Chapter 564: Blood Battle at Yingcheng

Twenty li north of Yingcheng, the wilds lie in deep autumn.

Withered grass stretches to the sky, wind rolls sand and dust.

To the south, under the great flag bearing the character 'Yue', Yue Fei sits on horse before the formation, wearing black armor and a red tassel, his gaze calm as he looks north.

There, an iron-colored tide spreads silently.

The main force of the Jin Army, personally led by Wanyan Zongbi, has finally arrived; they are no longer the rag-tag troops of the puppet Qi.

The 'Iron Pagoda' of dense heavy armor occupies the center, while the agile 'Crooked Horse' cavalry maneuvers on the flanks.

A black mass stretches out, in silence exuding a suffocating pressure.

Behind Yue Fei, the Yue Family Army stands ready in strict formation.

The central infantry forms a great shield wall and forest of spears; the flank cavalry stand on guard.

At the forefront are five thousand elite Defiant Army soldiers, each with eyes like blades and posture like pine trees.

They are the spearhead of the Yue Family Army, today facing the Jin's hardest shield.

Report——!

A scout came flying.

Marshal! The Jin Army's Iron Pagoda begins to form up, seeming to aim for a central breakthrough! The Crooked Horse cavalry on the wings extend outward, intending to encircle!

Yue Fei nodded, his expression unchanged.

Pass the order.

Defiant Army soldiers with halberds and spears advance, forming an anti-cavalry line.

Central infantry, ready your strong bows and powerful crossbows; fire together at the signal.

Flank cavalry, keep your eyes on the Crooked Horse horsemen; do not let them cut into the rear.

He raised his voice, and it rang clearly in the ears of the surrounding commanders.

This battle allows no retreat.

Behind us lies Yingcheng, its people just reclaimed. Before us are the Jin invaders, enemies who have invaded our rivers and mountains.

Only a fight to the death.

Kill the enemy!

Kill the enemy!!

A low shout spread through the ranks, battle spirit rising in the silence.

To the north, beneath the Jin Army's great banner.

Wanyan Zongbi narrowed his eyes, assessing the Song army's formation, and asked the Han strategist beside him: 'Is that Yue Fei?'

Yes, the Fourth Prince. The one in black armor with a red tassel is the Song general Yue Fei.

The formation is indeed strict," Wanyan Zongbi sneered, "but how many charges can the Song infantry, no matter how orderly, withstand from my Iron Pagoda?

Pass the order.

Iron Pagoda, advance straight and crush them.

Crooked Horse cavalry, flank on both wings, cut off their retreat and disrupt their formation.

After today, I want there to be no trace of the Yue Family Army's formation left in Zhongyuan!

Whooo—

A low ox horn sounded.

In the Jin Army's ranks, that mass of iron-tower-like heavy cavalry began to move slowly.

Both man and horse were clad in heavy armor, only their eyes exposed.

West-of-the-River tall horses wore leather-and-iron armor, moving like a shifting steel wall.

The earth trembled slightly.

Boom…… boom…… boom……

The sound of iron hooves on the ground was dull and regular, growing faster.

From a walk it broke into a trot, then into a charge!

Three thousand Iron Pagoda, like a black heavy hammer, slammed hard into the center of the Yue Family Army!

At the same time, dust rose on both flanks.

More numerous Crooked Horse light cavalry scattered with a howl, like two giant hooks sweeping toward the rear of the Yue Family Army.

Yue Fei's eyes narrowed.

Here they come.

He raised his right hand.

Crossbowmen!

Fire!

In the central ranks, the crossbowmen who had long been ready pulled their triggers.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bowstrings twanged, thousands of crossbow bolts soared, arcing down into the Iron Pagoda's formation.

Clang clang clang……

Most arrows struck the thick armor, sparking and deflecting away.

Only those that hit the joints of the horses' legs could cause injury.

A drop in the bucket.

The Iron Pagoda's charge speed hardly slowed.

Three hundred paces.

Two hundred paces.

One hundred fifty paces!

He could already see the cold gaze beneath the visor, feel the deathly aura brought by the steel torrent.

In the Yue Family Army's front rank, some infantrymen turned pale, their spear-holding hands trembling slightly.

Yet no one retreated.

Military law stands like a mountain; behind them is Tong Ze.

One step back, and it is eternal ruin.

"Long Axe Unit!"

"Advance!"

A fierce shout rose from the Defiant Army's ranks.

Several hundred exceptionally stalwart warriors, wielding lengthened and weighted great axe halberds, stepped forward.

They wore thickened leather armor, their eyes fierce, fixedly staring at the ever-approaching iron cavalry.

These are the death-defying warriors trained by Yue Fei specifically to counter the Iron Pagoda.

Their sole mission: trade their lives for the enemy's horse legs.

Boom—!!!

The steel torrent slammed into flesh and blood.

The frontmost shield-bearers were flung back like broken planks, the sound of shattering bones clearly audible.

The long spears bent and snapped upon striking the heavy armor.

The heavy cavalry's momentum waned slightly, yet remained terrifying.

Trampling, hacking, like a demon god descending into the world.

The Yue Family Army's infantry formation was hammered into a depression, casualties mounting horribly.

But on this bloody contact line, the Long Axe death-defying warriors moved.

They do not slash men, they hack horse legs!

The heavy axe blade arced, fiercely striking the foreleg joints of the barded warhorses.

