freenovelworld Chapter 2169 Interception!
Chapter 2169 Interception!
Although Guo Ziyi was over fifty years old, he was like a tiger unleashed from its cage at this moment.
His longsword was like a dragon, each strike precise and ruthless, specifically aimed at piercing the gaps in the armor.
Wherever they went, Chu soldiers fell to the ground.
The suicide squad behind him was even more frenzied; they used their bodies to shield Guo Ziyi from the spears thrusting at him, paving the way for his advance with their lives.
One hundred steps, fifty steps, thirty steps—
Guo Ziyi actually managed to break through the first line of defense of the Chu army!
"Han Xing!"
The old general roared hoarsely, his long sword pointing directly at the distant Chu army commander: "Do you dare to fight me?!"
Han Xing's face turned ashen.
He certainly wanted to fight, but as the head coach, it was more important to stabilize the situation at this moment.
Moreover, he realized that Guo Ziyi was using a provocation tactic, risking his own life to buy the troops crossing the river one last bit of time.
"Archers!" Han Xing gritted his teeth: "Cover fire! Ignore Guo Ziyi, shoot down the Tang soldiers at the ferry!"
The order was given, and the Chu archers turned around, unleashing a rain of arrows that began to cover the Huai River crossing.
Tang soldiers who were boarding the ships fell in droves, their blood staining the Huai River.
Even the empty boats that were returning were pierced by arrows, and the boatmen screamed as they fell into the water.
"Cover the crossing!" Upon seeing this, Guo Ziyi immediately led his troops to turn and rush towards the Chu army's archer positions.
Eight thousand remaining soldiers charged at the archer formation like madmen.
They used their bodies to block the arrows aimed at the ferry crossing and used swords and axes to hack at the archers' lines.
People kept falling to the ground, wounded by arrows, but those behind them continued their charge, stepping over the corpses of their fallen comrades.
At the ferry crossing, the last batch of Tang soldiers finally boarded the ship.
"Set sail! Set sail now!" the boatman urged hoarsely.
The oarsmen rowed with all their might, and the boat sailed away from the shore.
Arrows rained down around the ship, splashing countless droplets of water onto the surface.
Some boats were punctured and leaking, and some oarsmen lost arrows to the water, but most boats still managed to make their way to the center of the river.
"General! Everyone's on board!" the guard shouted hoarsely.
Guo Ziyi looked up and indeed saw that the last ship was already fifty paces from the shore.
He felt a little relieved, but his expression changed immediately – Han Xing had already reorganized his formation, and 30,000 Chu troops were closing in from three sides, intending to completely annihilate their 8,000 rearguard troops.
"Form a circular formation!" Guo Ziyi roared, "Retreat to the Huai River!"
The eight thousand remaining soldiers quickly retreated, forming a huge circular formation with their backs to the Huai River.
With shields on the outside and spears protruding from the gaps, this was a classic back-to-the-water formation—there was no way to retreat, only to fight to the death.
Han Xing led his army to encircle the enemy, but did not attack immediately.
Looking at the eight thousand Tang soldiers trapped by the river, and at the broken banner with the character "Guo" in the formation, he felt a complex mix of emotions.
"General Guo."
Han Xing rode forward, his voice amplified through his personal guards: "You have done your duty and bought time for the main force to retreat."
"Now that the crossing of the river has been accomplished, why make further unnecessary sacrifices? Surrender, and His Majesty will surely treat you as a national hero."
In the midst of the battle, Guo Ziyi laughed loudly, his laughter desolate: "Han Xing, I have guarded the Jianghuai region for thirty years and have never spoken of surrendering. Today, I will not!"
He pointed his longsword to the sky, his voice echoing across the battlefield: "Soldiers of the Great Tang—"
"Here!" the eight thousand remaining soldiers responded in unison.
"Today, we will stand here and shed our last drop of blood for the Tang Dynasty!"
Guo Ziyi's eyes burned with the last flame: "Let future generations remember—on the day Jianghuai City fell, there were still eight thousand men who fought to the death and refused to surrender!"
