Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1145 Hesitation Leads to Divine Intervention

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, a muffled rumble suddenly came from afar, like thunder rolling across the ground. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai were standing on the city wall wiping their weapons when they heard the sound and looked up at the same time. They saw a troop of cavalry breaking through the morning light from the depths of the mist, approaching like a black tide. Their iron hooves pounded on the bluestone road, making the city bricks tremble slightly.

"Alarm bell!" Huang Gai jumped to his feet, his sword clattering as it was drawn from its sheath. "Quickly! Order all battalions to be on alert!"

The alarm bells on the city wall pierced the morning mist, their sharp ringing echoing across Moling City. The soldiers guarding the city scrambled to move the barricades, nock their bows, and fix their eyes on the approaching cavalry. Cheng Pu narrowed his eyes, looking at the faintly visible "horse" banner at the head of the column, his brow suddenly relaxing—the style of the armor, the imposing presence of the cavalry, were clearly those of the Xiliang army.

"Wait!" Cheng Pu grabbed Huang Gai's arm. "Judging by the banners, they're one of us!"

Before he finished speaking, the horse had already charged to the foot of the city. Ma Chao reined in his horse, his black armor standing out even more against the mist. He looked up at the city wall and called out loudly, "General Cheng, General Huang, Ma Chao is here!"

"Your Majesty?!" Cheng Pu and Huang Gai were both startled. They quickly bent down to take a closer look and, after confirming it was Ma Chao, hurriedly ordered the drawbridge to be lowered. "How did you suddenly arrive? What happened in Shu County..."

Ma Chao stood on his horse beneath the city wall, with four thousand iron cavalry following closely behind. The ranks were orderly, and even the sound of their hooves carried a chilling aura. "Gongjin and I were blocked in Shuxian. We decided to lead a light cavalry to circle around and take Moling first. If we linger here, Zhang Zhao and the others might plot another scheme. It would be better to wipe out the powerful families in the city first and cut off their foundation."

Huang Gai stood on the city wall, his face showing anxiety: "These days, the aristocratic families have indeed been restless. At night, some people secretly run out, taking their families and belongings, trying to seek refuge with Lü Dai's garrison. However, some who didn't have time to run away are all hiding in their mansions, like frightened birds."

"Those who fled are fine, and those who didn't need to be moved." Ma Chao's gaze swept over the soldiers on the city wall, then he changed the subject, "Where are Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong?"

Cheng Pu said in a deep voice, "These two are very cunning. Knowing that martial law is in effect in the city, they moved to the military camp ten miles outside the city long ago. That is Lü Dai's defense zone, where 20,000 soldiers are stationed. They are called guards, but in reality, they are their private army."

"Twenty thousand?" Ma Chao's lips curled into a cold smile. "Perfect, it'll save trouble if we wipe them all out in one fell swoop." He looked at Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, his tone steady, "Generals, please guard Moling City, keep the city gates tightly closed, and no one is allowed to enter or leave, especially those remnants of aristocratic families who want to tip off others."

"Don't worry!" Huang Gai patted his chest. "With the two of us here, not even a fly can get out of the city!"

Cheng Pu also cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, please go with peace of mind. We will take care of the affairs in the city for you. However, although Lü Dai's 20,000 troops are private soldiers, they still have some fighting power, so we still need to be careful."

"Rest assured, General." Ma Chao turned his horse around and shouted to the cavalry behind him, "Pang De, Taishi Ci, follow me! Target—the camp ten miles away, capture Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, and seize Lü Dai's forces!"

"Yes!" the cavalrymen responded in unison, their voices shaking the morning mist as if it were churning.

Watching Ma Chao's troops rush out of the city like arrows, Cheng Pu and Huang Gai exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement in each other's eyes. Huang Gai stroked his beard and laughed, "This King of Liang is indeed a decisive and efficient person! Now, Zhang Zhao and his men are probably scared out of their wits."

Cheng Pu gazed at the rising dust in the distance and nodded slowly: "It should have been like this long ago. The sky over Jiangdong should clear up soon."

