Chapter 1 Due to the Full Cooperation of Yunzhou

Thanks to Yunzhou's full cooperation, the Xueqi Army (Blood Kirin Army) barely needed to carry grain and other supplies while marching rapidly. Upon arrival at each location, they naturally found ready-made barracks and ample food and water. This allowed the Xueqi Army to carry a large number of Huoxingdan (Mars Fire Bombs), Huoyoudan (Fire Oil Bombs), and even more arrows, in preparation for high-intensity combat. They would inevitably encounter high-intensity combat.

Qiu Hao Hui didn't see the Xiling camps in Mengnan Banner as much of a threat. While Jiang Xujing was contemplating how to attack the Xueqi Army, Qiu Hao Hui, Chi Lei, and others were already working with the Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) to formulate a plan to eliminate the Mengnan Banner camps. In this plan, the main task of the Xueqi Army would be to intercept the reinforcements that Jiang Xujing would send from Zijing Valley, right at the Xueqi Army's encampment. Because 10,000 cavalrymen had followed Ye Tao northward to participate in the alliance meeting, what remained were mainly heavy infantry, longbowmen, logistics units, and heavy ordnance units. Even with the addition of Chi Lei's scout cavalry, they had only a few thousand riders, not enough to participate in a large-scale cavalry battle. However, their equipment and training ensured that they could put up an extremely strong defense.

"Big brother, what do you make of the Xueqi Army's intentions?" Since his daughter was already presiding over Benlang Plain, Dai Shikui didn't accompany Ye Tao further north. Instead, he sent Dai Rong, a powerhouse among the younger generation of the Dai family, to accompany Ye Tao, while Dai Shikui himself joined the main force of the Xueqi Army, arriving on the western front of Yunzhou to prepare for an attack on Xiling with his elder brother, Dai Shining, the head of the Dai clan.

Dai Shining strongly supported the strategy of striving for a key victory in a short time with swift and powerful tactical maneuvers, thereby gaining favorable conditions in terms of morale, diplomacy, and other aspects. Furthermore, the Xueqi Army had been following his commands in a very amicable atmosphere since arriving on the western front, which made him feel the generosity and sincerity of Dongping even more. Returning the favor, Dai Shining allowed the Xueqi Army ample speaking rights in several military conferences after their arrival, and even allowed the Xueqi Army to prioritize choosing tasks when assigning battle missions.

Originally, Dai Shining and other core figures of the Dai family had planned to entrust the task of delivering the final blow to Mengnan Banner to the Xueqi Army. That kind of task would be relatively safe, with minimal losses… In fact, if the initial offensive went smoothly, this final blow would be a purely opportunistic action. However, the serious and humble Xueqi Army deputy commander Qiu Hao Hui, the young master of the Dongping Grand Commandant's family Chi Lei, and Zou Shuangwen, who also had an extraordinary background, requested the task of intercepting Jiang Xujing's main force coming to reinforce, which was the most dangerous task in the entire battle plan. When Dai Shining asked if they had any other requests, their request was extremely simple: after they surrounded the enemy forces in Mengnan Banner, they hoped that a portion of the Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) could be allocated to protect their flanks, ensuring that Jiang Xujing would only have the option of attacking them head-on. A perfectly reasonable and simple request…

Although manpower was relatively tight, Dai Shining directly allocated 5,000 Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) to Qiu Hao Hui, temporarily under their command. Correspondingly, the heavy ordnance unit of the Xueqi Army dispatched a team of over 500 men, carrying enough Huoyoudan (Fire Oil Bombs) and crossbow cannons to assist Yunzhou's siege operations. Although it could be said to be the first joint operation between Yunzhou and Dongping in history, the two sides already had a tacit understanding.

Dai Shikui was puzzled as to why the Xueqi Army chose a task that might require them to endure considerable casualties. However, Dai Shining became even more interested in the Xueqi Army. Dai Shining was a general who could lead troops into battle, but he wasn't a good commander who liked to interfere with his subordinates' command. He didn't follow the Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) to Mengnan Banner to vigorously eliminate that forward camp like a nail, but instead stayed in Suiyuan City, which was currently garrisoned by only 20,000 infantry, a key location to ensure that Jiang Xujing couldn't turn around and directly enter Yunzhou to wreak havoc after failing to attack the Xueqi Army. Since Suiyuan City was only less than a hundred *li* away from the Xueqi Army's camp, he had been staying in the Xueqi Army camp with Dai Shikui for the past few days. Watching the Xueqi Army receive what they brothers thought was an extremely tragic task, yet still be extremely happy and full of morale, Dai Shikui became increasingly puzzled by the Xueqi Army.

"Heh heh, they really have confidence. After traversing battlefields for many years, it's rare to see an army so confident in its own strength." Dai Shining laughed heartily, "This time, Jiang Xujing is in trouble."

"They only have 20,000 men. Even with the 5,000 Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) under their command, it's only 25,000. But Jiang Xujing is bringing over 100,000 troops. Can they really hold them off?" Dai Shikui hesitated.

Dai Shining shook his head, saying with some disapproval, "When fighting a war, it's not useful to just look at the number of troops. Otherwise, everyone could just bring in strong men to compare numbers before the battle, what would be the point of fighting? I can't say for sure that the Xueqi Army will be able to hold on. After all, although they have experienced battles, they are not the kind of veteran iron army that has survived a hundred battles. But I'm afraid that from the beginning, the Xueqi Army didn't plan to defend to the death. Their ambitions are higher."

Dai Shining had his personal guard bring paper and pen, and sketched out a rough map of the Xueqi Army camp he had seen, explaining to Dai Shikui: "Look, they have concentrated those catapults and crossbow cannons in one direction, roughly within a width of 1,200 to 2,000 steps. One side of the barracks has three layers of fortifications, while the other three sides only have two layers. The design of the passages within the camp facilitates the assembly and formation of all troops on that front with a width of less than 2,000 steps… The Xueqi Army simply doesn't want to defend the camp, they want to fight a field battle."

