Chapter 129: Single Combat Before the Array

A full one hundred carriages of Mao Bamboo.

Each carriage could hold four hundred and fifty pieces.

Therefore, even Liu Zheng found it somewhat incredible. How had Zheng Yue Ru managed to obtain so much Mao Bamboo in such a short time? He estimated that the moment Zheng Yue Ru received the order, she began using the various channels of the Zheng Family Trading Firm to relay information.

Although communication methods in this era were very backward, the use of carrier pigeons was already quite mature.

A single pigeon could fly five to six hundred kilometers, over a thousand li, in a single day. As the Zheng Family, they had carrier pigeon communication with the trading firms in almost every province of the Longyan Dynasty.

On that very day, Zheng Yue Ru sent the information out, and one day later, Chuan Shu, which abounded in Mao Bamboo, received the news. The Zheng family members there had already begun spending money to purchase the bamboo in bulk. By the time Zheng Yue Ru had traveled at top speed for seven days, she had even encountered these hundred-plus horse carriages halfway.

"Distribute them!"

Liu Zheng took a look; there were actually as many as fifty thousand of these bamboo poles!

This meant that these bamboo poles could be used to form a force of over fifty thousand Langxian Soldiers!

The Yinzhou Army that Liu Zheng brought this time totaled eighty thousand; the other thirty thousand could be almost entirely equipped with Spearmen and Mo Dao Soldiers.

Fifty thousand Langxian Soldiers...

Liu Zheng looked at the soldiers drilling in the camp at night, and he felt a sense of anticipation in his heart. He wondered what kind of significant mark these soldiers holding Mao Bamboo would leave in the history of warfare in this world during tomorrow's decisive battle.

The next morning.

A melodious military bugle sounded.

The Longyan Army at Longhu Pass began to assemble and prepare. The incessant bugle calls signaled that a great battle was destined to take place today. Therefore, whether it was the Third Prince's army, the Prince of Lu's army, Zheng Yuxing's Liangzhou Army, Chen Ping's Liangzhou Army, or the Baiya Army and the Yinzhou Army, none dared to be slack today.

Every camp was conducting pre-battle mobilization.

For a time, the flags at Longhu Pass were fluttering, and the war drums were beating in waves. The troops from these camps added up to two hundred thousand. Thus, the momentum appeared quite grand.

This could also be considered an allied army.

Standing on the watchtower of Longhu Pass at this moment were the generals of these various alliances.

Crown Prince Xie Fang was in full military attire today, looking high-spirited, standing in the very center of these people. According to rank, the Prince of Lu, Chen Ping, Zheng Yuxing, and Liu Zheng stood apart in order.

When Xie Fang saw that almost everyone in the Yinzhou Army was holding a piece of Mao Bamboo today, he couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Prefectural Assistant Liu, has your Yinzhou Army come to sweep the floor today?"

Once these words were spoken, the crowd roared with laughter.

The Third Prince, Xie Ling, shook his head even more. Everyone was watching the absurdity of the Yinzhou Army today, and many were even wondering if Liu Zheng had been forced into a corner by Xie Fang yesterday, and was now planning to give up and let things fall apart.

The Prince of Lu also snorted coldly: "Prefectural Assistant Liu, war is no child's play! Passive resistance is a grave crime!"

Others echoed him one after another.

Zheng Yuxing also sighed and advised: "Young Master Liu, the Yinzhou Army was well-equipped that day, why not use it? This, truly, is a bit contrary to military regulations..."

Could it be that this Young Master Liu was truly not as capable as his reputation suggested?

Everyone had a deep impression of the Yinzhou Army's miraculous arrival that day. They had all assumed he was the savior of this war, but they hadn't expected that today, with the decisive battle about to begin, he would forgo that fine Weaponry and Equipment and bring out a pile of brooms instead?

Are you not just messing around?

Regarding these doubts, Liu Zheng chuckled: "Everyone, I, Liu Zheng, have signed a Military Order before the Crown Prince. As the vanguard today, the Yinzhou Army will naturally fight to the death!"

"Good!"

Xie Fang shouted loudly.

Chen Ping also began to smile sinisterly.

Originally, no one had held much hope for today's decisive battle. If they could let the Yinzhou Army be consumed to the maximum extent, and preferably let Liu Zheng die in this battle, Chen Ping would have achieved his goal. As for this war?

Heh, the imperial court had already dispatched the Prince of Qin yesterday, rushing to the battlefield, intending to negotiate with the Xiongnu.

These matters would be handed over to the imperial court, and would have nothing more to do with the military, or even Liangzhou Prefecture.

Win or lose?

It didn't matter!

This was the thought of most people present.

Of course, except for Zheng Yuxing!

This war had almost wiped out his lifelong reputation. And as a general who had guarded the frontier for so many years, he also knew that with each successive defeat, the spirit of the entire Longyan Dynasty's military had been broken. If this continued, with one side declining and the other rising, the Longyan Dynasty's status as a hegemon would be challenged by surrounding countries one after another.

Without military prestige, how could one speak of being a great power?

Just at midday.

The war drums of the Xiongnu Army also began to sound, shaking the heavens and the earth.

The vast army had already appeared on the plains not far away. Over two hundred thousand! It was also over two hundred thousand!

The Xiongnu Army could no longer hold back either.

When the Xiongnu Army went on an expedition, they were accustomed to not preparing much grain and fodder; they liked War-Nourished Warfare, plundering everywhere, and seeking a quick victory. What they feared most was a Protracted War; on one hand, their logistical support could not keep up, and they could not afford the consumption of equipment and grain; on the other hand, there was too much internal strife among the Xiongnu, and the situation could change at any time.

Likewise.

Both sides were thirsting for a decisive battle.

