Chapter 902: The Great Battle of Nankou 2

The Iron Kite Riders, true to their name, were fully armored men and horses, their dark, somber base color reflecting a cold, faint light, exuding an aura of danger. Three thousand Liao heavy cavalry, divided into ten small squadrons, gathered like a sharp arrowhead, driving straight toward the Han army's forward camp.

Because the distance was insufficient, burdened by heavy armor, accelerating was not easy, and their momentum could hardly rise to its peak. But even so, the imposing force of their charge still made faces turn pale.

The forward camp's palisade, which had been held firmly, had already been battered into shapelessness under the Liao army's relentless strikes, and could no longer provide reliable shelter. Seizing the gap when the attacking Liao soldiers scattered, Han Lingkun hurriedly replenished his troops, adjusted the formation, and prepared to meet the next wave of attack.

Watching the Liao heavy cavalry's movement, his face changed drastically, hot sweat pouring from his brow. In his urgency, he issued several orders in quick succession: "Archers and crossbowmen, fall back! Shield bearers, advance! Spearmen, form up! Drag every remaining cart frame up here!"

Under Han Lingkun's command, the Han army's response was not slow—one could even call it proactive. However, after prolonged slaughter, the forward camp's officers and men had suffered considerable casualties. Over two thousand had died outright, and their spirit and strength had both waned. In such a state, adjustments inevitably left gaps.

In fact, Han Lingkun had at one point considered pulling back the soldiers on the front line and replacing them with fresh troops, but he had never been able to do so. First, the fighting was fierce and deadlocked—the Liao army, heedless of casualties, attacked with brutal force, coming in an unending stream, refusing to stop, giving almost no opportunity for adjustment.

Second, a hasty retreat could easily cause the entire defensive line to loosen, even leading to a rout. As a result, Han Lingkun could only keep shuffling officers and men to fill the gaps, creating a situation of feeding men and oil into the slaughter.

Behind them, stone projectiles and fire-oil bombs from the Han army continued to fly, arcing high over the Han camp, spinning with powerful force, smashing down on the Liao troops outside. This kind of indiscriminate strike could inflict little actual damage, and as for morale—well, the Liao army had come prepared and held the offensive, so the effect was poor.

The Liao heavy cavalry's powerful hooves pounded forward, the dull thud of each step seeming to land on the hearts of the Han soldiers in the forward camp. Many troops turned pale, lips trembling—not only from severe exhaustion but also from fear. The Han army was made of men, flesh and blood, and in such battlefield conditions, they too could be afraid.

Before Han Lingkun's defensive arrangements were fully in place, the Iron Kite Riders had already closed in. A volley of repeating crossbow bolts rained down on them, inflicting some casualties, but they were ultimately few. In heavy cavalry assault, this Liao force was clearly well-trained and highly experienced—when the front fell, those behind pressed on.

Facing the Han army's cart-shield-spear formation, they did not recklessly charge headlong, but instead targeted weak points and seams, striking with immediate effect. Without lingering, they soon carved into the Han formation with a fierce, irresistible offensive momentum, penetrating a full li deep.

Under such an attack tempo, the Han officers and men of the forward camp resisted with all their might, but after prolonged bitter fighting, no matter how elite they were, they finally gave way and collapsed into chaos. The breakthrough effect the Liao heavy cavalry had sought was achieved.

In the rear, seeing the heavy cavalry's assault succeed, over ten thousand cavalry pressed forward on the momentum, while the infantry that had fallen back and regrouped, their morale greatly boosted, followed in support of the horsemen.

With this, the Liao army's direct assault force on the forward camp exceeded twenty thousand infantry and cavalry, and they successfully broke the camp. The Han army, meanwhile, presented a picture of panicked, chaotic rout.

The forward camp was also divided into three sub-camps. The northernmost forward sub-camp fell outright, its soldiers cut off—some fought on their own, but more fled in disarray, the panic spreading to the middle and rear sub-camps. As the main commander, Han Lingkun, seeing the situation beyond recovery, chose to retreat, intending to abandon the forward sub-camp and re-establish a stable foothold at the middle and rear sub-camps.

