Another Type of Battle
As the battle began, we on the right wing moved under Xiahou Yuan’s command.
“Zayul, I’ll allow you to operate your own force independently.”
Xiahou Yuan spoke while gazing at the enemy’s vanguard under Yu Bi and the Guan Yu army positioned behind them.
“The right wing will be under my command, and the left under Zixiao. But Lord Mengde gave a specific order. With three generals present, one should take the role of commander, another as deputy, and the last should be allowed to act at their own discretion.”
In other words, since Xiahou Yuan was the commander of the right wing, he would take Cao Ang as his deputy and charge straight into the center. Meanwhile, I would be permitted to detach my own troops and maneuver freely.
“Will you truly allow me to do so?”
“The left wing will operate the same way. Given Zixiao’s personality, he would likely take Zilian as his deputy, but Lord Mengde has arranged for Dian Wei to serve in that role instead. Zilian will likewise be given command of an independent raiding force.”
Ah, so both the left and right wings would operate in this fashion. I understood now.
This was essentially the creation of dedicated independent raiding units specifically tasked with handling Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
The toughest fighters in the army were being assigned to pin down those two peerless armies. In that case, rather than Cao Hong…
***
Meanwhile on the left wing, Cao Ren spoke in much the same manner as Xiahou Yuan.
“Zilian, since I have been appointed overall commander, I’ll be counting on you.”
“I hate to admit it, but since Elder Brother Mengde believes you are more suited for command than I am… Hmph.”
Though Cao Hong grumbled, he had no intention of defying Cao Cao’s arrangement.
Cao Ren, while showing proper respect to his cousin Cao Hong, decided that the two Cao brothers would follow Cao Cao’s orders and strike at Gong Du and Gan Yong’s forces.
“Dian Wei.”
“Yes!”
“Take three thousand men and circle around while we engage the central army. Head for Tangshan.”
Having witnessed Guan Yu and Zhang Fei’s way of fighting firsthand, Cao Ren understood their tactics well.
Zhang Fei would undoubtedly use highly mobile cavalry to seize Tangshan first, establish a foothold, and then rush to support any disadvantaged sector, launching devastating counterattacks.
“Zhang Fei is an incredibly powerful general. His cavalry command and martial prowess are unmatched in the world.”
“Then I shall test this commander who excels at leading troops and possesses such formidable martial skill!”
Dian Wei, who had once fought Lu Bu and was confident that his own strength was in no way inferior to that of Guan Yu or Zhang Fei, spoke with bold assurance.
“I leave it to you. Go and pin down Zhang Fei’s army!”
“Yes, understood!”
Thus, the left wing also recognized that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were the linchpins of this battle and charged forward with the sole purpose of restraining them.
***
The right wing’s assault began with Xiahou Yuan spurring his horse forward and loosing arrows that felled several enemy officers at the vanguard.
As the elite mounted archers under Xiahou Yuan’s command charged ahead, Cao Ang gripped his reins tightly and stuck close behind him.
He clutched his spear firmly and charged straight toward Yu Bi’s army, following Xiahou Yuan’s lead.
I remained one step behind, carefully observing the flow of battle.
In this engagement, I needed to move according to the banners beyond Mangtang Mountain.
I could see the banner of Cao Cao’s elite vanguard, which he led personally, advancing. However, the terrain around Mangtang Mountain was narrow, preventing the full deployment of twenty thousand troops. Only the elite units were able to maneuver effectively.
In such a situation, to prevent bottlenecks, any forces held in reserve would support either the left or right wing at Xun You’s discretion.
“Very well, then!”
I took the three thousand troops Xiahou Yuan had granted me and followed behind the main fighting force.
After the initial clash of cavalry, the battlefield had already devolved into a chaotic melee between infantry units.
Both in terms of troop numbers and the commander’s capability, Xiahou Yuan’s forces held the advantage. Guan Yu in the rear would surely be watching the situation closely.
Matching that tempo, I headed toward Mang Mountain.
Of course, part of Liu Bei’s army would be stationed there to prevent anyone from climbing it.
“Listen up! We are crossing over Mang Mountain. There may be archers or ambush forces hidden on the slopes! Everyone, keep your shields raised and stay alert!”
“Yes, Zhonglangjiang!”
Even though it was only a small hill referred to as Mangtang Ridge, the dense forest made it perfect for ambushes.
Moreover, this battle revolved around the two peaks of Mang Mountain and Tangshan. There would inevitably be collisions as highly mobile forces freely traversed the mountain range.
I had to warn the soldiers in advance so they would remain vigilant for ambushes whenever they moved through these areas.
The difference between falling for an ambush unaware and preparing for one in advance was enormous.
Near Mang Mountain, a small ambush force of several hundred had already built wooden barricades and was preparing to defend.
I was about to charge straight at them when something felt off.
“Halt! Slow your advance immediately!”
“Huh?”
“Slow down!”
I urgently ordered them to stop. Just as the cavalry was about to cross directly over the mountain, the entire mounted force came to a halt.
While the infantry, who had barely managed to keep up, panted heavily, I caught my breath and carefully assessed the battlefield.
Previously, I would simply charge at any position that looked weak. But this time, something felt different.
It was obvious there was an ambush waiting. Those few hundred troops visible at the base of Mang Mountain were clearly bait.
“Something’s wrong. They’re practically inviting us to come.”
