With tens of thousands of soldiers stretching endlessly, Mu Hanmaitixia was filled with confidence of victory as he gazed upon the vast army that reached beyond the horizon.
The enemy's main force had already withdrawn to the west, and the garrison in the Liu City area was only about three thousand.
His own army outnumbered the enemy several times over, so how could there be any reason not to win?
"Report! Prince Ebeidullah has captured Chiting and is advancing towards Bican City!" A victory report came from the front.
His eldest son, Prince Ebeidullah, leading two thousand vanguard soldiers, had captured the Chiting Oasis on the outskirts of the Han Hai Desert.
"Very good! Tell Prince Ebeidullah to continue advancing.
Order all units to speed up their march; they must reach Bican City within five days!" Mu Hanmaitixia, seated regally upon his splendid yellow-spotted horse, issued the command with high spirits.
"Pfft!" The horse beneath him suddenly snorted loudly, as if cheering for its master.
Military orders were like mountains, and squadron after squadron of the Hami army quickened their pace.
This army was primarily composed of three ethnic groups: the Uyghur people near Hami, the Hui people near the Great Ming border west of Jia Yu Pass, and the Harahoi people, who were a branch of the Mongols.
Due to its location as a hub on the Silk Road, commerce was developed, and the people of Hami were relatively wealthy.
When people become rich, they cherish their lives, so the fighting strength of the Hami army was not strong.
Regarding this, the Ming dynasty scholar Xu Jin wrote in his book, "The Beginning and End of Pacifying the Fan": "There are three kinds of people in Hami: the Hui, the Uyghur, and the Harahoi.
All engage in farming and weaving, do not value fighting, and the country is prosperous and wealthy."
A major difficulty facing the Hami army was the vast and boundless Han Hai Desert.
However, it was not a problem; as locals, they were already accustomed to traversing the desert.
It only took them a little over four days to arrive at the foot of Bican City.
Mention Bican, and hardly anyone knows it, but if you speak of Loulan, everyone knows it.
This city's original name was "Loulan".
In 77 BC, the Han dynasty established Wei Tuqishi as king and changed Loulan to "Shanshan".
During the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty, it was incorporated into Turpan and renamed "Bican".
Over centuries, the vast sandy sea continuously encroached, and the original ancient city of Loulan had long become ruins.
The current Bican City is merely a small city rebuilt near the ruins.
Turpan's Prince Su Li Tang led two thousand troops to garrison here.
This place was the throat of the Han Hai Desert; if it were lost, the enemy could drive straight in.
His mood was heavy; he had just received a military report that the Chiting Oasis had fallen, and the hundred defenders had been annihilated by the enemy.
There were rumors that the enemy's numbers were extremely large, several times their own.
"Aoo~ Aoo~ Aoo~"
A troop of cavalry galloped to the city walls, displaying their military might with arrogance.
Seeing his subordinates so brave, the Hami Prince Ebeidullah was extremely pleased, thinking to himself: I was ordered to be the vanguard of the entire army, invincible wherever I go.
After capturing Turpan, I wonder how my father, the King, will reward me?
"Damn it!"
The enemy's arrogance enraged Prince Su Li Tang on the city wall.
His tiger eyes widened, and a black line appeared between his brows.
"Your Highness, we are outnumbered by the enemy.
If we don't blunt their momentum, this city will be difficult to defend.
I, your General, am willing to go out and face the enemy!" The valiant General Hu Bofeng shouted.
"Bek Hu Bofeng, you lead a thousand cavalry out to meet the enemy.
I will lead five hundred cavalry to flank the enemy.
This battle is sure to be won!" Prince Su Li Tang calmly issued the military order.
Hami army General Aizezi sat proudly on his horse.
His subordinates had been shouting insults for a long time, yet not a single defender dared to come out to fight.
Hmph, what a bunch of useless people!
He took out the large axe from behind his back and performed a flourish on his horse, showing off his strength.
The large axe was heavy, but to him, it was like a child's toy.
His name in Uyghur meant "powerful," so naturally, he had the strength to wield the large axe.
The heavy city gate opened, and a troop of iron cavalry galloped out.
The leader had superb horsemanship, and with a few flashes, he was before Aizezi's horse.
That General wore fiery red armor, like a ball of fire.
