Chapter 4: Striking with Fewer Forces Against More
Taking advantage of the chaos among the Hu people, Zu Zhao led his companions to create some distance. They happened upon a slightly raised mound of earth and stopped atop it. He signaled for everyone to line up on the mound, turning to face the Hu people directly. At this moment, they were approximately three hundred paces away. Even if the enemy were to pursue, they had sufficient time to reposition themselves.
Zhu Zhao and others retreated a distance in the opposite direction, but considering the possibility that the defeated left flank might come back to attack, he could not retreat too far. After slowing down, he instructed everyone on the left and right to shout in unison, creating a powerful momentum. Then, they made a wide arc towards the due west, and while turning, he picked up his longbow and shot wildly towards the rear.
From the very beginning, the followers felt a degree of tension facing the numerous Hu cavalry pursuing them. However, as Zu Zhao shot two arrows from a hundred paces away, both hitting their mark, and maintained his composed demeanor throughout, their emotions quickly began to rise. At this moment, Zu Zhao, as if leisurely strolling in a garden, decided to take a gamble for a reward, completely disregarding the Hu cavalry. This truly stirred a surge of passion in their hearts, prompting them to collectively shout "Good!"
Zhu Zhao observed the retreat of the Hu people for a while, and saw that the disordered Hu forces turned their horses around on the spot, gradually increasing their speed as they galloped northeast. However, they had not gone far when the formation suddenly split into two, with a distance of over 40 zhang between the two groups, maintaining a parallel advance. Yet, due to a lack of strict discipline, the horses and men in the two divisions still appeared chaotic.
Pull back to the north, preparing to confront the bandits on the right. As the left flank of the Hu people collapses in disarray, Zu Zhao seizes the opportunity to turn and deal with the Hu forces advancing from the right.
Ladies and gentlemen, behold, these barbarians are so frightened that they dare not move. Such vermin dare to invade the borders of our Han Dynasty, truly seeking their own demise
"Eldest son, why do the Hu people need to be separated?" Zujì, who was beside him, asked with a puzzled expression after observing for a long time.
After five or six years of relentless daily practice, a solid foundation has finally been established. Before the sound of the bowstring could fade, the Hu people had no time to evade, and the feathered arrow struck true to their chest
After hearing these words, everyone couldn't help but laugh in agreement
I am well. I can endure. Thank you for your concern, young master, but it is merely a flesh wound.
The afternoon sunlight slanted slightly, casting its rays on one side of the face of the Hu people on the right. One by one, the Hu people squinted their eyes; although they could still see somewhat, any slight impairment in their line of sight was a significant loss for a hunter. Taking advantage of this moment, Zu Zhao quickly counterattacked, shooting off seven arrows in one breath, while the other attendants were equally generous, catching the Hu people completely off guard.
Everyone did not hesitate and successively took out an arrow to pass it to Zu Zhao. Zu Zhao's quiver suddenly became full.
When a group of people approached within a hundred paces of the Hu people, Zu Zhao did not hesitate to draw his bow and shoot in rapid succession. At this moment, he no longer cared about precise shooting; he only sought to inflict as many casualties as possible in the shortest amount of time. The attendants behind him, upon catching up, also mimicked his actions and began to shoot rapidly. The volley of over twenty people immediately created a small rain of arrows.
This time, Zu Zhao did not raise his bow to aim as he had in the previous two occasions. He did not want to give the Hu people a chance to evade by assuming a shooting posture. No matter what, this time he was determined to shoot down a man. After gathering his emotions, he took a deep breath, and during the process of turning around, he exerted himself to pull the bowstring fully. His eyes resembled those of a hunting eagle, and in an instant, he locked onto the Hu man charging at the front. With a decisive release of his fingers, the feathered arrow shot out like a bolt of lightning.
It was precisely due to this speculation that the Hu people's hearts grew increasingly fearful. Many subconsciously slowed their pace, afraid of becoming the target of that young archer at the front of the line
The group of sixty to seventy people was divided into two, with each team consisting of only twenty to thirty individuals. With just this one strike, they lost half of their combat strength, and the remaining members were thrown into disarray by the injured. They had no choice but to abandon their previously established plans and began to flee recklessly.
"Each of you give me an arrow." After pondering for a moment, he said to his attendants
The hurried counterattack by the Hu people resulted in nine out of ten arrows missing their mark due to visibility issues, and even when they did hit a target, they failed to inflict fatal injuries
Kill! The emotions surged on both sides, and they shouted in unison.
With these three shouts, all the Hu people felt a chill as if encased in ice. Some could not help but cry out in alarm, while others demanded a retreat in their own language. Moreover, all the horses at the front quickly slowed their pace, and no one dared to advance easily. In an instant, the entire formation fell into chaos; no matter how the leading Hu shouted, they could not stabilize the hearts of the people. In less than a moment, all the Hu horses gradually came to a halt, with one group of people in front and another behind turning in circles, unsure whether to continue the chase or to flee quickly. The entire formation fell into chaos in an instant; no matter how the leading Hu shouted, they could not stabilize the hearts of the people. In less than a moment, all the Hu horses gradually came to a halt, with one group of people in front and another behind turning in circles, unsure whether to continue the chase or to flee quickly.
Zu Zhaowang looked at the Hu people who were still in chaos and disdainfully said with his head held high
Soon, Zu Zhao's team had already maneuvered to the rear flank of the Hu people, and the distance between the two sides was gradually decreasing. He glanced at the right flank troops that were attempting to encircle and approach; these Hu people had to deliberately slow their pace to weave into a more rearward position, thus providing him with a period of time that could still be utilized.
