coobybook Chapter 1076: The City is Broken and All Captives Are Slaughtered
Chapter 1076: The City is Broken and All Captives Are Slaughtered
In Ordo City, the battle was at a stalemate. The air was thick with the stench of blood, like a thick, oppressive haze. The Xiliang warriors led by Xu Huang and Shao Ge, though each one a crack at the elite, fiercely skilled and valiant, were relatively outnumbered. The small tribal leader, who had defected at the last minute, commanded 30,000 men, but these men were far inferior to Murong Xuepo's elite troops in terms of training and combat prowess. The two sides exchanged blows, neither yielding, and for a time, it was difficult to determine the winner.
The city's streets had become a bloodbath, with corpses lying scattered across the ground and blood gushing out in streams that snaked down the terrain. Shouts, screams, and the clash of weapons mingled together, playing a cruel and tragic song of war.
At this crucial juncture, the thunderous sound of horse hooves suddenly echoed from outside the city walls. Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao, leading their cavalry, charged into the city like divine troops descending from the heavens. Their cavalry, in perfect unison and imposing, sent clouds of dust soaring in their wake. Zhang Xiu brandished his spear, its tip gleaming with a cold light, like a dragon emerging from the sea, bearing down on the enemy. Zhang Liao, wielding his long sword, his gaze stern, each swing carried a tremendous force that struck fear into the enemy.
The arrival of this new force instantly upset the balance of power on the battlefield. The Xiliang cavalry, upon seeing the reinforcements arrive, were greatly encouraged, roaring with fervor and brandishing their weapons with even greater ferocity. The soldiers of the smaller tribes were also emboldened, regrouping and coordinating closely with the cavalry, launching an even more ferocious attack on Murong Xuepo's army. Under this sudden, pincer attack, Murong Xuepo's army was thrown into disarray, panic settling, and their previously solid defenses were now shaky.
After all, both sides, whether Xu Huang and Shao Ge's troops or the small tribesmen who had defected at the last minute, had been attacking the city on foot, their movements relatively restricted. But now, the Western Liang cavalry, led by Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao, descended like a torrential downpour, their hooves thundering like rolling thunder, instantly disrupting the existing battle pattern.
The cavalry, relying on the impact of their horses, cut through the enemy infantry's defenses like a sharp knife. Murong Xuepo's troops, who had just been engaging the infantry in close combat, were thrown into disarray by this sudden cavalry charge.
A single Iron Knight, legs clamped to his horse's belly, long sword raised high, used the momentum of his horse's charge to slash at an enemy infantryman. The infantryman, before he could dodge, was struck by the long sword and fell with a scream. The Iron Knight's horse neighed as it charged through the crowd, shattering the enemy's formation.
Murong Xuepo's infantry tried to form a shield wall to resist the cavalry's charge, but under the high-speed attack of the Xiliang cavalry, the shield wall quickly collapsed. Soldiers were knocked off their horses, some even trampled by the horses' hooves, letting out waves of painful screams.
Xu Huang and Shao Ge seized this opportune moment, directing their infantry to coordinate with the Xiliang cavalry. Following the cavalry, the infantrymen attacked the scattered enemy troops one by one. For a moment, the cacophony of shouts, the neighing of horses, and the clash of weapons resounded throughout Ordos City.
Wulihan was horrified to see Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao leading the Western Liang cavalry charging at him like a hurricane. But he knew his own forces would be crushed if they didn't stop them, so he gritted his teeth and resolutely led his troops forward. However, infantry was already at a significant disadvantage against cavalry, especially since he was fighting with such haste.
Wulihan brandished his long sword, attempting to organize a defense, but the force of the Western Liang cavalry was too overwhelming. Zhang Xiu led the charge, spear in hand like a dragon emerging from the sea, thrusting straight at Wulihan. Wulihan blocked with his sword, but a resounding clang sent sparks flying, and the sheer force numbed his arm. Before he could recover, Zhang Liao charged from the other side, swinging his long sword. Wulihan couldn't dodge and was struck hard. Wulihan screamed, blood gushing out, and he staggered before collapsing headfirst to the ground, dead. This brave general was ultimately unable to withstand the ferocious onslaught of the Western Liang cavalry.
At that moment, Su He was engaged in a fierce battle with Xu Huang when he suddenly saw Wulihan killed. His heart was shaken, and his attention was momentarily distracted. Xu Huang, ever perceptive, immediately noticed Su He's change of heart and seized this perfect opportunity. With a loud cry, he raised his axe high with both hands and slashed at Su He with all his might. The axe's force was so powerful that it resounded like the sound of breaking through the wind. Su He regained his composure and tried to block, but it was too late. The axe fell fiercely, cleaving Su He and his weapon in two, and blood splattered all over Xu Huang's face. With the deaths of Wulihan and Su He, the morale of Murong Xuepo's men plummeted, and the soldiers, overcome with fear, began to flee.
The smaller tribal leaders, seeing the rapidly changing situation on the battlefield and the Han army on the verge of victory, were terrified of being accidentally injured by the Western Liang cavalry in the chaos. At this moment, Zhang Liao shouted, "Drop your weapons immediately, kneel aside, and wait for the King of Liang to enter the city!"
