Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 553: Night Raid (Part 2)
These personal soldiers have been his trusted aides in the military camp for many years. Each one is loyal and willing to die for him. Tonight, launching a night raid on the camp, they have achieved a great feat but encountered such a fierce enemy. At this rate, even if he can break through, few of his soldiers will survive.
Yu Chong stopped, gritted his teeth, and turned around, ready to fight with his life.
The burly man was covered in blood, grinning ferociously as he swung his spear.
A sharp long knife suddenly flew towards him.
The burly man reacted quickly, using his spear to deflect the long knife. Yu Chong’s personal soldiers rushed forward again to protect their general. Li Tie, who had thrown the long knife, shouted, "Hurry up! Don’t let the brothers die in vain!"
Yu Chong’s eyes burned with heat, he gritted his teeth hard, and once again turned to charge outward.
After he met up with Li Tie, there was no time to see how many people were around; they just kept running forward with all their might. They ran out of the military camp, sprinting along the previous path and finally dashing into the forest.
During this time, pursuers kept coming from behind, and people kept stopping, turning around to fight the enemy, buying time for Yu Chong and others to escape.
Once they mounted strong horses in the forest, Yu Chong was already exhausted, his left shoulder was numb with pain, and his clothes were dyed red with blood. He didn’t even have time to check his injuries and immediately spurred his horse onward.
Li Tie and others also followed, galloping wildly.
At this moment, no one spared a thought for the warhorses, continuously whipping them onward. The horses, amidst heavy breathing, strode forward, leaving the fire and slaughter behind.
The horses galloped all the way, covering countless miles, until the pursuers finally disappeared. Ahead, the sky gradually revealed a trace of dawn.
Li Tie, who had been tense all night, dared to finally let out a breath.
He turned his head and was startled: "General Yu!"
Yu Chong, like a blood-soaked figure, slumped over the horse’s back, had fainted.
Amid the horse’s gallop, Yu Chong’s body swayed up and down. If he fell, he would be trampled under the hooves. It was extremely dangerous.
Li Tie shouted forcefully, "Stop! Everyone stop!"
In the midst of the gallop, it was impossible for soldiers to stop immediately, though they did slow down their horses. Li Tie took a few deep breaths and risked everything by leaping from his horse onto Yu Chong’s.
This move was nearly suicidal. The surrounding personal soldiers paled, too late to stop him.
Fortunately, Li Tie had excellent riding skills and luck was on his side, for he successfully jumped onto Yu Chong’s warhorse. He quickly steadied Yu Chong’s body while also slowing the horse down.
After a time of about one cup of tea, the horses finally stopped.
"Everyone dismount and rest!" Yu Chong was bleeding and unconscious, so Li Tie gave the orders in his stead. As soon as he gave the order, the exhausted Nanyang soldiers dismounted, nearly collapsing to the ground one by one.
Reflecting on the past half night, it was like taking a trip through the Yama Hall. Fortunately, the mission was accomplished, burning the Rouran’s supplies. The stables in the Rouran camp were also affected by the fire, and there were certainly many losses.
However, the casualties of the Nanyang Army were also severe.
Li Tie carried Yu Chong off his horse, and the accompanying military doctor immediately came over. There was no time for thorough treatment, only hastily applying some medicine and bandaging the wound.
Li Tie mustered his energy and ordered, "Everyone, check and count the numbers, see how many of us have made it out."
The military generals responded and left, and in less than the time of an incense stick burning, each reported back: "I have two hundred and thirty here."
"This team is short by one hundred and two."
Li Tie silently calculated. A total of more than two thousand seven hundred people escaped the camp. That means over a thousand Nanyang soldiers were lost in the past night.
Such casualties are like digging out one’s heart and lungs, making it unbearably painful.
Li Tie forcefully wiped his reddened eyes and said hoarsely, "The losses are quite severe, but we burned the Rouran’s supplies, burned the stables, disrupted the camp, and killed many Rouran barbarians. Considering all this, it was worth it."
"We’ll go back now, and after the Rouran retreat, we will come back to find the bodies of our brothers and give them a proper burial!"
Someone began to cry. A real man rarely sheds tears, but with such grief, it’s unavoidable.
Li Tie’s nose tingled, and he suddenly raised his voice, "We soldiers earn our pay, and when it’s time to give our lives, don’t save your own. Today it’s their turn to die; maybe tomorrow it will be our turn. What’s with the crying! Stand tall, all of you, and let’s head back to Sizhou City!"
...
"Great General! There’s firelight coming from the Rouran camp!"
"The Nanyang Army did succeed in their night raid! The Rouran’s supplies must have been burned!"
General Fan commanded with a poised demeanor during the day, but in reality, he was anxious and restless, having not slept well for several nights in a row. It was rare for him to sleep a bit this night, and in deep slumber, he was awakened by cheerful shouts outside the military tents.
General Fan rolled off his bed and dashed outside the tent, "Did they really fire up the Rouran camp?"
"Undoubtedly true!"
"The Rouran camp is stationed ten miles outside the city, the firelight is so bright and visible."
Joyful gleam appeared in General Fan’s eyes, he laughed heartily, "Good! General Yu is truly remarkable! The Nanyang Army has accomplished a great feat this time!"
"Relay my order, beat the war drums immediately and assemble all soldiers. I shall personally lead the troops out of the city!"
Two trusted military generals were startled, quickly advising, "The situation of the Rouran camp is unclear, it is too risky for the Great General to lead the troops personally. Let us lead the troops instead!"
"The Great General is the Border Army Commander, any mishap is not allowed."
General Fan, blocked by his trusted aides, was somewhat irritated and uttered a string of curses. However, he did not insist on leading the troops personally anymore.
It was not because he feared death. As the main general, he indeed should not easily take risks, to avoid disrupting the army’s morale.
After three beats of the war drum, the soldiers quickly gathered at the Martial Arts Training Ground.
General Fan loudly recounted the Nanyang Army’s night raid on the Rouran camp, burning the supplies. The generals standing in the front row heard clearly, invigorating each one. Although the soldiers standing in the back did not hear clearly, it was still early, and the skies miles away were lit red by the fire, plainly visible to anyone with eyes.
"When did the Nanyang Army leave the city?"
"They were able to infiltrate the Rouran camp and set it on fire, the Nanyang Army is really formidable!"
"This time, the Nanyang Army has definitely achieved great success!"
An army’s movement starts with logistics. The importance of supplies is needless to say. Once they are burned, the blow to morale is devastating, as if already facing a half defeat.
The border army certainly wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
General Fan quickly gave the order, instructing his troops to leave the city and launch an attack.
The so-called hundred thousand border army actually never had more than seventy thousand troops. After these days of warfare, with many deaths and injuries, approximately sixty thousand troops remained usable.
General Fan left twenty thousand to guard the city and sent forty thousand to attack the Rouran army, a truly decisive move.
The heavy city gates opened, and twenty thousand border soldiers rode out on their steeds, along with another twenty thousand infantry, wielding spears or long knife shields, marching towards the direction of the fire.
...
