Two

Xi Yan threw down the green flag. The Tang army's shield wall trembled slightly, creating a gap facing north. Only then did Zhang Bo realize that behind the shields were heavy supply carts securing the formation, making it as solid as a fortress. Neither cavalry nor manpower could shake this shield wall, which was reinforced by the power of the carts and mechanisms.

The fighting spirit has been exhausted, and without further coercion, the departing troops will not return. The central army remains on guard with their shield wall. Xi Yan said, "The intention of Lord Li in the drum should be to adhere to the agreement between him and me, retreating to Shangyang Pass. This chance encounter, a small battle, where both sides can retreat safely without bloodshed, can already be considered a satisfactory outcome.

Zhang Bo suddenly felt a chilling killing intent rising from below. Years of experience on the battlefield told him that his opponent had not fled on horseback under his long knife. In a moment of thought, he abandoned the attack, feinting with his left knife while using his right knife to seal off the space between the two. Lü Guichen relaxed his waist, holding his knife with both hands, as Yingyue drew a cold arc directly aimed at Zhang Bo's horse's belly

"General, do you want to save the young master?" a commander from the guard camp asked nervously

At this moment, the shield wall trembled slightly, accompanied by the sound of friction from the mechanism in motion. Zhang Bo watched in astonishment as the solid giant wall slowly pressed forward, bearing thousands of long spears. Inside the wooden city, there was a cacophony of frightened horse neighs.

Bring the drum!

Thousands of sharp spears protruded through the gaps in the shield wall. The defense, hastily assembled with massive wooden shields, was rapidly adjusting. Zhang Bo could not discern the changes behind the wooden shields, but the fluctuations emanating from the shield wall indicated that the Tang troops were continuously reinforcing it. Subsequently, a second layer of wooden shields was erected atop the first, raising the shield wall to a height of two men. Archers from the Tang side, positioned between the wooden shields, hurled a disordered barrage of arrows to deter the enemy from attempting to breach the shield wall. Again, a second layer of wooden shields was erected atop the first, raising the shield wall to a height of two men. Archers from the Tang side, positioned between the wooden shields, hurled a disordered barrage of arrows to deter the enemy from attempting to breach the shield wall

Zhang Bo raised his saber, and the vanguard's cavalry formed a formation, slowly retreating through the gap. They then loosened their reins and headed east. Zhang Bo was the last rider, holding his saber with both hands, slowly backing away on his horse. It was only when the two sides were about twenty zhang apart that Zhang Bo turned his horse's head to pursue his subordinates. The sound of drums no longer came from the east, replaced by the sound of gongs.

Upon receiving the command, the somewhat disordered cavalry of the Thunder Riders immediately calmed down. The gun cavalry slightly retreated to reorganize their formation, forming a neat line of guns. With a loud roar, the two hundred men in the line charged forward on horseback towards the wooden shield barrier. Over a hundred long spears pierced the shields, and the shield wall, nearly a meter high, slightly fell back, bracing against this round of impact

A war drum was placed before Xi Yan. He picked up the drumstick and struck a series of beats, neither too light nor too heavy. The cavalry of the departing nation, which had approached to within a mile, gradually came to a halt. The opposing drumbeats paused slightly, and then they responded with a few deep and slow strikes. After a moment of silence, Xi Yan suddenly raised the drumstick and struck down with all his might, the sound of the drum resonating loudly.

With a sound of "ding," the two blades each swung apart.

"Do you hear the sound of the drums?" Xi Yan gazed ahead and said in a low voice

His whole body was stiff, and the blood vessels under his eyelids throbbed incessantly. It was his first time commanding a vast army of thousands, with the lives and deaths of twenty thousand troops from the Lower Tang resting on his shoulders. The confidence he usually possessed was now forgotten, and it felt as though a stone was pressing down on his chest

At that moment, Zhang Bo suddenly heard the sound of drums

Xi Yu quickly calmed down, fully aware that regardless of training or combat experience, the cavalry of the Tang Dynasty could not compare to the Thunder Cavalry. Sending merely three thousand cavalry would only serve as a target for the Thunder Cavalry's slaughter. Therefore, he threw down the command flag, and the cavalry retreated first, while the crossbowmen launched a large volley of arrows into the air.

Originally, they had completely trapped the Vanguard's Thunder Cavalry within the wooden city, poised to annihilate them entirely. However, Xi Yan's order was to signal the wooden city to cease its movement, effectively granting the Thunder Cavalry a chance to escape.

Zhang Bo remained silent for a moment, then turned and slightly bowed towards the distant earthen mound. He could not see Xi Yan under the dark banner, only the person who had given the order. However, from his elevated position, Xi Yan could see him; Xi Yan smiled slightly and also bowed in return.

