Prologue, white robe

At this moment, Yuan Tianmu could no longer bear it and was the first to turn his horse around and flee to the rear. The personal guards of the central army and the accompanying generals were equally in a state of panic, fleeing in all directions.

"Wind!" This was the second command heard among that group of madmen, still consisting of just one word. And at the very moment this word landed, all the cavalry simultaneously drew the crossbows from their saddles, nocked the arrows, and executed the action in one fluid motion

Forty thousand soldiers shouted in unison, and although they knew who their opponents were and understood their own strength, at that moment, everyone was shouting hoarsely with flushed faces. It was as if the waves of their cries, crashing against the city walls and the fields, were the only support they could find at that time

"Prepare for battle, prepare for battle!" Yuan Tianmu shouted anxiously as he looked at the chaotic figures ahead. He had no other choice but to stand his ground.

Yuan Tianmu's pupils suddenly constricted, causing the hearts of countless generals to race wildly

This is the only word that Yuan Tianmu can hear clearly, and it is also the only word spoken by the guy commanding the cavalry

Several commanders and the Deputy General of the Feather Forest stood beside Yuan Tianmu, slightly furrowing their brows, their gazes all fixed on this King of Shangdang. Yuan Tianmu is far from being a suitable military talent, but looking across Northern Wei, the only capable army available is the forty thousand troops under this King of Shangdang, and the only competent general is this King himself.

The white-robed cavalry spread out to the sides, pursuing the disordered retreating soldiers of the Wei army, while a general clad in silver armor rode out, amidst the blood-red setting sun. With his spear held horizontally in hand, he reined in his horse, standing there motionless.

The song says: A great general and a renowned master should not confine themselves, as thousands of troops and horses avoid the white robe

A gap opens, countless gaps open, blood splatters on the white robe, resonating with the dust that stains it

Watching and waiting for these individuals to continue their own miracles

Let oneself completely eliminate these devils that others cannot withstand

These cavalrymen are the elite among the Xianbei and other nomadic tribes, while the majority of the archers are humble Han people. Yuan Tianmu directly dismissed the possibility of allowing the Han to personally shoot down the Xianbei cavalry. This is not a heroic act of self-mutilation, but rather an act that would undermine the very foundation of the entire Wei dynasty.

The cavalry approaching head-on showed no signs of hesitation, continuing to gallop forward with unwavering determination, their target aimed directly at the central army of Yuan Tianmu. Yuan Tianmu was slightly taken aback; if these white-robed cavalrymen did not change their course soon, they would soon be flanked by two units of Wei cavalry and then completely vanish from this land.

"Cavalry, charge!" Yuan Tianmu commanded loudly, his voice filled with an unmistakable excitement.

Perhaps this King of Shangdang is the only one among the 40,000 troops who still possesses courage

Like a flower blooming in the dust, it is vibrant and striking

However, no one moved forward; a soldier held a spear, yet his steps trembled as he retreated. The flag, powerless in the wind, had at that moment completely adhered to the flagpole, as if it had been stripped of its last vestige of spirit and strength

Amidst the three thousand cavalry that swept in with a roar, another loud shout was heard

"Your Highness, shoot the arrows! If you do not shoot, those madmen will rush over!" On the other side, the general urgently spurred his horse forward, "Your Highness!"

For those who are observant, it is evident that the morale of the army has already been irreparably shattered in the previous several battles. It is only this optimistic individual, or perhaps one who simply does not know how to fight, the King of Shangdang, who would express such sentiments.

The Feathered Forest Lieutenant General instinctively raised his head slightly and looked towards Yuan Tianmu

The three thousand cavalry showed not the slightest pause, continuously splitting into trickling streams, only to converge once more into a roaring, surging tide. Everything before their gleaming lances fell apart without any moment of hesitation.

So fast, as if a violent wind were rushing towards one. The dense arrows accurately pierced the chests of the soldiers in the second row, seemingly rendering the tightly shielded first row completely ineffective. As the second row fell, even more arrows surged towards the third row

This grand city of Liang was later rebuilt by the Western Han Dynasty on the ruins of the original city of Liang from the Warring States period, continuing to serve as a symbol of the Central Plains

"Quick, shoot the arrows!" Yuan Tianmu shouted loudly

Yuan Tianmu's face was pale as he tightly gripped the reins. The thousands of vanguards could not hold for even a quarter of an hour before they collapsed under the assault of these three thousand cavalrymen

Scatter! Amidst the rapidly approaching seven thousand cavalry, a thunderous shout finally rang out

The scout rushed to Yuan Tianmu's side and spoke hurriedly for a moment. Yuan Tianmu nodded, suddenly leaping onto his horse, raising his golden blade high: "The good sons of the Great Wei, these ignorant southern barbarians actually have the audacity to provoke the might of our Great Wei. Tell this king, what should be done?"

