Bloody Battle of Hedong Army

I was very busy for the next two or three days. Although Gujianwu was a small place, it had over three hundred able-bodied young men. These men were all trained by Shen Hanyang and were very obedient. These three hundred men formed my third infantry command, with Shen Hanyang as the commander. I also organized the scattered soldiers gathered along the way into a cavalry unit. The original personal guard unit, after being supplemented with the Gujianwu youths, expanded to two units, and together with this cavalry unit, it was officially upgraded to a command-sized personal guard unit. Yang Guo, at the age of fourteen, became the captain of the personal guard unit. Kang Yong was a soldier of the Song Dynasty, so I didn't incorporate him into the unit. Now, in Gujianwu, I had gathered five hundred and fifty capable warriors and over sixty warhorses.
Gujianwu had a good amount of grain, including what Kang Yong and his men brought, amounting to about fourteen or fifteen hundred shi (a unit of dry measure). Because even Shen Hanyang and others were self-sufficient, there was no question of rent reduction.
However, the military supplies here were not very plentiful. Aside from Kang Yong's men and Yang Guo's personal guards being fully armed, Shen Hanyang's command lacked both armor and weaponry. In a battle between two armies, longswords alone are insufficient. Especially crucial is the bow and arrow; the entire Ancient Sword Dock only has about a hundred bows and around eight thousand arrows.
I secretly planned that, besides seeking supplies from the south, I also needed to quickly find a suitable place to forge armor and manufacture bows and arrows.
As for my family affairs, things were unexpectedly good. Shen Qingfeng and Mu Wanqing are both extremely proud girls. The two women, together, actually developed a mutual respect, and Sun Keyi is a beautiful girl loved by everyone. The three of them got along very well, and together, I gradually began to feel overwhelmed. It's true that you gain some, you lose some.
Murong Fu and his group didn't mention leaving. Murong Fu only spoke to me every day. While I was training the troops, he watched intently, always looking thoughtful. He didn't know that I could gather strength so quickly because I was an official; people looked at my background even if they didn't care about me personally. You, a commoner, even with some reputation in the martial arts world, how easy is it to gather your own strength! Wang Yuyan was always polite to me, but she always kept her distance. Not being able to get a chance to fight was my only regret these past few days.
As the first day of October approached, scouts reported from afar. Guo Ping's men had finally arrived.
I had already surveyed the terrain near Gujianwu, spending a whole day walking in the wilderness with Yang Guo and Shen Hanyang. Gujianwu was more than thirty li from Song County and more than fifty li from Mengjin County, all along mountain roads, rugged and difficult to traverse. Going to Zhongjing Prefecture was the most convenient, just follow the Yi River down.
This area was all loess land, piled up like platforms. Whether coming from Song County or Mengjin, there was only one way out: the Guanbing Road, only ten li away. The road was rugged, teeming with tigers and wolves. The view opened up after leaving the observation road, revealing a small plain of several thousand acres, crisscrossed by several streams. The people of Gujianwu depended on this land for their livelihood. Although life was difficult, their remoteness and location surrounded by mountains meant that enemies and bandits rarely came. This allowed the small fortified village to survive.
Scouts reported that Guo Ping's forces numbered seventeen or eighteen hundred, including over two hundred cavalry. They had circled around from Mengjin and were about to pass through the observation road. I, with my personal guard of over two hundred men, planned to first dampen their spirits at the observation road. After
lying in ambush on the hilltops on both sides for about an hour, Yang Guo grew impatient, muttering something under his breath. I ignored him, only chuckled at Mu Wanqing, who insisted on coming with me, "That kid's got a temper like a monkey, can't even sit still for a short time. I really don't know how he manages his men."
Mu Wanqing rolled her eyes at me, then whispered in my ear, "Isn't it all your doing that he's promoted? This little kid is on par with Shen Hanyang, I wonder how many people are gossiping."
Her voice was soft and sweet, her fragrance wafting over me. The faint scent tickled my neck, and I felt a surge of desire. While everyone was lying in the grass, my hands began to wander. I gently stroked her shapely buttocks, kneading them vigorously a few times. They were indeed incredibly soft and elastic. Mu Wanqing blushed deeply, but dared not make a sound, turning her head away and ignoring me. I was overjoyed; the tension of facing a formidable enemy had vanished.
Suddenly, signals came from ahead, and we all tensed up again. Not long after, a long, scattered line appeared ahead. The infantry was neither disciplined nor orderly, and their march was haphazard. Everyone was extremely thin. I sneered inwardly, what kind of army was this? But then I thought that most northern armies were like this now, and I felt relieved. I reminded myself that although these men were starving and disorganized, they were all seasoned veterans, and I couldn't be careless.
