Chapter 437: Self-Amputation of One Tail

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The roar of artillery on the battlefield drowned out the painful groans of wounded soldiers and the angry roars of soldiers from both sides as they clashed.

Gunpowder smoke shrouded the battlefield like a thin mist, making everything appear blurred.

South of the Imperial Guard formation.

The aristocratic clan soldiers who had been routed by the Northern Di regrouped here.

The matchlock soldiers were reassembled, firing lead bullets in volleys at the charging Xiliang and Ma Jin soldiers.

Although the Xiliang soldiers were equally fierce, in the eyes of the aristocratic clan soldiers, they were far less terrifying than the Northern Di soldiers.

This psychological advantage allowed them to endure casualties without breaking.

"Damn it! This Yang Feng is simply too cunning." Gule, Wuyan, and Ma Jin stood on the city wall, each gnashing their teeth.

They had no artillery, so naturally, they could not inflict major casualties on the Great Song soldiers head-on like the Northern Di.

And the Iron Harriers were like paper in front of these soldiers' muskets.

The Iron Harriers' charges were repelled by muskets several times.

With the Iron Harriers like this, the armor of ordinary soldiers was even more fragile before the Great Song soldiers' matchlocks.

They had originally been on the verge of victory, but the arrival of these aristocratic clan troops immediately plunged them into an adverse situation again.

Moreover, despite suffering heavy losses under the Northern Di, the aristocratic clan troops seemed to still maintain a strength of one hundred thirty or forty thousand.

They were fewer in number, but the muskets made up for this.

"Strange, truly strange. The aristocratic clan troops have always been timid when fighting; why are they acting like they are risking their lives this time?" Ma Jin muttered.

As a member of an aristocratic clan, he naturally understood the performance of their troops in previous wars.

He could never have imagined that Yang Feng had held Dou Xiao and Han Jun hostage and executed Wang Bi to control the aristocratic clan troops.

"Brothers, kill! The Northern Di army is right before our eyes; they will soon defeat the Great Song troops, and victory will belong to us." Wuyan ordered the Xiliang soldiers.

Encouraged by Wuyan's words, the Xiliang soldiers' offensive became increasingly fierce, charging at the aristocratic clan troops in waves.

The scorching sun moved from overhead to the horizon, and the sunset glow covered the earth.

Watching the last rays of the setting sun fall into the west, Mule Hongzhen narrowed his eyes, "Artillery is indeed powerful, but whether this battle can be won still depends on our cavalry."

Tiemuta nodded.

In the afternoon's artillery duel, the Northern Di's artillery and the Great Song's artillery were evenly matched.

Both sides suffered losses.

He ordered the Northern Di Servant Soldiers to launch several charges, but they still failed under the bombardment of the Imperial Guard artillery.

Now, Yang Feng had effectively turned these one hundred thousand Imperial Guards into an immovable fortress, dragging them here.

What was most detestable was that Yongcheng was located on a plain amidst the mountains.

There was only one main road from Yongcheng to Xian City.

And Yang Feng had positioned his military formation right in front of the entrance to this main road.

Judging from the current situation, it would likely take two or three days to defeat Yang Feng.

The subsequent battle would be a war of attrition between the two sides.

Even so, looking at the current troop strength, Yang Feng could not outlast the Northern Di.

Furthermore, a Northern Di cavalry unit had set out from Xiao Pass to cut off the Great Song's supply lines.

They only needed to fight and wait; even if they didn't fight, they would starve the Great Song army to death.

"Great Khan is right. The one hundred thousand iron cavalry entering Qinzhou from Xiao Pass will completely sever the connection between the Great Song Northern Expeditionary Army and the Great Song." Tiemuta clenched his fists.

Mule Hongzhen nodded, "Tonight, Yang Feng will certainly take advantage of the night to lead his troops in a retreat toward Xian City. We must not let them leave; after eating, continue to attack them."

"Yes, Great Khan." Tiemuta respectfully replied.

The night grew darker.

