Chapter 9: Breaking the Army
Many soldiers of the Liang army fled in panic, but under the reprimand of the officers, they at least understood that chaos would only lead to a quicker death. After suffering considerable casualties and leaving behind a field of corpses, the leather shields were gradually raised and began to converge. The archers of the Liang army successively sought positions for counterattack, while the remaining commander dodged arrows and coordinated various forces, striving to stabilize the situation and looking for opportunities to counterattack or escape. After suffering considerable casualties and leaving behind a field of corpses, the leather shields were gradually raised and began to converge. The archers of the Liang army successively sought positions for counterattack, while the remaining commander dodged arrows and coordinated various forces, striving to stabilize the situation and looking for opportunities to counterattack or escape.
Kill! With a single strike, Li Congjing shouted loudly to boost morale, swinging his long spear to pierce through two soldiers of the Liang army. He then drew his sword and charged forward once more
Unfortunately, his movements were a beat too slow. Li Congjing struck with his knife, and one of the opponent's arms along with the horizontal blade flew into the sky. The sound of a scream reached Li Congjing's ears. He kicked the opponent down to the ground, followed up by kneeling on the opponent's chest, firmly pinning him down. At the same time, he swung the horizontal knife under the opponent's chin, severing the head of the last remaining Liang army commander.
"Hold steady, hold steady for me!" Liang Jun shouted, "If we hold steady, we can take him down!"
Since Liang Jun's commander has fallen, Li Congjing will no longer pay him any heed. Without the slightest pause in his movement, he charges forward once again
This group of Liang troops can be considered cautious; before abandoning the city and fleeing, they sent out several waves of scouts. After none returned to the city, no scouts were willing to venture out to their deaths. In a desperate situation, some, upon seeing the Jin army's scouts from a distance, dismounted and surrendered in hopes of saving their lives, even revealing all the circumstances of the Liang troops within the city to the Jin army. This allowed Li Congjing to have a thorough understanding of the situation inside the city.
The deceased may rest in peace, but those who are alive must continue to fight
After the battle concluded, the summary of the casualties was compiled and handed over to Li Congjing. In this battle, the casualties of the Jin army were pitifully small, totaling only a few dozen individuals, which was hardly worth mentioning compared to the military achievements.
For the Liang army within the city, the dangers of leaving the city are unknown, but remaining inside guarantees certain death. Moreover, since Li Congjing has not attacked the city, the Liang army surmises that the Jin army is not too numerous. The two leading commanders of the Liang army have considered the possibility of encountering an ambush on the way, but even if they do face an ambush, it does not mean there is no chance of breaking through the encirclement.
Li Congjing's lips curled into a cold smile as he swung his sword back in a decisive motion, using the technique of leveraging strength against strength to strike forcefully against his opponent's hammer
The silent night suddenly boiled over like water dropped into a hot oil pot
Zhang Xiaowu took the head with great excitement and hurried to spread the news in all directions
He had no rivals among his subordinates, and with the exceptional bravery of the cavalry behind him, gradually, the Liang army could no longer hold their ground
Over a thousand Liang troops, with only about one hundred killed in battle, three to four hundred fled, and the rest were captured by the Jin army. Excluding the severely wounded, Li Congjing retained more than five hundred Liang troops. When the battle report reached Li Cunxu, he was overjoyed and said to those around him: "This person possesses both wisdom and courage, and should be appointed as the Chief Military Officer!"
To avenge the commander! Those Liang soldiers shouted, their faces twisted with rage, as they surged towards Li Congjing.
The blade was already within reach. Li Congjing forcefully slapped the ground with his left hand, using the strength of his legs to propel his body into the air. In mid-air, the Liang army soldier with the long knife relentlessly pursued him. Just before Li Congjing landed, he turned around, evading the blade's edge, and simultaneously struck down with his own knife.
Li Congjing saw the iron arrow leap out from the gaps in the grass and trees, its shaft spinning as the space before it was torn apart. In the blink of an eye, it pierced into the target's neck, bringing the target down from the horse along with it
Although the official road is not narrow, it is also not wide. The long, snake-like Liang army was cut into countless segments by the Jin army, unable to support each other. The Liang soldiers in the middle segments were not engaged in battle with any Liang soldiers, while those at both ends of the Liang army were suffering immensely
After the conclusion of the Luoyan Kou battle, Li Congjing immediately sent someone to return to the Wei City, which was subsequently captured by Li Congjing.
