Prologue
The bright red splashes of blood occasionally bloom between the two factions, appearing particularly enchanting and ghostly in the storm. It is as if a few drops of crimson ink have been scattered on a vast white canvas!
Wuwu~~
The impact was obstructed, and both sides became embroiled in a chaotic battle
This compelled him to migrate from the desert to the northern wasteland, and from the northern wasteland to the Western Regions, yet he still would not let go of the Han people.
Yizhi Xie felt the surge of his own passionate blood
Shut up! As Qin Cheng rode his horse, he occasionally turned back to shoot out cold, four-sided iron arrows.
General, the wind and snow are severe; only by your leading the way can we regroup with General Le Yi and then turn back to strike down our enemies, avenging our brothers—only with the General's divine steed can we possibly shake off these pursuers!" A young soldier, momentarily disregarding the wind and snow as well as the iron arrows shooting from behind, shouted, "The Eighteen Riders of Yan Yun will surely protect the General unharmed!"
But this is a moment of glory
Pyramid-shaped battle formation
In the various directions surrounding Qin City, eighteen resounding answers almost echoed simultaneously
However, the Cavalry is now truly present before his eyes
Follow me to break through the encirclement! Qin Cheng drew his long sword forward, leading the charge as he galloped out. Behind him, with eighteen resounding neighs of horses, eighteen cavalrymen surged forth like celestial beings descending to earth, cutting down all the blocking Xiongnu cavalry and following closely behind Qin Cheng
Qincheng's face was as calm as water, and he saw Yi Zhi lunging towards him at an angle. With a horizontal sweep of the ring-headed knife in his hand, he drew a graceful arc, aiming directly for the opponent's chest
A hundred paces behind, three distinct cries of anguish rang out from the pursuing soldiers, mingling with the wails from their camp. The sounds reached Qin Cheng's ears, blending with the cries of the cavalry beside him.
Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed in Qin Cheng's eyes, and the Ringed Blade erupted with double the power. As Yi Zhi raised his sword to block, his arm went numb, and he nearly lost grip of the long sword. His body tilted, and he almost fell off the horse
Ultimately, it is the heavy snow and wind that obstructs the line of sight, coupled with the unfamiliarity of the surroundings, making it impossible to discern the direction; now, it is inevitable to be surrounded by fate
In July of 121 BC (the second year of Emperor Wu of Han's reign), in the Western Regions of Pujie.
After Zhao Polu finished speaking, he did not look back, spurring his horse away, leaving Gongsun behind, seething with anger and gritting his teeth.
However, today, this myth is to be buried by my own hands, having my own head severed! With my thirty thousand elite cavalry encircling his more than two thousand light cavalry, how can I not achieve victory?
As they watched Qin Cheng ascend a nearby hill, the Han soldiers understood that this was the last time they would see their immensely respected general
Surrounded by formidable enemies both in front and behind, and outnumbered by tenfold, what should I do?
On the mountain ridge, a line of black dots suddenly appeared, which quickly grew larger, and soon transformed into cavalrymen clad in Han military armor
Wuwu~~
Thus, they were well aware that 18,000 cavalrymen were waiting for them 20 to 30 miles away. As soon as the Qin city arrived, they would charge over and annihilate the 30,000 Xiongnu cavalry before them
"The Kunlun gods protect the Great Xiongnu, and the Great Xiongnu are invincible in battle!" Yi Zhi Xie drew his sword and shouted, his gaze cold and piercing, pointing his long blade at the Han cavalry ahead, and coldly commanded: "Kill them all, leave not a single one!"
What is going on
From a distance, one can see countless white-clad, black-armored cavalry pursuing over two thousand red-robed, black-armored cavalry through the snow curtain. They resemble two enormous dragons or serpents, one in front and the other behind, racing forward madly, with the fangs of the latter nearly biting the tail of the former
Qin Cheng regarded him with cold indifference, his eyes filled with disdain, while his grip on the ringed dagger remained steady and unyielding.
