Chapter 38: The Great Battle 2

After the entire army had eaten, they rested for half a quarter of an hour. Lu Xiangsheng, fully armored, emerged from his tent, mounted Wuming Ji, and took the long saber handed over by Wu Dading. Holding the saber reversed in one hand and the reins in the other, he lightly tapped the horse's flanks with both legs, and Wuming Ji advanced at a brisk trot.

On the open ground before the camp, five thousand Tianxiong Army soldiers stood in neat formation, gazing with high morale at the slowly approaching Lu Xiangsheng, their eyes filled with love and admiration.

For this commander who shared hardships with his men, who always charged at the front when encountering the enemy, and who had led them through hundreds of battles large and small without a single defeat, the Tianxiong Army from top to bottom was utterly devoted. The news relayed by Yang Maogong made every man feel immensely inspired—from now on, they would have no worries from behind; whether they fell in battle or were crippled, the court would pay out substantial compensation to support their families.

That was a hundred taels of silver—if frugal, enough to sustain a family of several for years. And there was also the perpetual land grant, land that paid no taxes and could be passed down to sons and grandsons for generations. With such rewards, even losing his life would be worth it, in exchange for a better life for his family afterward.

And there was the Shrine of Loyal Martyrs—the fallen could be enshrined there and receive offerings; as long as the Great Ming did not fall, the incense would never cease. What great glory that was! Thinking of all this, it felt as though a blaze of fire burned in every man's chest, and they wished they could charge straight into the bandits' camp and tear those rogues to shreds.

Lu Xiangsheng reined in his warhorse and looked at the faces before him, some familiar, some strange, sensing their soaring morale. His heart was filled with both pride and sorrow. Many of those who had first followed him were already gone forever; after this battle, who knew how many more would leave him. But Lu Xiangsheng saw not a trace of fear in their eyes—only trust, respect, and a thirst for victory.

Lu Xiangsheng said nothing, merely raising the long saber skyward with one hand. Yang Maogong, standing at the front of the formation, clenched his fist and thrust his arm upward, roaring at the top of his lungs: "Ten thousand victories!" Immediately, the shouts of several thousand men rang out in perfect unison: "Ten thousand victories!" "Ten thousand victories!" "Ten thousand victories!" Lu Xiangsheng wheeled his horse around and led the way out of camp, followed by several thousand soldiers in columns of four abreast by squad.

Zu Kuan, emerging from another camp, said with a look of disdain: "These southerners are all about show. When it comes to real fighting, they can't withstand a single charge of ours!"

Li Chongjin, however, watched the orderly marching Tianxiong Army column with a grave expression and spoke: "Sir, this unit has an aura of stern discipline. Governor Lu has trained his troops well!"

Though Zu Kuan's words were dismissive, a veteran of many battles as he was, how could he fail to see this was an elite force? But he had always been proud, believing that only the Guanning Iron Cavalry was the finest elite under heaven—no matter how formidable infantry might be, they could not withstand a large-scale cavalry charge. He said impatiently: "Whether it's a mule or a horse, bring it out for a run—we'll know on the battlefield soon enough!"

Li Chongjin said no more, only sitting on his horse with a solemn expression, watching column after column of the Tianxiong Army pass before his eyes. It was not until nearly half an hour later that the Tianxiong Army's columns had all passed. When the last rank of Tianxiong infantry had almost vanished from sight, Zu Kuan raised his hand, and the Liaodong cavalry, who had long grown impatient, formed into three columns and, led by their respective officers, urged their horses into a slow advance. Zu Kuan and Li Chongjin waited a moment, then joined the main force under the escort of their personal guards and began to move forward.

Lu Xiangsheng did not march with the main force; he rode at the very front of the column the whole way, with Yang Maogong and Wu Dading attending at his side.

Dust billowed on the road ahead as small teams of Night Scouts galloped back and forth, continuously delivering the intelligence they had gathered.

After the main force had marched for about half an hour, a Night Scout reported that they were only five li from the bandits. The roving bandits had already spotted the arrival of the government troops and had sent out roughly a hundred cavalrymen to attack the Night Scouts.

Lu Xiangsheng decisively ordered the Night Scouts to withdraw. The Tianxiong Army had only about a hundred cavalrymen, and the Night Scouts numbered merely a few dozen—all hand-picked elites. Losing even one would grieve him deeply.

