Chapter 167: Internal Strife!

It was evening.

These several thousand heavy cavalry led by Mangu had undoubtedly reached a certain dead end.

They retreated all the way, pressed by hunger and thirst, and were harassed along the way by Gu Xuan leading men, gaining no peace.

It can be said that the state of the entire Jie tribe main force had deteriorated to a certain extreme.

And it must be said, Mangu and the others were not fools; they had not failed to think of a way to break the situation.

Midway, with food supplies cut off, they did not hesitate to kill their precious warhorses for food and drink horse blood.

They even disregarded everything to detach over a thousand cavalry to block the human cavalry's harassment, only to exchange for a brief chance to catch their breath.

However.

Killing horses temporarily was ultimately not real rations; the timing and terrain simply did not allow them to cook it, so they could only eat the horse meat raw, and horse blood was not real water either.

Real army grain and forage supplies were far from replaceable by raw horse meat and horse blood.

And Gu Xuan also led the cavalry without the slightest politeness, dividing and surrounding those one thousand plus Jie heavy cavalry who came to block them, killing them one by one until none remained.

Even though this scene had long been within the expectations of the surviving Jie soldiers.

But when watching their own clansmen being slaughtered so wantonly by the human race, these soldiers still couldn't help but weep bitterly.

In the past, they had done the same to the Great Zhou Dynasty's human armies and even commoners more than once.

And now.

This scene was perfectly reenacted upon themselves; one can only say the Heavenly Dao returns what is due.

And looking at the human cavalry side, they had long since brought their own beef jerky, water bags, and such, with no supply worries.

And Jiang Bu Shi also led the remaining Heavy Infantry Corps as reinforcements, advancing steadily from the rear, constantly communicating with Gu Xuan and replenishing supplies in a timely manner.

Under such circumstances, Gu Xuan led men to continuously tail the Jie cavalry main force from afar, patiently waiting until evening.

"About time!"

Gu Xuan personally went forward to scout, and after raising his hand and shooting dead over a dozen Jie scouts, he reached this conclusion.

From a not-too-far distance, he saw the desperate faces and eyes of many Jie soldiers, and also saw their morale on the verge of collapse.

And his peerless divine martial prowess also obviously shocked the Jie tribe once again.

What kind of figure is this, killing over a dozen scouts with a raise of his hand? You must know those were all elites among elites of the Jie tribe, yet they were slaughtered like chickens and dogs by a human, without the slightest power to resist.

In fact.

In this cavalry pursuit battle where numbers did not reach ten thousand, Gu Xuan displayed his personal peerless martial power to a certain extreme.

Swap in any other general leading troops, and it would be absolutely impossible to force the Jie tribe to this step — they couldn't win in a fight, and couldn't escape either!

Finally.

On a small plain.

【29】 The moment for battle had arrived; Gu Xuan unhesitatingly led his nearly five thousand human cavalry in a death-or-glory charge.

The Jie side actually still had five to six thousand heavy cavalry remaining, not losing out in the slightest in numbers, only their condition was extremely poor.

On the Jie Tribe side, there were actually still five or six thousand heavy cavalry remaining, matching them in numbers, though their condition was extremely poor.

Ten thousand horses galloping, two cavalry main forces charging at each other; this scene could be described as shaking heaven and moving earth, dust flying everywhere.

Ten thousand horses galloped as two cavalry battalions charged at each other; such a scene could truly be said to shake heaven and move earth, with dust flying everywhere.

Everywhere were the sounds of blades and spears entering bodies, and the crashing sounds of warriors falling off warhorses.

The Jie heavy cavalry main force was indeed the elite that had roamed the North Border for decades; even in such a poor state, relying on a resolve born of desperation, they erupted with considerable combat power.

Just a single clash, and the human side already had a full six to seven hundred knights fall.

But the Jie tribe's disadvantage was ultimately too great; some soldiers were so weak they could barely hold their spears steady, the whole presenting a pessimistic and desperate posture.

