Chapter 489: Village Entrance

The anthem sound resounded across the wilderness on both banks of the Yongding River. Signal flags at every level waved, and dense hooves stepped onto the ice, crossed the opposite river embankment, and set foot on the southern bank.

On the southern bank, white cooking smoke on the horizon had not yet dispersed, making the nearby Qing cavalry figures even more conspicuous.

The Ming Army cavalry slowly accelerated, pressing toward the Qing troops directly ahead. Facing the overwhelming number of Ming Army Household Retainers, the Qing Mounted Armor fell back one after another.

One thousand three hundred cavalry split into left, center, and right routes, spreading out in a wide front like a colossal tide sweeping across the land on the southern bank of the Yongding River, advancing toward Wangzhuang.

"Yang Shizhong, hold the pace, don't let the horses exhaust their strength too fast." Yang Guangdi shouted toward the right side. That was the newly arrived Escort Master in the Squad, a man from Liuhe in Nanzhili who had always worked escorting shipments on the Grand Canal. In winter, the Grain Transport Ships stopped running, and land route transport prices were higher—it was when Escort Masters made money. When the Qing troops came, he had been trapped at Tongcheng Post along with the cargo owner.

After participating in the City Defense battle at Tongcheng Post, he was among the first batch to sign up for the Anqing Battalion and was assigned as a reinforcement to the Scout Cavalry. His riding skill was adept and he could also shoot a bow, but he was still far from being a qualified cavalryman, especially regarding speed. Escort Masters were accustomed to post roads with supply points along the way and had almost no concept of horse stamina management.

"Follow behind Qin Shu. Today we fight all day, so preserve your horse's strength."

After saying this, Yang Guangdi turned to the other side. Since being promoted to Squad Leader, he had many more things to worry about. Daily, he had to teach the new arrivals Military Law and the Drill Manual. From the moment he opened his eyes in the morning, he had to manage discipline—the Quiet Drum wasn't the end of it; he had to wait until everyone was snoring before the day was truly over. If someone in the team fought, he had to deal with it. If training slackened, he had to urge them on. He had to report to the Banner Commander every day. Fortunately, now that they were at war, there were no routine evaluations; otherwise, he would also have to compete in rankings against the other Squads.

Man Da'er was one of the Squad of Five leaders. Old Qin still held no position whatsoever. Overall, the current Squad was still in a patchwork state, but at least it could be pulled out to fight now.

The rumbling of hooves surrounded them, and the neighing of warhorses was unending. The Qing troops ahead were in a skirmisher state, with no one controlling their formation, retreating all the way south.

This was a pattern Yang Guangdi was familiar with. In scattered cavalry engagements, mutual probing and chasing predominated, and most of the time, momentum and numbers were relied upon to force the opponent back. Riders and horses were equally clever; most of the time, unlike infantry, they were not bound by formations. Cavalry engagements rarely required direct head-on clashes. Getting within bow range was already considered an intense exchange.

The Qing troops were unprepared for the Ming Army to assemble so many cavalry. Under the attack of over a thousand Ming Army Household Retainers, they didn't need to try to know they couldn't win; no one was foolish enough to charge in and throw their life away.

He turned his head to glance back. The gleaming infantry Array was already beginning to cross the river. At the very front was the Artillery. The cavalry ahead had driven off the Qing Scout Cavalry, allowing the infantry to advance at a leisurely pace.

The horse's body suddenly lifted. Yang Guangdi hurriedly turned his head back to look ahead, then naturally adjusted his center of gravity. His mount had just crossed a field ridge. The formation of the surrounding cavalry simultaneously rose with the terrain, then dipped down again.

The Anqing Cavalry entered a vast expanse of fields. Behind the fields was Wangzhuang.

The largest Qing force, about seventy or eighty riders, turned and fled back along the road toward Wangzhuang. The other Qing troops who had come to support failed to group together and were routed under the Ming Army's advance. Just like during the raid on Boping County, once the Qing cavalry screen was broken through, the massive Camp Ground was completely defenseless.

The outskirts of Wangzhuang were a wilderness of shacks, scattered with countless livestock and Carriages. Faint sounds of clamor were already coming from there.

A low, drawn-out conch horn sounded. Yang Guangdi tilted his head to look toward the cavalry Central Army. Chen Rulie's Recognition Banner flew high in the morning Wind. On the Right Wing further away, countless horse heads could be seen bobbing.

