coobybook Chapter 1131 Cavalry Displays Might, Half Welcoming, Half Shocking
Chapter 1131 Cavalry Displays Might, Half Welcoming, Half Shocking
Dian Wei grunted, gritted his teeth, and swung his halberd a few more times, but Ma Chao seized the opportunity, pressing down with the shaft of his spear and wrapping it around Dian Wei's wrist. Dian Wei felt a surge of skillful force, and he could no longer hold the iron halberd. It fell to the ground with two loud thuds, shaking the ground.
He was panting heavily, his chest heaving like a bellows, and stared at the golden spear in Ma Chao's hand. He said in a muffled voice, "I'm done fighting, I'm done fighting... I surrender."
Ma Chao stood with his spear sheathed, sweat beading on his forehead, but he laughed heartily: "You rascal, you have quite the strength. When you say you've tried your best, you really meant it!"
A moment of deathly silence followed, then a thunderous roar of cheers erupted. Children jumped up and down, shouting "The King is awesome!" Xu Huang, Pang De, and others also stepped forward, looking at Dian Wei's iron halberd and then at Ma Chao's golden spear, all exclaiming in astonishment: "Such a fierce battle, it's truly an eye-opener!"
Dian Wei picked up the halberd, scratched his head, and chuckled, "Your Majesty's spear technique is better than mine, so my defeat is not unjust."
Ma Chao patted him on the shoulder and said loudly, "Today was great! Let's go, let's have a feast!"
The setting sun cast long shadows of the group. The children surrounded Ma Chao, bombarding him with questions about the moves he had just executed. Ma Yue squeezed next to his father and whispered, "Dad, could you teach me that wrist-wrapping spear move you just used?"
Ma Chao looked down at his shining eyes, felt a warmth in his heart, and smiled, "Alright, I'll teach you tomorrow."
The laughter and noise on the drill ground, mixed with the distant sound of the evening drum, gently rippled through the evening glow.
The next day, just as dawn broke, a crowd had already gathered on the walls of Wu Commandery. Ma Chao, fully armed, his black armor gleaming coldly in the morning light, stood by the crenellations, watching the troops gradually assembling outside the city, his brow slightly furrowed. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai were both veteran generals of Jiangdong, having followed Sun Jian and Sun Ce in their campaigns, carrying an indomitable pride in their bones. Today, not only was he welcoming them, but he also wanted to show them just how strong the Xiliang army truly was.
A rustling sound came from behind, and Ma Yue, along with Sun Shao, Wu Niu, and the other children, followed. They were all dressed in short clothes, their eyes full of curiosity. "Dad, can we come with us to the dock?" Ma Yue asked, looking up at him, his tone pleading.
Ma Chao glanced back at the group of youngsters, then at Zhou Yu beside him who was smiling, and nodded, saying, "Stand on the city wall and watch. I'll show you what military might is."
The words had barely left his lips when the rhythmic clatter of armor plates echoed outside the city. Ten thousand Xiliang cavalry, arrayed in a square formation, pressed down upon the city in a dark, imposing mass, their spears and halberds like a forest, their banners like a sea. The soldiers stood tall and proud, their armor gleaming, even their warhorses neighing with heads held high, exuding a fearless and indomitable spirit—after two days of rest, these men who had fought their way out of Xiliang had fully recovered their strength, their fighting spirit barely contained.
Looking at the army formation below the city, Zhou Yu clapped his hands gently: "Brother's iron cavalry is indeed worthy of its reputation. With such momentum, it's likely to stop the children of Jiangdong from crying."
The moment Ma Chao appeared, Xu Huang, Zhang Xiu, Taishi Ci, and other generals shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is mighty!"
Immediately afterwards, ten thousand cavalrymen shouted in unison, their voices like thunder, shaking even the bricks and tiles on the city wall: "Our King is mighty!!"