Crack! The sound of breaking bone!

The warhorses cried out in misery and collapsed, the heavily armored cavalry atop them tumbling to the ground.

Even with heavy armor protection, the fall was enough to cause dizziness.

Around them, the Yue Family Army infantry, eyes red, surged forward, stabbing at armor gaps with knives, smashing helmets with hammers, using every means to kill these 'iron cans'.

One, two, ten…

The Iron Pagoda's charge was halted dead in its tracks by these warriors who filled the gap with their lives.

The formation began to descend into chaos.

The cost: the Long Axe Unit suffered over half casualties.

Yue Fei's eye twitched slightly, his expression still cold and hard.

"Center army, press forward! Plug the gap!"

"Archers, fire freely! Suppress the following cavalry!"

The center infantry roared as they advanced, rebuilding the line with their flesh and blood.

At this moment, on both flanks, the Crooked Horse cavalry had already engaged the Yue Family Army's cavalry.

Light cavalry faced light cavalry, arrows falling like a swarm of locusts, sabers clashing in a metallic din.

Though outnumbered, the Yue Family Army cavalry relied on formation coordination to tightly entangle the enemy, preventing them from cutting into the infantry's flanks and rear.

The battlefield had utterly descended into bloody carnage.

At every moment someone fell, blood soaking the dry grass, severed limbs and broken arms scattered everywhere.

Wails, roars, clashing weapons, and horses' neighs mingled into a Shura slaughterfield.

Yue Fei gripped the reins tightly, his gaze locked on the central battle.

The opportunity bought by the Defiant Army's death-defying warriors with their lives was slipping away.

The Jin army's subsequent Iron Pagoda units continued to press forward, while our infantry suffered casualties too quickly.

At this rate, the collapse of the defensive line is only a matter of time.

He instinctively reached into his bosom and grasped the jade pendant worn close to his chest.

Its warm, smooth touch slightly eased the anxiety, yet evoked a deeper unease.

Shi Dun's warning, Master Chen's reminder, the Imperial Court's cold 'edict', the dire situation before us…

Could it truly be that we are destined to lose here?

Unwilling.

Just then.

A faint warmth emanated from the jade pendant in his bosom.

Yue Fei startled.

An illusion?

He lowered his head; the jade pendant remained unchanged, yet that thread of warmth seemed real and was gradually strengthening.

At the same time, an indescribable power spread from his chest, flowing into his limbs and bones.

His fatigue lessened slightly, his spirit refreshed, his senses sharpened a fraction.

He lifted his gaze to the battlefield; the chaotic, bloody scene seemed a little clearer in his eyes.

He could even more accurately judge the vanguard of the Jin army's advance and the weak points in our own defenses.

This is……

His heart jolted, and he suddenly recalled the meaningful words Shi Dun had spoken when handing over the jade pendant.

This object might aid in contact; in urgent times, it may produce a response.

Could it be…… this is the 'response'?

No time to think it over.

Opportunity!

His eyes turned fierce.

Beiwei cavalry!

Follow me!

He clamped his legs to the horse, personally leading the last five hundred Beiwei elite cavalry that had remained motionless, shooting from the flank like an arrow into the waist of the Iron Pagoda formation!

There, due to the melee ahead, the following cavalry slowed, and the formation became slightly disjointed.

That was the weak point!

Yue Fei charged ahead, his spear like a dragon, thrusting straight in!

The five hundred cavalry behind him surged forward in a fierce charge!

The Jin forces never expected Yue Fei to personally countercharge at this moment, nor did they anticipate that this cavalry's charge speed and entry angle would be so cunningly precise!

It seemed to have eyes, thrusting straight at the vital point!

Stop him!

Roars rose from the Jin ranks, but it was already too late.

The cavalry led by Yue Fei cut in like a red-hot blade through butter, instantly severing the Iron Pagoda formation at the waist!

The vanguard and rear armies were split apart!

The vanguard, already chaotic from the suicide troops' blockade, was instantly isolated!

The Yue Family Army's infantry felt their pressure greatly reduced, and their morale rose!

Kill!

The counterattack's call finally sounded.

At this moment, the faint warmth in his chest from the jade pendant quietly faded, as if it had never appeared.

Yue Fei had no time to notice; his eyes held only the battlefield.

Where his spear pointed, blood rain flew.

The most brutal stage of the Battle of Yancheng had only now truly arrived.

Black Cloud Stronghold, on the Observation Platform.

Chen Wen let out a muffled groan, gripped the railing, and his face turned slightly pale.

The iron wood token in his hand grew hot, its surface flashing with an extremely faint, fleeting glimmer.

He panted, feeling a sense of weakness as half his inner energy was drawn away.

And, through the token and the distant southern jade pendant, an extremely weak, fleeting link was established in the dark.

Success……

He whispered, weary yet exhilarated.

Limited long-range granting…… it really succeeded.

Although the effect was weak and its duration extremely brief.

But it indeed transmitted a trace of the 'Ability Granting' effect across a thousand li.

At that crucial moment just now.

Through the token, he sensed the desperate situation and resoluteness of that southern sword.

He also seized that fleeting opportunity.

The cost was not small.

But…… it was worth it.

He gazed southward; his worried look did not fade, but gained a touch of resolve.

Brother Pengju, this first 'helping hand'…… has been delivered.

Now, it's up to you and me.