Chapter 1258: Bring It On!

"Abatis!" The brigade commander and regiment commanders gave the order. Few could hear it clearly, but the drummers and buglers relayed it in piercing voices, and the signal flags swung — everyone could see it plainly.

If that hawk were still soaring in the sky, it would see the pike squares below bloom like flowers in an instant — only what unfolded were not petals, but row upon row of pikes glinting with cold light.

The soldiers in the first row lunged forward in a bow stance, one hand gripping the pike, its tip slanting forward, the butt end driven into the earth. The pikes of the rear rows layered and overlapped, turning the entire square into a hedgehog. The arquebusiers loaded their ammunition in the gaps between the squares, and the front of those gaps had already been sealed off by sergeants wielding long halberds and by archers.

"In the future, all these pike-wielders will have to switch to arquebuses!" Chen Sheng, a long halberd in hand, muttered a remark. He was shielded by the pikemen around him. At this moment, Chen Sheng's attention was not on the enemy ahead; he swept his gaze as widely as possible over the movements of the various regiments so he could react at any time. Chen Sheng was even more concerned about whether the Second Brigade up front could hold. These years, the First Brigade had fought plenty of tough battles, but the Second Brigade had been lying low the whole time.

Within the Second Brigade's formation, from the regiment commanders to the company commanders and down to their personal retainers, everyone was roaring and shouting.

"Stand firm! Pikes steady! The square is a mountain!"

"Let them see the Second Brigade!"

"Let them see the mettle of the men of Qingxu!"

"Bring it on! Come crash against us!"

Some were rallying spirits, some were urging on, some were just shouting wildly — on one hand venting their nerves, on the other releasing their excitement. The Second Brigade had held back too long. Over in the northern district of Huai'an, they had trained and patrolled day after day without ever seeing battle. They had heard of the First Brigade storming cities and seizing strongholds, heard of the Third Brigade raiding like the wind, heard of the Guard Brigade's unstoppable might — but the Second Brigade had nothing to show. Now the time to show it had come.

It was not only the Zhao Family Army soldiers shouting wildly; the government cavalry were shouting too. Had these bandit troops before them gone mad? Had they been struck by sorcery? When the cavalry charge reached them, why did they not retreat? Why did they not break and flee in chaos? The government cavalry with bows had already loosed arrows forward. The jolting of the horses made accuracy impossible, but with so many heads in front of them, it was hard for an arrow not to hit. Yet these rebels wore iron helmets and iron armor. When arrows came, they simply ducked their heads, and with the pikes swatting them aside — over a thousand pikes quivering — the arrows were knocked off course or sent flying.

Perhaps this was all an illusion before their eyes. Just a little farther forward, and the bandit troops would collapse. But hardly anyone believed that anymore. The cavalry who had charged too recklessly had already crashed into them. The Xuzhou troops' pike squares did not move — never moved. Horses collided; pikes stabbed into horseflesh; pike shafts bent and snapped. Cavalrymen screamed as pikes impaled them. Some Xuzhou soldiers were sent flying backward by the recoil of breaking shafts — but the squares still did not move!

The government cavalry in the rear were already wheeling their horses, beginning to skirt around the squares. Once the initial collision was over, the Zhao Family Army's arquebusiers could fire at will. Inside this "fortress" formed by pikes, they had no fear of enemies charging close. They could load their ammunition at leisure, fire at leisure. Outside, government cavalry kept riding past, presenting their flanks to them. As long as they fired, as long as they loosed arrows, it was impossible to miss!

Government cavalrymen kept screaming and tumbling from their horses. What was worse for them was that the Zhao Family Army's formation was not a perfect rectangle. It had two salients on its flanks — the Guard Brigade's First Regiment and the Suzhou Regiment. These were the true disaster. The cavalry, having laboriously bypassed the front of the great square, were then blocked by the smaller squares on the flanks. They could still ride around them, but their speed could only drop.

The slowed cavalry bunched up and piled together, cursing and jostling one another. And from within the Zhao Family Army's squares, it was not just arquebus and bow fire dealing death — there were even bold sergeants who lunged out with long halberds, directly cleaving government cavalrymen from their horses and cutting them down!

This did not last long. The cavalry's mobility, after all, far exceeded that of infantry. The government cavalry finally pulled away from the Zhao Family Army's formation, that meat-grinding millstone. Some scattered and fled, some turned and regrouped, and some, their mounts dead or wounded, could only dismount and surrender. By this time, the government army's western contingent still had not charged over. After seeing this rout, they had already slowed their pace.

Mounted or on foot, the guards continuously relayed the latest battle reports to Zhao Jin. What surprised them somewhat was that Zhao Jin's face showed no excitement or delight the entire time — it remained as calm as ever.

When the government cavalry charging head-on had been routed, Zhao Jin merely shook his head and muttered to himself, "Live-combat training can only go this far."

After saying this, Zhao Jin raised his voice and gave the order: "Mounted Troops First Regiment, together with all mounted troop companies, intercept the enemy's western contingent. The artillery regiment's light cannons of three-pound shot and below will support the left flank. The remaining heavy cannons will bombard the county seat gate of Jinghai County directly ahead. First Brigade, Second Brigade, Guard Brigade, and Suzhou Regiment — prepare to attack. Killing the enemy is the priority. No delay or hesitation!"