Before long, dust flew up ahead as the dispatched Night Scouts galloped back. Five hundred archers advanced to meet them under the cover of sword-and-shield soldiers. The nearly hundred bandit horsemen following behind saw that the defenders were prepared and reined in their mounts at a distance, not giving further chase.

A burly man of about thirty, wearing an iron helmet and cotton armor, with a fierce and imposing bearing, rode swiftly toward Lu Xiangsheng. The saber in his hand was stained with blood, and the armor on his chest was splattered with gore. When he was about ten paces from Lu Xiangsheng, he reined in his horse, sheathed his saber with a swish into the scabbard at his waist, saluted Lu Xiangsheng with clasped hands, and reported: "Governor, the enemy ahead are subordinates of the Dashing King. Their cavalry numbers about a thousand, and their infantry several tens of thousands. Their banner bears the character Gao—they should be the Dashing King's men. I just engaged the enemy in combat and slew five in total; one man in my squad suffered a light wound, but after bandaging, he is of no great concern!"

This Night Scout Company Commander was none other than Lu Xiangsheng's younger cousin, Lu Xiangtong, who had practiced martial arts since childhood and was exceptionally brave.

After Lu Xiangsheng formed the Tianxiong Army, Lu Xiangtong joined its ranks. Unwilling to remain with the main force—saying he feared his courage would shrink if he stayed too long—he earnestly begged Lu Xiangsheng to let him lead troops on the front lines, claiming he loved face-to-face combat with the enemy.

Lu Xiangsheng could do nothing with him, so he had no choice but to let this younger brother—bold in temperament, superb in martial skill, and in neither personality nor appearance resembling a southerner—serve as a Company Commander among the Night Scouts.

Perhaps because similar genes ran in the Lu family bloodline, Lu Xiangtong, like Lu Xiangsheng, always charged at the front in every battle. Many times he forgot that his duty was to scout and gather intelligence; sometimes, when the killing fervor took him, he would charge enemy formations alone. He had been wounded several times, but never in a vital spot. This enraged Lu Xiangsheng, who had him strung up and given a severe lashing with a whip, sternly admonishing him not to forget his proper duties. After that, he restrained himself somewhat, but it was still hard to change him. He kept pestering Lu Xiangsheng to raise a cavalry force of two thousand men under his command, to be used specifically for surprise attacks and breaking enemy formations.

Lu Xiangsheng also understood the importance of cavalry, but the court frequently delayed even the infantry's pay—where would the silver come from to support a cavalry force? A two-thousand-man cavalry unit cost about the same as ten thousand infantry. Truly, the will was there, but the means were not.

At the command of Adjutant Yang Maogong, a thousand crossbowmen formed a square formation in five ranks, flanked on each side by a square of a thousand sword-and-shield soldiers, with two thousand spearmen in the rear. After the formation was set, Lu Xiangsheng sent his personal guards to relay orders to the Liaodong cavalry lagging behind: do not advance too early; await orders before acting.

The bandit cavalry opposite had already withdrawn to both flanks.

Two li from the government troops, great masses of bandit infantry surged forward in chaos. The weapons in the bandits' hands were of every description—some carried sabers and spears, some held short axes, some bore clubs and staves, some used wooden planks as shields, some wielded rakes, and some even carried hoes.

Their clothing was even more motley—some wore padded jackets, some wore iron helmets with cloth garments, and some even wore women's skirts and bodices robbed from who knew where.

Tens of thousands of men charged forward shouting and clamoring. The frontmost rank of roughly four to five thousand bandits was somewhat more orderly in formation; most of these wore cotton armor, and some wore red mandarin-duck battle tunics seized from government troops.

The bandit formation resembled the government troops'—at the front were several hundred archers, with spearmen and sword-and-shield soldiers all in the rear, while about two thousand cavalry protected the two flanks at a distance.

Lu Xiangsheng waved his hand, and Yang Maogong waved the command flag. The Tianxiong Army's square formation stepped forward in unison to meet the bandits, while Lu Xiangsheng, with his personal guards, went to the left side of the formation and reined in his horse to observe.

