Chapter 71: The Soul of the Han People

  In the howling north wind, two thousand Western Xia iron cavalry quickly completed their assembly at the forefront.

  Just then, a black line appeared on the vast expanse of wasteland in front and was rapidly approaching this way.

  Luo Zheng gazed into the distance and said in a condensed voice, "I've never heard of a group of horse thieves with over a thousand riders in Wuwei. This place is only over two hundred miles away from Xiuzi Ze, could it be that this cavalry is a group of Xiongnu horsemen who crossed the Great Wall to plunder?"

  Xu Chu did not understand: "It's freezing cold, how can the Xiongnu people run so far to plunder?"

  "It is and isn't, go take a look and you'll know."

  Luo Zheng waved his hand and led two thousand cavalrymen forward.

  At this time, Xun Yu had hastily ridden his horse to the front of the formation, where he stopped and observed under the guard of over a dozen cavalrymen.

  The north wind howls, iron hooves turn over.

  On the withered and yellowed wasteland, two cavalry units approached each other at an astonishing speed.

  They were now close enough to see each other's attire clearly.

  Luo Zhengcai's guess was correct, this cavalry is indeed the Xiongnu people, at least no less than a thousand riders.

  During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the famous Han generals Wei Qing and Huo Qubing defeated the Xiongnu, causing the once powerful Xiongnu Empire to decline. Many of its tribes moved south and surrendered to the Han. Xiutu Ze was originally the territory of Xiutu Wang and Hunye Wang, under the jurisdiction of the Right Wise King of the Xiongnu.

  After Huo Qubing defeated Xutu Wang and Hunye Wang, the Han court incorporated Xutuzhe into Wuwei Commandery.

  Afterwards, for several hundred years, the Xiongnu repeatedly rebelled and surrendered, causing the Han dynasty's borders to be forever without peace.

  Since the time of Emperor Wu of Han, the national strength of the Great Han had been declining day by day. In the face of the repeated troubles caused by the Xiongnu people, although several large-scale northern expeditions were organized many times, they were all abandoned halfway due to various reasons and failed to completely eliminate the Xiongnu menace.

  The Xiongnu people who grazed in the area of Xiutu Ze were also called Xiutu Hu, with a population of 100,000 and at least 30,000 archers.

  Of course, this refers to the number of people who can ride horses and go into battle.

  The nomadic people are all soldiers, except for the old, weak, sick and disabled, even women can ride horses and fight.

  A tribe of one hundred thousand people, with truly robust young men numbering no more than twenty thousand at most.

  "It's Han cavalry!"

  In front of the Xiongnu cavalry formation, a sturdy and tall Xiongnu man clearly saw the approaching Han cavalry, and for an instant, his eyes flashed with a wolf-like light. He shouted loudly: "My sons, those damned Han people have taken away our fertile grasslands and livestock. Now that the Great Han court is weak and incompetent, the glory that belongs to us Xiongnu is about to arrive. Follow me and kill these damned Han people!"

  "Kill, kill, kill..."

  Thousands of Xiongnu people responded with wolf-like howls, and their will to fight was instantly ignited.

  In front of the Western Cool Army formation.

  Lu Zheng's horse galloped like flying, and a thread of icy killing intent burst out from the corner of his mouth.

  Behind him, two thousand cavalrymen were killing intent like a fierce flame, desperately urging their war horses to gallop quickly.

  These cavalrymen were both Han and Qiang, the only ones missing being those who were afraid.

  The Han people of this era are powerful, not in physical strength, but in the power of their souls and convictions.

  When facing nomadic nations, the Han people have always believed that they are the noblest and most powerful nation. This sense of national superiority is deeply rooted in every Han infant from birth.

  As long as they are Han people, regardless of their social status, they have a strong sense of superiority when facing nomadic peoples.

  It is precisely this strong and superior bone that has forged the most fundamental strength of the Han people, allowing the Han army to have an unbeatable conviction of victory when facing foreign enemies, creating legendary heroes and myths.

  For example, in the early Han Dynasty, famous generals such as Wei Qing and Huo Qubing repeatedly defeated the powerful Xiongnu Empire.

  For example, Ma Yuan, a famous general of the Eastern Han Dynasty, conquered the Qiang people who had been a scourge on the western frontier for hundreds of years.

  All this glory and honor were built on the strong soul and faith of the Han people, so that the courts and armies of the Eastern and Western Han dynasties often won with fewer troops, and the nomadic tribes outside the Great Wall were defeated and fled in disarray.

  Unlike the Song Dynasty of later generations, the Han people's blood nature and national dignity were cut off under Confucian culture, and every Han person was born with the idea that nomadic nations are incredibly powerful and invincible, making them weak and unable to win. The Northern Song Dynasty had an army of one million, but when facing a minority ethnic group with only tens of thousands of troops, they lost every battle, losing power and dignity, and completely losing face.

  Born in this chaotic world, although unfortunate, but as a Han Chinese, I am very proud.

  "Zhaoyun!"

  Luo Zheng raised his hand and let out a loud shout.

  "The end is near!"

  Zhoa Yun urged his horse on and galloped forward rapidly.

  Luo Zhen loudly ordered: "Lead five hundred cavalry to charge into battle and break through the Xiongnu's vanguard."

  "Roger."

  Zhoa Yun loudly acknowledged the order and immediately led 500 cavalrymen to leave their formation, forming a wedge-shaped array to charge directly at the Xiongnu cavalry array.

