The Bodyguard King's CEO Wife-Chapter 1392: The Unusual Wolf Clan
Upon hearing Man Cang’s words, everyone felt uplifted, showing readiness to fight the Wolf Clan to the death. Ye Shikai hoped for everyone to achieve glory, but he hoped even more that they would live to receive that honor. Any modern person witnessing hundreds of thousands battling with blades would be shocked, even if Ye Shikai used to be the leader of Dragon Teeth.
Ye Shikai’s preferred strategy was to rely on the Great Wall for defense, minimizing losses this way. However, the Wolf Clan had long coveted the Central Plains, which had mountains of grain and advanced smelting and manufacturing technologies that were sorely lacking on the steppe, and most desired by them.
"The Wolf Clan is approaching." Suddenly, a drumbeat rang from the wall, and all the soldiers rushed into combat positions. The ballistae were loaded with arrows, aimed at the distant Wolf Clan. The soldiers who were eating immediately put down their bowls, grabbed their weapons, and lined up.
Ye Shikai quickly ascended the wall. As expected, the Wolf Clan’s army had lined up and was slowly advancing toward the Great Wall. However, there were hills below, making it unlikely for the Wolf Clan to charge directly.
"So many people." Everyone also ascended the wall. Seeing the dense mass of troops slowly approaching, Man Cang couldn’t help but marvel. Not even during the Qin Wei war did he see such a massive formation.
The Qin Army, although numerous, was dispersed along the Great Wall, making quick assembly difficult. If the Wolf Clan broke through at any point, tens of thousands of cavalry would flood through the breach.
"Don’t panic, hold your ground, archers prepare." Meng Tian and several generals hastily ascended the Great Wall. The Wolf Clan’s vanguard was only four miles away, visible with the naked eye, and already within ballista range...
"Great General, the Wolf Clan is at our doorstep, what should we do?" With the Wolf Clan pressing closer, everyone felt like a weight was crushing their chests, tense to the point they could hardly breathe—a sign of impending battle.
The Wolf Clan mostly consisted of cavalry but also had some basic siege weapons like ladders and catapults. Also, every Wolf Clan member was skilled in the bow, with precise archery, but limited by their manufacturing level, their range was far inferior to the Qin Army’s crossbows.
"Fire the arrows." Meng Tian seized the moment, issuing an order, and tens of thousands of archers and dozens of ballistae unleashed their arrows, blotting out the light with countless darts...
Whenever the Qin Army intended to attack a place, it would leverage the advantage of powerful crossbows, using them to suppress the enemy, which also induced fear in the enemy.
The Wolf Clan troops hit by the arrows fell, and horses lay in blood. Seeing this, the Wolf Clan soldiers retreated, grabbed shields, and slowly withdrew.
"Good."
"Good."
The troops cheered. Just one wave of arrow fire was enough to scare the Wolf Clan, and some even optimistically believed the Wolf Clan wouldn’t make it to the wall, being entirely shot down by arrows.
Meng Tian gestured for the troops to stop. Since the Wolf Clan set up a siege posture, they were likely to breach the Great Wall at all costs. Their hesitating moves would only lead to greater losses. If the siege couldn’t be won by encirclement, a swift victory was necessary. If the siege persisted, they would only suffer more arrows...
Meng Tian wasn’t jubilantly cheering like the soldiers. This wasn’t a retreat at all. The Wolf Clan was known for being brave and battle-hardened, not fearing death and injury. How could a few arrows make them retreat? What were they planning? Meng Tian couldn’t quite grasp it and dared not relax.
"Great General, the Wolf Clan seems to be retreating, should we chase?" a deputy general suggested.
"No, we don’t know their tactical intention yet. Don’t dispatch troops blindly." Meng Tian stopped the deputy generals. Perhaps the Wolf Clan intended to lure the Qin Army outside the wall by feigning weakness, then catch them off guard. Unfortunately, their opponent wasn’t a glory-chasing incompetent commander but the battle-hardened, experienced Meng Tian.
"Order the troops that no one may fight without authorization. Deploy more scouting cavalry, monitor the Wolf Clan army’s movements, and report any activity immediately. Additionally, keep watch in turns, with no slack, violators will be executed." Meng Tian was always decisive and known for strict discipline, so rarely did soldiers dare to defy military orders.
At night, in the tent.
"Really, don’t understand what the Great General is thinking. The Wolf Clan is clearly retreating, why not pursue them?" Man Cang took a sip of wine, grumbling with apparent dissatisfaction.
"Our morale is high now, it’s the perfect time to fight. If time drags on, our troops’ spirits will inevitably decline, and it won’t be the best time anymore."
Many battle-hungry soldiers voiced their dissatisfaction. Ye Shikai quietly ate his meat and wine, not commenting. Once they truly experienced the battlefield, they’d understand everything...
"Old Ye, don’t you have anything to say?" Shangguan Jian noticed Ye Shikai’s unusual silence, and everyone chatting, yet he was quiet, so he stepped forward to inquire.
"Anyone who steps onto the battlefield shouldn’t consider themselves as alive. At any moment here, we could die. Surviving is the greatest blessing." Ye Shikai murmured.
"I agree with you. It seems, before I met you, you were a soldier too, right?" Shangguan Jian slowly sat by his side. This was an honest remark. Shangguan Jian had also been through great battles and understood Ye Shikai’s thoughts.
"Report to the two Lords, Lord Han has urgent military news and wants both to immediately go to the tent to discuss and gather the troops for departure." Suddenly, a soldier rushed in, speaking in front of everyone. Man Cang immediately reacted, putting down his bowl, and led his fellows back to camp to line up.
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"My Lord, what’s happening?"
"General Meng has ordered us to reach Shifeng Fortress in four hours without delay." Han Hao’s face was anxious, indicating that the military order was indeed urgent. Meng Tian suddenly issued such a pressing command; did he perceive something?
Ye Shikai had no time to spare, and the troops were about to depart. He soon had to return himself.
"Understood."
"My Lord, what’s actually happening?" Ye Shikai inquired.
"General Meng didn’t say, just asked us to take over the fortress defense, likely deploying us to strengthen defenses. It’s one of the Great Wall’s entrances, with only two thousand stationed troops, indeed not enough." Han Hao was quite puzzled. If it was regular reinforcements, why so urgently? But he didn’t dare ask, only comply with orders.
"Quickly return and set off as soon as possible."