The front of the column was all infantry, with the cavalry at the back, probably because cavalry was so precious. I drooled as I looked at the archers in the column and the arrows in their quivers; these were treasures!
Seeing that two or three hundred men had already left the observation post, I stood up and shouted the order: "Lower the rolling logs and stones! Pour the oil! Fire the fire arrows!"
More than a hundred men stood up on both sides of the mountain, and the pre-piled rolling logs and stones thundered down. Dozens of earthenware jars filled with oil were also thrown down, and after the fire arrows were fired, a raging fire immediately broke out. There was a chorus of screams below; I didn't know how many men and horses had been killed or wounded. Their main force was immediately thrown into chaos.
Seeing that things were about to get out of hand, I waved for them
to descend the mountain. These men were seasoned veterans; why didn't they send scouts to search and advance in such a dangerous place? Were they really so careless? Reaching the horse pasture, I donned my armor. Without a word, I led fifty-odd cavalrymen around the enemy lines and headed straight for the hundreds of infantrymen who were stranded outside. In this situation, I had to personally lead the charge; otherwise, these soldiers would be difficult to manage.
The pass was completely blocked by boulders, and screams and curses echoed throughout the observation post. Guo Ping had indeed ordered his men to seize two hilltops. The two or three hundred infantrymen outside the pass were bewildered, unsure of what to do, and not a single junior officer stepped forward to give command. After a charge by my cavalry, they offered only minimal resistance before scattering in all directions. They were no match for the horses and were caught and cut down one by one; the number of dead and wounded was probably around one hundred and forty or fifty.
In this one-sided massacre, I killed six people, covered in blood, looking like a god of war descended to earth. Seeing the enemy flee into the distance, I shouted from horseback, "Strip them of their armor, staffs,
and weapons! Let's go back to the camp!" The enemy, who had finally climbed the hilltop, watched us strip them of their gear, and dozens of cavalrymen even parade around them in a show of force before leaving in a cloud of dust. All they could do was shout and curse from the mountaintop.
Hurriedly returning to the camp, I didn't care that my body was covered in congealed blood and drenched in sweat inside my armor. I ordered my men to defend the camp walls. Just as things were starting to look promising, I saw Sun Keyi supporting Shen Qingfeng, watching me from afar among the figures running around.
I quickly descended the stockade wall and went over. "Qingfeng, why are you out here too? It's so noisy outside, and you're not well. Going out in the wind is no joke."
Shen Qingfeng grasped my hand and said softly, "My husband has changed. He's become more responsible and courageous. As his wife, even if I can't fight alongside you, I can still cheer you on. I really envy Sister Mu, who can always be by your side..."
My mind was full of worries, and I didn't have time to talk to her much. I could only force a smile and say, "Qingfeng, what are you saying? You're much better now, aren't you just like Wanmei? I have so many things to do. You two find a safe place and watch your husband fight the bandits." I patted Sun Keyi's head, telling her to take good care of Shen Qingfeng. Then I ran back towards the stockade wall.
Shen Qingfeng stood there, watching me run off into the distance, then looked at Sun Keyi and said softly, "My husband really has changed, hasn't he?"
As I was directing them to put the crossbows (which Kang had salvaged from the ship) into place on the stockade wall, Murong Fu arrived with his men. I was a little curious; why was this guy here instead of leaving? Murong Fu smiled and bowed to me: "Young Master Yu, your act of dismounting to issue a proclamation and then mounting to fight the bandits truly makes me feel ashamed. Although I am not talented, I understand the principle that when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Therefore, I have come to ask Young Master Yu for a task and to do my best."
Having a few more top experts to help is certainly good, but I still need to be wary of you, kid. I didn't waste any words with them, getting straight to the point: "Military affairs are urgent now, so I won't mince words. I am naturally grateful for Young Master Murong's assistance. However, since you are following my orders, military law applies, and this is absolutely essential. If I have offended you in any way, I will apologize to you after this matter
is resolved… Now, I ask you all to go up to the stockade wall. The key is to control the gate and prevent the enemy from attacking it. If any skilled enemy dares to take risks, please handle them. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you accountable." A flash of anger crossed Murong Fu's face, and several of his subordinates also looked indignant. Murong Fu clasped his hands in a salute: "I accept the order. I will take care of the stockade gate."