The feudal lords first witnessed this tide at the Eight Deer Plain in Suohe Mountain. At that time, the nobles, generals, and soldiers were all astonished, as if their souls had left their bodies in the face of this tide. This was not a tactic that should be employed by humans; they charged forward fearlessly, galloping through the rain of arrows, over obstacles, and across the corpses of their comrades, determined to strike their sabers upon the heads of the enemy. They resembled the frenzied Kuafu on the ice plains of Shangzhou, and like the red ant swarms in the mountains of Yuezhou, with fierce mandibles capable of gnawing an entire cow to its bones. This was not a tactic that should be employed by humans; they charged forward fearlessly, galloping through the rain of arrows, over obstacles, and across the corpses of their comrades, determined to strike their sabers upon the heads of the enemy. They resembled the frenzied Kuafu on the ice plains of Shangzhou, and like the red ant swarms in the mountains of Yuezhou, with fierce mandibles capable of gnawing an entire cow to its bones.

"Uncle, could it be..." Xi Yan was taken aback

Fang Shan was momentarily taken aback. When he turned to look back, he realized that thousands of elite cavalry from the Thunder Riders were pursuing Lü Guichen, who was riding swiftly towards the central army of the Xia Tang.

He is familiar with the warhorses ridden by his subordinates, each of which has the bloodline of fierce barbarian steeds, charging with a ferocity akin to that of wild beasts in pursuit of prey. However, despite the strength of these warhorses, they are unable to break through the human-powered shield wall.

The reddish-brown arrow stood out from the red tide, with the most experienced veterans gathered at the tip of the arrow. The Thunder Cavalry had already approached the flag gate of Lower Tang. Lv Guichen pressed his hand against the hilt of Yingyue's sword, taking a deep breath of the dust-laden air, a shiver coursing through his entire body. He looked around, and the crossbowmen had already hurriedly retreated towards the central army.

Lu Guichen glanced at his back and shook his head slightly. He was also aware of the monarch's intentions; Fang Shan claimed to be protecting him, but the underlying task was to prevent Lu Guichen from escaping. Should there be any unusual movement, he had the authority to kill Lu Guichen on the spot. However, at this moment, Fang Shan was desperate to escape, looking as if he regretted that his horse's legs were too short.

General! Lü Guichen inquired, as he had already arrived at the earthen hill.

Lu Guichen and Xi Yuan were startled and suddenly awakened. Since the outbreak of the war, neither of them had seen Ji Ye.

"Good!" Zhang Bo shouted as he twirled his blades, the twin swords creating two arcs of metallic light, enveloping all ten iron spikes and then sending them shooting out in all directions.

Then... then it all depends on the prince's divine might! At this point, Fang Shan could no longer heed the orders of the sovereign, turning his warhorse around as if granted a great pardon, and recklessly fled back to the main formation.

The might of the Thunder Cavalry was fully evident as the arrows rained down. Ordinary light cavalry, lacking heavy armor for protection, inevitably had to control their horse's speed to evade the downpour of arrows. However, the warriors of the Thunder Cavalry raised their leather shields above their heads, pressing forward despite the hail of arrows. The crossbowmen of the Lower Tang were not recruited from military families; most were merely idle youths from the streets. The power of their crossbows was weak, far inferior to the heavy crossbow wielded by the black-armored knight of the departing army. While the arrows had a certain momentum when released, once they fell, they were not only incapable of inflicting harm but could not even penetrate the leather shields.

The commander of the left army, Zhang Bo, wielded two sabers and charged to the front. He had six flags inserted in his back, roaring like a hungry tiger. However, by the time he pounced near the front lines of the Tang army, the crossbowmen had already scattered, leaving only a young man clad in a barbaric-style leopard skin and heavy armor of pale blue from the East, standing firm in front, with a long knife at his waist, facing his storm-like momentum with a sideways glance.

Fang Shan charged into the light infantry formation, becoming encircled by his own soldiers, which allowed him to feel somewhat at ease before rolling off his horse

Stand down! I command you to stand down! The commander tightly grips the flag and remains motionless

Lu Guichen suddenly turned around on horseback, throwing a handful of iron spikes he held in his hand towards Zhang Bo. This was a technique he had learned from Daliuying, concealed in his boot before this expedition, prepared for unforeseen circumstances. The iron spikes he used were no longer than half a foot, cast with three iron edges, sufficient to penetrate light armor, and did not require drawing a bow to shoot arrows; at close range, it was an excellent weapon.