Seeing that the government troops were few in number and their formation very thin, the bandits' confidence soared, and they quickened their pace to meet them.

The two sides drew closer and closer. When they were about two hundred paces apart, a whistle sounded, and the bandits' several hundred archers sprinted forward a few dozen paces before halting, nocking arrows to their bows. Another whistle sounded, and several hundred arrows arced chaotically toward the advancing government square formation.

The bows used by the bandits were not of uniform make—there were longbows and soft bows, and even horse bows. The arrows were of varying lengths as well. At a distance of over a hundred paces, only some of the longbows could reach, and by the time the arrows fell, they were already weak and spent. The Tianxiong Army's front rank merely lowered their heads slightly, and the broad brims of their iron helmets deflected the falling arrows. Only a few unlucky ones were hit in the shoulder, but the arrows did not penetrate their cotton armor.

The bandit archers opposite loosed several volleys, but the effect was not significant—only a few dozen Tianxiong soldiers were struck, most not in vital spots. The government troops still did not halt their advance; the wounded soldiers gritted their teeth and pressed on. Seeing the government troops less than a hundred paces away, the bandit archers panicked, loosed the arrows in their hands, and turned to flee back into the ranks.

A shrill trumpet call sounded, and the government formation came to a halt.

A personal guard beside Lu Xiangsheng galloped toward the rear. A thousand archers drew their bows and nocked arrows, pointing obliquely at the sky. Another trumpet call sounded, and amid a buzzing hum of bowstrings, a thousand standard-issue long arrows soared into the air. When they reached above the bandits, the arrows turned downward and plunged fiercely.

Amid a chorus of screams, several hundred bandits in the front ranks were struck—some hit in the neck, some pierced through the top of the head, some with arrows buried deep in their shoulders. Those struck in the neck or head died on the spot, while the wounded, unable to bear the searing pain, let out screams that scarcely sounded human.

By then the government troops' second wave of arrows had already arrived. Blood sprayed as another swath of bandits fell. Within a few breaths, each government archer had loosed three arrows—three thousand shafts, most finding their marks. Several hundred bandits died on the spot, and over a thousand were struck and wounded.

The bandits in the front ranks were terrified—the shock of suffering casualties without even closing with the enemy was too great. They began scattering toward the sides and rear to escape the arrow fire, and the already ragged bandit formation instantly dissolved into chaos.

Lu Xiangsheng was now about two hundred paces to the rear flank of the government troops, and the thunder of massed cavalry starting up came from behind him. He tapped Wuming Ji's flanks, and the horse shot forward, charging obliquely toward the bandits in front of the government line, with his personal guards hurrying to follow.

Wuming Ji ran faster and faster. Lu Xiangsheng crouched low, one hand on the reins, the other holding the long saber reversed. When he was about fifty paces from the disordered bandits, he suddenly clamped both legs against the horse's flanks. Wuming Ji gave a shrill neigh and surged forward at increased speed.

About ten paces from the enemy line, Wuming Ji reached its full speed. Lu Xiangsheng released the reins and gripped the twenty-jin long saber horizontally with both hands as he plunged into the enemy ranks. A warhorse of five to six hundred jin plus its rider, traveling at several dozen kilometers per hour, smashed into the crowd. A bandit in the horse's path didn't even have time to cry out before his head was trampled to pulp.

Lu Xiangsheng did not swing his long saber in cuts—he simply gripped it horizontally with both hands, and wherever the blade passed, several bandit heads flew into the air. His personal guards urged their horses close behind him, shielding his two flanks.

The bandits in the front ranks screamed and scattered in every direction, while the great mass behind, unaware of what was happening ahead, continued to surge forward.

The bandits fleeing rearward were pushed forward against their will by the crush of the crowd. In their terror, the fleeing bandits raised their weapons and began hacking at their own comrades who blocked their path. The bandit officers in charge had long since been killed in the government arrow storm. The bandits had lost all command, running about in every direction like headless flies. Even if someone had tried to give orders, no one would have listened—saving one's own skin came first.

With a great thunderous roar, Zu Kuan's three thousand cavalry and Li Chongjin's nearly two thousand cavalry charged up.

Zu Kuan and Li Chongjin had long since seen the situation on the field. Each led his elite personal guards, charging toward the bandit cavalry protecting the flanks several hundred paces away.

