The advisor returned to his tent, sat at the desk, and began devising a strategy.
Scouts from Grey Wolf Mountain had long returned, reporting that the Dakang army had stationed a large force on the other side of the flooded lake, and the water was too deep to cross.
Thus, the only remaining option was retreating through Clearwater Valley to Dangxiang.
But Clearwater Valley was blocked by the Iron Forest Army, and unless they could find a way to cross the lake or counter the catapults and heavy crossbows, the situation was nearly hopeless.
For the moment, no brilliant solution came to mind.
When Li Jikui entered the tent, the advisor caught a glimpse through the curtain of soldiers training on the field and suddenly asked, “Commander, what’s the best way to counter crossbows?”
“Shields, of course,” Li Jikui replied. “Why do you ask, sir?”
“Commander, if we could make strong enough shields, could we not counter both the crossbows and catapults?”
“Exactly. Heavy crossbows are just a stronger type of crossbow, and the stones are no different. As long as our shields are sturdy enough to withstand them, we’d be fine, wouldn’t we?” Li Jikui’s eyes lit up. “Sir, I’ll trouble you with this.”
Knowing the urgency, the advisor immediately left the tent.
Shields were among the most common equipment in the age of cold weapons, and crafting them was a primary task for army artisans, requiring no smelting or forging, making it quite simple.
In just half an hour, the artisans, following the advisor’s instructions, produced a thick giant shield and a specially designed cart.
The giant shield was twenty centimetres thick, reinforced with a layer of sturdy iron plating on the outside, requiring three men to carry, perfect for countering heavy crossbows.
The special cart was made from stout logs, also covered with iron plating, and built large enough for soldiers to push it forward while hiding underneath, protected from above.
Li Jikui was very pleased. “Sir, have you tested it? Can it hold up?”
“We tested it. Unless the Iron Forest Army drops millstones from above, they won’t break the cart,” the advisor said confidently. “However, the giant shields are heavy. Ordinary soldiers might struggle to carry them; we’ll need strongmen.”
“Excellent. Sir, keep an eye on things here. I’ll go select some strong soldiers,” Li Jikui said, rushing out.
Making shields wasn’t complex, and with a few hundred soldiers assisting, the advisor produced dozens of giant shields and over a dozen special carts in just an hour.
Li Jikui also selected hundreds of strongmen from the army to serve as shield-bearers.
As mortal enemies, there was no room for pleasantries.
Once preparations were complete, Zhuoba immediately led another fierce assault on the south side of Clearwater Mountain.
Meanwhile, soldiers pushed the carts slowly into Clearwater Valley.
At the mountainside on the south of Clearwater Mountain, Zhong Wu watched the Dangxiang soldiers carrying giant shields up the path, his brow slightly furrowed.
As a battle-hardened veteran, he instantly saw through their plan.
But Zhong Wu wasn’t one to give up easily. Whether the enemy’s shields were tougher than their heavy crossbows remained to be seen.
When the enemy was ten zhang from the crossbows, Zhong Wu unhesitatingly ordered an attack.
Whoosh!
An arrow shot out, striking the giant shield with a thud.
The three Dangxiang soldiers carrying it were knocked over by the force but quickly got up, lifting the shield to continue forward.
“Catapults, engage!” Zhong Wu signaled expressionlessly.
The soldiers by the catapults, ready for action, received Zhong Wu’s order and swung their hammers, triggering the catapults.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Fist-sized stones flew toward the path.
But the Dangxiang were prepared.
The leading captain roared, and the team halted.
The giant shields were tilted to about forty-five degrees, propped by sturdy poles, with all the strongmen hiding beneath.
Thud! Thud! Thud!…
Stones struck the shields, producing muffled thuds but failing to break them.
Once the stones stopped, the Dangxiang captain gave the order, and the team resumed its slow advance.
“Brother Zhong, the crossbows and catapults can’t stop them. What now?” a captain asked, looking worriedly at Zhong Wu.
This path was the only chokepoint to the mountain. If they broke through, nothing would stop them from reaching the summit.
With only a few hundred Iron Forest soldiers on Clearwater Mountain, if the Dangxiang reached them, they’d be doomed.
“Don’t worry. The master has a backup plan,” Zhong Wu said coldly. “Load the catapults with oil jars.”
He hadn’t wanted to reveal the oil attack here yet, but there was no choice.
The catapult baskets were swapped, replacing stones with football-sized jars, and launched again.
The Dangxiang immediately formed a turtle-shell formation, defending in place.
The small jars flew onto the crowded path, smashing to pieces on the giant shields.
“The sound’s different this time,” many Dangxiang soldiers noticed something odd.
The captain touched the shield, and his face changed. “No, it’s lamp oil!”
Before he finished, several fire arrows flew from the Iron Forest position.
Boom!
The path erupted into a sea of flames.
The Dangxiang strongmen, screaming in agony, dropped their shields and rolled on the ground.
At that moment, another wave of stones flew from above, covering the path.
Without the shields’ protection, they could only endure the stones.
Even those not hit by stones were soon engulfed by the flames spreading across the path.
The air reeked of burning hair and flesh, nauseating.
In just two rounds, the Dangxiang strongmen attacking the mountain were nearly wiped out.
The assault failed again.
On the other side, Jin Feng made the same choice as Zhong Wu.
Half the valley became a sea of fire, with hundreds of Dangxiang soldiers crawling out from under the carts, rolling toward the river on the right.
But before reaching the riverbank, they were killed by the stones that followed.
The Dangxiang’s breakout attempt failed once more.
“It’s over!” The advisor, watching the battle, collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.
He no longer hoped to continue the southern campaign, only wishing to lead the troops back.
But the valley before them had become an impassable chasm.
The tens of thousands of the Dangxiang southern expedition were trapped in the few kilometres between Grey Wolf Mountain and Clearwater Valley.
Worst of all, their food supplies were completely gone.
That night, Li Jikui sent another team to attempt a breakout, which also failed.
Of the thousand Dangxiang cavalry sent, fewer than a hundred returned alive.
The next morning, the cooking camp stopped preparing large meals, only using small stoves to cook for the officers.
Despair began to spread through the Dangxiang camp.