This decisive battle would mean either the Longyan Dynasty being forced to negotiate, or the Xiongnu being routed and returning empty-handed.

Cheng Mu looked at Qingfeng Gorge and Longhu Pass from afar.

He also knew that as time passed, this battle would be the true decisive battle.

"Hahahaha, Military Advisor, no need to worry. This time, let me, Luoge'er, be the vanguard, and I will definitely scare those weak Han people half to death!"

Luoge'er laughed loudly, looking extremely arrogant on his War Horse.

The Xiongnu soldiers behind him also shouted and yelled along. In the end, their roars were directed at the Western Xiongnu on Gedan's side.

Gedan's face was very dark, and he also led his brothers to curse back.

Cheng Mu frowned: "Enough! With a great battle imminent, you are still engaging in infighting. What kind of behavior is this!"

"Hmph!"

Being reprimanded by Cheng Mu in public, Luoge'er also felt unhappy. He kicked the belly of his horse violently, and the War Horse beneath him neighed and galloped. Luoge'er had already reached the very front of the plain, laughing wildly and shouting: "Weak Han people, dare anyone come and fight me?"

The sound shook the heavens, with war drums booming behind to bolster the formation.

In ancient times, when great armies faced off, the spectacle of a duel was naturally never lacking.

Because this directly affected the morale of the soldiers on both sides.

Who would have thought, Luoge'er rode his horse, circled three times, and shouted provocations three times, yet here at Qingfeng Gorge and Longhu Pass, no one dared to answer.

"Bah! With only this much skill, you dare to battle my Xiongnu Army?"

"Hahahaha!"

"Cowards!"

The Xiongnu Army followed with wild laughter, their voices shaking the wilderness.

Crown Prince Xie Fang was furious: "In my dignified Longyan Dynasty, is there not a single person who dares to go out and fight?"

A group of people looked at each other in dismay.

Who dared to go?

This person was Luoge'er, the number one expert of the Grassland!

Zheng Yuxing frowned; his injuries from the past few days had not yet healed, so he naturally could not accept the challenge. But under his command, there were still quite a few generals with decent skills.

But before he could speak, Crown Prince Xie Fang looked at Liu Zheng with mockery: "Prefectural Assistant Liu, do you have a suitable candidate? In that 'broom army' of yours, has anyone ever seen the world?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd laughed again.

Compared to these troops who had fought the Xiongnu for a long time, the Yinzhou Army was indeed no different from a bunch of new recruits. It was also well known that there were no famous generals in the Yinzhou Army.

Liu Zheng shook his head with a bitter smile.

This was indeed the shortcoming of the Yinzhou Army.

At present, as for generals who could lead troops, the entire Yinzhou Army only had Jiang Xuan and Qin Zhangfeng. But both of them were down below organizing their troops at this moment; by comparison, here on the Observation Tower, whether it was Zheng Yuxing, or the Prince of Lu, the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, or even Chen Ping, all had several sturdy and heroic generals standing by their sides, looking at Liu Zheng with contemptuous eyes.

"Hahahaha, it seems there are none!"

Crown Prince Xie Fang felt incomparably refreshed seeing Liu Zheng's expression.

Who told this guy to steal his thunder three days ago.

He turned his head and said arrogantly: "In my Crown Prince Army, is there anyone who dares to go out and fight?"

A general covered in Armor immediately stepped out: "Your Highness, Wang Shuang is willing to fight, and will surely behead this Barbarian!"

Xie Fang was overjoyed: "Granted!"

The crowd gasped.

This Wang Shuang was the Crown Prince's number one great general, skilled in using two giant hammers, possessing immense strength; when the Crown Prince Army was almost completely wiped out three days ago, he had killed nearly a thousand enemies alone, being extremely fierce. Among the Crown Prince's fierce generals, he was undoubtedly the first.

The next moment, one saw Wang Shuang raising his hammers with both hands, opening the gates to go out and fight, his War Horse galloping as he shouted angrily: "Barbarian, how dare you insult my Longyan soldiers, pay with your life!"

The war drums of both sides were beaten frantically, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers also began to shout with the force of a landslide.

Luoge'er looked at Wang Shuang rushing over, his eyes showing a sneer: "Just you? One hand is enough!"

He held a Curved Saber.

The war horses of both sides galloped toward each other.

Wang Shuang's giant hammers were suddenly raised and swung down with force.

Just as the two horses approached, Wang Shuang let out an angry shout, and the giant hammers in his hands were indeed as responsive as his own arms, attacking with two gusts of wind.

The Longyan side watched and cheered one after another, feeling that with Wang Shuang's strike, the victory was surely within reach.

Who would have thought that Luoge'er, facing this strike from Wang Shuang, was not afraid in the slightest, and even had a mocking smile on his face. The moment before those two giant hammers hit his head, he suddenly spun his body around on the war horse. At this, everyone was stunned, but the movement was extremely fast. Just as the two horses crossed, Luoge'er's movement, which seriously violated the laws of Physics, stopped, and at this time, his Curved Saber had already slashed at Wang Shuang's head.

Steady, accurate, and ruthless!

Wang Shuang was decapitated on the spot.

The shouting of the Longyan Army came to an abrupt halt.

With the rise of one and the fall of the other, the morale of the Xiongnu soldiers multiplied, and their clamor shook the heavens and the earth.

"Good!"

"Luoge'er, Luoge'er!"

"War God, War God!"

The cheers were like a landslide, directly crushing the momentum of the Longyan Army side.

On the Observation Tower, everyone's face darkened.

"How is this possible!"

"He couldn't even withstand a single exchange?"

"This... what are we to do!"

This number one expert of the Grassland was truly formidable!

Crown Prince Xie Fang shouted angrily: "Who else dares to fight?"

The entire scene was deathly silent.

No one answered.