Chapter 89: The Battle of Luancheng (1)

The Longqi Army, comprising five cavalry and infantry commands plus one battalion, advanced westward under the lead of their respective Commanders, brushing against the darkness with steady steps, groping toward the Liao army's camp. Fully armed yet lightly equipped, all burdens unrelated to combat had been cast aside.

To maintain secrecy, bells had long been removed, and every soldier chewed on grass stems or wooden twigs; the harsh, astringent taste stimulated their nerves—unpleasant as it was, it did serve to keep them alert.

They advanced cautiously at a uniform pace, conserving their strength, moving not quickly, until they reached a spot two li east of the Liao camp. Here the view was open, with little cover remaining, and they dared not press forward recklessly. Surrounding them was a vast expanse of wilderness, with a large patch of jagged, interlocking farmland in the middle.

When Xiang Xun had previously scouted the enemy's situation, traveling from north to south, he had selected three suitable points of attack. When formulating the assault plan, Liu Chengyou had originally intended to split the entire army into three parts and launch a simultaneous attack, giving the Liao army a multi-pronged surprise.

He was dissuaded by Xiang Xun, for no other reason than that such a three-pronged coordinated assault would visibly thin out the Longqi Army's already meager forces. Though the Liao camp's deployment was scattered, it was ultimately an army of over a hundred thousand; if their own forces were divided, should any single point of the enemy react, the concentrated force they could muster might well outnumber their own, adding to the already considerable risk of the camp raid.

Rather than attacking from three directions, better not to overthink it—concentrate the entire army, charge in one thrust, and guarantee numerical superiority at the point of assault.

Seated on his horse, Liu Chengyou gazed westward, staring at the Liao army's camp under the vast darkness of the night. Points of starlight flickered; the sprawling enemy camp stretched beyond sight.

Drawing a deep breath, Liu Chengyou's expression turned solemn, his gaze resolute, his face full of fortitude. He was the commander, bearing the weight of the entire army; at this point, showing even a hint of hesitation or fear would deal a blow to morale.

In less than a quarter of an hour, across this field, the entire Longqi Army had, under the direction of their officers, formed into an assault formation.

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou directly ordered: "Pass the word—prepare to attack!"

The hour had already passed chou; the Liao camp had grown even quieter, and their already lax vigilance had slackened further. On the Longqi Army's side, all around was likewise silent; moonlight spilled down, and the armor, helmets, and drawn blades reflected a cold, eerie gleam.

This was normally the time of greatest bodily exhaustion, but under the influence of tense anticipation, the entire army was somewhat keyed up. In their ears, they could faintly hear the sound of the Xiao River flowing, and the southeast wind that had been blowing all along had unexpectedly grown fiercer.

Looking up at the military banners snapping loudly in the wind, Liu Chengyou felt a stirring in his heart. He spurred his horse forward, pacing before the ranks, waving his hand, no longer suppressing his voice, pointing to the southeast and shouting with all his might in a pre-attack address: "Soldiers! Having come this far, we have no retreat—advance and live, retreat and die. This great wind rising now is Heaven aiding our army! Seize the moment and press forward—break the barbarian horde in one stroke!"

The legend of the "Battle of Kunyang"—during these days on the march, Liu Chengyou had ordered it spread throughout the Longqi Army, repeatedly hammering it home, instilling in the troops the idea of "replicating the miracle." In fact, because the ideological groundwork had been thoroughly laid, the Longqi Army at this moment did not feel much fear; owing to Yelu Deguang's sudden death, morale was instead quite high.

As if answering Liu Chengyou's words, this sudden summer-night southeast wind blew even more violently!

"Light the torches!"

At the command, the over a thousand torches prepared in advance were swiftly ignited, illuminating the surroundings at once—bright flames blazing, conspicuously visible under the night sky.

"Attack!"

Following immediately came the order; several war drums thundered, and the entire Longqi Army held formation, advancing to the rhythm of the drums, charging toward the middle section of the Liao camp. The whole army swept across the fields, leaving a trail of trampled debris; the distance of two li, covered at full sprint, quickly brought them to the Liao camp, and they stormed in.

When the firelight suddenly blazed bright in the east, the Liao camp's sentries on watch had already spotted it and raised the alarm in urgency, but the Longqi Army had struck so abruptly that in that brief span, the weary Liao soldiers, caught in a fluster, could hardly react in time.

Cavalry in front, infantry covering the rear, from east to west the entire Longqi Army drove like a sharp blade, plunging deep into the Liao camp. The enemy camp's defenses were extremely lax, with few useful fortifications or defensive measures; the cavalry broke through with ease, trampling tents and smashing shelters, charging all the way to the banks of the Xiao River before finally halting.

Liu Chengyou, as he had promised before the battle, led from the front, riding among the cavalry ranks. However, he was tightly guarded by Li Chongju and the others; on the battlefield, danger was unpredictable, and as Liu Chengyou's yabing guards, they cared not for victory or defeat—only for ensuring Liu Chengyou's safety.

Reining in their horses, the two cavalry commands, under the command of Han Tong and Luo Yangui, swiftly adjusted their formation, gathering around Liu Chengyou, preparing to launch the next wave of assault.

Scanning around, the stretch of camp before his eyes had already been shattered by the Longqi Army's charge, and the surroundings had fallen into chaos—the surprise attack had been quite effective. But this corner of ground, compared to the camp stretching over ten li, was truly insignificant; they were still far from shaking the entire Liao camp.

Behind them, amid the deep and blazing cries of battle, the four commands of Longqi infantry, led by their officers, charged in as well; with the cavalry having cleared the way, they advanced even more smoothly.

Perhaps the spirit of adventure within him had been activated—deep in enemy territory, fraught with peril, yet Liu Chengyou's mind grew even clearer, his eyes revealing a rare tint of stubborn, almost manic intensity.

"Your Highness, we should swiftly press north toward Luancheng—before the Liao army fully reacts and organizes effective resistance, spread the chaos, thoroughly throw their forces into disarray!" Xiang Xun, keeping close to Liu Chengyou's side, rapidly assessed the surrounding situation and decisively offered his counsel.

Directing troops in the heat of battle was not Liu Chengyou's forte—of this he was self-aware—and at this moment there was no room for hesitation. Over this long stretch of time, Xiang Xun's talent had long earned Liu Chengyou's recognition, and he chose to trust him.

Without a moment's hesitation, he shouted the order at full volume: "Raise the great banner high! The entire army charges north! Slay every man and beast encountered! Do not stop until we have pierced through the Liao camp! Kill!"

The command given, the cavalry, already realigned, immediately launched, gradually picking up speed, shifting from slow to swift, galloping north. The infantry in the east soon received the order as well and, following the spread of the firelight, pressed northward in assault.

Beforehand, the operational doctrine for this night raid had been communicated with complete clarity: fire was the primary objective, killing secondary; maintain attack speed, engage in no entanglement with the enemy, and make throwing the Liao camp into chaos the foremost priority.

Liu Chengyou led the cavalry in the vanguard charge, with the various Commanders leading their units close behind—execution was carried out flawlessly.

The commotion of the enemy raid had already spread, radiating north and south; countless numbers had been startled awake. At first they thought they were once again under attack by those reckless "righteous militias," but as the disturbance grew louder and the cries of battle intensified, even the most muddle-headed could sense that something was amiss.