Zhang Boshang was unable to regroup his team; the Thunder Riders he led were already entrenched within a massive wooden city. He could not fathom just how sturdy the walls constructed of shields truly were, but it was clear that the light cavalry could no longer break through. He began to regret his disdain for the Tang army and the young warrior's baiting, which left his troops unable to leverage the charging advantage of the Red Tide.

Cavalry! Clear the way!" Zhang Bo raised his knife. He was not worried; with the combat strength of the Thunder Cavalry, there were hardly any armies in the Eastern Land that could contend with them. Relying solely on a hastily erected shield wall to block the iron hooves of the Thunder Cavalry was rather naive of the Tang army.

The heir... the heir himself is unwilling to retreat" Fang Shan stammered

The Crown Prince ... ... Hurry! Hurry up! This is the Thunder Rider!" The voice of Fang Shan, the leader of the Jinwu Guard, sent by Baili Jinghong to protect Lü Guichen, trembled.

Red Tide - The Charge of the Thunder Cavalry, as if a red tide is sweeping across the grasslands, the land over which this tide has passed is left with nothing but countless corpses

A row of whistling arrows streaked across the sky, and Zhang Bo suddenly looked up to see bright purple flames burning on the arrows, which were particularly striking even in broad daylight

Xi Yan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "Where is Ji Ye? Where is Ji Ye?"

He remembered this name. This young man, who appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, possessed a calmness far beyond his peers, and he might become a formidable opponent in the future. Moreover, he surprisingly hailed from Qingyang, an ancient tribe from a far northern region

Even as the commanders, Xi Yan and Ying Wu Yi lacked the courage to confront the Red Tide. As the cavalry surged forward, the two could no longer continue the battle, but instead swiftly retreated to the edge of the battlefield like lightning. The rushing tide of cavalry resembled a massive war chariot, unstoppable in its advance; remaining still would undoubtedly result in being shattered like a reef by the violent waves

The two had only one chance to share a common name, as the Thunder Riders were already closing in. Lu Guichen struck the horse's hindquarters with the back of his knife and retreated at full speed, while Zhang Bo's warhorse and dual blades closely pursued him. The Red Tide was right behind him, seemingly propelling the two towards the fifteen thousand light infantry of the Central Army of the Tang Dynasty.

A lone black horse galloped swiftly to the foot of the earthen hill, with Xi Yan's battle attire fastened at his waist, his armor covered in dust, as he hurriedly ascended the hill.

Qingyang, Lü Guichen. Zhang Bo was pondering the name of this young man

Xi Yuan then noticed the distant, heavy sound of war drums. At that moment, the drumbeat was still far away, not loud, but as it gradually struck, it possessed a uniquely powerful and soul-stirring force. Following his uncle's gaze, Xi Yuan saw faint wisps of smoke rising in the distance, as a crimson cavalry formation slowly engulfed the yellow-green of the grassland, with the drumbeats drawing closer. Meanwhile, the Thunder Riders in the wooden city, who had just been in a state of panic, suddenly calmed down, pulling their warhorses to form a protective circle, with their lances pointed outward.

Kill! Zhang Bo urged his horse to leap, wielding his sabre in a diagonal downward strike

Ignoring him, Xi Yuan gritted his teeth and threw out a small red flag. A deep horn sounded, and the soldiers on the earthen mound vigorously waved a large red flag, as the central formation of 5,000 troops from the Lower Tang slowly began to retreat.

Lü Guichen pressed his hand against the hilt of Yingyue's blade, taking a deep breath. This was the first time he had drawn this sword, as if it concealed spirits within its sheath. He suddenly exerted force! The blade slid out, scraping against the inner wall of the sheath, with a resonant "hum" sounding forth

Zhang Bo, leading the warhorse, hesitated and looked around, while Lü Guichen had already charged into the formation of the light troops of the Lower Tang. He turned his horse and stood still, gazing at Zhang Bo from a distance, but then the line of sight between the two was obstructed by the enormous shields raised by the Lower Tang army

It is already too late! Xi Yu's gaze was fixed firmly on the distant Lü Guichen, "I know what he intends to do. You must act according to my command flag, without any delay. If there is the slightest deviation, none of us will be able to return to Nanhua!"

Uncle. "Xi Yanxin felt a wave of relief.