And with Gu Xuan leading the charge at the front, like a sharp blade he fiercely stabbed into the Jie formation, instantly tearing open a huge gap, hacking and killing within it, unstoppable.

With Gu Xuan leading the charge, like a sharp blade, he fiercely plunged into the Jie Tribe ranks, instantly tearing open a huge gap, and within it he hacked and slew with unstoppable force.

Under this unstoppable momentum, Gu Xuan was virtually an enemy with no match.

And by his side were hundreds of the most fierce and brave elites of the Border Army, like bloodthirsty hungry wolves, both dead-set on protecting their Zhou King and commander, and seeking every opportunity to kill enemies.

By his side were several hundred of the Border Army's fiercest and bravest elite, like bloodthirsty starving wolves, both dead protecting their Zhou King and commander-in-chief, and seeking every opportunity to kill the enemy.

The human side, at the cost of losing nearly two thousand cavalry, almost completely annihilated the opponent's five to six thousand heavy cavalry.

Only Mangu and the others led seven to eight hundred personal guards, all wounded, fleeing desperately with no regard for their lives; judging by their direction, they were still fleeing toward Kuju City, for only there could they possibly obtain supplies.

Such a glorious battle result, placed in the past decades, was simply unimaginable!

Because these years, the Great Zhou Dynasty had been in continuous decline, and it had been a very long time since they had achieved any passable battle record on the border.

The most recent major battle could even be called a humiliation.

That was in order to deal with the Western Region Quanrong Tribe's invasion, the ruling Sima Clan did not hesitate to let the Western Capital Luocheng be plundered as the price, in exchange for the Jie tribe as support.

Such a result, while certainly relieving one crisis for the Sima Clan, also greatly strengthened the Jie tribe's arrogant psychology, making them even more rampant and unbridled in the North Border.

One can only call it drinking poison to quench thirst, or tearing down the east wall to patch the west wall; if this continued, the North Border would sooner or later belong to the Jie tribe.

But with Gu Xuan's arrival and the Sima Clan's downfall, all this was ultimately changed!

But with Gu Xuan's arrival and the destruction of the Sima Clan, all of this was ultimately changed!

Gu Xuan ordered the wounded and exhausted cavalry to rest and heal wounds on the spot, and wait for the arrival of the follow-up infantry great array.

On the other side, he dispatched a thousand-man cavalry to continue pursuing Mangu and the other Jie remnant troops, mainly to harass, and maintain communication with the rear at all times.

In addition, the remaining cavalry cleaned up the battlefield; there was no question of taking prisoners or not.

Among this, most Jie cavalry had once participated in many evil deeds within the Great Zhou Dynasty's territory, their crimes were already monstrous, the Border Army had long hated them to the bone, and finishing them off carried absolutely no psychological burden.

Only a very few whose physical condition was relatively good were left, suitable for a public trial after the war.

Only a very small number whose physical condition was relatively good were left behind, suitable for a public trial after the battle.

And speaking of Mangu's side, he fled desperately with seven hundred plus remnant defeated soldiers.

And so, on Mangu's side, wearing seven hundred-odd remnant soldiers and defeated generals, they fled for their lives.

Looking at himself and the personal guards around him, every single one battered and exhausted, everyone wounded, they couldn't help but feel hearts full of grief!

Yet just two or three li behind them, there were clearly still human elite cavalry pursuing.

At this life-or-death juncture, they were absolutely not permitted any self-pitying thoughts; they could only temporarily cast everything aside, forcibly endure the deep hunger and thirst rising from the depths of their bodies, and flee desperately toward distant Kuju City.

Along the way, Jie soldiers who could not hold on would fall from their warhorses from time to time, thereafter not moving at all; some were not yet dead but left to be slaughtered, some had truly reached the point of oil exhausted lamp dry.

And conversely, the pursuing human cavalry behind them, clearly with supplies not yet lost, were in a state much better than theirs; on horseback they could chew jerky, drink clear water from water bags, pursuing and killing in a leisurely, unhurried manner.

