Where can the Han cavalry be found in Chapter 5
Thinking of this, he began to focus intently on the Mongolian infantry that was approaching step by step. In his previous life, he was a senior sailor and was not unfamiliar with distance measurement. Moreover, he learned through the internet that one step in the Song Dynasty was approximately equivalent to 1.5 meters in later times, making one hundred and twenty steps equal to 180 meters. At such a distance, he could estimate it quite accurately just by sight.
For the Song army, which had no cavalry available, after repelling the enemy, they could not capitalize on the momentum to pursue and expand their victories. Once they were defeated by the enemy, they would be trampled by the Mongolian cavalry without mercy. Even worse, under the watchful eyes of thousands of Mongolian cavalry, Jia Sidao and Li Tingzhi found it extremely difficult to maneuver the troops across the front lines, as any slight disorder during troop movements could lead to a charge from the Mongolian cavalry, resulting in a collapse. Even worse, under the watchful eyes of thousands of Mongolian cavalry, Jia Sidao and Li Tingzhi found it extremely difficult to maneuver the troops across the front lines, as any slight disorder during troop movements could lead to a charge from the Mongolian cavalry, resulting in a collapse
Chen Dexing took a deep breath, knowing what could be done about the Mongolian plot? He was not the commander-in-chief, the Privy Minister Jia Sidao, but merely a soldier with a ninth-rank official title! Moreover, even if he were Jia Sidao, could he devise a brilliant strategy to counter the Mongolian cavalry and save the Song Dynasty? Even if such a method existed, it would not yield results overnight
Xiangfu, is that warrior a general of the Wurui Army? Does he hold an official position?
When the historian Rui advanced to within thirty paces of the Song army's formation, the three rows of armored soldiers, who had originally been kneeling on the ground, suddenly stood up in response to the command.
Alas, if only there were five hundred elite cavalry, the armored soldiers of the Shi family would have collapsed! Liu the monk had just shot seven arrows, and now he was shaking his head and sighing while swinging his somewhat swollen arm.
"Young warriors! Form up and advance!" A general of the Song army shouted hoarsely, wielding a large sword in his hand, urging the phalanx composed of shield bearers and spearmen to move forward. From a high vantage point, one could observe that on the battlefield, two moving walls of armored warriors were rapidly colliding with each other! ... The spears of the Song army pierced the chests of the soldiers from the Shi family, while the large swords of the Shi soldiers struck towards the heads of the Song troops ...
The reason why Jia Sidao displayed a look of regret was that Chen Dexing had already attained an official position. If he were an ordinary person, it would only require a recommendation letter for him to bring him under his wing. Now, in this chaotic era of warfare, a valiant warrior like Chen Dexing is no longer as unpopular as he would have been in times of peace
Chen Dexing once again drew his bow to its full extent. Although he was an officer, he did not have soldiers under his command; in this battle formation, he was merely a special warrior—somewhat akin to a later-day sniper, enjoying a considerable degree of freedom. This time, he aimed his arrow at a giant man, who wielded a shield in one hand and a sword in the other. This man stood at an impressive height of 1.9 meters, bellowing as he crashed into the ranks of the Song army's armored soldiers, causing quite a commotion.
"He already has an official position..." This middle-aged man, known as the Chancellor, is none other than Jia Sidao, the supreme commander of the 40,000 Song troops on the battlefield at this moment. He displayed a hint of regret and nodded slightly.
Good! Good archery!
The sound of drums and gongs reverberated through the heavens and the earth, as if in the next moment, the entire ground would collapse with a thunderous roar. Everything on the battlefield was enveloped in this earth-shattering clamor of battle cries.
With a soft sound of "twang," the feathered arrow shot forth like a meteor chasing the moon, piercing into the giant's cheek. The sharp arrowhead penetrated the skull, emerging from the back of the head, carrying with it some pinkish brain matter. The giant did not even have time to let out a scream before he collapsed to the ground.
A civil official, clad in a green robe and possessing a somewhat rugged appearance, stepped forward and bowed, saying: "Sir, that person is named Chen Dexing, and he is the trusted agent of Mengbu, currently holding the position of trainer"
"If the war continues like this, the Southern Song will ultimately be unable to withstand it!" Chen Dexing shook his head slightly, his thick brows furrowed into a knot.
Let us first find a way to get through today before discussing anything further
This is to exhaust the stamina of the Song army through a war of attrition using wheel tactics
On the contrary, the infantry of the Mongolian side can even lie down and sleep on the battlefield without any issues! This is because the Song army could not possibly send infantry to attack them
The fifth person ... ... Chen Dexing squinted his eyes and scanned the battlefield, seeking new prey, when he heard the sound of metal clanging, "ding ding dong dong".
