Mythical Three Kingdoms-Chapter 1619 - 1560: Ruthless
As the five routes of Xiliang Iron Cavalry charged amidst the chaos, the army that was already in disarray due to the unexpected attack on its flanks by the Wolf Cavalry became even more chaotic with the enemy attacking on both sides and the main force being breached in five places, losing more than half of its command.
When Zhang Xiu rushed towards the Command Banner, Xu Shu had already successfully directed their army into the passage opened by the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, further fragmenting the already chaotic Miscellaneous Hun into smaller parts.
Meanwhile, the Wolf Cavalry on the outer perimeter took advantage of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry's breakthrough through the center of the Miscellaneous Hun, and attacked the main formation of the Hun People, significantly disrupting the Miscellaneous Hun's command and control. The combined efforts of the three forces stripped the Miscellaneous Hun of their command almost entirely, paralyzing more than half of the Miscellaneous Hun army.
"Cut it for me!" Zhang Xiu, taking advantage of the chaos, charged into the area of the Miscellaneous Hun's Command Banner, stabbed the Banner Officer to death with one thrust, and then swept horizontally with all his might, directly severing the Command Banner. The already chaotic Miscellaneous Hun became even more disordered with the breaking of the Command Banner.
At this moment, the last two units of Xiliang Iron Cavalry, covered in blood, also charged out from the front of the already chaotic Miscellaneous Hun main formation. As soon as they emerged, they wheeled their horses around, cut a path, and charged back into the Miscellaneous Hun main formation. However, by this time, the Miscellaneous Hun main formation began to collapse. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
The other five cavalry units occasionally charged out from the left or right of the Miscellaneous Hun rear army. The sounds of battle and shouts from the main formation, coupled with the incessant charges by the five units of Iron Cavalry, gradually led to a rout in the rear, and as Zhang Xiu consolidated the remaining Iron Cavalry and charged into the front of the rear army, the entire Miscellaneous Hun army completely collapsed.
When Zhang Liao and Zhang Xiu met, they both smiled and turned their horses around, gathering their forces and driving the entire Miscellaneous Hun army toward the northwest direction, where the dust rose, signaling the imminent arrival of the Miscellaneous Hun reinforcements.
"Well done!" Zhang Xiu shouted to Zhang Liao as he galloped.
"No, more importantly, you coordinated well." Zhang Liao swung his long spear and stabbed a Miscellaneous Hun commander chasing behind through the back.
"But without you, at best, I could only hold the line!" Zhang Xiu laughed and said, "Let's drive these Miscellaneous Hun and see how the Hun reinforcements will respond!"
"Wen Chang, collect the arrows, don't pursue yet, collect the arrows first, there will be another fierce battle soon. I think I understand what Master Jia means." Xu Shu instructed, seeing Wei Yan and Guan Ping were ready to give chase.
As Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao drove nearly twenty thousand routed Miscellaneous Hun towards the incoming reinforcements, the Miscellaneous Hun reinforcements noticed the situation. Of course, for the Miscellaneous Hun, the Miscellaneous Hun and the Miscellaneous Hun are not of the same race; the ones ahead are the Jie Clan, while the reinforcements are the Xianbei!
Additionally, the Xianbei and the Jie Clan have grudges against each other. If it weren't for the Northern Huns suppressing them from above, the Xianbei would have fought the Jie Clan long ago. This is also why the Xianbei reinforcements did not hasten earlier; the losses of the Jie Clan are not their concern. If it weren't for the Northern Huns ordering them to assist, the Xianbei wouldn't bother with this matter!
Of course, the Xianbei Chief could guarantee that he had really not anticipated the Jie Clan collapsing so easily. Isn't it just a few thousand-looking Han army reinforcements? How did they crumble in less than a quarter of an hour? No matter how strong the Han army is, hadn't it already been beaten once before? Yet, you are so weak!
Now that you have collapsed so weakly, you dare charge at our Xianbei formation. Naturally, the Xianbei had no intentions of being lenient. Without any greetings, they unleashed a rain of arrows on the routed troops charging at them, and the density of that arrow rain did not look like a warning at all.
This wave of arrow rain left Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao somewhat dumbfounded. Though shooting arrows to warn the incoming routed troops to bypass the formation was indeed the correct course of action, this arrow rain, you call this a warning?
More than six thousand mounted archers lined up in front of the Jie Clan with an arrow rain, eliminating over a thousand people in just a few waves. The routed troops of the Jie Clan were scared to death, naturally fleeing to the sides, not daring to charge at the Xianbei formation. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao's intent was rendered impossible.
"These Xianbei People are really ruthless." Zhang Xiu said to Zhang Liao as he turned his head, "Oh, right, I never asked your name. Is it Zhang Wenyuan? I'm Zhang Xiu, Zhang Boyuan."
"Yes, Zhang Liao, Zhang Wenyuan." Zhang Liao nodded. He had seen Zhang Xiu a few times before during Dong Zhuo's era but had never really interacted with him. He only discovered Zhang Xiu's formidable strength during Lyu Bu's Shatter Void incident.
It was also then that Zhang Liao understood that during the Luoyang days, Zhang Xiu was already at the top level of Inner Qi Manifestation, though he might have been concealing his strength using some secret technique.
"The Xianbei Cavalry is coming, I'll take on the main force. We've handled such troops many times in Bingzhou; our experience is rich." Zhang Liao said, as the cavalry behind them all stopped naturally and stood behind them.
However, unlike Zhang Xiu, the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry behind Zhang Liao formed a phalanx, while the Wolf Cavalry formed a spearhead formation.
"It's not that simple. This reinforcement seems to number fifty to sixty thousand. We're not in our best state, and Lieutenant Liu's men told me the entire Miscellaneous Hun forces are about one hundred fifty to sixty thousand. I've estimated that if the Huns are ruthless, they might really have that many." Zhang Xiu turned and informed Zhang Liao of the situation.
"This is indeed somewhat troublesome." Zhang Liao said, frowning. "I have four thousand five hundred Wolf Cavalry here; oh, they're coming." As he spoke, Zhang Liao pointed to a distant black line emerging.
"I have a reinforcement of about three thousand elite cavalry." Zhang Xiu said, with a displeased expression, realizing that Pang De had yet to appear.
In fact, Zhang Xiu had no idea that shortly after he encountered the Jie Clan, Pang De encountered a reinforcement of Hu People. Though he didn't know where they came from, Pang De didn't think much and immediately went on a rampage.
Since the Hu People were all infantry, although their troops outnumbered Pang De nearly twenty times, Pang De found it much easier to deal with them compared to Zhang Liao's situation.
Being countered as a single unit is an unavoidable situation, except for the maneuverable cavalry on the plains, which can choose to escape when unable to fight, leaving no one able to do anything about them unless they were ambushed. That's why cavalry often operate independently, whereas infantry require coordinated support.
Pang De had no idea that the route of pure infantry melted by Zhao Yun after luring away the Hun main force was indeed the last reinforcements for Zang Ba pursued by the Miscellaneous Hun.
Upon locating Zang Ba's main forces, the Northern Huns dispatched some cavalry to pursue, while other Miscellaneous Hun forces continued their steadfast advance.
When the subsequent appearance of White Horse Soldiers lured away the Hun main forces, the Miscellaneous Hun cavalry abandoned the infantry to pursue the Han army. The infantry, desperate for contribution, ran as fast as they could and happened to collide with Pang De, who was passing by.