In his hand, he carried a large spear, a very strange spear.
There was an iron lump attached below the spearhead, making it look like both a spear and a hammer.
That's right, a large iron hammer spear!
Hu Bofeng did not speak, and smashed down with a hammer.
Aizezi only blocked one move and felt a sharp pain in the tiger's mouth, his large axe almost slipping from his hand.
What terrifying strength!
Before he could catch his breath, the opponent changed from smashing to thrusting.
The large iron hammer spear struck like a poisonous snake's tongue, hitting him directly in the throat.
Aizezi's eyes lost their luster, and his large axe fell to the ground.
Hu Bofeng, however, was indifferent.
He had killed many people in his life, so what if he slaughtered one more?
"Roar~"
With continuous roars, at this moment, he transformed into a great demon god.
In a flash of lightning and fire, he killed more than ten people.
The General was the soldiers' courage; since he dared to fight, all his subordinates dared to fight.
They disregarded life and death, charging straight towards the Hami army's banner.
Prince Ebeidullah felt a chill in his heart and ordered his troops to form a formation to fight, attempting to use their numerical advantage to annihilate the enemy.
However, although the Hami army had many soldiers, their fighting strength was not as strong as the Turpan army, and they were tired from their long journey.
They were actually unable to overcome the defenders, and the two sides fought to a draw.
Prince Su Li Tang led five hundred cavalry, secretly opened the east gate, and circled around to attack.
Caught off guard, the Hami army thought that the main force of the Turpan army had returned, their formation was thrown into chaos, and they scattered and fled.
When two armies engage in battle, if one side flees, they expose their backs to the enemy and have no ability to fight back.
Therefore, the casualties caused by retreat are often greater than those from attack.
"Yaxsha (Uyghur: Long live!)~ Yaxsha~ Yaxsha~"
The Turpan army shouted "Yaxsha" as they chased the backs of the fleeing enemy, stabbing, hacking, and shooting them down.
Prince Ebeidullah was defeated.
Of the two thousand vanguard troops, more than half were casualties.
He gathered the defeated soldiers, preparing to face his father the King's fury.
Mu Hanmaitixia, however, did not show anger; he simply silently prepared his troops for another battle.
His army had four cannons and three hundred musketeers.
Tomorrow, he would surely let the defenders taste the power of firearms!
The four cannons came from the Great Ming.
They were all heavy cannons.
Although they were not as light and easy to carry as the cannons manufactured in Central Asian cities like Samarkand and Bukhara, they were excellent for attacking cities.
Their weight was not a problem; they could be pulled by camels.
He believed that the walls of the small Bican City could not withstand many cannon shots.
However, the enemy did not defend the city.
Prince Su Li Tang chose to take the initiative to attack, leading eighteen hundred cavalry in a desperate charge towards the Hami army.
In a wedge formation, the fierce General Hu Bofeng was the arrowhead, and Prince Su Li Tang personally served as the shaft, shooting towards the Hami army's royal banner.
This was a completely reckless fighting style, either the enemy dies, or I die; either I exist, or the enemy does not.
Mu Hanmaitixia panicked.
He was a master of politics, but in battle, he lacked the courage to risk his life.
Seeing the Turpan army charging closer and closer, he involuntarily retreated a small distance, and the royal banner also retreated accordingly.
With just a slight retreat, the morale of the army was disrupted.
The Harahoi General Abah Huo Zhe under his command was the first to lead his troops in flight.
His subordinates were all of Mongol descent; they fought for the Uyghur people primarily for spoils of war.
They could loot in a favorable battle, but risking their lives was not an option!
With his flight, the morale of the various units became unstable, and some followed the Harahoi people in their escape.
It started as a trickle, slowly forming a vast ocean.
"Defeated~ Defeated~"
The routed soldiers from the Harahoi, Uyghur, and Hui units cried out "Defeated" and fled desperately, only regretting that their parents had not given them two more legs.
Mu Hanmaitixia wasted no words, turned his horse, and fled.
To be king, the prerequisite was to first save one's life.
If one's life was gone, where would the path of kingship flow?
The King of Hami fled too quickly for Prince Su Li Tang to pursue, but he still achieved a great harvest.
Not only did he annihilate over three thousand enemy soldiers, but he also captured four heavy cannons that had not had time to fire a single shot.
