Chapter Twenty: Heaven's Timing and Earth's Advantage

  Into the night, Jingzhou military camp.

  Wen Ping stood with his sword at the gate, gazing far into the northeast direction, where he could vaguely see the flickering lights of the Hebei army's camp.

  His face was cold and stern, with a hint of unease always flickering in his eyes.

  The sound of horseshoes rose, and several riders galloped swiftly towards them.

  "Reporting to General, I have just investigated that there are about a thousand light cavalry in the Hebei camp who took advantage of the night and went out, heading towards the small path in the northwest."

  Wen Ping's expression changed at once, and he exclaimed in surprise: "The small path to the northwest leads to Xinye; could it be that Yan Liang is planning a sneak attack on Xinye?"

  Previously, Wen Pin had always been suspicious of Yan Liang's motives, so he concealed it from Kuai Yue and privately dispatched scouts to closely monitor the movements of Yan Liang's army.

  But he didn't expect his suspicion would really become a reality.

  Upon learning this astonishing intelligence, Wen Ping did not dare hesitate and hastily rushed to see Kuai Yue.

  "Yan Liang is here on orders from Lord Yuan, and it's not right to offend him. If we keep him here, it will be easy to invite the gods but hard to send them away, which isn't a good thing... what a headache..."

  Kuai Yue was still deep in thought, his brow furrowed in concentration.

  "Something is amiss with Guan Yu's departure." Wen Ping could not help but rush in without announcing himself, lifting the curtain and entering with large strides.

  The governor is the head of the state's civil servants and has a high position with great power.

  Kuai Yue's train of thought was interrupted, his brow furrowed in displeasure. "What's the big deal?" he asked gruffly.

  "General Yan Liang has just been reported to have led a small group of cavalry to take a shortcut and launch a surprise attack on Xin Ye!" Wen Ping cupped his hands and said.

  "What?"

  Kuai Yue was greatly shocked and suddenly jumped up, and the driver who had just been swept away was gone.

  Wen Pin said in a deep voice, "I have long suspected that Yan Liang was suspicious. Now the intelligence is conclusive, and it turns out that Yan Liang indeed has ulterior motives. If he breaks through Xin Ye, Xiangyang will be in danger."

  Kuai Yue's expression became increasingly solemn, and he also realized the severity of the problem. After the shock, there was a hint of guilt, as if he was ashamed of his previous decision-making mistake.

  "Please do not issue any more orders, let me lead the entire army to launch a surprise attack on the enemy camp. As long as we break through Yan Liang's main camp, even if he breaks through Xin Ye, he will be attacked from both front and back. With only 1,000 cavalry, they can only be trapped and killed in Xin Ye."

  Wen Ping eagerly asked to go to war, but Kuai Yue shook his head and rejected his suggestion.

  Although he knew that Wen Ping's words were reasonable, if Jia Xu accepted his opinion, in the end it would become his own decision-making mistake, brewing a crisis, and Wen Ping would have to turn the tide.

  As Liu Biao's top minister, Kuai Yue absolutely could not accept this loss of face.

  After a moment of contemplation, Guo Yue spoke calmly: "Xinye City is perilous, and Yan Liang's one thousand cavalry may not be able to take it down. I order you to quickly lead four thousand infantry and cavalry back to reinforce Xinye, attacking from both inside and outside, and annihilate Yan Liang."

  "Let someone else drive..."

  Wen Ping wanted to speak again, but Kuai Yue glared at him and shouted: "Do you dare to question my military order? If there is any further delay or mistake in the military situation, can you bear the blame?"

  With this one drink, Wen Ping did not dare speak again, and could only silently sigh in unison, turning around to hastily leave the tent.

  Half an hour later, a 4,000-strong Jingzhou army hastily left the main camp and rushed to Xinye County along the highway.

  The east is brightening, and the sun is rising.

  The golden dawn broke through the hazy morning fog, dyeing the undulating hills with a layer of gold.

  Yan Liang crouched in the grass, chewing on a withered blade of grass, his eyes gleaming brightly as he stared fixedly at the main road below the mountain slope.

  Behind the mountain slope, a thousand knights stood quietly, with their war horses having their mouths covered. Over a thousand people and horses stood there like stone statues, eerily silent.

  At the end of the main road, dust began to rise, and there was a faint vibration on the ground.

  Yan Liang parted the grass and looked far into the distance. In his field of vision, a team that was rushing forward gradually became clear.

  Getting closer and closer.

  Finally, Yan Liang clearly saw the large flag fluttering in the wind, with a huge "Wen" character written on it.

  "As expected of Wen Pin, very good, I'll use you to establish my authority in Jingzhou."

  Yan Liang spat out the grass root and jumped up, his head slightly raised without looking back.

