Chapter 84

It had to be admitted that the disparity in strength between the two sides was truly staggering, which greatly dampened the fighting spirit of the Jin army. Many of the local soldiers were on edge, and it was clear to the discerning eye that the formation was somewhat loose. If it weren't for Lu Yao's temporary deployment of several seasoned soldiers to mix with the local troops and serve as backbone, many would have turned and fled on the spot.

But even with the enemy outnumbering them ten to one and flaunting their might, even the seasoned veterans under Lu Yao's command couldn't help but feel intimidated. Zhao Lu, a veteran who had recently been transferred to Lu Yao's direct command from Gao Xiang's unit, was one such soldier. He felt his throat dry and his breathing labored, and he had to cough several times to recover. As the enemy's ranks grew denser, he gripped his spear tightly with both hands, tested his footing in a depression on the ground, and then bent down to ensure his body was fully shielded by the first row of wooden barriers.

As a survivor of dozens of battles, Zhao Lu had his own unique survival skills. While he was nervously making his final preparations for the battle, his eyes couldn't help but glance to the right of the formation. He had already chosen a route through the rocks on that hillside. If the battle turned against them, he could run along this route, and neither the enemy's cavalry nor their archers would be able to threaten him.

Zhao Lu's gaze, which had been fixed on the distance, fell on a young soldier beside him. The young man was slender and pale, perhaps intimidated by the enemy's presence. He was the squad leader, Mu Lan, of Zhao Lu's squad.

A few months ago, after the defeat of the Bingzhou army, Zhao Lu and Mu Lan were among the defeated soldiers who had fled like headless flies. They fled together until Duke Yue Shi advanced to Jinyang, and they returned to the army. Strangely, despite not being from the same hometown and having a significant age difference, Zhao Lu and Mu Lan got along particularly well. Although Mu Lan had been promoted to squad leader due to his excellent performance in military training, Zhao Lu still often treated this straightforward young man like a junior.

Zhao Lu hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Kid, if anything happens, you must stick close to me! Only by sticking close will you have a chance to survive, understand? Don't be a fool and charge forward recklessly!"

To his surprise, Mu Lan glared at him and angrily replied, "In the field of battle, where the dead lie, only those who are willing to die can live; those who hope to survive will surely die!"

Zhao Lu looked at Mu Lan in confusion. "What are you talking about? Is this even Chinese? I don't understand a word!"

Mu Lan had received education from the elders in his village and was one of the few literate soldiers in Lu Yao's army. He had been discovered by Lu Yao along with others like Zhu Sheng during military training. Lu Yao valued these few men highly and often communicated with them outside of training, treating them almost like his own students. Therefore, it was natural for Mu Lan to quote Lu Yao's military strategy. The problem was that these words were too profound for the illiterate veteran to understand.

Mu Lan gritted his teeth. "This is what General Lu taught us. It means that on the battlefield, only those who are willing to risk their lives have a chance to survive; those who are afraid of death, like you, will surely die!"

Zhao Lu was both shocked and angry. "You ungrateful brat! How can you be so heartless after all the care I've shown you..."

Zhao Lu could have cursed for days without stopping when he was truly angry. But this time, he had only said a few words when the battle cries from the front grew louder, and the enemy launched their attack.

Although the enemy's formation looked formidable while marching, they were still chaotic when they charged. With the signal from the center, a group of about three to five hundred men roared and rushed towards the Jin army's formation, regardless of the difference between long and short weapons.

Some of the enemy archers shot arrows at random, and the arrows hit the wooden barriers with a thud. Some arrows penetrated the gaps and hit several Jin soldiers. Fortunately, the enemy's bows, used for horse archery, had average range and power. Even if they hit, as long as they didn't hit vital points, there was no serious harm. The Jin archers immediately returned fire, and both sides exchanged several volleys, with several men on each side being hit.

The Jin soldiers, protected by the wooden barriers, suffered fewer arrow hits than the enemy. The enemy, being naturally fierce, would not stop charging unless hit in vital points.

In no time, the enemy was close. They were like a torrent crashing against a dam, roaring as they approached. The first group of warriors, armed with large knives and axes, began to chop at the wooden barriers under the cover of shields.

There were three rows of wooden barriers set up in front of the Tuanbai Valley, each row set back along the road. The enemy was now approaching the first row. These barriers were made from logs cut from nearby forests, and although the construction was crude, they were very sturdy. The enemy chopped away with their axes for a while, and splinters and bark flew everywhere, but they made little progress. Instead, the Jin soldiers used their spears to stab through the barriers, killing several of the axe-wielders.