The Thousand-Leader Headquarters flag tilted forward. The Anqing Cavalry advancing along the main road began to increase speed, applying greater pressure on the Qing cavalry.

Centurion Chen's speed also increased. Yang Guangdi shouted toward the two Squad of Five leaders. Man Da'er soon pulled ahead by a body length, spurring the Squad's speed to quicken.

The Qing troops fired arrows as they retreated. The incoming arrows were utterly inaccurate, landing softly and limply among the fields.

A new field ridge appeared ahead. Yang Guangdi gave a slight tug, and his mount leaped over it. By now they were approaching the Camp Ground area. Shacks and livestock were everywhere, with countless fleeing figures among them.

The mounts swiftly reached the edge of the camp. The Scout Cavalry surged in. Obstacles filled their field of vision, and the horses automatically slowed. Yang Guangdi drew his Waist Saber and raced among the shacks. The fleeing figures in his sight flashed by—all shaven heads with small queues. Yang Guangdi couldn't tell who was a True Yi and who was a Bondservant. He passed seven or eight shacks without swinging his saber once, but the camp was already in chaos, with people and livestock running wild everywhere. The screams from the direction of the Shaanxi Provincial Commander's Standard Troops on the Left Wing were even more earth-shattering. Several fires had already ignited, and thick smoke shot straight into the sky.

The unique bronze whistle sound of the Scout Cavalry rang out. Yang Guangdi pulled his horse's head around in a circle, shouting loudly to rally the Squad.

Chen Bin's Recognition Banner moved closer to the Left Wing of the main road. Yang Guangdi had only managed to gather seven men and immediately led them to close in first.

The main task of the Anqing Cavalry was to seize Wangzhuang during the raid. Due to the obstruction of the outer camp, only the main road was the most convenient route. The Scout Cavalry's task was to provide cover on the road's flank.

A Company of regular cavalry galloped along the main road beside them. The dense, rain-like sound of hooves seemed to pound on one's heart. The head of the Team surged past the Scout Cavalry and pounced fiercely toward the village entrance.

Following Chen Bin's Recognition Banner, Yang Guangdi weaved through shacks and Carriages, occasionally having to dodge panicked livestock. Their speed had already greatly decreased.

Amidst the earth-shattering screams ahead came the dense thrumming of bowstrings. Yang Guangdi had just rounded a shack when he saw a Carriage blocking the main road at the village entrance ahead. The charging cavalry was blocked by the Carriage and struck by arrows shot from the opposite side. Several riders fell from their horses. The cavalry behind them sharply decelerated, crowding the road.

Dense volleys of arrows flew from the direction of the village entrance. The Anqing Cavalry, exposed on the road surface, instantly suffered a sharp increase in casualties.

A gong sounded. Chen Rulie's Recognition Banner moved off the road, and the cavalry on the road withdrew one after another. According to the briefing issued last night, if the cavalry could not seize Wangzhuang on the move, they were to leave the road surface to prevent dead and wounded horses from blocking the Road Passage, and conduct containment operations until the infantry arrived.

The Qing troops' arrows were dense and fierce. Many people and livestock around the impact points were hit, causing the livestock to rampage madly. The captured commoners also nearly descended into hysteria, running wildly everywhere within the camp. The Anqing Cavalry dodged livestock and rode toward the outside. Their formation was completely scattered. Chen Rulie was unable to control the troops inside the camp, and his Recognition Banner also moved outward.

Arrows also fell on the left side. Yang Guangdi controlled his mount, dodging a running ox, then stood in his stirrups to observe Wangzhuang fifty paces away. Behind those outer adobe walls around the intersection, many Helmets were visible. The number of Qing troops in the village was not small.

Taking advantage of the Anqing Cavalry's disorder, seven or eight Qing soldiers ran out from the village entrance and began pulling a new Carriage onto the road. One Qing soldier swung a large club, smashing it against the cart wheel.

Some Anqing Cavalry were shooting bows toward the village entrance on their own, but the attack was rather weak. Yang Guangdi turned to look behind him. The Silver Purity infantry column was still a long distance away. Horses were running ahead of them—it seemed to be the Artillery, but their speed was far inferior to the cavalry. By the time they arrived, the Qing troops would have the road blocked tight.