The orders were swiftly relayed by the mounted guards. The two brigades at the front began to clear a path through the center, while the artillery regiment, which had long been on standby, started driving the draft animals forward to haul the cannons. One heavy cannon after another moved forward. The oxen and horses were already sweating. The gunners and the student auxiliaries of the Instruction Brigade all chanted work songs as they pushed the cannons.

According to the Zhao Family Army's field manual, on the battlefield, the artillery position was to be located on the forward right flank of the main force. But in the current battlefield situation, the cannons were now being pushed as far forward as possible, to make firing as convenient as possible.

In past battles with government troops, after stopping a government cavalry charge, one still had to guard against the pressure of their infantry. But now there was no need to worry about any of that. Once the government cavalry was routed, the overall situation was completely decided. As for the pressure of the enemy's main infantry force, the Zhao Family Army did not even take it seriously. The various arquebus companies were already forming up on both flanks of the artillery position, preparing. The "hornet's nest" — a dozen or more arquebuses bound together — was also being hauled up. If the government infantry dared to advance, their casualties would be even worse than the cavalry's.

Zhao Jin's judgment was correct. Once the government cavalry was routed, the government main formation, which had still looked orderly, immediately fell into chaos. Looking across the distance of nearly a thousand paces, one could only see banners and flags shifting and waving — they were probably pulling in their troops and suppressing the disorder.

This was the added benefit of having opened fire and destroyed the government artillery battery at the start. It was precisely because of that bombardment that the two sides were over a thousand paces apart, making it impossible for the enemy to respond in time while the Zhao Family Army carried out its maneuvers. From the very beginning, the government army had failed to seize the initiative. Though it had seemed to overwhelm the Zhao Family Army in momentum, that was only how it seemed...

The eighteen-pounder cannons had an effective direct-fire range of fifteen hundred paces, and with the elevation raised, could reach three thousand paces or even farther. The sixteen-pounder cannons had an effective flat-trajectory direct-fire range of twelve hundred paces, and with the elevation raised, could reach twenty-five hundred paces or farther. Six eighteen-pounders and ten sixteen-pounders had all been concentrated directly in front of the Zhao Family Army's formation, facing the south gate of Jinghai County seat. Below that gate, banners and flags fluttered as the main government force was still regrouping its ranks.

The sound of cannon fire rang out first from the left flank of the Zhao Family Army's main force. The three-pounders opened fire first, battering the already half-hearted western contingent of government cavalry until they refused to advance. And unlike the head-on clash at the Zhao Family Army's front, the cavalry massed here was no fewer than the government's own. The main force had already been routed — why should we charge recklessly? What was even more chilling and terrifying was that this cannon fire came down like rain. Even government troops firing matchlocks could not shoot this fast. How could anyone withstand this?

When the earth-shaking, mountain-trembling thunderous roar sounded, the government army's western cavalry turned and fled without the slightest hesitation.

When the heavy cannons roared, everyone around the Zhao Family Army's artillery position covered their ears. Then everyone opened their eyes wide and stared ahead. This distance of nearly a thousand paces was too far — it was impossible to aim with great precision, but for hitting the general area, it was enough. This bombardment had no highly precise targeting instructions; they simply had to send the cannonballs toward the gate tower. On this flat plain, the gate tower was the most conspicuous target imaginable.

"All commanders, rally your troops! The bandit horde has not yet attacked — we must not throw our own ranks into chaos!"

"Hold steady! Hold steady, or you won't even make it back inside the city! Relay my command: anyone who retreats on their own or moves in disorder will be executed!"

The government army's commanding general, Zhang Jixian, had never imagined the cavalry would collapse and retreat like this, much less that they would fail to break through the enemy's formation, which did not even look all that solid. It was said that when true elite infantry formed a battle array, they were as steady as a mountain — cavalry simply could not shake them. General Zhang Jixian had heard this classical allusion, but he had never believed it was true. The Great Ming's finest troops were all cavalry; the Mongol steppe nomads also boasted unmatched mounted archery; and it was said the Jianzhou Jurchen cavalry was numerous as well. What use were infantry?

Yet his own several thousand cavalry had charged out with a roar, only to shatter against the rock-solid formation of the Xuzhou bandits, then be beaten back in rout. Zhang Jixian even thought his eyes had deceived him. But this was not the time to dwell on that. Zhang Jixian knew that with this cavalry rout, this battle was already lost. Though the cavalry made up only a tenth of his numbers, their rout had already wounded sinew and bone. The infantry of the various garrisons were all unsettled in morale. If he tried to drive them forward, there would likely be internal strife and mutiny — the whole army would scatter in uproar right here.

The best course now was to first gather his strength, then withdraw into the city. No matter how fierce and elite the bandit horde was, they could do nothing against these towering, sturdy city walls. Every extra day they delayed here near Shuntian Prefecture, more relief troops from across the realm would converge, and the bandit army was bound to be defeated. At the thought of relief troops from across the realm converging, General Zhang Jixian's face darkened. His own fate was all too easy to imagine. Those Donglin puritans were masters at kicking a man when he was down and shifting blame.

But at this moment, he could not afford to think that far ahead. The most urgent thing was to rally his troops. If he lost even the forces he still had in hand, then all would truly be over — he would not even have the chance to atone for his crimes through service...

General Zhang Jixian and the chaotic government army formation all heard the cannon fire, like a peal of thunder, and heard the whistling roar passing overhead. They knew what cannons were and had heard the sound of cannon fire before, but they had never known cannons could make such a din or follow such a trajectory. Every man froze for a moment, then instinctively turned his head.

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