Chapter 45: Ten Thousand Iron Cavalry, Unstoppable Force, A Steel Torrent
Lin Lingfeng had long heard of the enemy's formidable cavalry and was quite wary of them. He had studied their previous battles.
He had just been wondering why the enemy had chosen this method of defending the walls—wasn't it a way of giving up the advantage of their cavalry?
Now it seemed their elite cavalry was reserved for a final showdown and to quell internal strife. They had been holding back.
"No! How could they be so foolish!" Lin Lingfeng suddenly realized something was wrong, but couldn't quite pinpoint the key. Something was nagging at him.
"Order the north gate to speed up! Press the attack!" Lin Lingfeng ordered again, his voice urgent.
Indeed, if the enemy had abandoned their cavalry advantage, how could he, Lin Lingfeng, abandon his overwhelming numerical superiority? He would use his numbers to overwhelm them.
He had already dispatched three teams to the other three city gates. Now he was waiting for the army heading to the north gate to arrive before launching a simultaneous attack from all sides.
However, Lin Lingfeng soon received very bad news.
The armies heading to the other three city gates were simultaneously attacked by the enemy cavalry and suffered heavy losses. Their formations were shattered.
Lin Lingfeng immediately realized something was wrong and hurriedly roared, "Withdraw! Pass on my order, all troops withdraw immediately! It's a trap!"
Unfortunately, it seemed too late. The cavalry that had attacked the other three city gates had already regrouped and were charging towards the main force simultaneously, their hooves thundering.
At the same time, a large number of soldiers rushed out from the south gate in pursuit, adding to the chaos.
By the time Lin Lingfeng's army had begun to regroup, the cavalry was already advancing in a mighty wave, a steel tide.
Rumble—
"My men, follow me and charge!" Xu Ning, leading the charge, roared, leading five thousand cavalry into the heart of the Da Xuan army. His hoe was raised high.
Rumble—
Instantly, the Da Xuan army was torn in half, leaving only corpses in the cavalry's wake. The charge was devastating.
Then, Xu Ning led the cavalry back in a second charge, cutting through the disorganized ranks again.
The Da Xuan army was thrown into chaos by the cavalry's relentless charges. Soldiers scattered in panic.
Upon seeing this, Lin Lingfeng immediately roared, his voice cutting through the panic, "Main army, maintain formation and retreat slowly! Do not break ranks!"
Under Lin Lingfeng's experienced command, the Da Xuan army finally calmed down, quickly regrouping and reorganizing their formation around their banners.
This prevented the iron cavalry from breaking through their lines completely. The army held together.
Similarly, Lin Lingfeng's side dared not order a counterattack. Their morale had collapsed, and the invincible momentum of the enemy's iron cavalry was even more terrifying. A fight was impossible!
Thus, the Da Xuan army retreated under the constant harassment of the iron cavalry, falling back step by step.
Xu Ning did not pursue beyond a certain point. He ordered the cleanup of the battlefield and established a cordon around the area with his iron cavalry, securing their victory.
This victory was unprecedented. Including the iron cavalry, over 15,000 men had repelled an enemy army of over 200,000. It was a legendary feat.
Post-battle statistics showed that Da Xuan suffered over 60,000 casualties, with 50,000 killed. The field was littered with their dead.
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Xia Yun's side, on the other hand, suffered only a little over 1,000 casualties, with just over 400 dead. The disparity was staggering.
This battle instantly cemented the reputation of the King of Lingnan. He was now a force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile, due to internal strife in various parts of Da Xuan, the remaining 150,000 troops were withdrawn from the siege.
After all, it was pointless to hold out here as it was impossible to conquer the fortified city. They were needed elsewhere.
This gave Xia Yun the opportunity to develop in peace, without the constant threat of siege.
Without the constraints of the Da Xuan army, Xia Yun began to reclaim surrounding territories and implement new policies.
Remembering Xu Ning's admonition, "He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world," Xia Yun strictly ordered the army not to harass the people. They were liberators, not conquerors.
He also vigorously promoted the new corn seeds Xu Ning had provided, collecting only a small amount of tax. The harvests were bountiful.
Within just a few months, the entire territory was thriving, and the people lived in peace and prosperity. They were grateful.
As his fame grew, people from surrounding areas suffering from war came to join him, seeking safety and stability.
Xia Yun accepted all comers, incorporating them all, then distributing the land and vigorously promoting a land reclamation policy. Everyone had a stake.