"General, you must leave quickly; I will hold them off with my brothers!" shouted a cavalryman in red robes and black armor, urging his horse closer to Qin City.
"You think I don't know you're a woman!" Qin Cheng said coldly, tossing an iron arrow behind the young knight with a flick of his hand. With a loud "bang!" the sound of two iron arrows colliding echoed from behind the young knight. "Don't even mention women; even if they were burly men, I have no reason to let you abandon me. When has the Cavalry ever had soldiers who would forsake their comrades and disregard them?"
The later knight, having reached the age of understanding fate, was different from Zhao Polu. A faint worry appeared on his face, his brows furrowed. He stood beside Le Yi on horseback, looking in the same direction as Zhao Polu, his expression grave. "Half a day ago, the weather was still fine; I did not expect such heavy snow to suddenly fall at this moment. The snow covers the surroundings, and I do not know how General Qin is faring. If General Qin cannot arrive on time, how shall we manage in this icy and snowy place..."
Half a day ago, a sudden appearance of eighteen thousand iron cavalry emerged from a forest not far behind this cavalryman
The vast grassland is now devoid of any trace of green, and as one gazes into the wilderness, it becomes difficult to distinguish the boundaries of the world.
Recently, he received confirmed news that the Cavalry Corps did not appear in the Western Regions, which is why they dared to boldly encircle Qin City
With a forceful pull, Qin Cheng drew out the frozen ring-headed knife, pointing it directly at the sky
Qincheng glanced at the sky, the faint sunlight was slightly blinding
Yizhi rode alongside Qin Cheng, engaging in close combat with him
In the next moment, Qin Cheng will leap over the mountain and summon the Cavalry.
After all, there are too many enemies
General Biao Qi - Qin City
... ...
The horse is a汗血宝马, and the person is an elite cavalryman.
The young knight was momentarily taken aback, his heart filled with shock. For years, he had believed that no one in the army knew of his daughter’s identity, yet he never expected to be seen through by the general of the cavalry. His fair face flushed crimson, but it was only for an instant. The young knight's expression quickly returned to one of urgency, just as he was about to speak further, a strange sound suddenly came from the front of the troop. Straining to see, the young knight's face turned as pale as snow.
Blood stains the red robe, white snow covers it - the image - the iron armor of the book, blood melts the snow crystals, sweat gathers into streams
Even in such a harsh environment, this determination has not changed in the slightest
The wind and snow blurred the soldiers' vision, yet could not disrupt their steps
This Qin City can unexpectedly unleash such formidable combat power
"Despite your Qin dynasty's wealth and military strength, allowing the Han dynasty to dominate the world for a time, in the end, you couldn't even protect your own soldiers. How utterly ridiculous!" Yi Zhi Xie continued to mock.
The warhorses of Qin City are armored, and the warriors wield long knives, galloping with loud shouts. Wherever they go, no one can withstand their military might. Indeed, they can kill a man within ten paces and leave no trace over a thousand miles. Beside them, eighteen riders are as swift as phantoms and as fierce as the King of Hell. Wherever their military might is directed, they are invincible!
The Han cavalry, engaged in a fierce struggle against the Xiongnu, were acutely aware that their current task was to delay these Xiongnu horsemen until the cavalry of the Biao army arrived. At that time, their vengeance would surely be fulfilled
The time has come
Qincheng drew his long knife forward and uttered a chilling word: "Kill"
The Xiongnu cavalry howled fiercely, charging aggressively towards the Han army before them
This is their final moment of battle as soldiers
Wuwu~~
However, Qin Cheng did not give him much time to hesitate
Cavalry
Hastily withdrawing the horse, Yi Zhi was greatly astonished in his heart, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes
The ring-headed saber in Qin Cheng's hand had unknowingly been raised behind him, with the blade facing away, while his body leaned forward.
Qin Cheng brandished his long sword horizontally, leaping onto his horse. After a resounding neigh, he shouted loudly: "Where are the eighteen riders?"