This choice could not be entirely condemned, but the consequences it brought were nearly fatal. With his retreat, the entire forward camp seemed to totter under the Liao army's fierce assault.

At the central camp's watchtower, from the start of the fierce fighting, An Shenqi had been watching from on high, issuing urgent orders, adjusting deployments, and sharpening his troops against the enemy. He had kept both sides' performance in view throughout. The Liao army's ferocious offensive kept his old face taut with extreme severity. When he saw the forward camp's peril, he could no longer hold back and burst into curses: "That Han Lingkun, what is he doing! Twenty thousand men, and he can't hold a single stronghold!"

As he spoke, he hurried down the tower with quick steps. Luo Yangui, responsible for the central camp's defense, followed closely, speaking with a grave tone: "The Liao offensive is fierce and unending. Our army was caught off guard and is giving way. Now that the forward camp has collapsed into chaos, we must immediately dispatch troops to support, restore order, and stem the Liao advance. Otherwise, once the forward camp is completely lost, the situation cannot be salvaged—our army is in peril!"

"You and Han Chongyun hold the central camp!" An Shenqi ordered coldly, then personally led the three thousand central camp troops already assembled, along with five hundred heavy-armored soldiers, toward the forward camp.

At this moment of crisis, as the army's commander, An Shenqi displayed admirable leadership. The rear sub-camp of the forward camp was already in turmoil—people running, animals scattering, noise everywhere. He summarily executed over a hundred who fled in panic, which finally brought some order. Right there at the rear sub-camp, An Shenqi personally directed operations, steadied morale, and reinforced a defensive line on the existing foundation.

Han Lingkun had directly retreated with his men to the rear sub-camp, not yet completely scattered, with several hundred soldiers at his side. Seeing An Shenqi personally arriving with reinforcements, his face lit up with relief, and he hurried forward.

His steps were quick, but An Shenqi was even faster—not at all like a man in his sixties. He raised his whip and lashed Han Lingkun, three strokes in a row, each one landing on Han Lingkun's face, stunning him senseless.

An Shenqi glared at him viciously, pointing north, spittle flying as he roared: "Our soldiers are still fighting in blood, stubbornly resisting the enemy! You, as the commanding general, how dare you abandon the camp and flee, turning your back on the army and retreating!"

Facing the furious An Shenqi, Han Lingkun opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but the searing pain on his face left him momentarily speechless, his tear ducts nearly losing control.

Looking back north, the cries of battle were still fierce, the Liao offensive still strong. But the Han army, though defeated, had not collapsed—the enemy had not been able to carve straight through the Han camp. From the forward sub-camp to the rear, Han soldiers and laborers scattered, but some soldiers regrouped on the spot, fighting to the death, dragging the Liao army back into positional warfare.

Among them, two commanders played a crucial role. One was named Liu Tinghan, a Chief General under An Shenqi, also of the Hebei border army. In his early years, under Guo Rong, he had been promoted by him, and this time he had been holding the forward camp alongside Han Lingkun.

When the collapse came, he too was affected. But amid the Liao cavalry's charge, he actively rallied his soldiers, shouting, "Don't panic, don't scatter! Panic means death, scattering means doom!" He personally took up his blade and led his men to cut down the Liao troops pushing south.

In such chaos, the worst thing was lacking a pillar of strength. With Liu Tinghan taking the lead, many Han soldiers immediately gathered around him, reforming their ranks to fight the Liao army.

The other Han officers and men were also inspired, each rallying together to resist the Liao. These were men who had been tempered on the battlefield, well-trained, who knew that a complete collapse would only leave them hunted and slaughtered by the Liao. So even at the end of their strength, they mustered their remaining courage and fought desperately—not for the greater cause, but to survive.

