Chapter 450: If You're Bad, Just Train More

The county seat of Yuci County lies beside Dongwo Water, a tributary of the Fen River.

Because before the Tang dynasty writing was a privilege of the upper class, Dongwo Water is also a phonetic transcription, and it has many names. Among the folk it is also called "Tongguo Water" or simply "Guoshui", etc.

Near Yuci County, Dongwo Water is dozens of meters wide but not very deep; outside flood season, people and horses can wade across.

At this moment, just past noon, beside Dongwo Water, the foot soldiers under Cai Xide have already formed their formation, awaiting Fang Chongyong's arrival from Taiyuan City with his more than ten thousand elite troops.

At their marching speed, they should have made contact with Cai Xide's forces within half a shi (half an hour). Yet an hour has passed, and the other side is still moving as if fishing, slower than a turtle.

"General Cai, the enemy has raised the Fang-character banner, but they are arrayed five li away, marching slowly.

Judging by size, not counting cavalry, it should be around ten thousand men."

Sun Xiaozhe galloped in on horseback, panting heavily, and bowed his fist to Cai Xide, saying.

This reconnaissance was a near‑death ordeal; of dozens of scouts, only four or five returned, the rest were cut down by enemy scouts, making close approach impossible.

Sun Xiaozhe had to admit that Fang Chongyong might not be very capable, but his elite troops are indeed more combat‑ready.

"Go rest for a while."

Cai Xide, still on his horse, waved a hand lightly, signaling Sun Xiaozhe to step down.

"General Cai, should we now send those civilians to charge? I observe the enemy's formation is disciplined. Without a clever stratagem we may gain no advantage."

Sun Xiaozhe clasped his fists and asked.

Cai Xide did not know how to answer this question.

Because the fool's thought process is never on the same channel as his, when Cai Xide earnestly explains strategy to Sun Xiaozhe, the other may, due to his lack of understanding, end up mocking Cai Xide for not knowing warfare.

"Now is not the time."

Cai Xide's expression remained calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts. He did not wish to elaborate further to Sun Xiaozhe.

"General Cai, this cannot be delayed; those civilians are a burden to us and will interfere with our troop deployment!"

Sun Xiaozhe grew urgent, his speech no longer observing rank.

His words indeed hit the point, yet Cai Xide was already well aware of that truth.

Yuci County has tens of thousands of civilians; if they truly rebel, it would affect the Hebei rebel forces themselves.

"General Sun, if you are impatient, you may lead your own troops into battle; I will not stand in your way."

Cai Xide frowned slightly, saying that Sun Xiaozhe is Shi Siming's "adopted son", sent here, which is the old trick of mixing sand.

It is as if, beside Shi Siming, there were also Huangfu Weiming's iron‑clad confidants.

"With these few troops, going out alone is not a death sentence?"

Sun Xiaozhe, hearing this, flared up and could not help retorting sarcastically.

"Then you just wait."

Cai Xide gestured, and two bodyguards blocked Sun Xiaozhe, signaling him to step back, lest he be dealt with under military law for 'interfering with the commander's orders'.

"Pah! What virtue!"

Sun Xiaozhe walked away, and in a deserted spot quietly spat on the ground.

Watching his departing back, Cai Xide could not help a long sigh.

How many fools there are in the world; truly impossible to eliminate them all!

Clearly he's so incompetent he could pick his own toes, yet thinks himself capable; clearly he can't even discern the decisive moves of the battle, yet sits on the side acting like a useless pawn, blindly commanding.

Cai Xide understood Sun Xiaozhe's thinking, because he himself rose from the grassroots in a border town, having once been in Sun Xiaozhe's stage; no one is born knowing how to wage war.

According to Sun Xiaozhe's view, the "idiot" Fang Chongyong should lead his troops out of Taiyuan, charging head‑first without regard for his rear, only to be met by our civilians breaking the formation, resulting in a crushing defeat.

Perhaps our cavalry could pursue the routed troops, employing the 'reverse rolling curtain' tactic beneath Taiyuan City, and take the city in one blow!

The idea isn't entirely bad, but it's like someone imagining a tiger voluntarily eating grass instead of meat and working the fields.

It's a one‑sided fantasy, treating the enemy as a fool—a dead‑end ploy.

Fang Chongyong will indeed lead his troops out of the city, but the subsequent steps may not follow our expectations.

For instance, now Fang Chongyong has already discerned Cai Xide's strategic intent, so he is in no hurry to force a decisive battle.

Sun Xiaozhe imagines Fang Chongyong will charge, but the other side refuses, so this adopted son of Shi Siming becomes so impatient he stomps his feet, eager to charge himself.

Cai Xide, however, has long known Fang Chongyong won't be so reckless, so he is not at all hurried and has already prepared a contingency.

The rush of Dongwo Water kept echoing in the ears; after waiting another half‑shi, Fang Chongyong's troops still had not made contact with Cai Xide's men, idly dragging their feet.

"Send a thousand civilians across."

Cai Xide ordered the messenger, abandoning the fantasy in his mind that 'what if the other side is an idiot'.