"Qin Cheng, little thief, come and take your life!" Yi Zhi lunged straight at Qin Cheng
The wind and snow quickly buried the traces of the conversation between the two.
On a hill, a rider suddenly appeared. The horse was a汗血马, blending seamlessly with the sky and earth. The horse was adorned with iron armor, while the knight wore a red cloak and black armor. A ring-headed sword hung at his waist, one hand grasping the reins and the other placed on his forehead, gazing far into the distance
In the land of the extreme north, snow falls in July. The angry winds howl, and the heavens and earth lose their color
The Han cavalry, struggling fiercely amidst the encirclement of the Xiongnu cavalry, watched as the Qin forces broke through the siege, their faces revealing a look of relief. In the next moment, these Han cavalry soldiers, as if invigorated by a surge of adrenaline, became extraordinarily exhilarated
Before and behind this rider, there is a vast expanse of flat land; the difference lies in the fact that the area in front is completely empty, while the area behind conceals profound mysteries
Qin Cheng seized the opportunity to strike with his blade, the edge moving from back to front, from below to above, directly targeting the slanted cheek of Yi Zhi
The long knife grazed against the armor of Qin City
He is undoubtedly a hero of the Han Dynasty and a nightmare for the neighboring states. He doubled the territory of the Han Dynasty, subduing all the countries surrounding it. He firmly established the foundation of the Han Dynasty, transforming all the kingdoms within its borders into commanderies and counties. He taught the people to become prosperous and promoted commerce, resulting in the court's tax revenue multiplying several times within a few years. He created an invincible iron army—the Cavalry!
Yizhi Xie observed that Qin Cheng remained silent and continued: "The Shandong kingdom is in chaos, Liaodong is in turmoil, and Korea is in disorder. Liu Che employs the cavalry but does not utilize you, the commander of the cavalry. The Western Regions are in disarray, and Liu Che would rather send Gongsun He, a useless person, to his death than allow you to lead an expedition. With three regions in chaos and the Western Regions defeated, Liu Che has no one else to rely on, and ultimately, he only gave you a mere ten thousand light cavalry to placate my great Xiongnu. Hmph, this is truly seeking death! The warriors of the great Xiongnu cannot be defeated by your mere ten thousand light cavalry"
If there is a trace of resentment among these Han army soldiers, it is directed towards the heavens! Had it not been for the sudden snowstorm that struck half a day ago, they could have safely lured the Xiongnu cavalry into the ambush set by the cavalry troops, and then launched a counterattack, annihilating the Xiongnu before them in conjunction with the cavalry troops
Life becomes particularly fragile at this moment, and blood not only signifies glory but also death
Yi Zhi Xie looked at the eighteen riders standing on the mountaintop, sounding the horn, with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty. The pursuing footsteps abruptly halted. He wanted to retreat, but felt unwilling; he suspected it was a ruse. He wanted to stay, yet feared it might be true.
General Gongsun! Zhao Polu, who had not made a single move, interrupted him with a cold tone that seemed to merge with the heavens and the earth. "What will General Qin do? How dare you speculate recklessly here? If you dare to speak carelessly and disturb the morale of my army again, do not blame this general for being merciless."
They were originally at the rear of the formation
The commander of the Cavalry, the foremost general of the Han Dynasty, Liu Che, the sharpest blade that vanquished the Xiongnu!
In a fit of rage, Yizhi Xie executed several Han army soldiers who were close to him, then spurred his horse to catch up with Qin Cheng, swinging his long knife towards the back of Qin Cheng's neck
The light cavalry of the Han army, upon hearing the sound, turned to look and saw that the Qin city had not crossed over the mountain peak, but was instead standing still on horseback. His eighteen guard cavalry also stood at the mountain peak, arranged in a line. Their movements were uniform, all raising their heads to sound the horn.
