Chapter 786 Catching Turtles!

"Too reckless, huh."

With those three words, the Yan army cavalry seemed to awaken as a colossal war beast, its whimpers gradually transforming into a roar.

Although Marquis Zheng always preferred to maintain a low profile and be humble on the battlefield, he had, after all, been tutored by so many masters of military strategy and had personally experienced countless battles in recent years. There was really no need to say anything more about the situation before them.

Reckless, truly reckless.

In the past, the cavalry would never have directly charged the infantry's battle formation like this. In most cases, they would first circle the perimeter, using tactics to disrupt the Chu army's rhythm, force them to expose weaknesses, and then either deliver a decisive blow or, like tearing apart a chicken, slowly peel it apart piece by piece.

That was the art of the cavalry, their rhythm.

But the problem was, there was no need for that now.

First, they had rushed here, exhausted in both body and spirit. Rather than slowly wearing them down, it was better to rely on the remaining bit of courage in both men and horses to try for a decisive victory.

Second, the Chu army, in order to surround and persuade Gou Moli to surrender, had created a "donut" formation.

From Gou Moli's perspective on the hillside, he was naturally surrounded airtight, but for Marquis Zheng's army on the outside, the Chu army was like a shrimp, exposing its own abdomen, stretching its body.

Not an ideal formation, seemingly covering both head and tail, but actually neglecting the rear.

What was there to think about in this situation?

It was like walking down the street and seeing a jar of wine broken in front of you. Wouldn't you hurry up and squat down to take a few swigs? Why wait for some fancy snacks?

"Wula!!!!!!"

Fan Li, wielding his double axes, obediently and enthusiastically charged at the front, his feet flying, not at all inferior to the knights riding horses beside him.

Liang Cheng and Jin Shuke also picked up their pace, leading their subordinates forward.

The army poured down from the slope, and in the eyes of the Chu soldiers below, the slope looked like the horizon. From that horizon, it seemed as if endless figures of Yan army cavalry were emerging all at once.

Finally,

The Chu army understood.

This was no bluff; this was the real deal!

The main force of the Yan army had actually charged over.

The more arrogant, presumptuous, and self-satisfied the Chu soldiers had been earlier, the more intense the blow from reality was now, the more tormenting the sense of loss.

Moreover, they were a weary force. Furthermore, they were unaware that the Yan soldiers charging towards them were also exhausted.

On the command chariot,

Du Gu Mu decisively ordered his own cavalry to charge up from both flanks, hoping to buy time for the main force to reorganize its formation, even at the cost of his own cavalry's sacrifice.

But within the charging Yan army, there were naturally cavalry on both flanks who actively detached from the original charge sequence, like trading pieces, engaging the Chu cavalry.

The momentum of the charge did not change as a result.

The Yan cavalry still crashed heavily into the Chu army's formation.

The Chu army fell into disarray.

This had nothing to do with military quality. When you're hit in the soft ribs, no matter how high your quality, you're bound to get winded.

The Yan army began to penetrate at all costs. The knights in front did everything they could to create space and opportunities for their comrades behind, while the knights behind continued to follow at all costs, like long, sharp knives, forcefully embedded into the Chu army's flesh and blood.

The Chu army had not yet collapsed, although visible panic and discord were evident, a large-scale rout had not yet occurred.

The following Yan cavalry began to detach from the main charge points ahead of time, not continuing to line up behind the front, but shifting their angles slightly without changing their speed, continuing to smash into the Chu army's formation. The advantage of a veteran force lay here.

They, or rather, these middle and lower-level officers, were capable of reading the battlefield themselves in the midst of war. After the top provided enough freedom on the battlefield, their self-initiated actions were even more effective and quicker than Marquis Zheng personally issuing military orders and directing them in real time.

The Chu army was there,

And the Yan army, in turn, stabbed in with their sharp knives.

On the hillside, Gou Moli witnessed this scene firsthand.

Perhaps it was because he had once been a major villain, but when he faced this Yan army and this Pingxi Marquis estate, he often felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Back then, during the Second Wangjiang battle, when he was forced to fight to the death with the Prince of Jingnan, the Prince of Jingnan's army had also used this method of dividing the army into multiple routes and quickly cutting up the battlefield to directly shatter his main force of wildlings.

A similar scene was playing out again.

This showed that the quality of this direct line of troops led by Marquis Pingxi was already no less than the Zhenbei Jingnan army led by the Prince of Jingnan back then.

"It's our turn."

Gou Moli raised the knife in his hand.

"Let the stars go to hell! Let the Marquis see our dedication, our efforts, our… courage! Charge!"

Gou Moli's originally surrounded isolated army had now achieved a central breakout.

On the command chariot, Du Gu Mu no longer commanded. At this point, in this situation, he could no longer control his army.

At this moment, he truly experienced the deep helplessness that the Wildling King had felt back then.

"A'Nian, you lead the rear army and retreat first. Take out as many troops as you can. I, your grandfather, will stay here and hold on a little longer.

Hurry up, before it completely collapses, there will be no chance at all."

Du Gu Mu knew that at this moment, the Chu army's formation… had fallen apart. The Chu soldiers were more reliant on their instincts honed from daily training to fight on their own. The soldiers must be extremely frightened now. Once this emotion accumulated enough, they would develop a great sense of unease and fear for the battlefield they were on, and then, their minds would be filled with the instinct to escape.

While everyone could still hold on for this last moment, he would rescue as many people as he could.

The main purpose of the Yan people should be to rescue Fancheng; they would not use all their strength to pursue them.

As for himself, he could not leave. Right now, he and his command chariot were the last reliance for maintaining the crumbling morale.

