Chapter 102 – Sit Back and Wait for Result
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
If you have not seen what happens when cavalry kill, here is a very good comparison. Imagine Jiangxia's army right now is meat and the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry is meat grinder.
Blood, flesh and bones are flying everywhere.
Above the plain, there are no longer any military formations. Those infantries are unprepared against a sudden cavalry charge. This kind of scene, even calling it a massacre is not good word enough to describe the situation.
Bing Province Heavy Cavalry is the number one heavy cavalry in this nation. Even if their opponent is the Ferocious Cavalry or Western Liang Cavalry, Bing Province Heavy Cavalry can annihilate them completely. Thus, you can see their superiority in cavalry class.
Jiangxia's army infantry is already drunk by the illusion of the victory. How could they hope to retaliate against the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry?
So, there is only one outcome from that battle: Jiangxia's army was torn completely.
“NO, NO, NO, THIS IS A LIE, A LIE!!!!” Huang She shook his head fiercely. He himself was unable to count how many times he had closed and opened his eyes, hoping that this would only just a nightmare. What a pity, he is doomed to be disappointed as the current situation is a complete fact.
A moment ago, his army wad still pursuing Lu Bu’s army for the final blow, but now, it turned into a slaughter fest.
“Devil, they are all devils!!!” Jiangxia's army have lost their spirit. They are all afraid. Fear had consumed them. Wherever Bing Province Heavy Cavalry assaulted, none lived to tell the tale.
Jing Province’s infantries had been living comfortably for far too long; they never dispatched for war. Even if there is a war, it is only a naval battle between Jing Province and Jiangdong. These infantries are used for backup only, in case Jing Province’s naval units are defeated and as they recall, Jing Province’s navy are still unbeatable.
Moreover, Jing Province is very wealthy. They are not those people living in the frontier, who are poor and always hungry. Those people who are living in the frontier are often faced with two choices, one is to starve to death and second is to join the army in order to maintain their livelihood.
And because Jing Province is very wealthy, these soldiers become very docile and are only thinking of themselves.
Because of that, these Jiangxia’s soldiers started to be annihilated and scattered by the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry.
“PERSEVERE, PERSEVERE, WE WILL WIN, WE MUST WIN!!!!” Huang She exclaimed angrily. He is not willing to be defeated. He is not willing to lose his military authority. So Huang She killed a deserter who ran in front of him.
“ALL OF YOU CANNOT ESCAPE, FACE THE ENEMY!!!!! I WILL KILL WHO DESERT THIS BATTLE!!!!” Huang She is already crazy and began to command his personal soldiers to kill those deserters “HEAR MY COMMAND, KILL ALL THOSE DESERTERS!!!!”
In front had lord’s son blocking the way, behind had the devil cavalry troops? If they rushed towards cavalry soldiers, surely they will be stabbed by cavalry soldier. Even if not stabbed, they will surely trampled by the horse until they become meat paste. But if they rushed toward their lord’s son, the eldest son She only had around 110 bodyguards and all infantries. So their brains started to recognize which sides are the weaker one.
Jiangxia's army had decided that to retreat is to survive; emitting killing intent toward Huang She. Usually they are obedient to Huang She’s order, but currently their survival is their top priority, so no wonder they are trying to kill Huang She.
“Idiot!!!” Huang Zhong cursed Huang She in his heart. If only it was only being defeated and scattered, Huang She killing an army deserter can stop those soldiers from becoming unorganized and presumably will do counterattack.
But he actually ordered his soldiers to kill all those deserters. By doing that, he was only sowing more dissention in his army.
“Guards, protect Eldest son She, we retreat!!!” Huang Zhong actually was looking forward for Huang She to die in chaos. But now is not good, he had yet obtained news about Huang Xu, therefore Huang She cannot die!
“I do not want to go, I do not want to go!!!!” Huang She wanted to struggle, but his body was held by Huang Zhong his guards who subsequently put him on his horse. Huang She’s guards did not stop their movements. They also knew, if this Eldest son She stayed on the battlefield, the result would be everyone's death.
Huang Zhong’s bodyguards added with Huang She’s own bodyguards, their number totaled 200. With these number, even though they are unable to do battle, they can evade the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry and return to Huangzhou city.
