novelSusiti Chapter 56 Reinforcements Have Arrived, the Plan Begins
Chapter 56 Reinforcements Have Arrived, the Plan Begins
Seeing this, a flash of joy crossed Tian Heng's eyes. He quickly stepped forward, reached out his hands to support the two men, and said loudly:
"Generals, you and your soldiers have traveled a long and arduous journey to our aid, your service is invaluable! No need for formalities, please come with me into the city to speak!"
After speaking, Tian Heng stepped aside to lead the way, with Qin Lin and Yuchi Wei following closely behind. The three of them stepped into the tall gate of Beique Pass side by side.
On both sides of the main street inside the pass, the soldiers of the Northern Gate garrison, who had been ordered to stand in formation, saw the true faces of these two famous and fierce generals of the Great Xia Dynasty. When they thought of the formidable new force outside the city, their morale, which had been somewhat depressed due to the enemy's superior numbers, was immediately boosted. Countless eyes were filled with awe, excitement, and a surge of anticipation for victory.
Outside the city, the Dragon Cavalry and the Southern Army soldiers, under the command of their respective officers, began to set up camp in an orderly manner, watering and feeding their horses. Apart from the necessary clash of metal and the neighing of warhorses, there was not much noise. The military discipline was strict, and they displayed an elite atmosphere.
Upon entering the council hall again, Tian Heng gestured for Qin Lin and Yuchi Wei to take their seats at the head of the table on either side. He then returned to the main seat himself, cutting straight to the point without any pleasantries or formalities, his expression grave:
"Generals, you have traveled a long and arduous journey. You should allow the soldiers to rest properly. However, the military situation is urgent and changes rapidly, so we cannot afford to delay."
The vanguard of the 300,000-strong allied army of the Eastern Barbarians has already approached the Onon River, and is at most two days' journey from where their main force will cross the river.
His finger landed heavily on the blue, winding lines of the map. "I and the generals of the Northern Capital have already determined our strategy, which is to attack them while they are crossing the river."
We must reach the pre-arranged battlefield on the south bank of the Onon River before the enemy and complete our deployment.
Qin Lin sat upright, his gaze sharp as lightning, quickly scanning the terrain markers and his own troop strength on the map. Upon hearing this, he nodded calmly.
"Your Highness's strategy strikes at the heart of the Eastern barbarians. Although their army is large, their tribes are mixed, making it difficult to unify commands. When crossing the river, their ranks will inevitably be stretched out, making it difficult for the front and rear to coordinate. This is a golden opportunity for our army to strike at their laxity with our elite troops and to break their disarray with our discipline."
My 50,000 soldiers are all sharpened, their swords, spears, bows, and crossbows gleaming, their fighting spirit soaring, ready to break camp and fight to the death at any moment!
Yu Chiwei nodded slightly, his mask-like, cold face remaining completely expressionless. When he spoke, his voice was like the clash of metal, brief and powerful:
"The Dragon Riders, with a total of 3,751 riders, are fully equipped with men, horses, armor, spears, bows, and swords, and are in peak condition."
But at Your Highness's command, wherever you point, even the strongest walls of bronze and iron will be reduced to dust.
There were no grand pronouncements, yet it exuded absolute confidence and a terrifying aura of destruction.
Seeing that both generals were in the zone, Tian Heng's last shred of concern vanished, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up within him:
"Excellent! With the strong support of these two generals, our chances of victory in this battle have greatly increased! Without further ado, let's make our deployments immediately!"
His expression turned serious, and he began to issue military orders:
"General Qin! You are hereby ordered to lead 50,000 main forces to immediately replenish sufficient food and water at the camp outside the pass, conduct a thorough inspection of weapons, bows and crossbows, arrows, and armor, and deal with any minor potential hazards."
"You have half an hour to complete preparations. After that, the entire army will set off for the pre-established positions on the south bank of the Onon River!"
"General Yuchi! The Dragon Cavalry Battalion, heavily armed, will also depart with the Southern Army in half an hour, maintaining appropriate distance, and await further instructions."
"Your subordinates obey!" Qin Lin and Yuchi Wei stood up without hesitation, clasped their fists, and turned to leave to make arrangements.
Tian Heng stopped them and quickly added crucial information:
"General Huangfu Gong has led 8,000 Imperial Guard cavalry to secretly infiltrate the Black Pine Forest on the upper reaches of the Onon River and ambush the enemy when they are halfway across. He will be responsible for cutting off their retreat. In addition, 5,000 Wanyan cavalry from within the Eastern Yi have secretly surrendered. They will defect to the enemy and rush straight to their commander's camp. When our army launches a frontal assault, we must pay attention to identifying friendly flags."
