Chapter 124: An Unforgivable Mistake-Iron-Blooded Ming Dynasty(The Lonely Swordsman)

Among the eight thousand vanguard cavalry led by Ajige, there were two thousand heavy armored horsemen of this caliber.

Amidst the thunderous, earth-shaking sound of hooves, the Jiannu heavy cavalry, clad in chainmail, surged through the gaps in the baggage train, colliding violently with the ragtag rebels in their simple cloth garments. Before the lines of the two armies, men and horses tumbled in a chaotic heap. The harrowing wails of the dying, the rhythmic clashing of weapons, and the furious roars and curses of the soldiers instantly wove together into a cacophony that pierced the heavens.

Carrying the immense momentum of their charge, the Jiannu heavy cavalry easily crushed the first two rows of rebels. Hundreds of them fell in an instant, slumping into pools of blood, either hacked to death or trampled underfoot. Had it not been for the baggage carts strewn across the front, which forced the heavy cavalry to slow down or veer off course, severely blunting their assault, the casualties would not have been merely in the hundreds; the loss of half their force would have been entirely possible.

However, the Jiannu vanguard paid a heavy price as well. At least a hundred of their riders perished under the rebels' spears. While the rebels’ bodies could not withstand the impact of the heavy chargers, their sharp, long spears easily pierced the chainmail worn by the Jiannu. While chainmail offered strong protection against slashing, it lacked sufficient resistance against the direct thrusts of arrows and spears.

"I'll fight you to the death!"

Seeing so many of his brothers-in-arms vanish in the blink of an eye, Li Hu’s eyes turned bloodshot with grief. With a roar, he slammed his spear into the ground, using the recoil to vault into the air, launching a flying kick toward an oncoming Jiannu rider.

"Thwack!"

Li Hu’s foot landed heavily on the rider’s head. With the crisp sound of a snapping cervical spine, the Jiannu soldier fell from his mount without even a groan. Landing on the riderless horse, Li Hu swept his spear in a wide arc, knocking two more approaching Jiannu cavalrymen from their saddles.

"Ha!"

Ajige roared, raising his heavy horse-chopping saber high before swinging it down in a vicious diagonal arc, cleaving a rebel in two from left shoulder to right waist. Simultaneously, his mount slammed into two other rebels, crushing their bones and killing them before they even hit the ground.

Amidst the chaos, Li Hu and Ajige spotted each other almost simultaneously. They spurred their horses forward, weapons raised.

"Die!"

Li Hu shouted, thrusting his spear straight at Ajige’s chest. Ajige ignored the incoming point, his saber’s trajectory unchanged, aiming a lethal blow at Li Hu’s neck. It was a suicidal gamble—even if run through by the spear, he was determined to take his opponent’s head.

"Damn you!"

Li Hu grunted, desperately shifting his spear to block the swing. A deafening clang rang out; both felt their arms go numb and their grip tighten. Their strength was evenly matched, their martial prowess on par.

However, once they passed, there was little chance they would meet again on the battlefield. Li Hu had broken through the carriage line and would now face the surging Jiannu cavalry alone, while Ajige would be swallowed by the rebels' encirclement. Both were now fighting for their own survival, with no time to turn back and settle their duel.

Although the rebels failed to form their defensive formation in time, the presence of the baggage carts provided a significant obstacle to the Jiannu and served as a vital shield for the rebels. Sheltered by these carts, Li Hu’s two thousand men managed to hold the line against the brunt of the assault, preventing a total collapse during the first wave.

But the Jiannu had eight thousand cavalry in total—besides the two thousand heavy horsemen, there were six thousand light cavalry. As the heavy horsemen were tied up with the rebels, the six thousand light cavalry circled around the flanks, raining arrows upon the rebels within the carriage perimeter. If Li Yan could not make adjustments in time, Li Hu and his two thousand men from Qi County would be annihilated within the time it takes to eat a meal.

***

At the east gate of Datong, atop the gate tower.

"Not bad, truly not bad," the bearded man couldn't help but praise. "Relying on an incomplete carriage formation to hold back the frontal assault of thousands of Jiannu heavy cavalry—these two thousand rebels are real men, true warriors!"

The scarred man agreed: "What is most admirable is their courage. They knew full well that standing their ground meant certain death, yet they didn't retreat a single step. They would rather be crushed to dust than waver. This courage, this resolve—they are truly stout-hearted men."

Both the bearded man and the scarred man were hardened outlaws by origin. They held no malice toward the rebels, and under the influence of Wang Pu, the distinction between government troops and rebels had blurred in their minds. Despite having fought a bloody battle against these same rebels just the night before, they were men of spirit who respected that same spirit in others.

"A pity," Zhao Xin said, shaking his head with a sigh. "To buy time for the rebel center to form up, these two thousand will likely be wiped out to the last man."