Upon hearing this, the leaders of the smaller tribes didn't hesitate, throwing their weapons to the ground and kneeling obediently. They knew that facing the ferocious Xiliang cavalry, even the slightest misstep could cost them their lives. The tribesmen behind them also dropped their weapons and knelt.
Seeing them obey, Zhang Liao ignored them and turned to lead his cavalry, continuing their pursuit of Murong Xuepo's scattered soldiers within the city. Wherever the cavalry passed, screams of agony echoed. Zhang Liao galloped, his long sword wielding with ferocious force. With each blow, an enemy soldier felled. Some tried to resist, but were swiftly cut down by the cavalrymen at Zhang Liao's side.
The city was thick with the smell of blood, and the fleeing soldiers were panicking, yet there was nowhere to go. The Xiliang cavalry, like a relentless torrent, swept through every corner of the city, crushing Murong Xuepo's remaining forces one by one.
Finally, the rebels in the city were unable to withstand the overwhelming force of the Xiliang cavalry. Seeing that the leaders and men of the smaller tribes had surrendered without being killed, they, driven by the desire to survive, also dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender.
Xu Huang and Shao Ge were about to lead their troops to execute the surrendered soldiers when Zhang Liao saw them and hurriedly shouted, "Gongming, hold off. Wait until the king enters the city before making a final decision."
The city gradually calmed down. The rebellious troops, along with the women and children caught up in the fighting, were herded aside and knelt obediently on the ground. Meanwhile, Ma Chao, flanked by a group of generals, led his personal guard into the city with a majestic presence. Ma Chao, atop a towering horse, stood tall and proud, like a descending god of war. His sharp gaze swept across the city, flanked by the resourceful Xu Shu and the calm and composed Lu Su.
Witnessing Ma Chao's heroic and invincible demeanor, the leaders of the small tribes were filled with awe and admiration. They knelt on the ground and shouted in unison: "General Shenwei Tian! General Shenwei Tian!" Ma Chao looked calm. He just glanced at them lightly and then looked straight ahead, as if the deafening shouts could not cause him too much emotional fluctuation.
In the city, whether it was the Western Liang cavalry who broke in first or the soldiers who followed Ma Chao into the city, they had all dismounted, holding their horses, staring at Ma Chao with fanaticism in their eyes, and shouting: "The King of Liang is mighty! The King of Liang is mighty!" The uniform shouts seemed to break through the sky, demonstrating the soldiers' absolute loyalty and admiration for Ma Chao.
Amidst the roaring shouts, Ma Chao halted his horse and slowly waved his hand. The previously bustling scene instantly quieted, and everyone's gaze fixed on him. Ma Chao's expression was solemn, and as he swept his gaze over his generals, he spoke: "My fellow soldiers, since leaving Yanmen Pass, we have spent a year and a half fighting bravely across this vast grassland. Today, we have finally captured the Xianbei royal court, Ordo City."
He paused briefly, his eyes revealing a mixture of emotion and relief. He continued, "Men, we have secured decades of peace on this border with two years of hard work. I see all your hard work. Today, you have slain the enemy general, demonstrating remarkable achievements. Every soldier has made invaluable contributions to this victory. Upon our return to Chang'an, I will reward you according to your merits, and I will not let anyone down."
Upon hearing this, all the generals clasped their fists and shouted, "Thank you, Your Majesty!" Their voices were in unison and loud, echoing over the sky of Ordo City.
When the thunderous shouting subsided slightly, and a pause appeared, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Zhang Xiu, and other generals solemnly presented the heads of Kebineng, Tarim, Ulihan, Suhe, and other Xianbei generals. These heads were neatly placed on trays, blood still oozing from their necks. The bloody odor was so thick that it was almost suffocating, as if telling of the thrilling battles that had just taken place.
Xu Huang knelt on one knee, his posture straight, and clasped his fists to solemnly report to Ma Chao: "Your Majesty, the heads of the enemy generals are all here. However, we have searched everywhere on the battlefield, but we have still not found any trace of the Xianbei prince Ulanda." Ma Chao's expression did not change when he heard this. He calmly dismounted, strode to Xu Huang, stretched out his strong hands, and slowly helped Xu Huang up. Then he patted Zhang Xiu and Zhang Liao on the shoulders in turn, and said in a steady and confident tone: "It doesn't matter. Most of the Xianbei were wiped out in this battle. Even if he lost a few people, what waves can he make? Can he still turn the tide?" After hearing what Ma Chao said, the generals' worries immediately dissipated. Looking at Ma Chao, they laughed together. The laughter echoed in the bloody air, full of the pride of victory.
At that moment, Xu Shu and Lu Su stalked through the crowd, quickly approaching Ma Chao. Xu Shu bowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the trembling captives and surrendered soldiers kneeling beside him. He said respectfully, "Your Majesty, what do you think we should do with these captives?" Ma Chao remained calm, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He said calmly, "Do as we did before, and do as we did now." Instantly, Xu Shu and the others understood. Zhang Liao and Xu Huang exchanged a glance, then simultaneously waved their hands and shouted, "Kill!" Like tigers descending from the mountains, a vast column of soldiers, wielding gleaming weapons, charged towards the kneeling captives, a brutal slaughter beginning.