The enemy, being fearless, paid no attention to the dead and injured. Sometimes they even stepped on the bodies to move forward, picking up fallen weapons to continue attacking the barriers. Some of the more agile ones even tried to cut the spears of the Jin soldiers.

Mu Lan crouched behind the barrier, aiming through the gaps, and thrust his spear out, injuring several men. Suddenly, someone grabbed the spear and pulled it hard. Caught off guard, he was dragged forward and his forehead hit the wood, causing him to bleed and fall back. In the heat of battle, he didn't feel the pain. He tried to charge forward again, but his spear movements were weak. He realized the spear had been cut, with the break just an inch from his hand. He then realized that if the barrier hadn't stopped him, his arm might have been severed.

Just as he was feeling lucky, he heard someone shout, "Watch out!" Before he could react, a tall, strong enemy soldier jumped down and tackled him.

The enemy had learned from their mistakes and sent a few shield-bearers to cut through the spears, weakening the Jin army's resistance in that area. Taking advantage of this, they leaned their shields against the barriers and several agile warriors climbed over, leaping into the Jin formation. Unfortunately, Mu Lan was bent over, and a fat enemy soldier landed on his back, causing them both to roll in a tangle.

They were too close, and the enemy's breath was foul and nauseating. Mu Lan grabbed the enemy's arm holding the knife, but the other hand was free to punch him in the chest and ribs. The punches were heavy, and Mu Lan's nose and mouth started bleeding, and he was about to be killed. Fortunately, Zhao Lu reacted quickly, rushing over and stabbing the enemy in the back. Mu Lan, having narrowly escaped death, felt his limbs go weak.

At the same time, the enemy who had leaped over the barriers were shouting and fighting fiercely with short weapons. The Jin soldiers, using long weapons that were difficult to maneuver, were unable to resist. Several of their comrades were killed, and the formation was in chaos. Fortunately, the commanding officer, Yang Ru, was a seasoned veteran and quickly ordered the rear spear-wielders to move forward. These spear-wielders, trained for months, thrust their spears in unison, and no matter how skilled the enemy, they were quickly killed.

Although these fierce warriors were all killed, their chaos had created significant gaps in the Jin army's defense along the barriers. While the spear-wielders were busy eliminating these warriors, more enemies approached the barriers. Some continued to chop with axes; some climbed the barriers and attacked with their weapons; and some, using their strength, tried to push the barriers over. The Jin army immediately organized a counterattack.

Mu Lan lay on the ground, catching his breath and wiping the blood from his mouth. Seeing the enemy approaching, he picked up a spear from the ground and rushed back to the barriers. If it came to personal bravery and fighting spirit, the Xiongnu warriors were indeed far superior to the Jin army. However, in a formation battle, individual bravery often had little effect. At this moment, the dozens of spear-wielders on the Jin side, who had been trained for a month, demonstrated their combat methods.

Taking Mu Lan's squad as an example, after accounting for the dead and injured, six soldiers remained. They formed two groups of three, working closely together and supporting each other. Each attack aimed to injure or kill one enemy, without lingering or fighting individually. When the Xiongnu warriors faced them, three spears would thrust simultaneously. In defense, the Jin soldiers relied on the barriers and supported each other, repeatedly repelling the enemy's fierce attacks.

Thanks to the good tactical discipline of the dozens of spear-wielders, the Jin army held their ground against the enemy. Neither side was willing to retreat, and they fought fiercely, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides in a short time.

******

Thank you all for your support and concern. I'll address some questions from the book review section here. The normal update schedule is one chapter per day. As a working professional, writing is a hobby, and I can only write a few paragraphs during my breaks at work, so I can't speed up much. On Saturdays and Sundays, I take care of my six-year-old child, who is very active, so I'm even busier. However, if there is a break in updates, I will make up for it the following week. I sincerely hope for your understanding.

If this causes any inconvenience to the readers, I can only bow deeply and apologize. I would even consider seppuku, if necessary...

Additionally, regarding the chapter titles, I don't think it's a big issue that the Battle of Jinyang is in Chapter 18. To be honest, this battle will span several more chapters. If the readers feel impatient, I can only apologize and consider releasing the final chapter early...

The era of the Five Barbarians and Sixteen Kingdoms is a niche period, so "Fufeng Song" is unlikely to become popular. However, every reader who stops to read this book gives me a great deal of encouragement, and I sincerely thank you all.

Finally, according to the editor, the book will be on the风云榜 (Fengyun Board) next week. I will try to update twice a day from Monday to Friday!