Zhao Liujin shook his head: "In my humble opinion, even if these two thousand are wiped out, the rebel center won't be able to form a proper circular defense. Look, their center is still a chaotic mess. They won't be ready for half an hour, and will the Jiannu iron cavalry give them that much time?"

Standing behind Zhao Liujin, Jiang suddenly spoke: "Unless Li Yan commits the thousands of rebels currently guarding against us, once the vanguard is wiped out, the Jiannu cavalry will charge straight through, and the rebel center will fall into total disarray. The battle will be over before it truly begins."

Wang Pu felt a stir in his heart. He turned to Zhao Liujin and said, "Zhao Liujin."

Zhao Liujin stepped forward, shouting, "Reporting!"

Wang Pu commanded in a low voice, "Have your men shout in unison: 'Those not of our race, their hearts must surely be different!'"

"Huh?" Zhao Liujin asked, confused. "Shout 'those not of our race'?"

"Don't talk back," Wang Pu frowned. "That is an order!"

Zhao Liujin shouted his acknowledgment, turning to roar at his subordinates: "You lot, get over here! All of you, move it!"

***

In the rebel center.

"Husband, Huzi is in danger!" Hong Niangzi cried out anxiously.

Li Yan remained silent, his brow furrowed as he watched the chaotic battlefield. A flicker of hidden pain crossed his eyes. These two thousand soldiers were his own kin from Qi County, most sharing his surname, Li. Watching them die one by one tore at his heart more than anyone else's.

But Li Yan had no choice. Until the center could form a complete circular defense, he could not withdraw them. Even if every one of them had to perish, he had to hold. All he could do was pray—pray that they were stubborn enough to hold the line for long enough.

But reality was cruel. He soon realized his prayer was a luxury.

Li Yan now understood that this cavalry was the Jiannu elite, and he had underestimated their power. He had hoped his two thousand men could hold for at least half an hour, enough time for his fifty thousand troops to form a tight circular formation, which would have allowed them to use their numerical superiority to wear down the Jiannu. But the Jiannu’s attack power far exceeded his expectations. Within moments, more than half of Li Hu’s men were dead.

At this rate, they would be annihilated in the time it takes to finish a meal.

"Husband," Hong Niangzi stamped her foot, "send Brother Jing’s Crow Battalion and Li Xuan’s Gushan Battalion in! Otherwise, Huzi and the Qi County Battalion will be wiped out. These are your own people, the heart and soul you trained yourself!"

Li Yan remained silent. He wanted to send them, but he had to guard against the government troops in Datong. If the reinforcements moved out and the government troops attacked from the city, the rebels would be caught in a pincer and defeated even faster.

"Husband," she urged, "give the order! It will be too late!"

"Those not of our race, their hearts must surely be different!"

Just as Li Yan hesitated, the unified, resonant shouts of the Ming government troops erupted from the walls of Datong. Li Yan’s brow relaxed, and he shouted, "Messenger! Order Jing Maocheng and Li Xuan to lead their elite troops to support the Qi County Battalion immediately!"

"Yes!" Two soldiers shouted and galloped away.

"Husband," Hong Niangzi looked at him with tender affection, whispering, "this battle decides our survival. I know if the army falls, you don't intend to return to Henan to face Li Zicheng. For the army, and for you, I will fight as well."

Li Yan nodded gently. "Take care, my dear."

Hong Niangzi smiled brilliantly. "Do not worry, husband. These Tatars cannot harm me. Hyah!"

With that, she spurred her horse and galloped away. The four hundred remaining rebel cavalry followed. Clad in red, riding a fiery-red horse, she looked like a raging flame, charging toward the chaotic battlefield with blistering heat.

By now, Ajige was blood-drunk. He swung his crimson saber, cutting down rebels left and right, unstoppable. He had lost count of how many he had killed; his mind was filled with only one thought: kill, kill, kill! He had long since forgotten his eight thousand cavalry. Ajige was a rare, fierce warrior, but he was no commander. In this sudden encounter, he had made four unforgivable errors.

First, he should not have attacked without knowing the strength of his enemy.

Second, he should have bypassed the carriage line to strike the rebel flank, which would have rendered Li Yan’s brilliance moot.

Third, he should not have become entangled with Li Hu’s men. Once the advance stalled, he should have circled to find a new opening, but he insisted on a frontal breakthrough, eventually getting bogged down by the five thousand reinforcements from the Crow and Gushan battalions.

By the time the Jiannu cavalry finally broke through the four rebel units, Li Yan’s main force of fifty thousand had already formed up. Rows of spearmen stood ready, and lines of archers waited to unleash their volleys. The fifty thousand rebels were huddled together like a hedgehog covered in spikes, lying in wait for the Jiannu to bite.

At this moment, Ajige committed his fourth unforgivable error: despite his men and horses being utterly exhausted, he ordered a reckless, frantic charge against the prepared rebel main force!