Chapter 56

This was a battle with absolutely no suspense.

Dewen Fu's skills were far inferior to Ashina Silieya, who was a battle-hardened and extremely experienced general. Dewen Fu, on the other hand, had never experienced a real battle. He always relied on overwhelming numbers, not needing any tactics or techniques, which was known as a "one-wave" strategy. Once he encountered a slightly tougher opponent, he would retreat to preserve the strength of his tribe.

Dewen Fu was quite open-minded about this. He did not feel ashamed but instead considered himself a tactical master, always able to secure the greatest benefits for his tribe with minimal casualties. He was completely unaware that a commander who had never fought a tough battle was not much different from one who had never fought at all. An opponent that could be defeated with a "one-wave" strategy could be commanded by a three-year-old.

Cavalry was the nemesis of infantry, and Dewen Fu had often used thousands of cavalry to crush three thousand infantry. Thus, he stubbornly adopted the old tactics without any flexibility.

As a result, just as they met, Dewen Fu tasted the consequences. The powerful crossbowmen hiding behind the陌刀兵 (陌刀兵: a type of infantry equipped with long, heavy blades) once again demonstrated their might. The 1,200 strong crossbows were far beyond what the Turkic cavalry could resist. This sudden attack immediately exposed Dewen Fu's lack of experience.

In a panic, Dewen Fu made a fatal mistake. He shouted loudly, attempting to command his troops to retreat from the terrifying crossbow range, which only led to chaos.

If he had charged forward like Silieya, regardless of casualties, the crossbows would have fired a few more rounds before the陌刀兵 had to stand up to build a wall to block the cavalry's charge. However, Dewen Fu ordered a retreat. The cavalry, gathered for a concentrated charge, could not simply withdraw.

The cavalry, crowded together, faced continuous crossbow attacks. Even more terrifying was that the order to retreat severely dampened the morale of the Turkic soldiers. The Turkic people also feared death. The cavalry, crowded together, tried to squeeze out to save their lives, while those on the outside, unable to retreat, tried to squeeze in.

It wasn't that they didn't want to retreat, but Luo Shixin issued another order: to target the left and right flanks of the Turkic cavalry with most of the crossbows.

This simple order was fatal. The Turkic soldiers, unable to disperse in time, were driven by the terrifying crossbow rain to huddle towards the center where the arrows were less dense. One group squeezed in, another squeezed out, colliding and trampling each other.

Even in a crowd, such a situation would cause massive casualties, let alone with cavalry...

Due to Dewen Fu's foolishness, the Turkic cavalry had fallen into a state of mutual slaughter.

The intense battle had turned into a one-sided massacre. At this moment, the casualties of the Right Brave Guards led by Luo Shixin were zero.

Dewen Fu, protected by his loyalists, was temporarily unharmed. He looked at the tribesmen being shot down by crossbows and the tribesmen who had fallen into chaos and trampling each other, his mind blank.

At this moment, countless soldiers in iron helmets emerged from the woods behind the Turkic army. They had muffled their hooves and held rings in their mouths, appearing silently behind the Turkic army.

Due to Dewen Fu's foolishness, the cavalry within the 400-step range of the long-range crossbows found it extremely difficult to escape. Only the Turkic cavalry at the rear, blocked by a sea of people, could avoid it. They withdrew from the crossbow range, watching their tribesmen being slaughtered with red eyes.

Under the command of the brave and experienced commander Qubi, they did not flee far but reassembled, planning to flank and save their tribesmen caught in the continuous crossbow attacks.

Before they could gather, these troops from the sky swiftly and fiercely plunged into the Turkic cavalry.

Qubi roared and shouted, urging the surrounding tribesmen to counterattack, but the morale of the Turkic soldiers had already dropped to zero.

If Qubi could gather a certain number of troops and calm them, there might have been a chance for a fight. However, the Turkic cavalry, now in a state of shock, had lost the courage to fight and were easily routed.

Qubi killed five men and was then pierced through the heart by a hidden spear.

The commander of this surprise force was Xue Wanjun. Xue Wanjun had indeed come. Facing the long-standing enemies of the Han people, this iron-blooded man raised his arm and shouted, "Follow me to give the Turkic dogs the final blow!"

The attack of over a thousand cavalry was fierce and deadly...

They moved in groups of five or six, further fragmenting the already scattered Turkic cavalry. Under Xue Wanjun's leadership, the Tang army used long spears to charge from a distance and horse sabers to slash in close combat, cutting down the Turkic soldiers like grass, with blood splattering the yellow earth.

Luo Shixin, seeing the "Xue" banner fluttering in the wind, smiled with satisfaction. He had not misjudged the man.

The general under the command of the petty man Luo Yi was indeed not a petty man.

At this point, the crossbow fire gradually thinned out, as the crossbowmen had reached their limits. Continuously pulling the strings, even the strongest arms could not hold up.

"Brothers with the crossbows, you have done well! Withdraw and rest; the rest is up to us!" Luo Shixin raised his long spear and issued the order to charge.

Up to this point, except for the crossbowmen, no other troops had the chance to show their skills. They were not willing to let the crossbowmen take all the glory. With Luo Shixin's order, the soldiers charged forward with all their might.

The front of the Turkic army was riddled with arrows, almost completely losing its combat capability. The rear, under Xue Wanjun's assault, was also in disarray. Only the middle part still had some Turkic soldiers resisting.

Faced with the pincer attack of Luo Shixin and Xue Wanjun, this resistance did not last long before Luo Shixin broke through.

He single-handedly tore the Turkic cavalry's defensive line into two with his bravery.

The cavalry behind Luo Shixin widened the gap, and Xue Wanjun decisively seized this opportunity, further dividing and gradually annihilating the Turkic soldiers.

Luo Shixin and Xue Wanjun pursued and slaughtered the fleeing Turkic soldiers, chasing them for ten miles until there was no one left to kill, before finally stopping.

Luo Shixin ordered Xue Yong and Mo Hu'er to clean up the battlefield and invited Xue Wanjun to wash by the stream.

Luo Shixin's martial prowess was beyond question, and Xue Wanjun was also a brave and fierce general. The two squatted by the stream, and the water turned red from the blood on their bodies.

"I didn't expect General Xue to really come, and at the right time. The timing of the attack was very well judged, indicating thorough preparation." Luo Shixin smiled at Xue Wanjun.

Xue Wanjun nodded, answering his question, and then firmly said, "First, I am a citizen of China, and only then am I a general under the command of the Duke. How could I miss the opportunity to strike the Turkic dogs?"

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