I waved for Yang Guo to send a sentry to them for command. I turned to look outside. Guo Ping's troops had finally regrouped and were advancing step by step.
This force was different from the one before. Over a thousand men formed a neat square formation. The first rank consisted entirely of infantrymen wielding large shields, the second of archers, followed by rows of infantrymen wielding swords and spears. Finally, cavalry escorted a young general with a white banner on his helmet, pressing forward firmly. Their synchronized marching stirred up clouds of dust—this was the true face of this battle-hardened army!
Looking at the gleaming reflections of the enemy's swords and spears, I noticed many of the Ancient Sword Fortress disciples were pale and trembling, clearly intimidated by the enemy's imposing presence. I deliberately spoke loudly to Shen Hanyang beside me: "Look at how pale this enemy looks. They have neither siege equipment nor supplies. I want to see how many days it will take them to attack us? Will they starve first, or will we be wiped out first?"
Shen Hanyang also seemed somewhat nervous, and understood my words. He shouted loudly to his men, "This is where our elders have lived for decades! We can't let these guys ruin it! They don't have supplies; they won't last long! As long as we hold our ground, we're sure to win this time!"
Before he finished speaking, Yang Guo had already led the charge, shouting, "Victory! Victory! Victory!" Everyone raised their weapons and roared in unison. Morale soared to its peak.
Guo Ping, watching the shouts from the opposite stockade wall, felt deeply frustrated. Although he had surrendered to the Mongols, the Mongol army didn't really control him. Families like the Shi family of Zhen Ding and the Zhang family of Daming had all conquered their own territories after surrendering to the Mongols, naturally gaining titles and honors. His father had left him three or four thousand soldiers, and he naturally wanted to follow the same path. Who would have thought that he'd run into trouble in Henan, losing half his troops, while the Mongols had snatched away all the lucrative opportunities? Having finally learned of a small fortified village that the Mongols didn't seem to care much about, and noting that Shen Hanyang had several beautiful female disciples under his command, he decided to take advantage of the situation.
A few days ago, he had been forced to besiege Zhongjing Prefecture, and had only sent his men to deliver a letter demanding surrender, offering up grain and women. He thought to himself, "These bumpkins can't possibly withstand a blow from my large army!" But nothing happened. Just then, several thousand Mongol reinforcements from Shaanxi changed their garrison, arriving hastily without even informing their commander, hoping to make a quick profit. The Mongol commander, after all, didn't pay much attention to this small, newly recruited force, often forgetting about them when replenishing supplies.
Unexpectedly, at the observation post, he suffered a crushing defeat, losing nearly three hundred men. The enemy even had cavalry! He wasn't particularly afraid, but extremely angry. This was a huge loss! If he couldn't open this fortified village, replenish his supplies, and recruit more able-bodied men, he would soon be eaten alive!
He commanded his troops to halt about three hundred paces from the moat. The front rank of infantry planted their large shields heavily in the ground and crouched down, while the archers in the rear drew their bows, the gleaming arrowheads aimed at the opposite stockade wall. Although they lacked siege equipment, Guo Ping was absolutely confident he could raze this small stockade to the ground.
Seeing the enemy approach, I also ordered the doors salvaged from various houses to be erected on the stockade wall. Behind these doors, crossbows were set up and loaded with fireballs, ready to fire as soon as the enemy drew closer. Suddenly, we heard someone shout from the enemy ranks opposite us: "Is Shen Hanyang in charge here? Tell him to come out and answer!" Shen Hanyang and I exchanged a glance. He stepped out from behind the door and shouted, "I am Shen Hanyang. What do you want to say?"
Then we saw Guo Ping ride forward a few steps and point at Shen Hanyang with his whip from his own ranks, laughing, "Old Shen, I came here with good intentions to establish a marriage alliance with you and help protect your village, but you treat us like this. Whose power are you relying on? Do you know that your little lousy village is nothing more than something we can wipe out with a spit from one of us? You and I..." "Fight? Open the gates obediently, and I'll guarantee your safety. What you did at the military outpost was nothing but ignorance and fear; I, Guo Ping, won't hold it against you. I'll count to three, and if you still don't surrender, then we'll all perish—that's your own doing!"
Shen Hanyang said calmly, "We commoners wouldn't dare to presume upon such a wealthy relative. We've always lived our own lives perfectly well; please leave the general's kindness to others… We commoners may not amount to much, but if others come to rob or kill us, we'll have no choice but to risk our lives and fight them to the bitter end. General, please come in!"

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Bloody Battle of Hedong Army

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