If these three thousand troops had all been cavalry, I would have charged without hesitation, trap or no trap. I had the confidence to break through such schemes. However, this was not like the Battle of Guandu, where we had thousands of cavalry and over fifty thousand troops. We were currently fielding thirty thousand against twelve thousand.
I was effectively responsible for one-tenth of Cao Cao’s entire army.
“Infantry! Once you’ve caught your breath, advance on those few hundred soldiers. Cavalry, prepare to provide support. Separate the archers.”
I accepted a bow and nocked an arrow as I sent the infantry forward first.
“Attack!”
At my command, the infantry surged ahead. The troops of Yu Bi hidden behind the barricades were fully prepared.
In that instant, the soldiers who had been charging with great momentum began collapsing one after another.
“Hm?”
“Gaaah!”
“Aaagh! My foot! My foot!”
Caltrops!
These cold weapons scattered across the ground were designed to halt enemy advances. The moment they were stepped on, soldiers fell instantly, and even cavalry charges were neutralized.
As expected, the area ahead was littered with traps. But we could not afford to stop.
“Archers! The enemy has laid traps and is preparing to attack! Provide covering fire! Cavalry!”
“Yes, Zhonglangjiang!”
“From the look of it, they’ve only placed them in the front. We’ll swing around to the flank and strike!”
As the first line of infantry fell after stepping on the caltrops, the second and third lines hurriedly retrieved the wounded, avoided the traps on the ground, and continued their assault.
Although the initial charge had collapsed due to the traps, the troops could be rallied again.
The moment the archers provided support from the rear, we had to strike with the cavalry.
“Zhonglangjiang! Which direction?”
“Right side!”
I fired a signal arrow toward the right, ordering the troops to circle around and attack from that flank.
Regardless, while Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ang engaged Yu Bi’s main force, I had to seize Mang Mountain and establish a foothold there.
No matter how many enemies were inside, I had to fight my way up the mountain and raise our banner.
After confirming how Liu Bei’s forces moved beyond Mangtang Mountain, if Cao Cao’s army could not advance through the narrow pass, I would descend Mang Mountain myself, lead the cavalry, and plunge straight into Liu Bei’s army.
And if we could capture the retreating Liu Bei… that would truly mark the end of his long wanderings here and now.
While the infantry and archers fought in the center, I circled around and struck the enemy’s flank directly.
Originally, they must have expected my cavalry charge to falter before even reaching the barricades, hindered by caltrops and various traps. But I’m afraid not!
*Shiiing—*
My spear moved without the slightest resistance. With morale perfectly maintained, I cut down the several hundred troops of Yu Bi guarding the Mang Mountain area in a single swift assault.
“Keep advancing up the mountain!”
At that moment, countless arrows flew toward us from the front.
“Hmph!”
*Clang! Clang-clang-clang!*
The bizarre sound of arrows striking iron shields rang out as Liu Bei’s troops appeared atop Mang Mountain.
Just as expected, there had been an ambush on that hill-like ridge.
Fortunately, their numbers were small.
“Didn’t I warn you? Stay alert for ambushes! Advance while blocking their attacks!”
Raising our shields, we charged up Mang Mountain. The enemy archers, who had not expected us to continue climbing without pause, fell into panic.
Their plan had been well-crafted, but they fundamentally lacked sufficient troops.
And to truly strike at our weakness…
“Everyone, attack!”
Even within the forest, the cavalry became warriors worth a hundred men each, cutting down the hidden Liu Bei soldiers one by one.
The moment we closed the distance, Mang Mountain was already half ours.
*Clang— Clang—*
“Ugh! These bastards!”
“Aaagh!”
As the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry following me clashed with Liu Bei’s troops, I saw several men fall from their horses and be mercilessly pierced by spears and blades.
Seeing this, I immediately thrust out my spear, caught a falling officer, and used the shaft to strike down two Liu Bei soldiers beneath the horse.
*Slash—*
I severed one man’s head with a single blow and grabbed the falling soldier to prevent him from being thrown from his mount.
“Z-Zhonglangjiang!”
“Two men rush in while a third tries to knock you off with a spear! Haven’t you seen this before? It happened at Shuchun and in Xuzhou too!”
In uneven terrain, when facing cavalry, enemies would work in teams of two or three to close the distance and pull riders from their horses.
Some of my men were falling for it, but the five hundred Tiger and Leopard Cavalry under my direct command had enough experience to strike before the enemy could close in.
Though ambushes sprang up simultaneously from all directions within the forest, we had prepared for this and cut them down as soon as they appeared.
As this game of cat-and-mouse continued, the fierce shouts and the clash of spears and weapons from front and rear left my ears ringing.
In the rear, Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ang were striking Yu Bi’s main force. In the center, Cao Cao had positioned his elite troops at the front of the narrow pass and was fighting Liu Bei’s army head-on. And beyond that, Zhang Fei’s banner could be seen near Tangshan.
“!”
Below Zhang Fei’s banner, Dian Wei’s banner had emerged, pinning down Zhang Fei’s forces around Tangshan.
In that case, the priority was to secure this position first. This one right here!
Zhang Fei had seized Tangshan first, but I could claim Mang Mountain.
The problem was determining which direction Guan Yu’s elite cavalry would move—whether toward Xiahou Yuan or Cao Cao’s forces. Preventing that in advance would be my next mission.