Boom! Boom! Boom!
The phalanx, following the rhythm of the war drums, trod over the corpses of the Dangxiang cavalry, advancing slowly but resolutely.
After moving another ten or so yards, the phalanx halted again at the spot where the warhorses had fallen.
The bamboo poles were thrust out and retracted, and the struggling horses on the ground ceased their movements entirely.
Stepping over the horse carcasses, the riverbank no longer had deep pits, meaning the phalanx was about to face the cavalry head-on.
The Dangxiang cavalry had now regrouped, and a captain raised his curved sabre, roaring, “Vanguard camp, charge!”
Dozens of riders immediately surged from the cavalry ranks, charging towards the phalanx.
In the Dakang army, the vanguard camp was typically composed of vagrants, fugitives, and tax evaders, essentially cannon fodder. However, the Dangxiang cavalry’s vanguard was made up of elite warriors, equipped with the fiercest fighters, the most agile steeds, and the finest gear, always leading the charge in battle.
Unfortunately, today they met Jin Feng, and before the fight even began, more than half of them were lost to the deep pits on the ground.
Theε ε riders who now charged were the last remnants of the vanguard camp.
They aimed to use the advantage of their warhorses to tear through the phalanx.
The main cavalry force behind them was also poised, ready to follow the vanguard and slaughter the phalanx.
Boom, boom, boom!
The rhythm of the war drums on the high ground changed, and the signal soldier’s flag-waving pattern shifted accordingly.
Xu Xiao looked up and shouted, “Hold!”
The phalanx immediately stopped advancing. Soldiers with shields knelt on one knee, planting their shields in front of them.
The spearmen holding bamboo poles braced the bases on the ground, with the tips angled upwards.
The Dangxiang cavalry vanguard, like moths to a flame, crashed headlong into the bamboo poles.
The vanguard’s warhorses were heavily armoured, and the bamboo could not pierce through, instead bending or breaking under the impact.
For the first time, the orderly phalanx showed signs of disarray.
But the vanguard camp was also stopped in its tracks.
With a sharp shout from Xu Xiao, the phalanx retreated two steps, and all the bamboo poles were withdrawn.
In the next second, the poles thrust out again, restoring the formation’s order.
The phalanx advanced two steps, and with another thrust and retraction of the bamboo, not a single man or horse from the Dangxiang cavalry vanguard remained alive!
The complete annihilation of their most elite vanguard camp sent shockwaves through the Dangxiang cavalry.
They prided themselves on their bravery and fought fearlessly, but now they couldn’t even get close to the phalanx, nor could they find a way to break through. How could they fight on?
Rush in blindly to die like the vanguard?
For the first time in decades of dominating the battlefield, the Dangxiang cavalry felt fear.
In stark contrast, the morale of the Tielin soldiers within the phalanx soared higher and higher.
Xu Xiao was so exhilarated he wanted to roar to the heavens.
This was the most exhilarating battle of his military career.
So thrilling!
Boom, boom, boom!
“Advance!”
With Xu Xiao’s shout, the phalanx moved again, stepping over the vanguard’s corpses, advancing towards the enemyβs main force.
The Dangxiang cavalry instinctively wanted to retreat.
But the cavalry at the rear, unaware of what had happened ahead, continued pressing into the valley, making retreat impossible.
Finally, the phalanx reached the main cavalry force.
“Stop!”
“Attack!”
“Retract!”
With three sharp commands, the front row of cavalry fell instantly.
“Brothers, if we wait any longer, we’ll all die. Charge!”
Finally, some Dangxiang cavalry could bear it no longer and recklessly spurred their horses towards the phalanx.
Unfortunately, they were too close to the phalanx to gain the speed needed for a proper charge, and Xu Xiao was prepared. With a single command, the phalanx shifted into a defensive formation, easily withstanding the assault.
Then, with another order from Xu Xiao, a group of soldiers wielding bamboo poles rushed from the rear of the phalanx.
Still in groups of three, they thrust thick bamboo poles through the gaps between the shields.
Dozens more cavalry and their horses became corpses!
The phalanx advanced two more steps. The original formation held defensively against the Dangxiang cavalry, while the newly arrived soldiers took on the offensive.
The phalanx paused every two steps, and each pause claimed the lives of dozens of Dangxiang cavalry and their horses.
Blood stained the ground, turning the riverbank into a muddy quagmire.
At the other end of the valley, the Dangxiang cavalry continued to pour in, though their pace slowed and eventually stopped.
The Dangxiang commander overseeing the rear finally sensed something was wrong. Climbing onto a large rock to survey the situation, he saw what was happening and broke out in a cold sweat.
“Sound the gong, retreat!”
The commander shouted hoarsely.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The signal soldier behind him immediately struck the gong.
Suddenly, two arrows flew from the left peak, instantly killing both the commander standing on the rock and the soldier sounding the gong.
The rear ranks fell into chaos. Some cavalry turned their horses to charge up the mountain, but the cliffs were too steep for horses or even men to climb.
“Cowardly rats, come down and fight me if you dare!”
Many cavalry raised their sabres, cursing at the mountain.
“Stop cursing and retreat now!”
Another commander took the place of the fallen leader, ordering a withdrawal.
At that moment, from the woods at the rear of the formation, hundreds of Dakang soldiers emerged, carrying shields and long bamboo poles, quickly forming two new Macedonian phalanxes.
One faced forward, the other backward!
In the middle, dozens of soldiers with shovels were frantically digging pits.
“Damn it, we finally got them all into the valley. If we let them escape, I’d lose face big time!”
Zhong Wu wiped his sweat, laughing heartily.
At this point, the more than one thousand aggressive Dangxiang cavalry were completely trapped in the narrow Qingshui Valley by the phalanxes.
Below the high ground, Old Man Zhao was so excited he was dancing, muttering repeatedly, “Good! Good!”
At this moment, he had no complaints left about Jin Feng, only boundless admiration.
No wonder Qinghuai entrusted the Tielin Army to him. This Master Jin was truly a man of great talent.
Not only was he talented, but he also remained calm under pressure.
From start to finish, Old Man Zhao never saw Jin Feng show any sign of panic, always standing on the high ground, commanding the battle with composure.
This level of poise surpassed even Qinghuai.
Little did he know, Jin Feng was experiencing such a scene for the first time. When the Dangxiang cavalry charged, he was as terrified as the new recruits.
But he knew he had no way out, so he forced himself to stay calm.
On the surface, he appeared unruffled, but heaven knows how nervous he was inside.
Fortunately, the plan went smoothly, and the encirclement was complete.
Now, as long as Zhong Wu and Xu Xiao made no mistakes and kept pushing the phalanxes forward, they would eventually wipe out every Dangxiang cavalry in the valley!
Jin Feng gave another signal, and the war drums immediately quickened their tempo.
Xu Xiao glanced at the flag bearer, clenching his fist in excitement.
The encirclement was complete!
The time for the harvest had arrived!