The bandit cavalry there had their formation thrown into disorder by the infantrymen scattering from the front ranks—their own men blocked them front, back, left, and right. Though they saw the massed government cavalry charging, they simply could not get their horses up to speed to meet the charge, and even turning to flee was blocked.

The bandits on horseback were terrified out of their wits. They swung their weapons, hacking at the infantry around them, trying to cut a path out—but there was no time left. The government cavalry had already built up their charge.

A few hundred paces was exactly the distance needed to reach full speed. The bandit cavalry could only watch helplessly as the government troops bore down on them. The last image many bandit horsemen ever saw was a massive warhorse leaping at them; they swung their weapons in desperation to ward it off, but a searing pain shot through them, and they either flew through the air or tumbled from their mounts, plunging into boundless darkness filled with unwillingness and terror.

The long saber in Lu Xiangsheng's hand had already slain several dozen bandits. His armor seemed soaked in blood—his leg guards and skirt armor bore several gashes from sabers and axes, and a few arrows were stuck in the armor scales on his torso. Several of his personal guards beside him had already fallen from their horses. To fall in such a dense crowd—the outcome went without saying.

The speed of Wuming Ji beneath him gradually began to drop, and his charge was starting to meet resistance. Just as he was about to spur the horse forward with all his strength, a rumbling of hooves sounded, the bandits on both sides ahead screamed in succession, and the pressure around him rapidly eased.

Lu Xiangsheng's eyes darted to the side—it was the Liaodong government cavalry charging up. The momentum of several thousand warhorses in full charge was not something his few dozen men could compare with; calling it a force that swept away all before it was no exaggeration.

The government cavalry at the front of the charge sent bandits flying with their horses' momentum, their sabers swinging lightly with the speed of the mounts as severed limbs flew everywhere and bandits fell in droves. The cavalry behind followed the path opened ahead, hacking left and right, and the bandits suffered catastrophic casualties.

Within about a quarter of an hour, Zu Kuan and Li Chongjin had slaughtered the bandit cavalry almost to the last man—only a few bandit horsemen escaped amid the chaos.

The battlefield was littered with masterless warhorses. Zu Kuan and Li Chongjin wheeled their mounts around and charged into the bandit infantry from both flanks respectively. In moments they had cut through the formation and joined up with the government troops charging down the center.

The wolf-tooth mace in Zu Kuan's hand was hung with shreds of flesh and broken limbs, while Li Chongjin was drenched in blood, his long saber still dripping.

After the two forces joined, their respective Vice Regional Commanders continued leading the charge, while the two men slowed their horses and gradually pulled back from the main body.

Lu Xiangsheng caught up at that moment and was about to spur forward again when Zu Kuan reached out and grabbed Wuming Ji's reins, laughing heartily: "Governor, leave the rest to the lads! If we go up there, they'll have to worry about watching over us—this time let them have their fill of killing! Haha! Today was truly exhilarating. This old man has seen for the first time a civil official charging into battle—my respects, my respects!"

Li Chongjin on the side also smiled and thrust his thumb up at Lu Xiangsheng, saying: "The Governor is unstoppably brave! I too admire the Governor from the bottom of my heart!"

Lu Xiangsheng saw bandits scattering in flight all over the mountains and fields, their fighting spirit utterly broken. He knew the day was won and was greatly pleased inwardly. Smiling, he said: "The Guanning Iron Cavalry lives up to its reputation—you two generals have trained your troops excellently! In today's battle, you two should be credited with the foremost merit. Once camp is set, I will report to the court, and rewards will soon come for you two and the soldiers who distinguished themselves!"

Zu Kuan grinned broadly and laughed: "Haha! The top merit should go to the Regional Commander. Old Li and I just followed behind you and rode the wave of victory. As long as my boys are on your merit list, that's enough!"

Lu Xiangsheng said gravely: "If today's battle had relied solely on my infantry, we might not have lost, but we would never have won such a sweeping victory. I will report the facts to the throne—credit where credit is due. The Guanning cavalry deserve first merit!"

By then the government infantry had arrived. Lu Xiangsheng ordered a rapid clearing of the battlefield—searching for wounded government soldiers, gathering the remains of the fallen, and collecting the weapons and armor discarded by the bandits, with captured horses as the top priority.