"Understood!"

The messenger took the order and soon the formation split a path on both sides, allowing a thousand old, weak, women and children to support each other and walk toward the western Tang army.

In a short while, they were out of contact with Cai Xide's unit.

"Now I make my move; how will you respond, sir?"

Cai Xide, still mounted, smiled, his right hand gripping the reins tightly, his battle spirit igniting.

Yes, that's the feeling—this is what makes it interesting!

If Fang Chongyong truly charges head‑on as Sun Xiaozhe expects, he would end up looking down on this famed general who swept the Western Regions.

Cai Xide has become numb from slashing Khitans in border towns, much like Fang Chongyong's past‑life esports players beating AI bots so badly they feel sick!

He just wants to spar with a master!

Always fighting noobs, you will never improve.

Clearly, in Cai Xide's eyes, Fang Chongyong is a master.

……

"Jiedushi, the rebel army has released a thousand old, weak, women and children back."

He Changqi spurred his horse forward, and Fang Chongyong clasped his fists in salute.

"Let those in the Heavenly Soldiers who have family in Yuci County step forward, form a line, and prepare to meet the enemy!"

Fang Chongyong, in a completely emotionless tone, calmly ordered, making He Changqi feel a chill down his spine.

He knew clearly in his heart that this group today would face near‑certain death!

"Jiedushi, this will cause many deaths…"

He Changqi stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying.

"Have you ever seen a war where no one dies?

Not to mention war; even in daily drills, people die from accidents."

Fang Chongyong retorted.

He Changqi was speechless, only feeling that Fang Chongyong truly proved the saying "Mercy does not command troops."

The Jiedushi's heart is truly ruthless!

According to He Changqi's plan, there was actually a "better"—or rather a lower‑casualty—method. The main army steadily dang dang engaged the enemy, and might still hold.

Now let certain members of the Heavenly Soldiers form a line and move forward to support their own families.

It appears to "go with the troops," but is actually cold‑hearted.

These people are bait that Fang Chongyong tossed out, just to draw out Cai Xide's follow‑up. If Cai Xide does not act, they can only watch helplessly as Yuci County's civilians are rescued by their own relatives.

Or watch their own subordinates clash to the death with the Heavenly Soldiers, exchanging lives for lives.

If a follow‑up is made, Fang Chongyong will have even more options, and everyone will rely on their own abilities on the battlefield.

"Understood!"

He Changqi took the order and left; soon, two to three thousand soldiers from the Heavenly Soldiers stepped out, formed a formation, and moved to the front of the army, becoming the main force's vanguard.

At this moment, the two armies were less than two li apart, and the opposing flags were already visible.

"Sound the horn! Vanguard, charge!"

Fang Chongyong ordered Feng Changqing beside him.

"Understood!"

Feng Changqing raised the red command flag, and the nearby messenger soldiers lifted the unit banner representing the army's number, beginning to wave it.

Instantly, drums roared throughout the army!

The Tang army's vanguard, composed mainly of infantry, formed a line and marched forward in long strides.

The Hebei rebels saw that Fang Chongyong had already sent a vanguard to charge; the main formation immediately opened a path, and Sun Xiaozhe personally led men to drive away Yuci County's civilians, charging toward the Tang soldiers marching in formation.

At the rear of the Tang formation, Fang Chongyong ordered the drums again; the Heavenly Soldiers at the front began using a "staggered" method, gradually changing from a tight formation to a loose one.

Thus many civilians easily slipped through the gaps of the "human wall."

At this moment, Fang Chongyong and Cai Xide, the two commanders, felt their hearts rise to their throats.

Because the decisive move of the battle was about to arrive.

However, as the two armies drew ever closer, Fang Chongyong never ordered any other units to support the Heavenly Soldiers.

The vanguard gradually fell behind the main force, and between them, frantic Yuci County civilians ran wildly everywhere.

"Fang Guozhong, you are truly ruthless."

Cai Xide, riding his horse, sighed. He had realized that a total victory today was impossible, and he understood Fang Chongyong's strategic intent.

Cai Xide fights a political war, using the troops' and people's hearts as leverage; Fang Chongyong does the same, only to win the troops' and people's hearts.

He doesn't care about casualties at all.

"Send the order: Zhang Xiaozhong's unit, charge!"

Cai Xide instructed the messenger soldiers.

"Understood!"

Zhang Xiaozhong was a fierce general under Cai Xide, a straight‑forward man in his twenties, clad in armor and wielding a sharp blade, unmatched in bravery. His ancestors were chieftains of the Khitan Yishi tribe, and his father submitted to the Tang during the Kaiyuan era.

He was Cai Xide's confidant and close associate.

Soon, the fierce general Zhang Xiaozhong led an elite force of three thousand, shifting from the central army to the vanguard, marching along the Dongwo River, following behind the Yuci County civilians.

In no time, the two armies clashed; the disordered Heavenly Soldiers suffered a heavy loss at the outset, being partially encircled by Zhang Xiaozhong and forced to fight separately.