The already dilapidated city walls are filled with traces of erosion from swords and axes, while the swaying wild grass tells the story of the continuous turmoil and warfare in the Central Plains over the years

The sound of hooves shattered the dust, and figures appeared on the horizon not far away. The flags with white backgrounds and black characters fluttered as the warhorses galloped. All the cavalry were uniformly clad in white robes, holding their lances level, with pairs of eyes fixed straight ahead

The Wei army soldiers, who had been waiting outside Daliang City for three to four hours, were well aware of who was approaching. Throughout the Central Plains, apart from a contingent stationed at Hulao Pass, the rest of the forces of the Great Wei were concentrated here. In such a vast dynasty, only these last 40,000 troops remained as their reliance, so it was impossible for it to be any cavalry unit coming to join the main force.

Above his head, a large flag with a white background and black characters bearing the word "Chen" fluttered in the wind. In this moment, in this instant, he was the king of the world

"Your Highness, we cannot! Our cavalry is also within the range of the arrows!" a general of the Imperial Guard said anxiously, "If a volley of arrows is released, it is estimated that more than half of the ten thousand cavalry will be lost!"

In the southern part of Daliang City, an army of 40,000 troops is arranged in perfect order, with thousands of cavalrymen urging their warhorses to patrol tirelessly in concentric circles around the perimeter

Pure restraint, perfect restraint

This is the main beam, this is the Central Plains

The Feather Forest Lieutenant General is an educated man and does not believe in such claims. However, when asked to explain why this mere force of 7,000 men could sweep through Huainan with unstoppable momentum all the way to the foot of Daliang City, he too cannot articulate it clearly. He can only, like everyone else, watch anxiously.

Additionally, the three thousand white-robed cavalry have, at this moment, charged to within less than two hundred paces of the vanguard of the Wei army

Gripping their weapons tightly, a soldier has already risen at the command of the generals, each of them with sweat in the palms of their hands

However, it was too late, for when the soldiers of the Wei army, thoroughly thrown into disarray by the arrows, were in a state of panic and sought to retaliate, the first cavalryman had already charged to the front of the shields, his horse's hooves heavily trampling upon them. The soldiers behind the shields, under this impact, had blood gushing forth from their mouths and noses

A cruel yet unavoidable reality

Kill! Countless cavalrymen shouted hoarsely in various languages of different ethnic groups

Daliang City

Both sides chased each other across the fields, biting at each other's flanks and rear, but due to their equally skilled horsemanship, neither side gained an advantage for the time being

As unstoppable as a bamboo being split, it should be this way

Seven thousand cavalrymen swiftly spread out to the left and right, like a raging dragon roaring as it confronted the Wei army's cavalry. However, the white-robed cavalrymen who split off to the flanks numbered only four thousand in total. They galloped nimbly across the fields, continuously circling around the Wei army's cavalry. Faced with the sudden division of the enemy, the Wei army's cavalry, clearly taken by surprise, also turned their horses around.

Just as all the glory of this year belongs to Chen Qingzhi and his seven thousand white-robed army

"Raise the shields, block above!" The deputy generals and captains were directing in a state of panic

From the moment they appeared on the horizon, they formed a neat line, resembling a white square moving forward. It seemed as though they did not mind that the enemy could easily count their numbers, nor did they care that the enemy ahead outnumbered them by six or seven times.

Wherever they go, there is only defeat and death

In June and July, although the sun was already setting in the west, one could still feel the overwhelming heat carried by the breeze. The flag of Wang Yuantianmu, the King of Shangdang of the Great Wei, lazily fluttered in the wind, leading the soldiers holding the flag to doubt that if the wind were any lighter, the flag would not be able to fly at all and would merely rest against the flagpole

The cavalry of the Wei army on both flanks charged out with a roar. These warriors from the northern lands were unconcerned about how strong or fearsome their opponents were; what mattered more to them was how many people they could kill.

Yuan Tianmu was momentarily stunned. Indeed, the four thousand cavalry that had been dispatched were leading the Wei army's cavalry continuously moving towards this direction, unknowingly entering the range of the Wei army's arrows. At this moment, if arrows were to be released, many of their own men would surely perish.

If even the elite forwards are like this, how would it be with one's own 5,000 troops?

A cavalryman in a white robe bore a grim expression, urging his steed with all his might. If Death were to take on a form among mortals, these cavalrymen would likely be the best choice.

The cavalry formation is drawing closer and closer

"Not bad, the morale of the troops is usable," said Yuan Tianmu with a smile, quite satisfied.