Bing Province Heavy Cavalry assault is very big in scaling. Although currently they are destroying those Jiangxia's army, those who are defeated and scattered actually made Bing Province Heavy Cavalry’s mobility compromised due to Jiangxia army are moving in random paths. Also because of their heavy equipment, they cannot catch up to Huang She.
“Can you really escape by running away?!” Lu Bu casually saw those soldiers who are escaping and then he exclaimed “Let Zhang Liao be easy on them, try to make Jiangxia's army surrender!!!” These Jiangxia soldiers also have great use for Lu Bu.
With option for surrender, naturally they will surrender. These Jiangxia soldiers threw down their weapons immediately. From total a total of 10,000 soldiers, Jiangxia's army had been cut down by the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry. Their casualties amounted to 3,000 dead, 800 severe injury what surrendered was more than 6000.
Those who are severely wounded, naturally asked Lu Bu’s army soldier to kill them, to set them free of pain.
For Lu Bu’s army casualties. Except from the beginning, when luring the enemy, they lost several hundred infantries. Regarding Bing Province Heavy Cavalry’s casualties, other than at the beginning when one soldier was too excited and died being trampled by horses, their casualties only amounted to two people suffering minor injuries. No severely wounded.
This is an almost flawless victory, so Zhang Liao is really proud of it.
While Zhang Liao is really satisfied, on the other side Zang Ba is really depressed. During the entire war, he had lost, so where can he put his face now? Also he had been long disgusted by a fly. He held his urge to counterattack with big difficulty. After that fly was killed, he wanted to defeat those Jiangxia's army soldiers with his big strength, who knew that portion was also stolen by Bing Province Heavy Cavalry.
When he want to kill several people, his lord already exclaimed “If you surrender, we will not kill you!!!” How can now Zang Ba be happy?!
Zang Ba’s current facial expression is similar to a pouting woman. Watching him raised a smile in Lu Bu’s heart.
“This war, Wenyuan gains the first rank in merit!!!” Lu Bu did not hold his praise.
“Milord you overpraise me!!!” Zhang Liao’s words are modest, but his face is brimming with pride and he often took a quick glance toward Zang Ba.
“Milord, I…!” Zang Ba wanted q to voice his discontent. If not for Lu Bu’s order, how can he lose face in this war? TWICE defeated in order to lure the enemy.
“Hahaha, everyone look Xuangao’s expression, is not like a pouting woman?!” Lu Bu played a joke on Zang Ba. This is the first time that Lu Bu has played joke on his subordinate.
People who are nearby Lu Bu, also started laughing very hard.
“Milord?!” Chen Gong was truly touched when he saw Lu Bu now. He followed Lu Bu for so long and interacted with him the most, so he is the first one to realize that Lu Bu has changed. Since their victory from Yan Province, Lu Bu had been extremely arrogant and opinionated to the point of being unchangeable. His arrogance kept appearing when they occupied Xu Province, even when Xiapi were surrounded, that opinionated and arrogance did not change at all.
Lu Bu’s behavior is similar to that of a child who is unable to admit their loss, a sore loser, making Chen Gong very helpless.
But since that person appeared, Lu Bu changed bit by bit. Lu Bu start to smile, Lu Bu start to care his men, even Lu Bu started to laugh. That person truly brought big fortune to our lives.
“Okay then, Xuangao. I said we will not be able to win this battle if not for you, so you hold a first rank in merit as well!” Lu Bu said it with smile.
”Milord, this is Xu Zhi’s head!!!” Zang Ba is really happy. His effort to suppress his anger, his harvest was really fruitful. So, he immediately pulled out Xu Zhi’s head from his waist.
“Heeeeyyyy, already got first rank in merit, you also want reward from me, eh?!” Lu Bu teased.
“No, it is not that!” Zang Ba wanted to explain but he does not know how to explain it.
“Go then!!! You have been at my side for quite some time now, I should now let you get your own division!!!” Said Lu Bu and pointing to outside “Jiangxia's army outside! I have left behind 3000 troops, now they are yours!” When Jiangxia's army surrendered Lu Bu hand-picked these 3,000 soldiers who had no longer any relatives to give to Zang Ba, so they became his familial soldiers.