This scene made Mangu's heart grieve incessantly, and at the same time made him resent Jie King Dai Shang even more!

In his heart, the root cause of the loss of supplies was completely blamed on Dai Shang.

And he was fundamentally unwilling to think that, in that situation at the time, no one could withstand the fire oil bombs projected by the humans.

Mangu thought with incomparable resentment: if not for Dai Shang, Chanshan City would also not have been lost so easily, they would not have lost their baggage and ended up in such a wretched state with such heavy casualties!

Yet Dai Shang had run off who knows where; in all probability he had fled to Kuju City!

And this thought of Mangu's also infected the several Partial Generals under his command, who likewise harbored resentment toward Jie King Dai Shang.

One must say, the power of hatred is enormous.

Or perhaps one should say, living beings in desperate circumstances can still once again explode with potential.

After a night plus most of a morning of desperate flight, Mangu and the others, without drinking water or eating food, actually truly managed to flee to the foot of Kuju City.

Of course.

By this moment, they had also truly reached a certain limit.

The originally powerful Jie heavy cavalry had long since discarded the heavy armor on their bodies; every single one was incomparably haggard, eyes bloodshot, faces unrecognizable.

Swaying and tottering they rode their warhorses to the city wall, almost losing even the strength to shout for the gate to be opened!

Yet just several li behind them, human pursuit cavalry were certainly still tailing them, making these Jie soldiers each and every one anxious in heart and gall, as if their five viscera were burning.

Fortunately, the defenders on the city gate ultimately still recognized their fellow clansmen below the city.

At this time.

The biggest figure in the city was naturally Jie King Dai Shang, who had fled here a day earlier, leading the last two thousand-plus Jie remnant forces in the city.

No matter how much at odds with Mangu, no matter how much Dai Shang gritted his teeth in hatred toward Mangu in his heart, in this situation he could not find any reason to refuse Mangu and the others entry into the city.

And the human pursuers were already not far, seemingly about to appear within visual range.

At this critical juncture, there was also no opportunity for Dai Shang to have any deliberation or hesitation.

Therefore, he ultimately had no choice but to order the city gate opened, letting Mangu and the others enter.

And merely half a double-hour later.

The human vanguard cavalry, a full thousand or so, had already arrived below Kuju City, staring dead at the Jie people on the city wall like hawks and falcons.

After another half day's effort, Gu Xuan also led the cavalry brigade to arrive.

After that, it was the Human Heavy Infantry Corps led by Jiang Bu Shi, a full tens of thousands, surrounding the not-large Kuju City so tightly that not even water could leak through!

Such a scene couldn't help but make the Jie people on the city wall look at each other in dismay and give rise to fear, and also made their hearts incomparably bleak.

Once upon a time, their Jie clan domineered the North Border, even the former suzerain state Great Zhou Dynasty was trampled underfoot, human women were wantonly humiliated by them.

Yet now, they had fallen to such a miserable state, clansmen reduced to only the three thousand-plus remaining in the city!

And after Gu Xuan and the others surrounded the city, they did not immediately order an assault.

They built fortifications, lit cooking fires, and right below this city boiled cattle and slaughtered sheep; the situation looked like they were going to lavishly reward the soldiers.

Such a leisurely, unhurried scene was clearly completely not putting the Jie remnants inside the city in their eyes at all; it was completely a kind of contempt!

This scene couldn't help but make the Jie soldiers on the city, while drooling at the smell, also have eyes spraying fire, practically wanting to eat the humans below the city alive.

Yet just not far away, there was also a human cavalry force of two thousand-plus staring like tigers, just waiting for the enemy to deliver themselves to the door.

Therefore.

The Jie clan truly could only watch helplessly, yet be impotently furious.

Just like this, Gu Xuan led the army surrounding Kuju City for an evening plus the next morning.

Watching the soldiers' morale become sufficient, about to launch a thorough siege battle, the city interior suddenly erupted with a shocking change!