As the Liang army marched in, the mountains and fields fell silent, leaving only the sound of the breaths held desperately by the Jin soldiers and the marching footsteps of the Liang troops. The Jin soldiers could even see the anxious and tense faces of the Liang soldiers and hear their frantic heartbeats. At this moment, it is unknown how many Jin soldiers silently resolved in their hearts that they could never act like these Liang soldiers, fleeing in the dead of night—what a torment it must be to live in fear and anxiety.
Li Congjing stopped in his tracks, spat out a mouthful of blood, and felt somewhat disinterested. He glanced at the Liang army, whose hands trembled as they gripped their swords, raised his sword horizontally, and asked: "I am Li Congjing, who has slain Zhang Lang. Who among you dares to step forward for a battle?"
Li Congjing naturally would not retreat. He took two steps forward with his broadsword in hand, and at the moment Liang Jun commanded the spear strike, he executed a roll on the ground, using his forward momentum to evade the opponent's long spear. With a swift motion, he swung his broadsword and severed the opponent's horse's leg.
However, a gap still appeared in the large shield formation. Li Congjing's hands were in constant motion, swinging his long spear horizontally, lowering his body, and delivering a sweeping strike at the feet of the heavily armored infantry.
As the figures intertwined and passed by, Li Congjing's footsteps were firmly planted on the ground. Meanwhile, the commander of the Liang army had dropped a pair of iron hammers onto the ground, creating two dents in the earth. He clutched his neck, from which blood gushed like a spring, his eyes wide open as if they were about to pop out of their sockets, filled with horror and disbelief.
This group of Liang troops surprisingly did not place their cavalry at the front of the formation; instead, leading the ranks were a group of infantrymen wielding large shields. It seems that the Liang troops' fear of death has reached a certain extent.
Yesterday, amidst the chaos of battle, at a distance of thirty paces, Li Congjing failed to hit Zhang Lang's vital point with a single arrow. This left Li Congjing, who was renowned for his archery skills even while mounted, feeling deeply unsettled. Today, he silently vowed to reclaim his honor.
That tall general Liang Jun, relying on the weight of his iron hammer and his large physique, has undoubtedly gained numerous advantages on the battlefield. Which enemy dares to engage him in a direct confrontation? In the best-case scenario, they struggle to hold their weapons steady; in worse cases, their weapons are directly knocked from their hands. Moreover, there are quite a few who have been sent flying by his single strike.
"Well done!" Li Congjing sneered and charged forward with his knife.
Originally, the broadsword was more advantageous in such narrow terrain, but at this moment, Li Congjing had no choice but to switch to a long spear
A tremendous crash erupted like thunder, followed by several screams. The heavily armored soldiers were immediately thrown into disarray, their shields toppling and bodies falling in a chaotic tumble
In this battlefield, which is not vast, there are hardly any formations to speak of; it is merely groups of three to five, watching over each other as they fight desperately.
This time, Li Congjing's momentum was even more formidable, and he was truly unstoppable. The Liang army before him could hardly muster any fighting spirit.
"Li Congjing? Are you Li Congjing? Did you kill General Zhang?" Upon hearing this, Liang Jun not only showed no intention of avenging Zhang Lang, but instead, a deeper fear was reflected in his eyes.
The Jin army among the trees appeared like ghosts, materializing out of thin air, their bowstrings drawn mercilessly. In that moment, they were cold hunters. In the face of the rain of arrows coming from all directions, blood immediately splattered within the ranks of the Liang army, and cries of anguish filled the air. The officers shouted about the enemy's attack, urging their soldiers to enter a defensive posture, and the entire unit descended into chaos
With the long spear in hand, Li Congjing took two steps forward, thrusting the spear like a dragon, striking fiercely against the center of a large shield.
After blocking the hammer for the first time, Li Congjing had already positioned himself in front of Liang Jundu. Following the rebound force of the horizontal blade, Li Congjing stepped forward once more, simultaneously swinging his sword in a horizontal slash, as if he were cutting down a giant bear, the blade directly piercing into the opponent's neck
Come on!" Li Congjing laughed heartily, his blood surging with excitement. Gripping his sword, he charged towards the enemy crowd, accompanied by his loyal guards.