Lu Xiangtong led several dozen of his men, bustling about joyfully, rounding up the masterless war horses scattered across the wilderness. The rest of the government troops began combing the battlefield. Wounded soldiers who had fallen were found, their wounds bound, and they were carried away on stretchers. The bodies of the fallen were laid out neatly to one side.

Any bandit still alive was given a finishing blow. The government troops had neither the time nor the obligation to save wounded bandits. Whatever valuables each bandit carried were also searched out. Cries of dying bandits being finished off rang out across the battlefield. Everyone, including Lu Xiangsheng, had long grown accustomed to such scenes—this was the fate of those who rose in rebellion against the court.

Lu Xiangsheng walked to where the fallen government soldiers lay. He lowered his head and silently gazed at face after face that had been alive just moments before. His eyes grew moist.

He knew every single man here. Some were his personal guards; others were ordinary soldiers of the Liaodong cavalry. Though he did not know many of their names, every one of them had called him Regional Commander. Lu Xiangsheng removed his helmet and bowed deeply to the remains of the fallen. Zu Kuan and Li Chongjin, who had followed him over, were startled, then hurriedly removed their own helmets and bowed as well.

Lu Xiangsheng slowly straightened up, put his helmet back on, and turned to face the two men. He spoke slowly: "Among these men are veterans who have followed me since I first recruited soldiers in Daming Prefecture, new soldiers who joined later, and more still—government troops from Liaodong. They were all good sons to their fathers and mothers, and fine sons of our Great Ming! It is their sacrifice that has saved countless common folk and their livelihoods. They wanted to win glory and build careers under my command—none expected to die here. I, Lu, am ashamed before their parents, wives, and children!" By the time he finished, tears had filled his eyes.

Zu Kuan put his helmet back on, rubbed his hands together, and tried to console him: "Regional Commander, this old Zu is a rough man. I've fought on battlefields for over a decade and seen life and death more times than I can count. Soldiers fight, and soldiers die—that's just how it is. Please don't grieve too deeply!"

Li Chongjin added a few words of comfort as well, and only then did Lu Xiangsheng begin to feel somewhat relieved.

Just then, the cavalry that had pursued the bandits returned. The riders were all brimming with excitement, and many had bulging pouches at their waists and stuffed bundles in their arms—clearly, their gains had been considerable.

Zu Kuan and Li Chongjin knew the nature of their own men. They had probably chased down the bandits, then dismounted to rifle through their belongings. How many enemies they had killed didn't matter much—the court's rewards were never as generous as what could be scavenged from a bandit's corpse.

Over by the Tianxiong Army, the battlefield had already been cleared. The gold, silver, and other valuables stripped from the bandits had been piled into a small mountain. Such was the nature of the roving bandits—they drifted from place to place, carrying all their valuables on their persons.

The Liaodong cavalrymen looked at the mountain of treasure from afar, and many went red-eyed with envy. Had they not charged and fought at the front, how would these infantrymen have ever had the chance to scavenge so much wealth?

A few officers gathered and argued among themselves for a while. Then Zu Kuan's Vice Regional Commander, Zu Qianjun, came to his side and whispered in his ear for a moment. Li Chongjin understood well what was happening, but he kept his peace.

Zu Kuan frowned more and more as he listened. When Zu Qianjun finished, he looked at Zu Kuan with pleading eyes. Zu Kuan shot him and the other officers a glare, then strode over to Lu Xiangsheng. After clasping his hands in salute, he spoke with some embarrassment: "Regional Commander, my men came to me just now, saying that they killed most of these bandits, so they deserve a share of the captured gold and silver. I can only swallow my pride and report this to you. However you decide to handle it, I'll follow your orders without a word of complaint. And if any of those bastards dare disobey, I'll chop their heads off myself!"

Lu Xiangsheng had already seen what was happening over there, so Zu Kuan's words came as no surprise. He said with a smile: "What your men say is not without merit. I said earlier that the Guanning cavalry deserve first credit for this battle. The reason I had the captured goods laid out here is precisely so they can be divided according to merit. These spoils will be split three-seven—you take seven, the Tianxiong Army takes three. What do you two generals think of that?"