  Zhou Cang stood solemnly at the foot of the slope and hastily led up Yan Liang's black warhorse.

  Yan Liang flipped over onto his horse, took the large knife handed to him by Zhou Cang with both hands, and loudly said: "Pass down the order, have all troops mount their horses, prepare to follow this general in a fierce battle."

  Ma Qian, this tiger-like warrior, suddenly became excited and rushed down the mountain slope to convey Yan Liang's order.

  The knights who had been waiting impatiently for a long time were suddenly boiling with enthusiasm, and more than 1,000 people mounted their horses in an orderly manner and rode up the slope.

  The timing was just right, and the more than 4,000 Jingzhou soldiers hastily passed by the slope, completely unaware that on the mountain slope beside the main road, pair after pair of eyes gleaming with killing intent were staring at them.

  This is Yan Liang's plan.

  Yan Liang deeply knew that Wen Pin was not an ordinary person, and Xu You's plan to raid Xin Ye might be able to deceive the careless Kuai Yue, but it may not necessarily be able to deceive Wen Pin.

  Xinye is the gateway of Jingzhou, Kuai Yue will certainly not dare to lose it. Naturally, he will order Wen Ping to lead his army back to reinforce along the main road.

  They never thought that Yan Liang did not rush to Xin Ye, but instead ambushed at the intersection of this road, waiting to intercept the reinforcements of Jingzhou army.

  The terrain at this intersection is flat, and there is a highland nearby that can provide cavalry with a downhill momentum, making it an ideal place for cavalry to use their might.

  Yan Liang, who had been waiting for half the night, finally waited for his enemy.

  "Men of Yan's army, let the barbarians of Jingzhou see our prowess, charge!"

  A loud shout like a thunderclap, Yan Liang took the lead on horseback and charged down the slope towards the enemy.

  The dense cavalry behind them, like a burst dam, followed their commander and swept down.

  On the main road, the 4,000-strong Jingzhou army was suddenly thrown into a state of panic and confusion.

  Wen Ping, galloping on horseback, was still thinking about how to overcome Yan Liang's cavalry, but he never dreamed that Yan Liang's army would suddenly appear in front of him like a heavenly soldier descending from the sky.

  "Could it be that the enemy's surprise attack on Xin Ye is false, and cutting off my reinforcements is true? Isn't this Yan Liang a brave but imprudent man, how could he..."

  Wen Ping was shocked and couldn't think anymore. The rolling iron cavalry rushed in wildly, and in an instant, they were already within a hundred paces. He no longer had time to think again.

  "Hurry, form up the whole army, prepare to meet the enemy." Wen Ping waved his steel knife and loudly commanded the frightened soldiers.

  Wild battles with infantry against cavalry can only be won by forming a phalanx to meet the enemy, and Wen Ping deeply understood this principle.

  The four thousand infantry under his command were personally trained by him, and when faced with the enemy's sudden attack, although they were frightened, under Wen Ping's command, they still managed to steady themselves and hastily formed a battle array.

  Yan Liang, galloping on horseback, had thought that the enemy would be intimidated by his mighty presence and collapse on the spot. But to his surprise, these Jingzhou soldiers not only did not disperse but quickly formed a battle array. Yan Liang couldn't help but feel somewhat unexpected in his heart.

  "This Wen Zhongyue is indeed quite capable, I didn't misjudge you." Yan Liang silently praised in his heart, but a hint of cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Unfortunately for you, your opponent is me, Yan Liang."

  The rising sun shoots out a thousand golden rays, and the thousand knights, as if wearing golden armor, reflect the dazzling golden light.

  The swords pointing to the sky were put down, and the cold blades with golden light flowing around them, like a row of dead gods' fangs, gleaming with ferocity.

  The Jingzhou army, which was originally prepared to meet the enemy, was pierced by the dawn and couldn't see the enemy's momentum at all, and could only use their ears to listen to the approaching shouts and hoofbeats.

  Wen Ping, who also couldn't open his eyes, was even more terrified at this moment.

  He didn't realize until now that Yan Liang came from the eastern mountain slope in order to take advantage of the sunlight.

  Under the stimulation of sunlight, the bowmen and crossbowmen of Jingzhou army could not shoot accurately at all, losing the long-range attack of bows and crossbows, and how could they stop the impact of cavalry.

  "Heavenly timing and geographical advantage are grasped with such mastery, Yan Liang's military tactics are indeed exceptional!"

  After the shock, the rolling iron tide has arrived in a mighty and turbulent manner.

  With a loud shout like thunder, Yan Liang leaped high on his horse, and like a god, he jumped over the heads of the Jingzhou army who were only covering their faces.

  At the moment of landing, the steel knife in his hand cut down those terrified enemies mercilessly.