  The ox's horn sounds like a crack of gold and stone splitting the sky, rushing up to the heavens.

  On the vast grassland, the Western Xia cavalry and Xiongnu cavalry approached each other at an astonishing speed.

  Five hundred cavalrymen continuously squeezed their horses' bellies with their legs, and the warhorses' running speed had already been raised to the limit.

  At a distance of one arrow from the Xiongnu cavalry, in front of the triangular cavalry formation, Zhao Yun had already drawn his five-stone horn bow, with five wolf-tooth iron arrows as thick as thumbs on the string, and shot them all at once.

  In a shrill bowstring sound, five wolf-toothed iron arrows transformed into five cold stars, crossing the sky.

  In front of the Xiongnu cavalry formation, the great Han general was galloping on horseback at the forefront. Upon hearing the sound, his face changed color and a black arrow shot towards him with lightning speed. He didn't have time to think much, so he used all his strength to swing his sword upwards, knocking away the wolf-toothed arrow that was heading straight for his throat.

  The sharp blade sank into the flesh with a dull thud and a muffled hum at the same time.

  What made him even more horrified was that although the wolf-toothed arrow had avoided his throat, it had pierced through his shoulder blade.

  When did the Han people have such a divine archer?

  The Xiongnu and Han did not have time to think carefully, when they heard four miserable cries ringing out from the side at the same time.

  As he turned his head back, he saw four Xiongnu cavalrymen shot through the throat and fell from their horses.

  The Xiongnu warrior's face suddenly changed, and the knife that had just been used to knock Zhao Yun flying with a five-stone cow horn bow and wolf tooth iron arrow was successful, but his arms were numb from the shock, and he could hardly hold onto the war horse knife.

  What archery is this, five arrows from one bow and all of them hit the throat.

  Even the strongest god archer on the grassland would never have such archery skills.

  If it weren't for his extraordinary bravery and quick reflexes, he would have been shot by that arrow as well.

  What's even more deadly is that the Han archer shot five arrows at five different people on the ground.

  If all five iron arrows were shot at myself, could I still survive?

  The Xiongnu Great Han was shocked, but he didn't even have time to think it through. The bowstring sounded again, and the five wolf-toothed iron arrows this time all shot towards the Xiongnu Great Han. The Xiongnu's scalp exploded, and without thinking, he directly rolled off the horseback.

  At this time, Zhao Yun led five hundred Western Liang cavalry and the surging Xiongnu cavalry had collided heavily.

  Blood splattered everywhere, shocking screams and wails of despair instantly tore through the sky.

  Five hundred cavalrymen formed a triangular assault formation with Zhao Yun as the arrowhead and fiercely charged into the Xiongnu cavalry array.

  Zhoa Yun rode his horse forward, a long spear like a dragon flying in the air, beautiful but with a fierce killing intent. In an instant, he knocked five Xiongnu cavalrymen off their horses and killed a Xiongnu warrior who had just mounted a warhorse with one stroke of his spear.

  The Huns cavalry, which had no formation to begin with, suddenly fell into great disorder, and a large gap was opened in the middle.

  At this time, Luo Zheng led 1,500 Xiliang cavalrymen to kill them again, and the Huns' cavalry, who were originally in chaos, were scattered all over the place, fighting separately, and could not organize effective resistance.

  "Zhoa Yun and Xu Chu each led 500 cavalrymen from both sides of the wings to encircle and attack."

  Luo Zhen's eyes scanned the six paths, and he saw that the Xiongnu cavalry was in great disorder. He immediately gave a loud order to his troops.

  "Roger."

  Zhoa Yun and Xu Zhu loudly acknowledged the order, and immediately led 500 cavalrymen each from both wings to encircle and attack.

  Under the leadership of these two killing gods, the Western Liang cavalry encountered gods and killed gods, Buddhas blocked and killed Buddhas. Soon, they divided the chaotic Xiongnu cavalry into more than a dozen pieces, which were then annihilated one by one by Luo Zheng's 1,000-strong cavalry.

  In less than two quarters of an hour, more than half of the Xiongnu cavalrymen were killed or wounded.

  The remaining Xiongnu cavalry were frightened and shouted, immediately dispersing in all directions.

  "Kill, leave none alive."

  Luo Zheng loudly shouted at these Xiongnu people, showing no mercy.

  Xu Chu and Zhao Yun didn't say a word, each leading 500 cavalrymen to pursue and kill in different directions.

  Luo Zhen also divided one thousand cavalry into ten teams, with a hundred men in each team, to pursue and kill the scattered Xiongnu cavalry.

  In the distance, in front of the army formation.

  Xun Yu witnessed the brief clash, and although he was shivering with cold, his blood was boiling in his veins. He admired Luo Zheng's decisiveness and ruthlessness, and his heart swelled with excitement at the bravery and martial prowess of the Western Liang cavalry.

  What made this gentleman even more admiring was Zhao Yun and Xu Zhu's bravery.

  This is an era that worships heroes, where heroes are judged by their strength, regardless of their background.

  Scholars and officials of the past would only admire and respect martial generals who excelled in military prowess, unlike the Song Dynasty where scholars and officials looked down on martial people, labeling them as having "the bravery of a commoner", thereby completely emasculating the Han nation's bloodiness.

  Zhao Yun's archery skills were incredibly divine and unmatched. Even Xun Yu, a refined scholar, couldn't help but sigh in admiration at the sight of it.