But because a "buffer zone" existed, Zhang Xiaozhong cautiously refrained from exploiting the chaos to strike the Tang rear formation, instead dividing his troops to encircle the already surrounded Tang forces.

Fang Chongyong only ordered Duan Xiushi to organize a few hundred soldiers to "divert" the civilians, using a "green corridor" to wade across the river to the opposite bank of Dongwo River, separating them from the battlefield.

As for the two to three thousand Heavenly Soldiers in the vanguard, he had no intention of rescuing them and strictly ordered all units not to engage.

After Zhang Xiaozhong scattered those Heavenly Soldier vanguard troops, he cautiously reformed his line, moving toward his own main formation. This was also Cai Xide's instruction: without a new order, do not waste effort in reckless fighting.

"First be unbeatable, then await the enemy's vulnerability. Fang Guozhong, you truly are the famed general who swept the Western Regions."

Seeing the battle appear to win but actually lose ahead, Cai Xide couldn't help shaking his head in disappointment.

Fishing Nima fish, as deft as a mud loach!

Cai Xide inwardly blamed his fanciful thinking. When facing a master, one should not harbor a lucky‑break mindset, assuming the opponent is a fool.

"Send the order: sound the bronze, withdraw, no pursuit…"

As soon as Cai Xide finished speaking, he saw Sun Xiaozhe leading a horse squad, galloping into the battlefield, chasing and slashing at civilians fleeing toward the Tang lines and the routed Heavenly Soldiers.

In an instant, anyone who had not yet reached the Tang main formation—whether civilian or broken soldier—was mercilessly cut down by Sun Xiaozhe and his cavalry.

Like cutting a melon or slicing vegetables.

"Aaaaaaaaaa!"

"Help!"

"Don't kill me, don't kill me!"

Screams and cries rose and fell across the battlefield.

The officers under Fang Chongyong were filled with righteous indignation and begged to fight, but they were strictly ordered not to act rashly.

Fang Chongyong was also very disappointed; his fishing failed, and he could only sit and watch the big fish eat the bait.

At this moment, anything done would be wrong.

Both sides' commanding generals were cautious, but only Sun Xiaozhe's cavalry of over a thousand men roamed the battlefield unchecked, looking very imposing, cutting down civilians and fleeing soldiers with no effort. Only when they approached the Tang army's main formation were they rained with locust‑like arrows, unable to lift their heads, dropping several corpses and fleeing in panic.

Ding—ding—ding—ding—ding—ding—ding!

Cai Xide's messenger hammered the gong desperately, ordering a Mingjin Sound to recall the troops.

Sun Xiaozhe was fighting fiercely on the battlefield, hacking so hard his hands grew sore!

When he heard the Mingjin Sound, he instantly wanted to thrust a knife at Cai Xide.

However, cavalry cannot receive orders easily while maneuvering. Since Cai Xide had already sounded the Mingjin Sound, even if Sun Xiaozhe wanted to fight, his men, hearing the Mingjin Sound, turned their horses back to their own camp.

When Sun Xiaozhe, smugly returning to his own camp, rode forward to claim credit from Cai Xide, the latter slapped him across the face.

"I, the general, have reminded you many times: without my order, the cavalry must not act rashly. Why did you ignore the command?"

Cai Xide pointed at Sun Xiaozhe, who had fallen to the ground dazed by the slap, and loudly questioned him.

"Cai! Did you step on a horse and go blind in the eyes?"

"Didn't you see me just now slaughtering the enemy, making them cry out for their fathers and mothers? Your eyes may be blind, but the whole army's eyes are not!"

"Count it: how many men and horses have I actually lost? And how many heads have I taken?"

"I won't even demand credit from you, yet you still try to punish me?"

"You, who step on horses, are as timid as a mouse, yet you forbid others from fighting. Bah!"

Sun Xiaozhe muttered curses and walked away, unimpeded.

Cai Xide looked around and saw many people casting sympathetic glances at Sun Xiaozhe, realizing that his intention could not be understood by those ignorant hill‑folk.

He instantly showed a disappointed expression.

"General Cai, the enemy has already withdrawn, the front line has become the rear, heading toward Taiyuan City. We have no burdens left; let's quickly return to Shouyang County.

This battle ends here.

"As for General Sun, today our army achieved a modest victory; the matter should not be blown out of proportion."

The tall, big‑built Zhang Xiaozhong stepped forward to smooth things over, saying:

He was Cai Xide's confidant, and he spoke a blunt truth. No matter how dull or boring this battle was, or how spectacular, it is all in the past.

Sun Xiaozhe was indeed reckless, but he is Shi Siming's adopted son, and in this battle he did obtain many spoils; perhaps a few casual reprimands, a harmless punishment, would suffice.

What else could be done?

"Recall the troops and garrison at Shouyang County."

Cai Xide, exhausted in body and mind, waved his hand, feeling more fatigued than fighting himself. Only he knows how hard the opponent is; his subordinates have not yet realized how fearsome Fang Chongyong is.

This sense of solitary self‑awareness made Cai Xide somewhat depressed.

(End of chapter)