The wind rushed towards him, and Yuan Tianmu frantically urged his horse, not knowing which way to turn. The entire Wei army had completely collapsed, with forty thousand men desperately fleeing under the pursuit of seven thousand. At that moment, Yuan Tianmu suddenly recalled a nursery rhyme that had long circulated in Luoyang, one he had once scoffed at, but now he understood that it was indeed the truth

"They are monsters, they are devils, run!" It is unknown who shouted first. At that moment, the crowd became completely chaotic, the spear seemed to be chasing my own footsteps, and those grim reapers in white robes sitting high on their horses seemed capable of taking my life with just a nod.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

There are even rumors in the military that these barbarians coming from the south wield ghostly flames that have fallen from the heavens, and whoever they encounter is destined to die

As the numerous generals around Yuan Tianmu were filled with trepidation, thick clouds of dust began to rise in the heavens and the earth. For more than half a month, the weather had been fine with the sun shining brightly, resulting in the ground being quite dry; once the warhorses began to run, they would inevitably stir up billowing clouds of dust

In the first year of the Daitong era of Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang, and in the second year of the Yong'an era of Emperor Xiaozhuang of the Northern Wei

Visitors are not guests

Because only blood can be this red, it gives the impression that just a glance can evoke a strong sense of the metallic scent of blood

There are no troops available domestically, and there are no generals to be used in the court; everyone is well aware of what this signifies. Even if that enigmatic figure does not appear, it is likely that the Great Wei cannot hold out for much longer. Nevertheless, despite this, no one is willing to become a casualty under that figure's command or to become a part of the countless glories that surround him

Yuan Tianmu let out a soft breath and said in a deep voice: "The vanguard, prepare for battle!"

Your Highness! The voice of that commander has already become hoarse, yet Yuan Tianmu remains indifferent this time

However, the generals of the central army, since the time of Yuan Tianmu, have discerned the clues at this moment. The four thousand white-robed cavalry and over ten thousand Wei army cavalry that have been dispatched are not maneuvering to cut and kill these enemies in search of opportunities for the remaining cavalry, but rather to serve as a means of restraint

Kill! The team leader shouted loudly, urging the warhorses forward

The sound seemed to possess an unknown magic; whatever word he uttered would inevitably transform into the reality of the next moment. Three thousand cavalrymen converged into a sharp spearhead, piercing into the heart of the Wei army. Lances were thrust out, retracted, and thrust out again, with blood continuously splattering, as Wei soldiers fell one after another. The vast array of troops, under the onslaught of the cavalry, continuously crumbled to the sides, like a high platform made of mud and sand collapsing directly under the pounding of the tide

These individuals are truly the nightmarish demons reborn from the eighteenth layer of hell

However, one of the Imperial Guards beside him could only muster a faint, bitter smile.

Looking back, Yuan Tianmu was desperately fleeing, no longer caring about everything behind him. The sky above his head was blood-red. Yuan Tianmu understood very well that it was not the sunset, but the blood of the soldiers of the Great Wei that had stained the sky this color

Even without firing arrows, with 10,000 troops in the front line and an additional 5,000 in the middle, Yuan Tianmu was still very confident in withstanding these madmen. After all, the opponent only had 3,000 cavalry, while his own forces were now ten times that number.

The scout rushed down from the nearby hillside in a state of urgency, and without him having to shout, everyone already understood.

The horizontal count is seven thousand people, and the vertical count is also seven thousand people. From Huainan all the way to Luoyang, and then to Daliang, their numbers have never increased or decreased. It is just that the enemies in front have repeatedly melted away like ice and snow in the face of such cavalry charges.

Such an opponent is destined to be a lifelong nightmare for oneself, as well as a nightmare for the entire Wei dynasty

The soldiers responded loudly to him, merely to mask the deep-seated fear within their hearts. Their hands continued to tremble involuntarily, and some even pressed their legs together. Those who had fought in battles knew all too well that this was clearly a shameful wetting of their pants.

Irreplaceable

From the Western Han to the Northern Wei, one dynasty after another has swiftly vanished into history, and one Liang king after another has experienced birth, growth, and death here. People come and go like fleeting shadows, yet this Great Liang City still stands solitary in this vast wilderness

In a state of panic, Yuan Tianmu instinctively turned his head and caught sight of the general emerging from the crowd. In that instant of seeing him, Yuan Tianmu already understood who he was.

At this moment, the army of 40,000 fell silent

They silently moved forward, and throughout the journey, the only sound in the world was the sound of hooves.

The defeat was so unexpected, and it was so decisive and clean.

The first cavalryman has charged out of the crowd, drenched in blood, resembling a phoenix reborn from the ashes, proudly roaring and shouting at the enemy