The other man was the veteran general Wang Yin. In this northern expedition, Emperor Liu Chengyou had finally given him a chance, allowing him to join the army. Based on his seniority, three thousand Hebei prefectural troops were placed under his command.

As the tide of defeat surged, Wang Yin's approach was similar to Liu Tinghan's—gathering soldiers and resisting on the spot. Rather than face peril step by step and be slaughtered, better to rise and fight desperately for a chance at life.

Wang Yin's resolve was especially firm. Joining this northern expedition was his final and best opportunity to redeem his name and earn blessings for his descendants. If this battle was lost, the blame would not lie with him, but even if he preserved his life, his twilight years would be spent in misery. Rather than that, better to fight to the death—even if he fell, he would receive the treatment of a martyr and shade his descendants.

Thus, when Wang Yin embraced a determination to burn his boats and face death without hope of survival, the energy he unleashed was astonishing. The veteran general, nearly sixty, wielding a saber, led from the front, cutting down Liao soldiers in succession. Wounded though he was, he seemed not to notice, his fighting spirit still high. It was as if he had returned to eleven years ago, when he had followed the army against Du Chongwei, an arrow striking his head and snapping its head off in his mouth.

Wang Yin's fearless and heroic performance was immensely inspiring. The soldiers around him were all deeply moved and fought on with righteous fervor.

And so, under the leadership of generals and officers like Liu Tinghan and Wang Yin, the Han army in the forward camp, though defeated, displayed remarkable tenacity—driven, of course, by the will to survive.

The Han soldiers ignored their original unit structures, gathering as they could and resisting on the spot, forming small formations—the largest numbering over a thousand, the smallest a hundred or even dozens—locked in brutal combat with the Liao army.

The battlefield situation, amid this desperate struggle, descended into complete chaos—not just for the Han army, but for the Liao troops who had broken in as well. The Liao's reliance on cavalry charge capability was greatly weakened and checked; they simply couldn't build up speed. Against Liao horsemen, the Han soldiers specifically targeted horse legs, gradually dragging the Liao into a melee. Many Liao soldiers simply dismounted and fought on foot, turning everything into a chaotic, boiling brawl.

As for Han Lingkun, after being whipped and berated by An Shenqi, the pain on his face was nothing compared to the shame in his heart. He said nothing more, gave An Shenqi a salute, and declared: "With the Prince of Chenliu here, I have no worries for my rear!"

With that, he led his several hundred Xiong'an soldiers, turned, and charged back north into the fight, gathering scattered troops along the way and executing those Han soldiers who had completely lost their will, never looking back.

An Shenqi, for his part, sent the five hundred heavy-armored infantry forward as well. These were fresh troops—killing gods who stood in their way, slaying Buddhas who blocked their path, exceptionally fierce.

He himself remained at the rear sub-camp, personally holding the line, not moving. He directed men to continue setting up defensive works before the camp, arranging formations and digging pits, without the slightest relaxation, unwilling to waste the time the forward camp's soldiers were buying with their blood.

At the same time, he transferred troops from the central camp and the right camp for support. An Shenqi knew full well that although the melee had broken the Liao's offensive rhythm, with their superior numbers, they could grind the forward camp's Han soldiers to death through attrition alone.

Over at the Xingjie Army, Shi Shouxin also received the order to fall back. He led his men to withdraw toward the left camp. The Liao cavalry tasked with pinning them down was reluctant to let them go, but after several volleys of crossbow fire, they successfully broke free. However, those several thousand Hebei border cavalry remained outside the camp, skirmishing and trading blows with the Liao riders.

Afterward, while ensuring his own defense, Shi Shouxin also sent troops to support the forward camp. In this way, the Han army presented a posture of enveloping the Liao forces in the forward camp.

At the Liao central command, upon learning of the battle situation in the camp, Yelu Cong could not help but sigh: "I knew the Han army was formidable, but I did not expect them to be this tenacious. Truly a worthy foe for the Great Liao!"