Inside Lü Dai's military tent, the candlelight flickered in and out due to the draft, illuminating the faces of the men inside, each lost in their own thoughts. Zhang Zhao stroked his gray beard, his brows furrowed, while Zhang Hong stared at the map on the table, his fingertips tracing the locations of Moling and Shuxian, remaining silent for a long time.

"Gentlemen, if we hesitate any longer, we risk jeopardizing our plans!" Pan Zhang, standing to the side, couldn't contain himself any longer and said gruffly, "Zhou Yu and Ma Chao have already reached Lujiang, and it's uncertain whether Lü Meng can hold out in Shuxian. We should either take advantage of the emptiness in Moling City and capture it first, seizing control of the Sun family—then we can decide whether to force the Old Madam to appoint the Third Prince Sun Xu as heir or use them as hostages; or we should rush to Shuxian to help Lü Meng hold off Ma Chao. It's better than being stuck here ten miles away, stuck in limbo!"

Lü Dai nodded in agreement, slamming his hand heavily on the table: "He's right. Lord Zhang, Mr. Zhang Hong, we have 20,000 troops at our disposal, and they're not just for show! We have to choose one path: either take Moling or reinforce Shuxian. If we keep stalling, and Ma Chao and the others can free up their forces, our small force won't be enough!"

Zhang Zhao raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the impatient family heads in the tent, and slowly said, "General Lü, please calm down. If we rashly attack Moling now and completely break with the Sun family, then if Ma Chao and Zhou Yu attack, we will have no room for maneuver. After all, the Sun family is the legitimate successor of Jiangdong. The old lady is in the city, and veteran generals like Cheng Pu and Huang Gai are not just for show. If we are really pushed too far, they may join forces, and we may not come out on top."

"Then let's rush to Shuxian's aid!" Lü Dai said, somewhat angrily. "Lü Meng is holding out on the front lines while we're just watching from the rear. If word gets out, who will believe us?"

Zhang Hong finally spoke, his voice tinged with worry: "Relieving Shuxian? It's easier said than done. You all know how formidable Ma Chao's Xiliang cavalry is. Our 20,000 troops may seem like a lot, but if we were to pour them into the battlefield of Shuxian, it would be a drop in the ocean. By then, when our forces are exhausted, and Ma Chao and his men turn around and attack us, we won't even have the strength to defend ourselves or escape. What will we do then?"

He paused, pointing his finger at Nanhai County on the map: "In my opinion, we should wait a bit longer. In Moling City, Cheng Pu and Huang Gai may not truly be of one mind with Zhou Yu; and in Shu County, Lü Meng is no pushover either. Let's stabilize our position first, move another batch of our families and belongings to Nanhai County, and wait until we have a clearer picture of the situation before making any moves."

"Wait?" Pan Zhang said anxiously, "Wait for them to come at us?"

The tent erupted in chaos. Some of the clan leaders echoed Lü Dai's call for a swift battle, while others agreed with Zhang Hong, believing a more cautious approach was necessary. Zhang Zhao, witnessing the ensuing commotion, felt a throbbing pain in his temples. He had assumed that having troops would stabilize the situation, but he hadn't anticipated such disunity among the people, nor had he expected Ma Chao to arrive so quickly.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the tent, followed by soldiers' cries of alarm: "Enemy attack! Enemy attack! The Xiliang cavalry are coming!"

The expressions of everyone inside the tent changed drastically. Zhang Zhao suddenly stood up, staggering back half a step: "How...how could it be so fast?"

Lü Dai grabbed his sword and roared, "What's the panic! Form ranks and meet the enemy!"

The sound of bugles outside the camp tore through the morning mist. Dong Xi had already led his personal guards into battle formation, his long halberd pointing diagonally at the ground, the frost on his armor rising as he breathed rapidly. Lü Dai, Pan Zhang, and Chu Ying rode up to the front, watching the dust rising on the distant horizon. The dark cavalry formation surged in like a tide, their black armor gleaming coldly in the morning light, the sound of their hooves shaking the ground.

"What's going on? Where did these Xiliang cavalry come from?" Pan Zhang couldn't contain himself and shouted at the scout beside him.

