Chapter 49: Interception of Both Wings

  On the desolate plain, people and horses were in a state of chaos, with cries of killing shaking the sky.

  Zhu Huan led his 20,000-strong army in a swift retreat towards Changsha, with over 100,000 Yellow Turban rebels pursuing and attacking them from all sides. However, they were unable to crush Zhu Huan's army, which remained intact, while the rebel forces had already fallen into disarray.

  In an instant, a shocking drumbeat exploded under the sky.

  Huangfu Song's 20,000-strong army was like two sharp knives, inserted fiercely into the left and right wings of the Yellow Turban rebels from both sides. The 3,000 iron cavalry made a big circle, intending to make a fierce breakthrough in the enemy formation from behind the Yellow Turban rebel army.

  Zhou Jian and Cao Cao were leading their troops in a rapid advance when they suddenly discovered something was amiss.

  "My lord, the Yellow Turban rebels have stopped their pursuit."

  Xu Chu, who was riding alongside Zhou Xiang, suddenly pointed at the Yellow Turban rebels still several miles away and shouted loudly.

  No need for Xu Zhu to remind him, Zhou Jian had also seen it.

  The Yellow Turban rebels, who were originally chasing after Zhu Huan's army in the mountains and fields, suddenly split into two groups. The vanguard of about 20,000 rebels madly charged towards Zhu Huan's army, while the middle and rear armies stopped their pursuit and began to slowly converge from all sides towards the center.

  "Hey!"

  Cao Cao slapped his thigh and said: "I didn't think that this Yellow Turban rebel would also know a thing or two about military tactics, now we're in trouble."

  Zhou Jian also said in a low voice: "At present, the two armies are separated by seven or eight miles. By the time our army arrives, the central army of the Yellow Turban rebels is likely to have been captured. Even if the rear army cannot be rounded up for a short period of time, our army will inevitably engage in a decisive battle with the central army of the Yellow Turban rebels. Even if our army can defeat the central army of the Yellow Turban rebels, the casualties are likely to be not small."

  Cao Cao said, "That's right. The Yellow Turban rebels launched a thirty-six route simultaneous attack. Our army is outnumbered. If we suffer too many casualties, even if we can defeat the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan, I'm afraid we won't have the strength to conquer Chen and Nanyang."

  Zhou Jian said: "The only plan for now is to first defeat the vanguard of the Yellow Turban rebels, and then make further plans."

  Cao Cao said with a smile: "It should be so, but we still need to get the military order from General Huangfu."

  As soon as the words fell, a horseman came galloping from afar. Still hundreds of steps away, the messenger began to shout at the top of his lungs, "The general has an order! Order Cao Cao and Zhou Jian to abandon their attack on the right wing of the Yellow Turban rebels and join forces with the main army on the left to attack the rebel vanguard."

  "I will obey orders."

  Zhou Jian and Cao Cao loudly accepted the order, immediately passed down the military order, and the army changed direction to advance southward, striking directly at the rebel army's vanguard from the side and rear.

  The army marched swiftly, and soon they were less than a mile away from the Yellow Turban rebels.

  Cao Cao said to Zhou Jian: "My original four thousand infantrymen each have two thousand sword and shield soldiers and archers, which are not suitable for charging and breaking through the enemy lines. General, your two thousand spearmen can be the vanguard, while my two thousand sword and shield soldiers protect both flanks, how about that?"

  "It's about time."

  Cao Cao immediately ordered in a loud voice: "Pass on the order, two thousand long spear soldiers as vanguard, sword and shield soldiers guarding both wings, charge!"

  "Understood."

  The orderly had already shouted loudly and immediately passed down the military order.

  Soon, two thousand long gunners crossed the knife shield soldiers and lined up in a triangular cone formation, charging towards the front army of the Yellow Turban rebels.

  Two thousand archers were stationed in the center army, Cao Cao's two thousand sword and shield soldiers guarded the two wings of the main army, while Zhou Jian's one thousand five heavy infantry retreated to the rear array. The two thousand archers firmly protected the rear of the center army.

  As for the 500 new recruits in Luoyang, they suffered heavy casualties when attacking Changsha, and less than a third of them were able to fight.

  Although not many were killed in battle, most were wounded and had no more strength to fight, and are currently resting in Changsha.

  Zhou Jian's 1,500 troops were originally organized into several types of soldiers, including dagger shields, gunners, and archers. However, after being incorporated into the large army of Huangfu Song, due to the fact that the deployment of the large army was based on battalions, basically all types of soldiers were also organized by battalion.

