20demayo Chapter 2: Desperate Measures, Unrivaled Arrow!
Chapter 2: Desperate Measures, Unrivaled Arrow!
River crossing!
When Wanyan Husha, the commander who was reinforcing the Battle of Yehuling, led his troops to retreat to this place, he saw that the Mongol pursuers were closing in. He abandoned his 150,000-strong army and fled alone, disappearing without a trace.
Without their commander, the Jin army was like sheep in the hands of the Mongols, powerless to fight back. Some knelt down and begged for mercy, only to be killed by the bloodthirsty Mongols.
Some charged in despair, only to be swallowed up by the iron hooves, their bodies never to be found.
Many people saw the great river behind them as their savior; they would rather drown than face the Mongols behind them.
They rushed into the river, trampling each other, and died in the crowd before they could drown.
Those Jin soldiers who were farther from the river were slaughtered in droves, their blood staining the earth red. The tragedy of the Battle of Yehuling was being repeated at this moment.
Muqali, standing beneath the great banner bestowed upon him by Genghis Khan, coldly commanded the Mongol army to reap the remnants of the defeated forces before him.
The Mongol soldiers spread out in a fan shape, like driving cattle and sheep, and kept pushing the remnants of the Jin army toward the river.
Under the setting sun, the water of the Hui River had turned red.
One Jin soldier was pushed down and trampled into the mud by his comrade, while another was dragged along by Mongol cavalry with a lasso. The Mongol soldiers laughed wildly; they had turned this place into a playground, not a battlefield.
The Jurchen army, which a hundred years ago was said to be invincible with ten thousand men, was like the most cowardly livestock in front of the Mongols, preferring to be toyed with to death rather than having the courage to resist.
Resistance requires not only courage but also hope, but at this moment they only have despair!
Suddenly, an arrow flew from afar and killed the Mongol soldier who was dragging the Jin army.
The Jin soldier, who had narrowly escaped death, stood up blankly, his eyes cloudy. Between life and death, he had no strength to think, no fear, and no joy.
He instinctively looked up at the hillside, and suddenly, a light appeared in his eyes.
Under the setting sun, a general dressed in white armor stood on a distant hillside.
The red glow of dusk shone through his back, forming a halo behind him that made his figure appear blurry and otherworldly.
Mu Huali's eyelids twitched instantly, and the terrifying scene of the Battle of Wild Fox Ridge flashed through his mind.
The white armor was dazzlingly bright in the setting sun, like a flag; he recognized the armor.
Just days ago, his master Genghis Khan almost died at the hands of the enemy. Most of his once brave and invincible colleagues are now lying in their tents unable to move because of the enemy, and some have even become unrecoverable corpses.
The Jin soldier who had narrowly escaped death also recognized the armor, and he immediately roared loudly.
The shouts started faintly, but soon spread like wildfire throughout the valley.
One person shouted, then ten people shouted, then a hundred people shouted, and then the whole valley was shouting.
The sounds began to spread from the riverbank; some people were calling for the young prince, some were shouting for help, and some were simply shouting.
As they shouted, one Jin soldier stopped, then another, and then everyone stopped.
They turned to face the Mongols, not out of bravery, but because they had seen the man on the hillside.
The flock of sheep, driven towards the river by the wolves, stopped in their tracks.
Their eyes have changed; they now have the look of trapped beasts!
From that moment on, they transformed from driven cattle and sheep into dying beasts, beasts about to launch a desperate struggle.
I don't know who roared first, but the voice didn't sound human, it sounded like a wild beast!
Then everyone started roaring, and the entire valley shook.
They rushed out, not in formation, not in battle formation, but as a group of people driven to the brink of despair, charging in the only direction they could go.
That direction led to the Mongols, and also to Yang Kang behind them.
At the confluence of the three rivers, the battle cries of the Jin army roared to the heavens. Seeing a glimmer of hope for survival, the Jin soldiers unleashed an unprecedented fighting spirit and once again clashed with the Mongol army. Muqali glanced at the battlefield and immediately understood the change in the battle situation.
Although he was unaware of the idiom "burn the boats and break the cauldrons," as a top commander of his time, he naturally understood the same principle.
The Jin army has stabilized its position. If the fighting continues, the Mongol casualties will double. If that person rushes in, he himself may also perish here.
After the Battle of Wild Fox Ridge, the overall strategic situation of the Mongol-Jin alliance was already set. At this point, pursuing them was merely to expand the gains, and there was no need for him to take such unnecessary risks.
Muqali rose from humble beginnings as a slave to become a commander of ten thousand under Genghis Khan through military achievements. He was certainly not a coward, but as a commander who would be remembered in history, he had no reason to risk his life to test the monster's iron spear at this moment.
"All troops, listen to my command: Retreat!"