Dai Shikui was shocked, saying, "Although setting up camp on the plain doesn't really offer much advantage, still, a field battle? They dare to fight a field battle against several times their number? Having a few more layers of fortifications would be much more advantageous."

Dai Shining put down his pen, saying, "That's why I say their ambitions are high… However, if I had the Xueqi Army's equipment, training, and such complete logistics, I would also choose a field battle. Just wait and see."

The vanguard of Jiang Xujing's forces wasn't Jiang Xujing's main cavalry, but rather Ni Sigui's 10,000 cavalrymen and Zhao Li's 30,000 infantrymen from the Zhenbei Army (Northern Garrison Army). Jiang Xujing felt the threat from Suiyuan City on his flank. Although Suiyuan City had limited forces, it was, after all, backed by the Yunzhou hinterland and could potentially receive reinforcements at any time. He placed Jia Qingyun's 10,000 cavalrymen in the direction of Suiyuan. As for himself, he led his main cavalry in the center to provide support. As for the more than 20,000 Daoming Sect (Guiding Light Sect) Protectorate Army, Jiang Xujing didn't really know how effective they were in combat, and didn't dare to rashly send them up. He was afraid that if these 20,000 Protectorate Army soldiers weren't as capable as the bigwigs in the imperial court who had forced them into his battle formation had assured him, and they were to collapse after engaging the Xueqi Army, the situation would be difficult to salvage.

However, on the very night that Zhao Li set up camp in front of the Xueqi Army, he was attacked. Being cautious since he had just arrived and hadn't gained a firm foothold, Zhao Li took great care in his night defense arrangements. However, the night attack planned by the Xueqi Army was full of twists and turns, and wonderfully executed. First, a team of over 2,000 men approached Zhao Li's camp, triggering the alarm bells, and retreated in frustration before engaging Zhao Li's forces. Then, the Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) were active nearby, seemingly ready to launch a night raid. In order to allow his soldiers to rest, Zhao Li led 10,000 men to intercept them, but the Tieyunqi (Iron Cloud Riders) remained elusive, not engaging them closely. Just when Zhao Li couldn't figure out what the other side was up to, the Xueqi Army launched a formal night attack. After nearly a quarter of an hour of intensive firepower strikes, thousands of Xueqi Army cavalrymen and crossbow-armed longbowmen on horseback launched a general attack on the camp. If it weren't for Zhao Li's timely response, plus a group of soldiers who fought to the death and refused to retreat, holding a small area in the camp and gradually gathering the soldiers who were fleeing everywhere due to the fire, it was possible that Zhao Li's 30,000 infantrymen would have been completely defeated that night. Even though Zhao Li had performed exceptionally well, his 30,000 infantrymen still suffered more than 6,000 casualties that night. In fact, if it wasn't for Ni Sigui's troops seeing the fire at night and promptly pulling out their camp to come to the rescue, forcing the Xueqi Army to slowly retreat after looting a fortune, Zhao Li would probably have lost his camp in the end and entered a humiliating rout.

The Xueqi Army was too arrogant. Jiang Xujing was furious when he received the news. He immediately ordered the Daoming Sect (Guiding Light Sect) Protectorate Army to the front. Besides Ni Sigui's and Jia Qingyun's troops maintaining the flanks of the army, he placed his own 20,000 cavalrymen directly in front of the Xueqi Army, in a posture that suggested he wanted to engage the Xueqi Army in a field battle. What made him even more annoyed was that the Xueqi Army didn't hesitate at all, but rather happily accepted his challenge and declared a decisive battle for the next day. Jiang Xujing had never seen such an arrogant army, not even the legendary Number One Army in the world, he didn't think anyone deserved such arrogance.

However, not long after the decisive battle began, he realized just how terrifying the Xueqi Army was. Ni Sigui's 10,000 cavalrymen, in coordination with Zhao Li's remaining 20,000 infantrymen, jointly charged the Xueqi Army's battle formation, yet failed to even breach the first line of defense. When the Xiling forces launched their attack, just as the cavalry and infantry crossed the center line of the battlefield, the Xueqi Army's heavy ordnance unit began to express their opinion. One Huoyoudan (Fire Oil Bomb) after another landed on the battlefield, in the middle of the dense infantry and cavalry. Because so many Huoyoudan (Fire Oil Bombs) were launched, it even caused a spectacular explosion effect on the battlefield. The heavy arrows shot from the Shenbi (Divine Arm) crossbows were aimed at the officers who were shouting and cursing to maintain the Xiling army's formation and morale. After dodging these, when they charged within 100 steps of the Xueqi Army's formation, they encountered raging fires spewing out of tubes. Even those Xiling cavalrymen who risked their lives to break through these defenses found that they simply couldn't cross the forest of long spears. The Xueqi Army's heavy infantry stood with tower shields, bracing their long spears with claws that could dig into the ground on the end of the spear shaft. Within their ranks were men wielding two-handed long sabers to patch up any gaps, and behind them were longbowmen who had orders to shoot without restriction, without worrying about accidentally injuring their own men…

When Jiang Xujing looked through the telescope that he had painstakingly acquired at a high price and saw his soldiers withering and falling like leaves in the autumn wind, with over 10,000 casualties in one charge, while the Xueqi Army had only suffered negligible losses, he was dumbfounded and couldn't believe it. Then, he clearly saw that as Zhao Li and Ni Sigui had to gather their battered troops to slowly retreat, the Xueqi Army's heavy infantry line, which was like a metal wall, began to slowly and steadily advance…