"Fight to the death! Fight to the death! Fight to the death! Fight to the death!"
Amidst roars, the eight thousand remaining soldiers charged against the Chu army, which outnumbered them three to one.
This is no longer a battle.
This is going to one's death.
Han Xing closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then suddenly opened them: "All troops—attack!"
Thirty thousand Chu soldiers surged forward like a tidal wave.
The two armies clashed on the banks of the Huai River, and blood instantly stained the river red.
In the morning light, the large banner bearing the character "Guo" appeared and disappeared amidst the chaos of the army, but it never fell.
On the opposite bank of the Huai River, the remnants of the Tang army, who had already landed, silently watched the rearguard action on the south bank, a battle destined to end in certain death.
Li Guangbi knelt on one knee, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears.
He knew that the commander-in-chief was risking his life to buy them their last bit of time.
"All troops, listen to my command—" Li Guangbi stood up, his voice hoarse: "Retreat north immediately! Do not linger!"
The 40,000 troops began to move, turning back every few steps.
They knew that if they left, Jianghuai City would truly be lost.
The commander-in-chief is never coming back.
But this is war.
Someone always has to stay, someone always has to sacrifice.
Those who are alive must carry on the will of the dead.
On the south bank of the Huai River, the bloody battle continues.
That great banner still flutters stubbornly in the morning breeze.
On the north bank of the Huai River, the morning mist had not yet completely dissipated.
Li Guangbi had just finished directing the 40,000 remaining soldiers to form ranks and was preparing to retreat northward.
The sounds of battle cries could be faintly heard from the south bank behind them; it was Guo Ziyi leading eight thousand elite soldiers in a final battle against Han Xing's thirty thousand iron cavalry.
Every shout of battle felt like a knife cutting into Li Guangbi's heart.
"General, everything is ready," the lieutenant said in a hoarse voice. "We can set off now."
Li Guangbi took one last look at the south bank of the Huai River.
The fog was thick, and only the banner bearing the character "Guo" could be vaguely seen fluttering in the wind. However, the number of Chu army flags around it was increasing, like a tide that submerged the lone flag.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Order the entire army..."
Before he could finish speaking, a slight tremor suddenly came from the ground.
At first it was very soft, like distant rumble of thunder.
But it quickly intensified, turning into a rhythmic, muffled roar—the sound of thousands of hooves pounding the ground at the same time!
"What's that sound?" A soldier looked up in surprise.
Li Guangbi suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils contracting sharply. He was a seasoned veteran of many battles and knew that sound all too well.
It's cavalry, and a large cavalry force at that, rapidly approaching!
"Prepare for battle! Form ranks!" Li Guangbi roared, leaping onto his warhorse and looking north.
White shadows began to emerge in the morning mist.
At first, there were only a few scattered spots, then lines, then patches, and finally a white wave surging in from the northern horizon.
The waves surged forward at an incredible speed; the sound of horses' hooves pounding the ground had escalated from muffled thunder to a tsunami, shaking the very earth.
Closer, closer.
Li Guangbi finally realized that it was not a wave, but an entire cavalry army.
The warhorses were all pure white, without a single stray hair, and looked like a moving snowfield in the morning light.
The knights on horseback were all dressed in light silver armor, with white cloaks draped over their shoulders, and each carried a twelve-foot-long spear.
The tip of the gun gleamed coldly in the morning light, like steel thorns suddenly sprouting on a snowfield.
On the banner at the very front, a galloping white horse is embroidered, with the character "Zhao" written in bold, strong strokes below.
"White Horse Cavalry!"
Li Guangbi's voice was hoarse, and his knuckles turned white from gripping the reins: "Zhao Yu!"
He was very familiar with this cavalry; it was one of the three elite forces of Chu, the White Horse Cavalry, whose commander was Zhao Yu, known as the "Silver Spear of the North."
This cavalry unit was known for its mobility, moving like the wind, and was best at long-distance raids, interceptions, and rearguard operations.