The person referred to as "Xiangfu" by Jia Sidao is Li Tingzhi, the actual commander of the Wushui Army. Li Tingzhi originally came from the school of Meng Gong, who was his patron. Therefore, after Meng Gong's death, he mourned for him for three years. In this era, the relationship between a patron and the person recommended by him is akin to that of a master and servant. Even though Li Tingzhi later became a successful candidate in the imperial examination and became a civil official, he still remained a disciple of Meng Gong, a martial figure.
At this moment, behind the main formation of the Song army, on a wooden platform built by the banks of the Yangzhou city moat (later known as Shouxihu), a middle-aged man dressed in a purple official robe and wearing a long-winged official hat gently clapped his hands. His narrow eyes sparkled with brilliance, revealing a calm demeanor and a strong desire. Surrounding him were several civil and military officials, some fully armored and others in blue robes with feathered crowns, as well as a few common scholars not in official attire, all frowning as they gazed at the battlefield.
Due to the lack of available cavalry in the Song army, the retreat of the Shi family troops was relatively easy. The Song soldiers only pursued for a few steps before sending men to behead the fallen Shi soldiers on the battlefield, while retreating in formation amidst cheers. It was not that they did not wish to chase, but rather that the heavy cavalry of the Mongols, positioned on both flanks, was already restless! If the Song army could not promptly restore their formation for battle, a single charge from the Mongols would be enough to break through the Song army's ranks, which were no longer protected by long spears and large shields! As for the Song soldiers who scattered on the battlefield in pursuit of the enemy, they could not withstand a charge from the Mongolian cavalry at all. If the Song army could not promptly restore their formation for battle, a single charge from the Mongols would be enough to break through the Song army's ranks, which were no longer protected by long spears and large shields! As for the Song soldiers who scattered on the battlefield in pursuit of the enemy, they could not withstand a charge from the Mongolian cavalry at all.
With a twang, another feathered arrow was shot forth, this time aimed at a young historian engaged in battle, who similarly met his demise as the arrow struck
This is the sound of the gong? Upon hearing the drum, one advances; upon the sound of the gong, one retreats. Coupled with the commands of horns, flags, and lights, an army can be maneuvered in an orderly manner. In Chen Dexing's mind, there is a wealth of knowledge regarding the deployment of troops in battle. ... All of this was imparted to him by his father, who was solely focused on achieving the status of a successful scholar to bring glory to the family.
With a slight twang, after the faint sound of a bowstring, Chen Dexing shot another feathered arrow, which traced a semicircular parabola in the air, seemingly guided by some unseen force, and struck a burly foot soldier squarely in the face. The man let out a terrible scream and collapsed to the ground.
The historical knowledge and military strategy in his mind indicated that although it seemed like the Song army had won this round, in reality, the Mongols held the advantage. The Song army was arrayed in formation and had the benefit of bows and crossbows, making it entirely normal for them to repel the attacks of the elite troops. This was not a victory; it was merely the beginning of the engagement. It is akin to the trench warfare during the later anti-Japanese era, where the attacking side rarely breaks through the opponent's defenses in a single assault. More often than not, they must engage in repeated attacks, gradually exhausting the defending side's strength before they can seize the position
The retreat sounded by the trumpets was executed by the elite troops of the Shi family, whose momentum had diminished by approximately one and a half percent compared to their fierce advance. If they did not retreat soon, they would face collapse—most armies of this era could only endure a casualty rate of around twenty percent in a single battle, with only those troops fighting for their lives able to withstand thirty percent or more. Therefore, commanders must never recklessly deplete their forces during combat; otherwise, a collapse on the battlefield would lead to a catastrophic defeat. Thus, on the battlefield, commanders must skillfully manage the rhythm of advance and retreat, promptly withdrawing heavily damaged units. Moreover, the task of covering the retreat of infantry or eliminating the enemy's fleeing soldiers falls to the cavalry, and the Song army has an irremediable shortcoming in this regard.
At this moment, the sound of the horn used by the Mongols to mobilize their troops resounded once again! Three infantry formations emerged from the Mongolian army's main formation! The target remained the Wushui Army led by Chen Dexing. This time, it was still the Mongolian Han army, similarly clad in leather helmets and armor, wielding swords and shields. They marched boldly onto the battlefield under the guidance of the banners arranged in a "Zhang" formation. The Mongols who had just been responsible for archery retreated, replaced by another two thousand Mongolian cavalry—Mongolian cavalry are not only skilled in mounted charges but also proficient in archery, each equipped with both foot bows and horse bows, the former used for dismounted shooting and the latter for mounted shooting. Of course, the arms of the Mongols are made of flesh and blood, and they too experience fatigue and pain, thus they adopted a strategy of alternating archers in battle.
This is already the fourth person... Chen Dexing thought to himself, this is the fourth person he has killed since his rebirth, among whom there was one defenseless elderly person! Killing four people is enough to qualify as a serial killer in later generations, yet Chen Dexing's nerves were so tough that he showed no adverse reactions! It is unclear whether he had the potential to be a psychopathic killer in his previous life, or if he inherited a heart of stone after his soul transmigrated.