“My soldiers!!!!” Zang Ba truly overjoyed. He quickly exited the main tent, forgetting to thank you his lord.
”Aiyah, this Xuangao!!!” Lu Bu shook his head. That Zang Ba’s age is no longer small, but still so crude. He was like a little child rushing outside to play with his new bike.
“All right then, all army’s move out, tonight we camp inside Huangzhou city!” Lu Bu said that to point out that Jiangxia's army has been decimated. Now only depending on naval units, they are unable to defend Huangzhou city and in addition the Formation Breakers and the Urban Army were also sent by Lu Bu to destroy the remnants of Jiangxia's army.
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“I AM DEFEATED, I AM TRULY DEFEATED!!!!” Huang She had been speaking those words nonstop.
Nearby Huang Zhong thought quietly toward Huang She “You are complete garbage; waste of life!!!” He, as a commander-in-chief should arouse the morale of his troops even though they are defeated. Not lamenting your defeat over and over. If this is not a waste, then what can this be called.
Although Huang Zhong really disdained this eldest son She, he must protect him in order to know news about his son.
“General, we have run far enough. The enemy should not have been able to chase us anymore!” A nearby guard said to Huang Zhong.
Although he is Huang She’s personal bodyguard, he actually admired Huang Zhong very much. His abilities as a general is top notch that included his ability as a leader, beside his unmatched wushu skill. He is idolized by the entirety of Jiangxia's army.
After defeat, Huang She had no other choice but let Huang Zhong take command. They should not go to Huangzhou, but detour to the naval units. Huang Zhong had discovered that Lu Bu’s army Formation Breaker had disappeared. They must have been positioned in their retreat route to Huangzhou city, therefore, going back to Huangzhou is a dead end and the worst choice.
Only after they reached naval units, can they be safe.
This discourse is okay, but Huang Zhong always felt the something was missing. He had been able to deduce why the Formation Breakers are waiting on the route to Huangzhou city when the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry was massacring Jiangxia's army, but he still cannot dismiss this uneasiness.
Before long, Huang Zhong will understand where this uneasiness comes from.
”General, will Huang Zhong and Huang She truly go to his path?!” At Huangzhou city’s border, near the river. A young man is asking toward a young man who wore gold cloth.
Across the river is Jiangxia’s navy HQ. So they may be discovered by Jiangxia's navy units at any time.
“Since when has this generals guesses been wrong?! Why are you the same as that blockhead Gao Shun!!!?” That speaker is Liu Mang. He is just lying down on the grass, basking in the sun. In his mouth, he is biting a foxtail grass. Truly carefree and relaxed like taking a vacation.
It is not because of Gao Shun’s stupidity; he reacts based on an army’s habit. If one has been defeated, where is the first place they will go when escaping? Their direction naturally is their own HQ, which is the idea of a regular person.
But Liu Mang knows that Huang Zhong is not a regular person. After being routed at Huangzhou city border, there are two routes to retreat. One is a land route, back to Huangzhou city and second is through river, back to Jiangxia using his naval units.
Huangzhou city already could not be defended, if they go, they just wait for death. So the remaining route is to return to Jiangxia using naval units.
Therefore Liu Mang had confirmed that Huang Zhong will definitely go this path. Earlier Liu Mang has told Gao Shun this idea, Gao Shun also approved Liu Mang’s idea, but he actually went to the road in Huangzhou city. Gao Shun’s idea is actually to cover up both paths, thus his preparation is very prudent.
“But…!” They have squatted for half of the day without accomplishing anything. Waiting here are too many mosquitoes. Cheng Yu wanted to complain that to Liu Mang but was already cut off by Liu Mang.
“Don’t say “but” you're too NOISY, learn from that young man, he is so calm and quiet!!!” Liu Mang pounded Cheng Yu’s head lightly while pointing to the young archer on the side.
“Yes!!!” Cheng Yu felt very sore on his head and he retreated, suddenly the scout that he sent returned with the news.
Upfront, no less than 200 cavalries are speeding toward them.