Yang Kang pulled down his armor again, and the generals behind him immediately understood. The Iron Pagoda was formed again, like a long sword, and charged towards Muqali's location.
But the Mongols had already retreated like the tide, and by the time Yang Kang charged down, Muqali had already retreated to a safe distance.
[System Prompt: Historical Scene - A Do-or-Die Battle Reenacted]
[Xiang Yu template integration rate: 50%]
[Overlord's Arrow - Mind's Eye Lock, 100% Accuracy - Unlocked]
Amidst the deafening cheers of countless Jin soldiers who had escaped death, the fusion level before Yang Kang's eyes flickered once more.
[Host: Yang Kang]
[Current World: The Legend of the Condor Heroes]
[Character Template: Xiang Yu Template (50% Integration, Overlord Body, Military Formation, Overlord Divine Arrow)]
Martial Arts: Quanzhen Internal Energy, Nine Yang Divine Skill, Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill
[Note: Born to fight, until death!]
"Chaos is indeed the source of progress. I worked hard for sixteen years and barely unlocked the Overlord Body, but I unlocked so many good things in one battle."
"First, there was the buff-like troop formation, and now there's the Overlord Arrow!!"
Yang Kang looked at the system panel in front of him, feeling the strange changes that were once again emerging in his body, and murmured to himself.
He picked up his bow and shot an arrow almost instinctively, without any aiming. The arrow pierced the sky and brought down a golden eagle that was circling overhead.
"The young prince is a master archer!!"
"The young prince is invincible!!"
The incredible archery skills immediately drew cheers from the surrounding soldiers.
Yang Kang reined in his horse, pointed to the orderly retreating Mongol army, and said to Wanyan Chenheshang beside him.
"Well done, Muqali! Your grasp of the battle situation is truly remarkable."
"Indeed, there are no undeserving people under Genghis Khan's command."
Wanyan Chenheshang replied with a solemn expression.
"If this man hesitates even a moment longer, he will either die at the hands of the young prince or be surrounded and annihilated by our army, which is fighting with its back to the river."
"In such a perilous situation, he was able to make a decisive and unscathed retreat; that's truly terrifying. Are all the men under Genghis Khan like this?"
Yang Kang said in a deep voice.
"Heroes are as numerous as fish crossing a river; your achievements in the future may not be inferior to theirs."
"What's terrifying isn't Muqali, but Genghis Khan, who could make a slave the commander of a large army."
Along the riverbank, cheers erupted from every corner of the valley, as everyone shouted the name of Yang Kang.
This was the first time they had repelled the Mongols since the start of the war between the Mongols and the Jin dynasty.
Yang Kang did not turn back; for him, this was not a victory.
The protagonist of this era was far more powerful and terrifying than he had imagined. He couldn't kill Genghis Khan, and he couldn't even capture Muqali.
Yang Kang's eyes narrowed slightly, and his grip on the iron spear tightened subtly.
In the capital city, some were happy while others were sad.
The Jin army suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Yefuling, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers lying dead in the mountains. From that day on, no one could distinguish between the sound of the wind and the wailing of the ghosts at Yefuling.
When Emperor Wanyan Yongji of the Jin Dynasty heard the news of the defeat, he was plunged into an unprecedented despair.
The greater the hope before the battle, the greater the despair now.
"It's all that Tu Danyi's fault! His terrible idea has drained our Great Jin's vital energy!"
Wanyan Yongji shouted angrily, his voice even breaking into tears.
Wanyan Chenghui, a member of the imperial clan and a minister, responded indignantly.
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister's strategy was sound; the defeat at Wild Fox Ridge was due to entrusting the task to the wrong person."
"Wanyan Husha, who was in charge of reinforcements, took advantage of the battle to flee at the first sign of trouble. After being caught at Huihechuan, he abandoned his army and fled alone, disappearing without a trace, resulting in the annihilation of my 150,000-strong army."
"If it weren't for Prince Wanyan Kang of Zhao rallying the remaining troops to resist the Mongol army, Zhongdu would probably already be in danger!"
"Wanyan Kang, the heir apparent of the Prince of Zhao? What does he have to do with this?"
Wanyan Yongji asked, puzzled.
Wanyan Chenghui quickly recounted Yang Kang's exploits of charging into the enemy lines with a hundred men at Yehuling and nearly killing Genghis Khan, as well as how he gathered the remaining soldiers at Huihechuan and repelled the Mongol army.
Wanyan Yongji was initially saddened but then overjoyed. Upon hearing that Yang Kang had repelled the Mongols, he couldn't help but slap his thigh and stand up.
"Good! Good! So the Mongols aren't invincible after all!"
"Wanyan Kang is indeed the prodigy of my Wanyan family! Guards, summon Prince Zhao to the palace; I wish to reward him handsomely!"
