Chapter 74

"Lu Yao from Wu County! It's him again!" Shi Le gritted his teeth, the words squeezing out through them. There was no need to think further; last night, this man had raided the camp with only a hundred or so soldiers, killing the general Qiao Xi and leaving with a show of force. Today, he had come again, surely well-prepared and with a large army. How could they possibly resist?

Shi Le leaped onto his horse and shouted loudly, "Brothers, follow me!" His subordinates, over a hundred warriors, did not hesitate for a moment, immediately gathering around him and retreating southward in a hurry. Many supplies that were only half-packed were abandoned on the spot. At this moment, everyone knew that the faster they moved, the better their chances of survival.

The Jin army began to fire arrows, and the spear soldiers let out a deafening roar, advancing in neat formation. In fact, Shi Le felt that they did not need to be so cautious. All the soldiers in the camp had been awake all night, first fighting and then putting out fires. After a night of chaos, many soldiers could not even find their weapons and armor.

As the shouts of battle rose simultaneously from the east and west sides of the camp, the neatly arrayed Jin army charged into the Wuhuan camp. The Jin army's advance was not fast, but they maintained a good formation. No matter how fiercely the enemy attacked, they always kept three or four spears facing the enemy. No matter how the enemy fled, they never dispersed their formation, only their pursuit became more agile.

Shi Le had plundered in Hebei for several years and had seen countless battles, but most of them were chaotic and reckless. He had never seen such disciplined and well-organized troops. Such elite soldiers were not to be underestimated! Shi Le could not help but think.

As he had expected, the Jin army swept through like a storm. The unprepared Hu warriors were routed at first contact, falling like autumn wheat, pierced in rows.

Feng Motu, though rough, was indeed brave. He shouted loudly, trying to organize a counterattack. The Wuhuan were a skilled and fierce people, not lacking in brave men. Soon, he gathered a hundred or so cavalry. He charged on his horse, planning to attack from the side and catch the Jin army off guard. Just as his horse's speed increased, another group of cavalry suddenly charged out from behind the Jin army, colliding with the Wuhuan cavalry, clearly prepared.

These were the enemies who had raided the camp last night... Feng Motu had no time to think further as the two groups clashed. Feng Motu wielded his long spear like a windmill, deflecting five or six spears in an instant. Just as he was about to catch his breath, a strong wind blew past his ear, and Feng Motu's vision suddenly turned blood red, and he lost consciousness.

Shi Le, watching from a distance, saw clearly that the leader of this cavalry was not Lu Yao from last night, but a towering giant. This giant wielded a heavy saber with both hands, fighting fiercely and killing over a dozen men in an instant. Even a brave warrior like Feng Motu was no match; with one blow, the giant cut him and his horse to the ground!

The other Jin cavalry also fought bravely, and wherever they went, the sounds of warriors' roars, the neighing of fallen horses, and the clashing of weapons were dense. The Wuhuan cavalry were thrown into disarray. In fact, the Wuhuan's horsemanship and skills were not inferior to the Jin cavalry, but their morale was low. With Feng Motu dead, no one was left to command the battlefield. In a short time, the Wuhuan were completely routed.

Shi Le had no intention of trying to turn the tide against this Jin army. He considered himself a man of great ambition and should not risk his life personally. His subordinates, who had followed him for many years, should not shed blood for the Xiongnu in vain. He led his men in a mad dash into the Xiongnu's main camp, shouting all the way, "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

However, the Xiongnu's response was disheartening to Shi Le. Their resistance was so weak as to be almost nonexistent, and they did not even slow the Jin army's advance. More and more soldiers followed him in flight, and the Jin army's deafening battle cries seemed to turn into cheers!

This won't do, the Xiongnu can't be relied upon! If this continues, a mass of fleeing soldiers will become a hunting ground... I need to find a way out! Shi Le thought, pulling hard on the reins. His horse neighed loudly, rearing up on its hind legs, giving him a moment to survey the battlefield.

As far as the eye could see, the fleeing Hu warriors were densely packed across the plain. The banners representing the chieftains in the center of the camp swayed and fell in an instant.

The Jin army's formation finally dispersed, but it did not become disordered. Instead, it formed five or six small units of about a hundred men each. Each unit was still equipped with spears, shields, and bows, like angry hedgehogs bristling with spines, pursuing the fleeing enemies deep into the camp.

Dozens of cavalrymen surrounded the "Lu" banner, charging back and forth. Perhaps because the death of the champion general Qiao Xi had a profound impact on the soldiers, wherever this banner went, the Hu warriors fled in droves, and no one dared to stay and fight.

Fortunately, the Jin army was not very numerous and was mainly composed of infantry. Although their presence was intimidating, the actual casualties were not as great as imagined. The Jin army seemed content with a rout and did not attempt to annihilate the enemy. The other Jin army units stationed in the distant forests did not move at all. This could be considered a stroke of luck in an otherwise dire situation...

No! No! In this situation, just three to five thousand more troops... no, even two thousand or so troops for a pincer attack could completely annihilate the entire Xiongnu army! A decisive victory is within reach, why do those Jin army units remain hidden in the forests, refusing to move? Why? Shi Le's mind raced, and he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

"Wang Yang! Kui An! Zhi Xiong! Ji Bao!..." Shi Le suddenly turned his horse and shouted. Those whose names he called immediately responded. Fortunately, all eighteen of his riders were present. Many of the warriors who had been fleeing with him also stopped and gathered around him. Shi Le shouted angrily, "Brothers, stop running! We've been tricked by Lu Yao! The Jin army isn't numerous, it's all a show! Any real men, follow me back into battle!"

Before he could finish, someone objected, "Shi Le, what are you saying? How can we do this! The situation is beyond saving, we should retreat quickly!" The speaker was the Wuhuan chieftain, Fulidu. It was unclear when he had escaped from the center of the camp and returned to his own people.

Fulidu was the chieftain of this Wuhuan tribe and had a long-standing authority. With his words, many soldiers continued to flee. In a blink, Shi Le's men had decreased by a third.

Shi Le was extremely frustrated and was about to speak when Fulidu grabbed his horse's reins and said, "Shi Le, Shi Le! The Jin are so fierce, even the Xiongnu have been defeated. Can't you see? If you want to lead my people to their deaths, you'll have to ask me first!" As he spoke anxiously, the fat on his chin jiggled, and his large belly, hanging over the horse's back, heaved violently.

Shi Le looked at Fulidu, unsure what to say. Over the past few months, Fulidu had treated him very well, not only obeying his commands but treating him like a brother. But in times of chaos, a leader needed to be as fierce as a wolf, and Fulidu was not.

"Chieftain, now is the time for decisive action, talking won't help," Shi Le slowly pulled the reins from Fulidu's hand. He looked around at the Jie and Wuhuan people and shouted, "Either we flee in cowardice and be slaughtered like pigs and dogs, or we fight to the death and use the Jin's heads as spittoons... Fulidu and I, whose orders will you follow? Those who will follow me, come with me, and we will fight to the end!" Despite the deafening battle cries, his words were clearly heard by every soldier nearby.

Without waiting for a response, Shi Le drew his saber with a ringing sound, pointing it northward, toward the fluttering "Lu" banner.

******

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