……

Gu Xuan and the others, separated by the city wall and several hundred meters, could all hear the earth-shaking shouts inside the city.

And, a certain kind of fierce Jie cursing, sounds of combat.

Obviously.

The city interior had erupted in some kind of internal strife!

"Could it be, this is the so-called 'when a state is about to perish, there must be monsters'?"

Seeing this scene, hearing those faint killing and cursing sounds carried by the wind, the faces of Jiang Bu Shi, the Northern Border Governor, and other human high-level figures involuntarily revealed somewhat strange expressions.

Even Gu Xuan's eyes had a strange light, guessing the truth of a certain matter.

Sure enough!

After roughly two quarter-hours, the sounds of killing inside the city finally stopped.

And the next moment, the South Gate facing the direction of the human great banner was suddenly opened, and from the city gate walked out a hundred-odd surrendering people baring their chests and raising weapons high.

But unexpectedly, the one walking at the very front was neither Jie King Dai Shang, nor Jie General Mangu, but a Jie elder with beard and hair all white.

He was a paternal cousin of Dai Shang's generation, also counted as an old noble of the Jie clan.

Gu Xuan ordered a pair of cavalry fully armed, cautious and careful, to go over and take over all defense of the city's South Gate.

After confirming safety, the human main force finally entered and garrisoned this city, and finally gradually took control of the whole city, and captured the remaining two thousand-plus Jie.

And in the palace at the very center of the city, a fire had already started burning, and there was a trend of blazing fiercely.

Pity that the Jie clan did not have fire oil bombs as fierce as the humans'; even setting fire they did not manage to be that decisive.

After a round of firefighting, the palace fire was extinguished, and revealed within were several hundred incomparably miserable corpses.

Upon careful identification, the corpses of Jie King Dai Shang and Jie Tribe General Mangu were shockingly discovered inside the palace, both riddled with many knife wounds, nearly torn to pieces, too horrible to behold.

Around the two of them, their respective personal guards lay sprawled in disorder, obviously having gone through a fierce firefight before such a situation formed.

After a round of interrogation of Jie Tribe captives, Gu Xuan and the others finally learned what exactly had happened!

As it turned out, after Mangu and the others entered the city, they began suffering hunger, thirst, and exhaustion to the utmost extreme, yet they still feigned calm and said not a word, merely eating and drinking in large mouthfuls and sitting quietly to rest, because they were truly weak to a certain limit.

However.

Once Mangu recovered, he started making trouble.

He led several of his die-hard Partial Generals under his command, as well as over a hundred personal guards, and during a council session, moved against Jie King Dai Shang.

Mangu angrily rebuked Dai Shang, attributing the vast majority of the blame for this battle's failure to Dai Shang, and also said that if not for him losing Chanshan City so quickly, the army would not have lost its supplies, ultimately leading to a crushing defeat.

And Dai Shang naturally also had loyal ministers who rebuked loudly on his behalf, refuting point by point.

Neither side was willing to yield, nor willing to admit any defeat in words; for a time they quarreled with incomparable intensity, leaving other neutral parties completely unable to take a side.

But in the end, Mangu was a veteran commanding general of many years, his subordinates' soldiers were more numerous, and also more elite!

And after going through a great battle, Mangu and his warriors were already brimming with murderous aura, every one of them with bloodshot eyes, as if they wanted to devour Dai Shang's side!

For a moment, Mangu and his group actually showed the momentum of a firefight, a trend to behead Jie King Dai Shang on the spot!

However, under the dissuasion of many neutral parties, he ultimately still did not do so, and perhaps in his heart he also did not truly want to kill the Jie King, but merely wished to intimidate.

However, on the second day in the great hall, the already startled-bird-like Dai Shang actually struck first in a sudden outburst, beheading Mangu with a single knife stroke.

As that head covered in black hair rolled clattering down the great hall, Dai Shang finally avenged the grudge of being bullied by a subordinate, yet also triggered a great melee!

(Chapter End)