The children on the city wall held their breath in awe of the imposing aura. Wu Niu opened his mouth wide, pointing at the forest of spears below, speechless for a long time; Sun Shao, though he had grown up listening to stories of battle, was also overwhelmed by the power of the thousands of troops, his face flushed red; Ma Yue was even more stunned—he had never seen his father like this before, his black armor outlining his tall figure in the morning light, a single gesture capable of eliciting a response from thousands of troops, a majesty more awe-inspiring than the shadows of spears on the training ground.
"This is the Xiliang Iron Cavalry." Ma Chao's voice rang in the children's ears, with a hint of solemnity. "They followed me from Xiliang to the grasslands, from the border to Jiangdong. They relied not on brute force, but on discipline, faith, and the determination to protect those behind them."
Ma Yue snapped back to reality, his gaze towards his father revealing something new. He suddenly understood that his father's "power" wasn't just about his exceptional marksmanship, but also about the spirit that inspired countless soldiers to follow him willingly.
Zhou Yu chuckled and said, "It's about time; we should head to the dock."
Ma Chao nodded, turned and walked down the city wall. The children crowded around the crenellations, watching him mount his horse and ride off alongside Zhou Yu, followed by Xu Huang and other generals, slowly merging into the army formation below the city.
On the city wall, Sun Shao, Wu Niu, and several other children clung to the crenellations, their eyes wide with astonishment. Looking at the imposing iron cavalry formation below, like a dark cloud pressing down, and hearing the deafening shouts of "Great King is mighty!", they were all speechless with shock.
"Brother Ma Yue, your father is so impressive!" Sun Shao grabbed Ma Yue's arm, his voice trembling.
Wu Niu chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! With so many cavalrymen, the ground would tremble three times with every step they took!"
Ling Tong, being younger, looked up and asked, "Can we go to the dock? I want to go with Brother Ma Yue!"
The children pleaded with him, calling him "Big Brother" repeatedly. The "King" they had called him earlier, meant jokingly, now carried a genuine sense of respect. Unable to resist their pestering, Ma Yue glanced at his father's imposing figure below the city walls. His initial resentment vanished, and he simply shouted down towards the city walls, "Father!"
The shout was clear and resonant, piercing through the grim atmosphere of the military formation.
Just as Ma Chao was about to spur his horse, he heard the sound and abruptly pulled on the reins. His horse, "Aurora," reared up with a long neigh before steadily turning halfway around. He looked up at the city wall and saw Ma Yue peering down from it, a smile creeping onto his lips. "What's wrong, Yue'er?"
"Father!" Ma Yue called out smoothly, all traces of his previous hesitation gone. "Could my little brothers come along? We want to go to the dock together!"
Looking at the expectation in his son's eyes, and then glancing at the group of little ones watching expectantly from the city wall, Ma Chao laughed loudly, "Granted! Come down, all of you!"
"Yay!" the children cheered, rushing down the city wall in a swarm, their footsteps echoing in the stairwell.
The Xiliang cavalry stood in formation, ten thousand horses standing at attention, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light. A group of teenagers ran breathlessly to the front of the army, craning their necks to look at the tall horses, their eyes filled with excitement.
Ma Chao bent down and scooped Ma Yue up in front of him, settling him firmly on the saddle of "Aurora." This steed was fiercely independent, and no one but Ma Chao could get close to it. Yet, at this moment, it snorted docilely and nuzzled its head against Ma Yue's arm, showing no sign of anger whatsoever.
Zhou Yin, tugging at Sun Shao's sleeve, came to Zhou Yu, wanting to mount his father's horse. Zhou Yu, however, smiled and pulled Sun Shao to his side, saying, "Sun Shao, go with your uncle." As he spoke, he winked at Pang De, and Zhou Yin pursed his lips.
Pang De spurred his horse forward, grabbed Zhou Yin, and tossed him onto the saddle in front of him: "Come on, nephew, let your uncle have a good look!"
Gan Xiang, Pan Hu, and several other children were also taken onto horses by Xu Huang, Zhang Xiu, and others. Some sat in front of the generals, while others were held by guards, and they all smiled broadly.
"Let's go!" Ma Chao gave the order, and Aurora took the lead, followed closely by more than 10,000 cavalrymen. The sound of their hooves was uniform and like rolling thunder.