Seeing that the Northern Di had ceased their attacks, Yang Feng ordered the Imperial Guard soldiers to withdraw into the northern camp of Yongcheng.

The aristocratic clan troops entered the eastern, western, and southern camps to rest and eat.

Fortunately, they had built these four camps before the Northern Di army arrived.

Otherwise, they would have had to sleep in the open.

"General, the aristocratic clan troops have suffered over eighty thousand casualties, and the Imperial Guard soldiers have suffered over twenty thousand casualties." Ao Bing reported to Yang Feng.

Hearing this, Yang Feng frowned.

With one hundred thousand casualties, whether wounded or dead, this group of people naturally could no longer participate in the battle.

In this way, he only had two hundred thousand troops left.

"The Northern Di and Yongcheng still have at least four hundred thousand troops. A two-fold difference, General Yang. You've held out until now; can we retreat yet!" Dou Xiao said urgently.

Han Yun chimed in, "That's right. If we don't leave now, we really won't be able to. General Yang, if you don't listen to us this time, even if we die, we will not cooperate with you again. Either way, it's death."

Yang Feng frowned.

One day was enough for Zhao Heng to flee to Xian City.

He indeed had no need to stay here and fight to the death.

After all, the retreat route had already been cut off by the Northern Di.

If he and the soldiers in his hands all died, the one hundred thousand troops in Xian City alone would be unable to resist the Northern Di.

If Zhao Heng were captured then, the Great Song would fall into chaos.

If he returned to Xian City to take charge of the overall situation, perhaps he could hold out until reinforcements arrived.

Having figured out this point, Yang Feng looked at Ao Bing, "General Ao, the future of the Great Song rests solely in your hands."

Ao Bing's expression was grave; he knew what Yang Feng meant.

He, this Vice General, would likely have to stay behind to cover the retreat.

"Old General, this time let this humble general tell the Northern Di that our Great Song still has men with iron bones," Ao Bing said loudly.

He and Yang Feng were both staunch members of the War Faction in the imperial court.

With the Northern Expedition army in crisis and the Emperor in danger, he naturally had to step forward.

Yang Feng patted his shoulder heavily, saying nothing.

In his view, the Northern Di would surely anticipate that they might retreat to Xian City tonight, and he feared their troops and horses were already prepared.

For this retreat, he could only be like a gecko severing its own tail to escape with his life.

That night.

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

At midnight, the order to retreat spread throughout the four camps.

The power-clan troops, led by their commanders, quietly withdrew from the camps.

Likewise, to prevent pursuit by Xiliang, they also left rearguard troops outside the city gates.

Ao Bing, meanwhile, led forty thousand Imperial Guards to remain at the North Camp.

As expected.

As soon as the main army moved, the Northern Di and the Xiliang soldiers inside the city moved accordingly.

The sound of battle cries instantly shattered the silence of the night.

Yang Feng led the remaining Imperial Guards and power-clan troops along the mountain road, heading toward Xian City without looking back.

He dared not look back, for he feared he would be unable to control himself from staying behind to continue the fierce battle.

"Kill!"

Outside the North Camp, a forest of spears formed by pikemen blocked the Northern Di Iron Cavalry from advancing further.

After only a moment's hesitation, the Northern Di Cavalry immediately retreated.

Before long, Artillery was pushed up by the Northern Di soldiers.

The roaring sound immediately resounded through the sky.

Since the main force had already retreated under Yang Feng's leadership.

Ao Bing had only thirty-six Artillery pieces in his hands; facing the bombardment of over two hundred Northern Di Artillery pieces, they were clearly at a disadvantage.

At the same time, under the bombardment of the Artillery, even the Armor of Yan Wang was powerless.

Ao Bing could only watch helplessly as the Imperial Guard soldiers died miserably under the Northern Di Artillery.

Gritting his teeth, he led the Supervision Team to stand behind the soldiers, intimidating them to delay the moment of their collapse.

But he knew clearly that no matter what he said, the fate of himself and the soldiers left behind was already sealed.