It was the same reason that Marquis Zheng insisted on not retreating his command chariot when he fought against Shi Zhuguo. Retreat, and it would collapse!

"Leave some seeds for our Du Gu family." Du Gu Mu sighed for the last time.

Although Du Gu Nian's earlier jesting about the Yan army in front of his grandfather was somewhat ironic compared to the current situation, Du Gu Nian did not show the slightest hesitation after the situation reached this point.

After saluting his grandfather, he immediately left the command chariot, taking the personal soldiers his grandfather had given him to the rear army to transfer people to evacuate.

On the command chariot, Du Gu Mu personally hoisted the command flag and shouted to the guards around him,

"Command chariot, move forward!"

"Yes!"

…

On the distant hillside, Marquis Zheng, who had not participated in the charge, was able to clearly see the general movements of the Chu army below.

The Chu army's rear army began to retreat.

But at the same time, the command chariot's advance drove a large number of Chu troops nearby to instinctively follow their family head forward.

Within the entire Chu army formation, there appeared a distinct division.

Marquis Zheng pointed to the scene below and said,

"Since fighting the Chu people, there is one thing that has always impressed me deeply."

The Sword Saint beside him did not speak.

Si Niang said, "What is it, my lord?"

Relieving the awkwardness.

"These noble's private armies, when their family head or the truly high-ranking members of the main family lead them, their resilience is indeed quite good."

The Sword Saint finally spoke, "Who are you comparing them to?"

"The Qian army."

The Sword Saint said, "Although I don't know military affairs, if you compare most of the armies in the world with the Qian army, they will mostly appear resilient."

"That's true."

Marquis Zheng agreed with the Sword Saint.

"Is the Chu army going to retreat?" the Sword Saint asked.

"Yes, that Pillar of the State of the Du Gu family is turning an imminent rout into a tail-severing escape, taking the initiative to cover the retreat.

Winning a battle, when the wind is at your back, even a pig can fly. The real skill lies in how to stabilize the remaining situation as much as possible when things go badly, to lose as little as possible."

Si Niang asked, "My lord, should I lead the army to block them?"

Marquis Zheng had several thousand cavalry beside him who had not yet entered the battlefield.

The battlefield could only accommodate so much; whether there were a few thousand more or fewer would not make a big difference. Generally speaking, it was normal to keep a reserve force by your side.

Marquis Zheng shook his head and said, "I don't have time to chase after the fleeing troops here. That old Du Gu Mu hasn't left yet, and he basically won't be able to leave later.

Defeating this Chu army, and Pillar of the State Pokémon taking another step forward, I'm already satisfied.

Next…"

Marquis Zheng looked towards Fancheng, or rather, the north of Fancheng.

"Hehe, I can't let my little Nian Yao baby get too anxious.

I'm really afraid that Nian Yao will see that things are not going well and may climb Meng Mountain again, go around Jin and return to Zhennanguan.

Once is enough.

I don't have the time to idly play tag with General Nian."

Si Niang reminded, "My lord, our main force has not yet disengaged from the battlefield." The implication was that the troops at hand were still insufficient, and it would be safer to wait for the battle below to be decided before transferring the main force north.

Marquis Zheng did not take it to heart.

"Didn't Nian Yao use General Nian's banner to coerce a large group of bandits and local ruffians?

Then I also want to see,

Whether his turtle shell is brighter, or my Black Armor is brighter!

The other side isn't blind,

The momentum is on my side,

The rabble around him are not to be feared.

The rest of you,

Raise my command flag,

Accompany me to catch turtles!"

…

Fancheng, Fan residence.

The Chu army's offensive had subsided.

Then, the Chu army sent people to deliver a message, demanding that Qu Peiluo and Fan Zhengwen bind themselves and surrender.

Fan Zhengwen did not intend to surrender, but began to urge the Fan family's women to prepare to leave.

Qu Peiluo did not want to surrender either; surrendering back and forth was meaningless.

The two had jointly defended the city for so many days, and at this point, they had long since seen through things.

The old ancestor had also killed people earlier, and at this point, she also had some sense of satisfaction.

At this time, she was sitting cross-legged on the table in red, and the women of the Fan residence each held a stool, waiting to enter the front hall to prepare to hang themselves.

The old ancestor smiled freely and shouted to the surrounding women,

"Don't be afraid. I, this old woman, will go down first and wait for you. You can come down one by one to find me. To make it easier for you to recognize me, I, this old woman, am not ashamed today and specially put on this red outfit."

Saying that,

The old ancestor pointed to Fan Zhengwen and said,

"Grandson."

"Grandson is here."

"Bring the poisoned wine. Grandma is leaving. Good grandson, personally send grandma on her way."

"Okay."

Fan Zhengwen picked up a bowl of poisoned wine and walked to the table.

Around them, the women of the Fan residence all put down their stools at this moment and knelt down.

"Farewell, old ancestor!"

"Farewell, old ancestor!"

The old ancestor took the bowl of poisoned wine from Fan Zhengwen,

Looked at Fan Zhengwen meaningfully,

And said in a low voice,

"Good grandson, when we get down there, I, your grandma, will settle the score with you."

"Grandma, why don't you just break out on your own? You're capable. It's not like you don't have a chance."

"You're talking nonsense. I haven't had enough good days, not that I haven't had enough days."

"Yes, yes, yes."

The old ancestor picked up the bowl of poisoned wine,

Took a sip,

Swallowed it,

And commented,

"The taste is actually not bad."

"If you like it, have some more," Fan Zhengwen said.

The old ancestor nodded, just as she was about to drink it all in one gulp,

A Fan family soldier ran over from outside,

Shouting inside,

"Family head, family head, the Chu army has retreated, retreated!"

"…" The old ancestor.