Still, sighs aside, faced with such a situation, there was no reason to retreat. His forces were still powerful, his troops abundant. He dispatched more troops into the camp to join the fight and ordered the Liao forces inside to regroup and attack, to break free of the melee as quickly as possible.

He also split off twenty thousand men each to circle around and harass the left and right Han camps—harass without attacking, to pin down the other Han forces—and sent an additional ten thousand cavalry to hunt down that troublesome Hebei border cavalry.

Afterward, Yelu Cong ordered his central command to move forward, to inspire the Liao officers and men. The Liao offensive did not weaken; it only grew stronger.

The melee at the Han forward camp continued for a full hour and a half. Under the Liao's sustained commitment of troops, the Han army, with support from reinforcements, actively withdrew—abandoning the forward and middle sub-camps entirely, falling back into the rear sub-camp. At the middle sub-camp, An Shenqi ordered piles of firewood and oil to be stacked, then set a great blaze, somewhat checking the enemy's pursuit.

Of the original roughly twenty thousand Han soldiers and laborers, fewer than eight thousand survived, nearly all wounded. The Liao army re-formed their ranks and continued their attack, seeking to break the Han army in one stroke and storm the central camp.

But before the rear sub-camp, An Shenqi personally directed the deployment, arranging formations to await them. The overeager Liao troops charged forward, and crossbows and bows loosed together, mowing down a large swath.

Freshly assembled heavy cavalry tried to repeat their earlier feat and charge again, but before the Han formation they faced pit traps, hooked chains, and orderly spear-shield-cart arrays, plus a row of mounted siege crossbows that could pierce both man and horse.

After losing over two hundred riders, Yelu Cong no longer dared to throw the Iron Kite Riders into such charges. The Liao offensive, after breaking the Han forward camp, was finally truly checked.

Faced with this situation, Yelu Cong did not retreat either. He again assembled infantry, who advanced with shields and carts, closing on the Han formation, seeking close combat under the cover of archery. Because his forces were insufficient, he even ordered some Liao soldiers to dismount, pick up Han shields and other defensive equipment, and continue the attack on foot.

When even cavalry must fight on foot to assault a formation, one can see how desperate the Liao had become. And this Liao tactic of completely disregarding casualties put enormous pressure on the Han army. Even An Shenqi was shocked, but with no other choice, he led his men in stubborn resistance.

The battlefield was a meat grinder, continuing to devour the lives of soldiers on both sides. From the first clash at dawn until high noon, the cries of battle at Nankou never ceased. Though the Liao offensive was fierce, under the Han army's effective command and tenacious fighting, they held the line firmly.

The Liao army directly committed to the camp assault numbered a full fifty thousand man-times. While inflicting heavy casualties on the Han, their own losses were equally grievous. Yet they were stopped before the forward camp's rear sub-camp, unable to advance another inch, unable to break through the Han defenses and strike at the central camp.

Under these circumstances, Yelu Cong showed no sign of easing the offensive. He issued death orders to all his units—no respite for the Han army, and no slackening for his own.

Until another massive Liao force emerged from Desheng Pass. In fact, Desheng Pass was not far from Nankou. The Liao army had long since moved into position and prepared for their sortie.

But Yelu Wuzhi had not been in a hurry to strike, only sending men to monitor the battle. Only at noon did he order the assault. A little over ten li—cavalry covered it in an instant. When the seventy thousand Liao cavalry under Yelu Wuzhi thundered in from the flank and rear toward Nankou, every Han soldier, from commander to common trooper, was struck with terror.

Only then did An Shenqi understand why the Liao army that came out of Juyong Pass had been so frantic — the real killing stroke was at Deshengkou. Upon learning the scale of their forces, An Shenqi had to admit that he had been careless.

If he had anticipated the Liao army's initiative to strike out, then their mobilization of such overwhelming strength to swallow him up was entirely beyond his expectations.

With Yelu Wuzhi's sortie, the Han army at Nankou also entered its most perilous moment.