Chen Bin's voice came from ahead. "Scout Cavalry, no retreat!"

Yang Guangdi hurriedly called out to his Squad. Man Da'er was the first to run forward. Arriving beneath the Centurion's Recognition Banner, Chen Bin sat on his horse, turned his head, and pointed his Fingers at Yang Guangdi. "Third Team, dismount and attack! Use Fire Lances and bows to kill the Tartars at the village entrance! Don't let them block the road!"

Yang Guangdi shouted his acknowledgment, casually took down his newly issued Lumi musket, and ordered the Squad to dismount and move forward.

Qin Jiuze held a Step Bow in his hand and followed silently behind. Man Da'er's voice came from the right rear, constantly calling out to his three team members.

Chen Rulie's Recognition Banner was still on the right side. Most of the arrows flying from the village entrance headed in that direction. Occasionally, scattered arrows landed on the left side, thudding as they struck the surrounding Carriages.

Yang Guangdi didn't look up at all. He kept his head down and hurried along. When rounding a shack, a woman was crouched on the ground, covering her ears and screaming madly. There was still a fire burning in the earthen stove on the ground beside her. Amidst the woman's screams, Yang Guangdi quickly lit his Fire Rope, clamped it onto the cock as he walked, and rounded another reed-built shack. The road appeared ahead. Yang Guangdi saw the Tartars on the road at the village entrance, only twenty-some paces away.

He felt not a trace of panic in his heart, only a slight excitement. He raised the Lumi musket in his hands, aligning the sight on the figure smashing the cart wheel with force.

A loud bang—a plume of white smoke shot toward the sky. A burst of flame simultaneously erupted ahead. The Tartar smashing the cart fell at the sound. The hammer he had just swung spun through the air and finally crashed onto the road surface. Yang Guangdi lowered his head to reload. Around him, bowstrings thrummed. Qin Jiuze and the others fired arrows in rapid succession. Three or four Tartars pushing the Carriage at the village entrance instantly fell.

The remaining Tartars scattered in a panic with cries of alarm, leaving behind the two Carriages that had not yet been smashed.

Arrows from the village entrance immediately shot toward this side. Yang Guangdi hid behind a Carriage, unhurriedly reloading his Lumi musket, while shouting loudly, "Yang Shizhong, don't aim for so long, just shoot over there, make the Tartars duck. That's enough. Man Da'er! Stop shooting the ones crawling on the ground. Yang Shisan, move to the left. The Tartars are sure to bring out Shields."

The Carriage he leaned against was struck from time to time by Tartar arrows, transmitting bursts of vibration through Yang Guangdi's back. Just as he finished reloading, a crazed commoner ran past in front of him. Yang Guangdi stuck out a foot to trip him. The commoner fell flat on the ground, still screaming incessantly.

Yang Guangdi turned back toward the village entrance just in time to see several newcomers preparing to push the carts. All had the same small queues; he couldn't tell if they were True Yi or Bondservants.

The Lumi musket roared again. The foremost one fell, and the remaining Qing soldiers scattered once more.

Both sides fought a chaotic skirmish, with neither gaining control of the village entrance. After a moment, Qing soldiers holding Shields appeared at the village entrance. Qin Jiuze and the others' bow attacks were almost ineffective. Yang Guangdi's Lumi musket couldn't aim properly, and its attack power was greatly reduced. He fired two consecutive shots without hitting any Qing soldier.

The Qing troops used several Shields for cover, while the others hiding behind continued pushing the Carriage. Some were also throwing bricks onto the road.

Yang Guangdi's Gun Barrel had become scalding hot and could no longer be reloaded. He watched as the Qing troops pushed up another Carriage, and newly arrived Qing soldiers used axes to hack at the cart wheels.

Just as anxiety surged in his heart, the sound of hooves came from the road beside him. Yang Guangdi turned to look. The Heavy Infantry column behind was still some distance away. Two riders, towing a Cannon, were galloping toward them on the road, with two more mounted Cannoneers following behind.

They stopped fifty paces from the village entrance, swiftly unhitched the horses towing the cannon, and directly drove them off the road. Then two men pushed the Cannon Cart toward the village entrance, while the other two dragged the ammunition cart.

