Cao Yin listened to Li Qingmu analyze the situation here. The best ti for interception had long been missed, and by now, Luo Xie and Chang E had already led their troops far away.
All the horses had about the sa speed; there was no way to catch up!
"Damn, those two bastards! Let’s not talk about Chang E; he’s still young, and he beca a general after earning so military rit in the Northwest with Chang Su. His judgnt error is understandable, but that old crook Luo Xie..."
Luo Xie was about the sa age as him and ended up in the trap too; things were pretty dire.
What to do?
Cao Yin looked at Li Qingmu. This young man might be young, but he’s very sharp!
"Grandfather, we can only wait now and prepare for the worst! The city gates should be ready to open at any ti, so they can co in at the first mont!"
The words weren’t wrong, but Cao Yin didn’t like to hear them. What do you an, "co in at the first mont"? Are you so sure they’ll be defeated?
"Fine, fine, I’ll just stay in the city. If they bring back rits, I’ll have no place to hide my old face!"
Cao Yin waved his hand, his face full of depression.
"They won’t, Grandfather, just wait!"
...
"Giddy up, giddy up! The whole army, pursue!"
Outside Hanshui Pass, the road ahead led to the Yuan Shui Ridge, where the terrain was perilous and the roads were rugged; steep cliffs flanked both sides. Luo Xie and Chang E spurred their horses, leading the army in pursuit of the fleeing Xiliang enemies.
Each led fifty thousand elite soldiers, a vast force resembling a dragon, with no end in sight.
Their commander was shot and injured, leaving the army leaderless and fleeing desperately. From behind, one could even see their scattered formation.
This was a perfect opportunity to pursue and gain rit!
Luo Xie and Chang E ran quickly, racing against ti, eager to earn more military rit by urging the cavalry behind them to run faster.
"Swish, swish..."
Cavalryn galloped while drawing their bows, shooting down straggling Xiliang soldiers!
"Good, haha!"
"Charge!"
A faint trace of dawn appeared at the horizon in the distance; the sky was about to brighten, revealing a valley ahead.
The valley had cliffs on both sides, and facing was a dense, prival forest. Chang E and Luo Xie watched helplessly as they charged into the woods, disappearing from view.
"General, the enemy fled into the woods, should we pursue?"
An officer eyed the shadowy, dense forest ahead, hesitating to proceed.
Xinan was mountainous, and these local people knew the forests better than they did. If they ventured too deep, they might fall into an ambush.
"These Xiliang people rely on deep mountain forests as their rear, always provoking us Dazhou because they think we can’t deal with them. This ti we’ve mobilized the entire army. If we don’t pursue, won’t it all be for nothing? Pursue!"
...
"General, the Zhou army is upon us!"
In the forest, on a high slope, Xiliang leader Hatu was tending to his wound; the arrow had just barely missed his heart without being fatal.
This was because he had instinctively reacted, tilting his body slightly to avoid a fatal strike.
Now, he sat bare-chested on a rock, his chest wrapped in bandages, eyes sharply fixed on the approaching Zhou army below.
"The Zhou are coming, prepare for an ambush!"
"Giddy up, giddy up!"
Luo Xie and Chang E led their cavalry into the forest only to find no sign of the Xiliang people around.
"I clearly saw them flee into the woods. Where are they? How can so many people be gone?" Luo Xie glanced at the dense forest, suddenly alard, "Not good, we’ve been tricked! Quick, retreat!"
Chang E also realized sothing, his face paled, and he hurriedly turned his horse to ride back.
But it was too late!
"Swish, swish, swish—"
Countless arrows shot out from the forest, raining down on the Dazhou army.
"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"
This was a forest, Xiliang’s main battleground. They couldn’t even see the enemy; how could they fight? The Dazhou army began a frenzied retreat.
But as the army moved, inertia took over, and as they turned, the rear hadn’t reacted yet, causing chaos with soldiers and horses tumbling over each other.
"Kill them—"
"Charge, kill them all!"
The clamor ca from both sides, it was the Xiliang people, erging from their concealed positions in the forest, attacking the disarrayed Dazhou army.
"Regroup, regroup, prepare to fight!"
Chang E and Luo Xie shouted with all their might, but once a mistake was made, each step led to another. Losing the initiative ant being restrained everywhere. Plus, the dense forest hindered the cavalry instead of aiding them, leading to a complete rout.
"Break out, fight your way out, get out of the forest imdiately!"
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Luo Xie imdiately made a judgnt. They were unfamiliar with the terrain here, confronting the enemy was impossible. They could only retreat quickly.
They barely made it out, but on either side of the valley ahead, countless rocks rolled down. These rocks not only injured many officers but also blocked the path, making the already difficult mountain trail even harder to traverse.
"Ah, ah! I regret not listening to advice!"
Seeing the fields littered with corpses of the Dazhou army, Luo Xie howled skyward, letting out a sorrowful, angry cry!
"Retreat the whole army, as many as can escape, go quickly!"
The sky gradually brightened as the sun rose high.
In a blink, it was already noon.
On the city walls of Hanshui Pass, Li Qingmu leaned sideways, gazing deeply at the vast mountain road below.
"That arrow, was it intentional or not?"
Long Yue approached slowly, a bit confused, always feeling this man’s thoughts were too deep to comprehend.
Last night’s siege, if it weren’t for the arrow he shot that wounded the enemy general, Luo Xie and Chang E wouldn’t have led the pursuit. She had been anxious for trouble early in the morning.
Li Qingmu remained silent.
"Kid, I thought it over. Luo Xie and the others are likely dood!"
Cao Yin, carrying a long knife, hurried over, worried about last night’s scenario. The enemy had only suffered a few thousand casualties, and their general was injured, yet they pursued with such fervor, likely falling into an ambush.
Couldn’t this kid have stopped them then? Forget it, he probably couldn’t!
"Great General, look!"
At this ti, a soldier standing at a high vantage point suddenly shouted, pointing into the distance.
"It’s... it’s Chang E and them!"
Cao Yin followed the direction to see Chang E and Luo Xie fleeing desperately with the army, as if a great beast was chasing them.
"Damn, they’ve really been ambushed, those two fools! Open the city gates quickly!"
"Creak!"
The city gates creaked open, and the fleeing Zhou army, upon seeing their city walls, beca so emotional their eyes turned red, accelerating.
"Hurry, get into the city!"
At this mont, no need for Chang E to say anything; the soldiers all desperately rushed in.
"Damn it, ten thousand elites reduced to shattered soldiers!"
Cao Yin stood on the city wall, looking at the chaotic troops below, angrily punching the city wall until his hand bled.
"Grandfather, take it easy."
Long Yue stepped forward to bandage Cao Yin’s hand, just as his eldest son, Cao Jing, hurried over, his face full of worry: "Father, the enemy is unrelenting on our heels, this won’t end well!"
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