novelSusiti Chapter 57 Forming an array by the water, awaiting the enemy.
Chapter 57 Forming an array by the water, awaiting the enemy.
At dawn the next day, the eastern sky was just beginning to lighten, and the last vestiges of night had not yet completely faded.
Tian Heng's army finally arrived at the designated battlefield, the main ferry crossing area on the south bank of the Onon River.
Tian Heng reined in his horse on a gentle slope and looked out over the horizon.
Before our eyes, the Onon River stretches across the vast grassland like a roaring, earthen-yellow python.
The river was over a hundred feet wide. It was snowmelt upstream, and the water was turbulent and muddy. Waves crashed against the pebbles and withered grass on the banks, making a loud splashing sound and stirring up bursts of white foam.
The morning mist shrouded the river, adding to its air of mystery and desolation.
The view at the ferry crossing is clear. The river narrows slightly here, and the current is relatively gentle. Both the north and south banks have naturally formed gentle slopes that extend into the water, forming a natural ferry landing.
The only connection between the two banks is a narrow, muddy passage worn smooth by years of carts and horses, which is faintly visible in the river.
This means that when a large army crosses a river, it must form long lines and pass through one by one, which is slow and makes it difficult to deploy formations in the river.
The terrain on the north bank was extremely advantageous for setting up an ambush. To the left of the ferry crossing was a continuous slope covered with dense shrubs and tall larch trees, providing ample depth and making it the perfect hiding place for Huangfu Gong's eight thousand iron cavalry.
To the right of the crossing is a long, narrow hill that gradually rises, with a relatively flat top and a wide view overlooking the entire crossing and a large area on the north bank—an excellent starting position for cavalry charges. In front of the crossing is a relatively open riverbed, slightly muddy, but large enough for a large army to array itself.
Tian Heng stared intently for a moment, his calculations complete. He turned his horse around, looked at Qin Lin and Yuchi Wei following closely behind, and gave the order in a deep voice, his words quick and clear:
"General Qin! You are hereby ordered to lead 50,000 Southern troops and immediately form ranks on the riverbank in front of the ferry crossing! Raise many flags and deploy a wide array of feints."
"Once the Eastern Barbarian vanguard crosses the river to attack, your troops must advance steadily and cautiously, step by step, at any cost, to entangle them and draw the main enemy force from the north bank to continuously cross the river to reinforce! You must drag the majority of the enemy's forces into the muddy river at this crossing, stretching their lines and breaking them apart!"
"General Yuchi!" He turned his gaze to the high ground on his right.
"The entire Dragon Cavalry Battalion, immediately relocate to the hilly highlands on the right flank and take cover for rest. Remove armor, provide ample fodder and water, and allow the soldiers to recover their strength as quickly as possible. Without my order, no soldier or troop is permitted to expose themselves above the high ground ridgeline!"
When the Dongyi army has crossed more than half of the river, their formation is scattered and their morale is exhausted, listen to my signal cannon and the entire army, fully armored, will charge down from the top of the high ground at full speed!
There is only one objective: disregard everything else, penetrate the enemy lines, and seize the location of their commander's banner! We must destroy their command center in one fell swoop!
He paused, his eyes flashing with a chilling light:
"At that time, General Huangfu's iron cavalry will cut off the crossing, and the Wanyan tribe will defect from within the enemy ranks. Your Dragon Cavalry Battalion will be the final hammer to shatter the backbone of the 300,000-strong Eastern Barbarian coalition! Do you understand?"
"Your Highness's plan is truly like a skilled butcher dissecting an ox, hitting the nail on the head! By using our Southern Army as the mainstay and arranging them in formation by the water, it may seem like a passive defense, but in reality, it is a tempting bait to lure the enemy deep into our territory."
Once the Dongyi beast is attracted and drags most of its body into the muddy Onon River, the Dragon Cavalry will use its indestructible hammer to swoop down from the high ground and strike its vital spot!
Furthermore, General Huangfu's surprise attack locked the throat, and an inside agent from Wanyan's tribe ripped out the heart... each step was intricately linked, fraught with danger!
Not only did they avoid the disadvantage of our relatively weaker forces, but they also took full advantage of the chaotic military orders and tribal conflicts within the Eastern Barbarian coalition! This humble general dares to assert that if this battle succeeds, it will surely become a model recorded in the annals of military history!
He bowed and clasped his hands, his expression turning solemn and resolute: "Your Highness, rest assured, these 50,000 Southern Army soldiers under my command are all veterans who have followed me for many years and are most skilled at defending."