But his eyes suddenly dimmed, and the joy in his words diminished.
"Wanyan Honglie, you've really raised a fine son."
Wanyan Yongji said with a slight headache.
When Wanyan Honglie married Bao Xiruo, she was already pregnant. This was unknown to outsiders, but Emperor Zhangzong of Jin knew it all.
All of Emperor Zhangzong's sons died young, so the throne had to be passed to his uncle.
However, in the world of The Condor Heroes, Emperor Zhangzong passed the throne to Wanyan Yongji because he knew about the scandal of Wanyan Honglie raising a son for someone else and not having a daughter for more than ten years afterward. He was afraid that the throne would be handed over to an outsider by this son.
After Wanyan Yongji ascended the throne, his suspicion of Wanyan Honglie never ceased, especially now that Yang Kang had achieved such a dazzling victory.
After a long while, a close attendant cautiously reminded the lost Emperor Jin, and Wanyan Yongji sighed deeply.
"Enough. The affairs of the state are difficult. Right now, we still need Wanyan Kang to resist the Mongols. Go and invite Prince Zhao to the palace."
Although he was unwilling, he knew that now was not the time to deal with Wanyan Honglie.
In the Prince of Zhao's residence, Wanyan Honglie and Bao Xiruo were overjoyed and wept upon hearing that Yang Kang was safe.
Wanyan Honglie was so excited he almost flew away.
"I knew Kang'er possessed the courage of ten thousand men! How could mere Mongols possibly defeat him! Now that Kang'er has achieved such a great feat, let's see who in the court and among the people dares to look down on us, father and son!"
Bao Xiruo, however, looked worried.
"What use is any achievement to me if Kang'er is safe?"
She was terrified that Yang Kang would take action against the Southern Song Dynasty in the future, but she couldn't go against her son's wishes. Now, while she was relieved, she couldn't help but worry.
In the palace, all the civil and military officials praised Wanyan Honglie and his son highly, as if the criticisms of the past years had never existed.
Even if Wanyan Yongji was displeased, he could only agree with the praise on the surface. Even if Wanyan Honglie was very careful, he could not hide the pride in his eyes at this moment.
Only Prime Minister Tu Danyi remained worried, knowing that Yang Kang had only managed to gather his remaining troops and repel a pursuing force.
"Your Majesty, Prince Zhao is indeed valiant, but the Mongol army has not retreated, and Zhongdu is still in imminent danger. This is not the time to celebrate."
"Please send men to Juyong Pass to defend Zhongdu as soon as possible, and then send troops to hold Liaodong."
Although Tu Danyi knew that the emperor no longer trusted him, he still earnestly advised him.
Wanyan Yongji's face instantly darkened.
"What the Prime Minister says is true, but the Mongols are attacking Zhongdu, what does that have to do with Liaodong!"
He wanted to boost morale by using Yang Kang, but this disruption caused him to abandon his entire strategy of using Tu Danyi.
Wanyan Honglie seized the opportunity to speak.
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is absolutely right."
"The siege of Zhongdu is still ongoing, and my son is still gathering troops. How about we send Kang'er to Juyong Pass to garrison the area?"
Yang Kang, who was only sixteen years old at the time, was regarded as a savior by the terrified Jin emperor. He immediately appointed Yang Kang to an official position and ordered him to go to Juyong Pass to set up defenses with Hu Shahu.
Inside Yang Kang's command tent, Wanyan Chenheshang looked at the appointment letter in his hand and couldn't help but feel resentful.
"Hu Shahu abandoned the city and fled, but the emperor not only did not punish him, but also ordered us to defend Juyong Pass with him."
"So, is the focus on him or on us?"
The surrounding soldiers also joined in the cursing.
If Hushahu hadn't fled in fear of battle, Genghis Khan might have died at Yang Kang's hands in the Battle of Yehuling.
Yang Kang suddenly turned around to look at everyone in the tent and said decisively.
"We're not going to Juyong Pass."
Wanyan Chen was slightly taken aback, then said in horror.
"Wait, Your Highness! Are you saying the Mongols may have already bypassed Juyong Pass and gone to the capital?"
The generals were instantly filled with fear.
"Young Prince, is the news accurate? If it's false, we'll be disobeying the imperial decree, which is tantamount to treason!"
One person hesitated.
"How could that good-for-nothing Hushahu possibly stop Genghis Khan at Juyong Pass?"
"I'm afraid he'll abandon the city and flee again at this point."
Yang Kang calmly said, "No need to say anything. I'll take care of it if the sky falls. Just carry out the orders."
Without further hesitation, the generals led the army to Zhongdu.
But none of them expected that Genghis Khan's sharpest fangs were already waiting for them beneath the walls of Zhongdu.