized that not only had he failed to complete the mission of covering the rear, but he had also been used as a live target by the enemy, wasting so many precious warriors of his tribe!
Gao Xianzhi ordered him to cover the rear, hoping he would use the cavalry's mobility to deter the pursuers, not to have him fight to the death with the enemy, especially in such a meaningless war of attrition!
"You cunning Chu dog!"
Looking at the "horse" banner fluttering in the wind among the Chu army's ranks in the distance, Hu Yanying was so angry that he almost ground his teeth to powder.
He knew that continuing the pursuit would only increase casualties and would be pointless.
The opposing general was clearly extremely calm and did not fall for the trap at all.
"Clear the wounded, take the bodies of our fallen comrades, and let's go!"
Huyan Ying forced out the command through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and filled with frustration.
He turned his horse around, no longer looking at the Chu army that had brought him shame, and led the remaining cavalry in a disgruntled manner toward the direction in which Gao Xianzhi's main force had retreated.
In the distance, Ma Chao saw that the Blood Eagle troops had stopped their pursuit and begun to retreat, so he also ordered the entire army to stop retreating.
He stopped his horse and looked back at the devastated battlefield and the departing Scorpion Clan cavalry, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
Although the enemy was not completely annihilated in this battle, the elite rearguard was severely damaged at a very low cost, which dampened their morale and perfectly executed Han Xing's strategy of probing and preserving his forces.
He waved his hand dismissively: "Return to camp! Report the victory to General Han!"
As the setting sun dipped below the horizon, it painted the sky a poignant orange-red, reflecting the cavalry slowly returning to the Chu army camp on the north bank of the Canglang River.
Despite the pursuit and counter-pursuit, the Chu soldiers did not show much fatigue on their faces; instead, they were filled with a triumphant and exhilarating spirit.
At the head of the procession, Ma Chao sat upright on his horse, his armor, slightly dusty from the journey, gleaming with a dull luster in the setting sun.
His face was calm, but the slight upturn of his lips betrayed his inner satisfaction.
The camp gates were already wide open, and Han Xing, dressed in a green robe with a light fur coat over it, stood quietly waiting under the gate.
The cold wind fluttered his clothes, making him appear even more upright and composed.
"General Han!"
Ma Chao dismounted from afar, threw the reins to his personal guard, strode up to Han Xing, clasped his hands in salute, and spoke in a loud voice with a hint of lingering killing intent.
"We have fulfilled our mission! Just as the general predicted, that old man Huyan Ying did indeed lay an ambush in the forest!"
Han Xing nodded slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing on his face:
"General Ma, you've worked hard. Hot soup has been prepared in the camp. Let's talk in detail inside the tent."
The two walked side by side into the warm central command tent.
Ma Chao took the hot towel handed to him by his personal guard, wiped his face haphazardly, and then eagerly recounted the entire pursuit.
The process of how Huyan Ying discovered the ambush, how he met the enemy head-on with a hail of arrows, how he feigned a retreat and used mounted archery to wear down the enemy, ultimately forcing Huyan Ying to retreat empty-handed and in a huff.
Although he tried his best to restrain himself, the unbridled joy in his words was still undeniable.
"The scorpion leader couldn't catch up with them, nor could he hit them, and he lost seven or eight hundred men for nothing. In the end, he could only slink away with his men!"
"Haha, that's really satisfying! General Han, your method is brilliant!"
Ma Chao slapped his thigh hard, appearing extremely excited.
Han Xing listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of his teacup until Ma Chao finished speaking.
He spoke slowly, his tone still calm and even:
"With the general's bravery and the soldiers' willingness to fight, we were able to dampen the enemy's morale and protect ourselves. In this battle, General Ma deserves the greatest credit."
He first acknowledged Ma Chao's contributions, then changed the subject and asked:
"However, General, have you ascertained the specific direction of Gao Xianzhi's main force's retreat?"
Mentioning this, Ma Chao's expression turned serious, and his smile vanished:
"The scouts sent out reported that the main force of the Tang army, along with those Scorpion Clan cavalry, did indeed head southwest. Judging from the route, their target is undoubtedly Zhennan Pass."
Han Xing nodded, not surprised by the answer.
He stood up, walked to the huge map of southern Xinjiang, and calmly scanned the Canglang River before finally landing on the Zhennanguan landmark in the southwest.
"From this perspective, Li Jing's intentions are quite clear."
Han Xing's voice carried a calm understanding of the situation: "After the recent defeat at Luoxia Mountain, Wang Zhongsi has suffered heavy losses, and Li Jing is left to fend for himself alone."
"Now we should shrink our defenses, abandon outlying strongholds like the Canglang River, and gather all of Gao Xianzhi's troops, and even any remaining Scorpion Clan forces, at Zhennan Pass."
"They want to concentrate their forces, gather their strength, and rely on the strategic passes to wage a decisive battle against our army."
He turned to Ma Chao and asked, "General Ma, you just asked what we should do next?"
"The enemy has retreated. Should we continue to remain stationed here?"
Ma Chao nodded quickly: "Exactly! General Han, we can't just stay here by the empty river and starve, can we? The soldiers are all hoping to get some exercise."
Han Xing pondered for a moment, then lightly tapped the map with his finger and made a decision: "Prepare to break camp."
"strike camp?"
Ma Chao's eyes lit up: "Are we heading straight for Zhennan Pass to join up with His Majesty and the Empress's main force?"
"Yes and no."
Han Xing's reply carried the prudence characteristic of a strategist: "The movements of our army must be coordinated with the overall situation."
"After His Majesty and Consort Feng's great victory at Luoxia Mountain, there must be follow-up plans."
"General Xue Huaide is leading an army of over 100,000 men toward us; this is known."
"But if our army rashly advances on Zhennanguan at this moment, and if Li Jing takes advantage of General Xue's absence to go out and meet us, our army will not have the advantage in strength, and there may be risks."
He paused, then analyzed clearly, "Therefore, breaking camp is inevitable, but we cannot act blindly."
"The most urgent task is to immediately report to His Majesty the situation that the enemy has retreated, our troops intend to break camp and advance westward to join the main force, and our assessment of Li Jing's intention to consolidate his forces."
He walked to the desk, spread out the letter paper, and said while grinding ink, "I will draft a memorial and send it to His Majesty by express carrier pigeon."
"On the one hand, we reported the military situation; on the other hand, we also asked His Majesty for specific strategies for the next step, whether to order our troops to go directly to Zhennan Pass for rendezvous, or to make other arrangements."
"At the same time, we also need to inform General Xue, who is on his way, so that he can adjust his marching route and speed to coordinate with our troops."
After listening, Ma Chao nodded repeatedly, a look of conviction on his face.
Although he longed for battle, he also knew that Han Xing's considerations were thorough.
Such a significant military operation cannot be decided solely by their two generals; it must be carried out under His Majesty's unified command.
"General Han's thinking is thorough and I admire him!"
Ma Chao clasped his hands and said, "Then we will do as the general says! I will immediately pass on the order so that the soldiers can get a good rest tonight and recharge their energy!"
"Starting early tomorrow morning, pack your belongings, organize your supplies, and make all the necessary preparations for breaking camp."
"Once His Majesty's decree arrives, or we meet up with General Xue, we will immediately set off and march towards Zhennan Pass!"
"Thank you for your trouble, General Ma."
Han Xing nodded, then picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write this important report concerning the movements of tens of thousands of troops on the pristine white letter paper with neat and clear handwriting.
Outside the tent, night was deepening, and the cold wind persisted.
However, the Chu army camp was subtly imbued with a new vitality and anticipation due to the upcoming relocation and even larger battles.