The children sat on the horses, propelled forward by their tall steeds, feeling the wind whistling past their ears and the scenery rushing by. Sun Shao, clinging to Zhou Yu's arm, laughed loudly, "So impressive! I want to be like that when I grow up!"
Sitting in front of his father, Ma Yue could clearly smell the faint scent of gunpowder and leather on him. With his back against his father's strong chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, he felt very at ease. He secretly glanced at his father's hand holding the reins; the knuckles were distinct, and the area between his thumb and forefinger was covered with calluses—marks left from years of handling guns.
Zhou Yu rode alongside Ma Chao, watching Ma Yue in his arms, who was pursing his lips but couldn't hide his smugness, and teased, "Your Majesty, your 'little king' in front of you has certainly made a name for himself today."
Ma Chao glanced down at his son and saw him secretly grinning. He laughed loudly, "Our Ma family boys should have this kind of spirit!"
Sunlight streamed across the army formation, casting long shadows of the iron cavalry. The laughter of children mingled with the sounds of horses' hooves and the rustling of armor plates as they marched towards the dock, like a string of clear bells adorning the path of this mighty army. Ma Yue quietly clutched his father's lapel, a single thought swirling in his mind: So this is the world Father protects, truly…awesome.
The iron cavalry shattered the morning mist, and the riverside dock was instantly shrouded in a chilling atmosphere. Although Cheng Pu and Huang Gai's personal guards were all veterans of countless battles in Jiangdong, seeing the more than 10,000 Xiliang iron cavalry surging in like a dark cloud, their armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight, and their warhorses snorting, they couldn't help but grip their sword hilts tightly, even their breathing becoming slightly shallower.
"What's the panic!" Cheng Pu shouted in a low voice, his white beard trembling slightly, but he still kept his back straight. Huang Gai also said in a deep voice, "It's the banner of the Xiliang Army. Judging from the formation, General Ma must be here in person."
Gan Ning smiled and said, "Generals, don't panic. I'll go and greet them." Before he finished speaking, a group of elite cavalrymen had already broken out from the iron cavalry formation. The leader was Ma Chao, followed by Zhou Yu, Pang De, and others. A half-grown child, Ma Yue, was sitting in front of the horse.
As the cavalry slowed and stopped in front of the horse, Ma Chao reined in his horse, and the jade lion snorted. He looked down at Ma Yue in his arms, then looked up at Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, and said loudly, "Generals, it's been many years. Do you still recognize Ma Chao?"
Cheng Pu and Huang Gai exchanged a glance, their cloudy eyes suddenly gleaming. They had witnessed Ma Chao's prowess countless times when they fought alongside Sun Ce, and now, seeing his tall figure and bright eyes again, they vaguely recognized him as the young general who had once single-handedly defeated countless heroes. With two thuds, the two old generals knelt down simultaneously. Huang Gai's voice choked with emotion: "How could we not recognize you! General Ma Chao's bearing remains as magnificent as ever! We...we thought we would never see you again in this lifetime!"
Ma Chao then dismounted, gently placed Ma Yue on the saddle, strode forward, raised his sword-wielding right hand, and lightly lifted the arms of the two veteran generals with the scabbard: "Old generals, please rise! Jiangdong has been able to maintain peace entirely thanks to your leadership. How can Ma Chao accept such a great honor?"
As Cheng Pu was helped up, he stroked his beard and wiped the corner of his eye: "General Tian helped Bo Fu pacify Jiangdong back then, and we will remember this kindness for the rest of our lives. Now that the general is well, Jiangdong is safe and sound!" Huang Gai also said: "Yes, with General Tian here, the stability of both sides of the river is more secure."
Seeing this, the generals behind him also dismounted and carefully lifted the children off the saddle. Zhou Yu reached out and pulled Sun Shao into his arms, then gestured for his guards to take Zhou Yin from him. He walked slowly to Ma Chao's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. He smiled gently at Cheng Pu and Huang Gai and said, "Generals, you two have come a long way and must be tired. Come with us back to the city to rest."