  Either a whole battalion is composed of archers or a whole battalion is composed of gunners, and there are no battalions made up of multiple branches.

  Zhou Jian's 1,500 troops were all equipped with iron armor and trained as heavy infantry. Due to physical limitations, the soldiers wearing heavy iron armor had their movements greatly restricted, although they could not launch charges, they were the backbone of defense.

  Although the long gunner wore light armor, the leather armor was lighter and did not affect movement. Although it was disadvantageous for defense, it was beneficial for charging and breaking through arrays.

  Yellow Turbans' vanguard army.

  "General, it's bad! Government troops are coming from both sides!"

  A Yellow Turban rebel leader held a horse knife upside down, his face covered in blood, and rushed to the front of a general, shouting loudly with all his might.

  "Huh?"

  The Yellow Turbans glanced at the two groups of government troops approaching from both sides, revealing a ferocious expression. In a stern voice, they shouted: "Don't stop, continue to pursue! General Bo's army will arrive soon and we'll definitely annihilate these damned government troops, leaving no one alive."

  "Roger."

  The leader of the Yellow Turbans shouted loudly and immediately drew his horse sword, let out a loud roar, and rushed away quickly.

  Government army camp.

  Zhou Jian and Cao Cao rode horses in the central army, seeing that the distance to the Yellow Turban rebel army's main camp was less than 300 steps. He hastily said: "General Cao, can you first order the archers to shoot arrows at them, then order the spearmen to charge and break through the rebel army's vanguard in one battle?"

  "Good."

  Cao Cao struck his thigh heavily and immediately shouted in a loud voice: "Pass the order, the long spear soldiers will shrink their formation, the bow and arrow soldiers will prepare, when they are 100 steps away from the rebel army's main camp, launch an attack. When they are 30 steps away from the rebel army's main camp, the bow and arrow soldiers will retreat, and the long spear soldiers will charge into the enemy array."

  "Understood."

  A herald at once shouted loudly and then transmitted the military order with flag signals.

  Zhu Huan led the central army.

  "General, General Huangfu's army has already charged straight at the rebel vanguard. Shouldn't our army also stop retreating and turn back to attack, joining forces with General Huangfu's army to first defeat the rebel vanguard and then seek an opportunity to annihilate the enemy?"

  Zhu Huan had long had this intention, and seeing the great army of Huangfu Song advancing straight into the rebel army's vanguard from both sides, he suddenly ordered: "Pass on the order, the main force will stop and withdraw, with the long spear troops in front, the bow and arrow troops in the middle, and the knife shield troops protecting both wings, to return and attack the rebel army."

  "Understood."

  The general had long since given a loud shout and immediately passed down military orders.

  On the boisterous battlefield, the sound of killing fills the fields, and the drumbeats shake the sky.

  Huangfu Song's 20,000-strong army divided into two routes, like two sharp bone-picking knives, fiercely thrusting into the vanguard of the Yellow Turban rebels. Zhu Huan's 20,000-strong army also counterattacked at this time, instantly killing 20,000 Yellow Turban rebels, with men and horses overturned.

  As for the three thousand cavalry, Yu Jin was lurking on the flank and rear of the Yellow Turban rebels, like a hungry wolf waiting to pounce on its prey, ready to strike at any moment, making it impossible for Bo Cai's 20,000-strong army to make a move.

  Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

  A dense hail of arrows poured down from the sky, and the Yellow Turbans, who had been caught off guard, fell to the ground like wild grass. The wounded soldiers who were not yet dead rolled around on the ground, letting out mournful wails, instantly causing a commotion.

  Two thousand long gunners contracted their formation, ten rows front and back, two steps apart, rapidly advancing forward.

  Two thousand archers were divided into two teams, closely following the long spear soldiers, taking turns to shoot arrows, a dense rain of arrows flew over, crossing the long spear soldiers and fiercely shooting into the Yellow Turban rebels.

  After a hail of arrows from both sides, Cao Cao and Zhou's armies were now within thirty paces of the Yellow Turbans.

  Cao Cao immediately shouted loudly: "Pass on the order, archers and crossbowmen retreat, long spear soldiers launch a charge."

  The order of General's command has been passed down by his trusted soldiers for a long time.

  In an instant, two thousand archers and crossbowmen swiftly retreated to the rear, directly withdrawing behind the heavy infantry to re-form their lines.