At this moment, Zu Zhao felt a great sense of satisfaction in his heart. He certainly knew that the two arrows he had shot earlier contained a degree of luck, but in all matters accomplished under heaven, there is no such thing as absolute certainty. Whether in strategy or in action, one must rely on luck. Of course, a more important point is that he had mastered more advanced technological equipment.
Everyone was greatly impressed by Zuzhao's unwavering courage in the face of formidable foes and his unrestrained demeanor from beginning to end. It was unexpected that this young master, who is usually gentle, refined, and knowledgeable at home, displayed a different kind of elegance and charisma on the battlefield. He is truly a young hero who embodies both literary and martial talents.
The Hu people naturally noticed the movements of Zu Zhao early in the morning. The leader of the team on the left side immediately shouted a few words loudly and waved his whip to greet the team on the right. In his view, this was finally an opportunity to encircle the Han people and launch a counterattack, restoring the lost face from before
The waves of laughter rising and falling on the earthen mounds intensified the sense of provocation felt by the distant Hu people. However, these horse bandits were merely ordinary herdsmen and did not possess much temper. After lingering and discussing for a while, the leader of the Hu people, with no other choice, could only call for everyone to retreat northward, hastening to catch up with the convoy escorting the hostages ahead. If these Han people dared to pursue, they could simply launch a counterattack later, as they had the advantage in numbers and were actually worried about not being able to engage in a direct confrontation.
However, the sudden and overwhelming attack from the left team swiftly shattered the right team, causing significant damage to Hu Ma as well. Coupled with the initial intimidation from Zu Zhao's three precise shots, the current situation has left even the leader focused solely on fleeing. With fewer than thirty members remaining in the right team, everyone is contemplating retreat, and no one has the presence of mind to calmly assess the advantages and disadvantages.
Since the impact has already been made, the next step is to further amplify that impact. He turned around with an air of nonchalance and said to the attendants in a teasing tone: "I bet you all a prize, if I can shoot down another bandit, will you all shout my name three times in unison, how about that?"
The eldest son has struck again! Shout, shout, the eldest son is unparalleled in might!" It was Zujì who was the first to call out.
In a single round, seven or eight Hu soldiers fell from their horses, with more than ten injured, leading to a complete collapse of morale. The overall speed of the unit slowed down, and amidst the chaotic shouts and the rising wails, they turned their horses around and fled back.
Zhu Zhao lowered his head to glance at the quiver, which contained only eight arrows. On this hunting expedition, he had not brought more equipment, and the others had also only carried longbows and a few arrows. A few individuals were equipped with daggers or short swords, but not a single long-handled weapon was equipped for use on horseback.
At this moment, the right flank's cavalry has already approached from the rear side, putting Zu Zhao at a disadvantage.
"Alright. Now follow me back to kill them." Zu Zhao shouted with great excitement, his voice filled with fervor.
At this moment, faced with the unrestrained mockery of the Han cavalry ahead, many of the Hu people involuntarily began to speculate that the more than twenty seemingly ordinary Han individuals they were pursuing could very well be soldiers stationed at the border, and that the leading youth was likely a descendant of a renowned general or an officer selected through exceptional means. Otherwise, how could such a small number of them dare to recklessly pursue?
The retreat of the Hu people was evident, and Zu Ji, who was beside Zu Zhao, said excitedly: "Look quickly, the barbarian thieves are fleeing"
"Go." With a commanding tone, Zu Zhao issued the order after organizing the quiver. He spurred his horse and was the first to gallop out.
The rain of arrows swept through, enveloping half of the left flank of the Hu people. Many Hu warriors, just preparing to turn around and counterattack, were caught off guard by the intense firepower of the Han soldiers, resulting in five or six of them being shot down on the spot. Additionally, several others were injured by arrows. The wounded cried out in agony, clinging tightly to their horses to avoid falling off, urging their steeds to run faster, which instead disrupted the formation and the strategy.
"Xiao Si, A Zhong, A Da, how are you all?" Zu Zhao Le held the reins and first inquired about several injured attendants
Two teams of Hu horses were traveling northeast, while the convoy responsible for escorting the captives had slowed down earlier and was waiting in the distance for the return of the main force. Zu Zhao and his group were pursuing the team of Hu horses on the left in a straight line, moving more efficiently than the others, and within about fifteen minutes, they had already closed in on them.
However, it is merely a case of entrapment. Everyone, listen carefully; do not disperse later, and stay closely behind me, attacking their left flank from the north side. " Zu Zhao said calmly. For him, the thoughts of the Hu people were overly simplistic. Unless they were regular cavalry trained rigorously, the two units would need to have excellent coordination to successfully execute a diversion and encirclement. No one would be foolish enough to directly insert themselves between the two units.
The young master possesses unparalleled might! The young master possesses unparalleled might! The young master possesses unparalleled might! The entourage shouted in unison three times, each person filled with excitement, and the morale instantly reached its peak
"Pursue the Hu people ahead, do not pay attention to the team on the right," he commanded loudly to the left and right.
"Very well, we all follow the young master closely." The attendants responded in unison.
He could see that the purpose of the Hu people doing this was to hope that the two teams could alternate in providing cover. Once his side closely pursued one team, the other team could take the opportunity to maneuver around to the rear and encircle them
The two arrows shot by Zu Zhao indeed had a considerable deterrent effect on the Hu cavalry. At a distance of a hundred paces, they were also riding at high speed, making it impossible for these mounted peoples to catch up. Furthermore, throughout the centuries of the Han Dynasty's history, names that struck fear into the hearts of the northern ethnic minorities have emerged, instilling a deep-seated sense of trepidation.
Upon receiving the instructions from Zu Zhao, the attendants consecutively took out their feathered arrows in preparation for shooting