Forming a battle formation by the water, with the great river at its back, perfectly utilizes the strengths of our Great Xia army: its disciplined formations and sharp crossbows.
I will command my soldiers to stand firm here like a rock, no matter how fierce the Eastern Barbarian vanguard is or how many reinforcements they send in, they will not be able to shake my defenses in the slightest!
"We've decided to have our dragon cavalry charge and Huangfu launch a surprise attack, thus gaining the most opportune moment!"
Listening to his flattery, Tian Heng couldn't help but sigh. No wonder he was able to become the deputy commander of the Southern Army in less than ten years. Besides being the brother-in-law of the General of the Cavalry, he naturally had a lot of flattery to offer.
Yu Chiwei, standing to the side, also relaxed slightly on his usually cold and stern face, which seemed to be sculpted from ancient ice, revealing a faint yet extremely sharp hint of approval.
He slowly nodded, his voice still deep, yet carrying a metallic, resonant quality and absolute confidence:
"Your Highness's plans are meticulous and thorough, leaving no room for error. This humble general is convinced of your wisdom. The purpose of the Dragon Cavalry is to break through enemy lines amidst a vast army and crush any enemy who dares to stand in our way."
With its high vantage point above, it can charge down with the force of its spear, capable of piercing through three layers of iron armor!
The Eastern Barbarian army's formation was already loose, and once their morale was dampened, they would be like rotten wood and withered grass before my Dragon Cavalry. As soon as the opportunity arose, the Dragon Cavalry's arrows would strike, disrupting their entire army and clearing away the biggest obstacle for Your Highness to complete this encirclement!"
Seeing that the two generals not only fully understood his strategic intentions but also demonstrated strong confidence and determination in execution, Tian Heng completely let go of his last lingering concerns and was filled with heroic spirit.
He declared loudly, "Excellent! With the strong support of these two generals, our army will be even more formidable in this battle! Let us proceed according to this plan and act immediately!"
His expression turned solemn, and the military order slipped out without room for argument:
"Qin Lin, listen to my command! You shall immediately lead 50,000 Southern troops to form a battle array on the beachhead at the ferry crossing! The formation must be dense, with archers and crossbowmen in front, followed by shields and spears, and light cavalry patrolling the flanks for support."
The Eastern Barbarian vanguard, once ashore, should not rush for victory. The focus should be on attrition warfare, keeping them firmly pinned down at the front lines to lure the enemy forces on the north bank to continuously cross the river to reinforce! Remember, your position is the chopping block for this slaughter!
"Your subordinate obeys!" Qin Lin responded with a resounding shout, clasped his hands in salute, turned around and spurred his horse toward his own ranks. Shouts and commands rang out immediately, and the Southern Army began to efficiently change formations and move, like a sophisticated war machine.
"Yuchi Wei, listen to my command!" Tian Heng's gaze shifted to the silent steel jungle on his right.
"You are hereby ordered to lead the entire Dragon Cavalry Battalion to immediately relocate to the right-hand high ground and conceal yourselves on the back slope! Men and horses should remove their armor, rest, be fed enough fodder and water, and remain silent."
"Without my personal command, no information is to be revealed! Your eyes must be fixed on the enemy situation at the crossing. When half of them have crossed, their formation begins to crumble, and their morale shows signs of fatigue, that will be your time to descend like a dragon cavalry! There is only one objective: to pierce through the central command banner to the very end!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" Yuchi Wei slammed his right fist heavily against his breastplate, producing a dull thud, then turned his horse around and waved his command flag.
The three thousand-plus heavy cavalry of the Dragon Cavalry Battalion moved as one, slowly making their way to the high ground on the right.
Despite being heavily armored, the men and horses moved with minimal noise, demonstrating their exceptional training.
They quickly disappeared behind the ridgeline of the hills, like a primordial beast lurking in the shadows, waiting for that one roar.
With the deployment finalized, Tian Heng dispatched several more elite scout teams.
One team attempted to swim or find a secluded spot to cross the river, and ventured deep into the north bank to scout the exact location of the Dongyi army and the details of their river crossing preparations.
Another team, carrying a detailed battle plan and agreed-upon signals, secretly went to the Black Pine Forest upstream to contact Huangfu Gong's hidden troops.
Once everything was arranged, Tian Heng reined in his warhorse and stood quietly on a high point in front of the Southern Army's formation.
At this moment, the morning mist that shrouded the grassland was gradually being dispelled by the rising sun, and the turbid waves of the Onon River shimmered with golden light under the sun. The roaring sound of the water was the only background noise in this silent battlefield.
The grassland on the opposite bank was still empty, but the air was already filled with a sense of impending rain.