Yang Guangdi stared blankly, not knowing what these few Artillery soldiers were doing. The Anqing Artillery had always moved together with the infantry. Even the Cavalry Artillery had to rely on the cavalry's Array. They never operated alone like this. As the Artillery men approached, Yang Guangdi saw that the man pushing the cannon on the left was the Artillery Chief whose face had been burned.

"These few men are crazy," Yang Shisan's voice said beside him. "The Heavy Armor Soldiers haven't even arrived, and they're just pushing a cannon to fight the Tartars? What for?"

Under the astonished gaze of the Scout Cavalry, the two Artillery soldiers pushed the Small Bronze Cannon swiftly closer. Qing arrows flew toward them, occasionally striking the cart wheels and the Gun Barrel.

The Small Bronze Cannon finally stopped. The Artillery Chief issued two simple commands. The cannon's angle was slightly adjusted, aiming at the position of those several Shields.

The Cannon Cart of the Bronze Cannon recoiled violently. A thunderous cannon blast shook the surrounding wilderness.

The rumbling cannon fire reached the Ming Army's Left Wing. Lintao Regional Commander Cao Bianjiao stared intently at the entrance of Wangzhuang village.

Shield fragments whirled through the air at the village entrance, mixed with pieces of human bodies nearby.

"My lord, over a hundred Tartar Mounted Armor are coming from due east…"

Without even turning his head, Cao Bianjiao said, "Hold them off. What's He Renlong doing so far west, leaving me to take the front? Signal him to move east along the North Bank and threaten the Tartars' rear."

His words had barely faded when a second cannon blast sounded from the village entrance. Cao Bianjiao frowned, squinting carefully at the road surface to confirm he wasn't mistaken — there was indeed only one cannon.

The Household Retainer leader turned to relay the order. By the time he returned beneath the Recognition Banner, a third cannon blast came from the village entrance. Cao Bianjiao's posture had barely changed; his gaze remained fixed on the entrance. Of the four Cannoneers, two had already been struck by arrows, and one lay on the ground.

Cao Bianjiao watched the village entrance with total concentration. His five hundred-plus cavalry had full control of the Left Wing, but had only carried out harassment at the camp's edge, because penetrating deeper would shatter the cavalry formation, and regrouping would take far too long. If Qing troops arrived as reinforcements at that moment, the Lintao Retainers could suffer heavy losses.

Cao Bianjiao would not penetrate the camp, much less risk crossing the outer perimeter to attack Wangzhuang directly. The Anqing Cavalry's failed assault had been expected; the Lintao Camp quickly regrouped its main force. What Cao Bianjiao now needed to wait for was the outcome of the Anqing Battalion infantry's attack on Wangzhuang.

Because the core of today's operation was seizing Wangzhuang. Only by cutting off the road at Wangzhuang would the cavalry's harassment have any meaning. Otherwise, the cavalry could only delay the Qing troops temporarily. The Qing cavalry held absolute superiority in numbers — as soon as reinforcements arrived, they could drive the Ming Army from the South Bank and swiftly resume their march.

If the Anqing Battalion could not take Wangzhuang, it would also prove they lacked the strength to confront the Tartars head-on.

The same was true for the Shaanxi Provincial Commander's Standard Troops and Li Zhongzhen on the Right Wing. After advancing to Wangzhuang's outer perimeter, they both halted, gathering their men to watch the Anqing Battalion's assault.

But no one had expected the first attack to come from a single cannon. To the various Border Army units that prized cavalry above all else, this seemed like something out of a fantasy. Yet that one cannon and a small number of cavalry had seized control of the village entrance, preventing the Qing troops from adding more barricades.

A fourth cannon blast rang out. Half a cartwheel flew into the air, hung for a moment at its highest point, then crashed heavily back to the ground.

Cao Bianjiao shifted his body, aligning his line of sight directly with the village entrance. By now, two more cannons had arrived. The riders swiftly began deploying them, and three Small Cannons took turns firing at the entrance in rotation — not a single Tartar could charge out.

Across the vast battle line on the Yongding River's South Bank, the various Camp Heads were not busy extending their lines to harass the Qing troops. All were staring at the smoke-shrouded village entrance, waiting for the outcome of the Anqing Battalion infantry's assault.

Beneath the sunlight, the silver-gleaming ranks of the Anqing Heavy Infantry drew steadily closer to the entrance of Wangzhuang village.