Upon hearing this, Qin Lin's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness's plan is comprehensive and intricately linked, with surprise attacks from within and encirclement from without. This humble general will certainly restrain his troops, strictly follow orders, cooperate closely with friendly forces, and never be greedy for merit or act rashly."
Yuchi Wei then succinctly stated: "The dragon cavalry charge with measured steps. They will crush all obstacles for Your Highness."
After the two generals left, Tian Heng immediately took action.
He summoned the commander of his personal guards and ordered him to quickly reorganize his personal guard battalion and the auxiliary troops that could be mobilized within the pass, and to take inventory of the weapons.
The atmosphere inside and outside the entire Beique Pass instantly became extremely tense, like a fully drawn bow.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Night had completely enveloped the earth, a crescent moon hung in the sky, and the stars were sparse, casting a layer of clear light on the vast grassland.
The heavy city gates of Beique Pass slowly opened once again amidst the sound of winches.
Outside the pass, the army had already formed ranks.
Tian Heng had changed into a specially made black luminous armor, the armor plates shimmering with a dark luster under the moonlight, and a scarlet battle robe draped over his back.
The magnificent steed beneath him seemed to sense the excitement of the impending battle, pawing restlessly at its front hooves and exhaling puffs of white steam.
Tian Heng reined in his horse and stood at the very front of the entire army, his posture as straight as a pine tree.
Behind him, Qin Lin stood before the 50,000-strong Southern Army formation. The Southern soldiers were arranged according to their troop type, with swordsmen and shieldmen in front, followed by spearmen, archers and crossbowmen at the rear, and light cavalry patrolling on both flanks.
The entire army fell silent, save for the faint rustling of armor plates and the occasional snorting of warhorses, like silent mountains concealing immense power.
Further back was the Dragon Cavalry Battalion under the command of Yuchi Wei. More than three thousand heavy cavalrymen stood silently, both men and horses covered in heavy armor, looking from a distance like a group of cold steel sculptures.
The extra-long lances pointed straight into the night sky, forming a breathtaking metal forest under the moonlight.
There was not a sound, only heavy, suppressed breathing and the cold aura of the armor, as if it were a death legion from the underworld.
Tian Heng took a deep breath of the cold night air, abruptly turned his horse around, and faced the boundless black army behind him.
He gathered his strength, and his voice, like a resounding bell, pierced the silent night sky, clearly reaching the ears of every soldier:
"Soldiers of Great Xia!"
The entire army fell silent, and countless eyes focused on the figure in black armor and red robes.
"Those barbarian traitors, so treacherous and disloyal, have brazenly invaded the south! They slaughtered our border towns, massacred our people, and trampled upon our ancestral lands! This hatred is irreconcilable! This resentment will never be quelled!"
His voice suddenly rose, carrying a metallic clang and overwhelming fury:
"Today, we are here in the northern frontier, bearing the imperial edict and the royal command, to sweep away the evil forces and restore our land!"
Ahead lies the Onon River! Three hundred thousand barbarian soldiers from the Eastern Barbarians are rolling in! I will lead you there, and with the iron will and blades of the men of my Great Xia, I will tell those wolves that those who offend my mighty Xia, though far away, will be punished! Those who invade even an inch of my land will have their blood spilled five steps away!
He raised his long spear high, its tip flashing with a cold light that burst into a ball of flame under the moonlight:
"On this journey, there is only one option: to fight to the death! Only victory! Let the blood of the Dongyi people stain the Onon River red! Let their heads build a new Great Wall for our northern frontier! Let future generations remember that the glory of this battle belongs to each and every one of you! All troops, listen to my command!"
He suddenly swung his long spear forward, slicing through the night sky:
"Destination: The Onon River! Let's go!"
"Victory! Victory! Victory!!!"
A thunderous roar erupted suddenly, its sound waves rolling across the plains like thunder, startling countless night birds into flight, and even making the stars and moon tremble! The soldiers' eyes burned with the fire of war, and their chests boiled with fervor.
Tian Heng spurred his horse, and the warhorse neighed loudly, charging forward like an arrow released from a bow! Qin Lin waved his command flag, and the 50,000 Southern Army marched with orderly and heavy steps, like a moving steel fortress, rumbling as they set off.
With a gentle wave of his hand, Yuchi Wei activated the Dragon Cavalry, their heavy armor clanging as they moved with the awe-inspiring strides of an ancient behemoth, following behind the main army.
The black torrent, under the moonlight and starlight, rolled northward toward the Onon River.
After a night of rapid marching, scouts kept coming back and forth, constantly reporting that the Dongyi army was also on its way and getting closer and closer to the Onon River crossing.
Tian Heng ordered the entire army to speed up and seize the initiative.
. '