Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 460 - 257: What Is There to Fear? (10,000-Word Update Asking for Monthly Votes)_5

Chapter 460: Chapter 257: What Is There to Fear? (10,000-Word Update Asking for Monthly Votes)_5

Understanding this allows us to grasp why the victory at Yan City was so crucial.

In this battle, General Han Fuyue severely damaged Jin’s elite Kidnapper Cavalry and Iron Float formations, nearly annihilating them in one fell swoop.

The rest of Jin’s elite forces were also greatly decimated.

Such that Wanyan Sheng wrung his hands in despair, saying, "Since raising our troops from the sea, victory has always been ours, but today we are defeated!"

This means that the Iron Floats and Kidnapper Cavalry that fell at Yan City were the elite of Jin’s Meng’an Mouke, the foundational force maintaining their rule.

Once these men died, it meant that Jin Dynasty’s entire pillar was dismantled, causing the structure to quake instantaneously.

This is why after General Han Fuyue died unjustly, the Jin indeed signed a peace treaty with the Qi Dynasty, refraining from attacking and not seizing this opportunity to annihilate Qi further. Instead, they prepared for over a decade before Wanyan Hailing once again led troops southward.

The reason being, Jin suffered heavy losses in this battle and genuinely lacked the strength to continue fighting.

Now, although the instance does not explicitly state the victory goal for this stage, in Zhao Haiping’s view, it’s quite evident.

That is: to inflict maximum casualties on the enemy’s living forces and reproduce the triumphant victory of Yan City!

...

This battle at Yan City, commanded by Zhao Haiping, did not greatly differ from the historical victory at Yan City.

After all, with General Deng Yuanjing, a legendary military leader, at the helm, heroes are often seen to think alike.

Wanyan Sheng first discovered that the core of the Qi Army led by Zhao Haiping was stationed in Yan City while other forces were dispersed around the area, leaving the core vulnerable. Hence, he decided to lead 15,000 elite cavalry and 100,000 infantry directly to Yan City, aiming for a decapitation strike to annihilate the Qi Army’s command center in one fell swoop.

If successful, the rest of the Qi Army, lacking command, would certainly crumble without a fight.

But this played right into Zhao Haiping’s hands.

Since it was Wanyan Sheng’s decapitation strike, it meant that he would storm into the Qi Army’s formations at all costs. And if he failed to make quick progress, the speedy reinforcement from various Qi divisions would put his deep-penetrating lone force at risk of annihilation.

Thus, for both sides, this battle turned into a clash of spear and shield.

For Wanyan Sheng, he aimed to break through Zhao Haiping’s personal guards’ formation at all costs using the Iron Floats and Kidnapper Cavalry to execute the decapitation strike. For Zhao Haiping, his goal was to command his elite troops to hold their ground at all costs while waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

At this juncture, both sides had their gains and losses.

For Wanyan Sheng, having to carry out the decapitation strike meant he had to forgo the cavalry’s mobility, not opting for hit-and-run tactics, but rather, pressing forward with his prized heavy cavalry in one massive assault.

However, since he was the aggressor with superior numbers, this indeed posed a perfect opportunity for a strategic strike.

No wonder history regards him as always making the right strategic decisions at the right time and place, yet each battle, due to execution, diverged wildly from the plan, turning into a "test of a general’s quality."

For Zhao Haiping, currently at a disadvantage in troops and with many of his elite infantry lacking maneuverability,

since Wanyan Sheng was determined to breach his formation at all costs, all Zhao needed was to defend his position fiercely to win half the battle.

...

The great battle commenced.

The troops trained by General Deng had become extraordinarily disciplined, following orders without hesitation and experiencing a fluidity like moving one’s own limbs.

The specific arrangements made against Jin’s cavalry, such as training with anti-horse stakes, long spears, and large axes, also proved extraordinarily effective.

Wanyan Sheng initially attempted flanking maneuvers with the Kidnapper Cavalry on both wings, hoping to peel away the Qi Army’s heavy infantry formations layer by layer like an onion. However, Zhao Haiping also immediately ordered his cavalry into battle to engage the Kidnapper Cavalry.

These elite cavalry managed to gain the upper hand in their clash with Jin’s Kidnapper Cavalry.

Finally unable to remain patient, Wanyan Sheng ordered the Iron Floats to charge directly at the Qi Army’s heavy infantry formations.

Zhao Haiping then commanded these heavy infantry to use their anti-horse stakes and long spears to hinder the Iron Floats’ charge. Subsequently, he dispatched specially trained elite heavy infantry, each wielding a shield, large axe, and Mazha Blade, to execute a decapitation strike on the Iron Floats.

These shield-bearing elite infantry, just like in training, kept their heads down, protected by the thick shields, only allowed to move forward, not backward, forever heads down, never up.

Using their shields to block the Iron Floats, whose momentum had been reduced by the stakes and spears, they then chopped at the horses’ legs.

As these Iron Floats fell from their horses, soldiers with long spears would flick off their helmets, followed by ax-wielding soldiers moving in to decapitate them.

This battle lasted several hours, and the subsequent fighting continued for six days.

The Qi Army achieved victory after victory, forcing Wanyan Sheng’s army of a hundred thousand to retreat in disarray like a crumbling mountain.

...

The fog in Zhao Haiping’s field of vision gradually cleared.

After the victory at Yan City, the images before his eyes rapidly shifted, and he found himself back at Zhuxian Town.

"General!

"Without a command from the king, some orders must not be obeyed!"

Many armor-clad generals knelt resolutely before Zhao Haiping.

In his hands was an imperial letter ordering his return to the court, along with a golden tablet lying nearby.

Seeing that Zhao Haiping, as the leading general, remained silent, these generals grew even more anxious, pleading,

"General! Just a few days ago, we smashed Wanyan Sheng’s army of a hundred thousand! With victories at Yan City and Zhuxian Town one after the other, the Jin soldiers are now terrified. Although advancing now may not guarantee breaking through to the heartland, reclaiming the northern old territories is already assured!"

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