The Cavalry only recognizes the Cavalry General
Two riders passed each other in a crossing manner
He came proactively without any news from Qin City—perhaps this is the tacit understanding forged through long years of bloodshed on the battlefield
Yi Zhi Xie is not an ordinary person; he let out a cold laugh in his heart and held his long knife upright in front of him
The wind and snow gradually diminished
A loud neigh pierced the sky, disturbing several drifting snowflakes
More than 2,000 knights in red robes and black armor tacitly did not slow down their horses; instead, they accelerated forward. Faced with such a situation, these over 2,000 cavalrymen had no other choice. If they wished to survive, they could only charge forward, tearing a gap through the enemy's formation directly ahead to break out of the encirclement. Any other effort or moment of hesitation would lead to irreparable consequences for their cavalry.
In his eyes, there is only Qin City
The wind and snow have finally ceased, and it seems as though sunlight is spilling forth from the gray clouds
Zhao Polu did not turn back, nor did he respond; his actions showed no signs of change. Just past the age of thirty, his face was sharply defined, and his gaze was like that of an eagle. Even amidst the wind and snow, it was still easy to perceive the resolute expression radiating from him.
Behind the Eighteen Riders, the other Han army soldiers steadfastly defended the passage leading to the Eighteen Riders and the * map * book
The heavy sound of a horn suddenly echoed near the battleground where the Han army was fiercely engaged with the Xiongnu cavalry
He is a legend
But now, it is too late to say anything
Qin Cheng reined in his warhorse, which let out a loud neigh, rising up on half of its body. Subsequently, he accelerated and galloped forward!
Just as in countless previous instances of forging miraculous glory, this time, the eighteen riders once again protect their master, breaking through the encirclement amidst the chaos of battle
Is it really late?
Only because they know that the final moments of life have arrived
In front of Qin Cheng, among the knights clad in white and black armor, the leader stood tall and robust, wearing a royal helmet. His gaze was like lightning, filled with overwhelming murderous intent, and his blood-red eyes seemed as if they were about to devour Qin Cheng.
The ring knife flashed past the long knife in front of Yi Zhi's slanted nose like lightning
The over one thousand light cavalry behind drew their bows and unsheathed their swords in a remarkably synchronized manner, almost unbelievable. At this moment, the more than two thousand light cavalry exuded an overwhelming presence, their murderous intent palpable, as if they harbored boundless power, ready to annihilate all stubborn foes before them at a single command
The Cavalry Brigade has rushed two thousand miles in nine days (according to Han regulations) to arrive here, Yizhi Xie, did you not expect this?" At this moment, Qin Cheng coldly looked at Yizhi Xie and disdainfully said, "You have ultimately underestimated His Majesty, underestimated the Cavalry Brigade, and even more so, underestimated me, Qin Cheng! You deserve to die!
Eighteen Riders? Yi Zhi Xie was forced open by a single strike from Qin Cheng, and as he watched Qin Cheng rush past him, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly shouted to the Xiongnu cavalry: "Stop them, quickly stop them!"
Kill! Over a thousand light cavalry shouted in unison, their warhorses accelerating like a sudden burst of floodwaters, surging forward
The Cavalry?" Yi Zhi stared blankly at the suddenly appearing mass of cavalry before him, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Impossible, impossible, impossible! The cavalry is not being used by Liu Che to quell the chaos in Shandong and Liaodong? How could they appear here? Impossible!"
Nineteen riders in a line, wherever they go, fresh blood stains the white snow
With a swift pull of the first blade in his hand, Qin Cheng shouted loudly, "Kill!"
However, this distance of twenty to thirty li, back and forth, would take at least half an hour, and during this half hour, very few of these Han soldiers would be able to survive under the siege of thirty thousand Xiongnu cavalry.
The fierce battle between the Han army and the Xiongnu has reached a boiling point
Although the knight is destined to be unable to see anything useful, he stubbornly maintained this posture for a long time
Qin Cheng remains unfazed, with no flush of the face or quickening of the heart; in his eyes, there is nothing but disdain and calmness.