At that moment, a Liang soldier with inadequate protection had his foot severed by Li Congjing, causing him to scream in pain and collapse. Other Liang soldiers, despite their better protection, also staggered backward under the tremendous impact of Li Congjing's long spear, struggling to maintain their balance.
Li Congjing emerged from behind a large tree, reached out to take the longbow handed over by Zhang Xiaowu, nocked an arrow, drew the string, and aimed at a commander of the Liang army.
On the official road ahead of the Liang army, a large pit has appeared, and some heavily armored soldiers of the Liang army have fallen into the pit, desperately trying to climb up. Meanwhile, on both sides and behind the Liang army, countless soldiers of the Jin army, brandishing their weapons, are advancing towards the Liang army. In an instant, the mountains and fields are filled with the shouts, drumbeats, and horn sounds of the Jin army, as if there were thousands of troops and horses.
The surroundings became blurred, and all that remained were the coldly gleaming arrowhead and the moving commander of the Liang army. All was silent, and time seemed to stop at that moment, frozen on the iron arrow in Li Congjing's hand
The commander Liang Jun is dead; those who surrender shall not be killed!" Li Congjing cut off the head of the previously fallen commander and threw it to Zhang Xiaowu, saying.
Li Congjing, however, paid no attention to these matters. After two preparatory strikes, seizing the opportunity when the shield soldier lost stability, he relied on his agility to sidestep two steps, positioning himself at the side of the shield formation. He swung his eight-foot-long spear, sweeping it in a half-circle through the air, exerting all his strength to deliver a powerful blow to the shield surface
After killing three people, Li Congjing was only a few steps away from the Liangjun commander, who also recognized Li Congjing's armor. The Liangjun commander charged at him, seemingly intending to take advantage of his warhorse beneath him, attempting to slay Li Congjing from a position of superiority.
With every step that Li Congjing took, several corpses would lie beneath his feet. The guards following him felt no pressure at all. However, it did not take long for Li Congjing to become frustrated as he noticed that the Liang army in front of him, as he advanced, was retreating in fear and no longer dared to approach. He found himself unable to find anyone to engage in battle with!
Liang Jun, the commander, caught sight of Li Congjing's swift figure, akin to that of a tiger or leopard, and fear was already evident in his eyes as he hurriedly swung his iron hammer to defend himself
Who is the other party? This was the question that arose in Liang Jun's mind.
With a sharp clang, the sound of a sword clashing against a hammer resonated, and two figures briefly came together before separating.
Li Congjing's ambush has already ensnared Liang Jun
The sound of the collision was extremely piercing, and the soldier Liang Jun, who was holding the large shield, let out a cry of agony. The extraordinary impact from the shield was too much for him to bear, causing him to stagger back two steps, on the verge of collapsing
His body finally collapsed heavily to the ground, and then his entire body fell like a stone, kicking up a considerable amount of dust. After that, this commander of the Liang army had no breath left, with only blood flowing from beneath his neck, combined with his still wide-open eyes, which was quite terrifying
When Liang Jun, the commander, was killed in battle, his personal guards immediately turned red-eyed and rushed towards Li Congjing to attack
Li Congjing saw these large shields and immediately understood the opponent's intentions. He shouted loudly, "Bring the long spear!"
At that moment, a loud shout was suddenly heard, "Get out of the way, let me come!" Following this, several soldiers from Liang advanced with large shields, and behind the shield bearers, there were also some pikemen.
Li Congjing drew his sword and let out a fierce shout of "Kill!" before leading his men out of the woods.
Li Congjing put down his bow and arrow, yet commanded: "Shoot!"
