Chapter Twenty: When Battle Calls
Night.
The candlelight burned steadily, illuminating the father and son seated solemnly across from each other.
“Father, I’ve uncovered that mysterious force within us—it’s hidden in the lower abdomen, right in the dantian. I could have used my inner strength to awaken yours, but my wounds are too severe now. I’m unable to muster my energy.”
Ye Linhui waved his hand. “No matter. It’s not too late once you’ve healed.”
Ye Pei said, “But the battlefield…”
Ye Linhui laughed. “Your father isn’t unfamiliar with war. It’s merely repelling foreign invaders, nothing to fear.”
Ye Pei pressed, “Father, you must be cautious of the Duan family—they’re colluding with the Yan tribe.”
Ye Linhui nodded. “I understand. Master Mu spoke to me about this. Once I leave, don’t step outside the house until I return.”
Ye Pei nodded in assent.
Ye Linhui stood. “No time left. I must prepare provisions at once. Tend to your wounds and watch over the family.”
Ye Linhui had stolen a moment from his busy duties to return home, see his son, and give his instructions. Even with his wealth of experience and exceptional abilities, Ye Linhui could not guarantee his survival in war. He knew that when the emperor placed the marshal’s seal in his hands, he was entrusted not only with command but also with the emperor’s life, the safety of the people, and the fate of the nation.
Yet even if he could not return, he was certain his son could take his place; in Ye Linhui’s heart, his son had already surpassed him in both strategy and valor, more than capable of stepping into his shoes.
No matter how the world changed, you would always remain your father’s pride.
Ye Pei quietly watched his father’s resolute figure recede into the night, his eyes filled with admiration but more so with worry. At that moment, he recalled the bold Ye Vanguard who stood in the court and declared, “If the Xia Kingdom crosses the Luo River, none will return!” He remembered Ye Marshal, who spent his own wealth to comfort the widows of fallen soldiers, and Ye Elder, who drank all night with his brothers in arms.
No matter how the stars shift, you remain your son’s hero.
...
Seven days later.
Outside the city of Shunxing, within seven days, a platform for appointing generals had been erected—a ten-meter square tower stood tall upon the earth, below which one hundred thousand troops lined up in perfect formation.
Empress Xue Ziying ascended the platform, surrounded by her soldiers, with Ye Linhui and Prince Xue You Wang Ziji following closely behind.
“To the heavens!” The situation was urgent; Ziying wished to avoid lengthy rituals. Upon reaching the platform, she directed the butchers to slaughter the prepared cattle and sheep. Blood sprayed from the blades, attendants caught it in bowls, poured strong liquor atop, and handed the vessels to Ye Linhui and Ziji.
Meanwhile, the blood-soaked heads of the beasts were placed on the offering table. Seeing all was ready, Ziying turned to the two generals, bowed deeply, and declared, “Please, generals, take the military seals! The fate of our nation rests entirely with you!”
Ye Linhui and Ziji each grasped a bowl, knelt, and bowed. “We pledge our lives, to protect our people!”
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Ziying took the military seals from a tray held by a soldier and handed them to the two men. They accepted the seals, rose, and drained the blood wine in a single draught, then shattered their bowls on the ground.
The appointment complete, Ziying turned to address the one hundred thousand soldiers below, drawing breath from her dantian and proclaiming loudly, “Soldiers! The Yan tribe invades. Though our kingdom has known turmoil, how can we allow others to sleep soundly beside our pillow? If we quarrel amongst ourselves, so be it, but how can we let the Yan tribe run rampant? Now, the Yan army assaults the Xia Kingdom. As fellow citizens, how can our Xue Kingdom stand by? If Xia falls, so too will Xue be in peril! Live as Xue soldiers, die as Xue souls! When posterity looks to today, just as we look to the past, what have we to fear? If the Yan invaders can advance, so can we!”
Ziying stepped back. Ye Linhui advanced, declaring, “Why should men not wield swords of Wu, reclaiming the twenty provinces of the Luo River! Let bodies and names perish, but rivers endure through ages! I have drilled troops for years, now the enemy comes in force—sacrifice for the nation, face death as if returning home! Behind us are parents, wives, and children in need of protection. Though ten thousand stand against us, we march onward!”
Finally, Ziji stepped forward, drew his sword, and shouted, “Who says we lack robes? Together, we stand as brothers!”
Ye Linhui drew his sword and roared, “Wrap my corpse in horse-hide, protect our people!”
The soldiers below raised their spears and echoed, “Wrap our corpses in horse-hide, protect our people!”
“If we do not slay the Yan demons, we vow never to return!”
“If we do not slay the Yan demons, we vow never to return!”
“To battle!”
“Prince, have all preparations been made?” Ye Linhui asked Ziji atop the platform.