Suddenly, the Han cavalry, engaged in fierce combat with the Xiongnu cavalry, erupted with astonishing fighting spirit, initiating a new round of fierce slashing and killing
Zhao Polu finally arrived with the Cavalry
Qincheng, despite being a hero for a lifetime, ultimately could not escape the fate of being abandoned by Liu Che due to his overwhelming achievements! Yi Zhi Xie, seeing it was difficult to gain the upper hand at the moment, launched a psychological offensive, "Look at these Han troops around you; how do they compare to even half of your cavalry's combat strength? If your cavalry were here, how could I, the Chanyu, possibly trap you in such a tight siege? Haha..."
In the midst of the wind and snow, countless cavalry clad in white and black armor emerged from the front flanks, blocking the path of the red-robed, black-armored cavalry. As soon as these white and black armored knights appeared, they began to maneuver to the sides, pressing against the flanks of the more than two thousand red-robed, black-armored knights
Gongsun was reprimanded by Ji Zhu, yet there was not a trace of displeasure on his face. He forced a smile and said, "General Zhao, why must you speak so? I am also concerned for General Qin's safety. After all, this campaign to pacify the Western Regions and completely eliminate the Xiongnu depends on whether General Qin can... Hehe, now that I have donned the armor of the Cavalry, I can be considered one of the Cavalry as well..."
The sound of the wind howled by the ears, penetrating deep into the eardrums and drilling into the mind, forming a buzzing noise. Qin Cheng suddenly released the reins of the warhorse, turned around, and with lightning speed drew the bow and nocked an arrow, shooting three times in quick succession
Qincheng has already ridden to the front of the troop. During the retreat, the commander covers the rear, and during the charge, the commander leads by example.
Qin Cheng rode forward, wielding his sword with swift left and right slashes, consecutively slaying three to five Xiongnu cavalrymen. The warm blood spraying from the bodies of his foes melted the snow crystals on Qin Cheng's dark armor
General Zhao. Another cavalryman galloped in behind, forced to approach slowly due to the heavy snow. The same type of warhorse, the same attire; apart from their differing faces, everything else was identical.
From an aerial perspective, one can see that the Xiongnu cavalry has formed a multi-layered encirclement on the periphery, trapping the Han army firmly within.
Zhao Polu turned his horse around and rode towards the forest, coldly stating: "A defeated general, if not for you, how would General Qin dare to take such risks? Indeed, today you wear the armor of the Cavalry, but I must remind General Gongsun that the Cavalry has never had soldiers who abandoned their comrades in the face of danger to flee alone. There have been none before, there are none now, and there will be none in the future"
In the moment before Qin Cheng's ring-headed sword met Yi Zhi's slanted long sword, he transformed his slash into a thrust, the tip of the ring-headed sword angled sharply towards Yi Zhi's throat
Over two thousand Han cavalry charged into the ranks of the Xiongnu cavalry, instantly igniting countless sprays of blood that blossomed in the air. The sounds of shouting and neighing filled the air, cold blades slashed, and flesh flew in all directions. In an instant, the snow-covered ground was stained bright red. In the midst of the fierce battle, severed limbs and remains occasionally flew up and fell down, horses stumbled and fell, while knights fought from atop their horses to the ground and back again. The scene was one of utter chaos, a tableau of bloodshed. The cries, the wails, the neighing of horses, the clashing of weapons, and the splattering of blood intertwined to form a unique symphony. Severed limbs and remains occasionally flew up and fell down, horses stumbled and fell, while knights fought from atop their horses to the ground and back again. The scene was one of utter chaos, a tableau of bloodshed. The cries, the wails, the neighing of horses, the clashing of weapons, and the splattering of blood intertwined to form a unique symphony.
Thirty thousand Xiongnu cavalry, in the presence of eighteen thousand Biao cavalry, are simply like ants!
This Han army general is determined to eliminate him at all costs
The direction of the charge by over a thousand Han troops had long been heavily fortified by Yizhi, who had been engaged in a struggle with Qincheng for several years. Both sides were already well acquainted with each other, and thus, despite the Han troops' fierce assault, they ultimately could not break through the encirclement
Yizhi Xie was taken aback, leaning back as his long sword stood vertically to protect his face