The scout, pale-faced and trembling with tears, replied, "General, I don't know either! They came too suddenly. Judging from their banners... it's Ma Chao's army!"

"Ma Chao? Isn't he in Shuxian?" Chu Ying exclaimed in surprise, nearly dropping the spear from her hand.

Lu Dai's pupils contracted sharply, and he instantly snapped out of his shock. He abruptly turned his horse around and roared at the soldiers behind him, "Form ranks! Form ranks now! Bring up the antlers to block the front! Spearmen, crouch in the front row, archers to the rear, and fire in unison on my command!"

Military orders spread like wildfire, and 20,000 soldiers were mobilized in a flurry of activity. Deer antlers were hastily pushed to the front lines, and a forest of spears, gleaming coldly, stood erect in the morning mist. Archers climbed onto makeshift earthen platforms, stepping on their comrades' shoulders, their bowstrings humming under the strain. Although they outnumbered the enemy, their formation was already in disarray in the face of the sudden onslaught of the Xiliang cavalry.

As the dust settled, Ma Chao's figure became increasingly clear. He wore silver armor and a white robe, his tiger-headed golden spear pointing directly at the enemy ranks. He shouted to Taishi Ci and Pang De beside him, "Ziyi on the left flank, Lingming on the right flank, each lead a thousand iron cavalry to flank them from both sides and cut off their retreat! I will lead the central army straight to their heart's lair!"

"Yes!" Despite his shoulder injury, Taishi Ci raised his arm and swung it. The left-wing cavalry, like a black lightning bolt, charged diagonally towards the enemy's flank. Pang De roared, and the right-wing cavalry followed closely behind, their hooves pounding the frozen ground, kicking up shards of ice, as they encircled the rear of the camp.

Ma Chao reined in his horse and stood before the central army, gazing at the chaotic enemy ranks ahead, a cold smirk playing on his lips. Twenty thousand soldiers? Before his Xiliang iron cavalry, they were nothing but chickens and dogs. He suddenly pointed his golden spear forward, his voice like thunder: "Brothers, follow me and kill—!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" Two thousand iron cavalry shouted in unison, their roar overwhelming the enemy's drumbeats. Hooves thundered, black armor surged like waves, and the entire formation transformed into a sharp iron cone, crashing fiercely into Lü Dai's army.

Lu Dai stood at the rear of the formation, watching the unstoppable cavalry, his heart pounding. He gripped his sword hilt tightly and roared, "Archers! Fire!"

Arrows rained down like locusts upon the iron cavalry formation. But the Xiliang cavalry were prepared, raising their shields one after another. The arrows struck the black iron shields, producing only a series of crisp clanging sounds, and did not stop them in the slightest.

"Spears! Hold on!" The spearmen in the front row were pale, their knuckles white from gripping the spear shafts so tightly.

The next moment, the iron cavalry and the spear formation clashed with a deafening roar. As the golden spears flashed, long spears were deflected, and screams of agony filled the air. Ma Chao, leading the charge, wielded his spear like a venomous snake, felling three enemy soldiers in quick succession. The blood splattering on his silver armor was particularly glaring in the morning light. Behind him, the iron cavalry, like a spinning giant blade, tore a gaping hole in the enemy ranks, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake—men and horses alike fell, the enemy routed.

Although Taishi Ci on the left wing had not yet recovered from his shoulder injury, he became even more ferocious, wielding his spear with impenetrable skill, and forcefully broke through the flank; Pang De on the right wing was even more like a tiger among sheep, slashing with his broadsword, causing the enemy's defenses to retreat step by step.

Looking at the soldiers in complete disarray and the three iron cavalry units moving with impunity, Lü Dai finally understood—their forces were utterly insignificant against the Xiliang cavalry. Panic spread like wildfire; the soldiers began to scatter. Some threw down their weapons and knelt to beg for mercy, while others turned to flee, only to be blocked by the outflanking cavalry, plunging them into even deeper despair.

Ma Chao reined in his horse, gazing at the collapsing enemy ranks before him, and pointed his golden spear in Lü Dai's direction: "Capture Lü Dai, and spare the rest who surrender!"