They are moving at a rapid pace, seemingly determined to break through the encirclement even if they encounter an ambush
"We are willing to surrender." It is unclear who first uttered this phrase, but soon after, the soldiers of Liang dropped their weapons one after another, indicating their willingness to surrender
Li Congjing's techniques not only require a good grasp of timing and precision in targeting the vital points, but most importantly, they must possess sufficient strength. Therefore, those who lack the necessary strength cannot be considered fierce warriors, let alone lead troops to charge against the enemy formations
As the sound of metal striking echoed once more, Liang Jun's iron hammer moved forward with his body. He immediately realized that something was amiss and quickly steadied his footing, swinging the other hammer in an attempt to force Li Congjing back
Ah! Scalding hot blood splattered on Li Congjing's face. He let out a low shout, stepped forward, and parried another horizontal strike from a Liang soldier with his blade, smoothly driving the edge into the opponent's neck.
The personal guards following Li Congjing, aside from charging into battle alongside him and protecting his flanks, primarily engaged in tasks such as serving tea and water. As soon as Li Congjing called out, Zhang Xiaowu immediately handed him a long spear
Break out. This is the predetermined combat plan for Liang Jun in the face of an ambush. Only in this way can there be a glimmer of hope.
That Liang Jun, the commander, was also a valiant warrior. After being unseated, he discarded his spear and drew his sword, striking down towards Li Congjing with a single blow.
Li Congjing sheathed his sword, feeling utterly bored as he waved his hand dismissively, leaving the battlefield while muttering to himself: "Damn it, I had just gotten into the zone, this is really pointless"
"How many Jin troops could there be?" The Liang army commander was in a state of panic, sweating profusely, yet he did not forget to convey the military order, "All troops, heed my command, charge out with me!"
Li Congjing, filled with fighting spirit, wielded a broadsword, striking left and right, causing the blood and flesh of the Liang army to fly in all directions
The blade glided across the neck of the opponent, further tearing through their chainmail, creating a massive wound that nearly cleaved them in two
Li Congjing's eyes narrowed slightly. The large shield formation used by Liang Jun just now clearly originated from this person. Otherwise, how could the Liang Jun soldiers, like a pack of stray dogs, have the spirit to fight to the death with Li Congjing after being ambushed while fleeing in the middle of the night? Who would not prioritize their own escape, let alone create such a large shield formation?
Li Congjing's gaze was fixed on the two cavalrymen, whose armor was distinctly different. Having had considerable dealings with the Liang army, he knew that those two were the commanders of the Liang forces—this was also his primary target for elimination
Under the condition of only suffering dozens of casualties, defeating one thousand with five hundred men, capturing five hundred, and additionally reclaiming a city. Such achievements are worthy of pride wherever they are placed
"Come here, let the captain come!" Once again, that familiar roar echoed, as a massive figure charged out from the ranks of the Liang army. This person was robust and towering, even taller than Li Congjing, and instead of a sword, he wielded a pair of enormous bronze and iron hammers! Coupled with his fierce and menacing appearance, he truly exuded an extraordinary aura of intimidation
The terrain was narrow, so Li Congjing simply did not take a long spear. Instead, he wielded a broadsword and, under the protection of Zhang Xiaowu and others, charged into the ranks of the Liang army
In this battle, Li Congjing ambushed 500 men at Luoyankou, launching a night attack on 1,000 Liang troops, supported by a ruse of war, resulting in a great defeat for the Liang army, with two Liang commanders killed and several hundred captured
Zhang Xiaowu was deeply shocked by the scene before him, and when he looked at Li Congjing, his eyes were filled with fervor
These soldiers plan to use large shields to force back Li Congjing, and then seek an opportunity to stab him with long spears, aiming to inflict harm on Li Congjing. Undoubtedly, this is a common and effective combat strategy against a fierce general like Li Congjing
But it is already too late. Li Congjing only needs a small opening when he is unsteady on his feet.
However, this time, upon their first encounter, the opponent was completely unaware of Liang Jun's capabilities. Yet he himself felt as if his wrist had been pierced by needles, trembling uncontrollably, and the hammer shook several times, nearly becoming too heavy to lift!
By this point, many of the Liang troops had yet to engage in combat with the Jin army
However, there were already people behind him, and these Liang troops held him back, which prevented Li Congjing from breaking through the formation with a single strike
With a whoosh, the iron arrow flew out
When Li Congjing landed, he firmly gripped his horizontal sword, disregarding the changed expression of the Liang army's commander. With a forceful stomp of his foot on the ground, his body suddenly lunged forward, aiming directly for the opponent's throat with a single strike.