"You worthless fool! How could you abandon the heir and run back by yourself?" Xi Yuanchong rushed down the dirt hill, furious, disregarding the difference in military ranks between the two, and shouted loudly

With a force akin to a thousand jun, Lü Guichen cleaved the air and struck down the horse

As the central military formation retreated, the left and right wing formations immediately appeared to surge forward, creating a vast open space in the center, and the encirclement of the cavalry had taken shape. Xi Yuan turned his head and began to run with determination, panting like a mountain leopard as he returned to the earthen hill, pushing aside the soldiers blocking his way. His eyes were fixed on the distance, his fingers pressed against the small black flag in the command box, his fingertips drenched in cold sweat. Xi Yuan turned his head and began to run with determination, panting like a mountain leopard as he returned to the earthen hill, pushing aside the soldiers blocking his way. His eyes were fixed on the distance, his fingers pressed against the small black flag in the command box, his fingertips drenched in cold sweat.

I know what you are going to ask. The charge of the Junlei Cavalry is renowned throughout the world for its two-stage charge, which has always been divided into two layers. Even if the two thousand vanguards are surrounded, the thousands behind them can follow up and are sufficient to destroy our army, " Xi Yan said in a low voice, " However, since Ying Wuyi has no intention of sacrificing the two thousand vanguards, both sides can coexist peacefully.

In the brief moment when Zhang Boge was blocked, Lü Guichen urged his warhorse to accelerate, extending the distance between the two to over ten zhang. Just as Zhang Bo was about to give chase, he suddenly saw a billowing cloud of dust. The retreating troops of the Xia Tang army turned back together towards the Thunder Cavalry, while the left and right flanks of the Xia Tang army encircled from behind, forming a massive formation of fifteen thousand men that surrounded the Thunder Cavalry. The archers and lancers at the forefront of the Thunder Cavalry found themselves trapped in a heavy encirclement.

"Dare to face off against Zhang Bo of the Li Kingdom, what is your name?" Zhang Bo brandished his twin blades and shouted loudly

If the army departs and then returns

Lü Guichen stood firm with his sword, gazing directly at the crimson tide rushing towards him, his voice calm: "You hold the crossbowmen in check, retreat layer by layer, I will be the last to leave"

Qingyang Department, Lü Guichen

In addition to courage, the Thunder Cavalry excels in the mobility of light cavalry. Their steeds are not clad in armor, and the cavalrymen wear only reddish-brown hardened leather armor. The captains of the hundred-man and thousand-man units carry reddish-brown flags on their backs as insignia. The first strategy for the Thunder Cavalry's victory is their light and rapid deployment. When the enemy has not yet organized an effective formation, the vanguard gun cavalry of this unit has already torn through the enemy's front lines and penetrated deep into their center. Before the enemy can close the gaps and form an encirclement, the supporting archers suppress the enemy's movements with a rain of arrows. After several rounds of volleys, the elite sword cavalry of the Thunder Cavalry swiftly slaughters the disordered enemy with their long sabers. By the time the gun cavalry, archers, and sword cavalry finally converge behind the enemy lines, there is often nothing left but a battlefield shrouded in dust and smoke.

Lü Guichen recalled the warriors of his hometown, those barbaric men whose veins seemed to flow with strong liquor, and watching them charge was as exhilarating as if they had consumed spirits.

Zhang Bo retracted his strike, deflecting Lü Guichen's offensive. Lü Guichen also pivoted his body, evading Zhang Bo's left-handed blade aimed at him. In the first round of their exchange, neither side emerged victorious. Zhang Bo's warhorse landed, nearly twisting its ankle.

Two hundred ... ... no, one hundred eighty zhang, one hundred forty zhang ... ... the army is advancing too quickly!" a soldier shouted

Xi Yan did not have time to explain, he took out a white flag and threw it down the earth mound. The soldier holding the main flag immediately began to wave the enormous white flag, and dozens of white flags, each over ten feet tall, fluttered on the earth mound, visible from a distance of ten miles.

"How is that possible?" Zhang Bo exclaimed in astonishment

He squinted his brown eyes, gazing at the approaching cavalry unit against the wind, gently stroking the hilt of his sword: "This is the true ... ... "

"Ambush?" Zhang Bo was slightly taken aback

Xi Yan remained silent and uncommunicative

"How much further?" he asked the sergeant he could see.

The cavalry of the Lower Tang was completely taken aback, unable to fathom charging forward to engage in battle. The incident occurred so suddenly that the command was thrown into disarray. No army would initiate a cavalry charge during a duel between commanders, and the injury of the black-armored warrior on the opposing side clearly triggered a seismic reaction

They were unafraid, and thus the feudal lords were filled with fear. In that battle, the charge of the 5,000 Thunder Cavalry of the departing army shattered the formation of the 70,000-strong feudal lord army

The Crown Prince is in danger; if we allow the troops to advance any further, we will reach the central army! The commander clearly sees that there is only a few horse lengths between Zhang Bo and Lü Guichen.