As for the army, it gradually grew stronger through continuous selection and training. Only the best were kept.
In the blink of an eye, a year had passed since the battle with Lin Lingfeng.
In just one year, the number of elite cavalry had increased to 10,000, and the number of ordinary soldiers had reached 30,000. The army was formidable.
It could be said that these ten thousand iron cavalry were invincible in Da Xuan, as long as they didn't get caught up in an exceptionally intense battle where their numbers were overwhelmed.
Seeing that their strength had reached such a level, Xia Yun finally couldn't help but approach Xu Ning, eager for more.
"Sir, shouldn't we send troops to resolve the surrounding threats? There are still warlords nearby who haven't submitted."
Xu Ning counseled patience. "Your Highness, don't be too hasty. Just proceed steadily. We must consolidate what we have."
Xia Yun pressed, "But our current territory isn't enough for further development. We're running out of land to allocate."
Xu Ning sighed, knowing this was just an excuse Xia Yun used to justify his impatience. The desire for expansion was strong.
Then, Xu Ning said, "Send Yun Qingfeng with five thousand iron cavalry. Have Her Highness activate the spies she's laid out beforehand. I believe they can quickly pacify those three surrounding counties. It should be swift."
"However, Your Highness, one must take things one step at a time. After conquering these counties, we need to stop and develop, ideally for a year, before continuing our campaign. We must not overextend."
Xia Yun nodded quickly, his eagerness barely contained. "Yes, sir! I will follow your counsel."
Watching Xia Yun leave, Xu Ning buried himself in his work.
Yun Qingfeng was an iron cavalry general selected that year. His abilities were quite good, and he was loyal.
With this person in charge, Xu Ning could finally relax and focus on strategy rather than daily command.
He largely ignored the rest, only making decisions on major matters. After all, all he needed to do now was ensure stable development, maintain the continuous growth of the Iron Cavalry, and preserve their invincible momentum. Once they reached a certain number, they would be invincible throughout Da Xuan.
And so, for the next five years, the Iron Cavalry displayed their might in Da Xuan, crushing countless battles. They became legendary.
Xia Yun's territory continued to expand, and in just five years, he controlled one-fifth of Da Xuan's landmass. His star was rising.
What troubled the other warlords most was Xia Yun's cautious approach. After conquering a territory, he would rest and recuperate for a period, consolidating his gains.
Each time he launched another campaign, his cavalry's strength would increase, better equipped and more experienced.
In just five years, his cavalry reached 50,000, earning him an invincible reputation across the land. No one dared face them in open battle.
And that wasn't all. Xia Yun also commanded 100,000 ordinary troops, a massive force.
Even then, Xia Yun remained steadfast, steadily developing his forces. He showed no sign of overreach.
This baffled the surrounding warlords, who wondered what Xia Yun was up to! Why wasn't he pressing his advantage?
Eventually, the surrounding warlords, terrified of being conquered one by one, surrendered en masse, recognizing his superiority.
Five more years passed.
Da Xuan finally quelled most of its internal strife and focused its attention on Xia Yun, the greatest remaining threat.
However, after a minor skirmish, Xia Yun led 100,000 cavalry and 150,000 troops in a sudden, coordinated attack, sweeping through the enemy lines and reaching the capital city in a lightning campaign.
Emperor Xia Qing, upon learning of the situation, hadn't even had time to react before the capital city was surrounded by the steel torrent of cavalry. There was no escape.
At that moment, Xu Ning stood in a carriage at the rear of the army, observing the capital. Meng Yangming sat on the carriage edge beside him, sipping wine, looking frail.
Ten years had passed, and Xu Ning's appearance had aged considerably, looking no different from someone in their forties. He had cultivated his disguise for years.
Meng Yangming, on the other hand, was in no better shape, emaciated and with a dark complexion. His grandmaster's vitality was fading.
"Senior, are you sure no cultivator will get involved in mortal affairs?" Xu Ning asked, looking towards the capital city with concern.
Meng Yangming replied, his voice weak but certain. "Don't worry. Cultivators are forbidden from participating in power struggles. They will be punished by heaven. The emperor is ordained by heaven. The karma involved is not something they can get involved in without grave consequences."
Xu Ning nodded slightly, relieved. "Then we only need to pay attention to that Grandmaster in the palace. That is our only remaining concern."
Meng Yangming nodded grimly. "Yes. And I will handle him."