  "Hurray for the Chinese army!"

  In front of the long spear array, a small officer of the government army raised his arm and shouted loudly.

  "We will win for sure!"

  Two thousand long gunners shouted in unison, three cheers responded.

  Step! Step! Step!

  The urgent and slightly chaotic footsteps heavily pounded the ground, as if an armored tank was rushing at full speed. The two thousand long gunners quickly opened up a depth distance when launching a charge, with a front-to-back distance of five steps.

  The denser the infantry formation, the stronger its killing power, but it must also maintain sufficient distance, otherwise it will cause friendly fire.

  "Hurray for the Chinese army!"

  "We will win if we fight."

  Two thousand long gunners shouted in unison and charged into the chaotic Yellow Turban rebels.

  Dark forests of guns reflect a piercing cold light, with an inexplicable killing intent spreading across the battlefield.

  Pffft! Pffft! Pffft!

  In the midst of continuous dull thuds, the Yellow Turban rebels who had just experienced the baptism of arrow rain were killed again, with people and horses toppling over, wailing sounds rising and falling, long spears like venomous snakes stabbing incessantly among the Yellow Turbans, reaping the fragile lives of the Yellow Bandits.

  Three-way pincer attack, twenty thousand Yellow Turban rebels were instantly routed, defeated in less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

  "Get out!"

  A thunderous roar that drowned out the deafening cries of tens of thousands of people, Xu Chu, this fierce warrior, single-handedly charged into the midst of the Yellow Turban rebels, wherever he passed, the panicked and disorganized Yellow Turbans were like tanks crashing through, blood and limbs splattering everywhere.

  Pffft! Pffft! Pffft......

  In the midst of a series of dull thuds, Xu Chu's nine-ring elephant nose knife swept across with lightning speed, cutting down three Yellow Turban bandits who were desperately trying to retreat into six pieces. Amidst the rain of blood, Xu Chu had already ridden his horse away, charging straight into the enemy formation.

  "Han army is mighty."

  "We will win for sure!"

  Twenty thousand long gun soldiers looked clearly, did not expect that among the government army there would be such a fierce general, suddenly morale greatly increased, in the midst of shouting and cheering, closely followed Xu Chu's body and fiercely charged forward, like a sharp blade, tearing open the already weak Yellow Turban bandit array.

  "Good, this is indeed an unparalleled and fierce general!"

  Cao Cao watched from the center of his army and saw everything clearly, and he couldn't help but applaud loudly.

  Xiahou Dun saw Xu Chu display his mighty aura, and suddenly felt his blood boiling with excitement. His battle intent was about to burst forth as he shouted loudly: "Meng De, I'll go kill a few bandits too, and open the way for the main army."

  "Cannot be changed."

  Cao Cao was shocked by the words and a faint chill flashed in his narrow and long eyes, he hastily stopped Xiahou Dun.

  "But why?"

  Xiahou Dun asked in confusion, anxiously scratching his ears and cheeks.

  Cao Cao said in a deep voice: "Yuan Rang, don't say more, remember you can't leave General's side."

  Xiahou Dun could only say, "I understand."

  Cao Cao turned his head slightly to glance at Zhou Jian beside him, thinking that Zhou Jian's son had seemed somewhat unfriendly towards him when they first met in Huangfu Song's tent. Although he had concealed it well and never showed any malice afterwards, Cao Cao was naturally suspicious and would never put himself in a vulnerable position, so he didn't dare let Xiahou Dun leave his side.

  It is said that Zhou Jian's son can kill a tiger with one blow, if not for Yuan Rang's personal guards, on the chaotic battlefield, what if this son takes advantage of the chaos and makes a sneak attack, wouldn't he die unjustly.

  Zhou Jian smiled and said, "General Yuan Rang has the bravery of a thousand men, why doesn't General Cao let General Yuan Rang take this opportunity to kill the enemy and establish merit? After suppressing the Yellow Turban rebels, he can also be rewarded with titles and nobility!"

  Cao Cao laughed and said: "General Zhou is overpraising, General Xu Chu is the truly unparalleled fierce general!"

  Xiahou Dun's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he couldn't help but let out a low growl, his fists clenched and then relaxed.

  Zhou Jian bowed and said a few words, but in his heart he was secretly thinking that Cao Cao had become wary of him, yet he couldn't recall when he had made Cao Cao suspicious. With Xia Hou Dun by his side, it wouldn't be easy to get rid of Cao Cao quietly.

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