Ziji saluted. “Master, rest assured: twelve thousand iron-headed maces, twelve thousand long-handled axes, twelve thousand flying hooks, twelve hundred wooden caltrops, twelve thousand iron caltrops, three hundred sixty grand war chariots, sixty thousand heavy crossbows, thirty thousand halberds and shields, thirty thousand spears and shields, three thousand blacksmiths—all are ready. Ziji obeys your teachings.”
These royal brothers were both Ye Linhui’s disciples.
One hundred thousand troops stretched to the horizon. Mighty generals led their squads from the front, followed by the army and logistics units, each bearing their mission, resolutely embarking on a journey where glory and peril intertwined.
The blossom splits in two, each branch tells its tale.
The Xue Kingdom’s army had just set out, while the Xia Kingdom, defending their homeland, had already engaged the enemy.
Xiao Ming was the first to arrive at the battlefield, reclaiming Luo River City, and now faced forty thousand Yan cavalry at their peak.
The Yan cavalry’s commander was Lin Yufei, elder brother to Lin Yukong, the dark-clad gentleman previously in contact with Duan Xingyun.
At the city lord’s residence in Luo River City, Xiao Ming and his officers were deliberating on how to conduct the battle. After all, they had one hundred thousand infantry, and Xue Kingdom’s elite cavalry was renowned, but only among their own ranks.
As commander, Xiao Ming began, “What are your thoughts on the Yan cavalry encamped outside the city?”
The officers below looked troubled, none willing to speak.
Seeing their silence, Xiao Ming pressed, “Why is no one speaking? Xing Wen, do you have any strategies?”
A young officer, hearing his name called, showed a flash of panic—after all, cavalry naturally outmatched infantry, a fact none could dispute. When cavalry unleashed their full speed, they could defeat enemies ten times their number.
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Xing Wen deliberated for a long time before finally speaking, though without confidence. “Commander Xiao… I believe we should hold the city and avoid direct conflict with their cavalry. Once Xue Kingdom’s army arrives, cavalry fighting cavalry will be much easier.”
Xiao Ming nearly laughed in frustration. “Are you really so cowardly? I called you here not to defend the city! Why gather so many generals and vanguards just to hold the city? Let Xue Kingdom fight—why not just hand Luo River City to Ziying?”
At this, another officer, Huo Yifei, spoke. “Commander Xiao, I actually think it’s not unreasonable… Everyone knows infantry struggles against cavalry. Our numbers are only double theirs—we can’t withstand two rounds of their charge.”
Xiao Ming replied, “Don’t be so afraid of cavalry. We desperately need a victory. They’ve invaded openly, and we’ve just retaken Luo River City. If we don’t fight back, morale will sink even lower. Both soldiers and civilians fear the Yan tribe—they’ve never seen them before.”
Huo Yifei argued, “But Commander Xiao, if we lose this battle, the cost will be too great.”
Xiao Ming rubbed his forehead. “I do have a plan—I just wanted to hear your thoughts first.”
Huo Yifei pressed, “What ingenious plan do you have, Commander?”
Xiao Ming replied, “Here’s what I propose…”
Three days later, war was imminent.
On Xia’s side, one hundred thousand troops formed massive squares, while the Yan tribe’s forty thousand cavalry lined up neatly opposite. Both sides, tens of thousands of fierce warriors, stood ready to stain the battlefield with blood, awaiting a single command.
“Infantry versus cavalry always has inherent disadvantages—mobility and impact are far beyond what infantry can match. We’ve fought Xue Kingdom for years, relying only on mountains and rivers, never a pitched battle on the plains. But it’s been over a decade since we last fought Xue Kingdom; I’ve developed a method for infantry to take on cavalry. I never thought it’d be used against Xue, but now it will serve against these Yan demons!”
“Form ranks!” “Form ranks—!”
At Xiao Ming’s command, messengers relayed orders swiftly, Xia’s soldiers moved rapidly, following their assigned tasks, soon forming a massive crescent formation.
“First, our infantry will wear light armor. Against cavalry, no matter how strong our defenses, we can’t withstand a single charge. So we must increase mobility. Next, deploy all four hundred Tiger Fang steel chariots in the center, with the rest forming concave flanks toward the enemy’s crescent…”
Across the field, Yan tribe commander Lin Yufei sneered. “Has this human general lost his mind? Ten thousand dare face forty thousand cavalry head-on?! I thought he’d hide behind the city walls! Perfect! Give my order—charge!”
“Kill!”
Both commanders issued attack orders almost simultaneously. The warriors, upon receiving the command, shot forward like arrows, eyes bloodshot, gripping their weapons tightly, not one shrinking back.
Though we can never truly know what cold steel warfare is like, on such a battlefield, even a coward becomes a warrior howling for the enemy’s blood. If you falter in the charge, only death awaits; if you hesitate before the charge, you’ll carry a lifetime of ridicule and an indelible shadow in your heart.
Only by staring fiercely ahead, meeting the enemy’s blades with your own, do you stand a chance at survival. Even should you fall, as a soldier, dying on the road of battle is the highest honor your identity can bestow.
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